Because we're always slightly afraid you'll get bored of our crazy antics, we have a treat for you today in the form of a guest blogger! If you don't already know her, Sarah from The Ugly Duckling House is stinkin' hilarious and super talented.We love the design of her blog (which she did herself), the adorable pics of her splattered with paint, and hermagical touch with liquid gilding. Enjoy!-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hi there! I'm Sarah from The Ugly Duckling House, and I'm thrilled to be guest posting today on East Coast Creative! I met Monica and Jess at the Haven conference earlier this year, and I think they come up with some of the most amazing projects!
A little more about me: I'm awkward. I can't cook. I hate cleaning. But I love tearing my house apart and putting it back together again. I've been working on my"Ugg-Duck" for nearly three years now, and I'm determined — hissy fits and all — to turn my 1980s eyesore into a home I can be proud of. DIY-ing on my own isn't easy (especially with a full-time job and grad school on my plate), and I have had my fair share of weird stories with my house — like finding fingernails in my fridge. Or 4 A.M. catfights. Or freaking out that I had a water leak in my brand new powder room… and realizing it was (possibly) a guest missing my toilet. Yes, that happened. Right now, I'm working on remodeling my bathroom. But at any given moment, I have at least five other unfinished projects around the house. Sometimes when I'm in the middle of finishing up a full renovation, I use that momentum to give myself an extra push and do something smaller that I might otherwise put off — like my master bedroom jewelry organizer.
I've been spotting a lot of creative jewelry organization ideas on Pinterest, and even though I've been storing my jewelry neatly in a drawer in my closet, I realized I forget to throw on accessories when rushing off to work. These Rationell inserts from Ikea are meant to add storage space to pantries and other cabinets, but I saw the decorative pattern on top and thought it could really look snazzy (& functional, too!) as a jewelry holder.
It was so easy, I could even (sort of) hold my camera steady while putting the project together with one hand. Ha. I just measured…
Marked (simply pushing the tip of the screw into the wall will save you extra pencil marks)…
… and sunk the first screw into place.
And this is where I realized I'd forgotten my level in the bathroom! Ugh. Thankfully, I had a nifty iPhone app with a level that I could use to make sure I kept things straight and even.
By placing the organizer in between my remodeled master bedroom closet and the master bath, I have a great new spot for my jewelry — and less of an excuse to bypass the accessories in the morning!
There you have it — a simple and inexpensive way to get your jewelry in a prime notice me and wear me spot. Thank you so much to Jess and Monica for letting me stop by, and I hope you visit me (and whatever current mess I'm making) over at The Ugly Duckling House soon! Sarah Psst: Want more? I love to post sneak peeks on Facebook and Instagram. You can also find me on Hometalk and Twitter at uglyducklingDIY. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks so much for visiting, Sarah! You're welcome back in our houses anytime.: )
I've already confessed to you that yard work is not really my thing. I pay way more attention to the inside of my house, and tend to neglect the outside. Unfortunately, my hubs isn't really into working outside either. But, I started to feel really bad for our neighbors because the front of our house was sooooo not welcoming. A few years ago, right before my daughter was born, I had Kevin paint the shutters and front door of our home a nice neutral brown. It was a major improvement over the faded blue that was there when we bought it, and for awhile, I liked the look. But not anymore. Now that I know what style I'm going for in my house, it wasn't fitting the bill. Not unique enough, not coastal/cottagey enough and not"me" anymore.
Oh did I forget to mention that we also have a jungle of a flower bed right outside our front door? Ugh. This flower bed is the bane of my existance. It's very large and overgrown with weeds. I figured that if we were going to add some curb appeal, the weeds had to go. We'd really like to put some low ground cover (suggestions, anyone?) in the entire bed so that we don't have to worry about it too much, but for now, we did some much needed cleaning out.
Our house is only about 15 years old, but the paint was peeling badly on the columns, so we added that to the facelift list.
It really just didn't scream,"Hi! Come on in!", did it?
I had slowly been accumulating paint chips to find the best front door color, and finally narrowed it down to Deepest Aqua by Glidden. Since I got my paint at Home Depot, I had them color match it for me in Behr Ultra Exterior Paint + Primer (you can see the code below, if you're interested!). I chose Behr Ultra Exterior Paint +Primer in Dark Granite for the shutters. No joke, this paint was amazing! It went on soooo smooth and covered really well on the first coat. I highly recommend it! We ended up only doing two coats, and they look perfect.
All of the trim on the porch and both columns got a fresh coat of white paint, as well.
I'm so impatient that I had to snap a picture of the house after the door was painted but before the shutters were painted. Loved it immediately. That blue is spot on and the perfect color for my front door.
I had Kevin take the door knob off because it had seen better days, and sprayed it with a dark bronze hammered metal spray paint. What? You don't spray paint on an old tree stump? Why ever not?!: )
That simple step made a world of a difference, and was free, since I had the spray paint already. Score!
After weeding, painting, spray painting and a lot of sweating, here's how the house looks now:
The house feels more calm to me, if that makes any sense at all. And the colors make our house look more white, when actually it's an off-white, pale yellow. I'm a big fan of that, as it was completely unplanned!
We didn't take down our shutters, because they're a bear to do so. My hubs just used a step ladder and his mad painting skills to get them done.
To dress up the porch a bit, I brought my DIY floor mat from the kitchen out. I was never really a huge fan of it in the kitchen, and with the addition of my new rug, I liked it even less. It matches perfectly out front, so there it sits! Much better.
This chair was one of my grandma's (I have two of them) and a while ago I spraypainted them in Krylon Pimento Red. I thought it would be fun to paint our house number on the back of the chair, but before I commited I wrote it on with chalk. One of these days I'll get around to painting it for real…or maybe not.
I'm really digging the non-traditional mix of these colors.
I'm planning a few more little touches to the front door and then I can't wait to get my Fall on in the next few weeks!
And just for posterity's sake, let's take one last look at the before and after:
Can I get woot-woot?!: ) Are you guys into working outside? What can you recommend for the giant weed-fest going on in my front bed? P.S. Do you follow us on Facebook? If not, you totally should because we're always posting in-process pics and teasers about the projects we have going on. Plus, you'll get an inside look at our craziness!: )
Phew! Can you believe that 2012 is over already? We are gearing up for an unbelievably awesome 2013 filled with lots of fun and exciting things for this little blog (we'll share those with you tomorrow!), but we thought we'd take some time to round up our favorite projects from each month in 2012. Take a look, let us know what you think, and pin it if you like it!
January Monica's Fav: I loved going green in 2012! Not really in the earthy-crunchy way, but by adding a pop of color to my collection of ornate frames. These Green Granny Frames had a fun impact on my dining room!
Jess's Fav: I breathed some new life into our New and Improved Entryway by adding a striped accent wall and a big gallery wall.
February: Jess' Fav: This project injected what can only be called Stencil Happiness into my kitchen renovation. Thanks to an awesome stencil from Royal Design Studio, my kitchen now has style for miles!
Monica's Fav: I took a bit of a risk and got personal with all of you by sharing my Game of Love Perfect Valentine's Gift. You ladies sure loved it, because it became our #1 post of 2012! Stay tuned for this year's version- it'll be on the blog on Monday!
Since 2012 was a leap year, I get to add another for February! This post went live on 2/29 and it's such a time saver in our house! Once a Month Sandwiches
March Jess' Fav: This Giant Shaped Frame is by far my favorite project from 2012! I'm pretty sure there is no better way to dress up your wall for this crazy low price. This is a big impact project, people. *I also have to nominate this one too! Jess and I had no idea how successful this project was going to be when we created it- we sure love Staples Prints! -Mon*
Monica's Fav: I love the BIG impact my Chevron Wall made in my kitchen. It's packed with personality and was pretty easy to paint!
April Jess' Fav: My hubs and I surprised my daughter with this Playhouse Loft Bed for her fourth birthday. It was totally worth it, because she and my son play in it all the time. I'm all for a DIY project that keeps the kids happy and occupied! *wink*
Monica's Fav: My Front Door got a major face lift with a super cool color and house numbers that are so my style!
May Jess' Fav: We started our kitchen renovation in December and were finally ready to do the big Kitchen Reveal in May. Of course, I'm still tweaking it, but this room makes me super happy. It's filled with tons of DIYs like painting the cabinets, stenciling the wall, making a fabric shade pendant light, painting color-blocked curtains and adding a fab rug.
Monica's Fav: Warm weather meant it was time for some outdoor projects! I loved how simple and inexpensive these DIY Planters were. Even now, they have winter pansies and look great on my front porch!
June Jess's Fav: I love the ability to customize things and this Fabric Floorcloth let me create the perfect mat for my entryway!
Monica's Fav: Jess and I completed our Super-Fab Guest Room Makover. We loved everything from the shutter headboard, fun accessories, and of course the houndstooth stenciled wall! We also had a blogger's dream come true when Young House Love featured our makeover!
