A Blank Slate

The paint is on the wall and WOW what a difference in the room.
It's amazing what paint can do! And I haven't done the moulding yet, and when I do, everything should be even crisper.
Even Mr. Tablelamp looks happier now.
Of course it doesn't change the fact that most of the outlets in the room look like this. It's this way because the room used to be the garage and was wired after the fact. If I were a hip chick, I would find a way to use the industrial element to my advantage. But, I'm not sure if that will work with the rest of our style. I'll keep thinking about this one.
But, dear readers, now that everything is painted, what should I do with this door?
It's not our front door. It's just an extra door. A remnant of when the previous owner used this room as a home office. Should I leave it unpainted? Match it to the trim (white) or to the walls (Ben Moore's Manchester Tan)? Or something bold? Any thoughts on this? I'm completely drawing a blank on this one.

In other great news, we had our yard sale this morning!

You might remember that I had decided I would spend what I made on the sale plus about $50. I had guessed that the total play-guest-room budget would then come to $150. Well I made $161 today! So if I followed my plan I would now have a $211 budget for this room! But, I'll try to keep it under $161. I like a challenge. Oh, and did I mention it was a multi-family yard sale? So I got to shop thrift-style while earning money for my deco fund.
 
That's a Homegoods lamp, and Peir 1 hydrangeas. The crate was just too cute to pass up as well. A little paint or stain could make that really fun. I paid $8.75 for all three! At least two of them will be part of the play-guest-room remake.  Possibly all three.

I also spent about $10 at Home Depot. I can't wait to get to it so I can show it to you. I'm so excited to do a little bit of construction! With lumber. I feel so handy! Stay tuned to see what I make!

And, please weigh in on the door before you go!

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Shopping with a purpose!


I love nothing more than buying gifts for my mum.

I think every mother should be gifted with a beautiful, heartfelt token of love from their children on Mother's Day.
It doesn't need to be expensive and if you are up for it, you can make something using your God-given talents.
(like a beautiful meal, flowers from your garden, a special photograph set into a pretty frame, or even a day's labour - like gardening, a DIY project, some spring cleaning - especially fitting, seeing as she gave up at least a day "labouring" to have you!)

I love buying my mum something pretty to wear, as she never really  treats herself to clothes. In fact, when she does buy something, she usually hangs it in her closet for a suitable grace period until (and I am guessing here) the "newness" wears off. I didn't inherit that trait: As soon as I buy new clothes, they are on my back!

I have my gifts for my mother all wrapped and ready for when I go and visit her next weekend. I cannot wait! It has been four full months since I have seen her and I am so ready for one of her hugs.

 
Because I (like you) have the BEST mother in the world.
For real...

Now, if you want to win your mum a spectacular gift, then head on over here to enter to win the PERFECT present.

Did someone say, Anthropologie?

And while you're there, why not buy her a copy of the best magazine of the summer?

And I'm not kidding...it's really that gooood!!!!!!!!!!!


Home Made | Wooden Patio

Home Made | Wooden Patio

It could be a great idea to customized and match our home exterior, and it related with wood patio furniture. Wood patio surely still look great for many years, it have unique sense and art.

For home exterior we can start from chairs, rocking chairs, and recliners, to tables, benches surely it is for wooden patio. Making and customize it for suit and fit with our home style, for wood patio we can mix it well related on our style. Any different styles of wooden patio will bring own personality to a house.

Patio furniture is a very social part of the exterior of a home that everyone will consider to buy one day. There is no sense of having a back porch or front porch if it does not have furniture on it. It allows people to enjoy more areas of their property in a comfortable setting. If you want your backyard and landscaping to really stand out, then wood patio furniture is not only the attractive option, but it is one of the most durable outdoor materials.

Room Design | Room Design for the Twins

Room Design | Room Design for the Twins

Rooms for twins do not have to always be filled with furniture that a similar model or color. You can really adjust everything with the predilection of each child. You'll want both of them happy and give them adequate facilities, you can start from the rooms which are comfortable and safe for them.

