One Year Later...how did I do?
Last year I made some resolutions for my house. I have a list a mile long of things that I would like to do, but we all know that stuff isn't free (unless your a celebrity and then you could totally afford to pay for stuff, but you still get lots of free stuff... what a bunch of bull...)anyway, nearly a year has passed and I wanted to give a little update on where I ended up on these resolutions.
1. I NEED A RUG.
OK, this isn't starting out so well....I still don't have a rug....rugs are expensive, I mean good rugs are expensive. I just haven't been able to see THE rug, or if I have I am blinded by the price tag....so the rug is a roll over to this years list.
2. I NEED MORE EXCITING BEDROOM WALLS
If you've been following along you know that this resolution was accomplished early in the new year and you can see the results if you scroll down the page.
The best part of this is that I haven't even gotten sick of them yet!
3. I NEED A CHANDELIER.
Well, well, well, here's one I actually accomplished. The best part of the new chandelier is that I put it up all by myself. No one else was even in the house.
I did consider calling my mom to tell her I was about to mess with electricity and if she didn't hear from me in the next 30 minutes to call an ambulance. But I didn't and SUCCESS. Along with the new chandelier I did get a few other new light fixtures in the house (my dad installed those). Here is my glorious work:
1. I NEED A RUG.
OK, this isn't starting out so well....I still don't have a rug....rugs are expensive, I mean good rugs are expensive. I just haven't been able to see THE rug, or if I have I am blinded by the price tag....so the rug is a roll over to this years list.
2. I NEED MORE EXCITING BEDROOM WALLS
If you've been following along you know that this resolution was accomplished early in the new year and you can see the results if you scroll down the page.
The best part of this is that I haven't even gotten sick of them yet!
3. I NEED A CHANDELIER.
Well, well, well, here's one I actually accomplished. The best part of the new chandelier is that I put it up all by myself. No one else was even in the house.
I did consider calling my mom to tell her I was about to mess with electricity and if she didn't hear from me in the next 30 minutes to call an ambulance. But I didn't and SUCCESS. Along with the new chandelier I did get a few other new light fixtures in the house (my dad installed those). Here is my glorious work:
I photographed it "on" so that you would all believe that it actually works and I put it up myself....I know...who would have thought?
4. I NEED MORE ARTWORK
Ummmm, yeah...about that.....It goes right along with the rug story. Good art is expensive. Pair that with the fact that I feel like every piece of art in your house should somehow represent something about you or be personal to you or just be so dang different that no one has anything like it....yes, in this respect I guess I can be a snob. Whatever....add it to the list.
5. I NEED TO LEARN TO KEEP HOUSEPLANTS ALIVE
This resolution has been met with success and failure. The palm tree I spoke of last year has since gone on to a white beach in the sky, a couple plants that I bought for the mantle lived a great few months before Christmas came and they were displaced. I would like to think they were so distraught by being replaced with garland that they just saw no more reason to live. BUT, before you turn me in to the gardening police or whoever it is that looks after those things, I am pleased to say that I received a lily last year in January and it is thriving...here's proof
Ummmm, yeah...about that.....It goes right along with the rug story. Good art is expensive. Pair that with the fact that I feel like every piece of art in your house should somehow represent something about you or be personal to you or just be so dang different that no one has anything like it....yes, in this respect I guess I can be a snob. Whatever....add it to the list.
5. I NEED TO LEARN TO KEEP HOUSEPLANTS ALIVE
This resolution has been met with success and failure. The palm tree I spoke of last year has since gone on to a white beach in the sky, a couple plants that I bought for the mantle lived a great few months before Christmas came and they were displaced. I would like to think they were so distraught by being replaced with garland that they just saw no more reason to live. BUT, before you turn me in to the gardening police or whoever it is that looks after those things, I am pleased to say that I received a lily last year in January and it is thriving...here's proof
Oh yeah, and this succulent too!
So, all in all, I think I faired pretty well on my resolutions....now if I had only done so well on that whole weight loss thing.....
