make under

I've been spending the last two years renovating and redecorating my hubby's bachelor pad into a cozy, stylish home for two. Bedroom? Check. Living room? Check. Office? Check. Kitchen and bathroom? Check, check. Office again? Check.

Yeah, I'm already on the second round of redecorating.

Two years ago when we painted the office, I was enamored with bold color. I took the Notre Dame gray walls up a few notches to this:



But six months later, I rediscovered a love for neutrals and I found myself longing for those gray walls. One sunny day and a can of $7 paint and I can finally stop cringing:




The chair is actually a before + after within a before + after. I got the $20 find on Craig's List and until last week it sat its sorry self in the living room. After a lazy spray paint job, a run through the sewing machine, and a trip to Wal-Mart for a $4 taupe sheet, it's good as new:




(The pretty print is a page from last year's calendar.)

I can finally breathe a sigh of relief. For now.