room to grow

Color of the Year: Emerald

2013-03-17T06:47:00.000-07:00

Every year around this time, Pantone releases their spin on what the Color of the Year trend forecast will be. For 2013, they've chosen an emerald tone, which reads a bit more blue than your typical Kelly Green.

When asked about the rationale for choosing this color for 2013, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute, Leatrice Eiseman responded: "Green is the most abundant hue in nature- the human eye sees more green than any other color in the spectrum... Symbolically, Emerald brings a sense of clarity, renewal, and rejuvenation, which is so important in today's complex world. This powerful and universally appealing tone translates easily to both fashion and home interiors".

In light of it being St. Patrick's day, and with the coming of Spring, this is a good choice. It carries optimism and a reserved sense of fun. I'm interested to see how this color trend will carry through to the back half of the year, and which tones will be pared with it to make a bold green become the shade for Fall and Winter.

Color of the Week: Indigo

2012-10-12T08:00:00.000-07:00

For myself, the essence of Fall this year, is best represented by deep, inky indigo hues. Indigo in its nature is a hard color to peg. On its own, it relays a thousand shades and more depth than you could ask for. But, when pared with a complimentary color, its true tone- blue or purple- comes to life.

This week's color is from Benjamin Moore's new Color Stories line, and is called Approaching Storm CSP-535. It is a moodier indigo, and carries a muted gray tone about it. A color like this can stand on its own, and really doesn't need to rely on a brighter accent to carry it through. I see this shade working well for a dining room- one with crown molding and architectural interest. I could also see this color working well in a bedroom, casting a dark shadow to emulate the nighttime sky.

I must admit, that my recent indigo obsession was spurred on by the candle featured above. It's from Pier 1, and the fragrance is called "Indigo Blues" and contains notes of cedar, patchouli, and musk. I've pretty much had it burning non-stop, every evening, for the past few weeks. When picturing Fall-time imagery, most direct their thoughts immediately to burnt orange and golden tones. This year, I like to consider the inky indigo that truly is the Fall's dusky approach.

Bathroom Art 2.0

2012-10-09T08:00:00.000-07:00

It's pretty typical. People usually come over, and the first thing they say is, "oh my god, I loove your entryway- it's so bright and fun!". And we thank them, and move on. And then they say, "woow, I loove your hot pink living room", and usually follow it up with a comment on how they wish they had brighter colors in their home. And statements like these cause me to realize that our entire place is a conversation starter, just waiting to happen. But, hands down, the best surprise of all is when one of them uses the bathroom, and come out with a big grin on their face. And I can tell that they've just seen our designated towel holders and the personalized artwork that accompanies it (all chronicled over here).

As Hazel has gotten a bit bigger, and no longer has her mouth hidden by an enormous pacifier, I decided to update her picture, and personalize it a bit to her likes and who she is. I drew her as a mermaid, in a yellow tutu, discovering treasure. The mermaid bit was a must, as she is enamoured with all things ocean, and as especially been on the mermaid bandwagon ever since Barbie came out with a mermaid movie (just in case you weren't aware, Barbie has decided to stop being a plastic doll, and is now starring in animated children's films). The tutu is a homage to her love of dancing, and she is certainly ahead of the pack when it comes to movement. And finally, the discovery of treasure is all about how fascinated she is by the world around her- and how every day brings her wonderment and surprise.

Next up is Everett's first drawing. This one I struggled with a bit, as he's only a couple of months old, and hasn't really taken up interests such as mermaids or dance as of yet. How do you possibly capture the personality of someone who is just becoming who they are?- it's a pretty daunting task. I decided to go a bit generic and draw him in his whale bath tub- and the thing that I wanted to capture most with his drawing was his smile. He has a great smile- it truly takes up his entire face. And his laugh sounds just like something out of a Huggies commercial. The green frame is one that we picked up at IKEA when we were newly pregnant with him- long before we knew that he was a boy. And it is one of the best colors on him. After drawing both his and Hazel's pictures, I'm interested to see what his next update will be, and what sorts of interests and changes will accompany it.

And finally, here's the whole family: I decided not to update Jackie's and my picture, as I still get quite a kick out of them. We're hoping to get some new towels for us- maybe our own color too, or something to match our frames. And it's not merely a cosmetic change, as we've had these towels for a looong time, and it's time for something fluffy and new. When we hung the towel hooks, we hung four, and used the far right one has a guest towel hook for the longest time, just saving it for the day when our family of 4 would be complete. This is probably one of my greatest artistic achievements, and it brings me joy every morning. And I'll never grow tired of witnessing someone step out of our bathroom, having seen the pictures for the first time, with a massive grin on their face.

