Author: Michael Gutelli

  • 5 DIY BUDGET FRIENDLY TIPS TO ORGANIZE YOUR CLOSETS

    Having an organized closet is seriously life changing. Now as much as I’d love to just rip everything out of our closet and start from new, building the perfect closet space just not on our budget at this time. But it will be soon! So what I’m going to show you is how some little changes can make a huge impact. 

    5 budget friendly closet organizing tips

    Invest In Hangers.

    This is seriously essential and pretty much the only cost you’ll have with organizing your closet. The fabric hangers are life changing you guys. I’ve linked several options for you here. 

    And they really work because:

    • They save you room in your closet 
    • Clothing actually stays on them
    • It is so nice to see all the same hangers (I know this is more  personal but the ascetic does it for me)

    Go Through That Closet. 

    Before you even start to switch things out you need to go through and get rid of items you just aren’t wearing. My rule is if I haven’t worn it in the past season or two, it needs to go. 

    Time To Organize. For me I like having my clothing organized by season and length (tanks and camis together and long sleeves in a bunch, I like to have my blouses and dressier tops separate from my tee shirts, this just seems to make finding the right item easier). Michael essentially does the same for his, too.

    5 budget friendly closet organizing tips

    Color Coordinate Everything.  

    You guys this is my favorite tip. Not only does it make your closet actually look pretty it’s so practical! You no longer need to spend the 5 minutes hunting for the right black top when they are all in the same area!

    Place Your Shoes. 

    Here is where Michael and I differ when it comes to closet organization. I like to see all my shoes, where Michael prefers shoe boxes. So we do both. Mine are on shelves at the bottom of the closet and Michael has boxes along the top. All shoes are on rotation for the seasons with our overflow shelving in the basement, until Michael builds our shoe closet;)

    5 budget friendly closet organizing tips

    In case you missed our previous post – 7 Ways To Declutter and Organize Your Life – we’d like to introduce you to a few husband and wife friends that we met at Haven and are co-hosting a weekly linkup with. Meet Lindsey and Chris from Building Bluebird, Sarah and Nick from Nestrs, Morgan and Jamie from Construction 2 Style and Katelynn and Uriah from The Inspiring Investment.

    Together we are are going to share some of our best tips and tricks all centered around a monthly topic. We would love for you all to join in with the fun too by sharing with us your best tips, tricks and ideas on the monthly topic. Each week one of us will be the host and you can drop your link there. 

    This week’s hosts are Sara and Nick from Nestrs so make sure to hop over there and drop any good tips and tricks you might have to share on ORGANIZATION. We want to see them and share them with our readers too. 

    much love-

    Danielle + Michael

    5 budget friendly closet organizing tips
  • CHOOSING THE PERFECT BOLD EXTERIOR DOORS

    Picking the right exterior door can be an overwhelming experience. We knew we needed to decide on doors that would make a statement, provide a safe barrier and stand the elements with these wonderful Michigan winters we have. Our last door was sooo bad that we would get frost build-up on the inside of our door anytime it snowed and froze outside…not fun.  

    We searched for months and months, and finally landed on exactly what we wanted and who made them. But before we dive into that we are going to give you some things to consider that will help you decide exactly what you want and need for your home. 

    perfect bold exterior doors
    perfect bold exterior doors

    1. Material

    What your door is made of matters. Some of the most common materials are wood, fiberglass or  steel. While each creates its own unique look for the exterior of your home, knowing what performs best in the environment you are located is truly important. Since we are located in Michigan and have a wide variety of weather including several cold and extra hot days, we went with fiberglass doors for both their durability and low maintenance.

    2. Natural Light

    Do you want or need extra light coming in from your exterior doors? If privacy is a concern with glass in your front door, Masonite has many options from decorative or textured to internal blinds and privacy. You can also go with clear glass or add grids to nearly any glass option to create visual interest.

    3. Quality

    Trust us from experience having a good quality exterior door is important. No one should have to replace a door after two years, and that is what we were forced to do. Fortunately for us, we found Masonite and have been beyond impressed with the quality, durability and reliable performance. These doors also helped us achieve the ultimate statement we were aiming for within each new doorway. Also, energy efficiency is very important to us and each Masonite door is designed with energy efficiency in mind!

