Ashley's Nest

Decorating a Dining Room for Thanksgiving

2013-11-13T10:11:00.001-08:00

After all of the decorations that I had up for Halloween, I wanted to keep the decorations that I put up for Thanksgiving pretty simple. Especially considering that right around the corner is Christmas and I pretty much decorate every inch of my house with something.

For my centerpiece I decided to add some leaves and a simple pumpkin. By placing the pumpkin on the wood accent, I have been able to create a more substantial piece for the eye. I added the leaves to a clear vase to keep the table open. When using a clear vase it doesn't block off the other side of the table, so it creates a more open centerpiece.

I love my chalkboard that I have hung in my dining room. For awhile I was forgetting to utilize it, but since I have I really have been enjoying finding new things to write on it. If this is something that you are interested in using in your house, Pinterest can be a great way to find sayings.

I have added a wine rack to my dining room since I last posted about it. It has become one of my favorite pieces in my entire home. It adds such a warmth to my dining room and has really turned into a conversation piece.

I hope everyone is getting ready for the holidays, I know I am.

Welcoming Fall

2013-11-13T09:51:00.000-08:00

Fall is here and I would like to share my front entrance with you. I love decorating my front entrance for the seasons to create that warm welcome for people. Currently it is decorated for Fall so that it works for Halloween to Christmas.

Right when you walk in the door you are greeted with a mirror. To soften the look, I have put this wreath on the mirror using a clear command strip. By using a command strip you can hide the hook so that you don't see any hardware. By keeping my wreath generic, I can keep it up longer.

To keep my fall theme going, I have added some pumpkin accents as well. By keeping the staple decorations on the dresser generic, I am able to accent with holiday and seasonal items very easily which I love to do.

With a few easy things, you can really warm up your entrance for guests through out the holidays.

Wall Art Over the Couch

2013-11-12T13:33:00.000-08:00

Since we have renovated our family room, I have not had any luck finding artwork to go over our couch. It's a pretty big size wall and couch so I needed to do something that would make an impact. After shopping around with no luck, I decided to create my own wall art. To do this, I needed to decide what size pictures that I wanted to hang. I decided to do 8 x 10 pictures, because I wanted to be able to update them very easily. Once I made that decision I could purchase my frames. All of the frames that you see here are from Ikea. After knowing the measurements of my frames, I could choose how many would best fit across the couch.

The next decision was to decide on the pictures that I wanted to frame. Believe it or not this was the hardest part. After long consideration, I chose the pictures and developed them in sepia tone so that the coloring in the picture didn't have to compete with my decorations. Once you have your pictures framed, lay them out on the ground because you need to balance your pictures out. Give consideration to what the subjects are and try to spread out like pictures.

This was such a fun project and I love being able to share my memories when people come over and visit.

Dressing Up a Light Fixture

2013-11-12T13:07:00.000-08:00

Today I would like to share with you a quick and unique way of hiding the chain on your everyday light fixture. I used a burlap cover in my dining room, but you could use any fabric. You can make the fabric as tight or as loose as you desire. With having a smaller section of chain, I didn't want to use too much fabric so I loosely wrapped the chain. To secure the fabric together, you can use small buttons about an inch apart. This is a very quick and easy project that you could do to dress up any light fixture.

Kitchen Series: Window Transformation

2013-11-12T10:02:00.001-08:00

For the last day of my Kitchen Series, I have decided to share my window transformation with you. To see what the window looked like before click here

I wanted to create a more open look to the window. In order to do this I created a curtain that would open to let more of the window show. To start, I found a fabric that would be light but also have a print on it. The next thing that you have to do is decide on the length of the curtains. Lastly, and to me the most important part are curtain rings. Without them, your curtain will not hang as nicely and will not slide across the curtain rod as easily either.

I usually always leave the curtain open, but it is nice to have the ability to close the curtain as well. It still keeps the window open, but also adds a little bit of privacy to your kitchen.