Educating and designing comfortable and safe room for the twins can be fun. Various attractive ornament to suit their liking is the basic point that must be considered when arranging the space. However, it does not they are twins, their like must be the same. Therefore, everyone has their favorite, even though they are identical twins.

In principle the design of twin children's bedroom with children in general are the same. You as parents still have to accommodate the desires and habits of each child, even if they are identical twins. Because, psychologically every individual is different (even twins). This is also the trigger parents to appreciate the desires and habits of each child.

Generally, we can find an interior problem for the twins, we want all the furniture and spatial equated to obtain an identical theme. However, not everyone has the same desire. There are some parents designed their twins rooms differently in order to the growth of the child's personality is not exactly the same.

The basic difference is, whether the twins are in the same room or not? If not in one room, of course it's easier because you can make the room a different design from each other. But when the twins are in one room, at least try to make each child's preferences can be applied in a single room. Of course there will be compromises that affect the design results.

It is also a challenge for you as parents as well as "designer". In other words, you must have a way to create privacy areas for each of these twins. There are two tricks that you can apply. First, if space is limited room, you should use a bunk bed. However, it remains to be compromised with these twins. In addition, the facilities of other activities also can be made double. Can be started from a wardrobe, a desk, or other facilities.

For the closet, if space is insufficient room, just arrange that one closet with a division on the inside of the closet. For example, the left part of the closet is belong to A and the other side is B.

The second way, if the space is big enough, you can process it optimally. This means that each individual has its own marking area with its own facilities or the two rooms which are combined without retaining walls.

Games color is another way that you can apply when designing the bedroom for the twins. Playing the colors that can be a way to choose the color tiles to floor. So, you seemed to form two different space, such as room size 5x5 meters, on the 5x2, 5 meters using a ceramic white color, while the 5x2, 5 meters other applying the color pink.

This method is able to form the illusion of two rooms. However, this method is rarely used by most parents because the concept is less acceptable to them. The most common practice is to distinguish it by making a desk for each child so that according to the place where the goods have shown two different concepts of personality.

Bittersweet...


Like many, I awoke earlier than my usual time to watch the royal wedding of William and Kate (Catherine). Sure, I could have waited and watched it via the internet, but I like living in the moment. I'm old-fashioned like that.

After watching William and the other members of the royal family arrive at Westminster Abbey, I rustled Sophie from a sound sleep to see Kate arrive at the church and get that first glimpse of the wedding gown.
To say I loved it would be an understatement. Very reminiscent of Grace Kelly's gown, and flawless.


It was very different from Princess Diana's wedding gown. 

Even though I was an enamored young girl back then, I knew it wasn't the most fashion forward dress and very wrinkly...but it took my breath away. I thought she was stunning and magical as only she could be.

Which is why after watching the service today and witnessing not one, but two, brief and chaste kisses, I found myself crying. I am just so sad.


As a mum, I just wish that Diana could be here today to witness her beautiful boy's happy day. It breaks my heart that she can't and I can only imagine how much she is missed by her boys today. 

In fact, while searching for images to accompany this post, I stumbled upon one of Diana and Dodi just as they were driving off on that fateful night and I wanted to will her to stop. It takes my breath away that one moment can change so much for so many people. Mothers shouldn't die. Shouldn't be taken from their children. It is cruel.


So, I picked up the phone and dialed the only person I knew who would understand and not laugh or roll their eyes as I choked out a hello through my tears:
My sister. And she cried with me.

Ans now I am going to call my mum (who is much more stoic) and we will have a proper chat about the fashion and hats, and we will drink our tea and chew our toast over the phone, which neither of us will mind.

Because my sister will have none of that: no eating while on the phone!

Peppy Painting Prep

The playroom makeover has officially begun! I am so excited to get the new shade up on the walls. Hopefully it will be done by the weekend so I can share some pics with you all on Monday! I had fully expected to be done by now, since I had painted my much larger bedroom in one day flat.

