Remodel update: we’ve made a lot of choices on o Remodel update: we’ve made a lot of choices on our kitchen, bathroom, and complete upstairs remodel. Here’s what we’ve done so far: 1. Met with the contractor @sawtooth_remodeling! (They’re amazing! We highly recommend!) 2. Met with the custom cabinet builder and made all of our adjustments. 3. Picked out countertops. 4. Ordered kitchen sink, backsplash tile, and new fridge. 5. Now we wait and keep ordering things. Cabinets won’t be done until end of June so we can’t start demo until at least beginning of June. 

So you know what that means? A LOT of purging and organizing and packing until demo day, working on potty training our littlest and getting her out of her crib, and transitioning the current nursery into a fun bedroom for our oldest daughter. So much to do but we’re very excited!

Have you been through a remodel? How did it go for you?
Good morning! Thanks everyone for your love on my Good morning! Thanks everyone for your love on my e-book/e-magazine yesterday! You can check out yesterday’s post for info on how to receive yours! 

In other news, this Thursday is going to be my first Mood Board by Moonlight. Head to my stories to find out more and to vote on the design space and inspiration. 

This mood board was one I had done a while back and is inspired by the second picture. This gives you an idea of how Mood Boards by Moonlight will work. 

So head to stories and let me know what you’d like to see. Keep in mind that I love a challenge!
It’s here! My free e-book, Unique Home, is now a It’s here! My free e-book, Unique Home, is now available! If you’re looking for advice on how to create a personality-packed space, this is for you! I share my top tips on how to add the “you” to unique including advice on thrifting, trends, and my favorite budget-friendly decor tool. 

To request your free copy, click the Unique Home e-book link in my profile or visit https//rufusandhenrietta.com/unique-home.
We are closing on our home refinance on Monday and We are closing on our home refinance on Monday and we met with a contractor regarding a remodel (mainly on the kitchen) yesterday. So many exciting things happening! For now, I thought I’d share my very quick and last minute schematic I threw together yesterday to show the contractor. 

If you remember, the view as you walk into our upper level from the stairs is a wall of closets right now with a galley kitchen behind. This schematic shows you how that would open up and this would be your first view complete with a broom closet,  fridge and built-in pantry on the left, a statement backsplash and a waterfall-edged peninsula on the right. I seriously cannot wait!!! Also, we’re going to be keeping the original globe light fixtures and making them a highlight in the kitchen. 

It will be fun to see how this concept in my mind evolves and comes to life as the project continues. 

Have you ever taken on a full kitchen remodel? Any tips on how to get by without a kitchen during the reno process? Let me know all of the tips and coping mechanisms. 😉
Happy Thursday! Boy, are there a lot of things I h Happy Thursday! Boy, are there a lot of things I haven’t really filled you in on because I didn’t know how they would work out. But let’s just say we’re meeting with a contractor today. More on that soon. 

In other news, did you catch my stories recently? I talk about a new fun idea I have called #moodboardbymoonlight and I’m very excited about it! I’d love for you to go check that out and then you can start leaving your suggestions here or messaging me. Thanks for everything!
Today is #shadesofdiy reveal day for the color pin Today is #shadesofdiy reveal day for the color pink. I am beyond grateful of these ladies for choosing me as their guest participant. 

@baker.blooms 
@homemadehuppy 
@curatedbyconstance 
@hautehouselove 

These little $1.50 travertine tiles turned coasters quickly became one of my favorite DIYs. Originally I had a big wallpaper reveal planned for you all but alas, life got in the way. 

But honestly, this project meant more to me than just a little DIY. This whole thing has served up a big life lesson for me (something I have been deeply struggling with for a while now). 

You see, I’ve been battling with self doubt, with worrying I’m not doing enough or “big” enough things, for that wow factor (like a wallpaper reveal). But, these little coasters allowed me to remember the joy I have in all of this and reminded me that perfection is not my goal. My goal is to show others that good-feeling design can be approachable, affordable, and attainable. And this little project is just that. 

I have been so caught up in my own head, dragging myself backwards, allowing those deprecating words like “failure” and “unworthy” to sink in. 

But these little coasters took me back to when all I could do was take a blurry photo, all I could do were minimal cheap projects, and I was so proud. It’s good to feel that pride again. 

