Design by Abbey

B*tchin' Kitchen

2012-06-27T20:06:00.001-04:00

Welcome to my kitchen!

Just an FYI, this may be my longest post...EVER! In order to truly appreciate what has happened, I must accurately document all of our kitchen to show you the good, the bad and the ugly. Except, in this instance it would be the ugly, the bad and then the great!

Join me on this trip down memory lane...

Move in condition at its finest!

A LOT of chaos happening here.

Underneath all of that stuff was this beauty, a counter/table. Perhaps it's a 'co-able'??

Then I came to my senses and realized that we needed a table and the tacky counter/table had to be removed. And they lived happily ever after.

Just kidding, we kept going!

It was a messy job, but the purple tile backsplash was removed along with the white and blue flooring and light blue counter tops. The cupboards were custom made for the kitchen and were real quality so they stayed. When we were in the inital planning stages of this reno, I thought that the cupboards were enemy number 1. But my Mom suggested that once the other dated items were removed, they could become my best friend. She was right.

Our new countertops installed! The curtains were sewn by my Mom.

We installed the backsplash ourselves, it was a very rewarding DIY project.

And now, for the finished project (drum roll please)...

I wanted to add an element of impact around our window. I purchased peel and stick stainless steel tiles from a big box store and cut to size. In the right lighting, you'll know what I'm talking about.

The walls were painted with Benjamin Moore's Revere Pewter.

I absolutely adore this colour. It is an all time favourite of mine!

And there you have it, Our B*tchin' Kitchen!

Things I would do again to make this happen: live with all of my appliances in the living room for a week while the floors were being installed, agonize over counter top and flooring samples for an undeterminded amount of days, live without counter tops for several weeks while custom ones were being made and last but not least, dust!

It was 100% worth all of the time and effort.

Fun with Frosted Glass!

2012-06-27T09:50:00.004-04:00

Hi Everybody! I'm back! Although, I never actually went anywhere. Things have been busy and time seems to slip away on me.
Moving along... It's Summertime! Yes, that's right folks, with the arrival of the Summer Solstice we can officially pull out the flip-flops and embrace the outdoors.
I was looking for a really simple and easy way to bring the beautiful colours from the outdoors, indoors.
I had several clear glass items that I wanted to kick up a notch. I was thinking of spray painting the items but I couldn't find the right colour of aqua that I had in mind.
While roaming the neighbourhood bix box hardware store, I found this:

Which lead to this...

Then I had an arranging dilemma.

I can never decide.

I am absolutely in love with the light blue tea light lantern I found.
It just screams Summer!

A can of spray paint is a really affordable and easy way to incorporate a pop of fresh Summer colour into your decor.

Hope everyone has a fabulous Summer!

Laundry Room Re-DO!

2012-06-07T18:00:00.000-04:00

The Laundry Room:

An often overlooked room that deserves some recognition every once in awhile.

I mean it does its share of the dirty work.

When we moved in, our laundry room was suffering from a severe case of "Purple-itis."

Purple-itis, when translated means too much purple. Yes, you can have too much colour and for our laundry room it was too much purple.

Suddenly the lyrics in Jimi Hendrix's "Purple Haze" made so much sense to me!

Even the cupboards and doors fell victim to the purple.

If you look closely, you may catch a glimpse of the old flooring which had gold sparkles.

Once we had moved in and settled, I painted!

I wanted the wall colour to be bright and cheery. I wanted something that would distract from the mundane chore of laundry. I chose Benjamin Moore's Vellum. The curtains were made by my Mom. The window valance actually travelled with me during my university days and the one below the sink used to hang in my Mom's kitchen. I'm not one to shy away from a good recycling opportunity.

All the necessities close at hand, neat and tidy!

Oh look! White trim, cupboards and doors!

I love the storage capacity this room has. My vacuum and cleaning supplies are all tucked away out of sight. The counter doubles as a great sorting/folding area.

Check out the flooring!

