https://www.oddbirdhome.com/blog daily 0.75 2023-09-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/1695156389940-LGO03AE8NBD4P1DUFE9U/image-asset.jpeg https://www.oddbirdhome.com/blog/oddbirdinteriors/newsletter-1 monthly 0.5 2023-09-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/b395ee92-9abb-416b-93ec-52a4b1da43ad/Screenshot+2023-09-19+at+10.30.15+AM.png blog - The thrilling conclusion of the basement bath saga - Make it stand out if misery was a room https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/bfc196ba-18c2-4062-acc5-ab762f645f33/Screenshot+2023-09-08+at+5.07.28+PM.png blog - The thrilling conclusion of the basement bath saga - Make it stand out …but as you can see here, it wasn’t perfect. For one, hidden behind that plant in the macrame sling is a big ol’ honkin’ exhaust fan that makes the whole place sound like an airplane hangar and made me worried it was going to burn the house time every time anyone switched it on. Second, why is there a whole other cabinet in the corner? Third, you can see at left that there was a shower stall that smacked you in the face and crowded the entrance to this already very small room. What’s more, the shower was raised a bit and had a lower ceiling there because of the soffit, so my daughter couldn’t even use the shower because she’s tall. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/4eb50536-964b-4b3d-b4ce-e2f68d0d3e7a/Screenshot+2023-09-08+at+6.31.21+PM.png blog - The thrilling conclusion of the basement bath saga - Make it stand out To refresh your memory, here’s the mood board https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/be710865-67ee-4324-89e5-dd48b1de6a24/IMG_0581.jpg blog - The thrilling conclusion of the basement bath saga - Make it stand out And voilá! Here is the finished product! It wasn’t completely finished here because the glass shower enclosure isn’t installed yet but, like, it’s GLASS so you can pretend it’s there. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/8f7af664-2569-4e80-9e60-3d69851175c6/IMG_0580.jpg blog - The thrilling conclusion of the basement bath saga - Make it stand out I am pretty happy with how this turned out. It’s bright and cheerful and snazzy, it definitely doesn’t scream “this is the basement!” anymore. And there’s a certain 17yo who LOVES having her own shower again, especially now that it’s a full sized shower. (If you missed the previous blog post, it had before and after floor plans for the room so you can see what was done) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/22eb64a0-7b0e-4bda-9f51-808a4cba3aa4/IMG_0572.jpg blog - The thrilling conclusion of the basement bath saga - Make it stand out The walnut slats I bought from an independent artist on Etsy are so cool. I was originally going to do a continuous, one foot wide strip of about five of these side by side (you can see that in the mood board) but once I saw them in person it kind of bothered me that you could see that each section was only two feet long so there were little seams. So I ended up staggering them in a deliberately haphazard way that ended up being a bit more fun (and helped cover up some wallpaper seams in places where….let’s just say, there aren’t a lot of right angles in this room). If this was someone else’s house I would have insisted on making everything perfect and 90 degree angles but as the homeowner on this one, I gave myself permission to sacrifice 1 degree of wall angle in service of getting this done faster to get my daughter out of my bathroom. The struggle was real. https://www.oddbirdhome.com/blog/oddbirdinteriors/newsletter monthly 0.5 2023-09-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/6b1165e0-f4fa-4179-b51b-b925d673f838/Screenshot+2023-09-08+at+5.07.17+PM.png blog - the basement bathroom part 2: a tale of redemption - Make it stand out if misery was a room https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/bfc196ba-18c2-4062-acc5-ab762f645f33/Screenshot+2023-09-08+at+5.07.28+PM.png blog - the basement bathroom part 2: a tale of redemption - Make it stand out shower stall of nightmares to the left, in the shortest part of the room. So unusable that my 17yo (who is 5’9” couldn’t even use the shower and it was a satellite closet instead. She literally hung extra clothes from a curtain rod in the shower) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/2614be3d-0ac9-4362-a267-25bc0adbb0cc/Screenshot+2023-09-08+at+5.07.36+PM.png blog - the basement bathroom part 2: a tale of redemption - Make it stand out Here you can see the original floor, the peel n stick vinyl WallPops tiles, and the concrete that was poured after they were ready to fill up the gigantic hole that was the floor of this room. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/7d95963c-1d06-4b40-86f3-aa051bd78c70/Screenshot+2023-09-08+at+4.21.35+PM.png blog - the basement bathroom part 2: a tale of redemption - Make it stand out Top left: the weird cabinet with laminate countertop. Bottom left: the too-short shower stall with no light. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/ed2e8138-e26e-4360-84d5-36ec607ef07c/Screenshot+2023-09-08+at+4.25.24+PM.png blog - the basement bathroom part 2: a tale of redemption - Make it stand out check out the steady hand on the drawing of the glass shower door, folks. TALENTS. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/4eb50536-964b-4b3d-b4ce-e2f68d0d3e7a/Screenshot+2023-09-08+at+6.31.21+PM.png blog - the basement bathroom part 2: a tale of redemption - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.oddbirdhome.com/blog/blog-post-title-two-f5t5d monthly 0.5 2023-09-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/276ee0e3-a956-4f73-9f93-ce277dfa12fe/IMG_0243.JPG blog - the basement bathroom - a tale of woe - Make it stand out What is even happening here? Why is there a built-in cabinet in the corner? Why is the shower stall (foreground, left) in the part of the room with the shortest ceiling and not by the WINDOW? Of all the colors you could have made the original tile—pink! turquoise!—they picked TAN. ugh. You can’t even make that fun. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/f8e687db-aced-43a6-b9c3-0cf06aff20c8/IMG_0244.JPG blog - the basement bathroom - a tale of woe - Make it stand out No money to do a huge renovation at that time, so I did a mini-reni ;-) with peel-n-stick wallpaper from Spoonflower, painted the cabinets a pink chalk paint (it sticks without sanding) matched from the wallpaper, and decked it out with all sorts of vintagey black and pink tchotchkes (you can see more of this bathroom’s “AFTER” photos in my Quirky Bathrooms Portfolio. But sadly, that’s not the end of the story. Because then the sewer line collapse thing happened, and those guys had to jackhammer up the entire bathroom floor , ruining everything. But! I turned that whole TRUCK FULL of lemons into lemonade, because while the floor was opened up with a huge hole you could bury a man in, I had them reroute the plumbing, moving the stupid shower stall from the corner with the low ceiling to the far wall where it was both next to the window and could be an actual RECTANGLE shape. More to come in the next post about how it’s turning out so far….it’s almost done! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/9e4ff17e-2b42-4b4c-831a-73a1fe101dca/Screenshot+2023-08-13+at+4.12.48+PM.png blog - the basement bathroom - a tale of woe - Make it stand out This is a photo I sent to the contractor when we were discussing what still needed to be done. You can see the peel n stick tile over the top of the old beige floor tile, and to the left of that, a big swath of the floor that is just concrete. That was a four foot deep hole the day before. Meanwhile I was having to SHARE A BATHROOM WITH MY TEENAGER and I think anyone with a teenager will understand how that is NOT OKAY. We kept the toilet where it was, but moved the sink to where the shower stall had been, and the shower to that far wall (it feels ridiculous to say “far wall” when the whole room is like 4 feet by 6 feet). https://www.oddbirdhome.com/blog/oddbirdbasementbathroom monthly 0.5 2023-09-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/3edf83cc-a65c-40f1-a8cd-028b46033ce2/IMG_0994.JPG blog - my renovation superhero origin story…. - Make it stand out Standing on my front porch, looking out. They removed a big panel of our beautiful fence to drive this monster in, and then drove right over all my plants. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/def59580-b014-41ea-bf54-7a63c3f26386/IMG_0996.JPG blog - my renovation superhero origin story…. - Make it stand out This hole was pretty deep. I am used to living in a construction zone because I’m always doing some sort of reno but this was truly traumatizing. