Hello, fellow DIY enthusiasts and Sawdust Girl readers!

From Concept to Creation: My Living Room’s Ultimate DIY Transformation

My name is Kellyn, and I’m thrilled to share my latest and most ambitious project with you – what I affectionately call “The Big Guy.” This wasn’t just another renovation; it was a journey of passion, perseverance, and ultimately, pure joy, culminating in a magnificent focal point for our family living room.

Inspired by the Best: A Shout Out to Sawdust Girl

Before diving into the details of “The Big Guy,” I simply must send a massive shout-out to Sandra. Isn’t she absolutely incredible? Her blog and vibrant social media presence have been an unparalleled source of inspiration, fueling my confidence and providing the practical insights needed to truly achieve my building potential. Sawdust Girls truly rule, empowering so many of us to pick up tools and create magic!

My DIY Awakening: From Starter Home to Dream Space

The Genesis of a Dream: A New Chapter in Wisconsin

My husband and I embarked on our homeownership journey six years ago, settling into our first starter house – a builder-spec home – in a charming town just west of Madison, WI. Life took a beautiful turn in May 2011 with the arrival of our daughter, Aviana, or Avi as we lovingly call her. Fortuitously, our stars aligned, allowing me to transition from my job to become a full-time stay-at-home mom. While this brought immense joy, it also opened a Pandora’s box of home improvement ideas, transforming every corner of our house into a potential project.

First Steps into Building: The Deck that Started It All

Two years into our new family life, we tackled our first major construction endeavor: a substantial 16×20 foot deck, complete with an 8-foot privacy panel. This project was my profound introduction to the world of building, marking a true breakthrough moment in discovering my deep love for craftsmanship. I meticulously drew out every plan by hand, pencil and paper becoming my initial blueprints. I spent hours taking precise measurements and pre-cutting materials before my husband even arrived home from work, ensuring we could swiftly assemble sections each evening. It was during this time that I truly fell in love with the miter saw – its precision and efficiency captivated me, making the building process feel both empowering and immensely satisfying.

Turning Inward: A House Full of Untapped Potential

With the exterior project successfully completed, my focus naturally shifted to the interior of our home. My brain began to buzz with a whirlwind of ideas. This little builder-grade house, despite its fairly decent layout, was crying out for personality and intricate details. I envisioned transforming its generic spaces into areas brimming with character and warmth, starting with the most prominent features.

From Builder-Grade to Bespoke: Interior Renovations Take Shape

Battling the Builder-Grade Blues: A War on Carpet and Oak

My aesthetic grievances were quite specific: I absolutely detested the ubiquitous carpet and, even more so, ALL the orange-toned oak trim that permeated every room. It felt dated, generic, and frankly, sucked the life out of the space. My initial offensive began with painting the trim a crisp, clean white. The immediate transformation was astounding – it instantly brightened and modernized the entire house. This success spurred me on to the next major undertaking: tearing out the carpet. With my husband as my capable, albeit sometimes grumbling, labor partner, we conquered the hardwood floor installation in just one weekend. The change was monumental, bringing warmth and elegance to our home.

Embracing Craftsman Style and Ongoing Kitchen Adventures

Simultaneously, other projects began to unfold. Our kitchen renovation is still a work in progress – a common tale for many DIYers, as I often find myself jumping between projects as inspiration strikes. However, a significant aesthetic upgrade has been the ongoing replacement of the old oak trim with chunky, substantial white craftsman-style trim. It’s simply “yummy,” adding a layer of architectural depth and bespoke charm that was sorely missing. Luckily, my husband, despite his occasional grumbles during heavy lifting, is an invaluable asset to these ambitious endeavors.

The “Wall of Nothing” Transformation: Crafting Our Living Room’s Heart

Vision and Planning: Defining the Undefined

The concept for our living room’s “wall of nothing” began to crystallize around Christmas last year. As you might notice from some of my early project photos, I even had festive decorations still adorning the mantelpiece when I captured those initial shots. This expansive, blank wall felt like a missed opportunity, begging to be transformed into a dynamic focal point. The planning phase was extensive, involving countless hours sifting through thousands of inspiration pictures and meticulously sketching out over a dozen different designs. This intensive brainstorming period lasted about four months, ensuring every detail was considered before I finally plunged into the actual construction.

