Category Archives: DIY (do it yourself)

{Home} Wall galleries, no museum needed

03 Monday Jan 2011

Posted by in Antiques, Collections & Accessories, Decorating, DIY (do it yourself)

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While in Austin in November my DIL (daughter-in-law) asked me to help her arrange a wall gallery of ‘eventual’ photos of my granddaughter.  Jamie and Kyle had purchased the frames and wanted to get them hung with the idea that empty frames would inspire them to complete the project sooner than later.  A wise way to motivate yourself, I believe.

This gallery appears to be family pictures, all black and white, very pretty, love the framed red shoes.

 

I have always enjoyed the visual pop a wall gallery can provide for a room.  I enjoy the added interest a grouping of like or dissimilar framed graphic art, prints, paintings, mirrors and architectural elements can lend.

I like the set of prints, plaid sofa and the doggie!

A mirror in the gallery (above) reflects light and adds to the room as much as the gallery itself.

This image is from a store, but still an impressive gallery, don’t you think?

Technically there are no rules—that’s the beauty of it.  In fact that is something Jamie mentioned to me when she showed me the picture that had inspired her to do the gallery.  She rightly assumed that we needed to hang the most central, prominent frame and spatially fill in the blanks with the other frames.  The gallery turned out very well and will provide an artistic touch to a section of wall that might have been challenging otherwise.  I would have taken a picture but the photographs aren’t installed yet, next trip.

The wall color, color coordinated book/magazine ends and architectural prints makes this room swoon-worthy!

The gallery in this low ceiling room expands the space.  Be sure to secure your frames to avoid them falling on your head while you slumber!

Same store…I wonder where this store is?

This convex mirror is beautiful with what appears to be antique prints…so nice.

A hallway gallery is the ideal place for a gallery of art, it gives an otherwise utilitarian space decorator appeal…love the floating art frames.

{via Lonny Magazine}  Stair galleries are another fun place to get creative with your framed art.

{via New Victorian Ruralist}   This image is a favorite…the chocolate brown walls contrasted with the bright white bead board and equestrian objects is a favorite theme of mine.

Antique pages from a botanic text book can provide such a wonderful grouping.  I purchased antique botanic images  for our guest bathroom {visit HERE} and loved the way they turned out once framed.

{via Martha Stewart}  Does this corner gallery remind anyone, besides me, of Hermes boxes?

{via Pasadena Showcase House}  Objects of interest in and around a photo gallery makes it that much more interesting, don’t you think?

{My apologies, I think this room is Brooke Gianetti’s study re-do, not positive}  Love the various components of the room, including he wicker hampers, gallery and desk appointments.

{via The Enchanted Home} The glass front cabinet takes center stage in this wall gallery, isn’t it great?!

{via Trouvais}  I love the reflection of wall gallery

What’s hanging in your home?

Outdoor holiday decorations

13 Monday Dec 2010

Posted by in DIY (do it yourself), Gardening, Outdoor living, Traditions

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When I think of decorating for Christmas, indoor decorations get more of my attention than outdoor…until this year.  5th and State, a blog site I recently stumbled upon, featured a DIY on planting outdoor planters for Christmas.  If you’d like to see more visit HERE.

I live in Southern California and let’s face it we’re simply NOT going to be celebrating the holidays with freshly fallen snow.

left & right images via 5th and State

image via Country Living

That said when we entertain friends and family they will pull up to the curb and the first thing they see is the entrance to our home.

image via 5th and State

image via 5th and State

I’ve always done wreaths, sometimes fresh sometimes fake faux.   I don’t have a bias since I’ve seen beautiful versions of both.

This year I will attempt to go a little beyond the front door wreath.  (By the way, we do hang a string of lights across the front of the house but due to the design of our roof line it would be suicide for anyone to get up on the peak of the roof to really do the Griswold Family Christmas version of Christmas lights).

I picked up some Ilex berries from a local floral supply store and added them to the cone shaped boxwood in the urn by the front door.

The berries are faux but festive!

