March 2011 - Restyled Homes

Master Bedroom Makeover: Before

It was as if we never really moved into our own bedroom.

We moved to our current home while I was 7 months pregnant with our first child. At the time, I was in total nesting mode, but my first priority was the nursery, then the public spaces of the house. We set up the bedroom saying we would want to paint ever the pasty green walls spattered with random patches of spackle "sometime soon." But, we soon found out that having a baby out of the womb was a big time commitment (I love to laugh at my pre-mom self!), so we put it off. And eventually I stopped seeing the greenish walls, even though they clashed with our bedding set.

I used to like this bedding. We bought it right after our wedding just under seven years ago. But, as snuggly and warm as it is, it's starting to come apart from repeated washings. I also missed getting the shams along with the quilt and when I went back for them--poof! The solids were OK but not really what I wanted. Also, we invested in a down alternative comforter (not shown) a few years ago, but still hadn't gotten a cover for it. I was tired of washing it all of the time and wanted to get a good cover for it.

My dear, sweet, talented grandfather made us the headboard, armoire, and one of the bedside tables as a wedding gift. It's a gorgeous cherry piece. And look what I was doing to it...piling photos on top because I was still thinking I would paint sometime soon. Why bother hanging them?

This side table was built by my father when I was a child. It's cute, but reflects the decor of my mother's home at the time--country. That's a small wood burnt flower design on the door. Not exactly a great side table for a manly man.

Beside the table, you can see the perpetual box of diabetic supplies that arrives at ourhome every few months. After a while, the box bacame part of the decor, whether we liked it or not. Blah. I needed to find another solution!

Along with our gorgeous family heirloom cedar chest, this photo shows off several yucky parts of the old room: 1) The cheapo blue curtains I bought as another "temporary solution" for the room, along with the plastic curtain rods left from the previous owner. 2) The worn, bluish-grey carpet hiding hardwood beneath 3) an ottoman separated from its glider, sitting here for no good reason at all.

Last, but not least, the ugly trash cans being used as laundry hampers. The foot pedals on both were broken and the price tag is half ripped off of one. Can you blame me for hating to do the laundry?

So, after three years of not loving our bedroom, we decided it was time to tackle the project. It was time to make it look like home.

In short, this is what I wanted to change:

the curtains and rods
the bedding
the carpet
the paint
one of the side tables
the laundry system
storage of medical supplies
photo display

And this is what I wanted to keep:

The furniture
The photos themselves, along with their frames

Not much, huh? But at least I wouldn't have to purchase any furniture, which would add up quickly. This was going to be a very cosmetic but very dramatic change.

Here is the plan and budget I presented to my husband for his blessing:

find a beautiful duvet cover as the color inspiration--$100
paint the walls to complement the new bedding--$80
patch cracks and paint the ceiling--$25
rip out the carpet to reveal the honey-colored hardwood underneath-- free
replace curtains and rods--$150
refinish side table in a cherry stain to match the other furniture, and replace the hardware--$25
new sheets and bedskirt--$75
decor, storage, laundry, and odds and ends $100

Total budget: $555

He said I could go for it. His only request was that I incorporate a blue into the room, since that is his favorite color. No problem! I got right to work. In my next post, I'll show you what we did with it!

Pirate Counting with Doubloons. Arrrr!

Lately, my sweet little three and a half year old boy had been enamored with all things pirate. Perhaps it has to do with the new show on the Disney channel, Jake and the Neverland Pirates?

We've also hit a window in which he is interested in counting, and even addition. So I set out to make some manipulatives to keep up the fun with counting.

Here's what I used:

1 piece of yellow construction paper
1 black Crayola marker (Although, next time I will use a Sharpie. More on that later in the post.)
Crayola Glitter Glue pens
laminator
scissors

First, I drew some double circles on the construction paper with my marker. It doesn't matter if they're not even. They're doubloons, remember?

Next, I turned the paper over and traced the circles on the back so the coins would be double sided.

