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)

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

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.

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?

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)

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!

blue pigment fun

If you read Architectural Digest you might have noticed a pretty hip coffee table that made it into two of the featured homes in last months issue. 

I just LOVE the Yves Klein pigment coffee table.  I've seen it most in blue, but you can't forget about the lovely pink and gold filled tables as well. Delish!

Which one is your favorite?


(photos from Architectural Digest; Celerie Kembel design photo by William Waldron; Chicago Home Magazine design by Michael Richman and photo Alan Shortall; New York Times, home of Marianne Boesky; Nuevo Estillo)

Curling up

mmmmm, DELISH!!

LOVE this space.  I just want to curl up in one chair (with the hubby in the other chair of course) and get to reading this stack of magazines I have waiting to be cracked open.

Too bad the forecast calls for 80 degrees this weekend, this library would be the perfect place to spend a cool fall evening.  Screw it, 80 degrees or not its STILL Fall in my mind. 

Curling up on my couch wins, since I don't have a pretty library like this one.  Sad face.

But, HAPPY FACE that it's Friday! 



PS- THANK YOU to everyone for all the amazing art recommendations yesterday- I knew I could count on my readers to point me in the right direction!!


(source: Nuevo Estilo design by Isabel Lopez-Quesada)

Art Help

Calling all my blogger friends...I need help.

(And yes, if you know me in real life you know that I need more help than blogger friends can help me with.  Hardy har har.)

I have a large gallery wall in my hall and a few empty frames.  Yes I know that art is supposed to be meaningful and gathered over time, BUT I'm looking for a few fun and colorful prints to add to the collection.

I've found a few front runners so far, but there are MILLIONS out there and I can't possibly find them all myself.  So I'm cheating and asking my super smart readers for your favorite Etsy sellers (or non Etsy sellers) of fun, inexpensive, color filled, art. 

Did you read that part about inexpensive?  I'm not Mama Warbucks.

Ok, so far these are the front runners:

a custom Massachusetts map from Etsy seller LilyGene

the beautiful LOVE poster from the awesome Jen from MadeByGirl

cutie Mr. Elephant from Etsy seller berkleyillustration

Although, I already have the most amazing elephant on the wall from the sweet and super talented Patricia from PVE, so I'm thinking it should stay special and be the only one.

I grew up spending my summers in Maine and I love this Maine Harbor print from the Etsy seller betsymclellan

 
 
So that's all I have.  This is where you people come in.  Help a girl out.
 

Who are your favorite Etsy (or non Etsy) artists out there? 

Have you purchased any meaningful art lately and if so where?

 
 
PS- thanks in advance everyone!

Subway Colors

I'm having a slight obsession with colored subway tile lately.  While white still might be my favorite, the colored variety is slowly creeping up to be neck and neck with white.  Look all all the sizes and colors subway tile comes it- its like tile porn!

BHG

Cottage Living

Elissa Grayer Design

Elle Decor

House Beautiful

JAS Design Build

Kelly Wearstler

Kelly Wearstler via Domicilium Decoratus

Kelly Wearstler

Lonny Magazine design by Celerie Kemble and Anna Burke

Martha Stewart

Michelle Kaufmann Design photo by JB Spector

SLC Interiors

Sunset Magazine

Traditional Home design by Maureen Footer, photo by Werner Straube

What color is your favorite?