But, let’s first look at some befores, for some satisfaction…

This space was graced with some brown linoleum floors and small dark wood trim. Other than that (and a bunch of bi-pass doors that did not slide properly) this room was a blank slate. It connected the family room to the basement, garage, and half bath, so this is a very important thoroughfare. And it housed the laundry hookups. So this is a very hardworking and significant room, in my humble opinion.

First things first, the linoleum had to go… Now I don’t know if you’ve ever removed linoleum before, but it can be a major pain to say the least. Basically the top, plasticky layer peels off without too much crazy effort. But, then you are stuck with the adhesive layer below it. And this stuff can be next to impossible to remove.

I hesitate to even share this with you all, but after trying a variety of methods, we settled on the heat method… AKA the blow torch. I won’t say the fire alarm never went off, and I won’t say that the trim never caught on fire… Basically, Jake would blow torch the area and I would take a metal ice scraper and scrape the (sometimes ignited) linoleum adhesive off the floor.

All in all, this was not the smartest home renovation project we’ve ever done. And in retrospect, why did we need to remove the adhesive??? We definitely should have just tiled over it and saved ourselves the sweaty, stressful nightmare that it was. Oh well, you live and learn.

Finally, with all the linoleum removed. It was time to begin tiling!!! This was by and far the single most time consuming project we did on this flip house. Tiling is a lot of work! It’s not necessarily super hard… but it is tricky, especially if you’re going for quality craftsmanship.

As I shared in the mudroom design plans, my vision for this space included a classic checkered tile floor. I was really hoping to get a marble look, but also knew full well that I was definitely not going to fit real marble in the budget (this is a flip after all). The space was pretty large and so I set out to find a line of tiles that were larger than 12″ x 12″ and that had a white and gray marble look tile.

It was important for me that they both came from the same line because that is the easiest way to ensure that they will fit together. Many tiles are different depths, or have different finished edges, or more or less shiny finishes. After a bit of searching, I honed in on the MSI Porcelain Alicante Tile in Bianco and Grigio.

Now, sadly I don’t think this tile is available any more at Home Depot right now… But fear not, I have rounded up some other beautiful options that are very similar and great prices:

EMSER tiles from Home Depot
You should be able to mix and match any of these since they are the same brand, and finish. There are a variety of options in the 18″ and 24″ sizes.

• Potenza Dove 17.72 in. x 17.72 in. Matte Porcelain Stone Look Tile
• Sandstorm Kalahari Matte 17.72 in. x 17.72 in. Porcelain Tile
• Realm Ii Nation 17.72 in. x 17.72 in. Matte Porcelain Stone Look Tile
• Contessa Dama Matte 17.72 in. x 17.72 in. Porcelain Tile
• Contessa Oro 17.72 in. x 17.72 in. Matte Marble Look Porcelain

• Sterlina Gray 23.62 in. x 23.62 in. Matte Marble Look Porcelain Tile
• Sterlina White 23.62 in. x 23.62 in. Matte Marble Look Porcelain Tile
• Sterlina Asphalt 23.62 in. x 23.62 in. Matte Marble Look Porcelain Tile
• Contessa Oro 23.82 in. x 23.82 in. Matte Marble Look Porcelain Tile
• Contessa Dama 23.82 in. x 23.82 in. Matte Marble Look Porcelain

For even more tile options and a deeper look into designing marble-like checkered tile floors, check out my in depth post on the subject.

As I said earlier, tiling this 300 square foot mudroom was no joke! It took us nearly 2 weeks to complete. We started by layout out the tile. Doing a diamond pattern is a little different than when the tiles are square to the walls. We started in the middle so that the tiles would be centered and worked our way out from there.

This is considered large format tile, so we used mapei’s mortar that was specifically formulated for LFT (larg format tile). The one thing we didn’t do, that wouldn’t made our lives easier, was use a tile leveling system. In more recent projects using large tiles, we’ve utilized the tile leveling systems and found them very helpful in getting a quality tile job.

We decided on a 1/16″ grout line, and I think it was a great choice! It can be scary to do a small grout joint if you are worried the tiles won’t line up right or the floor is not completely level. But in this case, the tiles looked great and we didn’t have any issues with the small grout lines.

