Life Update: Home Stager & Redesigner

Posted in Uncategorized by thefurniturefinder

It’s been awhile since I’ve posted on this old platform that was created about five years ago. I thought it was time to dust it off a bit and start doing some new posts.

There’s quite a bit that has changed, since I started this blog; like the algorithm and social media and wordpress (it’s all different). However, a few things have stayed constant: Our family still lives in our little old cottage, I still love anything vintage, old, and a story of times past, and design is still a big part of my life.

In fact, last year I started an interior design business and went full throttle. I took on any creative job that involved design. It was a lot of fun and I learned something in the process. The creative job that sparked the most joy was home staging! However, I realized I needed a little extra help in the business department, so I signed myself up for a certification course and took a few months studying the ins and outs of the business. The result when I was all done was a booming business that took off over night (who would have thought?).

Here’s one of the occupied staging projects that I have worked on so far:

And a few of the vacant stages I worked on:

The other part of my business is {Re}design.

That’s where I take what people already own (whether they have moved or not) in their home and rework it into a more functional design for the space. Sometimes we take items away and sometimes we add new items in. The end result is a space that feels more pulled together and functional for the family or person living there.

I love this business and I am so grateful to get to do what my passion is. If you are interested in more information about staging or redesign, please visit my professional website HERE .

Thanks for following along! 🙂

~Kelly

17Oct2017

Fixer Upper Tour (#whirlwindwacotrip)

Posted in Uncategorized by thefurniturefinder

First off, what a trip! My mom and I headed to waco for a mother/daughter weekend and to celebrate my mom’s Birthday. We had an absolute blast! We are both BIG Fixer Upper fans, so it was a little dream of ours to get to see all of the houses and all things Magnolia in person. Here’s our itinerary of the trip from Friday-Sunday. It was basically a 48 hour trip, since we flew in mid-day on Friday and flew out at noon on Sunday.

We flew into Dallas Forth Worth airport on Friday and got there around 12:30pm. We got our rental car and immediately hit the road towards McGregor, Texas. Our hotel was in West, since most of the hotels were sold out in Waco for the Silobration. It was only 20 minutes out of town and no traffic (so an easy drive for us Californians who are used to a ton of traffic).

DAY 1: McGregor, Texas (it’s about a 25 minute drive from Waco)

Cedar Chest Antiques, 31707 West Highway 84 (on the highway right before you get to town. Make a u-turn and head there first)
Cedar Chest Antiques Too, 31631 West Highway 84
The Magnolia House B&B, 323 South Madison Ave
JDH Iron Work (25 mins out of town towards Crawford), 9685 N. Lone Star Parkway, Valley Mills
The Gaines’ Farm (Out of respect to the Gaines’ I do not want to publish their address. We happened to drive by on our way back to town, so we did a quick air wave and admired their horses in the front yard.)

DAY 2: Waco, Texas

Selfie with Chip and Joanna at the visitor center, 106 Texas Ranger Road
The Gaines’ first home on 3rd st., 2920 S. 3rd St.
Coffee at Common Grounds, 1123 South 8th St. (tip: if the line is long, go through the side entrance and take your pics and then go through the drive-through. Towing cars is an issue, so beware of signs!)
The Shotgun House, 624 S. 7th St.
The 5th Street House, 1403 N. 5th St.
The Common Grounds House, 1525 McKenzie Ave. (the house numbers have been taken off)
The Harp House, 822 N. 15th St.
Harp Design Co., 808 N. 15th St.
Laverty’s Antiques, 600 N. 18th St.
The Gorman House, 2001 Gorman Ave, (Gorman/20th St)
The Bean Stalk House, 2800 Gorman Ave, (Gorman/28th St)
The (original) Magnolia Store, 3801 Bosque Blvd.
The Hillcrest Estate B&B (season 5), 3601 Hillcrest Dr.
The German Schmear House, 5517 Lake Highland Dr.
The Fixer Upper, 121 Castle Ave,
The Magnolia Table Restaurant (coming soon), 2132 Valley Mills Drive. (Be sure to stop by Healthy Camp next door and get a milkshake. They are good!)
The Magnolia Market and Silos, 601 Webster Ave. (We ate on the grounds and had Cheddar Box. We highly recommend it! Also, the line for the Bakery looks long, but it moves quickly).

Head to my Instagram (thefurniturefinder) to see pictures of each place. Thanks for stopping by and let me know how your trip went if you go! Thank you, again, to my wonderful Mom for an amazing weekend! I will treasure those memories forever! xo

(1,399 miles from Orange County, CA to The Magnolia Market, Waco, TX) #milestomagnolia

6May2016

Joanna Gaines before Fixer Upper

Posted in House Tour Tuesday, Uncategorized by thefurniturefinder

(via Living With Kids)

Hi there friends!

