Adventures in Renovating a Brooklyn Limestone

Guest Post: Michelle loves China!

2010-09-09T08:00:00.001-04:00

I'm back with hat in hand and pink with embarassment. Lovely Michelle of Three Men and a Lady sent me her post in plenty of time and I simply missed it entirely when I was going through emails. I am a louse. Especially terrible because Michelle is so incredibly talented and Im her biggest fan. You might remember her from when she shared her amazing striped hallway awhile back but there is so much more eye candy on her blog. After you read her post below, go check out her blog - you'll be a fan too.

I adore china. When I go thriftin' one of my first searches is for lovely pieces of china. I like to imagine that each piece has some neat story. But I'm sure it probably belonged to someone who only brought it out for use on very special occassions.

I've acquired quite a collection of lovely mismatched china over the years. I don't believe such pretty pieces should be tucked away on the highest shelf and only come out once a year. I use my finds as my everyday china. None of my pieces match but it's fun to see who ends up with what plate and makes for good conversation.

Not only do I use my treasures for mealtime but I also have them all over my house for other purposes. Someday when I find a good chunk of time perhaps I'll hang it on my wall as art. In the meantime, here's what I do with it...

Using epoxy, I glued candles stick holders to the bottom of plates to make pedestal stands.

These also make great gifts instead of giving cookies on a paper plate.

On my nightstand I have a dish to set my bottle of water and a little bowl to place any trinket's in.

On my entry table I use this toast holder to organize my mail and another plate to catch keys, cell phone, etc.

After washing 12 cups a day I decided it was time to get smart. I picked 4 China dishes from my collection and put them on the counter. Each member of our family got to pick one as their own. Now after they use their cup they put it back on their dish for use next time instead of the sink.

Even my scrubber gets a little spot to hang out and dry when not in use.

They also make great catch-all's for organization...

as well as jewelry.

Re-think your china. Use it for muliple purposes and show it off.

Guest Post: Nicole's So Haute Living Room

2010-09-08T08:00:00.001-04:00

Remember way back in July when I had a fabulous line up of guest posters filling in for me while I was in Kenya? Yea, well about that - there were a few wonderful women who were so kind to write a post and I somehow ended up losing it! I promise, I'm not usually such a scatterbrain but I have to plead guilty on this one. By the time I realized it, I had already announced the line up. I didn't want to just tack them on as an afterthought. Instead I asked their permission to hold off on posting until "later". Well the time has come! I'm going to share two of them with you this week so let's get to it.

Today's guest post comes from the uber chic Nicole of So Haute. She has her finger on the pulse of all that is new and hot in the decor world - and kindly shares all her knowledge with us via her blog. Her own words say it best - "the friend you'd call when you need great design advice". So no more holding out on you, let's sneak a peek at her fabulous living room redo.

Hi! It's Nicole from So Haute! I'm super excited to be guest blogging here at Brooklyn Limestone! I've been following Stefanie's blog for a couple of years now and it's truly one of my favorites! Stefanie has such great style and she never ceases to amaze and inspire me with her fabulous room makeovers and DIY decorating projects! So in the spirit of Brooklyn Limestone, I'd thought I'd share a little makeover of my own...a before and after of my living room.

Here's what my living room looked like when I moved into my apartment three years ago. The challenge? How to take a boring white rectangular box, infuse it with character and personality plus make this small space function as a living room, dining room and an office. It was also important for me to really transform the space into a room that was reflective of who I am and how I live.

I came up with a floor plan that has three separate zones for relaxing, working and dining. Since I entertain a lot I made sure that all of the zones flowed together so that each could offer versatility when I have guests over. For example, I usually clear off my desk and use it to serve drinks so my desk zone also functions as a bar when I'm entertaining which allows my guests to utilize the entire room and not just one zone.

This was my design inspiration. Calm and relaxed with a neutral gray backdrop, pops of pink and a mix of modern and vintage furnishings. I referenced images from Domino magazine as well as the general design aesthetics of Windsor Smith, Ruthie Sommers and Nate Berkus...three talented interior designers whom I adore!

This is the end result. I defined the living space with the use of area rugs and chose layered a natural colored cowhide on top of a sisal room to add texture. My modern sofa from Mitchell Gold+Bob Williams mixes perfectly with more traditional elements including a vintage brass coffee table, mahogany faux bamboo end tables, a french Louis XV style armchair and a fabulous pair of mid-century upholstered X-benches that I picked up from the Brimfield Antiques Show a few years ago. The bright pink lamps add a pop of color as do the flowers which also add life to the space.

Pretty dramatic transformation huh? Here are a few more photos so you can get a better sense of the space:

My skirted TV console is actually a Ikea expedit bookcase that I had my upholsterer make a custom slipcover for out of a linen-like fabric (also from Ikea!) that cost $6 a yard! I chose an ivory colored grosgrain ribbon for contrast. This piece provides lots of storage underneath and is where I keep things like CDs, DVDs, large books, etc. To the right is my desk area where I do most of my blogging.