July Jess: My son turned 2 this month so I showed you how I made his custom invitations using digital scrapbook paper and picmonkey. How to Make Custom Printables became one of our top posts- you guys obviously love free things!: )
Monica's Fav: While we were busy finishing up our patio project, I also worked on an Outdoor Furniture Upcycle
August Jess' Fav: We took our house exterior from boring to awesome by painting the front door and shutters. Hello Curb Appeal!
Monica's Fav: August was when I pulled off a birthday surprise for my hubs with a Garage Mudroom Makover I'm still loving the organization and how it's actually functional for this family of 6!
September Jess: It's a tie! I just can't decide between Stenciled Faux-Tile Fireplace & Planked Wall with Exposed"Stud' Shelves. Both of these guys transformed the room and I'm in love with them!
Monica's Fav: I went a little outside the box with my Shut the Front Door — Foyer Update. It's still one of my favorite things in my house.
October Jess: Our dining room has been slowly undergoing a transformation and my refinished dining table fits perfectly in the new space! Refinished Dining Room Table
Monica's Fav: In October, we had our DIY Patio Reveal! It was a HUGE DIY project, but we saved tons of money doing it ourselves and the end result was pretty awesome!
November Jess's Fav: I love Mr. Berkus and didn't think he would mind me knocking off one of the items from his new line- the Rope-Wrapped Hurricane Vase. Want to know a secret? I like mine better.: )
Monica's Fav: During a road trip to visit one of my best gal pals, I whipped up a Fireplace Makeover in her new house. It's a super-simple way to get rid of that brass fast!
December Jess: This project was honestly a surprise to me. It came out so much better than I ever thought it would! The Wood Slice Wreath is the perfect winter decoration.
Monica's Fav: Just in time for Christmas Jess and I made this Illuminated Silhouette Art. It looked great next to my Christmas tree, and now I'll be swapping out the silhouette for a lovey-dovey Valentine's quote!
One thing that stands out to us the most this year is how thankful we are for YOU! We so appreciate your comments, emails and faithful visits to our blog. Here's to another crazy, fun year!
I am on a mission. A mission to make my house feel somewhat normal, organized and beautiful in the midst of our kitchen renovation. I am failing miserably, by the way, if you were curious about the state of my mission. But still, I'm plugging away. While my hubs has been working diligently on our kitchen in his very rare spare time, I have been busy trying to impart a bit of character into our entryway. Last time you saw it, it looked like this:
I love the giant letter"J" that I found at Home Goods, but the whole vibe of the space was just feeling off and, I hate to say it, boring. As you know, I love neutrals and think they can be warm and welcoming and interesting all at the same time, but if they're not used well, they can be plain, old boring. I decided to add some interest to that wall with the"J", since it's the one staring you in the face when you walk in the front door. I tossed around a bunch of ideas like adding our names around the letter, making it a gallery wall, stenciling and so on, but I just kept coming back over and over again to stripes. So, stripes it is. Plus, last week I shared that I was starting a gallery wall of white frames on the wall leading into the kitchen. Obviously, I have lost my mind, and can't find my way out of the million projects that keep accumulating in my head. But that's another story for another time.
I started by gathering all the frames I had laying around the house (and ok, confession: there are several walls in my house that are naked now that I took the frames from them), and decided on a layout. There is no real trick to this, but if you need help getting started, check out these gallery wall layout templates.
Then grab the cutest guy you know, and get to work. I wanted to see my frames on the wall before I spray-painted them white. I actually lived with the arrangement for a few days before I did anything to make sure that it was exactly how I wanted it. Fixing a nail hole is super-easy, so I wasn't too concerned about the possibility of me not liking it and having to repair a bunch of holes. To each, his own, I always say.
And just so you know: it's never too early to teach your kids how to DIY.
Time to spray-paint! (Between this gallery wall and our Nate Show projects, I think my nickname should now be Captain Spraypaints-Alot or Wonder-Painter, or Super-Sprayer. You get the idea.)
So do you want to see it? Here's my new, not-boring-in-my-humble-opinion entryway!
Ignore the wonky lighting and wierd shadows- I missed good sunlight hours today!
This is the view from the kitchen, and yes, you are getting a peek at my new stencil, which is currently my most favorite thing ever.
I got these cute, little prints for free at Sprik Space. They come in a bunch of great colors! And I absolutely can't wait to show you what I have planned for that big space above the stairs (you know, the one that still houses my remaining Christmas decor. Just keepin' it real, folks.)
What's your opinion of neutrals? Love them or hate them?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ I hope you had the chance to check out Red Letter Word's gorgeous new Hymn Collection. If not, you really should! There's no better way to add meaningful art into your home.
I need this in my house ASAP. What a great reminder of what's really important. Have an awesome day!
Ok, we all know that the reason we love DIY and home decor blogs is that we can legitimately snoop in other people's houses. Seriously, you know it's true. Well, I'm here to please, folks, so I'm going to give you a little glimpse into the house where my family (parents, both sisters and their families, and my fam) stayed the last week. We have this awesome tradition of spending a week together on vacation every year and we always go somewhere new. This year, my dad found this gorgeous house called"Old Wintersell" right outside of the adorable little town of Oxford, which is situated on the Chesapeake in Maryland. We've been to a lot of places, but this spot was definitely in my top 5 locations. Let me show you why:
This beautiful old house was built in 1845 and sits on a sprawling 14 acres. It was impeccably maintained and obviously nicely updated. Just in case you were wondering, here's the aerial view of the house (taken from the home's website- you can see lots more pictures there. This house is for sale, too!)
The kitchen was well-appointed and had everything we needed!
Loved these decorative spheres (I would have said balls, but that just didn't sound quite right)
The butler's pantry was so big that I couldn't get it all in one shot. On the left was a desk and bookshelves, stocked with loads of Bon Appetit magazines, and on the right was the coffee station and plenty of pantry space.
The kitchen opened into the main living area, where we spent most of our evenings hanging out.
This trunk-turned-coffee-table was a fun piece that added a lot of character to the room.
The bathroom off of the kitchen was very dark and stately-the gold framed mirror was a show-stopper!
My favorite feature of the house was this enclosed all-weather sun porch. It overlooked the yard and the water in the distance, and had a gorgeous brick floor and several seating areas. It was light and airy and very long. This space had to be close to fifty feet long!
I loved the sunny mudroom, which had a long bench along one side that was rustic and perfect and an awesome shelf with drawers on the other side. I'm thinking that shelf might be a DIY project calling my name!
I didn't take many pictures of the bedrooms (I tried not to spend my every waking minute taking pictures of just the house!), but this bedroom my sister and brother-in-law stayed in was so peaceful and calm. Plus, that fabric headboard was really cute!
This was their view…not bad, huh?; )
I never would have thought to hang plates in a bathroom, but they look so sweet above the beadboard. And, that vanity with it's marble top is looking mighty fine, as well.
Now, on to the outside:
We had so much fun kayaking, crabbing, and riding the boat off of this dock. There's nothing like getting up early and walking right down to the water. Love that.
The pool was wonderful, but the fence didn't go all the way around, which made for a few nervous moms. But, we spent a good amount of time in that thing, so I can't really complain.
The back of the house and the yard were perfection to me. It felt like I was kind of living in a movie or something. The evenings were absolutely perfect: the kids played in the yard while my parents watched from their adirondack chairs and my husband and brothers-in-law check the crab traps. Just lovely.
Oh, and the flowers…
The Chesapeake is only a 3 hour drive from our house and I highly recommend it as a weekend getaway or a week-long vacation, like we had. It's quiet, peaceful and quaint. It almost feels New England-like, but is a only a short drive away. St. Michaels offers lots of cute shops and good restaurants, and Oxford has the BEST icecream place on the Eastern Shore: Scottish Highland Creamery. If you go down to Oxford, stopping there is a must.
There's nothing I enjoy more than family vacation and being on the water. Combine the two and you have one pretty amazing time.
Can you tell we loved it?
What's your favorite vacation destination? We're always on the lookout for our next one!
My family travelled a lot growing up, and still, to this day, we all get together one week out of the year, and vacation with each other in a new, unexplored (to us) location. I was also fortunate enough to live in Greece for three months during college. My friends and I (and my future hubby, unbeknownst to both of us), toured Greece, Italy, France and Spain with abandon, and I loved every second of it. Why am I telling you this? Over the past year, I've been trying to figure out what my design"style" really is. Instead of randomly acquiring or making things that may or may not fit the rest of my belongings, I want to be purposeful and intentional (there's that word again; ) with the design of my house. I want my home to have a nice flow, (which, if you've ever been to my house, is not the case), and to be comfortable and relaxing, yet beautiful. That's not too much to ask, is it? (Envision me looking exhausted). I find that thinking about the places I've been that have really impacted me and that I fell in love with, help me discern what styles I want to incorporate in my home. Each place has a certain feel that I would love to capture at home. This is the first post of three parts about my top 3 favorite destinations and what design elements I have gathered and want to incorporate in my home. Destination #1: Greece
Zacynthos, Greece (We affectionately call this place"Paradise Beach") Ahhhh…memories. This country holds a special place in my heart as it was the place I met and got to know my hubs (no, he is not Greek. He was on the same trip I was), and it was the first place that I really had to be completely independent. There are two main design elements from Greece that I want to include in my house: simplicity and history.
