A Light in A Jar

I have been obsessing over all creative delights of creative minds on Pinterest when it comes to mason jars. But my favorite is when they incorporate into beautiful lighting.  For me its so rustic and charming and captures a certain ambiance that you really can't achieve with just a big bulb.

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 It a great reuse, repurpose, or refurb DIY! I am hoping to achieve this in my up and coming laundry room redesign. I am really excited about this one yall!

On another note...can you believe January 2012 is almost over?!!! Where has the time gone? I hope everyone is enjoying this year so far. I know I am because I have been taking it easy, taking my time and getting more organized around the home and in everyday routine. Its really been good you know because I am no longer wasting not one moment, even if it means I am getting some well deserved R&R!

This Rug Gets Around...!

I want it too! It has that Moorish motif, that I love. It looks so good in each one of these applications below. So I know it will be good for me. Look at how handsome!!!!

Via "Live Creating Yourself" Blog

Via Stephen Schubel Design

The picture above is where I first came across it when I did this post! I was given a tip to look out for it on eBay because its a rug West Elm used to sell. Just like me, always late to the game!!!

This is a Rue Issue to love! Featuring small spaces, this one stuck! Lisa Sherry's "Charlotte Landing," her 1,000 sqft Charlotte, NC loft: an eclectic mix of vintage, modern, and a dash of rustic!

RUE: Interiors by Lisa Sherry, Photography by Ron Royals

Have a Marvelous....

Pinterest

To what ever you maybe doing, thinking, saying 

right now in this moment! 

Happy Weekend!

Painted Furniture Transformations

It's funny the things I come across sometimes, because when working for a furniture company...you kind of see it all. By that I mean you get to see  the good the bad and the ugly! Probably more ugly then good, but I have learned that ugly sells because the uglier it is the more comfortable it is!

Well, that was not my original point I am trying to make but  when visiting some of the lovely decor blogs I can recognize actual pieces or something strikingly similar to what we sell. But you know, that's why I love blogs because I get to see lovely transformations of what furniture can become:

The Nester Painted Sleigh Bed Transformation:

The Nester

What a lovely transformation this is. If you have never visited this blog, please go see her home. It is beautiful! Such a inspiration to see all of her projects and furniture transformations. I would buy our bed just to make it look like that!

Knight Moves Painted Panel Bed:

Knight Moves

This is yet again another inspirational blog to see all of her home decor projects and transformations. You would not believe how she painted this bed!

So you see what I mean?!! You may have potential awaiting in your bedroom to become something special. Maybe you bought it years ago or just yesterday, but who cares if it can look this awesome!

Etsy and West Elm?!!!

1. Silk Stork Water Color Pillow
2. Stephen Antonson Lamp
3. Ikat Link Rug
4. Washed Linen Cotton Pillow Covers
5. Carved Wood Table - Limited Edition
6. Stephen Antonson Gifts
7. Gold Flatware
8. Ogee Napkins
9. Bee Hive Cake Stand

This is what I am currently loving at West Elm! But, okay, I have to admit I am not the most up to date on most things, but is this new news to anyone out there other than me? West Elm and Esty collaborate!!! It makes perfect sense if you ask me!

And I'm off.....!

Yay! I finally sat down and focused on a project for ME! One thing that is high on my list of to-dos to become TA-DONE is becoming more organized. So I am starting with my utility room. This room is my laundry and pantry combined.

By starting with my love for black and white stripes as an inspiration, I plan to combine modern and rustic elements to create a glamorous and organized utility room.  A utility room tends to be more utilitarian looking than pretty. Well, this design has utilitarian elements that are aesthetically pleasing to the eye and will combine to create a beautiful environment for doing those not so fun everyday tasks.

For the Laundry here is the POA (Plan Of Action):

• Put in a counter-top in he laundry room
• Apply paneling to left side wall
• Replace lighting
• Paint the stripes
• Paint the door
• Add closed storage above and open below with pull out drawers

1. 3" Painted black and white stripes on a horizontal

2. DIY: Industrial mason jar light pendant

3. MY DIY: painted striped on neutral burlap fabric find inspiration here

4. MY DIY: painted branch wall hooks find inspiration here

5. MY DIY: wood plinth clock (used be be at west elm) find inspiration here

6. Orange painted door to give life to the room find inspiration here

7. Ekby Alex Ikea floating shelf with drawer installed on left side with white paneling

8. MY DIY: reclaimed wood shelves to be installed below upper cabinets find inspiration here
9. Sea-grass hamper from The Container Store
10. My existing GE front loading Washer and Dryer.

For the Pantry here is the POA (Plan Of Action): 

1. Remove existing shelving (to be re-purposed in other rooms of house)
2. Paint the walls black
3. Find a mid-century modern buffet and hutch
4. Add rustic shelving

1. Benjamin Moore Black Satin

2. Need to find a mid-century modern buffet and hutch. Found this picture here

3. Clear jars found here for food storage
4. Crate and Barrel white canister food storage found here
5. MY DIY: reclaimed wood shelves installed on either side inspiration found here

6. Benjamin Moore Autumn Orange (possible to paint hutch)

7. Sur la table brushed aluminum basket for produce storage

8. Natural canvas baskets for storage found here

Here are the elevations!

 

Okay...please excuse the mess because these are "real-time" photos of my utility room (embarrassing)! The true reason for starting here is because I have taken over my pantry with all of my coupon stock pile items and my laundry room is really under utilized because it lack any kind of storage or shelving.