This is my little dining area. The table is from Ikea, the chairs were a Craigslist find that I painted a blue-ish gray color from Benjamin Moore called Boothbay Gray and the seats are upholstered in a Suzanne Rheinstein for Lee Jofa linen. The buffet is also a Craigslist find which has the most amazing brass lionhead door pulls. I got this for a steal and it's one of my favorite pieces. I use it to store all of my serveware, wine glasses, liquor and table linens. My chandelier is a recent purchase that I just had installed a couple of weeks ago...Thomas O'Brien's Bryant Small Chandelier. I love its aged brass finish and delicate silhouette. Below are a few more detail shots from my living room and a few pieces from my collection of Buddhas which really infuse my personality into the space. I hope you enjoyed this before and after tour of my living room and thanks Stefanie for having me!

xoxo

Nicole

Challenging Myself

2010-09-07T08:44:00.003-04:00

Its officially over - summer 2010 is behind us. Its time to get into serious gear for Fall. Things topping the list include Halloween decorations, holiday plans, apple picking, boot buying, cleaning out my closet, and a host of little home tweaks I've been meaning to get around to. I hope to be able have real progress on my entire to-do list in the next 6 weeks. All things I'm looking forward to but its sometimes hard to find the time in between the required things in life like work and sleep.

There is one other thing I'd like to participate in: Miss B's Souvenir Photo School. (You might know Miss B as the founder of the Bright Side Project) A simple but ingenious idea: invite a small group together to work on a specific photo assignment with the goal of improving each participants skills by active shooting and sharing. The rules are quite simple but strict - follow them or you're out. This time around requires I shoot and upload for 26 of the next 30 days - a task I'm pretty sure I'll fail at but I'm trying anyway.

Thus, my little Salt and Pepper photoshoot yesterday. The challenge requires a photo a day for each letter of the alphabet. It didn't have to be in alphabetical order but because I'm crazy, it didn't feel right to start with anything but an "A". So I've called this one "A" for Accident.

If you are wondering what made me stage a faux salt spill, its this little silver plated duo I picked up from Pottery Barn. Not much of a fan of novelty shakers, I was never able to find ones that served its purpose but were also pretty. (I did find a pewter pair at a flea market once but decided against using them after learning it might not be food safe). These are just the thing. They seem so much more serious in black and white.

What is on your agenda for this month?

Steal this Idea*: Cardigan Cushion

2010-09-03T08:57:00.006-04:00

As someone who loves a good tutorial and knows just how much work goes into one, I think its only fair they get a wee bit more attention. Thus, the Steal this Idea* series was born . Today's tutorial is from Sarah, of Modern Country Style, who emailed me this clever reuse of an old cardy.

We all have at least one old cardigan sweater laying around and Sarah was kind enough to share the lowdown on how to turn it from trash to treasure.

She cut off the arms, stiched up the sides...

...replaced the buttons and sewed the whole thing together. Using the placket you can just slip a pillow form right in.

Check out her detailed instructions here. For inspiration, here are some other adorable versions from Woman's Day.

I have at least two sweaters that I'm eyeing with sharp scissors in hand for this. Such a simple concept but a great idea if you have the materials laying around. And when I get tired of my sweater pillow I won't feel so guilty parting with it.

postscript:
*When I say steal, I really mean borrow nicely and give proper credit!
**If you have an idea/tutorial you would like me to consider for a feature, email me. I'd love to see!

My photos: One year later.

2010-09-02T09:17:00.005-04:00

Just about a year ago, I signed up for a service that lets me sell my photos. Wasn't sure how that was going to pan out (because really, who do I think I am?). Amazingly a bunch of you have spent some of your hard earned cash on prints!! Everytime I get an order, I'm pretty much overjoyed at the thought. So I wanted to just say thanks!

In case you're wondering, these are the most oft ordered prints...

And these are the most viewed photos...

If you've used any of my photos in your home decor, I'd love to see if you don't mind sharing. Just leave me a comment with a link.

I love creepy!

2010-09-01T10:40:00.000-04:00

Have you seen HGTV's new show Secrets from a Stylist? Its hosted by Emily Henderson, winner of this year's Design Star competition, but more importantly author of a fabulous blog, A Brass Petal. Go read it and you'll wish she were your gal pal.

Yea, I have a shrine to Emily in my blog. That's totally normal, right?

Her show was great - quite a bit different from standard HGTV "paint it beige" fair. If you haven't seen it yet, you should go to your tv guide and find one of the bazillion re-airings. I hope HGTV gets smart and orders a bunch more episodes stat.

But why am I mentioning it? Its because of this amaaaazzing oil portrait she included in her room design.

This is the best photo I could find but you can clearly see it in all its glory.

I.LOVE.IT! I want it. My love for creepy oil paintings knows no bounds. If you've been following my blog for a while, this is nothing new. As evidenced by my own mini collection of creepy old art. For your enjoyment: my scary girl in the woods passed down by my father, my scary old lady (known to us as "grandma") given to me by Mr. L and a few smaller random portraits in a gallery wall.

And while I love what I have, I wouldn't mind stumbling upon something as striking as gorgeous as what Emily managed to locate. I've never seen anything like that unless it was really expensive. I guess thats one of the many reasons she has a show and I don't - she knows stuff!

But why have the decor gods forsaken me? I want to stumble on these awesome finds (at affordable prices) too! Am I looking in the wrong places?

Some other examples of found on the web

photo credits: making arrangements, sfgirlbybay, my sweet savanah

Ok so spill the beans people. Is there a secret warehouse that you can tip me off to? Do you have any spooky art that holds a special place in your heart? I'd love to see. (And don't forget to share where you found it!)

Kenya Concluded.

2010-08-30T09:00:00.002-04:00

There isn't much more to say about our Kenyan safari (you can read my prior posts here and here ) its an experience I will never forget. It was everything I hope for in a trip - an exotic experience, luxurious accomadations, learning about different cultures, good weather and something beautiful to photograph. For those that are thinking of it, jump on a plane and go right now - you will not regret it. So while there isn't much more to say, I have plenty more to show you. Let's get to the snaps.

In addition to the animals, we also spent a few hours visiting a Masai village.

