When my eldest daughter heads off to college, it is a good opportunity to update her room with a more sophisticated look.  It is painted a pretty green and has all the makings of a young teenage girl’s room. As I consider different paint colors, would you ever paint a bedroom black?

The Before

Why Black?

In addition to green, her favorite color is black.  Hmmm. I do need to think this through. Painting her room black is a bold move.  But we have light floors (Canadian beechwood) and lots of white trim (baseboards, windows, doors, crown molding)…..to help break up any large expanse of black. So I take the leap!

When you first walk in, there are two arched windows overlooking the front yard. Without altering the window shape, new replacement windows from Marvin are added during the original restoration. They open in two ways~by swinging wide open or tipping into the room for top only ventilation.

These windows face east and get the beautiful morning light with an expansive outdoor view. Unfortunately I did not take pictures of the painting process, but here you can see the results.

Making Green and White work

I want to keep her green desk chair and furniture but finding fabric that combined THIS green, black and white is a bit of a challenge.

We’ve never had curtains on these windows. It took some time to figure out how to add curtains without hiding the beautiful window design.

After much pondering, I finally decide to do one big curtain panel. The large drapery pulls across both windows and tucks to one side when not in use. It has a black-out liner so my daughter is finally able to sleep in a fully dark room.

This panel is made by Smith & Noble, using their designer fabric line, Madcap Cottage.  I recommend getting a fabric sample and fortunately, this sample did match the black and green perfectly. The pattern is a bit of unconventional but playful and their turnaround time for delivery is less than 2 weeks!

The best location for her bed is in the alcove that has a port hole window.  The headboard and wall lamp are from Joss & Main; the duvet cover from West Elm.  I made the bed skirt with leftover Waverly fabric I found in the basement. The matching decorative pillow with Madcap Cottage fabric is also made by Smith and Noble.

En Suite Bathroom

Her bathroom needs a facelift too.  The original restoration is from 2001 and therefore it’s time for an update. We replace the tile countertop with a Carrera marble slab and repaint the base cabinet semi-gloss black.  The wall paint changes from green to a crisp white.

Since posting this we experience a major plumbing leak and use this opportunity to re-tire her bathroom floor with Carrera marble tiles.

Now the ensuite bathroom’s decor flows nicely with the bedroom.

Other Black Room Ideas

The Spruce has a great article about Beautiful Black Room ideas and you can find it here.

Now when my daughter comes home to visit, she enjoys an updated, more sophisticated room.  Though it was a big leap of faith to paint this room black, the overall feel is quiet elegance and chic. I am very happy with the results and glad we took the leap.

Desk and chair: Ikea

Door, window, trim color:  Van de Cane DEW354 (a Dunn-Edwards paint but created by Sherwin-Williams)

Wall Color:  Sherwin-Williams Caviar 6990

Drapery Rod and C-hooks: Smith & Noble

Fabric: Hello Hidcote/Nightfall (17910) by Madcap Cottage

Artwork: Original drawings by my daughter

I recently purchased a new book, Simply Living Well by Julia Watkins. This hard cover book is a guide to creating a natural, low-waste home. The book is filled with great ideas and recipes on how to reduce what you consume and throw away. But it got me thinking about how we live. What are we currently doing that is living efficiently and reduce what we take in and what we discard?

Composting

About 30% of our kitchen waste is recycled through composting. I have written about this before (see post here) and we put every single peel, pit, skin, eggshell and other non-cooked fruits, vegetables and flowers into the composting garbage can.

Grass clippings, tree branches and other brown material is also composted here on the property. This significantly reduces our waste that goes to the City’s landfill and dump.

All the luscious rich fertilized soil goes back into the yard~the garden, the orchard and all the bedding areas. Giving back to the land is very rewarding.

If you do not compost, please consider doing so. There are many containers on the market that make composting a breeze.

Recycling

The City of Phoenix has a recycling program so we separate our garbage into separate bins for pick up once a week. Cardboard boxes, paper, plastic, glass and cans are separated from the trash. In our kitchen we have 3 cabinets with pull out garbage cans~one for composting, one for trash and the other for recyclables. Does your community have a recycling program?

Gardening and Chickens

Growing our own fruits and vegetables reduces the number of trips we take to the grocery store and farmers market. With the exception of summer, our garden is in production.

What we don’t eat, or what has grown past its prime, goes to the chickens or into the compost bin. Growing your own vegetables and fruit is immensely satisfying too.

