One Room Challenge: Reveal Day

Welcome to week six of the One Room Challenge Link-Up! In six short weeks I took a boring, neglected spot in my house from this...

to this >>

And turned a china cabinet into a bar'moire.

This was a pretty inexpensive and easy makeover (no construction involved). A list of my sources for the items in the makeover.

Garden stool: $52 (Tuesday Morning)
Orchid: $25 (HomeGoods)
Chair: $25 (April's Antiques)
Mirrored frame: $35 (Target)
Flamingo art: free (Sarah M. Dorsey)
Rug: free (Zinc Door)
Wrapping paper on back of shelves in bar'moire: $3 (HomeGoods)
Paper straws and elephant paper napkins: $10 (World Market)
Batik napkins, giraffe bar towel, blue vase, champagne flutes: free (Zinc Door)

Did I really spend less than $150 to remake this room? I suppose it helped a ton that I had won a gift certificate to Zinc Door. (Thanks so much, Albertina and ProjectDecorate!) The rug really makes the space feel like a room. There are a few more things that I purchased from Zinc Door that won't be shipped until later. I'll post an update when they arrive.

The rest of the items were things I already had. The gooseneck lamp was something a friend gave to me. I removed the glass shade and added an appliance lightbulb to make it look more interesting. The salvaged frames on top of the bookcase were from a project at my day job; the photos are pictures I took of my mom's garden several years ago. The window treatments will hang out for awhile longer. Eventually I'll replace the rest of the drapes on this level of the house and I've decided I want to go for a cohesive look.

Thanks so much to all of you who commented and cheered me on! This was such a great way to get to know other bloggers and I hope you will go check them out here and here. And thanks most of all to my "blogging fairy godmother" Linda who masterminded this epic extravaganza. #longlivetheorc {because god knows I have a lot more rooms to fix up!}

Look.Listen.Love

My fifth grader has a compulsion to tell the truth. That's the only way to explain him telling his teacher that I might not be able to go on his field trip this week. I am sure that this truth-telling gene will be something I appreciate when he is, in fact, a teenager. {As I was searching for summer camp options I noticed that his is the face of the teen camps here.} 

But for now I am consoling myself with chocolate and the Christmas morning of the blogging world: One Room Challenge reveal day!!!

Each blog post is like another fantastically wrapped gift under the Christmas tree.

Abby M. Interiors 

Because it’s Awesome 

Bijou & Boheme 

Calling It Home 

Chez V 

Chinoiserie Chic

Copy Cat Chic 

The Decorista 

Design Crisis 

Design Indulgence 

Design Manifest 

The English Room

The Glam Pad 

Little Black Door 

Mimosa Lane 

My Notting Hill 

The Pink Pagoda 

Simple Details 

My Sweet Savannah

Verandah House

I also included the four(!) books that are on my nightstand currently. 
Miss Manners Guide to a Surprisingly Dignified Wedding// The Lawyer Bubble // Dream New Dreams // Agenda 21

Miss Manners is obvious since I am planning a wedding. The Lawyer Bubble is for work. Agenda 21 is about a dystopian future where mothers aren't valued (kind of a good selection for Mother's Day). And Dream New Dreams was written by the wife of the Last Lecturer.

And here's a song for Mother's Day. I suppose I can console myself that I am not Debbi Mathers, whether I go on that field trip or not...

Blue and White for Lovers

This month Mitch and Cam of Modern Family will be the first gay couple to get married on network television! In honor of their nuptials (and because I spent the weekend registering for my own wedding) I am dedicating today's post to gifting a blue & white collection and linking up with the Pink Pagoda's May bash. Please head over there to visit all of the other blue and white inspiration!

Wayfair

The first choice for a wedding gift in the blue & white family is something with the double happiness symbol. According to Jan-Erik Nilsson, an expert on Chinese pottery and porcelain, the Chinese character "shuang xi" is the recognized symbol for "wedded bliss." Furthermore, the decoration of sweet pea vines symbolizes "forever" and "many children."

