SKIRTED TABLES

I grew up in a home, in the 90's, sporting some serious fluffy skirted tables.... (Mom, I don't hold it against you, they were popular!) I have just had an aversion to them ever since.  But lately I am swooning over these tailored versions.  So much so, I think I might just have one in the works very soon.

Unexpected Shape + Fabulous Fabric = Gorgeous Entry

{ Image via here }

Fun Fresh Color.

{ Image via here }

Clean, simple, chic.  That is what it's all about.

{ Image via here }

The tie details on this linen skirted console are such a great detail.

{ Image via here }

I remember tearing this out of my Domino magazine years ago for my inspiration file.

{ Design via Palmer Weiss }

Great DIY Versions...

{ Tutorial via Little Green Notebook }

{ Tutorial via Elizabeth @ The Mustard Ceiling }

What I love about these classic skirted tables is that you can transform a ho hum piece of furniture into this chic statement with just a little fabric.  Plus you can hide just about anything underneath!!

{ Image via BHG.com }

Are you into skirted tables?

Stars & Stripes on Display

In honor of Memorial Day I would like to share one of my favorite "American" inspired spaces.  Designed by Rachel Halvorson Designs, this barn is classic, chic, modern, rustic & beyond inviting.  If you aren't familiar with Rachel Halvorson, or her blog NestEgg, I highly recommend checking it out.  

I don't see myself ever living in the country... but if I had to, I would be able to survive in an environment like this one.

I would like to personally thank all the troops past & present for their service to serve and protect.  All the sacrifices that have been made will never be forgotten.  

I hope you all are finishing off the Memorial Day Weekend in style!

I LOVE IT: 10

Greek Key will always be a classic design motif.  It can go traditional to contemporary depending on scale, color or even material.  

B L A C K   K E Y   D U V E T   C O V E R:  I have a huge design crush on Jill Sorensen not only is an amazing designer with an amazing blog, but she also has an amazing store.  These exclusive duvet covers come in an array of colors all of which are as bold as the designer.

K E Y   M O S A I C:  Classic & Clean especially when paired with Carrara Marble.

G R E E K   K E Y   D R E S S E R: I have been lusting over this dresser for years!  One day...

K E Y   T R I M:  Update simple drapery panels with a Greek Key Trim or Ribbon.  A simple DIY that will transform a room.

R O T H E S A Y   L A N T E R N: By design guru Tobi Fairley, this lantern is bound to become an instant classic.

DIY CANOPY BED: PART 1

Here it is!!!  Chloe's "Princess" Bed.  We tried calling it a Big Girl Bed, but got more excitement after calling it a Princess Bed...  & do you remember I had a GENIUS idea for the top of the canopy?!  would you ever believe that this was her crib skirt?!?  It's already the perfect size, the room was already based around this color scheme, it's kind of perfect!  

While this project was not difficult, it was complicated due to the scale.  I ended up with over 25' of fabric all sewn together... That sheer mass just makes sewing, folding, stapling & hanging a lot to take on.  The good thing is, there is no advanced sewing, just advanced assembling :)  You will need some extra hands! 

Due to the size of this project, I will be illustrating some of this tutorial using diagrams.  I think this will allow for an easier visual to comprehend... I think... Sometimes I think writing these tutorials is harder than making the actual project!  There was no way a picture would have helped.  This is what half of it looked like!

Fabric Panels:  (For use with a Standard Twin Daybed & a Standard Crib Bed Skirt.)

• 2 - Panel A  Length from Ceiling to Floor with added hem allowance. (My fabric was only 48" wide, 54" would be even better.)
• 2 - Panel B  Length from Ceiling to Floor, including swag dimension, with added hem allowance. (My fabric was only 48" wide, 54" would be even better.)
• 2 - Panel C  Length from Ceiling to Floor, including swag dimension, with added hem allowance. 

*Panel A & Panel B's will all be the same fabric "Orange".  Panel C will be your contrasting fabric "White".*

Pre-Cut your panels to the correct lengths, taking into account any fabric repeats & pattern matching.  The Panel "A's" are shorter because there is no need to waste all that extra fabric behind the bed.  It just needs to go to the floor.  Once all the panels are cut, sew them all together using a standard stitch through your sewing machine.  You will want the front of the fabric to always be facing the same direction, even with the "White" panels.

Once they are all sewn together, they should look like this.  Remember... the fronts are all facing the same direction.