Our chickens provide us with the most delicious eggs. In order to increase egg production, we will soon need to get some more chicks as our flock is aging out. It is joyful to have these feathered friends and they, too, help reduce our food scrap waste.

This summer we are spending more time up at our mountain cabin. If we continue to do so, then it may be time to plant a garden and set up a composting system there as well.

Preserving Food and not being wasteful

Growing up in a family of 7, my mother never wasted a thing. For example, leftover stale bread was turned into bread pudding. I am sure that philosophy is a result of living through the Great Depression and also having a limited budget.

Because I was raised with a frugal mindset, it’s hard for me to throw good food away. I just made a big batch of mole chicken and after eating it a few days in a row, I will freeze the rest in individual servings for another time. Same with the big pot of chili I just made. How nice to have a meal ready, especially on those busy days where cooking for dinner is the last thing I feel like doing!

Abundant harvests from our garden or the orchard are canned and preserved for use during another season. From fruit preserves to tomato sauce, these are either canned or frozen. Though preserving food does take a bit of work, the rewards outweigh the effort. Opening up a jar of summer tomato sauce in the middle of winter, is such a treat!

Laundry

Line drying here in Phoenix, especially in the summer, is a quick and easy energy efficient task. Not only does the sun acts as a powerful disinfectant but also has natural bleaching powers. Nothing smells better than slipping into freshly washed sheets! Even my children notice when their sheets are washed and line dried.

Our local electric rates increase significantly over the summer. Not running the dryer and other large appliances is an effective money saving strategy too.

Coffee

I recall a time when daily and sometimes more, we would drive through the local Dutch Brothers and get our coffee. The staff knew us by name and their fun, upbeat vibe was a plus to our cup of Joe. Unfortunately, that coffee location closed, but fortunately for us we removed Dutch Brothers as a line item from our monthly budget.

Now we make our coffee here at home using my favorite Nespresso machine (currently 38% off a used one on Amazon!). The coffee pods get recycled through Nespresso recycling program. Making our morning coffee at home not only saves money, but we are no longer using paper cups, plastic tops, time and gas to drive to and from Dutch Brothers.

Paperwork

As I mentioned in a blog post about my kitchen, there is an industrial shredder placed sitting in our kitchen, which some people think is odd. See that post here. Daily, the excessive amounts of junk mail is shredded and added to the composting bin. The shredder keeps the paperwork stack down on the counter and it gets recycled!

Manage our Utilities

A few years ago, I was asked to give a lecture to a group of 7th and 8th grade students about the recent utility (electric) increase and how that rate hike affected our neighborhood. Of course, I didn’t even realize we had a rate hike. So in order to provide an intelligent presentation, I did a deep dive and thorough analysis of the cost of electricity.

What I discover is that we, personally, are not on the most efficient or advantageous utility plan. Once I understand that, then I start paying attention to our electric usage. By changing our behavior slightly, we save quite a bit of money. Over time, we save even more.

The moral to this story is 1) understand your utility usage; 2) investigate the best plan for you and your family; 3) by making reasonable changes you can reduce your usage and save money.

Now, during the warmer months (trust me, air-conditioning bills can be ridiculously expensive here), we monitor our large appliance and air conditioning usage from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Water consumption

Water here in Arizona is a precious resource. Rates increase especially in June, July and August. By using flood irrigation provided locally, we are able to deep water the orchard and yard at a low annual cost. The well that we re-instituted many years ago, handles additional yard watering in a cost-effective manner (see that post here).

Room for Improvement

Like with most things in life, I can certainly improve and lessen my waste. We have too many things that need to be sorted, organized and donated. My hope is to reduce the items in each room by 50%. Lofty goal, but this is an ongoing effort.

Are you familiar with Marie Kondo’s organizational tips? I believe she has (had) a Netflix show where she shares her organizational philosophy. See where I use Maria’s tip in organizing my master closet here.

Other Ways live Simply

I’d love to live in a place that doesn’t require driving everywhere. Phoenix is more car-dependent than other cities, but during the cooler weather I do try to bike and walk more. No one wants to bike or walk when it is 116 degrees.

In addition, I need to assess my use of cleansers/detergents and investigate more eco-friendly cosmetics.

So what are you doing to live more simply and efficiently? Please share any ideas so we can all get better at this!

Happy Wednesday!

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This post shared with Between Naps on the Porch Metamorphosis Monday #614

The guest cottage renovation is complete. This is not a comprehensive renovation, but enough to make it feel fresh and functional. My daughter and her two dogs and one cat made this their home for 3 years. Normal wear and tear plus pets…well you get the picture. Here is the guest house remodel reveal and I hope you enjoy the changes.