Source: perivolassuites.gr via Jessica on Pinterest This room is SO simple. Nothing competing with each other, no knickknacks. Just two beautiful blue bottles, a plant and a purple blanket. Makes me want to take a nap.
Source: apartmenttherapy.com via Jessica on Pinterest White on white on white. {Sigh} I told you I was in a white phase, and this depicts that perfectly. Even though it's devoid of color, it's still an interesting room with those totally cool stool/table thingies that add loads of texture, and the khaki/white rug. I understand it's absolutely not practical in any way with two little ones running around, but I so admire how peaceful and simple this room is.
Source: 79ideas.org via Jessica on Pinterest Again, nothing dramatic in this room, but somehow this room is perfect. That table looks like it has seen its fair share of dinner parties. I love the old furniture paired with the fancy chandelier, and beamed ceiling. I can totally envision eating a late dinner here with friends.
Source: flickr.com via Jessica on Pinterest If this doesn't inspire you to bring the outside in, then I don't know what will.
Source: trekearth.com via Jessica on Pinterest This is gorgeous, old and falling apart. It gives me hope that someone might find the peeling paint on my porch banisters gorgeous.
Source: indiehome.blogspot.com via Jessica on Pinterest There is a very simple color scheme in Greece- white and blue, with a little pink thrown in there from the wild, climbing flowers. And still, it's so interesting and pretty.
Wow. That light fixture is fabulous. This room is breathtaking. Enough said.
Have you been anywhere that has inspired you to decorate differently? Please share!
When we bought our 18th century home fourteen years ago never in my wildest imagination did I think it would take so long to remodel my kitchen. Being both a Yankee and a New Englander we don't believe in waste and using things until they literally fall apart. I hated my kitchen and nearly dropped to my knees in thanks when my stove finally became a fire hazard. So when the husband said lets remodel the kitchen images of grandeur floated through my head''.
I dreamed of high ceilings and clean open spaces''.image viaBill Litchfield
I dreamed of tons of cabinet space and seating area....image via Steve Giannetti, Brooke's husband, fromVelvet & Linen(I'm in love with this kitchen just move it into my house please!)
I dreamed of large windows with lots of natural light....image viaBelgian Pearls
Lots and lots of light!....image viaBill Litchfield
I dreamed of using natural materials....image viaChateau Domingue
I dreamed of using stone....image viaCote de Texas
Image viaChateau Domingue
I dreamed of clean lines....image viaA Life's Design
I dreamed of stainless steel appliances....image viaDarryl Carter, love, LOVE this kitchen! But then reality crept into my world and my dream bubble popped and I was faced with the kitchen from my nightmares! The reality is I have a kitchen that's only 16' x 14', a whole 224 square feet with 8' 2' ceilings, the lowest ceiling height that could be found in my house. It's one of those quirks of an 18th century house.
The kitchen did have semi custom built cabinets and corian counters but it had a lot of issues. White counter tops are not my thing, neither is an electric stove with only two burners. No back splash around the sink or the stove. The microwave above the stove would get really hot when I cooked, it being digital you can imagine how well it worked after a few shots of heat. That refrigerator couldn't hold the makings for a Thanksgiving meal. The faucet had this annoying drip for years on end let alone it didn't reach into the middle of the sink just that one little corner and no sprayer! The floors were badly worn, wood floors should never be allowed in a hard working kitchen. We made the mistake of using our kitchen as a giant crate for our brand new puppy and he choose to do a little decorating himself'...look at the wall'nice huh? Sheet rock paper ripped off and the sheet rock and baseboards chewed. DO NOT USE YOUR KITCHEN AS A PUPPY CRATE! And I hated the country look but felt tied to it for some reason. Probably because of the elements in the kitchen felt so country.
I had a few restrictions when it came to designing my new kitchen''.I wasn't allowed to bump walls out in hopes of gaining space, the kitchen is not as wide as my house and I could have gained ten feet in width had I moved those walls. Since we have harsh cold winters we had to have a wood stove for warmth. I wasn't allowed to change the windows out since they were original to the house and not drafty believe it or not. And our Golden Dylan needed his area. Other then that I had a free hand and boy was I excited!
But Michelle, from Ten June created this Garden Wall which totally inspired me. I've been noticing a lack of greenery in my house (mostly because I don't take care of the few plants I do have) and wanted to rectify that, so I decided to try my hand at creating a garden wall in my kitchen. My internal self warned me that I should only do this if I promised that I would take care of the poor, terrified plants. So I made a deal with my internal self, and off I went!
According to Michelle, Ikea had some great containers that could be hung on the wall. She used the galvanized steel buckets, but after perusing the container isle for a while, I decided that these darling white ASKER containers would be perfect for my kitchen. (Recently, I've been consumed with thoughts of making everything white in my house. I'm not kidding. And I just might do it.) The holes in the backs of the containers makes it so easy to hang on the wall! I love when things are easy.
Lucky for me, Ikea also sells potted plants. I didn't have to go anywhere else to get all I needed for this project, because knowing me, if I did, you wouldn't be seeing this post until 2015. Please, oh please, oh please, don't ask me which succulents I bought. I don't know their names, but I do know for sure that I bought the one second from the left in the picture above. I've decided that I love succulents because they require virtually no care (they need to be watered only once per week, and thrive on indirect, but not hot, sunlight). Plus they are so unique and sculptural-looking!
The wall I used is very narrow, so I went with three plants in a vertical line. I wasn't too concerned with the containers being the exact same distance away from each other because I knew the height of each plant would make it look off anyway. (I'm the one who doesn't need perfection, remember?) I went with two dark green, and one light green plant to add some interest.
Here's a view of the kitchen coming in from the garage. The color in our kitchen is same throughout, but it looks so different in this picture! The most true representation of the color is the one the plants are on. The garden wall adds such a fresh pop of white and green to an otherwise un-remarkable wall. It doesn't overwhelm you when you see it, which makes me happy.
I love how flush they are to the wall! (And by the way, we hung them using white picture hangers.)
You might have noticed these pretty little ladies sitting on my kitchen peninsula. These were a gift from my hubs for Mother's Day, and even though they are now over a week old, they are so beautiful! I loved the colors and the antique look they have. You should have seen them a couple of days ago! Really, they took my breath away. Call me old-fashioned, but it's always SO nice to have fresh flowers in my house. Do you have plants in your house? If so, what's your favorite kind?
Have you ever been somewhere and found the absolute perfect decoration, gift, clothing item etc? You just KNEW it was exactly the right match? For me, these times are far and few between, but as I've stumbled upon developed my sense of style and a direction for our home, I've been a bit more successful since I know how I want the rooms to evolve. Monica mentioned the barn sale we went to yesterday, and it was awesome. However, I won't spend any more time boring you with details about it, but I will tell you this: I didn't know what I was looking for. This, my friends, is dangerous. Especially since there were, literally, thousands of items just waiting to be repurposed into something fabulous. Luckily, for me, I found an item that is PERFECT for my living room.
See that vintage suitcase? Yup, that's her. When I picked her up at the sale, my original thought was to stack her with a few other vintage suitcases in my fireplace, since we don't use it at all. Something that looked sort of like this:
Source: kaseybuick.com via April on Pinterest
But, alas, my suitcase didn't fit in our tiny fireplace opening, which meant stacking three suitcases was definitely not happening. My hubs, brilliant man that he is, suggested putting it next to my statement piece under the basket I'm temporarily using to hold a throw blanket.
Great thought, hun! I love it, and like I've been saying all along, looks like it was meant to be there. The light gray-blue stripes and dark brown leather on the suitcase match the wall color, and the legs of my favorite chair as if they were long-lost twins. {Sigh}
I've been fortunate enough to have a few other lovelies in my living room that are perfect accessories for the room. Piece of evidence #1:
This pillow was found at Home Goods in January, and again, I wasn't looking for something like this at all, but it works!
No matter how hard I try, I can almost NEVER get a shot of my house without a) one of my two children, or b) toys in my pictures. It's just a phase (and by that, I mean the toys! Not my kids!: )
See? Random lanterns are not rare in this house. No sir.
Piece of Evidence #2: I also found a pair of these paisley pillows at Home Goods on the same day. I saw them just as another woman picked them up. I couldn't believe my bad luck that they were EXACTLY right for my house, but I was a minute too late! My mom and I discreetly followed her around the store for awhile, and lo and behold, she put them back! I cheered and jumped for joy nonchalantly walked over to them and grabbed them for myself. Score!
Finding these pretties rank high on my happiness scale, right up there with birthing my babies and marrying my husband. (Don't you dare judge me.: ) So, fill me in, is there an item that was made for you and your home? I'm secretly crossing my fingers, hoping that I'm not the only one.
