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Updated: Apr 11, 2022 by Kris Jarrett

The Projects We’re Knocking Out in NC, A Must-Have Gadget For a Common Outlet Problem, & The Best Memorial Day Weekend Sales!

Ready for a little Memorial Day weekend randomness? It’s coming your way as a “View It, Do It, You It” post where I share something I think you’d love seeing (“View It”), a quick & easy decorating or DIY tip that you can knock out in 20 minutes or less (“Do It”), and some favorite finds for you and your home (“You It”).  Today I’m giving you a peek at the projects going on at our house in NC, a gadget that’s the most genius solution for outlets buried behind furniture, and the best Memorial Day weekend sales. Let’s get to it… (affiliate links included in post – full disclosure statement available {here})

I spent the last two weeks at our North Carolina home trying to get a few projects knocked out to pave the way for refinishing our hardwood floors next month – total domino effect going on here! While we all love a good “before” and “after”, sometimes there’s a whole lot of ugly that goes on between the two 🙈. I keep hearing from you guys that you’d like to see more of the in-between progress so thought I’d share some of that with you today.

Project #1 was to remove four interior columns that were purely decorative a la 1990s style. It included these two columns between our living room & entry (this is a pic I snapped right after we closed on our house):

Decorative columns that are being removed

and two more between our living room and dining room. If I was ever going to have them taken down it needed to be before we refinish the floors since once they were removed,

The interior columns we removed

I knew there would be squares of unfinished hardwood where the column bases once stood:

Unfinished floors that were beneath the columns we removed

Project #2 was removing the decorative arch over the two columns that had been dividing the living and dining rooms. While I love arched openings, this one made the two spaces feel choppy and I was ready for it to hit the highway for a more open, airy look:

Removing the arch dividing our living and dining rooms

There’s still some patch work to do but it already feels so much more spacious:

Removing the dividing arch between our living and dining rooms

Project #3 is the start of a fireplace makeover – I want to redesign the face of our fireplace to something a little more modern and clean-lined including lowering the mantel height so we can mount a TV above it (I’ve never been a huge fan of TVs over the fireplace but it’s really the only spot for it in this room). This is also a needed-to-be-done-before-the-floors-are-refinished project since the footprint of the new fireplace face will differ from that of the old one. Also, I wanted to remove the hearth and run the hardwoods all the way up to the fireplace (a hearth isn’t required with my gas insert) to create an easier walking path in front of it than there is now.  My contractor did an awesome job carefully peeling off the layers – that whole front panel above the mantel was just a thin wood sheet that popped right off:

Remodeling our fireplace

So now I get to start with a new design from scratch!:

Removing the face of our fireplace to modernize the design

I’ve got my new design all sketched out and am anxious to get going on it but am on hold until we can get the fireplace company out to look at it (they are booked weeks out!) because I want to update the face of our fireplace insert first if we can.

And the last domino that has to fall before we refinish the floors? We’re going to have to remove the toilet and pedestal sink in our powder room before the refinishing is done so I figured that it was a good time to swap the pedestal sink out for a small vanity. Our current pedestal sink is dated and not very functional either because if you have even the skinniest soap pump on it, you can’t turn the faucet handle on and off without it being in the way:Our powder room before remodeling

I’m still debating which vanity I’m going to replace it with, but I’ve done a lot of searching and gathered together these favorites:

Looking for a small bathroom vanity? These are my favorites!

Sources: 1. 26″ Wood vanity with caning  |  2. Gray 24″ vanity (also available in blue & white)  |  3. White 30″ vanity with arched base  |  4. Blue 24″ vanity (also available in gray & white and in 30″ size)  |  5. Powder blue 24″ vanity (lots of other color options)  |  6. White 30″ vanity with bottom drawer  |  7. Dark gray 30″ vanity with scalloped botttom edging (also available in deep blue & white)  |  8. Light gray 30″ vanity (also available in white, blue, green, & teak  |  9. Gray 24″ vanity with slatted shelf (also available in blue, white, & black)  |  10. Blue 30″ louvered door cabinet (also available in white, gray, & dark green)  |  11. Modern 26″ wood vanity  |  12. White 20″ vanity with metal-capped legs (also available in gray and blue)

Which one do you like best?

I also knocked out some serious carpet shopping since our bedroom carpeting needs replacing pretty badly! I think I found “the one” (it’s Karastan’s Cambridge Manor in English Toffee) – here’s a sample of it laid over the worn & stained carpet that’s currently in there:

The new carpet for our bedrooms - Karastan's Cambridge Manor!

Plus I made some progress on figuring out the design for our master closet – more coming on those projects in a later post! If you’re newish here and wondering why we have this home in NC that we’re fixing up – {this post} that I wrote in 2019 after we bought it shares all the details on our plans.

Have you ever had something plugged into an outlet behind a piece of furniture that prevented you from pushing your furniture flush against the wall? And it’s hard to access an outlet behind furniture too. I have both issues with the dresser between the two beds in my girls’ room but recently found the simplest gadget that totally solves this problem! It’s {this ultra-thin outlet cover with power strip}:

The perfect solution for when your outlet is behind a piece of furniture!

