A LONG OVERDUE BATHROOM REFRESH WITH FERGUSON SHOWROOMS

PHOTOGRAPHY | Marnie Hawson for Lumiere Lodge

I’ve been off social for a little under a month now and it’s felt glorious.

It hasn’t felt that way just because I’ve been able to have a bit a of a soul reset but also because it’s given me the time I’ve needed to knock some things off of my home project list.

We have plans to renovate our home and to turn it into something that is a bit more functional for our family and lifestyle and we began some of that work last year with the addition of a bathroom to serve our teens who are on a different side of our home that would traditionally serve as an ADU.

The bathroom located in the main part of our home is what guests and our two younger sons currently use and while it’s functional, I’ve wanted to spruce it up a bit for a while so when I got the invitation from Ferguson Showrooms to partner and highlight their Park Harbor line of lighting I thought it’d make for a great opportunity to do just that. ADD THIS LINK http://bit.ly/36xxVaW

For the bathroom, I selected the Park Harbor Mooretown Vanity Light as it fit well into the traditional lighting I desired for the space and I always love the mixing of brass with dark finishes so it was an easy choice for me in that regard.

IMAGE | Build.com

The bathroom before was a dark and dreary place boasting a classic greige paint. Here you can see Larry taking the old lighting down (the worst kind of builder supplied lighting-use your imagination) and you can see the walls here as well.

Fast forward to 24 hours later and it’s a literal night and day difference between the former dungeon of a hall bath to a bright, airy new space that feels good to freshen up in each day. Even though my teen son could likely care less, it sure makes me feel good to walk into a space that looks and feels completely different.

I also love when a product is better than expected. I didn’t necessarily have low expectation for the quality of this lighting but I wasn’t sure. This light fully exceeded my expectation and fits perfectly into the scheme of the home as well as functions well in the space.

I plan on adding some wainscoting (we just started that last week-stay tuned) on the back wall with a bit of trim to give more visual interest but for now I’ll take the transition that just changing the paint, lighting and mirror offer in this space.

I’m so thankful to have this project checked off my list of home projects and for the opportunity to partner with Ferguson as well. I loved what they had to offer and was pleasantly surprised at how kind and helpful those in the showroom were in helping me sort out what I needed and making it a seamless process from beginning to end.

A FEW WAYS I LOVE REFRESHING A SPACE WHEN THE BUDGET IS LOW

1. New lighting. I love a good statement light. Whether you’re looking for something simple or a little more conversational, the right light has the power to set the tone in the room OR quite the opposite, as well. When choosing lighting for a space, you want to be sure that it fits the overall scale and style of the room and doesn’t overpower but that it adds to the theme of your home. Not a rule, per se, but a standard of thought I like to follow.

2. Paint. We’ve all heard it-paint is a great way to instantly change the look and feel of a room. For most spaces, 100 bucks or so can go a long way to accomplish that goal.

3. Add texture and color. Add a new rug or some throw pillows to a space for a new and fresh look and feel in a room.

4. Add finishing details. Adding paneling, wainscoting and other trim and finishing details can be one inexpensive way to not only update and refresh a space but it also brings in a bit more character to a room. With minimal effort and a few supplies, this kind of updates can be done by just about anyone.

5. Replace hardware. Draw pulls, cabinet handles and the like. This doesn’t always end on the low end of the budget but with so many options out there these days for inexpensive pieces, the possibilities are virtually endless.

NOTE: As always, I am always thankful for your support here at Restoration House. This post is sponsored by Ferguson and when you read, share and engage with this and other content I create here on the blog and on social links, I’m better able to create content for this blog as well as support my family. Thank you for supporting what I do here!

xo,

Kennesha

SHOP MORE FROM FERGUSON + PARK HARBOR

Monday Pinterest Picks + A Bathroom Project Plan(ish)

Hey friends!

So , the enneagram 8 (if you wanna know what yours is you ca take the test here) in me just won’t let me settle on this as a plan but the realist in me tells me that in the VERY near future I am going to have to make some solid decisions on what is soon to become a real life project in our home. Ah! Okay, I’m just a little excited because this is the first “large-scale” project we are tackling in this place and I could not wait to sit down and start planning it all out.

I gathered myself a couple of nights ago to set some financial plans, look over the architect’s design and hash it all out via a fresh spreadsheet.

DISCLAIMER: I’ve totally been thinking about this for months and even made this visual 3-4 months ago before we even had approval or the structural design but in my mind, I knew what I wanted so I had to get it all down to get a good look at how it all flowed together. Verdict? I’m in love.

Another disclaimer? Our budget for this build isn’t teeny by any stretch but it’s also not limitless so I’ll be working with a couple of brands to roll this one out but also ensure it’s still a very much approachable design.

WHERE I BEGIN + HOW I GET INSPIRED

I typically kick off any creative process by thinking about ME. What is my personal design style? How do I want the space to feel? What is the function of the space? I know that I will want to mix materials, evoke a sense of collected and found but also keep things clean and classic (our home is a 1940’s cottage so I’d like to stay in keeping with that in some ways). I start flipping through magazines and hop to Pinterest to get the creative juices flowing a bit. This is not a time that I think about budget or that I restrict or limit myself in any way. You could think of this as your typical brainstorming process. This is a time, however, to be inspired but not look at images for the sake of replicating them. In this stage, I am allowing the images to “speak” to me. I am picking apart the things that I love and those that won’t make sense for me and collecting them to form something that will translate well in MY home.