Right before we were set to leave I had a little run in with nature at lunch. Mr. Monkey wanted my bread. Even though it wasn't at all dangerous, I screamed my head off. Amazed I managed to press the shutter button.

It was only three days but it did feel like a lot longer. Maybe because its such a foreign experience? But I completely forgot about home for the entire time. But we had to go home sometime.

Back on the tin can to Nairobi before we took the long ride home.

Steal this Idea*: Painted Wallpaper

2010-08-27T09:39:00.003-04:00

As someone who loves a good tutorial and knows just how much work goes into one, I think its only fair they get a wee bit more attention. Thus, the Steal this Idea series was born. Today's tutorial is from Emily of Jones Design Company who emailed me this amazing project.

The title says it all. She hand painted a wallpaper pattern! WHAT??? I can't even imagine the patience Emily has but it turned out amazing. Seeing her handiwork almost makes me believe I could do it myself. Almost.

She created a template out of cardboard and used it to trace an outline all around the room. She didn't even use a level!!

And then proceeded to fill in the lines with some leftover latex paint.

After what I imagine to be a lot of time with paintbrush in hand, it looks like this.

I admit it, I'm really impressed. I love it. Who is brave enough to give it a try?

Check out her detailed instructions (along with some other great tutorials on her blog) here.

postscript:
*When I say steal, I really mean borrow nicely and give proper credit!
**If you have an idea/tutorial you would like me to consider for a feature, email me. I'd love to see!

Who is ready for October?

2010-08-26T10:18:00.004-04:00

As the curtains close on August, my absolute favorite time of year is almost here. Specifically, October. Why is October my favorite? Let me count the ways...

October in NYC is just perfect.

October is the month I celebrate my birthday. And yes, I still insist on making a big deal of it. Check out what we did for the big 3-0 here!

October is also the month Mr. L and I tied the knot. If you want to see how it went down, check out the recap here and here.

And of course, October just happens to hold the most fun holiday - Halloween. Yep, Im getting ready for it. Are you? Check out Halloween's past: 2009 party ; 2009 decor ; 2009 invitation; 2008 decor.

What are you looking forward to this fall?

Kenya Continued...

2010-08-25T08:41:00.004-04:00

Had enough of Brooklyn for a minute? Let's flash back to Africa for today.

If you didn't catch my first installment of the Kenya trip, read it here. Picking up where I left off, we left Amboseli and took a short white knuckled flight to the Masai Mara.

If you are expecting wild animals in this post, I'm sorry to disappoint. There will be none today because I have to share with you some of the details of where we called home for 3 amazing days: Bateleur Camp at Kichwa Tembo.

I love a good hotel but even the nicest ones tend to be a lot of the same stuff. Its easy to get jaded. Not here. I was completely enchanted from the moment we touched down (and completely depressed when we had to leave). So who else would better appreciate it then my fellow decor porn addicts?

Imagine having an incredibly cosmopolitan friend who lived in the African bush who offered you her pad for a few days (while she jetted off to some other amazing place like Antartica, no doubt) complete with her staff and fully stocked bar. That is what staying here is like. Really. Hats off to the designer, whoever you are.

The commons space decor is on a raised wooden terrace overlooking a huge plain. Its a balanced mix of collected vintage items, bits and pieces of the local materials and a bit of whimsy - set against a backdrop of natural beauty.

I've never wanted a collection of Ostrich eggs before - now I'm dying for one! And who would think a ceramic pug would work in a colonial setting? Genius. Just goes to show you that being unpredictable in small doses adds a lot to a space.

Then we were escorted to our "tent". Bwah! If all camping were like this, none of us would live in houses!

Stone, rich woods and canvas walls. And yes, there was a ceiling fan that made perfect sense. Well done.

Just great design - functional and luxe and all out in the middle of nowhere. Great food and service surrounded by the most incredible wildlife. I can't imagine this experience will ever be topped so I can't help but rave about it.

And because I know you are curious: Yes, it was really expensive (but included everything) but so worth it. Staying in Kenya for just a week (one of most used travel strategies) help kept the total damage down but it was still a big number.

Ok, enough with the decor stuff. Next Kenya post will be all about the animals!

Dining Room Update

2010-08-24T10:24:00.004-04:00

So for all of those following the dining room table saga, here she is.

Notice something missing? Yes, I have managed to make it to the age of 32 without owning 10 cloth napkins. How is this possible??? Any napkin recommendations? Of course I could just go white but Im feeling like a little color or pattern would be nice here.

Ps #1: In case you think I've gone off the deep end, I didn't set the table just for this photo. Mr. L was having his old country relatives over for lunch so it had to be done.

Ps #2: For those that commented they liked the old table better: I totally 100% agree with you! The problem was that it did not function in a way that I needed it to. Whats the point of having a big dining room table if I have to make guests eat standing up? If I could have made it so that it would sit 12, I would have happily paid a small fortune to make it so. (or if the table would have fit in any other room I would have gladly repurposed) So for $225, I have an intermediate solution that should last for a while and be more functional. Its not by any means perfect (it only seats 10 and it has its share of damage)but it works for now. When I find a table I love AND seats 12, I will be chucking this one and plunk down the cash to buy it.

PS #3: For commenters concerned about my hoarding tendances I'm happy to report that I have given the table to my brother who just happened to be dining room table less. Its still in the family but has gone to a good home. Everyone wins - especially my scare storage space.

And all this dining room talk has me itching to host a dinner party. Timing might not work out with Halloween coming up but maybe I can squeeze one in to christen the table?