Then, I numbered some of the coins from 1 to 10, some from 1 to 5, and all the rest with the number 1.

The Pièce de résistance: glitter glue.

This is why I wish I'd used a Sharpie. The glue is water-based and caused some very slight smearing on my water-based Crayola markers. They're still usable as-is--I didn't feel compelled to start over with the Sharpie, but if I do it again, that's what I'll be reaching for.

I let it sit overnight while the glitter glue dried. Then, I ran them through my trusty laminator and cut them out in groups of 10, 5, or 1.

Here they are, all cut out. My son loves them. I love to watch him count his 'bloons!

The Non-Emergency Design Emergency

Tomorrow is our final installation day for the DC Design Showhouse. We have almost everything installed except for the custom concrete parsons table (which I've just been informed is non-existent due to it breaking into pieces). SO my assistant and I are off to the design center today in a mad dash to find a replacement table.

Wish us luck that a showroom manager takes pity on us, because we need this piece TOMORROW!

Ps. I truly stand by the belief that there is no such thing as a design emergency. (That is, unless I come home tonight emptyhanded ;)

We'll be twittering during our search today!

xoxo, Lauren

If you'd like help creating a home you absolutely love, contact me about our design services.

The Non-Emergency Design Emergency

If you'd like help creating a home you absolutely love, contact me about our design services.

Little Victims... Photoshoot Prep

Since Spring isn't really doing its thing quickly enough for me, I am seriously craving green:

I love what plants do for rooms. Sometimes when I look at magazine rooms and cover up the plants/ flowers in them, they seem pretty lifeless. There's something about a pretty explosion of green (no matter how small) that I just love.

Our house looks like a greenhouse right now because I picked up a ton of plants for the DC Design House and some upcoming photoshoots I'm doing with my good friend & photographer, Helen Norman next week. This little orange tree will sit in a kitchen I recently finished with a vintage-styled green subway tile backsplash & dark walnut cabinets:

I found this cool pot at Merrifield Garden Center and filled it with this pretty little guy (I already forgot his name) for my room in the showhouse:

Love these moss pots:

And this gardenia is staying in my office for a while because it just smells like Heaven:

I picked up a bunch of herbs & topiaries for another kitchen:

I truly love plants. But I'm not very good with them. They tend to die here. My house is sort of like a plant hospice.

...BUT... the other day my assistant Meghan said I had a "green thumb."

I have played this compliment over and over in my head since then and even relayed it to my husband who argues she must have been being sarcastic.

I'm hoping I can change. I'm really trying.

There are plants in my house that have been here since September. Yay.

ps- loved all the comments from yesterday about vines. It's so fun to see that dialogue between the "romantics" and the "practicals." I definitely fall on the romantic side, but it's sort of like eating cookie dough... I'm sure once I got my first case of salmonella, I'd be done with cookie dough.

If you'd like help creating a home you absolutely love, contact me about our design services.

Little Victims... Photoshoot Prep

Since Spring isn't really doing its thing quickly enough for me, I am seriously craving green:

I found this cool pot at Merrifield Garden Center and filled it with this pretty little guy (I already forgot his name) for my room in the showhouse:

Love these moss pots:

And this gardenia is staying in my office for a while because it just smells like Heaven:

I picked up a bunch of herbs & topiaries for another kitchen:

I truly love plants. But I'm not very good with them. They tend to die here. My house is sort of like a plant hospice.

...BUT... the other day my assistant Meghan said I had a "green thumb."

I have played this compliment over and over in my head since then and even relayed it to my husband who argues she must have been being sarcastic.

I'm hoping I can change. I'm really trying.

There are plants in my house that have been here since September. Yay.

If you'd like help creating a home you absolutely love, contact me about our design services.

