Hello January!
Hello! We made it through the holiday season at my house, and I don’t know about you but I’m ready for all of the clutter to be packed up. I still have some simple flocked trees that I am decorating with, but all of the holiday decor is back in storage. Christmas is my favorite time of year, but by the end of the season I always feel overwhelmed with glitter, gift wrap, and general disorder.
With all of that in mind, I thought I would share my simple table design for the remainder of winter. Iowa has had some chilly temperatures but no real snow since November, so everything outdoors is gloomy and brown.
My initial thoughts when I was digging through my decor and putting this together was that I needed something simple and with a hint of color. As you can see, I chose mostly neutral colors and added a pop of greenery to remind us that spring will be here (hopefully) soon.
I have several of these book sets all over my house, each telling a different ‘story’. I am working on setting up a web page where these can be ordered but for now if you would like a set just contact me. I put this tray together and then set it on top of a simple beige and green table runner that I had in my spring decor collection. I was in the mood for simple, and kept it at that.
I hope you are all staying warm this January, wherever you are located! As always, you can catch us on Instagram or Pinterest for daily decorating ideas and I will be back soon with some fun DIY projects to keep you busy during these long winter months! Cheers!
The Epic Barn Beam Bed Frame!
Hi all! We are in the home stretch leading up to Christmas and many of you are probably already on break for the holidays (this season seemed like it flew by faster than previous years). I have one final post for you before we transition into full Christmas mode at my house, which will consist of a few days computer-free to enjoy this time with family. So if you are sitting in an airport waiting to travel to your holiday gathering, or maybe need a 5 minute ‘break’ from all things Christmas, I have just the post for you!
Recently, we finished up a client project that turned out to be the biggest piece of furniture we have ever created, thus the title of this post. This bed frame required long hours of prep, assembly, take down, haul to its final location, and reassembly, but as you will see it was well worth it and turned out stunning!
The materials for this project included authentic reclaimed barn beams and these were SOLID 8x8 beams, which made them very heavy.
Prior to use, the beams had to be cut, sanded and assembled at our shop to ensure they all fit together properly and weren’t warped by the last 100 years of extreme temperatures of Midwest weather. a simple frame was assembled to keep the beams up off the floor in the client’s room.
Next, each beam was secured in place. To eliminate some of the weight of this piece, an alternate framing technique was used to comply with floor joist specifications and it was completely covered by the mattress and otherwise not visible once assembled.
Here the frame is being finished up and mattress added.
To show you just how big this bed frame is, the mattress pictured is king size!
Pictured below are some up close photos of the wood details on the headboard and beams, each of which are unique. There is just something about the look of authentic barn wood that cannot be recreated with other materials.
The finished project photos!
This bed frame turned out truly stunning!
I absolutely love how it all came together. A sincere thank you to the client who chose us to make this item for her!
The Friendship Fireplace Project!
Hey all, one week until Christmas Eve! Are you ready? (It’s OK, I’m not either!) I’m not too stressed about it either, there’s plenty of time left for that! All of that aside, I am excited to share with you a client project we recently finished up called ‘The Friendship Fireplace’. The street address for this home contains the word ‘Friendship’, thus that is how the project name was developed. We do a number of fireplace/mantel projects and have to keep them straight with unique titles!
The fireplace is often the focal point of the living room as well as the backdrop for family photos, and this homeowner wanted a total remodel of this space to bring it out of the 1970’s. To do that, we first had to start with a clean slate!
Aside from the fireplace itself, there was not any part of the original design that was worth keeping…it all had to go.
And as you can see we made a huge mess, but it was worth it!
Progress photos after some new framing, insulation, and cement wall board.
We needed to redefine this space, and the easiest way to accomplish that was to add a new texture or wall surface. The homeowner chose rough sawn weathered shiplap, which is pictured below. It’s a gorgeous light grey, and really makes this space ‘pop’!
These barn beam mantels are always my personal favorite. Every single one is unique, bringing a different century-old story into each home. This one was mounted with simple gas pipe wall plates and fittings.
And here’s a full length view, complete with fresh tile at the base of the new wall. This family will have a fresh new space to take all of their family photos and the mantel will surely be a talking point with guests for years to come!
We really appreciate the homeowner choosing our business to complete her fireplace remodel!
The fireplace insert remains in original condition, as the homeowner has plans to resurface that herself
And some bonus mantel pictures, because I can’t help myself!
My (No-Cost) Holiday Front Porch!
Last week I wrapped up my decorating for the year by completing my front porch, and it was a challenge! If you follow me on Instagram (@aps_design) you already know that I posted the whole process on stories that day, attempting to do the entire porch with items I already had at home, no purchases!
This was a personal challenge I came up with because I know I have a ton of items at home that I should be creative with and use for decorating, but I usually forget to do that and just purchase what I need instead. But, in the spirit of budget friendly, I went with a no-cost front porch this year! Now I will admit, I have a large collection of random items that helped make this task possible, but I did have to get creative in using them and some of these methods could inspire you as well!
Lets get to it!
