Green Street

Domino's Rebirth?

2012-02-08T08:31:00.000-05:00

Did you hear? Conde Nast will publish a Domino special edition entitled Quick Fixes; it was announced yesterday by Conde Nast's editorial director. Domino Quick Fixes will be full of Domino's best home decorating stories, focusing on easy, inexpensive (DIY) changes that make a big impact. Domino Quick Fixes will be available on newsstands from April 17th through July 16, 2012 for $10.99 and a second edition planned for fall. Read the rest here.

I have to say I'm excited, but also a bit skeptical. And, $10.99 is a hefty price to pay.....I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

Bathrooms on the brain.....

2012-02-06T07:44:00.000-05:00

So last week while running errands, I passed by a showroom called Devon & Devon. I have never heard of it, but was completely inspired by their window displays. I SO wanted to go in, but I typically have either one or both kids in tow and it is really hard to convince the 4 yr. old that it is worth his time to go into a showroom! :) Besides, it was between E's naps and I had a short window to make it home.

Of course, the minute we got home I looked them up on the web and was not disappointed with what I found. Devon & Devon is an international company that specializes in the distribution and marketing of flooring materials, ceramic tiling, and bathroom fixtures.

While I could never afford their products, it is always great to get inspiration from the such companies that exclusively cater to designing bathrooms.

I took a browse through their catalogue and was blown away with the beauty of all their offerings.

I could spend all day looking at pretty pictures like these!! :) Happy Monday!

A Chic Brooklyn Heights Greek Revival!

2012-02-04T05:40:00.000-05:00

I stumbled across this incredible Brooklyn Heights Greek Revival via CWB Architects. This project entailed a complete structural and mechanical gut renovation of this four story, 3200 sq. ft. row house and extension.

The designer? Jennifer Eisenstadt Design and Decoration, LLC. Why have I not heard of her before? Check out this incredibly chic home (I believe this might be her home.)

I am completely speechless....

Keep a look out for her use of modern and vintage light fixtures. I believe this and the kitchen's fixture might be Lindsey Adelman's bubble light which I posted about here. I am in love!

Pocket doors, brass fixtures, modern lighting, oh my!

For real? A leopard print runner!! Brilliantly done.

Black and white graphic wallpaper and mirrored furniture - I love it. Do you notice the ruffle trim on the curtains? Such a nice feminine detail. And, the brass doorknobs? I love the dark walls in the adjourning room. I just wish I could see more of this bedroom.

How chic!

The marble veining in the shower, the vanity's lucite legs, hexagonal floor and wall tiles and the brass hardware are all so wonderful!

I am so using balloon shades in our next house. Remember this post?

So tastefully done.

Do you notice how glossy the trim is?

This is probably her office, no? What an amazing space to work in!

And, just when you thought you were done with the surprises - she throws this into the mix! Holy Cow! She is incredible! The mix of the chinoiserie wallpaper with the inlaid wooden chevron floor - crazy good!

I love the primary colors and the kilim rug!

Oh my goodness!! So amazing!

Okay, how incredible is this home? I can tell you that I will be studying each and every one of these pictures for a long time. I haven't felt this inspired in a while.

Can some magazine publish her space so I can get all the sources, please??

Jennifer Eisenstadt is my new hero!

Eclectic Living Room

2012-02-02T03:55:00.000-05:00

This living room by Heather Roberts, H&H Home, caught my eye via pinterest. I love it for lots of reasons as evidenced by my list above, but I love it mostly because it is feels effortless. It has that collected feel without feeling too design-y.

Do you know what I mean?

To see more of her home, go here.

A Visit to Kartell

2012-01-31T05:45:00.000-05:00

On my way to meet my husband for lunch last week, I passed by the Kartell design store here in Vienna. The Mademoiselle Chair caught my eye...

upholstered in a leopard print silk fabric (a collaboration with Dolce & Gabbana). Very luxurious!

And, here it is in the pink floral upholstered fabric. This is so much fun and I always have had a soft spot for this one!

These optic like tables caught my eye, too! These would be fun to add as an accent table in a more traditional space to liven things up a bit. Or as a stool pulled up to a vanity table!

And, one day I would like to own a ghost chair - a trend that has been popular for a long time. I would love to throw a leopard print pillow on it to warm it up a bit!! How about you - which piece is your favorite?

Gruss Gott! Week Three.

2012-01-29T05:46:00.000-05:00

I cannot believe we've been here 3 weeks already. It still seems like we just got here. This week we were catching up from last week of having visitors. This week I had a chance to i) join the Vienna babies club (a club where english speaking mothers get together), ii) take kids to the doctor, iii) invite some friends over for dinner (while the kids slept soundly in their bed) and iv) go out to lunch with my husband! A great week all in all even though, little E has caught a bug and is pretty sick. :(

A beautiful florist shop on the way to meet my husband for lunch. I love boxwoods. Makes me excited for spring!

Simple pink tulips I picked up at the market.

Looking out our living room window. I feel like I am constantly being watched!

You can never get tired of the inspiration that exists from all the architecture. I hope to post more of this during our stay here - I just NEED to remember my camera every time I go out.

Drooling...

2012-01-27T05:21:00.000-05:00

..over these paintings. Artist is H. Mall. Go check her out.

Happy Weekend my friends!

Styling the little things

2012-01-26T03:17:00.000-05:00

As you may or may not know, we are only in Vienna for a short time. Seven months to be exact. And, we're living in a furnished short-term rental. So, decorating the apartment to my liking is pretty much out of the question. All we brought with us is our suitcases.

However, I am exerting my styling influence on a couple of things that either currently exist here or that I brought with us. For example, my beauty products that are currently sitting in the medicine cabinet.

While I was unpacking them, I placed them all on the shelf; I played around with them a bit and just thought they were kinda pretty all sitting there next to one another. So, I took a picture. Am I weird?? Okay...don't answer that!

Anyway, I can honestly say, for once, I am really happy with the beauty products I'm using. And, my most recent purchase, the Nuxe Creme Fraiche, is by far the best facial creme I have ever used. It is so rich and smells wonderful. And, it is affordable. I will be using this for a long, long time. (I heard about it via jcrew tumblr - out of all places?).

Gruss Gott! Week Two.

2012-01-24T03:51:00.000-05:00

Sorry for the delayed post. We had family visit us this past week. We've only been here two weeks and we were so fortunate to have my brother, my sister in law and my two nephews visit us from Belgium. My brother, who is in the US Army and working with NATO in Brussels, Belgium had the opportunity to attend a military ball at the Hofburg Palace in Vienna (about 1/2 mile from our apartment). Ordinarily, he wouldn't have volunteered to come, but with us in town, he piggy-backed a vacation. So, on Friday night, we got to babysit 4 kids (all under the age of five) while my brother and sister-in-law went to a boring old ball! :)

Aren't they a cute couple?

Aren't those chandeliers gorgeous?? They look like they are floating in mid air. Yeah, it does look pretty boring. I'm glad Kevin and I stayed home with these little monsters. :)

For their last night in town, we cooked a traditional Austrian dinner of Stelze (Schweinshaxe) and sauerkraut paired with weizenbier and rot wein.

Before:

After:

Ohhhhh, the carnage!!

J and C, thanks for the wonderful visit. We'll get you back when we leave the kids with you and go to Paris in the summer! :)

What I'm loving today....

2012-01-18T06:26:00.000-05:00

this striped settee from John Derian's store in NYC's East Village. I've been spotting the pink and red color combo a lot these days in both fashion and interiors and I gotta say....I really like it.

You?

The Perfect Desk Chair

2012-01-17T05:12:00.000-05:00

I love this desk chair and I would like to find one like it - I bet I could find one at a antique fair, consignment store or the like.

If I found one, I'm sure it would need to be reupholstered. I would choose a black and white striped fabric. I think the black and white fabric paired with the brass frame and casters would look so chic.

This fabric which has a sort of john robshaw'esque' feel (at least to me) would be perfect (the price is perfect too)!

I would only need a yard and 1/2 given this nifty little yardage table for reupholstery projects. And, if the frame and casters weren't brass, I would paint it in Rustoleum's Metallic spray paint in brass. Or switch out the existing feet for these beauties!

Okay, now I gotta go out and find me this chair!! :)

Gruss Gott! Week One.

2012-01-15T10:06:00.000-05:00

So, we made it one week in Vienna. Well, actually a week and a half. So far, so good. What I love about our apartment is the location. We are central to what seems like everything. This is the cafe you see when you walk out of our building.

So far, my favorite thing to do is to go to the Naschmarkt (1 block from our apartment) and enjoy all the fresh food. It is incredible. It certainly is a luxury to have fresh food daily - cheeses, wurst, bread, vegetables, pastries, etc. Here are some pictures I took yesterday.

They also have fresh flowers daily.

