Saturday, March 29, 2014

Foyer Design Idea

Now that I found my church pew I'm really itching to finish the foyer. I still need a couple of major pieces like console table, carpet and mirror so it is not going to happen right away.  To help me stay on track I came up with a mood board for the space. I really love it. I like that major pieces are neutral and I can play up the seasons with accessories like pillows, vases and pictures. I also like the mercury glass table lamp which bring in a little blink and of course natural wood which comes from the bench and mirror.


Sources:

Ceiling Fixture - Eldridge Pendant Ballard Desing (already own)
Mirror - Levico Mirror in Natural Restoration Hardware
Console Table - Burke Console Table Pottery Barn
Table Lamps - Etched Mercury Glass  Pottery Barn
Rug - Diamond Foil Jute Rug West Elm


Friday, March 28, 2014

Ta da....It's here!

I found it! There was one, my one, church pew on Craigslist and I emailed the seller months ago and never heard back. Couple days ago the listing showed up again with the phone number to contact and I did and now it's here, sitting pretty in my foyer










Isn't she a beauty? The previous owner had it for about 25 years and it came from a Presbyterian church. It's in great condition, it's very sturdy and never been painted. It was much longer at some point and there's a slight curve to it, which must have been much bigger when the pew was it's original length. The plate is original to it too, number 42. I love it!

Thursday, March 27, 2014

Weekly Snapshops: Waiting for Spring

At this point I'm having serious doubts whether the spring will actually come this year. This winter has been dragging on and I'm ready for warmer temperatures and nature to spring back to life. To cheer myself up I brought in some color into to house and it did help a little bit.






The colorful fabric is actually a tablecloth from Target. I love their Threshold brand, which offers trendy and affordable designs. Two little birdies came from Michael's and they sit on my mantel. I love that they're a mama and a baby birds. As you can see even my preschooler is looking forward to Spring weather too.


Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Dining room updates

Over the summer my mother in law downsized into an apartment and generously offered us her dining room set. It is a nice set with great detail but needed a little bit of updating. Years ago someone tried to refurbish it, and let's just say it didn't come out that great. I decided to sand down the chairs and reupholster them for a more updated look.

Here's the little before picture just to give you an idea why they needed some TLC.




I used electric sander where I could but there are so many nooks and crannies that majority had to be done by hand. Not fun. But the result was well worth it.


 

In the process I stumbled upon what I call a fabric heaven. If you live in Northern New Jersey and ever need any sort of fabric you must check out the Fabric Warehouse Direct in Rahway. They offer amazing selection and pricing.

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Console It

I'm itching to finish the foyer. I still haven't found the church pew, but I'm searching craigslist almost every night. The next major piece I need for that space is a console table or dresser or a buffet or a sideboard.  As you can tell I'm keeping my options open. Here are a few pieces that caught my eye.







My first choice is the Crate&Barrel media console but I have to say I'm not a big fan of the price tag. I'm also not a big fan of having two main pieces of furniture being made of wood, that's of course assuming that I will one day find my church pew. That's why I like the PB entryway all black table. Of course I love the price tag of the table from Wayfair and I would consider painting it.  On the other hand if I'm going to paint something I might as well just get a used piece.



Monday, March 17, 2014

Happy St. Patrick's Day and Hello Neon Green

My older princess loves green. It was time to get her a new bed. Since we've moved in she's been sleeping on three quarters of a mattress (yes, that's right) that we cut down to fit into the nook in the guest room in the condo. It was starting to fall apart now and whether the bed was made or not, it always looked messy.
I found a footboard and headboard for a great price at seconddibs.com. It's sometimes hard to get my three and a half year old excited about new things because she doesn't like change. But I figured that if I painted the bed her favorite color there might be a chance that she's love it. And she does!


Getting the headboard and footboard home with two carseats in the car wasn't easy but we managed.






I love the shape and details of the bed (here in process of being primed). The wood veneer wasn't so great and a whole side of it was coming off, so I peeled the whole thing off. As you can see I was getting a little impatient for the primer to dry, hence the hairdryer which btw, has dried way more paint and spackle in it's lifetime than my hair. The headboard was taller than footboard but because the bed will be positioned sideway against the way I decided to cut it down to the same size.

As for the color....NEON GREEN! I love it and most importantly so does my princess. I used Benjamin Moore Advance Paint and applied it with WhizzFlock Roller System for ultra smooth surfaces, which worked out great.





Thursday, March 13, 2014

Girls Bathroom Design Board

There's so much inspiration around that I often feel my designs are going in many different directions. I love too many things and get distracted. Here's what I came up with for the girls bath and for better or worse I'm going to stick with it.


I really like keeping the fixed elements neutral and classic. That way the house won't feel dated in ten years time when fashions change. I'm planning on keeping the bath fairly neutral and monochrome with pops of color. The vanity is buttery cream and I'd like to include one accent wall with wallpaper on it. I'm in love with Anthropologie's Watercolor Peony
Anything will be better than what we have now, right?


Monday, March 3, 2014

ISO: Church pew

The idea for the foyer is slowly forming in my head. At this point it involves seaweed rug, church pew and this mirror I have been drooling over for ages now. For now I'm looking for a church pew. There are many available on Ebay and Etsy but only for local pick up in states far, far away. I'll be on a look out. Here are some pews used fabulously in home decor.