Downtown with only two streets I thought I'd tell you how we came to be living in an 18th century house in the country. My husband Rick and I were living in NYC and had been searching the suburbs for 5 ' years looking for the perfect antique house to no avail. We had quite the list of wants and weren't willing to settle. After one particularly disappointing day my husband brightened up and said time to go farther out and made a call to an old childhood friend who was in real estate.
Autumn in Our Town An hour later our fax machine started humming away spitting out house listing after house listing, talk about excitement! The house listings were in Rick's childhood hometown up in New Hampshire and one house in particular caught both our attention and Rick couldn't figure out why it seemed so familiar so time to take a drive up and have a look.
Front of House at first meeting Rick had driven up alone to see the house and called that night telling me I needed to hop on a plane and get up to NH pronto, he had found our dream home. Meeting our home for the first time took a bit of imagination to envision what it could look like when brought back to life. Upon arrival to our house you couldn't see it sitting up on the side of the mountain from the road since the front forest was so over grown. But once up the drive there she was'''a cape built in 1790 sitting looking very blank and forlorn just waiting for someone to love her.
Side yard looking into the back The property was blank! No shrubs around the house, no gardens, no nothing except what Mother Nature planted. Those 'shrubs' you see at the back of the house were actually invasive weeds called Japanese knot weed or bamboo and were next to impossible to kill off.
Back of house
The property in general was an absolute mess! The side field weeds had grown part way into the side yard and calling them weeds was putting it mildly. There were huge wild rose bushes the size of a vehicle, poisonous sumac trees and giant weeds taller then a man. The only way around that mess was walking around on the road because you couldn't go through it.
Rick told me while we were touring what we termed 'the mess' that he finally knew why this house seemed so familiar, it was his old pediatricians house. My husband was born and raised right down the road from this house, talk about going full circle. Another surprise from our realtor, the old gal is buried right out back on the tier. I guess she really loved this house!
Yes, as far as you can see this is our mess!
The interior turned out to be as dismal as the outside, the whole house had white walls, not semi flat painted white walls but the white of primer paint. Yes, you read that right, everything was painted with primer white paint! While almost every trim throughout the entire house was painted that strange blue/green. Take it from me people white is not neutral it's shockingly bright!
We had seen our house on a rainy day so found out first hand that the roof needed help since it was raining on the first floor of a two story house. See the rain coming down the window shade? It's was flowing steadily from the ceiling as well. Despite the fact we were going to need a bulldozer and every surface in the house needed help the structural bones of the house were perfect and ready to stand for another 200 years.
Front forest after we cleaned and thinned it out We found everything we wanted in a property and house even if it was going to take a very strong back and many years to put right. So after nearly six years of searching we took the plunge and bought our home. Welcome to our dream!
The evolution of a house and style is an interesting thing. I take great pleasure in changing, rearranging and tweaking the rooms in my house. My style has changed pretty drastically (since I basically started out my married life with no style preference at all), but I'm still developing my tastes and preferences. Things rarely stay the same for long, which is exactly how I like it. My desire is to create a home that is comfortable for my family and welcoming to guests, that is pleasing to the eye, but that is also practical for raising two kids. I'm fairly certain that this will be a life-long quest. However, money and time (or the lack there of) make it a little more difficult to decorate and change things like I'd like. Kevin and I have had a few rough years financially, and so, I am finding that if I want to redecorate, I have to be resourceful and creative, and most importantly, learn how to repurpose items we already have. I've been learning the very difficult lesson of contentment (Melissa, at The Inspired Room, said this about contentment that really resonated with me), and am realizing that I don't have to have the perfect house, just one that my family considers beautiful and can enjoy living in.
With all that said, Monica and I will be showcasing our houses to you; not because they are perfect, far from it actually, but because they are a huge part of who we are. So, welcome to the evolving house.
This is C1's bedroom. Just recently, we changed her over from a toddler bed to a full-sized bed. In one afternoon, it seemed like she grew older right before our eyes just because of the furniture! I love her room- it's girly and sweet, but can also really grow with her. We painted the walls a really pretty shade of green (I'm sorry I don't know the paint color anymore!), and we used all-white furniture. Every piece of furniture (except the headboard) is hand-me-down or was hand-made by my hubs. Her cute butterfly and flower bedding came from HomeGoods and was a gift from my mom. She has a great dormer window, in which Kevin built a toy box/window seat. When we were creating her baby nursery, I envisioned that little space as a great reading spot for her down the road. For now, she uses it to play and look out the window.
This shelf came from my mom's attic (she has a great supply of decor and furniture she's not using and is really generous with it!). I made the monogram, using adorable patterned and hot pink card stock, and put them in frames we already had. I hot-glued ribbon to the tops to make them a little more feminine.This monogram project cost me no money at all, since I used items I already had! The little porcelain shoe to the left of the frames was a gift from her great-grandmother and has all her birth stats painted on it.
This is my favorite feature in her room. Inspired by something I saw in Pottery Barn, Monica and I created a tree stencil for the walls. I then hand-painted the trees (there are two of them- one on either side of the dormer window area), and added leaves and pictures of our families to make it a family tree. One side is the hub's family, and the other side is my family. I wanted C1 to have an understanding of the importance of family, and how blessed she was to have such a Godly inheritance, from an early age.
Isn't this chair the most precious thing you've ever seen? Ahh, I can't get enough of it, and you'd never guess that I got it at Big Lots for $40!
But really, these pictures show what I love most about this room: My two kids living in it.
Voting is closed! To see the winners of Round 1,click here. Check back next Monday, March 18th for Round 2 projects and voting! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Welcome to Creating with the Stars 2013! Let the contest officially begin! This season of CWTS is going to be Epic and these Round 1 projects are a clear indication of the insane talent of these contestants! Just a few reminders before we get to the voting… Round 1 Challenge:
Round 1 Prize Package: We have the Best Sponsors for CWTS2013 and here's a reminder of what our Contestants are playing for this week… $50 worth of 31 Gifts products $60 worth of Twysted Yarn products $70 of Henle Headbands products $100 Blog Re-design from 733 Design (who designed all the CWTS logos!) Project featured by HomeTalk We also want to thank Homes.com for being the Official Grand Sponsor of Creating with the Stars!
Without Further Ado… In No Particular Order, Here are the Round 1 Projects…#1- Dresser Turned Modern Sandbox This dresser had no hope. It was in extremely poor shape. I mostly bought it for the legs, but after learning I was in CWTS, I thought I could do something with it. I decided to turn it into a sandbox filled with sand and dirt. What kid does not like sand or dirt?! The issue I have with sand tables is how much of an eye sore they can be. After cutting off an entire level of drawers that brought it down to kid/side table height, I placed sand and dirt inside the top two drawers. When guests come over, I simply place the dresser's top back on covering up the dirt and sand. It is an easy solution that is modern and stylish. Using a friendly exterior paint protects the furniture from the elements. Placing the dresser top on when not in use protects the sand and dirt. The two bottom drawers are functional and can be used for outdoor storage like small plant pots, garden tools, and kid toys. I used a couple of rabbit knobs for fun and green paint for a punch of color.
#2- Little League Lounger I love taking old, crappy stuff and turning it into something that I will actually use! I found an ugly outdoor folding chair at my local thrift store, and knew it would be perfect for my upcycle project. Now, I have a completely re-done"little league lounger" to use at all my boys' baseball games this summer!
Here's what the chair looked like before I worked my magic:
I added all new cream-colored webbing {with a navy pin stripe}, updated the arm rests by re-purposing an old wooden baseball bat, and made a baseball stitch pillow from an old table runner. I love how it all came together!
I can't wait for baseball season to get started so I can use my new chair!
#3- Floor Board Kitchen Island
I love our kitchen, but I've always wanted a big kitchen island where we could hang out. I wanted to take this unused space in our family room and add a table or counter. I had no idea what to use, but all of a sudden, a light bulb went off in my head. I remembered some old floor boards hidden in the basement rafters. They were dusty and worn and perfect. BAM — perfect for an old rustic island! We washed and sanded the boards, and got to work building our new favorite spot.
Add in some painted stools and we now have a space just off the kitchen that is perfect for parties, eating, hanging out, or working on crafts.
#4- Man Chairs Often the"dreaming up" of a new project can be done in my sleep, literally. But execution can feel like a trip to the dentist, one in which I go in for a routine cleaning and find I need a double root canal. The trick to any DIY project is COMMITMENT. Commit to your goal and don't let up no matter how many coats of paint are applied in vain. These previously drab, brown, faux-leather club chairs were purchased on sale for $12 each at a local thrift shop.
A bit of auto upholstery paint, steal tacks, metal coating paint, a couple patinas for good measure and some tough new casters and this thrift store find is ready for"the man".
#5- Tin Tile Mirror So, I'm still totally in shock that I was chosen to be a part of Creating with the Stars. With the first theme being"Upcycle", I wanted to do something a little different. I hit up a local flea market, hoping to find something that screamed my name, and when I saw these vintage tin ceiling tiles, I knew these were it. The fun color that looks so much like patina, the rust, the texture, the scuffed parts revealing the silvery color underneath. LOVE! They were marked $6 a piece, but I offered her $5, and she accepted. So $40 for all 8. Score!
