Houzz Interview: Wendy's Shabby Nest (147 comments)

We were very impressed when we first discovered Wendy and her Shabby Nest photos. It was great to see how she had created such a beautiful and inviting home, on a tight budget.
Wendy, a mom to four young children, is a very talented woman that never stops surprising her readers. Her endless DIY project and great inexpensive home decor ideas, are truly inspirational.
We are very happy to have Wendy with us today to share her inspiring Shabby Nest story and tips.

Please tell us about your "first meeting" with your house to be

In the early stages of our house hunt, I had actually seen pictures of our house a few times on-line but quickly passed by because it looked so unappealing with a teal and sea green sponge-painted interior.
Then when we began house hunting in earnest, we set up an appointment with our realtor to see the house next door to our current home. When we got there, however, and saw our house for sale next door, it had such great curb appeal that we asked our realtor if we could look inside.
The house had been vacant for almost a year, and we were warned by our realtor that the interior had been very “lived in”. In addition to the “unique” paint job, the previous owners had neglected the home and it was in desperate need of some TLC. But despite all of that, the minute my husband John and I walked inside, we fell in love. The space was wonderful, the light was amazing, and the view from our side porch was spectacular. We could see the potential of the house, and we knew that it was our home.

The first step of your remodeling process

Before the ink had even dried on our closing papers, John had torn out the entire half bath on the main floor, and pulled up all the ratty linoleum in the kitchen which left us no choice but to get right to work. In the bathroom we put in a new tile floor, vanity and toilet right away, but the finer design details took a little longer. As for the kitchen floor, we lived on sub-flooring for a few months before the tile was completed, but once that 18” ceramic tile was installed, we knew the wait had been well worth it.

The biggest renovation challenge you faced

The biggest challenge we faced was two-fold. First, was the financial challenge. We had to find creative solutions to get the custom look we were after on a limited budget. Luckily, John works in home improvement so he has the skills to complete our design projects, which has helped to save us a lot of money. The second part of the challenge was time. Because we were doing all the work ourselves, it had to be done in our “spare” time. We’ve learned a lot of patience in the process of seeing our design dreams coming to fruition, but that has made the finished product all the more enjoyable.

Your favorite style and colors

My favorite styles: cottage, Swedish, French and coastal. Since I have four small children, it is very important to me that my house is not only beautiful but livable. My style is very approachable and comfortable, real not stuffy. My favorite colors are anything neutral especially whites, beiges, browns, grays, and blacks with soft blues and greens thrown in for good measure.

A spot in your house that makes you very happy

I think I am most proud of how our laundry/half bath turned out. We put our heads together and came up with a design that really reflected our style. We incorporated bead board paneling, open shelving, mixed metal finishes and a farmhouse style sink that all worked together to create a “decorated over time” feel that is fresh and clean, but cozy as well.

Your precious accessory/furniture/art

Our home is filled with wonderful art created by members of our very talented family. John is a photographer and I love to showcase his amazing portraits and fine art photographs throughout our home. We also have a number of paintings by John’s father who is a Professor of art and some by my sister who specializes in watercolors. And since I have a little bit of a pillow obsession, I fill our home with pillows that I make and sell online. These things not only beautify our home, but remind us daily of people who are important in our lives.

Your next house project

Our next house project is to complete a built-in desk in our library. It’s a project that has been on my list since we moved in, and one that I’m very excited to see come to fruition because it will be my own personal workspace!

5 things that houzz readers need to know about you and your blog

Interior design/décor is my passion. I love sharing that passion with my readers. I hope to inspire them with fresh ideas and workable solutions to design in their own homes.

Because I love to create beautiful spaces on a budget in my own home, I also love to share frugal decorating ideas with my readers. Fridays are designated as “Frugal Fridays” on my blog, and I try to share new budget-conscious decorating ideas every week.

I frequently share tutorials on subjects ranging from “How to make a no-sew bed skirt” to “How to refinish a dresser”.

I enjoy sharing fun décor-related websites and fabulous internet finds with my readers. I share plenty of links to all of my great on-line discoveries.

I post daily – Monday through Friday – and I try to make my blog a fun and idea-filled place for home décor lovers like myself to visit and get inspired.

Best tip for the remodeling beginner

Paint is your best friend. It is the least expensive way to make the biggest impact in your home. Our kitchen went from hum-drum and cookie-cutter to one of my favorite rooms in our house with just a couple of gallons of creamy paint and a lot of elbow grease. Don’t be afraid to try out a new color. Paint is cheap and it can always be re-painted if you aren’t happy with the result.

Last but not least: as a houzz friend, Wendy has chosen a Restoration Hardware giveaway gift card to one of the lucky readers that will share their thoughts about her house and interview..

Thank you for sharing your beautiful home Wendy!.

For your chance to win a $50 Restoration Hardware gift card, comment on this interview by Sunday, November 15st, at 5pm EST..

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