~Nest Obsessed~

Mirror Love

2011-05-09T07:58:00.001-07:00

(Image from Better Homes and Gardens)

Isn't this mirror gorgeous? I love the way the little
mirrors sparkle and the style is worldly and glamorous at the
same time. When I saw it, I wanted it.
Turns out it is discontinued and was over $300.00.
I wouldn't have been able to afford it even
if it had been available.

All of a sudden, I had an idea.....
How can I re-work this old mirror?
I have had this for a few years, picked it up
next to the dumpster outside my old apartment.
Score!

I went on line and found little
mirror tiles at factorydirectcraft.com
It still amazes me that you can find almost anything
you want on the internet. Then, I picked up
this ugly little mirror at Goodwill for $2.00.

A bit of Superglue and they become "one".
I painted both with craft paint and hot glued
the little mirror tiles.
And soon, I had something sparkly of my very own.....

All for less that $30.00!
I know it is not the same but it gives a similar effect.
I think it looks great!

Now we wait for the DH's approval...:}

Meet the Neighbors....

2009-10-19T09:37:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, as Fall was sneaking in, we were enjoying ideal temperatures and breezy afternoons....it was the perfect weather! We decided it was a great time to invite a few neighbors over to get to know them a little better.

Luckily, I had just begun my Fall decorating, which included collecting a few bare branches (one with beautiful golden leaves) to place in the dining room. My DH's first reaction was "You can't bring those DEAD TREES in here!" Oh, please. Let's calm down shall we? You know, I guess I should have a little sympathy for him. Living with me can lead to some unpredictable decorating projects but I thought maybe he'd gotten used to it by now :) I put the branch in a "holder" we made for our wedding way back when. It is a simple terracotta pot with a bamboo pole cemented into it. In the past it has held oriental umbrellas, signs and now Fall foliage. What a useful invention it has been for me and my crazy ideas!

I found this great covered glass compote at TJ Maxx for $12.00 and I already have many ideas on how to use it. I can picture floating peonies in the spring or whole fruit, etc. but for now I filled it with pine cones for Fall.

We had a great menu of hot artichoke dip with crackers, edamame, southern deviled eggs, bruchetta with melted gorgonzola cheese, drizzled with honey and an amazing blueberry molasses cake topped with whipped cream! Here is the link for the recipe from 101 Cookbooks...

It was a great afternoon of good food and friend making. We feel lucky to have such fun and interesting neighbors! As the sun went down, we said our goodbyes but at the same time we were already looking forward to hanging out again soon...

Enjoying Our Porch

2009-09-10T14:04:00.000-07:00

Finally, the weather the past week has been glorious! Cool, overcast and perfect for relaxing on a porch and enjoying the fall breeze. So all I needed was a porch to sit on. However, visually my porch looked lonely and quite frankly, a tad ugly.

OUR PORCH BEFORE:

I had a choice, either go sit on someone else's porch or fix mine up. Since no invitations were on the horizon, I knew I had better get busy. I had a few things already: a natural fiber rug, a pair of resin adirondack style chairs in a dark green color, two iron dining chairs, a little cafe table and a few old wood side tables that were in the garage sale pile. (Note to my DH: I apologize I keep pulling things out of the garage sale pile.) However, none of the pieces were the look I was dreaming of, colors and fabrics were all wrong.

IRON DINING CHAIR BEFORE:

Of course, it was the same old story...little cash and a big dream. Wah, wah, wah. I must admit I felt a little discouraged for a while until the usual happened. My undeniable desire for beauty took over and I became resourceful.

PORCH AFTER:

ANOTHER VIEW...

