Hi friends!

I am so excited to be giving away THIS beverage cooler with Zephyr!

As you may know, we have our family room and entertainment space in our basement, and this piece was the perfect addition to our space. We always had an empty nook under the staircase, next to the bar, and this worked perfectly! It’s a great way for us to store adult beverages for social nights, kids drinks for our family movie nights, and water for after our rides on our Peloton.

One of my favorite features about this one from Zephyr has to be the glow from the LED lights! I’m always about adding cozy to every space, and there is an amber glow that you can choose to illuminate the cooler. I love the way it looks and gives warmth to any space. There are also some added features like the wooden extendable wine and craft beer rack on top as well as a retractable glass shelf on the bottom for storing extra tall bottles like mineral water or champagne. We have really loved it and are excited to give one away! We hope you enjoy it just as much!

Hey world!

Rob here. SQ asked me to write up a post on how to apply concrete on a wall. We used this in two spaces. One in our living room, and the other on our Tuff Shed fireplace. Hope y’all find this helpful.  (And don’t call me out on using a noun as a verb.)

Firstly, I’ll start by writing that concrete is messy.  It will be difficult to keep it from getting everywhere.  You’ll want lots of protective painter’s paper or sacrificial blankets (which must be very thin if you’re concreting all the way down to the floor.  Both options absolutely must be taped down because inevitably a big ugly glob of quickly hardening concrete will fall on the unprotected area.  Additionally if it’s possible, set up a mixing station outside.  You’ll want a 10 X 10-foot area that has the ground covered or a place where it’s acceptable that concrete will fall on.  Ideally this’ll be outside because concrete dust will be flying around.  Have your 5-gallon bucket ready, a second bucket full of water (or a hose) ready so that you can immediately wash off your tools.  Seriously, the concrete hardens fast and it’ll quickly ruin your tools if it’s not washed off immediately.

Next, after you’ve properly secured your floors and more importantly, resigned yourself to the fact your efforts will ultimately fail, you’ll want to use painters tape to edge.  I’m jumping ahead here but it’s to emphasize something very important.

After you’ve finished concreting the walls, pull the tape while your concrete is wet.

I learned this the hard way.  The concrete will harden in 30 minutes after you add your water (this includes the mixing time, so you really have 20 minutes to apply to the walls).  It really sucks pulling easily tear-able tape from behind what is essentially rock.

So back to the beginning once the area is taped and prepped as much as feasible it’s time to mix.  I used Quikrete20 lb. Polymer Modified Structural Concrete Repair.  It shows right on the label that it can be applied vertically.  This is possible because there is a polymer mixed into the concrete, so yes there is oil included so don’t eat it.  Before getting this version of Quikrete I tried a bag of “normal” concrete and bought to polymer mix separately because I was trying to save money.  That was a waste.  It did not stick to the wall at all.  My advice is to simply pay the few bucks extra to make sure it works.

A few more notes before you begin, if you bought the second bucket, you’ll want to keep it half full of water.  You’ll keep your bucket scoop and tape knife (or finishing trowel instead of the tape knife, which many people prefer because the curved edges prevent creases in the concrete) submerged in here while not using them.  Also, keep a wet rag in here.  This will be helpful when you find that a blob of concrete defied physics and ended up below your protective sheets.  If possible, wipe it away before it hardens. If not though do not be afraid.  With enough water and patience, the dried blob will react to the wetness and dissolve away.  Note!!!!!!  Do not get impatient and simply kick off the blob.  It’ll rip the paint off whatever it landed on or worse.

Mixing concrete is freaking hard work.  For the fireplace in the Tuff Shed I did this by hand.  It sucked.  Don’t do it if you aren’t a professional massage therapist with gorilla like grip strength.  My first attempt at buying a mixer failed because it didn’t fit my power drill.  This mixer is designed for paint but it worked just fine with my smaller batches of concrete.  Using a mixer left me with a better consistency and much less waste since the last bit on the bottom wasn’t missed.  It probably ended up paying for itself.  One thing to note though is that my power drill’s battery lasted roughly ten batches so if you have a second battery pack, charge that while using the other one.

The process of mixing is straightforward.  It’s simply water mixed with the sand/gravel contents included in the bucket.  I recommend pouring half the concrete mix into the larger bucket.  Next add water according to the instructions.  Use the power drill to mix it all together.  It’ll take roughly 3-5 minutes to get the perfect creamy peanut butter consistency.  If it’s crumbly add more water.  If it’s too liquid, add more concrete.  It may seem tough to achieve the right outcome but don’t worry.  After one or two rounds of mixing you’ll be an expert.  I should also emphasize that this part is messy.  Do it outside if possible.  Once mixed know that at this point the clock is ticking.  You’ll have roughly 20-30 minutes to scrape it onto the wall.  Time to get to work.

