Category Archives: Before-After

Before-After, Organizing Tips, Renovation

Our contemporary kitchen pantry

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Our contemporary kitchen pantry is one of my favorite renovation projects so far. It has evolved let me tell you, but it is beautiful and functional for our family. 

Backstory: Our home was built in 1976, and the previous owner lived here for 28 years but failed to update anything but the floors. Yes, so you know there is work to be done.

Check out the space originally and then after we took out the wall

Anyways, last year in 2021 we tackled the pantry area of the kitchen. We lacked space and for re-sell purposes that would hurt us tremendously. In the long run, we decided to revamp it with the help of California Closets. We love our contemporary kitchen pantry so much, and it has turned out to be extremely functional for our family. Here are the ends and outs of our pantry:

  • Small fridge & Pantry = less home value – Originally the space had a small pantry with wired shelving and an old folding door. You couldn’t fit anything in there. If we try to sell right now, we potentially can discourage buyers due to the lack of space in the kitchen. 
  • We originally were just going to replace the fridge, but when it arrived it did not fit! We decided to move it to the other side of the kitchen and expand the pantry. 
  • Expand Expand when you can! – We knocked out the little wall and made one huge space to install the open pantry. It has made such a difference in being able to hold all our food and seeing what we have. 
  • Power cord hidden – That is a must have in a pantry always. My coffee machine to my tea kettle all work!
  • Add design to your pantry when you can – Simple peel & stick wallpaper was the trick for me. I wanted some excitement on the walls before the unit was installed. It now looks like a stunning contemporary kitchen pantry.
After the wallpaper was installed. Details of wallpaper at the end of this post
  • Used simple white bins from the container store at different sizes to “contain” everything in the pantry. 
  • Used “The Home Edit” labels –  but to make them stand out more, I bought a simple white label and drew with black marker then finally placed the Home Edit label. Check out my reel with this process
  • Cereal dispenser – They are great! If you can afford them, get them. Better way to hold a lot with less space. No more baulky cereal boxes. 
  • Separate your pantry by categories that work for you – We split our bins into the following categories:
    1. Cooking – all cooking recipes and canned food used to cook
    2. Snacks – we love our snacks, sorry!
    3. Spreads – We use a lot of peanut butter, almond butter and more
    4. Grains
    5. Condiments
    6. Coffee
    7. Pasta
    8. Sweetner
    9. Juices
    10. Cookies

Shop dupes and everything I used below!

XO,

Jessi Morgan

Before-After, Home Decor

Spring Refresh Family Room

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I love that my home can transition over the seasons easily.

But I wanted to have a little spring refresh family room this year! It was minimal but had a major impact still.

What did I do? Check out what I did:

  • New Pillows – It just transformed the space beautifully! I wanted bigger pillows that are comfy as well so anyone can fall asleep on our couch if needed. I went with more neutral colors as well so everything is more uniformed especially since I have the blue Teddi accent chair from American Signature Furniture.
Pillows are from Target; scroll to the bottom for details
  • Neutral throws – We already have neutral reclining chairs and at times they can get dirty so we decided to add throws over them to protect them as well as bring comfort. Its a great way to easily keep things clean and throws are great companions to pillows.

Shop what items I got for our spring refresh family room below! How are you freshening up your home?

Shop more with me on Liketoknowit app!

How are you refreshing your home for spring?

XO,

Jessi Morgan

Before-After, Home Decor, Organizing Tips

Bathroom organizer Target hacks

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We needed organization…badly! We had this stunning bathroom vanity that we remodeled in 2020 but we couldn’t keep it organized. I finally bought some great bathroom organizer Target hacks that made our life easier in our master.

To shop exact items scroll to the bottom. There are affiliate links in this article.

These simple bins in the drawers did the trick! Shop at the bottom for my favs.

Very excited to share how we organized and that it did not cost a arm and a leg. Check it out below.

Here are the steps we took:

  1. Pulled everything out & threw it away – Between my husband and myself we have a lot of cosmetic items. And going through them was great because there were things we didn’t use anymore or they were empty! So why keep it?

2. Bins, Bins and optimization – I bought all of my bins and organization stuff from Target. It was a great price and good quality that will last. I bought bins and a nice chrome pull out drawer. The bins are perfect to put in drawers to make sure everything stands up. 

