The Red Chair Blog

Remodeling? Buy This Toilet!

2012-01-27T17:25:00.004-05:00

When I decided to write this post, I wondered, "Am I really going to write about a toilet? Who writes about a toilet? And who reads about a toilet?" A poem came to mind--one that I read as an undergraduate. It was a poem about a toilet sliding, snail-like, into a living room, seeking love...and not finding any. Because really, who loves toilets? Even the word "toilet" sounds kind of ridiculous if you think about it long enough. Toilet,toilet,toilet. See what I mean?

And yet, if you buy and install the Kohler Cimarron High Efficiency WaterSense Elongated Toilet in your home, you may find yourself--as my husband and I did--discussing the merits of your new toilet over dinner.

"I really like the new toilet. Don't you?" your husband will comment, passing the dish of roasted green beans.

"Gosh yes!" You'll gush, "It's the best! Shall we replace both of the upstairs toilets too?" At this point, part of your brain will cringe, because your conversation sounds like the script from a failed "Saturday Night Live" skit, but the other half of your brain will still be sighing, "That is one fine toilet."

I don't care how many etiquette classes you have taken or how many Emily Post books you've read and memorized. If you buy this toilet, you will more than likely find yourself inadvertently discussing it over dinner. It's just that good.
What is there to love about this toilet?

First of all, it's a HET--High Efficiency Toilet. It only uses 1.28 GPF. GPF stands for Gallons Per Flush--not to be confused with GPS, which would be a really unnecessary toilet feature unless the toilet happened to be in a mobile home. The Cimarron is one of the "new breed" of HETs; unlike the old "flush 30 times and maybe the paper will eventually go down" kind of water-saving / low flow toilets, this one does the job in one quiet, powerful flush every time.

Second, it's nice and tall--the same height as a standard chair-- so it's more comfortable and ergonomic for most folks to use (older folks in particular). Its similarity to a dining room chair may in part explain why we felt so comfortable discussing it over dinner, come to think of it.

Third, it's easy to install, which makes it a great choice for do-it-yourselfers.

Fourth, both the toilet seat and the toilet lid are designed to "quiet close". In other words, when you close them, they don't slam closed, awakening sleeping babies for miles around. Instead, they close in slow motion--imagine the toilet seat version of "The Matrix". So if you are awakened at 3am, it will not be due to Great Uncle Ernie slamming the toilet seat down in the guest bathroom. Instead, you will be awakened at 3am by Great Uncle Ernie bleating "Happy Days Are Here Again" with gusto on his trumpet because he has never before in his 96 years on earth encountered a toilet quite so swell.

Fifth, everyone loves it. Just read the reviews. It received 5 stars on the Lowe's website. We are not the only weirdos discussing this toilet over dinner, thank you very much.

Sixth, if your existing toilet is a water guzzler, your town or city may even pay you to replace your existing toilet with a HET. If you'd like to see if your local municipality has a HET rebate program, toiletrebate.com may be a good place to start (though I noticed that our town's program was not listed there). For my local readers, I will share that the Town of Cary, NC has a HET rebate program which offers a $100 rebate for each water-guzzling toilet replaced (up to 2 per residential home). Raleigh and Durham offer similar programs.

Seventh, if you ever tire of discussing politics, religion, or great literature over dinner, the Kohler Cimarron will always be there for you, happy to bask in the glow of your adoring discourse.
Curious about the toilet poem that I referenced earlier? You can find the poem in its entirety here.

Finally, for the record, I have not been compensated in any way to endorse this toilet. Though being sponsored by a toilet would really send a message to the world that I "have arrived", don't you think?

DIY "Outfit Hangers" For Closet Organizing

2012-01-12T10:22:00.001-05:00

In my three year old daughter's closet, I use plastic rings to connect two hangers to make an "outfit hanger". These "outfit hangers" keep matching tops and bottoms together. When my daughter picks out her clothes in the morning all by herSELF, (yes, she is a preschooler) she can select a whole "outfit" from the closet (she also helps assemble the outfits when we're putting away her clean laundry). Parenting books call this strategy offering a child "limited choices". I call it dramatically increasing the odds that my kid will leave the house wearing something other than her Curious George footie pajamas.

I got the idea from the hangers that clothing manufacturers use for their toddler outfits, in which the pants/skirt hanger is topped by a large ring which slides over the shirt hanger. One day I was wishing that I had more of those hangers to organize my daughter's closet, and it occurred to me that I could just create my own. The plastic rings that I used are called "split rings", and they are actually drapery hardware designed for use on the back of balloon shades. I pulled mine off of some cotton shades that were slated for conversion to tablecloths. (You'll recall from my earlier posts that fabric items in my house rarely serve the same function for long!) I think that regular plastic roman shade rings without a split (found in fabric stores in multi-packs) would work even better, assuming that the diameter was large enough to accommodate two hangers. Of course, I also save hangers from new kids' clothes, such as the Carter's hangers, for the same purpose.

Happy Organizing!

One Organizing Category That You Need--Now!

2011-12-28T18:22:00.036-05:00

Sometime within the next week or so, most folks will start un-hanging the stockings by the chimney with care, un-trimming the tree, and un-stringing all of those wonderful, twinkling lights. Yes, it's time for Christmas un-decorating. But this post is not about color-coordinated Rubbermaid ornament storage boxes, air-cushioned wreath storage bags, or 50 creative places to store your hoarded rolls of Rudolph wrapping paper. This post is not even about Christmas un-decorating. This post is about Christmas Stragglers and what to do with them.
What are Christmas Stragglers? They are stealth Santas, rogue reindeer, and scalawag snowmen. They appear after all of the Christmas boxes and totes have been hauled up to the attic via the rickety drop-down ladder or dragged down three dark flights of steps to the basement. They appear after you thought that you had collected and stored every last Christmas decoration and ornament.
Christmas Stragglers can appear one day later--that snowman tea towel that you forgot was in the dryer--or weeks or months later when you move the sofa cushions to vacuum and you find one of the Three Wise Men wedged there, still solemnly offering his frankincense.