You can tell the Europeans are used to eating fresh foods daily as their refrigerators are so small. There is no room to store or freeze much of anything.

Luke completed 3 half days of his new Viennesse Montessori school. I am so proud of him. From what I can tell (at this early stage), the kindergarden school system is very different from the American. And, I can't get over how much smaller everything is here - especially the school class rooms and the playground (which they call 'garden'). It makes you really appreciate 'space'.

Elizabeth is faring well, but I am trying really hard to get her into a fixed sleeping schedule. Once I can do that, my daily routine will be easier and more predictable. So, for the time being, I am a bit limited with my outings around the city. I'm sticking to a radius of about half a mile.

This past week we've been focusing on just getting settled and getting some of the bureaucratic things done which always is a bit slower here in Europe. With this behind us and Elizabeth schedule more regular, I am hoping to venture out to explore more of the city - especially the innerstadt, flea markets and the many furniture and antique stores (which seem to be everywhere).

Jenny Wolf Interiors

2012-01-12T05:30:00.000-05:00

I love pinterest. Who doesn't? I stumbled across Jenny Wolf interiors while pinning and I hopped over to look at her portfolio - I am so glad I did. I really like her style. She grew up in the South and credits her style to her Southern roots. Anyway, I like what I saw and thought I'd share.

Pretty, huh?

Also, I realized I never posted my pinterest account on my blog before. If you want to follow my boards, you can find me here.

Crushing hard....

2012-01-10T07:34:00.000-05:00

I know Nick Olsen's apartment featured on West Elm's blog, has been all over the blogosphere, but I had to post it because it provides endless inspiration (at least for me).

What I'm loving....

1. Stripes on wall

2. Yellow lamp with black shade

3. Classic linens

4. Antique table

5. Stack of books

If you haven't seen it, go here.

In other news, we're slowly getting settled in our apartment! Luke had his first day of school today at the Vienna Montessori school and he really liked it. I'm so relieved. More later.

I'm alive....

2012-01-07T16:31:00.000-05:00

but just not 100% with it. We survived the long plane trip (long b/c our kids barely slept) but we, thankfully, made it safely to Wien.

Here is a picture of us at the start of our trip....

and, at the tail end of the trip when the kids finally passed out (with literally 20 minutes to go). Isn't that always the case?

We're suffering from severe jet lag and when I say 'we' I mean the kids; but I am the one telling Luke at 2 AM in the morning that it isn't time to get up yet. I'll be back soon.....

2011: A Year in Review

2012-01-01T09:04:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year!! 2011 has brought a lot of success in so many ways! Of course the greatest is little E that is now 3 and 1/2 months old. Other successes were finishing up some long standing projects around the home and getting our house sold in a relatively quick manner. Here are some Green Street 2011 highlights:

DIY bulletin board

Before & After Kitchen Roman Shade

Before & After Kitchen Stool

RIT Dyed Lamp Shade

DIY Painted & Stenciled Ikea Rug

Before & After Kitchen

Before & After Patio

Before & After Hallway

DIY Greek Key Roman Shade

Before & After Renovated Bathroom

Before & After Dining Room

Before & After Sideboard

Make sure you click on the links to see the 'before'. There are some huge transformations.

All of these projects were completed before Elizabeth was born in September and our house sold in October. Phew! We accomplished a TON in 2011 and I look forward to a new adventure when we temporarily move to Vienna, Austria (leave this Tuesday).

I hope you all have a wonderful New Year's Day and the next time you'll hear from me will be in Vienna!! Bis dann....

Merry Christmas!!

2011-12-23T22:43:00.000-05:00

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!!

Thank you for all your support this year (all of you that take your time to read this blog). We leave for Vienna in less than two weeks and I promise to pick up the blogging once we get settled.

In the meantime, Merry Merry!!

Kate Spade-y Inspired Tabletop

2011-12-14T12:52:00.000-05:00

I am loving everything about this chic tabletop! The colors (pink, gray and gold) really inspire me and if I had the space to design a nursery for my little E, this picture would be one of the top contenders.

via

In the meantime, I am using the tablecloth and striped runner as inspiration for the baby quilt my mother in law will make for E. I am excited! I found the perfect fabric - here and here.

Countdown is on...

2011-12-07T09:58:00.001-05:00

and I'm not talking about Christmas (although that is around the corner too). We'll be in Vienna in less than a month and I can hardly contain my excitement! And, while it has been hard saying good-bye to our friends, I know we'll be back next fall so it's really not that long.

I am certainly bummed though that we will be missing out of one of Europe's greatest traditions - the Christmas Market. We will be arriving right at the New Year so it'll be over, but the thought of a fabled Christmas market where you can exchange chain stores for cozy wooden chalets, Christmas music for angelic choirs and consumer frenzy for down to earth local holiday cheer makes me sad. Just a different experience that I would love for my son to see.

In the meantime, I'm in a mad rush to finish Christmas shopping...thank God for online stores!

The Blue Papered Powder Room

2011-12-05T07:14:00.000-05:00

Just when I thought I couldn't see beyond pink, I have fallen madly in love with blue - blue papered powder rooms! Most of these powder rooms belong to fellow bloggers and in my humble opinion, I think they are fantastic!

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Aren't blogs the greatest source of inspiration?

Tara Guerard: Champagne and Pink

2011-11-21T19:29:00.000-05:00

Have you seen how Tara Guerard's set her dining table for Thanksgiving in this month's issue of Southern Living. I'm head over heels for it and am loving this color combination of champagne and pink.

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Don't you love the bench with the pink pillows? How fun and unexpected! In fact, I love this color palette so much it will be the inspiration for my daughter's quilt that my mother in law promised to make for her.

So pretty.

I love this tablecloth with the wide contrasting band! So dramatic!

Ironed on monograms - brilliant!! Love how the Lindt chocolates add the pop of pink! Great styling.

Love the self serve bar!

So, now I'm on the mad hunt for champagne colored fabric for Elizabeth's quilt! If you have any recommendations, let me know!

In the meantime, I wish you all a very happy and blessed Thanksgiving.

A Splash of Pink

2011-11-14T02:48:00.000-05:00

I'm not sure it is because I have a little girl, but I'm falling head over heels for interiors with a splash of pink. At first, I was convinced a pink sofa would be the right amount of pink to make me super happy!

Source: isuwannee.com via Fran on Pinterest

But, after living with a pink sofa in our rental, I can tell you it is not ideal with little kids. It takes only seconds for my son to finish his lunch and then go dive on the pink sofa with his greasy hands. Hello stains! So, I'm reconsidering a pink sofa (unless it is in our master bedroom, but I need to convince my husband of that!) and am now thinking of injecting a splash pink in other ways.

Source: designindulgence.blogspot.com via Fran on Pinterest

via

Hello pink chair!

Long Overdue Update

2011-11-07T05:51:00.000-05:00

Sorry for the extended absence. In fact, I've been reading your blogs between feedings, changing and walking Elizabeth, but I haven't had much time to put my thoughts together and write. Speaking of Elizabeth, she is a little colicky, but we seemed to have turned a corner. Luke is also well but ~~a bit~~ a lot more needy than he was before her arrival.

While all of this has been going on we packed and moved out of our house, put our stuff in storage and moved into a temporary rental (more on that in a minute). We also closed on our house. So, we're officially homeless. Leaving our house was harder than I anticipated - our first home together and Luke's first home made it really hard to say good-bye.

Ok. So, now for our new, temporary home. We're staying in a 1400 square foot home on the CT shore. It's bright and sunny home and we're really happy here. And we're literally across the street from the Long Island Sound, with water views from our windows. If this was summer, we could never afford this!

It's a cute cedar clapboard house with a nice stone patio which we've used for lunches. The kitchen isn't huge, but it's open clean and bright.

And, it's open to the living room, below.

There are two first floor bedrooms (ours and Elizabeth's) and Luke gets the entire upstairs to himself! It's his own secret hideout and he loves it.

Other than the occasional jaunts to the beach and napping whenever I can, that 's what has been going on here.

I'm hoping as we settle into more of a routine that I can get back to posting more frequently.

Perfection

2011-10-07T18:11:00.000-04:00

The past days I have been spending every waking minute with Elizabeth and I love it.

Have a great weekend!

It's A.....

2011-09-30T11:41:00.001-04:00

GIRL!!!

Meet Elizabeth Teagan born on Tuesday, September 27th! And, in case you don't realize Elizabeth and I share the same birthday. She graced us with her presence on my 40th! What a miraculous gift.

Our hearts are filled with joy! God bless!

Giveaway Winner!

2011-09-27T12:11:00.000-04:00

Congratulations to Analise Ebaugh!! You've won the Windows from Melissa's pillow covers giveaway!

Email Melissa (windowsbymelissa@gmail.com) with your contact details so she can mail you the beautiful pillow covers!!

