Closet Renovations!

Hello everyone! Hope you are all finding yourself well. During the summer I had mentioned that because we were staying home a lot more we had done a couple renovations around the house, one being our closet. So my boyfriend and I decided to rip our closet apart and start from scratch. We started with some ideas and then decided to sketch it out on paper. I had certain "demands" haha, or more like certain things I wanted to add to the closet that I thought would make use of absolutely every single space. That was one thing that I had in mind. I wanted to have a closet with no wasted space. I find that the typical closets that are found in homes are a standard rod to hang your clothes and a shelf on top to put some things stacked and piled on top of each other. We wanted to create and build a closet that wasn't only pleasing to the eye but also functional for our lifestyle. Mind you, this is the first time that we take a project on like this so we came across a couple issues but nothing that couldn't be resolved. 

   Before                                 After

Andres and I first spoke about ideas and wrote them on paper. He later did a rough sketch where we then discussed the measurements for each section of the closet, along with certain designs that we could go ahead with. I believe he did 4 sketches until we settled with one.

This is the first sketch that he did (for the life of me I can't find the sketch with the measurements, but you guys get the idea)

We were asked before "why don't you just buy a closet from Ikea?" Well although Ikea sells gorgeous closets it just wasn't practical for us, one being we were on a budget (Ikea closets are pricey- and for the size we wanted, it was going to be expensive). Another thing was that Covid had just started to get serious and we were limited in going out. So what better way to entertain ourselves then taking on a project like this and doing it ourselves. 

I really didn't like this closet. This closet had so much potential and by looking at it you can tell that there was so much wasted space. 

We later headed to HomeDepot to check out what type of wood we could go out with. We ended up going with knotty pine, which we were told that it would be easier to stain or paint if we wanted to and also it was cheaper than the others. Funny enough we noticed that we weren't the only one that were doing renovations. Since we were in the wood aisle a couple people tried to make small talk with us and asked us if we were also working on building a closet. Most people took wood that was ready to just put up and install. We did think about going that route but like I mentioned we were on a budget. 

We brought everything into the backyard which was out work area. We first finely sanded our pieces of wood and then covered any imperfections with puddy and then later went on with sanding it again once it was dry. Our neighbours actually suggested to later spray the wood lightly with water and then go and sanding it one last time. We thought that this process was going to be quick, painless and easy. Boy were we wrong LOL. It wasn't quick, it actually took us a week because there were so many pieces of wood that had to be done. Most days we worked on it until it got dark in order to hurry up the process. Painless, ah no. I actually got a couple blisters on the way. Once we got the hang of it, it became easier and we worked on it quicker. I will add that when it came to painting, the paint went on smoothly and it dried up very quickly.

This is proof we worked until late, we were so exhausted that day- by the looks on his face he hated me at this point lol.

I did the cuts myself so it would fit perfectly into the dust panels (proud moment).

Measuring out where everything would sit perfectly.

First one up! (as soon as the first separation was put up I was so happy my vision was coming to life, and see how all of our hard work was paying off- happy tears were shed).

Last finishing touches!

We were so proud!

We were doubting if we should paint them and go for an all white closet or just staining them and leaving them 'oh natural'. We later decided to paint them since I insisted on the white closet (oops lol) but the good thing is that it turned out really nice and we love it. We ended up doing two coats on each side on every piece of wood which gave it a nice finish to it. Installing did take a couple of days since we had to drill parts of the closet together before we actually could put it up.

Although it was a lot of work and many times I just wanted to hide in the bathroom and cry because it felt like we were hitting a couple dead ends sometimes. I'm in love with the finish project and grateful that my boyfriend had patience with me. 

Along with building our closet we also decided to remove the carpet and install wood floors. For the record the carpet was an ugly pink carpet that wasn't cute and couldn't be saved even if I tried lol. We also decided to refresh the paint on our walls so we also did that.

Bed and bedding is all from Crate & Barrel. 

