DIY Thanksgiving Tablescape with American Farmhouse Style Magazine

Last year after a nation wide search with thousands of entries, I was honored to selected one of the top four finalists for the 2022 American Farmhouse Style Magazine Ambassador contest. Below is the DIY table riser I built for the final project. You can view the magazine article here.

As the seasons change, fall ushers in cool crisp nights, falling leaves, pumpkin decor, cider, and cozy sweaters. 

A Time for Gratitude

Thanksgiving will soon be here and families will gather around a loved one’s kitchen or dining room table to celebrate the season of gratitude and renewed blessings. Creating a fun and festive thanksgiving tablescape is my way to welcome family and friends into my home and help make the holiday feel special.

DIY Centerpiece for the Thanksgiving Tablescape

I love to think of an empty table as a canvas, and the pieces as the paint. Creating a Thanksgiving tablescape can be a wonderful way to be creative and expressive. I always start with the centerpiece and make it the focal point of the table.

My table is just over eight feet long, so I wanted to use an extra long elevated centerpiece. But I couldn’t find one in the stores so I decided to make my own! I went to my local hardware store and bought a large board and some furniture feet.

Once home, I gathered the materials and planned out my next steps. To make this centerpiece a bit more interesting, I used a router to create a decorative edge. If you don’t have a router, or want a simpler technique, just use sandpaper to round off the corners for a smooth finished look.

Afterwards, I drilled holes in one side of the board and hammered in threaded plugs to attach the feet. With the feet attached, it was time to paint. I chose a satin white spray paint for a quick durable finish. After the paint dried I went back over it with sandpaper to create a rustic texture for my Thanksgiving tablescape.

 Creating Coziness with Decor

With the board complete, it was time to decorate the table. (My favorite part!) Going around the table I started layering the plates using a charger as a base, followed by the dinner and salad plates. By putting the largest plates down first, it gives me an idea on how much room I have to add the decorative pieces, uch as candles near the centerpiece. 

Next I place the glasses, silverware napkins with napkin holders. (There’s a wide assortment of napkin holders available.) I love to mix in florals, pumpkins, faux leaves, and sprinkle them around the Thanksgiving table to create ambiance. You could also incorporate a small charcuterie board mixed in with the decor. 

I hope these ideas spark your creativity and get you excited for the upcoming holiday season! 

DIY Thanksgiving Tablescape with American Farmhouse Style Magazine (Copy)

After a nation wide search with thousands of entries, I am honored to selected one of the top four finalist for the American Farmhouse Style Magazine Ambassador contest. Below is the DIY elevated tablescape riser I built for the final project. You can view the magazine article here.

As the seasons change, fall ushers in cool crisp nights, falling leaves, pumpkin decor, cider, and cozy sweaters. 

A Time for Gratitude

Thanksgiving will soon be here and families will gather around a loved one’s kitchen or dining room table to celebrate the season of gratitude and renewed blessings. Creating a fun and festive thanksgiving tablescape is my way to welcome family and friends into my home and help make the holiday feel special.

DIY Centerpiece for the Thanksgiving Tablescape

I love to think of an empty table as a canvas, and the pieces as the paint. Creating a Thanksgiving tablescape can be a wonderful way to be creative and expressive. I always start with the centerpiece and make it the focal point of the table.

My table is just over eight feet long, so I wanted to use an extra long elevated centerpiece. But I couldn’t find one in the stores so I decided to make my own! I went to my local hardware store and bought a large board and some furniture feet.

Once home, I gathered the materials and planned out my next steps. To make this centerpiece a bit more interesting, I used a router to create a decorative edge. If you don’t have a router, or want a simpler technique, just use sandpaper to round off the corners for a smooth finished look.

Afterwards, I drilled holes in one side of the board and hammered in threaded plugs to attach the feet. With the feet attached, it was time to paint. I chose a satin white spray paint for a quick durable finish. After the paint dried I went back over it with sandpaper to create a rustic texture for my Thanksgiving tablescape.

 Creating Coziness with Decor

With the board complete, it was time to decorate the table. (My favorite part!) Going around the table I started layering the plates using a charger as a base, followed by the dinner and salad plates. By putting the largest plates down first, it gives me an idea on how much room I have to add the decorative pieces, uch as candles near the centerpiece. 

