Make Room Floor Plans

The Make Room program makes me ten foot tall and bullet proof. I am Hercules. I am She-Rah Princess of Power. I am Vern Yip with sublime space planing! OK, that went a little far, maybe I could be Genevieve, but my space plans now look all VERN YIPy!

Nobody gets this excited about a floor plan program. I do. If you had seen some of the sketches I've given to Hunky Husband through the years, you would know he is excited about it, too (as excited as HH gets about anything besides bullets.)  I've always been creative and crafty.  I even took a pretty wide swing at 8th grade art. However, once I started "making little squares" on the computer screen in yearbook staff, I never looked back.

Candice Olson Devine Design via HGTV

So, when my mind starts racing, my hands just don't keep up.  In my head, it is all so Candice Olson.  On the paper it looks more like hieroglyphics.  Through the years, my mom and HH have gotten used to deciphering the idea behind my drawings. With mom there is a lot of discussion and hand gestures and usually some vanilla ice cream.  Hunky Husband just takes the drawing to his desk and makes a detailed engineering diagram complete with measurements and cut list (and he vacuums, don't drool ladies).

Working with my client Kennedy, (from 4 states away) I can't just walk into his living room and gesture my way through this one.  Lots of designers do virtual consulting, but as a baby business owner, this is my first try. This free program makes it so easy to get my ideas across in a clear, professional manner.  I never even had to go to Kennedy's place.  His house plan was on the builder's web site, complete with a lot of the measurements I needed.

Kennedy has a very specific happy problem. He found an incredible 3 piece set of leather furniture at Sam's Club for under $1000. He bought two. Seating for eight:2 couches, 2 chairs, 2 ottomans.  So, we are adding painted tables, light (but heavily patterned) rug, and light drapes. We all know how I feel about pillows. It is on!

Love this buffet as closed storage/sofa table by PerfectlyImperfect

Moving things around virtually is a lot easier than in real life. So, we've played with some options. I so wish my mother had this program. She is more old school -- put the furniture on blankets and drag it around till it fits. More than once we came down the stairs in the morning only to stub a toe on the couch that had mysteriously moved across the room in the dark of night.

We are emailing these plans back and forth with notes.  You could email your plans to yourself. Then you could access it from any computer. If you have any problems accessing it, open the file with Paint,crop it, and save the image as a jpg. Then you can even check it out on your smart phone or tablet.

Now, I have a happy problem.  I love this program so much I'm running around measuring every room in my house. I've set up measure/laptop appointments with two other clients this week.  Good thing my Girlies love Ramen Noodles so much, because dinner is not on my mind right now.

just bec


it is so easy to make these free floor plans.  they are so useful in planning any project. i'm linking up all over hoping you will try them, too.


hookin up with hoh @ house of hepworths show me what you've got @ our delightful home nifty thrifty tuesday @ coastal charm mad skills party @ mad in crafts serenity saturday @ serenity you tip me tuesday @ tip junkie  tips & tutorials @ home stories a2z tuesday to do @ the blackberry vine take a look tuesday @ sugar bee crafts  one project at a time @ a bowl full of lemons  your turn, wild wednesday @ chatty chics  show & tell @ blue cricket design  thrifty thursday @ thrifty decorating pinspirational thursday @ the artsy girl connection  show off your stuff @ fireflies and jelllybeans  100 ideas under $100 @ beyond the picket fence  get your brag on @ gluesticks  show me extraordinary @ the 36th avenue  crafty, scrappy, happy me @ crafty, scrappy, happy  strut your stuff @ somewhat simple

Furniture Checklist

I've been trolling the internet and Pinterest looking for a comprehensive furniture checklist.  There are lists for baby rooms and first apartments. There are checklists for newlyweds to register for gifts. Isn't there some OCD interior designer who has made an easy to use tool for grown ups?

