A Sporty and Neutral Shared Boys Bedroom

From sounds of stifled giggles way past their bedtime, silly or surprisingly deep conversations, to catching the older brother reading to the younger, there's something pretty special that happens when kids share a room. Don't get me wrong, there's still more fights than I'd like and at times there's not enough space for the both of them, but I'm relishing this time and one day they'll look back and remember these times fondly–at least that's what I keep telling them.

When we moved in, there were enough rooms so the boys didn't have to share, but we wanted them to continue to bunk together. For one, Luke could keep an eye on his younger more mischievous brother and we could also use the extra room as a guest/office. While we still wanted it to be a room for boys, we were leaning towards a more sophisticated and neutral design this time around. In our last home, the boys' room had lots going on–gray and white striped walls, a DIY platform bed, a chalkboard wall–nearly every trend you could imagine. For this space (and the entire home), I wanted rooms to be much more simple and serene. It probably has something to do with all the chaos that two wild boys and busy schedules bring.

We painted over the blue walls with Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter and painted the dark blue ceiling, closet doors and trim in Benjamin Moore Simply White, a creamy, warm white. The neutral greige walls and white ceiling make the room feel clean, bright and quite a bit larger.

We built the beds using plans from Jennifer Largesse at Build - Basic and utilized a few things we had around the house like the metal shelving unit and dresser from Ikea. Then we threw in some cork boards so the kids could display their artwork and a couple bug pillows for good measure. We also replaced the dated ceiling fan with an updated model from Hunter.

Source List: Walls (Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter HC-172); Trim, Closet & Ceiling (Benjamin Moore Simply White OC-117); Beds (DIY | Home Depot | Build - Basic); Bedding (Ikea | Bjornloka Duvet Cover); Dresser (Ikea | Hemnes 3 Drawer Chest); Rug (West Elm); Drapes (Pottery Barn Teen | Suite Ribbon Blackout Drapes); Kids Table and Chairs (Ikea | Sundvik Table & Chairs); Cork Boards (Ikea | Vaggis Noticeboard); Ceiling Light (Home Depot | Hunter Conroy 42" Ceiling Light Fan)

This simple paint color update we've made, from the all blue room above to the more modern, neutral and versatile room, will grow with the boys and allows us to make changes to the room later on down the road without a bunch of work.

Ch-ch-ch-changes

Well, plans have changed folks.

 Backing up a little - last December we bought a 3,000 sq. ft. (6 bed, 3 bath) split-level fixer upper that was built in the 70s - the perfect investment home - an outdated interior and exterior in a perfect jaw-dropping location. We partnered with my brother to purchase the home, tackle the DIY renovations and share in the potential profit and, in turn, became roommates overnight. Plus, he added a Mrs. during the process. Four adults, two kids and a cat under one roof - it was a reality tv show waiting to happen.

Fast forward 12 months, we're still co-habitating and we've managed to make the single kitchen work through family dinners, but it's definitely added stress to the whole dynamic. It's the classic roommate struggle. From differing schedules and eating habits, family dinners don't always work which means someone's either using the kitchen when someone else had planned to or when you just wanted a little peace and quiet. Plus, it's been tough for the newly married couple to feel like they have a place of their own and aren't imposing on us upstairs - same goes for sharing the laundry just the other way around.

After living on our own for the past 10 years sans roommates, it's definitely been a learning experience. So it's not much of a stretch that our first priority is adding a mother-in-law kitchen downstairs. With our first big project in the works we've already experienced a few hiccups - mostly caused by communication issues. Everyone was wary of our decision to partner and with good reason as tackling a DIY renovation project has been known to cause breakdowns in a marriage. While we successfully made it through our own DIY home renovation, it's a completely different story when you throw another couple into the mix.

No matter how much we thought we were on the same page, there continued to be issues and our communication was our #1 culprit. From budget, to timeline, to end goals, we've had miscommunications along the way and have had to make a cognizant effort to sit down, talk through differences and make compromises. Unfortunately, we still couldn't see eye to eye on a number of design and budget choices, timeline or end goals. Plus, Josh and I could envision living here for years down the road with our family and so our "investment/flip house" was really our dream family house. So, we pivoted. We're now the sole owners of the house although my brother and his wife are still living downstairs and saving for their own dream home where they can grow their family. We're still working on a MIL kitchen so they have their own space and aren't jockeying for time with our whole family who, let's face it, takes up a bulk of the space.

New Year, New Digs & New Adventures

Is it really two thousand and sixteen, already? I'm excited about what lies ahead and terrified that time is slipping away far too quickly. It's been nearly two years since we moved to the Gorge and we finally found the perfect place to park our rumps for awhile - back in my old hometown. It's a DIYer's dream with killer views and loads of character, like lovely popcorn ceilings and carpeted bathrooms. But, unlike our last home, it's a behemoth. Filling it up with our little family of four would be impossible and the idea of taking on the remodel while working full time was terrifying. So, we've partnered with my brother and he, our sister and his girlfriend are shacking up downstairs. I never thought I'd actually be living with my siblings again or even want to, but I am and I do. It's the adult version of the Brady Bunch and I'm both terrified and excited for this new beginning.

Stay tuned for updates on the house, simple diy and craft projects and all the ups and downs of living with two families under one roof.

Happy Holidays! Cards & More from Zazzle

The holiday season is full of traditions and ours is no different.  Each year we spend time with family watching National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, playing card games, listening to holiday music and eating until our bellies burst.  We also are sure to send out a photo card to wish everyone a good season and a happy new year.

Shutterfly has been our go-to for our photo cards.  Their paper is nice and thick and their printing is high-quality.  We usually find a coupon for our stack of cards but the price is still a bit more than the generic holiday cards you can find in-store.  Always the budget-minded shopper, this year I stumbled upon an amazing groupon for a new company so I thought I'd give it a try.

Zazzle is an online marketplace where you can create, buy and sell custom-printed items.  Want a custom protective case for your smartphone?  Done.  Want to print that hilarious cat-meme you created on a coffee mug?  No problem.  Want to send out holiday cards with photos of your adorable family.  Perfect timing!

Customizing our cards was super simple with their online customization tools - just upload the photos, edit the text and colors and complete the order.  We received our cards about 3 days after we ordered through Zazzle.  We received 75 double-sided printed cards on heavy cardstock for less than $40.  Not too bad.

Plus, right now Zazzle is having a holiday sale so stock up on those holiday cards and tell those you love howdy!  (P.S. Use the code personalcheer at checkout for 50% off your cards!)

Happy Holidays!

Goodbye Oregon Coast, Hello Columbia Gorge

We're saying sayonara to our beach digs and saying hello to life in the Columbia River Gorge.  While we're sad to leave this wild and gorgeous area, our friends, and the little home that we've put some much blood and sweat into, we're excited to live closer to family and find our next project!

For a full rundown of all that we've accomplished with our home in Chinook visit our Home Tour page and stay tuned!  We'll be back with more DIY projects, home renovations and randomness.