Next I place the glasses, silverware napkins with napkin holders. (There’s a wide assortment of napkin holders available.) I love to mix in florals, pumpkins, faux leaves, and sprinkle them around the Thanksgiving table to create ambiance. You could also incorporate a small charcuterie board mixed in with the decor. 

I hope these ideas spark your creativity and get you excited for the upcoming holiday season! 

New Floors Make the Best Christmas Gift!

Christmas came early with this new flooring from Select Surfaces! I keep looking around and can’t believe this is my home! ❤️ This new laminate flooring is a game changer! Everything went so smoothly from receiving the planks, to the removal of the carpet and final installation. (Sponsored)

After living in our home for nine years, the builder grade carpet had definitely lived its life and needed to go! We planned on replacing the carpet in the dining room, living room, and master bedroom with wood flooring. But first I needed to explore options. I did a lot of research on different flooring types and materials.

We had some specific things we were looking for in new floors: 

-It had to be durable - because we have five children and lots of traffic. 

-It also needed be be waterproof/water resistant to protect against spills.

-We needed to be able to install it ourselves. 

-And I wanted a beautiful, timeless shade of laminate wood color. 

Select Surfaces met all of these requirements hands down, plus they offer a limited lifetime residential warranty!

You can purchase the flooring from your local Sam’s Club or order it online, and then pick it up at Sam’s Club.

We installed this over a concrete subfloor so after we removed the old carpet and pad, we put down a plastic moisture barrier to protect the laminate from any moisture that may transfer from the concrete. You can learn more about prepping your subfloor at here.

Once we started installing we were amazed at how great it was. Select Surfaces flooring uses their Speedloc™ installation system which makes this laminate flooring extremely easy to install. The Speedloc™ system uses a tongue and groove joint that fits right together. Sometimes you need to wiggle the planks a bit to get them seated, but after they click together they hold very well.

Here are some things I will recommend. First, get a saw blade specifically for cutting laminate. We couldn’t find the right size blade locally so we used a new fine tooth finish blade. It worked great for most of the project, but by the end it was cutting very slow and we replaced it before doing the transition moldings.

Second, a battery powered hand-held jig saw is very helpful for notching out the laminate to go around corners or any other molding or trim you may have in your room.

Third, do your research! There is a lot of good info here and more is available all over the internet. Especially if you will be going through any doorways, as the undercutting of the door frames is a different process.

I had friends of ours that saw my Instagram stories of us installing the floors and they had to come over to check them out. They were in awe and couldn’t believe how amazing these laminate planks looked! They’re ordering their flooring samples from Select Surfaces next week!! 

I can’t even begin to tell you how impressed I am with the flooring from Select Surfaces! Definitely check them out for your flooring needs!

Simple Ways to Refresh a Child's Bedroom

Hello! How has your summer been? We’ve been keeping busy by going to the pool and doing some small projects around the house. One of these was updating my son Brady’s bedroom. I didn’t want to go with a theme bedroom, but rather a modern farmhouse/coastal look that would last a while. We had a small budget to work with so we didn’t buy any new furniture, instead we decided to repurpose the items we had. To change the look of the room, the first thing we did was paint the dark red cottage style twin beds. I chose a vibrant blue spray paint called Oxford Blue by Krylon in a satin finish finish. It worked so well!

First, I want to let you know, this room is tricky to decorates because of that little white door in the middle of the wall. The door leads to the attic, which we into a hideout for the kids. The majority of the time the night stand table is off to the side of the left bed. But for these photos I moved it to the middle.

After painting the beds, we changed up the bedding. To me, new bedding makes a huge difference in any bedroom. This adorable bedding is from my favorite bedding place - Beddy’s. I chose the Farmhouse Collection because the bedding has a blue/gray stripe against a refreshing white background. The collection also has matching pillows, which coordinate well with the bedding. As a mom, I love Beddy’s because of the soft fabrics and styles, but most importantly because of the functionality of the zip up feature. It helps keep kids’ rooms tidy! Beddy’s are an easy way to make the bed, and we no longer have blankets and sheets dragging on the floor. Plus, the Beddy’s come with a pillow case and matching sham - so you don’t need to buy a separate sheet set! To save you money, you can use code NISSALYNN at Beddy’s check out to save 15% off your entire order! #sponsored

I already had the gray rug, but it’s only a 5x7, so I definitely need an 8x10 for this room.