So thank you, ladies, for allowing me to participate in this. I’m not sure you’ll ever realize how a little pink project helped save my mental state. 

Thank you, coasters, for reminding me of the reason I love design and DIY.

And thank you past self for relishing in the little things, present self for just allowing creativity to flow through this project, and future self for taking these lessons and blossoming them into something great. God has something big planned for you. You just don’t know what that is yet. ❤️
Another “room” makeover down in the books!! Ya Another “room” makeover down in the books!! Yahoo! So happy with this little mudroom makeover that will make our space so much more functional but also beautiful. This fun DIY room divider hides our water heater perfectly and adds the perfect punch of personality. Little spaces like these are great for trying something new like painting a ceiling or adding pattern. Have fun with your small spaces!
Welp. Me and this staple gun made some fine progre Welp. Me and this staple gun made some fine progress on this DIY arch room divider this weekend. (You can see all of the mudroom progress under the mudroom story highlight on my profile.) Now I just need to add on the legs and use this baby to hide the water heater!
It’s a late post kind of day. I recently scored It’s a late post kind of day. I recently scored this beautiful wood and wicker mid century cabinet from Facebook Marketplace and I’m in love! We knew this little nook (that used to be a closet) was going to be a hard fit. We wanted a piece of furniture that would not only look nice but provide some much needed storage for our kids craft projects and my extra decor pieces. This just so happened to fit perfectly in this space. I’m obsessed with it’s woven features, original brass handles, and mirrored back. Eek!! 

Also, swipe to see the beautiful artwork by @nabeelarumi. I finally found the perfect spot for her piece. The colors are absolutely stunning and the message is even more beautiful.
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DIY, Home Decor, Uncategorized · May 4, 2019

DIY Backsplash Installation – ORC Week 5

Well, friends! We are almost there! It’s week 5 of the One Room Challenge and we’re finally feeling like we’re in the home stretch. I don’t know about you, but taking on certain DIY projects is really intimidating. At first doing a DIY backsplash installation seemed daunting and even impossible. But, this turned out to be one of the easiest upgrades!

One Room Challenge

Catch up on the rest of the challenge!

Week 1 – Before Photos and Design Plan

Week 2 – How to Remove Backsplash and Repair Drywall

Week 3 – The Power of Paint

Week 4 – How to Add Personality to a Space

What You’ll Need:

  • Tile of your choice (we used this)
  • Simple Mat or thin set
  • Grout in your color choice
  • Rubber grout float
  • Putty knife or plastic spackle knife
  • Grout sponge
  • Bucket for water
  • Rag
  • Spacers (we used 1/8″)
  • Tile Cutter (we used this one)
DIY backsplash

The Installation Steps:

  • Take sticky backing off of the Simple Mat sheet and place on wall. These are EXTREMELY sticky so make sure you place it where you want it from the beginning. You will not be able to remove and readjust with ease.
Tile Backsplash with Simple Mat

DIY tile installation
Easy DIY backsplash installation
  • Determine the pattern you would like to place your tile. (We played with them on the floor and tried several patterns before deciding to go a more modern route and do a vertical stack.)
  • Then remove the front film on the Simple Mat and begin placing your tile on the Simple Mat lightly, using your spacers. The Simple Mat is sticky to keep the tile in place but you do have some room to readjust and replace the individual tiles as needed.
subway tile backsplash
  • Continue placing your tile as you can and cut the tile appropriately at corners and edges.
  • To cut the tile, measure the size of the piece you will need, keeping the spacer width in mind.
  • Measure the tile and mark with a chalk pencil or marker.
  • Place the tile in the cutter and score the tile with the cutting wheel at least 3 times. (We found 3 times across with the scoring wheel was the perfect amount for our tile to get a clean edge.)
  • Once you have scored your tile, put down the snapping foot, apply pressure and snap the tile. This should provide a nice clean edge.
  • Then apply these smaller pieces to the Simple Mat using your spacers the same as you did previously.
Installing subway tile backsplash
  • Once all of your tile is in place and you are happy with the look, use a rubber grout float to push the tile in place on the Simple Mat. This essentially “locks” the tile in place.
  • Now you are ready for grout.