Reupholstering a Wing Back Chair

2012-10-07T21:52:00.000-07:00

This is one of those moments when I desperately wished that I had a before picture. Instead, I have a bit of a story, and a whole lot of after.

When we began to discuss options for giving up a nook in our bedroom for Everett (more to come on that soon), one of the wants that we outlined for the space was a comfortable chair to rock Everett to sleep in. After many failed IKEA attempts, and not really willing to spend $500+ on something from Pier 1 or Sears, we went thrifting. Rather, Jackie did the thrifting will I was at work. She scoped out a few gems and sent pictures of them to my phone. Our number one priority was comfort and function, but something that wasn't too sore on the eyes was a bit necessary as well. My other priority- which I made pretty loud and clear, was that the chair would somehow have to be reupholstered. I'm not sure why, but I seriously get heebie-jeebies whenever I sit in a thrift store chair... like I have bugs and grease crawling all over my body. I guess you could file it under "snob", right along with my stubborn nature to only drink Starbucks coffee.

Anyways, of the three chairs that we checked out, the one we ended up purchasing stuck out the most because it was a wing back chair, and it was the most comfortable: score. However, it would also be the most difficult to reupholster: boo. I should've learned from recovering that Roman Shade, that I just am no good with fabric. So, for $40, we purchased a wing back chair that was brownish in color (I say "ish" because there really were many tones going on, and brown was the most recognizable), and had wood stained cabriole legs.

Similar to the Roman Shade, there was much debate over the choice of fabric that we would use to cover it. When we moved into our apartment, we purchased a small TULLSTA chair from IKEA, and Hazel really messed that chair up. It didn't clean easily, and the solid color of the fabric really showed off any stain. *yuck*. This taught us that the fabric needed to be super durable and easy to clean. We also didn't want to spend an arm and a leg on the fabric, as this chair could easily turn into a $100+ project, and that would defeat the purpose of buying something used. After many failed fabric store attempts, we remembered an old green fabric with lots of pattern on it, that we had purchased in bulk on a clearance table at IKEA, probably 5 years ago. Fortunately, we had more than enough fabric to get the job done.

And so, here is the final result:

WOW! So, how did we do it? Well, I'm only going to claim about 5% of this victory, and I'm going to attribute the rest to my amazing wife. Before we get into the nitty-gritty, let's take a moment to admire the radness of the fabric: Yes, it does showcase trees, purple cars, a heart, silhouettes of people, and even a cow.

Now, for the execution of the project. Prior to even picking up a sewing needle, I attempted to read up on some reupholstery tutorials. Most implied that the best way to perform a successful reupholstery, was to cut up the existing fabric and remove it from the furniture piece. Then, to cut the same size shapes from the fabric, and reattach. Simple, right? Well, just as quickly as I finished reading up on this information, Jackie pretty much had half of the chair done, without ever ripping a single piece of fabric off. How did she do it? Well, I'm still not entirely sure. She's kind of awesome that way. She just roughly measured, cut up the fabric, and sewed piece by piece to cover the entire surface area. It was pretty remarkable to witness. To attach the newly formed fabric slipcover, we used upholstery tacks that we purchased at a fabric store. We debated getting some chunky silver ones, and using them to border the edges of the arm rests, but decided to keep it simple with the plain black tacks. And with a few flicks of a hammer, the chair was crafted into a new life.

Oh, and as for my 5% of the contribution: I got to paint the legs! And I was more than honored to do it! It did take one coat of primer, two coats of Benjamin Moore's Swiss Coffee, and 2 coats of water-based high gloss Varathane to get the job done. But it certainly transformed those legs from a drab walnut stain to a chic and modern look.

And, yes, all of these pictures were taken in our living room, due to the fact that the chair really didn't last in the nursery nook for very long. Originally it fit nice and snug between the wall and Everett's bassinet. But, Everett didn't stay little for long, and we had to quickly upgrade him to a full-size crib, which meant that the chair had to go... into the living room!- which gave a great opportunity for us to ditch that nasty and generic TULLSTA, and replace it with something personalized and easy to clean.

So, there you have it: a long-winded explanation on how a chair came into our lives, with very little explanation as to how to reupholster a chair. My advice: marry someone brilliant- they'll figure out the rest.

Fall is Here

2012-10-06T21:59:00.005-07:00

I was having coffee with a friend last night, discussing the change of seasons, and how- on many levels- it just doesn't feel like Fall yet. Sure, the Pumpkin Spice Lattes are abundant. And, I suppose there's an occasional barren tree, surrounded by a base of orange leaves. But, something seems missing. So, I had Hazel help me bring a little bit of Fall into our home.- which, for the record, Hazel doesn't seem to understand the concept of Fall, as whenever I tell her that Fall is here, she says, "oh, Fall!", and drops to the ground.