I love anything with stars on it, so I also added these cute star pillows from Krumpets Home Decor. (You can use code NISSALYNN at Krumpetshome.com for 10% off your order.)

To brighten up the room we tried a new thing - peel and stick wall paper. I chose a shiplap wallpaper from Wall Blush and it looks great! But it was pretty tricky to put up, but defintley with it! (You can use code nissalynninteriors15 for 15% off your order.)

I took down the previous decor and replaced it with wooden pennants. The pennants were originally a natural wood color - so we spray painted them white. I also added this darling little wall shelf by the bed for easy access to books for bedtime reading.

The quilts at the foot of the beds, I’ve had for years. I bought them at Target, and they have lasted for a long time. (Here’s a link to a similar quilt that I have.) I love having a quilt or extra duvet at the foot of every bed in my home because it makes the room feel more cozy.

I also changed out the curtains in this room. Before we had navy chevron window treatments, but they didn’t go with the modern farmhouse look I was going for. (Plus, we only have on window in the room, so I wanted somthing light and airy.) The buffalo check curtains were perfect! And they were so inexpensive!

As for the galvanized metal letters above the beds, I purchased them at Hobby Lobby several years ago. I love them so much I decided to keep them in the same place.

I hope this post inspired you in some way! If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a question in the comments and I’d be happy to get back to you.

Easy DIY Fall Centerpiece - YOU can do it!

An easy, #DIY #farmhouse fall centerpiece! All you need is: craft paint, mason jars, burlap, faux flowers, sponge brush and a glue gun! Check out the tutorial the video below!

Big Difference with this Laundry Room Remodel!

When we first moved into our home, the laundry room looked like this. It had one shelf with a bar for hanging clothes. One shelf wasn't enough storage, let alone any good at hiding messes. My husband Justin and I contemplated adding prefabricated oak cabinets from Lowes or Home Depot and painting them white, but the spaces was not wide enough for two sets of cabinets. Then we realized that in all honesty, we’re short people, so putting cabinets above the washer and dryer wasn’t really going to be something we were going to be able to access on a daily basis. And probably not without a step stool. Another realization was that our current washer and dryer were nearly ten years old and were not in the best condition. So we came up with a a great solution!

We decided to rip out the existing shelf and replace with a multiple shelf arrangement that would look aesthetically pleasing, and be able to hold boxes and bins to store items we wouldn’t need often. At the same time we decided to purchase front loader machines with the pedestal bases that would store the soap, dryer sheets, etc, the things we need regularly, and down low where we could reach them. So we drew up what the new shelves were going to look like with the measurements, and Justin got to work! First he dismantled the current shelf, and removed the old washer and dryer.

The he put in the the bead board and chair railing trim. He didn’t paint the trim until later. Here’s a photo of the right corner of the laundry room before we put in the bead board and painted the walls. After the bead board and chair railing trim were up, we started testing out paint colors. At this time we also got the new front loader machines.

With the bead board in on the surrounding walls, Justin started assembling the shelves. We used mdf for the shelves for cost and convenience.

After the shelves were in, Justin added a 1x4 piece of wood for the backing for the crown molding. After he put the crown molding up, we painted the shelves, crown molding, and bead board white. We just used a pure Valspar pure white paint from Lowes.

After the room was painted, we went back and added this shelf with hooks to hold backpacks, gym bags, and coats. I found the cute metal hanging basket at Home Goods.

Loved framing my kid’s art work! It makes the room feel more inviting and the kids love showcasing their work!