I was playing around on the computer today (which means that I was basically wasting a bunch of valuable time to do fun things like cleaning, dishes, and laundry) anyways, I came across an interesting blog post from 2012 that I wanted to share. It was from a rather famous home renovator who was not yet famous at the time.

I’m sure you are on pins and needles wondering who it is; considering I just completely gave away the climax in my title of this post.

Yes, you are correct. It was Joanna (we are on first name basis. She just doesn’t know that yet). 😉

If you’ve followed along on here (and if you have, thank you! You deserve a piece of pie for being so patient with my once a year posts), as I was saying, if you follow along you will notice I’m a big fan of the farmhouse style. I can’t remember how I first started watching Fixer Upper, it might have been my mom who DVR’d this “cute decorating show that you will just love” because we don’t have cable at our house (thanks, Mom! You were right!). I also really love the Gaines’ family and the sweet message of family, values and faith. Their wholesomeness in this broken world is refreshing.

The blog post I found was of an interview done of Joanna and her home style. I was so excited to stumble upon it because it showed her home before the famous farm house the Gaines’ currently live in. I was a little surprised it was your average builder grade home. She, of course, decked it all out with her beautiful decorating skills. I’m always curious to see how peoples’ design aesthetics change throughout the years, although hers has stayed consistent. Though the post is only from four years ago, it’s fun to see what their home looked like before they were on TV. I noticed in the pictures that they still have some of the same furniture like the kids’ cute art table. I also really loved that she mentioned she bought white Ikea slipcovered couches. There’s just something very reassuring about knowing that Joanna Gaines, the queen of home design, bought Ikea furniture at one time (I’m a big fan of Ikea slipcovered couches, btw). It makes me adore her all the more. As if she wasn’t down to Earth enough, she just got that much more down to Earth. Her words and her home from 2012 give me a feeling of peace and hopefulness for our own future. Just knowing that she wasn’t in her dream home (yet) and that shortly after her dreams and so much more came true, is very encouraging. It’s fun to read the comments and think that the people that commented (and also Joanna) had no idea that just a few short years later, her and Chip would be so successful.

Without further ado, here’s the link. Enjoy!

xo,
Kelly

28Sep2015

DIY Basket Refresh

Posted in Before & After, DIY, Uncategorized by thefurniturefinder

For the last six months I have searched for a basket trunk that could contain the ever growing toy collection that my sons’ have. We had an old metal trunk that was great looking, but not so great on little fingers if it were to fall on them. My son knew the rule: only an adult can get toys from the metal trunk. I was starting to feel a little paranoid, however, when my oldest son had friends over because I didn’t want anyone to get hurt. So, I scoured the internet looking for a large enough basket that had the style I like and had a lid light enough that if slammed shut, would not hurt any kiddos.

To my surprise, I couldn’t find anything.

I searched the big retail stores: Pottery Barn, West Elm, Crate and Barrel, Ikea.

Nothing.

Then I searched thrift stores, Craigslist.

Nothing.

One night this last Summer, my little family decided to take a walk around the block to get some fresh air and to my surprise this was on the curb, ready for trash day:

The basket trunk of my dreams! (ok, well sorta, but who would have thought I would find it on the curb?! Life is funny.)

The homeowner was sitting on his porch when we walked by, so I quietly asked him if the trunk was trash (just to make sure). He said, “Yes.” They were purging at his house and if we wanted it we should take it home.

Well, okie dokie, thank you sir. We did. 🙂

As you can see in the picture, it was a little worn. I remembered a blog post a few years ago about how to refresh your baskets using this:

So, I gave it a try and was pleasantly surprised.

Now that I look at this photo, I realize I’ve missed a few spots. I’ve been a little sleep deprived lately, so projects happen quickly. (if you follow me on Instagram, you’ve notice a new little human was added to our life. More on that next time.) 🙂

xo,
Kelly

19Feb2014

house tour tuesday: farm{house} for sale

Posted in House Tour Tuesday, Uncategorized by thefurniturefinder

a couple of weeks ago, i got to play real estate assistant for a friend of mine. (if you follow me on Instagram, then you saw a few shots of my favorite parts of the home.)

it was so fun!

i had seen the pictures of the home on the MLS before i went, but when i showed up in person, the home blew me away. the details that were in every nook and cranny, not to mention the way the home had been decorated (contemporary, farmhouse style, my favorite!), were hard to convey through the online slide show. to top it off, the home is currently owned and being sold by the nicest couple! i had such a fun time chatting with the wife and seeing a little glimpse of myself in her. she loves old chippy furniture and farm style decor. she said she had been collecting some of the pieces for years.

today, i got to tag along on a showing and sneak some pictures in of the details to show you all. there are a lot, so you’ve been warned 😉

enjoy! and come on in…

the home is huge. HUGE! yet it still is very comfortable and cozy. most of the bedrooms, kitchen, and den surround the main living room.