I also planted some cardinal ivy geranium in the planter on the right side of the door but, sadly, they are not in full bloom right now.

There will be more red blossoms later in the year, probably after Christmas but maybe in time for St. Valentine’s Day.

image via Martha Stewart Living

I  put a bow and some holy on the lantern that sits by the door, I guess that will be a good start to branching out beyond the front door wreath.

I used a wax battery-operated candle so that I can turn it on and not worry about it catching anything on fire.

Welcome to our home!

image via room service

Maybe next year I’ll put a pre-lit garland around the door!

With all of the options for incredible wreaths I will have to try a new one each year!  {just kidding} What are you doing to welcome guests this year?

Trends in upholstery fabric

11 Monday Oct 2010

Posted by in Decorating, DIY (do it yourself), Trends

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Trends [current style; the popular taste at a given time] tend to come and go so I typically don’t try to keep up with every little thing in vogue.   In part because I’m a person that likes change in my surroundings but I keep the bulk of my changes to seasonal accessories and re-purposing items I already own.  I change out upholstery and wall coverings when the room or item is old enough to warrant it.

This sofa may not be drop cloth upholstered but the canvas slip covers share the look.

Image via Country Living

I would say my design model is Traditional with a cottage/country leaning.  I prefer European influenced furnishings and accessories, but because our home is relatively small the cottage look is very appealing.  The traditional style leans towards furnishings that supposedly never really go out of style.  Maybe?

A trend I’ve noted in blog land and shelter magazines is the use of fabrics that aren’t manufactured to be ‘upholstery fabric’ in the strictest definition of the word.  I’m talking about Home Depot/Lowe’s canvas drop clothes.  There are even tutorials out there for the ambitious and talented do-it-yourself person.  I love the simplicity of white drop cloth upholstered chairs and benches.

Mustard Seed Creation covered this little bench and gave it a grain sack look with paint, including her initials...so cute.

Miss Mustard Seed's dining room chairs look amazing---bet you wouldn't guess that this is made with drop cloth!

Marian over at Mustard Seed Creations has covered several pieces of furniture with these drop clothes and they look amazing.  Visit HERE to read her instructions for making slipcovers for chairs using drop cloth.

This is another chair that the talented Miss Mustard upholstered. (I don't believe I could tackle this project but I have an upholstery guy that could do it if I provide the drop cloth.

Another favorite design-site is Brooke’s Velvet & Linen. Brooke recently wrote about a beautiful chair her husband designed called the Clive.  The first chair was covered in drop cloth fabric—it looks so amazing.

The Clive chair is so pretty, especially in this particular room.

Osnaberg fabric is another fabric not originally meant to grace a lovely wing back or cover an ottoman.  Osnaberg got it’s humble start as a loosely woven fabric designed to transport dry food…essentially the fabric originated in Osnabruck, Germany and it’s coarse but strong thread count was used for feedsacks, among other things.

Another fabric that is receiving exposure is burlap—A Country Farmhouse used a runner on their newly remodeled dining room that looks like it could be washed burlap.  The effect is so pretty…less really is more!

Isn't this a pretty room? I love it's light and simplicity.

Most of us have seen and loved the French grain-sack pillows/cushions that are so popular right now—they are earthy and appealing in homes around the globe.  Isn’t the whole global market amazing?  You can find sites that offer tutorials on how to apply words and pictures to fabric that provide the same look as some of the more costly grain sack cushions…this, in the words of MS, is a good thing!  A recent post by the charming site:  Ticking and Toile offered a tutorial HERE.

This is one of the many grain sack pillows sold by Ticking & Toile.

I love these pillows, not sure where I can use them but still...{dream}

Are you using/or have you used any of the above mentioned fabrics on any projects in your home?  I want to use the drop clothes for something, not sure what just yet.

Red rooms vs. white rooms

24 Friday Sep 2010

Posted by in Decorating, DIY (do it yourself)

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I don’t think I’ve ever thought of myself as a “follower”; in fact I’ve usually thought that if anything, I had the ability to be a “leader”—although I don’t especially like to be in charge so maybe that whole “leader” thing is something I imagined about myself, or my mom told me I was a leader when she wanted me to do something…(Moms can be clever that way).