Fall Trends

2011-09-27T06:18:00.000-04:00

Today, I'm over at Loft & Cottage guest blogging while Casey is in Italy. Come join me as I share this season's current trends.

Patiently Waiting...

2011-09-26T07:37:00.000-04:00

My due date has come and gone and this little peanut is taking his/her sweet 'ol time. I cannot believe the time will soon be here. I am so excited to finally meet him/her - how long we've waited!!

In the meantime, I thought I'd post a few 'baby' finds that have me inspired....

The 'undiaper' bag

DwellStudio Madison bag

I would want to customize it, like this...

Baby Blankets

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Fabric

via

Baby Cord Shoes

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Knit Hats

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Crushing hard....

2011-09-22T08:01:00.000-04:00

on Ahmad Sardar- Afkhami's carpets. Have you seen anything so beautiful? Those colors and geometric shapes!!

You can read more here via Sara Ruffin Costello's WSJ article.

Also, don't forget to enter the pillow giveaway!!

Windows by Melissa Pillow Giveaway

2011-09-21T08:37:00.000-04:00

As promised, I am super excited to be hosting a pillow giveaway from my sponsor, Windows by Melissa. Here is some of her fabulous work.

Today Melissa is offering these white and black ribbon trimmed 20 x 20 pillow covers to one of my readers!

To enter the giveaway you simply need to:

'Like' Window by Melissa's facebook page and leave a comment on her page that you came from Green Street.

Giveaway ends Monday, September 26th at midnight! Good Luck!

My Dining Room (as it stands now)

2011-09-20T07:15:00.000-04:00

First, a huge thank you for your sweet comments on yesterday's post. I was flattered. Many of you commented on the colors and I was lucky to have an interior designer help me choose the colors of my dining room walls and furniture.

Now, onto our dining room, I wasn't able to completely finish my dining room. Don't get me wrong - I think our dining room has come a long way, but the finishing details are definitely lacking.

If you remember, this was the inspiration.

The goal was to lighten up the room. So, how did we accomplish that?

- We painted over the current wallpaper.

- Purchased a natural jute rug.

- Installed custom made roman shades.

- Painted dining room table and chairs.

- Painted sideboard.

What did NOT get accomplished?

- Painting of chandelier, hanging my federal eagle mirror and accessorizing. So, here is our

Dining Room BEFORE:

Dining Room AFTER:

It definitely is brighter and softer. The wall color provides a calming backdrop, the natural rug is perfect for everyday use, the roman shades (more below) provide that much needed dose of color and pattern and the painted table and chairs help break up all the gold tones in the room.

Another picture of the painted sideboard with the unhung mirror. You can see the chandelier I was suppose to paint and never got around to it.

The DwellStudio Gate Citrine fabric used for my roman shades. Isn't it lovely? Melissa from Windows by Melissa really did a fantastic job (yet again). They're perfect for our dining room.

If you need window treatments, don't hesitate to contact her! She is a pleasure to work with. Well, that is our dining room - What do you think?

Stay tuned for tomorrow, because I will be hosting an amazing giveaway from Melissa!! It's a doozy!

Before & After: DR Sideboard

2011-09-19T06:50:00.000-04:00

With all the craziness, I've been slow to post some of my finished projects. And, once the baby arrives (due this Sunday) I know I won't have time. So, here is the sideboard I found at a tag sale for $25.

BEFORE (Post Sanding)

It wasn't the best quality, but it was the perfect size for our small dining room. If you remember from this post, I decided to paint it BM Pale Avocado and add this hardware.

I haven't hung my antique gold federal style (eagle) mirror above the sideboard because we're moving in less than a month and I really don't want to put new holes in the wall. So, here is the sideboard now.

AFTER

The other day, I placed my mirror on the sideboard to see how it would look. I'm dying to hang it - I think it would go perfectly above the sideboard.

AFTER

I found that mirror at an antique store for $45. I love it. The sideboard has a collections of items which I love and found at various places. I know my orchid looks in bad shape; I can not for the life of me keep orchids alive.

And, do you spy some DwellStudio Gate Citrine fabric in the reflection of the mirror? More on that tomorrow - I will reveal my dining room (as it currently stands) and will show you what an awesome job Melissa from Windows by Melissa did on my roman shades! Stay tuned!

Looking for an affordable yet soft natural rug?

2011-09-16T09:53:00.000-04:00

Over the past couple of months, I've been helping my friend with her dining room. It's been lots of fun seeing progress being made. I hope to do a before and after at some point, but in the meantime I wanted to let you in on a little tip.

Jewel Jute Rug

I suggested this particular rug, pictured above, for her dining room. She wanted a casual look, low maintenance and wanted it to be soft underfoot. (I remember seeing this rug on another blog, but I can't remember where - sorry.)

Well, I saw it for the first time yesterday and it's wonderful. Not only is it affordable, but it's low pile and soft! And, it has the killer diamond pattern! She loves it too. And, if you're worried about durability - she has 2 kids under the age of five, a dog and a cat. It's perfect for her household. Anyway, if you're looking for a recommendation - this one comes highly recommended!! You can purchase it here.

PS: Natural Area Rugs did not sponsor this post in anyway. This is strictly our own opinion.

DwellStudio's first ever furniture collection

2011-09-15T08:47:00.000-04:00

DwellStudio introduces their new furniture collection for the modern home, created for Precedent. They take the mid-century modern design and gave it a face lift. I have to say I am definitely smitten.

Christiane Lemieux with a George sofa upholstered in Thistle fabric

What is cool about this line is that DwellStudio offers furniture that is clean lined and modern, but you can snazz it up with a variety of fabrics.

Mallory Chairs upholstered in Casablanca Geo Citrine

Ornate bed in Kerala Aquamarine

You need to check out their fabric choices. Really incredible. It allows you to put your own personal touch on any one of their items.

I am also loving their tables. Touches of antique gold topped with travertine to give it a real luxe feel.

Occasional tables

Haviland Bunching Table

Obviously, the next item was inspired by their ever popular gate fabric. Isn't it gorgeous?

Gate Armoire

I love the simple lines of this cocktail table which could provide some great contrast in a room. The iron base with a gray shagreen top.

Milo Cocktail table

To see their entire furniture collection with an array of finishes and fabrics, go here. Enjoy!!

Make a visual impact

2011-09-13T07:04:00.000-04:00

It's hard to resist fall's temptation of layering patterns of tartan and plaid for visual impact. While browsing Lisa Sherry's blog, I stumbled across this amazing bathroom with plaid tile. Yes, you heard me right, a plaid tiled floor!!! How awesome!

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Here, I love how Atlantic-Pacific combines patterns of plaid to create immediate texture and contrast.

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Here, we see a similar look translated to a room. I really like this idea of combining plaids. It really creates such a dramatic look.

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I love how Tommy Smythe uses the oversized pattern of buffalo check to add some interest to an otherwise serene bedroom.

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So, what do you think - is this pattern a fall favorite??

Lisa Sherry Interieurs

2011-09-12T06:45:00.000-04:00

Did you have a chance to browse the most recent issue of Lonny this past weekend? I did and fell in love with Lisa Sherry's home in Charlotte. I adored her entryway with the lime green front door and the round metal table with the huge metallic vase. I decided to browse her portfolio and wasn't disappointed. She is super talented!

This is a home in Charlotte she designed and I loved every detail of it.

More of the same home. See here.

To see more of her designs, go here and she has a great blog too!!

Our Rental in Vienna

2011-09-08T08:33:00.000-04:00

First a little background......Since we'll be in Vienna, Austria for a short time (9 months) we needed to find a furnished place. When I first realized this I was disappointed because I really wanted an unfurnished place. Why? I wanted to decorate it, silly!! I already had the vision created and it was going to be cool, urban and funky.

But, reality kicked in, and with a newborn and a toddler (and not to mention only 9 months) and how realistic would this be?

Everyone told us to look outside of Vienna mainly because it's better for families, more space, more land and it'll be cheaper. I was attracted to cheaper part, but, we won't have a car. And, I didn't want to be stuck in a house all day.

Besides, I'm a city girl at heart. I mean we have a chance to go to Vienna and I want to be where all the action is!!

While searching, I found Viennese apartments that were suitable, but I have to say they were so poorly decorated I just couldn't bring myself to even consider them. I guess you can say I'm a snob that way. But, I wanted it all - great district, walking distance from everything, true Viennese character (herringbone floors and high ceilings), and large windows with potential for a lot of light.

I know a pipe dream.

Then, one day I found it!! It was like the clouds opened up and choir started to sing!! It was over our price range, but we decided to talk to owners hoping that a longer rental of 9 months would be a bargaining chip to negotiate an affordable price. It turns out that it was! The owners are incredible (American and Austrian) who live in Maryland, but spend their Christmas and summer holidays in Vienna. They have two small children and it all just clicked.