Climbing Vines

I've always wanted climbing vines on my house. I remember reading a book when I was a little girl that pictured a red brick house covered in ivy and how I wanted it. Yeah, I know, it's bad for the house, but I love it anyway. There's something so incredible about a wall of green and vines growing up a home. It blurs the line between the home and the land, which is something that the houses I truly love all have in common.

{Betsy Burnham}

I attemped to grow jasmine vines up a trellis in front of our house last year but they died in a harsh winter storm.

{image from 123rf.com}

Now I'm holding out for an evergreen clematis, which I grew up all over a fence in our old townhome and really took a beating. I'm having a hard time finding it again though. The last garden center I stopped at asking for it looked at me like I was nuts. :(

{image by Cassie Lee}

I would go nutty for this on my front walkway steps:

{image from bigstockphoto.com}

I might try it although I'm not sure if the treads on my stairs are deep enough.

{Image by Galen Frysinger}

Climbing vines give buildings a sense of permanance.

{image from 123rf.com}

I love it when they completely take over like this:

{image from trendr.tv}

And I cannot get over this ivy-covered turret:

{image via ehow.com}

And, finally, here's a secret garden:

{image by Gap Photos}

What I wouldn't give for a secret garden.

If I could completely wall in my backyard with hedges & vines, I would. I'm a pretty social person but I do love private outdoor spaces.

I am soo ready for March's lion to give way to the lamb.

It's time.

Come on Spring!

If you'd like help creating a home you absolutely love, contact me about our design services.

Climbing Vines

{Betsy Burnham}

I attemped to grow jasmine vines up a trellis in front of our house last year but they died in a harsh winter storm.

{image from 123rf.com}

{image by Cassie Lee}

I would go nutty for this on my front walkway steps:

{image from bigstockphoto.com}

I might try it although I'm not sure if the treads on my stairs are deep enough.

{Image by Galen Frysinger}

Climbing vines give buildings a sense of permanance.

{image from 123rf.com}

I love it when they completely take over like this:

{image from trendr.tv}

And I cannot get over this ivy-covered turret:

{image via ehow.com}

And, finally, here's a secret garden:

{image by Gap Photos}

What I wouldn't give for a secret garden.

If I could completely wall in my backyard with hedges & vines, I would. I'm a pretty social person but I do love private outdoor spaces.

I am soo ready for March's lion to give way to the lamb.

It's time.

Come on Spring!

If you'd like help creating a home you absolutely love, contact me about our design services.

Rosemary Easter Wreath

I was inspired to make this front door wreath by my dear friend's ginormous rosemary bush. She graciously let me trim a ton of branches from it, and when I was done, it looked like I hadn't taken any at all, even though I came home with this pile:

A trip to the Dollar Tree yielded me two wreath forms (because I wasn't sure what size I would prefer) and these cute little eggs. I didn't have a plan, but I knew I could come up with something.

I started by tucking the rosemary around the wreath in the same direction as the wicker wraps around the wreath. At first, I thought I would cover the whole wreath. But, I stopped sooner than planned because I liked the more sparse look.

Enter the cute little gltter eggs. I pulled the little ribbons off of them and used floral wire to attach them to the wreath by jamming one end into the egg.

One little problem: I couldn't figure out a way to arrange the eggs that seemed to click with me.

After ten minutes and an unfortunate amount of sighing, I decided to find some ribbon.

Score! I found this scrap in my craft box. It was originally tied to a gift and I saved it because I loved the colors.First, I looped the ribbon over itself, right side out...squeezed the middle, and tied with floral wire...

...then fanned out the loops. and wrapped the end over the wire. Tada!

This anchored the design. By eliminating some of the traditional Easter colors, I gave it some style. I realized, though, that I didn't have enough blue, orange, and yellow eggs to do the job without another trip to the dollar store. So, I added back the green. Just right. We're getting there!

Finally, I decided to space the eggs evenly. This, I can live with.

I'll return the smaller wreath or come up with another use for it. Final cost of the project: $2. Here is the finished piece on my front door, which badly needs some painting. That's a project coming up soon.

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