So here's what I did: First I spray painted the iron chairs with a bronze metallic color and then I simply reupholstered the seats in an inexpensive vinyl. As for the resin adirondack chairs, I found a spray paint at Lowe's specifically for resin chairs (who knew?) and painted them black. Easy as pie! There is a great discount remnant fabric store in this city and I found a yard of a beautiful gold damask for $2.00 (!) and recovered the seat cushions. Thank you to my friend Lester, as he gave me the curtains with black fringe ( he had used them for a restaurant party and was getting rid of them). The "head" planters finally found a new home, we picked them up at a yard sale for cheap a year or so ago and the tablecloth is actually just a big piece of vintage fabric.

All said, I spent about $20.00. I re-worked what I had and invested a little time. I know it is not the most beautiful porch but for me, for now, it is just right. Can't wait to show my DH the transformation and sit together for a while with a cool drink....I can almost hear the ice in my mojito clinking. :)

Making a Plan

2009-08-27T14:45:00.000-07:00

There are only a few things more exciting to me than dreaming up ideas to decorate a space. When my friend A asked me to help her with some decorating decisions...well...let's just say she did not have to ask me twice. I was thrilled to help. She lives with her DH and their beautiful daughter in a big old Victorian house. It is awesome! Below is a photo of the room as it is now. The wall colors are newly painted and will stay and I think they are fun. They have a few cool pieces, it is just a matter of making a plan of how to pull it all together and what will stay and what will go...

LIVING ROOM NOW:

They are such an amazing family and have traveled all over the world. We had fun talking about how they wanted to use the space and which pieces that they already owned that would be incorporated. The room is to used as a semi-formal living space for entertaining (i.e. vodka martini anyone?) and the antique cabinet you see in the photo will be outfitted for use as a serving bar. They want to include ethnic and traveled elements in a fresh way, all while staying within a budget. Right up my alley!

INSPIRATION FOLDER:

After a little bit of on-line shopping and research, we had enough picked out to make an inspiration folder. This is such a good way to see if all the elements being considered come together visually. In this folder I included a floor plan, a casual perspective sketch of the room, an inspiration collage of items being considered and measurements of her windows for having window treatments made. All in all its a handy package to take along on shopping trips and keep the plan in mind.

CASUAL SKETCH:

FLOOR PLAN:

We also are planning for off-white linen - type curtains trimmed on the inner edge with a black 2-3 inch border. I suggested a chaise in front of the fireplace for sipping cordials, watching the fire or reading a book. The sofa will have accent pillows in ethnic inspired patterns. Stay tuned for final photos...:) Thanks!

Summer Supper

2009-08-23T15:51:00.000-07:00

This big old house is too hot! I am totally over Summer. I have spent the last week searching out cool places to visit and I don't mean cool as in hip but COLD: the library, the grocery store, my DH's office, etc. just to get out of our hot house. This has been a bit of a bummer as I love to be at home puttering around. Hopefully, next year we can afford to have central air installed. (Note to self: probably need to play the lottery.) I am really ready for Fall to arrive but in the meantime I am brainstorming and searching the Internet for recipes that don't require having to use the stove.

This morning, I went to the Food Network's website for ideas. Giada De Laurentiis is one of my favorite chefs. I have tried many of her recipes and I really can't think of one that hasn't been delicious. I decided on her recipe for Vegetable Rolls with Chili Mayonnaise. You can see the recipe here.

They look as pretty as they tasted! The sauce (inside the roll) was delicious. I almost stayed true to the vegetarian recipe but for the love of my DH, I added some cooked shrimp (purchased from the deli). For me, I added fresh avocado. It took me a bit to get the hang of rolling the rice paper but I think I got better with each attempt. I rolled alone but next time I think this would be a fun dish to prepare with friends.

Along with the summer rolls, we had a classic chilled Tomato, Basil and Mozzarella Salad. I know this simple combination by heart but here is a link just in case. I know, I know, these recipes originate from two different countries but my theme was CHILLED, so it was perfect. Enjoyed with very cold Dos Equis beer and we were in heaven. Very cool. :)

A Visit to M's Nest

2009-08-20T17:15:00.000-07:00

I am back in Richmond after three weeks in Florida. As you might guess, I am thrilled to be back in my nest! Before I made the trip home, one of my last visual treats was a visit to the home of my dear friend M. She is one of my interior design mentors and was the person who first introduced me to the joys of thrifting.

