the lamp shade

It turned out looking great. Just one little problem: can't seem to find the proper cord situation to use it as a pendant over the dining room table. I went to four places looking for what I needed. The closest I got was a pendant kit that I would have to wire a new socket into. Sorry, a little more advanced than I was imagining. The cord kit from IKEA that I had in mind wasn't quite right.

So, I will hunt for the right solution, but until then, here are some shots of the project. As of this moment, I have the shade on a floor lamp base


This is how the shade started out. It is really nice, just not the right colors for my house.



First I chose the pictures I wanted and started placing them. I tried using decoupage, but it would not stick to the fabric lining the inside of the shade. I ended up using masking tape, so its pretty unsophisticated, but you can't tell.



When I was done covering as much surface as I could, I was left with sort of jagged borders on the top and bottom.


I glued black grosgrain ribbon to conceal the fabric that was showing through and to make the shade look more polished.


Its sort of hard to get a photo of what the whole thing looks like finished, but trust me, it turned out pretty darn good.



And here, it casts a cozy glow on the wing chair that Basie loves to sleep in.

As further redemption that I did the right thing, look at what I found TODAY in the new issue of House Beautiful that arrived, TODAY! This is a pendant shade by Andrea Clare through The Future Perfect.


Not even joking. I saw this after I had already done it!

a crafty respite

I need a break from work. I am tired of being the dumping ground for all things in all departments and I need some time away to rejuvenate, remember the reasons why I love my job, and to reconnect with my creative and crafty side. Forget rest and relaxation. I crave creative stimulation, and the exhaustion derived from a tangible, visible, and physical accomplishment. So, this weekend I plan on tackling several decorating and crafting projects, hoping to complete at least half of them.

A glimpse of what I may or may not be doing:

Creating a drum pendant fixture for the dining room. Supplies: random lamp shade, old book of photos and a light kit from IKEA.


Painting the dining room a more neutral shade. I tired of the orange dreamscicle color.


Rearranging furniture, yet again. This time, it will be done with the intent of squeezing a drawing studio into the office.



Making a simple slipcover for my way-too-formal looking velvet covered ottoman.

Its a lot, I know. I might even end up doing other projects than those listed above, for as much as I try, I suck at planning. I usually end up either in over my head, or doing something half-assed at the last minute. No kidding. Nonetheless, I will try to stick to my goals and keep you abreast of any progress that I make! Are you planning any home-dec projects for the long weeend ahead?

coziness in june

Photo from traditionalhome.com

This is a living room I have admired for a long time: Barbara Westbrook's design for Traditional Home's Atlanta Showhouse series. I liked it so much, a while back, I created a design board inspired by it for a contest on decor8.com. I did not win. Nonetheless, there were so many elements of that room that I craved in my own home. Let me share how I implemented them in my new living room arrangement.

I loved the combination of looks: casual and sophisticated, natural and structured. I moved my seating area to the center of the room to create a better dynamic for conversation and a vibe of pure coziness. I switched out my modern wool rug for a jute one with loads of natural texture.


The color palette in this area is now a little more subdued and earthy. The symmetry of the furniture's positioning reads as sophisticated.


I brought my bench in from the dining room, grouped it with a rug from the bedroom, and my bookcase to fashion an entry area. The pattern on the rug brings in a geometric element, much like the lines on the coffee table and throw pillows in the inspiration room.


I am really enjoying the feeling of two separate spaces being carved out of this one room, and yet its still inviting.


There are several other things I would love to do if I had the budget, but for now, this is just perfect. Making do with what I already have provides a certain level of satisfaction that seems to whet my appetite for change just enough... until next time!

serious about pickling

I am revisiting the idea of pickling my dining table. I am still seeing whitewashed and limed oak furniture, and have begun some more serious research on the processes themselves.

My second hand trestle style dining table.

For starters, I have yet to identify what type of wood my table is. I'd like to think I am not totally ignorant to the main differences of wood species, but I am stumped. It seems too soft to oak, but too hard to be pine. I am certain that its not mahogany or cherry, but could it be fir or beech? It is definitely not maple. I'll have to ask my father-in-law over for coffee soon, I think he could ID it if pressed.

Any ideas as to what type of wood this is?

I would like to get this settled before I choose a finish, as each technique performs differently depending on the wood type. Also, which process is easiest? Truth be told, I don't want to half-ass this one, but I am not looking for a serious upper body work out either.

Briwax sells their liming wax for only $15 online.

WhateverI choose, I will most likely need to strip the original finish off first. This is a step I am not looking forward to. I may even need to do some sanding and use a little wood-fill here and there. This table has seen better days and also has a couple of warped areas. The surface seems thirsty to absorb any drop of liquid- it tends to favor oily salad dressing and red wine. The grain has even taken on a glamorous sheen, thanks to the glitter from this year's artsy Christmas cards.