Decorating the Patio
Like all great designers, there comes a time when you walk into a room and proclaim "Everything must go!" In my case, the budget NEVER allows for anything to go, let alone everything. So while dreaming of a gleaming patio to sit upon, with cool summer breezes caressing my skin, flowers cascading from pots, cold drinks being served I developed a design scheme that basically eliminated every piece of patio furniture I had. So reality sets in....the patio floods everytime there is a downpour of rain, it's only May and it's high 80's and humid, most of the flowers have been eaten by rabbits or dug up by squirrels and I'm the one serving the drinks. So, how do I create my vision on a budget. I'll share a couple things now and unveil more as the season progresses (which means, it costs too much to do all at once ....but hey, that provides for months of material to share). I was inspired by this pillow.....
The problem with this pillow was that my wicker loveseat had a red and khaki striped cushion.....hmmmmm. I know sometimes as a designer I can push the limits of color combinations, but I wasn't feeling this pillow and a red and khaki striped cushion.....my saving grace. The loveseat was cheap, so a cheaper, plainer fabric was on the back side of the cushion.....khaki....the perfect neutral. So, I flipped that sucker over faster than you could blink and my design vision started coming to life. I replaced the shutters on the front of my house, so I took the existing shutters and painted them and hung them on the dining room window and then made a piece of art.....which I shall now share with you... (I knew you were going to ask...)
So I went to Dollar Tree, you know EVERYTHING IS ONE DOLLAR!!!!!! I will admit that sometimes you can find some super duper tacky crap in a dollar store, but my mom had found some butterflies for yes, $1. I decided I could use some as well, but when I went to get them they had a truck load of lavender, one orange and one blue left. None of those colors were going to work, so bring on more paint. I laid them out on the garage floor (on a newspaper, of course....my parents taught me better than that....I wasn't born in a barn).
So I went to Dollar Tree, you know EVERYTHING IS ONE DOLLAR!!!!!! I will admit that sometimes you can find some super duper tacky crap in a dollar store, but my mom had found some butterflies for yes, $1. I decided I could use some as well, but when I went to get them they had a truck load of lavender, one orange and one blue left. None of those colors were going to work, so bring on more paint. I laid them out on the garage floor (on a newspaper, of course....my parents taught me better than that....I wasn't born in a barn).
I chose an appropriate color...and the name is perfect for a relaxing summer patio....don't you think?
Now you notice I had 12 butterflies. I wanted to make a contemporary display of butterflies, perfectly lined up in rows, but as I pondered I knew my dad would just shake his head as if he had failed trying to teach me anything if I were to put 12 holes in the side of the house!!!! I considered applying them to a board, but knew I wouldn't like the looks of that. Then it occurred to me that I had a shadow box that I've had hanging around the house (okay, okay Dad, hanging around my parents basement.....) for probably 20 years. I knew eventually I would find the perfect use for it. I had bought it from a guy who told me it used to hang in a train station, that could be a load of bull for all I know, but that's the story I'm sticking to. So I used only 6 of the butterflies and gave the rest to my sister.
So, that costs me about $10 to make....pretty good for a budget. Here's your first glance at the beginnings of the patio design.....
Silk Flowers are the Devil's Work
I have long held the position that silk flowers were sent to earth straight from the Devil himself. I don't know how I came to have this belief because I have come across some amazingly realistic silk flowers over the years and I do believe they may have a small place in the world, somewhere near a crocheted toilet paper cover and Justin Bieber. I had really forgotten about my dislike until today when I was doing a little bargain snooping for some patio stuff at my local Big Lots and I saw the offending stems poking out of a box.
And if those weren't bad enough....how about these little "gems"?
I had to stop and brace myself on my cart for a moment. I could feel my gag reflex fighting hard. So here are some thoughts....
First: It's Spring. Why oh why oh why would anyone need/want a fake flower when the real ones are everywhere around ?
Second: Before you buy, ask yourself these questions:
"Where is Toto?"
"Did a house just fall from the sky and land on a witch wearing ruby slippers?"
"Is my driveway paved with yellow bricks?"
"WWAET?".....What would Auntie Em think?
Third: You will not find these flowers occurring naturally in nature, which is always my test as to whether or not a fake flower is a good one. If you could find it growing along the road, then it's worth considering.
So, today's design lesson............don't buy silk flowers. That's all.
First: It's Spring. Why oh why oh why would anyone need/want a fake flower when the real ones are everywhere around ?
