This was by far one of the best transformations in our new home! I am so proud of it!
Below is the original vanity that was chocolate brown with flower shaped sinks. It was a sight! When we came for the inspection on the house we realized also that the vanity was 30 inches high. My husband is 6’8″ so a vanity being that low forced him to get on his knees to wash his face! So yes the vanity had to be replaced.
This post contains affiliate links
Here are the key things that went into replacing our master bathroom vanity:
When we worked with our contractor he raised the new vanity to 36 inches high. This way my husband would NOT need to get on his knees to wash his face or brush his teeth lol.
To save money we did not install a backsplash. We decided to cover the back wall in a beautiful light blue tinted marble contact paper. It saved a lot of money vs installing backsplash.
Next we ordered the black matte faucets from Amazon. They were literally $65 each vs going to Home Depot where they would have been over $120 each!
Then I wanted black accessories to match my black on black theme. I bought all of the pieces from Target, Home Goods and Amazon. I recently found all of the pieces on Amazon, check it out below.
Also, the mirrors came from Lowes. They were a bit heavy to hang at first, but if you have hooks that can hold 20 lbs then you are set.
Last we made sure we had clear organizer bins in the drawers in order for us to stay organized. It has worked beautifully. See Amazon options below that I really like to use.
Again we are so excited for the change in our master vanity and look forward to doing more with our new home! Do you have bathroom goals or aspirations when it comes to remodeling?
Welcome to another entry of Jessi’s I Love Places, featuring a Landmark home in a suburb of Miami that is requested to be historically preserved. This home is over 150 years old and what is unique about this space is not just the home itself, but the gazebo and backyard that was built in the last 27 years.
*This blog entry does contain affiliate links
First, what makes this home special to me was that I grew up across the street from this home and saw all the transformations occur with the backyard.
Also, when I was a little girl there has been 5 different owners, and every single one updated it little by little. Exactly 26 years ago this backyard was just grass, with NO POOL & NO GAZEBO. Can you imagine that?
Next, here’s some great facts and timeline about the evolution of this great backyard & installed gazebo:
In the early 2000s a young couple who flipped houses moved in and added a necessary pool for this space.
In mid 2000s the next set of owners were from South Africa and loved the outdoors. They decided to design and build the gazebo.
Since the house was a historical landmark the owners had to design the gazebo to look and feel like the rest of the home. It had to keep the same aesthetic as everything else.
The gazebo overlooks the pool and you effortlessly can jump right into the pool from there! It’s absolutely stunning and extremely relaxing.
What ties this gazebo together is the amazing furniture pieces.
Here are the last 4 fun facts about this space:
If you ever visited a Tulum, Mexican resort; this gazebo has that feel. The extreme arches give the space the hotel resort design and the grand entrance feel.
One of the most complex sections of the gazebo is the amazing wooden panels built in the ceiling where the fan is located. It is breathtaking!
The pool was changed to salt water about 4 years ago! Honestly it brings out the amazing blue/teal color in the water. The water looks unrealistic in the most beautiful manner.
The other side of the home has turf grass. The previous owner installed complete turf grass for easier maintenance and to save money on getting the grass cut weekly.
Last, the current family living here are amazing people who respect and love the home for its reach history and aesthetic. Their taste in outdoor furniture was spot on to what this place needed to uphold the tradition of this timeless landmark.
Do you have a space in your home that you traditionally cherish?
Below I have included some amazon pieces that would be great substitute items to capture this gazebo feel. Just click on the picture below for all the details! See below…happy shopping!
The best coffee in the world in my opinion is Nespresso! They have the most flavored coffees with or without sugar and cream. I also love their sleek coffee machines and how it gives your kitchen a sophisticated feel. No matter what your decor is in your home, your Nespresso machine will go with it.
Also, there are many flavored capsules to choose from and in the past you would have to order your Nespresso capsules online or in a standing door which are extremely limited…
*This blog entry does include affiliate links
BUT NOW…NESPRESSO capsules ARE AVAILABLE ON MACYS.COM! YES MACYS.COM! I am beyond happy with this, what a convenience and they have an amazing selection as well for both types of machines!
Another plus is having the Nespresso machines on sale during Black Friday! This is the time to buy yourself or a loved one a coffee machine like this. Below I am listing the key coffee machines on sale as well as listing my top 10 from the VertuoLine capsule flavors…Check it out!
My top 10 Favorite Nespresso VertuoLine Capsules…
Caramel Cookie – Love this one by far, it has the taste of caramel, coconut and almond! My new favorite.
Hazelino Muffin – Hazelnut flavor is all I have to say with a touch of almond. I drink this one on the weekends always!
Vanilla Custard – I am not a fan of the name but the taste is so good! It tastes like vanilla cake to me.
Intenso – Just want it says intense but it first tastes strong but when you actually swallow this coffee goes down so smooth.
Stormio – Guatemalan decent flavor, it tastes very sweet to me but I love it.
Ice Leggero* – Extremely fruity taste, if you don’t like sweet then this flavor isn’t for you
Colombia* – Very sweet and creamy!