She has an eye for romantic details and has created a home of enchanting vignettes.

Everywhere you look you see beauty. She taught me that one should love every piece in their home. There is no excuse for an ugly cup, an uncomfortable chair, an unappealing view. She collects mostly from thrift stores, estate sales and flea markets.

She is also very talented at giving new life to cast away pieces. The above chandelier has been dressed by M with extra crystals and little red hearts for love. She inspires me (and many others) in that her magic is created without over spending. She is cost conscious while having a dedicated vision of how she wants her surroundings to be and a true desire to share this beauty with those she cares about.

The way she lives her life is in the details. When I enter her home I can not help but be transported to a world where it seems as if time has stopped. I always stay longer than I thought I would. Dear M, I am forever grateful for the memories!

I Love Silhouettes!

2009-08-14T06:53:00.001-07:00

Silhouettes have become popular again in the past few years. I have personally been attracted to them as long as I can remember. I love their graphic simplicity. To me, somehow they seem vintage and modern at the same time.

I really like them in mass collections, like this arrangement below from the blog Inside a Black Apple:

Emily Martin's, of (Inside A Black Apple), dreamy bedroom

Silhouettes first became a sought after art form in France in the 1600's with the tools being simple and often easily accessible, a candle, black paper and scissors. It is now somewhat of a lost art.

I decided to try my hand at painting a man and a woman silhouette for our bedroom. I bought inexpensive canvases from the craft store and acrylic paint. I penciled a silhouette shape and painted it black. Easy enough! (If you squint, they could be me and my DH?)

OUR BEDROOM:

At first I hung them with the woman silhouette over the man silhouette but my DH requested a switch. I was surprised he noticed this detail! I think it is important to balance the feminine and masculine details (energy) in a home, so I rehung them. Now they are near each other...on the SAME eye height level, as equals...marital bliss! :)

I have gathered some other silhouette images which are inspiring below...

INSPIRATION PHOTOS:

via Brown Button

via House Beautiful

House Beautiful Book: 750 Designer Secrets

Dinner with Great Friends

2009-08-03T12:41:00.000-07:00

I have such great friends! My Florida visit has been one fantastic meal after another. Last night we had dinner with our friends S and S. They are amazing hosts and they make the whole process look effortless.

We started with chilled wine, Caipirinha cocktails and fresh baguette topped with goat cheese, roasted tomatoes from their garden and fresh basil...yumm!

Their kitchen is one of the prettiest and most functional I have ever been in. I love the high ceilings and the cabinets!

The ceiling tiles are one of my favorite details...

They made fresh pasta!
It was served with chicken piccata, baby tomatoes from their garden and sauteed zucchini with squash...

Then to finish it all off, there was a wonderful Southern Strawberry Cake that I forgot to photograph...I blame it on the Lemoncello...:)
Thanks S and S for a wonderful evening! Love you guys!

Lester's Dining Room

2009-07-31T09:41:00.000-07:00

My Florida visit continues...

I am still enjoying my visit and all the good food I am having as I stay with my friend Lester. His house is so unusual, like he is. It would be a shame not to share some more photos of his house with you. Lester is not scared of color and it shows. The house is always ready for entertaining and this space really reflects his sensibilities.

In my last post I showed photos of his front dining room. These photos today are of his "formal" dining room. The mural in this room was painted by the late very talented artist Alice from Gainesville, Florida. She was amazing in many ways. We miss her!

To me, being in this room is like being in a secret garden and at night the walls almost glow. An Alice in Wonderland type vista. There is our beloved bunny rabbit coming out from the forest! This little nook shows his awesome honey pot collection.

Here is Rex. He is the king of the house and loves to pose for photos. He is 14 years old and very wise. He looks like he is trying to tell me something. He most likely wants a treat.