I hope you enjoyed my new Kitchen Series and as always if you have any questions, please email me.

Kitchen Series: A Decorating Extension

2013-11-12T09:37:00.001-08:00

As you know, my kitchen is a little smaller. With this, I have had to be a little more creative when planning out my kitchen decorating. Our kitchen leads to our family room through this hallway that was always empty. I couldn't extend the cabinets any further so instead I decided to add this hanging utensil decoration. Adding this piece to the wall made the kitchen seem that much bigger. It took your eye to a wall that was always ignored and now it has become a useful area. If you are interested in creating this in your home, remember to keep whatever you decorate with slim to the wall. The last thing you want to have is one more thing to maneuver around. You don't have to use something like this either. You could simply hang some decorative hooks on the wall and achieve the same look.

Not only did I create an extension to my kitchen, but this has become a very useful decoration to me. With having my oven mitts so readily available it has been such a help with cooking. It has also cleaned up some space in my drawers which everyone could use in a kitchen no matter the size.

Coming up next in the Kitchen Series is my window transformation!

Kitchen Series: Adding a Rug

2013-11-12T09:21:00.000-08:00

I can't believe it took me this long to put a rug in front of my kitchen sink, but it did so don't judge me. I know that a rug in that place is pretty much a staple, but it took me awhile to find one that I was really happy with. I needed a rug that would flow with the kitchen and not be so big that it covered too much of the flooring. After finding this rug at Target, I am amazed at the difference that it made to my kitchen. Don't under estimate the warmth that a rug can bring. It pulled the entire room together by having that piece on the floor. Usually the color black can be a little too cold and modern for my home, but the texture and design on this rug fit my design perfectly. So remember when you are out shopping to keep an open mind because you never know what you will fall in love with.

Kitchen Series: A Fresh Coat of Paint

2013-11-12T09:00:00.003-08:00

Welcome to my new Kitchen Series!

As you recall, my husband and I completely renovated our kitchen from the ground up. Since then, I have made a few minor changes that have dramatically changed the look of our kitchen. I didn't think I could be happier with our space until I made these updates. With my new kitchen series, you will be able to see all of the changes that I have made. To remember what the kitchen looked like before click here

To kick off the series, I am unveiling my new paint color. I loved the color before, but with a smaller kitchen and the updating that I have done in the rest of my home it needed a change also. I have been painting some of the other rooms in my home to create a more clean, neutral look throughout so I wanted to continue that in my kitchen. If you are interested in the paint color, email me and I can give you the details. Don't be afraid to paint and try something new.

While I was updating the paint color, I also wanted to update my decorations/necessities to match the new look. I wanted to keep the room very light and open. In order to do this, I have used whites, creams, and natural coloring to keep the space unified. With such a small space, you definitely need to keep the room cohesive, so that it doesn't give you a headache when you walk into the room.

With keeping the room light and neutral, I can always switch out my dish towels whenever I like. Currently I am sticking with my white and mustard yellow you could say.

When storing those spoons, spatulas, whisks, and whatever else you have collected over the years, don't be afraid to try something a little more unique.

I hope you enjoy my new color as much as I do. I love color, but there is something about that clean look that makes a space feel light and stress free. Stay tuned for the rest of the Kitchen Series!

Decorating a Dining Room

2012-04-18T13:02:00.002-07:00

Hello all!

Today I am going to share my tips to decorating a dining room with you. For my dining room, I used neutral colors so that I can decorate for any holiday or dinner party and have the entire room still flow nicely. I used floor length white curtains on the sliding glass door, dark wood furniture, and a neutral brown rug to tie the room together.

To make the room appear larger, I added two of the same mirrors side by side to give the look that the room is wider than it is. This is such a great tip for any small room. It's also a great way to reflect light around the room.

I love having the chalkboard in my dining room. I use this for holiday messages and dinner menus when having guests over. To see how I created this chalkboard click here.

