Category Archives: Home Decor

Creative Chalk Dishes

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Yes… I realize that chalkboard paint is very “done” in the world of home decor, BUT, sometimes you come across an idea so good you just HAVE to share.

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I happen to still like the idea of having a wall painted with chalkboard paint – especially fun in a kids’ room or even a kitchen!  The question is, what do you do with the chalk??

Use ornate drawer pulls hung upside down!  Who would have thought!  And with the resurgence of brass hardware, this looks especially cute with the coordinating brass switch plate.

Happy Thursday!

Rustic Coffee Table

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I’ve decided that our living room needs some more “natural” elements.

The annual Restoration Catalogs may have helped sway me in this direction, but I’ve realized that pretty much all our furniture is painted, or made of man-made materials.  Obviously, a huge reason for this is because I’ve been making the most of what we have, and slapping paint on anything I can to extend it’s life in our apartment, but the main reason we have all this faux-material furniture is because I was on a TIGHT budget when buying furniture the first time around.   Particle board was my best friend.

Not anymore… we need some rustic up in herreeee!

These bad boys started this whole thing!!!

I’ve been toying with the idea of a little DIY on our coffee table to take it from this… shiny and really dark…

To something more like this…

Or this… (even though this is a dining table… you get the idea)

I even toyed with the idea of painting it white, and getting a plate glass top to protect the paint on top (something like the below photo).  The glass would be essential here since it gets A LOT of wear and tear, and I suspect paint wouldn’t stick so well to that slick surface.

But then, the point here is to get more rustic going on, and less painted furniture…. so I was back to the idea of using reclaimed wood (or at least wood that LOOKED reclaimed).
I had been thinking of getting some fresh boards from Home Depot, banging them up, and then applying this “aging treatment” that I read about here to oxidize the wood with vinegar and steel wool.  Will it work?  I’ve heard mixed reviews, but supposedly it takes brand new looking wood and gives it the weathered, greyed out look… ultimately, I’d be nailing these boards to the table top, and painting the base white, or a lighter neutral color…
I’ve been toying with this idea for a few weeks, but then today, I saw this table on World Market’s site, and it got me thinking….
The Cameron Coffee table is $229, and I currently have a 25% off coupon that would make it $172. Things just got interesting… While I haven’t totally ditched the idea of trying my hand at adding an aged wood top to our existing table, simply buying this new coffee table will be way easier (obviously), and possibly cheaper.  In the event that in the event that this DIY completely flops, I’ll need to get a new table anyway!
Here are a few few pictures from the glowing reviews on World Market’s site, that people posted of the table in their homes!

Cute right?  Rustic, natural wood, and apparently quite sturdy… Lots to think about!  Just need to make sure it’s not too small – I like a good sized coffee table.
I also saw this weathered leather chair…

There is something about it that I love – obviously the nailhead, but I also really like the mottled looking leather, and low back.  And as you know, I’ve been looking for a reason to get rid of the wicker chair that DOES NOT belong in the living room… I may have just found my reason.
I’d love to see this in person – sit in it, see how comfortable it is… I want a deep seat!  Something to lounge in with my coffee on Saturday mornings.
Very excited about my potential new living room finds!

Gold Leaf Chair – DIY Inspiration

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This post all started with this chair that I found on Pinterest…

The text accompanying this pin read: “gold leaf an IKEA chair, genius“… and I myself thought… yeah that IS totally genius!  I want to do this even though we have nowhere to put said gold leafed chair when it’s finished!

So I clicked on the image, and it took me to… an error page.  Is there anything more annoying than a pin from Pinterest with no source?!  Dear pinners of the world, give credit where credit is due!

Moving on… this hack is easy enough… spray the legs red (or aqua, or emerald green, or slate grey, or whatever cool color you think would be awesome) and either gold leaf the seat or spray that gold too.

Zero talent required… my favorite kind of DIY.

I decided to track down this Ikea chair on their site, but alas… it’s either discontinued, or it was never a chair from Ikea to begin with.