Lester is always moving things around and redecorating but he is fearless. I think this is something we can all learn from. One has to be fearless to have good design! :)

Lester's Nest

2009-07-28T07:26:00.000-07:00

I have temporarily left my nest! I am currently visiting family and friends in Gainesville, Florida and I am staying with Lester, my godfather of sorts. Lester is hands down the most creative person I know. Although I hesitate to admit it, he is a huge influence on my design sensibility. I thought it would be fun to share some photos of my visit.

Lester is an incredible chef. He prepares gourmet meals effortlessly and loves to have people over for dinner. If you are interested, you can check out his new blog...

This is Lester gathering things for the table...always a blur of energy!

I should probably post a photo of his collection of dinnerware. It is all collected from thrifting adventures and there is something for every mood and occasion. Tonight he made salmon - wrapped in fig leaves from his garden, red rice, sauteed broccoli and Chinese sticky buns. Delish!

Just like me, he has many curtained doorways. I wonder who is copying who? Please check back for I will have more interior shots to post over the next week.

The Foyer

2009-07-25T05:53:00.001-07:00

I have always liked the idea of a foyer in a house. Unfortunately, the floor plan of our house does not have a foyer. Upon opening the front door, one just tumbles right into the living room. I believe this is quite uncivilized not to mention bad feng shui. I was determined to come up with a solution. When there is a will there is a way!

In laying out our space I was determined to create a sense of entry. A sense of pause before fully entering the living room. I decided to place the main seating area towards the back of the room to leave space for me to create a "foyer"near the front door. To delineate the space, I hung sheer panels of fabric from the ceiling, one on the left side of the door and one panel ahead on the right.

I sewed simple wood rings (found a bag of them at a thrift store) to the top of the panels and then hung them from simple cheap white cup hooks that were screwed into the ceiling. (Note: a heavier fabric would need more substantial hooks).

The panels were thrifted and actually labeled as "swags", so there was no rod pocket but they were over 132" long, perfect for my high ceilings and allowing for a little puddling at the bottom...oh so chic! I made the tiebacks out of little clusters of wired plastic grapes I picked up at a craft store.

Here are some foyer photos from House Beautiful's website. I hope they inspire you!

Inspiration Photos:

above photos courtesy of house beautiful
I am still working on the details of my foyer, so more "after" photos are to come! :)

A Walk in the Neighborhood

2009-07-22T11:50:00.001-07:00

I feel so lucky to live a neighborhood with so many beautiful old houses! Taking long walks in the evenings is one of my favorite things to do with my DH. There are so many different houses to look at and every time we notice something new.

As we walk, we chat about which houses we like most and which gardens look the most inviting. Sometimes we agree, sometimes we don't but all the while we gather ideas for own nest.

Every house is in a different state of being. Some look happy and some seem sad. As I walk, I am reminded that restoring and decorating an old house is a process. Got to keep reminding myself of that! :)

As I pass by each house, I am always curious about who lives there. Have they lived there for years and raised a family? Have they had many great parties on their porch? Oh and the question that makes my DH roll his eyes..."Is it haunted?" :) If only walls could talk...

The Dressing Room

2009-07-20T17:44:00.000-07:00

One of the things that is typically not so great about old houses is the small amount of existing closet space. Fortunately, we have enough bedrooms that one of them could be turned into our closet/dressing room. (I won't bore you with pictures of our racks of clothes but if you need a source for heavy duty commercial clothing racks, write me for a great contact. )

Dressing Room Before:

Dressing Room After:

I had originally planned to leave the room open in the middle but we had an extra table desk that was not being used and the idea came...why not a dressing table? It is now placed right next to an east facing window and it is the perfect spot to sit and get ready in the mornings.