Mexico* – This one is spicy and a bit intense but that is the Miami type of coffee we love!
Costa Rica* – Little taste of salt in this one but I really love it.
*These are only online at Nespresso.com or at a Nespresso boutique…visit www.nespresso.com
Check out these amazing Nespresso Machines on Sale at Macys during Black Friday! These are great Christmas gifts! Check out the options and click the picture to see the deals! Happy Shopping!
Within Coral Gables, FL there are various homes that have such history and appeal. I grew up in this area with my parents and have always admired the taste level of our neighbors with their homes.
One of my favorite places has to be our neighbor’s home…Vivian’s Kitchen Island. It’s just one of my favorite spaces to come visit and have a cup of lemonade or coffee. Hear the story of the renovation and concept behind this wonderful space.
This family saved money for over 15 years to renovate their entire downstairs of their home practically. And it has paid off! The #1 priority was the kitchen, Vivian and her family are like mine. They gather around the kitchen table to not just eat but to converse. Check out this island…this is the island of all islands!
*This post may contain affiliate links.
First, the island feels like a mile long, it can sit easily 12 people and still have room! She picked out an amazing pure white quartz counter top to match the overall white theme to her kitchen. I love the hidden refrigerator with the long exaggerated handles. It gives it such an elegant but simple feel. The backsplash is so pretty and has a hint of gray in the print. I really love it because with the kitchen being white already, the backsplash just gives it the complete look.
Second, the amount of drawer space is out of this world as well. This kitchen island alone has 12 drawers! What an amazing use of space.
One of the most charming stories from the owner was her standing firm on getting this kitchen island. This space originally had a wall separating the kitchen and the dining room table. Just picture a wall lining up next to the now refrigerator…that was the size of the kitchen.
The interior designer that she worked with wanted her to keep it separated. They even drew up plans and everything to persuade Vivian to do what they suggested. But Vivian held her ground and said no.
Lastly, I personally felt she made the right decision based on the needs of her family. Family is all about conversing with each other and hanging out. This 117 inch long by 66 inch wide kitchen island represents that for her family dynamic. This is why I view this as a “Jessi’ I love Places.” What piece in your home means the most to your life or family dynamic?
Most of this kitchen’s pieces came from Pottery Barn or Crate & Barrell. However, I do have some great dupes or options from Amazon. Check out the links below.
The last 7 weeks moving into our new home has been an experience. We have done already some massive things to the home but on of my most treasured memories will be re-doing the entrance. The previous owner had massive amounts of couch grass that led up to the front door as well as planted cactus plant and poinsettas. I was not a huge fan of it because it attracted lizards to the 100th degree and they were constantly hanging out right by the door. It was challenging so we decided to remove it and oh gosh was it bare. See the before and after.
*This blog has affiliate links
So the next step was plant something that is low maintenance and pretty to go with the brown and cream color of the house. I work retail and am a Beauty Director for 12+ doors so my time is limited and I need something that does not take a lot of time to keep up with. We decided to go with Green Island Ficus which is a beautiful simple plant with deep color and glossy leaves and Various Bromeliad plants, which are priced pretty well and on budget.
Then last but not least the rocks…this just set the tone. It’s called Alabama White Rock and I love it. I don’t have a link to the exact type of rock, but here is a substitute that should work out pretty well…Click Here The white rock was the most expensive thing to purchase but it was so worth it in the end. It made the chattahoochie entrance look actually better! We were going to remove the chattahoochie but to save some money now, we decided to re-seal it soon and paint it a darker color to match the house.
Finally, the next big transformation was around our mailbox. I totally hated the massive forest we had around it and anything could have been living in there, seriously. We moved all the vegetation there and it was not easy to do since so much of it had deep roots in there for many years. But we managed to pull out the stumps and really start over. See the before & after below.
Day and Night, right? What a difference! The house looks bigger to me with just that change. We used Bags of Cypress Mulch which also won’t attract as many bugs and possible termites. Termites are attracted to mulch and it’s best never to put mulch right up against the home. We planted Wart Fern around the mailbox, it will grow but not at a massive rate like the previous plants that were there. We were so happy with the finished product and I want to thank A Touch of Grass for installing such a simple but amazing entrance to our front yard! Contact them on Home Advisor for the Miami, FL area. Click Here…https://www.homeadvisor.com/rated.ATouchofGrass.2141906.html
Thank you and check back for more home renovations soon!
which is a beautiful simple plant with deep color and glossy leaves and 
The white rock was the most expensive thing to purchase but it was so worth it in the end. It made the chattahoochie entrance look actually better! We were going to remove the chattahoochie but to save some money now, we decided to re-seal it soon and paint it a darker color to match the house. 
which also won’t attract as many bugs and possible termites. Termites are attracted to mulch and it’s best never to put mulch right up against the home. We planted Wart Fern around the mailbox, it will grow but not at a massive rate like the previous plants that were there. We were so happy with the finished product and I want to thank A Touch of Grass for installing such a simple but amazing entrance to our front yard! Contact them on Home Advisor for the Miami, FL area. Click Here…