Christmas Stragglers can also be Christmas items acquired at non-Christmas times of year--those cute sand dollar ornaments that you pick up at the gift shop on your summer vacation, for example, or a classic Christmas picture book snagged for a nickel at a rummage sale in spring. Or how about toddler boots, outgrown in February, which can become next year's adorable Christmas decor?The problem with Christmas Stragglers is that--due to the difficulty of putting them away with all of the other Christmas things in their hard-to-access storage spot--the Stragglers tend to become "homeless"; they loiter in piles where they become Holly Jolly Clutter...year round. And as sweet and generous as old Santa may be, no one wants to see him in June.

The solution? Create a Christmas Stragglers storage box as a designated year-round "home" for the Stragglers, and store the box in an easy-to-access location. Add to the box throughout the year as you find or acquire Christmas items. When Christmas time rolls around again, pull out the Stragglers box along with your other Christmas items, and start decorating and making merry!To make a Stragglers storage box, purchase a cardboard banker's box at an office supply store. (I prefer the simple, inexpensive white economy weight boxes from Staples, as discussed in this post.) Print the jpeg image above (or create your own on your computer), and affix it to the front of the box. Done! In my house, we keep most of the Christmas stuff in the hard-to-access "big attic", but the Christmas Stragglers box lives in the "little attic", a smaller storage area off of our master bedroom which is easier to access.

What are your experiences with Christmas Stragglers? Any funny stories to share?

Halloween Mantel and DIY Candle Holders

2011-10-28T22:00:00.004-04:00

This will be a "Frankenstein" post: a few different fall ideas from my home cobbled together just in time for Halloween!

The photo above features last year's Halloween mantel. I was pleased with how it turned out--a nice balance of heights, shapes, and colors. At $6, the large (real) pumpkin was by far the most expensive item. The spider web bowl was more interesting propped on a plate stand than it would have been lying on a table. I didn't replicate this vignette this year because our pumpkin is roughly the size and shape of a beanbag chair!

Here's the other half of last year's mantel. I framed a collage that my daughter made and flanked it with framed scrapbook cutouts. As you may recall from this post and this post, I'll frame just about anything and pass it off as "art"!

One of my favorite tricks is to use nested jars to create a "customizable"candle holder. This idea can be adapted to almost any season, theme, or occasion. To create a striking fall candle holder, use leaves as filler. Start with two jars of equal height, one narrow enough to fit completely inside the other. Place one jar inside the other, and then slide some fall leaves into the space between the two nested jars. Add a tea light candle inside the central jar. Light it. Voila!

Here's an "aerial view" of the nested jars and candle. Probably overkill for instructional purposes, but I loved the contrast of the rough stem and smooth glass:

Pages from an old book are a great alternative "filler" (yes, this is a page from the book that I used to make this old book photo frame). For impact, imagine grouping a bunch of these guys of different heights. To make this more "Halloweeny", add a silhouette of a black cat, hat...or bat!

If you don't have long matches or a wand style lighter to light the candle in the jar, you can use an uncooked spaghetti noodle. Light the end of the noodle with a match, and then use the noodle to light the candle. The noodle may be slow to light, but this is a good thing if you value your eyebrows!

Happy Halloween!

This post has been linked to Fall Festival Friday at The DIY Showoff and Halloween Show and Share Day at Just a Girl.

Vintage Linen Tea Towel Pillow

2011-09-01T09:00:00.004-04:00

A few months ago, I found a vintage linen tea towel at my favorite local thrift shop for 50 cents. I liked the simple brown and cream toile-esque images,and I thought it had kind of a Ballard Designs feel. It's a travel souvenir towel from a place in Kansas called Lindsborg, also known as "Little Sweden". It sits on a bench in my foyer, awaiting the day when a Swede will walk through the door, point to the pillow, and exclaim, "Ah herregud! Lindsborg!" Which I think is Swedish for, "Oh my goodness, Lindsborg!" but which might really mean, "What kind of fool makes a Lindsborg pillow?"

Turning the towel into a pillow was a snap--if you've got a sewing machine and can sew a straight line, you can make one too. Experiment a bit to find the optimal square for the pillow face, (I chose to leave off the "Lindsborg" logo) and use a complementary fabric as backing. A recent cruise on Ebay using the search terms "vintage linen souvenir tea towel" revealed lots of neat tea-towel-to-pillow conversion possibilities, including a Savannah towel in navy and white, some cool London railway maps, and a map of Paris.

Just another little reminder that "decorator fabric" doesn't have to be purchased on a bolt from the fabric shop!

This post has been linked to Wow us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style.

Almost-Free Gardening--5 Great Tips

2011-07-27T17:06:00.002-04:00

I have always loved gardens and gardening, but I can't claim to have a green thumb. Like a chronic dieter who's an expert on nutrition and exercise and yet fails to lose weight, I have an uncanny ability to retain everything that I have ever read or heard about gardening--yet in the end, when the mosquitoes start buzzing, the snakes start slithering, and the heat index tops 100 degrees, I wimp out, rush inside, and leave my garden to fend for itself.

Here are five tips I have learned in recent years that have made my laissez-faire gardening approach a bit more affordable:
1. Basil Will Root in Water
Did you know that basil will root if you place it in a glass of water on a windowsill? I learned this tip from The Tidy Brown Wren a few summers ago. This is a great way to keep fresh basil at hand through the winter (and through the summer too, if you don't want to schlep out to the garden for a few leaves). I have even successfully transitioned these plants to potting soil indoors. Just be careful when it's time to transplant these little plants outdoors--they require a very gradual transition.

