Summer Home Tour
If you’ve stopped by from Life on Virginia Street and this is your first time here, welcome! I’m so excited to have you here and I’d like to thank Marty from A Stroll Thru Life who invited me to join her blogger summer home tour series! Be sure to stop by all week to visit all 30 of us, our full tour schedule is listed at the bottom of this page.
***
My blog was named after a phrase I often heard my grandfather say as I watched him masterfully refinished old furniture. He made a living doing just that, so I’ve grown up appreciating all things vintage and I inherited his desire to give them a second life. I gravitate towards simple, classic vignettes that fit any season. I love neutrals for the same reason. You’ll see me change a wreath here, or a pillow there. But I prefer to live in a space for awhile so that I can decide exactly how I can optimize its form and function. If we can’t find the perfect piece or furniture (or art), we upcycle or make it ourselves. So…
Let’s start with the front porch…
I painted our front door black a few years ago…it’s like having that little black dress in my closet. Perfect for all occasions.
A tough winter caused us to lose a few trees and shrubs, so there are quite a few outdoor projects “in progress” as we replace and update our outdoor spaces. Here is our front flowerbed, we’re trying out a few new perennials this year. Fingers crossed…
A salvaged table greets visitors on our porch, which also serves as a makeshift potting bench. 
You can read more about this pretty table here, which was a Craigslist find. See what treatment I gave to it to survive the elements outdoors.
For the first seven years that I lived here, I was a single mom with two youngsters. I’ve learned the value of a good bargain, salvaging and repurposing items to fit into my decor. I married again last summer, and my husband is a talented craftsman. Together we love to DIY and making our home more comfortable. He is even branching out into make his own furniture. Lucky me!
Foyer & Office
In contrast, we upgraded our interior from builders grade to a more classic style, with industrial accents mixed in. We installed wainscot throughout the house. A family photo wall is definitely going to be added to my DIY to-do list this year. 
The office is where you’ll find me most days. I’m a software sales executive by day, DIY blogger by night.
Vintage postcards serve as DIY art. I collect cards representing places I’ve visited.
I believe in mixing old wooden pieces along with painted furniture. I felt like my office needed a dose of natural wood to give it some character, and this bench served that purpose perfectly.
Enter the Family Room
Fresh flowers in a vintage Mason Jar on a vintage table = instant summertime charm.
Our family room, with a little “Fixer Upper” inspiration.
We recently renovated our family room, industrial style and finally tackled the two story feature wall during the #30DayFlip room challenge. (Join our next challenge here). I created my own Restoration Hardware map “knock off” art, the original is about $1700, mine is only $40! You can read about all of the projects that make up our family room refresh here:
DIY Industrial Tables | Family Room Refresh | Restoration Hardware Knock Off Art
Our mantel is due for an update, but for now, succulents adorn a vintage chicken feeder I found at the Country Living Fair last year. I need a little farmhouse “fix” now and again. I found a huge piece of art from the 1960’s that I originally intended to paint…but it’s growing on me. That’s how I roll…I give vintage items a chance before I paint or change them.
Kitchen & Sunroom
This galvanized tiered serving tray was my Christmas present from the family, I absolutely love it. This sits on our DIY kitchen island. We are in the process of adding trim to our once-oak builders grade cabinets, and we took out the oak panels and added faux leaded glass (as seen in the background).
In fact, our entire kitchen renovation was on an extreme budget. I wanted a unique backsplash, so this is what I created with a stencil a few years ago and it’s holding up nicely.
A few more flowers on my kitchen windowsill add a simple and nice touch…these are my grandfather’s old bottles.
Our sunroom…where morning coffee happens, or I watch the kids play. This room is attached to our walk-out deck.
The Deck
More to come later this week, a full deck “reveal” is in the works! Our deck has been an underutilized and neglected space, so we have been working to change that. I can’t wait to show you what furniture my husband built for this space. All I can say is…it’s over SIX FEET long, and has a DUAL purpose (one practical, and one for entertaining). Please check back, I can’t wait to show you the “after!”
Before–check back soon…the “after” is in the works!
Thanks so much for coming to visit. To see my house and it’s humble beginnings…visit this link which includes links to all of our DIY tutorials.
Be sure to visit each of these bloggers and their beautiful home tours this week!
On Monday:
A Stroll Thru Life | Live On Virginia Street | Snazzy Little Thing | 21 Rosemary Lane | Thrify and Chic | Claire Brody Designs
On Tuesday:
Thrifty Decor Chick | Our Southern Home | Making Home Base | Hymns & Verses | Bliss @ Home | DIY Showoff
On Wednesday:
City Farmhouse | Driven By Decor | No Minimalist Here | SG Style | Decor To Adore | Desire Empire
On Thursday:
A Thoughtful Place | Monica Wants It | Rain On A Tin Roof | Charming In Charlotte | Remodelando la Casa | Dimples & Tangles
And Friday:
Simple Details | Tidbits & Twine | Design Post Interiors | Designing On The Side | Peaceful Home Decor | Talk Of The House
Jeanette, I can’t believe all your DIY projects! Wow! Love that kitchen backsplash and your RH knockoff art and your deck! Thank you so much for opening up your pretty home for the summer tour. :)
Kelly thank you for visiting and so nice to meet you, I can’t wait to see all of the tours this week. I’m still working on projects and always love the inspiration I gain from other bloggers. Have fun this week!