Then, I stumbled onto inventory software for insurance purposes. You catalog all the things you own in case you have to make an insurance claim.Wouldn't you know it, there is an ap for that. There are mobile versions where you take pictures with your cell phone. There are some free versions (that limit # of photos) and PC packages between $19 -$39. Since we live in Hurricaneville, I will be using one of these pretty soon. But, I needed something more streamlined.

Now, I've run across a printable, sharable, tool that is really thorough.  It is a government brochure made by the Texas Department of Insurance. http://www.tdi.texas.gov/pubs/consumer/cb086.pdf Finally our tax dollars at work on something I like. It is my new favorite toy.  We are filling it in with Adobe and emailing it. I've already printed it on 3 colors and gone highlighter crazy on another.

at the beach in SC with his oldest of 2 children

My (best buddy from middle school) client, Kennedy is moving into a new house with his beautiful family. He is a firefighter and has worked hard to save up to build the new house and budget for new furniture.  I want to help him get the best bang for his buck and in his words "avoid making expensive mistakes."

Problem is, they are in SC and I am in Florida, so I needed a way for he and his Mrs. to inventory what they already have.  They can fill in the fields under "purchase date" with measurements of pieces they have. They can note any pieces that need to be repainted, reupholstered or re-purposed.  I always try to get homeowners to look at what they have with new eyes.

Now we can evaluate and prioritize the pieces they will need to buy. Budgets can look like a big pile of money till you take a good look at all the pieces you really need to buy.  I love this checklist because it includes rugs, lighting and window treatments for each room.  It is easy to overspend on a sofa or huge TV if you forget all the little things that make a room feel finished.

In the price column we are starting with a budget for the new items that need to be added. Then with a little slash, we record what we actually spent.  When we get a great deal on a Craig's list find coffee table, the extra $ can move to the sofa or huge TV.  When I make them custom Roman blinds from Target mini blinds, that savings can go to living room lamps.

We also numbered the whole list. They have photographed the items they have and numbered those photos according to the list when they send them to me. It also keeps it clear when we start to pin pieces in Pinterest. The board allows us both to pin images -- we started with all her old pre-house pins. Ideas for living room chairs will all be #3's. Fabrics for family room curtains will all be tagged with #25.

OK. This is starting to look like inside baseball.  You don't have a client, in another state, trying to furnish a new house.  But I promise, you want to get one of these lists for yourself.

• for insurance: yes, its actual purpose. Fill it in and email it to yourself, so you can access it from any computer. Use the number system to match up pictures and receipts for all the items in your home.  Store a copy away from your home (in a safety deposit box, at work, with a relative who lives elsewhere).  
• for planning your own new purchases 
• for tracking the budget for your project 
• for recording the measurements of pieces you already own.  Next time you are looking at a big salvaged sign, you'll know the size of your buffet -- it will fit perfectly above it!
• for staging: mark off items you can remove from a room or re-purpose around your home.
• for moving: plan which items are going first, which ones are going to storage, which ones can go to yardsale or ebay.
• if you do have clients, run off one of these sheets (on different color paper) for each one. When you are out shopping it gives you a quick reference on measurements, budgets and overview without lugging around a huge binder.  

Maybe one rainy day I will sit down and make this a pretty printable. In the mean time, this little taxpayer subsidized gem is working just fine.  Hope it helps you get ready for a new project, a bad storm or just get a little more visit ready.

just bec


linking up this idea at:

hookin up with hoh @ house of hepworths  just something i whipped up @ the girl creative  100 ideas under $100 @ beyond the picket fence  strut your stuff @  somewhat simple  thrifty thursday @  tales from bloggeritaville  flaunt it friday @ chic on a shoestring  frugal friday @  the shabby nest  crafty, scrappy happy me @  crafty, scrappy happy   pinspirational thursday @  the artsy girl connection  pity party @  30 handmade days  feathered nest  friday @ french country cottage  freestyle friday @ happy hour projects  featured friday free for all @ five days, five ways  featured friday @ blissful and domestic  anything goes @ bacon time  weekend wrap-up @ tatertots and jello  mad skills party @ mad in craft  sass' sunday salvation show @ sassafrass salvation tip me tuesday @ tip junkie   tutorials & tips @ home stories a2z  tuesday to do @ the blackberry vine  take a look tuesday @ sugar bee crafts  one project at a time @ a bowl full of lemons  your turn, wild wednesday @ chatty chics  show & tell @ blue cricket design

Starting to Stage Bacon's House

Home Staging In Portland

When I grow up...  Now that you have that Pussycat Dolls song stuck in your head... or maybe that's just me. 