I found the curtains at a local thrift store. I paid $9.96 for the pair! I could not resist the fabric with its pagodas, little men and birds. I am sucker for birds! They are very well made, fully lined and obviously custom with their awesome huge wood rings and fancy fringe. Very Richmond, Virginia...darling. :)

It is a such a pleasure to be able to sit and do my make-up instead of standing at the bathroom sink with things falling off the edge. I have a few little baskets that keep everything I need handy and plus it keeps the bathroom nice and tidy, well most of the time anyway. :)

When budget allows, I will make a few changes to the design. I can always upgrade! :) But for now, with just a small amount of investment, I have a created a little area that makes me feel special every time I sit there.

Here are some other pretty photos of dressing areas for inspiration:

Think about how you might be able to carve out a little space for your own dressing area...:)

Above images courtesy of Victoria Magazine

Dining Room Wall Color

2009-07-19T12:12:00.000-07:00

Just a quick Sunday hello to show THE photo that inspired the color of my dining room walls. I had been toting it around for about 3 years, literally. I was waiting for the guts to go "pea soup" green. I am learning some of the best results come from taking a little risk and a little commitment. Have a great Sunday!

To me, having the off-white in the space is key...for contrast. I also love the touches of blue.
via oh my talking bird

Our Porch

2009-07-16T15:01:00.000-07:00

Even though it is so hot right now, I am dreaming of porches and outdoor rooms. A dreamy sort of space to have an ice cold cocktail or read a book. In a month or so the weather will be cooling off in the evening (hopefully) and I want to be ready to enjoy it. I am looking for inspiration for choosing the colors and the over-all feel of our porch.

Inspiration Photos:

No one who knows me would be surprised that pink is my number one choice. I really like the mix of pink, yellow and orange in this photo. I am guessing my DH would not be as agreeable with this color choice. I really like the Moroccan-Victorian style going on here though.

This is pretty too. I like the lounge idea and the red fringe trim.

I need to keep in mind that the outside of the house is white with black accents, so this might be a nice color palate. I also want there not to be a disconnect with the colors going on inside the house (blue, green, chocolate brown).

All above images courtesy of Domino Magazine

Decisions, decisions! Soon I will be on another thrifting adventure to pull it all off but that's half the fun! :) It will probably end up being a mix of these looks depending on what I find but I will be sure to post photos when I am finished.
Image courtesy of Country Living Magazine

My White Vase Collection

2009-07-10T13:48:00.000-07:00

I am not usually drawn to having "collections" of things. Don't misunderstand me, I have to admit to having a LOT of stuff in general (a minimalist I will never be) but I usually go for whatever takes my fancy. A few years ago, I started picking up random white vases for a couple of bucks each at thrift stores. I mean one here and one there is easy enough that the DH doesn't notice a collection might be brewing. At the time I had no idea what I would do with them, I just liked them and stashed them under the kitchen sink.

I was attracted to their simplicity. I like the fact that because they are white I can focus on their shape and their texture. Soon though, I had to admit, I had a "white vase collection". I like the way they look against a dark background. I also enjoy seeing them massed together as a little "sculpture garden".
I love contrast in design. Contrast in textures, contrast in light and darkness, contrast in size, these things are visually appealing to my eye. I think the little white bird adds a nice amount of contrast for interest...a touch of nature. Oh, and the white "big glass ball" lamp, we got that in Tampa at a Goodwill for $3.50... with the shade!

So this is my one "collection" and because I paid so little, I have no guilt. They are practical for holding flowers from our garden and my DH just can't argue with practical. :)

Plate Wall Hanging Tips and Inspiration

2009-07-07T05:46:00.001-07:00

Happy Tuesday! :) I have gotten quite a bit of response on the plate wall in our dining room. For those of you who want to create your own plate wall, I have some suggestions for the hanging process below and some inspiring photos from other designers.