Summer's Last Hurrah

2010-08-23T09:41:00.002-04:00

I know there are a couple of weeks to go but the writing is on the wall - summer is just about over. Mr. L has some relatives from the old country in town and threw out the possibility of hosting a little summer barbeque in their honor. Did someone say par-tay? Im game.

The hitch is that it would be this week! You can probably guess I'm not too keen on the last minute thing. It doesn't give me any time to whip up fun little details. Be that as it may, if we do have people over, I still want to add a few sparks to the day.

I have a small backyard - no trees,grass or view. Just a little postage stamp sized plot of land to host our guests. So it would be a casual indoor and outdoor mixing kind of thing. During the day so candles, twinkly lights or tiki torches are out.

The menu will be traditional American barbeque - steaks, corn, chicken, etc.. But what about the fun stuff?

Here are the last minute ideas I've managed to find as possibilities. Real pineapples as cocktail glasses, flowers in ball jars, frozen vodka, colorful cupcakes...

photo credits: flickr, country living, martha stewart, phoenix times

After seeing this photo from Country Living, I just might have to buy a picnic table.

Do you have any other quick and easy ideas I can use? I'd love to hear/see them!

Steal this Idea*: DIY Chevron

2010-08-20T09:00:00.001-04:00

As someone who loves a good tutorial and knows just how much work goes into one, I think its only fair they get a wee bit more attention. Thus, Steal this Idea series is born. Today's tutorial is from Redilocks of Get it Swoonworthy who emailed me after reading last week's feature.

It might be easy to forget that this simple pattern isn't quite so simple to reproduce correctly. The DIY requires a little math. Don't say I didn't warn you. But sometimes a little effort can go a long way.

She took some plain old Ikea shoe racks ...

and made them a statement piece with a little paint and tape.

Check out her detailed instructions here.

Wouldn't this technique look fab on the back of a bookcase or even a floor? And maybe in a striking contrasting color duo like turquoise and candy red? Love.

postscript:
*When I say steal, I really mean borrow nicely and give proper credit!
**If you have an idea/tutorial you would like me to consider for a feature, email me. I'd love to see!

Dining Table? Ding Ding Ding

2010-08-19T09:00:00.001-04:00

For those of you sick of hearing about the shore, you'll be happy with today's post. We're going back to Brooklyn. If you have been reading my blog for a while, you might remember my dining room table dilemna.

This table was here long before us. The woman who sold us our house had every scrap of junk the last owner had in here (I'm told it was filled to the rafters before) except this table. So I feel a strange loyalty to it, as if it deserves to stay since it suffered neglected for so long. And I do like how it looks despite its bare spots, scratches and damage. All that said, its just not very functional for us because of the way the legs cut into the space under the table. Its huge but only lets us put 6 chairs around it. We investigated having a leaf made which would add some more space but it wasn't going to give us much and it was going to cost $3K between the leaf and refinishing. Um, no.

So we just tossed up our hands and let it lie for a while. On Christmas, we butted up a plastic folding table and called it a day. We never invited more than 4 people for dinner. I just wasn't willing to part with a small fortune for something I wasn't excited about.

Fast forward to last week. I had a few minutes to kill so I stopped into Housing Works, a NYC based thrift whose proceeds go to charity. Been in there a ton of times but have never bought anything. This time was different. What was staring back at me but a dining table, calling its siren song. It had little brass accents on the feet! And it was a pretty shape! And had a leaf! The best part was the price tag - $225! Ding, ding, ding!

Its by no means perfect - it’s a bit scratched and it won't seat a ginormous amount of people - but for the price, I can't complain.

Are you wondering 'What about the original table?'. At first I thought I'd just give it away. No big deal. I'm generally good about letting things I'm not using go - except for this. In a move that will likely earn me a spot on the next season of Hoarders, I just can't seem to part with it. Its sitting in our middle room right now taking up all the space as we figure it out. We are going to try to disassemble it and store in the basement somewhere. (Yes, we are turning into those people that store furniture they know for a fact they will never, ever use again.) We'll see how that goes. Its not like we have a whole lot of experience disassembling old furniture that isn't meant to come apart here. Until then, the table is safe and sound.

Once we sort that tiny detail out, I'll be excited to have a dining table with a little more room to entertain around. I do wish the table wasn't quite so shiny...i feel like I have enough shine in the floors and mirror and lighting that I wish the table was a bit more worn down generally. Is there a way to do that without ruining it? And I still need to find suitable chairs (I still like the gold chairs but I would eventually like to have something more permanent looking). If I'm ever lucky enough to find reasonably priced balloon back chairs, I might die happy.

I just might need to invite some people over to celebrate!

Shore Files: Mod Beach Bathroom Cheat Sheet

2010-08-18T09:00:00.001-04:00

Ok, so a tiny bit delayed but as complete as I can make it, below a source list for the shore bathroom. If you are just joining, read part 1 and 2 of the bathroom remodel. I did my best to look up prices and links but in some cases I just estimated.

