10.31.2011

black paint isnt scary

Happy Halloween everyone!!









(Photos from: Abchao.com, Domino, Home and Garden Magazine, Unknown, House Beautiful design by Kirsten Kelli and photo by James Merrell, and Caldwell Flake Interiors)

10.27.2011

chain me love!

I love nailheads and when I stumbled upon this new nailhead I fell in love. Hard. 
A chainlink nailhead design, HELLO LOVER! 
These nailheads come in two pieces, the link and the loop and they are put together to create a whole chainlink design.  At almost $70 for 50 pieces (25 links, and 25 loops) they arent exactly cheap.  But they sure would make anything old thing look special.

Here is my photoshop version of what it would look like

My mind started working overtime just thinking of all the possibilities that could be done with these.  I wanted to place an order for about 1,000,000 of them just so I could get started on all my ideas. 

This is just what I came up with so far

Use around the edges of plain upholstered ottomans
(Target Kristine ottoman or the Ballard Designs tailored ottoman)


Jazz up a plain Ikea chair (and paint those legs!)

Any mirror would look so awesome with this chainlink design around it- instant work of art for sure
(Ikea Ram mirror)

I'm obsessed with the new textile line from Caitlin Wilson, she is so talented!  Anyway- a plain old bulletin board would look so cool if it was covered in one of her fabrics and then the chainlink design was added
( any old bulletin board with fabric from Caitlin Wilson Textiles)

Turn a plain headboard into a custom work of art


Do the same with a plain upholstered bed- you could even go nuts and do the whole bed!
(Ballard Designs Squire Untufted bed)


green and gold- the perfect combo.  LOVE these shelves now


The possibilities are endless!
They even come in silver and bronze


What would you use these chainlink nailheads on?

10.25.2011

Pattern Choices

I finally got a few coats of primer and Ben Moore's White Dove on my umbrella stand, now all that's left to do is figure out what pattern / border / design to embellish it with.  Oh the choices!

Picture this in white, with one of the following design ideas:

a chevron pattern like my orange tray? I already have the orange paint too!


I am completely smitten with Caitlin Wilson's new fabric and pillow line, aptly named Caitlin Wilson Textiles.  She put together an amazing collection of fabrics and pillows and they all coordinate! Making it super user friendly and almost impossible NOT to put together an amazing design using them.
Anywoo- her Deco and Signature pillows are the inspiration for a possible design.

Can't forget Jenny's famous monogram stand- LOVE hers and a project with my new monogram would be lovely!

Nailhead trim is always fun!  Since I'm on a gold kick I would have to order some new gold nailheads and go to town with a fun design like this one.

Fabric patterns are always a big source of inspiration for me and these fabrics would make pretty designs for my umbrella stand.  The ikat fabric is actually what I used for my new kitchen window treatment, so repeating the pattern in my hall could be a nice way to tie the two spaces together.


See my dilemma- there are so many choices!  I must pick one before this weekend so I can get started on finishing this thing- its been sitting in my hall unfinished for fall too long and that has to end now!

10.24.2011

a gentleman's rumba

Over the weekend I finally got the chance to stop by the hardware store and pick up two free cans of Benjamin Moore paint (I had coupons, that's why they were free). To avoid standing in the paint aisle for HOURS, I did my homework beforehand and decided to go with Rumba Orange and Gentleman's Gray. 

I went with an orange, well because its my favorite color and I just wanted it.  The Gentleman's Gray is more like a blue, Farrow and Ball's Hague Blue to be exact and I just love it! 

I have no use for the paint yet. But as most of my projects go,  an idea just pops in my head and having the right paint colors and other materials on hand is key.

Some of the ideas I've been tossing around for this paint are as follows:

Find an old mirror at a thrift store and paint it either color- most likely orange

I'm obsessed with this room done by Pieces designer Lee Kleinhelter.  This dresser is Rumba Orange!  Not sure i have enough paint for an entire dresser, but maybe a small side table.

Wonder what my landlord would do if he stopped by and I painted my door orange?  This door from Lauren Leiss's home is perfection, well her whole house is.

Finding a bamboo chair has been on my list forever!  I actually would love one with arms for the office- and giving a bright coat of Rumba Orange would be just the touch the office needs.

I'm in love with the wall color in this room!  Its actually 50/50- Twilight Blue and Gentleman's Blue- love that combo! 

I don't have enough paint for an entire entryway- but this Hague Blue color is stunning in this entryway!

Jenny from My Favorite and My Best painted this sideboard Hague Blue and it is beyond georg in her dining room!  I think I might have enough for a smaller version of this.



Oh the choices!!

Let me ask you, what was your most recent paint purchase (or freebie) and what did you use it for?


 
(photos from Cottage Living, Lauren's Blog Pure Style Home, House Beautiful design by Ashley Whittaker and photo by Francesco Lagnese, Traditional Home, and Jenny's blog My Favorite and My Best)

10.19.2011

furniture fretwork

I FINALLY finished my O'verlays project that has been in the works for far too long!

Danika and Cheryle sent me 3 of the Gigi panels to play with and immediately I knew where they would go.  This small wood chest in my kitchen needed a makeover, it needed the extra bling that O'verlays add.

I started by painting the Gigi panels navy blue (as seen in this post)

They take spray paint like a dream!