2. Green Onions Will Grow From Grocery Store Roots
Here's another tip that even my seasoned gardener friends didn't know: The white portion and roots of store-bought green onions can be planted in soil and will continue to grow and regenerate green, edible shoots. (When you plant them, be sure to leave a little green above ground for photosynthesis.) I was thrilled to learn about this, as I have a bad habit of buying green onions, using one or two, and letting the rest rot in the fridge. This way, I can just snip a few green shoots with scissors whenever a recipe calls for them. They grow quickly, ensuring a long summer of pasta salad...and onion breath!

3. Tomatoes Can Be Frozen Whole
This tip may or may not save you money, but it will definitely save your sanity...and your hands. If you grow tomatoes, you have probably had the experience of cooking all day (and burning your fingers with tomato juice) only to produce 3 lousy jars of tomato sauce. Take heart! There is a much easier way to save surplus tomatoes. Gently wash and dry the tomatoes, cut off the stem end, and put them on a cookie sheet in the freezer. Once they are frozen, transfer them to a Ziploc freezer bag. The best part? For use in recipes, just rinse a frozen tomato under hot water and the skin will slide right off in your hand! Revolutionary, I tell you!

As a side note, the watermelon in the photo above was also grown in our garden. Watermelons are easy to grow from last year's seeds...if you live in North Carolina!

4.Marigolds Are Ridiculously Easy to Grow From Last Year's Seeds
Seed saving sounds like something that only die-hard plant propagators do, but I'm here to tell you that it is absurdly easy. Wait for the flowers to die and completely dry up, snap off and save the dry flower heads, and stick them in a jar for the winter. In the spring, run the flower heads between your fingers and you'll end up with a handful of seeds that you can plant. Or, if you're even lazier than this, wait for last year's dropped seeds to pop up on their own as seedlings and transplant those microscopic marigolds to optimal locations.

5. Hydrangeas Can Be Propagated Without Rooting Hormone
The hydrangeas above are from my garden, though this picture is from last year--this year we have lush leaves and no blossoms, thanks to a frost. I learned how to propagate them from Manuela at A Cultivated Nest. If you have never visited her blog, you're in for a treat!

Happy (Cheap) Gardening!

Reverse Psychology--A Fun Fabric Tip

2011-06-22T23:05:00.002-04:00

Here's a quick and easy way to think outside of the box when you're working with fabric in your home: check to see whether your fabric is "reversible". The dragonflies in the frames above were made from two squares cut from the same piece of fabric. The first is the front side of the fabric, and the second is the reverse (or back) side of the same fabric.

I was introduced to this concept years ago when I read Rachel Ashwell's books. Ashwell, founder of "Shabby Chic" style, advocated using the back side of cotton fabrics (chintzes, for example) for projects such as pillows to create a soft, worn, vintage look. Here is an example of this concept in action. This photo shows the front of a bold Ralph Lauren fabric (this is a sheet)--the second photo is the back side of the same fabric:

Not all fabrics are limber enough to accomplish these acrobatic feats, but this is a good tip to keep in mind when you are refreshing a room on a budget and trying to work with what you already have. Remember also to think like a Martian. Whether you're looking at curtains, sheets, or a tablecloth, it's all just fabric in the end--fabric that can potentially be transformed into something else!

"My Really Favorite Room"--The Importance of Empty Space

2011-06-04T16:01:00.001-04:00

This morning, I decided to move the glider chair out of my two and a half year old daughter's room. With the recent addition of her first dollhouse, the room was starting to feel crowded, and I wanted to give her more space to play. Lately we've been reading bedtime stories on her "big girl" bed, so we haven't needed the chair as much as we used to.

I wasn't sure how my daughter might react to this change--after all, that glider was the site of lots of snuggles, songs, and stories, not to mention the 3 am (and 4 am, and 5 am) nursing sessions from her baby days. I felt a little wistful as I heaved the glider through the door, and I mentally prepared to comfort her if she expressed any sadness.

So I was more than a little surprised--though maybe I shouldn't have been-- when I returned to her room after carrying out the chair and found her twirling in the middle of the carpet, her little pink purse full of LEGO people practically flying off of her arm as she spun. She was belting out a song that she made up as she went along:

"It my favorite room! It my lovely room! My really favorite room! I like my roooom!"

She has never offered any opinion about her bedroom before (in spite of all of the pretty, color-coordinated touches that resulted from my overzealous nesting phase during my pregnancy), so I asked her about her song. She explained that she was happy because she had more space to play.

I looked at the corner by the window where the chair had been and where the dollhouse now stood. The dollhouse, a pastel, plastic, 3 story structure made by Fisher Price, is not attractive in and of itself--particularly since we lost the toilet and now use a hinged spice jar lid in its place-- but sitting in front of the window on its little fabric-draped decorator table, with lots of sunlight and empty space around it, it looked pretty. Or maybe more accurately, the space around it looked pretty; the absence-of-chair looked pretty. The potential-for-play looked pretty. Lovely even.
My daughter's reaction to this change reminded me of two things:

1. How sensitive human beings are to changes in our environments (children in particular), and how a simple change can truly shift the "energy" of a space. Forgive me if my California roots are showing, but it's the truth.

2. The power of "subtraction" in redesign. Sometimes removing one element from a room can make such a positive difference. As Lauri Ward says, we need to give the eye a place to "rest" in each room. Subtraction is one of the easiest--and most affordable--ways to change a space. After all, even in the worst economic times when many can't afford to buy something new, anyone can afford to remove something! And, as my daughter pointed out, it's not about losing "stuff" as much as it's about gaining space...for living!

Have you subtracted anything in your home lately? Do tell!

Our Light Fixture Fruit Bowl, or, How To Think Like a Martian

2011-04-16T21:20:00.014-04:00

We've recently completed some kitchen upgrades in our home. One old element that I was thrilled to vote off of the island was this dated, mammary-esque light fixture. (The popcorn ceilings are gone now too. Hooray!)