The next stop was Home Depot for wood, and I built a simple frame. Each tile was approx 12x12, so the finished size is 36x36. Not all of the tile sides matched up when I nailed them in, so I'm going to blame the tiles and say that they're wonky, rather than my measuring (which is probably more true). A little paint matching, painting in the gaps, building a frame for a mirror that I picked up at Michaels, attaching the mirror and frame with some glue, and we're almost done.
I had the perfect spot in my hallway that was just begging for some oomph. For under $60, it's a huge statement piece that fits perfectly. I'm thrilled with how it turned out.
#6- Television Stand Upcycled to a Bar When I saw this ugly, 80’s style television stand at our local Goodwill for a whopping $30, my mind immediately started churning with ideas. I’ve been wanting to set up a bar area in our house, and I knew this would be the perfect piece to turn into a bar. It just needed a little (or, um, a LOT) of love!
I added legs and a little stand at the bottom to make it a bit taller, and gave it a few coats of navy paint (and, of course, a stencil to add some fun). I turned the drawers on either side that used to be used for VHS storage into the perfect place to stash a few bottles. And, since most alcohol bottles are all different sizes and shapes, I poured our frequently used ones into uniform glass bottles that I etched with the name – that way I can be sure the bottles fit and they look pretty to boot!
Finally, for a last little touch, I dipped some of our glasses in gold paint to make things a little more sparkly and fun. I’m so happy with how it turned out and I’m loving the extra storage! I can’t wait to put this thing to good use!
#7- Trash Pile Tire Made Trendy Table Early Saturday morning, still bra-less and in my PJs, I drove to a neighbor's house and hurled an old tire from their curb-side trash pile into the back of my car. My plan for the filthy tire was still foggy… as was my pre-coffee brain, but I was determined to turn it into something cool. After a day of deliberation, trial, and error, I determined side table was to be its fate. Let's get upcycling.
I started by giving the tire a scrub with some dish soap. Next, I tried to figure out what to use for legs. Since this tire still has the (very!) heavy rim attached, I needed something sturdy. After contemplating many possibilities, I decided to cut them out of a piece of pine left in my garage from another project. The legs were stained and attached to a plywood circle I cut for the base. Then, I glued the tire on top of that with construction adhesive, and added a smaller circle to the top of the tire to act as the table top.
I covered the entire tire in rope using Liquid Nails and"dipped" the legs in a bright citrus-ey yellow paint. I'm pretty jazzed with how it came out and can't wait to tell people I have an old tire in my living room. Ha!
#8- Vertical Blinds Headboard Why is it that bedrooms are always the last rooms to get decorated? This room had no artwork, no matching furniture, and a mattress sadly sitting on a cheap bed frame. The only good thing about it was that it was prime for a makeover!
When my parents upgraded their patio doors from vertical blinds to curtains, my mom saved the blinds for me thinking I could “make something with them.” Does this happen to all creative types? But Mom was right, those old vertical blinds were the perfect material to make an over sized woven headboard for the bedroom.
A sleek wooden frame hangs so that the headboard almost reaches our 8 foot ceilings, and two spray painted clamp lights provide adjustable lighting for bedtime reading.
Similar, but smaller, woven headboards can cost over $700, but since I re-purposed my materials, this statement-making headboard cost less than 1/10th that much. No more sad, bland bedroom for us! #9- Bicycle Wheel Clock
There are clocks. And then…there areclocks. There are clocks that tick and tock and ring and jingle and tell time underwater and sound an alarm. And then there are clocks made from a bicycle wheel with yardstick ruler hands perched on a chalkboard surrounded by roman numerals above a table strategically styled with a bicycle seat. That is one fine clock.
And the best part? I got the bicycle wheel for free. Can you even believe it? I walked into a bicycle shop and randomly explained to the resident bike expert that I wanted to make a clock and I needed a cute bike wheel that had preferably been around the block a time or two. Wordlessly he stared at me. I don't really know why. I'm sure they get that request all the time.
And then he went to the back where they keep all the spare wheels for people who come in with clock requests and he handed me this bicycle wheel. I totally wish he could see his wheel now. He'd probably charge me for it.: )
#10 Statement Piece Light Fixture
Walking through Habitat ReStore, I spotted a few egg crate diffusers — you know those grates that cover fluorescent lights in basements across the country. It's the last lighting fixture I would consider for a project but once I got around my thoughts of drop ceilings, I began thinking how neat it would be to use the grid to create any square cornered geometric shape that I wanted. At $2 each, what could I lose?
Browsing Pinterest I found this amazing light and fell in love with the arms. It's lines are simple, but make a big impact! Perfect for a statement piece! The egg crate diffuser was cut into the shape of the arms, filled with plaster of paris, sanded and painted. So that the wiring and housing wouldn't compete with the outer arms, I made a simple fixture out of metal tubing, PVC plumbing parts, and a few parts from an existing chandelier. After wiring it (and being elated that it worked!) I installed trim on the ceiling to frame the chandelier, and added a little more interest by painting alternating stripes in ivory and a light gray. Finally, I installed a gallery wall with a few fun pieces!
From a designer's nightmare to an energetic statement piece, this diffuser has come a long way! #11- Lab Station Turned Dining Room Buffet
servin' it up old school… The story of how a lonely old science lab station gained new life as an industrial-style dining room buffet. Once upon a time…on an unusually warm and sunny spring day, I was leisurely browsing a flea market when I spotted this piece and was immediately drawn to it…the color, the rust & patina, it's industrial style, and the fact that it was old and had great visual evidence of it's previous life--lots of it. As I looked closely at the butcher-block top complete with bunsen burner stains, student-carvings (i.e."jennie-loves-alex") and distress-marks galore, I knew that I had to have it--for something, but what that something was, wasn't clear to me at the time. We just had"chemistry"--I could feel it.; ) Luckily, the kind gentleman who I was buying this (very heavy) treasure from was willing to help me get it into my truck…and let me tell you: it. weighs. a. ton. Chapter Two: Fast forward to Project One CWTS: Upcycle. I knew instantly that this sad science lab station was about to have a major career change. I tossed around a few ideas, but pretty quickly decided it would be a fabulous, industrial-style dining room buffet. The hardest part was this: while I love the"vintage-industrial-rusty-patina" look and eagerly welcome it into my house, this was looking a bit too"raw" for my dining room. Well, try googling"how to tone down rust on metal, yet keep just the right amount of color and patina". If there is a tutorial for this…I didn't find it!
Chapter Three: So, I did a little DIY-science-experimenting and discovered a technique to get just the look I was hoping for. After this process I added the casters, the door knobs, stenciled on the quote and stained the butcher-block top. Add some wine, grapes, cheese…and this"new" buffet is all ready to help you eat, drink and be merry.; )
…and she lived happily ever after in my dining room.
#12-From Frumpy to On Fire, Fireplace! When I was told that the first week of Creating With the Stars theme was upcycle I was over the moon excited. Upcycling is my thing. It’s where I get my groove on. And so, it wasn’t a matter of finding something to upcycle; it was a matter of deciding which thing to upcycle. So, I took a tour of my house and gazed at all of the items that needed some good loving. And then, I sat and thought about what I wanted in my home. And, it came to me. Hmm… could I? Would it be possible? Yes… yes, it could!!
I’ve wanted a fireplace forever and ever. Okay, that’s an exaggeration. But, you get the gist. And, while this fireplace/bookcase might not be the real thing it fits the bill quite nicely. I was able to create my “fireplace” from an old bookcase that was sitting in my laundry room, a mirror frame that was on it’s way to the trash, and an antique footboard that had lost it’s headboard (poor thing). The bookcase is the most important element; the mirror and footboard helped create awesome and turn the bookcase/fireplace into something spectacular.
I cut the footboard down to size and used it as the “mantel” as well as give the fireplace/bookcase a skirt at the bottom. Scrapbooking chipboard embellishments gilded, painted, and antiqued look like beautiful wood cutouts on the mantel. The trim on the sides of the fireplace/bookcase are pieces of the mirror cut down to size. A chimney that runs the length of my 12 foot wall was created with a simple frame covered in tin. The back of the bookcase was covered in that same tin for added charm. I must say this project exceeded my expectations and far surpassed the image of awesome I had for this project when I started out. I love walking into my home and seeing this and am so pleased waiting forever and ever is over!
Can You Believe That Talent? It's Time to Vote!You can only vote one time, but you can vote for your favorite 3 projects.Before voting, please LIKE EC2 on Facebook. Thanks! If you're having trouble viewing the voting box, click HERE to vote. Don't forget that tomorrow it's your turn to link up your own upcycle project!Thanks for playing along!!
Confession: We have crushes. Yup, goofy, girl crushes. Now, we're not crushing on boys like we may or may not have in high school and college, but we're totally crushing on a few things we think you might want to crush on too!
1- Bicycle decor. This crush started a few month ago by seeing a bicycle pillow. Then, Mandy put some crazy cool bicycle art in her foyer, and I knew it was love. How great is this fabric? It's going to be making an appearance in my family room very soon!