New Exterior Paint

One side of the guest cottage is constantly exposed to the brutal southern sun. The rest of the building is heavily shaded and as a result, the paint lasts longer there. With a very weathered and faded south side, it is time to completely paint the outside. Even though I spent some time wondering if a different color would be better, I realize that I love the green as it seamlessly blends in with the surrounding foliage.

The exterior siding needs some love and attention as cracks are filled and repairs made.

Here are my paint selections:

Body of the guest house: Sherwin Williams Basil SW6194 in satin

Trim: Sherwin Williams Khaki SW8067 in eggshell

The Shutters

The shutters are French, very old and apparently they have been hanging the wrong way for numerous years.Before, the shutters on the cottage were painted a dark blackish green called Black Hills SW 1189.

However, the painters inadvertently painted the shutters the body color (Basil). Actually, it is a happy mistake because I think I actually like the lighter color this time around.

The red on the doors and decorative trim is the same red on the barn and the hen house, which is Ralph Lauren Barn Red. Since these 3 structures are somewhat near each other, I want the color palette to be cohesive.

Our painters did not want to do the decorative trim paint, so I use one of my artist brushes and complete the details.

Here is the after picture of the exterior. I still need to do more landscaping and with all the winds recently, need to clean off the roof. It’s amazing how a fresh coat of paint just makes everything look so much better.

New Side Door

The side door (again on the south side) leading into the kitchen has such deterioration that it requires replacement. Also, the door trim is rotted and must be removed.

In addition, the front door screen never fit correctly. My contractor retrofits it with new hinges and finally the screen door is tight to the frame.

Regarding the windows, the screens also did not fit well. Each one is planed and sanded and now is secure to the window frame. A big improvement to keep out any little bugs.

Overall Updates

All the old interior can lights are replaced with new Halo LED ones. I particularly like this brand because it has 5 color temperature options from warm (2700K) to daylight (5000K) and are also dimmable.

All plugs and light switches, which are yellowing, are changed out to bright white. What a difference these two electrical changes make to the overall updated look of the guest cottage.

The living room and bedroom have wall-to-wall carpeting while the kitchen and bathroom have hardwood floors. Just having the carpet cleaned by a professional company, Zerorez is a huge improvement. Zerorez does not use soaps or harsh chemicals. Their patented technology cleans with Zr Water® – a powerful cleaner that is non-toxic and completely safe for people, pets, and the planet. I highly recommend them.

Kitchen Updates

A yellowing, dated microwave is replaced with a new stainless steel one. Since my daughter absconds with most of the pots, pans and dishes, and flatware everything is replaced with new items. Small appliances like a toaster, Nespresso machine and tea pot are also new.

But most importantly, all the chips, bumps and bruises to the wood work and cabinets are cleaned and repainted or touched up. Even the scratches on the hardwood floor are fixed with a wood stain marker.

Every drawer and cabinet have cute shelf paper liners.

New area rugs add a bit of fun to the kitchen too! The Studio McGee Threshold line at Target does have an attractive and affordable selection of rugs. This skid resistant 5’x7′ cotton blend woven rug compliments the kitchen colors and adds some pattern to the room.

Living Room

This sofa is ancient…I believe I bought it in 1982 from Ethan Allen. However, it is well built with a hardwood frame. But as you can see it desperately needs an overhaul. If you have an old sofa with a hardwood frame, it’s worth recovering. My upholsterer is so impressed with the inner workings of this sofa, which is also happens to be a sofa bed.

With a new whiter fabric and reducing the cushions from 3 seat cushions to two, the sofa looks much more contemporary and attractive.

I’m not sure I like the glass waterfall coffee table. Since it sort of disappears, I suppose I can live with it. Tell me if you love it or hate it.

The small scale highboy provides workspace or a place to write or read.

Bedroom

There is such history in the bedroom. The Victorian bed was once owned by a famous pianist from San Francisco whose list of friends included John Philip Sousa.

Color combinations include both shades of blue and green. All new queen size bed linens and pillows just give the room a fresh update. A scallop edge matelassè coverlet is put to use as a bedskirt.

One of my favorite pieces of furniture is this green chest of drawers with Asian details, acquired in an auction. The simple round 30″ mirror is from Target for $59.99. All the woven cordless shades are from Factory Direct Blinds. They are identical to the ones we have in the pool house and I love the way they look with drapes.

Remember these curtains I got from Home Depot for a penny? I’m sure it was an error but look how fun they are in this bedroom.