The kicker?? The location is killer (6th district right - one block from the 1st district) in the Museumsquartier next to Naschmarkt (most popular food and flea market) and three blocks from my son's school and walking distance to the University (my husband's work). I mean - does it get any better??

Our apartment is in a historically protected building and has a elevator. This was important (not a deal breaker) but since I will have stroller, a baby, a toddler and groceries to carry this will make life easier. This is the foyer of our apartment building....

Aren't the details gorgeous? A little different from the cape cod that I'm living in right now! :) The first thing that attracted me to this apartment were the floors - yes, ladies and gentlemen, the apartment has herringbone floors!!

This is the living room. And, below is the other side of this room which is the eating/dining area. Love those large windows!!

Below is the master. I like how everything is sparsely decorated and not cluttered. You really enjoy the architectural elements of the apartment. How about those french doors leading on to the living room!

The children's room. This will be Luke's room - he nearly fell off his chair when he saw the playscape in the bedroom!!

And, the kitchen! This kitchen is considered quite modern and large for a european city! I am so happy we have a little table and chairs where we can have breakfast in the mornings!

So, those are all the pictures for the moment! I'm just so thankful we found this apartment in such a great location (walking distance from everything). I'm looking forward to sharing our time over there with you all!! Can't wait!

Current Crush: Modern Lighting

2011-09-06T06:38:00.000-04:00

I hope everyone had a safe and relaxing labor day weekend! These days I find myself crushing on traditional interiors layered with modern light fixtures. I think it adds the perfect amount of juxtaposition and is a great way to infuse a mix of styles.

Here is an example of one of Lindsey Adelman's bubble light fixtures. I love the geometrical shapes and the contrast it creates in this traditional entry way. It is so unexpected which I love. On a side note, I would love to see a persian rug in this entry way!

Another example of Lindsey's fixture used in Carrie and Big's apartment in the movie, Sex in the City 2. I really like the idea of using something unexpected like this in the entry way to tell visitors they're in for a real treat when they come into your home.

Here is a shot of Laura Day's living room in her Madison Avenue apartment. I love her floor lamp to the left of the traditional english roll arm sofa. It keeps things interesting and edgy.

Look closely, but I like how Ashley Putman used a modern DWR fixture in her entry way which is surrounded by such classical and timeless pieces.

In one of my favorite kitchens, Sasha Seymour uses a retro light fixture above the fireplace which looks amazing with the brass hardware. She got her light from zig zag - mod furnishings! Awesome retroesque lighting at affordable prices!

So, do you like this look? Or is it just me?

Finally, it's the weekend!

2011-09-03T14:50:00.000-04:00

Sorry for the lack of posts this week! Lack of power had me going bonkers, school starting had me emotionally unstable, job demands had me running around, 36 weeks pregnant had me exhausted and a 4 hour home inspection had me a bit preoccupied.

BUT, on a different note, this video inspired me especially with fall right around the corner. Laura Day can do no wrong in my book!! I want to try this!! Great DIY - check it out!

EmersonMade's Fall Collection

2011-08-30T08:20:00.000-04:00

How did you fare with Hurricane Irene? We just got our power back late last night, but most of our town is still out. No electricity, hot showers, internet, and cell service really makes you go a little bonkers. The good news is that the post-Irene weather has been cool, sunny and brisk and has me giddy for fall. Have you seen EmersonMade's new fall collection?? I am in love. Here is my wishlist...

The black day coat - so simple and classic. Look at its versatility....

Or the classic white shirt....

Add this pockets skirt and tweed jacket....so quintessential fall!

A wardrobe isn't complete without a little 'dots'....

And, how about these bag o' dresses (sold in a trio of colors).....pretty please!!

Yeah, I think I'm ready for fall! You?

ps: thank you for all your input - i was surprised by the overwhelming response! And, yes, I am keeping it. You guys are the best! Thank you!

Your honest opinion, please!

2011-08-26T08:07:00.000-04:00

This weekend I need to make decisions of whether to keep some of our furniture pieces; most of which I've had from my childhood, one being this cedar Lane chest.

Would you keep this or sell this?

If I kept it, I could see it using in either my son's or the new baby's room. It would be a great storage piece, the top lifts up and I could store blankets, heirloom items, etc. And, it's cedar lined!

I think I would paint it, definitely get new hardware and re-upholster it, but what is bugging me are the traditional lines of the chest. I'm not sure if I really love it. But, it's a great brand and a nice piece. I'm on the fence.

What would you do? Don't worry about saying 'sell it' if that is how you feel....you won't hurt my feelings! :)

Selling Our Home: Lessons Learned

2011-08-24T07:26:00.000-04:00

I have never been through the "home buying" process, since my husband owned our home when I met him. But now I can say that I have been through the "home selling" process. And I have learned some lessons to share with those of you that have not.

First, a quick update. With our pending move, we decided to sell the house. We put our house on the market this past Friday and received multiple offers by the end of open house day on Sunday; we are now under contract. I'm relieved because my biggest fear was having our house sit on the market for a long time.

So everything worked out perfectly, right? Well.....the end result seems to be really good. But, it was a bumpy ride. Having just gone through the selling process, I thought I would share a few lessons learned for those of you that have not sold a home before. For those of you that have, perhaps we can commiserate - or you can add your opinions.

Lesson #1: Don't wait to renovate!

If you're a regular reader, you know we just finished renovating our upstairs bathroom. And, now we're selling. I don't regret it because the updated bathroom made our house more attractive and helped us to sell quickly (so our agent told us). But we will only get to enjoy the benefits of a newly renovated bathroom for a month or two. :(

Lesson #2: Fix the little things - they make a difference.

You would be surprised how easy it is to get used to things not working in your home. For example, the entire time I've lived in this house, our doorbell has not worked. It just was never a priority to get fixed. Well, of course, we had to fix it before the house went on the market and it 30 minutes to fix it. Thirty minutes! When my husband was done, I asked him, "Why didn't we do this sooner?"

Lesson #3: Don't let your design ADD/indecisiveness stop you from moving forward.

I am SO guilty of this. One thing I've learned is that when you sell your home, your home needs to look completed. So, in the interest of getting our house ready for selling, I had to sacrifice my design preference to just complete the room. Get it done! And, if you have time later, go back and play with the aesthetics. You can't afford to have a room that looks unfinished. People want to envision themselves living in the space.

Lesson #4: Farm out work, as necessary to stay on a timeline.

When we first had our upstairs bathroom appraised, the contractor quoted $27K. Yes, that is right - $27K for a bathroom smaller than a jail cell. That really scared us so we agreed we would do the work ourselves. This was a great idea from a financial perspective but it really, really stretched out the project (longer than I even want to admit). Obviously, we should have gotten a second or third opinion.

Well, two weeks before our 'go live' date (house on the market), our realtor said, 'you have to renovate your downstairs bathroom.' With this compressed schedule and our experience, we knew we had to get outside help. We aggressively contacted contractors and told them our guidelines - renovate in less than a week and under $2.5K. It's amazing when you clearly and aggressively spell out your needs, how quickly things move. One highly recommended contractor agreed to do it and he knocked out the work. It was stressful because we constantly monitored progress and he was here sometimes until 9 or 10 at night. But, it got done properly and right before our 'go live' date. It's definitely not my dream bathroom (see above), but it is a huge improvement for our small investment (will post before pictures in a later post).

So there you have it!! Had we known these lessons earlier, I think we would have enjoyed this house more and the selling process would have been smoother. Just sayin'.....:) Stay tuned for pictures of our new place in Vienna!!!

Stroller Giveaway

2011-08-23T22:34:00.000-04:00

Over the last few weeks I've been struggling to figure out how my daily life in Vienna will unfold with a new baby and toddler. Key to this is our stroller and currently, my BOB Revolution doesn't cut the mustard (great jogging stroller, but too heavy and bulky). While combing the web I ran across The Baby Guy Gear Guide who reviewed what looks like a great stroller. Bonus: He's giving one away! Check out all the details here.

Our Newly Renovated Bathroom

2011-08-22T06:55:00.000-04:00

I wanted to post this earlier, but we had five showings and an open house since Friday and I literally was running around like a crazy woman. Of course, wouldn't you know, I can't find our before pictures! But, our upstairs bathroom was rough - really rough. The kind that hasn't been updated since the 1940's (when the house was built). I did manage to find some pictures mid renovation.

We had a sink that just jutted out from the wall like the ones you see in a jail cell. No joke. We had a gross medicine cabinet with two ugly sconces. We removed them and took them immediately to the dump. We had an awful ceiling with a huge crack and peeling paint. My husband tore out the existing ceiling and installed a vapor barrier followed by beadboard, made by Nantucket Beadboard. We used their MRI product, which is a premium grade moisture resistant fiberboard. We primed and painted it with mold/mildew resistant semi-gloss paint (even along the edges, after they were cut to size). Here it is, partially installed.