Below is the latest addition to our Fall decor- it's a white ceramic owl that I bought for Jackie on the first day of Fall, to help ring in the new season. Knowing us, once Fall is done, I'm pretty sure that the owl will take up permanent residence in our living room- but, who knows.

Oh, and speaking of owls- I pretty much spent the entire 2011 year blogging whenever applicable about the owl butter dish from West Elm. Well, I definitely bought it as a surprise for Jackie for Christmas. I love it's sunny yellow color, and now that our family is a unit of 4, it holds that much more meaning.

Anyways, back to Fall- with the chilly night air seeping into our living room, that Hazel and I have just decorated, and with a fresh batch of candy corn, and orange candles glimmering, Fall is here, and wherever you are.

Trend to Watch: Foxes

2012-10-05T23:08:00.000-07:00

I think that it was around this time last year that I predicted the trend of owls- and look at how that exploded! Just in our own living space, I can count 4 owl-related decorative items that are part of our everyday decor. But, as the owl trend seems to be fleeting away, it's become apparent that foxes are the new owls.

Check out some of these great fox-related finds!:

Fox placemat:

Ceramic fox speaker:

Platinum Fox:

Sly Fox Door Knocker:

On a recent trip to the Canadian Superstore, we came across this new line of kids decor called Jump Kids World Collection. We snapped up a clock and a storage bin for Hazel- both with a fox motif!

Here's the clock:

and here's the storage bin:

The fox is a creature that brings some well-needed warmth into the coming Autumn and Winter months. He can be portrayed as friendly or sly, and I highly recommend showcasing fox decor in the main living areas of your home, as it can tend to be a seasonal item, and may not hold the same weight during the warmer Spring and Summer months, as it does in the later half of the year.

Re-covering a Roman Shade

2012-10-03T22:27:00.000-07:00

This is a DIY project that has been plaguing my To-Do Lists for months! I was in way over my head with this one, and as per usual, it was all my idea. And as with all great ideas, this one began with a need... sort of. It all started with the need of covering up the light that poured in from our french door leading onto our balcony. For the time being, as we were unsure of what window covering to go with, we draped a piece of IKEA fabric that was pinned onto a magnetic curtain rod. While the temporary covering looked great, it still did not block out enough light, and the rod fell down a few times when Hazel would tug onto the fabric *ouch!*

As I've mentioned before, one of the perks of my job at Home Depot, is that when product comes in damaged or neglected, I can get first dibs at receiving it at a potentially discounted price. I had a customer who had purchased some Roman Shades for a set of french doors. One of the shades came slightly un-glued at the bottom rail, and this was unacceptable to her- and so, we re-ordered a new shade for her. I then called the manufacturer to inquire about shipping the broken shade back to them. They suggested that I simply throw the shade in the garbage, as it was off no use to them... did I mention that the shade was worth $350? And they wanted me to throw it out!? So, I pulled some strings, and got the blind for free! It had a top down/ bottom up feature- meaning that the shade could be lowered and raised from the top and the bottom of the blind. The only issue I had with it was its silky, cream-colored fabric. It was a bit too old lady for my liking.

Jackie and I tormented ourselves trying to find the perfect fabric to cover the shade- as it had to be thick enough to block most of the light, had to be somewhat fun and whimsical, and had to be a fabric that we wouldn't grow tired of for a long time. We stumbled upon this green indoor/outdoor fabric at Fabricland- on discount- and thought it would be a solid addition, as the tones went well with the dresser and Hazel's play mat.

As far as re-covering the shade went... well, I think I spent a few hours simply staring at the fabric and the roman shade, trying to come up with a brilliant scheme of how to tackle the project. I assumed that sewing would be involved, and late one night, I sewed the top seam of the shade on via hand-stitch, as sewing machines and myself tend to not get along. Realizing that this project was becoming more of a chore than anything, I decided to speed things up by purchasing some fabric glue. The plan was to start by gluing at the seams, waiting for it to dry, and then wrapping the excess fabric tight, and gluing that to the back of the shade. I applied the glue very liberally to the seams between the fabric's folds. And it seemed to be working great, until it dried- and looked like dried snot. It was pretty discouraging. So, I threw the shade back into the closet, and let some more time pass.

Fortunately, as time went on, the seams were less snot-like, and now I was left with having to glue the excess fabric down the sides of the shade. For this, I pursued a different avenue: using iron-on fabric tape. And what a difference it made!- Gone was the snotty-glue appearance. And instead, I ended up with crisp, clean lines. My recommendation: use that iron-on tape! It made the project a breeze, and I was happy to have the shade re-covered.

The final step of the Roman Shade project was to mount it to the door. The door was metal, and so I made sure to purchase metal screws, rather than use the cheap drywall screws that came with the blind. Jackie ended up doing the mounting part, as I just couldn't seem to drill a pilot hole evenly. The only tragedy that occurred with hanging the blind was that, during the process of hanging the brackets, the blind was stepped on, and shattered one of the clips that operated the top down/ bottom up feature. Boo. But, the blind served its purpose. It's a project that I'm really glad to have completed- but will likely never do again. It resulted in too much hassle, and felt more like a chore than a project that I was excited about. However, it felt pretty good to step back and admire the shade once it was mounted. Gone was the nasty granny-linen fabric; it was replaced with a funky floral print that complimented our living room perfectly.

After having the shade up on the door for many months- and throughout the summer especially, the shade has certainly served its purpose. It has become as much a part of the room as the hot pink feature wall, or our color coded DVD shelves. And best of all- it keeps our creeper neighbors from looking in!

Where'd You Go?

2012-10-02T21:48:00.000-07:00

OK, definitely guilty as charged... I think that my last post was in January, at which point, I think I may have made some commitment to start blogging more often... well, now being in October, it's pretty clear that didn't happen. So, what's been so important that has pulled me away from the decorating and blog universe?

Well, first of all, I received a promotion at work in March. I went from being a Home Decor Sales Associate to a Supervisor of Flooring and Decor at good ole' Home Depot. It's something that I've worked really hard for, and was honored to be recognized for the position. Having said that, it certainly has increased my work load, and there is a bit more stress accompanied with the job. But, at the end of the day, I love what I do, so it's all worth it. While I really enjoyed helping people with their home decor chaos, I enjoy helping coach other people in doing that role even more. So, that's that for now, and I suppose we'll see where that position takes me.

Secondly, and more importantly, on May 24th, we welcomed our son, Everett, into the world. He's a really content little guy, and has the best laughs on smiles. Meanwhile, it's been a bit exhausting keeping up with a two and a half year old as well. Hazel's been busy doing everything from learning new vocabulary, starting dance class, and even lathering her entire body in Vicks VapoRub- another story for another time.

So, all in all, there's been some pretty amazing life changes that have prominently taken priority away from blogging and home decor in general. I'm hoping to give this another go, and am really excited to share with you some projects I've recently completed, as well as some knowledge that I've gleaned in my current promotion. So, here we go again- hopefully for the long haul.

It's Been Awhile...

2012-01-30T20:08:00.000-08:00

Well, I'm going to see if I can kick-start this whole home decor blogging thing again, and get posting more often (at lease more than once a month, if at all possible).

There are many projects on the go at home, and I hope to share some of them with you soon.

And so, here is my revised, self-inflicted honey do list (in no particular order)

1. Re-cover a roman shade in a fabric we like, and attempt to mount it to a metal door.

2. Mount a safety-chain lock to the front door (to be more safe)

3. Paint the bathroom! (we did pretty good- the bathroom's only been 2 colors in one year, and it's time to switch it up)

4. Find a home and a purpose for this white metal medicine-style cabinet from IKEA.

5. Salvage thrift stores for a new side table for the deck for gardening season! (the LACK table has seen better days... the veneer is starting to strip off... sketchy).

6. Do some family tree inspired artwork as a family!

7. Repaint my metal pipe candlestick holders... yet again.

8. Get some pictures hung up- it's almost been a year, I think it's time to get settled in!

9. Donate like crazy! If we don't use it, it's gotta go!

We'll see where these adventures take us- and I'll do my best to avoid yet another failed attempt at blogging.

Black is the new White

2012-01-17T20:35:00.000-08:00

Much of my downtime at work is usually spent engulfed in the latest issues of Style At Home, House and Home, Dwell, and Elle Decor magazines. Typically, I flip through page after page, yearning for some inspiration to incorporate into my own home. For the past 2 years, there has been a common theme through every single issue of these magazines: white walls. Nearly every home or living space featured is saturated with houses upon houses of blank white walls, just aching to be painted and decorated. I get how white can be a fantastic color for a backdrop to help punchy accent colors look, well, even more punchy. But, I despair that the industry is laying waste to this trend of a blank canvas.

I've been drooling over the exact opposite lately: dark inky colored walls- shades of black, off-blacks, and blue-blacks that can afford a lot of drama. People fear that dark colored walls will make a room feel too small. The only thing that will make a room feel too small is a lack of space planning and poor decorative execution. True that white walls will reflect light better, and allow for a brighter feel. But, if lighting is such a concern, consider getting a higher bulb wattage to better illuminate a dark color.

I first experienced this black bliss when I painted the back door of our apartment an off-black. The room gained an immediate dramatic presence, and looks much more thought out. I'm going to be as bold as to venture that black is the new white. May the coming months be filled with magazine pages full of ebony and ink dripping walls, saturated with dark hues- many livable rooms to spark the imagination.