I don’t want to let this slow me down, so I pulled together a list of other inexpensive Ikea chairs that this hack could totally work with…

Sources: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6
I think option #3 is the most similar to the inspiration, but #5 would make some pretty sweet bar stools in a cool kitchen space…
I also thought this chair (at $40 each) could be an interesting spin on this hack…
And not that this chair has anything to do with this post (aside from the fact that it’s from Ikea), but if you’re in the market for some mod lucite chairs… these bad boys retail for just $80 each, and are SUPER on trend right now…
Just throwing it out there…
Anyway, I am still toying with this idea… mainly because I just think it looks cool… not because we need a gold chair of this nature.  Hope this helps inspire!
xoxo

Black and White

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You know what I found kind of funny this year after NY Fashion week??  Hearing every fashion magazine and editor try to put their spin on the trends they saw, and unanimously across the board the answer was “Black and White”.
Huh?  Was black and white ever NOT a trend?  It is the most classic, dramatic, lovely combination that will never go anywhere (in my ultra-professional opinion of course).  In home decor, in fashion, and everything in-between.  Black and white is here to stay…
These floors?  I mean, COME ON!  Perfection!

And how awesome is a dark black wall??  One of my newest obsessions this year. The curtains here are pretty fabulous too though….

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Dual striped Roman Shades… so crisp, and so chic.  Makes me want to swap out my sweet yellow trellis roman shade for something more bold!
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Wear it to work.  Wear it to dinner.  Wear it out with a sassy mini-skirt.  I am a total sucker for a black and white striped top.  I probably have at least 10 different styles in my closet right now.

Simple, and elegant.  I love the huge bronze lantern, claw foot table, and the glossy black door.  The clean white walls let the more ornate details shine.

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Styling at it’s best!  I’ve seen mirrors with a similar “aged” finish sold from Ballard.  Obviously the real deal is best, but I love the look of the antique patina.

There is nothing more chic than black and white stripes in an outdoor space.  So french – right in the middle of any city!  I actually just got back from LA and the pool area at Hotel ShangriLA in Santa Monica has a fabulous black and white stripe thang going on.

Black and white goes mod in this little vignette.  It’s the “Twiggy” of entry tables, and how COOL is the tweed on the sliding drawer fronts.  It looks like suiting!  Love!
What a sophisticated work area.  I love the laquer boxes, glam chrome lamp bases, and the wide white stripe on the streamlined wingback chair, but the woven jug brings an earthy element to the mix…

This bathroom is so modern and glam and fabulous in every. single. way.  Nothing in here is anything I’d call my “taste” but I would die and go to heaven if this were a bathroom in my house.  That wallpaper is like Jonathan Adler graphics meets Metalica.  LOVE.

Seeing Spots

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Polka dots are a classic, but I’ve been obsessed with irregular spotted prints most recently.  Patterns that are animal-esque.  Almost dalmation-esque.  Cruella DeVille would approve.

Spotted patterns are showing up everywhere, and while Kris thinks I’m on the verge of losing it (what else is new), I feel our house is NEEDING a splash of spots.  
Case in point… this bench?!?!?!
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Jenny Comenda got the memo long ago when she reupholstered this awesome bench…  looks great in every space she puts it.  LOVE.
What about that pillow?!?!?!
This awesome pillow from Furbish – an amazing source for home decor… bedding, pillows, furniture, art, entertaining… the online shop is amazing.  Highly encourage you to check it out.
And this chair?!?!?!
This chair is an Ikea hack if you can believe it or not.  Originally featured on Little Green Notebook, and later picked up by DecorPad, this stylish number cost next to nothing, and it’s a pretty close replica to the ultra pricey Brunschwig and Fils Snowleopard fabric.
Creativity at it’s best!
Holy spotted rug….
How fab is that?  And it’s a free-form cow hide.  I feel like I don’t even need to say any more!
And the grand finale… my favorite wallpaper of all time…
It’s a personal favorite of mine that I’ve blogged about before… the Thibaut Tanzania Animal print – comes in wallpaper and fabric, but I sort of favor the wallpaper.  It’s SO amazing.  And becuase I love it so SOOO much… here is my ALL TIME FAVORITE space that uses it.  It’s like wallpaper porn for me…

Tiffany Richey’s office?!?!  OMG.