And we used my absolute favorite grout. Seriously, never use any other kind… other grouts are inferior. We matched the grout color to the gray tiles, since white grout in a mudroom is probably a bad idea. I love Mapei’s grout because it is so easy to work with, unlike the sanded grouts I’ve tried from Home Depot and Menards. And, it has excellent color consistency which is SUPER important. I’ve used grout before that changes color based on how much water you mix in and each batch is slightly different. Needless to say, that is not a good look.

Once the floors were finally completed, it was painting time! Our painters painted everything in the color SW Greek Villa. And the doors got done in SW Agreeable Gray. In this house, the trim was all very small and wimpy looking. But, it was still in decent shape. So, we made the decision to keep it, and paint it the same color as the walls in order that it would blend in. I think it created a more minimalist modern vibe that worked in the style of the house.

One design element that did not stay from the original plans was the laundry area buildout. I was hoping to install a counter over the washer and dryer and kind of make them look built in to the sink cabinet. But, after going back and forth on it, we decided not to buy the washer and dryer and let the future homeowners pick that out themselves. In retrospect, we’re not sure we would do that again, as the buyers used the fact that there was no washer/dryer as a negotiation tactic. But you live and you learn!

We did install this very beautiful stainless sink. I am in love with how the legs are separate from the sink bowl and support it so elegantly! I might be a little jealous that they get this laundry sink…

And the final touch, to really make this mud/laundry room shine, we added a shaker peg rail that wrapped around the whole room, as well as the adjoining half bath. To create this shaker peg rail look, we installed primed pine 1×3 wood pieces to the wall. Then we drilled holes and installed these shaker pegs with a bit of wood glue. Although I had considered painting the shaker pegs the same color as the wall and rails, the natural wood tone added a nice warmth that the room was lacking. So we opted to leave them in their natural state.

And now, for the moment you’ve all been waiting for… the after pictures!!!! In the end, this room just needed a new floor, sink, some paint, storage wall, and a little fix-up job on the doors. And that is enough to completely transform a space from bleh and dingy to bright and classically beautiful. I even got to use our shaker style entry bench to stage the mudroom.

I hope you enjoyed seeing the progression of this combo mudroom laundry room! I have been enjoying seeing all the ways others have been incorporating checkerboard tiled floors into their designs. One thing I did notice after we completed this project, was that the gray tiles are much more forgiving in a mudroom than the white tiles. So, I’m probably never going to do white tiles on the floor in my own home. We are just way too messy!!

The post A Checkered Mudroom / Laundry Room appeared first on Naomi Bjerk.

Announcing one’s pregnancy has become such a big adieu. I’m all for keeping things simple. This was a nice way to capture our news in a Christmas card format. You could even use this idea to announce gender as well!

I had bought these gingerbread men and women cookie cutters. You could easily use the smallest gingerbread woman shape as your baby cookie as well. I’ve never made gingerbread before, but it was surprisingly simple. Once the cookies were baked and cooled, I used a royal icing packet to pipe on their clothes and faces.

Gahhhh, the cutest just kills me!!! Next year I’ll have to figure out how to make gingerbread ornaments to commemorate the baby’s first year.

We ended up taking the photos and adding them to our Christmas card for fun announcement surprise. There are so many cute phrases couples use to share that they are expecting. It’s hard to choose! But I had searched a few Christmas pregnancy announcements and thought this was the sweetest: “The more the merrier…”

Sidenote… I had found that red gingham vintage dress months ago and basically cooked up this whole thing as an excuse to wear it. It’s so fun to find unique clothes from times past and give them new life!

I’ll admit, the ginormous shoulder pads threw me at first. But after trying to remove them and realizing that made the top way too big, I decided to embrace them.

We ended up listing this flip house for sale a few weeks later and these little window wreaths made the sweetest backdrop for the real estate photos. I found the red felt ribbon on the wreaths at an estate sale. There was several boxes of Christmas wrapping and bows, and I got them all!

I was hoping to capture a simple ‘Scandinavian Christmas’ vibe with some minimal organic materials, and accenting with some pops of red. I had a hard time finding a lot of Christmas kitchen inspiration that felt understated. A lot of it is very cheesy or over the top.

The Christmas kitchens I ended up liking the most used natural materials like greens, wood, ribbon, and brass. So I pulled together my thrifted dough bowl, some brass candlesticks, and some holiday greens to get the look.