Bathroom

Wear and tear on a bathroom is common. New and additional lighting helps brighten up the space.

In a previous post, I shared how we installed more hardwood flooring under the stackable washer/dryer (glad that project is complete!). It is so much easier to slide the unit in and out now.

Small but important things like soaking the shower head to remove mineral deposits, adding a towel rack, painting the baseboards and deep cleaning the walls and ceiling help make this room sparkle.

All of the interior improvements with the exception of some electrical work, are done by my husband and I. We are very pleased with the outcome and now look forward to welcoming guests to visit.

Thanks for visiting the blog today and I hope you enjoyed seeing the photos of the guest house rejuvenation.

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Happy Weekend and I am so glad you are here today for another Saturday Meanderings. What an interesting week~ranging from chores, bill paying, meetings, hearings and a wonderful tour of a transitional living facility. Let’s get started chatting about all good things this week.

A Snowy Mountain Getaway

We took a quick overnight trip up to our cabin as we had not been there since Thanksgiving. What a winter wonderland! There was a good dumping of snow over a week ago, enough where we could not get into our unplowed driveway.

However, it is far from a relaxing getaway as we finally got to see the results of a leaky new roof after the first snowfall. Last summer, we had the entire roof replaced. Our front entry is just a mess with ceiling, walls and some floor damage.

Hopefully, this will all be repaired soon. Sigh. It’s always something.

Guest Cottage Update

The preparation for painting the guest cottage is being done and painting will commence this weekend.

All the furniture is now in the driveway while the carpets are being cleaned. We have used Zerorez before and they do not disappoint. They are professional, affordable and do a very good job.

I removed all the draperies from the guest cottage. Unless you are a professional, who can understand all the fabric care symbols?

The drapery panels are linen with a blackout lining from Pottery Barn. Dry clean only and no ironing. When I stopped by the dry cleaner, I am surprised (actually shocked) that each panel would cost $100 to dry clean. What? Instead I decide to wash them myself on cold and line dry.

And guess what? They look beautiful. No shrinking, no wrinkles and clean as a whistle. Don’t you love saving money?!? Especially when washing them at home works.

Chickens Not Laying

We have had chickens for nearly 20 years. During that time, the hens tend to lay less in the winter, but we always get fresh eggs every day. Until about 3-4 weeks ago. The gals have completely stopped laying. I know there is a national debate about this as this seems to be more the norm than not.

My neighbor and friend, Kelly from Simple & Clean Living, had the same problem until she changed up their food~by fermenting the chicken feed. We are in day 6 of feeding the chicken fermented food, plus supplementing it with pumpkin seeds, dried peas, flax seed and Grubblies. No eggs yet, except an occasional fairy egg….which are tiny eggs without yolks.

Keeping my fingers crossed that the girls will start producing soon. I miss our delicious fresh eggs and not fond of spending the ridiculous price in the grocery store!

Signs of Spring

Even though our temperatures have been near freezing in the mornings, the first sign that Spring is coming is the blooming of the peach tree. These delicate pink blossoms are such a welcomed sight.

Robins, of all sizes are clustering in large flocks in the trees by the front fountain. I could spend hours just watching them fly in and out, sipping the water and staying hydrated. If you are on Instagram, I posted a reel yesterday of them enjoying the free water @lifeatbellaterra.

A New Recipe this Week

Half Baked Harvest is one of my favorite resources for recipes. In this chilly weather, I love making soups that satisfy. Here is a healthy version of Wonton Soup which you can whip up in 25 minutes. Since I did not have all the ingredients, I took the liberty of altering the recipe a bit.

For example, instead of shiitake mushrooms, I only had baby Bella (brown) mushrooms. This big bag of organic potstickers from Costco is used instead of wontons and Swiss chard is a substitute for bok choy. I did not make the sesame chili oil as I’m not a fan of hot toppings. It is delicious and you can find the recipe here.

Thanks to my neighbor, Steve, I have a huge bag of Meyer lemons. I can honestly say that this Meyer Lemon Marmalade recipe is truly one of my favorites. Doubling the recipe still doesn’t give me enough to give as gifts and enjoy. You can see the recipe here. Lemon curd to follow this weekend!

Problems Sleeping?

I am a night time processor. Falling asleep is not a problem, but if I hear or see something disturbing during the day, then a restless night follows. That why I stopped watching the news. I am very excited to share this delicious bedtime drink with you. It tastes like a coffee shop latte but with ingredients to help with energy, stress and mood.