Second: Before you buy, ask yourself these questions:
"Where is Toto?"
"Did a house just fall from the sky and land on a witch wearing ruby slippers?"
"Is my driveway paved with yellow bricks?"
"WWAET?".....What would Auntie Em think?
Third: You will not find these flowers occurring naturally in nature, which is always my test as to whether or not a fake flower is a good one. If you could find it growing along the road, then it's worth considering.
So, today's design lesson............don't buy silk flowers. That's all.
I have a new housekeeper...
So, for as long as I can remember, the broom and dustpan in my house have never really had a proper home. When I lived in Denver they were thrown alongside the washer and dryer, living with Dan, they were "somewhere" in the garage and when I moved into my house in Peoria, they kind of hung out tucked between the refrigerator and the wall, something like this....
Booooooorrrrrriiinnnngggg. I know. How creative. And you call yourself a designer? So, as it happens, I had an old stack of Saturday Evening Posts that I was looking through trying to get some inspiration for a wall design in my back stairway. I wanted something fun, quirky and a little unexpected. I love vintage advertisements,and there was no shortage of inspiration, but I wasn't sure exactly what I would do. Then, like a vision from God, it came to me. I could use a vintage advertisement AND create a place (home) for my broom and dustpan. I took my inspiration from this vintage Pepsi ad...
I made a copy of the ad, did the old cover it with squares, draw squares on the wall and then used my very limited artistic abilities to draw the image on the wall....the result, my new housekeeper, dressed to the nines and always at the ready to sweep up any mess!!!!
I'm Adding to my list....
So, I quickly got one resolution checked off my list and then I had to go and start looking around the house again.....What did I see? Dust.
Leftover glitter from Christmas. Garbage that needed to be taken out. Laundry that needed to be done....oh, sorry, I got on a tangent....
What I saw was an empty corner of the guest bedroom that is screaming for something to inhabit it. And just a few minutes ago I discovered what it should be...
Leftover glitter from Christmas. Garbage that needed to be taken out. Laundry that needed to be done....oh, sorry, I got on a tangent....
What I saw was an empty corner of the guest bedroom that is screaming for something to inhabit it. And just a few minutes ago I discovered what it should be...
This chair!!!! The Eisenhower Chair from Thrive. The problem, it's $800+ dollars. That's pretty steep for a chair that will sit in a corner and will probably never have anyone's backside sitting in it. It's best hope would be a suitcase or a pile of clothes, and I still haven't heard from Oprah. So for now, I guess that I'll just keep staring at the empty corner...
New Walls....One Resolution Down!
So I talked about how I wanted grasscloth wallpaper and how my checking account had other ideas.... well, I decided a couple weekends ago that I would just try something...anything to jazz up my bedroom walls. I mean really, it's only paint, so the worst thing that would happen is I hate it and I have to repaint the entire room, right? Well thank the good Lord above, I took the plunge and I am in love with my bedroom again~
As you may have figured out by now, one of my favorite design elements are things you find in nature, jazzed up a bit. For example, the little spread I did for Home Is Here magazine was based on a "contemporary woodland" concept. My family room walls are handpainted tree trunks , done in metallic glazes. So why not continue the theme in my bedroom. I simulated grass cloth by using ...you guessed it, a metallic glaze and a comb. So once again I have the natural feel of grasscloth, with a contemporay metallic twist. I had worried at first that maybe it was looking too "glitzy"....not like Honey Boo Boo's pig, Glitzy, but a little too much for me...but I plugged away because the only other option I had at that point was to stop and go buy a gallon of paint and I was too far in to give up so easily.....I finished it this weekend.... (and yes, if you have a keen eye, you will recognize that the mirror has been on just about every wall in this house...I think it will stay here for a while....or at least for a day or so).