And I'll close with a salute to my girlfriends and their sense of humour. An old bachelorette gift comes in pretty handy when I'm tending to the tidiness of my home. ;)

Mirror, Mirror, On the Wall

2012-05-25T17:57:00.000-04:00

Here we go again, I have another confession... I LOVE Mirrors!
(Were you expecting me to say lamp!?)

Moving along... yes, I LOVE Mirrors! I love them so much they deserved a full post.

Does anyone recognize this mirror?

Here are some of my favourite styles:

decorpad.com

sanctuaryboutiquehome.com

thedecorologist.com

PotteryBarn

BallardDesigns

A stylish mirror is a fairly inexpensive way to finish off your room. Not only can a mirror help to brighten up your room, they also provide a touch of glamour, even an element of fun.

My Personal Collection

And there you have it - shiny, reflective surfaces really turn my crank and make a great addition to your decor!

Have a great weekend!

Upstairs Bathroom Re-DO!

2012-05-24T20:24:00.001-04:00

Who doesn't love a trip to the spa and being pampered?! When it comes to my bathroom, I want that same soothing vibe. I'm talking candles, a bubble bath, maybe some sweet beats... very zen!

But how can you feel zen when you're trapped in a time warp? The vanity was a beautiful peach faux stain, the walls and trim were light purple AND the floor was green. Oh, and I can't forget the broadway lights that hung above the mirror (not pictured).

I painted the walls with Benjamin Moore's Tea Light. The trim was painted white along with the cabinets which were in good shape but I had to get rid of the peach.

Look, a white sink AND a white toilet! Goodbye peaches and cream!

Finish the room off with lush towels and a beautiful orchid, I'm in love!
Until next time, Keep Calm and Carry On!

Pillow Talk

2012-05-09T14:05:00.001-04:00

This may sound like an AA meeting but...my name is Abbey and I am addicted to throw pillows.
That might be a touch dramatic but it's true!

Recently, I picked up a few new ones to add to the living room.
How can you resist a chevron pattern? It's one of my all time faves.

The right fabric on a pillow can inspire an entire colour scheme or feeling for your space.

Sometimes, they're that missing piece unifies it all.

If you are searching for a really affordable and simple way to update a room in your home, do it with pillows!

On a recent outing, I had to restrain myself when I came across this aisle. I wanted them all! If you're looking for something truly unique, visit the Etsy website. They have all sorts of decorative throw pillows in every possible colour you can imagine. You can even custom order fabrics and sizes from certain shops.

Get out there and get inspired!

We have a Headboard!

2012-05-06T20:35:00.000-04:00

Hi Everyone! It's been a while since my last post but things have been busy.

Recently, we made a trip to Ikea...

And I am happy to report, we finally have a headboard!

I was searching for the perfect upholstered headboard and found it at Ikea!

After a lot of online browsing, I stumbled across this gem and knew it was the one.

My husband and I navigated our way through the store, following the large blue arrows with tiny pencil in hand.

We managed to get the huge box home and even survived the assembly instructions!

The headboard is a lovely light grey material which complements the golden tan walls really well.

I love the tufts and clean lines!

The Bekkestua is perfect!

Sadly, we did not have the meatballs.

Colour Inspiration!

2012-04-23T06:30:00.000-04:00

Happy Monday ~ I hope everyone had a great weekend!

I wanted to share an inspiring website with you all. It's called Design Seeds and it is filled with so many beautiful photographs and colour palette ideas. I could spend hours browsing this website!

Click on the link below and take a look for yourself:

Design Seeds

Happy Browsing!

Downstairs Bathroom Re-DO!

2012-04-22T20:21:00.001-04:00

The Powder Room...
Literally, a powder blue room.

The paint and the flooring were major issues for me. We quickly set to work.

The flooring was replaced and the walls were painted with Benjamin Moore's Deer Granite.

The cabinets and trim were painted with Benjamin Moore's Cloud White.

We upgraded with a new light fixture and new faucet. We also went with a similar mirror but bigger in size. Lastly, I have to give a shout out to the wall art in this room. I thought the powder room was a great place to have elements of fun and whimsy.

"Keep Calm and Carry On."

