Hi! Did you have a nice week? π
It’s been raining a LOT here lately, so our in-laws barn project keeps getting put on hold. Maybe next week we’ll have enough sunny days to get started?
As for indoor projects, we’ve been working (little by little) on one of the (two) built-in units in our living room over the past couple of weeks. Here’s a little video that shows where we’re at with it if you’d like to watch:
I’m so excited about that Stikwood, y’all! Like I mentioned in the video, we’re partnering up on this project, and I’m so grateful for the opportunity to try out some of their product. It’s super thin, so it should be super easy to cut down into narrower planks.
Here’s a close up photo of the Reclaimed Weathered Wood Gray we’re going to use:
…and for those of you who aren’t able/didn’t want to watch the video, here’s a photo of the work-in-progress, built-in cabinet on the right side of the fireplace:
It’s basically just a couple of pieces of paint-grade plywood, some 1×4 and 1x3s, and a piece of decorative trim moulding. You can see the two pieces of Stikwood I wedged and propped up there above and below theΒ the right side of the mantel too.
We’re going to stick the Stikwood to the front of the fireplace frame (even down there by the floor) and to the front of the built-ins, before we attach the doors. Which, by the way, will look something like these:
I used Photoshop to show you what I’ve got in mind for the wall space above each built-in in this next photo:
I had originally planned to go with short curtains up there, but I hung one of our panels up and it didn’t look right. I’m thinking we can create a sliding, barn-style door out of some brown-toned Stickwood (stuck to plywood) to use in that area instead. I’m also thinking if it’s light enough, we can just use the curtain rods we already have. Maybe thread some (oil-rubbed bronze spray-painted) eye bolts over the rod…like the (silver) ones Mandi used on this sliding door:
I’ll keep you posted! π
Amy
Love watching you on these videos! You’re such a natural – I love that you don’t edit out things like your splinter and the growling. It makes me feel like I’m in your living room and you’re just talking to me.
Layla
Thank you, Amy! Splinters are my bug-a-boos! π
And some folks mentioned they couldn’t watch the videos if they were longer than a minute or two, but I have found that to edit them down that much it really takes a lot of the fun out of them. I realize posting longer videos will make it harder for lots of folks to view them, but they really are just for kicks, and I have more fun making them when there aren’t any rules! π
Louise
Another lovely vlog! Thank you!! Can’t wait to see how it all turns out. π
Layla
Thank you, Louise! π XO
rachael
I love the vlog! You are so awesome on camera. I have a very personal question but I’m hoping you’ll answer it….How tall are you? You must have very high ceilings, and the video gives off the illusion that you are a doll living in a large dollhouse, haha! Kinda like that movie, Honey I shrunk the kids! Anyways, I’m having a hard time with imagining it because I’m seeing that you could almost stand up inside your side cabinets there and when I’m standing against my “someday fireplace wall”, it just seems HUGE if a cabinet were to come up to my head. I’m 5’10 so maybe that makes me a giant? π
Layla
Thank you, Rachael! I’m 5′-5″, and I think our ceilings are 10′ tall. Maybe I’ll do a vlog about that next week! π
Kristin
Layla I love the decorative piece you have above your mantle, would you mind sharing where you found it? I really enjoy following your blog!
Layla
Thank you, Kristin! Here’s a link to one of the posts about it! π
https://theletteredcottage.net/41777-2/
kristin
I watched your YouTube posting on this a few days ago. Your fireplace and built ins are HUGE! I never realized how tall the fireplace was! Your work is always so thought out and beautiful. I checked out Stikwood immediately and plan to use it in the back of our built ins in our lower level. I LOVE their story and product! Your slider gave me a great idea! I want a slider in our laundry room. I could do a lightweight door and use Stikwood–AWESOME!!!! Thanks for sharing such great ideas. (I just saw Rachaels post–lol!)
Layla
I never thought about them as huge, but they do look pretty big next to me- LOL! π
Have fun stickin’ that wood, Kristin! I think it would look great on a sliding laundry door!
Angela
So fun! Stickwood is a genius product. Prime it up, Buttercup! π
Layla
Thank you, Angela! And yes, gotta prime it white before you get it right! π
Laura Bell
Oh layla, SO CUTE!!!
love that wood. I need to get some for myself!
Layla
Thank you, friend! I’m SO excited to come check out your bathroom remodel…it’s going to be so pretty!
Sharon Doss
I love watching your vlogs! I’ve been “stalking” you for years now! I use that word lightly!
Love everything you and Kevin are doing do your sweet home. And you in-laws are some lucky people! Can’t wait to go thru that adventure with yall.
Layla
Thank you, Sharon! I’m excited to blog about the whole adventure too. We’ve never built anything from scratch before, so I will be looking to you for advice along the way! XO
Ashlea
I really enjoy the vlogs π These built ins are going to be beautiful, I am really looking forward to seeing how you use the stickwood! I love rustic and reclaimed wood, and this just got my little wheels a turning for the built ins in our LR which we have yet to trim out! Thanks for sharing and keeping me inspired! Home stuff is just plain fun.
Bridgett Junkin
I, too, love the vlogs. I really like the Stikwood and the possibilities with it.and yes you have to have that plywood for stability. I had a hutch once that didn’t have it and it was NOT a good experience.
Krystle@ColorTransformedFamily
I hope to have a fireplace with built-ins someday. Yours is going to look great. It’s fun stopping by after not getting a chance to check in for a while because I defintely notice all the changes in the living room. It looks completely different than when y’all first moved in. Kr
Rebekah T.
I love your style. But I really appreciate how real you are about process: budget restrictions, time, splinters, trial and error. Thank you so much for being real about design and that it is a process. We all need that reality check!
