These shelves are a fairly new product there and you can buy them in a multitude of sizes and really personalize them to what you want.

I wanted them to be a clean white so I simply spray painted them before assembly.  And by assembly, I mean, beat me over the head, have a meltdown, want to throw them out the window, 2 day ordeal.  I say this because I actually take pride in my Ikea assembling abilities.  I know all the little tricks and can read there poor directions like a boss now… but these were a mean surprise because it looked like they would be so so simple! They were not.  I managed to get it done but didn’t end up following any of the directions so I’m afraid I can’t help talk you through it… but I will pray for you! I think it turned out pretty well though and does the job for now.

This is in a corner of our dining room that I will share more of soon!

I’m not bitter at all that the movers removed 2 of the 4 wheels on my antique tea cart and are still no where to be found… not bitter at all.

Dalmation Trinket Dish found here but currently unavailable.

I love that I can enjoy my new collection and that it’s not hidden away anymore! The house is slowly coming along and this is motivating me to finish up the dining room fast

Pin below for sources later!

xoxo

B

The post Ikea Wall Shelves Hack appeared first on Windgate Lane.

The entryway in our new home was a bit of a question mark for me at first.  It’s very long and with the hardwoods, it felt a bit dark, which I knew I needed to offset.  Initially I considered a gallery wall, but decided that it might feel a bit cluttered and wanted it to feel very clean and simple while still filling the very large space.  I’m not used to having such high ceilings and a lot of our old pictures are sizes that would get lost in the space, so I needed to look for larger scale pieces.

During the first few months I ordered this console table from Ballard Designs when it was on mega sale for $200.  The price was right and so was the length! It’s huge and bigger than most I was finding.  But that’s what the space needed! I was debating for quite awhile on what to put above it but finally decided on a mirror because it would bounce the light down the dark hallway and wouldn’t compete with artwork that would hang over the mantel.

After some failed trips to HomeGoods and my other fave home accessory places, I got a new Ballard Designs catalogue in the mail and wouldn’t you know it… the perfect mirror was in it! Once again, huge, but just enough detail to give it interest without being fussy! Check and check! The only problem… price… definitely more than I usually spend on something like this.  But if you sign up for there email list (once again, this is not a sponsored post) you will get emails with sales and I did just that and they finally had a 30% off coupon and I jumped on it.  This won’t be something I will replace for a long time and the quality of it showed when it arrived!

And by quality, I mean it was heavier than I could describe without using a cuss word and tested our marriage to the limit while we hung it lol! But worth it in the end!

And why don’t we just round out my Ballard Designs love fest with the final thing in the entry, my faux fiddle leaf fig tree! I have yet to find one of this quality and size for the price (also waited for a coupon and got it awhile ago).  It looks so real and I just found the pot for it at HomeGoods.  I can’t keep a plant or tree alive to save my life so this is actually saving me money in the long run. 

Added in some of my blue and white pretties and voila! After 4 months we have a pretty, welcoming entryway! Do you like how I say voila and then 4 months later like it was overnight? Yeah… moving is a lot y’all.  Expenses and just figuring out what works in the new spaces takes patience and more patience, otherwise you end up buying a bunch of stuff that doesn’t really work.  Just ask our last house and the accessories that were in it for the first several years;)

If you have been around Windgate Lane for awhile, you know that these two pieces are more than I usually spend.  But with this new house and with 10yrs of design experience under my belt now, I knew where I would feel comfortable spending a bit more and that was on things that would be classic place holders.  The table and mirror will be there for a long time and my little accessory loving heart can decorate around them in all sorts of ways!

Each space is slowly coming together!

xoxo

B

**All photos are property of Windgate Lane.  Prohibited use without written permission.

The post Bright, Blue, and White Entryway appeared first on Windgate Lane.

The stockings where hung, the presents were wrapped… then all hell broke loose and the only safe space was the dining room!

| Similar Shirts | Wrapping Paper |

This year was very special because I got new dishes! I can remember my Mom getting special dishes on Christmas and I’m so excited to have my very own… and you won’t believe it but… they are blue and white! I know, you are shocked.  This Christmas Table Setting is my favorite and will be used for many years to come.

