Inspired

I have walking pneumonia. This week has been really rough. I am going crazy now that I have started to feel a little better but not nearly well enough to leave the house. Since I can't get out of the house (shop) or work on any of my house projects, I decided to have a little internet fun.

I really like the fabric from the post below. I love the color ways and the fun print. It sort of reminds me of my blog banner. Lots of orange, green and turquoise. I thought it would be fun to build a guest room based on these colors.


I've seen a lot of guest rooms lately done with two twin beds and an oversized nightstand in between. I like the look.


The room above is really pretty, but it's maybe a little plain. Granted, my mind's a little foggy right now, but I remember reading somewhere that Kate Spade said that you should put really strong colors and patterns in guest rooms. Something that you love, but that you know you couldn't stand seeing for more than a month straight. But also something fun enough that your guests will be entertained. The crazy color combo in this fabric will do just the trick.

Upon closer examination of the eBay auction, there are only two yards of this fun print available. That's just enough for a few accents though.


I'm thinking two matching boudoir pillows with orange or turquoise ball fringe.


Maybe this great burnt orange duvet cover from Pottery Barn folded up at the foot of the bed? I love all the French knots.



White linens with chocolate brown embroidery from Restoration Hardware.


Another accent pillow. This one's from Twinkle Living.
A DIY upholstered head board in turquoise linen with white nail head trim.


And my beloved X benches flanking the bottom of the beds. This time in a fun brown and white zebra.


Also from Ballard Designs, this awesome and graphic green trellis wallpaper. Talk about a statement!


This beautiful faux bamboo vintage Baker chest would go between the two twins.

I love this beautiful lamp from Crate and Barrel.

And this gorgeous leaning floor mirror from Z Gallerie.
Here's all of it put together. What do you think?

Should I Reupholster or Slipcover?

Jodi wrote in with this question:

Hello! I found your blog through google while trying to find some cool slipcovers for two wing chairs that I just inherited. I LOVE the prints from Anthropologie but am having no luck finding any slipcovers remotely close. Do you know of any places that carry unique slipcovers or is this something I'll have to reupholester on my own? Thanks Jodi

Well, Jodi, I searched and searched for cute slipcover options. And I think we ran into the same problem. There was definitely nothing worthy of the Anthropologie connection.

I did find some nice basics. I like this $40 version from Overstock that's in a neutral gray.

The problem with non-custom slipcovers is that they can really look sloppy. Though this one is really not all that bad. You'd need to add a few punchy pillows to spice it up a little. Maybe an ikat or a crewel work pillow from Anthropologie?

Here's another neutral slipcover option from JC Penney, also $40.

It seems to me that you ultimately have three options, Jodi:

1) Reupholster the chair yourself.

It can seem scary and intimidating, but the benefit, besides the obvious cost saving, is that you have all the fabric options in the world. You can make your pair of vintage wing chairs look like they were bought for $3000 a piece straight from Anthro. When really you dropped about $50 in fabric, thread and staples.


I am no professional seamstress by any stretch of the imagination, but I think a project like this is completely doable for just about anyone.

2) Slipcover it

I already mentioned that I think stock slipcovers can look sloppy. I guess it all depends on how much you will be using these chairs. Will they be used in a formal, seldom-used space? Or a primary living area? All the slipcovers I've ever seen needed adjusting each time someone sat down. To me, it's not worth it.

However, if you do decide to go with the stock slipcovers, I've heard that a good way to keep the cover where it should be is to roll up a magazine or two, bind it up with a couple rubber bands and stick the roll in between the seat cushions. Repeat on all sides as needed.

And, you know, if you go with one of the slipcovers I linked to above, which are both 100% cotton, you could unleash some of you artistic skills and fancy up the plain fabric using stencils and fabric paint. I would buy this book.

Or revisit the September 08 issue of Martha Stewart Living, which has some great stencil patterns.



3) A happy medium

A sort of hybrid option is to sew your own slip cover. This way you don't have to acutally upholster the chairs, but you get to pick out your own fabric and you can get a better fit. I would use the instructions from this great Apartment Therapy post. I think the results are beautiful.

And I'm sure you could pay a seamstress to do this for you, if you really don't want to touch a sewing machine.


A quick note about fabric: Go with a print that has a random pattern, so you don't have to worry about matching up the repeats. Stripes would be an absolute nightmare.

There's a great fabric store in my area that sells upholstery grade fabric seconds for dirt cheap. Look around your area for a similar store. Or check on eBay. Here are a couple of upholstery-grade linens I saw on eBay today that would be fun and easy to use.