As you may have figured out by now, one of my favorite design elements are things you find in nature, jazzed up a bit. For example, the little spread I did for Home Is Here magazine was based on a "contemporary woodland" concept. My family room walls are handpainted tree trunks , done in metallic glazes. So why not continue the theme in my bedroom. I simulated grass cloth by using ...you guessed it, a metallic glaze and a comb. So once again I have the natural feel of grasscloth, with a contemporay metallic twist. I had worried at first that maybe it was looking too "glitzy"....not like Honey Boo Boo's pig, Glitzy, but a little too much for me...but I plugged away because the only other option I had at that point was to stop and go buy a gallon of paint and I was too far in to give up so easily.....I finished it this weekend.... (and yes, if you have a keen eye, you will recognize that the mirror has been on just about every wall in this house...I think it will stay here for a while....or at least for a day or so).
Christmas Decorations are gone....Now What?
It happens every year. The tree, the garlands, the swags, the glitter, the twinkling lights all come down and get packed away for another year. As the boxes get stored away, the blah, post Christmas reality sets in.....this room is BORING. It's funny how you think your room is perfect all year long, it doesn't need a thing. Then you slap up some Christmas decorations, and when you take them down you find yourself thinking that Christmas some how stole the perfection that was there before. Maybe you should go check the boxes and make sure you didn't pack away something you weren't supposed to? I think Christmas is a great way of showing us how incredible our homes can look, and so when the decorations come down, it's the perfect time to reevaluate your space and take stock of what you have and make a list of things you need. I have done exactly that, and I have made a list of the top 5 things I need to make my home feel like Christmas all year long...not really, I'd get kind of sick of it looking like Christmas ...anyway, read on.
1. I NEED A RUG
No, my hair line is fine....well at least I think so, but my dad never misses a chance to point out where it is starting from these days.....no, no, I need a rug for my dining room. It's been something I've had in the back of my mind since I moved into the house, but nothing has ever struck my fancy...until I saw this in Nate Berkus's book...
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1. I NEED A RUG
No, my hair line is fine....well at least I think so, but my dad never misses a chance to point out where it is starting from these days.....no, no, I need a rug for my dining room. It's been something I've had in the back of my mind since I moved into the house, but nothing has ever struck my fancy...until I saw this in Nate Berkus's book...
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So, once Oprah discovers me and I get my own show, I'll buy that rug for my dining room...until then, I suppose the search continues.
2. I NEED MORE EXCITING BEDROOM WALLS
My original intent was grass cloth. I don't know if you know how expensive grass cloth wallpaper is, but please refer to my Oprah comment above.... I went with a paint color that reminds me of grass cloth and I've never been totally happy with it. So, I'm thinking I will try some kind of paint treatment to make the walls have a bit more depth and excitement. Sometimes I wonder why I even care, I mean most of the time I'm in there my eyes are closed and it's dark, so who cares what color the walls are, right?
3. I NEED A CHANDELIER
The lighting in this house has left a whole lot to be desired. The bathroom got replaced rather quickly, because of the seizure inducing florescent bulb that was housed in side a wooden scalloped cornice....(sorry, I just threw up in my mouth a bit). The aged brass chandelier is fine and all, if I was a petite, white haired old lady. It's too small, it's hung too high, it does not make a statement. So, I found this one.....
2. I NEED MORE EXCITING BEDROOM WALLS
My original intent was grass cloth. I don't know if you know how expensive grass cloth wallpaper is, but please refer to my Oprah comment above.... I went with a paint color that reminds me of grass cloth and I've never been totally happy with it. So, I'm thinking I will try some kind of paint treatment to make the walls have a bit more depth and excitement. Sometimes I wonder why I even care, I mean most of the time I'm in there my eyes are closed and it's dark, so who cares what color the walls are, right?
3. I NEED A CHANDELIER
The lighting in this house has left a whole lot to be desired. The bathroom got replaced rather quickly, because of the seizure inducing florescent bulb that was housed in side a wooden scalloped cornice....(sorry, I just threw up in my mouth a bit). The aged brass chandelier is fine and all, if I was a petite, white haired old lady. It's too small, it's hung too high, it does not make a statement. So, I found this one.....
I'm a little bit obsessed with it...it's from Z Gallerie, which I am also obsessed with...so this one is on the short list....
4. I NEED MORE ARTWORK
Artwork is very personal to me. You will almost never see any kind of artwork in my house that can be bought at TJ Maxx or Gordman's or anyplace else that has mass produced artwork. Most of the things on my walls are photographs, many of them I have taken myself. Now, having said all that about mass produced artwork...I am also, slightly obsessed with this picture....
