Customized Furniture

One of my favorite things to do before bedtime is to scroll through the furniture listings on Craig's List. While there are plenty of pieces that are in "like new" condition, there are also some pieces that could be great with just a little TLC.

Becky Roberts, an East Lansing interior designer and mom from my kids' school, did just that last month, creating this lovely & updated chair.

Rebecca Roberts Design

She writes, "The wingback chair was given to me from a friend. It was her mom’s, presumably from the late 80’s or early 90’s. I liked the shape, so I decided to try my first slipcover. It took me about 3-4 hours to complete it, and I used just under 5 yards of fabric. The cushion has a zipper, and the whole cover for the chair body comes off for laundering. I am happy with the results! I am planning on making a little bolster pillow in the same fabric as the cording."

I absolutely love the fabric that Becky chose! I also love that she made a slipcover, rather than re-upholstering the chair. A slipcover makes it easy to keep the chair clean (important with kids in the house!) and can even be changed out in the future or for a different look seasonally.

Rebecca Roberts Design

Becky can be hired for sewing and interior design jobs. Check her out at https://www.facebook.com/RebeccaRobertsDesign.
 

I frequently see listings for wingback chairs on Craig's List. A classic style, the Craig's List wingback chairs can be purchased inexpensively simply because the upholstery is usually dated.
 

The pink fabric on this recent listing is probably from the 1980s, but the "bones" of the piece are still good. The legs, wings, and arms are whole and the seat is not saggy. And as a bonus the seller offered to throw in the matching pink lamp. Using paint to transform pieces is a post for another day, though...

The new book Good Bones, Great Pieces: The Seven Essential Pieces That Will Carry You Through a Lifetime, has some great tips for classic pieces to look for. Helping you to furnish--and customize--your home on a budget!

Making a Home Away from Home

Vacation!

This week we are on Marco Island in southwest Florida. Notwithstanding a few family Disney trips, this is my first time in the land of palm trees and pelicans.

And it is adults-only. Which is good because our arrival (after nearly 24 hours in the car) coincided with warnings about Hurricane Isaac. Lucky for us, we just got a little rain.

Our room at the Marco Resort and Club is a small suite, nearly 500 square feet in size. The screened porch area, which faces the pool, opens into the living area through a large sliding glass door. The living area is part of a larger room that also has a full kitchen. Through another door, heading straight back is the bedroom, and the bathroom is at the end of the unit.

There is one large drape in the living area. It goes all the way to the ceiling which creates a nice dramatic effect. The pattern repeats on the bedspread and window valance in the bedroom. It is sea-themed with images of fish and shells on lots of blues and greens. For such a small space, repeating the pattern does a great job of unifying the different spaces. 

As nice as our room is, a place doesn't really feel like home to me without a few elements. To make this home-away-from-home a bit more homey, I would add the following:

1. Throw pillows and a blanket

A couch just feels cozier with some throw pillows on it and a blankie to snuggle under. It's also another way to add visual interest to a space. For our unit, I would add a few pillows in a solid citron. It picks up on one of the colors in the drapes yet doesn't contrast with the pattern of the drapes.

JCaroline fabric

For the snuggling blanket, I love everything about this cashmere throw from One Kings Lane. It is bright pink, which is a great tropical color reminiscent of pink flamingos (read this great history of the yard ornament). Pink makes a nice contrasting color against all the blues and greens in our unit. A small bit of a contrasting color in a room can be unexpected and fun!

One Kings Lane

2. A rug

Our unit has tile floors, which surely is meant to keep the place cleaner with all the sand that is tracked in from happy beachgoers. But I like the way a rug feels under my feet. A rug can soften a space, which otherwise can feel hard and sterile without it. The right colors can also tie together two separate spaces (as in this case where we have a living area and kitchen together).

I would choose the reclaimed indigo Oriental rug from Viva Terra. Made from recycled plastic bottles and packing materials this pretty rug doesn't absorb stains, can be easily cleaned with a garden hose or sponge, and won't trap water or mildew. Pretty awesome for a room that will see up to 52 different residents in one year alone!

3. Art

There is something about the way the bed in this unit fits against the wall that reminds me of being on a ship. There is a soffitt over the bed and swing-arm lamps on either side of the bed, which creates a compartment-like feeling. A fun addition to one of the bedroom walls then would be a wood-cut anchor, painted navy blue. 

It should be fairly simple to download a clip-art file of an anchor, increase the size and trace it onto wood, and then have someone handy cut it out. But since I haven't actually tried doing that, I think equally cute would be a wooden wreath form with stripes painted on it to resemble a life preserver. Here is a sample for sale on eBay (perhaps we'll skip the message on ours. Sounds a little risque to me ;)

eBay 

 

4. Stuff that smells good

We bought a strawberry shortcake-scented candle and hand soap during our hurricane stock-up shopping trip. While the candle was a necessity if the power had gone out, it reminded me how much I like things that smell nice. Other options are scented cleaners like Mrs. Meyers' Clean Day Counterspray, fresh fruit, or a vase of fresh flowers. 