Good luck, Jodi! I can't wait to see the before and after!

I need this bowl

I'll mail a big fat reward to anyone who can tell me where I can get this beautiful bowl.
I'm being serious too.

The day my life will be complete...

...is the day when we have a home big enough for a library ladder.
I think ladders in open spaces are functional and oh so beautiful.

Venetian Blinds - Design 101

I had a total 'blonde moment' in Venice.


I kept seeing all these beautiful blinds everywhere on all the windows of the canal-side villas.

I snapped photo after photo of these lovelies and then caught myself as I wondered out loud to my husband,


"I'm crazy about all these blinds that I'm seeing everywhere. I guess they really like Venetian blinds here...in...VENICE!! Venetian Blinds! Venice! Oh man, I'm stupid."


Embarrassing story aside, I really do love these blinds and all the different ways they can be trimmed out.

I've had these fabric blinds from Target up in my house for almost two years now. Shades are a great alternative to curtains, especially in small homes like mine, where floor space and furniture arrangement is limited. In the past, I've added various trims to the shades with my trusty hot glue gun, but nothing has looked like I wanted it to. I came home from Europe, determined to turn my blinds into something that would make the Venetians proud.

With a little white grosgrain and some hot glue, it's easy to turn stock fabric blinds into something special. I like the way the white is very subtle against the ivory shade. I didn't want anything too showy and I think this color combo does the trick.


And as a great bonus, every time the late afternoon sunshine sifts through my pretty blinds I can hear the gondoliers singing and can smell the fruta del mar.

Ballard Designs Sale Ends Today

Ballard Designs is having a 15 % off sale that ends today. Don't sweat it though if you miss this one, because it seems like they have similar sales once or twice a year. Also, if you sign up for their email list or their catalog they'll give you a 10% off coupon.

Here are some of the things I would get if the sale was more like, I don't know, 85% off instead of just 15%.

I am totally on the band wagon with all the Chinese Chippendale everywhere. I love it. And while it's trendy right now, I think it's also totally classic.


I would also get a wingback chair like this so I could full on copy designer Windsor Smith's eat-in kitchen. I love this kitchen, top to bottom.
I WILL have floors like that someday. I read or saw somewhere that she used carrera marble and cheap man-made slate tiles. Love the effect. I put black and white on our kitchen floor last year. I like it a lot, but I like this even better. It is a much more subtle effect.

Look at the embroidery on that wingback. It's all about the details.


Speaking of monogramming, these are great pillows. The covers are less than $13, which includes FREE embroidery. There are all sort of colors to choose from. It's an easy and pretty way to add some personalization to your room.


Plus, look at all the embroidery styles you can choose from:


Make sure to buy the covers alone though if you're on a budget like me. I buy all my down inserts at IKEA.

Isn't houndstooth so fun? This front mat is adorable.


This shower curtain (in black) is on sale for $14.99 and the monogramming here is also free!


I want to reupholster my reupholstered chair to look like this. White and clean, with better casters.I am considering this little garden stool for our living room. We have changed around the set up of the room and we're in need of a little something for setting down drinks on one end of the sofa. It could double as extra seating in a pinch.


I love screens and I LOVE nailhead trim on just about anything and everything. So you can imagine how much I like this...
I have loved these X benches for more than a year now. I decided to take the plunge and ordered two of these stools a couple months ago (right after we got to Brussels). There is a 4-6 week lead time and I wanted them to be delivered soon after we got back to Cambridge. A few weeks before we got home, I started to worry that the stools weren't going to fit under my console table, where I had planned to place them. When we got home I was so so bummed when my doubts were confirmed after measuring. I thought about just using them at the foot of our bed, but I cheaped out and ended up canceling the order. Maybe in my next house...
When I canceled the order, I thought about just trading up for this 48" Coventry bench. I wanted to use it as a dining bench. I still think it would be perfect in our small dining area (the bench against the wall + three dining chairs), but I decided to be good and hold off. Besides, the week after we got back to Massachusetts was the Brimfield Antiques Fair (Anna, I thought of you the whole time). I scored a beautiful set of five antique dining chairs. $35 bucks for the whole lot. They are beautiful, but in bad shape. I have started the refinishing project and I'm really happy with how they are shaping up. I can't wait to share.I love this umbrella stand. I scored a couple of antique umbrellas with really cool handles at the flea market in Brussels. I thought it would be fun to start a collection and this little number would be an adorable way to showcase it. I think the mod pattern on the stand is a perfect contrast to the lines and styles of the old umbrellas.

What's your favorite item at Ballard?