The Heart of the Home: Building the Fireplace

The fireplace proved to be the most challenging, yet ultimately the most rewarding, part of the entire build. My vision for its aesthetic was clear, but working with a perfectly flat wall presented a significant hurdle: how to create visual depth and presence. My solution involved strategically building out the top mantelpiece using 2x4s, securely attaching them to the wall. This clever technique effectively made the entire fireplace structure pop out, giving it the substantial, integrated look I desired.

The journey to perfecting the fireplace pillars was another test of patience and precision. I built and tore them down no less than three times, each iteration bringing me closer to the ideal depth and proportion. It was a painstaking process of trial and error, but I refused to settle until the dimensions felt absolutely right, ensuring the fireplace surround achieved the balanced and elegant appearance I had envisioned.

The Bling Factor: Mother of Pearl Tiles – A Daring Design Choice

A Leap of Faith: Embracing First-Time Tiling

Ultimately, the best and my absolute favorite part of this entire project are the stunning Mother of Pearl fireplace tiles. This was a completely new venture for me; I had never tackled tiling before. Initially, my plan and budget had revolved around retaining the old, existing tiles, with the reasoning that “I could always change out the tile later.”

However, after weeks of stalling on installing the fireplace surrounds, a profound sense of unease settled over me. After pouring so much effort and passion into the build, I couldn’t shake the feeling that keeping the old, unloved tiles would be a mistake. I truly hated them, and they simply wouldn’t do justice to the custom work surrounding them.

The Budget vs. Taste Dilemma: Finding a Creative Solution

For another week, I wrestled with this decision. As I soon discovered, I possess rather expensive taste when it comes to tile! Nearly every option that caught my eye was priced between $20-$30 per square foot. Given I needed 11 square feet for the entire fireplace surround, the total cost would quickly escalate to approximately $300. “OMG, nope!” was my immediate, emphatic reaction to that budget-buster.

Then, a brilliant idea struck me! I realized I had extra hardwood flooring from our previous installation. What if I extended the hardwood all the way to the fireplace hearth, only applying tile to the vertical surface of the fireplace surround itself? This ingenious modification drastically reduced the tile area needed to a mere 5 square feet! It worked perfectly, not only solving the aesthetic dilemma but also making my budget manageable. Even better, I found my dream Mother of Pearl tiles on sale! It truly felt like it was meant to be – a touch of well-deserved “Bling Bling” that was absolutely worth every penny, elevating the fireplace to a true masterpiece.

The Grand Reveal: A Dream Realized and Future Visions

I am utterly in love with the outcome! The entire living room has been transformed into a warm, inviting, and highly functional space. The custom fireplace, flanked by its built-in shelving, anchors the room beautifully, creating a sophisticated focal point that was once just a blank wall. Every detail, from the chunky craftsman trim to the shimmering Mother of Pearl tiles, speaks to the countless hours and heartfelt effort poured into this project.

The only remaining task is to craft and install the doors for the bottom cabinets, which will have to wait until spring. My workshop, unfortunately, gets a little too chilly for detailed woodworking during the colder months.

Passing on the Passion: The Next Generation of Sawdust Girls

And speaking of new beginnings, my dad got Avi her very own tool bench for Christmas! Now, she can be just like Mommy, a “Mini-Me Sawdust Girl,” already showing signs of a budding passion for building and creating. It’s incredibly rewarding to see her engage with tools, even if they’re miniature, knowing she might someday share this incredible hobby.

My Journey Continues

This project has been a testament to what’s possible with a clear vision, a dash of creativity, and a willingness to learn and push boundaries. It has not only transformed our living room but also deepened my love for DIY and the incredible satisfaction that comes from building something beautiful with your own hands. I hope my journey inspires you to tackle your own home transformation projects!

Warmly,

Kellyn