4. I NEED MORE ARTWORK
Artwork is very personal to me. You will almost never see any kind of artwork in my house that can be bought at TJ Maxx or Gordman's or anyplace else that has mass produced artwork. Most of the things on my walls are photographs, many of them I have taken myself. Now, having said all that about mass produced artwork...I am also, slightly obsessed with this picture....
So, this one might be on the list...
5. I NEED TO LEARN TO KEEP HOUSEPLANTS ALIVE
I am a murderer. I kill houseplants. I try, really, I do. I've got some succulents that were okay, but they are hanging on for dear life. I also have a small palm tree that I thought was doing well, but Shawn pointed out to me that it was dry as a bone and in his words..."I hope it comes out of it.."
At that point, I made him in charge of plant care from here on out....so come to think of it, maybe I don't need to learn to keep them alive....
So there you have it, the 5 (okay 4) things that make up my Home New Year's Resolutions...I'm doing well with my other resolutions...(mark the time 7:40pm, January 18).....
5. I NEED TO LEARN TO KEEP HOUSEPLANTS ALIVE
I am a murderer. I kill houseplants. I try, really, I do. I've got some succulents that were okay, but they are hanging on for dear life. I also have a small palm tree that I thought was doing well, but Shawn pointed out to me that it was dry as a bone and in his words..."I hope it comes out of it.."
At that point, I made him in charge of plant care from here on out....so come to think of it, maybe I don't need to learn to keep them alive....
So there you have it, the 5 (okay 4) things that make up my Home New Year's Resolutions...I'm doing well with my other resolutions...(mark the time 7:40pm, January 18).....
No Tree Skirt?
I've never been a fan of Christmas Tree Skirts. I think it's for a number of reasons. While I get that they add a finished look to the tree, aren't they just going to get covered up with presents anyway? I think it could be my dislike of anything with ruffles. So until the presents are wrapped, I needed to come up with a solution. For my white tree in the living room, I took 6 square charger plates and used black duct tape to attach them together. Then I stood them on end and it helps create the look of a container. For my family room tree, I took all the left over ornaments and piled them up around the base. (I know if you have a dog or small child, this is probably a VERY BAD idea...) I think it adds a contemporary spin on tree skirt and leaves the tree looking finished, without a ruffle in sight!
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Inspired Reflection
So, it's time for holiday decorating, and this year the ideas have been churning in my head for several weeks now. A few weeks ago I stopped into Z Gallerie and I was like the distracted, shiny object guy, bouncing from one shiny thing to the next. I was really struck by the dining tables. Mirrored tops, silvered wood, I was immediately coveting one of these tables to add to my holiday decor. Since I have not yet managed to become wealthy enough to buy a new table on a whim, or even worse, just for holiday decorating I had to come up with a way to get the look without spending too much money...I had forgotten that inspiration was propped up against the wall of the garage.....When I moved into my house in April, I removed a large mirror that was mounted over the fireplace, not knowing what to do with it, I banished it to the garage. I had my carpenter (aka...my dad) help me mount the mirror to a 1/2" sheet of plywood and add a frame around the edge. I used some gray paint that I had in the basement, then a light silver glaze....the result...the table I was looking for at the price I could afford.
Chelsea Place Kitchen (before)
And After.....
Chelsea Place Living Room (Before)
Living Room (After)
Bathroom Stripes
Horizontal Stripes made this smallish bathroom look larger and turned a boring white apartment bathroom into a "work of art"
Kitchen
I added some dimension and interest to this wall that extends from the living room all the way into the kitchen by doing a Harlequin pattern. The paint is the flat and high gloss version of Martha Stewart Seal Gray available at Home Depot.
Powder Room Hip
This first floor powder room started out life in this house as a coat closet just inside the front door. Feeling the need for a main floor bathroom, the owners converted it to a half bath for guests. The dark walls didn't distinguish it much from its former life as a closet, so I added a bold pattern to the walls and mixed it with an eclectic mix of artwork. The idea and vision behind it is based on the bathroom as funky, hip conversation starter for guests. It is definitely an unexpected surprise to open the door and find such a fun place hiding behind the door.
And After...
And After...
