Phase 2 Half-Bathroom Refresh

One of my projects on my "To-Do Before the Baby" list was to refresh the half bathroom that connects the master bedroom and the nursery, and I got it done just in time as baby Jase arrived a week later. 10 weeks later and I'm finally getting around to writing a post about it. For my very first $100 Room Challenge I tackled the first phase where I painted, laid flooring, and built shelves. As my style has changed in the past 2 years I found myself not utilizing this space much because I didn't like it. With the baby coming I wanted to make it "my" space where I could spend time on myself, all for less than $50.

We Got An Out-Of-The-Box Mattress (& $130 Off Coupon Code!)

So many times I've marveled at those mattresses that come in a box and wondered if they really are as comfortable as a regular from-the-store mattresses and do they really come in a box that small? We bought a new one from a store when we moved in and it worked great for about 2 years. But when Auston started having back and hip pain from the divot that had formed on his side, we knew it was time to start looking again. We know we want to invest in a good sleep number bed but that will probably be a purchase we make when we build in a few years. Until then it finally gave us the opportunity to do some research and online shop for one of those fancy out-of-the-box mattresses!

A Not-So Conventional Topic: Bidets (We LOVE Ours)

What's more awkward than talking about bathroom habits in America? Before this post, I would have said nothing. Now it's all I want to talk about because this bidet really changed our entire outlook on bathroom topics. In other developed countries, bidets are the norm. I've hardly heard of friends who travel overseas and not have a bidet experience. But for some reason America hasn't gotten on the bandwagon, and that was us, until about a month ago.

2nd Trimester Update (30 Weeks!)

Now that I am officially in my third trimester (!!!), I thought I'd give you guys an update on how it's been going for me and some products that I couldn't have made it through the past 12 weeks without. In my 16 week update I shared how difficult my first trimester was. Unending nausea and throwing up and losing so much weight because I wasn't able to eat. Finally around week 21 my nausea went away due to finding the right medicine and ever since then it's been typical pregnancy stuff!

Budget Room Refresh: Mid-Century Modern Living Room with AllModern ($1,500)

Our living room is one area that I have yet to touch with a real project. Almost everything in here, except for the drop cloth curtains, was bought. We love our deep sofas and our most recently acquired West Elm coffee table, but everything else is pretty much temporary. I've even started to outgrow the ever popular faux fiddle leaf fig, even though I do like something "green" in here. So I've teamed up with All Modern to put together a mid-century modern refresh for this room — for $1,500!

New Runner for the Hallway (Less than $200!)

Last week we revealed our less than $100 Hallway Refresh where I painted, put up frames, did some DIY art, and scored an awesome coat rack. It was my last $100 Room Challenge for a while, but I'm still trying to check projects off the list before baby gets here. One of those projects was to find a runner for our extremely long, hardwood hallway. I honestly don't know why rugs are so dang expensive. I mean, I understand economics and the cost of making something but that doesn't comfort me when I'm searching the internet for a budget-friendly runner.

Etsy Finds: Ceramic Mugs

The older I get the more I appreciate the beauty and quality of handmade things. One of the best (if not the only) places I've found to discover new artists and their works is Etsy. If you don't know what that is, I'm sorry because you're about to spend hours going down the rabbit hole of beautiful creations.

As I'm starting to think about replacing old dishes, I've found myself drawn to more handmade, unique pieces. I spent hours scouring Etsy for the best ceramic mugs, ones that would make any kitchen shelf truly stand out. All those hours added up to a really beautiful collection of mugs and I thought I may save you hours by doing a roundup of all my favorites.

Source: Studio McGee