I defintiely have plenty of time to really plan this out, as it will be a stinky, outdoor project. I just wanted to get it in writing so you guys can hold me to it. Plus, I thought maybe someone out there has done it, and could offer some advice. Remember how pretty Pottery Barn's Shelton series was? I think my table has the potential to really come into its own with a similar finish.

Pottery Barn's Shelton dining table (may no longer be available).

room with a nook

Okay, so I finally got to stretch my redesign wings again! We changed things around in the living room to make way for an heirloom Hendredon wing chair, and ended up with a happy little decorating surprise.

Upon graciously accepting the chair, I had resigned myself to the fact that something in the living room would have to go to the basement. The polka-dot Todd Oldham chair was the most fitting candidate. It is a great piece, but in the floor plan in my head, there was just no spot for it.

Although the wing chair was in desperate need of new upholstery, it was a really sturdy, classic piece. So I put on my budget decorating cap and schemed. The resolution: For Christmas, I asked for, and received from my mom, a pair of chocolate brown slipcovers, so I could also replace the one on my thrift store wing chair. Decorating note to self: free is always a good thing!

Last weekend, we began the redesign by de-accessorizing the space and removing artwork from the walls. Then the heavy lifting started, and so happened the happy accident. While simply setting the polka-dot chair down near the door preparing to move it downstairs, a delightful conversation nook began to take shape. And that is where the furniture stayed. The whole plan turned out to be much easier than planned, and not a sofa was moved!

Have a look at the photos.

The newly formed and cozy conversation nook. I brought in a rug from the TV room to ground it. The best thing about this arrangement is that the stereo is no longer the center of attention.


I added a couple of dark brown accent pillows, also from the TV room, to coordinate with the new slipcovers.


The bargain basement wing chair looks more regal in brown, but still inviting with the ottoman in front of it. The pillows on the love seat repeat the pumpkin color of the accent wall.


A closer look at the semi-custom fit of the stretch velvet slipcover.


For now, the room feels pretty good. I like the new sitting area, and last night I was grateful we kept the extra chair. We were able to sit over ten people fairly comfortably. As you all know though, with decorating, no room is ever completely done. And, in my purely subjective opinion,that is a beautiful and wonderful thing!

a place to rest my head

It all started with an amazing find at the Kitsap Rotary Annual Garage Sale. This head board with faded fabric, but good bones, was only $5! Of course I snatched it up, seeing its potential.


I polled you all, and asked you what I should cover it with. Most of you thought I should do the solid red for drama and warmth. Well, I finally got around to making a decision! Although I did take your votes into consideration, I had to be implusive, but go with what as affordable, available, and practical. I didn't want to use something that would be too trendy, or too busy. I wanted to find a solution that would be classic, but add a strong design element to the bedroom.

I found the answer at TJMaxx. A solid light blue, twin-sized quilt with a simple, straight topstitched design. The texture would add a softness, and the color would perk up the room. Plus, it was just $20!

Candace helped me with the project, and we decided that keeping the existing fabric and padding on the headboard would be easiest and cheapest. In about 15 mintues we had stretched and stapled the quilt into place. At the corners where the fabric bunched up quite a bit, I used upholstery tacks, instead of the staple gun, to neatly secure the quilt to the headboard.



The coolest element though, was the nailhead trim. I condsidered not using it at all, but it was on sale at JoAnn Fabrics, and i just couldn't reisist! I am so glad I used it, it added just the right touch of refinement and really made the piece look finished. It was so easy to use too. The trim is on one long spool, with a hole in every fourth place to nail an acutal tack into the furniture. The result is seamless and professional looking.





The only thing I have yet to figure out, is how to keep the headboard rasied off the ground. For the moment, I have it resting on top of the boxspring, sandwiched between the wall and the mattress. While this looks fine, it is not a permanent solution. I want to make some legs for it in the near future. The total cost for the headboard project so far,(without the legs), is about $32. Good deal, right?

As an added bonus, my husband loves the softness of it, and we have actually spent time reading in bed. He even said that it looks really professional! The bedroom now feels more cozy and nest-like, just in time for chilly fall nights! Now, if we can only find a way to block the draft from our leaky windows! To be continued...

cupboard clean-up

Another quick change for the TV room came in addressing the small built-in wall cupboard.


The doors were impractical because I had to move the futon out of the way when I needed access to the cupboard's contents. This extra step caused clutter and disorganization to multiply in the small closet quickly.


It was hard to find anything quickly in this mess!


I decided to purchase a second matchstick bamboo blind and use it in place of two doors to hide the wall cupboard. When I removed the doors, I used the opportunity to restore some semblance of order. Now I simply raise the blind, and I can easily pull out what I need.




