Finally Some Storage

Hey friends, I know it has been a while since my last post, I've been experiencing the worst luck with computers lately. Not that you are spending a ton of time online (I hope) with this beautiful weather outside! We are trying to take it easy as well, tackling little projects here and there when we get a moment. Last week we finally got around to putting in some storage in the bathroom (my towel storage was a pile in the corner). I don't know if you remember, but I was considering kitchen cabinets for that room. We had them piled up in our IKEA cart ready to go, when I decided to have a peek in the "As is" section. And what do you know, 2 Godmorgen wall cabinets for 56% off! I scored both for 200, half the price as the kitchen cabinet solution...

They are pretty sturdy, too, with nice glass shelves on the inside. I love how each cabinet fits the width of a towel folded in half. Tons of storage, which is great as well. What do you think?

Oh Matte Black, You've Done it Again...

Why is it I can't get out of IKEA without spending a few hundred dollars, and yet my favourite purchase is this 2.99 watering jug? Love the matte black finish and the curvy shape of it. Anyone else excited for the new PS collection to arrive in Canada?
Oh, and my other new favourite things, from H&M...

Hope you had a great long weekend!

Paper Clips and Doggy Bums

I realized the other day that I have added an additional element to the kid's storage; both Henry and Holly needed somewhere to hang hats, helmets, necklaces and hoodies...I picked these up on my IKEA trip a while back, I have liked them for a while because they add a sense of humor to any room:

 

I also picked up this cute hook for Henry's backpack for three dollars at Homesense. I hope he uses it!

 

I love them because there is no metal hook that could hit one of my kiddos in the head, the tail is nice and pliable. I think I have done just about all I can to keep the kid's rooms clean, the rest is up to them!

The Bumpy Road in Renovations

Remember the deal on a vanity that I mentioned a while back?

 

I scored a vanity from IKEA at an unbelievable price. Well, turns out that deals are not always what they seem, and I have learned another renovation tip: talk to your contractor or handyman in detail before making purchases. Turns out all sorts of complications come with floating vanities in old houses: moving plumbing, creating access panels, tearing out walls...all of a sudden the deal of a century does not become so deal-like. So back to the drawing board. 

Turns out vanities are expensive. And I hate most of the ones you can buy out there. This is where I turn to the internet to help me find an alternative, to see if something can be done to magically make the vanity of my dreams:

Apartment Therapy

I think most of us have seen this piece of kitchen furniture at IKEA some time or another. Other than the open shelving (I don't want to see the pipes), I think it is a little piece of genius. 

Ikea Hackers

Same idea with IKEA effectiv office furniture.

Ikea Hackers

These people used one of the bathroom cabinets from Ikea that I do not like, Lillangen (I thought it looked kind of cheap at the store). I really like it here though, the customized fronts and handles make it look less Ikea-like.

Another person who customizes furniture to use as bathroom cabinets is Sarah Richardson. Here are a few of her gorgeous transformations:

Decorpad

This cabinet was from pier 1!

This is not a cabinet, but a was originally a rusted out iron table she transformed.

pinterest

Another beautiful transformation, she lucked out by finding a sideboard with a marble top for $350...I wonder if I could be so lucky.....

There is also the option of making one or getting one custom made, which sounds expensive too. You also have to somehow protect the top surface of the furniture which could pose a challenge and add to expense. Does anyone have any other ideas to share? Have you re-purposed any furniture for a kitchen or bath?

Stuva Review

Well, Henry's storage is finally built (which did not take that long but probably a little longer than expected). We guess that most people would find this moderately difficult to build but IKEA amateurs might take a little while. Here is the combination we chose (undecorated, sorry):

It worked out perfectly because we chose units that would fit on two different walls just in case we didn't like the result: it turns out that because of the bench height the unit can extend under the window and fit along the wall with his dresser, to maximize floor space.
The bench units make perfect window seats, and are the same height as my dining chairs which could make them pretty useful in a kitchen. Although IKEA shows children standing on them as a stage in the catalog,  they did show a little give when this big pregnant lady tried to sit on one, so I would reinforce it to use it for adults.

As far as quality is concerned, they are built well and easy to clean. Unlike Henry's last IKEA wardrobe that could barely withstand a move and waved in the wind;

the sturdy, thick frames of the stuva look like they will last (the height helps. too). The finish makes it nice and wipeable for grubby little hands. Our only complaint is that the door slams, but my husband was quick to point out that you could use a quiet close kitchen hinge that they provide with IKEA kitchens to omit this problem.

The stuva is nice and kid friendly, as my kids played with it last night like a jungle gym. You can see the drawers are HUGE:

Yes, you can fit a Holly (or three!) in there. They tried. The height of the wardrobe is at perfect eye level with my tall almost-seven year old, and reachable height for my two year old.
What do you think? I am so tempted to sew a nice seat cushion for the bench part to make it cozy but one of the benefits of this unit is that the benches are at a height that they make a nice play surface. So far, the stuva gets my (and four other little) thumbs up!

IKEA trip

Whenever I'm craving home solutions, an IKEA trip is always in order. Or at least that's what I felt this weekend! We did a small trip (our closest one is an hour away) and I came back with quite a bit of loot!

 

The majority of the pile is Henry's new storage solution. A little more than what I would have liked to spend, but I justified it by a bathroom score:

My vanity was marked down to $64 from over 300 (I will let you guess which one)! Check your local store's offers before going...

Of course I had to pick up some things for future projects (I've been eying this fabric for a while, soon to be discontinued I guess):

Of course there were things I wished had come home with me, as always:

Holly spotted these adorable trays, perfect for a little colour in the kitchen!

These rugs have been on my radar for a while (the one peeking out on the right would be perfect for my living room!)

 

I could have taken ALL these lamps home with me (you know my lamp obsession!) Oh well, maybe next time! Stay  tuned for the results of the trip!

Go Vertical

I have to apologize in advance because I have been so focused on storage solutions and cleaning lately; in particular I will not feel at ease until everything is put back in Henry's room and Holly's room sees some order as well. I am always inspired by people who make great use of small spaces, it seems they all have one thing in common (aside from the remarkable ability to purge and live with less): they use their wall space brilliantly! This seems like the ideal solution for Henry's room in particular, I would like to create a "storage wall" so his floor (playing) space is maximized. Here are some of the most inspiring ideas I have found this week:

 House and Home

When I saw this picture I wondered why I have not thought to use slatwall before; my husband has always had some scrap pieces laying around. This could be a great use of the base of his bunk bed as well!

House Beautiful

I absolutely love the old library look, and I'm sure a ladder could be tons of fun for a 6 year old boy, still I would need to look into ways of making it safe...

Apartment Therapy

The stylists know best in the new IKEA catalog; as apartment therapy points out they are full of different ideas on how to make use of wall space.

  Homeindo

Another picture from the IKEA catalog, a lot of their modular units can be combined and mounted on the wall, freeing up valuable floor space.

House of Fifty

I have seen lots of outward facing book storage online this year; we did put one rail alongside Henry's bed but found he kicked the books off in his sleep. Perhaps putting it on another wall would be a good option. 

Ohdeedoh

Finally, I can't forget the use of hooks and magnets! You wouldn't believe the amount of toys that this could be useful for. What are some of your creative toy storage solutions?