I am back with another affordable rug round-up! You all loved the last one at the DIY Duplex Airbnb, and since there is some down time at our I Spy Abode Airbnb, we are doing some updates and refreshing some rooms. Loloi Rugs came out with a new line of printed rugs, called Hathaway, and the colors and pattern work PERFECTLY with the design of the house. Plus, I love these printed rugs because they are super durable, and easy to clean, which is ideal for the Airbnbs. The design is printed on a mat-like material, so they are soft and would be great for a kids room/nursery, but can also hold up to wear and tear from guests and pups. AND they are affordable. The 5X7 is just over $100! I always find it super helpful to see a rug in someone’s home before purchasing, so I styled up 4 rooms with different rugs from the collection. Heads up, you can’t buy the rugs directly from Loloi, but the whole collection can be purchased here.
First up! The living room. We bought this teal sofa bed from IKEA a couple months ago, and I wanted a rug that would work with the color. I love that this one had a little teal in it, really pulling the room together. In general, the house reads a little cooler because of the Sherwin Williams Pure White walls. The rug looks less tan in this space, and the colors are a bit bolder.
This is actually the same pattern rug as the living room, just in different colors, Navy/Tan. I LOVE how the peachy pink picks up the color of the Behr Spiced Brandy door and the copper accents in the kitchen. I was thinking that the perimeter would be charcoal, but it’s closer to a dark blue. I honestly did not decorate this house with any blue, but once I laid down the rug and stepped back, I loved the color!
Since the dining room rug is bolder, I wanted a more muted rug runner for the kitchen, but with those same peachy pink colors, so went with the Beige version. This rug is my favorite from the collection. It’s so pretty, and the colors could work with so many different designs. A green accent chair would really pull out the olive tones, or you could play up the different blues…I honestly don’t think you can go wrong with this rug!
I am such a fan of the classic look of a peg rail, and they are so simple to DIY! You all have been asking for a tutorial since I installed one in the Barnhouse pantry, so I made sure to work a peg rail into the DIY Duplex design so we could document the process! Plus, we partnered up with BLACK+DECKER, and used their 20V MAX* Lithium Ion Drill/Driver + 68 Piece Project Kit, which has all the tools to get you started on this project! Head over to the video on IGTV for real time steps as we built it!
What you will Need:
BLACK+DECKER 20V MAX* Drill/Driver 20V MAX* Lithium Ion Battery Tape Measure 12 oz. Hammer Screwdriver Bits Drilling Bits Spade Bits (All found in BLACK+DECKER 20V MAX* Lithium Ion Drill/Driver + 68 Piece Project Kit) Ikea Bracket Stud Finder -OR- Wall Anchors for brackets 1×10 Common Boards Bullet Level Speed Square Shaker Pegs Caulk Wood filler Wood glue Screws Miter Saw (or you can take measurements beforehand and have the wood cut to size at the hardware store.) Table Saw (Optional. In case you want a specific board width not available in stores)
Step 1: Mount the brackets
Use a stud finder to figure out where the studs are in the wall. If you can screw the brackets into the studs, wonderful! If not, use wall anchors to install brackets so they can handle the weight of the shelf. I wanted ours centered on the sink/light, so we used anchors on one and drilled into studs for the other two using the drill/driver. In order for step 2 to work, it’s important for the brackets to be plumb (straight up and down). I found it easiest to set both screws in the wall to secure the bracket, but not tightened all the way. Use the bullet level to find plumb, hold the bracket in place and tighten the screws down 100%.
I’m excited to share the kitchen makeover at the DIY Duplex! This is my favorite space in the downstairs unit. We were on a tight budget for this DIY renovation, and found a bunch of cost savings ways to make a fun and functional kitchen for our Airbnb guests!
