Chippendale Obsession

Posted on March 21, 2012 by Simply Styled

S. R. Gambrel
Recently I have been nothing short of OBSESSED with the idea of replacing the white wicker chair that sits in the corner of our living room. Truth be told, this chair just doesn’t belong in the living room. It belongs on the porch of our future home, or in the bedroom of our future baby girl, or in a grassy back-yard under an apple tree. Ok, a bit too specific, but you get the picture.

I’ve had this wicker chair since I was a little girl, and even though we don’t have anywhere in our ~~teeny~~ cozy SF apartment to put it, I just can’t part with it… yet. I’ve been on the hunt for a big overstuffed chair for this nook in the room – something really cozy that I can curl up in by the window on Saturday mornings with my coffee and gossip magazines. While I’ve been scouring the internet for chairs, I keep noticing Chippendales EVERYWHERE. The more I see them in fabulous contemporary spaces, the more I fall in love! And so my obsession has begun.

I’ve learned there are two basic variations so let me clarify. This style originated from English cabinet maker, Thomas Chippendale, and there are essentially four variations of the style labeled “Chippendale”:
1. English with deep carving
2. laborate French rococo (think Louis XV)
3. Gothic with pointed arches, quatrefoils and fret worked legs
4. Chinese style with latticework and laxquer

(thank you Wikipedia)

So you get the picture now. Glorious clean lines. Bamboo detail. Bright colors. Classic but Modern. LOVE!!

I just can’t get over how amazing a pair of these would look in our living room. Our living room currently serves two purposes – being a living room and being an office. These would break up the room, and bring definition to the two spaces – on the right side there is the “work area” with the desk and reading chair (aka wicker chair for the time being), and on the left is the “entertainment space” for hanging out and watching TV. I want something more substantial to replace the wicker chair in the corner, but I think Chippendale’s are the first priority…

See what I mean? Kind of perfect, right??

I’ve already started scouring Craigslist for a pair and I can tell that it’s going to be a serious challenge to find more a pair at a reasonable cost. Most are a bit worn out, so I’m expecting there will be some serious elbow grease involved to fix them up… that is the thing about love though… you’ll do anything. And I am IN LOVE with these!

<img alt="lamps & gold chippendale chair
paperblog

burnhamdesign

decorpad.com

simplifiedbee.blogspot.com

sayyestohoboken.com

Living Room: New Additions

Posted on March 19, 2012 by Simply Styled

I was a busy little bee this weekend! Between my little mirror makeover and the birthday festivities, I still made time for a few changes in the living room.

Not sure if you remember, but since moving in, I have been obsessed with this painting – I ordered it right away of course, and for the last five months, it’s been sitting on the floor, propped against the wall in the living room. Well this weekend, I hung it! I tore this photo from my Ballard Designs Catalog, and used it for inspiration when deciding where it would go.

I asked myself, would a lamp be too much in front of the painting? How high should I hang it? Should the desk be completely empty to avoid any distractions?

In the end, I decided a few glass containers with beachy contents would do the trick. I’m not 100% happy with how it is now – I am thinking the smaller container needs more shells, and more sand – it should really be a much larger container filled to the top. Next to the apothecary jar (a wonderful find at Home Goods) it looks dwarfed, but we are on the right track. Ideally I’ll be able to find a vase or jar that comes just above the bottom of the painting… on the hunt again…

Also, don’t mock my photography skills – I know they need some work, but I got a new camera (aka I stole Kris’ fancy schmancy Canon Rebel and new lens) and it sure beats the iphone, right?!

Sunburst Mirror DIY

Posted on March 18, 2012 by Simply Styled

Reason to Breathe

decorpad

styleathome.com

Over the past few months, I’ve developed an unhealthy obsession with sunburst mirrors. I’ve been wanting one for our home for a while, but my biggest challenge was finding one that was affordable! Apparently I was not the only person having a love affair with these gorgeous mirrors because every store I went to was trying to sell these babies for several hundred dollars each…

After much hunting, I found one from Bed Bath & Beyond, and forty bucks later it was mine… all mine!
Sunburst Mirror
The problem?? The god awful fake patina finish. Unfortunately, I got a bit too excited in the moment, and I forgot to take a “before” picture, so it’s hard to see in this stock picture I pulled from their site. Trust me when I say that it had a cheesy “Olive Garden faux finish” – not that there is anything wrong with the Olive Garden… just saying.