Living Room Re-DO!

2012-04-11T18:14:00.000-04:00

Shortly after moving in, the room looked like this...

The white walls had to go!

I quickly set to work with a paint brush and the walls became Benjamin Moore's Sandy Brown.

The sofas, tables and lamps were all moved to the Man-Cave.

We purchased a brown leather sofa and chair which was really popular at the time. The vintage chair IS vintage. It came from my Grand-mother's old parlour set. My mom refinished and re-upholstered it and then it found a way to our place. You can never have enough heirlooms in your home.

I thought the space looked great. One day when sitting in the living room, I felt overwhelmed by brown. How had I let this happen?! It had taken some time to acquire the right pieces e.g; new sofa and chair, fabulous rug coffee table and end tables, but when did brown run away with my room?

If you look closely, you will see light blue in the area rug. I had thought about green accents but I was craving blue. When accessorizing a room, throw pillows are always an easy and affordable update. I searched high and low for pillows with the right amount of blue and the perfect shade. I wanted something fresh and fun.

I found them! They are reversible, one side has a lot more blue than the other.
(I apologize for the poor photo quality, I promise there's a lovely shade of blue in the pillow.)

If you haven't noticed, I love mirrors. I especially love quatrefoil framed mirrors!

This round mirror actually has a silvery/blue frame.

I de-browned the room with touches of light blue, silver and gold which I thought added some balance.

The gorgeous frames above the sofa were a DIY project that my Dad and I worked on about two years ago. They are actually tin ceiling tiles that were painted, scuffed and polished off with custom frames. I couldn't find any art to hang above the sofa so we created some. The only cost was the price of the two tiles and now I have amazing art work AND a sweet story to share!

Here is a closer look...

That's all for now, folks!

Stay tuned for more room re-DO's!

Master Bedroom Re-DO!

2012-04-10T00:00:00.000-04:00

Our Master Bedroom was in desperate need of an update. It has seen its fair share of changes over the past few years but nothing too serious. I've mentioned this before but I think it bears repeating, the biggest challenge when decorating a master bedroom is balance. Trying to balance the masculine and feminine to create a relaxing oasis is difficult.

We had new windows installed. I was so glad we replaced the original ones that were as old as the house, yikes!

The walls are Benjamin Moore's Golden Tan. The light blue paisley bed spread is what started it all, then came the lamps; beautiful mercury glass bases with white drum shades. I spied the throw pillow which I thought perfectly incorporated a masculine and rustic element. The wall art above our bed was something that I was searching for and I felt so lucky when I stumbled across it. You can never go wrong with a sunburst mirror. Of course the newly painted dressers were a fabulous and inexpensive addition. The curtains are fantastic! They are a stone/grey colour with a trellis pattern and were exactly what I wanted plus they were on sale! The jute rug used to be in our living room but I think it belongs in this room and adds more texture.

I am so pleased with how well this room came together! It has taken some time for all of the pieces to come together. I am still on the hunt the perfect upholstered headboard.

Stay tuned, a headboard will be joining this room soon!

A Project Complete!

2012-04-09T20:14:00.000-04:00

Hope everyone had an excellent Easter! I had a great Easter weekend filled with family, food and projects!

I finally got my dressers painted and I couldn't be happier with the results.

Take a look...

I used a white gloss paint which will be durable and gave the dressers an overall up-scale look.

I love the results and I wish I had painted them sooner! If you have a project or furniture that needs a fresh coat of paint, I strongly recommend that you set some time aside and do it.

Good bye drab, hello fab!

Transforming the Man Cave

2012-04-01T21:17:00.000-04:00

There is nothing I love more than having a free weekend and a project to work on and this was how I spent my Family Day this year.

The Man Cave was one of the last rooms in our home to get some TLC.

Below is an old photo from when we first moved in.

The Man Cave had drab green walls and was in desperate need of an overhaul. I knew I wanted a much lighter colour on the walls and I went with an old favourite of mine, Benjamin Moore's Sandy Brown.