THE (actual-ish) PLAN.

I then narrow down from the original brainstorming to something a little more practical. During this stage I am considering the realities of our finances, collabs, timelines, realistic sources and the functionality of the space. This is also where I will begin to get things down in black and white. At this point, we’ve got all the approvals and permits, locked in the contractor/subs and I have a bit more freedom to begin solidifying what I have envisioned for months.

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT IT:

• Neutrals with a hint of moody hue.

• Incorporation of found and antique items. May even repurpose an old piece or two in the space cause, duh.

• Natural textures and textiles to add a bit of movement and personal style.

WHAT I DON’T LOVE ABOUT IT:

• Too much brass. Too trendy.

• The hexagonal tile inspo. Too much contrast between that and the Zellige. Will end up most definitely going with a more neutral tile.

• Have left nothing to the imagination or for wonder. This is something I feel necessary in every room. Every room (even the bathroom) should leave you feeling inspired IMO.

SOURCE | ALL SORTS OF

THE NEXT STEP:

So, what is the next step, you ask? Well, I am glad you did. I will take the inspiration and some of the pros and cons and find some ways to eliminate what I like the least in order to make the bathroom more of my own. Since this build is for our two teens (and possibly guests/renters in the future) I’ll also get a bit of their input so that they can “own” a bit of the space as well.

After that, I’ll make a final plan. There are some details here that I am certain I’ll be executing: the Riad Zellige tile and the ‘knods"‘ to vintage and found. A must. Everything else is negotiable.

That’s it for now. I cannot wait to share more with you all.

For now, be sure to follow along on my Instagram stories for plenty of behind the scenes and inspiration for just aboutt every room by following me on Pinterest.

SOURCE | KATE MARKER INTERIORS

Cheers,

Kennesha

HOW TO EMBRACE YOUR CREATIVE GIFTS

I think I've talked enough between here and various social media outlets about embracing "the true you" and how much that can shift not only our thinking but our everyday lives so tremendously. 

photography | ryan flynn 

styling | kennesha buycks

As creatives, we willingly inundate ourselves for the sake of the creative process with images, ideas and conversations that in many ways help us build, grow and become the people we are today and run all of the amazing businesses we have. Conversely, we also run the risk of damaging our own creative souls when we lean too much on others and choose not to trust ourselves and our own creative gifts that we've been given in the process.  

In an Instagram-, Facebook-, and Twitter-filled culture I've found it hard sometimes to embrace my own gifts and really answer the questions, " Who am I?"  and "Does my business truly represent WHO I am?". In the past I feel my "voice" has been lost in the shuffle of competition, trends and fear of rejection from readers or peers. 

Truth is, I don't really know how to be anyone else and I'm sure most of you out there would agree. What I know is that it's really hard to think of what you want to do when you're thinking of how someone else would do it. 

I just think there's something to honing in on your gifts and what you're passionate about and following that with your whole heart. When we can truly embrace what we have and how we express it-uniquely, we will arrive at a place like no other. This place is a space between fear and perfection. It's a space where God can and wants to take the gifts that He has placed in you and use them to reach the hearts of people all over in whatever way you are meant to do that. 

If you're wondering where all of this is coming from,well, if you have followed along here for a while then you know it's really just a sincere passion of mine to empower each of you to confidently walk out your life and calling alongside others. This is a journey I've been on my entire life but more in the past two years since I lost my mother. I am absolutely passionate about many things, one of them is you and all the amazing things you have to offer this world. 

Anyhow, I thought I'd offer a few realizations I've had as I'm learning to walk out this new life of discovering my own gifts and wholeheartedly embracing them: 

Photography| ryan flynn

Styling | kennesha buycks

1. My life is my own. My gifts, they are mine too. No one can do me the way I can. I've said this here before but no matter how many artists there are in this world, no one is going to express THEIR art they way YOU do. It's a message worth rehearsing over and over until we all get it.  

2. There can be power or death in the creative community. You choose. You can use your time to compare and tear down your own process by comparing your talents to others or you can collaborate encourage and challenge others to reach higher and achieve more. Build on one another's gifts as though you were building a puzzle. In some way, we all fit together to make a beautiful picture of creativity as a means of opening up new worlds and possibilities to those outside "our" own. That, in and of itself, just may be THE gift. 

3. When we compare, we stifle the process of creativity. We've all heard it time and time again, "Comparison is the thief of joy." I'd go even further to say that not only is it the thief of joy but also the thief of all things creative and good. We really do ourselves no favors at all when we make the decision to look at the processes, work and gifts of others in comparison to our own. 

I honestly started thinking more about this when I was inspired to sit down and work on some upcoming things for the blog. One of those things was an inspirational spring table setting. I was literally stopped in my tracks by the fear that I wasn't good enough or that my table wouldn't look as good as someone else's. Later on the blog this week, I will be sharing my process of how I pulled myself up and reminded myself of why I do this in the first place. What a journey, friends. 

I am so glad that this is a space where I can be honest with each of you and pour out my heart in this way while hopefully inspiring and encouraging you to walk more boldly and confidently in your heart and home. 

 xo,

Kennesha