the kitchen has honed carrera marble counter tops and a soapstone island (my two favorite choices for counter tops!).

and that brick back splash is amazing! love the details of the date in the brick.

i also love how the island is painted grey to make it look like a piece of furniture in the middle of the room.

that hallway leads to a guest room….

and the sweetest little bathroom with carrera marble honeycomb tile.

also down that hallway is the dutch style back door and a walk in pantry with a chalkboard door.

off the kitchen is the dining room.

love that ball jar chandelier!

back to the main living room….

check out the chippy farmhouse furniture.

and the farm style industrial lights.

oh yeah and the barn door (how could i forget that!).

there’s also a barn door in the master.

and brick floors (swooooon!).

so many amazing details!

there are also a couple of kids’ bedrooms off of the main living area.

the other kids’ room had a clever use of a mantel as a headboard.

here’s the family room den that has a projector and big screen for those family movie nights.

now heading out to the backyard…

lounge by the pool

or enjoy a bonfire at night.

or kick back in the adirondack chairs

and enjoy the view.

the details outside are just as good.

there are lots of farm style industrial lights.

and board and batten!

oh, and i almost forgot to mention the mother-in-law suite in the backyard.

not too shabby, huh?!

i’ve gotta start making more rulers, so we can move in! 😉

hope you enjoyed and if you’re interested in moving to Tustin, California, drop my friend, Suzanne a message. 🙂

12Feb2014

house tour tuesday: my cousin’s craftsman

Posted in House Tour Tuesday, Uncategorized by thefurniturefinder

it’s almost midnight and i just remembered that i haven’t shared the house tour tuesday for today.

i’m quite excited about this one.

my cousin and her hubby just bought their first home together. it’s a cute little craftsman. actually, it’s going to be a cute little craftsman after they are done renovating it. i wanted to share all of the before pictures with you here and i’ll make sure to update you all on the after reveal!

come on in…..

as you can see, it needs a little tlc.

but, the bones of the home are good and the charming character is all still there.

they have a lot of work ahead of them. my cousin said it best when she said her husband told her this was a coke stain on the wall and she chose to believe him. (i would too!)

they also have a few friends that need to move out. (yes, that is an owl. owls are very popular right now….maybe they should leave him) 😉

i love that they are willing to tackle this project and love this home back to the way it used to be and then some.

here’s the kitchen.

they’re gutting this whole area, busting out a few walls, and starting from scratch! i can’t wait to see it all done! (although i have to say those cabinets make me swoon a little with their quaker style, but i know it’s going to be even more fabulous!)

oh, and did i mention they are going to be having a baby in June! they’re pretty awesome!

for the complete story and more before pictures, head on over to my cousin’s blog. it’s a great story!

(thanks, T & L for letting me share your pics!)

3Feb2014

the furniture finder shop- now open!

Posted in Uncategorized by thefurniturefinder

hi there!

this past month has been quite a busy one.

among the busy, we were able to visit my mother-in-law’s house in Cambria.

while we were there, we got to go treasure hunting.

my mother-in-law has a great eye for antique furniture

and fabulous treasures!

she taught me years ago what to look for. i’ve always admired her collection of treasures and she’s the one that started my collection of old furniture, vintage trunks, and milk glass years ago.

i’ve had a few friends and people that i’ve met that have asked me to find them unique furniture or vintage items.

well, now these fun finds can be yours, too. just click on the ‘shop‘ link above and it will take you to an array of different antique furniture and vintage items. like these milk glass pieces.

or these old farmhouse lanterns.

there will be vintage home decor and some random vintage pieces added.

i’ll also be selling other people’s antique furniture on consignment, like this 1940’s art deco buffet.

and this amazing early 1900’s curio cabinet! these are hard to find.

if you have old furniture or vintage accessories (anything pre-1960’s) that you are interested in selling in the shop (and you are located in Southern California), please email me at kellythefurniturefinder@gmail.com and i will come take pictures of your great finds and do the footwork for you to sell your pieces. think of it as a vintage craigslist, but without the work for you! 😉

happy treasure hunting!