A friend's family owns Bicycle Gift Hub and it's an online store of all things bikes! Now, it's a bit more for the seriously-in-love-with-the-sport type, but I did find these adorable book ends!
Want to know the funniest thing about this crush? I stink at riding a bike! Like seriously am awful. The phrase,"It's like riding a bicycle" has a very different connotation to me. My husband played college baseball and one time, when we were dating, I rode my bike across campus to meet him at the gym. The whole team had just finished up BP and I came riding up, looking all cool, didn't stop soon enough, hit the curb and went flying. Seriously, I was wishing the little accident had taken my life so I didn't have to face all those guys! Oh well, they must have found it endearing because most of them still came to our wedding the next year! 2- Industrial Eclectic courtesy of The Vow. First things first, I'm pretty sure"industrial eclectic" isn't real, but I sure love it as a style. I might have been one of the only women in America more smitten by the apartment in The Vow, than the likes of Channing Tatum (although, don't get me wrong, their chemistry was really sweet.) If you haven't seen the movie, I actually liked it and the hubs said it was really good for a"chick flick" Now, onto the apartment. It was a little too urban loft for me, but soooo much of it I loved. These island light fixtures are calling my name. One of my favorite things was the sliding metal doors on the bookshelves. I need that in my world somehow!
I love all the color in the kitchen. I love the mismatched light fixtures. I love the clock. I love the island. Sensing a trend here?
Now this picture is a wee bit cluttered for me, but look at those metal doors in the back!
So the point of this rant is that I'm determined to find a way to make my so-far-from-a-New-York-loft house have an"industrial eclectic" feel. 3- Ladies Home Journal I'm crushing on LHJ for two reasons… #1- they've completely launched a new and improved magazine that's awesome. It's totally focused on the reader and what stories they want to see in the mag. #2- We're going to be collaborating with LHJ for DIY and design stories! We were in NYC on Monday meeting with the editor in chief and her whole staff. It was pretty amazing. Lots more to come about LHJ, but for now, how about you go get or renew a subscription so you're sure not to miss any of our contributions. Just for a short time it's only $5.99/year! That's insanely cheap, so there's no excuses for not joining in on the fun! Head here to subscribe.
I'm most definitely crushing on brownies right now, but that's besides the point. I know you'd rather hear about my design crushes than my brownie addiction, so here goes:
1. Coral & Blue. Goodness, I'm in love. When I first saw that Ikea-hack buffet on the right, I was immediately mesmerized. Until then, the color coral never entered my mind for my dining/living room (I was going for more of a rust color), but now it's there in full-force. After an impulsive coral search on Pinterest, I found that amazing room from Southern Living on the left, and the Waverly Sea Scallop Coral Reef fabric that just sealed the deal. Expect a coral invasion into my home and onto this blog in the very near future.
2. DIY Furniture. In case you haven't heard, Ana White is the source for free furniture plans and I get sucked in just thinking of all the possibilities. I might have said to my husband tonight after seeing the apothecary console table,"Why would we ever buy anything ever again when we can just build it?", to which he replied,"You are an absolute madwoman." Ok, he didn't say that exactly, but I know he was thinking it. Anyway, my hubs and I have been scheming for months to build this playhouse loft bed for my daughter's 4th birthday coming up in a few weeks. One time I showed her this picture:
…and she hasn't stopped talking about it since! I can't wait to surprise her with it, and I'm also strangely excited about painting and decorating the little house. I'm hoping she doesn't have any ideas of what she wants it to look like (wishful thinking, I'm sure, because there is very little that my girl doesn't have an opinion about), because I've got the whole thing planned out in my mind already! What things are YOU crushing on?
Remember my post about the game plan for my bathroom? I really wanted a ladder for the space to as a stylish way to hang a few hand towels and other little things we might need in the bathroom. I found one this weekend while visiting my sister in Lancaster. There is a house that we pass on the way to my sister's that has hundreds (no exaggeration) of old windows and other random junk in their yard. Of course, that's like the jackpot for a cheap DIYer like me, so we stopped by. Lucky for me, they had a few ladders like this one and I was able to buy it for $15! (Talked her down from $20. Oh yeah, I drive a hard bargain.) Out of all the things I've bought for my house, besides my statement piece, this one is my favorite. It captures the feel I'm going for in my home (and no, that feel is not old paint shop in case you were wondering.) This really tall little beauty needs some loving, as in, a good sanding and maybe a few coats of a water-based polyurethane to bring out the wood tones. There's just one too many different colors of paint on her for my liking, so once they're sanded out, she'll be perfect.
In other news, we bought a mirror at Lowes for the bathroom. Originally, I planned on thrifting a cheap, unique mirror, but we came across this one marked way down on clearance at Lowes, and I'm totally loving the shape of it.
(Yes, that is my garage filled with lots of old barnwood for my various projects. Yes, my husband gives me the stink eye because of it.)
And how do I like the color of this mirror? Umm, not so much. Black with red undertones? I don't think so.
I'm planning on painting the mirror frame and then doing an antique glazing treatment on it to make it look weathered and well, antique. Something like this:
I've finally chosen my paint colors, Olympic Whispering Wind and Quill, which I'll have color-matched in Valspar paint (that covers better with less coats). You can't tell in this picture, but they are very neutral beiges that are almost gray. LOVE them.
And finally, the lighting. Thanks to some suggestions by our awesome readers (who knew to look at outdoor lighting??!!), I've narrowed down my choices to this large bronze wall-mounted light fixture that is actually meant to be outside. It's from Lowes and costs $39.98. I really adore everything about it, but I'm not sure the color is exactly the feel I'm going for.
Lowes
My second choice is this Raw Steel outdoor wall sconce from Lowes. It costs a little bit less than the other light $24.95, but is smaller. The color is definitely in the cooler tones.
Lowes
So, now, will you help me? The finish of the light will really direct the direction of the other decorative items in the room (bronze= browns & creams, silver = gray, white and black). It's your chance to tell me what you think would work best in my bathroom redesign.
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Thanks so much! My husband tried to sneak his own decorative touch into the bathroom, hoping I wouldn't notice.
Sorry, babe, the Phillies hand towel is oooooutta here! Nice try.
M y lovely friend Joan ( For the Love of a House ) asked me where we hung all of our clothes and I realized that I never updated our 'after' photos for the walk-in closet. Go here to see the before pictures. The above vanity is another piece from my Grandmother's house. It goes with the two Empire dressers in our bedroom. Growing up, I remember exploring my Grandmother's dressing room and finding hair pins and makeup inside the drawers. Now I keep my things there, and often as I slide open one of the drawers, I can feel my heart flutter.
The finish on top actually sustained a little damage (perhaps a perfume bottle or two tipped over through the years), but I used my trusty Kramer's polish and once again, it worked wonders.
In order to enjoy the view outside the window, I placed a small mirror off to the side. The original oval mirror that belongs with the vanity is quite large, so we've used it in our entry instead. It had actually broken off the piece at my Grandmother's house during one of the California earthquakes.
We created a 'his' and 'hers' closet. My side is to the right, and Hubby's is to the left. We did a lot of research on what our options would be to hang clothes, and the most economical and functional option was the plastic covered wire shelves that can be custom fit to a space (available at Home Depot). It wasn't exactly what I had in mind (I was thinking lovely built in wood rods with crown moulding....) but it was easy and affordable. To save on costs, I used two 4x6 jute rugs instead of having a rug custom made to fit the closet. The jute rugs are the same style that I used in the bedroom.
I bought two as-big-as-they-could-be his and her dressers to store ample amounts of clothes in. I ordered these new from our local furniture store as I wanted dressers that were oversized and had big drawers that extended fully and easily. The only thing that doesn't fit in our closet are my dresses and Hubby's suits. They're stored in the downstairs guest room closet which works fine for us since we don't have many occasions that warrant dresses and suits. Although I announce jokingly, "this is where the magic happens...." whenever I show friends our closet (neither of us our fashionistas ), Hubby actually gets lots of compliments regarding his wardrobe. In fact, there's a coworker who often remarks that Hubby is one of the best dressed people he knows. Just to put this into context, Hubby is a Water Resources Engineer who works with fish biologists and geomorphologists. Hubby feels somewhat mortified by being identified as a good dresser. His 'wardrobe' is in response to my first few years of struggling to find clothes that fit his six foot four frame (this was a solo effort as Hubby doesn't go clothes shopping). Then one day, my Mother (yes, the mortification increases at this point) discovered the large/tall line at Eddie Bauer and my problems were solved. Hubby is in fact, such a perfect large/tall that I'm sure Mr. Eddie Bauer must have snuck in and measured Hubby himself.
The bench is the latest addition to the closet. I was going to reupholster the Eastlake chair I posted about, but it made the space feel too crowded. I found the bench for $30, and then reupholstered it with the bird toile fabric. My little upholstery project has confirmed, without a doubt, that I have a serious craft impairment. Thankfully, the edges are not visible unless the bench is turned upside down. We have four reproduction wall sconces in our closet (you can see them in an above photo). There are two at each end of the closet, illuminating the room quite nicely. We found the sconces at Rejuvenation.