    4. Color

    When it comes to curb appeal your exterior doors bring that up a whole new level! Guess what we chose…black, of course. And wow are they a set of show stoppers! Choose a color that reflects the style of your home, while allowing some permission to take a leap and make a bold statement. 

    5. Style

    Knowing your personal style is important, but knowing the style of your home is essential. If you’re feeling ridiculously lost on this process have no fear because Masonite’s got a helpful quiz to get you started! For us, while we feel our style is a bit more modern (not surprising to anyone at all) we also wanted to stay true to what works with the exterior of our 1950s bungalow. 

    perfect bold exterior doors
    perfect bold exterior doors

    Once you’ve got your doors selected, it’s now time to add in all the fun details. We’ve broke this last part into 3 sections for you to think about when adding your finishing touches! 

    Function

    Having a true function for both the interior and exterior of your entryway is so important. The last thing you want is guest coming in and out of your house with a bunch of stuff piled high for them to see. Look at your entryway as the cover to a book, intriguing, exciting and leaving people wanting to see more! For us, function is wildly important with two little active dudes and our schedules, so everything needs to have a place and serve our family right. 

    Hardware

    You guys, hardware matters. Like a whole lot, we like to look at it as the jewelry to your doors! Spend some time thinking about what you want your hardware to do. Are you looking for keyless entry, smart locks, key holes? Do you want levers or knobs? What finishes speak to you best? And keep in mind the popular myth that all of your door hardware needs to match…it absolutely does not. However, know too that if you go with hardware from different manufactures the key patterns may not align and you’ll be left with specific keys per door. For us, it was worth it. 

    Decor

    All entryways need rugs! There I said it, because you guys they do. You need some place for people to wipe their feet as they come into your home. And if you’re like us you need to give them twice the opportunity to do so, just incase they miss it the first time. I love using entryways to layer rugs. This is the perfect chance to give your space some added personality through both texture and textiles. 

    perfect bold exterior doors
    perfect bold exterior doors

    We hope this helps you land on the perfect exterior doors for your home. Again, we know the process can be daunting…but we’re here to help. Reach out to us if you have a question, or simply need a second opinion. We are always, always here for you guys!  

    Much love 

    Danielle + Michael 

    A special thank you to Masonite for sponsoring this post. 

    perfect bold exterior doors
    perfect bold exterior doors
    perfect bold exterior doors
  • 7 WAYS TO DECLUTTER AND ORGANIZE YOUR LIFE

    With the summer almost over and the new school year in full swing this seems oh so fitting to chat a little bit about how decluttering and organizing looks in our house. We are far from minimalist, but we do like to have a home that is put together. As we move through the month I’m going to share some simple tips as to how we declutter and organize our home, in hopes to inspire you or provide you with a different set of motivation. 

    The best part is I’ve partnered with our group of incredible friends we met this year at Haven! We are going to be kicking off a weekly link-up with four of our favorite husband and wife teams who just so happen to write about their crazy lives too! Let me introduce you to our co-hosts. I promise you’re going to heart them. Lindsey and Chris from Building Bluebird, Sarah and Nick from Nestrs, Morgan and Jamie from Construction 2 Style and Katelynn and Uriah from The Inspiring Investment.

    7 ways to declutter and organize your life

    We are going to be sharing some of our best tips and tricks all centered around a monthly topic. We would love for you all to join in with the fun too by sharing with us your best tips, tricks and ideas on the monthly topic. Each week one of us will be the host and you can drop your link there. 

    This week’s hosts are Morgan and Jamie are hosting from Construction 2 Style so make sure to hop over there and drop any good tips and ticks you might have to share on ORGANIZATION. We want to see them and share them with our readers too. 

    Now that the boys are back in school the word decluttering seems to be popping up EVERYWHERE. Not that we’ve got a house full of things everywhere, but we do have lots and lots of things. Come on we’ve got two kids and what, I happen like things! 

