This arrived in the mail yesterday and I got giddy!

I know…you’re probably saying what is that??

Well, before we moved we had just gotten new windows, and I loved them.  I was happy that the house we moved to had newer windows, and that they were double hungs….but they didn’t have the grids that I loved.  Our old ones looked like this…

They just had grids in the top.

I went over to a friends house one night and saw that she had added grids to her windows.  I loved it and she said it was so easy!

So I went on the  New Panes website and quickly ordered myself the medium sampler kit to try it out for myself.  I loved them so much that I just ordered the rest to finish our upstairs, and our guest house.

So…how does new panes work?  Well, you get these connectors….

I used one for each window, except for in the guest house when I did the whole window and did two.  These cost $.69 a piece…what a splurge:)

Then, you receive this pvc that you cut and put on the ends…

I just used a scissors and was able to complete all of my windows within an hour.  I would recommend that you cut the pieces just a tiche longer than needed so you can trim to a perfect fit.

So, what exactly do these do?? Well, here are Kynlee’s windows before…

and after adding the new panes…

It’s not a huge difference, but it adds a bit more character.  The pvc pieces are 2.99 a piece, and I figured it takes about 1 1/2 to do each window, so these 2 windows cost me under $11.  What I really love is that you also see them from the outside of the house.  It really looks like we got all new windows when you drive up:)

Here’s one more example….

The guest house before…

and now with new panes:)

and this is how it looks on the outside…

To get them to stick you put little pieces of double stick velcro on the cross piece so they easily pop on and off for cleaning!

And here’s how a little bit more of the house looks with the new windows:)

I love how well they show up!

So, our new windows cost us $140 to do the whole house and guest house.  I didn’t think that was too bad:)  And that was with shipping x2, so if you really think you’re gonna want do your whole house, I would try to order in one package since shipping is $10-$15.

Putting grids in only the top pane was also cost effective for us, but this wouldn’t work if you had crank outs or sliders since there is no division.  They do have corners you can buy so you could make a surround for the area, but again, that would be more money.   Please let me know if you have any questions!  For now, I’m just enjoying looking out my new “old” windows:)

One of the first pieces of furniture Ryan and I bought together was a bed.  We ended up getting a dark wood sleigh bed, but in true allie fashion it got a “white paint” makeover a few years later:)

all you wood lovers may want to close your eyes!

When we moved to the farmhouse I ended up distressing it as well.

In a miraculous event, one night out on the town with friends I got the hubby to walk into Restoration Hardware with me.  If you don’t know Ryan you won’t understand how truly amazing that is:)  I drooled for awhile, even though nothing would fit in our house:)  but then Ryan saw a bed similar to this and said, now that I would like….

source

Imagine my shock!  I said, “Honey, if you are asking me to buy a new piece of furniture you just have to say the word!”  This never happens, it’s usually me begging and prepping him for about a year and then I finally save enough or wear him down;)  But this lil sweetie rings in around $2500, not even an option for us.

To Ryan’s credit, he wanted a new bed because he was sick of a footboard.  He said his feet always hit it so he would love a bed without one.  It wasn’t just because he liked the style better, or because he loves change…or because he has a sickness…nope, that’s me:)

HE’S JUST PRACTICAL.

But this time I’ll take it:)

So, imagine my surprise when a few days later I saw that Joss & Main was having a sale on upholstered headboards….and not only that but everything was an additional 30% off for cyber Monday!  Ryan doesn’t know how dangerous it is when he opens his mouth:)

I was debating between this one…

and this one…

Sorry, that was the biggest pic I could find.

So, after much debating….although I loved the top one and was drawn to it, I was cautious that it might be dated a little more than the other.  Also, our house has more of a casual feel, not so formal, so I thought the bottom one was just a bit simpler.  I literally ordered the bed at 11:30, a half an hour before the sale was over…I HATE making impulse buys.  But 30% off was just too good.  I tried to order just the headboard, a steal at $175, but of course it was sold out.  So…I ended up buying the whole bed set for $320, which in the long run I’m grateful.  It came with the frame and upholstered rails and all.

I love when I can trade out furniture without a huge expense, and after I sell our sleigh bed, we aren’t out too much money!  Win win.

The bed came in the mail while Ryan was gone up North.  I can’t wait for anything, so I dismantled the sleigh bed and put together the new bed all by myself.  Fingers crossed it holds together!

Here’s a little sneak peak of her in our room…but I’m waiting a bit to show you the whole room as it is “in decorator’s crisis.”  One thing always seems to lead to the next….so the story goes.

So here’s a little sneak peak!

although I am desperately in love with the old trunk, I kind of want to trade it out for one of these…

Someday:)

I love the natural linen color and the nailhead trim.  It gives it a little masculine feel to even out the soft curve.

I’m still working out the bedding, but I knew I wanted a white coverlet to add some more weight.  I was looking for awhile and couldn’t find anything that I liked for under $80, until I ran across this cutie from TJMaxx.  It was orginally $160, at TJ for $80, and clearanced out for $29!!!  Huge score, and I love how playful it is!  I’ll show more of it later:)

I’m so grateful that just the headboard was sold out…I love the upholstered rails the whole bed came with.  Definitely worth the price.

So if you’ve never heard of Joss & Main, you should check it out here.  They run different sales everyday, and they have some really good deals.  The shipping wasn’t bad for a huge bed either, I think it was under $20!

**I know some of you are probably thinking, there a million diy upholstered headboard tutorials out there, I can’t believe you didn’t try to do it yourself.  After reading some of them, and seeing that most people spent at least $125 on foam and fabric alone, this was a much better option.  And the finish looks very high quality, something I know my own diy wouldn’t:)