I worked on the right side of the porch first, collecting items and putting them in a wagon that I found in my garage. I had made some ‘presents’ out of blocks of wood earlier this season and decided they would go well together in the wagon. The crock that is also in the wagon could probably use some greenery but in the spirit of not buying anything for this porch decor, it remains empty.
The large rusted milk jug is a staple piece for my front steps, so it always stays out there in some capacity. This season I gave it some height by positioning it on top of an overturned wooden apple box.
I piled the wood slices up in front of the wagon to add more of a woodsy/rustic/tree farm feel to the picture.
The left side of my porch was a bit more challenging, as I did not have any Christmas lights on green wire, but in the evening hours when the tree is lit it’s not as noticeable. I simply put the tree in an old wash bin and stacked some wood slices in front of it.
During my scavenger hunt in the garage, I found this beautiful vintage sled and half barn door that I had previously forgotten about. I grabbed a little greenery and tied it to the sled. Ideally, I would find some old ice skates to pair with the sled, if I wasn’t doing a no-cost challenge!
Here’s the final look!
Again, I would have done things a little bit differently if I wasn’t doing this little personal challenge of not purchasing anything for the front porch, but this did force me to look through things I already had and be creative in using them. I hope this can provide some inspiration with your own budget friendly decorating! Merry Christmas!
My Entryway Sawhorse Table
Hi Friends! I’m slowly getting my home ready to go for Christmas, and I love decorating this fun sawhorse table in my entryway each and every season. My husband made it several years ago, and it continues to be a focal point in our home. I thought I would share what I did with it this year so you can get some ideas or inspiration for your own home!
I had these random steel buckets from a thrift store, a DIY Christmas garland that I made, and some jingle bells and other random items that I wanted to incorporate.
I love this old spool and jingle bells!
DIY Fabric Garland, click for instructions!
Here is how it all turned out, I love all of the different textures (metal, fabric, etc) along with the black and white and plaid holiday colors. Can you tell I am loving buffalo check this year??
My Saw Horse Entryway Table
Repurposing old items is one of my favorite decorating hacks! These hooks that hold up the lanterns on either side of the table are from an old carriage house/barn that had to be torn down due to storm damage. Just think of all of the horse and carriage equipment that hung on these hooks for decades, now they are continuing their work in my home! (I’m a history nerd, I know!)
Well that is all I have for you for now, stay tuned for the rest of my décor in my personal home as I get it completed!
XO,
Rachael
PS. I put together a simple (budget friendly!) guide to adding buffalo check to your home’s décor, and if you are stumped or need ideas feel free to check it out by clicking here!
(Note: The above link contains affiliate links and you can read my full disclosure here)
Coffee, Tree Trimming, and Christmas Decorating
Hi! Can you believe next week is already Thanksgiving? I still cannot wrap my brain around it. Either way, Christmas decorating is in full swing at my house and while I’m not quite ready to share what I have done so far, I did help a dear friend decorate her home yesterday over some much needed Starbucks, and wanted to quickly share what we did in case some of you are planning on whipping out your holiday items on Thursday night.
You all know I love everything budget friendly, and holiday decorating is no exception. While I do often buy a small item here or there, I reserve most of my décor shopping for after the holiday (or season) to take advantage of those steep discounts. As a result, I often forget what I have from the year before when it’s time to dig it all out of storage again, and this is why I prefer to get all decorations spread out in one place before beginning to place them throughout my home. I often reuse items in a new way than the year prior, or simply put them in a different room to give the illusion of ‘new’, without going over budget.
Ok, lets get to it!
Having an infant on the move, my friend wanted to utilize some higher spaces in her home to place décor that her baby could not get into. She had two shelves on either side of her fireplace/tv area that she wanted to fill, and we also needed to figure out something for her tree to make it somewhat baby friendly.
We tackled the shelving first, and to do so we needed to paint a few mason jars white to go along with her Christmas theme this year. If you need a DIY tutorial on how we did it, click here.
Next, we needed to figure out how to keep the little one out of the Christmas tree. To do this, we used a smaller, 'planter’ style tree that would normally be used on a front porch or as an accent tree. I trimmed most of the red ‘berries’ off of it, since red wasn't really in the color scheme this year. We snagged a $3 tree skirt from the Target dollar spot, an old metal tub that I had laying around, and got to work!
The tree base looked a bit ‘empty’ in the large wash bin by itself, so we gathered up other items (ornaments, stocking holders, random things) and filled the wash bin until the base of the tree was no longer visible.
We placed the whole thing on top of an end table, out of reach of little hands.
We finished the look with a metal Christmas tree sign, which was another Target dollar spot deal.
The dollar spot is on point this season!
We had a great time decorating while catching up and spending some time with each other, after all, that's what this season is all about!
Here are some pictures of our finished products! Happy decorating!
1st Annual Budget Friendly Holiday Farmhouse Decor Guide
*Note: This post uses affiliate links, click here to see my full disclosure.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and that means all things plaid, burlap, and little red truck inspired!
It’s November, and at this house the Christmas décor has started to creep out of the basement. I haven’t dug deep into it yet, I have just been going through things and seeing which lighted items no longer work or need new batteries and so on. However, I did bust out the red paint, and if you missed my DIY Christmas Lantern craft you can find it HERE.