    7 ways to declutter and organize your life

    But what is it about organization that makes your life seem so much more functional. I swear by it. Everything in our home has to have the perfect spot. Maybe not perfect spot but everything needs to have a spot otherwise it seems to go missing forever. Here’s a our 7 essential tips to wrap your head around ways to declutter and organize your life too.

    Go Room by Room

    The easiest way to start is to pick a room or rooms that you want to tackle. If you try to tackle everything at once you’re sure to fail, feel over whelmed or just cry…unless you’re a superhero then in that case I am in complete envy of you.

    Create a List

    Make a list of things you can go through and get rid of. I swear by list. They seem to make everything in life more manageable. That and I just really like the feeling of crossing things off.

    One Task Per Day

    Spread your tasks over several days. If you try to tackle too much at once you’ll end up exhausted and left with a messier house then when you started. 

    Mess Means Progress

    Know that your house may look messier through the process but in the end you’ll be happy with the results. This tends to be one that is sometimes difficult to deal with. But messy things can lead to brilliant things.

    7 ways to declutter and organize your life

    Make Goals 

    Set goals for this process and write them down. There really is something about writing things down that helps hold you accountable. You can check back in on the progress you are making and you guys this means you can cross things off as you accomplish them too!

    Divide and Conquer 

    Get everyone in your house involved. I’ll share more on how we have the boys help soon. Think little things like picking up their toys, putting away their toys and keeping their space the way it should look.

    Make A Must Have List

    Prioritize your to do list. We like to start with the things that will give us the greatest impact first. Or make our lives a little easier. This is for sure my favorite tip for this week.

    Don’t forget to check back in next week for some more tips and tricks with organizing your life. We’ve got lots of life hacks to share. 

    Much love 

    Danielle + Michael

    7 ways to declutter and organize your life
  • HOW TO RUN A TRUE FAMILY BUSINESS

    Having the opportunity to own and operate a family business is very special. It is an honor. And it’s something we fell goes far beyond us. We have a lot of things happening with Clark + Aldine, so much that it could easily take our focus off of what matters most in life…our family. But we’ve found the ways to run a modern day family business. And we’re sharing them with you on our podcast, The Stay True Podcast. 

    Stay True Podcast

    4 KEYS TO RUNNING A TRUE FAMILY BUSINESS 

    • First and foremost, our kids are involved in everything. They know every project and feel a part of it…which is important since they frequent the job sites! 
    • Our team. Our team is like family. Actually they are family. And in order to be a part of the C+A family you have to reflect our values and dive head first into this family of ours. Needless to say our family has grown quick…and the boys are surrounded with lots of love. 
    • Our entire family plays a role. Chuck and Rose are a HUGE support, always stepping in to hang with the boys, do our laundry, landscaping, clean our house…they basically keep us functioning at home, which allows us to stay functioning for work. Uncle Tom and Aunt Peggy step in with the boys too…especially in the summer. Without all of them we could not build this brand. 
    • Our clients are family. When we decide to take on a new client, they absolutely must feel like family. We were recently asked who our typical client is…and the answer is, they are family. We have young families, families with teenagers, single adults and empty nester retirees…there is no “typical”, because we aren’t. 

    You can check out the full episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Stitcher. If you dig what we’re doing, please share with your friends, family and on social. And subscribe (it kinda helps us with rankings)!



    Much love

    -Michael + Danielle

  • 7 EASY WAYS TO UPDATE YOUR HOME FOR FREE

    It’s not like every day or even every season you can just go and redecorate or renovate a space in your house. But a simple refresh to make your rooms feel new again is always welcomed. And when that mini makeover comes at no cost it’s a win for everyone. Here are our top ten tips for easy ways to update your space for free.

    how to update your home for free

    Rearrange Your Furniture 

    This may seem basic and obvious but some simple rearranging can completely transform the look, feel and vibe of your space without adding anything new to it at all! 

    Exchange Artwork

    Moving artwork from one room to the next can make a huge impact on your space. This can be fun to do seasonally with either additional art you have that hasn’t made it to the walls, from your kids, or from books. I love taking art out of books and framing it onto shelving to create a great holiday vibe without spending a dime! 

    how to update your home for free

    Relocate Decorations From Room to Room

    Beg, barrow and steal…literally from all the other rooms in your house. By taking things from one room and relocating them into another you are giving life to them all over again. I love how the new perspective changes everything.