As my husband teetered on a ladder in our kitchen disassembling the old light fixture, I was itching to toss it out. But when he handed me the glass shade, I couldn't help but notice a few endearing qualities about it that I had missed when it had hung above my head in the kitchen, taunting me with its sheer 1987ness:

It was made of thick, heavy, frosted glass.
The edge along the top rim was smooth and finished.
It was deeper than any of the mixing bowls in my kitchen cupboards.
It had a flat spot near the hole in the bottom, which suggested that it wouldn't roll to one side or the other if I were to place it on a flat surface.
It appeared to be capable of corralling fruit, and, as fate would have it, I needed a fruit bowl.

I rinsed it out, filled it with fruit, stuck it on the counter, shrugged, and murmured, “Cool.” And that is how I came to own a light fixture fruit bowl.

I share this story because it illustrates a special kind of thinking that I use often in my interior redesign work. (For those of you who are not addicted to HGTV, interior redesign is a fancy term for redecorating using what you already have.) You might call it “creative thinking” or “divergent thinking”, but I like to call it, “thinking like a Martian”. If you can learn to think like a Martian, you will end up with a much more unique home.

So, how do you think like a Martian? You examine your possessions with fresh, Martian eyes. A Martian wouldn't use the term “end table” to describe an end table. A Martian would call it, “A 26 inch high object with a flat surface on top capable of balancing snorks and zeenies” (books and drinks). If you don't limit yourself to the label “end table”, you open up the possibility of using a stack of picnic baskets, a pile of suitcases, a dresser, or a bar stool to serve as an end table. Or you may, as one of my clients did, use an enormous flowerpot as an end table by fitting it with a round top!

With Martian thinking, you don't see shower curtains, pillowcases, tablecloths, sheets, cloth napkins, and blankets. Instead, you just see: fabric! Thanks to my tendency toward Martian thinking, I live in a house where pillowcases are made into curtains and curtains are made into pillowcases, coat hooks serve as curtain rod brackets, rusty metal burners from an old tobacco barn fill in as candle holders, costume jewelry dangles from the bathroom chandelier, and my most-beloved vases might be referred to by non-Martians as “juice glasses”.

What are some examples of Martian thinking in your home? Do tell!

This post has been linked to Tidy Mom.

Why I Love Little Vases--And Why You Should Too!

2011-03-03T17:24:00.004-05:00

You may have heard decorators say that using a few larger accessories will create more visual impact and a less cluttered appearance than using lots of little, tiny accessories. While I agree with this rule in general (though I've found that there are approximately 872.5 exceptions to every decorating rule), I do have a special place in my heart for little, tiny vases. There are two reasons why I love little vases, and why you should too:

1. The first reason--and the one that is most relevant in the gardening "off-season"--is that smaller vases come in handy for extending the "life" of cut flowers from the florist. Here is a great "before and after" example:

I received a cheerful bouquet as a gift. Just one week later, the once-perky arrangement looked downright frumpy. (Admittedly the murky water didn't help any.)

My favorite solution? Discard the frumpified blooms, trim the stems of the salvageable blossoms, and create a new, smaller arrangement in a little vase:

You can keep doing this--cutting the stems and creating ever-smaller arrangements--until you end up with a single bloom in a bud vase.

2. If you have a garden--or even just a few pots of annuals on a balcony--little vases are a must-have item to keep in your decorating "arsenal". As a gardener, I love bringing cut flowers inside and passing along little nosegays to friends and neighbors. Little vases allow me to incorporate the humbler--hardier-- flowers and herbs that survive in my garden in spite of my benign neglect. My fresh bouquets tend to include flowers that most people wouldn't even consider to be "cutting flowers": shorter-stemmed varieties of marigolds and zinnias, lavender, azaleas, miniature roses, nasturtiums, verbena, lantana, and even the spiky purple flowers from the butterfly bush and the little white blooms of basil that has gone to seed.

If your vase collection is limited to larger vases designed to hold big, showy arrangements from the florist, you're missing lots of tiny opportunities to bring nature's beauty indoors. Incidentally, I use the term "vase" loosely. Even though I own some pretty Waterford crystal vases that I received as gifts, I also get lots of use from the other "vases" in my collection: little spice jars, juice glasses (as seen in the "after" photo at the top of this post), jam and jelly jars, mason jars, and even "topless" salt and pepper shakers (ooh, the scandal)! With spring knocking on our door, this is a great time to start rescuing little jars and bottles from the recycling bin and putting them to use!

You may be wondering where to put all of these lovely little-vase bouquets. I find that nosegays are right at home beside the kitchen sink, next to the bathroom or powder room sink, or next to the clock on a nightstand. Their smaller scale also makes them well-suited for the breakfast table, where no one has to struggle to talk over or around them. I wouldn't recommend attempting to use them on a fireplace mantel, as they'll be lost up there...unless you happen to own a miniature fireplace!

I'll leave you with a tiny vase link. White Forest Pottery on Etsy sells these tiny wildflower vases for $10 apiece. I think that they look pretty en masse, and as the mother of a toddler-botanist, I was charmed by the fact that this Etsy seller pointed out that these little vases are great for displaying childrens' "prized dandelions".

Happy almost-spring!

This post has been linked to Tutorials and Tips Tuesday at The Stories of A to Z.

A January Mantel

2011-01-01T20:00:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year! I hope that your year is off to a great start! If Santa, Rudolph, and Frosty are still languishing in your living room, it's time to pack 'em up and give your room a fresh start for the new year. I wanted to share a few photos of my January mantelscape--maybe they will inspire you to try something new this year!

On the left side of the mantel, I filled a pair of tall, glass vases with aqua and pearly white Christmas balls to add a little snowball-inspired shimmer. For the right side of the mantel, I was plumb out of tall, wide, glass vases, so I had to improvise a little. In the spirit of use-what-you-have decorating, I propped the balls on a tall bud vase, a few wine glasses of different heights, and a silver tumbler. I like the cascading effect--it reminds me of champagne bubbles. Large, framed numbers in fun fonts, a black barn star, a silver cookie tin, and a tiny framed silhouette of ice skaters complete the arrangement.