Once they were all dry and ready to attach I got to work. I used Command strips on each corner to attach them to the drawer fronts.
(Bonus they can be used again & painted again)

The size O'verlays I was working with are designed to fit the IKEA Malm dresser, so they were just a tad short for my chest.  But,
I came up with the best solution! 

Remember my Big, Fat Fail spray paint screw up?  (see that post here)   The spray paint chipped off in 2 seconds, but Rub n' Buff to the rescue.  It worked like a charm.

After letting the handles dry I attached them to the chest and without further ado, here is my new glamified O'verlays chest

They look black here, but I swear they are navy.

I decided to attach the handles vertically on either side of the panels.  I love how different they look being attached this way!


Where this chest is in my kitchen makes it close to impossible to get a good shot of it straight on

On top I have a white ceramic elephant that holds index cards (index cards are a staple in my house- they are perfect for shopping lists, notes, reminders and so much more), chalk for the chalkboard, a pen holder that I spiffed up with marbled paper, the white drawer unit holds receipts, and cookbooks.

 This chest holds more cookbooks, wedding presents, a few office supplies that I use alot, and other random serving pieces that don't fit in my armoire.



Again, sorry for the weird angle

These fretty frets from O'verlays are awesome! They made this plain little corner of my kitchen so much prettier to look at, that's for sure!
 
 
To see more ideas on what to do with these fretwork panels check out Danika's blog Gorgeous Shiny Things and the O'verlays blog

10.18.2011

one is silver and the other gold

In the midst of giving my kitchen a little makeover I decided that it was time to give a item that I use almost everyday a mini face lift.
 

Actually I gave this thing a makeover back when I tried and failed at spray painting some pulls gold - I was on a major gold kick.  I still am actually. 

I taped up the bottom and stuck in the ball thing upright so it would be easy to spray. Oh, I also gave it a quick coat of primer spray first so I could be sure that the gold stuck.

I let it dry/cure for a good week before I put it back together and started using it.

Not that major of a change, but I like its new look.


Maybe next time I'm itching for a small change I'll get out the orange spray paint. Hmmm,  maybe that's a project for this weekend. 

After all, it is almost the end of spray paint season.

10.17.2011

Weekend Recap

I spent my weekend on my family room floor surrounded by this mess


It's my midterm project, due this Thursday. I spent all weekend working on it and I'm not even close to finished. 

Looks like a boatload of fun right?

10.14.2011

Extra Space

Storage space is limited in my small apartment,  especially after bringing home all the wedding gifts that people so generously gave us.  I feel like my walls are caving in on us sometimes.  And yes I STILL have 12 boxes of individual china place settings stacked on my kitchen table that are driving me NUTS. (note to self, find a new home for them this weekend)

Anywho back to the point- more storage needed.  I registered for these awesome fluffy towels, I love them, they make me feel like I'm at the spa.  But who knew they would take up twice as much space in my closet?!? Actually I should say, who knew my old ones were so crappy.

Closet space is like gold around my apartment and these new towels are taking up alot!  Enter the over the door storage shelf

LOVE this idea!

That Martha, of course all these photos are from her.  She has the best ideas.

I like storing extra supplies over the door too.  All my Extreme Couponing hording products could have a new home.

A little less pretty and a little more towels and this would be perfect for me

I also like this towel bar idea.  Unfortunately I don't think the husband would hang the towels properly (by properly I mean folded in 3rds the long way and then folded in half to hang, you know what I'm talking about right?) and the messy look might would drive me nuts.  I think I might have to stick with the hooks that we have. Bummer.

I do think that some over the door shelves are in my future though.  I have to find some cute wood brackets now. (second note to self, find cute wood brackets this weekend) 


Happy Weekend everyone!


(all photos from Martha Stewart, except the 3rd one down from the top.  That one is from House and Home)

10.13.2011

Fall into place

While I really love fall, I'm not one to go crazy with the season decorating.  But switching out or adding a few select accessories is something I do like. Here are just a few ideas I'm really loving for Fall this season

Switch out an area rug for an antique Persian rug.  The colors are so warm and inviting and really can be used all year long, but I extra love them in the Fall and Winter.
Another easy idea is to switch out the fabric on side chairs.  It just takes a few minutes to unscrew the seat and a few staples to attach the new fabric, and in no time you'll have an updated Fall chair.

A simple maple tree branch on the mantle is a super easy (and free) way to bring fall to the fireplace.  Oh, and a roaring fire screams Fall too.

There is something about nuts and pewter that just says Fall to me.  If they are paired together, even better.  Hit up those flea markets and second hand shops for pewter bowls and stock up on nuts from the grocery store and you have the perfect Fall decor.  Bonus, you are ready for guests at anytime.

For around $20 you can get a large mum from your local nursery and in an instant give life to an outdoor space.  Maybe it's just me but its just not Fall without mums.

More mums and with a single pumpkin this time. 

Get ready for those Fall fires by storing your firewood in a pretty basket.  You can do this all year long too, but for a Fall switch up maybe add some smaller twigs and twisted up newspaper firestarters to be ready for a fire in an instant.


We just got the fireplace fixed in our apartment and I'm hoping to get some firewood this weekend so I can have my very own romantic Fall fire.  Oh and I'll be putting out some nuts and maple branches as well.  Gotta love Fall!