Right Side Wall of Landry and Pantry:

Right now my washer and dryer are installed backwards which means that the doors open into instead of away from each other. As you can imagine...this is not very functional. So I am having them moved to either side of the laundry in their appropriate places. I am installing closed upper cabinets, a counter-top,  and open shelves below in between the wash and dry. The open shelves below will house black pull out basket drawers that I found here. You can see the stripes will also be on this wall with the fun DIY window treatment I have planned.

In the pantry the walls will be painted black. I really wanted to add a piece of furniture to make it feel more like a butlers pantry and give it character. This is my inspiration below:

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Left Side Wall of Landry and Pantry:

As it stands there are blank walls with lots of potential to be something beautiful and functional. The wall on the pantry side will house a shelf to hold mop, broom, ironing board, etc... found here. On the laundry side I will be installing 6" white painted paneling on a vertical. My inspiration below:

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I plan to have a chair rail that will hold the DIY branch hooks and the Ikea floating wall shelf. The black and white stripes will be painted above. I am purchasing three sea-grass hampers to organize my whites, colors, and dedicates.

Front Facing Entry Wall Laundry:

This is where I plan to paint my door orange. Tangerine Tango is after all the pantone color of the year and I have a fond place in my heart for orange. Its so vibrant and full of energy which is needed in this space. (its so wired to be talking about my space...its about damn time!)

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This wall will also have the paneling and the black and white stripes. You can also see my DIY wood plinth clock I plan to attack above. This elevation also give you the side detail of the counter-top and upper cabinets adding lots of needed workspace and storage.

Back Facing Entry Wall Pantry:

This elevation shows the shelving and the a side detail of the buffet and hutch that I need to find. I also plan the paint this door orange to, but it depends on if I paint the hutch or not. Do not want to much of a good thing happening in such a small space.

So I have lots of to-dos and amped to get it done! Let me know what you think i am eager to hear your thoughts!

A Way to Display: Kids Art

This is so pretty! Colorful art in beautiful frames. This is so achievable with some of your kids art. If you are like me, you probably have your kids art in some drawers, maybe some folders in and there and maybe even just taped to a wall or on the fridge. Why not make it beautiful just by putting it in beautiful frames such as these.

 Lately, I have been able to enjoy looking through magazines and catalogs that I have collected over the last couple months, but really never had the time to sit and enjoy. Let me tell you...it has been great inspiration for me here! These frames are a combination frames form a Furniture Row catalog. They are Valencia, Whitney and Metropolitan frames. I tried finding them ,but had no luck! I f you have any let me know, most likely its just an in-store item!

Settle Yet Stately

I gotta have this kitchen! A while back I tickled the idea of what color to paint my kitchen. I fancied a white and black kitchen, but this just pretty much sealed the deal! I am just loving how airy and light this feels with simple and very settle yet stately details. Its from the February 2012 House Beautiful Issue.

1.  There is something about this simple header detail that gives the cabinets nice polished look. Its perfect for my kitchen because I have  maybe a two inch gap from the top of my cabinet molding to the ceiling. I thought I would add a lighting detail, but I just think I would be forcing something that looks forgotten anyways. That is why this detail just makes sense to me because its just not forced!

2.   The slim countertop edge is just sexy to me! It looks to be about half the size of a regular edge. With all the a white...anything thicker would have been too chunky. I mean my eye went straight to that little detail and I can not envision anything thicker.

3. Even though I can't see much hardware with his shot, I think I rather like the less is more vibe I get in this kitchen. This detail really tells me that there was no stone unturned when it came to the design and planning of this kitchen. You usually think of the hardware as being the jewelry of a kitchen, and sometime get carried away with the size, length, or color. But as woman we know when we get dressed jewelry is usually the last thing you add and sometimes you edit until it feels right. This is a perfect example.

4. In school I learned that the toe kick is an essential part of a kitchen design and it was always recessed...WHY?!! Because I love high baseboards, and in this kitchen it adds the finishing touch.

I could go on and on about this kitchen design like the light and airy butcher block top island, or the high shelf over the sink adorned with white vases. And what about the antique stove top below the large white hood! How about that black and white striped vase?!!!

I am very amped to achieve  a whole lot of projects in my home this year that I keep putting off for one reason or anbother, and the kithen is one of them. I am tired of talkign and have to start doing. So I figure baby steps will be the way to go. My first baby step to achieve is getting out the paint brush and attacking Big Momma with it!

Savvy Shopper Files: Winter Clearance Sales

If you are like me, then you know when to shop! I like to take the time to shop inventory at some of my favorite online stores for DEEP discounts. Here are just a few things I came across:

1. West Elm: Coconut Chandy $299 to $129

2. Z Gallerie: Crystal Dining Chair $199 to $129

3. World Market: Vance Metal Table $139 to $89

4. Z Gallerie: Carlisle Vase_Aubergine $79 to $23

5. Crate and Barrel: Zaine Salt and Pepper Set $19 to $4

6. Crate and Barrel: Zaine Platter $29 to $7

7. West Elm: Falling Flower Trays $6 to $4

8. Pottery Barn: Ikat Bolster Pillow $49 to $19

Lovely Idea - Hiding a Vent

Well... I hope everyones had a Happy New Year!

Isn't this a great idea for hiding a vent? This is probably one of the best solutions that I have come across yet! I know I have seen blogs where someone it trying to come up with a solutions, well here it is!

The decorative doors serve two purposes here both decorative and functional! I love it when those two come together!

 The storage bookcase is backed with wallpaper!

Here is the actual room which is actually the cover and why I picked up the magazine int he first place! I scanned it from the BHG Renovation Style Mag.