The easy fix? Paint it! A quick trip to Michaels, and a few materials later, I was ready to refinish. Here is what you will need:

– Martha Stewart liquid gilding paint (I got both the brass gold and silver to mix)
– Small foam brush
– Newspaper (or in my case grocery bags)
– Small container to mix – use something you don’t mind throwing away; that way, keep clean up is easy

Anyways, this is a super simple project – I think it took me only one hour from start to finish.

I poured the paints into my little plastic container and after mixing them up, just started dabbing it on (Don’t judge, my disposable container I used was the plastic packaging the paint came in… it worked!) Because the patina’ed rays of the sunburst were slick (covered in some sort of plastic to protect the precious finish I suppose), I found that dabbing the paint as it started to get tacky gave the most even coverage, and resulted in a perfectly imperfect surface. Keep in mind, I was not going for perfection here – I really wanted the surface to resemble something that had been left out in the shed over the winter.

The pictures below show one coat so you can still see a touch of the streaky dark patina still peeking through.

Keep in mind that the Martha Stewart liquid gilding paint dries fast… REALLY fast. It says it takes an hour to fully dry, but it’s definitely dry to the touch within 30 minutes or so.

Overall I’m really happy with how this quick mirror makeover turned out, and I’m so excited to hang it up!

Guest Post: Bedroom Inspiration

Posted on March 7, 2012 by Simply Styled

Hello readers. This is a guest post written by the masterminds behind Design Shuffle. Their site is a fabulous tool for interior designers (and wannabe interior designers like me), and I am so thrilled that they agreed to write a guest post for Cup Half Full. Enjoy! XOXO
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Hello, everyone! It’s Mari here from Design Shuffle, a social networking site for interior designers and design enthusiasts. With thousands of photos to look through, this website is a fabulous place to find interior décor inspiration! As a writer for Design Shuffle, I’m so fortunate to get to visit lovely blogs like Cup Half Full to share some of my favorite rooms. Today’s guest post is about decorating ideas for bedrooms.

Becky is in search of furnishings for her dream bedroom – one that will also work well for her significant other. That’s exactly the challenge that faces many of us as we aim to create inviting and comfortable homes for our families. I hope you will enjoy the eight inspiration rooms I’ve brought to share with Becky and you today.

Bedroom Inspiration
Black and white stripes and brilliant green accessories bring this room to life. Since Becky’s pieces of artwork have a lot of red in them, these pops of green could be changed to that deep color for an appealing look.

Bedroom Inspiration
A deeply tufted headboard is stunning even when glimpsed from another room. White bedding like this can be brightened up with just a touch or two of color. A gorgeous Juju hat with creamy feathers seems to be the perfect understated accessory for this space.

A monogrammed pillow is a lovely addition to this comfy bed. I love the clear glass lamps and tufted white bench with nailhead trim.

Bedroom Inspiration
In a more casual eclectic bedroom, the decorative accessories are all done in black and white. The huge artwork turned headboard seems to be an exploded piece of lace—an intriguing creative choice.

Bedroom Inspiration
Another white bedroom design is accented in black. Venetian mirrors add a touch of glamour. White painted chairs with black upholstery are an unexpected, but lovely choice.

Bedroom Inspiration
This dramatic bedroom has an upholstered footboard as well as headboard. The bedding is similar to Becky’s chosen design. I love the white drapes with an intricate black pattern at the top and bottom of each panel.

Bedroom Inspiration
We included this image because of the slim lamps, graphic black and white pillow and choice of landscape print as artwork.

Bedroom Inspiration
This lovely interior design takes on a happy chic feel with pops of rich color and a slightly restrained use of zebra pattern on the stools. Happy bedroom décor hunting! I wish you splendid success.

Images 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8

The possibilities with bedroom designs are unlimited! If you’re looking for more inspiration, don’t forget to head on over to Design Shuffle to find the best from Boston interior designers, Chicago interior designers and a ton of others!

Little Birds

Posted on March 1, 2012 by Simply Styled

I have been seeing little birds on everything, and I am loving it!