    Move or Layer Rugs

    While it’s slighting annoying to move or change out rugs, it can make a significant impact on your space. I am a huge fan of layering rugs. You can keep a neutral rug in place while layering the other rugs on top to provide a new feel for your space.

    Borrow Furniture From Another Room In Your House

    Another easy way to update your space for free is moving furniture from room to room. Exchange an end table from one room to another, switch out coffee tables or even exchange lighting if your room allows for it.

    how to update your home for free

    Switch Pillow Covers 

    Ya’ll know I am a pillow person. And pillow covers are my jam. I simply switch out what pillows I am currently using for new covers, giving my space a 100% new look.

    how to update your home for free

    Change Out Throw Blankets

    Throw blankets add in all the good texture and warmth, and swapping them gives a new vibe to your space. 

    We love hearing from our readers and learning what they are looking for. This entire article came from your feedback and asks! Please share more of what you’re looking for with us. We want to support you in making your home feel like you!

    Much Love –

    Danielle + Michael

    how to update your home for free

    how to update your home for free
  • 5 KEYS TO CREATING A DARK MODERN MOODY SPACE

    The mood in a space is everything. And color is where you need to start every time. Whether it’s a finish on a marque piece that will go in the space, the type of tile in a bathroom, or the paint that will cover the walls, the color palette absolutely matters. For us, this means go bold or go home! So let’s get bold together and talk about how to create a modern, yet dark and moody space. The space we’re going to show and reference is our Auburn + Tenth attic turned moody master bedroom. And the paint we used throughout the entire space is Sherwin Williams Outerspace SW 6251 in Satin, and in flat.

    modern moody space

    Pick your Paint Color Wisely 

    When it comes to a moody space paint is everything! You’re going to see that 4 of our 5 tips revolve around paint. Making the right paint choice is essential, so don’t approach this task lightly. You can check out just how we select paint colors here, incase you want to reference for additional info! We’ve got you covered if you’re feeling completely lost on where to start or just how dark and moody you can go. We’ve pulled together out favorite Dark Moody Colors.

    modern moody space

    Best Paint Colors for a Dark Moody Space


    Sherwin Williams Cyberspace SW 7076

    Sherwin Williams Outerspace SW 6251

    Sherwin Williams Slate Tile SW 7624

    Sherwin Williams Peppercorn SW 7674

    Sherwin Williams Iron Ore SW 7069

    Sherwin Williams Black Magic SW 6991

    Sherwin Williams Tricorn Black SW 6258

    Sherwin Williams Dark Night SW 6237

    modern moody space
    modern moody space

    5 KEYS TO CREATE A MOODY SPACE 

    Choosing the Sheen 

    Sheen maters. It really does. Just in case we’ve got any new painters in the room, the sheen in paint describes how glossy it is going to be. The best way to think about this is the higher the sheen the glosser the paint will appear. There are 6 different types of sheen. Here they are broken down from least glossy to most: ceiling flat, matte/flat, eggshell, satin, semi-gloss, and high gloss. Each sheen serves it’s own purpose in a space. The best way to look at this is to the glossier the paint the more durable it is. But when it comes to Sherwin Williams, our preferred paint brand, no matter the sheen the durability is top notch.

    modern moody space

    Painting The Trim

    Often times we find everyone paints their trim white. But that’s not what we’re talking about here…we’re talking about a color. There are 3 options you’ve got when it comes to painting the trim in a moody space. 

    1. Keep the trim the same color as the room but use a different sheen. For this bedroom we used flat on the walls and satin on the trim. 
    2. Go a shade lighter than your wall color.
    3. Go a shade darker than your wall color. 