The floors were covered with individual square vinyl tiles - how lovely. And the plywood around the toilet was delaminating (breaking apart) after 60+ years of condensation around the toilet.

My husband did all the flooring. He tore out the baseboards, the laminate tiles and cut out the plywood subfloor. He installed a new cement board sub-floor. I chose the tile and decided on the Daltile's porcelain hexagon tiles 2"matte white which came in square mesh sheets making it a tad easier to install. We grouted in delorean gray. Here's the floor post-tile but pre-grout.

We kept our existing tub and just had it resurfaced which ended up saving us a good deal of money. Our shower/tub walls had been one of those cheap plastic inserts (ack!). He tore that out, as well as the drywall behind it. Up went more cement board, which provided the foundation for our tiled shower walls.

And, now the afters!

The walls are painted SW Nonchalant White which is a subtle green. We purchased the Del Mar 36 inch wide vanity cabinet which ended up being a perfect fit for this very narrow bathroom. It is only 12.5 inches deep. I love the toilet - it's a kohler.

I can't remember where I bought the sconces, but I purchased the mirror from Lowes. It was hard to find a narrow mirror and this one came with oil rubbed bronzed brackets which I spray painted chrome.

My DIY greek roman shade which I love.

Here is the beautiful subway tile. I love how clean and bright it looks. I bought a tension rod from Target because we didn't want risk drilling into the tile right before we put the house on the market. It has held up pretty well and I don't think you can immediately tell that it is a tension rod.

It was hard to capture a full on picture because our bathroom is so small and narrow, but I hope you got the jist of it. I am very happy how everything turned out given our resources. What do you think?

Switcheroo...

2011-08-18T07:08:00.000-04:00

I totally planned to post my before and after pictures of our bathroom today, but I'm going to have to do it tomorrow. I'm in such a rush this morning - I'm sorry. In the meantime, I realized I never posted some updates to our family/living room. This is last the picture I posted:

Before:

After:

This is now. I love my target lamps with the gray shades and my zig zag pillow with the chiang mai pillow. I think the chaing mai pillow has seen better days - my son beats on those pillows non-stop! :) I promise to post more pictures soon of our living/family room....

My Favorite Room at Cottage & Vine

2011-08-17T07:27:00.000-04:00

Today, I'm over at Cottage & Vine where the lovely Rene has kindly asked me to participate in her 'My Favorite Room' series. Come over and take a peek at one of my spaces I chose as my favorites!!

Surprise Party & Sneak Peek

2011-08-15T14:44:00.000-04:00

This weekend my husband threw me a surprise birthday party (brunch) that he has been planning since this past April! I was completely and utterly surprised because honestly, my birthday is the last thing on my mind these days. But, it was the sweetest thing and I am completely humbled by all his effort, and the distances friends and family traveled to make the event.

Unfortunately, I don't have a lot of pictures (as it was yesterday) and am waiting for friends to email me, but my blogger friend Casey, from Loft and Cottage was there and it was so fantastic to see her and her boyfriend, Michael! So, I have this picture of us (from her post this morning)!!

Thanks Casey!! Doesn't she look so cute?

My husband did all the planning, made the invites, flowers and vases (he scoured etsy and got inspired) with input from his sister. I told him he should consider a career change and go into event planning. :)

Yes, I'm turning 40 next month (two days after this baby is suppose to arrive!)

In other news, here is a sneak peek of our newly renovated bathroom. I should have final pictures to post by the end of the week.

Hope you all had a lovely weekend!! Happy Monday!

Exciting News!!

2011-08-11T07:05:00.000-04:00

I'm thrilled to finally spill the beans that we will be packing up (and selling) our house and moving to Vienna, Austria. Kevin will be doing a sabbatical at the Technische Universitat in Vienna for 9 months. We won't be leaving until end of December, so it'll give us a couple of months to sell our house, have the baby, move into a short-term rental (if we sell quickly) and then spend the holidays with family before we leave for Vienna.

I can't tell you how excited I am to move to Europe AND to live in a city. Kevin and I have identified a flat (3 bedrooms) right on the border of the first and sixth districts and next to Vienna's most popular open air market, Naschmarkt, that offers 120 market stands daily, trendy restaurants and on Saturdays a flea market. If we get the flat, I'll share pictures soon!! While the move is short-term, I very much looking forward to the change and experience. If any of you find yourself in Europe (next year), you will definitely have to get in touch!!

DIY: Greek Key Roman Shade

2011-08-09T06:46:00.000-04:00

Sorry for the absence. We're putting our house on the market and we are furiously (and frantically) finishing home projects. I'm exhausted and blogging has taken a hit. Anyhow, I wanted to share the DIY roman shade I completed.

It's for our upstairs (recently renovated) bathroom. The greek key trim is from M & J Trimming.

Some white duck cloth from Joann's, Greek Key trim and a Home Depot (Providence) natural bamboo shade and viola:

I was inspired by this photograph:

and I followed John's Journal tutorial. If you haven't seen her dining room shades, they're amazing!

I would love to do this project again and the greek key trim made me so happy. I was torn between the green or black greek trim, but I'm so happy I decided to go with the green.

I do have 3 to 4 yards (60 mm) of the M & J Trimming's black and white Greek Key Jacquard trim if anyone is interested. It retails for $9.98/yard and I'll sell it for $9.00/yard.

Let me know if you're interested.

Completely Adorable

2011-08-02T06:30:00.000-04:00

This idea, while not completely new, is completely adorable and I plan on doing some version of it when the little peanut arrives. How cute are these onesies!

via pinterest

My girlfriend did a similar idea for her twins - she got very creative. If she'll let me, I would love to post them. I like the idea of taking monthly pictures to capture their growth and changes!

In other news, I'll be a little sporadic these days, lots going on - preparing to put the house on the market, pending baby arrival, etc. Bear with me. :)

Before and After: Painting Over Wallpaper

2011-07-28T20:07:00.000-04:00

Thank you for your kind comments about our dining room saga. Some of you asked if the color on the furniture complemented the color on the walls - it kind of doesn't. The color palette in the room is cream/gray/citrine and now I have these stark white chairs and table. It sticks out like a sore thumb. Anyway, I'm trying to see if I can hijack a highschool student to help me repaint them!!

Anyway, before we painted, our dining room had wallpaper. Actually, it still does. But now it just has paint over it! :) The wallpaper was there before I moved in and it is just not me. See below.

I find the stripes overbearing for our small dining room. So, let me tell you 3 reasons why I chose to paint over the wallpaper instead of taking the wallpaper down.

1) Condition of walls. The reason the wallpaper was hung in the first place was because the walls are not in great condition. I was concerned that after taking the wallpaper down I would probably have to skim coat and sand the walls to ensure an even and smooth surface. This would be a pain.

2) Removing wallpaper is not always an easy task. Sometimes the paper comes down in sheets and sometimes it doesn't. And since I am pregnant and have no experience with this I decided not to go there.

3) Time and Money. I wanted to get this done before the baby comes and since we're moving in the near future, I didn't want to waste too much time or money removing the wallpaper, sanding walls, etc.

You get the picture. So, how do you paint over wallpaper? Well, here is a good tutorial that I followed, but I will give you a quick run down of how I went about it.

1) Identify all the visible edges, as well as any loose/peeling wallpaper. With a razor, carefully trim back any loose pieces. See the seams below.

2) Next, put just a little joint compound (the mud used at joints in drywall) on any uneven spots - so this means all seams, edges, and places where loose wallpaper was removed. This is the most important part, since you want the surface to be as smooth as possible before painting.

I had our painter do this and the key to having a seamless look is to ensure that the compound is "feathered" out properly (so the seam disappears). If it is visible or bumpy, you'll need to sand it more. Use 150 grit sandpaper or finer.

3) Once the compound is dry and sanded, you will need to prime over the wallpaper. You need to use an oil based primer. This is critical because the glue holding the wallpaper onto the wall is activated by water. Putting latex (water based) paint on will just cause the wallpaper to fall off the wall, which is what we're trying to avoid. Also, the primer is also the first step to hiding the wallpaper pattern, so it doesn't show through the top coat. Oil based paint stinks ... so ventilate the area well.

4) Now, you are ready to paint your walls. The painter used two coats of latex paint (eggshell finish) and voila!

So that's it ... I love the new color (BM White Down). It's just so much more airy and open.

Dining Room Mood Board & Updates

2011-07-26T07:19:00.000-04:00

Remember this post about my dining room? I've been slowly making updates to it. It's taking longer than usual mainly because at 32 weeks, I find myself exhausted most of the time. The interior designer created a mood board for the space, I simplified it, but here is the jist of it.

My Dining Room Mood Board

The walls have been painted which I think has been the biggest transformation. We painted over wallpaper!! I wouldn't recommend that for everyone, but there are a lot of reasons we decided to do that. I plan on doing a separate post on that.