By Clevr, the Sleeptime SuperLatte seems to be working….and it is delicious. Made with chicory, carob, vanilla bean, oat and coconut milk, valerian, passionflower, hops, ashwagandha and reishi, this soothing nightcap helps you de-stress and rest. Just add hot water~super simple!

I mix mine with an Ozeri milk frother, but here is a more affordable alternative. If you order Clevr’s sample set, I believe they include a milk frother.

If you want to try it, please order through this link and I will get $20 off my next order. I’ve actually already placed another order for some of their other products, which I will review once I receive them!

Valentine Tea Bags

How cute are these homemade heart shaped tea bags? Norma from Paint Me Pink has a beautiful detailed tutorial on how to make these with coffee filters. Even though I do not know Norma, I love her photos and her ideas! I hope to try this DIY before Valentine’s Day. You can see it here.

I always love to share things of beauty with you, but occasionally, life isn’t that way. However, I admire the tenacity of Tina from The Enchanted Home. Tina saw this video of an injustice to a young girl with spina bifida by her teacher. Once you watch the video you will know what I mean. Please read Tina’s post here as she provides an update on the situation and a way you can voice your concern. Sometimes it takes the compassion of many to change the behavior of a few.

Orvis Videos

Orvis is one of those companies I admire. They have been in business since 1856, privately owned by the same family. Every now and again, I get an email with a link to one of their amazing video stories. The videos are not about selling product but the topics ranges from tranquility to inspiration.

Here is a video about the president of Orvis’s dog, Copa. It’s about 6 1/2 minutes long but explains the importance of dogs in our lives. Copa is a mature dog, like my sweet beagle, Sox. You may shed a few tears.

Well, that’s a wrap! What are your plans for the weekend? I hope to do some painting (art not rooms) and more cooking. Have a lovely one and stay safe out there!

As you may know, our historic home was built in 1910, before Arizona became a state. Originally the plats of land were 20 acres and were marketed to build rural agricultural estate homes surrounded by citrus groves. Nearly all the large parcels have been subdivided as Phoenix has grown. We feel fortunate to still have 2 acres, which is rare in this urban environment.

Unfortunately, I do not have any pre-renovation pictures of our entrance. The driveway was dirt/stones with no gates.

During the holidays, we love to decorate the entrance to our home, because you cannot see the house from the street. Our goal is to make our entry welcoming and festive. The first impression we want to create is that all are welcomed here.

Irrigation Laterals

Our home sits 150 feet back from the street. Adjacent to the street are irrigation laterals, which supplies public water at an affordable cost to deep water our large, mature trees.

As you drive in, you cross what I call the “moat”.  It is the main irrigation ditch that runs along the road.  If you look to the left and right once you pull onto the “bridge”, you see this~~a river (the irrigation lateral). The main gates are inset to provide enough room for two vehicles pulling off the street (as our street is very busy).

This water source feeds into our private irrigation ditch, which parallels the main moat and our property line.

Twice a month in the summer and once a month in the winter, water is released into our private ditch.  After opening hatches, the water is then funneled throughout the 2+ acres providing many gallons to the orchard and mature trees.

Original Stone Pillars

Large, original stone pillars act as sentries at the entrance of the driveway. Back in the day, we believe a heavy chain hung between the columns for security.

The hooks are now a great place to hang a holiday wreath.

The wrought iron fencing and gate design is to replicate the architectural arches throughout the house. Since we live on a busy street, the fence and gate keep the dogs safely inside the property and deters any criminals looking to cause mischief.

Our pre-lit wreaths change with the season and hang on the automatic gates.

We used tumbled pavers on the entrance bridge. Once you go through the gates, the driveway is a combination of paver edges and bands with packed decomposed granite in between.  This stone/gravel look is more historically appropriate for our 112 year old home.

Arriving at the Front Door

The original front door and sidelights had security bars and gates on them, hiding the beautiful 4 foot wide raised panel door. To see the before and after of the front of the house, click here.

Here is the view from the front door to the street. Notice the archways in the architecture. You will see many of these details throughout the property.

We are getting the front door decorations up this week and if you recall my Christmas in July post (see it here), the theme of the wreaths will be blue velvet ribbon, oranges, artichokes and cinnamon sticks. Hoping to tie it all together with the living room mantel and staircase garlands (and share it with you next week).

First impressions are lasting. To me, having a welcoming entry is such an important element in your home. In spite of the size or location of your home, you can make the entrance attractive and unique. It doesn’t take a great deal of resources, just a little upkeep and attention to detail.

What do you love about the entrance to your home?

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