Appliance Shopping Stress Free with Nebraska Furniture Mart

Let’s be honest, when one of your household appliances starts to give out, you probably panic. I know I do! Because having to replace it is not a small cost. And then there’s the comparison shopping, hoping for the best deal, picking out the right brand, and delivery issues. After many years of buying appliances at various stores, I found the perfect solution - Nebraska Furniture Mart! #Sponsored

I got my dishwasher and microwave from there, so when I was in the market for a new stove, I skipped the other retailer’s websites, and headed straight to NFM.com. Once at their site, I found it very easy to navigate. I started my search for ranges by filtering “slide in stainless steel range”, and based on my current kitchen measurements, I knew I could only fit a 30 inch wide range so I added that to the search criteria. Then I was able to compare brands, appliance options, and price. A list of ranges came up and I fell in love with this wonderful Frigidaire 30'' Slide-In Gas Range. I was able to order it right then and there from the comfort of my home. Although I must say, whenever I get the chance I love physically going to Nebraska's store and wandering aimlessly down the home decor isles. I love looking at all their visual displays.

After the range was ordered and I received a confirmation number and installation date. I couldn’t wait for that day to arrive! I didn’t worry about a thing and Nebraska Furniture Mart’s customer service department called two days prior to delivery just to confirm with me that everything was good to go.

On the day of installation, I was like a kid on Christmas morning! The installers called ahead to let me know they would be at my home in about 45 minutes. I kept looking out the window for that big white and green truck. They came right when they said they would - right on time! How often does that actually happen? Once the truck pulled up to my driveway two Nebraska Furniture Mart employees jumped out, and let me tell you, these two guys were the nicest installers I’ve ever met! They were so positive and helpful and were great people people. Besides their attitude being so pleasant, they totally knew what they were doing. They disconnected the gas line and removed my old stove and then carefully took my new stainless steel slide in range off the truck and delicately unwrapped it. The men worked together to install it and hook up the new gas line. They also showed me information in the owner’s manual, and taught me all about the features of my new range. They cleaned up all the trash and made sure I was comfortable with everything before they left. Seriously, it was the best installation experience I’ve ever had! And they didn’t even mind posing for pictures!

The difference between my old and new oven is amazing! I specifically wanted a stainless steel range without a back for a sleek, modern design. My prior oven was all back and I felt it just got grease on it all the time, not to mention being a bit of an eye sore. The black was such a stark contrast against my white kitchen cabinets. I also feel this new range helps to “open up” the kitchen making the space appear a little larger.

The new oven came with a larger bottom drawer - something I’m in always need of because i have a lot of cookie sheet and cake pans.

See the faux pink roses on the island - those are from Nebraska Furniture Mart too! I bought them at the store in their home decor section!

The entire experience was a exceptional. Nebraska Furniture Mart has definitely figured out how to make a customer happy. The entire process from selection to installation was a breeze! #NFMatHome #NFMStyle

DIY Bathroom Update

A lot of people tend to think small bathrooms or powder bathrooms are always dark if they don't have natural light coming from windows? Here's a bathroom I did that brings in a refreshing and spa like feel-with out a window! 

First off were the cabinets. The bathroom originally had brown cabinets- so we painted them off white (Kwal's Snow White). For the paint on the wall we color matched Restoration Hardware's SilverSage in to a Lowe's Valspar paint.Then we bought in a new, classy mirror, from Kirklands, to replace the plain square one that didn't have a any frame around it. We then changed out the chrome faucet to a faucet with white handles. Next we replaced the hand towel bar with a more decorative one, and took out the old single, square towel bar, and replaced it with a stunning double towel bar from Lowes. 

Instead of spending the time and money for wainscoting, we just painted half the wall an off white and put up a chair rail to separate the light green paint, and the white paint. 

I found the beautiful rug and towels from Khols bath department. Last but not least, we put up a shower curtain bar with a beautiful shower pattern curtain found on clearance from Pottery Barn. 

If you look in  mirror you can see two floral pictures. (oops they're crooked in the picture!) Those were my Aunt's water color paintings from the 1940's. However, they're not her original paintings. I didn't want to put the originals in a enclosed bathroom with moisture could ruin them. So I color copied them and placed the copies in some elegant frames I picked up from Michael's Craft Store.

Spiffing Up the Stairs!

Have you ever though about spiffing up your staircase? Spring is right around the corner and its a great time to do house projects! Look at the amazing difference trim work can make! Before is the stairs right before the carpet was added, after is when the carpet is laid and my husband added the stair trim! I’ll write more details later.

Adding the trim work make such a difference! Some day we hope to change the stair cse to wood instead of carpet. But for now with a baby, carpet is safer.

The stairs under construction.

The stairs and home all finished.