    Painting the Ceiling

    To paint the ceiling or not, that’s always the question. Well, of course we always paint a ceiling just rarely in a traditional ceiling flat paint. With the angled/slanted ceiling in this space we needed to paint the ceiling the same color as the wall to allow for the room to truly read dark and moody. However, with a flat ceiling we think you can go either way.

    modern moody space

    Choosing the Door Color

    Painting the door the same color as the wall makes all the difference. This makes the door blend in rather than stand out, and when it’s closed you’ve got one cohesive look!

    Keeping Accessories Dark

    When it comes to styling and decorating a moody space you want to stay on theme. Here we kept most things in the blues, browns, blacks and grays. Even our book choices fell into the color scheme. By keeping everything alined it allows for the entire room to truly speak dark and moody!

    We hope this moody room playbook is helpful in creating a moody space in your home! As always, please leave a comment or reach out on social if you have any questions! 

    modern moody space

    Much love

    Danielle + Michael

    A special thank you to our friends at Sherwin Williams for sponsoring this post.

  • 3 WAYS TO CREATE A RELAXING FUNCTIONAL SUNROOM

    Taking a space from ordinary to Pinterest perfect can seem daunting, overwhelming and even impossible. But we’ve proven that it is possible! We are going to show you how we took this common everyday sunroom and transformed it to a relaxing functional sunroom retreat perfect for mediation, early morning coffee, time with a good book, or evening cocktails. We’ve maximized every inch of this space to make it as functional and purposeful as possible, all while delivering those updated sunroom vibes! Before we get any further let’s take a walk down memory lane and see where this room started.

    dreamy sunroom space

    AUBURN + DAYTON SUNROOM PROJECT

    Nick and Kerry are not first time clients to us. You may recognize 3 rad boho modern vibes from our very first project, where we completely transformed their basement. This go around the overall goal for our clients was to provide more livable square-footage for them to use throughout the year. They were looking for a relaxing space they could utilize in the early mornings, a place for day dates and dinner parties with their family and friends. We knew this was not going to be a typical sunroom, so we took the opportunity to really make it pop. But first we needed to check to ensure it was safe and up to code. 

    dreamy sunroom space

    We gutted most of the space – ripped out the carpet, the wall paneling and any existing trim there was. Michael re-insulated where needed and drywall prior to paint. To maximize he budget, Michael had dedicated electrical outlets added to either side of the room so space heaters could be utilized during the Michigan winter months, and not trip the breakers for the rest of the house. We really wanted to add full HVAC or a mini split, but it sat just outside of the budget and wasn’t essential to bringing this space to life. Then things got really fun. 

    dreamy sunroom space

    PAINT TRIM MOLDING DARKER THAN WALLS

    The first thing you notice in this space is how open it is. One way we achieved this was by reversing the traditional white ceiling and trim moldings and painting them the darker color in the space. Believe it or not this actually opens things up a bit. Both the trim and ceiling are painted with Sherwin Williams Argos, while the walls are painted Greek Villa by Sherwin. This fun contract not only provides a lot of character to the space but allows for the space to appear larger than it actually is!

    dreamy sunroom space

    CREATE FUNCTION AND PURPOSE THROUGHOUT THE SPACE

    While this sunroom isn’t large we wanted to make the most of the space. To do this we started the process by talking to Nick and Kerry about exactly how they plan to use the space. What their exact needs and wants were for this room. As we talked through the process we discovered why they wanted it to be an additional place for their growing family to be able to use throughout the year for playdate and friend get togethers, they also really loved the idea of additional dining for get togethers. 

    dreamy sunroom space

    We divided the room into three parts. First we had the dining area. Complete with a dining table for 6-7 people, a bench for additional seating and two different types of chairs to bring in not only texture but the added color and personality that each space is longing for. The second space, was the gathering area for relaxation and conversations. We used existing furniture they had and added a few pieces to update the space and provide a fun balance between old and new. The third section was used to create additional seating and storage at the same time. We achieved this in multiple ways. For seating we added a poof and two benches to help with seating. Below each bench are built-in shoe racks. We then used baskets for toy storage, books and extra blankets or pillows!

    dreamy sunroom space

    HAVE A COLOR SCHEME TO WORK WITH

    Knowing we wanted to create a relaxing sunroom experience we needed to have a firm grasp on exactly what colors we would be introducing into the space. Grays, whites and blush or millennial pink (whatever you prefer to call this color) were our 3 primary colors. This means we used these colors over and over again in the space to create a calming cohesive look. While these 3 colors are the primary colors in the room we didn’t stick to just them. In the two end chairs we added a pop of color on the seats which allow us to bring in blues on our bench selection. We also added leather and wicker to the space for texture and another lay of design.

    dreamy sunroom space

    We truly hope you found some inspiration and helpful tips to bring function and relaxation to your space. And these tips don’t just go for sunrooms, they can be applied to any space!