The main reason the job has been off to a slower start is that this particular room needed a lot of prep work. And I was so excited to get the color on the wall that I tried to rush through my prep, and ultimately that has slowed me down.
When I do take the time to do things right, the painting part goes so much smoother and I'm always glad I did. So here, for your enjoyment, is what I should have told myself before ever touching my paint can:


First, take off all of the switchplates and outlet covers. Don't try to paint around them--you'll either get paint on the covers, not get close enough to the edge, leaving a gap, or probably, if you're like me, both. So get thee to thy toolbox and find a screwdriver! (And a gold star for me, I actually followed my own advice on this one!)
Next, pull out your muppet duster thingy and banish all of the cobwebs from the room, high and low. I do dust my home pretty regularly, but when it's time to paint, I'm always amazed by what I find lurking in the corners. You don't want this mixed in your paint, nor do you want get that close to it anyway. So take a few minutes to really swab everything down.
Do they remind you of Muppets, too? Or is it just me?
When everything is de-cobwebified, grab a wet paper towel and wipe down all of the mouldings and windowsills. Even if you vacuum your baseboards, there is probably some buildup of debris in the corners. You'll be surprised what's in there when you go over it with your paint brush, so better to get it now.
After the cleaning, go nuts with the spackle. Go ahead and spackle every little divot in the wall. Let it dry overnight, and then lightly sand in the morning. You'll be so glad you did when you have a nice, smooth surface to paint.
[Side note on spackle: I LOVE this canned stuff. I know it's not the cheapest or greenest thing on the market, but I love that it never dries out on me. I have lots of dried up cans of spackling paste in my basement all telling me it's better to use this than keep wasting spackle.]


So, there you have it. Everything I knew I should have done but didn't exactly do. At least, I didn't do it the night before and all at once. I'm happy to report that I am all caught up with these tasks now and the rest of the painting work is ready to be done! Now if I can just figure out a way to entertain the kids so I can get to work again...

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Chic on a Shoestring Decorating

Play-Guest-Room Inspiration

We're taking a bit of a rest from our staycation activities today to just loaf around the house. Meaning, the kids are getting their regular naps at their normal times and in their own beds--and me, well, I'm back to work on my transformation project!

In case you missed my first post about this room, here is what I'm working with. And, the goal is to turn it into a dual-function room: playroom and guest room.

Thank you to everyone who left comments there! It really helped me get my wheels turning to get that feedback. Now I've got a solid plan in my head and I'm excited to share some of it with you.

The May Pottery Barn catalog arrived the other day and it only took me a few minutes to zero in on a photo that I loved. I really helped me solidify some ideas for our play-guest-room:
photo by Pottery Barn
Isn't it cute? This picture has a lot of the elements already present in my room--dark woods, navy blue, and several neutral shades on the wall, floor, couch, and accessories. I love the distressed shutters in the corner. And the navy stripes are kind of reminiscent of the bedding that will be used when we're in guest room mode.

The bedding, and the inspiration photo, are both subtly nautical. And while we're not really "beachy" or "nautical" people, I think that will really work in this room. We have a few boat-themed knick-knacks around that will probably make their way into this room before I'm finished. Now they will have a place to belong.

Seeing the Pottery Barn picture also convinced me (and my husband, who has been a little skeptical) that I absolutely must paint the room. I'm going to go with Benjamin Moore's Manchaster Tan from my fall 2010 PB paint palette. Here's a sneak peek:
You might wonder why I'm going to the trouble of painting to turn one nuetral into a slightly lighter one--but I think the difference will be amazing. There is almost no natural light in my room (which is one reason that PB's pics always look so good--there are more windows than walls in those vignettes!).  This should lighten things up significantly! I even thought about going lighter--but the trim is one thing this room has going for it, so I wanted to preserve a little bit of contrast between the walls and the trim.