You simply plug it into your outlet and since it’s so thin, you’re able to move your furniture back so it’s almost flush against the wall. The other benefit is that we now have three outlets instead of two and they’re all easy to access! If my girls want to charge their phones or need an outlet for their laptops, they can just grab the power strip from under their dresser instead of trying to get to the difficult-to-access plug behind it:

A simple solution for easy access to an outlet behind a piece of furniture!

It’s about as simple as it gets for “installation” since all you do is plug it in. So if you have the same outlet issue, just do it – you’ll be so glad you did!

Memorial Day weekend is second only to Black Friday for big sales so it’s a great time to snag things you’ve been eyeing for you or your home! Here are my favorite sale picks:

Serena & Lily has everything on sale at 20% off with code DIVEIN which they only do a few times a year. They have SO many beautiful pieces! A few of my favorites are {these lidded baskets} that I use as hampers, {this darling stool}, {these counter stools} that are both comfortable and indestructible, and {this gorgeous console table} I recently added to our foyer.

Serena & Lily sale favorites from our home!

I have a full post with pictures and links to all of the Serena & Lily items in our home in {this post}. And don’t forget about their wallpaper! Check out {this post} with pics of my favorite Serena & Lily wallpapers in real spaces.

The newest version of my Sun Joe power washer is on big sale – you can buy it for about the price you’d pay to rent one twice! I’ve had mine for about four years now and use it for everything from cleaning our front walkway and porch to our outdoor furniture and cushions, garbage cans, and even my garden shoes and boots! Some people use them to clean their cars, grills, and all sorts of other things. Snag it this weekend while it’s on sale {here} and if you’re a new customer you can even take ANOTHER $20 off with code HSN2021.

Love this power washer!

If you love the T3 hair dryer like I do, you might want to snag {this compact travel version of the T3} while it’s on sale at $80 off! You can find it {here}.

This T3 travel hair dryer is on big sale!

Annie Selke has 20% off most of their in-stock Dash & Albert rugs {here}. These RARELY go on sale and are some of the most beautiful and hardy rugs out there (there are lots of indoor/outdoor rug options) so now’s the time to snag one.

Memorial Day weekend is one of the best times to get good deals on appliances so I finally pulled the trigger and bought the new washer & dryer I’ve been wanting for our NC home. After quite a bit of research I went with {this washer} and {this dryer} – they get great consumer reviews are are Consumer Reports recommended.

One Kings Lane is having one of their best ever sales this weekend with 20% off sitewide PLUS another 10% off orders of $600+ with code OKLTAKE10. They are a great source for higher end lighting including my kitchen island pendants that you can find {here} (mine are the 12.5″ size) along with {these bestsellers}.

Loving this gorgeous pair of gold pendants over the kitchen island!

J. Crew has an extra 50% off all sale styles {here} with code WEEKEND including {this darling gingham one-piece swimsuit}. They also have 25% off all full priced styles.

McGee & Co. has 20% off their entire site with code HELLOSUMMER – shop their sale {here} – they have the prettiest home accessories and furniture!

Horchow has 25% off their entire site – you can shop their sale {here} including {this acrylic ceiling fan} which is such a stunner:

Such a pretty ceiling fan with a satin brass base and acrylic fan blades!

The Company Store has up to 30% off their entire site with code MDWKD21 – I share some of my favorite Company Store bedding in {this post}.

Ann Taylor has 40% off all full priced styles with code CELEBRATE – shop their sale {here}.

Rifle Paper Company has 25% off everything except wallpaper with code BLOOM – the sale includes the awesome wireless charger found {here} that I keep on my nightstand (and my Air Pods case too!):

A Black Friday deal on the cutest Christmas gifts for her - airpod case and wireless charger!

And last but not least, {this hand vac that I have and love} is FINALLY back in stock after months of being unavailable. It’s small and sleek enough that you can get away with keeping it out in the open where it’s easy to grab and the suction is so much better than your typical dust vac. It’s not on sale (I doubt it will be for a bit since they’re obviously having a hard time keeping it stocked) but I wanted to mention it since it’s something I get asked about quite a bit

My favorite hand vac!

Thanks for stopping by the blog today! I wish you a beautiful Memorial Day, remembering and honoring those who courageously gave their lives serving our country. I realize it’s a bittersweet day for many and my thoughts are with those of you who grieve the loss of friends or family who made such a selfless sacrifice. 💕

XO,

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Comments

  1. Sharron Menninger says

    May 31, 2021 at 10:46 am

    Love the Karastan carpet. What color did you chose? thanks

    Reply
    • Kris Jarrett says

      June 03, 2021 at 5:24 pm

      It’s English Toffee 🙂

      Reply
  2. Eleanor Pella says

    May 31, 2021 at 11:45 am

    Kris- I like bathroom sink #7 because is the scallop detail!

    Reply
  3. Patricia says

    May 31, 2021 at 12:17 pm

    Thank you for such complete post! I love everything you are doing
    Can you repost the link for the dryer? It seems to be the same as the washer. I am about to buy them too and I’s like to see what dryer you selected.