It was so fun getting to tour around your house Jeanette! I love your family room feature wall and deck is so dreamy!!
Kris, when I saw that you were in this tour I was so excited! I not only follow your blog via RSS but I also have a shortcut to your gallery wall for inspiration :) Your eye for design is exactly my style. Love everything about your home. So nice to meet you on this tour!
Jeanette, your home is so pretty and I love all the architectural features you’ve added. The wainscoting is stunning. I really look forward to the deck reveal too.
Thank you Marty and I’m so honored to be included in your tour line up. I’m thrilled to be a part of it!
Hi Jeanette I have found you via Marty’s blog. I absolutely adore your vintage chicken feeder filled with succulents and outdoor potting station. I will be featuring both on my blog tomorrow.
Thank you for a grand tour!
Laura, thank you so much for visiting, I was so honored to be included in this tour…that chicken feeder was a fun purchase and very unlike me…something told me it belonged in my house. I’d be honored to be featured, and look forward to see your post! Nice to meet you.
What a beautiful home you have!! That deck… no words!!! It’s fab. So glad to be introduced to your blog through this home tour series!! xoxo
Likewise Claire, I have a color challenge coming up in July and I plan to visit your blog for inspiration. So happy to meet you!
Gorgeous tour! I want your deck and that chicken feeder planter on your mantel is perfection!
Jeanette, I loved taking the tour of your beautiful home. Sooo many beautiful things I had to go back and look again.
xx,
Sherry
Sherry, thank you for the compliment…I’m so happy you enjoyed it, and I am SO glad we did this. Summertime is such a busy time, now I feel ahead of the game and I can relax and enjoy our space. Have a great summer!
Jeannette, so great to meet you!! Oh my goodness, your home and deck are gorgeous! You’re a girl after my own heart with all your awesome DIYs and you have a great eye for incorporating them into your style!! I love little touches like your Grandpa’s bottle, too! :)
Pam, thank you, it’s those little details that “make” a room for me :) So happy you enjoyed it, now I’m off to do some blog reading of my own. Great meeting you!
I love your black door analogy. It’s just like a little black dress :) Beautiful summer home tour – I love your sun room so much!
Chelsea, thank you…and yes that door, I can’t bring myself to change it anytime soon. I appreciate you stopping by and loved being on tour with you gals!
Your house is gorgeous! I love how you corporate all your vintage finds :) And all your wainscoting is beautiful. I’m hoping to do something like that soon on my stairs.
Alicia, thank you…lately I’ve opted for more modern accents but vintage will always find it’s way back into my vignettes. Loved being on tour with you!
Jeanette, your home is beautiful! The featured wall in your family room is stunning! Love the sun room too, can’t wait to see more about the deck. ;)
Christina, thank you! The deck is NEARLY complete…I can’t wait to share and to actually start using the space. Great meeting you!
Hi Jeannette! What a lovely home. I adore a black front door and yours is so striking! And all the trim work you guys have done is so fab :) xo
Kristin, thanks…one can never have enough wood trim and wainscoting :-)
Jeanette, Everything looks Beautiful, xo Lisa
Thanks Lisa…hope your summer is going well!
Thanks for the tour, Jeanette. I love your home, but especially the stenciled backsplash in your kitchen, it really IS “snazzy” !!
You bet, and that backsplash is a keeper for now…sometimes I think I might tile over it, then I read comments like yours and talk myself out of it ;-)
Jeanette,
You home is so pretty and summer ready! It’s been fun being on the tour with you!
Doreen…likewise, this tour was a blast and a perfect way to kick off summer!
Your home is beautiful! I LOVE the map print art throughout your house!
Sarah, thank you…we can’t get enough of old postcards, maps and photos. Nice meeting you on this tour!
Jeanette,
I love your home summer tour. How you got your blog name is just so special. I thing my favorite thing is that stenciled backsplash!!! You are so talented!
Christy, likewise, love your style…and thank you, that backsplash may be here forever!
Your house is so pretty! I love the black front door!
Meg, thanks so much and it’s been great meeting you on this tour!
Beautiful tour Jeanette! I love all of your greenery!
Your home looks lovely Jeanette! I love all the vintage and reinvented pieces and your kitchen back splash is really beautiful! I also enjoyed reading the story about your blog name, it’s nice when it has a special meaning… mine is just a name I picked! lol!
Tania
Beautiful Home Jaenette! It was wonderful meeting you at Haven. Had to stop on by and check out your tour : )
Deb, same to you and thanks for stopping by! your projects are beautiful on your blog, too!
I love your style. Thank you so much for sharing. Where did you get your kitchen window fabric shades?
Thank you! That was in our previous house and that fabric is discontinued, sadly. I loved it, too! You can browse all the designers and styles on this page: https://www.selectblinds.com/samples.html?CategoryId=17