Wall Tile: 9x12 Bonda Glossy White Ceramic purchased from Classic Tile at $3.50/sq ft
Floor Tile: 12x24 EdiMax Space Spaz Porcelain Tile from Classic Tile at $5.75/sq ft
Accent Tile: Jeffrey Court Silver Tradition Mini Brick (a mix of clear glass, frosted glass, gray glass, white marble and dark blue stone). Home Depot carries this and it ended up costing $4/linear foot for the 4 rows we used.
Trim Tile: Carrera Marble "Pencil" from Classic Tile. Don't remember the exact price but its about $10/linear foot. (I later saw these at Home Depot as well.)
Wall Color: Zinc by Martha Stewart from Home Depot
Ceiling Light: 10 arm Sputnik purchased on ebay from a seller named lamparts for $135
Vanity: Hutton Powder Room Washstand from Restoration Hardware
Medicine Cabinet: Framed Wall Mount from Restoration Hardware. They also sell it for full price online but we snagged at their Virginia outlet store for half price.
Faucets: Tub and Sink both from Kohler's Bancroft line purchased online with coupon code but I don't remember the site.
Fixtures: Towel Bar, Shelf and TP holder all from Restoration Hardware Outlet. Don't remember the specific prices or style names but they were discounted 50% at the outlet.
Art: Reproduction I ordered online from Ocean's Bridge for $285.
Bottles: Blue, green and white bottles sitting on top of the medicine cabinet are from Ikea for $8.

As I mentioned in the first post, we did not do the work ourselves. We found a contractor who was able to do it in his spare time. Since we don't live here it was pretty easy to have the bathroom out of commission for a few months in the winter while he got around to finishing it up. It took longer this way but we were okay with that.

Hope that answers all of the questions you had in this space. Maybe in a year or two, I'll be just as excited to share a redone shore kitchen but I wouldn't hold my breath for that one!

Shore Files: Mod Beach Bathroom Reveal

2010-08-17T11:02:00.005-04:00

If you missed yesterdays post about the shore bathroom renovation, go read it now for the full scoop. Otherwise, read on for the finale.

So last I left off we were just about done but had a few more key pieces to add. The most important piece from a design point of view was the light fixture: a spunik multi arm get up. Once I had decided to use this fixture, the rest fell into place for me mentally. Its glamourous and vintage and modern and beautiful all that the same time. At least thats how I think of it.

And then the vanity. I think its fair to say I looked at every available vanity on earth before deciding. I think we could have saved some money on this if we had gotten it made by a woodworking shop but we were running out of time and I couldn't find any solid recommendations for one so we just bite the bullet and ordered.

The medicine cabinet is also Restoration Hardware but we managed to find it at the outlet so we saved a big chunk on it. Hooray. (We also scored all the little bits and pieces like the towel rod, tp holder, shelf, etc from RH on sale at the outlet.)

And then I had one more thing to add that was also a big element to my mental picture - art. I originally wanted a print of this R Kenton Nelson painting, Swim Party, for ages (you might remember it from Diane Keatons character's bedroom in Somethings Gotta Give) . Unsigned prints proved impossible to find (signed prints go for $2k each. Holy Moly!) I looked forever for a suitable alternative and came up empty. So when I found a site that sells reproductions I was all over it. Of course, I'd prefer the real thing but that was not in the cards.

With the all the pieces in place, its time for the big finish. To refresh your memories, here is the before...

and here is the after...

As with any of my projects, its not quite finished. I'd like to get some lacquer boxes for the vanity shelf along with a nicer shower curtain and towels. But all in all, I'm thrilled with how it turned out.

Click here for a source list of materials used in this room.

Shore Files: Mod Beach Bathroom Renovation Part 1

2010-08-16T09:22:00.003-04:00

So its time to do the big reveal of the bathroom. (I should warn you I'm breaking this up into two posts because I don't have enough time to write out the full explanation today but I hope you find it worth waiting for!)

Let's start off at the beginning - the before photos. From afar it doesn't look so bad really. Kind of sad and dull but not terrible. But photos have a way of glossing over all that is nasty in person. Like a rusted tub that won't get white no matter what you try. Or craked tiles over an uneven floor. Or shoddy workmanship in general.

But honestly, if it were just those things we would have probably left it alone for another few years. Sure its been a few years since we've wrapped up the reno on the limestone but I wasn't looking forward to having to deal with it again - even in minature. Despite wishes to put it off, we got some indication that there was water leaking from somewhere beneath the tiles. Once we heard that we knew we had to do SOMETHING. We could have ripped around in there looking for the leak and just fix whatever it was but we figured we might as well just do the whole thing the right way now. We also happened upon a contractor who was doing work in the complex already so the stars were aligned I guess.

With that decision made, I had to get thinking about what I wanted it to look like. We wanted to keep the bill down so we left the layout exactly as is. As for the finishes, I struggled a bit at first. I could have went with the obvious choice - beachy cottage. You know the style well - beadboard, pale blues, cottagey woodwork, etc. I was sure I didn't want that (not that there is anything wrong with it, its just not what I wanted) but I didn't want to totally ignore the setting either. So I set out to do a style I'd like to call "Mod Polished Beach" - deeper blues, lots of clean white with a splash of sparkle and grey to punch it up. Here is a sneak peek of my selections but more to come on that.

After I had decided what I wanted, the whole thing was gutted save the toilet (which we just installed ourselves 2 years ago so there was no reason to junk that)

New plumbing and electrical were first to get, natch. And then the other essentials including a new subfloor, sheetrock and tub.

After a brand spanking new window complete with frosted glass (hooray - no more gross blinds in here!) , the floor went down.

Finally it was time for the magic to happen - the wall tiles. I toyed with the idea of having some kind of basketweave pattern on the tub wall but I ended up scrapping it. I luvrve me some basketweave but it wasn't going to work with the concept I had in my head for the room.

I won't lie - I wasn't 100% sure about that decision. I was worried it might look a little flat. But once I saw the tiles in, I felt so much better. It was coming together exactly as I imagined it. Of course, we weren't there yet.

Time to paint!

So close! It was just a matter of adding the fixtures, hardware and lighting before we were at the finish line. But this post is already too long so I'm going to stop here. I promise you'll see how it all turned out along with a source list in my next post.