5. Collections ... and extra storage

It occurred to me last night that I am homesick for my books. There's something about having stacks of well-loved books that makes me feel at home. We did, however, collect lots of shells at the sugar-sand beach yesterday, and this makes a lovely collection all laid out to dry on our counters. 

Extra storage in this space could be an ottoman in the bedroom to hold a suitcase or a basket for the chargers for all of our gadgets in the living area. 

We have a few more days here before we head back home. I'm sure I'll be ready once we leave, but for now it's fun pretending to live in paradise.

Busy busy

It's been over a week since my last post. While I haven't totally forgotten about design, I've had that busy feeling that can quickly morph into hyperventilating and unsuccessful multitasking.

The balance between work and home. Projects to support the family and caring for that family. Office and laundry room. Sometimes it's all a bit much. 

Source

Rather than blogging about my decorating and organizing experiences--or even trying to have any such ideas--my creative outlet over the past week has been different. I went to yoga (twice!), walked my dog and played at the park with the family, cooked with a friend, had dinner with my parents, checked out a gazillion books from the library, and am headed out on a big vacation with my lovey starting tomorrow night. 

I also discovered that a new season of Sarah's House starts September 1st on HGTV. We definitely love TV in this house and I love Sarah Richardson's designs. Below is a sneak peek of her new kitchen. Per The Inspired Room, this season Sarah and Tommy are transforming a builder's beige box into a dream home. It should be interesting since I am living in a newer construction with plenty of the builder's design choices as my decor.

Source

I hope to have some more interesting, joyful posts in a few days once I've truly caught my breath. For now, I'm headed off to color some Barbie pages with my little-loose-tooth girl, print the invitations for a work event, and continue to tackle that mountain of laundry...

French Faves

This morning my news feed was full of my favorite bloggers posting about Entertaining in Provence. Filled with fun ideas and tips of how to use what you have to create a similar look, photos of beautiful Provençal rooms & a recipe for an omelette cake, and fantasies of the castles in our mind and what our own homes represent to us, all the posts link to a sale on One Kings Lane. 

The sale is a partnership with the editors of Martha Stewart Living who are turning the Provençal-inspired story from the September issue (I told you it was a good one!) into an exclusive get-the-look sale.  

There are so many pretty things in this sale that even though nobody asked my opinion, I am going to share it here anyway.  :)  Some of my favorites:

1. I've been really into the look of caning on furniture lately so the Virginia four-drawer storage unit popped right out at me. I think it would be great in an entry way filled with all the stuff you need for on-the-go. It's petite enough at 29 x 14 x 30.25 that it doesn't take up much room but still provides stylish storage.

2. The Italian handthrown canister (there are three of these in the sale, all numbered) would also be great in an entry. A neighbor gave me a stone canister a few years ago, and lately I've been thinking a lot about bringing it inside. It would be great for storing umbrellas (or baseball bats and lacrosse sticks).

3. Carolina Beach II. This is part of a trio of photos shot by Big Fish off the Carolina coast. I love the colors and my blood pressure goes down just looking at this serene picture.

4. The Hewitt dining table. Every table in Provence has to be made for a feast. I love the curved legs. They make the table appear so much more elegant than its rustic finish. The interplay of elegant and rustic makes for a more interesting room and is pretty indicative of the Provençal style.   

5. The Philippa chair looks like France to me. And in Provence I think you can get away with mixing the finish on this chair and the natural wood of the Hewitt dining table above. Since I'm daydreaming, I would add three of these chairs to one side of the Hewitt and shop for a bench in the same finish as these chairs. Maybe one with a bright, graphic patterned cushion...

6. This green handthrown pitcher is already in another member's cart--just a reminder that when you want something on one of these sales you have to move FAST! I love the vibrant green, however, and you can't go wrong creating a Provençal setting by mixing in some pottery that could have been used by your ancestors.
 

7. This galvanized ice bucket could be used for so much more than just ice cold drinks. Plant holder, flip flops at the front door, the sky is the limit...

8. These surprisingly affordable chairs ($199 for the pair) are simple and clean-lined. They would be great around a kitchen table or in an entry.

9. One last item since we're talking about affordable purchases. I love this olive print! In the sale, the print can be found on tablecloths, napkins, an apron, dish towels, pot holders, and an oven mitt as well as non-fabric items such as olive oil cruets and small dishes. Prices range from $10-$29.

There are so many beautiful things in this sale, and while many are pricey (my Hewitt table above is nearly $2,500. Ouch!), there are many smaller items that would make perfect splurges or would be great for gift-giving. I encourage you to go check it out because ogling is so much fun!

One Kings Lane requires membership. But signing up is easy peasy and you earn credits when your invitees join too. Let me know in the comments if you have any trouble getting on the site. 

Have fun shopping!