There are many different ways that you can decorate your table. One of the ways you can decorate your table is with your dishes for the meal and drinks. I have stacked up the plates on the chargers and placed them on the end of the table. This is a much more informal way of having a meal. I have also placed ready made drinks out with a pitcher.

We were so lucky to have this beautiful sliding glass door in our dining room. The natural light it provides is great, plus it really opens up the room for us. However, the hardware that came with the door was showing its age. To see how I re-purposed the hardware to an oil rubbed bronze finish click here.

Our dining room table fits six people. When having guests over, it is important to only have the amount of chairs out for the amount of guests you have. You don't want to clutter the table with chairs that are not needed. Your space will seem more open and clutter free without the extra chairs. I have set the table for four so I simply removed the other two chairs.

Thanks for checking out my dining room.

If you are looking for more inspiration, check out the link below to see more dining rooms at Thrifty Decor Chick.

Click Here

Family Room: Final Reveal

2012-04-16T09:41:00.003-07:00

I have been sharing the process of completely renovating our family room with you and it's finally that time to show you the completed project. I couldn't be happier with the way everything turned out. The room is everything that I imagined it would be. It's warm, cozy, and so comfortable to hang out in. If you are having a hard time at remembering the before pictures click here. I won't make you wait any longer, the suspense is over. Enjoy the after pictures...

When I was deciding how I wanted the room to feel and look, I imagined neutrals and comfort. I wanted the room to look great but feel very inviting. To achieve this look, I kept the colors to cream, white, and brown, with a touch of red. I added the touch of red so that the room wouldn't wash away. It's nice to have that small hint of color.

It wasn't hard to achieve the look of comfort with the couch and chair that I picked out from PotteryBarn. I realize it is not for everyone, but I have always wanted a couch and chair from PotteryBarn. I love how comfortable they are and how nice they look. They give such an inviting feel to a room.

When I was deciding on my furniture, I wanted to keep with my neutral color scheme. One reason I love to keep my room neutral is so that I can change my accent color in and out without redecorating an entire room. If I ever get tired of a color, all I have to change are a few pillows.

For now I am keeping the coffee table clear of decorations. I like the clean look of the table now, but if I find that perfect piece I may place something on one side of the table and keep the other side clear.

One of my favorite pieces in this room is the media center. I love the resemblance it has to a built in bookcase without it being permanent. I find that bookcases can be a great display for decorations. I love adding all of the personal touches to a room, but I don't like when it becomes too much. With having all of the available decorating spaces on the shelves I was able to keep the decorating on my window table and fireplace to a minimum.

I wanted the decorations in the media center to be substantial yet fall into the background at the same time. When I was decorating the media center, I had to remember that the purpose of the shelving unit is to hold our television, so I didn't want the decorations to over power that and be distracting.

You can see that I repeated a few of my decorations throughout the shelving. I wanted to have continuity on both sides with a few differences. I also added a little green by filling my glass jars with moss.

When placing your decorations, try to balance your colors out. You don't want one side to have all the light colors and the other side to be filled with all dark decorations. Try to mix the light and dark with each shelf. I also added the baskets to the shelves to tie in the rug and decorations from other rooms in my home.

When I was deciding how I wanted to decorate the other side of the room, I really liked the idea of having a long table under our new window. I wanted that side of the room to tie in with the rest, but also have it's own purpose. I love the combination of the dark table with the crisp, white curtains on both sides.

To have continuity throughout the room, I used the same candle holder on this table that I used in the media center. I also used a large vase with the same finish to compliment the candle holder. I chose to use green flowers because I did not want the flowers to directly match the colors of the room. I wanted them to appear more natural and picked as opposed to matching the pillows.

I know I keep saying this, but this next picture is one of my favorites as well. I added two of the same ottomans to go under my window table. Not only do they give a unique look but you have two additional places for seating. I really liked how the ottomans were not the typical shape as well as the fabric. They match the style of the rest of the room without blending in too much.

I hope you enjoy my after pictures. It was so much fun creating this room from start to finish and sharing the process with you.

Creating an Outdoor Room

2012-04-02T12:12:00.002-07:00

I am so excited that it is time to start thinking about the outdoors! I know it may seem early for some people, but the earlier you start planning your outdoor space, the more money you save. By planning early you know what you are looking for so you can take your time and get the savings. Plus, it also gives you time to complete all of the money saving DIY projects.

This year I have decided to create an outdoor living and dining area on our deck. I love to be outdoors, but if it is not comfortable no one will want to hang out and stay.

Whenever I am deciding how I want to decorate a room, I always mark things in magazines and online so that I can get a good feel on how it will turn out. By doing this I can change my mind and make changes without losing any money.

So that's exactly what I am currently doing with my outdoor plans. The picture below is from the PotteryBarn magazine. I love the simplicity of the black and white in this picture with the touches of greenery.

I have circled the black candle holders but this is something that I would not want to spend a lot of money on because my deck is not covered. Anything that I put out will be exposed to the sun and rain damage.

In this picture I love how you have the mix of all of the different kinds of pillows. It makes it look less formal and more inviting.

This is one of my main focuses this year. I love all of the different lanterns on the steps. It looks great during the day plus it could serve as an added light at night by adding battery operated candles.

I'm not sure if I will try and recreate anything like the above picture but I really liked the idea of something hanging from the dining table umbrella so I marked it. This is where you can take advantage of marking things you like. You are not locked into any ideas.

Even though my backyard doesn't overlook the ocean, it doesn't mean that you can't bring the ocean to you. I haven't decided how, but I would like to incorporate this beach feel to my backyard.

I love all of these pitchers. They are great for having company over because you can leave it outside plus it's nice if you are out doing yard work you don't have to be in and out of your house all day.

Now that I know what I would like my outdoor room to look and feel like I can begin to put it together. I can't wait to show you the final project.

Decorating for Easter

2012-03-26T13:58:00.002-07:00

I am always excited to decorate for Easter because that means Spring is coming! I like to keep my decorations simple for Easter. This year, I decorated my dining room table and a couple other small decorations for my living room and family room.

For my Easter centerpiece, I re-used my vase from Christmas. That's the great thing about buying things that can be used for multiple decorations. The flowers are from Michael's and I found them on sale for $0.99 each! I chose to use pink flowers because it's something that I have never done before plus it's a great Spring color. The "Happy Easter" eggs are from PotteryBarn. I saw these in the store last Easter and talked myself out of them. When I saw them again this Easter, I told myself it was meant for me to have them and I am really happy with the way they turned out. I chose to hang them on the flower branches but you could always place them in a clear jar as well.

The green bunnies are from Pier1. When I saw them I knew I wanted them but I wasn't sure what exactly I was going to do with them. I stuck them in my floral arrangement and they have been there ever since. I like how they are a little hidden in between the flowers and the eggs. Sometimes, it's best not to over think your decorations. This is what I found with them.

For my living room and family room I chose to keep it really simple. I added a small vase with speckled eggs to my bay window and an Easter basket to my new fireplace!

Thanks for visiting!

Complete Kitchen Renovation

2012-03-19T12:36:00.004-07:00

When my husband and I were deciding on the house that we now live in, we knew that we would need to completely renovate the kitchen. It's a small kitchen, but that wasn't even a problem for us. It was very outdated, the appliances didn't work very well, and the layout wasn't very functional. We took the room down to the studs. This was a lot of work, but it was well worth the expense and wait. By doing this, we were able to rearrange the appliances, add new switches and plugs, and expand the doorways.

Here are all of the before pictures...

And now for the after pictures...

When we began to put the room back together, the first thing that we had to decide on was our cabinets and layout. I chose to go with cabinets from Ikea because they have an enormous amount of selection between style and color. With our kitchen being smaller, I knew I would have to choose my cabinets wisely. We had to put them together ourselves, but it really wasn't bad. I also chose to get our butcher block countertop from Ikea as well. Our appliances are Frigidaire Gallery from Lowes. There's nothing like new appliances. I still have to add my backsplash. Once I do, I will be sure to share the pictures with you.

I don't like to overcrowd a window with decorations, because after all you want to be able to open and close it. However, I do like to dress it up like everything else. When putting the trim around the window, I added a ledge to the bottom so that I would have a place to set my little decorations.

I saw this in a magazine before and really liked it. Not knowing if they purchased the letters finished or unfinished, I knew I had to create them myself. I bought the letters from Joann Fabrics and spray painted them white to match the cabinets. I chose a simple font, but they have others as well. With the letters being leaned against the wall they can be removed at any time. I also like to decorate in ways that are not very typical. I didn't want to have a typical paper towel holder. Instead, I took this wire basket (painted it black) and threw a couple of paper towel rolls in it.

I always try to incorporate decorations that tie in either colors or feels of a room. That is what I did with these containers here. It brings the black and the white together into one piece which makes the connection between the two colors.

These shelves were a must to incorporate into my kitchen. I love how on the top I can display different dishes and the bottom I use for towels and baskets. In the baskets I have chip clips, measuring spoons, etc. Having these baskets lets me free up some space from my drawers which is always needed.

Keeping with not liking typical uses of items, I found this white strainer at HomeGoods one day and thought it would be really cute to sit on the counter and put different fruits in. It is not something that I keep out all the time, but it is a nice accent when I do have it out.

I hope you enjoy my complete kitchen renovation. It took a lot of time, but it is so nice having everything just the way you want it. If there is anything I missed and you have any questions for me, feel free to email me. I would love to help you create your dream kitchen too!

Family Room: Sneak Peak

2012-03-18T15:08:00.003-07:00

Our family room is finally coming together. We have been working so hard to get it done and we are finally seeing some end results. Today I am going to be sharing a little sneak peak of some of the decorations/updates.

The first sneak peak that I would like to share with you is a little bit of our decorations that are being used throughout the room. From the picture you can obviously tell that this table is sitting in front of our window. I wanted to have something substantial on the table without taking up the entire window. You will have to wait to see the entire table, the legs of the table are my favorite part!

The last sneak peak you will be seeing until the final reveal is our new fireplace! I am so happy that we added this to our room. It is so nice to have on, plus it looks great even when it is not in use. When I reveal the entire room at it's completion I will give more information about the fireplace in case anyone out there is considering one for their home.

Hopefully I will be sharing the room with you very soon. I am just waiting on a couple of things to come in that I had to order online. In the mean time, I am going to be decorating for Easter to try and get my mind off of waiting for a shipment! I have realized that things don't get to you faster just because you constantly track a shipment!

Check back to see how I decorate for Easter!

Family Room: Floors

2012-03-12T13:55:00.002-07:00

I am so excited to share my new floors with you! We knew that we wanted the click and lock hardwood laminate flooring, the only major decision was the color and finish. I wanted something unique, but I also wanted something that I could live with forever considering we are wanting to do this in the rest of the house as well.

Here is what we decided on...

When we were going through all of the options, we kept leaning toward the wider boards and the boards with the hand scraping. I also chose this floor because of the muted color.

I hope you enjoy my floors like I do. If you have any questions about them feel free to email me. Soon I will be giving you a little sneak peak of my decorations for that room.

Decorating a Guest Room

2012-03-05T13:16:00.002-08:00

I have recently made some changes to my guest room. I liked the room before, but it wasn't flowing with the rest of my house as much as I wanted the room to. So, I decided to change the bedding and update some decorations.

The first change I made was with my bedding. I decided to go with a more neutral base. To bring in color, I added the green quilt and matching pillow. Going with a more neutral base makes it easier to change your accent color.

I like to add a lot of pillows to make the bed look more inviting. It's also good to mix and match the pillows so it doesn't look like a set.

I wanted to incorporate the green from the bedding throughout the room so you can imagine how thrilled I was when I found these matching candles. I used the same two candles on the dresser, but I used two different candle holders to give a more unique look. With each candle holder being neutral and natural they flow together even though they are different.

Aside from the bedding, this is where I made the most change to the room. Even though I loved my DIY teal table, sadly it didn't match anymore. However, I'm really happy with my replacement table.

When I was decorating this table, I wanted to keep it simple. Because the table is so unique, my decorations didn't need to stand out as much. I really like having family photos up in my guest room so I incorporated the frames from before and added these chunky brown candle holders.

With spring being right around the corner, I wanted to add a touch of color with some flowers.

I hope you enjoy the changes!

Family Room: Windows and Drywall

2012-02-25T09:19:00.002-08:00

Our new windows and drywall is installed! I was obviously a little behind on my before pictures. The process hasn't been quite this fast. We ordered our new windows from HomeDepot and hired someone to do our drywall hanging and mudding.

Window Before

Window After

I chose two double-hung windows for the front of the room. I wanted them to match the windows in the rest of our home so this room wouldn't look like an addition. They are also really nice because it's actually two windows in one frame.

Windows Before

Windows After

For the windows in the back of the room, I chose to use awning windows. I really like how the whole window is open and they seem to match the style of our home better than sliders.

Drywall...

You wouldn't think drywall would be too exciting, but it is. It's so nice when you get to the point of putting your room back together.

The next step will be installing our flooring and trim. I can't wait!

Family Room: Before

2012-02-23T15:49:00.002-08:00

I mentioned before that I had plans to completely renovate our family room. Well...that time has come and I couldn't be happier! I am going to be letting you in on our entire process from start to finish. This family room post is all about the before pictures. In our home, we have two family/living rooms. The family room has sat empty since we have lived here because it really needed to be totally redone. Our plan is to make the living room that we have been living in into the more "formal" living room. I put formal in quotes because we are anything but that. The room that we are redoing will then become our main living area.

Our family room had old windows, bad carpet, and paneling. So, needless to say we really wanted to start from scratch. We will be redoing the windows, drywall, electrical, lighting, flooring, and trim. We are doing some of the work ourselves, but we are also hiring some of the work as well.

Enjoy the before pictures, because it's the last time you will see that room. (wow that feels good to say)

Floor

Linen Closet Organization

2012-02-21T14:52:00.001-08:00

Like every older house, your closet space is limited. This is something that we have been trying to deal with since the day we moved in. It's been a few years, but we have finally gotten around to re-organizing our closets one by one. One of our main problems was our bathroom organization. There is no closet in our bathroom to hold towels, supplies, and all of your bathroom necessities. However, there is a closet close by that we were able to dedicate some space to the bathroom.

The closet before was something that I didn't want to be opened if anyone was around. It seemed kind of dirty with old paint and old wood shelves. It wasn't something that I loved putting my bathroom things in. So, the first thing I did was remove the old shelves and mud all of the holes. The next thing I did was paint the closet the same color of the room it is in. The shelving was a simple project because I didn't want anything too special. I just wanted plain shelves that were clean and open.

Going back to limited closet space, I can't dedicate one of my main closets to one single thing. It has to be double duty. So, with this closet I use it for all of my bathroom needs and my dog needs. I know it's an odd combination but with the layout of my house it works great.

I use the top half for bathroom storage and the bottom half for my spoiled dog. The very top of the closet holds things that I don't need on an every day basis. The solid brown baskets at the top are a great option for things that you don't want everyone to see. The next shelf are all of my towels. The things I use every day are held in the natural basket. This way I don't have to pull anything out, I can just reach into the basket.

Now on to the dog portion for all of you dog lovers. Treats are an essential, but they come in the most awkward boxes. So, I bought these jars from Target to hold her different treats. They look nicer and stay fresh longer. If your wondering why I also have a wire bin full of towels, it's because I have a very sloppy dog and you have to wipe her face. (I know...disgusting but I love her) On the bottom we have all of her toys in a basket. We keep some out for her but it's a great place to throw them when having guests over.

I hope my organization can give you some ideas for your own organization. One piece of advice is to mix baskets for your storage. It's hard to find the same basket with all of the different sizes you need so instead of stressing mix and match!

PotteryBarn Inspired Clock Wall

2012-02-19T17:25:00.001-08:00

I was shopping around at PotteryBarn one day (I know...what's new) and I saw this clock wall that they had arranged above their counter. I instantly fell in love with it. After making sure nobody was around, I took a picture of it with my phone. I'm sure no one would have cared if I took a picture, but what can I say I was a bit of a chicken about it.

As soon as I got home, I started planning out where I could recreate something like this. I decided to create my clock wall on my upstairs landing. It's such a big empty wall that always bothered me, but I could never find the right size artwork.

Here is the wall before...

At the top of the landing, I have this window that I was looking to give a refresher to as well.

Here is the window before...

After deciding on a place in my house to create this clock wall, I had to start finding materials. I already had a round clock that I would use as my starter. One thing that I found so unique about my inspiration was the over-sized pocket watch. I knew that without that, I wouldn't be as happy with the final outcome. I knew that PotteryBarn sold that pocket watch so I could always use that as a back up, but I really wasn't looking to spend that much on this project. While at one of my usual HomeGoods trips, I found this red pocket watch clock. I wanted all of my clocks to be black, so I decided I would just paint this one and not push my luck.

Here is the clock before...

I used Rustoleum paint and primer in one semi-gloss black paint to paint this clock. I covered the glass with paper and began to spray paint it. I chose to do three coats of spray paint because it was such an easy painting project, but two would have been fine.

Here is the clock after...

Once I had all of my materials I could begin my layout. I bought all of my picture frames at Ikea. I could choose from a variety of sizes and they were all very inexpensive, which I like. While I was there, I also picked up another small clock. Now that I had all of my materials, I could begin my layout. The first thing I did was to measure out how large I wanted the artwork to be and recreate that measurement on the floor. Then I could begin placing the clocks and frames where I wanted them. Once I decided on a layout, I could see how I needed to print my pictures.

Instead of buying clock prints, I took my own pictures. I had a few clock pictures from an old decoration that I used before, so I decided to take pictures of the actual artwork. I took the pictures from all different angles and closeness to create different looks. After I had my pictures printed and placed in the frames I began to hang them. While I was doing this project, I decided to change out my light fixture that I have been wanting to update as well.

Here is my wall after...

I wanted to have more unique window curtains because the space was lacking color. I really liked the pattern and color of these mixed with the dark blinds.

Windows after...

Thanks for visiting!

Refinished Hardware

2012-02-13T14:19:00.002-08:00

In our dining room, we have a beautiful sliding glass door that takes up an entire wall. It's a great backdrop for our dining room table, plus I love to keep the door open in the summer and let the fresh air come through. The only problem with the door was the outdated hardware. It was very worn and dirty, even after being cleaned. So, I had the idea to go to HomeDepot or Lowes and get a new handle. Easier said than done. An oil rubbed bronze handle was going to be about $200.00 for that door. Needless to say I was pretty shocked. I was expecting it to be around $50.00. After that, I needed to come up with a different solution.