Steal This Idea*: Fake a Zinc look

2010-08-13T10:36:00.006-04:00

By complete accident I stumbled upon a fabulous faux zinc tutorial I just had to share with you. So it got me thinking - Knowing just how much work goes into great tutorials, they really don't get the credit they deserve. Therefore I'm launching a new feature: Steal This Idea*.

I'm not usually a big fan of faux finishes (im looking at you courtland of design star!) but I'm making an exception here as I was totally impressed with this one. Not to mention, real zinc furniture is out far out of my price range.

The technique complete with detailed explanation and video tutorial comes from the lovely Jami of Freckled Laundry.

I don't think I'm brave (or patient enough) to try it on a whole piece of furniture as Jami did but I think would be such a great look for something smaller. Maybe a cool art piece? Or a new finish on an old find? What do you think?

Hope you are all about to kick off a fabulous weekend. I'll see you next week.

postscript:
*When I say steal, I really mean borrow nicely and give proper credit!
**If you have an idea/tutorial you would like me to consider for a feature, email me. I'd love to see!

Shore Files: In case you are wondering...

2010-08-12T09:32:00.003-04:00

...the stump stool is in place and its looking good. I'm a bit meh on the wheels (I can sort of see them if I sit in a certain spot across the room) but I think it needs the height. Maybe I'll switch them out at some point but its good for now. Definitely happy I didn't paint it.

Aside from this addition, I've gotten absolutely no where on my other beachy to-dos. Here is what's on the agenda when I get around to it.

Window treatments (I think I've decided what I'm doing and it requires sewing)
New pillows (Still searching)
Adding some vintage/found/ character pieces (Still searching)

After I get those in place I'll figure out what else is needed to round off the space. And of course I haven't even started tackling the nightmare that is the kitchen or getting going on the bedroom.

But I do have a goody in store for you. We renovated the bathroom! This is what it looked like when we bought the place.

This photo doesn't show just how nasty it was truly was. Hair, blood, urine, the whole shebang was left to us as a housewarming gift. I literally wore a bio-suit and mask while cleaning it for the first time. But it was functional so we didn't want to renovate just for gross factor. Cut to 5 years later, we suspected some water leakage behind the walls so it was the perfect opportunity to change out the tiles and fixtures. I'm absolutely loving how it turned out - I just have to put a few finishing touches in there and it will be ready for the unveiling. Stay tuned to see how its looking now!

Recipe: Banoffee "Danger" Pie

2010-08-11T09:00:00.001-04:00

Do not adjust your sets - you haven't tuned into the wrong blog. Its still culinarily challenged me but this pie was so amazingly delish I had to share it. We had a chance encounter with its gooey yumminess in Africa. Luckily the camp manager was nice enough to share the recipe. I've made a few slight adjustments to account for American markets.

Meet Banoffe "Danger" Pie. Ban for banana + offee for toffee = Banoffe pie. If you are like me, you've never heard the term 'banoffee', no less tasted it. Non Americans are roling their eyes now as its nothing new but humor my astonishment - how has this dessert not won us Yankees over?

Why "danger"? Glad you asked. Danger is this pies middle name not only because is it tasty and calorically sinful but its also incredibly easy to make! A dangerous combination. If you are on a diet, avert your eyes.

Still with me? Lets get started. You will need:

3 bananas
1 tin of sweetened condensed milk
2 cups whipping cream
1 package of digestive biscuits or graham crackers
1 stick of butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 small bar of chocolate

If you don't mind using store bought ingredients you can cut down a lot on the steps but since I was posting it I figured I would make a proper version entirely from scratch just for you.

Your first step can be done way ahead of time (at least hours but can be as much as months before). Remove the label on the condensed milk and submerge the unopened can in pot of water. Cover and boil for 2.5 hours. Warning: Be sure to keep the can covered by water at all times!!

After requisite time has passed, take pot off the stove and allow the can to cool. In case you're wondering - you just made magic, er, toffee!

So you're ready with your toffee, its time to do the rest.

To make the crust (*You can skip this step entirely by buying a ready made graham cracker crust.)

Grind up digestive cookies in food processor.
Melt stick of butter in microwave and pour into crumb mixture.
Blend until you have a moist sand mixture.
Smooth wet crumbs into pie plate to make a crust.
Bake at 350F for 10 minutes.
Set aside to cool.

To make whipped cream (*You can skip this step entirely by using cool whip. )

Whip cold cream and vanilla on high until whipped
Set aside

Now its time to bring it all together. Cut up bananas into slices and lay into your crust. It doesn't matter how you arrange them really. Just go wild.

Open toffee can, mix with knife until smooth, pour on bananas.

Spread whipped cream over the whole mess

Grate chocolate on top (optional)
Put in fridge to set for at least 1 hour

So there you have it. Yum in a pan. I dare you not to love it.

Jambo Amboseli...

2010-08-09T11:03:00.003-04:00

So as promised, I'm finally getting around to sharing some highlights from our trip to Kenya last month. Unlike our South Africa trip, this one was all about the safari. We traveled to two different areas: Amboseli and Masai Mara. First things first, our few days in Amboseli…

We flew into Nairobi first, getting in very late at night. I'm not usually concerned much about safety while traveling - I tend to think most places are generally safe if you keep your wits about you - but while doing my normal research I learned about some disturbing things about the Kenyan capital. I won't lie - it gave us pause as to whether we should go - but on second thought we decided it was going to be now or never so we booked. As a result, we didn’t plan in any extra time to see the sights of Nairobi so I don't have anything to show you. Maybe that was a mistake but I'll never know.