To help with my Christmas light withdrawal, I twined a string of white lights through the whole shebang. Here's how the mantel looks at night:

Happy New Year! I'd love to hear how you decorate for winter after the holidays!

5 Minutes to Festive--Frame a Gift Bag!

2010-12-04T09:15:00.001-05:00

A store called Carolina Pottery opened in my town not long ago, and I stopped in to have a look around. Carolina Pottery is a Southern chain of stores selling home decor items, furniture, housewares, wicker sets, craft and floral supplies, and holiday goods--but, oddly enough, very little actual pottery that I could see. I spotted some fun,vintage style gift bags and thought to myself, "Those are pretty enough to hang on the wall!" One look at the price tag clinched the deal.

To frame the gift bags, I just removed the ribbon handles and popped the bags into frames with the folded side down. Being the uber practical person that I am, I untied the knots in the handles rather than cutting them, just in case I ever want to use the gift bags as...gift bags!

For an investment of $1.98 and ten minutes of my time, I have some fun holiday art. This simple idea can be adapted to a number of holidays and occasions. Keep it in mind if you need last-minute decorations for a holiday party, birthday party, bridal shower, or baby shower in the future!

If you have an appetite for more framing irreverence, you might enjoy this post that I wrote about framing silk greenery.

My Alternative Home Decor Database offers examples of more wild things--from framed doilies to wall-mounted oars--that can pass as art!

This post has been linked to Tatertots and Jello. Stop by for loads of crafty inspiration!

Bargain Alert: Charleston Side Tables!

2010-10-28T08:15:00.010-04:00

I just spotted these Charleston Tables from Bed, Bath, and Beyond. They're priced right at $99.99 for a set of 2. If you use one of Bed Bath and Beyond's uber ubiquitous 20% off coupons (they'll even accept expired coupons), the price for the pair drops to $79.99, or $40 per table. With their clean lines, these side tables would fit in well in most contemporary or transitional settings. Their smaller scale makes them great for tight spaces. Wondering whether these tables will work with your upholstered furniture? Measure the height of your armrests--aim for the top of your end tables to be the same height as your armrests or a few inches below them.

Sherwin-Williams Paints on Sale Today!

2010-08-07T08:20:00.006-04:00

Sherwin-Williams is having a one-day-only sale on paints and stains today. Paints and stains are 40% off and other painting supplies are 30% off. This is a great excuse to stop putting off your painting projects! For a list of participating Sherwin-Williams stores, click here. Happy painting!

Photo credit: Stock Xchng

A Kinder, Prettier "No Soliciting" Sign

2010-07-29T18:07:00.003-04:00

For some reason, our subdivision tends to attract solicitors of all stripes. When the doorbell rings, we never know who we'll find standing on our doorstep. Will it be school kids selling overpriced chocolate cashews? College kids urging us to save the rain forests? Juvenile delinquents peddling subscriptions to obscure-magazines-that-will-never-ever-arrive? Landscapers wanting to save our lawn? Zealots wanting to save our souls? With three vocal dogs and a toddler who only naps once in a blue moon, I've come to dread the sound of our doorbell.

I knew that something had to be done, but I wasn't about to hang up a ghastly orange and black plastic "No Soliciting" sign from the hardware store--you may recall my aversion to choosing guaranteed ugly--so I decided to make my own DIY "No Soliciting" sign.

I started with a small wooden 3" x 3" frame from the Dollar Tree. This is what the frame looked like before I started:
Thanks to blogger Melissa at 320 Sycamore for permission to use her "before" photo--I forgot to take my own.

Making the sign is a snap. It's an easy toddler nap time project--assuming that you can find that elusive window of time when a) your toddler is napping and b) no one is ringing your doorbell.

Step 1. Remove the glass and backing and spray paint the frame white.

Step 2. While the frame is drying, create the text using word processing software. I used a font called "Calligraph421 BT" and bolded my text. The words "No Solicitors Please" are in a 28 point font, and the "Friends Welcome" is 24 point. The little graphic in the middle was created with a 22 point "Wingdings" font. (On the off chance that you don't speak Wingdingian, you'll need to type in the letter "V" to create this character. )

Edited 8/11/10 to add: A few people have written to ask how to create the "white text on black background" effect using word processing software. To do this, start by using the "insert" drop down menu to insert a shape onto your blank page (a square, in this case). Use the "fill" feature (the icon looks like a little paint can with paint pouring out) to paint and fill the square black. Insert a text box into this square--change the text box fill color the same way that you did the square, if needed--and then change your text color to white (the icon for changing text color is usually a capital letter "A" with a bar of red under it). Voila!

Step 3: Print out your text and set it aside.

Step 4: After the paint dries but before reassembling the frame, drill two small hanging holes along the top edge. Run a ribbon through the holes and tie in a knot or bow at the top. (I plan to replace my ribbon with a slightly longer one the next time I get a chance to run to the craft store--the ribbon that I used for my sign was actually a handle from a gift bag!)

Step 5: Reassemble the frame, inserting printed text. Tear off the bulky cardboard stand on the back of the frame.

Step 6: Hang the sign where solicitors can't possibly miss it! Sign=$1 Silence=Priceless!

Step 7: When that small neighbor child on your doorstep earnestly points to the word "Solicitors" on your sign and asks, "I'm not a soul-sitter...am I?", go ahead and buy some overpriced chocolate-covered cashews anyway.

If you don't have time to make your own sign, you can buy this one through the Target website for $29.99. Like mine, it's not designed for true outdoor use.
Can't resist picking up more than one of those cute little Dollar Tree frames? Here's another great use for this frame from blogger Melissa at 320 Sycamore, who first introduced me to this particular frame:

This post has been linked to Finding Fabulous and The Shabby Nest.

Five (More) Surprising Things That You Can Transform With Paint

2010-07-08T20:35:00.013-04:00

You're on a first-name basis with every employee in the paint department at your local Home Depot. You collect paint chips the way that kids collect baseball cards. You anxiously await the arrival of Spray Paint Season (referred to as "spring" by non-DIYers), and your neighbors hold you personally responsible for the hole in the ozone layer. Think you've painted every paintable surface in your home? Think again! Here are five more surprising things that you can transform with paint:

1. Beaded Trim:

The formerly-beige beaded trim on this (formerly-beige) lampshade did little to enhance the shade. To paint the trim, I started by removing it from the shade (the beads dangle from a band of ribbon, which was attached to the shade with double-sided tape). I used fresh double-sided tape to attach the trim to the edge of a piece of cardboard, and then I painted the trim with spray paint in the backyard, rotating the cardboard so that I could hit both sides in one coat of spray paint. Once the beads were dry, it was easy to adhere the trim to the shade again with more double-sided tape.

2. Art Mats:

Many people use spray paint to paint picture frames, but did you know that you can also transform the mats with a light coat of spray paint? Here's an example from my own home. I loved this collection of black and white photos from my childhood, but the frame had become dated and the formerly-white mat had yellowed over the years. Rather than spring for new custom framing and matting for the photos, I just removed the photos, took the frame apart, and hit the mat and frame with spray paint. The "new" mat and frame look much crisper, though my mom still shakes her head and wonders why the photographer didn't advise her not to wear a shirt with such a busy pattern! Ah, the seventies!

3. Your Plastic Paper Towel Holder:

Let's say that you move into a house and find that the previous owners have left their formerly-white-but-now-yellow plastic paper towel holder for you. And let's say, just hypothetically mind you, that you're too cheap and/or lazy to drive to the hardware store and plunk down $20 to buy a new one. Well, my hypothetical cheap, lazy friend, if you've got a can of metallic spray paint, you're in luck! There's no need to prime the towel holder; just give it a good cleaning, hit it lightly with a coat or two of spray paint in the backyard, allow it to dry, and hang it back up. Voila!

4. Cabinet Hardware:

It's the oldest Realtor trick in the book, but many homeowners haven't tried it: to update the look of cabinet hardware, simply use spray paint! The cup pulls on this armoire were on sale at Lowe's for 99 cents because they were an odd brushed gold color. After a coat of Rustoleum oil-rubbed bronze spray paint, they fit in nicely with the cabinet knobs, which were factory finished to be oil-rubbed bronze. One painting tip: to avoid paint drips and pooling, opt for several light coats of spray paint rather than one heavy coat.

5. Light Fixtures:

Who doesn't have at least one outdated shiny brass light fixture lurking somewhere in the house? With the help of a little flat white spray paint, a string of costume pearls, and some inexpensive chandelier shades, this fixture was easily made over from "brassy eek" to shabby chic. A handy way to paint chandeliers is to disconnect them (turn off the electricity first, of course) and hang them from a tree branch in the yard so that you can paint all sides easily.

Can't get enough painting? Click here to read my earlier post about five other surprising things that you can paint!

This post has been linked to: The Shabby Nest and Finding Fabulous

Celebrate!

2010-07-04T16:29:00.006-04:00

Wishing you a safe, happy, and relaxing Fourth of July!

Five Surprising Things That You Can Transform With Paint

2010-06-02T07:49:00.004-04:00

If you are a decorating blog junkie, an HGTV junkie, or even just a... junk junkie, you know that paint is an affordable way to transform even the humblest rooms, furnishings, and accessories. Maybe you've painted your walls, furniture, or a picture frame or two. Even if you're a seasoned painter with a closet full of paint-splattered clothes and a spray-paint-trigger-finger-injury to prove it, here are five things that you may not have thought about painting:

1. Your Blinds:

Blogger Stef of Frugal Home Ideas boldly went where no painter had gone before and transformed her outdated, almond-colored blinds using espresso spray paint. She hung the blinds from a swing set outside to do the painting! Bravo!

2. Your Floor Vents:

The super creative and ever clever Sarah at Thrifty Decor Chick used spray paint to transform ivory floor vents into something altogether more current!

3. Glass Bottles:

Glass bottles take well to spray paint, as evidenced by these Starbucks-Frappucino-bottles-turned-vases from Maize Hutton. Her instructions can be found here.

4. Your Stairs:

When the wall-to-wall carpeting on our stairs waved the white flag, we pulled it up and painted our stairs with oil-based paint. You can read all about it in my earlier blog post here.

5. Your Doorknobs:

Armed with spray paint, Beckie of Infarrantly Creative banished her shiny brass doorknobs. She shares step-by-step instructions here.

Guest Posting at Tatertots & Jello

2010-05-30T13:17:00.001-04:00

I'm thrilled to be guest posting today for one of my favorite bloggers, Jen of Tatertots & Jello fame. I don't use the term "fame" lightly, folks; Jen's been on T.V. for goodness sake, so she's officially famous! If you've never visited Tatertots & Jello, then you're in for a treat. Jen is more creative than ten Martha Stewarts lined up shoulder-to-shoulder in the glitter aisle of a Michael's Crafts store, and she's a very sweet person as well. Here are a few of my favorite projects from her blog:

She made these decorative polka dot plates by adding round, white stickers to black plates. The project only took 10 minutes! Brilliant!
She made these fun burlap tassels from things that she already had around her house, such as old doorknobs and medicine bottle tops:

She transformed some plain pillows from Target by adding fabric yo-yos:
She made this whimsical spring wreath out of plastic soda bottles. Yes, I said Plastic soda bottles! See? Just like I said--beyond creative! Need I go on?If you'd like to see my post--and, more importantly, all of Jen's great posts--hop on over to Tatertots & Jello today!

Guaranteed Ugly

2010-05-27T21:41:00.000-04:00

A homeowner in my subdivision has had this hand-lettered sign planted on her front lawn for over a year now. The sign reads:

"Attention Dog Walkers!!! Please keep dogs off of my grass and flowerbed by mailbox! NO PEEING or #2! It kills my grass and I have worked too hard to have a nice lawn! Thank- You!"

