the OAK home

one of a kind

Is this thing on…?

So there’s been a good deal of radio silence here on the ol’ blog, not that I’m anticipating that anyone has been on the edge of their seats waiting for a post- but here’s a quick recap just in case.

The Wolfpack is growing by one! We’re expecting our first, a boy- VERY SOON- and it’s created a big period of transition on the work front. It was hard to work for the first few months of my pregnancy, just physically, and in the last few I’ve just been puzzling out what the future is going to look like with a tiny woodworker on my hip. It’s all good things, and I’m fortunate to be in a position where I get to shape my own direction in a way that works for my family. I have a lot of hopes for where The OAK Home will head this year.

With all that in mind, the nesting has gone really out of control over here. Thankfully, Ben is very encouraging of all my hair brained ideas, and he’s been such a good partner as we get prepared. I’ve got a lot coming up to show you, so I wanted to share a quick rundown of a few projects that have been a part of this nesting phase- all I’ll be sharing the completed photos soon!

KITCHEN: The functionality of this room has always been great, but there’s a weird area by the back door that we knew could do more for us. Knowing there would be a baby on the way was really good incentive to get our butts in gear and make a change there. Our kitchen didn’t strictly have a pantry area before, just some floor-to-ceiling cabinets next to the fridge, but there was already built in storage for the trashcan there, and that’s how we always used it. Also, I’m not much of a pantry person? I guess it’s the way I grocery shop- intentionally. I make a list of what we’re eating that week, and that’s all I buy. So, we don’t store a ton of food. All that to say- I think things will probably change with kids in the house, and we’d like to have more of a dedicated pantry space. Enter… the awkward nook!

This area is at the end of the kitchen and includes the laundry closet and the door to the back deck. It was clearly very highly organized. All our dog supplies were there, as well as our recycling bin, cleaning supplies, stuff that was between the shop and the house, and laundry gear. And it looked GREAT. It was just itching for a project, so we’ve hacked the Ikea Ivar to create another section of base cabinets under the window, and it is AWESOME, plus it’s a very budget-friendly project that looks like a million bucks. The countertop is still in progress (I’m waiting on some nice weather so I can finally finish it), but the added function is SO GOOD. We used two cabinets, and they now contain our trash, recycling, cleaning supplies and dog supplies, and all in a much more organized fashion. Plus, now I have a workspace for folding laundry! You know, once I finish that part 🙂 This is also the catalyst for a full-kitchen refresh, but it’s a nice simple place to start. And now, we have a tall free cabinet next to the fridge that just needs some sliding shelves to become a super-awesome pantry. #ScopeCreep is so real.

NURSERY: A little background here- for the first 2.5 years that we lived in this house a friend of ours rented the third bedroom from us. So now his very bachelor room has become the nursery! Thankfully, we had already painted it and added a new ceiling fan while he was living here, so everything else is really the fun stuff- including our first foray into wallpapering! The room isn’t nearly done, but we’re planning on keeping the little guy in our room for the first several months anyway, so I’m sure we’ll have his space complete as soon as he’s old enough to form an opinion and want to change it 🙂 But here’s a peek at the moodboard that I started with:

SECOND BATH: This is the only room in our house that went totally untouched for these first 2.5 years. It’s the hallway bathroom, and it was primarily used by our buddy since we’ve got the ensuite in our room. We moved in, hung an old shower curtain, and called it a day. I did puzzle over how I would update it, after having spent too much time looking at the beige tiles, and that was a fun experiment. But now we’re thinking more long-term that we would like to totally update it, but in phases. More of a slow-burn renovation. So I’ll be sharing way too many words about that next!

Otherwise, the rest of the house is getting purged within an inch of it’s life! The nesting is real. Pro-tip, I would NOT recommend cleaning out a crawl space and workshop while 34 weeks pregnant, because at the end of the day you will not be able to move. BUT- it made a huge difference, and I can totally move now, so it all worked out 🙂

It’s good to be back!

 

 

 

 

Five on Friday: Volume 37

This weekend, I delivered my latest custom client piece, a corner linen cabinet, so I’ll be sharing photos soon! For now, enjoy a few things that caught my eye this week, including a VERY full apartment, a stunning but simple kitchen update, and a few favorites from the just-finished One Room Challenge.

I’m mostly impressed that 5 adults can share 100o s.f. in harmony, but I also think it’s pretty wonderful how this group of friends live together in a space that doesn’t feel terribly cramped or inharmonious. The neutral color palette and abundance of plant life certainly helps, our only question is whether or not they’ve got a shower schedule…

Brady’s kitchen is a showstopper. Everything is just so well mixed- the powerful black and white, the warm wood tones, and those gorgeous copper pots! There are so many things I love about this small space: the powerful gallery wall, the DIY flooring upgrade, and the fact that he kept the original cabinets but spiced them up with simple and gorgeous brass fixtures. A true testament to making smart changes instead of gutting a space.