    Much love

    Danielle and Michael

    dreamy sunroom space

    dreamy sunroom space

    dreamy sunroom space

    dreamy sunroom space
  • WE HAVE A PODCAST

    Hey hey! Hope ya’ll are having a great week and have some awesome weekend plans coming up. We actually hope you have plans to spend some time catching up on podcasts, because we are back with a fresh re-launch of the Stay True podcast. And we have 4 brand spankin’ new episodes for your listening pleasures. OH, and if you haven’t had a chance to check out our Modern Farmhouse Renovation project reveal, be sure to check it out!

    For anyone new here, we actually launched the podcast back in 2017/18. And we were on a good run. But it just wasn’t the right time with everything we had going on. The commitment just wasn’t there. So we tabled it, instead focusing on being parents of 2 young boys, managing a household full of renovations, working full time and launching a business through trial and error to determine exactly what we wanted to do. We’ve figured (most of) that out now, and have made the decision to go all in on all of our content again, ensuring we’re delivering fresh content to your ears and minds weekly.

    Stay True Podcast

    So with all the other great podcast content out there what makes the Stay True podcast worthy of subscribing and listening to? Well, we’re real and raw and not afraid to be vulnerable and tell it like we see it. We’re not just another entrepreneur or business podcast – we talk about the real. We dive deep into our experiences as a husband and wife team and how we manage it all. From parenting, to being good leaders for our team, to aspirations of growth and how we manage clients…we put it all out there. 

    If this sounds like something you’d vibe with, we invite you to give us a listen and subscribe. You can find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Stitcher

    Much love

    -Danielle and Michael

  • MODERN FARMHOUSE RENOVATION

    Ok, so we’re a little behind on this reveal but we promise it was worth the wait. If you’re new to the blog or haven’t had a chance to check out our latest One Room Challenge project, now would be the time to do so. You can check out the Modern Farmhouse Entryway Reveal, and exactly how we got to the final result (weeks 1 – 5 corresponding links in the post). But of course when we took on this project for the One Room Challenge it just wasn’t enough to do one space in 6 weeks…we did 3!

    When we initially met with our clients Tiffani and Chris they had just begun the initial stages of their kitchen remodel with a local kitchen design company. What they wanted from us was a way to tie the rest of their first floor into the new look and feel of their kitchen. So, we took on the foyer, powder room, entry way and a bit of updated trim molding in the living room. And we did all 3 at the same time their kitchen was being done, in the absolute dead of winter here in Michigan. Talk about a challenge! 

    modern farmhouse foyer

    MODERN FARMHOUSE FOYER

    So let’s start at the front door…a massive cathedral foyer. It needed some major refreshing, as it hadn’t been touched since they purchased the home from the previous owners who apparently thought they were living in an Italian villa. Well they weren’t, and either were Tiffani and Chris…we made sure to shake things up. Our clients began with new paint that carried all the way up to the second floor. That allowed us to come right in, remove all of the existing trim molding and plan out a custom board and batten design throughout the space. A simple double stack surrounds the entire foyer, but as an added bonus Michael created a triple stack along 3 walls with hooks to hang coats and bags as guests arrive. A little bit of function goes a long way. 

    modern farmhouse foyer

    Next was lighting. All the lighting. It needed to go, especially the massive Italian inspired chandelier that hung wayyyy up high in the foyer…high as in 24 feet! And it weighed about 200lbs. Really fun removal process, but the end result was well worth it. Better illumination with a modern, clean feel completely transform the space. From there we sanded their stair rail, added new modern posts and stained a darker color to flow with their refinished hardwoods. And of course, we styled the entire space with some existing accessories and newly added gems, including a rug, a handmade console table, a huge circular mirror and some amazing family photos of this incredible family. 