Inspiration first:

I like the layout of this design and its sense of movement. The all one color on a neutral background gives a nice texture to the space. Christopher's office on Twitpics via simplygrove.blogspot.com

______________________________________________

Beautiful and dramatic! Plates are a great thing to use on a porch. from Kelly Wearstler interior design

________________________________________

This is playful! sunset.com via apartmenttherapy.com

_____________________________________________________________________

The way these are tightly nestled together is quite sculptural. abchao's Flickr via apartmenttherapy.com

________________________________________

Colorful and fun! image via Edyta Szyszlo

________________________________________

Helpful hanging tips for your plate wall:

First, you will need to purchase plate-hangers for each plate. I know there are decorative types out there but I just picked up the old fashioned brass ones with a spring on the back. These are cheap and can be found at Lowe's but the best price I found was at a local antique mall.

Second, you will need a large piece of paper the size of the hanging area. I used brown paper I got in a roll from Lowe's (it is typically used to protect newly finished floors while construction is still going on).

To make your paper pattern, lay the paper on the floor. You might need to tape a few pieces of the paper together to get the size you need and then go ahead and layout your plates in the design that you want. This is the time to get out a tape measure and measure your distances between plates. This takes a little bit of patience but it will make the hanging process much easier and help you avoid mistakes.

Once you have all the plates in their perfect position, take your pen and trace around each plate. Now you can remove your plates from the paper. Now with the plate hanger on the plate, measure the distance down from the top of the plate to where the hanging nail will be. Mark this same distance point on your paper pattern. (If all your plates are the same size, this will go quickly but if they are different, you will need to measure the hanger on each plate.)

Then, using painter's tape (so as not to hurt the paint or wallpaper on your wall) hang your paper pattern on the wall. You will want to measure from the top plates to the ceiling and from the bottom plates to below and side to side to make sure the pattern is level. If you have a level, this would be a good time to use it. Adjust the placement of the paper pattern until it is just right. Make sure the pattern is securely taped to the wall. Now you should be ready to start hammering! Using the nail hanging pencil marks you made on the paper, lightly hammer through the paper and into the wall and then remove the nail. Don't go all the way into the wall with the nail, just a tiny bit enough to make a mark in the wall that you will be able to see once you remove the paper. Once you have made all the temporary "pilot" nail holes, carefully pull the paper away from the wall. Now you can go ahead and definitely hang each plate on the wall. Beautiful! :)

Dining Room Curtains

2009-07-04T11:51:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you but I think it can be easy to get discouraged about decorating your nest if you are on a budget. Especially if you watch the many decorating TV shows available. I get all pumped up seeing the transformations and then when they say "We spent just under $11,000 to complete this room", I drop back down into my reality. $11,000! Are you kidding me? This is where my determination kicks in. I always remember one of my professors in design school saying creativity has nothing to do with budget but everything to do with resourcefulness.

My dining room curtains are a good example. (Photos are below) I bought two 54" wide by 84" long curtain panels at my favorite thrift store for $5.00 for the pair. I loved the wide green stripe. There were a few issues that caused my resourceful mind to kick in. One, they were two short. Well, really most store bought curtains are too short for this house. The ceilings are 9 feet high. The second problem was that there were only two panels and I technically needed 4, one for each side of the two windows. Oh, and then there was a third issue, the white stripe did not go so well with all the ivory tones I had going on in my plan.

So my first step was to make a pot of strong black coffee. I mean really strong, basically half a bag of a stale Starbucks I found in my pantry. I know what you might be thinking, but it was not for me but actually for the curtains. I poured the hot brewed coffee into the kitchen sink and immersed the pair of curtains in the coffee and let them sit for about 5 hours. (I then ran them through the washing machine on cold delicate to rinse them). The result was a very nice aged tint to them and the colors looked just right.