From little lovebird necklaces, to birds on pillows, wallpaper, art, and clothing – I can’t escape these little guys, and I don’t want to! I want to find some little birds to bring into my life now too!

This print from booooooom.com made me laugh out loud

This mini bird from shoptalkbuzz is made of repurposed old maps!

Owl photograph - Intelligent Design - Fine art bird photograph - Nature photography - Bird in pale winter ivory white
Still so in love with this crazy owl off Etsy

Cool graphic throw pillow from Etsy

Etsy scores again – this would look fabulous on our bed!

Etsy Newspaper Prints – hang these in a series for a dramatic effect

Etsy wins again with this adorable (and affordable) charm necklace

Etsy birthstone charm necklace

I love this design for notecards and invitations via ohthelovelythings

Cool brushed bronze mirror
http://www.shopterrain.com/wall-decor/antiqued-bird-mirror

Be Brave with Prints

Posted on February 29, 2012 by Simply Styled

Photo courtesy of thelennoxx.com
In the past, I have definitely taken some decorating risks.

Proof? Growing up I was very into purple… my room reflected that. Purple curtains, bedding, sheets. My mom and I went to town at Laura Ashley, and not only did I go purple, I mixed prints. Purple pansy comforter, with purple gingham sheets, with a light lavender crocheted throw. I loved that bedding, and lived with it until I was in college. Yeahhhh…

Flash forward several more years, after moving to San Francisco after graduation from UCSB, my roommate and I decided it would be a grand idea to paint our living room orange. After choosing a color, we decided a faux-finish would be fun. And so we faux-finished the living room “burnt pumpkin” – OH YES WE DID! It was glorious… my friend still lives there with her boyfriend, and our “living room” is now their dining room, and it’s still orange. Turns out, Home Depot brand paint does not fade quickly.

This brings me to present day – I’ve been making some “safer” choices (aka thinking my choices through a bit more), but my biggest fear is that our home will be boring. I’ve seen so many overly tasteful homes where there is no flair… just beige everywhere… woof! This is why I’ve decided to practice being brave with prints. A room does not have to be faux-finished a vibrant shade of orange to make a statement. you can easily make a statement with a muted color palette, but you have to make a conscious effort to use patterns.

While an Ikat patterned chair does not seem especially practical… it is! And why not?! Take out the chevron love seat, and substitute in a gorgeous creme colored velvet sofa. It still works! As long as you love the pattern long enough to live with it for a few years, I say seize the day! Go for it!

So here we go – I’ve exercised my mind, and put together an inspiration board based on patterns – lots of them. I’ve chosen a muted palate of dove grey, taupe, yellow and gold (sounds strange, but I think it works). Mixing in earthy touches balances the patterns, and somehow comes together for a eclectic yet classic look (I’m pretty sure that “classic eclectic” was not a category, but it is now).

Take a look:

The best part? About 90% of everything on this board was from Target… oh yeah… design on a dime! Here’s the where to buy guide:

Miles of Light Photography – via Etsy

Assorted ceramic vases – Target online

Chevron Lamp Shade*

Stacked Lamp Base*

*Each sold separately

Chevron Setee

Unavailable Online

Dual stools (each sold separate) make a fabulous coffee table

The Tale of the Quatrefoil Mirror

Posted on February 28, 2012 by Simply Styled

Photo courtesy of jpmdesign
This is a long story so grab a cup of coffee… it ~~will~~ may be a while.

It starts with my love of this room, that mirror, and Target (pronounced Tar-shay… it’s french). This store continues to amaze me… its huge – the frozen food is a few aisles over from shoes which is a few aisles over from makeup which is a few aisles over from toilet cleaner which is a few aisles over from home home decor… it’s awesome. Each time I come out with a new bikini, a plunger, candle sticks, and a bag of Doritos (for the ride home, obviously), or some combination eerily similar to that.