8Jan2014

Love & Lace Bridal and Tailor: before and after

Posted in Before & After by thefurniturefinder

do you believe in coincidences?

i don’t. well, i guess sometimes it starts out that way, but most of the time i think things happen for a reason. there’s a path that is set out and as you are walking along it, you almost immediately can tell that it’s not a coincidence that you are on that path. the pieces of the puzzle start to unfold and you realize why you are there. why your path has wound around to this point.

that sort of happened to me last spring.

i got an order for a couple of my rulers and it turned out that they were bought by a woman that i went to high school with. she had asked me to drop them off at her family’s tailor shop in Orange. i had this strange feeling when she told me that, that i knew which tailor shop she was talking about. as it turned out, it was the one i had been using for years for any alterations i needed. (in the Vons shopping center off of Tustin/Lincoln for all of you locals.) 🙂

what a coincidence.

when i arrived at the family tailor shop to drop off the rulers, i met the woman’s sister, Ramona. we got to talking and i mentioned that i did some design work and she mentioned that she was following her dream of opening up a bridal/tailor shop in south county and needed some design help. we exchanged contact information and parted ways.

a month later, i got a call that she was ready for the help.

when i showed up to the commercial space that was destined to be the bridal/tailor shop, i was a little taken back.

(before construction)

i didn’t really picture such a big store. and in need of so much construction.

(before construction)

i’m not sure exactly what i was picturing, but as soon as i heard the words, “Irvine Company,” i knew it was a job too big for me. i did not want to be responsible for messing up anyones dream, so i referred the job to another designer, Lauren. as it turns out, Lauren went to high school with Ramona.

what a coincidence.

so, for the last few months, the shop (or i think it’s supposed to be called salon? oh well, shop sounds more quaint to me) got a major overhaul.

when i saw it today for the first time in person, tears filled my eyes.

beside it being absolutely stunningly, beautiful, it fills me with joy to see a dream come true for someone.

to know that what was once, a thought of hope, is now something real.

what started out as a sale of a simple oversized ruler growth chart, led into something bigger.

that might be totally cheesy to some.

but, what i know for sure….

is that the path it took to get here,

is no coincidence.

so, if you’re looking for a one-of-a-kind wedding gown (or just need your jeans hemmed), head on over to Love & Lace.

and say hi to Ramona for me!

xoxo

22Dec2013

diy Christmas cards {without using photoshop}

Posted in DIY by thefurniturefinder

this was our first year not getting professional pictures done.

to save a buck (and because i like a challenge), i attempted to be our own photographer. i googled “how to use my timer on my rebel Canon” and went for it.

surprisingly, it wasn’t that hard. of course, they aren’t professional, but they’re good enough.

first, i did a little research on Pinterest to check out family pictures and layouts of the people.

then, i picked a location (in this case it was at my grandmother’s house because she has a lot of fun props).

after that, i had my family choose clothing in a combination of blues and greens with different textures (plaid, striped, floral).

one Sunday afternoon, we all met up at my Grandmother’s place and my dad got the car in position, while i got everyone else in position and then set up my camera on a ladder, set the timer, ran and smiled.

okay, it wasn’t that easy, but almost.

two hours later, we were done. i went home to see what we came up with.

this is what they looked like:

and here’s the one in my grandmother’s avocado grove:

besides being a little blurry and a little washed out, we were happy.

the next step was to add some words. since my computer (a MacBook Air, the smallest version) does not have enough memory (or gigabits or whatever…that’s my brother, the computer guy’s, arena), i like to use a program called Picasa. it’s completely free and allows you to completely edit photos and add text and overlays (B&W, antique, sepia, etc) to any photo. you can’t switch out heads (that sounds so morbid, sorry) or cut pieces of the picture out like Photoshop; it’s not that advanced. i have loved it, regardless, and it’s super easy to work with.

here’s what the pictures looked like after adding words:

and the back:

the last step was to make them into cards.

i uploaded the photos into an online company called Mpix that i’ve been using for the last few years for our cards and any prints i need. they are an online professional photography lab and each card and print is looked over and double checked by an actual individual. plus, the cards are printed on the highest quality of paper. you can choose different textures such as linen, pearl (a beautiful metallic finish) or 100% recycled paper AND it’s all included in the price of the card. we went with the postcard style card (envelopes are included) and opted to pay a small fee to have the corners rounded. i highly recommend this company. i’ve done some price comparisons and they are more affordable than some of the other top leading card companies (tiny prints, minted, etc).

so, there you have it. the basics on how to diy on your Christmas cards.

pretty easy, huh?

as long as everyone cooperates. 😉

20Dec2013

trend alert: crazy for plaid

Posted in Uncategorized by thefurniturefinder

have you been noticing all of the plaid everywhere?

it seems to be popping up on everything lately.

not just on the standard blanket, we all know and love.

and it’s not all just in red,

it comes in all different colors.

and on everything you can possibly imagine.

chairs….

wallpaper…

tartan ware dishes….

even cupcakes are wearing the plaid trend.

i’m a big fan. i like the balance it gives some of our overly fluffiness we have in the house.

the best part, is that plaid seems to be pretty timeless. i wish we would have stocked up on some gorgeous blankets when we went to Scotland ten years ago.

go get yourself some plaid this Christmas. 🙂

{check out my Pinterest board for more plaid}

xo, Kelly

xo,
Kelly