Okay now for sizing. I split each of the panels in half from top to bottom to create 4 thin panels, one for each side of the 2 windows. I then hemmed each raw edges. I took a twin size dust ruffle (also from a thrift store that I had purchased for $3.oo) and cut off all the ruffled edge and attached it to the bottom of the curtains for the needed length. I luckily had enough left over to attach it to the top of the curtains too. At first, I had no idea what I would do with the dust ruffle when I picked it up (we don't have a twin size bed) but I loved the ball fringe. I am a sucker for whimsical trim. The curtains are basically decorative panels and stay to the sides of the window. The center cotton panels are also from a thrift store and they provide privacy.
____________________________________________________________________
Cost breakdown:

Wide green and off-white panels: $5.00 for 2 (then split to make 4)
Twin size dust ruffle: $3.00
3- simple cotton panels for privacy: $12.00 for 3
____________________________________________________________________

Total: $20.00 for both windows plus some sewing (and the coffee which was going to be tossed anyway...)

The effect is fun! A bit like a "Victorian Circus Tent" is what my DH commented the first time he saw them. Perfect! That is exactly the look I was hoping for! Plus on breezy days, sometimes I get a little whiff of the coffee and it makes me smile. I love the smell of coffee. :)

P.S. This is for Lester. I know the curtains are wrinkled and for the record I like them this way! xoxo

The Kitchen

2009-06-30T06:09:00.000-07:00

Oh my! The kitchen was a mess. There was wet stuff under the sink from 20+ years ago, cabinet doors hanging by their hinges, grease "boogers" on the cabinet doors and most who toured through said, "this is a gut job". It was downright ugly. Someday we will gut the space and have all new everything but if you don't have the cash, you have to be creative. Champagne taste on a beer budget and my beer was Natural Light in a can, maybe, if I was lucky.

KITCHEN BEFORE:
There is a mind set you have to take when going in to a mess like this. You have to become "one" with it. Just clear your mind and dive in, put your hold head under the sink and scrub as if your life depends on it.

The painting process was intense. I did it all myself. Did you know you can actually meditate while painting? Remove all doors, drawers and hardware. Lightly sand all doors. Paint everything with primer and then two coats of Martha Stewart "White Picket Fence" in eggshell. This is such a great white, BTW. I bought all new silver metal hinges and hardware and with paint we spent around $250.00 for the transformation of the cabinets.

KITCHEN DURING:

It really is amazing what paint can do. Color works wonders! So I thought about the things I wanted in a kitchen and the things that were possible on a budget. I love white kitchens. I love open cabinets, so I removed the doors off two sections and painted the inside a beautiful Tiffany-box shade of blue. My DH said I would never be able to keep open cabinets neat and in order but we are going on two months moved in and it has been easy. The trick is planning exactly what will go where so that each piece has a definite spot. Putting away dishes is quick and a pleasure because I don't have to open doors and it is visually appealing. Note: This is the only spot in my house where I am this orderly. :)

OPEN CABINETS AFTER:

Our big splurge was this little chandelier ($99.00). I HAD to have a chandelier in my kitchen.:)

We had the money for a new stove (which is good since the previous owner had used the oven to heat the downstairs and it was pretty shot) and we also got a new white fridge. Someday we will gut and open up and enlarge the kitchen, get a gas stove, etc. but for now we are happy. We still have the old counter tops, cleaned up they will do for now. Currently they are cream colored faux-marble Formica from the 60's and secretly, I kind of like them.

KITCHEN AFTER:

I mentioned I would love to have wood floors in my kitchen. The question was: were they under the linoleum?? Of course, my DH was determined to get me my wood floors. Under the sink there was a mess, yes, but the floors were another level of intensity. Who puts linoleum over hardwood? Who puts 3 layers of linoleum over hardwood? He worked for DAYS with a crow bar and chemical remover pulling up the two layers of linoleum tile and a third layer of asbestos tile (yes, he wore a mask) and finally there was beautiful wood!

Wow, that's it for today. I am tired just reliving this process. I need a nap! Soon I will post more details of what we did in this space. Thanks for checking in! Until then....:)

The Dining Room

2009-06-29T14:36:00.001-07:00

We feel so grateful to have this old house and be able to bring it alive again. The lady who lived here before us passed away last summer at the ripe age of 96. She had lived here for almost 40 years! We can't really be too upset that she let her house go into such disrepair. Let me just say, I can't imagine living to 96 years old, much less doing household chores and house repairs when I am old. I do feel like she is watching over us and happy to see things coming along.

