Here is the annual good ideas from the Parade of Homes post 1! Things that caught my eye that I wanted to share with you:

From Millhaven Homes -- Painted brick was popular this year, along with lighter wood and of course, the ever-popular shiplap:

I loved this modern barn/glass door with the light fixtures and ceiling beams:

Vertical shiplap in a family friendly eating nook:

Lazy susans in the corner of the pantry? Genius.

Lots of grasscloth wallpaper, I liked this blue:

A modern nursery with a great wall treatment:

Another fabulous idea – venting holes in mudroom lockers!

A great rectangular firepit (I’ll take the pool too please)

I had never seen lighter wood garage doors but these were beautiful on the modern farmhouse:

and the matching front door:

From Shelby Homes – the Highland Fields Estate:

Built in banquette seating on either side of the fireplace – I don’t think I have ever seen this.

You know how I feel about good quotes – this quote wall was so great:

This playroom house was to die for:

and This quote on the wall! ♥

I liked this theater room because it had more light and led out into the family room:

A great homework room off the kitchen:

and it overlooked the indoor basketball court (maybe for incentive to get the homework done?)

I’ll have more to show next week – happy Wednesday!

* This charming Lake Michigan cabin makeover at Midwest Living:

* The brain changing effects of exercise

* 11 Great Places to Rent a Summer Lake House ( that probably aren’t your first guess)

and DEALS! These are the prices when I hit publish, they can change or run out at anytime:

* American Eagle sandals $8.98

The Children’s Place has all basic denim for $7.99!

* lowest price: Honeywell Programmable Thermostat $39.97

* Martha Stewart Essentials Utensil set $7.99 when you use code FOURTH

* Ulta’s jumbo size shampoo/conditioner event is going on now! Starting at $12.99

* lowest price: Folding storage ottoman only $37.99 when you use code 65 JULC6G at checkout

* lowest price: Tide Pods 81 count only $15.17 when you clip the coupon

Amazon is gearing up for Prime Day on July 16! Here are offers you can get now:

* Amazon Music has an amazing offer for new subscribers – 4 months of unlimited music for .99!

* Amazon Echo Show is $100 off – only $129.99 for Prime members

Also, get Kindle Unlimited -- 3 months of unlimited reading for 99 cents!

* lowest price: Herbie 4 Movie Collection DVD $7.49

* lowest price: 3.5 liter Chefman Air Fryer $49.99

* lowest price: LEGO ATM Heist $12.99

* Ailihen kids volume limited headphones only $8.49 when you use code HTW4F2GY at checkout

* Bubly 18 count sparkling water only $6.74 when you clip the coupon

* lowest price: Frito Lay Fiery Mix Chips, 40 count only $10 when you clip the coupon

* Airheads Blue Raspberry 36 count only $4.99 when you clip the coupon

In today’s news: we recovered our chairs! Here is what they look like!

They started off like this – $5 each at a yard sale

Then, we recovered them to look like this:

And then they were getting faded and we were ready for a new wood finish.

To get the old finish off I hired my teenage daughter to use the electric sander to take the finish off – it took 2 hours! Sanding finish off is not my favorite, I was happy to hire that one out. Remember Landon’s diy headboard with light that we made this spring?? We just used the leftover stain from that – it is a combination of Minwax classic gray stain with a little provincial.

And for the fabric? We used curtains from Target! One light gray 95” panel covered both chairs!

I loved the color and texture of the fabric:

As I’m looking at the picture I’m seeing some spots where the fabric could have been tucked in better (and straightened!) and some corners that were missed in sanding but I still like them and happily keep them in the family room off of the kitchen where we can slide them over for big family dinners.

AND! I need to tell you about a crazy good light bulb deal I found at Lowes. I have been slowly replacing my chandelier lightbulbs with these ones from Walmart – the 40 watt ceiling fan bulbs that I love the shape of – kind of an Edison type style and they last forever (well, 10,000 hrs) and take much less energy. But they are $6.74 for a 2 pack so I just pick one up every month. WELL, last week at Lowes I saw this crazy good sale for the same Kichler bulbs but they were 99 cents each (reg price $3.98) and didn’t get good reviews.  They also have the same style in a 60 watt equivalent and I got free parcel shipping.

But I thought: why not try and if they don’t work I can return them? I’m happy to report they all worked and so I ordered them for all of my indoor and outdoor light fixtures that they fit and are beautiful!  It’s hard to get a good picture of them when they are on but here is one:

and this is what they look like in the day:

Just wanted to give you a heads up if you are in the market for some LED lightbulbs!

I’ll be back tomorrow with CME + Deals!