Put all of the fabric aside & cut your plywood to the interior dimension of your crib skirt.  We wanted to add a chandelier to the interior of her canopy so we added a small hole for the plug in Light Kit & also used a skill saw & a chisel to notch out a place for the cord to lay once it was flush with the ceiling.  This step is completely optional.

Next you will attach your fabric.  So go grab your giant pile & make sure you are working on a clean surface.  Attach your Panel "A" fabric to your plywood panel using a staple gun.  I suggest starting in the center & wrapping your way around.  Your Panel "B's" will be hanging off the front for a minute.

When you are stapling, gather little bunches together every few inches.  This will allow for a full look once hung.

Next, take your Panel "B" white fabric & wrap it back around what you have already stapled.  This layer does not need to be gathered as much.  Just make sure you leave yourself enough to wrap the back corner.

I used a pair Ikea's Marete Curtain Panels for the white Panel "B" fabric, simply because i knew they were a good weight at a good price.  But they were too short to swag & drape over the sides...  Here is my solution for this problem...

I simply made fabric strips from some leftover fabric & used them as tabs.  As you can see, I stapled these over the Panel "A" fabric.  It looks kinda crazy... I know!  But I made sure to check my dimensions & all of this will be covered by the crib skirt.

Once all of these were stapled, I trimmed up the tails, & finally added the crib skirt.  Again, we cut off one of the long panels (you don't need all that extra fabric hanging in the back.)  I also cut out the center lining, just leaving the inside border to staple on.

Now your canopy is ready to go up!!!  Phew... Here is where you will need extra hands... & there are no pictures, because I was the extra hands.  I would highly recommend a stronger pair of hands than mine! 

We taped out the bed dimensions & then centered the canopy dimensions on top of that.  We then determined where the rafters in the ceiling were. After marking those dimensions, we made pilot holes into the plywood & went to hang it up... I wasn't strong enough... so the hubs (he's so smart) ran out side & got some huge 2 x 4's that we pushed in between the floor & the plywood (yep the entire height of the room) to hold the canopy in place while he drilled.  Who'd of thought?  My hubs... that's who!  Once all the screws found their way safely into the rafters above, the canopy was up!!! & crazy secure.  

I still have to cover the visual plywood on the interior & dress up the light cord... so be on the lookout for that post shortly!  Once that is done there will be tons of photos!!!  & yes... we moved her diy beaded chandelier... I love it even more now!

L I N K I N G  U P  T O :

Serenity Now

Beneath My Heart

Remodelaholic

I LOVE IT: 9

I am officially obsessed with overdyed rugs.... Their colorations are like candy for the home.  MUST DIY!

One of these things is not like the other... All Gorgeous?  Absolutely!  The top three are all from ABC Carpet & Home & cost $8000 - $12000.  Pocket change right?!  Well the bottom rug is from Rugs USA (my favorite source for great looking rugs at a great looking price.)  Depending on the size, these rugs range from $300 - $592.  Much better right?  They aren't silk, but for that difference in price I think I would be able to live with that choice...

{ Image via Apartment Therapy }

{ Image from Jill Danyelle }

{ Image via Design Attractor }

{ Image via Marcus Design Inc. }

BEDROOM ON A BUDGET

Design is always a progression... so I feel that a home's decor is never complete.  I look at it as ever evolving.  My husband likes to think of this as crazy :)  But I do feel that (for the moment) our bedroom is all but complete!  A few little things here and there I'm sure, but for the most part... it's done!  I have had a few questions sent my way in regards to our bedroom, so here is a little synopsis of what we have done, where items have come from, & any other tricks I may have left out along the way.

The Before... Blue & Brown, Boring & Dull.  Enough said?

The After... Light & Bright, Neutral & Sophisticated.

{ For a tutorial on the floor mirror, please visit my post on Remodelaholic! }

Step One: New Layout

Try to re-position your furniture layout for one of the largest impacts in your space.  Even if it requires switching out pieces from other rooms.  Switch an end table for a nightstand & vice versa.  I always say it "Hunt Your HOUSE!"

Our room is a small square, with windows on both main walls.  There is no other option than to position or bed in front of a window.  We moved our bed to the other main wall, shifting it so the real window isn't centered.  Fooling the eye, we mounted the drapery centered behind the bed.  That window is never opened (gymnastics are involved to get over the headboard).  So this allowed us to walk into our room with a little space & not right into our bed like we did before.