Our room isn't completely done when it comes to decor. We still need to buy a rug (preferably a vintage one), new nightstands, lamps and a couple art pieces, but because of covid we still aren't able to go shopping. Once we can, hopefully we can find the right pieces we are looking for. I hope you guys enjoyed this blog post and hopefully you guys get inspired to work on a project yourselves. Although it was hard I enjoyed the challenge and the outcome was so worth it.

xoxo,

What's Been Going On- COVID-19

Hello everyone! I hope you are all doing well and are safe. It's no surprise what is happening around the world- which is really scary, and we can all agree that it's very sad and unfortunate. I was hesitate to write a post, simply because I just didn't know what to say, or where to start, or even how to address this matter but I did want to pop on here to show my support to anyone who needs it. To be honest I hate watching the news just because it scares me to see how the number of people affected have escalated rapidly all over the world.

I myself, have stayed home trying to keep busy, finishing stuff that I have had on my list for awhile. I thought this was the perfect time to complete all those little task I've been wanting to do. I make a list everyday of something that could be done around the house just to keep my mind off what's going on outside. I've read articles of some people getting interviewed say this is "just a flu". This is not "just a flu", this is a virus that is killing thousands of people every single day all over the world, that is why we are told by authorities to stay home. There are so many things we can do while being home like, work out, binge watch a show we've been wanting to see but just haven't had the time to, read a book or even try out new recipes. I know everyone is scared not knowing what's going to happen next, all we can really do is wait and stay calm and try to stay home as much as we can to reduce the amount of people being infected.

Unfortunately this is a big wake up call, we are all so caught up in work and life that we don't really stop to see how fragile life truly is. Take the time to be more nice to one another. We should all be more cautious of others around us especially the elderly, don't bulk buy as there are others who are trying to get through this tough time as well. Wash your hands and if you have to go out to the grocery store remember to wear gloves and mask to prevent this virus from spreading, and dispose of those things responsibly.


We are all in this together- no matter where you are from. Remember be kind, stay home if you can and stay safe,



Much love,



Stephannie

Life Update//What I've Been Up To

Hello everyone! 

I know it's been a little while since my last post but I just wanted to update you on what I've been up to. So I recently just got back from my trip in South America which for those who weren't familiar, I was away in Chile and Argentina for 5 months. As you guys know my boyfriend's family lives there there so we travelled to visit them for a bit. Now that I'm back I'm trying to organize myself and the things I have to lined up to do. While I was away I was contacted by this amazing company called Capitola, which specializes in the most beautiful watches I have ever seen. I recently just received my own watch that was sent to me and wow! I'm in love! I will be posting a blog post about that in a couple of days but I'm completely obsessed and I know you guys will be too. I also have some other blog post that I have been working on and will be sharing it with you guys very soon. 

I feel like it's always great getting away every now and then to refresh your ideas, thoughts and getting inspired by new things. I've hit my reset botton and now I'm coming to you guys with loads of new content which I really hope you guys will enjoy. 

This was my office area most of the time- I miss it (best view ever!).



New post will be up soon,

xoxo, 

Places You Have To Try// Vina del Mar

Hello everyone! As I have mentioned in my previous blog post, I travel a lot to Chile and stay in Vina  del Mar. I'm not going to lie- I love it here. I love the fact that everything is close by so I don't necessarily need a car to get around and the beach is legit walking distances from where I'm staying, so that's amazing. Since I frequently travel back here I have a list of my go to places to eat that I love so if anyone is ever around here (you never know) I would highly recommend to stop by these places and give them a try.


1. Africa
*Located-Calle Valparaíso 324, Viña del Mar, Región de Valparaíso*

I love this restaurant. To be honest the name caught my attention along with the animals that were on the roof of the building. My boyfriend said it burned down a few years ago and they restored it but never added the other animals that were once there. He loves this place so with that said I had to try. This place has the BEST- yes- the best sandwiches ever. I've tried other things on the menu as well but hands down the sandwich is the best. It consists of homemade bread, juicy sautéed meat and melted cheese. Bam! thats it, and that's all it needs. My favourite by far.