And can we give props to their inventory department? Everything is continually updated, which on one hand is great because there is always something new, exciting, and fun. Unfortunately, things sell fast, so if you don’t snap something up while you are there, someone else will. This is where my story of the quatrefoil mirror starts…

A few weeks back, while browsing the home goods department for fun, I spotted a fabulous quatrefoil mirror hanging among the picture frames. “Twenty bucks?” I thought… “Great deal!” But alas, Kris has me on a “budget” and so, in an attempt to be good, I thought, “This will still be here a few weeks from now. I’ll sleep on it, and I’m still wanting it, I’ll go back for it.” TERRIBLE IDEA! Damn budget!

Who knew this mirror was in such high demand?! Over the weekend, I headed back to Target to pick up three of the quatrefoil mirrors to hang above our bed. What did I find? Empty shelves. Some sneaky bargain hunters had beat me out! “Deep Breaths” I thought… “I’ll find it online.” And what did I find? A whole lot of nothing. I turned to eBay, Amazon, random Google searches and what did I find?? Super expensive mirrors identical to the one I passed up at Target! Dah!

$150 on Ebay
$60 from Lowes
$229 Ballard Designs
$385 Amazon
$329 Shades of Light

NOOOOOOOOOO!

I am a resilient girl… I ~~picked myself off the floor after 2 good hours of crying, and~~ picked up the phone. I called Target headquarters. A very pleasant woman with a southern accent picked up, and I calmly described the mirror. She said “Oh honey, we have a lot of mirrors that look like that across our stores… can you be more specific?” Um… it was around twenty dollars?

Apparently that tidbit of detail helped, because 30 seconds later, we had a sku number, and she was listing off stores that showed availability. Each store showed that they had one left. Oh man, my work was cut out for me. ~~Sneaking out of work a bit early last night,~~ I headed to the first Target. None. Next Target… they had one – SCORE! Next target SCORE – they had one too! Next Target? Bust. It was 9:00 at night, I had already been to four Target stores, I was hungry and annoyed, but I just needed one more and I was home-free. I think someone in the heavens was rooting for me, because at my fifth store, I won.

Game over, mirrors acquired.

Along with the mirror I left with two blue and white chevron pillows, a sweet little scroll pattern breakfast tray, a new bikini, the DVD box set of Mad Men, and some girl scout cookies… just to show Kris what he can do with his “budget”.

Dreamy Photography: Paris

Posted on February 28, 2012 by Simply Styled

Paris Photograph, Laduree Shop Sign, Macarons, Mint, Pistachio, Green, Pastel, Romantic, Feminine - Sugar, Sugar
Photos courtesy of Eye Poetry Photography
While I am still 100% in love with the Paris prints I ordered from Etsy, I am re-thinking these prints for the bedroom. I truely believe that the bedroom should be a sanctuary that prepares you for sleep – keep TV to a minimal, maintain soft colors etc. While these prints are not “loud” and I am not shrouding the room in red, I worry that these pops of bright color will derail the soothing vibe I want to keep.

I mentioned before that the rest of the house stays within taupes, tans, greys, and blues… and one of my favorite photographers (in fact the very one who snapped the “red” portraits of Paris) has added to her gallery, and there are some dreamy photos with blue’s and soft colors, soft focus lenses, and its all dreamy loveliness. So pretty. I think they are keepers, and I think my bedroom vision is about to change!
Folie - Paris Photograph, Versailles Detail, Romantic, Feminine, Robins Egg Blue, Gold, Home Decor

Le Petit Zinc - Paris Photograph, St Germain Des Pres, Cafe, Bistro, Chairs, Home Decor, Fine Art Print

Rococo - Versailles Door, Paris Photograph, Pastel, Shabby Chic, Romantic, Feminine, Baroque, Renaissance, Baby Blue, Spring Home Decor

Chandelier photograph, Paris - The Secret History - Versailles, Hall of Mirrors, France, French Style, Glamour

Speaking of Paris… city of lights… Kris and I watched Midnight in Paris this weekend. While I enjoyed it, I wasn’t in love with the plot, however, it made me want to go to Paris so bad, it hurts! Kris and I have been talking about planning our vacation this year, and I think Paris just flew to the top of the list.

I’ve only been there once, and it was in the dead of winter. I brought my warmest coat, but being from California, I clearly had no idea what to expect. It was bone chillingly cold – the coldest wind you can imagine! Dark gray skies… very moody. At the time, I was backpacking through Europe with my best friend Kira, and despite our strict budget, we ended up ducking into lot’s of overpriced cafe’s to warm up.