It is so much easier to get stuff in and out of the closet now!

cheap and quick window update

The white plastic blinds in our TV room have always been on my list of things to change. They looked cheap and detracted from the beautiful curtain panels. But the curtains were a source of disdain as well. I wasn't happy with the way the were draping off of the rod. So with under $20 I solved both issues.


I spent $13 on a matchstick style bamboo blind from World Market. The warm brown hue compliments the wall color and the bamboo adds loads of texture.


Although I sacrificed some privacy with the new blind,the curtains now hang from ring clips,($5 at Target), and so allow me to actually close the drapes. They also make the panels drape more gracefully.


The resulting look feels more cozy and layered. The new bamboo blind filters sunlight nicely and makes the entire space glow with warmth.

a pickle of a table

The trend of whitened, brightened finishes for wood has resurfaced. While espresso toned wood is still very "hip and now", I am really enjoying this recent lightening up. This month's House Beautiful breaks down the subtle differences in these reemerging whitening techniques. I was particularly interested in this feature because I need to refinish my dining room table, and I like the aged, beachy look that results from whitewashing, bleaching, liming, cerusing or pickling wood surfaces.

Here is a look at what results from using these finishes. All of the quoted text is taken from Jennifer Dwyer's article for House Beautiful.

Pottery Barn's Shelton table series is a good example of the beauty of a limed finish.
Liming is: "An "aging" technique with pigment left in the corners and around the edges."




Their Sunburst mirror exemplifies the ocean side allure of bleached wood.
In bleaching, " A solution removes color from the wood."



HGTV.com has a quick and dirty "how to" of the liming process, and makes it sound pretty easy. This is a photo of a chair they did.

Jayson Home and Garden,(however pricey it is) has several pieces with the same vibe.
The Kieran dining table in a cerused oak finish.
Cerused wood is, "Rubbed with white pigment to highlight the grain."



The Mandara side table in whitewashed Himalayan pine.
In the whitewashing process, "A thin coating of white pigment that evens out the wood's natural finish" is applied.


Minwax has a water based whitewash pickling stain, which seems like the product I would end up using. Pickling is similar to whitewashing but its intent is to "accentuate the physical texture of the wood. "

This is my dining table and bench. Don't you think it is a prime candidate for one of these treatments?


I think that the expressive wood grain would soak in the whitewash nicely.


Of course, this project will most likely be harder than it seems. For starters, I know I will have to strip the table of its old finish to start fresh. It would be best to do this while the weather is still warm and the air is dry. I'll shoot for September, and keep you updated on the progress of it all!

kim's decorating chronicles: ch. 3

The new arrangement accentuates the room's length and invites guests to sit and chat.


The No Longer Lonely Living Room.
Here we have the final chapter in Kim's decorating chronicles (for now).

Kim's living room is the first thing you see when you step into the house. Before we redecorated it, the room functioned more as a hallway to the kitchen and family room at the back of the house, than anything else. Kim and her husband never spent any time in the space, although they had spent plenty of money on great furniture for it. The room looked seldom used and not quite finished.

We reconfigured the pieces so that it felt more inviting and added new pieces so it could function better and serve a surprising new purpose. Here are LOTS of photos showing what we did.

Before when entering the room, the sofa acted as a visual barrier, making the space seem cramped.

Now, with the sofa facing the fireplace, a cozy seating area is created.


Looking towards the door before from behind the sofa, there was nothing to see.


Now the eye glides along the sofa and over to the writing nook.


Kim had nowhere to set a glass of wine. We found this end table at an antique mall for $13 and painted it with red paint left over from the kitchen.


The fireplace used to be cluttered with too many unrelated pieces, and did not feel like a focal point.


We found a simple second hand mirror for $12 and painted it red like the table. A couple of candle sconces that Kim had never opened went up, along with one personal photo and little bird print we found at TJ Maxx added style. The antlers are from one of her husband's hunting trips provided the finishing touch.


The chairs that Kim bought to coordinate with her sofa felt so lonely in the far off nook at the end of the room.


Placing them on either side of the fireplace gave them a context and made the fireplace feel more prominent. The floor lamp from TJ Maxx provides much needed mood and task lighting for reading by the fire.

This used to be an awkward space. No one sat here.


The nook is now home to a desk and turquoise file cabinet from World Market, and a lamp and chair from Pier 1 Imports (all incredible deals). Kim really needed a space to do scrap booking, and now she's got it!
Kim's favorite part about this redo is the fact that she is finally utilizing this room! She has been working on her scrapbooks and also envisions cozy nights in front of the fire with her husband come winter. Now that the downstairs feels done, Kim has started thinking about what do with the bedrooms upstairs! I feel another chapter coming on real soon...