Here's a photo with the closet lights on. They make the room really bright!
Antique shops along Magazine Street My best friend and sister of my heart, Debbie, yes we're both Debs, lives clear across the country from me so once every two years or so we meet up in a different city to play for a week. We decided to meet up in New Orleans since she had never been there and of course there was magazine street to look forward too since we both love antiques. Magazine Street is well known for all their antique shops although there are fewer since hurricane Katrina.
A restored shotgun house with newly added dormer We stayed in the French quarter and played tourists and the first thing that struck me were the stunning shotgun houses. A single shotgun house is usually 12 feet wide and has 3-5 rooms in a row, sometimes only two rooms deep, front to back, with no hallways and doors that open on the front and back.
(Excuse the dates on the pictures I never learned how to set that on my camera.) Shotgun houses were popular mainly in southern cities since they occupied a small area of land, usually 30 feet wide at most, so it allowed a great number of homes to be built side by side. New Orleans housing taxes contributed to the shotgun house since taxes were based on the lot frontage. Later when people tried to take the houses to a second story known as 'Camelbacks' the houses were then taxed based on square footage. Since hallways and closets were considered rooms this type of house has no closets or hallways.
'Double-barrel' shotgun houses that consist of two houses sharing a central wall that would have allowed more homes to be built. They became known as being a shotgun house for the saying that you could shoot a gun through the front door and have the bullet pass cleanly through the back door since the doors line up on the same sides. I love the vibrant colors used for the house colors.
The houses usually had big rooms with high ceilings that helped with cooling purposes, when the warm air rises it helped to keep the lower part cooler. The shutters on the main doors helped as well since the shutters can be locked from the inside and the front door could be left open to allow air flow through the house.
This house is actually two houses the entrances being on the far left and right and each with a window and dormer in the center. The left house is for rent if you're interested.
A modern shotgun house with detailed floor plan that includes a bathroom, the original shotgun houses had no bathroom.
Interior pictures via Southern Accents, December, 2002 These interior shots are from Gerald Pierce' pied-a-terre in the French Quarter of his double-barrel shotgun house that has been turned into a single dwelling. Gerald is a designer of Jim Thompson Thai Silks in Bangkok.
If you notice the pictures hung over the windows in the living room and how far up on the opposite wall the pictures go up it'll give you a sense of how high the ceilings are, usually 14' in height.
Chimneys tended to be built in the interior so the front and middle rooms could share a chimney and each have a fireplace. Notice how slender the fireplace surround is, not much wider then the antique trumeau mirror above it. Typically there was another chimney built in the kitchen.
The kitchen, located at the very back of the house, looks to be a simple gallery kitchen hidden behind silk drapes. This is a man who obviously doesn't cook much since those drapes would get ruined by cooking grease.
If you click on Gerald' bedroom picture you can pull it up bigger to see how narrow the bedroom looks and how high the ceilings are, the ceilings do have cove molding. Notice how he kept the wood floors dark so that they almost disappear?
The bedroom fireplace exactly on the other side of the living room fireplace.
While I love the look and the idea about these little houses I don't think I could live in one since I get claustrophobic. Love the tall floor to ceiling windows and the ceiling heights, so European. I'm also thinking these homes are best for a single person since there isn't much square footage. They're such a charming part of our architectural history and I'm glad I got to see so many first hand with my best friend.
My house has never been without some kind of stripes… EVER. I guess I just love 'em… Back at our old house I actually used all the old paint samples and leftover colors to do a crazy, random stripe wall in my basement office. This picture was before the ceiling went in, but in the end, it was pretty crazy and cool.
We've also done stripes in the same color, with different finishes. This was flat enamel with eggshell.
So, since we're in a new house… we needed some stripes… I was feeling lost without them! Family Room Stripes
. Since we've done stripes many, many times we've learned a few things along the way. Nothing is more frustrating than crooked stripes or bleeding lines. I've told you over and over that I can fall into the perfectionist category… bleeding stripes are NOT COOL in the Mangin house. How to Paint 99 percent Perfect Stripes (It's 99% because I thought Perfect sounded a little cocky!) 1. This step is optional, but I highly recommend it… find a handsome helper. It definitely is a 2 person job. 2. Determine the width of your stripes. For the family room I wanted BIG wide ones, so I did 18 inches 3. On both the left and right side of the wall, use a pencil to mark where your stripes will end. Just a little line will do. 4. Get a chalkline. It's the best thing ever for stripes. Just shake, pull tight, snap, and voila! Perfect guide to tape by.
Eric just loves when I'm supposed to be holding a chalkline nice and tightly and I have a camera in my hand at the same time!
5. I'm the taper in the family. I will ONLY use Scotch blue tape. Eric like the blue tape with the orange inside because it's extra delicate, but I like blue with the blue inside.
The key to taping is just making sure the edge of the tape is in a smooth line and not jagged where your pieces start and stop. I also take a credit card or wooden spoon over the tape when I'm done to seal it.
6. This is the magic step people… Take the current wall color paint (the color that your new stripe will touch, not the color of the new stripe) and paint along the edges of your new taped space. This will ensure that if your paint bleeds (which it will at least a bit no matter what you do) that you won't see it because it's the same color at the wall! It works like a charm!
You can see a difference in the color, but that's because it was still drying. I'll also add that we just let it dry for like 15 minutes, because it's a nice, thin coat.
I've also heard of this technique using ModPodge if you don't have leftover paint, but I can't say I've ever tried it. Let me know if you have and how it turned out! 7. Roll your main color… this one needs no explanation
8. Remove the tape. We always remove the tape before the paint dries. We wait just long enough to be sure we're done and don't need another coat of paint, then we take it down. My technique is slow and steady and at a slight angle.
If you've done step #6 you're guaranteed crisp lines, so this is no longer a stressful"I wonder how it's going to look" moment!
Once the wall is totally dry you might need to take a damp cloth to get some leftover blue chalk off, but otherwise, you're done! Overall, I'm really in love with my new stripes!
But … I'm not so in love with the artwork anymore! I can feel my husband rolling his eyes when he reads this post. I like the shape, but they just don't work anymore… and honestly, I'm not sure I ever LOVED them (and yes, I only bought them 6 months ago!)
The next part of this room re-do is to stripe curtain panels for the opposite wall. I'm excited to try this after my vacation next week!
So, are you a lover of stripes like I am? Have you conquered the perfect stripe?
You guys, it was time. Remember that I added some much needed curb appeal to the front of my house by painting the front door and shutters a gorgeous blue and gray last summer? That made a huge improvement, but it was still sadly lacking…mainly because of the ugly, stained concrete slab that we call our front porch. Well, you can't call it ugly now!
When 3M Tekk Protection asked if I wanted to do a project that added some curb appeal to my house in time for the Fourth of July, I knew immediately that it was time to tackle this concrete mess.
Ugh. I decided that since removing the concrete wasn't a possibility, I would paint it with what else? Stripes! Painting concrete is not difficult, but you need to make sure you prep the surface well and get the right materials. Here's what you'll need to paint your concrete step:- Concrete Primer -Patio and Porch Paint in your desired colors (I got mine from Home Depot) -Scotchblue Edge Lock Painters Tape -Paint Odor Valved Respirator -Paint brush -Paint Tray -Roller -Broom -Hose
I hadn't ever tried this painters tape with edge-lock but had heard good things, so I was excited to give it a try!
I'm not usually one who worries about painting while pregnant, but I have been doing so much more painting than usual for Knock It Off that I've been super careful and have been wearing a mask. I really like this one from 3M TEKK Protection- it's comfy and light and does the trick, especially with the special epoxy primer needed for concrete.
I love that I can actually breathe through the special valve, instead of feeling like I'm suffocating.
Cute, huh? Anyhow, let's get started: 1. The first thing you need to do is prep the surface. Make sure you sweep away all dirt and debris from the step and then spray down with soapy water. Let dry completely, 2. Roll the primer onto the step, making sure to cover the entire surface. Concrete primer is really thin, so keep this in mind as you roll it on. It's designed to soak into the concrete, not sit on top, which actually helps the paint to adhere to the concrete better. I actually poured the primer right onto the step and rolled it out instead of putting it in a tray. Less mess! Don't skip this step! Trust me. Otherwise you'll be scraping paint off the concrete instead of enjoying your pretty new front porch. (Not that that happened to me or anything…) 3. Roll your base color onto the step. Repeat with a second coat, if necessary.
4. Determine the width and placement of your stripes and place the Scotchblue tape in the appropriate places. I liked the look of the stripes coming out from the door, but horizontal stripes would have been fun too! Run a credit card along the edges of the tape to create a nice seal. Then, using a paint brush, paint the edges of the tape with the base color (in my case, white) so that if any paint bleeds under the tape, it will be the color that's already there. This is our fail-safe way to get perfect stripes every time!