I feel these blue and white dishes were just meant to be in my home.  Just nod your head in agreement.   I might have needed the matching platter as well.  I mean it was all on sale (still is actually)!

The bowls are my favorite and I will keep them on display in my hutch.  They match my thrifted acrylic blue napkin holders perfectly!  I have thrifted most of my silver as well but you can find similar pieces here.   For other room sources, you can find them in the Dining Room Make-Over!

The Holiday Desert Plates, which are currently out of stock but could possibly come back, are another favorite, but these are an amazing second option (and on sale) and it was a hard choice between the two for me!

And how could I forget the bar cart?! It had to get prepped for some holiday entertaining!

The drink shakers were a black friday present to myself.  Stop judging.  I saved so much money on everyone else it just made sense.   And the antique drink stirrers are about my favorite holiday decor ever!

We are ready to have a beautiful dinner and then carry it into a Happy New Year and I wish the same to you all!

** Windgate Lane shares affiliate links so that products mentioned are found easily and does receive a small amount for purchases made through our site.  We appreciate the support!**

xoxo

B

The post Christmas Table Setting appeared first on Windgate Lane.

It was only a matter of time before I had to bring my blue and white obsession into my Christmas Decor! So a red, white, and blue Christmas was born!

I’m going to let the pictures do the talking but this wasn’t a complete overhaul of Christmas decor.  I simply added in a few more blue accents, like the blue and white ribbon on the tree and then adding the blue wrapping paper instantly brought it more into the spotlight! And can we talk about this wrapping paper from Emily McCarthy?! It felt as if bells were ringing when I saw it! It is more expensive but I just bought a few sheets of it and then accented it with the plaids.

I kept the other items in the living room simple and let the tree be the star, but of course the mantel got in on the fun! You may notice that Momma got a new mirror for Christmas and I’m fairly obsessed with it just like the wrapping paper.

These wood prayer beads from Sugarboo and Co. were the only major decor I added this year and the best part is that they aren’t just Christmas decor, they will be out year round and can be moved around.  So these were worth every penny and I can see them in my home forever!

And of course the Dining Room had to have some Christmas cheer after it’s big make-over this last year that you can see here (sources included).  This room is ready for a feast and lets face it… a cocktail!

I got these cocktail shakers as an early Christmas present and I love how they look like hob nob but aren’t… and hello? Blue!  I will share how I styled them on my bar cart next week!

I hope you enjoyed the Christmas tour and now you can hope over to these other fabulous ladies for even more inspiration!

Christmas Tour Participants:

At Home with The Barkers | Windgate Lane | Cottage In The Oaks

Petticoat Junktion | Restoration Redoux | Girl in the Garage

The Robins Nest Design’s | Paper Daisy Design

Happy Holidays to you all!

xoxo

B

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It’s that fun time of year again!! Swap it Like It’s Hot, where a whole bunch of us get together and find thrifty randoms and send them to our friends to transform into whatever they can reimagine and I love it! This year my items came from our fearless leader, Charlotte, from Ciburbanity, and I decided to use them to spruce up our bar cart for fall.

Our antique bar cart got a little make over during the One Room Challenge that you can see here but it was time to change out a few things to try and entice fall to head into Texas;)

Charlotte sent me several fun things but I decided that these two were the stand outs to help in my mini make-over. This little tray and a wooden stand.

I actually liked the pattern on the tray, but the colors just weren’t working for me, which is the beauty of buying things and seeing them in different ways! All this tray needed was some black spray paint to get me started… and yes, this may be one of my children completely wiping out in the background of this photo… no children were harmed in the spray painting of this tray!

I used some glossy, black spray paint and gave it a shiny fresh coat! Then I decided to add my personality into the project… a few white stick on letters accomplished that because I got jokes people! My husband may not think I’m as funny as I do but he’s got the rest of his life to figure that one out.