Our trip through Paris is actually pretty laughable, but it’s another story for another time.

Now, to start work on a new vision for our bedroom!

Cocktail Hour – we are bringing it back!

Posted on February 23, 2012 by Simply Styled

The boomer generation really knew how to live – cocktail hour at 5:00 each day? Yes please!! Let’s be honest…after a long day at work, I’m dying for a glass of wine, or a strong drink. In our apartment, the wine bottles are displayed in a wine hutch in the dining room, but the liqueur is hidden out of sight – dark alcohol in the cabinets, clear in the freezer. Honestly, Grey Goose and Makers Mark have left something to be desired in the packaging department, but few decanters easily bring elegance back to the scene.

Highstreet Market

sketch42blog.com

If you want to splurge, check out Macys or Bloomingdales for the ever classic Waterford or Lenox. If you are like me – on a strict budget (thank you honey) – check out Homegoods or Ross for a cut glass version – you could probably score something in the $20 range. You aren’t going to get that rush of, “wow I own something fancy” when you purchase, but you will get the rush of “wow, I just saved a ton of money for something that looks darn close to crystal.”

Think a bar cart isn’t really your style? Think again! “Retro” is back in a big way – the theme of every wedding I see is “Vintage”. I am seeing more and more patterns on fabrics, pillows, and wallpaper that I recognize from my grandmother’s house. Heck, Banana Republic came out with a Mad Men inspired collection this year!

To the core, my taste is classic contemporary, HOWEVER you have to admit that retro inspired pieces always look super interesting and totally cool! It’s totally out of my comfort zone for decor, but its exciting, and I kind of love it… in my humble opinion, it’s a total compliment to classic OR modern decor. LOVE!

Frugal Finds – O’verlays

Posted on February 22, 2012 by Simply Styled

BEST FIND ALL WEEK!! Who doesn’t love having gorgeous furniture?! Everyone! Who loves to pay thousands to furnish their home? Crickets…

Danika & Cheryl have created O’verlays – a company dedicated to the easy, graphic customization of furniture… most specifically, Ikea furniture. Yup… Ikea. With a little bit of elbow grease, you can whip up some super affordable, super stylish furniture for your bedroom, living room, dining room, ____________ room – fill in the blank – the possibilities are endless, and just look at how fabulous these pieces look!

Greek Key on Malm via Amanda Carol at Home

2″ Greek Key on Ikea Lack table

6″x29″ Annes on 6 drawer MALM dresser painted navy

O’livia Pattern on MALM

The Harper pattern dresses up a pair of mirrored armoires

5″x19″ Danika on vintage dresser via Me you and a wiener

“Natalie” on Coral headboard
I have to add, I am NOT being paid to endorse their product – I just think it’s a seriously awesome idea, and I’m stoked I stumbled upon it!

‘Who uses it’ you wonder? Well I think anyone who loves a good steal, but it would be a great for a 20 something who is just starting out and can’t afford a ton of designer pieces. It’s great to dress up a kid’s room, or a guest room that needs some style without a hefty price tag, and its perfect for a person (like me) who easily gets bored with decor and is looking to spice up an entry table, TV stand, or work space. Also if you want something graphic but aren’t sure you want to commit for years, you don’t have to feel bad, because depending on how you attach the panels, you can remove it in a few years if you are looking for a new look and feel.

What I love best is that Danika & Cheryle actually sell kits that are already cut to fit Ikea furniture. If you know you are working on the 6 drawer Malm dresser, you don’t even have to measure – you can just search the patterns by the name of the Ikea piece you are looking to make-over, and voila, you are up and running! What could be easier?!

Last thing (I swear) – they are so awesome that they have been featured by Nate Berkus Show. Yeah – Oprah’s go to man for home styling… no big deal…

I know that I’ve got quite a few projects lined up over the next few months – finishing the nightstands and armoire, overhauling the bedroom and finishing the living room, but I’m thinking that in between fabricating some awesome campaign furniture, and sealing the bedroom furniture, I might be able to test out O’verlay’s on a small side table in the living room, or possibly the wine rack in the dining room…

For more info:

Check out their how to videos.

Visit their Facebook Page