5. Roll your second color over your pre-taped areas. Repeat as necessary. Then pull that tape back at an angle and take a look at those crisp lines! I'm telling you, there is no better feeling out there.
Finally, I added some new house numbers, a DIY wreath, a chalkboard American flag and some pretty potted plants to complete my porch makeover.
I made a little video for you guys to explain the whole process for you and show you the end result. Three things to note: 1) I'm huge and I know it. I still have 3 months to go and it looks like I could pop any day! Be kind. 2) It was buggy and I couldn't stop itching! 3) Clearly the camera should have been turned the other way. Sorry, folks!
Oh my. Well, my legs are still skinny.; )
I'll share the tutorial for this rope-wrapped wreath later this week so stay tuned!
I'm thrilled with the way it all looks, but still have one more ummmm, kind of big, item on my house exterior to-do list: paint the siding! I've never loved the yellowish siding and would really like to go with a darker color (maybe gray?) and white shutters, but my hubs is not quite on board. Don't worry, though, I'll convince him soon enough!; )
How about a little before and after action for you?
I'm so relieved that our guests don't have to look at that ugly concrete anymore when they come to my front door. Now they get a taste of what the rest of my house looks like! .
For lots more DIY inspiration and information, following along on the 3M DIY Twitter page and Facebook page!
*This post is a collaboration with 3M™ TEKK Protection™ Brand, but all words and opinions and extra baby weight are my own.
I thought we'd start off this week with the second part of our entertaining mini-series. If you missed my tips on how to avoid a panic attack when you find out you're having company, you can check it out here. So, one of the first things people worry about when they find out company's coming over is…
Source I have two approaches to this question… There are meals I make when I want a fancy, impressive dinner and then there are meals that I make that are simple, yummy, and no real frills (these are the ones most of my friends are all familiar with!) I could do a whole post on my fancy meals (most of which are stolen from my mother-in-law, who is an amazing cook!) but for this post I want to talk about a Go-To Meal. In my world, a go-to meal is one that I can whip up if I have last minute guests or if I completely forgot that I was supposed to be making a meal (a common occurrence- have I mentioned I'm absent minded??) Monica's Entertaining Rule # 2: Have a Go-To Meal and always have its ingredients in the house. To figure out what your go-to meal should be, ask a few questions… What meal does my whole family like (kids and adults)?, Is it simple to make and won't keep you in the kitchen once company arrives? Can you keep the ingredients on hand without them perishing? My Go-To Meal Monica's Chicken (yes, we call it that) Roasted Potatoes Veggie Cheesy-Garlic Biscuits So, Monica's Chicken started about 13 years ago when we still lived in MA. We had dinner at the house of a family from our church. She made this dish and I LOVED it. Eventually, we changed the name to Monica's Chicken because I was obsessed with it. I didn't take any pics of making it because I'm not doing a cooking tutorial and because taking pictures of raw chicken is creepy to me. (I'll put the recipes somewhere on the blog for you soon!) I use this as my go-to main dish because it takes about 5 mins to prep and then just bakes for 45 mins and voila! I love potatoes. Really, I think they're the best food in the world, maybe second only to sour cream. Once, one of the million times I was pregnant, we were out to dinner with Eric's family and I ordered potato soup, potato skins, and loaded mashed potatoes as my meal. The waitress' face was priceless and finally someone explained I was pregnant (but honestly, I don't think that had anything to do with it!) Ok, so for my go-to side dish of course I'm going to use potatoes, plus we always have them in the house. These are my pick, because they're awesome, easy, and actually look pretty good. Again, they only take 5 mins and then bake for the same time as Monica's Chicken.
The finished product- I <3 Potatoes!
Ok, sorry if you're all gourmet and offended by Bisquick, but I keep it on hand. These garlic cheese ones are like 99 cents and with a little added cheese and then melted butter and garlic on top are awesome!
In between taking pictures, cooking, doing dishes, and letting this adorable little man help out
…I forgot to make any vegetables. My go-to veggie is actually Costco's Normandy Blend because it's sold in like 47 lb bags and is really good and doesn't taste like most frozen veggies. Unfortunately, I didn't realize my veggie faux pas until we were actually sitting down to eat, so… canned green beans it was! Oops!
So, there you have it, my Go-To Meal in a snap. If you don't have a go-to meal, I totally recommend it and it will definitely make your life easier. This week, think through it, and then grab the ingredients when you're shopping. Hey, maybe then you can do something wild and crazy, like inviting company for dinner at the last minute! So, what are your ideas for a Go-To Meal? Do Share!
I feel very honored to have been awarded the 'Super Comments Award' by Mona from Providence ltd Design. Mona has been with me since my first day of blogging leaving wonderful comments for me along the way ever since, for that I truly thank her.
The way this works is you answer a series of questions about yourself and then pass it along to seven others who have left wonderful comments so without farther ado'. 1) Why do you blog?? I keep wondering that myself since I work ten plus hours a day and time has always been an issue for me but I can't help myself. I only just discovered blogs last year. I mean I saw them listed but didn't know what they were so always skipped over them. Last summer I opened one and I was enchanted. I mean here were all these people opening their worlds to us, sharing their homes. That first day I spent the entire day reading and after a month I wanted to be a part of that circle, so I took the plunge and dived in for better or worse.
2) Name your three best memories: First is my Dad who's gone now'.riding around on my Dad's foot when I was little. I remember plopping on that poor guys foot the moment he walked in the house and he never minded and always gave me a ride'remember doing that? He also taught me how to tie my shoes and ride a bike, it's the little things that make me smile now that he's gone. Second was the day I moved from Phoenix, AZ to New York City, NY to be with my future husband. I loaded up a large truck and drove across country all by myself. If you've ever driven a 22-foot long truck you'll know how much work it is coupled with the fact I was changing my entire life and leaving everything I knew. It was the scariest thing I've ever done but also the best. It showed me that I was capable of doing anything and from that moment on if I wanted to try something I did! Third was the day we brought Dylan dog home four years ago. I hadn't had a dog in thirty years, dating myself here, I've had Persian cats. My husband really wanted a golden so I said lets get one and I've never regretted it. Dylan's great company, almost to smart for his own good, great to cuddle up next to and loyal beyond belief. But I think the best part about him is his eyes, you look into those golden brown eyes and you see love shining back!
?3) Name four of the best fiction books you've ever read: I don't have four favorites, I read all the time and there are to many to name. Some favorites I like revisiting are: Beauty by Susan Wilson The ladies of Missalonghi by Colleen McCullough I love mysteries by Mary Higgins Clark and Nora Roberts I read a lot of textile, art and decorating books too but what I like reading is all over the place.
4) What are the five best movies ever made? Again I don't have favorites because I watch everything under the sun but when I'm alone I like light hearted movies, nothing serious and never anything scary....hate scary movies. 5) Name five things you cannot live without: My family and friends. My best friend Deb is the sister I never had so I feel very blessed. My antique textiles, I feel like I've finally figured out what I'm supposed to be doing in my life. It gives me a great sense of peace! My computer, I have my web site/business on here and it's easier to talk to my friends overseas. My monthly facials, it's relaxing, keeps my face in place and one of the few things I actually do just for me. Auctions! I love auctions, the thrill of the hunt, the adrenaline rush just before you bid and sometimes winning, it's very exciting! 6) If you could change your name what would it be? Chase! I saw a movie once with Rene Russo in it and her characters name was Chase, it was a really cool name. I like my name, Debra, but I introduce myself as Debra and people always say "hi Debbie", I HATE BEING CALLED DEBBIE! Not that there's anything wrong with being called Debbie....:)
7) Tell us a unique and interesting fact about yourself. I can build! I decide one day to build a garden room in our side field and the first thing I needed were raised field stone garden beds. So I went out and bought a book, read it and went to work. See up in the far left corner my pile of rubble'these poker flowers are in a perfectly round garden bed that's twelve feet wide, I built that. You'll see better pictures in the spring, promise, now I'll bore you with my ability to build!
8) What do you love best about yourself? My ability to do whatever I set my mind too. I believe everyone can do anything just stop talking about it and go do it. I've accomplished everything I've set out to do in my life so far, yes, it really is that simple. Just do it! 9) If you had a freaky Friday experience, who would you change places with? Honestly, nobody because I like who I've become as a person. I've worked dang hard to become who I am why would I want to give that up? I'd like to have past and present people to dinner to pick their minds but trade places with them'nah! 10) What is the best thing about being a woman? The ability to multi-task if I didn't I wouldn't get half the things done that needed to be done.
Now it's time to pass this gracious award on to some of the people who have brightened my days: Stacey at: Style Addicted Mom Joan at: for the love of a house Sharon at: My French Country Home Jermaine at: French Kissed Deborah at: Boxwood Terrace Vanna at: lvroftiques better known as Delusions of Grandeur Debra at: 5th and State THANK YOU!
I can't believe I actually won something but I did and it's fabulous! I want to thank Debra over at 5th and State and her nephew who chose my name, for the wonderful dessert cookbook by Chef Alain Roby. I can't wait to try out one of the recipes this weekend!
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