Side note: This is what is really great about Simple Mat. It is easy to work with and is not as messy as a thin set. And on top of that, you can move to the grouting stage right away. So for a smaller project like this, it was helpful to get all of it done in one day.

  • To apply the grout, use your plastic spackling knife to scoop the pre-mixed grout out of the container and onto the rubber grout float.
  • Hold the rubber grout float at a 45 degree angle to apply to the tile and to get into the spaces evenly and effectively.
  • Once you have a 2′ section grouted, take your rubber grout float at a 90 degree angle to scrape off the excess grout on the tile.
  • Now you can take a damp sponge (ring it out as much as possible) and slowly clean the surface of the tiles in a circular motion. You will likely have to change out the water often.
  • But don’t worry about getting it perfectly clean. In about 4 hours, your grout will be mostly set and you can come back with a damp cloth to finish cleaning the surface.

We also applied grout to the top and side edges of our backsplash. We found it helpful to put painter’s tape on the wall around the edge of the backsplash to help with the mess. Apply the grout here at a 45 degree angle as well and smooth in one stroke to create a clean edge. Once it’s dry, you can go back with a sanding block to clean up any small bumps.

how to install backsplash tile

And there you have it! A project that creates a big impact with only a few hours of work. Of course, you can apply this to larger spaces as well, which we will be doing in our kitchen eventually.

I hope you can use this simple DIY backsplash installation to customize your space and make it your own. If you do, please send me pictures! I’d love to see your projects!

And make sure to come back next week for the big reveal of our space and see hundreds of other inspiring spaces. It feels good to almost be in the final stage of styling and bringing the whole space together. (Not to mention to have our bathroom back!)

(Update: You can see the reveal here)

Happy Creating!

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In: DIY, Home Decor, Uncategorized · Tagged: backsplash, bathroom remodel, diy, one room challenge, orc, tile

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Remodel update: we’ve made a lot of choices on o Remodel update: we’ve made a lot of choices on our kitchen, bathroom, and complete upstairs remodel. Here’s what we’ve done so far: 1. Met with the contractor @sawtooth_remodeling! (They’re amazing! We highly recommend!) 2. Met with the custom cabinet builder and made all of our adjustments. 3. Picked out countertops. 4. Ordered kitchen sink, backsplash tile, and new fridge. 5. Now we wait and keep ordering things. Cabinets won’t be done until end of June so we can’t start demo until at least beginning of June. 

So you know what that means? A LOT of purging and organizing and packing until demo day, working on potty training our littlest and getting her out of her crib, and transitioning the current nursery into a fun bedroom for our oldest daughter. So much to do but we’re very excited!

Have you been through a remodel? How did it go for you?
Good morning! Thanks everyone for your love on my Good morning! Thanks everyone for your love on my e-book/e-magazine yesterday! You can check out yesterday’s post for info on how to receive yours! 

In other news, this Thursday is going to be my first Mood Board by Moonlight. Head to my stories to find out more and to vote on the design space and inspiration. 

This mood board was one I had done a while back and is inspired by the second picture. This gives you an idea of how Mood Boards by Moonlight will work. 

So head to stories and let me know what you’d like to see. Keep in mind that I love a challenge!
It’s here! My free e-book, Unique Home, is now a It’s here! My free e-book, Unique Home, is now available! If you’re looking for advice on how to create a personality-packed space, this is for you! I share my top tips on how to add the “you” to unique including advice on thrifting, trends, and my favorite budget-friendly decor tool. 

To request your free copy, click the Unique Home e-book link in my profile or visit https//rufusandhenrietta.com/unique-home.
We are closing on our home refinance on Monday and We are closing on our home refinance on Monday and we met with a contractor regarding a remodel (mainly on the kitchen) yesterday. So many exciting things happening! For now, I thought I’d share my very quick and last minute schematic I threw together yesterday to show the contractor. 

If you remember, the view as you walk into our upper level from the stairs is a wall of closets right now with a galley kitchen behind. This schematic shows you how that would open up and this would be your first view complete with a broom closet,  fridge and built-in pantry on the left, a statement backsplash and a waterfall-edged peninsula on the right. I seriously cannot wait!!! Also, we’re going to be keeping the original globe light fixtures and making them a highlight in the kitchen. 

