In related news, it was fun for me to do a girl's nursery because...
SURPRISE! I'm pregnant! With another GIRL!!!!
And we couldn't be happier.
Big News
One of my favorite eDecorating clients ordered up a baby girl's nursery a few weeks ago. Here's a little peek at sweet Penelope's soon-to-be-started room:
In related news, it was fun for me to do a girl's nursery because...
SURPRISE! I'm pregnant! With another GIRL!!!!
And we couldn't be happier.
In related news, it was fun for me to do a girl's nursery because...
SURPRISE! I'm pregnant! With another GIRL!!!!
And we couldn't be happier.
Other Uses of Crewel?
I'm so happy with the crewel fabric on my newly reupholstered ottoman, it has me thinking about other places to use the beautiful embroidery. I'm loving the texture it adds to a room...
How about on DIY shades?
via the Natural Curtain Co
Or as a bedspread?
via Domino
Maybe on an upholstered headboard?
via Domino
Here are some great crewel fabric options available on eBay -
vintage yellow
floral bedspread
black floral
Schumacher table cloth
floral trellis
How about on DIY shades?
via the Natural Curtain Co
via Domino
via Dominovintage yellow
floral bedspread
black floral
Schumacher table cloth
floral trellis
On Sewing Pinch-Pleated Curtains...
Thanks for all the great feedback on my new curtains! I love all the support that I get from blogging! I was a little nervous about trying to make pinch-pleat drapes by myself, but I wasn't about to scrounge up the cash right now to pay a seamstress for the job. And surprisingly, the project was FUN! And I learned a lot about sewing. Honestly, I think I'll probably make my own drapes from here on out. The first panel took about three hours start to finish, but the second took less than an hour! Why pay someone $150/panel for labor when I can do the work myself?
Here are the details:
1. The hardware was a Target clearance aisle buy. I did my best to cover up the 'Tuscan' look (below) with black spray paint and I'm happy with the hardware, for the most part. It works.
2. The fabric is made by Braemore and was purchased at Zimmans. I haven't looked online yet, but I'm sure it is available somewhere on the interwebs. The stripes are 6.75" wide, if that helps.
You can see the vertically striped fabric rolled up here in this before picture. I just love a good before shot! :)
I really wanted horizontal (railroaded) stripes because I think that often vertical stripes get lost in a pleated drape (which I also wanted). I searched high and low for horizontal, thick (at least 6") stripes in a black and white pattern, but no luck. The Braemore fabric I decided to go with runs on the vertical, like most stripes. So I ended up cutting 54" lengths of the fabric and sewing two pieces together to get one 108" long piece of fabric with horizontal stripes.
After piecing together the vertical striped fabric to make railroaded stripes.
I was worried about the seam being super obvious - but it's really not. I have to inspect the drape with my hand to figure out where the seam is. The trick is to press the fabric really well and to line the drape.
3. I'm not going to give a full tutorial on making pleated curtains for you guys, because there are tutorials all over the web. I will say that I learned how to do a blind hem stitch and I used this pleating tape and these 4-prong pleating hooks to get my pleats perfect. I am so, so happy with the way my pleats turned out. They were easy and look very professional, thanks to the tape and hooks.
Hope that answers most of the questions. Let me know if I missed anything and I'll answer in the comments section.
Thanks!
Here are the details:
1. The hardware was a Target clearance aisle buy. I did my best to cover up the 'Tuscan' look (below) with black spray paint and I'm happy with the hardware, for the most part. It works.
2. The fabric is made by Braemore and was purchased at Zimmans. I haven't looked online yet, but I'm sure it is available somewhere on the interwebs. The stripes are 6.75" wide, if that helps.
You can see the vertically striped fabric rolled up here in this before picture. I just love a good before shot! :)
After piecing together the vertical striped fabric to make railroaded stripes.
3. I'm not going to give a full tutorial on making pleated curtains for you guys, because there are tutorials all over the web. I will say that I learned how to do a blind hem stitch and I used this pleating tape and these 4-prong pleating hooks to get my pleats perfect. I am so, so happy with the way my pleats turned out. They were easy and look very professional, thanks to the tape and hooks.
Hope that answers most of the questions. Let me know if I missed anything and I'll answer in the comments section.
Thanks!
A Floor Lamp with Style
I'm in the market for a fun and somewhat funky floor lamp:
pic via the Fric and Frac blog
O at Home
Domino
These aren't nearly as cool as the ones above, but the price is right (less than $100 each). With a little DIY spirit and a can of spray paint, they could be almost as cool...
Lamps Plus
Target
Have you seen any other candidates out there?
pic via the Fric and Frac blog
O at Home
Domino
These aren't nearly as cool as the ones above, but the price is right (less than $100 each). With a little DIY spirit and a can of spray paint, they could be almost as cool...
Lamps Plus
Target
Have you seen any other candidates out there?
The Living Room Curtains are Done.
I told you...dramatic, right?
I'm liking them - I wanted drama.
Plus, every time I walk into the room now I say "BAM!!" to myself while doing a little kick. A positive development, I think.