Melissa, from Windows by Melissa, is making my roman shades. I primed and my husband painted our sideboard and we got new hardware.

We got a new rug and we painted our existing dining room table and chairs. Since our DR table and chairs had a finish on it, I originally planned on using an oil based primer and a latex paint.

But, I then learned about a product from Sherwin Williams called 'adhesion primer'. It basically allows you to prime without sanding. It bonds tightly to surfaces considered 'unpaintable' like, ceramics, PVC piping, furniture with existing stains, etc. This would allow me to 'skip' the sanding and actually use a latex based primer instead of an oil based primer. Latex is a lot easier to work with. So, I bought it and tried it.

The true test will be time, but I have to say it was a dream to use. Now, here comes the major setback. My husband (who didn't even want to re-do the dining room because we're moving soon) spent a half day (while I was at work) painting the table and chairs for me. When we brought the furniture into the room, we noticed that color on the furniture was off and not the same as the walls. (We're painting the furniture the same color as the walls). We re-checked the paint can to confirm that it was the right color and number, but noticed that the formula used was different from the formula used on the walls. I am so upset.

We will go back to the paint store to complain, but you just can't get back all the time and labor that went into painting the table and chairs. My poor husband. So, right now, I have to figure out what to do, but I am so deflated. So, stay tuned....this saga will be continued......

In other news, I want to thank Elizabeth from The Mustard Ceiling for featuring my hallway yesterday on her blog - see here.

I was very flattered as she is a great designer and DIYer. Her blog is full of amazing projects!! Thanks, Elizabeth!

Can I move in, please?

2011-07-22T08:27:00.000-04:00

I was catching up on blogs this week and came across an amazing home for sale in Ft. Worth, TX. You might've seen it on La Dolca Vita and Nursery Notations. Anyway, if you haven't, feast your eyes on this!

Amazing, right? The interiors were designed by the couple and Leigh Taylor Interiors. Live in Ft. Worth? Check out the real estate listing. Go over to La Dolce Vita or Nursery Notations to see more pictures.

Before & After: Our Upstairs Hallway

2011-07-20T06:47:00.000-04:00

It's been forever since I last reported on our upstairs hallway. I finally completed it. If you remember (don't worry if you don't because it has been forever), we painted horizontal stripes on the walls. I loved them, but found it difficult to decorate such a small space with bold walls. My goal was to brighten the room and I was dead set on having a mirror in the hallway. We lived with one for a long time, but I wasn't thrilled with it. I finally ditched the idea and went the graphic route. I love how it turned out.

After:

Before:

Even though this took a long time, I have to say I took my time sourcing/finding the items for this hallway.

Rug: Ikea Erslev

Ceiling fixture: Lowes (This makes the space. It took me forever to find a stylish flush mount for our v. low ceilings)

Table lamp: Ikea Marby

Tray: West Elm

Poster: Super Rural

Book: Reader's Digest $9 (for a set of 3)

Table: Garage Sale $20

Lamp Shade: Garage Sale $5

Flowers: Gladiolus $5

Artichoke: Garage Sale $2

So, what do you think? A big improvement in my opinion.

Art Sale: Amanda Stone Talley

2011-07-18T06:48:00.000-04:00

I learn so much design from reading blogs, online and shelter magazines - it never ceases to amaze me. I've also learned a ton from experimenting with my own home and one thing I've realized is that 'art' really makes a home. I could post a ton of pictures supporting my point, but I know you (my readers) understand and I don't need to convince you.

This past week, I invested in a piece of artwork from a talented artist (who I admire) and am so giddy with excitement. Since my whole life is about living on a budget, this was a big decision because it is not everyday I have disposable income to invest in art. But, it just so happens that Amanda Talley is having a Summer Sale on her drawings and I couldn't resist.

via

After a lot of deliberation, I (with the help of my husband) finally decided on a piece that we love (I am sure I love it more than my husband :)), but what I am thrilled about is that this piece will initially find its way in the nursery but will later be moved around the house. I like the idea of putting 'adult' art in a nursery as to make it not so 'babyish'. Here she is in all her glory...

Now, I can't wait for her to come home to mama!! Think she'll look beautiful with a wide mat and a thin gold frame. Go now to check out her sale!

Another All Time Favorite & Hable Construction Discount

2011-07-13T09:26:00.000-04:00

via

During our 12 hour road trip to Michigan (and back) I brought all of my domino magazines and looked through each and every one of them. It was so great revisiting these magazines and getting so inspired all over again! While browsing through the issues, I came across Rita Konig's apartment (an oldie but goodie) and realized how much I really love it.

I love her style and the infustion of english design in her apartment. It really appeals to me. In her new apartment (not pictured) she has balloon shades which I really like. It brings back memories living in Belguim growing up.

She's really good at creating that slightly messy piled on British look.

Her designs scream comfort and I'd like to create more of that look in my home.

So femnine and cozy. If you notice under her console table there are two hable construction totes which she uses for storage. I love this idea. I've been in love with Hable Construction for a long time, but have held off in investing in a couple of pieces because of price. Well, they are having a sale on their storage bushels.

Go here!!

Nursery Inspiration

2011-07-11T08:13:00.001-04:00

I have to admit that during my first two trimesters, I was a little scared to fully embrace this pregnancy (due to my previous complications). But, now that I'm in my third trimester, I have baby on the brain. As it stands now, the baby will stay in our master bedroom for the first couple of months. We plan to move at the end of this year (news forthcoming at some point) so I'm hesitant in investing time and money into any space at the moment. However, in an ideal space, I would love to have a wallpapered ceiling (or some type of pattern on the ceiling) for this nursery.

via

Domino

Store in Nantucket

I think it adds the right amount of whimsy/fantasy to the room, don't you agree?

A Short Jaunt to Jayson Home and Garden

2011-07-08T06:30:00.000-04:00

I'm back from a wonderful vacation to Michigan and Chicago. Lots of fun time with the inlaws - fireworks, boating, sunbathing, grilling and watching Luke have a blast with his cousins.

Kevin and I were able to get away to Chicago for a quick trip. Having only been there once before, I was really excited. An awesome city that offers both the city and beach life. So cool. We stopped at J ayson Home and Garden and while we there that place did not disappoint. Here are some highlights.

LOVE!

So fabulous, enough said.

Succulents were everywhere.

Chrome chairs. So sexy.

I want, pretty please!!

Perfect shade of green. Love the mix of modern & rustic.

Acrylic antlers!!

Inspiration for a DIY!

Love this fabric! I'm kicking myself because I didn't find out the name of it.

And, just one for good measure...I'm in my 3rd trimester - the countdown is on!

Taking a little Vacay

2011-07-01T08:55:00.000-04:00

Happy July 4th weekend!! We're in Michigan right now enjoying some R&R with the inlaws. The hubby and I hope to make it to Chicago for a little getaway!! I hope you all have a very relaxing and safe holiday weekend!! Enjoy!!

Two small yet stylish kitchens

2011-06-28T06:48:00.000-04:00

This past weekend I saw two great kitchens that I had to post. The first you probably saw in this month's (July 2011) Southern Living. It's Southern Living's decorating editor, Lindsey Ellis Beatty's kitchen.

This kitchen is an inspiration. They kept the existing cabinets (just raised them) and also added some new elements like the hardwood floors, tongue and groove ceiling, quartz countertops, built-in pantry, new appliances, hardware and the vintage style lights.

I really like how she raised the cabinets and installed floating shelves. Do you spy the chevron patterned backsplash!! I always thought I was a subway tile girl, but this might change my mind. I really like it.

Such a fun breakfast area.

I love how she added a double door built in pantry to echo the look of the refrigerator! It anchors the space and creates symmetry.

The second kitchen I spotted was the design of Amy Meier who (in my book) can do no wrong. I love this kitchen. It's timeless, classic with a hint of the unexpected. To see the before pictures, go here.

The (moody) navy columns (and moldings) are amazing in my opinion! I love this detail. And, once again, those beautiful subway tiles. I believe Amy used black grout. The contrast is stunning. I would be scared to do something like that, but it totally makes this kitchen!

Don't get me started on those brass fixtures!! I want, I want, I want!

And, an antique lamp she scored to add a touch of nautical to the kitchen. Simply genius!

So, do any of these kitchens strike your fancy?? I hope so!!

Guest Posting at The Vintique Object

2011-06-27T07:36:00.000-04:00

Today, I've over at Camille's blog, The Vintique Object. This is a relatively new to me blog and it has quickly become one of my favorites. Camille is super talented with a keen eye for design. And, on top of it, she is super sweet. Join me while I kick off her guest series, Stylish ways to protect your kids and pets in your home (and your home from kids and pets)! Go here.

Our expedit bookcase serving as toy storage.