Cabinets
During the process of picking out supplies for this kitchen (see more on the “DUPLEX KITCHEN” highlight on @ISPYDIY Instagram) you all were most interested in the cabinets. We designed kitchens at both Ikea and Menards using their online kitchen design programs – check out the Menards Kitchen Designer here and the Ikea one here. You can also go into the store and work with a designer (which can be a lot quicker then learning the program). The price was pretty comparable between the two, with Menards being a little better of a deal if you order during Menards 11% rebate event, which amounted to a couple hundred dollars in store credit back. The big reason we went with the Menards kitchen is that the cabinet bases come already assembled, whereas the Ikea ones come in flat boxes and need to be built from scratch. Having the cabinets delivered already put together is a HUGE time saver. Mr. Yolo could just set them in place, and then just add the doors and base. Unfortunately, Menards stores are not everywhere in the US, but I asked if they would deliver, and they said to contact the nearest store and ask for shipping options. We are really happy with the quality! I picked the KLËARVŪE Cabinetry in Varsta Canyon, which is a wood laminate finish. They have not got a ton of use yet (the real test will be after the Summer season of Airbnb guests), but they seem solid so we feel confident they will withstand heavy use.
COST Cabinets/trim = $1400 and then took advantage of the 11% rebate at Menards.
Table/Island
I bought this antique table awhile back, and when we were looking for an island for this kitchen, this ended up being the exact size needed to fit the space! Just had to do a couple clear coats on the top to seal it, and add casters on the bottom of each leg. Now guests can roll it around the space and use it as a table or prep space for cooking. Best thing is that we repurposed things we already had so the cost was minimal!
Pantry
Durning demo, we uncovered a stairway to nowhere behind the kitchen wall! We turned the unused space into a pantry and put a stacked washer/dryer on the back wall. We installed shelves for all the cleaning supplies, plus another peg rail for coat storage. Bonus space well used!
Peg rail
We saved a bunch of money by not doing upper cabinets which works great for an Airbnb because short-term guests do not need the storage. Stay tuned, because later this week I will have a tutorial for the peg rail!
Tile
When I got a sneak peek at this tile by Annie Selke for The Tile Shop, I knew I wanted to use it in my next project! You all know that I have put The Tile Shop tile in all my home renovations, so I was so excited when they agreed to sponsor the tile in this kitchen. I love putting statement tile in our houses, because they stand out to potential renters on Airbnb. This tile is not “budget”, but as a designer I love the opportunity to show you all how it looks in a space, so you know if a statement tile is right for you! I am so in love with the floor tile, and can see it in a mudroom or laundry room if it is too bold for a kitchen. And this subway tile has a handmade look, with aging around the edges and a crackle finish, giving it a softer feel than traditional subway tile. I love it so much that we used it in the bathroom and the upstairs kitchen, and have plans to use it for the backsplash in another house.
To save money on countertops, we chose butcher block, and only spent $220! In general, you sacrifice durability for the low cost, and add some routine maintenance that the higher cost countertops, like Quartz, do not require. But, we have butcher block countertops in another house where the kitchen gets used a ton, and have not had any major problems. For any stains, scuffs, or water marks we buff out with 220 grit sandpaper and recoat with butcher block oil. Since the cabinets are wood color in this kitchen, we tried something new, and perhaps a little risky, and white washed the countertops with 3 coats of Antique White stain and then used a Butcher Block Oil & Finish to seal them. So far, this combo has repelled stains, but we have not done any major cooking (or wine pouring) in the kitchen. The nice thing is, we can always sand them down and re-stain darker if the upkeep of the white is too tough. I’ll do a follow-up on these countertops once we have more guests cooking in the kitchen!
We made sure to shop for appliances during the Labor Day sales at Home Depot, and got great deals on Frigidaire! (Fun tip: If Menards is running their 11% rebate, Home Depot also honors it. So use that as a time to shop the prices of each store, knowing that you’ll get 11% store credit with whichever one you choose. With a Home Depot receipt in hand, go to homdepotrebates11percent.com. One caveat is that we are not sure the geographical restrictions that Home Depot, since they are national and Menards is midwest.)
COST Fridge = $998 Dishwasher = $298 Range = $300 (purchased from a friend)
Exposed Brick
We were so excited when we found the original chimney behind the drywall. It’s Cream City Brick, which is native to Milwaukee. To clean the brick we sprayed it with diluted vinegar and scrubbed with a firm bristle brush, cleaned off with a sponge, and repeat. We thought about sealing it, but were super happy with how it cleaned up!