Hold that thought—so about 1 ½ years ago, when I seriously discovered the wide world of blog sites that featured interior design (a self-admitted passion (interiors) since I was a pre-teen) I have found myself torn between what I like and what I think I might like due to the influence of others.

I’ve never been afraid of color in rooms…my family room exhibits this fact.

White is my accent color in my family room.

Red anyone?

But—I love this look.  I keep thinking of rooms that I could change to create this look.  What do you think?  Can a girl who is usually thrilled with the drama of a red family room ever find true love in a white room?

There is something so fresh about white wood and white dishes.

Image via a Better Homes and Gardens piece on French rooms...so pretty, love the symetry.

I first saw this image on Melissa Michael's site, The Inspired Room. Image via Country Living

My friend, Alison, over at paper{whites} once posted that white was her favorite color, I can see why.

I love the white table and chairs and the white salt/pepper grinder.

Layla Palmer at The Lettered Cottage redid their dining room wall—how great is this, white never looked so good.

Layla & her talented husband created this dining room in white. Visit the link to see how they did this...amazing talent!

Things that Inspire did a post about choosing a fireplace mantle for her home and most of the rooms were shades of white {ohhh, sigh}.

I realize the walls aren't white-white but the overall effect is soothing with white chairs and white fireplace.

A Country Farmhouse just redid her dining room.  I love the clean lines and brightness of this room.  Her whole house is so fresh.

A Country Farmhouse has an incredible house---most of her rooms are white. This reminds me of the "less is more" philosophy.

Then I stumble across these images and I think, I must have some red in my house.  Don’t get me wrong, I only have a red family room/kitchen.  I haven’t gone completely overboard.  But I do love red.

Image via Better Homes and Gardens---too much for a small space? Maybe.

I'm not sure I'm bold enough to put red on the wood (mostly because I'd be afraid I'd tire of it and it would cost a lot of money to re-do, right?

Faithful friends/readers will already know that I love toile and red is just fine, thank you.

Ditto.

See, I’m really attracted to white, but I love other colors (red, blue & white, black, taupe, gray) too.  Wait, am I whining?  Maybe just a little—I just love so many beautiful rooms and I’d have to have a 30-room house to accommodate all of them!  What do you do when you see something you love but aren’t sure is really YOU?

Be _ _ _ _ _ (fill in your name)

23 Monday Aug 2010

Posted by in Antiques, Decorating, DIY (do it yourself)

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Melissa Michaels over at The Inspired Room recently posted a great piece on decorating in your own personal style.  Read her piece HERE.  She recommends that you ignore some of the designers who publish their views that certain colors, furniture styles, room arrangements are “IN” or “OUT”.  I get it, there are trends and styles that come and go.

image via Traditional Home

I totally agree with Melissa, her wisdom on decorating one’s home the way you want brought to mind one of the “commandments” of happiness Gretchen Rubin shared on her sight the Happiness Project…to be truly happy you must be _ _ _ _ _ (fill in your name).  It seems to be overly simple in concept, but the truth is, if we can get familiar {and comfortable} with the real person you (respectively} are, the rest comes easy.

image via Coastal Living

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t question the talent or considerable knowledge of most trained design professionals but when it comes right down to it, shouldn’t your home be comfortable and inviting to YOU?!  That should be first and foremost.

Bold choices can come in many guises, paint color is one.

If you struggle with finding a direction for your home may I suggest a search of publications that can plant the seeds of design identity?  Some of us are visual learners {moi}, if we see rooms with colors and furniture styles we like it can provide great insight into our personal style.

Being K.A.R.E.N means a few horse paintings, even though I don't live on a ranch or own a horse.

There are more websites than I can begin to post links  to here, but sites like Mustard Seed Creations, Cote de Texas, Things that Inspire, paper{whites}, The Lettered Cottage, French Kissed, Holly Mathis Interiors, Centsational Girl and The Inspired Room and full of great ideas and a good place to start your search if that’s what you feel you need to determine your own personal style.