    This space just makes us so happy…it’s absolutely perfect. 

    modern farmhouse foyer

    POWDER ROOM 

    Seriously now, this has to be one of our favorite transformations ever. For such a small space in this open concept layout it makes the most dramatic statement. But before we get too excited let’s take a trip down memory lane…walking into this powder room was like diving head first into a glass of Welch’s grape juice. 

    modern farmhouse bathroom powder room

    Just a fresh coat of paint would have brought the life right back, but we went way further than that. First, we ripped out the existing vanity and toilet, leaving about 1/3 of the space needed fresh oak hardwood installed. Once the floors were refinished we went to work with fresh paint throughout. For this room we chose Sherwin Williams Oragami White Satin, and High Reflective White Semi-Gloss for the thicker modern molding that continues throughout the entire first floor. 

    Once the paint and molding was complete we brought in this modern farmhouse vanity, complete with a vessel sink and new toilet to spruce up the amenities. And of course, we did something a little different with it…we added a matte black waterfall faucet! And changed out all the exciting hardware for some more modern matte black hardware. For us it’s all about custom in these spaces, so we take the extra step to make it unique for our clients. 

    modern farmhouse bathroom powder room
    modern farmhouse bathroom powder room

    Now, this next change was a favorite for Michael. When I brought it up to him he honestly was not about it, at all. For real he didn’t understand why…but in the end we’re all so happy with it. And it is the change that made the entire space. We added a vinyl wallpaper accent wall that will stop anyone in their tracks. It is seriously insane, and I want one in our house now! The installation wasn’t nearly as bad as Michael had planned for, but it wasn’t the easiest either. In the end it all worked out beautifully, so we celebrate!

    The final touches in this space just pulled the entire vibe together. We added these 3 rad hanging vases from 28 Furniture Co., tank basket to hold toiletries, toilet paper holder, and a custom made towel bar from conduit. Michael is writing a future post talking about how he made and installed it…so be sure to check back for that. OH and how can we forget the mirror and a custom farmhouse 3-scone light, which Michael also custom made and will write a post about, I promise. Feel free to help be out in the process by basically  harass him for those…comment or shoot him some DMs @michaelgutelli

    modern farmhouse bathroom powder room
    modern farmhouse bathroom powder room
    modern farmhouse bathroom powder room

    MODERN FARMHOUSE ENTRYWAY

    Some of this may be a bit redundant if you did in fact hang with us during our latest One Room Challenge project, or if you read the reveal post that we mentioned top above…but maybe you’ll find it new and fresh nonetheless. So just follow along for a moment or two…

    This space was, well, not functional at all. It was a laundry room/storage room/shoe and backpack collector/dump and run space right off of the kitchen. And it needed some love. Like a really big bear hug kind of love. And we gave it just that…after we pulled everything out, smashed through all of the walls and ripped out the floor and fake HVAC run to nowhere (oh yeah, its a real thing).  Here’s a quick peek at just where we started! We had big plans for this space – a functional and purposeful entryway that housed a beautifully modern laundry space on one side, and a gorgeous mudroom space on the other. How we got there was super fun, too. 

    modern farmhouse mudroom laundry room
    modern farmhouse mudroom laundry room

    Once we opened it up the former linoleum laced subfloor was screaming for some fresh oak to be installed and finished. After that we came back and immediately covered up the lime green walls with, you guessed it, our favorite Sherwin Williams Oragami White Satin! It really brightened things up in there. Then it was time to install the molding and floor to ceiling shiplap on the two walls that made up the mudroom area. One thing we learned from this project was the decision to spray all of our molding (especially shiplap when we do it) prior to install. It just makes for a better end product. 