Our Bathroom Accessories

2011-06-22T14:32:00.000-04:00

I have bathrooms on the brain. We're close to finishing our upstairs bathroom renovation and I'm excited. The past 48 hours, I've spent hours searching for stylish yet affordable accessories and I'm exhausted. First, I'll show you the ones I absolutely LOVE.

Norwell's Emily line. I love the toilet paper holder. It's my favorite. CSN Stores sells this line.

$49

$62

$36

While the prices are not outrageous, it's more than we want to spend on a bathroom that we won't enjoy long-term. Now, here are the ones I bought from Overstock for half the cost.

$27

$32

$21

(I didn't purchase this. Couldn't justify spending $20 for a hook)

Overall, I'm pleased with what I found. Overstock didn't sell the towel ring, so I purchased this one at Lowes.

$16

Next up, shower curtain. I am absolutely in love with the one (below), but unfortunately Lands End doesn't make it anymore. But, I'm thinking this would be easy to make.

It reminds me of Kate Spade's bathroom.

Okay, I'm off to prime my sideboard. Happy hump day!!!

Mini Makeover: My Patio

2011-06-20T08:23:00.000-04:00

If you remember in this post, I told you that we have teensy tiny patio I wanted to spruce up. Our patio was virtually a place where we kept our trash cans and stacked garden chairs during the winter. It is nothing pretty to look at by any means.

Before

If we were to stay in this house longer, the first thing of order would be to either re-paint or spray wash the foundation and re-cement the stairs. I also would replace the metal door and windows, but it's not worth it because we want to move.

If you remember, I also said I had no budget for this makeover so I wanted to shop my home and repurpose what I had. As you can see above, we had two wicker chairs, a garden stool and an outdoor/indoor rug (not pictured). All of these were to become the main ingredients for the mini-makeover.

Above is the mood board I created for my project. Here, you can see the rug I had to work with - definitely not my favorite, but it worked just fine. I spray painted the wicker chairs glossy black and the garden stool an apple green. I bought cream round planters from Joann's (out of all places) for 50% off. And, I bought sunbrella chair cushions and mini lumbar pillows.

After

Here is the after. In my humble opinion, I really think the planters make it. They add color and life to this patio. So, what do you think? Not bad for re-purposing what you currently own and using your green thumb!!

Now if only the mosquitos would disappear, I could sit out here in the evenings!!!

All Time Favorite

2011-06-17T07:12:00.003-04:00

One of my all time favorite homes is Ashley Putman's, which was published in Lonny April/May 2010. I recently stumbled on a new blog (at least to me) called, The Semi-Designed Life, where the blogger, Lauren, actually got to tour Ashely Putman's home this past Christmas. See here. It's so good....I just had to post.

Lonny

Ashley's courage to use a dark wallpaper in her bedroom is fantastic. I always lean towards the lighter end of the spectrum when it comes to walls, but, I really like this look. I also like the contrast of the dark walls with the feminine bedding.

Lauren's photo

It appears that Ashely switched the bedding for Christmas. Love it and the monogrammed shams.

Lauren's photo

How adorable is the tartan pillow case?

Lauren's photo

Another example of Ashley's fearless use of dark colors on the walls. The infamous cobalt blue dining room we all love.

Lauren's photo

Decorated for Christmas.

Lauren's photo

A cool shot. I love the eclectic mix of candlesticks.

Lauren's photo

I want to do this - the oversized brandy snifter filled with corks!

Lonny

Perfection. I don't know where to begin? Black side door (always wanted to do this in our kitchen). Hardware. Kitchen table. Appliances. Open shelving. Brick flooring. Love it all.

Lauren's photo

I love open shelving, but I also would need cabinets and I like how Ashley's cabinets are off to the side.

Lonny

Clean lined console and a lovely vignette!

Lauren's photo

Ashley's staircase from Lauren's tour. Looks like the 'For Like Ever' poster has a new home.

Lauren's photo

A great combination - tartan, chalkboard paint and wellies!

Lauren's photo

A house isn't complete without some lacquer!! Again, more evidence of her courage!

Lonny

Lauren's photo

The Putman's family room. Chic and kid-friendly. Love it.

Lauren's photo

And, this is the room where they place their Christmas tree. How lovely.

Lauren's photo

And, yes a pool surrounded by grass, my favorite. This is the view outside of the family room.

Lonny

In the living room, Ashley opted for lighter walls. I love how this room is casual and classic.

Lauren's photo

During Lauren's tour, it appears Ashley has changed the sofa.

Lonny

Perfection!

I know I went overboard with the images. However, I hope you enjoyed the new pictures and a special thanks to Lauren from 'The Semi-Designed Life.' If Ashley's house is in the tour this year, I might just have to fly down to Houston myself to see it in person!! Happy Weekend!

My Dining Room Inspiration

2011-06-14T07:34:00.000-04:00

With the help of an interior designer, the colors have been selected for my dining room makeover. My inspiration was this dining room by Palmer Weiss.

"Delicate grays accented with fresh citrine, bright white borders, burnished gold and light wood tones."

As I mentioned before, I wanted this makeover to be (hopefully) quick and inexpensive. The creamy White Down color will be painted on the walls which will create a sense of space and calm that puts the room in the best light. It also blends very well with the existing Revere Pewter that is in our living room right adjacent to the dining room. Both these colors compliment the accent color citrine.

The walls have been painted and my rug from Overstock has been purchased. The next couple of weeks will be spent giving my existing furniture pieces a paint makeover (dining room table, chairs, sideboard and chandelier). I also am in the process of selecting the fabric for my roman shades. Once, I select the fabric, I'll post my mood board. In the meantime, a lot to do......stay tuned!

The Best Design Advice

2011-06-09T06:51:00.000-04:00

The one and only room in our house that has remained untouched since moving into our house is our dining room. I have no idea why. Probably because we use this room for everything and I couldn't be inconvenienced with tearing it apart. But, it's time. (As my mom would say).

One day I was ~~talking~~ complaining to my friend about feeling overwhelmed with trying to get all my home projects done by summer's end (more on that later) when she recommended the best piece of design advice I've ever received.

She suggested I contact an interior designer to seek some 'free' advice/consultation. What? That's brilliant. Why didn't I think of that? Oh, yeah, I have pregnancy brain!

In fact, I remember Kirsten from 6th Street Design School did a post on how to become a better designer and one of things she suggested is to hire a designer. Now I know why.

Without hesitation, I put up a post on craigslist (under 'gigs') advertising that I was seeking an Interior Designer or ID intern who was willing to provide free consultation on my home in return for a Starbucks coffee of their choice. No joke. I recieved 5 responses!

Lucky for me, the interior designer that I contacted is new to the area having just moved from NYC. She has her degree in Interior Design from a university in the U.K. She is keen on starting her business here in CT and is building her client base. She happily agreed to meet with me for a free consultation and we spent Saturday morning walking through my home. I soaked up every minute of it!! It was so refreshing to see things from her point of view.

For example, here is a paraphrased excerpt of our conversation. The setting is my living room.

Her: "Do you mind me asking why you put your bookshelf over there?"
Me: "Well, I thought it looked good and that space was empty."
Her: "Well, I think it would look better over on that wall because it would provide symmetry to that wall as you have an entry way on one side and nothing on the other."
Me; "Oh, you know, I've never thought of that before."

What I learned is that every suggestion she made there was a legitimate reason for it. Another example, she suggested I move my mirror opposite my window to provide more light into my room.

As much as I love design and think I have a good eye, I realize I approach design with my gut as oppose to relying on technical knowledge. I think you need both. It was refreshing to hear her reasons as to why things would work better in some spaces versus other spaces.

We focused a bulk of the consultation on my dining room throwing around ideas. I probably was her 'worst' client as I told her that I had NO money for a real budget and everything in the room had to be repurposed. So, her consultation didn't focus on sourcing furnishing, but instead helping me to finalize my thoughts, espeically my color palette.

Needless to say, decisions have been made and progress is on it's way. Painters are actually here today painting. More to come soon!

So, lesson of the day, if you're interested in learning more about design - hire a designer (or buy them a coffee!). You won't be sorry!!

In My Kitchen: Before & After

2011-06-07T09:20:00.000-04:00

I'd say our kitchen is the only room in our house that is 99% completed. This makes me happy. Of course, if I had unlimited funds, this would be up for debate. But, given what we have, our kitchen is complete. So, let me invite your into our kitchen:

Our kitchen is small: 11 x 11. We redid the kitchen shortly after we got married and I moved in. It was a gut job (including the ceiling and floor but the walls remained). My husband and I designed our kitchen. He performed a lot of the manual labor: installed ceiling, recessed lighting, cabinets, and appliances. We had professionals install the flooring, granite countertop, moldings and subway backsplash.

Since this is not our "forever" house, we decided against taking down the walls and just working with what we have. While it is not large by any means, it's functional and quaint.