I Love This Mirror!

2012-01-03T18:33:00.000-08:00

Let's just take a quick break from whatever we're all doing right now to discuss how fabulous this mirror is:

Dexter Mirror

It was designed and sculpted by Stephen Antonson (I have this weird affinity for people with the same name and spelling as me), and a consumer-ized version was just released through West Elm. But, I seriously love this mirror! I love how it resembles a spine and all things fossilized and looks chalky to the touch. I would love to mount it on a inky black wall, preferably in a bathroom or an entryway, with very obscured and dim lighting. I love this mirror! It's considerably healthy to appreciate the finer things of life- and I love this mirror!

2012 Color Of The Year

2011-12-26T20:51:00.000-08:00

It's that time of the year when everyone starts making the big predictions and claims for what they feel will be the next trend, or the next big thing. Some trends are spot on, while others can be a bit outrageous. On the other hand, there's many people out there who, especially when it comes to their homes, flat out refuse to buy into any sort of trend, and pursue items and accessories that will last them a lifetime. Oh, how we envy those self-assured types. For the rest of us, trend-spotting can be quite the adventure! And there's no greater satisfaction than being the first to spot the latest trend... unless you were the one to actually start the trend, that is.

Recently, Pantone announced its trend color for 2012, and it is: *drum roll*

TANGERINE TANGO!

Do I love the pick?- hell yes! Do I agree that its the color to represent 2012?- not so much. I think it's a bit over-the-top for a common trend color, but, once again, there's nothing quite like raising the bar and being a bit obscene. I see this tomato-red shade working quite well in modernist settings, and am intrigued to see how the traditionalists will embrace it (or, if they will at all).

Back to all that talk of trend spotting: the very first thing that I thought of when I saw the color of the year was Hazel's play kitchen, and how the hue is almost identical! I then remembered waaay back to my first Color of the Week last year, which was also the same tone! I'm not sure if I'd go as far as to call myself a trend setter- but definitely a trend spotter. And now, the pressure is on for me to find and share the next great thing!

Christmas Decorating Faux Pas

2011-12-13T19:49:00.000-08:00

Okay, call me satirical, or a critic, or even a grinch, but there is one Christmas decor fad that I simply cannot find permissable. And that is: picture frames, or wall art, wrapped in wrapping paper with a bow, and then hung back on the wall. Even as a child, I've often wondered if these people that commit this atrocity, wake up on Christmas morning, and unwrap their wall-art-gifts, surprised to find the same art that they had wrapped over a month ago. I wonder if these people feel a sense of awe, or incredibly lame- I'm voting for the latter. My deepest Christmas philosphy is that gift wrap belongs on the gifts. And that's it. Merry Christmas.

P.S. I actually do love all things Christmas (well, most of them), and this post is not meant to be a humgbug rant, but rather an SOS call for all those who commit the crime of picture wrapping!

Holiday Wishlist 2011

2011-12-08T18:38:00.000-08:00

Don't get me wrong- I'm generally not a petty person who will mass produce lists of the things that I expect people to buy me for Christmas (well, not since I was 12, at least). But, I thought that it might be fun to produce a list of home decor product that I've been eye-balling over the last few months. Maybe in turn, it will inspire you for all of your last minute shopping and gift purchasing.

1. Scandinavian Tree Tea Towel (West Elm)

2. Distortion Candlestick (Uncommon Goods)

3. Gourd Table Lamp (West Elm)

4. Pop Rocks Glass (Jonathan Adler)

5. Modernist Bowls (West Elm)

6. The End Bookend (CB2)

7. Garland Light (DIGS)

Faux Taxidermy: Still Not Loving It

2011-11-30T20:19:00.000-08:00

Would you believe that the most viewed post that I've had on this blog since I started back in April is one about Faux Taxidermy? It really makes me laugh a bit, as I consider how many people are running Google searches on the topic every single day.

In honor of that post that leads so many newcomers to my blog, I'd like to share with you a product that I stumbled upon this afternoon. It combines my love of Lego with my dislike of mounted dead deer heads:

That's right, it's a Taxidermy Deer Lego Kit! It can be purchased from David Cole, and wouldn't it just make the most perfect stocking stuffer!? Admittedly, if one of these showed up for me on Christmas morning, even though I'm still not digging the faux taxidermy trend, I'd still be inclined to mount this on my living room wall!

Xmas Reflections

2011-11-23T19:44:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I get to thinking that as rad as technology is, I have a certain discomfort with it. Take, for example, my lack of blogging lately- it's not to say that I'm lacking ideas, or have nothing to share, but simply that I'm just not feeling like plopping in front of a computer to execute my thoughts into words. Or, whenever I get a text message or email, I can take days, even weeks to reply to a message. I'm not sure why... I like to think of it as a technological fear or procrastination. Anyways, now that I've established a lame excuse to compensate for a lack of blogging lately, on to better things!