In the back garden, my DH has wacked through many vines and a poison ivy forest to reveal her rose bushes and peonies, which are still thriving. But I am going off on a tangent...I will post photos of that later but today I want to show you the dining room transformation.

DINING ROOM BEFORE:
As you can see, it was a dreary space. We have learned you have to look past the grunge and see that it is just a room with four walls and you can make it anything you want...with a bit of (or a lot of) elbow grease. The original french doors from into the dining room from the living room add lots of charm. Unfortunately, we could not re-use the chandelier as it was missing one arm. We did save all the crystals though for some future creative project....:)

So we thought all we would need to do was paint and refinish the floors. Wrong! There was white paint on the walls but it had been painted over wallpaper. If we did not remove this mess, another layer of paint would cause everything to peel. So we got our DIFF and scrapers and began the removal. It took about three full days of work to get it down to the wall. I always like peeling sunburns (gross I know) ...so for me it was strangely satisfying. :)

And finally it was time to add color! I obsessed over the color choice for days. See this is the kind of thing you do when you are not working a regular job full-time. I wanted a green that was "happy" during the day and a "romantic garden"feeling at night. When I explained this to my husband he looked at me like I had lost my mind. "Just pick a nice green and go with it" he said. Some people just don't understand...there are a million greens out there and they all have a different mood!

DINING ROOM AFTER:

I am very happy with this color. On the focus wall, I did a damask stencil in a light blue (to relate to the blue in the living room..photos of that to be posted). The chandelier makes awesome shadows on the ceiling at night!

I had been wanting to do an all white plate wall for a while. I got these plates at thrift stores for at most a dollar each. The big platter and woven bowl are from TJ Maxx, on clearance. The white against the green makes a graphic statement, which I like.

THE BENCH:

This was a love project. I dreamed up the design, put it on paper and my DH built it. It looks like a throne and it is always the first choice of seating for guests when they come to dine with us. I still need to make a cushion for the seat but as you can see Matilda, one of my beloved kitties, thinks it is comfy as it is.

My First Post

2009-06-29T14:34:00.000-07:00

Hello! I am starting this blog for the same reason many others probably do. I want a place to post my creative ideas, projects and share things I find inspiring. I am an interior designer, event coordinator, artist who loves to cook, entertain, sew, and paint on canvas. I am obsessed with design, fabrics, trims, decorating and all things related to my house, my nest or I should say, our nest.

My husband and I are in the process of fixing up a 1926 Dutch Colonial in Richmond, Virginia. It's a labor of love! As I go along I want to post photos of our progress, things that inspired our choices and ideas.

Until I get the tons of house photos organized, I will quickly post a project we just finished. I was at my local favorite thrift store a few weeks ago and found this cabinet. I instantly knew it was meant to be ours. It was only $15.00!! I am pretty sure it is the top of a 1970's china cabinet and before I "styled" it, it was pretty ugly, cherry finished and had brass metal inserts.

So this is the BEFORE photo:

(removing the metal "x" panels so they can be painted...)

And this is the AFTER:
I think it looks pretty great! Sorry the photo is not the best but I think you get the idea. And please ignore our little TV, we hope this cabinet re-do inspires us to save our pennies for a bigger TV....I can visualize a nice big TV on top someday...:) Okay, so first I lightly sanded it, then primed it with a tinted primer. I hand mixed a black and chocolate brown semi gloss paint and it took two coats to cover. My sweet hubby removed the not so pretty brass inserts and spray painted them "brushed nickel". I then "frosted" the inside of the glass doors with a peel and apply product from Lowes. Oh, and then we sprayed the old knobs to match the metal inserts. It looks totally different, kind of a glam french shabby chic look of sorts. We are happy!