There use to be nothing on this wall. Just a aluminum rack to hold pantry goods and dishes. Do you see my kitchen stool to the left - the only place to sit in the kitchen! :)

A close-up of our backsplash. Originally, I was planning on going with Ann Sacks tiles, but given our tight budget, we opted for good 'ol Home Depot subway tile. I love how it turned out.

Okay, and now for the before. Let me just set the scene. This was my husband's house before we got married so when I moved in it was his bachelor pad. The kitchen was exactly the same kitchen that existed in 1948! His priority, at the time, was his basement (he loves woodworking), not the kitchen. Go figure. Oh my goodness, I can't believe I'm posting these pictures.

Bleh...how about that copper kitchen clock? Or the contact paper back splash? That light fixture? Those horrible dirty cabinets? Do you want to see where the oven was?

Yes, right next to the refrigerator and do you want to know what was to the left of the stove? Oh yeah, the washer machine. Unfortunately, I don't have a picture of that. The good thing about that is you could do a load of laundry while simultaneously cook dinner! I think this should be the new trend. :)

And, look at that linoleum floor! Lovely. I believe when we were dating, I tore out a tear sheet of a kitchen as inspiration and there it hung on the side of the refrigerator. Well, all I have to say, is that after we got married, this kitchen was history. As the slogan goes, "You've We've come a long way, baby!"

Oversized Still Life Photos

2011-06-06T07:47:00.002-04:00

Lately, I've been really attracted when interiors use oversized still life pictures as art. Nathan Turner does it well and sells a few in his store.

Have you checked out his store on 1stdibs? Eye candy!

A couple of framed still life photos for sale in his store.

I think this could be a doable DIY. And, I am tempted to find the perfect still life to photograph for our living room.

Domino

Urban Grace Interiors

I think Etsy could be a good resource to purchase a still life photo whether it is fruit, flowers, sea life, etc. and then have it super sized!! Here are a couple I found and liked:

via

What about you, do you like this look?

Never Knew...

2011-06-04T07:38:00.000-04:00

That Martha Stewart's daughter, Alexis, had a blog?? I guess she is a foodie? No surprise there. I definitely plan on trying out some of these recipes.

Radish and Avocado sandwich

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Orecchitte with caramelized onions, snap peas and ricotta cheese

Smashed potatoes with cabbage

Headed to the farmer's market tomorrow! Can't wait!!

Patio Updates & Guest Posting

2011-06-01T10:11:00.000-04:00

I'm nearly finished with my patio makeover. I am just waiting for two lumbar pillows to arrive before I do the reveal. If you remember, I created several mood boards for my patio. This makeover had to be on a strict budget using my existing wicker chairs, indoor/outdoor rug and garden stool (which I scored at TJ Maxx for $20). I've finished spray painting my wicker chairs and my garden stool. Here is a little before and after of my garden stool.

Before:

I bought Rust-Oleum Ultra Cover spray paint in green apple...

After:

It turned out better than I expected. So, stay tuned for my patio reveal!! And, if you have a moment, c'mon over to Meet Me in Philadelphia where I am sharing my patio inspirations, while the lovely Ashley is on her honeymoon!!

A Sunny Getaway and Guest Posting

2011-05-31T10:54:00.000-04:00

I adore this cape cod summer home recently featured in the most current issue of Traditional Home. Keeping the 1817 house's charm, the family of six renovated it to accomodate their family with children and extended family.

The fabric choices keep the home youthful and playful, but the furnishings are traditional with wordly accessories scattered throughout.

I'm normally not a fan of windor chairs, but I love how they modernized by painting them purple. I believe it is Benjamin Moore's Mulberry Wine. And, then to add another element of interest, they painted their accent wall a 'green apple' green.

Here, you see a better picture of the green wall off to the left. How amazing is this kitchen which completely opens up onto their porch. I also really like the ribbed glass light fixture that is centered over the island. I love the porch furniture with accents of orange and green.

You can see accents of green and orange carried through out the house. The room above is one of the original 1817 rooms. I love the Brunschwig & Fils 'Shaw' fabric on the chimney wing chairs. And, how about the green striped desk paired with the painted floor!! Brilliant!

So sweet.

They hired a decorative painter come to dress up this powder room. It reminds me a lot of de Gournay's cherry blossom wallpaper. Since I'll never be able to afford de Gournay's wallpaper, this might be the next best option!!

Ahh, serenitiy. The master bedroom. The chestnut floors were stenciled with a fortuny-inspired design. And, I like the contrast of the black iron bed with the white walls.

Okay, now I am ready for the summer!! Also, I'm over at Jen and Jana's blog, Opal Never Shouts, guest blogging on ways to freshen your home for spring.

Giveaway Winner!

2011-05-27T11:03:00.000-04:00

Happy long weekend, my friends!!! The sun has been shining here in New England and it is such a treat. I finished planting all my planters. I spray painted the below terracotta planters glossy black to match our front door; I like how they turned out.

And, before I sign off for the long weekend, I wanted to thank you all for participating in the Olive Leaf Stencils giveaway. The winner of this awesome giveaway is Elizabeth from The Mustard Ceiling! Congrats, Elizabeth....hope this makes your weekend!!

True Random Number GeneratorMin: Max: Result:14Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Olive Leaf Stencils Giveaway

2011-05-26T08:04:00.000-04:00

Don't forget to enter Olive Leaf Stencils giveaway - go here. It ends tonight!!

My Painted & Stenciled Rug AND a Stencil Giveaway

2011-05-24T06:28:00.000-04:00

If you've been following my blog, you know I have been slowly updating my office. It is an office that also serves as a toy storage room and a guest room (futon is dragged up from the basement when guests come into town). There were 2 inspirations for my office makeover: 1) Schumacher's Chiang Mai Dragon fabric in aquamarine (which I adore) and 2) incorporating a loose interpretation of a bold patterned rug (like Madeline Weinrib's Mandala) but in subdued colors.

So, not willing to spend money on a Weinrib rug and having a difficult time finding a rug in the perfect color, I set off to create my 'own' version.

First, I started with an inexpensive, flat weave rug in a neutral color. This is where Ikea's Erslev rug comes into play for $29.99.

I wanted to the base of the rug to be a pastel orange/pink color - similar to a peachy color. I thought this would complement the coral color found in the chiang mai fabric. I chose BM's 064 Nautilus Shell no VOC latex paint- the perfect peach color to create a calming effect. Here, I started my first coat.

I used a 4 inch roller and rolled away. The rug ended up taking 3 coats of paint! After the rug dried, I was ready for my stencil! Here is the stencil taped onto my painted rug.

You can hardly tell a color difference because the peach color is very subdued, but in person it looks great. Like I mentioned before, I wanted a very loose interpretation of the Mandala rug.

I contacted Olive from Olive Leaf Stencils and they agreed to let me try one of their stencils!! It was a difficult to choose just one because they are all SO fabulous, but I finally decided on the chrysanthemum stencil no. 2. I liked it for it's boldness and whimsy.

Since the rug was textured, the stencil didn't lay entirely flat. So after taping it down, I used heavy objects like these books to add some weight to ensure the stencil lay flat. You can see here, I used a foam brush to paint the stencil.

I just dabbed the paint onto the stencil. I never brushed it - just dabbed the paint on. Seriously, it was super easy and worked great. After, doing a total of five stencils I was so happy with the end result.

What do you think?? Another view:

A complete view of my office:

Don't worry, I plan on changing the fabric on my valences and do you see my dyed lampshade? And, I couldn't end this post without inserting a picture of my Schumacher Chiang Mai pillows that gave me the color inspiration:

{my inspiration board will be coming down and a FABULOUS mirror will be coming soon!}

So, now here's the part you've been waiting for....the Olive Leaf Stencils Giveaway!!

To enter: Go to their site, come back, make sure you're a follower and comment on your favorite stencil. Easy peasy. The winner will receive the stencil of their choice worth up to $60!!!!!

For extra entries: 1) tweet about the giveaway and/or 2) blog about the giveaway!!!

Giveaway ends Thursday night!!! Good Luck!

My Rug (DIY) Inspiration

2011-05-23T06:47:00.001-04:00

I hope you all had a nice weekend. I was able to finish a DIY project that I've been working on since last weekend. Tomorrow I'll share the details along with a fabulous giveaway!! You won't want to miss it. The inspiration for my DIY was Madeline Weinrib's Mandala rug.

I can't wait to share the details with you!! Stop by tomorrow - you won't be disappointed. Now if only the sun would come out for a minute, maybe I could take a decent picture!!

Dyed Lamp Shade!

2011-05-20T07:52:00.001-04:00

Today, I will be over at JPM Design as Mary has invited me to participate in her Friday series. I've decided to share one of my recent DIYs - my dyed lamp shade. Stop on over to get the full scoop!

Here's a sneak peek: