Living Lovely

Sneak Peek: Gallery Wall

2012-03-07T06:18:00.000-08:00

I've been drooling over all the pretty gallery walls on Pintrest for some time. So I've finally taken the leap and started one going up my staircase. Here's a sneak peek!

Like the custom artwork? I designed them myself...more to come on that.

Some of my favs:

Source: etsy.com via LivingLovelyBlog on Pinterest

Source: thesteampunkhome.blogspot.com via LivingLovelyBlog on Pinterest

Source: younghouselove.com via LivingLovelyBlog on Pinterest

Source: haddonmusing.blogspot.com via LivingLovelyBlog on Pinterest

Behind the Pretty: Lighting

2012-03-02T06:21:00.000-08:00

I was inspired by Emily A. Clark's "Real Life" blog post about her home behind the pretty, styled pictures she posts on her blog. I always post about my completed projects, but never about pain-staking thought, time and research that goes into these projects.

So I thought I'd start a little franchise here at Living Lovely....Behind the Pretty posts. First up, my lighting dilemmas. I'm currently working on two lighting projects in our house: updating our kitchen ceiling fan and installing a drum pendant light above the dining room table.

Ceiling Fan: BEFORE

I admit, a ceiling fan in a kitchen is a little weird {and gross, I dust this thing like crazy in the summer}, but it gets very hot in here so it's a necessary evil.

So if I must live with it, then the gold had to go. I started by spray painting all the brass with a brushed silver. I was too lazy to take the whole thing down, so I taped off the ceiling and gave the rest of the fan a coat of white spray paint. Now the dilemma, what to do with the light?? Glass replacement shades at Home Depot and Lowes are about $10-20 each...way too expensive. Maybe a drum shade, but I haven't figured out a good way to attach it yet

Drum Pendant: BEFORE

Ok, so there is really no before since we don't even have a fixture!

I purchased this large drum shade at the Christmas Tree Shop for $11! The challenge: how to create a pendant without hardwiring an electrical switch?

My first idea was to use a plug-in socket, but this one from Ikea is too short and I'd prefer a cord with a switch. I could rewire the socket, but maybe there's an easier way.

Then I found this wireless switch/socket set online, but it cost $40 and I would still need a pendant fixture. So the research continues!

Wedding Invitations

2012-02-23T07:43:00.000-08:00

I'm feeling really accomplished today! With just under 3 months to go until our wedding, we finally sent out our wedding invitations yesterday.

I took my inspiration from La Belle Vie {Designs} and designed my own invitations. It was actually super easy and saved a ton of money. Then, I purchased pre-cut white linen card stock and colored envelopes from Paper Presentation, ran them through my ink jet printer and volia! instant invitations.

Colorful Doors

2012-02-22T07:09:00.000-08:00

I love the look of these painted doors. From bright to muted shades, these colors add a fresh punch of color. I am totally trying this on the back-side of our exterior door!

Source: kellygreeninteriors.com via LivingLovelyBlog on Pinterest

Punch up an entry

Source: younghouselove.com via LivingLovelyBlog on Pinterest

Yellow door, yellow frames, yellow chairs.

Source: designsponge.com via LivingLovelyBlog on Pinterest

Aqua door and amazing light fixtures.

Source: marthastewart.com via LivingLovelyBlog on Pinterest

Elegant purple door with gold hardware.

Source: highstreetmarket.blogspot.com via LivingLovelyBlog on Pinterest

Black door, bright walls

Source: highstreetmarket.blogspot.com via LivingLovelyBlog on Pinterest

Subtle grey doors

Painted Black Trim

2012-01-27T05:17:00.000-08:00

Source: Uploaded by user via LivingLovelyBlog on Pinterest

I love the sophisticated look of painted black trim, and combined with more casual furnishing like the above farm table and antiqued pendants, it can still feel comfortable and homey.

Source: decorpad.com via LivingLovelyBlog on Pinterest

Sophisticated black & white

Source: awelldressedhome.com via LivingLovelyBlog on Pinterest

Just a black door is a good compromise

Source: design-crisis.com via LivingLovelyBlog on Pinterest

Or maybe just the staircase?

One day I hope to be brave enough to do it in my own home!

Acrylic Tray Trend

2012-01-26T06:05:00.000-08:00

Source: blog.hgtv.com via LivingLovelyBlog on Pinterest

If you follow me on Pinterest you may have noticed that many of my latest pins have been on home offices. After two years of our laptop sitting on our dining room table, we've finally decided to furnish our home office! I am beyond excited, and while searching for organizational ideas I came across this office look from one of my favorite bloggers, Rashon Carraway aka Mr. Goodwill Hunting. I love the juxtaposition of the modern acrylic serving tray with classic leather wingback and tartan. I just may have to add one to my office!

I'd love to find a $2 thrifting option, but in case not, here are some lovely acrylic trays I found.

Source: cb2.com via LivingLovelyBlog on Pinterest

Big box option from CB2.com

Source: jonathanadler.com via LivingLovelyBlog on Pinterest

High-end option by Jonathan Adler

Source: etsy.com via LivingLovelyBlog on Pinterest

Personalized option from Etsy

Nifty Recessed Cabinet

2012-01-04T10:18:00.000-08:00

It's been awhile since my last post {I know, I'm a bad blogger!}, but I've been meaning to share our completed bathroom renovation and the details on our custom-made, recessed cabinet! Remember, here's the before....

BEFORE

...and he's the after.

AFTER

The difference is night and day! And, although we didn't technically gain any additional square footage, we tried to incorporate small changes to make the room feel more spacious.

We replaced the awkward white cabinet above the toilet with glass floating shelves, which take up much less visual space. We refurbished the existing recessed medicine cabinet to match the new dark chocolate vanity. At first, I was concerned about the openness of the vanity since storage space was already limited, but the trade off was building this nifty, recessed cabinet, which we tucked behind the door.

It's neatly hidden between two wall studs, and the custom door we built to match the wall treatment makes it virtually disappear! Now all the products that were stored beneath the old vanity {and then some!} are concealed.

Here are the instructions in case you want to tackle this project too!

Materials:

(3) 1'x6' primed MDF boards

(3) Concealed cabinet hinges

(1) 17" wide pine board

Shelf support pegs (4x per shelf)

Drill & drill bits

Wood screws

Any matching wall trim (we used wainscot to match the wall)

Pegboard (to use as a guide for drilling the adjustable shelf holes)

Primer/Paint

1. Obviously you'll need to open the wall between two studs (our walls were already open since we gutted the entire room). Prime and paint the now exposed backside of the drywall from the adjoining room.

2. After paint drys, measure and cut 2 pieces from the 1x6 MDF for the top and bottom plate of the cabinet. This should be roughly 16" or the width of your studs. (We decided to make the cabinet 12" deep even though it protrudes from the wall slightly. This allows for a toilet paper roll to fit inside, but you could rip down the 1x6 board to sit flush with the wall. If you choose to do this, just make sure to accommodate the width of the door.)

3. Now is the time to paint the boards if you choose to do so, but we left them factory primed.

4. Install your top and bottom plate with screws. (You may need to move or install cross supports between the studs to secure your top & bottom plate if they do not exist. We made our cabinet the height of the existing cross supports which was about 5'.)

5. Now, measure and cut the sides. Use the pegboard as a guide to drill holes the length of each side board for the shelf support pegs. Follow the manufacture instructions for the peg supports to determine the size of the hole.

6. Secure the side boards to the interior of the wall studs with screws.

7. From the remaining MDF, measure and cut you're shelves. Install the peg supports and shelves.

8. Cut the pine board to the height of the cabinet. Add any trim and/or paint.

9. Install the hinges to the manufacture instructions and mount the door.

Happy DIYing!

Stylish Pumpkins

2011-10-26T03:32:00.000-07:00

Still need to decorate your pumpkins? Here are some quick, easy and {might I say} very stylish ideas that require little to no skill!

Check out the celestial-style carving I did this weekend! All it took was a drill, some battery powered string christmas lights and I was done in less than an hour! Here the how-to.

Preppy, plaid painted pumpkins

BHG.com

Simple black and white painted pumpkins

CountryLiving.com

Carved house number, stacked pumpkins

Sunset.com

Hardware house numbers

Lowescreativeideas.com

Candy, corn painted pumpkins

BHG.com

Fabric Fun

2011-10-06T13:33:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I took a trip over to the a local fabric warehouse and found some amazing remnant pieces! Can you tell I was in a neutral mood?!

I think my favorite one is the mustard yellow ikat, but still can't believe how perfectly the yellow and grey striped fabric that I found matches my dinner napkin throw pillows! I think this time, though, I need to borrow a sewing machine:)

Basket Organization

2011-09-19T08:48:00.000-07:00

I have a mild obsession with baskets. I find tons of uses for them all over the house from corralling dog toys, to filling awkward spaces, to keeping closets neat. I find that if you give things a proper place in your home it's much easier to stay organized and clutter free. And, whenever I can label things, I am twice as happy! {I know, I'm a super organization dork}.

So I was so excited to find these fancy labels in the scrapbook section of the craft store. I just super clued them to some ordinary baskets and voila! easy organization.

Dinner Napkin Throw Pillows

2011-09-15T09:29:00.000-07:00

When I told husband-to-be that I was going to hang tablecloths as curtains {see post}, he thought I was crazy. So when I came home from Target with matching dinner napkins and told him I was going to make coordinating throw pillows, he surely thought I had lost my mind!

I was a little nervous too – the last time I sewed anything more than a button, was in eighth grade Home Ec class. In the end though, I'm thrilled with the results! For less than $20, I have two custom throw pillow (I used down pillow inserts that I already had which I purchased for Ikea years ago and ripped our 2 zippers from some old throw pillow covers).


Target Home Neutral Mum Napkin - $19.99 set of 8

My Wedding Inspiration

2011-08-15T08:23:00.000-07:00

After having to postpone our wedding because the venue we booked could not finish renovations in time, I was so over the whole process. HTB {husband-to-be} and I seriously contemplated running off to an island, but after some thought, I still really wanted a wedding. So we found a beautiful new venue in Newport, RI. I took a break from the wedding stuff for a while and slowly started to get back into it. I had a hard time envisioning my "new" wedding, but have finally settled on a color scheme. Check out my inspriation phots and tell me what you think!

theberry.com

Stylemepretty.com

MarthaStewart.com

WeddingPaperDivas.com

With-this-ring.blogspot.com

MarthaStewart.com

Jcrew.com

It's a Dogs Life

2011-07-28T02:54:00.000-07:00

I'm always looking for ways to incorporate dog-friendly elements into my home. So if you haven't guessed already I'm a huge dog lover. So it's not surprising that HTB {husband-to-be} and I are contemplating incorporating our pup into our wedding next May. I just read in the latest issue of The Knot that 4% of couples include their pet in their wedding! We haven't decided if we will actually have him there, but he'll definitely be present at least in spirit. Here are some fun ways I've found to incorporate your pet.

Flickr

Look at the face!

with--this--ring.blogspot.com

TheKnot.com

With--this--ring.blogspot.com

Oxygen.com

From Tori & Dean's Storybook Wedding. Instead of toss rice or confetti, guests tossed a pug!

Pretty Blue Bottles

2011-07-20T16:59:00.001-07:00

I was doing some shopping a Anthropologie {one of my favorite stores!} and saw these painted bottles being used for display. So pretty and beachy - they almost look like seaglass! I'd love a incorporate a DIY version into the wedding, but how? Tell me your suggestions!

Slowly but surely

2011-07-19T05:00:00.001-07:00

Thought I'd share the progress on our bathroom remodel. We are in month number seven and we're not done yet! Only a few more finishing touches to go, then I'll share the full reveal! For now enjoy the sneak peek:)

Is it worth it?

2011-07-14T05:13:00.000-07:00

Source: flickr.com via Melanie on Pinterest

It's 7:50 pm and I am half way through my 1 1/2 hour long commute home. As sit on the train tip tapping away on my Blackberry answering work emails and watching the sun set on my day that started at dawn, I wonder 'Is this really worth it? Is this what life is supposed to be?'

It's been awhile since my last post, but life suddenly took a sharp left and has not left me with much free time. I recently started a new corporte job which is proving to be very long hours. Since I haven't shared what I do for a living you all don't know that I work in digital marketing in the media industry. In my previous job worked for a cable network, but now I'm working in magazine publishing {I'm a magazine junkie!}

Source: designspongeonline.com via Hannah on Pinterest

Don't get me wrong, the job is great, but right about the same time I was offered the position I also found out that I had been accepted to the Parsons School of Design for their Interior Design program. I was excited {and a little nervous} to take classes like Drawing, Art History and Color Theory. Now I'm not sure I'll have the time to manage a full-time, demanding career and school. Maybe once I settle into this new role, things will change or maybe I should embrace this new direction.

Either way, my one comfort is the free copy of Coastal Living that is tucked away in my bag {one of the my favorite perks of working for a magazine publisher}.

Now For Sale

2011-06-20T08:02:00.000-07:00

Big News! Today, I am officially a retailer - check out my shop on Esty! I only have one item so far {start small, right?!}, but I hope to create lots of lovely items soon.

This is actually an item I created for my house and loved it so much that I thought I'd share it with you all! Here's the gallery I created in our living room. You may remember the print from an earlier post and the wooden bowl was a steal at $5.99 from Ikea! This would also look lovely in a set of 2! Tell me what you think and get your own on Etsy!

Countertop Time!

2011-06-16T05:22:00.000-07:00

After months of complaining {19 to be exact}, husband-to-be finally agreed to get new counter tops for our kitchen - yay! It all actually started when we were looking for houses. One of my must-haves was a garbage disposable. Of course the house we chose didn't have one so I made HTB promise we'd install one someday. Well after living in the house a few months, I decided if we were to install a garbage disposable, we should probably replace the sink and if we were to replace the sink then we should probably also replace the counter tops {perfectly logical, right?!}.

Here's where you come in....help me choose my counter tops! Which color would you go with in our kitchen? {PS the cream cabinets are staying, but we are planning to replace the backsplash}

Here's some inspiration photos:

The safe choice - sand colored with dark brown flecks.

A creamy neutral look from Sarah's House! We couldn't afford Carrara, but maybe white is the way to go.

An afforable option - butcher block with a marble backsplash.

All photos: Decorpad

Easy as 1-2-3

2011-06-14T06:33:00.001-07:00

Who knew spray paint was so versatile?! Ok maybe only the entire rest of the world except for me, but I feel like recently I've been seeing it used in so many unique ways. So when I saw a commercial for spray paint specifically designed for painting plastics, a whole new world of possibilities were opened for me.
My first project: spray paint our dingey, old wall a/c unit cover. Since the air conditioner still works great I would hate to replace it just for aesthetic purposes, but the white plastic has yellowed over the years and was showing its age. This was by the one of the easiest projects so far! Tell me what household item you could freshen up with spray paint.

1. Paint

2. Remove cover, tape areas not to be painted.

3. Volia! From dingy yellow to sparkling white.

Pretty Practical Home

2011-06-08T11:17:00.000-07:00

One of my big pet peeves is when designers create beautiful spaces that are neither practical nor functional. I suppose there is a place for that type of design for the uber wealthy or to serve as inspiration - sort of like runway couture, but I don't think the majority of us live that way.

Take this kitchen for example. It's *Beautiful*, but those cabinets are SO not practical!

Source: apartmenttherapy.com via Marta on Pinterest

One of my biggest challenges in designing/decorating my home is practicality and functionality. The reality is we live a messy life - with dirty shoes, dog hair, multi-purpose rooms and lots of paper {seriously where does all the paper come from?!}. My house is nothing like the house I grew up where there were very delicate nick knacks in every crevice and precious antique furniture not meant for sitting.

Every purchase I make has to pass the test 1. Will this break easily? 2. Is it washable/cleanable or will it repel dog hair? I think this is why function often trump style in peoples' homes - its a balance I'm constantly struggling with. Here are some of my favorite beautiful, yet functional spaces that inspire me and keep the hope alive that I can have a stylish yet livable home too!

Photo: Artisan Kitchens LLC via Houzz.com

Nice, pretty way to tuck away dog bowls. Also love the snack draws too - perfect size for little hands to put away their own snacks!

Source: emilyaclark.blogspot.com via LivingLovelyBlog on Pinterest

Stylish, functional kitchen. If you're looking for design inspiration for the family-friendly home, Emily A. Clark is one of my favs!

Source: traditionalhome.com via LivingLovelyBlog on Pinterest

Lovely use of space - the crystal knobs are the perfect touch of elegance!

Source: elledecor.com via LivingLovelyBlog on Pinterest

Pretty and livable living room

Photo: Art Streiber for In Style, March 2009

One of my all time favorite rooms.

Window Dressing

2011-06-03T05:40:00.000-07:00

I've been racking my brain for some time now as to how to dress the numerous windows in our living/dining room. I have 5 windows in total, but only 8 walls. I don't want the room to look like a circus tent! I also don't want to spend a fortune {why are curtains so expensive?!}

So after several purchases and returns, I decided to get a little crazy. I stopped by Target the other day to grab ONE item - a table runner. They were out {bummer} but I noticed the lovely tableclothes - so many fun designs. Then I noticed the dimensions were nearly the same as a curtain panel {ding ding ding}. Oh yes I did...

...I hung tableclothes on my walls and they look great! At a fraction of the cost of curtains, I think this option is perfect. What do you think? Would love to hear about your wacky decor ideas that turned out great!

I used drapery clips to hang the tableclothes.

The curtain rods are from Target too!

60x84" = the perfect size! Bonus: I purchased the matching napkins to make throw pillows.

My next project: The Guest Bedroom

Total Cost: $220.00
6 Tableclothes @ $17.99 ea. = $108.00
5 Drapery Rods @ $13.99 ea = $69.95
6 Sets of Drapery Clips @ 6.99 ea = $41.95
For six windows, I think that's pretty good!

Nautical Destination Wedding

2011-05-27T07:18:00.000-07:00

So it's been a while since my last post {embarrassed blogger}. Life has been moving fast, but I have not forgotten about you all! The bathroom renovation is coming along - we might actually be showering in there by this time next month! It's only been 6 months showering the in basement {sigh}. The DIY bench project was a success! I promise to post pictures and the step-by-step guide soon. Wedding planning is also kicking into high gear. Here's a sneak peek of the save-the-date I'm designing. My inspiration came one of my favorite wedding blogs, Lovely Little Details, which did a post from a guest blogger named Erika of Radiant Republic. Let me know what you think so far!

The hardest part was finding a free vector map of Rhode Island, but I found this great site with a plethora of free maps!

Here's the inspiration.

Photo: Ice Cream Social Shoppe

Living Room Update

2011-05-03T10:46:00.000-07:00

I have been a bit MIA lately, but I have been a busy little home decorator! It took us almost two full weekends and some extra hands from our family, but we finally finished painting our living room! Check out the before & after below. Plus, my baragin hunting finds (a la Target) are put to use.

THE AFTER

A few coats of paint and our living room is already looking so much brighter and more modern! I used Benjamin Moore's Cedar Key for the wall color (it was left over from our bedroom makeover so it didn't cost a dime!). You may also recongize the chair and rug I scored on sale at Target. And my Homegoods stool, that I found on clearance for $30, is being put to good use a side table.

THE BEFORE

A little too log cabin for me. What are we going to do with those beams?! Ugh

Tried my best to hid the moster fireplace with pillows. Can't wait to get rid of the awful rock!

I also purchased this tray at Target. In general, I'm not a fan of photo trays, but at only $20 this tray was the right price. I am going to replace the photo mat with a patterned piece of paper or fabric.

A Little Character

2011-05-02T11:04:00.000-07:00

I am a huge fan of the clearance rack at Target. I have scored some amazing finds from there in my day (if you don't already know, all the deals are on the back ends of the aisles). Well this past weekend I scored the deal of all deals!

Target Wood Frame Mirror - $49.99

I saw this mirror on a previous trip to Target. I liked it, but didn't love it enough to spend 50 bucks. I decided to let the mirror go and boy am I glad I did! I found this dinged up one in the clearance section for $12!! Such a steal AND I like it better with some character.

Target Wood Frame Mirror (with a little extra character) - $12 on clearance

Welcome home little mirror! You will love your new living room once you're hung on the wall. We even finished painting just in time for your arrival!

Are you new or are you vintage? Who can tell!

Just the perfect amount of dings and scratches.

Seventeen Dollar Kitchen Makeover

2011-04-26T11:24:00.000-07:00

This weekend HTB {aka husband-to-be} and I masked an Easter celebration with a full-on painting party at our house. We had both our families down and put them all to work! We tackled our living/dining room {2 coats of primer and a whole lota trim}, the bathroom {yes, it's coming along slowly} and our kitchen. Here's the before and afters of the kitchen. A little paint and lots of helping hands goes a long way, don't ya think?!

BEFORE

I remember hearing once that blue was the least appetizing color, and therefore, should never be used in a kitchen. Ha! Clearly, the previous owners did not get that memo! I could get over the blue walls, but why, oh why would they put in a blue counter top and sink?! Just awful.

AFTER

Hello green! My goal was to minimize the overwhelming amount of blue. I went for creamy and cheery green from the Martha Stewart paint collection called Artichoke Heart {thought the name was fitting for a kitchen}. I really can't believe the difference...it feels so much more warm and yummy!

I pulled this rug from the living room. I actually think it works quite well here. That stove has got-to-go though!

Purchased this shelf from Homegoods. It's perfect for storing keys, dog leashes and other miscellaneous items that collect by the door.