So a man walks into a bar… and he says… can there ever be enough blue and white in a house? No! and that’s not even a funny question! You know I had to have my blue and white but I love the mix with the black and white and peach… yes, peach! I brought some peach accents with my DIY curtains into the dining room and love the soft contrast it brings.  That peach, velvet pillow cover though, was a recent Target purchase (lots of colors) for under $10- you can find it here and you’re welcome… love! 

The wood base was perfect with an old glass cylinder I had.  I simply filled it with these wood beads that once again, I found at Target, and then added some of my little, Christmas battery powered lights for some fall ambiance! So easy but added great texture and interest! For you locals out there, I am not going to lie… there were two boxes at my Target and I snatched them both up- I’m sure they will restock soon but they are on sale online and it is an unbelievably good deal if you compare prices to the wood beads they sell at Pottery Barn, etc, so I suggest you nab them if you can.

Best advice on decorating I can give… decorate for you… this isn’t going to be everyone’s style and that’s why I love seeing what other’s do with similar things because to some a tray is just a tray but to some it’s way to remind their husband that they are funny every time he sees it

And FYI in case I haven’t encouraged you to spend enough moola at Target already, that is in fact a fake fiddle leaf fig tree… and I couldn’t be more proud of a fake plant if I tried.  I actually had to ask our store manager and these will only be sold at some stores so once again, if you can grab it online I would for sure- they are so real looking and obviously for me the biggest plus is you can’t kill it!

So now I get to send you on your way to my friend Laurie over at Vin’yet Etc. who I sent this little group of thrifted finds- I can’t wait to see what she did with them!

And here are the links to all of the participants for today and I will come back each day and add the new participants as this will go on all week!

Monday

| Ciburbanity | Windgate Lane | Vin’yet Etc. | Casa Watkins Living | One Mile Home Style |

Tuesday

| Reinvented | ConfettiStyle | Confessions of a Serial Do-It-Yourselfer | Addicted 2 DIY

|Restoration Redoux | I Am a Homemaker | Maggie Overby Studios | PMQ For Two |

Wednesday

| Two Thirty-Five Designs | 58 Water Street | Create & Babble |

| Dogs Don’t Eat Pizza | Gourley Girl and Guy | The Charming Farmer |

Thursday

| This is our Bliss | Southern State of Mind |

| Two Purple Couches | My Life From Home |

xoxo

B

**affiliate links are included in this post to both ease in the sourcing of materials and Windgate Lane does make a small stipend off of purchases made through click throughs**

The post Bar Cart Styling | Swap It Like It’s Hot appeared first on Windgate Lane.

But it is also a room that has at times overwhelmed me with the memory of my Mom.  She was only able to visit twice after we moved here and once was flying down with me and the baby to move in.  She wasn’t able to help with the unloading, so while my dad, husband, and I worked to bring things in, she set up camp in the dining room and played with 4 month old Jack.  Just sitting on the floor in the empty room loving on my baby boy.  I hid myself in the bathroom and cried for a bit knowing that they would leave soon.  My best friends, my parents, and here I was leaving the nest in a big way with a baby of my own.  These are the moments you look back on and can see so clearly but have no idea that they will be so impactful.  The look on her face, the joy that the baby and she had just sitting there laughing at each other with their identical bright blue eyes.  This room had to be blue.  It had to be all the joy and the beautiful that was in that moment.

I did the paneling a couple of years ago and painted the navy above but it just never felt how it should.   The paint by numbers art has been a love of mine for awhile and all of the colors and landscapes just bring me joy to look at.   This room had to have joy! The biggest aspect that I kept missing was warmth.  How did I forget to add heart and warmth into it?! The curtains and lamps brought the heart right in.

I love to entertain and the silver collection has come from everywhere.  One piece was my Mom’s, friends have given them to me, thrift stores, even Target!  I am forever fighting the battle of no storage in this house so I decided that this was not something I should hide.  Let’s just have it out and ready to go!  I will also never stop mixing metals… you can’t make me.

I kept the table setting simple.  The chargers and plates were wedding presents, the glass bowls are from Ikea and then the little white berry bowls are a set of milk glass bowls I lucked into at an antique store.  I did not expect such a challenge when I wanted to find Peonies for my centerpiece but I apparently wanted the only flower not readily available! I’m no quitter though!

