Cover those outlets!

I have a pet peeve in kitchen design.

Well, several, actually.  

But for today, let's talk about outlets in kitchens.

Building codes typically require lots of electrical outlets 

to be placed where they make sense, on paper. 

In reality, those places don't always look attractive. 

In a kitchen, outlets are required every several feet in the back splash area.

Where do you put them if your back splash design is important to you 

and the outlets land smack in the middle of them?

I have been designing kitchens for 25+ years 

and this is not a new problem.

With all of the gorgeous, not to mention expensive tile choices available these days, 

good planning is necessary for the end result to look just right.

Nobody wants to end up with this.

                                                   

Photo from A Little Design Help

I'm not the first person to rail against this problem.  

Here's a link to another blogger's post 

about outlets and lots of creative ideas to cover them.

In my own kitchen, I wanted an even simpler solution. 

 I didn't use tile, I used V-groove paneling for my back splash areas.

You can see the outlets in these early kitchen photos.

My strategy was to install the outlets horizontally 

and as low as I could talk the electrician into doing.

That way, you can just place something in front of the outlet 

to cover it.  

In the photo below, 

I had him squeeze one in to the corner 

so I could put a little lamp there and not see the outlet.

(Darling Daughter was just home for the weekend and left her mark, above)

I could have painted the outlet covers to match the painted wood, 

but I haven't bothered because I hung some vintage prints there 

and the outlets never show.

With the V-groove paneling, it's easy to pop a tiny nail into the wood 

and hang a artwork right over those offending outlets.

When I need to use this outlet, I just put the print aside 

and rehang it when I'm finished.

Same thing on the opposite side of the cook top.

The prints are nice because they don't take up any working counter space  

and that's always a priority for me.

I did the same thing in my trusty old oak kitchen...

If you have tile, you can always just lean prints 

or cutting boards against the outlets, too.

I love this look from Patina Farms. 

This could work in a back splash area too.

My island has outlets, too, but I buried them 

in the overhang space where the seats are-

Because I wanted to avoid doing this...

to this...

This end panel is too pretty to disfigure with an outlet, don't you think?

The outlets are barely noticeable under the overhang, as you can see below.

It's easy to sit at the island and plug in a laptop 

or plug in the mixer if I'm making cookies and want to spread things out.

So, cover those outlets.

That's my helpful little tip for the day.

Linking to:
Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch
Inspire Me Tuesday at A Stroll Through Life
The Scoop at Stone Gable

Handmade Gift Tags

It's that Cabin Fever time of year.

I'm home, it's cold out and I'm getting crafty.

I don't know about you, 

but I am often wrapping a wine bottle as a gift, 

usually at the last minute, 

and 

I struggle to find a gift tag that is unique and personal.

And worthy.

 I love making gift tags.

Quick little crafts that are also functional!

When Mr. Grand asks "So, what did you do today?"

I can say "I saved enormous amounts of money 

making a gift tag for the party tonight!"

I am so virtuous.

I wrote this post about the gift tags 

that I made for a wedding shower gift 

using small canvases and Mod Podge. 

I've been scouring Pinterest for some new ideas 

for gift tags 

and found some really great stuff.

Here's a link to my Pinterest board.  

I'd love it if you'd follow me along!

Anyway, lots of cross brain idea waves bouncing around.

I had a supply of plain kraft paper tags 

to use as the basis for something fun.

I got those out and 

Then I dug into my stash of napkins that must be hoarded for crafts

and I found these gorgeous floral designs. 

I decoupaged a few napkin scraps onto tags and added sheer ribbon ties.

They turned out so pretty. 

While searching my stash, I spotted a sheet of thin cork 

that I had bought at Hobby Lobby for something, someday.

I do that way too often.

And I thought hmmmm...

Cork tags for wine bottles!

So, using the kraft paper tag as a template, I cut out some tags.

I cut them a little shorter because I liked the size better 

and I could make more 

and there would be less waste.

Remember, I am virtuous.

Then I added some jute twine to tie them with.

I tied knots on the ends to keep the twine from unraveling 

and because I like how they look.

And here they are!

They look great 

tied onto a bottle of my favorite Chardonnay 

made by our friends, Tom and Joan, 

at their winery, Blustone.

I wrote a post about their adventures here.

They are still making great wines 

and winning international awards for their efforts.

These wines need worthy tags.

These just might do.

Linking to Parties at:
Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch
The Scoop at Stone Gable
Inspire Me Tuesday at A Stroll Through Life
Wow Us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style

Living Large in Small Spaces

Funny story.

Recently, I was honored to be asked to write a blog post 

about our little cottage on the lake 

for the blog A Joyful Cottage.

.

Nancy, the Joyful Cottage blogger, had seen some photos on Houzz 

of our cottage that were taken by Gridley and Graves 

for a feature in Cottage Style Magazine.

Nancy wrote a post about the photos 

for a series on her blog called Living Large in Small Spaces.

My sweet blogger friend Lynne from Irish Garden House 

saw the pictures, recognized our cottage and sent me a link.