Not that it's a big surprise or anything, but it's just over a month until Christmas, and I'm getting pretty pumped for that. Having Hazel be another year older, and a bit more aware of her surroundings, I hope that this Christmas will be really special. As much as we flaunt the mantra of her already having too many toys and material goods, I can barely resist the urge to go out and buy her a million gifts! I yearly feel this way about Jackie as well, so I've been instructed not to get "too crazy" this year with the spending. I especially love wrapping gifts and preparing them for Christmas, and having them nestled under the tree for weeks! Speaking of tree nestling- we haven't put up the tree yet, but we may get around to that tomorrow. The bulk of our other Christmas decorations exploded into our place almost a month ago (right after Halloween!). And so, everything is twinkly, and bright, and nostalgic-like.

I've been crafting Hazel some felt toys for Christmas- once they're done, I'll share them with you. We've also decided to make as many gifts for family this year as we can- to save on cost, and to give a personalized touch. I'll also try to share as much of that as possible- without revealing who's getting what.

In the meantime, let's kick back with some eggnog lattes, and enjoy the best time of year!

Apothecary Style Candy Jar

2011-11-07T08:00:00.000-08:00

A few years ago, before we converted to apartment living, we used to live in a townhouse built in the 70s. One of the things that I loved/hated about the place, was that in the living room, we had a ledge that ran the entire width of the room (I think it was meant to be a breakfast area for bar stools), and we used it to store random junk. It was impossible to keep it clean. But, one of the items that we displayed on the ledge was candy jars- and our guests would love to help themselves to candy whenever they visited. Due to downsizing, the 4 candy jars were one of the things to go, due to a lack of space. What didn't change was our habit of keeping a bit of candy around the house, and it's often difficult to find a place to store it.

With the removal of some of our Fall decor, I managed to free up a bit of space on our Living Room Dresser. The problem I struggled with was finding a candy jar that wouldn't get lost amongst the other decorative items- if only there was a way to give it a bit of height, the jar would be more accessible, and it would be easier to create a sense of layering in the dresser vignette.

Enter an old wooden pillar candle holder from Debbie Travis' home collection from approx 2006. I purchased the candle holder because it had a bit of height to it, and at the time, I couldn't find any pillar holders I cared for that were in my budget range. I'll admit, I was never too keen on the look of it- it was very plain and streamlined, and lacked any sort of embellishment, and thus, has been living in the back of a storage cabinet for the past few years. I was at the point of wanting to donate it when, I decided to use it as the base of the candy jar to give it a bit of height! For the jar itself, I purchased a simple glass jar from the dollar store (for a whopping dollar!). The jar had a silver lid, and I really wanted the jar and the candle holder to feel cohesive.

The cure for that particular ailment?: paint, of course! I teetered back and forth between painting it a deep green, or a muted blue, but I really wanted to give it a bit of punch, but just couldn't come up with the right shade. I asked Jackie for advice- her suggestion: hot pink. And hot pink it was! I used the same color as our pink feature wall, just for continuity (and because I already had it, and didn't need to purchase any more paint!).

Prior to painting, I removed the lid from the jar, and attached an old finial I had kicking around, just to give it a finishing quality. And the finial went perfect with the lines of the candle holder base. I primed all the pieces, slapped on severeal coats of Benjamin Moore's Peony, and gave it all a very light coat of water based clear coat.

Once everything was dry, I attached the base to the jar by using a generous amount of clear glue (I chose a glue that was meant for fixing fish tanks and other glass applications). The only set back in the entire project (and there's always at least one!) was that I didn't handle the finial/ lid with care while the glue was setting, and it came off! Oh well, nothing that a bit more glue and paint couldn't fix.

The hot pink certainly delivered that punch I was looking for. I filled it up with some LifeSavers candies and lollipops for the time being- but I can't wait for Christmas to approach and to stack it full of red and white peppermints, or some bright Quality Street chocolates! YUM!

The Pure Awesomeness of Mercury Glass

2011-11-04T08:00:00.000-07:00

I'd like to dedicate this post to mercury glass, and my current obsession with it, and its awesomeness. Remember how 4 or so years ago, crackled glass was all the rage, and you could get that sweet effect in everything from candle holders to champagne flutes?- Well, this is better and a thousand times cooler than crackled glass.

First off- what the heck is mercury glass? Well, mercury glass refers to silvered glass, that, when blown with double walls, a liquid silvering solution is inserted, and then sealed. The result is a haphazard shimmering effect, that is heightened with a light source is reflected behind it (i.e. a mercury glass votive holder).

