Happy Holidays!

Hope everyone is enjoying Christmas Day! This Christmas has been so special.  My sister & her family live in New Hampshire & got to come to Texas this year! Kids sure make the holidays so much more fun.  We are visiting my husband's family today.  If you haven't listened to Annie Lennox's Christmas Cornucopia, you should! I'm not always into the holiday season but this music could change the mood of even the biggest Scrooge:

Bright & Happy

[image by Francois Halard for Vogue]

The home of Christopher and Susan Sharp, owners and founders of The Rug Company, featured in 2010 Vogue is one of my very favorites for the year.  Blue velvet sofas get me every time.

Progress?

Like many design bloggers out there, I'm always working on a million projects at once.  Here are a few I've been meaning to post about for a while!

Before:  master bathroom. Needed a temporary fix until I can afford a new countertop to replace the faux granite laminate. Yikes. Hate the pinkish tiles behind the sink too but, another day!

After (still in progress): first pic is master bath wall behind the sink. Covered in Cole & Son Egerton wallpaper. Also painted & poly'd countertop gray, painted wood cabinets, and added vintage aged brass bamboo hardware. Did not have enough for door hardware but hoping to find knobs.  Better?

Entryway of house almost finished! Ran out of wallpaper (Graham & Brown Manderley) but new roll came in so hope to finish soon.  This big blank wall needed something & my sweet husband (he wants me to put "masculine") was a HUGE help.

Made an easy roman shade out of mini-blinds for the kitchen. Instructions via Little Green Notebook.

Next big project is a loveseat I found on Craigslist for $40! Was inspired by one I saw at Spruce.  I think I'm going to try to make a slipcover (my first!) in gray linen for it (that is why there is a gray jacket draped over the back!).  I also made the pillow recently, but not sure if it will stay there.

I guess I have made some progress with the house but there is a neverending list...sometimes it is difficult to rejoice in the stuff I have accomplished b/c of that list in my head!

Chrome Lovin'

My heart started racing & my stomach had butterflies when I saw the following items on Ebay.

 Chrome Barrel Chairs

 

Arco Sconces

Does this happen to anyone else? This happens to me a lot- especially when I see good deals on something I find unique! These items could be so glamorous (if the chairs were reupholstered-wow!). I've been into some 70's inspired pieces lately, which was when I was born..my mom thinks this is due to nostalgia.

Obsessing

It seems like I'm always obsessing over something. Usually it is multiple things if I'm being honest. That is what reading blogs during my lunch hour & when I get home does to me sometimes.  I thought I just read them for inspiration but inspiration often turns into WANTING TO BUY.  Here are some of my current loves:

I would love any jacket from Smythe http://www.smythejackets.com/. If I was rich. Here is one of the best:

A chesterfield loveseat for in front of my bookcases. Kind of like this:

 This one is a George Smith so totally dreaming.

Trying to find just the right side table. I think this Saarinen tulip table reproduction from DWR would be close to perfect.

i think i've found it

I've lusted after Ferm Living' Fairy wallpaper for almost two years for my entryway wall.

It has a little glitz & whimsy w/out being overpowering that I LOVE.  But at $110 per roll (& I need two!), I haven't been able to do it.  I've searched online everywhere for something I love just as much that is less expensive & have never been able to find anything that compares...until now. And it is all because of an article in Canadian House & Home on Arren Williams' home. Feast your eyes on this baby:

This wallpaper is called Manderley from Graham & Brown & is half the price of the FL Fairy wallpaper! It is a serious contender.

Arren Williams is a stylist & editor and has a great blog: http://www.arrenwilliams.com/.  I think he is genius-he combines affordability with high end & is not afraid of color.  Here are some other pics from the H&H article (where you can really see the wallpaper).  There is lots more pics on his blog.

His home is the whole reason I spent $6 on this magazine.  So beautiful & interesting.

from the design tombs

I'm not sure if it is because I've been watching back to back episodes of True Blood, but had to include something dramatic & creepy in the post title.  Haven't had time to post much so thought I would include some pics I absolutely love from my folder of design favorites.

Amanda Peet's guest room from Domino.  I'm thinking of biting the bullet & purchasing one roll of this Cole & Son wallpaper for my bathroom.  That chandelier & red chair are genius.

Another Domino fave. That Lulu DK fabric on the sofa is on sale on her website in red but I still can't afford it b/c shipping is so freakin much.  I loved the whole Domino piece on Barrie Benson's midcentury ranch. Wow.

Amanda Peet again. I love the colors, patterns, birdie art,and multicultural vibe.

Smooches to that show Pure Design that was on HGTV with Samantha Pynn.  I guess she had too much taste for hgtv/us version & I haven't seen any new episodes in a while. This bedroom was awesome b/c she combined eco-materials, vintage (those lamps!!), bold color, great headboard, and 2 fab vintage chairs (not pictured) in this episode.

This bathroom made the rounds in blog-world but I can totally see why & it is incredible to me.  Vintage looking light, bold wallpaper, marble countertops, and patterned tile floor inspire me beyond words! I can't remember the source for this pic. Sorry!

More later. 