The bar cart also stayed simple.  Those of you with keen eyes will notice that the caning got another coat of navy spray paint.  I loved the blue I first did but once the room was coming together I decided it needed to be more subtle.   The metal bells hanging above I found at the Elephant’s Flea Market in New York last year and I have just been waiting for the perfect spot for them.  Happy memories ended up making this room perfect for me.  All the planning in the world but it turns out for my own spaces it just comes down to me and being able to look around and see love and memories.

Who knew a room make-over could help me learn so much about myself? I guess my therapy has always been creating and this was no different.  I created a space I love and did it for the person I love so dearly.  I know she is looking down and smiling.

Affiliate and Source List

| Chandelier | Rug | Red Marbled Lamps | Acrylic Chairs | Head Chairs | Source for Paint By Numbers Art here and here | Sources for Silver | Dishes here and here | Peach Curtains |

To start at the beginning of the One Room Challenge Journey jump here and to see the Master Bedroom Reveal Go Here!

Love you Mom.

B

The post |One Room Challenge| Dining Room Reveal and Sources appeared first on Windgate Lane.

Last week I showed your my new peach curtains (tutorial here).

And you could see my new chairs and a glimpse of the paint by numbers that have been hung! yay! If only it all looked so great from that little picture.

Just yesterday I sold my French Provincial Hutch that I redid years ago and it was a bitter sweet moment! I was sad to see it go, but I knew that the room needed something different now and let’s face it… nothing last forever around here:)

I found a new sideboard at a barn sale a couple of weeks ago and I love it! I am in the process of stripping and sanding it but I am still undecided on the stain I will use or if I will leave it in a stripped, natural wood state.   Kind of like the drawers I left ‘naked’ on this dresser here.

The other project that has to be completed is the new chandelier which is proving to be a harder task than I had envisioned.  Yesterday I tried to take down the old one and it turns out that it is really a two person job! I finally stopped trying when I had a vision of it falling on me and being trapped under it for days before anyone noticed.  Not to mention that I have had a really hard time envisioning the new one in the room.  I love it but I am such a visual person that until it is really all there together, I have moments of panic!

Only 120 of these to hang on there as well…

After that is completed it will just be about setting up and staging the whole room… I think… am I missing anything?! But if you could see the room right now, that wouldn’t seem like such an easy task;)

So let’s all just take a deep breath and get through this final push! Excited to share the final room next week!

Here are the previous weeks and progress and also jump over to see all the chaos in the Master Bedroom!

| Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 |

xoxo

B

The post |One Room Challenge| Dining Room Assembly appeared first on Windgate Lane.

This week I didn’t accomplish as much as I had hoped for the One Room Challenge but I did take a few steps forward by DIY’ing my own peach curtains! (if you are just jumping in, you can catch up here).

Peach was not an obvious first choice for me and I had actually thought about forgoing curtains altogether because there is such a lack of sunlight in there already, but I was also concerned that the room needed some warmth.   The peach is a brave choice for me and I was frankly not sure if I would like it until I had it up there- it was also a chore to find a light peach fabric! I wanted a velvet but that was no where to be found and don’t think I didn’t just try to buy some but all of the ones I found were darker than I wanted.

Hobby Lobby was finally the winner with a pale peach cotton and then just to satisfy my velvet need, a peach velvet ribbon that I could trim it out with!  Let’s get the tutorial out of the way real quick… my sewing machine broke.  I simply used my iron and Stitch Witchery to get the job done! Measured- cut- ironed- ironed down 1 inch edges- placed Stitch Witchery in-between the fabric- ironed again- and done! Then I hot glued the ribbon down the edge.  Seriously… not a seamstress. Shout out to all of you who are.

And even lazier? I didn’t hem the long sides because I liked the texture that the fringe added… Bob Ross would call that a happy little accident! Oh and you are going to see a sneak peak of the dining room head chairs I found at Tuesday Morning- also not what I thought I wanted but love!

It’s hard to share pictures when the rest of the room is still in chaos but you can also see that I hung some of my paint by numbers art.