I decided to buy a can of Rustoleum oil rubbed bronze paint and primer in one spray paint. The first thing that I did was remove the hardware from the door and clean it. I spent a lot of time making sure that it was really clean otherwise the paint will stick to the dirt and come right off. After it was cleaned, I laid out the handle and began to paint. When you are using spray paint, if the can doesn't already come with a spray gun attached, make sure to buy one. It makes the paint spray more evenly. Another thing that is really important when spray painting is to start painting away from your project then bring the can to your project while the paint is still spraying. Doing this lets out all of the air from the can and any bad paint. I have come to find that that step makes a huge impact on your final project. Also, make sure you paint the screws so they blend into the background. I painted the handle a few coats for durability.

Before...

After...

Now, the handle looks great and matches the rest of the hardware surrounding the door and it only cost me about $7.00!

Continuity Continued...

2012-02-12T08:33:00.000-08:00

Last time I shared my continuity ideas with you regarding hardware finishes. Another aspect that is really important when it comes to continuity throughout your home is keeping your furniture and decorative accents similar throughout your home. This is not to say that everything in your house needs to be the same, but you should keep this in mind while you are decorating. When I first moved into my house, I decorated a little too quickly and considered each room separately. Now I find that I am redecorating most of the rooms that were previously done. Now, that I have given time to think about the flow that I want my house to have, I have been much happier with the way everything has turned out. Some things that I like to repeat throughout my home are furniture colors and finishes, baskets, color schemes, and decorative accents. Now, when I walk from room to room they seem like extensions of one another rather than separate areas.

Continuity throughout the Home

2012-02-08T12:46:00.000-08:00

Having continuity throughout your home is so important. Everyone's styles are different when it comes to decorating, but you can still have continuity regardless of your style. I use oil rubbed bronze throughout my home. I use this for my light fixtures, plug covers, handles, window hardware, etc. When you use the same finish, it makes your house feel like one big home rather than a bunch of different rooms put together. If you already have items in your home that you would like to incorporate, but don't match, use spray paint! Some spray paints are paint and primer in one, but if it's not make sure you always use primer first. Here are some of my oil rubbed bronze finishes...

Hanging Pictures without the Frames

2012-02-08T10:53:00.001-08:00

I am excited to show you this quick and easy way to hang pictures, without the expensive cost of frames.

I had a couple of pictures that I wanted to hang in my house that are from a special trip to me. Instead of putting the pictures in a frame, I hung the prints with bulldog clips. To do this, I picked out a mat that would be the size I wanted to hang on my wall. Once I knew the size of my mat, I could print my picture. I had to find a unique way to hook the mat to the wall. While in OfficeMax one day, I came across these silver bulldog clips. I really liked the idea of how that would look the only problem was the finish on the clip. It was a shiny silver that really clashed with everything else in my home. So, I decided to paint them with a flat gold spray paint. I chose to paint them gold because I wanted them to look authentic and I really like the way oil rubbed bronze (finish in the rest of my home) and flat gold look together.

To complete the look, I taped the print to the back of the mat. Make sure you tape all of the edges of the picture otherwise it won't look as nice from the front. Once the bulldog clips were painted and dry I hooked the clip onto the center top of the mat. I screwed one screw into the wall and rested the clip on the screw and the project was finished.

One tip to make your picture look more like a piece of artwork is to print the picture in either sepia or black and white.

High/Low Recreations - Ledge

2012-01-23T14:40:00.001-08:00

You may have picked up on this already, but I really love PotteryBarn. However, most things there are a little pricey for me so I like to use there ideas for my inspiration and try to find a more inexpensive way to create their look.

One thing that I have been eyeing in their catalog was a broken ledge. I always thought it was a very unique piece of artwork and the look of it really flows with the decorations in my home. The only problem was the ledge was $300.00.

I was out shopping one day at HomeGoods, which I frequent often, and saw a perfect replica of that same broken ledge. I was so excited that I had finally found something similar. Even better, the piece from HomeGoods was only $40.00 so you can imagine my excitement.

PotteryBarn inspiration...

HomeGoods purchase...

In my guest room...

If you are interested, this was a recent find so you may also get as lucky as I did. Good Luck!