3. Categorize & Sub-categorize – I made sure we separated our items by “His & Hers” and then by facial cleansers, lotions, moisturizers etc. It is now so easy to locate everything. 

4. Make the vanity countertop pretty – I bought 2 amazing marble trays for each of our sink areas. I love being able to house all the key toiletries we use daily together and it still looks clean. Bought both at Target, they are perfect and go well with our black sinks. 

I am relieved that this is done! Shop the entire vanity look below! Have you ever put off a project that you dreaded for a bit? Lol

Check out some before and after pictures! And shop the blog post below as well as some other organizing favs of mine!

What a difference in our drawers now!

Shop Here for some awesome bathroom organizer Target hacks!

For more…follow me on Liketoknowit to shop all the time!

XO,

Jessi Morgan

Before-After, Home Decor

Luxury coffee table refresh

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This post has affiliate links

Its time for a little refresh to my luxury coffee table in my lounge space. I adore our fixer upper home and my favorite room in the house is this lounge space, check out my reel to see how far this room has come! I always like to switch up one or two things at a time and still keep the same vibe as much as possible.

So this time around I wanted to refresh our luxury coffee table entirely. At first I physically went shopping for some additional pieces but I did not find a thing! That turned out to be good news! I decided to use what I had in the house and refresh it on my own. 

Time to glam up your luxury coffee table people!

Before (top) & Bottom (bottom) I have always love this coffee table made of marble.

Here are the keys to refreshing a luxury coffee table

  1. Create more contrast – Before I used about half of the table to decorate but this time around I decided to use the entire surface of the table to switch it up a bit.
  2. Added new shapes – I was using a round tray but decided to remove it completely and focus on placing more rectangular shaped coffee books instead. The table to me actually looks bigger since we used more space this time for decorating. 
  3. Balance – even though both sides of the table are not identical, I still made sure to visually have the same amount of visual weight on each side. Basically making sure both sides are balanced visually. 
  4. Styled the coffee books differently – I wanted to showcase some of the beautiful pages within my Alexander McQueen book. So having a book open gives the floor texture/dimension. 
Always important use all of your space at times to switch up the look of your luxury coffee table.

Loved how this turned out! Refresh 2022!! Shop some of the exact items as well as some dupes.

Shop the look & see how you can shop with me more often!

Shop with me any time by clicking here!

XO,

Jessi Morgan

Before-After, Home Decor, Renovation

Mudroom Transformation

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So I created a mudroom! Yes I did! I had a closet at the entrance of our home that I hated. It was not organized or appealing at all, so…we changed it! I am so excited with how it turned out and I wanted to share how we executed this amazing project. Check it out below!

Affiliate links are used in this article

Here is the original closet

I hate those old fashion folding doors and the wired shelves I just needed to switch out.

Here are the steps and great tips to execute a mudroom transformation

  1. Have a vision & measure! Ensure your measurements are accurate so you can purchase everything correctly.
  2. To have some great contrast either use paint or wallpaper. I prefer wallpaper to give it some more excitement. Also I used peel & stick wallpaper for this project.
I wanted uplifting quotes on the back wall and it also stuck to the color story of teal blue and gold.

3. To have seamless wallpaper application ensure you overlap the seams just a bit so it flows smoothly on the wall.

4. Ensure you have a wallpaper smoothing kit while you apply the wallpaper. It is a lifesaver!

5. At Home Depot we made sure the measure the inside and outside of the doorway in order for us to purchase the correct amount of moulding. I wanted to make sure to frame the door so it will have an amazing finish that matches the rest of the doorway.

6. Finishing nails need to be your best friend! We literally put up the moulding with finishing nails and afterwards we repainting over the nails so it camouflage perfectly.

7. I wanted to add shelving to the space for storage as well as a nice home decor display. I bought the shelf and brackets from Home Depot. The space inside the closet is 34 inches so we decided to purchase a 70+ inch shelf and cut it in half. We did this based on issues with supply and demand. I also wanted to have the shelf be at least 12 inches wide.

8. I then basically created my own bench with purchasing the Target cube storage system. I placed the unit right under the shelf that was hanging. It gives the illusion there is a bench of some sort. I love it because I now have picked up more storage space.

9. To finish off the space I added a gold curtain rod as well as gold hooks for hanging needs. I loved using gold with teal blue wallpaper, it gave the space an elegance.