It will be fun to see how this concept in my mind evolves and comes to life as the project continues. 

Have you ever taken on a full kitchen remodel? Any tips on how to get by without a kitchen during the reno process? Let me know all of the tips and coping mechanisms. 😉
Happy Thursday! Boy, are there a lot of things I h Happy Thursday! Boy, are there a lot of things I haven’t really filled you in on because I didn’t know how they would work out. But let’s just say we’re meeting with a contractor today. More on that soon. 

In other news, did you catch my stories recently? I talk about a new fun idea I have called #moodboardbymoonlight and I’m very excited about it! I’d love for you to go check that out and then you can start leaving your suggestions here or messaging me. Thanks for everything!
Today is #shadesofdiy reveal day for the color pin Today is #shadesofdiy reveal day for the color pink. I am beyond grateful of these ladies for choosing me as their guest participant. 

@baker.blooms 
@homemadehuppy 
@curatedbyconstance 
@hautehouselove 

These little $1.50 travertine tiles turned coasters quickly became one of my favorite DIYs. Originally I had a big wallpaper reveal planned for you all but alas, life got in the way. 

But honestly, this project meant more to me than just a little DIY. This whole thing has served up a big life lesson for me (something I have been deeply struggling with for a while now). 

You see, I’ve been battling with self doubt, with worrying I’m not doing enough or “big” enough things, for that wow factor (like a wallpaper reveal). But, these little coasters allowed me to remember the joy I have in all of this and reminded me that perfection is not my goal. My goal is to show others that good-feeling design can be approachable, affordable, and attainable. And this little project is just that. 

I have been so caught up in my own head, dragging myself backwards, allowing those deprecating words like “failure” and “unworthy” to sink in. 

But these little coasters took me back to when all I could do was take a blurry photo, all I could do were minimal cheap projects, and I was so proud. It’s good to feel that pride again. 

So thank you, ladies, for allowing me to participate in this. I’m not sure you’ll ever realize how a little pink project helped save my mental state. 

Thank you, coasters, for reminding me of the reason I love design and DIY.

And thank you past self for relishing in the little things, present self for just allowing creativity to flow through this project, and future self for taking these lessons and blossoming them into something great. God has something big planned for you. You just don’t know what that is yet. ❤️
Another “room” makeover down in the books!! Ya Another “room” makeover down in the books!! Yahoo! So happy with this little mudroom makeover that will make our space so much more functional but also beautiful. This fun DIY room divider hides our water heater perfectly and adds the perfect punch of personality. Little spaces like these are great for trying something new like painting a ceiling or adding pattern. Have fun with your small spaces!
Welp. Me and this staple gun made some fine progre Welp. Me and this staple gun made some fine progress on this DIY arch room divider this weekend. (You can see all of the mudroom progress under the mudroom story highlight on my profile.) Now I just need to add on the legs and use this baby to hide the water heater!
It’s a late post kind of day. I recently scored It’s a late post kind of day. I recently scored this beautiful wood and wicker mid century cabinet from Facebook Marketplace and I’m in love! We knew this little nook (that used to be a closet) was going to be a hard fit. We wanted a piece of furniture that would not only look nice but provide some much needed storage for our kids craft projects and my extra decor pieces. This just so happened to fit perfectly in this space. I’m obsessed with it’s woven features, original brass handles, and mirrored back. Eek!! 

Also, swipe to see the beautiful artwork by @nabeelarumi. I finally found the perfect spot for her piece. The colors are absolutely stunning and the message is even more beautiful.
I’m still so proud of this mural. It really took I’m still so proud of this mural. It really took me out of my comfort zone. I get to see it every time I walk up to our front door, peeking through like a happy sunburst. This is about as far as we’ve gotten on this entryway but we have big plans. The majority of our entryway is paneled in real cedar planks which I love. The split level stairs are delicately wrapped in puke-inducing carpet which I don’t love. We have huge huge fun plans for these stairs; something I’ve never seen before. None of this will get done until after our kitchen remodel though so.... how’s that for a cliff hanger? I feel like a lot of our plans are on standstill right now because of refinancing so for now, I just have to tell you that I have plans but not actually share them with you.... good tactic? 😂🤦🏼‍♀️🤷🏼‍♀️

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