    Once the molding and shiplap was in we re-installed the washer and dryer for the family. It was bad enough they had to live through an entire first floor renovation in the dead of winter…the last thing we wanted was them having to drag the crew to the laundromat. But those also served as a sort of work station too, so it was all good. Next we moved onto building the custom wall to wall mudroom, with a solid oak bench and open spaces on the bottom for boot storage and dog beds. Oh yes, the little pups get to use this space as well…and each space is the same size so the beds can be moved around. The upper lockers and double layer shelves are all open, allowing for maximum storage and function for this active crew. We added 2 hooks inside each locker for coats and bags, and each shelf has a basket for rotational/seasonal storage. 

    modern farmhouse mudroom laundry room

    We also added some signage and an awesome command center to keep the household on time and on point every day. We know how it is…life is a little wild out here. 

    modern farmhouse mudroom laundry room

    The last space we completed was the laundry room. Michael custom built cabinets on either side of the washer and dryer – one houses 3 laundry baskets and the other features baskets to be used for every day storage – like dog food and treats. Above the washer and dryer is a wall to wall, front to back custom floating oak folding station. This thing is a beauty and a beast! Stained in the same color and finish as the mudroom bench, it elevates the space to a new level. And it is a momma’s dream. We also added new upper cabinets, and mirrored the crown molding from the kitchen uppers for a cohesive look and feel. 

    modern farmhouse mudroom laundry room
    modern farmhouse mudroom laundry room

    There are so many details to all of these spaces that I’m sure we missed, but the pictures really do tell the story here. We are so thrilled with the outcome of this project and love each and every inch equally. We hope you too enjoyed the tour and found some inspiration to incorporate into your home, or client’s homes. 

    modern farmhouse mudroom laundry room

    Much love

    -Danielle and Michael 

    Paint + Stain Sources

    Entryway Sources

    Powder Room Sources

    Mudroom Sources

    Command Center Sources

    Laundry Room Sources

    • Laundry Baskets – Target
    • Seagrass Wicker Baskets – Target
    • Anchor Heritage Glass Jar 1/2 gallon – Target
    • Anchor Heritage Glass Jar gallon – Target
    • Round Woven Seagrass Basket – Target 
    • Clothes Hanging Bar – Target 
    • Cabinet Hardware – Amazon
    • Anchor Heritage Glass Jar gallon – Target
    • Round Woven Seagrass Basket – Target 
    • Clothes Hanging Bar – Target 
    • Cabinet Hardware – Amazon
  • OUR BIG ANNOUNCEMENT

    YOU GUYS!!! The day has finally come. We can FINALLY unveil all of the things we’ve been pouring ourselves into these past few months. And we are beyond stoked to show you the five new changes that are here today! 

    Let’s kick it off BIG…drum roll please…today we are launching our official YouTube channel with 3 short videos that give you some background on who we are, how we started and where we’re going with Clark + Aldine. These videos also serve as a prequel to a content series we are producing and launching in the Fall of 2019! So please jump over there to watch the videos and subscribe so you don’t miss what’s coming next. Oh, and share too! We hope you dig it.

    Today we are also bringing back the Stay True Podcast! A lot of you have asked where it went and why we hadn’t been recording. Well, we simply de-prioritized it for a bit and quickly realized how much we missed it. But we’re back. Head over to your favorite Podcast platform because we’re there with 3 brand new episodes for you to listen to. On our podcast you can expect to get raw, unfiltered and true insight on what is happening in our day to day lives, business and family. 

    Stay True Podcast Clark and Aldine

    When it comes to branding, we’re all over it. And today is no different. You may notice a little something has changed with our logo and color palette. We are loving the new and improved look and feel and you can expect to see more of this integrated throughout all the things. 

    As you may have already figured out we’re also planning to share more newsletters. By more newsletters let’s be clear here, we don’t plan to flood your inbox, because aint nobody got time for that. We plan to share  more behind the scenes stuff and give you an early look at what we’re creating, including new content, upcoming workshops and merchandise. So sign up below so you can catch all the fun as it happens, too!


    And finally, our site has received some new and improved changes as well. We have an easy search option, some fresh images and integrations of new content across the board. We’re hoping this makes it easier for you to find the posts you are actually looking for. 

    So there you have it! We hope your anticipation was met with as much excitement as you dive into all the new things we have for you. 

    Much love

    Danielle + Michael