I check out lots of blogs. I watch HGTV till Hunky Husband wants to poke his own eyes out. I cruise Pinterest for hours. I'm writing this blog, taking pictures and linking.  But what I really want to do is become a Professional Stager like Miss Maureen of Room Solutions Home Staging in Portland, Oregon.

• with a storage space full of inventory furniture to stage vacant properties
• with classes under my belt and certifications
• with fancy association buttons to put on my web site
• with all the answers for my clients on how to sell their homes quick & for top dollar

In the mean time, I'm helping my friend Bacon (really, that's her last name) get her house ready to put on the market before her husband leaves on his next deployment. 

this is a day time photo with flash, like I said daaaarrk

Martha Stewart Rainwater
via Home Depot

We have to start with paint.  Her living room is a dark taupe and a gorgeous shade of Ohio State crimson. The fireplace surround is white builder grade tile and the mantle is Ohio State Gray.  It matches her husband's fan flags -- it is perfect for them to live in. GO BUCKEYES! It is a comfy, cozy cave.  However, the dark colors suck every bit of light out of the room. For listing pictures, we need to brighten & lighten. Primer + paint and it will sound like a good episode of House Hunters.  "I love the light. Good space. Great light in here."

We live in sunny Florida and the room has 20' vaulted ceilings and glass doors that open out to the back yard.  Once we throw on some Martha Stewart colors in Behr paint in a light gray tone, it will sparkle and glow.  

Martha Stewart Enamelware
via Home Depot

We are trying test boards of Rainwater and Enamelware on sheets of foam core. I think the Enamelware is a little too blue, but every paint does funny things in different light.  -We shall see. Either of the sea glass gray tones will really pop against the dark hard wood floors.  We are also going to try this trim trick I found on Pinterest to visually bulk up the baseboards.

via Pinterest

Her kitchen cabinets are the same dark gray color as the mantle.  She was afraid we would have to repaint them all.  Then I showed her the pretty two-toned scheme that Miss Layla has in her The Lettered Cottage kitchen.  Perfection. So, we can paint just the uppers and trade out hardware.

Miss Layla in her TLC kitchen

Martha Stewart Sea Anemone
via Home Depot

The kitchen opens into the living room so the two colors will bump up against each other in one corner and have to play nice.  We are going for a fresh green yellow (and crossing our fingers that it doesn't come out looking like lime sherbet).  For now, Sea Anemone is the front runner.  It looks so pretty against Rainwater and the lower cabinets.

via Pinterest

Bacon just loves the look of white subway tiles. They are classic and cheap economical per square foot. Her next door neighbor and my Hunky Husband are awesome tile guys and their rates are reasonable (coke & pizza till the job is done).


As we start projects, I'll include some before shots.  This is the dreamy post about all our wanna/gonna ideas.  I also have to let Bacon scrub her house before I take any pictures. She is one of those clean for the cleaning lady, stage for the stager kind of girls.  I'm so thankful she is letting me share her house with you.  We are both crazy country girls, so I'm sure there will be some shenanigans along the way to share, too.



Hunky Husband is also going to price out one more project for us. The kitchen is on the smaller side and doesn't have a lot of storage, but it does have super high ceilings.  I think it would be great to build boxes on top -- it turns standard height cabinets into extra tall ones. 

boxes with crown via Remodelaholic

We want to be very careful with the budget.  Every dime that goes in needs to really come back as a quarter.  I'll let you in on every way we stretch it (like color matching any fancy color into Behr paint).  You can also check out this project as it grows on my Pinterest board -- Bacon's house.

just bec