Art is a great way to reflect your style and interests.

If you are already in tune with your tastes, these sites and others can give you the inspiration to tackle that design project to continue your adventure in feathering your nest.  It may take time but you will succeed!

Wall Sconces…DIY, the finished project

01 Sunday Aug 2010

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For Part 1 of DIY click HERE.  I started my wall sconce project by cleaning all of the spider webs, dust and dirt off my bargain eBay find with a clean rag and steel wool.  I then cut the wires that were attached since I knew I wanted to use candles instead of having them electrified.  I wasn’t sure I wanted the permanence of having to decorate around them in the library (which is where I wanted them to hang).

This is the before picture. If the sconces hadn't been paint splattered by the previous owner, I may have kept the brass look, it was old and well worn and I like that look.

I purchased some plastic sleeves that go around the bulb outlet sleeve, which is cardboard.  I cute the sleeves to fit but not extend much past the outlet opening.  I then began by painting a very light coat of satin finish black paint.  I kept the black coat very light, you could still see the brass through the first layer of spray paint.  After that dried thoroughly I spray painted a second coat, this time using the oil rubbed bronze spray paint.  I continued to alternate the 2 spray paints until I had the finish I wanted.  Once the sconces were thoroughly dry I applied (with a soft rag) some Behr water base stain in Norwegian teak.  This was recommended by someone who had refinished a chandelier for me years ago.  (I really wish I had tackled this project myself but as you will read in part 1, I was hiring someone to do a lot of projects that I realize I could have easily done on my own.

Here are the paints I used. The bronze was a little lighter than I would have liked so I used satin black as well as the ORB.

In any event, here is the finished project.  What do you think?  I really am happy with the way they turned out and it has given me confidence to try some more DIY projects.  Any suggestions?

I most probably won't light the candles but the sconce adds a little to the wall they are on.

This is the ta-da picture for the first of what I hope will be a lot more productive weekend projects.

Madison approves!

DIY (do it yourself) Weekend Project

31 Saturday Jul 2010

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Looking back, it must have been somewhere in my early 40’s when I got lazy about doing things myself.  As an excuse I’d like to suggest I was probably in the throes of motherhood, PTA, avid volunteering and taking care of business around the homestead for hubby and kids.

Here is the sconce before paint.

In any event if a piece of furniture needed to be refinished, a room needed to be painted, pillows needed to be made, etc. I would call up any one of my friends that had similar interests and activities and ask them for a reference for a person that could do the job for me.  I’d get a bid and then present the quote to my hubby—we’d discuss the issue and decide if we could afford to have the job done.

I was able to buy this pair of sconces for only $37 including shipping on eBay.

Not too many years ago I discovered the amazing world of blogging.  There are so many talented people out there who can do almost anything AND they are happy to share the ‘how to’ with you.  Some even give a picture-by-picture tutorial of how to do whatever it is they’ve done.

The samples at left were the inspiration for wanting a pair of wall sconces.  Cost was a factor, the middle and right picture are Restoration Hardware and retail for $149-$159 each.

So, I’ve been inspired to try a DIY of my own.  I happened to be on eBay and bid on a pair of old, brass (the seller thought) wall sconces.  I bid the minimum bid, convinced I’d be outbid by days end.  I actually won the auction and with shipping the pair cost me $37.  When I opened the box I was delighted with the style but knew I’d need to paint them since there were paint spatters on the brass.  There are so many household projects that can be tackled by even a novice (moi).  With a computer you can find detailed instructions on almost any DIY project, I encourage you to give it a try.  It’s very fun!

This is a 'before' and 'after' of a closet conversion. Creative and pretty.

The Lettered Cottage, Mustard Seed Creations and Our Suburban Cottage have all given informative instructions on how to paint various items.  I figured the worst case scenario would be that the sconces would be terrible and I’d have to sell them on eBay!

Stay tuned, my next post will provide the how-to and finished wall sconces…