An eBay search for "double happiness jar" can help you find an antique gift, or you can purchase a beautiful new jar in our host's shop or a set from Wisteria. I also really dig that platter from Wayfair!

Christies / Amazon / Overstock

An umbrella stand is a great wedding gift in lieu of something more traditional. It has the weight and heft of a crystal vase, but with the added height and interest of a ginger jar (at generally a lower price point). Ginger jars are awesome, though and can be purchased here, here, and vases here.

Bed Bath & Beyond

The oldest china pattern still in production is Blue Willow. This platter is from Bed Bath & Beyond; however, Blue Willow is sold just about everywhere (Overstock, JCP, even Wal-Mart); prices can vary so it pays to shop around.

Crate and Barrel

This plate from Marimekko is mid-century modern, but might play nice with Blue Willow for a little pattern love across the centuries. Crate and Barrel's site says it is not available for purchase online but it is available on the Marimekko site (which is worth a look for its own sake).

Horchow

There are so many gorgeous blue and white patterns for dishes including the aforementioned Blue Willow and Marimekko. I also like this one from Horchow which feels to me both classic and modern at the same time.

Zinc Door

And speaking of both classic and modern, these batik cocktail napkins are a great example. Table linens are sometimes overlooked but are a good way to fortify a blue and white collection.

Wayfair

Don't forget a cute pair of salt and pepper shakers!

Crate and Barrel

Whether your loved ones enjoy a spot of tea--or not--you might like this pretty little teapot. The pattern feels a lot more modern as does the shape. Mixed with more traditional pieces, I think it would be a fun addition to a blue and white collection. If you can find it, that is. It's only available from the Crate and Barrel outlet now. 

Target

If you do like tea, then you might want this electric teakettle with an ikat print.

Etsy

Another modern take on blue and white for weddings would be a personalized Lucite tray with the couple's new monogram, initial, or last name. I especially like this one from Le Papier Studio in Chicago.

Bliss Home & Design /Amaryllis Bulb Co. / Source Collection

Planters bring us back to the traditional pattern. Aren't these lovely? And what a wonderful way to celebrate a new marriage by giving a beautiful gift that will grow!

What is your favorite wedding gift that you have received or given?

ORC Week 5: Shopping for the Details

Welcome to week five of the One Room Challenge! The One Room Challenge was devised by the DIY dynamo Linda @ Calling It Home. In six weeks I am transforming an unused space off my kitchen into a sunny, warm, and slightly boozy Keep (short for Keeping Room).

Catch up with week one, week two, week three, and week four. 

Before I begin, I have to send out a HUGE thank you to all of you who gave suggestions and support last week in response to my wallpaper dilemma. So many fantastic ideas, I am sure that post will be a great resource for others who lust after the Bamboo & Birds paper like I did. 

That's right, past tense. I am a fickle creature. I'm sort of over it. At least for now. So moving on to what I did accomplish for this week... If you follow me on Instagram then you got a sneak peek already.

I bought some pillows to coordinate with the shams that I had and an orchid. It's not real so it will be forever in bloom.

I worked some more on the shelf styling. That geometric piece behind the shelves? It's from my bar'moire cabinet. I think it adds some architectural interest.

It helped that I moved some of the games off the shelves and into this new cabinet. 

It's in my living room, near where we'd actually play the games, possibly.

See how much better it looks without all the games?

I worked on what could go on the wall above the sofa. I moved this forsythia wreath over and framed a photo of a pink lily.

A close-up on the flower. I have a few more shots of it and a few more salvaged frames so who knows what will happen next?

I used gold leaf Rub 'N Buff on the knob of the bar'moire and the drawer pulls. And the rest? Will have to be left for the reveal next week. :)

Now head over to Calling It Home to check out the rest of the linking participants and the 20 design pros here!