We are so excited to welcome this little girl into our lives in 2021!!! It feels like good timing: I’m into my second trimester and we now have the Fischer Flip on the market. I feel like there is more space in my mind now to start considering and preparing for the new little babe.

It was full force ahead and all focus on the flip house until now. So, listing this place has given me a lot of peace of mind. I am ready to start nesting! I’ll leave you with a few final pictures from this Christmas Pregnancy Announcement shoot and our sweet little gingerbread family.

Photo credit to the amazing Rilea Petersen.

The post A Christmas Announcement appeared first on Naomi Bjerk.

I chose from Etsy items because sometimes I just get tired of all the big-box stores and their same-old same-old stock.  It’s nice to get something, personalized, handmade, or unique as a gift and that is exactly what you get on Etsy! Plus who doesn’t like supporting small business?

This page may contain affiliate links meaning we earn a commission if you use those links. We only recommend brands we use and love.

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Alright, let’s talk about my favorite Etsy gifts for the college girl in your life:

1. Polka-dot Leather Luggage Tags

I love these sweet leather polka-dot luggage tags for a college gal! She is just entering that stage of independence where she’ll start doing her own traveling. What a perfect way to acknowledge and commemorate the newfound wanderlust than with an adorable polka-dot leather luggage tag?

2. Gold Geometric Hair Clip

Sometimes in college, you just have to throw your hair back and book it to class.  I adore this simple circle hair clip because it takes a messy look and makes it look oh so refined! This is a perfect gift for the college girl in your life who likes to be pretty even when life isn’t.

3. Large Initial Necklace

These sweet initial necklaces are such a fun take on the ‘wear-your-first-initial’ trend. They are fun and a little quirky but still simple and classy. Perfect for that preppy collegiate you know who likes to sport some bling.  Heck… I even kinda want this!

4. Knit Beanie with a Pom Pom

It gets real cold walking to class every day, so your college gal needs a nice and warm hat. This one is too cute and has a pom on top! Get it in her school colors and she is guaranteed to love this fuzzy Christmas gift.

5. Mermaid Tail Blanket

On those cold late nights of studying, your college gal is going to want a blanket to keep nice and warm.  How cute and fun is this mermaid blanket?  She is guaranteed to love this unique gift and her room mates will definitely be jealous of her snuggly ‘scales’!

6. Hair Tie Bracelet Cuff

This bracelet is an absolute must for every college girl! They will always have a hairtie handy and remain fashionable at the same time.  I don’t know about you, but wearing hairties on my wrist literally cuts off my circulation… This bracelet would reduce that wrist pressure and ensure you always have that necessity handy!

7. Wool Knitted Slippers

When lounging around the dorm, your college gal can have warm tootsies at all times with these hand knitted slippers. These come from the rural villages of Bulgaria and showcase the softest wool!  Who wouldn’t want these to lounge around in?

8. Rose Gold and Crystal Flash Drive

When I saw this, I was like YES! finally a glamorous flash drive… this is so perfect for the classy college lady in your life and would make a great stocking stuffer.  I love the rose gold on this flash drive, but what really gets me is the lucite handle…. in love!!!

9. Leather Card Case

On those nights on the town, the last thing a college girl needs is a bulky purse or wallet holding her down.  Minimal is best for a college girl’s night on the town, and this card case is just that.  It’s so beautiful with it’s leather construction and metallic coloring!  The perfect gift for your college gal.

If you’re looking for even more unique and fun gift suggestions, check out the Editor’s Picks over on Etsy!

The post 2016 Holiday Gift Guide for the College Gal appeared first on Naomi Bjerk.

I’m a tax accountant by day… so can we just have a little blogger heart to heart here and discuss your taxes?

According to the Internal Revenue Code, all income is taxable unless it is specifically exempted.  This means that technically, if you pick up a random twenty in the grocery store parking lot you need to report that as income on your tax return.  And of course any money you receive from your blog is certainly includible as well.

But, there are two different ways you can classify your blogging income that will affect the rest of your taxes.  You can report your earnings as coming from either a hobby or a business.  Do you know which your blog is for tax purposes?

WHY DOES IT MATTER?