2. Cevasco
*Located- Valparaíso 700, Viña del Mar, Región de Valparaíso*

Chile is known for many things, like their culture, food, wine and it's beatufuil beaches, but I've been told I had to try this specific place's hot dogs. In Chile hot dog is something that people lean more to rather than a burger. I don't know what it was but I wanted more after I finished my first one. Is that bad? lol. The one I tried was the 'American' hot dog which consisted of your hotdog, avocado, tomatoes and mayo. The condiments here don't taste the same from the ones back home so I'm guessing that's why the taste was so interesting. Oh and of course everywhere I go I ask for hot sauce. I must say Chile's hot sauces didn't disappoint.

3. Anayak
*Located- Quinta 134, Viña del Mar, Región de Valparaíso*

Andres brought me here on one of our first dates in Chile, and it holds a special place in my heart. The food, the people, the ambience of this place has a lot of history which makes it very beautiful. Around 7pm people in Chile have something called "once" which is basically 'tea time'. Families gets together and have tea/coffee with something to eat like a bread with eggs, avocado or even cheese and ham and pastries. We always come here and order "once complete" on the menu which consists of freshly pressed juice, a ham and cheese grilled sandwich, a cup of ice cream (they have a list of flavours to choose from), tea latte or cafe latte, a slice of cake (your choice) and cookies. I mean that's a lot for one person and it's only $10 dollars. You can't go wrong. The cake is my favourite part lol.

4. Fika
*Located- Libertad 960, Av. Benidorm 650, Viña del Mar, Región de Valparaíso*

We recently discovered this place and I'm so happy we did! Our waiter had mentioned that the owners lived in Sweden for years and decided to move back to Chile and open a cafe here with a similar style from Sweden. Besides the fact that theres live jazz music playing in the background which I really loved, they also have a small book store right beside it. We ended up ordering a tea latte, peach juice, a ham and cheese panini and a chocolate cake to split. The food here is really good aswell and very afforable. Where ever I go I like to order a coffee late or a tea latte, and compare to them to others that I've had here. I must say that I have really enjoyed all the ones that I have tried and I can't complain. The only difference would have to be the size comparison which in that case, Fika's serving is much bigger than the others.

5. Xurros Cafe
*Located- Av 14 Norte 880 - 88 Tercer piso, Viña del Mar, Región de Valparaíso*

The name says it all. I love churros and this places really stuffs their churros with with the best filling ever- manjar, which is commonly known as dulce de leche. They also stuff their churros with jam and chocolate as well. For those who aren't a fan of stuffed churros they also offer non stuffed churros with ice cream on the side which is also very good, but who am I kidding... bring on the manjar! lol. Those are my favourite.

6. Bravissimo
*Located- San Martín 302, Viña del Mar, Región de Valparaíso*

The best ice cream I've had in Chile has to be from this place. I'm a little embarrassed to admit we stop by there quite frequently lol. Plus the view in this place is the best.

7. Don Bife
*Located- Mall Marina Arauco, Tercer Piso Local 86, 14 Norte 880, Viña del Mar, Región de Valparaíso*

This place is great and their meats are so good and juicy. The only down fall is that it doesn't come with a side order, if you want one you have to order it separate so it gets a little pricey but honestly is so worth.

8. Mokka Cafe
*Located- Av. Libertad 1348, Local 130, Viña del Mar, Región de Valparaíso*

This cafe is actually located inside of the mall. At the moment we were craving something sweet so when we passed by and noticed that they served cake, we needed to try it. For the record we have a very big sweet tooth and we love cake period lol. So we are always trying out cakes at local cafes here. The cake that caught out attention is called Hojarsca. We saw that it had chocolate and dulce de leche in it and we were sold.

The only photo he got of me that night lol. 

9. La Moneda De Oro
*Located- Bernardo O'Higgins 1252, Valparaíso, Región de Valparaíso*

Chile is known for their seafood, so when I found out this restaurant had one of the best cooked fish, I needed to try it. Safe to say I loved it and have gone back every since. I always get a fish called 'Rienta' which is tender and taste amazing. I've tried it fried and also oven cooked. I'm not a fan of fried fish but this one was to die for. When ever I order fish I liked to accompany it with fresh veggies or a salad. This place is excellent for tourists to visit as it really captures the essences of Chile offering so many traditional Chilean dishes.

Hope you guys enjoyed!

xoxo,