Have you ever thought about how spaces make you fe Have you ever thought about how spaces make you feel? 

The reason I became a designer was because my environment really affects me. It has the power to calm me, inspire me, energize me. 

I want to help others create spaces that evoke an emotional response while also reflecting their own personality. 

You have layers and different sides. You’re not boring. Your home shouldn’t be either. 

#colorfulhome #interiorswithplants #myarticle #artforwardinteriors #sodomino #sunsetmag #moderninteriordesign
I wish I could say, “no piece of home decor was I wish I could say, “no piece of home decor was harmed during the making of this photo” but that would be a lie. I shared in my stories what I broke and I’m seriously ashamed. It had to be the one nice gifted thing (in this area) that I loved so much. 

In other news, please spot the gorgeous black textured cutting board by @gresham_houze. I’m in love with it.
You can keep the funk in your 70’s home. You jus You can keep the funk in your 70’s home. You just have to do groovy a little differently.

#beforeandafterhomeedition #homerenovation #familyroommakeover #fireplacemakeover
Figured it was about time some holiday graced my f Figured it was about time some holiday graced my feed. Just in time for our first snowfall too!!

#sunsetmag #myapartmenttherapy #eclecticchristmas #scandinavianchristmas #revealmag #originmagazine
Thought I’d share a little progress into my clie Thought I’d share a little progress into my client designs. This bathroom used to be part of a porch! We packed in some fun pieces while still keeping it neutral like the homeowner wanted. I love how it turned out! 

Remodeling: @sawtooth_remodeling 

#mystyleddomain
#artforwardinteriors
#livinglifethrifted
#revealmag
#apartmenttherapy
Inspiration comes from everywhere! The reason I we Inspiration comes from everywhere! The reason I went with these yellow curtains was because of this little girl in this yellow shirt standing in the kitchen. I loved how the yellow complimented the green and blue in the kitchen. It brought that extra punch I was looking for without competing with our busy backsplash.

Have you ever had something unexpected inspire you?

#kitcheninspirations #colorfulkitchen #kidsinkitchen #yellowcurtains #greencabinets #mycribaesthetics
#interiorsthatcrush
#theclassicquirkyhome
I’m in a serious Gilmore Girls kick right now… I’m in a serious Gilmore Girls kick right now…. Again. The more I watch it, the more I wonder what influenced me and what actually is a similarity to me. The coffee obsession, the love of witty banter and sarcasm, the lack of cooking skills, the joy of all things old and character-filled. One other thing I noticed is the intense coziness of the spaces. They really emphasized warm accent lighting and I’m in love. There’s just something about the perfect lamp lighting on a cold winter evening, am I right?

#happyhomeshare
#theclassiceclectichome
#stopandstaredecor
#inspiremehomedecor
#eclecticallycool
#brightenmywall
We have so much fall cleanup to do this weekend. I We have so much fall cleanup to do this weekend. I mean, endless carpets of leaves to pick up. I love the big trees so it’s all worth it but…. I wouldn’t say it’s my favorite chore in the world.

What riveting plans do you have this weekend?

#dailydecordose
#postitfortheaesthetic 
#thenowlook 
#theblogbaby 
#mylagomhome
Reminiscing back to this @oneroomchallenge. So fun Reminiscing back to this @oneroomchallenge. So fun, so challenging, yet so rewarding!

#beforeandafter #roommakeover #oneroomchallenge #stencilwall #eclecticbathroom #colorfulbathroom
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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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Have you ever thought about how spaces make you fe Have you ever thought about how spaces make you feel? 

The reason I became a designer was because my environment really affects me. It has the power to calm me, inspire me, energize me. 

I want to help others create spaces that evoke an emotional response while also reflecting their own personality. 

You have layers and different sides. You’re not boring. Your home shouldn’t be either. 

#colorfulhome #interiorswithplants #myarticle #artforwardinteriors #sodomino #sunsetmag #moderninteriordesign
I wish I could say, “no piece of home decor was I wish I could say, “no piece of home decor was harmed during the making of this photo” but that would be a lie. I shared in my stories what I broke and I’m seriously ashamed. It had to be the one nice gifted thing (in this area) that I loved so much. 

In other news, please spot the gorgeous black textured cutting board by @gresham_houze. I’m in love with it.
You can keep the funk in your 70’s home. You jus You can keep the funk in your 70’s home. You just have to do groovy a little differently.

#beforeandafterhomeedition #homerenovation #familyroommakeover #fireplacemakeover
Figured it was about time some holiday graced my f Figured it was about time some holiday graced my feed. Just in time for our first snowfall too!!

#sunsetmag #myapartmenttherapy #eclecticchristmas #scandinavianchristmas #revealmag #originmagazine
Thought I’d share a little progress into my clie Thought I’d share a little progress into my client designs. This bathroom used to be part of a porch! We packed in some fun pieces while still keeping it neutral like the homeowner wanted. I love how it turned out! 

Remodeling: @sawtooth_remodeling 

#mystyleddomain
#artforwardinteriors
#livinglifethrifted
#revealmag
#apartmenttherapy
Inspiration comes from everywhere! The reason I we Inspiration comes from everywhere! The reason I went with these yellow curtains was because of this little girl in this yellow shirt standing in the kitchen. I loved how the yellow complimented the green and blue in the kitchen. It brought that extra punch I was looking for without competing with our busy backsplash.

Have you ever had something unexpected inspire you?

#kitcheninspirations #colorfulkitchen #kidsinkitchen #yellowcurtains #greencabinets #mycribaesthetics
#interiorsthatcrush
#theclassicquirkyhome
I’m in a serious Gilmore Girls kick right now… I’m in a serious Gilmore Girls kick right now…. Again. The more I watch it, the more I wonder what influenced me and what actually is a similarity to me. The coffee obsession, the love of witty banter and sarcasm, the lack of cooking skills, the joy of all things old and character-filled. One other thing I noticed is the intense coziness of the spaces. They really emphasized warm accent lighting and I’m in love. There’s just something about the perfect lamp lighting on a cold winter evening, am I right?

#happyhomeshare
#theclassiceclectichome
#stopandstaredecor
#inspiremehomedecor
#eclecticallycool
#brightenmywall
We have so much fall cleanup to do this weekend. I We have so much fall cleanup to do this weekend. I mean, endless carpets of leaves to pick up. I love the big trees so it’s all worth it but…. I wouldn’t say it’s my favorite chore in the world.

What riveting plans do you have this weekend?

#dailydecordose
#postitfortheaesthetic 
#thenowlook 
#theblogbaby 
#mylagomhome
Reminiscing back to this @oneroomchallenge. So fun Reminiscing back to this @oneroomchallenge. So fun, so challenging, yet so rewarding!

#beforeandafter #roommakeover #oneroomchallenge #stencilwall #eclecticbathroom #colorfulbathroom
A house is what you sell. A home is where you stay A house is what you sell. A home is where you stay. 

#hunkerhome
#inmydomaine
#rslove
#apartmenttherapy
#mybhg

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