Hall Closet Turned Mini Mudroom Makeover

Me and my hubby started out our life together as newlyweds in Minnesota, the land of snow and bitter winter temps. Some of the best advice we received while we lived there was, "Once you have kids, never buy a house without a mudroom." Let's face it. Kids haul a lot of stuff to school in the winter, book bags, puffy coats, hats, gloves and snow boots. And their little legs and arms make it pretty impossible for them to hang their stuff up on their own in your standard hall closet with wire racks. 

Unfortunately when we bought our house in Illinois, we didn't heed this advice. Now that we have two kids in school their stuff was starting to pile up all over the house. And no one ever knew where their coat or shoes were when it was time to head out of the door. I had seen the idea of converting a hall closet into a mudroom around Pinterest before, so me and the hubby decided to give it a try. Here is how it turned out.

Grandma's Tables Upcycled

These beautiful end tables were dropped off to me by a client several weeks ago. They belonged to her late grandmother who she spoke very fondly of and remembered her always loving the way she decorated. She wanted to pay homage to her by having these tables in her home, but their current finish wasn't meshing well with the rest of her decor. 

Pin-spired: DIY Country Chic Window Treatments

Are you a Pinterest addict like me? I love that there is a simple place to go for inspiration and store it all in neat little categories. This weekend, I finally turned one of those pins into reality, and I am beyond excited to be sharing it with you today.

This project was "pin"-spired by Jennifer over at Town and Country Living. I am a little bit obsessed with burlap. I love its natural, earthy color and the relaxed, country vibe it gives off. I really loved the idea of pairing it with a tree branch for an extra punch of rustic charm.

Frenchy Country Wall Collage

While I tend to lean more toward country than french country in my decorating taste these days, this project definitely has some French influence so I am dubbing it Frenchy Country. 

I recently made a jute letter and wanted to incorporate it into a collage for our family room. We have two huge blank walls on either side of our massive television (thank you dear husband) and, I wanted something unique to hang there besides another picture. I was inspired by different arrangements I have seen on Pinterest and in a recent friend's home. After hours of wandering the aisles of Hobby Lobby, I came up with this.

Frenchy Country Wall Collage

This door handle I found in the cabinet hardware/pulls section. Honestly, I love this more than my jute "M." The best part- 50% off. Cost: $5.99

This fleur-de-lis I had in my last home. Like my jute letter, it needed to be lightened up. I painted it with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Old White, mildly distressed it and used both clear and dark wax to finish it off. I have two of these and originally purchased them from Hobby Lobby.

I found this key on a table they had set up with "Spring Collection" items. All priced at 30% off. This table was a jackpot. I also got two glass jars and a metal basket. I can't wait to show you how I use those. Cost:  $4.49

I found the frames back in the frame section if you can believe it. These unfortunately were not on sale and were the most expensive items in the collage. However, I always have my trusty Hobby Lobby app which normally always offers a 40% coupon for one full price item. Cost: $17.99 (oval frame after coupon) $14.99 (square)

The cross I found in the cross section (yes, they have a whole section of crosses). I don't think this piece is particular Frenchy, but I liked it. It is rustic and is a symbol of my family's deep love for Jesus. It will be a daily reminder of his redeeming love, so I went for it. I can be very eclectic at times, and that is okay. I don't claim to be an expert. I just do what I like. Another bargain at 50% off. Cost: $4.99

Here is a before and after just for fun so you can see how far we have come in this room. Still more work to do, but not too shabby.

Before

After

Disclaimer: This blog and post was not sponsored by Hobby Lobby. I hope maybe one day it will be. Wink, wink.