While I'm generally of the opinion that anything is DIYable on the cheap, I'm not sure if this is acheivable with this finish. There's numerous tutorials circulating online on how to get a mercury glass effect, but all of them involve using Krylon Looking Glass Spray Paint- a mini spray can that is practically obsolete- and can run you about $15 per can. For cheaper, you could get some mercury glass votive holders or vases from most home decor stores. There's a certain satisfication about doing something yourself- but at the same time, if I could get the same effect for significantly cheaper, I'm likely to choose that option.

With Christmas looming around the corner, I'm on the look out for any decor in this finish, and hope to incorporate some of it into our decorating for this year.

Speaking of which, one thing I often struggle with at this time of year is when is it considered too soon to bust out the Xmas decor? I know that the answer is personal and everyone has a different opinion, but Fall is legitamately around for another month and a half, and I spend so much time waiting for September to approach to bring out the Fall accents- it just seems short changed to only have it out for a month or two, and then to transition to Christmas so quickly. If possible, I think I'd like to try a slow transition. Maybe throw out a few rotting pumpkins, incorporate some metallics and silver candlestick holders. And save the tree for another few weeks. Knowing us though, Christmas will probably hit our home by the time the weekend is through.

A Second Pipe Dream

2011-10-31T08:00:00.000-07:00

It's pretty amazing when one DIY project can effortlessly lead to another. Last week, I posted about a candlestick holder that I had fashioned from some metal pipes and paint. That project in itself was a test, or "rough draft" that led to the project I want to share with you today.

Almost 5 Christmases ago, IKEA had a 3 tiered candelabra that I had purchased and loved dearly. Over the years, the metal candle holder developed a bit of rust (probably from improper storage) and became very difficult to open and set out. I tossed the thing out last year, and since then have been on the search for a new candelabra. To my dismay, I had yet to find a new one. Upon a stroke of brilliance a week or so ago, I realized- if you can't find what you like for sale, you should make it yourself! And the idea for this candelabra was born! Similar to last week's candle holder, this project took maybe half an hour to complete. I cleaned all the pipes, assembled them into the shape, primed it and painted! I used Autumn Purple for the color, and gave it a good heavy gloss, just to give it some eye candy qualities! (yum)

The only potential setback I came up against with this project was the pipes were about 1/16" too big for the candles- meaning that they leaned or tended to sway to one direction. The solution: wrap the bottom of the candles in several layers of tin foil to build up the depth.

I think what I admire most about this project is the blended contrast of the industrial pipes, with the punch of color. It currently is adding a dose of humor to our dining room table- but I think this candelabra is versatile enough to fit into most schemes!

P.S. Happy Halloween!

Color Of The Week: Hazy Lilac

2011-10-28T08:00:00.000-07:00

This week's color is a muted dusky purple- a tone that I just can't seem to get right. It's a fine line between being either too pink or too gray. I think this purple hits it right on the mark. I used to have this impulse to paint our bathroom this color- and who knows, maybe someday, that dream may come true. But, while I truly love muted tones, it's a struggle to incorporate them into a house full of bright, saturated colors. I'm also a pretty big fan of the Hazy Lilac color, as "Hazy" is a common nickname that we use for Hazel at home- so it just fits nicely.

Hazy Lilac 2126-40

While I have given up on purple hues over the past few months, the onset of Fall has brought them back to my mind, and I am feeling particularly inspired this week by a new line of furniture at IKEA. This is the ISALA Laptop Table- a style that fuses traditional elements with a modern twist. I absolutely love the color- and feel it fits in well with the Hazy Lilac tone.

ISALA Laptop Table

Lilacs carry with them a great deal of serenity, and are usually thought to be represented as a spiritual color. I'd stray from using a lilac as a main neutral, but rather in small rooms that could use an airy vibe. In the meantime, I'm going to save this one in the "color bank" as a resource for a well-deserved furniture project for the future.

Declutter

2011-10-27T08:00:00.000-07:00

I think that it's come to light that hoarding simply is one of those unforgivable sins in our culture (just think of all those hoarding TV shows that now exist)- the problem is, whether we want to admit it or not, we're all guilty of the crime on some level, and watching others hoard worse than us makes our own hoarding feel a bit more acceptable.

When you look around your living quarters, ask yourself this question: is my junk functional and contributing to my daily life? It's good to be surrounded by items with nostalgic value, and not everything has to be dual purposed. But, how much of our junk exists simply because we once spent money on it, and simply can't bear the thought of parting with it?

Enter the rule of 10%, which is: in your living space (specifically in your home organizers), you always want to reserve 10% of the space, or leave 10% empty to allow for new things to enter your life. If you're always living with no vancancy, you're not opening yourself up to any newness, or clutter will accumulate pretty quick!