10. We also added cool baskets to the space for a cool storage feel too. Last, we purchases two of these battery operated light switches. This is a great avenue if you do not have electrical that close.

So there you have it! What transformation have you done recently that was rewarding? Shop the collage below for all the materials used.

xoxo,

Jessi

Before-After, Organizing Tips, Renovation

The Container Store Rolling Racks

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Affiliate links are used in this article

Well these rolling racks changed my kitchen’s life!

We were having a very hard time getting our pots and pans in and out of the drawers and cabinets in our kitchen. I decided to get the chrome rolling rack system that is from the Container’s Store.

Here is step by step how we got organized:

This is where I started! Pull everything out!
  1. Measure! Measure! That was the key for me. I measured the depth, width and height of my cabinets to ensure the rolling racks I shopped for what would fit. *Another tip – if you purchase the 20″ inches rolling rack, ensure your cabinet width is at least 23″ inches wide. You need a little wiggle room so that your doors still close etc.
  2. Took everything out to see what I had. I also gave away older cookware etc.
  3. Whichever rack you purchase make sure the unit is 2″ inches away from the tip of where the cabinets begins.
  4. I purchased contact paper to go down on the bottom of the cabinet but you can also use simple grip prints.
  5. After lay your rack inside the cabinet and pull the rack completely out. There are holes visible where the screws will go.
  6. Ensure you use a black marker and put a dot within the hole where the screw will go into.
  7. After that use an electric screwdriver to install the 4 screw to install the rolling rack.
  8. And you are done! Literally. done.

See my finished product below!

It has made such a difference…Shop my cabinets below:

Happy Organizing!

Xoxo,

Jessi Morgan

Before-After, Home Decor

How to decorate using unused kitchenware in your kitchen

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Affiliate links are used in this article

It’s so hard to just stare at unused glassware and coffee mugs in your kitchen pantry. When we moved in last year into our first home I made a promise to myself that I will have function for everything in this house (I know massive commitment).

I had a blank wall next to one of my pantries in my kitchen and I needed to fill it with something appealing to the eye. In order to make it still functional I decided to display old glassware and underutilized coffee mugs in a eclectic style.

Here is what I used to make this happen:

  1. Archway decal – I discovered a really simple and stylish decal sticker in the shape of an arch. It came in a light beige color so it was perfect for my white wall. It was 36″ inches wide and it gave you the illusion that there was a actual archway within the space.
  2. Purchased a set of wooden floating shelves – I made sure the shelves were 36″ inches wide so they were the same length as the decal to bring the illusion of the arch to life.
  3. Use unused glassware – I have lots of old glassware that I do not use anymore so this is a great way to utilize them! I made sure to have different heights in glass to show dimension and excitement. Also I purchased some inexpensive glass bottle to add a bit more.
  4. Coffee mugs & bowls – On the second shelf I styled the many bowls & mugs I had in my kitchen. There is no big secret on how I positioned them, just have fun and make sure to have them set up in all different directions. That is the key to a somewhat unkept display.
  5. Accent table – To finish my set up and to fill in the bottom portion of the arch I bought a really cool accent table from Target to finish the set up. I continued to display a mug, candles and a faux plant to create more texture.

I am beyond happy with the result and it just finishes the kitchen area for us. We are loving it! Do you have any key tips on how to fill up a blank wall? Share in the comments.

Shop some of the items from my set up below! Follow me on Liketoknow.it for more of my fav looks & items.

XoXo,

Jessi Morgan

Before-After, Renovation

How we transformed our backyard

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This is by far the biggest transformation we have done with our home since we purchased it in 2020. Our original backyard had great bones but we needed to update severely. I am so excited to share with you the renovation of our pool area.

When we bought the house the backyard originally had the following:

  • Screened in patio
  • Chattahoochee flooring
  • Massive amount of potted plants
  • Much needed resurfaced pool

When we took on this backyard, we had a vision from the beginning. We wanted a mini oasis that we as a family could relax and enjoy at all times. My husband especially loves being outside and he was so excited to take on this project! I wanted more than anything to make this happened.

First, we chiseled away the chattahoochee surface. Chattahoochee is a pebble like rock that was used for deck surfaces in the 1980s & 1990s. It was extremely popular back then, the key was you had to get it resealed about every 5 years or so to keep it looking neat and safe to walk on. When we bought the home, the previous owner failed to reseal it and the pebbles/rocks were loose and you could not walk to the pool without shoes.