First thing the next morning we made our way to Wilson airport to take a small plane to Amboseli. In the tiny shop near the taxi areas, there was a shop that had plenty of liquid courage on sale for the weak of heart.

Here I am right before I said my ritualistic Our Father and Hail Mary's before take off. Notice how tight I am clutching my purse. (You might also notice my new haircut - what do you think?)

Finally we landed safely. Phew.

It was time to get the camera out and ready to go. Yes, those are a pile of animal bones laying near the sign. I was duly impressed. We were on safari! Hooray!

First stop would be where we called home for the next couple of nights, Tortilis Camp.

Tortilis Camp Lobby, Watering Hole (viewed from lobby), Exterior and Interior shots of our "tent"

At this point it was about time for lunch and we got to taste something out of this world delicious: Banoffee Pie. I had never heard of it before but we were sold after the first bite. The managers were nice enough to give me the recipe (I'll be sharing it and photos later this week). Ok, enough about the pie, its time for animals!

One of my first favorite photos from the trip. Its amazing just how many animals look you straight in the face. Kind of surreal.

Amboseli is most famous for their elephants. One morning we got to see a huge herd feeding on the pan. It just so happened that the only other vehicle there was that of famous wildlife photographer Nick Brandt (check out some of his fabulous work here). As you can easily see, an amazing talent but does not play well with others. I thought he was going to have a coronary the way he was huffing and directing us to vacate the area as if we didn't have a right to be there as well. Manners are clearly not something he has mastered. Out of respect for his art, we didn’t stay that long but long enough to get some decent snaps of my own.

One afternoon right before sunset we got to see a pride of lions waking up for the evening. They were still a bit sleepy but not at all shy.

We got to see the sun setting behind them - just beautiful.

We also got to see plenty of less scary animals. I was in love with the Ostrich - so gangly and huge but fast and beautiful at the same time. I call this one Manage a tois...

And a few other favs...

Last but not least we got a few glimpses here and there of the local people. Like this young boy who was tending a herd (our ranger stopped to ask him if he had seen any cheetah around) or an older boy tending his grazing goats and this mother and child walking past camp.

And in a flash it was time to pack up for our flight to the Masai Mara. More on that in a future post.

Oh Martha!

2010-08-06T09:07:00.003-04:00

In case you were looking for me last night, I was at my very first blog networking shindig.

I wasn't actually invited - it was Tanya from Save the Date for Cupcakes that let me know about it and helped me get on the list. You might have guessed by the fact this was my very first one that I'm not really a networker type of person. But this was MARTHA so how could I not??

Thankfully the Martha crew decided to move it from the roofdeck to an interior room because it was so damn hot out yesterday. Thank you!

I was lazy so I only took a few snaps with a tiny PS camera. I didn't take many shots because it was difficult to get a good shot with so many people there but the event was well styled. Great passed food and fun signature cocktails. I'll be stealing a few ideas.

We got to see some famous faces including Martha herself, her daughter Alexis, Kevin Sharkey and Darcy Miller. But the highlight of the night was meeting some other bloggers like Tanya, Camila of High Heeled Foot in the Door, Kelly of High Street Market, Kirsty of Posh Pixels and others. I also very briefly got to say hi to Erica of Design Blahg and Jordan Ferney of Oh Happy Day. Not surpringly, everyone is super nice. Too bad it was so loud in there that I could barely hear what was being said and I also missed a few other people I would have loved to meet.

I sort of expected way more home design bloggers based on the Kevin Sharkey appearance but there weren't that many of us (at least that I could find) but the night was fun in any event.

It was great to meet some familiar and new faces while visiting the mecca of Martha-ness. I definitely felt a bit out of place not being a smoozer and not having blog business cards (I never thought I'd would need them!) but there is a first time for everything, right?

Were any of you there? How do you feel about blog networking events?

I don't have anything nearly as glam planned for the weekend. Just trying to stay cool and relax. Have a great one.

Flashback: South Africa

2010-08-04T09:00:00.001-04:00

In case you were wondering, I went to Kenya last month. It was amazing and I can't wait to tell you all about it but there is a problem. I've been back from my last trip for 2 weeks and I still haven't finished going through my photos! At this point I might be done by the time the Mayan calendar indicates the world's end. Maybe.

Enter Mr. Limestone, who reminded me that I have never shared our trip to South Africa. That’s because we went in 2005 (the days before blog) so it never made it here. And while I know Kenya and South Africa are completely different countries, this trip had a lot of similar experiences so I can't help but compare. It should also be mentioned that I'm pretty sure our trip to South Africa was my most favorite ever so it kind of a no brainer. For all of those reasons, a South Africa trip flashback...

We flew into johannesburg and spent the night there. We took a tour of the Soweto townships with a local resident which was extremely interesting but I felt far too uncomfortable to photograph it. (Hey, look at me, overfed American taking photos of the underpriveledged for personal entertainment. Yeehaw!). Since I have no photos of it - and photos are kind of the soul of this blog - I won't say more than that.

Next we flew to a private game reserve outside of Kruger called Londolozi. And if you are wondering, yes - it was on a teeny tiny little plane that landed on a dirt runway. I never clutched an armrest so hard but once we were there, we were in heaven. The lodge is amazing - the common areas built around a large tree. Each room had its own little veranda looking out onto the bush with a tiny private plunge pool.

They picked us up in the jeep and we started on safari right away. I can't remember much about the sequence of when we saw which animal in which order but we saw so many. Not being much of an outdoorsy nature person, it was hard to say how I was going to react but I just loved it. Seeing these animals in the wild really had a profound effect. Completely beautiful and fascinating and grotesque all at the same time.