To help assist with the decluttering process, consider having an outbox in your home. The outbox doesn't necessarily have to be a box, but an area that can house items that are ready to be parted with. Think of the outbox as a tool to help you seperate first, and to remove the item from your home later. Give any item in your outbox a week's stay, to allow you to process whether or not you're ready for the item to be removed from your life. After a week, consider whether the process worked and if you're ready to part with it, or if you feel it has substantial enough value to remain in your home.

Decluttering is an avid choice, and requires very little work- but rather, the emotional choice of letting go of the things around us. But, in reality, if you haven't used an item or appreciated it within the past 3 months, there's a strong chance that the item is ready to be decluttered from your life.

If our homes are a reflection of our lives and our personal journeys, perhaps having too much stuff, and leaving no room for growth or change speaks volumes as to who we are as people. Give yourself 10%- it will go a long way.

Here's a Tip

2011-10-26T08:00:00.000-07:00

If you'd asked me 2 years ago if I'd ever own a piece of painted furniture, or if I'd even re-paint a furniture item myself, I would've scoffed at you. And now, painted thrifted furniture items are some of the most loved treasures in my home. Throggh the many adventures of trying to prime and get into all the crevices of a furniture piece properly, there still is one chore that I despise like none other: painting the legs of a furniture piece! From what I've experienced, there literally is no way to get a good proper paint job on the legs. Well, at least, there wasn't: I came across this great tip from Martha Stewart (same source that prompted my carpet ghost post)- and she has a brilliant suggestion:

Before you begin painting, tap a finishing nail into the underside of each furniture leg. Turn the furniture item face up, and support the piece on the nails. Raising the piece off the ground will allow for a proper finish of the legs, and will allow the piece to dry properly (without getting stuck to the dropcloth!).

I definetly am going to try this tip out the next time I'm working on a big piece. (which hopefully will be sooner than later).

5 Minute Fall Decorating

2011-10-25T08:00:00.000-07:00

If you have just 5 minutes to get some decoarting done this Fall, and just aren't sure what to do- try wrapping a Fall-inspired ribbon around an existing candle for some instant color, pattern, and interest.

I found this owl ribbon at the bottom of the sewing drawer the other day, and just had to incorporate it into our Fall decorating somehow! It was such an easy little project: measure, cut, glue, and admire!

Life can get busy - but carve 5 minutes out of your day to give yourself a break and spend some time admiring the little things in life.

P.S. The above candle is from Bath & Bodyworks (I think it's called "Leaves" or "Falling Leaves" or something like that. We've been burning through it like crazy, and I didn't realize how gross it had gotten with the bits of burnt wicks stuck to the sides of the glass- sick! I apologize for my gross candle etiquette!

Pipe Dream

2011-10-24T08:00:00.000-07:00

See this picture:

Can you guess what these parts do and what purpose they serve?

...keep guessing...

....I'll give you a hint: the parts are teal-painted 3/4" round plumbing pipes...

...and they combine together to...

... form a candlestick holder!

I know, I spend too much time at work, dreaming up things that I can make with the junk I see around me- but this one is truly inspired!

I found these parts in a junk pile of plumbing parts, and snagged them for under a buck. The color I used is the Dark Teal that I featured as Friday's Color of the Week, and I through in a pop of bright yellow just because I'm digging the combination lately. To be honest, I'm not sure yet if I'll keep the yellow in there, but we'll see. To prep and paint, I used some warm water to get all the grease off the pipes, and sprayed a coat of dark gray primer. To finish it up, I just used some paint I had kicking around, and used both a fine brush and a thicker one to get into all the crevices of the pipes.

I love how the candlestick holder looks so industrial, but has a funky vibe in that cool teal tone. Now that I've put this candlestick holder together, I'm feeling uber-inspired with the plumbing hardware, and who knows what I'll come up with next!?

Color of the Week- Teal

2011-10-21T08:00:00.000-07:00

This week's all about Teal for me- especially when paired with a vibrant yellow. I'm absolutely craving the combination, and have been itching to paint something teal and yellow.

Dark Teal 2053-20

Teal is one of those colors that has certainly come and gone in popularity over the past few years. I see it as a color with an enormous amount of depth, and carries a degree of mystery as well. Our bedroom "headboard" wall is painted a similar shade of teal, and it is definitely striking. I love to see teal used in the main living spaces- a bedroom, a living room, potentially a small powder room. I personally don't see the tone working well in a kitchen setting- at least, not as a main wall color (room accents are a different story). I especially would love to see dark teal in a library or reading nook- an area that featured strong architectural features- and in a gloss finish. Consider the Fall season and how brilliant this color would look with those burnt oranges and dusky purples! Some say teal is so over, but I think that this shade is here to stay for a long time.

Teal and yellow! YUM!

P.S. look for this color to appear next week in an upcoming project!