Next, we realized that that in order to install turf around the pool we needed to have a border surrounding the pool. The original design had the chattahoochee all the way to the tip of the pool. If you do not have a border or copping around the pool, the surface you have will mildew. See below the difference between having copping around a pool vs not having it.

Next, we decided to redo the entire pool. We replaced the tiles and resurfaced the inside of the pool. We hired an amazing company called Ivero Pools and they literally worked non-stop and completed the pool in less than 3 weeks. The pool transformed the space entirely.

After, the pool was completed we then hired a company to lay down turf grass. Turf will last close to 20 years or more and we wanted a green grass feel to surround the pool. Since turf is expensive and based on square footage if we laid turf in the entire backyard it would have cost over $5500 and counting. Our backyard was 850 sq feet and vs us covering the entire backyard we left about 280 open to lower the cost.

Here is the breakdown of what we did:

  • Having 850 square foot backyard equaled to the turf costing over $5500. To remain on budget we decided not to turf the entire area.
  • We took 280 sq ft and decided to make it our dining space.
  • To give the backyard some contrast we decided to lay deck wood tiles in the space that we did not lay the turf. We absolutely loved it.
  • We are using the same patio furniture that we had before.

I feel so blessed that we could do such an amazing transformation. We cannot wait to host people in our beautiful backyard. Just this past weekend we sat outside and enjoyed the start of the NBA playoffs.

This renovation of the backyard made me realize that I can do anything if I believe and plan. Because of this backyard I am working on returning to school to study interior design. What project have you worked on that inspired you to do bigger and better things?

Shop some dupes and looks from my backyard!

XOXO,

Jessi Morgan

Before-After, Home Decor

Inexpensive way to refresh kitchen table

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Do you know how to refresh your space the inexpensive way?

Here’s the answer…use what you have in different areas of the home! You heard me right?

As you know we have been renovating our fixer upper for the last 7 months and it has been a journey. Recently I just wanted to switch up some of my areas of my home to give it a new feel. Do you do that sometimes?

I am excited wanted to show off some changes that cost nothing. I used to do this within merchandising, when I was a merchandising manager. You can actually change an entire floor and the customer used to think it was a new delivery. I loved that feeling. 

Below are 10-15 key inspirational pieces you can purchase and use to re-arrange always. Check below:

So here are the changes to our kitchen room table: 

Before

Some items were limited time but I am still going to link them below just in case

I loved the before, I bought that limited Levi X Target collection pieces. I love the denim feel to the pottery and pitcher. We bought it to go with some faux plant stems I bought off of Amazon.

The only issue was we had to remove the centerpiece when we had 4 people sitting down to eat, so I had to change it up. See below:

After

Simple faux moss plant was the key

I bought a cool moss plant piece from Target and had it in our dining room area. I think its simple, classic and does not overpower the table I recently painted black. Just a easy change, so in the end switching up centerpieces on dining tables can just change the room. 

So here are 2 lessons I learned when switching up this space:

  • Less is more – having a simple clean feel makes your space or table look bigger.
  • Avoid a centerpiece on a table that you is extremely huge in size – I learned that I hate having to move my centerpiece off the table every single time.

Remember shop my links above! Happy transitioning!

XOXO,

Jessi Morgan

Before-After, Home Decor

Tips on sprucing up your Bathroom Vanity

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I recently started looking at the space between my bathroom vanities and found it…boring. I had to give it a little bit of pop and personality to fit the rest of our decor in the house.

Bathroom vanity before

I decided to visit my favorite store these days which is Target! You can never go wrong there. With their amazing collaborations with Magnolia & Studio McGee they have some of the best decor pieces out there for a great price and look.

Here are some of my tips when filling in the space between your bathroom sinks:

  1. No Blockage – Whatever you decided to put up for decoration make sure you can still wash your face in peace. I am not a fan of decor that blocks you from doing what you need to do. Always keep that in mind.
  2. Spa Feel – I believe that every single bathroom vanity needs to feel welcoming and spa like. You can achieve that with rolled up towels and other liquid soap to wash hands etc.
  3. Wall decor – If you have space between the mirrors of the sinks it is smart to hang something to have your eyes go up.

And there you have it. Three simple points! Shop these great items below!

XOXO,

Jessi Morgan