And then Nancy contacted me and asked me to tell the rest of the story.
It seemed like a good idea
and it forced me to organize all of my posts
about the cottage into one easy to read place.

So, here's the Joyful Cottage post!

Hello, Joyful Cottage Readers!

My name is Erin and I write a blog called Just*Grand. 

It's a blog about ideas, designs, crafts, renovations, recipes 

and anything else that I think is - Just Grand!

I was thrilled when Nancy at a Joyful Cottage 

asked me to share the story of our Little Cottage by the Lake.

I am always happy to talk about our little cottage.  

It's been a true labor of love!

Let's start at the very beginning.

I have always, always wanted a cottage by a lake.

A little cottage.  By a big lake.  Like Lake Michigan.

I wanted big sky and sunsets and sandy beaches and crystal clear water.

I wanted to be able to see weather fronts approaching.

I am awed by the wind and the clouds and the power of the lake.

We found one such cottage on a bluff overlooking Lake Michigan, 

only an hour and a half drive from our home.

It was a sad little cottage, shabby and much neglected-

Which was perfect for me.  

I love a good project and this one promised to be huge! 

We took a leap and have never looked back.

Here's a link to a post I wrote about finding the cottage.

Ours is the second one in from the left.

These cottages were built about 80 years ago, as housekeeping cottages 

where families came to enjoy the cool breezes by the lake.

We share the lawn with the other cottages
and we play games and host parties
and at least one family even had a wedding there.
Here's a view from across the lawn.

Our cottage actually looks charming, from a distance!

This picture below shows what truly awful condition it was in.

Horrible.

But the setting was great and the bones were good. 

We had to replace virtually everything, inside and out.

Here's how it looks after our renovations.
This will make your eyes feel better....

New roof, siding, windows, doors, deck, landscaping 

and even a new sidewalk that connects all of the cottages.

We had the power lines that were attached to the front of the cottage buried
and what a difference that made!

Here's how the back of the cottage looked when we bought it.



So shabby!

Here's how it looks after the renovations.

This photo was taken by Gridely and Graves
when our cottage was featured in Cottage Style Magazine!

We added an outdoor shower that is just heavenly.

And last summer, we added this little railing by the back steps...

Those before pictures hurt my eyes.

Look at this instead.

That's better. 

That's why we're here!

The Lake.

Remember this, because there are more ugly Before pictures coming.

On the inside, we replaced everything too.

All new electric, plumbing, hardwood floors, drywall, molding, 

vaulted ceilings, skylights, a loft, 

a new kitchen and a new bathroom.

Here's a picture from the main living room, Before.

And that same view now...

Believe it or not, the burnt orange fireplace was salvaged by a friend of the builder's!

And I do not miss it. 

Here's the front porch room, before.

And here's how it looks now.

And a link to a post I wrote about it.

This is another photo by Gridley and Graves. 

They made it look so dreamy.

Let's look at the kitchen.

Warning- Not pretty.

That's the hot water heater under the little window 

and it was taking up precious space in the kitchen.

We moved it up to the attic. 

And we saved that one cute little window.

My husband spent an entire weekend stripping and refinishing it 

and then decided we needed all new windows.

I was able to find someone who wanted to salvage the old windows.  

They were really cute, but very dilapidated and not insulated.  

I wrote this post about the couple who took the windows 

and what they do with salvaged wood.

Here's how the kitchen looks now.

Another view

and a link to the post I wrote about redoing the kitchen.

On to the bathroom.  

REALLY UGLY.

Keeping the pictures small because they are so ugly.

Here's the bathroom now...

And a link to the post I wrote about remodeling it.

The tub was scooped up by a neighbor who longed for a vintage claw foot tub. 

We were happy to help!

Here's a detail of the tile in the shower.

And the watery blue floor

Ahhhhh.

We made some changes in the master bedroom, too.

Here's a picture of the room before it was redone.

This photo by Gridley and Graves shows how the same bedroom wall looks now.

We tore out the closet in the corner 

and added two small closets on the opposite wall, on either side of the window, below.

We also removed the plywood ceiling and paneling from the walls 

and had the ceiling in the room vaulted. 

We put the little salvaged window from the kitchen 

up into the new gable wall 

and had a skylight installed over the bed.  

It's lovely to lay in bed and see the stars or watch it snow.

And here's a post I wrote about the bedroom changes.

Here's a peek into the tiny second bedroom. 

My son calls it the closet with some shelves you can sleep on!

It's tiny but it works!

The colors I used in the cottage were inspired by the colors at the beach

and by the beach glass that constantly washes up in the sand.

So, I got my wish...

Big sky, sandy beach, clear blue water...

You can see the weather coming when it's hours (or minutes away)!

And the sunsets!

It's all Just*Grand!

Thanks, Nancy!

Linking to: 

Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch

Inspire Me Tuesday at A Stroll Through Life

The Scoop at Stone Gable

Inspire Me Monday at Sand and Sisal

Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style