Hello everyone! We’re Ashley and Jamin Mills from The Handmade Home, and we’re thrilled to be here today to talk a little bit about our pet-inspired playhouse makeover! We like big mutts and we can not lie. We have a special place in our hearts for all things rescue pups, so we were super thrilled to do something so fun, to bring awareness to our favorite charity!
When our playhouse arrived, our pups were ready to get to work, to do something special for a friend. So they put on their tool belts and were ready to go.
Their little friend Smoosh is the goodest boy. After having an accident with a car, he sadly lost his leg. But he’s a scruffy little trooper, because this story definitely has a happy ending. Smoosh was able to keep his adorable new name, and his sweet new family who rescued and fell in love with him at first sight. He was taken in by a local shelter, and that’s where they found him. This is why causes like this are so important to animals in need of a good home!
The key to giving this a makeover, is spray paint. We couldn’t recommend the less humidity the better, but it helped that we started with a fabulous primer from Sherwin Williams. It coated it all and established a nice base to use all the colors. It also cut our time in half. Then we added the first coat of white to the main part of the house, and then the other shades where we wanted those, too. Don’t forget the little pieces that come to put it together, like screws and roof shingle covers. It helps to paint those when you paint the main part so that it’s easier to put together later.
• Waterscape: for the stripes, door, monogram + part of the window
• Connor’s Lakefront: Such a beautiful blue for the roof + all the accent colors you see, like the spigot knob, stripes + windows
• Convivial Yellow: the brick and stripes
• Extra White: for that beautiful base color – which is also the color of our own house.
Then, for the extras.
We started by building a base for the playhouse. It was a tiny deck on which everything else was added. It helped to position the playhouse assembled and primed, on top of the little deck, to decide exactly how much space we needed. The deck itself is made out of 2×4’s and 1×4’s so a nice, not overly-built size.
Then we made a little pergola separately. It was made out of 1x4s that we split, along with the deck railing which is 1×4’s also split.
This kept it smaller in stature for all things doggo. Again, it helped to have the playhouse in place so there was no guessing as to how it would all work together. It just all went nicely.
Then we painted all the pieces separately, before finally putting them all together. This also made it easier to transfer to Smoosh’s actual house when it was complete.
Next, we added some really fun features like accent colors (some of those were hand painted) along with the little spigot doorknob and really fun doorbell. We also added a soft yellow with the sponge brush for more of that “brick” look.
You may have also spied Smoosh’s little monogram. this was made with simple craft wood pieces, and glued to the top.
This doorbell button was found on Amazon, and we actually meant to use it for our own house, but we decided not to in lieu of something else. So we ended up attaching it to another piece of craft wood, and simply painting all around it for added fun.
We also added this little flower box for another fun burst of color. Smoosh has a “hooman” sister that I think will really appreciate that element.
My favorite piece that we included, is this little handmade water hydrant, that also doubles for storage. It’s simply a garbage can, wrapped in rope. You can still remove the top, to place anything inside.
It was a little time consuming, but a perfect little project to do at home when watching Gilmore Girls at night. We simply purchased two different sizes of rope and a medium sized dome-topped trash can. Then we added rope with hot glue all the way around, with the thinner rope, and accent sizes with the thicker rope.
Then we brought in simple accents like these little cushions and fun bunting, which really made it cozy. This little house just feels like a constant celebration of Smoosh. And Smoosh is more than happy to be here, you can tell by his big smiles.
He truly loves his space! Thank you so much for stopping by today and checking out our playhouse transformation! We love anything for our fur babies and a good cause.
Smoosh needs your vote! If we win, the proceeds will go to the charity Snooty Giggles, who rescued Smoosh and put him with a good home. They believe in the underdog, and we would love to help them. Voting starts Friday, September 18th at 12pm EST right here on Homes.com’s blog.
Have an inspired day!
Jamin and Ashley Mills are the principal owners of The Handmade Home design studio in Nashville, Tennessee. They were named as 2 of the “Most creative people in the Country” by Country Living Magazine.
They have authored 4 books, are regulars on the CBS morning show in Nashville, TN delivering their take on design and renovations and are the authors behind The Handmade Home. They work with clients in the Nashville area helping them build or renovate their homes as well as work with clients nationally bringing a cohesive style to their homes as they create the spaces they love.
In their spare time, they’ve designed their own lines of art seen in Hobby Lobby and other places online, wallpaper, fabric, and other home and decor goods. They have three kids, two adorable pups and the best little maple tree with two wooden swings in the front yard of their home in Franklin, TN.
This content was originally published here.