    Reply
    • Kris Jarrett says

      June 03, 2021 at 5:25 pm

      Sorry about that – I fixed it!

      Reply
  4. Kathy says

    May 31, 2021 at 12:23 pm

    I absolutely love #7 vanity in blue!! But I equally love #1 and #5. Not sure how you will be able to chose, but you will because you’re a fabulous designer! Greetings from NC!

    Reply
    • Kris Jarrett says

      June 03, 2021 at 5:26 pm

      Thanks Kathy! XO

      Reply
  5. Mary Ann Pickett says

    May 31, 2021 at 1:30 pm

    Kris, I have the same iPod case! Just ordered your slim outlet…such a great idea. You are doing an excellent job beautifying the new house!

    Reply
    • Kris Jarrett says

      June 03, 2021 at 5:28 pm

      Thank you! It’s been a challenge to do from a distance – looking forward to being down there full time when I can really start knocking things out!

      Reply
  6. Nancy says

    May 31, 2021 at 3:55 pm

    I like #5 & 7. I like the drawers instead of doors. I do not share the enthusiasm for the large open areas in the lower section of vanities and bedside tables. Constant dust and clutter.
    I can’t wait to see your fireplace. We completely removed the face of our basement fireplace and I have ideas, it’s just hard to get the insert people to cooperate right now.

    Reply
    • Kris Jarrett says

      June 03, 2021 at 5:30 pm

      Nancy I’m having the SAME issues – my hold-up is the fireplace people. I’m having the hardest time getting anyone to come out to my house about it!

      Reply
  7. Catherine says

    May 31, 2021 at 11:44 pm

    I have been eyeing that ceiling fan with the acrylic blades (on Horchow – and available several other places). Have you purchased or heard anything about it? TIA! Always love and appreciate all of your recommendations!

    Reply
    • Kris Jarrett says

      June 03, 2021 at 5:31 pm

      I don’t know anyone who has it but I might end up getting it for our guest room – I’ll share what I think about it if I do!

      Reply
  8. Cristi says

    May 31, 2021 at 11:48 pm

    Wow!!! The ultra-thin outlet cover w/power strip is the best gadget idea ever! I’m definitely putting one in my cart!
    The Shark hand vac also looks awesome! Another item just added to my wish list!

    Thank you so much for sharing!

    Reply
  9. Anonymous says

    June 01, 2021 at 11:04 am

    Beautiful house! I live the blue color of the front door. So fun ! My favorite sink is no. 11 , the Pottery Barn modern one.

    Reply
    • Anonymous says

      June 01, 2021 at 11:05 am

      Love*

      Reply
    • Kris Jarrett says

      June 03, 2021 at 5:32 pm

      I wish I could see that one in person – I love the lines of it too!

      Reply
  10. Jodie Stanley says

    June 01, 2021 at 3:33 pm

    I really like the #11 vanity. I just found your site, and I’m so glad I did. Really enjoying it.

    Reply
  11. Karen B. says

    June 01, 2021 at 10:09 pm

    Kris,
    Another wonderful and informative post. I love the outlet space saver. I’ve had issues such as this in almost every house I’ve lived in. This is great I also enjoyed the sale information. Thank you.
    Your house in NC will be wonderful.
    I vote for vanity #10, although there are several wonderful vanities in your selection list.
    Karen

    Reply
  12. Jodena says

    June 02, 2021 at 3:03 pm

    Kris. I love your decor and remodel ideas. We built a new house almost 3 years ago, and I started reading your blog after the build. I now have some regrets and would love to change some things but my husband wont permit it already. But just wanted you to know I love the articles. Good luck with NC home.

    Reply
  13. Gail says

    June 02, 2021 at 6:17 pm

    Hi Kris….great post and thanks for listing sales at the more obscure stores. Really appreciate that. Had a quick question….what are the dimensions of your master bath shower niche? Total height?…width…and the placement of that middle shelf? looks as if the space on the bottom is shorter than the top space. Would REALLY appreciate your feedback. Your niche and bath is stunning! Many Many thanks!

    Reply
    • Kris Jarrett says

      June 03, 2021 at 5:36 pm

      Hi Gail – this post should have all the measurements you’re looking for: https://www.drivenbydecor.com/bathroom-measurements-towel-bar-toilet-paper-holder/

      Reply
  14. Suzanne says

    June 04, 2021 at 8:58 am

    I have those same columns but two on each side entering dining room from living room. How did you know they weren’t structural?

    Reply
    • Kris Jarrett says

      June 04, 2021 at 10:06 am

      I hired a structural engineer who came out to evaluate these four columns and two more we have off of our kitchen. Those two ARE structural and he was able to give me the details of what a contractor would need to do to support the ceiling so that the structural ones could be removed too.

      Reply
  15. Margot says

    June 05, 2021 at 5:43 pm

    So many lovely things and ideas in this post! I like vanities 3 and 11. I like the simple timeless lines, the potential for hidden storage (for tp, tissues, and personal items), and the extra width that it sounds you were missing with the pedestal style.

    Reply
  16. Rachel says

    June 08, 2021 at 3:37 pm

    I saw your beautiful blue living room rug. where did you get that one? Thanks!

    Reply

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