The One Room Challenge wrapped up this week, and there are so many inspiring room transformations to take in. My very favorite: Jo’s Living/Dining Room. It’s such a gorgeous, colorful space, you can’t help but crack a smile taking it all in. I love her idea of using a unique baseboard trim as the wall cladding, and something about those peach curtains is so unexpected and wonderful. I wouldn’t change a dang thing about this stunning room!

Erin’s kitchen underwent a HUGE transformation, and I’m so impressed with what she did. The end result is simple, thoughtful, unique, and glamorous. The contrasting cabinet materials are so special and creative, and the brass transitions are a super-glam fix to the challenge of bringing two types of flooring together, but the real showstopper is that custom hood. Those are individual metal rods welded into that gorgeous pattern, people! This is not a drill!

Another incredible kitchen: Abby’s green-infused makeover. Her project reminded me a lot of my goals for our someday kitchen renovation: the “before” was very workable, no major complaints- but it didn’t reflect her family’s style. The “after” is SUCH a win. Repainting her lower cabinets that bold green- it gives me all the heart-eyes! The bright white details elsewhere let that gorgeous green take center stage without being too bold. I’ll be referring back to these lovely photos often once I finally roll around to redoing our kitchen!

That’s it for this week- have a great one!

Five on Friday: Volume 36

Happy Friday, y’all! I’m working on some big things behind the scenes, but wanted to stop by and share a few fun things with you: several impressive renovations, the coolest house ever, and a project that we’re so proud to be a part of. Enjoy!

I honestly love to read anything Daniel talks about, but it was such a treat to read his recap of a crazy blog project: a full kitchen renovation in 3 days! He partnered with Chris Loves Julia and Yellow Brick Home to transform a 100-year old Baltimore kitchen with a $5000 budget. And y’all, they nailed it. The best part was how they solved a tricky ceiling situation- the beadboard + trim is such a stunner!

I am SO IMPRESSED with this apartment renovation in Brooklyn. The designers took an outdated, cramped space, and opened it up in such a good way. Instead of going whole-hog with the open plan, they gave the kitchen some breathing room while still maintaining some separation, which I think works so well with this space. The clever design of the wrap-around kitchen counter functions as a brilliant built-in buffet in the dining area. The whole apartment is light, bright, and it looks about 5 times bigger now!

Pencil and Paper Co. did such lovely job with this modern southern home! There are several black rooms, and yet not one of them feels dark or dreary. The kitchen is simple and luxurious- the black and brass range is a showstopper! The whole home is so well-designed and definitely a tad glamorous, but the end result is totally family-friendly and livable.

Have you been keeping up with the One Room Challenge so far? I’m especially excited to see Christine’s basement, which is sure to be wild and so, so chic, Dabito’s dining room, which is bold in the very best way, and the super-special project from Dwell with Dignity, which I had the great pleasure of helping out with on a volunteer day! I’ll be there for the final set up and the reveal, and I am so honored to get to be there in person and share in that special day!

My last issue of Architectural Digest featured the COOLEST. HOUSE. EVER. The Green Village, outside Ubud, Indonesia, is a community of planned homes, constructed entirely of bamboo. Not only is the engineering incredible, but the way that they found to use bamboo is so many unique styles is just straight up stunning. One day, when I’m rich enough for an Indonesian getaway…

That’s it for now, have a great weekend!

 

Pack a Punch with a Simple Floating Canvas Frame

This week I FINALLY checked off a longstanding To-Do, and it was so great! I’m lucky to have a super-talented photographer for a husband, so I’ve long wanted to print one of his photos and make it a focal point on our dining room gallery wall. We built the ledges offset to make sure there’d be space for a huge piece, and we’ve finally filled it!

I love work on canvases because I think it brings a great depth- especially to printed photos. But I’ll be the first to admit that an unframed canvas can feel very unfinished. Maybe a little inexpensive. I know it’s popular to get family photos printed on large canvases, and I think a floating frame is the perfect way to make them feel more artful. I got the idea from this helpful art post by Emily Henderson.

It started with this incredible photo from a trip Ben took to Ireland with his uncle several years ago. This tree growing through a old abbey is found in Killarney National Park, and I’m rull obsessed with it. When he showed me this photo, my first thought was that I wanted to get married in exactly that spot. (And I looked into it! But getting married overseas is quite a production, and -fun fact- wedding ceremonies must take place indoors for them to be official in Ireland)

Because the outer perimeter of the photo is dark, we wanted a finish on the frame that made it really pop. I loved the idea of adding the chartreuse on the interior to bring out the bright green from the middle of the photo. The white frame brings such a nice contrast and unifies this piece with a lot of the other frames on that wall.

The best part is that this is a simple DIY, and it’s totally customizable to your project and your space.

Supplies Needed:

Lumber: poplar hobby boards to your preferred proportions. I did a 2.75″ board for the back, and 1.5″ boards for the sides. I used 4 of both widths for this project, because my canvas is so large, and the boards are 36″ long.