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/1693858834731-43NXGAV59C8DABJVI67G/IMG_0740.jpg blog - my renovation superhero origin story…. - Make it stand out Our finished basement looked like the surface of Mars. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/1693858810823-UGG2OSM3QM7M41LMKYTO/IMG_0739.jpg blog - my renovation superhero origin story…. - Make it stand out Oh look! The laundry room I had already renovated! <eats ice cream while crying> https://www.oddbirdhome.com/home daily 1.0 2026-04-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/1691253759655-B1PEKYVMQ9SR7AHY3TGY/image-asset.jpeg home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/1691253788030-WB2LRQYMXV4SN3MMV4B2/image-asset.jpeg home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/97cf2c19-fde6-48b0-b0a2-ffa62f306c2f/Screen+Shot+2023-08-05+at+11.37.58+AM.png home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/1e490a26-bf8f-4b1a-88b4-b3af80c7f3f7/Screen+Shot+2023-08-05+at+11.37.39+AM.png home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/1691253914123-W93Z80GOR0WASAA24L2B/image-asset.jpeg home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/1691253550609-GSE2YZKD28T44LCBAEND/image-asset.jpeg https://www.oddbirdhome.com/about daily 0.75 2026-04-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/de762fc6-1e8b-4893-a480-dd9e4d6f8114/Screenshot+2023-09-11+at+12.55.59+PM.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/0e7d0e4e-c486-4ebe-9ec8-a29f4d8b08b7/Laura+signature.png https://www.oddbirdhome.com/contact daily 0.75 2024-07-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/2b494ec3-75fc-4bd1-a3b8-4cf8b63c56db/Laura+signature.png https://www.oddbirdhome.com/faqs-4 daily 0.75 2026-04-10 https://www.oddbirdhome.com/portfolio1 daily 0.75 2023-08-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/65e40315-3bcb-453b-9621-559884460728/Screen+Shot+2023-08-01+at+10.39.24+AM.png Portfolio 1 - Midcentury Style Arlington rambler BEFORE https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/5225b8b8-c08d-48a5-9c94-36425e64422e/Screen+Shot+2023-08-01+at+10.32.44+AM.png Portfolio 1 - Midcentury Style AFTER https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/6fb970d0-3c6d-4ce1-922c-1e51babe5d10/Screen+Shot+2023-08-01+at+10.38.18+AM.png Portfolio 1 - Midcentury Style BEFORE: Arlington rambler (aka ranch) exterior https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/f76ed85c-a286-47b0-aad6-6cca71b9b1ff/3842+blurred+front.jpg Portfolio 1 - Midcentury Style AFTER https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/797a14d0-2f64-4d6d-a068-cbed267d8bab/Screen+Shot+2023-08-01+at+10.38.49+AM.png Portfolio 1 - Midcentury Style BEFORE: kitchen https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/603c7a2f-a998-4183-8413-40cfde5dd00f/Screen+Shot+2023-08-01+at+10.32.08+AM.png Portfolio 1 - Midcentury Style AFTER, with drybar/dish storage/trash pullout in former pantry https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/1e7a1eda-26f2-42b6-996f-48ffbe26e62e/Screen+Shot+2023-08-01+at+10.38.41+AM.png Portfolio 1 - Midcentury Style BEFORE https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/9561e292-f1d4-426a-bbee-a386f7522bda/Screen+Shot+2023-08-01+at+10.32.18+AM.png Portfolio 1 - Midcentury Style BEFORE https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/ecf70610-6665-4c79-9fec-30961f7edada/Screen+Shot+2023-08-01+at+10.38.28+AM.png Portfolio 1 - Midcentury Style BEFORE: back yard & crumbling brick retaining wall https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/1695152841693-ALFQM334741CN5MRL880/Screen%2BShot%2B2023-08-01%2Bat%2B10.42.00%2BAM.jpg Portfolio 1 - Midcentury Style AFTER: river rock wall bottom left, house color https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/8a26189c-dcea-4f7d-84c6-e8c30cb6155a/Screen+Shot+2023-08-01+at+10.39.54+AM.png Portfolio 1 - Midcentury Style BEFORE: a typical Arlington "front room" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/624d7bea-a73e-4eea-9a88-67f79b238bc9/Screen+Shot+2023-08-01+at+10.31.07+AM.png Portfolio 1 - Midcentury Style AFTER https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/1691421437079-04W3OQO7SZTSD5S5H6HJ/Screen%252BShot%252B2023-08-06%252Bat%252B4.20.53%252BPM.jpg Portfolio 1 - Midcentury Style BEFORE: The old, broken garage door and crumbling brick retaining wall https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/cebd5d22-73fa-4510-bd73-a1f744bcd342/Screen+Shot+2023-08-01+at+10.36.31+AM.png Portfolio 1 - Midcentury Style AFTER https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/1691417676381-HAALFE085VWGQWGKFD78/Screen%2BShot%2B2023-08-06%2Bat%2B4.21.04%2BPM.jpg Portfolio 1 - Midcentury Style BEFORE: google street view https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/a602c1b0-5032-400b-a527-efd3698abc6f/3842+side+blur.jpg Portfolio 1 - Midcentury Style https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/742a1907-4c06-43e4-9a3d-dcfe24e7b103/Screen+Shot+2023-08-01+at+10.38.35+AM.png Portfolio 1 - Midcentury Style BEFORE https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/8c319667-017a-49e9-bd28-3d9a31c695ef/Screen+Shot+2023-08-01+at+10.32.27+AM.png Portfolio 1 - Midcentury Style AFTER - it's amazing how much you can change the look of a room with paint, isn't it? The pale gray did a lot to cool down all those oranges and yellows, but the real shift came when we painted the beams in the ceiling in Iron Ore (Sherwin Williams). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/c6bc7a92-37b9-45fd-9ef5-17fbb2dbf1e1/Screen+Shot+2023-08-01+at+10.40.03+AM.png Portfolio 1 - Midcentury Style BEFORE: dining room https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/1694034472583-PCVXROJXXSRUR51YUUZI/Screen%2BShot%2B2023-08-06%2Bat%2B4.01.47%2BPM.jpg Portfolio 1 - Midcentury Style AFTER (I LOVE A GOOD SPUTNIK LAMP) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/49555ac4-f1b2-4868-b6c0-4c5c1095a050/Screen+Shot+2023-08-01+at+10.48.57+AM.png Portfolio 1 - Midcentury Style BEFORE: basement kitchenette https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/5a9050a4-bc60-41d2-a490-37063899ca5d/IMG_0421.jpg Portfolio 1 - Midcentury Style AFTER: mid-mod madness! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/1692042047871-0T7K3D22JP4X52YZWNJ1/Screenshot%252B2023-08-13%252Bat%252B4.08.53%252BPM.jpg Portfolio 1 - Midcentury Style BEFORE: a basement corner outside the laundry room that collects all the random stuff from the household https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/1691959887888-YBBVEATGNPGGHA3CVEDP/Screenshot%2B2023-08-13%2Bat%2B4.13.20%2BPM.jpg Portfolio 1 - Midcentury Style AFTER: now it's an adorable little sitting area with its own rattan pendant light and a shelf of miniature MCM furniture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/1692476960123-LCP9I8UJYUFC8P9L5E38/Screen%2BShot%2B2023-08-01%2Bat%2B10.48.50%2BAM.jpg Portfolio 1 - Midcentury Style BEFORE https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/3f3051d5-5fd4-415a-a33d-4ad7d11c0c7a/IMG_0420.jpg Portfolio 1 - Midcentury Style AFTER https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/5369a00c-7e90-4448-bb05-5ee4160e3297/Screen+Shot+2023-08-01+at+10.48.42+AM.png Portfolio 1 - Midcentury Style BEFORE: the view from those old built-in bookshelves looking back towards the back door https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/35b4c321-389f-4b60-9b4f-03657440cdb4/IMG_0415.jpg Portfolio 1 - Midcentury Style AFTER: pillows are a great, LOW COMMITMENT way to add color to your room https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/780d33a4-5d5d-4ad2-bd01-fa9f1e7ff288/IMG_0276.jpg Portfolio 1 - Midcentury Style This MCM hutch stores recycling bins behind the doors at the bottom, and on top provides a place to showcase a few favorite photos as well as all of the husband's cocktail books. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/8468e9ff-cc97-4102-8e65-441685e46d56/IMG_0278.jpg Portfolio 1 - Midcentury Style https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/38972469-2030-4471-986b-b9115583829f/Screen+Shot+2023-08-01+at+10.30.47+AM.png Portfolio 1 - Midcentury Style AFTER: entryway https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/fa7aefda-eef0-4a06-8997-4149b2b840a9/IMG_0277.jpg Portfolio 1 - Midcentury Style This turquoise beauty was the guest book at the wedding - guests typed their well wishes! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/f39f35c1-93f5-4d82-8e39-28f875332942/IMG_0259.jpg Portfolio 1 - Midcentury Style a baby Eames chair and mini Noguchi coffee table! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/7e4c07e6-0740-476e-951c-2a2c524c915d/Screenshot+2023-08-13+at+4.12.34+PM.png Portfolio 1 - Midcentury Style AFTER: detail of the open shelving in the kitchen https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/36d97de2-b85c-4af7-a0ba-e3aa4d7d17a0/IMG_0258.jpg Portfolio 1 - Midcentury Style Detail: a rainbow of miniature MCM furniture! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/1691959865365-YDSOYBSZ48KT2DP5HB1P/Screenshot%2B2023-08-13%2Bat%2B4.13.37%2BPM.jpg Portfolio 1 - Midcentury Style AFTER: fun and colorful rec room gallery wall https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/220341e5-e5a4-4312-beab-d6c77760ee4e/IMG_0417.jpg Portfolio 1 - Midcentury Style AFTER: a dank and creepy basement is now a viable recreation room for the whole family https://www.oddbirdhome.com/portfolio3 daily 0.75 2023-08-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/797a14d0-2f64-4d6d-a068-cbed267d8bab/Screen+Shot+2023-08-01+at+10.38.49+AM.png Portfolio 3 - Normcore + Contemporary Design BEFORE https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/603c7a2f-a998-4183-8413-40cfde5dd00f/Screen+Shot+2023-08-01+at+10.32.08+AM.png Portfolio 3 - Normcore + Contemporary Design AFTER https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/1695153150079-CQ2HEZJ635L3SQ75CMH7/Screen%2BShot%2B2023-08-01%2Bat%2B10.40.24%2BAM.jpg Portfolio 3 - Normcore + Contemporary Design En suite BEFORE, complete with cold-water old-school bidet https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/1695153178733-82KM6MVYW6S0VJV4WP2N/Screen%2BShot%2B2023-08-01%2Bat%2B10.34.46%2BAM.jpg Portfolio 3 - Normcore + Contemporary Design AFTER https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/8a26189c-dcea-4f7d-84c6-e8c30cb6155a/Screen+Shot+2023-08-01+at+10.39.54+AM.png Portfolio 3 - Normcore + Contemporary Design BEFORE: front room https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/624d7bea-a73e-4eea-9a88-67f79b238bc9/Screen+Shot+2023-08-01+at+10.31.07+AM.png Portfolio 3 - Normcore + Contemporary Design AFTER https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/1e835e09-a215-4dbd-8b04-7ac4ddabb2b2/Screen+Shot+2023-08-01+at+10.40.57+AM.png Portfolio 3 - Normcore + Contemporary Design BEFORE: The third bedroom was being used as a home office. The light walls and dark furniture are too harsh a contrast, and this type of office-grade furniture does not belong in a home. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/a7c98632-c7cb-4fb2-83f0-326d3401820a/Screen+Shot+2023-08-01+at+10.33.23+AM.png Portfolio 3 - Normcore + Contemporary Design AFTER: a little boy's room with low (less tipping risk, but still anchor everything!) cube storage for books and bins of toys, and my favorite hopscotch rub from CB2 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/70ee13f2-776e-42c5-bfda-6b49e3667aa0/Screen+Shot+2023-08-01+at+10.40.45+AM.png Portfolio 3 - Normcore + Contemporary Design BEFORE: A narrow bowling alley of a basement room, being used as a workout space and a crafting area. An all-around depressing space. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/afb91ac3-86ae-45b2-9f9c-ff47ea21a18c/Screen+Shot+2023-08-01+at+10.35.47+AM.png Portfolio 3 - Normcore + Contemporary Design AFTER: A nice coat of white paint, a daybed with pullout storage, curtains on the pocket doors for privacy, and a shelving unit to separate the little sitting area and kitchen from the bedroom, and bam, you've got yourself a lovely, welcoming guest room. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/4558f821-a806-4ad2-9713-9d8bdb6b7216/Screen+Shot+2023-08-01+at+10.40.37+AM.png Portfolio 3 - Normcore + Contemporary Design BEFORE: basement https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/855c40a5-5e77-4f50-b56b-a4a8607416a8/Screen+Shot+2023-08-01+at+10.35.37+AM.png Portfolio 3 - Normcore + Contemporary Design AFTER: Removing the doors from the tops of the shelving units and painting the units white gave this an *almost* built-in look. This became a cozy hangout spot for the kiddos. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/e38f849e-c5a5-4a3b-8d07-33246826edfb/Screen+Shot+2023-08-01+at+1.46.25+PM.png Portfolio 3 - Normcore + Contemporary Design BEFORE: one of my very first design projects, a high-rise apartment kitchen in Chicago, right on Lake Shore Drive overlooking Belmont Harbor. This kitchen was so dated before I got to it - not sure if I was more appalled by the linoleum floor or the green plastic outdoor bistro set being used as a kitchen table https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/d8a1e4fc-bd1c-4165-a15a-5bcfd3767781/Screenshot+2023-09-19+at+3.53.47+PM.png Portfolio 3 - Normcore + Contemporary Design AFTER: to be fair, even this is dated now but it was TRES CHIC back in 2008. Doing a reno in a high rise is no easy feat - the elevator schedule alone would give you hives https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/1695153413800-LIFBNNBO634Z70P7DUTG/Screen%2BShot%2B2023-08-01%2Bat%2B10.40.11%2BAM.jpg Portfolio 3 - Normcore + Contemporary Design BEFORE: a terribly depressing, yellow-tan bedroom. Why do people paint their entire interiors this color? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/84aee3c7-5295-4d26-814b-e360e9ea079b/Screen+Shot+2023-08-01+at+10.33.53+AM.png Portfolio 3 - Normcore + Contemporary Design AFTER: gray walls continue in from the hallway for continuity, with one dark blue accent wall. Coordinating bedding, a nice bench to take shoes on and off, and low-key curtains and this looks like a whole different room. This was a very small budget for just aesthetics, and didn't include funds to ditch the dual ceiling fans (this had been two rooms that were joined to make one owners' suite) and put up just one in the center. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/1695153442766-ZPP3XSUPZSOUVIKOM89I/Screen%2BShot%2B2023-08-01%2Bat%2B10.47.18%2BAM.jpg Portfolio 3 - Normcore + Contemporary Design BEFORE: This half of the walk-in closet was staged as an office area, which during the pandemic was a big selling point! It didn't make sense, though, to have the view of anyone you're zooming with to be the entirety of your closet and clothing https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/874d62ff-59a6-47ff-b481-0223ba44688f/Screenshot+2023-08-28+at+12.08.54+PM.png Portfolio 3 - Normcore + Contemporary Design AFTER https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/77f06b92-ac0b-4091-b8ee-03bb05ebee39/Screenshot+2023-09-04+at+5.01.59+PM.png Portfolio 3 - Normcore + Contemporary Design BEFORE: Figuring out how to arrange the couch and tv in this long, narrow room was a CHALLENGE https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/1694035569726-7XHK7LVXVY2QPNSA8DP5/IMG_0536.jpg Portfolio 3 - Normcore + Contemporary Design AFTER: new light fixture, knockoff molded-plastic Eames chairs, and a dining table made of a reclaimed barn door https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/70ec66a4-3f7e-4ccb-b20b-a91b99a09baf/IMG_0612.jpg Portfolio 3 - Normcore + Contemporary Design there's that fake eucalypus again. Thanks, Joanna Gaines (it's from her Target brand) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/b23ab5cd-b635-432e-9a62-5cb40e95c605/Screenshot+2023-09-04+at+5.02.22+PM.png Portfolio 3 - Normcore + Contemporary Design BEFORE: staged to sell https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/1693861816168-CRC8IUKVVMVF6P3JA6YH/IMG_0589.jpg Portfolio 3 - Normcore + Contemporary Design AFTER: Did you even notice all the trees in the BEFORE picture? The green really pops in this room when you contrast it with the rich caramel of the Poly+Bark leather sofa https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/4556c681-4a8c-4e23-bd32-0318495f4db3/Screenshot+2023-09-04+at+5.02.14+PM.png Portfolio 3 - Normcore + Contemporary Design BEFORE: this couch is the wrong scale for this big room with high ceilings https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/431c8cb2-14cb-4fad-b4b9-71a3474b116d/IMG_0590.jpg Portfolio 3 - Normcore + Contemporary Design AFTER: a warm cognac leather couch from Poly+Bark pairs well with the greenery outside the window, and the large black coffee table grounds everything https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/1691962352091-MBXEBG6NXBKBM8NKZXKG/IMG_0178.jpg Portfolio 3 - Normcore + Contemporary Design Sadly, no BEFORE photo of this one, an office I designed in Dupont Circle, DC https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/04c8bd07-6ed2-4703-9070-47e03e3f9c36/Screen+Shot+2023-08-05+at+11.54.46+AM.jpg Portfolio 3 - Normcore + Contemporary Design https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/158ed8ec-4d98-40f9-a0bb-2f1257e190a4/IMG_0591.jpg Portfolio 3 - Normcore + Contemporary Design https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/1db53278-57e9-4a33-9146-773abb76a24c/IMG_0535.jpg Portfolio 3 - Normcore + Contemporary Design https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/c3dc0754-da7e-4531-b19a-9d202ec56966/IMG_0540.jpg Portfolio 3 - Normcore + Contemporary Design A little indoor house is the family dog's "safe space" and home base. His house has an address, too! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/58d8bff9-91cb-40d4-8c81-c4b38ee8bd7e/IMG_0541.jpg Portfolio 3 - Normcore + Contemporary Design https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/5f3df7db-584e-4438-97e3-5648ef762c25/IMG_0592.jpg Portfolio 3 - Normcore + Contemporary Design https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/ff230b4d-21cc-42a9-80e6-c955d510dd71/IMG_0585.jpg Portfolio 3 - Normcore + Contemporary Design https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/f0f5943f-690d-4585-8fc2-e73dba94a7ef/IMG_0616.jpg Portfolio 3 - Normcore + Contemporary Design https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/9dedf267-87b6-49a8-82e7-b265f8a50d32/IMG_0613.jpg Portfolio 3 - Normcore + Contemporary Design https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/75ebb15f-fb01-4971-a332-2c3b0519ec9e/IMG_0614.jpg Portfolio 3 - Normcore + Contemporary Design https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/9846feef-556a-44f4-802d-e7dd70f7a5e9/IMG_0533.jpg Portfolio 3 - Normcore + Contemporary Design this chess set is so pretty it stays out year-round https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/1693861551776-2S1FBLCGZNI5OF8AZGAX/IMG_0586.jpg Portfolio 3 - Normcore + Contemporary Design This dining room table is an old reclaimed barn door - there's something sassy and delightfully unexpected about pairing that rustic vibe with the molded-plastic midcentury chairs https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/5eb7a812-c703-4c6d-b256-4ccc1f106edc/IMG_0610.jpg Portfolio 3 - Normcore + Contemporary Design https://www.oddbirdhome.com/portfolio4 daily 0.75 2023-08-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/de1d8c34-5725-4873-ae3e-e82263787076/Screen+Shot+2023-08-01+at+10.43.34+AM.png Portfolio 4 - Moody Maximalism BEFORE: This would function as many folks' idea of an "after" photo, I know. It's a lovely room, very calming and clean. It's just not very....interesting (this is how the home was staged for selling, so that's fair. It can't be too interesting when you're trying to sell). The new homeowner wanted to turn this front sitting room into a true library, with dark built-in bookcases filled with their photos and objets d'art and memories of their travels. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/8f9307a0-6b18-4fde-867b-df86038e2780/Screen+Shot+2023-08-01+at+10.43.40+AM.png Portfolio 4 - Moody Maximalism BEFORE, continued: ...and that is a challenge, when the space is open to the foyer and entry of the home. It's hard to know where to start and stop the definition of that room, and to make sure the transition between spaces makes sense and isn't too jarring. The rest of this home is pretty solidly "transitional midcentury modern," so this was a fun challenge. Scroll down for the after! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/3eb11d33-bd77-405e-8c9d-549de2dac877/Screenshot+2023-08-13+at+3.19.07+PM.png Portfolio 4 - Moody Maximalism https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/b53b1664-b1a6-46d7-8acb-a010d1d8cccf/IMG_0523.jpg Portfolio 4 - Moody Maximalism https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/1695153637467-ZED3P0KSUWC23BOB3B7U/Screenshot%252B2023-08-13%252Bat%252B3.25.38%252BPM.jpg Portfolio 4 - Moody Maximalism AFTER: This cabinet is black to match the bookshelves, but has rattan inserts in the doors and midcentury legs--coupled with an MCM tiled artwork on the wall, these two pieces help the eye transition from the dark library atmosphere to the foyer/entry which is more transitional modern https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/599ddf3e-a1d5-4892-ad3d-b07d3761d633/Screenshot+2023-08-13+at+3.25.14+PM.png Portfolio 4 - Moody Maximalism DETAIL: The gorgeous bar - again, a rich textured black cabinet, this time with brass handles and legs, but adorned with numerous older-vintage finds, like the ornate metal mirrored tray the bottles rest on, and the Edison bulb at left, plus the beaded-shade lamp and the heavy cat statue the owner once brought back from a trip to Egypt. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/53bd8cc5-4181-4d95-9e29-6a81f4b9fc09/Screenshot+2023-08-13+at+3.25.00+PM.png Portfolio 4 - Moody Maximalism AFTER: an antiqued mirror top on this elongated octagonal side table reflects the light from the woven lampshade. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/22ca108e-60de-431a-8ec9-6d33d0435365/Screenshot+2023-08-13+at+3.24.36+PM.png Portfolio 4 - Moody Maximalism AFTER DETAIL: My favorite corner of this room. The portrait (from an etsy artist) is striking and looks a lot like the teen girl who lives in this home. The mirror reflects light out of what would otherwise be a dark corner, making the room bigger. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/b6d1fbba-865d-474d-877a-1524f20e9498/Screenshot+2023-08-13+at+3.24.23+PM.png Portfolio 4 - Moody Maximalism AFTER: mantel of ancestors https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/6782dcaa-208a-4db6-b499-6e4b1e4aa781/Screenshot+2023-08-13+at+3.24.12+PM.png Portfolio 4 - Moody Maximalism AFTER: a little "pride corner" on an otherwise fairly monochromatic shelf for a little serotonin boost https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/c6c921e7-1611-4234-a137-783b9ab17c30/Screen+Shot+2023-08-01+at+10.48.33+AM.png Portfolio 4 - Moody Maximalism BEFORE: A vintage-loving 17yo girl wanted to transform this low-ceiling basement bedroom into a "moody, maximalist opium den vibe...(without the opium"). Note the entire wall of closet doors made of plywood with metal hasps - yikes! (these were removed) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/d035314a-ccd0-4f97-b23e-274b7aaf89c8/IMG_0274.jpg Portfolio 4 - Moody Maximalism AFTER: teenager's bedroom, the inside of the left-hand closet space, with doors removed, became the nook into which we stuck the head of the vintage cast iron bedframe. An affordable "crystal" chandelier from Amazon lights up the space beautifully for reading. It's hard to pry this girl out of her room now, it's such a cozy space that reflects her personality. MORE OF THIS ROOM IN THE KIDS' SPACES GALLERY https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/e06bd164-4caa-464a-a1f4-2b8d13cce895/Screenshot+2023-08-13+at+3.24.03+PM.png Portfolio 4 - Moody Maximalism BEST OF ALL, this project didn't cost what it would cost to have a handyman custom-make built-in bookshelves. These, my friends, are IKEA "Billy" bookshelves, which I assembled and anchored to the wall and had my handyman cut and affix trim to the top of to make them look more built-in. (you can see the white trim at the top left of this photo - this is a recent project so the trim hadn't been painted yet in this photo). Using existing items and retrofitting them to your space is not without its headaches, and it takes a CAREFUL, EXACT eye (like mine) to measure the room out and ensure that the products you buy will actually fit together in this crazy puzzle you're imagining. But when the materials + labor cost you $800 + $250 instead of $700 + $3000, it's worth it! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/94ad7157-fce1-400a-93bd-b4aaf903a180/Screenshot+2023-08-13+at+3.23.18+PM.png Portfolio 4 - Moody Maximalism Shelf of goddesses https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/1694036037051-OROUWXZLHMC22EFHDI55/Screenshot%2B2023-08-13%2Bat%2B3.22.20%2BPM.jpg Portfolio 4 - Moody Maximalism https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/79fac373-f3c4-43c0-b9af-6c6f4de92bed/Screenshot+2023-08-13+at+3.21.46+PM.png Portfolio 4 - Moody Maximalism INSPIRATION PHOTO #1 - this was one of the homeowner's inspiration photos on Pinterest when conceptualizing this project https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/62377601-8e58-4f88-82fa-d8d9339f82ba/Screenshot+2023-08-13+at+3.21.35+PM.png Portfolio 4 - Moody Maximalism INSPIRATION PHOTO #2:: I think we did a pretty good job approximating the inspiration, no? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/ee3141ac-ea9b-4034-9e33-6e161c17dfce/Screenshot+2023-08-13+at+3.19.56+PM.png Portfolio 4 - Moody Maximalism Bar detail https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/16e8eac8-9670-448c-80ee-313d3758035a/Screenshot+2023-08-13+at+3.19.44+PM.png Portfolio 4 - Moody Maximalism Bar detail (sadly, the button isn't actually connected to anything, but it's a fun addition) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/9b0e5fed-93a8-4d40-af44-0d255a351f48/IMG_0188.jpg Portfolio 4 - Moody Maximalism https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/0c4ed983-6985-4f7f-a9c6-ec41e4e1c90d/IMG_0184.jpg Portfolio 4 - Moody Maximalism https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/4ef235c3-6ed3-47da-974a-fde359f305e5/IMG_0189.jpg Portfolio 4 - Moody Maximalism https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/1693522048341-8O6M60A3LK8XSW5COXR9/IMG_0183.jpg Portfolio 4 - Moody Maximalism https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/fda12895-230e-4ecb-9fd6-c6d3bb4ba44b/IMG_0182.jpg Portfolio 4 - Moody Maximalism https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/e5125531-07be-43eb-bf07-eb81e68b45c7/IMG_0180.jpg Portfolio 4 - Moody Maximalism https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/a8e0d031-0deb-4381-b8a2-1b5764a00b85/IMG_0185.jpg Portfolio 4 - Moody Maximalism https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/ab9cf038-3540-4a2f-b4b6-f10f2caadb9e/IMG_0181.jpg Portfolio 4 - Moody Maximalism https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/4c188fd0-7372-441c-b1c0-0440ec5a3900/IMG_0187.jpg Portfolio 4 - Moody Maximalism https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/7c4567b8-4832-41b1-abc9-6922ae2e0fea/IMG_0192.jpg Portfolio 4 - Moody Maximalism https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/5be1a78e-bce9-44de-97c0-799310a73450/IMG_0193.jpg Portfolio 4 - Moody Maximalism https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/a1662914-2d59-48ea-9ba1-635157ad5579/IMG_0194.jpg Portfolio 4 - Moody Maximalism https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/3a60a531-e9df-4c6f-9cfd-8882fa3061e5/IMG_0523.jpg Portfolio 4 - Moody Maximalism https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/e2eb0930-6cf9-481b-a0fa-5b05718253a6/IMG_0529.jpg Portfolio 4 - Moody Maximalism https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/6e27e446-d335-4a83-9ac6-c093c4ccb280/IMG_0524.jpg Portfolio 4 - Moody Maximalism https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/3357228e-5a30-4bac-870c-f300147c937a/IMG_0530.jpg Portfolio 4 - Moody Maximalism https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/4e12bf5e-ebac-443d-8cc6-be374020e8fb/IMG_0531.jpg Portfolio 4 - Moody Maximalism https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/2a07f2fd-61bb-4634-a150-0ae70f26491a/IMG_0532.jpg Portfolio 4 - Moody Maximalism https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/9846feef-556a-44f4-802d-e7dd70f7a5e9/IMG_0533.jpg Portfolio 4 - Moody Maximalism https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/bf97da23-bc94-4815-b8fd-30ef283e795e/IMG_0543.jpg Portfolio 4 - Moody Maximalism https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/abdd6278-dd4b-47f8-b5e3-9ee59a4e728a/IMG_0604.jpg Portfolio 4 - Moody Maximalism Stairwell of Curiosities https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/4d23ff07-e26b-429c-a5ef-0bd3cd0556ef/IMG_0595.jpg Portfolio 4 - Moody Maximalism https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/ec229367-6e04-4e37-b169-3020080ed2c0/IMG_0598.jpg Portfolio 4 - Moody Maximalism https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/9891c04b-03e3-4ab2-b239-ecdd9d5e3bdc/IMG_0600.jpg Portfolio 4 - Moody Maximalism a miniature art gallery installation https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/1694036679278-FFPAF8CQQJTSI09NRX69/IMG_0606.jpg Portfolio 4 - Moody Maximalism https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/0ee1fbd7-b9a4-42f4-9710-126f67dae22c/IMG_0603.jpg Portfolio 4 - Moody Maximalism https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/709598df-c73a-488e-8735-5a460515ded7/IMG_0596.jpg Portfolio 4 - Moody Maximalism custom artwork of the family's late dog riding a narwhal into battle https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/0b130424-ae79-41d9-87fd-7d9c72c26f82/IMG_0601.jpg Portfolio 4 - Moody Maximalism banister for scale https://www.oddbirdhome.com/portfolio-3 daily 0.75 2026-04-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/c087c19d-b0ff-49b7-8a10-433735d22875/Screen+Shot+2023-08-06+at+4.01.47+PM.png portfolio Landing Page https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/624d7bea-a73e-4eea-9a88-67f79b238bc9/Screen+Shot+2023-08-01+at+10.31.07+AM.png portfolio Landing Page https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/92250e1f-e0d0-48c3-bb2d-eba4cdf9bbbd/Screenshot+2023-08-13+at+4.15.25+PM.jpg portfolio Landing Page https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/4ac18838-060a-4361-a86f-c1856dffce15/IMG_0175.jpg portfolio Landing Page https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/0562d742-ec9d-4e6a-9238-a8cef302b34a/IMG_0453.JPG portfolio Landing Page https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/fda12895-230e-4ecb-9fd6-c6d3bb4ba44b/IMG_0182.jpg portfolio Landing Page https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/28967a9d-3b89-4d7f-8fbe-fc587ed444cd/IMG_0350.jpg portfolio Landing Page https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/87bd0d7a-e4c9-47ba-a537-0911e01f3c43/IMG_0337.jpg portfolio Landing Page https://www.oddbirdhome.com/rebel daily 0.75 2023-08-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/7e4e7053-acfa-4fa6-95be-aed04969d130/Screen+Shot+2023-08-07+at+4.55.55+PM.png https://www.oddbirdhome.com/terms-conditions daily 0.75 2023-09-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/c1717a71-fb0e-4e68-8242-19a733fd85d4/Screenshot+2023-08-26+at+3.22.04+PM.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/1b8e5b54-b9bb-46a7-86b5-e177d6be5263/Screenshot+2023-08-26+at+3.24.29+PM.png https://www.oddbirdhome.com/portfolio1-1 daily 0.75 2023-08-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/55726b60-76a7-4160-ad60-1e3f5870aa9b/Screen+Shot+2023-08-11+at+6.34.35+PM.png Portfolio 2 - Quirky Bathrooms POWDER ROOM BEFORE https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/7e36cb27-9342-4e08-91e1-0bc507aad875/Screenshot+2023-09-19+at+3.42.17+PM.png Portfolio 2 - Quirky Bathrooms AFTER https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/23598a1c-4ca8-429d-98ec-600a066065e1/Screenshot+2023-08-13+at+2.45.13+PM.png Portfolio 2 - Quirky Bathrooms AFTER (the homeowner is a big music guy) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/6189f102-aa16-4f43-acda-a45e8ef42cff/Screenshot+2023-08-13+at+2.44.51+PM.png Portfolio 2 - Quirky Bathrooms AFTER DETAIL: https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/faefe7a2-ac56-49c1-aaa9-c08c66ee52a7/Screen+Shot+2023-08-01+at+10.48.24+AM.png Portfolio 2 - Quirky Bathrooms BEFORE: Guest bath done as a family surprise for a Disney-obsessed couple who love both Hawai'i and the Jungle Cruise https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/119376e7-7090-4fb8-a69e-6cb7618a5a90/Screenshot+2023-08-13+at+3.04.06+PM.png Portfolio 2 - Quirky Bathrooms AFTER: This tiki wallpaper from Spoonflower was phenomenal to work with and two years later, has held up really well! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/0c70a259-4cc1-4533-941b-6e7f39ba35a0/Screenshot+2023-08-13+at+3.04.24+PM.png Portfolio 2 - Quirky Bathrooms AFTER: the browns in the wallpaper and some of the artwork hanging here draw out the browns and tans in the pebbled floor of the shower https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/7909d8c2-b0ab-4ed2-a726-f90943c65c46/Screenshot+2023-08-13+at+3.04.33+PM.png Portfolio 2 - Quirky Bathrooms AFTER: An actual replica of a sign on the Jungle Cruise ride that I ordered from an artist on Etsy https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/6b7e6b94-b293-42c9-b61e-cb36e5840bfb/Screenshot+2023-08-13+at+3.04.54+PM.png Portfolio 2 - Quirky Bathrooms AFTER DETAIL: Some natural materials like wood and basketry on the windowsill and the countertop (next photo) warmed up the space [the tiki-like statues on the ends are actually heirlooms from the owner's Bolivian mother] https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/1695154225845-FJNBU7KHDLVOM2FPOXXU/Screenshot%2B2023-08-13%2Bat%2B3.04.16%2BPM.jpg Portfolio 2 - Quirky Bathrooms AFTER: i LOVE this octopus towel holder! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/cc32b66f-9653-4369-a22d-0198ef59ddd8/Screenshot+2023-08-13+at+2.45.51+PM.png Portfolio 2 - Quirky Bathrooms AFTER:...and his friend, the toilet paper holder! You can't get away with details like this in a traditional bathroom, but if you're leaning fully into a theme (my favorite thing to do), little surprises like this are part of the fun https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/276ee0e3-a956-4f73-9f93-ce277dfa12fe/IMG_0243.JPG Portfolio 2 - Quirky Bathrooms BEFORE: An original 1960's basement bathroom that was depressing its teenage girl inhabitant ....this bathroom has everything you don't want. This was a $500, budget makeover of just aesthetics to hold off complaints about how depressing the bathroom was until enough money was available to do a real renovation (the later renovation can be seen in the midcentury modern portfolio) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/f8e687db-aced-43a6-b9c3-0cf06aff20c8/IMG_0244.JPG Portfolio 2 - Quirky Bathrooms AFTER: chalkboard paint is great in a pinch when you don't have time or inclination to sand cabinets down because the fix is just temporary. This wallpaper is from Spoonflower. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/2a8034cd-3595-4271-8c1e-d70f49185168/IMG_0245.JPG Portfolio 2 - Quirky Bathrooms https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/20f7b3f8-4e7f-4ede-a21e-dca35d01ec0b/IMG_0252.JPG Portfolio 2 - Quirky Bathrooms An old-school, cast iron "water closet" sign on the door alerts guests that this isn't a normal powder room. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/a404d474-5d84-48c5-8192-2fbb9d058df4/IMG_0250.JPG Portfolio 2 - Quirky Bathrooms AFTER: Most of the art I chose for this space was based on sassy women in vintage photography, including a few photoshopped pieces, like Marie Antoinette blowing bubblegum... https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/4faad1f8-c658-471f-a4be-56e790648a7c/IMG_0251.JPG Portfolio 2 - Quirky Bathrooms ...and this sign, which I love. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/c117bd9e-bcff-4d9a-9b16-6d7fa9ad8182/IMG_0246.JPG Portfolio 2 - Quirky Bathrooms AFTER: amazing what a little chalk paint can do! The new ceramic knobs were a fun touch as well. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/5fa861b7-68e0-46a3-bc6f-383273acf18c/IMG_0255.JPG Portfolio 2 - Quirky Bathrooms these guys are covering their eyes to ignore my wallpapering mishaps, and covering ears so they don't hear me cursing ;-) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/9daf6b97-8909-42b3-9feb-879490ecc0a1/IMG_0249.JPG Portfolio 2 - Quirky Bathrooms AFTER: yes, it's weird to put a mirror over a toilet, but she needed it to see the back of her head in the vanity mirror when doing her hair. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/e928b4de-5db7-4caa-bbb7-91ad07537cca/IMG_0257.JPG Portfolio 2 - Quirky Bathrooms Fun little details like a brass dragonfly medicine cabinet knob can really bring a sense of wonder and delight to small spaces https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/b79288d4-b7bf-405d-88bc-4f3e815f61a3/Screenshot+2023-09-19+at+3.40.45+PM.png Portfolio 2 - Quirky Bathrooms BEFORE - that same bathroom i did in pink and black florals, two years later was demolished when the sewer line broke under the house and the entire floor had to be jackhammered up (traumatic!). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/0398e951-4a37-4bb7-971f-7def2a66b369/Screenshot+2023-09-19+at+3.44.03+PM.png Portfolio 2 - Quirky Bathrooms INTERIM: you can see the vinyl peel and stick tile used for the "quick and dirty" floral facelift down right, with the ugly original beige tile underneath. Everywhere you see concrete was a giant hole in the ground big enough to fit a couple of big dudes into. But! It was an opportunity to finally complete my vision for this bath: moving the shower stall to be a full size shower on the far wall, and moving the sink to where the shower stall was, and doing the whole thing up in my favorite: midcentury style! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/4eb50536-964b-4b3d-b4ce-e2f68d0d3e7a/Screenshot+2023-09-08+at+6.31.21+PM.png Portfolio 2 - Quirky Bathrooms my mood board for this project Hawaiian mid-century modern https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/a38937a4-ab70-4c64-a85d-f6e9bded880c/Screenshot+2023-09-19+at+3.40.26+PM.png Portfolio 2 - Quirky Bathrooms AFTER: and here it is! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/ac67a990-dccd-4c9d-80a7-3d493e13ab4e/IMG_0575.jpg Portfolio 2 - Quirky Bathrooms https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/4c348067-5027-4e89-a2b9-5409c29b8e53/IMG_0574.jpg Portfolio 2 - Quirky Bathrooms https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/8f7af664-2569-4e80-9e60-3d69851175c6/IMG_0580.jpg Portfolio 2 - Quirky Bathrooms https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/c6a56049-8db8-455e-a3b1-f07f0025a18a/IMG_0578.jpg Portfolio 2 - Quirky Bathrooms https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/95b7109a-4b4d-4ae3-b03e-011419c4d8df/IMG_0577.jpg Portfolio 2 - Quirky Bathrooms https://www.oddbirdhome.com/portfolio-5-kids-spaces daily 0.75 2023-09-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/90b7e914-0563-4578-af01-639ad2cb75e9/Screenshot+2023-08-13+at+5.28.54+PM.png Portfolio 5 - kids' spaces GUEST BEDROOM BEFORE: perfectly lovely for a real estate staging photo, but my son was DISMAYED to find out this was to be his bedroom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/1695154855433-R8TWK4Z9VG3JXJO797YX/Screenshot%252B2023-08-13%252Bat%252B4.15.25%252BPM.jpg Portfolio 5 - kids' spaces AFTER (turned 7yo's Star Wars room): a better view of the feature wall. Schematic Star Wars vehicle drawings, with an eight-frame gallery wall of MORE schematic drawings. Is the dresser top cluttered and are there books on the floor? Yes. Because a child lives here, and I didn't stage it for the photo to remove all personality. ;-) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/b572cd84-4319-481a-a72c-309a5298931f/Screenshot+2023-08-13+at+5.29.01+PM.png Portfolio 5 - kids' spaces BEFORE: lovely staged photo https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/56c54e24-c18e-4fe8-99fa-7779fa511610/IMG_0375.PNG Portfolio 5 - kids' spaces AFTER: this little guy is obsessed with the Beatles and all rock n roll, has his own vinyl record player, and is really just a huge music nerd (like father like son). He asked for his room to have a "listening nook", et voilá! Is this instagram-worthy design? No. But that's less important than a child feeling at home in their space. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/1e835e09-a215-4dbd-8b04-7ac4ddabb2b2/Screen+Shot+2023-08-01+at+10.40.57+AM.png Portfolio 5 - kids' spaces BEFORE: this bedroom was used as a home office with gargantuan, heavy, commercial-grade, particle board office furniture. Awful. Orange floors, brown furniture, yellow walls. I die a little inside when I see a room like this. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/a7c98632-c7cb-4fb2-83f0-326d3401820a/Screen+Shot+2023-08-01+at+10.33.23+AM.png Portfolio 5 - kids' spaces AFTER https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/46809dc0-fc93-49bd-9dcb-cf61eab59cb8/IMG_3748.jpeg Portfolio 5 - kids' spaces BEFORE surprise Harry Potter birthday mini-makeover (this was years ago) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/1693850516189-A0SI4KHJ0URUJ9JGHL9C/IMG_5323.jpg Portfolio 5 - kids' spaces AFTER the owls visited https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/c6c921e7-1611-4234-a137-783b9ab17c30/Screen+Shot+2023-08-01+at+10.48.33+AM.png Portfolio 5 - kids' spaces BEFORE: a basement bedroom reminiscent of a jail cell. Note the PLYWOOD closet doors that make up the entirety of one wall (at left). This was to be the bedroom of a teenage girl who is obsessed with antiques and asked for a "Moody, opium den vibe, without the opium." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/db1084e3-1734-41ae-b9b1-70d3d9cb8d2f/IMG_0629.jpeg Portfolio 5 - kids' spaces https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/a034f648-0228-45b3-b111-4f49cf70539f/IMG_0631.jpeg Portfolio 5 - kids' spaces AFTER: various thrifted rugs overlapping create a cozy pallet of jewel tones to go with the moody deep teal paint. The green leather stuffed chair and clover accent table are actual antiques (from a curbside find and an estate sake, respectively), and the green velvet chair is from Wayfair. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/a7ab3c1d-1dfa-4358-87e3-e2643d87aa49/IMG_0630.jpeg Portfolio 5 - kids' spaces AFTER: a batik wall hanging cut in half became the curtains for this room, with an antique banker's lamp, antique sewing machine, and antique typewriter having pride of place. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/d035314a-ccd0-4f97-b23e-274b7aaf89c8/IMG_0274.jpg Portfolio 5 - kids' spaces how cool is this? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/1691959865365-YDSOYBSZ48KT2DP5HB1P/Screenshot%2B2023-08-13%2Bat%2B4.13.37%2BPM.jpg Portfolio 5 - kids' spaces This is a basement rec room so not a child's bedroom per se, but the kids do spend a LOT of time here. I love the mix of color, different frames and canvases, and the natural wood on the larger piece at right. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/1694036772001-H3VJ49ZPKYTDKIJNOXA4/Screenshot%2B2023-08-13%2Bat%2B4.16.07%2BPM.jpg Portfolio 5 - kids' spaces detail of the wallpaper and a cool LEGO switchplate (3D printed, from Etsy) that you can actually attach little LEGOs to. https://www.oddbirdhome.com/portfolio-6-closets-organization daily 0.75 2023-09-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/5f367ca7-f23a-48e6-bec2-effd97c68a92/Screen+Shot+2023-08-01+at+10.47.18+AM.png Portfolio 6 - Closets + organization BEFORE: The primary bedroom's walk-in closet, half of which is staged as a work from home area with very bad feng shui (back to the door!) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/1694037018835-DOGDR3BJPUDN79F23YQ3/Screenshot%2B2023-08-28%2Bat%2B12.08.54%2BPM.jpg Portfolio 6 - Closets + organization AFTER: We painted just the two sections of wall that were visible from Zoom calls in this closet, decorated with baskets from the owner's travels to Kenya and Malawi, with a glass desk to take up less visual space. With this prientation the owner can both see out the window AND face the door for when her spouse or kids come to visit ;-) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/1694037037228-WA3QZEL0C1CRZ44IKUOQ/IMG_0172.jpg Portfolio 6 - Closets + organization BEFORE: (not really the before - this was an impromptu project I undertook while the SuperBowl was on, and I forgot to take a before photo before I ripped everything out of this closet, sadly. But you know what plain, white coat closets look like. This one was crammed with coats and hats and gloves and sports equipment. Because this is a closet, we didn't want to spend a ton on wallpaper so this is actually CONTACT PAPER from Amazon. Surprisingly easy to work with! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/afd91e74-9594-4a5a-8fb9-d6fae2bcdbd7/IMG_0174.JPG Portfolio 6 - Closets + organization AFTER: Matching white mesh baskets up top hold lightbulbs, and the soft baskets hold gloves for each family member (labeled with little craft paper tags with their names). Just homogenizing all the hangers to match makes a huge difference to the eye. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/4ac18838-060a-4361-a86f-c1856dffce15/IMG_0175.jpg Portfolio 6 - Closets + organization a hook on the side is a great place to hang the tote bag the owner uses for the farmer's market https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/59410a15-7080-48e6-b494-7d9fa02f5cf6/IMG_0173.JPG Portfolio 6 - Closets + organization a rack on the door holds little flattened baskets for the kids' winter hats, and low hooks hold just the youngest child's jackets so he can get dressed without assistance to reach anything https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/494e838b-1ad2-42cb-a5ab-b3b74088c6fc/IMG_0176.JPG Portfolio 6 - Closets + organization Two cheap tables from Amazon fit perfectly in the bottom of the closet to hack a storage cubby solution the perfect size for two big felt bins from Target. Bottles for recycling on the left, newspapers on the right (note: the felt bin is the perfect size for the newspaper, but you don't want to sit it outside and have it get wet, so the papers get transferred to the blue bin for pickup once a week). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/d7f29847-d924-42a4-b96a-da693f48b03b/IMG_0197.JPG Portfolio 6 - Closets + organization This is not that impressive, but you'd be surprised how happy it will make you to take all your purses and hang them up by color so they're not all in various stages of wilting on a closet shelf. It helps them keep their shape much better. You can use a simple desktop letter sorter for clutch purses as well. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/61cf03d3-1573-4efe-9828-3f1a39ecc789/IMG_0196.JPG Portfolio 6 - Closets + organization I love love love these shoe racks from Target. As you can see, I do everything in rainbow (yes, I know the Home Edit ladies do that too - that's because it's awesome! I've been doing it since 5th grade). It's nice because when you have shoes to put away, you know exactly where they go in the spectrum! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/d035314a-ccd0-4f97-b23e-274b7aaf89c8/IMG_0274.jpg Portfolio 6 - Closets + organization This is a closet that we removed the doors from, and it was turned into the nook for the teen daughter's iron twin bed. https://www.oddbirdhome.com/portfolio-7-patios-curb-appeal daily 0.75 2023-09-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/6fb970d0-3c6d-4ce1-922c-1e51babe5d10/Screen+Shot+2023-08-01+at+10.38.18+AM.png Portfolio 7 - patios + curb appeal BEFORE: A typical Arlington "rambler" (what they call "ranch" style here, for some reason), with a concrete front porch and a Wheelchair Ramp of Death that is not built to code and will most certainly catapult you out onto the four-lane street. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/58f0bf8d-92eb-4f24-9ad8-bf061219ec0a/3842+blurred+front.jpg Portfolio 7 - patios + curb appeal AFTER: New everything. Gray paint on the brick, new mailbox, new door, new house numbers, and an ingenious (if I do say so myself) plan to redo the front porch without jackhammering out any of the old stuff (including the ramp). A planter covers the ramp on the left, with stepped levels and rocks and faux greenery (this house got a LOT of sun and heat and nothing would grow in the front yard), with beautiful slate walls, and a matching nub of the same on the other side to give it balance. The front walk was cut into at regular intervals with a concrete saw to create channels into which little pebbles could go to create a more mid-mod look. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/22395fbf-ed4c-42f4-ba82-9335425e92f0/Screenshot+2023-08-13+at+5.30.08+PM.png Portfolio 7 - patios + curb appeal BEFORE: Lovely house, crappy concrete driveway. There are plans to do a concrete stain in a stencil in the future, but for now, even though we have a back deck we prefer hanging out in the front where we can talk to neighbors and the kids' play area is on the same level as where we are sitting so we spend more time together. You can see the sad concrete driveway to the left. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/31ebbb40-5f3c-4902-83a9-7ac61dbfcffb/IMG_0999.JPG Portfolio 7 - patios + curb appeal AFTER: I used patio furniture to define a space, about 2/3 of the driveway that we use for our patio. The outdoor rug is missing from this picture as I was about to powerwash. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/148c21ac-32e1-4cd4-afde-1c8b130de7cd/IMG_0366.jpg Portfolio 7 - patios + curb appeal And here's the space at night. All of the ground lights are solar. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/ecd10ab6-6e87-4406-bb42-dd0600bfd56b/IMG_0453.JPG Portfolio 7 - patios + curb appeal https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/ca43bc6e-4acf-479d-a465-f7b0da05da35/IMG_0365.jpg Portfolio 7 - patios + curb appeal I am in love with the patterns these lights cast on the patio. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/1695154976950-ZBTRMVKXYIH27Z0JBU8F/IMG_0364.jpg Portfolio 7 - patios + curb appeal https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/b1462549-cda0-4e17-bca2-f64c6a0b9cf3/IMG_0454.JPG Portfolio 7 - patios + curb appeal https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/1ba8bc82-fe60-4670-a97b-6902e3d2f65a/IMG_0985.JPG Portfolio 7 - patios + curb appeal https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/09f1b771-8324-49ee-9cb3-48b94763bf51/IMG_0455.JPG Portfolio 7 - patios + curb appeal These solar lights flank our front gate. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/d5bb9586-5050-4f55-b68f-6af9e93fb2df/IMG_0989.JPG Portfolio 7 - patios + curb appeal the little fairy garden with solar fairy lights next to our Little Free Libraries https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/acd82377-e349-420d-a547-e3cd8be5f582/IMG_0980.JPG Portfolio 7 - patios + curb appeal https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/ca0ad507-eb96-412a-81c3-4041f5713dda/IMG_0986.JPG Portfolio 7 - patios + curb appeal You can see the grass here is still recovering from The Great Sewer Fiasco of 2023. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/65d55877-4707-4c61-ab63-9463e0201159/IMG_0988.JPG Portfolio 7 - patios + curb appeal https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/2ee4f7c5-23e7-4046-a141-87ef81d37af9/IMG_0981.JPG Portfolio 7 - patios + curb appeal buddha at night https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/963ed8e1-3728-4508-934c-2a5cd3b46877/IMG_0998.JPG Portfolio 7 - patios + curb appeal buddha during the day, shaded by Yoshi II, my little Japanese maple https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/5737a342-9b2c-4f01-ae36-c7d2f6a0aab1/IMG_1016.jpg Portfolio 7 - patios + curb appeal BEFORE: Beautiful, unique house, with a truly impressive garden, but you can't even see most of the work that's been done because the yard just blends into the sidewalk and the yards on either side. The front walk opening is behind that blue car (this is an old google street view), but you can't even see an opening in the vegetation. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/1695155005925-O7ANTM6WQR3XYCIMH3ZV/IMG_1012.jpg Portfolio 7 - patios + curb appeal AFTER: a horizontal midcentury cedar fence delineates and defines the yard, bisecting the "private pollinator garden" on the inside from the public facing ornamental shrubs on the exterior. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/3f85f1c6-b4d1-4005-86e5-b22cfa801c81/Screen+Shot+2023-08-01+at+10.45.12+AM.png Portfolio 7 - patios + curb appeal BEFORE: Who doesn't love a nice big deck right off the main living area? It's hard to figure out how to arrange something like this, however. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/1693859326650-N2F2OMOD5L300CD09XGO/IMG_1004.jpg Portfolio 7 - patios + curb appeal AFTER: I defined an outdoor "living room" conversation area with a rug and coffee table surrounded by these great black chairs and loveseat from Target years ago, all warmed by a patio heater. In the corner, two yellow chairs nestle up to the firepit. At right, a full-size dining table with benches provides a place to eat outdoors without having to balance your plate on your lap (or have it low enough on the coffee table to be eaten by the dog!). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/d4dcfc5a-3be4-478e-a859-287d94f6d2fe/IMG_0990.JPG Portfolio 7 - patios + curb appeal https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/8a7996c5-2713-48af-8698-527ff0d90f72/IMG_6001.JPG Portfolio 7 - patios + curb appeal I'm a sucker for little Zen touches. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/44a54ffb-96fa-4685-9a44-01d38795ca85/IMG_1006.JPG Portfolio 7 - patios + curb appeal I love this descending path on the side of the house. So lush! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/ac276e0b-eeeb-46a5-8306-0ca977689e67/IMG_0997.JPG Portfolio 7 - patios + curb appeal We have two little free libraries (one for grownups and one for littles) so I couldn't pass up this mama frog and baby frog reading on a bench to go next to them. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/3edf83cc-a65c-40f1-a8cd-028b46033ce2/IMG_0994.JPG Portfolio 7 - patios + curb appeal After the BEFORE, but before the AFTER.... In March 2023 our sewer line collapsed under our house, necessitating our front yard be completely dug up (destroying one of the fence panels and trampling all of the vegetation) as well as jackhammering up a full fourth of our basement floor (more on that elsewhere). This was NOT FUN. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/19916454-ec7f-4274-baeb-a229b8e78000/IMG_0995.JPG Portfolio 7 - patios + curb appeal https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/def59580-b014-41ea-bf54-7a63c3f26386/IMG_0996.JPG Portfolio 7 - patios + curb appeal https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/e9c681b5-c640-497c-a6bd-1cc2a576c814/broken+fence+5226+blur.jpg Portfolio 7 - patios + curb appeal our poor fence.... https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/cfab8e91-610e-4eb6-9d64-e134f56dae67/IMG_1002.JPG Portfolio 7 - patios + curb appeal it took a lot of work (and a lot of trips to the nursery!) but I've got it back now and looking mostly even better than before! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/8b399f94-0ca9-4b83-a1ab-52528b47a396/IMG_1005.JPG Portfolio 7 - patios + curb appeal a tiny snail makes a hiding place cave out of a wrinkle in this rain-soaked lamb's ear https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/1694047334178-M8JPV4XRFQPA09CBUS9X/IMG_1007.jpg Portfolio 7 - patios + curb appeal Our yard has hundreds of big, fat bees in the spring, it's amazing. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/1694047440687-XFJ12M1KFLI3QZRDRGVN/IMG_1001.jpg Portfolio 7 - patios + curb appeal https://www.oddbirdhome.com/portfolio-8-laundry-rooms-etc daily 0.75 2023-09-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/67085152-2acd-43ad-9c04-75d35fb2334d/Screenshot+2023-08-29+at+9.00.14+AM.png Portfolio 8 - laundry rooms etc. BEFORE: Adult humans spend way too much time doing laundry to be sad in those spaces. That said, this is a basement, so the homeowner (me) didn't want to spend a lot of money on this little makeover. We got the junk guys to haul away the giant wardrobe taking up half the room, and I had the painters give this a fresh coat of deep gray paint. I replaced the track lighting with a better but low-profile fixture that diffuses light throughout the room (instead of straight down on your head), moved the hall tree from the basement common area (see the midcentury modern portfolio for its old placement), and then used rigid vinyl peel-n-stick tile made by WallPops to give this space a low-key glow up. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/1693313770213-YUMQB5LU69ZUKXFBBZWK/IMG_0351.jpg Portfolio 8 - laundry rooms etc. AFTER: These vinyl tiles make such a huge difference! I kept the suspended upper cabinets because I needed the storage for paint. The hall tree at the entrance functions as a quick place to hang up items to dry, including towels that have just come home from the pool. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/1693858810823-UGG2OSM3QM7M41LMKYTO/IMG_0739.jpg Portfolio 8 - laundry rooms etc. BEFORE, the sequel...when our sewer line under the house collapsed, they not only dug up the whole front yard, they also had to jackhammer up half our basement floor, including the entire laundry room floor, to get to the pipes. This was TRAUMATIC, but let me tell you, I have NEVER been so happy I did a cheapie makeover with vinyl tiles instead of something more expensive! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/28967a9d-3b89-4d7f-8fbe-fc587ed444cd/IMG_0350.jpg Portfolio 8 - laundry rooms etc. AFTER, the sequel: we were able to put it back the way it was pretty cheaply https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/19f2d832-df87-4862-9acc-edafd7a40743/IMG_0768.jpg Portfolio 8 - laundry rooms etc. And hey, I got a new laundry room sink out of it! Isn't this little cast iron guy adorable? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/152f1824-b14e-47fd-a733-b930f7b542ff/IMG_0354.jpg Portfolio 8 - laundry rooms etc. The plumbers left a patch of bare concrete here that the vinyl tiles won't stick to, so for now I've got it covered with a matchy vinyl rug about the size of a bathmat. Again, it's the laundry room, I'm not as precious about that. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/1695155258748-HEUP2I4X2XNKLDOXYL1J/IMG_0353.jpg Portfolio 8 - laundry rooms etc. Is this ornate, mirrored cabinet too posh for a laundry room? YES. But it's solid wood and I didn't have space for it anywhere else in the house, so it holds paint cans. https://www.oddbirdhome.com/reviews daily 0.75 2023-09-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/78690f6f-c7eb-41ef-bc40-a837b2a8df31/Screenshot+2023-09-16+at+5.53.57+PM.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64cd50c034eb7c4b58b0112a/897cc536-6c0b-459b-a56f-374ba22d7282/Screenshot+2023-09-16+at+5.54.10+PM.png