So what do you think??  Have I totally changed your mind about what I lovingly refer to as the “dalmation trend”?
After bringing these images together, I’m THISCLOSE to pulling the trigger on the pillow from furbish…

Bamboo Touches

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I love the look of bamboo in home decor.  To me there is something about it that feels very “collected”.  
My Grandmother had a set of nesting tables she brought back from China, and I’ve always loved them.  They are in my parents house now, and while bamboo may not be for everyone, used sparingly, it brings a unique twist to an otherwise very classic space.

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This mirror for example – if I could find something like this to go over our wine hutch, I’d be over the moon. At first glance, I thought it was gold, but it’s hard to tell.  Perhaps natural bamboo?  Eh, who cares… it’s awesome!

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How awesome is this dresser??  The punch of coral is really unique, and I love that the hardware stays true to the far east feeling.  And don’t get me started on the Chippendale with ikat upholstery….

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Of COURSE I had to dedicate one of these photos to a classic Chinese Chippendale.  Love the black lacquer finish, love the Greek Key trim on the curtains, love the bamboo desk… love ALL of it!

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This side table is teeny, so it tucks into this little nook just so.  I’d call this the perfect area to curl up with a cup of coffee and juicy book.

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Lantern pendants are quite popular – especially in kitchen design – but the bamboo makes this lantern really unique.  I could even imagine this painted a bright aqua or yellow.  Wouldn’t that be fun?

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This table is AWESOME.  This is actually the same home as the first photo I posted here with the bamboo mirror – clearly chica has rad taste.  This was a quickie spray paint makeover from a thrift store… I’m thinking I need to branch away from the Goodwill in my neighborhood, since their specialty seems to be more used Tupperware and old Disney T-shirts.

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This pair of bamboo tables together used as a console is genius.  Love the simplicity of the styling, and the raw, organic feel of everything from the lamp, to the pottery, the picture frames that that seriously awesome plant, root, thingy.

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Somehow this lamp is still able to shine in this space (literally, and figuratively) even though it could easily be eclipsed by everything else awesome in this space… that authentic Dorothy Draper chest of drawers??? OMG SWOON!

New Bedding

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I had a very successful trip to HomeGoods yesterday.  VERY successful.  
I went in looking for a chair – something overstuffed and comfy – to replace the wicker chair in the living room.  While I didn’t come out with a chair, I came out with some new bedding, a few rugs, pillows, glass vases… oh the list goes on and on…
Since I’d been looking for bedding without much luck for the past several months, I’d even entertained the idea of making my own bedding.
With the navy and white bold stripe chevron curtains, I wanted something to coordinate, without necessarily “matching” and I’ve been obsessed with deep blues and indigos.  I can fully admit to my trellis pattern obsession, and with a trellis rug in the room, I knew any interlocking, repeating trellis print was out.  

I also wanted to stay away from stripes to avoid anything too matchy-matchy with the curtains.
       
I found it was incredibly hard to find bedding with blue and white – a true white.  There was lots of creme and blue, or tan and blue, so when I found a Queen size set of the blue and white Ralph Lauren paisley sheets in the bin at Homegoods yesterday, I was bound and determined to find them in a King size set.
Patiently I went through bin-by-bin, rummaging through every. single. set. of. sheets.  No luck.  If you’ve been to a Homegoods, you know how disorganized it all is.  I went through each bin and shelf a second time, just to be sure that I hadn’t missed it.  No luck again.  I accepted defeat, and moved on to the bath accessories section.
What did I find hiding behind a stack of sea-horse printed hand towels??  Well, it was the king size set of blue and white paisley Ralph Lauren Sheets that I’d spent the last 30 minutes hunting down!
JACKPOT.
They are great quality – 500 thread count, and the set included the fitted sheet, flat sheet, and two shams… for $50.  
$50 DOLLARS?!  I literally couldn’t believe it.  The set was cheaper than a single flat sheet I’d gotten a few months ago!
In the massive bin of throw pillows, I found a deep blue ikat roll pillow that coordinates with the sheets.  I wish it was down fill, but I can look for an insert later.  I’m still holding out for Euro Sham covers that I love, but so far, the addition of the sheets and roll pillow dramatically improve the bedding situation.
What do you think??