Anticipation
Today is a busy day. We've got lots of errands to run because my husband is taking the bar in New York next week. The day he gets home (Wednesday) we're turning right around and heading back west for my brother-in-law's wedding, a family reunion and some time on the beach in CA. We're entering into a crazy season again. I promise to keep blogging regularly though.
One of today's errands is particularly exciting and has to do with a new project I've been busy working on - I'm really excited to share it with you guys!
I had hoped to blog about my living room curtains today, but, sadly, they aren't done yet. There was a little bit of a hiccup in the process, but I'll for sure finish them before we leave next week. To be completely honest with you guys, the jury's still out on whether or not I'm loving them. We'll see once they're actually hanging up. Here's a little clue on the fabric pattern:
Design by Suzanne Kasler (I think) and image via Cote de Texas (again, I think)
One of today's errands is particularly exciting and has to do with a new project I've been busy working on - I'm really excited to share it with you guys!
I had hoped to blog about my living room curtains today, but, sadly, they aren't done yet. There was a little bit of a hiccup in the process, but I'll for sure finish them before we leave next week. To be completely honest with you guys, the jury's still out on whether or not I'm loving them. We'll see once they're actually hanging up. Here's a little clue on the fabric pattern:
Design by Suzanne Kasler (I think) and image via Cote de Texas (again, I think)Have a great weekend!!
Aluminum Accent Tables
I fell in love with Pottery Barn's recycled aluminum accent table when I first saw it in their store months ago. I can't remember the original price, but it was more than I wanted to pay - a couple hundred for sure.
I forgot about it for a while, but then rekindled the love when I spied it (or something similar) in this room designed by Brooke Giannetti from Velvet and Linen. I think the table looks great in this room.
Sadly it is no longer for sale on PB's website. But as luck would have it, these nice knock-offs are now available at Pier 1 (though they're not yet on the website - must be new).
While not cheap at about $150 each, the price is at least within reach and I'm sure they'll go on sale at some point.
I forgot about it for a while, but then rekindled the love when I spied it (or something similar) in this room designed by Brooke Giannetti from Velvet and Linen. I think the table looks great in this room.
Sadly it is no longer for sale on PB's website. But as luck would have it, these nice knock-offs are now available at Pier 1 (though they're not yet on the website - must be new).
While not cheap at about $150 each, the price is at least within reach and I'm sure they'll go on sale at some point.
Vintage Poster Prints
Do you guys know about High Street Market? Kelly sells awesome vintage wares in her etsy shop, including this amazing poster from WWI.
(I'm a nerd and) I wanted to know more about the history of the poster, so I googled "to-day buy that liberty bond" and, while I still don't know much about Liberty bonds, the first hit was a jackpot.
All sorts of vintage poster reproductions available here. They are super cheap and available in all different sizes. You can even get free shipping if you spend more than $20.
There are too many beautiful images to post (some especially fun ones for a play room or nursery), but the travel posters really caught my eye.
Australia
Avon
Venice
Stockholm
Wouldn't it be awesome to put them together in a long hallway?
If you are looking for some unique and inexpensive art, have fun perusing. Give yourself an hour or two - there's lots! And don't forget to check out High Street Market! Cheap is great, but vintage is better.
(I'm a nerd and) I wanted to know more about the history of the poster, so I googled "to-day buy that liberty bond" and, while I still don't know much about Liberty bonds, the first hit was a jackpot.
All sorts of vintage poster reproductions available here. They are super cheap and available in all different sizes. You can even get free shipping if you spend more than $20.
There are too many beautiful images to post (some especially fun ones for a play room or nursery), but the travel posters really caught my eye.
Australia
Avon
Venice
Stockholm
Wouldn't it be awesome to put them together in a long hallway?
If you are looking for some unique and inexpensive art, have fun perusing. Give yourself an hour or two - there's lots! And don't forget to check out High Street Market! Cheap is great, but vintage is better.
Make an Ottoman From a Coffee Table, Part II
It wasn't all that long ago that I made a tufted ottoman from a $25 Craigslist coffee table.
I never loved the velvet (it was just something I had already) and I couldn't manage to get the tufts as deep as I wanted and that always bugged me.
So reupholstering the coffee-table-turned-ottoman was high on the priority list after moving.
I ended up bagging the tufting idea, and adding a few more layers of batting and foam for a more rounded effect. Another big change was I cut the legs down a few inches. I feel like this is a much more visually pleasing height.
I used a little of my vintage grosgrain ribbon to cover up the staples. I think these new corners turned out so much better!
What do you think of the results? I really happy with the colors of the new fabric with my sofa and pillows. And I'm so excited to show you guys the rest of the room. Most of the art went up today and the curtains will be finished later this week (wait 'til you see those - holy DRAMA!).
{P.S. the blue linen pillows are available at Crate&Barrel right now, in case some of you fellow peacock blue lovers are interested.}
I never loved the velvet (it was just something I had already) and I couldn't manage to get the tufts as deep as I wanted and that always bugged me.
So reupholstering the coffee-table-turned-ottoman was high on the priority list after moving.
