Category Archives: Joys of Home Ownership

If you luck out like I did and managed to purchase a home on “The Rock” it comes with it’s ups and downs. Pros: You’re not renting 2 bedroom for $2500/month without utilities. (That’s if you’re lucky). Cons: Repairs, Upgrades, and hoping Hurricanes and Tropical Storms find a different direction to go!

How To Update The Look Of Your Windows And Make Them Look Amazing With Minimal Spending!!! Impress Family And Friends!!!

Windows! We can love them or we can hate them! In my case, I love them! Living in the Sunshine state has its perks. Like having a beautiful palm tree growing outside my living room window!

This palm tree is a beautiful reminder of what it’s like living in tAmazonhe Florida Keys! My guests have commented on the palm tree’s location in front of the window which led to (the dreaded) “So what are you thinking about doing to this window?” By that point, I had already purchased some Top-Down Bottom Up Blinds for privacy and to also allow light in but the window itself was LACKING, to put it kindly. Literally, just looked like a wall with a window in it. BOOOORING!

*For those of you who want to see the blinds I bought. They have helped me save soooo much money by keeping the house cool (FLORIDA IS HOT!) and being able to open the top down I have privacy in so many ways!*

My light Filtering for downstairs

My Blackouts for the Bedrooms that work wonders!

Back to the shears to make those windows Pop! Being equally as frugal as picky, I started to research what shears would look good but wouldn’t distract the relaxing view outside. The idea of just hanging a rod and stringing on some blinds, eh seemed like it would feel make the window look heavy and distract from the tropical view outside.

Time to get creative. Frugal, but creative.

This window’s aesthetic goal was it going to be a living, constantly changing piece of art, and nature was going to be the artist.

How in the world do you make that happen?!?! (and not go broke?!?)

That’s when I started looking at what Amazon had to offer. Living on a 2 by 4 mile rock leaves you with limited choices and there was no way I was about to drive to the mainland for something I didn’t want to spend more than $50 bucks on! (I’d of spent more on gas and tolls!)

Thankfully, at that point I had already purchased a curtain rod. The rod I had chosen had enough contrast to the grayish blue walls surrounding the window to draw your eye up but not so much as to linger at the rod itself. The walls being painted the grayish blue also meant the color of the curtain would have to be light. White, in this case, would work. Typically, I like to choose a different color draw attention to the window but in this case the goal was not to bring the attention to the window itself but the view outside.

Another factor I had to address was taking attention away from hardware used to install the blinds in the windows. Quite frankly, if I can do this to all of the blinds in my house I would. Those are upcoming projects.

The stage was set. The window treatment for the long window with a view of the palm tree in the courtyard needed to be light in color without feeling washed out (cue curtain rod) all while to prevent from being distracted from, but mainly blocking, the view of the hardware for the blinds in the window itself. Typical curtains need not apply.

So what was available that met all of my needs and affordable?

This beauty.

It was white (check), had as subtle amount of texture for some character (check on the subtleness), could be hung to hang on either side of the window like typical curtain (check), and the best part, could be hung in such a way to block the view of the hardware for the blinds (epic check). It was also only $15.99 on Amazon!

My goal of making my living room window a piece of living art was achieved! In total spending no more than $30 or $40 for everything! To me, that’s a steal!

Instead of getting, “So what are you going to do with that window?” , I’m now being complemented with, “Wow, that’s a beautiful view you have in your living room!”

Feel free to steal the idea for yourself and ENJOY!

Fantastic Kitchen Island (Storage!) on the Beautiful island’s Installation

So I’m on my 8th Month (seems like only my 3rd)  of owning my first house and my boyfriend surprised me with having a Kitchen Island installed.  Now for most people, I’m guessing, something like this would be no big deal.  However, after 8 months of having to use a basket with plastic cups to separate silverware, there will FINALLY be a silverware drawer I can use!  PLUS, we’ll finally have a place to sit down to eat and to even be able to use when preparing food!  I love to cook and not having more than 2 feet of counter space to work with has been trying.  I may just be an outlier but practical gifts have to be the best gifts ever!  I’ll post pictures once it’s finished being installed.  I’m beyond happy right now!  Can’t wait to use it also to display everything I like to cook!