If your blog is classified as a business, you can deduct the expenses you incurred (web hosting, camera equipment, possibly even a part of your home’s utilities) against your income to lower your tax bill.  And isn’t that what everyone wants?  A lower tax bill.

If your blog is classified as a hobby according to the IRS, you also can deduct ordinary and necessary hobby expenses, BUT are limited and can only be taken up to the amount you made in hobby income.  In other words, you can take more deductions as a business than as a hobby.

SO IS YOUR BLOG A HOBBY OR BUSINESS?

These are the considerations of the IRS in determining whether or not you operate a business or a hobby.

• Does the time and effort put into your blog indicate an intention to make a profit?
• Do you depend on income from the activity?
• If there are losses, are they due to circumstances beyond your control or did they occur in the ‘start-up phase’ of your blog?
• Have you changed methods of operation to improve profitability?
• Do you (or people advising you) have the knowledge needed to carry on the activity as a successful business?
• Have you made a profit in similar activities in the past?
• Does the activity make a profit in some years?
• Can the taxpayer expect to make a profit in the future from the appreciation of assets used in the activity?
• If you’ve made a profit during at least 3 of the last 5 years (including the current year), the IRS assumes your blog is a business.  

Ok, so you’ve read through the list, some of the points describe you, but some don’t.  Now what?  How will you determine what to classify your blogging activity as?

There is one ultimate question that it all boils down to in the eyes of the IRS…

Are you trying to make a profit?

If the answer to that question is yes (and a true yes that can be supported) then your blog can be classified as a business.  It doesn’t matter if you’ve had losses for its entire existence.  As long as you are running your blog in such a way that your goal is to be profitable, you can classify your blog as a business.

That’s good news, isn’t it?  I’m very excited to be reporting Mrs. Fancee blog earnings as business income this year and to be deducting my expenses fully.  I’m looking forward to the year when I do have a profit to report, but for now I’m just glad to have a few extra deductions on my 1040.

Have you been filing your blog income as hobby or business income?  The tax accountant in me would love to know!  Also, is this interesting and helpful?  Because I would consider doing a few more tax posts with tips for bloggers.  Let me know what you think

The post Tax Tips | Is my blog a Business or Hobby? appeared first on Naomi Bjerk.

You can expect (hopefully) a tax tips post in the near future… After all that is where my focus has been lately, so it only makes sense to write a bit about it as it applies to blogging!  On with the good stuff…

Check out this super fun blog title generator!  You will never run out blog post ideas with this around.

I am head over heals for this DIY marble tray by The House of Wood.  After the sad Half Bath Disaster of 2015, I’ve been pining for some way to incorporate marble in our house!

Abby from Just a Girl and Her Blog posted her January 2015 income report, and holy guacamole!  This will inspire you.

Need some ideas for this Valentine’s Day?  Get our of your dating rut with these great tips from Kristen at Families That Stick.

I’m pining for these today…. Wouldn’t this make the perfect Valentine’s Day appetizer??

The post Loving Lately appeared first on Naomi Bjerk.

This year has started off great for us, and these last two weeks have been busy ones!  We finally finished a room, just in time for our Superbowl party (that people actually came to despite the horrendous blizzard).  And we have a wedding today for Jake’s close college friend.

It’s crazy how fast time flies!  But I’ve been enjoying the change in seasons of life and learning along the way.  This new series has been such a fun way to share what’s on my mind with you all and to give a shout out to my fellow bloggers!

Here’s what I’ve been loving lately….

This DIY custom jewelry tray needs to go into my dream closet!   Laura knocked it out of the park on this one.

Sometimes I get overwhelmed and bogged down by all the SEO nonsense we’re supposed to be paying attention to as bloggers, this guide is just so simple and clear on what you need to do and helped me put it all in perspective.

Yes, yes, and yes!  Emily Henderson on the number one home design mistake.

Fabulous Blogging shares 20 ways a blogger can fail and still recover.

These lights are on sale at Cabela’s for only $39, what a steal!!  Who would have thought Cabela’s could have such chic lighting….

This peanut butter cheeseball was a delicious crowd-pleaser for our party last weekend.  Definitely saving this recipe!

The post Loving Lately appeared first on Naomi Bjerk.