Now, before I say what I'm about to say, let me say (as a dog owner) that no dog owner should relieve his or her dog(s) on someone else's property. It's just a matter of common sense and good manners.That said, I was intrigued by this hand-lettered sign because it illustrates an interesting point. When I saw it, I couldn't help but think to myself, "What's worse: having a discolored lawn some of the time, or having an ugly sign up all of the time?" An ugly sign, I might add, that very explicitly describes IN CAPITAL LETTERS various forms of canine excrement, thereby symbolically installing said excrement (in verbal form) on the lawn...permanently!

The sign is an example of what I would call "guaranteed ugly". Without the sign, the homeowner would risk having dogs discolor her lawn some of the time, but with the sign, she was virtually guaranteeing that her lawn would look ugly 100% of the time.

This got me thinking about ways that we sometimes opt for "guaranteed ugly" inside the house. Here are a few examples:

Keeping the new couch covered in beach towels and sheets to protect it from spills and stains. What's uglier, an attractive couch with a stain on it, or a couch forever shrouded in towels and sheets?

Choosing not to make the bed in the morning because it will "just get messed up again" at bedtime. This policy guarantees that the bed will be unmade 100% of the time.

Not opening the blinds in the morning because "they will just have to be closed again later". This policy guarantees that the house will be dark 100% of the time.

Covering the carpet with a clear plastic runner to protect it from footprints. Need I elaborate on this one?

So, you may ask, what's the alternative to "guaranteed ugly"? The solution is to make choices that fit your family and your lifestyle.

If you have kids and/or pets, opt for furniture upholstered in forgiving fabrics such as chenille or microsuede. Patterned fabrics hide stains better than solids; dark colors hide stains better than light colors. Leather tends to be resilient as well. Another option is to purchase furniture with removable, washable slipcovers.

If you hate making the bed, consider simplifying this chore by using a European-style duvet.

Choose window treatments with easy functionality. Lightweight cellular shades are easier to raise than heavy blinds; curtains on clip rings slide more easily than rod pocket curtains.

Rather than "laminating" your carpet under a clear plastic runner, consider choosing family-friendly carpets or opting for hard surface flooring.

Here's another reason to vote plastic carpet protectors off of the island forever: years ago, I had a roommate who placed one of these runners over the wall-to-wall carpeting in our hallway. One day, a spider walked down the hall, and I could actually hear its little feet tip-tapping on the plastic runner. Nothing says "home" like the pitter-patter of...spider feet!

So, what do you think about the concept of "guaranteed ugly"? Did I miss any other examples?

More Steinmart Pillow Fun

2010-05-13T13:58:00.003-04:00

Given that Steinmart doesn't offer product photos online as some retailers do, I thought I'd bring the store to you. Join me on a little virtual shopping trip through the pillow department at my local Steinmart. Here are just a few of the unique pillows that I spotted on a recent visit:

This generously-sized soft blue and chocolate embroidered polka dot pillow caught my eye--I liked the trim detail as well. ($19.99)This moth (butterfly?) pillow would be a nice addition to a room with a neutral color palette.

I liked the detail on this pillow--other colors were available as well.
This pillow caught my eye because the frogs added a funky element to an otherwise very traditional fabric. This would work nicely in a room with other fall colors. ($16.99)
This yellow toile lumbar pillow is nice and fresh for spring. ($19.99)
The polka dots on these contemporary pillows are made up of spirals of satin cording. ($16.99)
This sign made me smile. Can ruffles be extreme? I imagine this read aloud by a monster truck announcer with a booming, echoing voice: "Extreme-eme-eme-eme Ruffles-uffles-uffles!!"In truth, the ruffles were extreme.

Some of my favorite "pillows" were napkins, AKA "potential pillows". I noticed that many of these cloth napkins were reversible--they were made up of two pieces of fabric sewn back to back--which made them ideal candidates for transforming into pillows. To make a pillow from a reversible napkin, just open one seam, fill the "pocket" with stuffing, and close the seam again. Voila! A fun pillow for $2.50! I may have to pick up a few of these to make some new pillows for my back porch.

And now for something completely different:

My women's singing/songwriting group heard about a video contest sponsored by Harris Teeter, a regional grocery chain, and we decided to write an original song and make a video to enter in the contest. If you want to see a short video featuring a bunch of women singing a blues song about shrimp and hamming it up in 1950's garb, I invite you to stop on over. For those of you whom I haven't met in person, I'm the backup singer with the long brown hair.

Registered Harris Teeter shoppers can comment and vote on videos on the HT website. One voter will win a $500 Harris Teeter gift card. Please feel free to vote for our video if you feel so inclined!

To see our video, please click here.

Copy Cat: Look-Alikes for Less

2010-04-28T14:04:00.021-04:00

I don't seek out Pottery Barn Copy Cats; they just find me! This one found me when I was shopping for a pair of sandals. I have no explanation for how I ended up browsing in the pillow department when I was supposed to be looking for shoes. My best guess is alien abduction. In any event, this was a happy discovery.

For awhile now, Pottery Barn has offered their Textured Solid Pillow Cover accented with one or more prominent buttons (pictured in first photo). The Pottery Barn pillow covers (which do not include a pillow insert) are currently priced from $25 to $29. I've had several clients who have owned and enjoyed these Pottery Barn covers.

Imagine my surprise when I stumbled upon a very similar pillow (pictured in second photo) at my local Steinmart for $14.99! The cover on the Steinmart pillow is not removable, but the pillow itself is down-filled! $14.99 for a down-filled pillow that looks like it just stepped out of the Pottery Barn catalog?! Sounds like a deal to me! My local Steinmart carried a square pillow in khaki and red and a lumbar pillow (pictured below) in pale blue. For local readers, I spotted these at the Morrisville, NC Steinmart (9529 Chapel Hill Road).