Also, you might also notice our lovely makeshift headboard…

Pretty huh?  Yeah… pretty awful.
It’s only temporary, I assure you.  We pieced it together to determine how high and wide we want the headboard to be.  You also can’t see from this far away, but we’re also trying to determine how large and at what angle we want the side cut-outs to be.
We’re planning on the belgrave headboard shape, like this DIY from Sarah M. Dorsey Designs:
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Can’t wait for more bedroom updates!
xo

Nailhead Makes Everything Better

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Nailhead trim is big right now… like HUGE.  It’s not just contained to overstuffed club chairs and headboards anymore.  It’s running wild through the design world, making appearances on everything from side tables to stairwells, and everything in between…

A few of my favorites from around the web…

Isn’t this great inspiration for an Ikea hack??  You could totally recreate this look on this $20 coffee table from Ikea.  And it comes in white so if you’re feeling lazy, there is no painting required… you’re welcome in advance!

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It amazes me how creative people can be.  I would NEVER have thought of applying nail head to trim out the walls in a hallway, and yet, it looks fabulous, and gives this space extra character.  Did you also notice that King Charles Cavalier in the background??  So freaking cute!
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Nailhead on a valance!  I’m not a big “valance” person, but in a room with tall ceilings, this could be awesome.  The nailhead highlights the stair-step detail, and adds a even more glam on top of the already super luxe fabrics.
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Unless you are super patient, super detail oriented, and have a VERY steady hand… a detailed nailhead trim is probably something best left to the professionals, but how awesome is this upholstered chest of drawers?!  No but seriously… raw linen stretched tight across these drawers??  I am having SO MANY ideas now about what I want to do with the dresser that goes in our room to replace the teeny tiny TV stand that’s currently in there… LOVE.
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Nailheads are what is securing this natural fiber runner to these stairs… check this one out!  The stairs did not start off so pretty!
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Have you heard of Home Decorators?  I hadn’t either, but I’m taking note!  This table looks like something from Restoration Hardware, but its under $300.  That’s a steal when you compare it with the several thousand dollar price tag RH slaps on everything!
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Now THIS is unique.  I haven’t really seen a lot of inlaid upholstery on a chair back like this before, but I am loving how it looks.  The chair is as interesting from the back as it is from the front – which is rare!  Wouldn’t this be great in a shabby chic kitchen nook or in a pretty feminine office?
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Nailhead and leather dress these cabinets up… I believe this is someone’s ultra fabulous closet.  A girl can dream….
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And one of my favorites… this site is crazy addicting, featuring tons of great Ikea hacks.  This one is very similar to the first photo inspiration I posted about here, but uses the lack side table… well technically one and a half Lack side tables… use the one full Lack and the top from the other to secure to the bottom.  Pure genius considering these tables are only $9 each!
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Gold and Glass

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As we work on our home, and make changes to existing furniture, I’ve learned a lot about what I thought I liked, what I actually like, and what I really REALLLLY want.
I’ve mentioned before that the coffee table and side tables in our living room were a Craigslist purchase. A few years ago, I bought them from some guy selling the set at wholesale prices out of a storage unit somewhere in the East Bay.  It sounds more shady than it was – I brought a friend, and he had his 7 year old daughter with him, so it all felt fine.  No creepy killer lurking in the shadowy storage facility.  
Anyway, I’m not entirely sure how he was able to sell brand new furniture at wholesale costs, but at 24 years old, I was stoked to get a coffee table and two side tables for ~$100.
Here they are in all their glory… a little matching trio.
Don’t get me wrong, they’ve definitely served their purpose, and I don’t hate them, but I’m completely over the matching look, and all the dark wood (well, faux wood) is a little overwhelming.  I don’t have immediate plans to get rid of them, but I’ve definitely started thinking about what I want to eventually replace them with.
What I’m really loving right now, is the look of clear glass, clean lines, and a gold metal frame.  Visually, the clear glass doesn’t take up a lot of space, and I am into gold in a big way!
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This gold end table is perhaps one of my favorites – not only does it have a little shelf underneath to hold a few things, but detail around the shelf is amazing, yet still really clean and simple.