Tania from Run to Radiance graciously agreed to start off the series and I couldn’t think of anyone more perfect!  She has been blogging for several years now and through dedication, consistency, hard work, and a great deal of artistic talent, has seen her blog grow into an esteemed voice in the DIY/Lifestyle niche.

I’ve been following Tania on bloglovin’ for the past year or so now and was originally sucked in by her and her husbands awe-worthy home renovation.  Recently she has been making a concerted effort to treat her blog as a business and has even partnered with Home Depot on their first DIY blogger challenge.

Enough of me, let’s here from the lovely lady herself…

What is your blog story?

I’ve always loved to write and have kept a journal since I can remember. I think my earliest entries are around age seven. As you can imagine, they are not very exciting—but the drama picks up nicely around age 13 or so.

When Scott and I got married, we both had a passion for home renovation, real estate and interior design. We moved into our current house 2 ½ years ago knowing it’d be a total gut job so it seemed natural to start to share about our projects online for friends, family and random strangers to see.

What’s on your daily/weekly blog to-do list?

As someone who works full time (I’m a copywriter IRL) with a two-hour a day commute (blah!) it’s a struggle to fit in everything during the week. So I have learned to do my projects and photograph them during the weekends when the lighting is good and then I can write the actual posts during the week.

I also keep up with social media and emails for my blog. I’m starting to get a fair amount of emails from companies wanting to create posts together which is great, but maintaining the relationship and keeping the client happy is important and time consuming.

Was there a ‘turn-pointing’ or key moment in your blog’s growth?

I blogged faithfully for two years before I saw a turning point. I had a super random post that happened to go viral on Pinterest. When people came to my blog from that pin a lot of them took a look around at other content, liked what they saw and stayed. My page views more than doubled in a single week and have risen steadily ever since.

I think the important thing to note is that without all the years of posts and working hard for good content even when it felt like no one was reading, my viral pin would have peaked traffic for a day and died down. It’s important to produce great content consistently so that when your “viral” moment comes people have something to stick around for.

Work hard now and expect to see the fruits of your work 6 months or so down the line. Remember the duel audiences you are writing for—the current reader and the future one.

When did you decide to monetize your blog?

I went to the Haven conference in Atlanta last summer. After going to a lot of business classes and getting to talk to some amazing bloggers I respect and admire, I made the decision that I was ready.

I personally didn’t want to introduce monetization until I felt like I had built up enough content to be worth it. That took me two years. I still have more work to do in that area and I’m still learning a lot, but I think I’ve worked hard to lay a good groundwork for success in the future.

What is your least favorite part of blogging?

Web design and HTML stuff. I hired out all of that. My dad taught me it’s better to focus on your strengths than try to fix your weaknesses. I believe my strengths are in writing and photography and creating projects, so I focus on that as much as I can.

How do you use social media to build your blog?

I think you have to focus on what you enjoy. I love having a conversation with people, so Facebook is fun although the new algorithms do make it tricky to connect with people. I am a HUGE instagram fan (you can find me here) because I love photography. Instagram is definitely my favorite. I also am an avid Pinterest user. Twitter and G+ are not as natural for me, so I don’t spend as much time there.

Social media used to be a big time suck for me, but now I’ve realized my time is better spent building blog content and responding to readers comments. If someone leaves me a comment, I want to make sure to visit their blog and comment there as well. I hope I can always keep that up, it’s important to me!

What design trends are you loving lately?

White walls! I know they have been in for awhile, but I am just loving them. It’s a bright, crisp color that makes me happy. I also am loving watercolor and the “less is more” trend right now—I am actively working on decluttering and getting rid of stuff I don’t need or love.

What design trends are you totally over?

Chevron. I’ve been over it for awhile. I actually had a giant chevron wall in our entry way for almost a year and got so sick of it. I also am not a huge granite countertop or stainless steel appliances fan, although we do have stainless steel in part of our kitchen for resale purposes one day. )

What are your tips for newer bloggers looking to build their blog?

Hang in there! The first year I had to force myself to blog. I had no comments, very few readers and was making $0. But I kept reminding myself I was doing it because I loved it and because I was building a base for a successful future.

When you feel like you’re ready, don’t be afraid to reach out to companies and ask for a partnership. The worst they will do is tell you no, and even the most famous bloggers out there hear that word still. Keep going!