Step Two: Paint


I knew I wanted to do an art rail height trim detail in our bedroom.  For $23 in trim, an afternoon & a little help from the hubs, the moulding was up.  Big impact for little money.  Eventually, the goal is to add panel moulding... (the only real project left... but I am fine without it at the moment).  One of the most asked questions I get about this room is "What color is that gray?"  well... I made it.  I went out to our loyal shed, opened up some leftover gallons of paint & mixed them until I ended up with the perfect gray.  Free Paint!  Told you we did this on a budget.  Remember, if you have left over gallons of lighter paint, the paint stores can tint them darker for you (for free!).  You can't ask for an exact color though.  It all depends on what the base color is, but if you tell them you want it grayer... they should be able to help.

Step Three: Customizing & Accessorizing

Wanting a real bed (not our Ikea special) & not wanting to pay the real bed price, we took it upon ourselves to build our own headboard { tutorial here }.  We got the exact shape I wanted, in the exact fabric I wanted, in the exact size that we wanted for $600-$900 less than what we would have paid at a major retailer for something everyone else could have.  It took us a good weekend to complete & we couldn't be anymore happy with it now.  

Same thing with the bedding.  We used our existing West Elm Pintuck duvet bedding, but mixed up the sheets adding a subtle pattern & reinforcement of color.  Our accent pillows were another recent DIY.  Can't find what you want... make it, or find someone who will.

Our Malm dresser got this campaign inspired treatment...  With a little gallery wall surrounding or tv that will probably grow a bit when the right items are found. All of the items on our dresser hold a special meaning between my husband & I.  Pictures, a conch shell we found on our first trip together, his father's box... let the items tell a story about you.  

My nightstand got an update from a little tlc & silver leaf.  TIP:  I needed something large for the open shelf below my bar cart turned nightstand.  We have two sets of silver... one is real, one isn't.  They are both in huge boxes... with nowhere to store one, the faux silver chest got a coat of paint & is now a pop of color in our bedroom.  No one would ever know that I am storing silverware next to my bed :)

The only item in the room that was bought for this room was the area rug.  It was a Homegood's steal if you ask me, but alas, it has no information on the back... so for those of you asking the name & manufacturer I am truly sorry.

Our room came together for less than $650...  It took time, it took patience, but it was completely worth the wait.

L I N K I N G   U P   T O:

Home Stories A to Z

WINE CRATE DRAWER FRONTS

When we first moved into the house, we needed some extra counter space for our tiny kitchen... We had an awkward little corner that we modified an Ikea Forhoja to fit in.  Can we say Basic McBasic?!  

{ Ikea }

We cut down the butcher block top so that it would fit perfectly in the nook.  It has sat there, functioning ever since.  Now that we are slowly but surely working on this kitchen & you all helped me determine a color to add I decided this would be a fun piece to update.

I went to Home Depot and had them color match Benjamin Moore's Wasabi into a sample for me.  I then used this recipe to try my first attempt at DIY Chalk Paint.  I thought it was going to be some miracle paint but I wasn't blown away by the whole process... so let's not make this post about that.  It's yellow.

Once the piece was painted I knew I wanted to deal with those drawers.  Not really a fan of the ever classy open finger pull & really not a fan of the fact that the drawers don't stop when they close.  There is no back so they just push all the way through.  I needed a thin piece of wood that I could apply as a drawer front on top of the existing face... out to the shed I went.

Thin wood, already the perfect size... HELLO WINE CRATES!!!  My hubs is in the restaurant industry so we have tons of these just lying around.

I remembered seeing this image on Pinterest... (no link!) & thought that it would be fun to introduce into our house.

All we did was cut them down to the right width (they were already the right height! Exactly 1/2" taller than the original.) & add a coat of stain.  I then applied them to the existing drawer front using Liquid Nails.  Once they were dry they got some shiny new hardware...

Thank you Martha Stewart for bringing decent hardware designs to Home Depot.  Aren't these lovely?!  Only $3.98 too!

This was a really easy project that could work on any existing flat drawer that needs a little something.  You can check with your local Liquor Stores for wine crates they might be tossing out...  Or just come by & raid our shed :)

L I N K I N G   U P   T O :

Home Stories A to Z

Tip Junkie

Miss Mustard Seed