Change of Plans

Remember those horizontal stripe curtains I had planned for my home office makeover?

Yeah, scratch that.  I've decided to go brighter.  I found this fabric (Covington "Wilmington") and I think it will be a good contrast to my dark gray walls and a nice fit with the green campaign dresser:

And, for the two or three of you out there holding your breath for my office reveal, I promise it's coming.  Hopefully, it will be as exciting as you are expecting it to be :)

A Garage Full of Faux Bamboo. . . .

It's no secret that I love Craigslist, and I'm also a big fan of faux bamboo furniture.  So, imagine my excitement when I found this sweet dresser (which may be turning into our new tv console) and mirror for $100:

(Thanks to Joi for first finding this piece on one of her weekly Craigslist searches.)

When I originally contacted the seller, I thought I was getting a pretty good deal.  Then, she informed me that I would also be picking up a faux bamboo nightstand, desk and hutch--all for the original $100.  (Lucky for me, she was desperate to get it out of her garage.  Now, it proudly sits in mine.)

The only surprise when we got it home were the white laminate tops that I didn't notice in the pictures.  My original thought was to just paint the pieces white and then you wouldn't really notice it.  After looking at it more, I'm not sure it really bothers me if I do decide leave it as is.

Although the dresser is the only piece I have a definite plan for at the moment, I'm considering my options for fun colors to paint the other pieces.

DecorPad

 

 

Elements of Style blog

 

Elle Decor

Simply Seleta via DecorPad

This cute nightstand makeover is courtesy of Kerrisdale Design.  She painted it black and then distressed it.

Although this picture is poor quality, I really like the bright yellow paint on this one.

 Makeover via High Street Market blog

Flickr via Maison21

Adventures in Bookcase Styling

A couple of weeks ago, I shared my bookcase makeover, and while the exterior work was a task in itself, the real challenge came when it was time to accessorize them.

The sight of an empty bookcase is a little daunting.  So, I started by painting the back of the bookcases a strong contrasting color.  This instantly begins to "fill" them.  I also love the look of wallpaper (or even fabric) on the backs. 

Since these bookcases are in our family room, I decided to fill them with personal items, but to also mix in accessories that I liked and of course, books.  Alot of people feel strongly about only displaying books that they've actually read.  I like to use mainly old books in great colors.  So, have I read all of the books on my shelves?  I have three small kids.  What do you think? :)

I think the key to good bookcase styling is the same as accessorizing the rest of your home: keep it simple.  While bookshelves can be a nice place to display collections, I like to choose fewer, larger pieces to mix in with books and photos, rather then cramming lots of "things" into a small space.

Of course, the real secret to bookcase styling is to try, try again!  Here's what my first attempt looked like:

While not terrible, something just seemed off to me.  The first step was to bring in more books--an obvious, but sometimes overlooked, solution. 

The red frames and coral were also bothering me, so I removed them.  I wanted a more cohesive look so I gathered some gold/bronze accessories I was no longer using and got out the spray paint:

 Is this an inventive drop cloth or what?!

I also added a large silver tray amid the black & white photographs on the top, just to break up the straight lines and to add height.

My formerly bronze pineapple became one of my favorite pieces:

My dad recently gave me one of his old paint-by-numbers; I like the color that it adds:

Finished, for now:

Wonderful Watercolors for Any Room

I first discovered Laura Trevey's beautiful watercolors through Marianne's blog and then "bumped into" her again in blog land.  She is a wonderfully talented artist, who's work is bright, happy and colorful. 

Here are a few of my faves from her Etsy shop:

And, how I would love to incorporate her series of dresses into a girls' room:

Laura also recently did some renovations to her home and shared her new art studio on her delightful blog: 

Want to add some color to your home?  Check out her beautiful (and affordable!) work here. 

Reviving a Tired Chair

Meet my tired chair. 

This chair joined our family pre-babies and has taken a lot of abuse since then.  Like the best of us, he's showing signs of aging and needs a little perking up (until I can buy a new one). 

Maybe you have a tired chair, too (sometimes known as "the man chair" that won't leave because it's just so comfortable).  So, what do you do?

Here's my quick fix:

This isn't rocket science, but definitely an easy way to give an old chair new life.  And, sometimes it's the little changes that make you feel better about your home.  I simply used a $3.99 IKEA throw (folded in half) and a bold zig zag pillow (that I won from this blog).

Changing pillows is one of the easiest updates you can make.  How do you know it's time?  In general, if your pillows have dated cording, tassels, match the upholstery and/or are as flat as a pancake, it's probably time to toss them. 

If your chair or sofa is solid or in a fabric with a small pattern, go for pillows with big, bold prints. Throws are also a quick disguise.  I chose a soft fleece one to cover most of the chair, but I also love the texture that faux fur throws add to a room. 

What's your best "quick fix" tip?

Purple Pajamas Pillow Giveaway Winner

We have a winner.  . . Congrats to Natalie (of fmdjewelry)!

Thanks to all who entered.  Be sure to stop by Purple Pajamas to check out her selection of new pillows.

Last Day to Enter Give Away

Win this cute pillow from Etsy seller Purple Pajamas.  Details here.

An Online Client's Relaxing Retreat

As much as I enjoy helping my online clients by creating idea boards for them, I really love when they share the "after" photos of the room once they've pulled everything together. 

Meet Caycee, a sweet, young wife and mom from Charleston who was ready to lighten up her family's living room.  This is the picture of the room that she initially sent to me:

And, based upon her emails and the inspiration pictures she shared with me, this is the idea board that I came up with for the room:

She already had most of her main furniture pieces selected and just needed my help with the finishing touches--accessories, accent furniture, paint color, etc.  After some hard work on her part, this is the finished product:

Some of my favorite items in the room:

The console table was an Overstock find and I love the texture it brings into the space.

My talented artist friend Sofia reproduced the artwork that I chose for the client's idea board, at a fraction of the cost.  She blogged about it here.

More "before and after" photos:

Thanks to Caycee for allowing me to share her beautiful new living room. 

Do you need help pulling together a space in your home?  An idea board could get you started in the right direction.  Feel free to email if you would like more information on my online decorating services. 

Rethinking the Kitchen/Breakfast Area Combo

I saw this beautiful kitchen last week on Paloma's blog and just couldn't get over it.  It was one of those that I had to go back and look at several times to soak up the details. 

This incredible space was designed by Jennifer Dyer of Jeneration Interiors.  The accessories are perfect (the greenery atop the armoire are my favorite!) and you know I'm partial to the rug.  I love the graphic wallpaper, the white cabinets paired with the darker island, and the light fixture is such a beautiful alternative to pendant lighting. 

But, my favorite part of this kitchen is how she gave the whole space a very liveable feel by creating a cozy seating area where most people would put a breakfast table and chairs.  Assuming this house has another dining area, I think this idea is perfect for entertaining (when everyone hangs out in the kitchen anyway) and for families where the kitchen truly serves as the heart of the home.