The post Building a Blog | An Interview with Tania appeared first on Naomi Bjerk.

Nuff said.  Here are some fun reads for your Saturday morning cup o’ joe!  Have a lovely weekend

Social Media can be a struggle for me, but I found this post from Blog Clarity helpful in improving my online social media presence.

You all know that I. Love. Flowers.  Well, Valentine’s Day is coming up, and you need to read these game-changing tips for arranging your blooms!

Oh my, I am in love with this dining room makeover by Hi Sugarplum.  It’s the perfect pairing of traditional and modern glam in the most interesting way!

Ever feel overwhelmed by the plethora of cleaning schedules and tips on the internet?  I really like this one because it clean, simple, and non-stress inducing

IKEA Canada revealed the new SEKTION Kitchen line and it looks as fabulous as ever!  You can bet I’ll be at IKEA February 2nd for the grand reveal in the U.S.

Jana shares a great method to prioritizing your blog tasks and achieving them in an efficient way.  Check it out!

The post Loving Lately appeared first on Naomi Bjerk.

So, I’m hoping this means that I’ve kicked the post-holiday blues and am rarin’ to go for the new year  I think these wonderfully warm (like nearing 40 degrees, that’s a miracle in January for Chicago) temps are helping plenty too.

If you missed it this week, I share why I started these Loving Lately posts.  Check it out and let me know what you think

I love this BEAUTIFUL master bedroom makeover by Jen at With Heart.  And it was all done on a budget, my favorite kind of inspiration!

Bloggers, let’s have more fun!  Loved this post over at the Blog Market on why we ought to just have more fun with our blogs.

The Big Game is fast approaching, you may want to use these gorgeous Superbowl commercial bingo prints from Style Me Pretty to entertain the less sports-savvy folks at your party.

How totally rad is this Restoration Hardware coffee table knock off?  If I only had the mathematical skills to make this….

Elle and Co. shares their blog post process and exactly how to go from an idea to a published work of art.

Needing a quick fix for Valentine’s Day?  You will love these adorable honey-bee themed printables from Clementine Creative.

See you next week, friends!

The post Loving Lately appeared first on Naomi Bjerk.

Yes, this is what I think about in my spare time… #I’mablognerd #don’tmakefun

CONTENT: CREATION

This is why we all started blogging in the first place, to share our rockstar DIY skills (or whatever it is you blog about) with the great wide world of web.  Created content is a post where you are giving value to the reader through something you’ve made or originated.  This could be in the form of useful tips, a tutorial, pics of your latest project, whatever!  But the key is it belongs and came from you.

Created content is what makes your blog different, it sets it apart from other blogs because no one else would have thought to share that story the way you did, or sew the drapes in that style, or make such cute ladybug cupcakes.  It establishes your voice, your credibility, and your value to readers.

CONTENT: CURATION

Curated content is what you share that originated from someone other than yourself.  It could be helpful links, a pinterest board, favorite living room layout pics.  Anything you post on your blog that you didn’t make or think up yourself is curated.

I love this word because I always picture a museum curator.  Someone who carefully sifts through many many things in search of only the very best for his collection.  That’s what you do when you share other’s content on your blog.  You’ve curated what you deem worthy of notifying the world of.

FINDING BALANCE

Some bloggers only create content, others only curate it, and that is fine.  But I believe that for the majority of bloggers to find success, a careful balance is needed.  If I had to choose only one type of content to offer, I would choose created without a second thought.  That is why I’m here, to share with people my unique thoughts and creations.

But, here’s the thing about content creation… I’m a finite person, we all are.  And I can only create so much quality content.  That means that if I want to continue posting and sharing on a continued basis, I need to share curated content.

Plus, this blogging world is a social business by nature.  If we all only posted our own content no one would ever find out about awesome new ideas and meet other bloggers.

So two great reasons you should be posting curated content on your blog in addition to your created content: it allows you to share beyond your creative limits, and it engages with other bloggers and builds community.

I’ve started a weekly column called Loving Lately where I share links from around the web that I find interesting and worth checking out.  I’d love to hear your views on the curation vs. creation dichotomy.  Any tips on how to find your own balance between the two?

Linking up at: Work it Wednesday, Hit Me With Your Best Shot, The Inspiration Gallery, Handmade Hangout, Tutorials & Tips

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