If you are an overachiever and have everything decorated and the cookies out for Santa, (can you believe I already received a Christmas card?) then this post is probably not for you!
HOWEVER, if you are like me and want to get started decorating but also want to keep things easy and budget friendly, then you will want to grab some coffee and a notepad (or pin this post for later)!
I love amazon for many reasons, but most of all for their vast assortment of affordable farmhouse and vintage décor! Here are my top picks under $25 for this year (and these make great gifts too!)
Pillows are so easy to decorate with, and these covers are not only affordable, but they are super easy to store since they lay flat and don’t have the bulk of whole pillows. Added bonus, the black and white buffalo check can be used for fall too!*
I love using ornaments as a package topper, or just giving them as gifts themselves! Here are a few cute examples.*
PS. If you are stressing about gift wrapping already, have no worries I will be posting a simple and cute how-to guide soon!
Next, lets talk table décor!
Arguably the focal point of your holiday decorating, aside from your tree of course, your table décor should flow with the rest of your house but on a more subtle scale. I have always been a fan of the ‘less is more’ phrase for the table, as there is nothing more annoying then having to move decorations so that guests can see each other when seated.
Personally, I just have a simple runner with a short tray (its actually an old metal chicken feeder) that I put down the center of the table and I fill it with different items for each holiday/season. For the holiday season (fall and winter) I use a simple black and white buffalo check runner.
Ok, enough chatter, let’s get to the good stuff.*
Finally, the finishing touches. These are items that don't necessarily go with a particular collection in your home, but pop up now and then on a bathroom counter or laundry room floor or anywhere you like to add a little touch of Christmas. Personally, I like to purchase a couple of these ‘random’ items a year, that way I can build my Christmas décor and also stay on budget!
I have put together several of my favorite items below, and remember everything in this post is under $25!*
Note: If you are looking for an easy guide to chalk painting these unfinished candlesticks, check out my tutorial here
Ok, you might be thinking where are the Christmas trees? Garland? Wreaths?
Well it turns out I have expensive taste in those items, but I will link a few of my favorites below for those of you looking to splurge on an item or two.
*Remember, these are affiliate links, and you can read my full disclosure here.
I hope this post was able to inspire you to start thinking about your holiday decorating, and dont forget to sign up for our mailing list so you are notified when my budget friendly gift wrapping (like a pro!) tutorial is posted!
See you soon!
xo,
Rachael
Thrift Store Thursday!
I have a passion for decorating with repurposed, old salvaged items whenever possible and I often find myself imagining what stories a piece might share with me if it could.
Would a former 4 square farmhouse front porch column tell me about the generations of children it watched lean up against it as they waited for the school bus? Or the epic thunderstorm from decades ago that took out the neighbor’s house? Would a vintage bathtub share the names of all the family pets that were washed in it over its lifetime?
Even though these items cannot share their stories, I still seek out their history and showcase their story as much as possible when I am designing or decorating.
And this is precisely why I love thrift and salvage shopping!
So much history packed into one place!
I won’t share what all I purchased just yet, I have to get crafty first. But if you are like me and enjoy the historical aspect of old vintage and salvaged items, enjoy some of the pictures I snapped today.
Do you have an item with a story? Feel free to share in the comments, I would love to hear about it!
6 Low Cost Tips to Decorate Your Farmhouse for Fall
Fall is upon us here in the Midwest and that means it’s time to spruce up the front porch and put out décor! Here are my 6 totally EASY and budget friendly tips :
Get a bale of straw from your local farm store, these are usually around $5 and you can re-use for future years if stored in a cool/dry place
This one is from Theisens!
2. Grab a couple items around your house that you can repurpose, maybe an old milk can or crate, a bird cage, or wooden tray you were using for something else. Gather all these items together to make it easy to see what you have to work with. REMEMBER: If you are putting items outside make sure they won’t be damaged by the weather or sun!
Old milk can that I found at a flea market, stuffed with some dried grass!
3. Buy re-useable décor at the end of the season and save it for next year! My favorite locations for discounts on décor are Hobby Lobby and Target, often items will be up to 90% off after the holiday!
4. Take advantage of what nature has provided! Pine cones, dried flowers, dried grasses, branches…the possibilities are endless, and FREE!
Wood slices from a wedding!
5. Rummage/Estate sales: I am always surprised at what people are parting with at rummage, garage, or estate sales. Check your local facebook groups or craigslist!
This apple crate was less than $5 at a local estate sale!
6. FREE Printable Décor! Join APS Design’s mailing list for your free FARMHOUSE printable, take it to your local print shop for larger sizes or just print it at home!
No time for thrift shopping or scavenging your woods?
No problem! Check out these budget friendly fall items that can be shipped right to your door!
Boom! Done!
Take me to the online things! <——
Disclaimer: the above link contains affiliate links which means I may receive a small commission if an item is purchased, however this never results in an increased cost of the product. The commission earned from affiliate links help pay the fees to keep this blog running.
Now, lets put it all together!