I ended up bagging the tufting idea, and adding a few more layers of batting and foam for a more rounded effect. Another big change was I cut the legs down a few inches. I feel like this is a much more visually pleasing height.
I used a little of my vintage grosgrain ribbon to cover up the staples. I think these new corners turned out so much better!
What do you think of the results? I really happy with the colors of the new fabric with my sofa and pillows. And I'm so excited to show you guys the rest of the room. Most of the art went up today and the curtains will be finished later this week (wait 'til you see those - holy DRAMA!).
{P.S. the blue linen pillows are available at Crate&Barrel right now, in case some of you fellow peacock blue lovers are interested.}
Bridging the Gap with Fabric
I knew that I wanted to redo our living room after moving, but we are on a really tight budget for the next year. I decided to restrict my decorating budget to the amount we got from our moving/yard sale and then anything that I could sell on Craigslist or eBay. Not surprisingly, I don't have enough to buy a new sofa or even to slipcover my blue Craigslist wing chairs liked I had hoped to (though that is the eventual goal). So my new goal was to find some fabric that tied in all of the colors I already have and some of the colors I want to have in room and to reupholster my coffee-table-turned-ottoman with the new fabric.
Shopping for a specific fabric is infinitely easier if you have another fabric swatch to reference. My favorite trick is to snip off the color windows from the selvedge, especially if the print is very colorful and large. Here are the color windows from a bold fabric I'm using in another project (a kids room):
Often though, you won't have a fabric swatch of your upholstery. Before I had paint decks, I would take pictures of the upholstery I needed to match and then go to the hardware store to pick up paint chips that match the colors in the fabric. It is so helpful when you are looking for a particular combination of colors!
Like I mentioned, my citrus green Lee Industries sofa will be staying.
As will my blue Craigslist chairs (that were originally purchased with the thought of getting them slipcovered).
I've been so obsessed with peacock blue lately. This image (that I've blogged about before) has really stuck with me. I was hoping I could find a way to connect the blue in my chairs with a more teal color.
And here are some of the interiors with similar bold colors that I knew I would be working with: green, blue, orange, black and white.
Celerie Kemble Interiors
MMR Interiors
Design by Miles Redd
I knew that I wanted a floral or something with a bright pattern for reupholstering my ottoman. I considered a vintage or antique suzani at one point, but that was a bit of a risk, and could get a little too pricey for my budget.
This Donghia fabric was in the running, but ended up getting scratched because of the price per yard:
I decided to head out to Zimman's fabric store in Boston and my heart skipped a beat when I saw this crewel fabric:
Sofa green? Check.
Wing chair blue? Check.
Peacock blue? Double check!!
Even a little coral for good measure. And all in a big, bold embroidered pattern with lots of black, white and gray.
This fabric (on the roll) was still on the pricier side - $49.99 per yard. Lucky for me, the people at Zimman's are customer service geniuses and told me that they had about 1.5 yards in the remnant section, the exact yardage I needed for my ottoman. I ended up paying about $30 for the remnant.
I reupholstered my ottoman over the weekend and I think I'm in love. Come back tomorrow morning for the pictures. And stayed tuned for more progress in my budget living room!
Shopping for a specific fabric is infinitely easier if you have another fabric swatch to reference. My favorite trick is to snip off the color windows from the selvedge, especially if the print is very colorful and large. Here are the color windows from a bold fabric I'm using in another project (a kids room):
Often though, you won't have a fabric swatch of your upholstery. Before I had paint decks, I would take pictures of the upholstery I needed to match and then go to the hardware store to pick up paint chips that match the colors in the fabric. It is so helpful when you are looking for a particular combination of colors!
Like I mentioned, my citrus green Lee Industries sofa will be staying.
As will my blue Craigslist chairs (that were originally purchased with the thought of getting them slipcovered).
I've been so obsessed with peacock blue lately. This image (that I've blogged about before) has really stuck with me. I was hoping I could find a way to connect the blue in my chairs with a more teal color.
And here are some of the interiors with similar bold colors that I knew I would be working with: green, blue, orange, black and white.
Celerie Kemble Interiors
MMR Interiors
Design by Miles ReddI knew that I wanted a floral or something with a bright pattern for reupholstering my ottoman. I considered a vintage or antique suzani at one point, but that was a bit of a risk, and could get a little too pricey for my budget.
This Donghia fabric was in the running, but ended up getting scratched because of the price per yard:
I decided to head out to Zimman's fabric store in Boston and my heart skipped a beat when I saw this crewel fabric:
Sofa green? Check.
Wing chair blue? Check.
Peacock blue? Double check!!
Even a little coral for good measure. And all in a big, bold embroidered pattern with lots of black, white and gray.
This fabric (on the roll) was still on the pricier side - $49.99 per yard. Lucky for me, the people at Zimman's are customer service geniuses and told me that they had about 1.5 yards in the remnant section, the exact yardage I needed for my ottoman. I ended up paying about $30 for the remnant.
I reupholstered my ottoman over the weekend and I think I'm in love. Come back tomorrow morning for the pictures. And stayed tuned for more progress in my budget living room!