The new placement of the furniture is fantastic and really opens up the space. The frames above the sofa are scenic, black and white photographs from some of our travels.

The electric fireplace with a stately mantle adds so much masculinity to the Man Cave.

I am in love with the new ottoman and blinds!

I LOVE the change and wish I had transformed this room sooner. It almost feels like we have gained and reclaimed an entire new room in our home. It's a great feeling!

A Mini Make-Over

2012-03-29T18:45:00.001-04:00

I had a few items around the house that I wanted to spruce up a little.

This tray was originally intended to go on the ottoman in our rec-room but I thought it was too small in proportion.

A simple can of white spray paint and a sanding block were all I needed to transform the tray into this...

I really liked the direction I was heading but I wanted to make it look a little more 'vintage' and tone down the bright white. Using a cloth, I lightly added cream coloured craft paint.

Then it became a beautiful way to showcase some pretty jewelry.

Why not show off your pretty pieces! Items that are often kept out of sight sadly slip out of mind in the morning rush. Now, I am a firm believer in trays on dressers.
They add some structure and help contain otherwise scattered pieces.

An Upcoming Project!

2012-03-15T23:07:00.001-04:00

Maybe the weather has something to do with it or the fact that Spring is just around the corner, who knows but I am in the mood to freshen things up. My next project...

This dresser.

And his little friend...

My inspiration:

My plan is to update these quality pieces with a fresh coat of white paint. I was searching for a new bedroom set but I was disappointed with a lot of the selection that was out there. I wanted real wood pieces that would last. I had a hard time trying to find a style that my husband and I could agree on and something that balanced both the masculine and feminine (which I think is the hardest part of decorating a master bedroom).
I realized that I already had the pieces they just needed some TLC from yours truly.

Wish me luck and stay tuned for the finished products!

A Porch Update

2012-03-15T21:00:00.003-04:00

I'm a little bashful but still excited to share some pictures. At the end of summer 2010, we re-vamped the porch. We removed the out-dated, ranch style railing and repainted. It was difficult trying to match an old piece of chipped off paint but I think we managed.

Earlier in the summer, we replaced the large bay window along with the front door.

The front door was painted in my favourite colour!
Shortly after the fresh coat of paint, a silver kick-plate was added and I LOVE it! I think every high traffic exterior door should have one.

A new light fixture helped to modernize the space, sadly I don't even remember the old one!

A fresh coat of paint on the interior too.

And just for kicks, a look back at our old, wooden and not-so-secure front door.

A few things have changed since these pictures were taken. I've also added a black cast urn, we swapped out the flagstone that edged the front flower bed and replaced them with bigger field stones and the shutters have been replaced. I will need to add the pictures, Stay tuned!

Remember when...

2012-03-13T19:40:00.002-04:00

For a total of three years and two months, my husband and I have been working on our forty-something year old side-split. Actually, one of my main reasons for starting this blog came from researching side-split homes on the web and realizing that there wasn't much out there in terms of ideas or "how to" guides. I'm constantly looking for new ways to jazz up the retro design.
Here is an oldie but a goodie of our home shortly after the time of purchase.

Our First Home <3

I had soooo many great ideas on how I wanted our place to look when we moved in. I had soooo many expensive ideas! I quickly began to realize if you have a great idea and a little bit of creativity, it IS possible to achieve the looks you love for A LOT less. A friend once told me that it would take time to get things the way you want them and that couldn't have been more true. So here we are a couple of years later, I'm still full of ideas and my semi-handy husband is right there with me.

Stay tuned for more pictures to come!

Please allow me to introduce myself...

2012-03-13T18:56:00.001-04:00

Hi Everybody!
I'd like to welcome you to my blog! I wanted to point out that this is my first blog EVER but I'm really looking forward to it and I'm really looking forward to sharing some of me with you all.
I like to think of interior design/decorating as one of my hobbies. When I have a chance, one of my favourite things to do is to research decor and to allow myself to be inspired by the creative works of others.
I guess you could say that this blog is providing me with an opportunity to give back to all those creative cats that inspired me.
Enjoy!