Looking forward to seeing the project through to the end π
Kimberly Falls
I love how this is turning out and love your blogs! I was wondering what is the name of the product you used above the built in for planking? I think you said it was a vinyl product and was wondering how you put it up..is it also peel and stick or did you nail it?
Thanks so much!
Sarah @ Thrifty Decor Chick
You are the cutest and I love you. And I love the built ins!
Allie
Layla! BRILLIANT! Stick vinyl for the plank look! Did I say BRILLIANT! Well, BRILLIANT! I’ve done a number of plank rooms with pine but truly felt guilty using all of that wood for just a look. This solves it and will make me look harder at that home store for a different solution! BRILLIANT GIRL!
Mindy
You are so much fun to watch/read/follow! So happy for your partnership with Stickwood. I checked in to it before we did a behind our fireplace planks but it was out of our budget at the time. I have seen some amazing projects done with their panels so very anxious to see yours. You will be their best advertisement ever : )
Martha
Hi Layla! I love your style, your house, your projects, and your blog. I may have missed it but why did you decide to put doors on the built-ins? I know you are planning doors on the tall cabinets on the other side of the room and you are now planning on “doors” for the windows above. I was assuming you were doing just shelves here (I would love to see you style them… I can already picture Sweet P’s books :)). Maybe you think the room is already too busy with the decor elements on the other two walls? I’m curious about your thought process.
Nanette Hill
Met the folks from Stikwood at KBIS/IBS in Vegas this past week! Beautiful product! I’m definitely in love. Can’t wait to use them in designs in the future.. Already have some in mind for projects in the works. A great group to team up with… Quite sure you won’t be disappointed.
Fawn Klepper
What was the original dark “wood” that you painted with the white paint? Everything you do is gorgeous!
Elida Seymour
You are so fun to watch and I love your ideas!
Eva Contreras
I can’t wait to see the final reveal!!!!
Jerri C. TN
You are just so adorable. Can’t wait to try Stikwood.
Debbie
Wow, Layla…I wish we were neighbors, I just absolutely love you! I am a bit relaxed and whatever and sometimes my family just laughs about it, but in the end who do they call when they want some vision and expression in their homes?
I just found your blog/vlog and only have watched the one video and read this post so I can’t wait to thread through some more to see what all you have been up to.
The whole fireplace room looks amazing and the Stikwood is really a unique and easily adaptable product from what you described. I am going to consider where I can use it and how I can be creative with it as well.
The vision you have for the room…no words.( that means of course I can’t think of anything better than awesome, amazing, gorgeous…I want to live there)
I am excited to see if you did the fireplace because I have a 26 year old home with a lovely fireplace and have considered white washing, but my husband is terrified! So I am hopeful to find more on it here and share with him.
So grateful for your blog/vlog.
Debbie
Maryjane from MB
Hey Layla,
Wish I could watch the vlog, it sounds awesome. Sounds like you’re a hit.
I just wanted to play the opposing view point and question if you put up a slider window covering beside your fireplace over the cabinet, won’t that be too many hard surfaces (too close together)?
A few posts back you were wanting to add curtains to the dining room end of your living room because it was feeling too harsh. Won’t that be the case again if you add stickwood sliders?
(and for those of us who can’t watch the vlog, what is stickwood? I’ll have to Google that)
What if instead of a wood slider, you did a fabric slider? Have a curtain but pop a tension rod in the bottom to create a fabric screen? You need some warmth/colour in that corner, I agree. It looks lovely thus far. Sweet P is going to think he’s moved to Heaven when he comes home to you & Kevin. What a lovely home and a lovely couple.
5’5″? Hee hee, I’m a bit taller than you π I’m 5’7″ π
Cheerio for now!
Maryjane from MB
P.S. to Debbie (above me), you’ll love Layla’s blog, she’s awesome! If you believe in a Higher Power, thank it that you’ve found Layla. She is truly a gift from above. And have fun going through the archives. I recommend starting with the favourite posts. That’s what I did. She’s amazing! I too wish I was a neighbour.
Carole
This is so great, because we’re planning to build bookshelves flanking our fireplace (they NEED to be custom because one wall is an inch longer than the other).
I’ve never been happy with any of the blinds, curtains, or anything else that I’ve put on our two small windows either. I hadn’t considered something like this, which is odd, considering we had sliding louvers in our first house (on the sliding door), and I told hubby some time back that I’d like something like the sliding shutters in the master bedroom. π
Lauren
Looks awesome!! Can’t wait to see the progress of it all π
Lauren | Lovely DΓ©cor
xx
Shari
Hi,
The day after you originally posted your idea about putting up curtains on each side of your fireplace I woke up and (I swear it was a God-thing) I “KNEW” you were supposed to put up small barn-style doors. The idea didn’t come from me, it came from HIM. I wrote to you about it the next door. My guess is you forgot about it and seemingly thought this idea came to you on your own after the curtains you tried didn’t look right. I am not trying to get credit for the barn door idea. It was HIS idea. I just wanted to remind you. God cares about helping us and about our happiness even when it involves mundane things like decorating π
Layla
Hi Shari!
Oh no! I *toooootally* remember that you (and others) suggested sliding shutters! That’s what prompted me to experiment with the idea once I knew the curtains didn’t look right! I think I even responded to some of the comments about them on that post. I was just sooooo sure I didn’t want another hard surface up there- LOL! π
I apologize if I you thought I was taking credit for the idea in this post. I was just excited to share the in-progress Stikwood shutter! π I’m thankful to have so many creative e-friends that I can bounce ideas back and forth with, and I can hardly wait to share pics of the finished product! XO
lindsey marlor
ok how cute are you and your videos!! New follower and love your blog so far!