So now that the floors are protected, edges taped, tools ready, and concrete is mixed it is time to put it on the walls.  To do this use the bucket scoop.  The angle will face away from you as you pick up portions of the wet cement mix.  (Take a moment to appreciate that the curve of the tool perfectly matches to curve of the inside of the bucket. I can’t be the only dork to be awed by such things.)  What I thought when I first used this tool was that it looked as if I was using it backward.  But you’ll want the cement on the downward curve so that you can smear it onto the wall.  You’ll want to do your best with this tool to smooth out the layer of concrete you applied, but it won’t be perfect.  Don’t worry though because that is what the tape knife and/or finish trowel are for.

I worked from the ground up.  First, I would glob a patch of concrete onto the wall.  Most of it will stick if you’re lucky.  Then I’d used the bucket scoop to spread it around till there was about ¼ inch thick layer of concrete.  I’d fill in roughly a 3X3 foot section and then use the tape knife to smooth it all out.  Keep the tape knife wet though.  “The wetter the tool to smoother the finish”, said she.  If the trowel gets too dry, you’ll find that it doesn’t glide over the concrete.  You’ll end up with staccato ridges as it “bounces” over the concrete.  The application and finishing motion should be like Daniel’s training in Karate Kid: “Show me, paint the fence”.  Note, if you mix your cultural references and “wax on, wax off” the wall will explode.

Once you start it’s a good idea to keep applying the concrete until the end or at least to wherever there is a natural break in the work area.  If you stop for an hour and begin again you be able to see the two sections.  Eventually after a month or so they’ll mostly blend together but it might annoy you until it does.  The two sections can be sanded at the seam where they meet and that’ll hide the distinction too.

Once a section is complete don’t forget to pull the tape!!

The last bit of work to do is the touchups.  Use a small putty knife to fill in any miss spots and finish off the edging.  This one works well.

Optional: in the Tuff Shed I sanded the fireplace but not the living room.  I did this because when I concreted the fireplace I didn’t use enough water with the tape knife and hand-mixed, so the concrete was really grainy.  The whole thing didn’t have a smooth finish.  By the time I did the living room I had learned that I needed to use a lot of water while smoothing and it looked a lot better the first round.  Also, sanding means a ton of dust.  I did not want to deal with all that inside our house.

Mistakes I made:

1. Concrete literally sucks the moisture from your skin.  You can either wear gloves or put lotion on every hour or so to prevent your skin from being painfully dry.
2. When I did the fireplace I accidentally touched the concrete with my lotion-y hands and my big paw print was visible until I sanded it off.  Don’t touch the concrete with any oils or lotions.

Tricks I used that worked: Rather than pulling the sockets and light switches out to account for the quarter-inch of concrete I just tapered it down to the thickness of the face plates.  This looked pretty good and I can’t even see the taper now even when I look directly at the sockets.

• Quikrete20 lb. Polymer Modified Structural Concrete Repair
• Buckets (X2)
• Easy Mask 2.9 ft. x 140 ft. Builder’s Paper
• ScotchBlue 1.88 in. x 60 yds. Original Multi-Surface Painter’s Tape
• Bucket Scoop
• 12 in. x 4 in. Finishing Trowel
• Tape Knife
• Putty Knife
• Mixer
• Power Drill
• Pro Cleaning Disposable Nitrile Gloves 1 Size (100-Count)

1) What is the square footage?

a. The shed is an 18×14 with about 244 sq feet on the bottom floor plus around 100 square feet on the upper loft area. The roof line comes down low on the sides so we use those two corners to storage to make best use of the area.

2)     How much did it cost?

a. This large Tuff Shed retails between $14-$18,000, which (importantly) does include installation. Additionally, because of the large size our city required a concrete slab and that cost $8,000. Wiring, insulation, dry wall, electrical, shiplap, flooring, and paint cost about $12,000.

3)     Did you insulate the shed and does it stay warm?

a. Yes we did. We have all seasons here so whether to do so was not a question. We use an electric fireplace as the main heat source. It takes about 30 minutes to get really snuggly warm.

4)     Why did you install shiplap over the drywall?

a. It was totally cosmetic. Simply love the look of shiplap and wanted a rustic, cabin-like feel to the space. Hence why they’re all different sizes.

5)     Did you need a permit?

a. Yes we did. For our major home renovation we did on our last home the contractor took care of all that. For this shed project that was on Rob to figure out. Luckily both our city and Tuff Shed told him exactly what he needed to do. On the Tuff Shed side, they provided all blueprints necessary. These were stamped, which in the permitting world signifies that a licensed engineer approved that the place wasn’t going to fall down.

6)     Can you put plumbing out there?

a. Yes you can but we did not. Perhaps in the future we’ll run water and sewer lines out there and build a bathroom add on but for now we decided against doing so. It’s close to the sunken patio which has a bathroom.

7)     What are you going to use to get up to the loft?

a. We’ve gone through several ideas on this. Firstly, stairs are not feasible. They would take up too much space. We tried a few options but the only one that made any sense was if we put them on the side of the shed. Unfortunately, that didn’t work because at the top of people would hit their heads on the angled roof. So we’ve decided to shop for a ladder. We haven’t found the perfect one just yet but we know it should hook into place for extra security, be lightweight so that we can store it out of the way, and is appealing! If you know of any good sources please let us know! For now we use a medal ladder, that isn’t cute but works.

8)     How long did it take to get built?

a. Excluding the concrete slab, which will need to be handled by a different company that offers that service, the build takes a day or two. Ours took two days because of the large size, plus we were filming so that added a few hours. BTW, the slab took two days to frame and pour. Then it needed to dry for two days.

9)     How secure is the shed?

a. We have standard door looks like you’d have on your front door. The windows also have locks as well. We also have it wired with a security camera.

10)  Are Tuff Shed’s customizable?

a. Absolutely they’re customizable. We went thru the Tuff Shed site so Rob and I could see what our shed would look like before it got built. This one fit our family’s needs the best but literally there are hundreds of different options available. You can pick everything from shape, size, loft, color, roofing, shutters, you name it.

Photos by Aesthetiica

I cannot wait to share with you all about our sectionals in our home the Kiptons from Arhaus!! We love them so much we have two! I will say aside from comfort, another super important thing is aesthetic and this sofa is so customizable from layout to fabric, therefore, each of ours look completely different!

There are essentially two approaches when choosing a sectional: formal and informal. We love that this sofa provides them both!

Firstly, let’s talk about our ‘informal’ Kipton. Which could totally be used as a formal one, too! For us, we decided this Kipton in Stanton Frost fabric would be our informal one, simply meaning, our pup is allowed on it, popcorn, dance parties and mannnny snuggles. We’ve written about this couch before and after a year of quality checks (i.e. eating, sleeping, and watching t.v. on it) everything is still amazing!! The couch remains to be our favorite snuggle spot. Our “go to” when we’re watching family movies. Or when Rob and I want to escape the kids after bedtime, and more times than not, fall asleep shortly after the opening credits. 😊 This couch is so perfect for every one of our everyday needs.

But what’s best is that it hasn’t turned into a shabby comfortable mess. My parents had one of those growing up and they had such a love/hate relationship with it. The arm rests were frayed, the cushions sunk in, and it quickly lost its “new” appeal. But it was soooo comfy! The Kipton simply does not have any of these issues, but remains sooo comfy. Believe me when I say that my girls have put this couch to the test. I doubt Arhaus market’s the couch this way, but did you know it makes a perfect trampoline?!?! The cushions also make for awesome fort walls. 😊 Lastly, Rob is 215 pounds (comprised solely of pure muscle he’d want me to type) and always steals the same corner. After over a year of this treatment the couch has held up spectacularly. No indents, no permanent stains, the couch is still adorable, and best of all, it also is still soooo comfy!

Our second Kipton is located in our living room and is our more formal space. It is what people see when they first walk into our home. I love that it gives such a clean, sophisticated look to our guests. But it is still sooo comfortable!

I chose to use Prado gray leather to compliment our ink black fireplace. And to soften the overall look Rob hung a rug rack from which we hang snuggly blankets. It may be more formal in here but that doesn’t mean it isn’t cozy and nap worthy . 😉

What I also like is that it sets the mood. Friends and other visitors instantly feel tranquil. The soft leather, the perfect depth of the seats, (we went for the deep cushions on both sectionals!) and the cushions that give way in all the right spots make people just sink in and feel at home.

It’s just the perfect blend of culture and coziness. It’s formal comfort. We couldn’t ask for better sectionals for either of our spaces!

Hi friends!

I am super duper excited to have you here! The Holiday House Walk is one of my all time favorite home tours and I am beyond honored to be a part of it! A special thank you to our tour organizer Jen, who happens to be an amazing blogger herself, jenniferrizzodesigncompany! If you’re not already following, you must! She’s incredible!

If you’re joining in, from Saw Nail and Paint’s incredible home, welcome! I know you received tons of inspiration there!

And if you are visiting the tour for the first time, you can start from the beginning here, everyones homes this year are so insanely festive and beautiful!

I am so blessed that you stopped by and that I get to share with you a part of my heart… the place I get to call home.

Decorating has been something I have been drawn to since as early as I can remember and at Christmas time my adoration for decking the halls was even more profound! My mother and father would get down boxes upon boxes of decorations from the rafters in the garage and my brother, sisters and I would sit bright eyed indoors waiting for each one to come in.

This year we are a little late to the game, in typical 2020 fashion! 😉 however, here are a few spaces we decked out with Christmas cheer so far! Stay tuned to see more!!

Now make sure to head on over to the beautiful house in the tour, Clean and Sensible! Her home is so charming and inspiring you’re going to love it!

Thank you for tuning in, as always having you here means so much! xx