Stay tuned for more fun Steinmart pillows!

Simple Spruce-Ups: DIY Dispensers from Glass Bottles

2010-04-21T13:57:00.019-04:00

Did you know that the screw-on plastic dispenser tops from store-bought soaps, shampoos, and lotions will often fit on glass bottles? Finding the right bottle may require a bit of experimentation, but once you find a bottle the right size, you can create a unique, eco-friendly DIY soap or lotion dispenser in seconds!

This pump top from a bottle of Trader Joe's hand soap fits perfectly atop a bottle that previously held lime juice. The "straw" inside is even the perfect length.To refill it, I like to use the handwash refill pouch from Method, which purportedly has an 83% smaller carbon footprint than a hard plastic bottle:This sparkling cider bottle pairs perfectly with a top from a bottle of liquid dish soap: The soap needs to be "shaken" out because the bottle can't be squeezed. An alternative option would be to use a spigot top designed for dispensing olive oil.

I can imagine lots of other potential applications for this idea. Classy possibilities would include using frosted glass bottles or antique bottles. If "campy" is more your style, how about making a beer bottle soap dispenser for your favorite beer-swigging hooligan hubby? Any bottle with ridges at the neck is a candidate for this easy DIY project. The only limit is your imagination!

This post has been linked to: DIY Day at A Soft Place to Land, Metamorphosis Monday At Between Naps on The Porch, Finding Fabulous, Thrifty Thursday and The Thrifty Hom e

A Few Neat Ideas from a Client's Nursery...And the Giveaway Winner!

2010-04-07T23:30:00.001-04:00

My client Dana contacted me to help with her daughter's nursery when she was pregnant. When we met, she had already selected her nursery furniture and her crib bedding, which was "Garden Blossom" by Dwell Studio:She wanted help selecting a wall paint color that would work with the bedding, and she also wanted some ideas for a paint treatment to add a little interest to the walls. The bedding included shades of beige, chocolate, pink, and white:She wasn't wild about the idea of brown walls, and she knew that she didn't want pink walls, so we selected a warm-yet-neutral green for the walls--Valspar's "Martinique Dawn".

Next, we brainstormed ideas for a fun paint treatment. Our inspiration came from an unlikely source: a photo in a ten year old decorating book! The rocking-horse themed room in the photo was nothing like the nursery that Dana envisioned for her daughter, but it incorporated a unique feature: a wallpaper border at chair rail height framed by strips of molding (Photo credit: Southern Living Ideas For Great Kids' Rooms). Knowing that Dana and her husband, Steve, were very handy with do-it-yourself projects, I suggested that they paint a chocolate stripe at chair-rail height, frame it with white molding, and sprinkle it with stenciled flowers to match the flowers in the crib bedding. And by golly, that's exactly what they did! Here's a photo that Dana sent to me when the room was in progress:
And here's a close-up of the stencils. Dana shared that the stenciling was really time-consuming, but she also said that her daughter's love for the flowers has made it worth the time investment!
Dwell Studio didn't offer a window treatment that coordinated with the crib bedding, so Dana made this pleated window valance from a crib bed skirt! She reported that the valance was easy to make because the pleats were already built right in. What a great idea! This would be a neat way to repurpose crib bedding when it's time to transform a nursery into a "big kid" room.Dana and Steve also made these unique wall hooks by combining wooden circles with pegs. They were the perfect size for the stencils, and they're a great place to hang hats, sweaters, and those adorable hooded baby towels.Thanks, Dana and Steve, for letting me share these photos to inspire others!

On another note, the winner of the CSN Stores giveaway is commenter #60, KottageKara of Kara's Kottage. Congratulations! Thanks to all who entered for your enthusiastic participation in this giveaway. I wish that I had a prize for everyone!

CSN Stores Giveaway!

2010-04-04T07:08:00.023-04:00

CSN Stores recently contacted me to see if I would be interested in offering a giveaway to one of my Red Chair Blog readers. After browsing just a fraction of their 200+ online stores (!) which offer everything from TV stands to faucets to lighting, my answer was a resounding, "Yes!" One lucky Red Chair Blog reader will win one item of his or her choice up to a $35.00 value from any CSN store! Here are just a few possibilities to spark your imagination:Kikkerland LED Light Imperial Chandelier With Optional Adaptor ($35.00)

Trend Lab Vintage Two Picture Frame Set ($22.73)Dwell Studio Owls Boudoir Pillow ($34.00)
Laura Ashley 6 Piece Towel Set in White ($32.99)
Skip Hop Mod Dot Nursery Lamp ($27.00)

JoJoDesigns Sophia Throw Pillow ($17.99)Bai Design Too Cool For School Retro Modern Wall Clock ($32.99)
Artland Kingston Jar (16" high) ($20.99)

One lucky winner will receive one single item of his or her choice (up to a $35.00 value) from any of CSN's 200+ stores. You have an opportunity to earn up to five entries! Here’s how to enter:

1. For one chance to win, just leave a comment at the bottom of this blog post. Easy enough, no?

2. If you’d like a second chance to win, blog about this giveaway and come back and post a link to your blog post in a comment.

3. Want a third chance to win? Tweet about this giveaway on Twitter, then come back here and include your link in a comment.

4. If you’d like a fourth chance to win, link to this giveaway on Facebook, then come back and include your link in a comment.

5. For a fifth chance to win, become a Follower of The Red Chair Blog and indicate that you're a Follower in a comment. If you are already a Follower, please indicate this in a comment.

Giveaway ends Wednesday, April 7^th, 2010 at 11 pm EST. Winner will be selected using Random.org. This giveaway is open to residents of the US and Canada only, please.

A note for email subscribers: If you are reading The Red Chair Blog via email, please click here to be taken to my blog site in order to leave your comment(s) to enter the contest.

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. THANKS TO ALL WHO ENTERED!