It’s coming together but it’s also push time! New lighting should arrive the beginning of next week so hopefully I can get it up to post about it before next week.  Here are links to the first 3 weeks of projects and don’t forget to jump over to see my DIY floor mirror in the Master Bedroom!

Week 1 Mood Board

Week 2 Tea Cart

Week 3 Ghost Chairs

xoxo

B

Linking to:

Thoughts of Home

The post |One Room Challenge| Peach Curtains appeared first on Windgate Lane.

If you are just joining this craziness, welcome to the One Room Challenge! You can find details here, but the quick story is I am trying to finish a laundry list of items in not one, but two rooms in my house in just six weeks! So each week you will see two posts on Wednesdays, one for my master bedroom and one for my dining room.

The dining room is moving along.  Do I wish I could cross off more on my to do list, yes, but I’m happy with what I accomplished this week! I started gathering all of the art work I want to use for the feature wall and am pretty happy with my little collection.  I may hit up some more antique and thrift stores this week to find a couple more, but I would be ok with what I have.

The big project I finished this week was refinishing my antique tea cart.  I got this years ago at a garage sale and of course had no idea what I would do with it, but loved it to much to leave it!

I loved the gold, but it was the gold with the black veins running through it that I didn’t love.  So I decided to correct that with some simple rub and buff.  Super easy and took about 5 minutes.

Next I needed to replace the glass.  It was the thinnest piece of glass I have ever seen and I was constantly afraid it would break under any pressure, so I decided to go with plexiglass.  Cost effective.  Strong.  And waiting for me at Lowes! Take your measurements and they will cut it to size for you.  Perfect!

Last but for sure not least… is the fun I needed to add! I have been in love with Society Social’s Bar Carts for forever! The caning and the different pops of color with the gold are so fun.  I still had some caning (you can buy some here) that I found in a thrift store left from this project, so I simply cut it to the size of the perimeter, used some painters tape to make it into a square and then spray painted it.  I went back and forth a million times on which color I wanted to do because there was room for several different accent colors, but a beautiful blue won out!  And I can always just take it out too so it’s the best of both worlds.

I’m pretty smitten with this project and it’s definitely helping motivate me to get the rest done.  So excited to see it all come together!

Check back next week to see more progress and jump over to the Master Bedroom to see what’s been ticked off the list there this week too!

xoxo

B

The post |One Room Challenge| Dining Room Tea Cart appeared first on Windgate Lane.

This week I was so excited to share some of my new Christmas Decor and that included my DIY Cardboard Christmas Houses on my mantel!

I wanted big impact and no surprise… low cost… so as I was preparing to do wood cut out houses, I realized that it would A.  take more time and B. would have to be seriously attached so as not to fall on my children’s heads.

I decided to use my once a year Lightbulb Moment and came up with thick foam cardboard- easy to cut, and half off at Hobby Lobby Score (similar found here)! After I cut out the house shapes and some windows, it occurred to me that you can buy window forms for doll houses.  I popped back in to Hobby Lobby and sure enough- little windows, doors, and even shutters- why not add a little personalization?! (similar windows found here but more choices at Hobby Stores with coupons!)

I ended up not using the shutters because I liked the simpler look, but all I did was trace around the windows and then use an X-Acto Knife to cut out the foam.  I lightly pushed the wood window frames in and voila!

The doors and larger windows I cut looked a bit boring after the cute windows were in so I grabbed some Balsa wood trim that I used to create my Faux Tobacco Basket.  It is super thin and can be cut with scissors so I just measured, cut and hot glued it around the doors and windows! (also found at Hobby Lobby)

I also cut down the edges of the houses but not all the way through the foam so that they could stand on their own and block the view of the twinkle lights taped to the back.

The next step was to tape some battery powered twinkle lights up to the backs to add a nice glow!

See all of those fun accents that make the scene come to life? All found at The Container Store! The wood cut out trees, the red pom pom ribbon, the adorable little gift boxes… between those and their gift wrap, I was in that store for a long time and beyond excited!

To see the rest of the Holiday Decor, including my festive dining room, Click Here!

Let me know if you have any questions!

xoxo

B

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