Suffice to say it was amazing in every way possible. And it wasn't even over yet. After our safari ended, we flew to Cape Town for a few days. What an amazing city! Great restaurants, weather, views, and attractions.

After we had explored the waterfront area, we took the ferry to Robben Island (where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned) as one of the first stops. With its horrible history and natural beauty, the tour is fascinating. Then we rented a car and drove down the coast to see the Cape and the penguins on the beach. That’s right, I said penguins!

There are so many other things that stand out to me but this post is long enough and I think I've given you a general idea. If you've ever considered going to South Africa, I would urge you to do it!

It was quite simply an amazing trip. Since the moment we've left I've been wanting to come back to Africa to see more. So 5 years later when the opportunity to go to Kenya presented itself in the form of a free ticket courtesy of frequent flier miles, we jumped at the chance. As soon as I get around to finishing those photos, I'll show you all about it.

For more travel recaps, click here. To purchase some of my favorite photos (starting at just $6!), click here.

Style & Skill Crush: Penelope Deyhle

2010-08-03T08:36:00.004-04:00

In my long list of things I wish I had a talent for, painting is at the top. And while I've certainly tried my hand at it (for example, this painting I did a mediocre job of), I'm simply not in possession of any serious ability here.

So why am I rambling on about this? Well I stumbled upon an artist that has me completely smitten with her work. And that talented artist is Penelope Deyhle.

I just happened to be walking past a boutique that had this beautiful study of a goldfish from the bowl's angle. And even though the store was closed and my friends were already way ahead of me, I stopped and stared for quite a while. It was big and beautiful. I was transfixed. (I know this is sounding over the top dramatic but I swear, it happened just like I'm describing!)

Finally, I snapped out of my trance and ran to catch up but the painting never left my mind. Weeks later, I was still thinking about it. I contacted the store and they directed me to the artist's page. I crossed my fingers and emailed her hoping for the best.

Penelope was lovely and answered my email quickly. Sadly for me, the painting was not only way out of my budget but sold! Oh well - I kind of expected that but this would have looked so perfect over a white desk at the shore, don't you think?

And here are a few other of her paintings.

Despite my disappointment, I just wanted to share her work with you as well. The photos don't really do it justice.

"Stump" is fun to say!

2010-08-02T08:56:00.003-04:00

Warning: The content of this post is intended for mature adults who are interested in, or are actively pursuing the perfect tree stump side table. If you unable or unwilling to experience further stump content, shut down your web browser now. Brooklyn Limestone accepts no responsibility for unintended stump overload.

I had some free time this weekend and the weather somehow managed not to be sauna like so it was the perfect opportunity to finally get going on the tree stump* table now that I had a place for it! Let's start at the beginning.

About a year ago, I saw the idea at Kara's blog and loved it. I asked around for tree stumps. A very nice stranger offered me a pile o stumps and I made my poor husband donkey them home (bugs and all - it was nasty!)

photo taken july 2009

The stumps sat in the backyard drying out for the last 12 months. I had sort of forgotten about them (except for the times when Mr. L suggested throwing them away, then I vehemently refused suggesting I had big plans for them!) Poof - your suggestions that I should use a tree stump side table at the shore along with a pile of unused stumps in my backyard creates home decor harmony in the universe. (I really should have thought up this idea myself but sometimes I'm not so swift)

After a year it had dried out considerably which you can see from the cracks all around. It was by no means perfect but its what I had.

I picked the stump that look best and scrubbed it down with clorox and water. Sat it in the sun to let it dry out for a few hours. Once I deemed it dry enough it was time to get to work.

This is going to be the most boring tutorial ever as it's made mostly of one directive: SAND.

Sand, sand, sand, sand. Then sand some more. Then sand more. Then think you are done and have your husband come out and suggest it needs another hour of sanding. Raise and shake fist in the air at your own idiocy for thinking up this torture for yourself. Return to sanding.

Then when its not quite perfect, decide you've had enough of sanding and call it good enough. Then realize you haven't even started on the sides! More sanding!

Thankfully the sides are a lot easier. It only needs a few minutes to rub all the yuck off.

Voila!

Now I had all kinds of plans to paint the tops ala Martha Stewart's version. But as I stared at it I actually liked the cracked texture on the top so I decided to leave it. I had also planned on sealing it with this spray poly but the unfinished nature screams driftwood to me. Perfect for the beach, right?. So again, I decided to leave it is as is. (Although I'm still considering sealing it - what do you think??)

You could easily just stop there but I decided it needed to be on wheels for a few reasons. One, it was suggested that I not rest it directly on the floor in case of sap leakage. Two, it was a pretty squat stump so it could use the height. And three, I don't want it scratching up my floor. So on went some cheap casters I found at Home Depot. (Ideally some small pretty brass ones would look better.)

Screw those bad boys willy nilly on the underside of the finished stump.

A better person than I would have used a level and shims to get it perfectly flat. I could not find the level nor did I have any shims so this is what I did. I figured I could always unscrew and futz with it later.

Shockingly, I turned it right side up and it worked perfectly fine. No wobble.

Thus concludes my Guiness World Book of Records entry for blog with the most photos and mentions of the word 'stump'. I think I nailed it. Where is my prize?

*After last week's tree stump free for all, you might think I had covered every kind. But evidently I totally missed one my very favorite blogs, Three Men and a Lady, interpretation. I think this one might be my personal fav so it was worth mentioning. Thanks whatthevita for reminding me of it.

**It should also be noted that the word 'stump' is fun to say. Especially when its said 1,000 times while covered in sawdust.