I am also loving this side table – against the landscape wallpaper (which is fabulous in it’s own right) the metal-work on the side is detailed without being overbearing.

What I love most about these two side by side glass tables is that they are simply styled, and allow you to see the great graphic rug underneath!  A big complaint I have about our coffee table now, is that it hides a big part of our rug… which I love!

Moving onto gold and glass etageres… this is an Ikea hack! I couldn’t believe it myself, but this shelf was less than $100, and all it took was a little gold spray paint to look like a million bucks.

This one is NOT an Ikea hack, but a pretty good inspiration for one, eh?  I love the symmetry, muted colors in the styling, and how the gold really pops against the concrete wall.

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Everything about this photo is love – the Thibaut Thibaut Tanzania Wallpaper is TO DIE FOR, and while this gold and glass etagere will set you back about $4K, it’s so pretty to look at.  Isn’t the greek key scrollwork amazing?  I think there is something about a bit of gold and a bit of animal print that says fabulous all the way!!

What a surprise, more animal print and gold… love this coffee table – especially with the orange Hermes tray, and orchid.  Not exactly functional, but oh so pretty…

Small space living all the way – love that this living space also serves as the dining room (and office).  This really just brings home my point about having a glass top table to maximize space visually.  And those striped curtains?  LOVE!

Inexpensive Furniture Finds

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Let’s play a little word association game – I’m going to name a store and then list out all the words that come to mind when I think of that store.

Urban Outfitters.
Ready-set-go:
College dorm-room, overpriced hoodies, hipster clothing, weird coffee table books, knick-knacks, faux-vintage, mustache themed everything, slogan t-shirts.
Ahhhh, I feel better – now here’s the thing… the other day I posted about that cool accordion side table from Urban Outiftters that was $75 compared to similar tables that retailed in the hundreds.  That led me to do a little investigating of my own, and I’ve come to find out, Urban Outfitters has grown up a bit since the last time I popped in for an over-priced (but super soft) v-neck t-shirt.  Turns out, they actually have some pretty FABULOUS home accessories, and it’s cheap!  I would never have put Urban Outfitters in the category of “great home decor” but they seriously are!
Aside from this fabulous table, here are some of my favorite finds!!
TABLES & STORAGE:
Awesome, right??  I am especially loving the owl garden stool and the gold hexagon side table. I probably won’t pull the trigger on the owl, only becuase it seems to be a little too trendy, and doesn’t seem like something I’ll love 6 months from now.  Also, not that we are in the market for a console, but the Draper style console is really cool – something I think my sister would be really into.  Her house is full of mid-century pieces, and this little guy would fit right in (in my humble opinion). 
HEADBOARDS:

Both of these have great lines, and details that I LOOVVEEE.  You all know how obsessed I am with nail-head trim, so both these beauties are A-OK in my book.
CHAIRS AND SOFAS:
Let me start by saying that I probably wouldn’t put these sofas or the chaise in my living room.  And by probably, I mean, never.  The day to night sofa (pictured in a heathered brown) would be great in an office-guestroom combo, since it does convert into a sleeper sofa.  And the chaise and Gramercy sofa are so overly feminine – I see those living in a huge walk in closet, dressing room, or bathroom.  They might even be good for an entry-way as well, but not so much for the living room.
I’d be thrilled to have any three of those chairs in our living room – the hot pink Madeline Chair especially jumps out at me.  That shocking pink for some reason doesn’t look that “girly” although I’m sure Kris would disagree with me on that.  Luckily, also comes in a ton of other colors.  
A few of my other favorites were the tan, aqua, and navy:
I think this chair might even get added onto my growing list of potential side chair candidates for our living room…
All in all, I’d say I’ve totally changed my mind about Urban Outfitters…