Learning to Reupholster

So, two 40 hour classes later, I have finally completed reupholstering this chair!  This includes hand tying the springs and learning to sew at the same time.  I am proud but embarrassed it took so long.

 BEFORE

&

AFTER 

The fabric is a cherry red Richloom outdoor fabric w/a linen-type look.  Hope you like it! I have a twin chair that will get reupholstered next year maybe!  Throw pillows to come.

Sewing Projects-DONE

Trying to learn to sew is teaching me patience! I am definitely not a natural & when I think about the time it has taken me to make one pillow w/a zipper and cording/welting, it is humbling.  My first project was in a class & I ended up with this:

I finally made a matching pillow by myself weeks later & it took a few hours because I had to keep rechecking the instructions. So sad, but they turned out great! When you have 5 pets, zippers are essential so I can wash the covers. The chairs they are sitting on are a Craigslist find **love them** & I HOPE to make  indoor/outdoor cushions for them w/a fab Trina Turk fabric & put them on our patio.  

The next sewing project I attempted in class was making a sham for the guestroom. Hours later at home, I now have two! 

I bought Photoshop & am trying to learn how to use it. It took me a while to figure out how to get the date stamp off of the photos! Anyone who has a quick way of doing this, let me know!

New Prints!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/theblackapple

One of the first things I ever bought on Etsy was from  The Black Apple & I still love it.  I recently bought these two prints for some new art in the house & adore them!  I tend to gravitate towards whimsical, dreamy art so these fit the bill.  Hope everyone is having a great Friday!

Busy Sewing

 picture from Apartment Therapy

  
I keep thinking I will post on the weekends and for the past 3 weeks it just hasn't happened. I've been taking sewing classes on Saturdays at the fab Stitch Lab here in Austin. I am a complete beginner at sewing & it has been really fun!  I will upload photos of the few things I made this week. My fabric obsession is only going to get worse now that I can (kinda) sew.  I even bought this sewing machine http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_02016231000P   this past weekend so..holla!

Bigger House=More Stuff

Lately I've been dreaming of a bigger home.  Not because I need one, but because I want to buy more furniture. I know, it is a sickness.  Here are some Austin Craigslist finds I would buy for my "new house".

$40!!! Reupholster with a fabulous fabric & put in the office.

$195 Henredon Dresser. Great quality piece & has dividers in top drawers.

$60 faux bamboo standing mirror. Who doesn't need one of these?!

$199. Not cheap for really nice. Chinoiserie beauties. I like the lines on these.

$800 Chesterfield Sofa! Great condition & timeless.

$75 vanity bench with awesome legs.

$60 bench for the entry. Make a pillow for the seat with cool fabric. Adorable!

$30!!!! Take white stickers off, give it a good cleaning & use in office or living area. So cool.

$150 70's Bar Cart. Talk them down in price. What a beauty.

$10 for all three chairs! Recover seats & possible repaint? Odd number but I like the look of mixing dining chairs. Plus, the price & the cute curve of the seats. I am a sucker for all things cane, bamboo, and cheap.

Ok, there is tons more on CL I could decorate my fictitious large house with, but I have to stop somewhere.

**Disclaimer: Did not list all great finds because want them for myself. 

The Powers of Paint

I am going to attempt to start painting the living room/kitchen area this weekend.  I've had the same yellow/gold paint on the walls for about 4 years & have really tired of it.  I want something that is more neutral & modern so that I can switch things up in there as time goes by.  I'm also in the process of reupholstering two chairs for that area in a cherry red fabric so with all of that in mind, I've chosen Benjamin Moore November Rain:

The color looks different on my monitor but it is kind of a greenish gray color that looked warmer than the other 3 paints I put on the wall.  I wish I could go a little bit darker & grayer but my house is pretty dark & I have dark wood furniture so I think this color will do the trick! Hope to post some pics soon.

Etsy Find

I have long loved this bird cage eco-wallpaper available at http://www.wandrlust.com (Woodson & Rummerfield online shop) but alas, could not afford right now.

So, I was looking on Etsy & found it in fabric form: http://www.etsy.com/shop/sewlola!  Much more affordable since I can just get a yard or so.  Can't wait to make some pillows...fabulous!

Dash & Albert, i love you

I have been looking (constantly) for a great indoor/outdoor rug for the living room.  It HAS to be i/o because I have 5 pets that rule the house! Here is just one of the beauties.

No one can touch the selection of gorgeousness at Dash & Albert. Here is another, but not indoor/outdoor.

Images via http://www.dashandalbert.com/

Before/After Nightstands.

I'm trying to be brave & post on my blog.  It is tough b/c although I love home interiors/design, I'm am still figuring out what I like/don't like & I'm certainly not a designer!

I gave my great-aunt's old nightstands a new look.  Still looking for new/vintage style hardware to change out on them. I refinished the tops & painted the bases a really light gray (can't remember the exact color but is by Benjamin Moore).

Before:

 

(I started painting the sides before I realized I had not taken a "before" pic!)

After:

 

It is hard to tell w/my lack of photo skills but they are now in our bedroom & look a lot better!

history of chevron?

maybe this is where the chevron print began