Wood Glue

Small clamps: for making each side

Chop Saw or Miter Box with Handsaw

Staple Gun (not necessary, but useful!)

Nail Gun (or a hammer and short finishing nails)

Large clamps for putting the entire piece together, OR *Extra Credit* Strap Clamp: it is the best for building up square projects

Finishing supplies per your design (I used leftover white latex paint from another project, and the chartreuse acrylic paint is a throwback to some projects I did in grad school)

The steps are easy-peasy:

Glue up your sides. I placed the 1.5″ boards on top of the 2.75″ boards and used a bead of wood glue, plus three clamps, to make each full side. (Sorry about the clamp-less photo, I removed them before I remembered to snap a picture for you!)

Once all your sides are constructed and dry, start cutting your miters. I’ve found that it’s easier to pre-make each side and cut the angles at the same time, instead of trying to match the pieces up later.

The most challenging part is getting the size just right for your sides, based on the size of your canvas. It all depends on how much space you want the canvas to “float” on. I wanted at least 1/2″ around the entire canvas so that the color pop would be prominent. You can also tightly wrap the canvas so it’s much less of a float space. Instead of pre-cutting each side based on my measurements, I did one corner at a time.

I cut the first corner and laid the canvas down to mark how much space I wanted around it, which showed me where to mark the angled cuts for the next corners. I found this was an easier way to work around the canvas, because measuring for angles and extra space got me all twisted up in the game. Maybe I had to buy a few new boards because I cut it too short the first time. MAYBE.

Once all your sides are mitered, pull out your frame-making MVP: the strap clamp! It’s not necessary for this project, but it is SO. HELPFUL. Especially if you’re doing this as a one-person project, you don’t have to do a bunch of fiddling with angled corners that keep slipping. You can use larger clamps to force each corner together, but the challenge with miters is that you need to push the pieces inward and together, instead of just together. Does that make sense? Clear as mud?

I used wood glue at each corner while I clamped it up, and then beefed up the strength of each corner by using the staple gun on the back of the frame, right across the seams. This step is especially helpful if you’ll be hanging your frame, instead of setting it on a shelf or ledge.

And then is the best part (as always!) finishing! I actually really loved the look of the raw wood, but we had a specific plan for this frame, so I busted out the brushes and my leftover paints. A few notes on this photo: the painter’s pyramids and the paint saver container are straight up lifesavers. By lifting the frame up off the table with the pyramids, I can paint the sides without worrying that they’ll end up sticking to the table. The container is amazing because it seals your brush up and prevents it from drying out when you’re in the middle of a project. Or when you forgot that you had paint on the brush. Whichever. 😉

I couldn’t find the same paint saver I have, but here’s another option.

I used the white as a base over the entire frame, and once it had properly dried, I made my edge with painter’s tape to add the inside accent.

After letting it all dry, we got out the mounting supplies. If you don’t have a pneumatic nail gun, you can use a hammer and finish nails, but the nail gun definitely made this quick and easy.

We set the canvas inside the frame on the front and measured to make sure the float space was equal all the way around. Then, to keep it in place, we used paper tape to secure the canvas to the frame, and very carefully turned the frame over.

Making sure that the canvas was still centered, I used the nail gun to go through the new frame into the canvas frame.

And that’s it! So easy- and it makes SUCH a big impact having it fill that space on our wall. I loved getting to make something that was a true combination of Ben and I. I get the heart-eyes every time I look over.

 

Project Stream: The Industrial Console

A few weeks ago we introduced you to Project Stream, a console we were working on for our first corporate client. We just delivered it on Friday, and I couldn’t be more thrilled with how it turned out!

It’s fun to compare the model to the final version and think “hey look I made that thing exactly how I planned to”

I love all the wood tones that popped out when I stained this piece, it added an entire different dimension to the final product! (Sorry that we’re getting kind of a fish-eye effect on the photo- I’m still no photo editing master). You can see here that the console was designed specifically to suit the storage baskets.

Each shelf holds two baskets perfectly, and the wire basket style is such a great fit with the metal details. I went with a contrasting pipe finish for the drawer pulls, and I’m so happy I did. The dark metal on the vertical supports is a great contrast with the lighter metal on the threaded rods, baskets, and flanges.

The drawers have adjustable rods to accommodate different size files. Because this is for a graphic design/marketing team, they have a lot of printed materials, and this console was designed to fit all those materials. The drawers can either hold two rows of standard 8 1/2″ x 11″ hanging files, or one row of 11″ x 17″ files.

Just a few more fun detail shots because I love seeing the contrasted materials together.

This console was a bit of beast, so thank goodness for some brute strength (on Ben’s behalf), and a very good friend who served as an additional lackey to help me with delivery. It was no joke getting into the building, to the service elevator up to the 22nd floor, and between the cubicles. This isn’t the final resting place for the console, they still need a moving team to remove the old storage piece they had, so this bad boy is actually going to get a great view from a 22nd floor window! And I get to wave every time I drive by Midtown.