And that's not all that Pottery Barn has given me! Just a few pages later in the catalogue, I saw this. Isn't it gorgeous?
image from Pottery Barn
Now obviously  I am not going to have an outdoor space, but I love the punches of lime on that couch. I think lime will make it into the room! But none of these actual PB wares will make it into my room--my $150 budget isn't going to allow for that. I'll either sew some up of keep my eyes open at other places.

We're headed out to Home Depot today for me to gather a few materials! I'm really excited to get into this room! I've got a few other exciting plans for this room stewing in my head that I can't wait to share as they come to fruition. Stay tuned!

Easter...around the house





Best Easter ever, without a doubt! 

Baby Girl's Nursery Design

I'm living vicariously through a client of mine:  She's having a baby girl and I designed her nursery!  I'm doing the final installation today with my assistant, Meghan, and we're so excited!!

My client was looking for a fun, sophisticated nursery.  {When I walked into her living room for the first time, it looked like it had been done professionally, although she did it herself, so she has an amazing sense of style.}  She wanted fresh & happy and not over-the-top girly.  She's drawn to paisley and florals.  I thought I'd share our plans with you, so here's the floorplan we created for her:




And here's a quick peek at the pieces selected:

{The mobile (top left) has been custom made in our colors from Pink Perch on etsy.   We've done curtains out of the Schumacher floral (top right) and used the paisley blockprinted crib bedding, lamp, chair & table pictured.}

Here's a close-up of the Schumacher fabric:


It's wild & fun & not your typical girly floral. 

We mixed a few Pottery Barn kids pieces with a custom green viney chandelier by Stray Dog Designs  (one of my new favorites for lighting!) and an overscale seaweed print that we'll be tacking up with nailhead.  The "LILY" drawing on the right is a mock-up of a framed fabric panel with wooden beads & letters draped over it for the room.  The green polka-dotted fabric at bottom right is the fabric we used.


Here's a pic of the project {mid-stage} to give you an idea of what it actually looks like:


We're leaving in a couple of hours & I cna't wait to share 'after' pics with you!!
Even if I never have a little girl of my own (fingers still crossed though!) at least I got this chance to do little sweetie Lily's nursery!!  She's due in May and we're so happy for our clients!! 


xoxo, Lauren

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

Baby Girl's Nursery Design

I'm living vicariously through a client of mine:  She's having a baby girl and I designed her nursery!  I'm doing the final installation today with my assistant, Meghan, and we're so excited!!

My client was looking for a fun, sophisticated nursery.  {When I walked into her living room for the first time, it looked like it had been done professionally, although she did it herself, so she has an amazing sense of style.}  She wanted fresh & happy and not over-the-top girly.  She's drawn to paisley and florals.  I thought I'd share our plans with you, so here's the floorplan we created for her:




And here's a quick peek at the pieces selected:

{The mobile (top left) has been custom made in our colors from Pink Perch on etsy.   We've done curtains out of the Schumacher floral (top right) and used the paisley blockprinted crib bedding, lamp, chair & table pictured.}

Here's a close-up of the Schumacher fabric:


It's wild & fun & not your typical girly floral. 

We mixed a few Pottery Barn kids pieces with a custom green viney chandelier by Stray Dog Designs  (one of my new favorites for lighting!) and an overscale seaweed print that we'll be tacking up with nailhead.  The "LILY" drawing on the right is a mock-up of a framed fabric panel with wooden beads & letters draped over it for the room.  The green polka-dotted fabric at bottom right is the fabric we used.


Here's a pic of the project {mid-stage} to give you an idea of what it actually looks like:


We're leaving in a couple of hours & I cna't wait to share 'after' pics with you!!
Even if I never have a little girl of my own (fingers still crossed though!) at least I got this chance to do little sweetie Lily's nursery!!  She's due in May and we're so happy for our clients!! 


xoxo, Lauren

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

Getting Out with the Youngin's

Today our family started our first day of "staycation," meaning, we're on vacation, but staying in our own home for the week and enjoying the sights of our own hometown. Originally, we had planned on renting a cabin in the mountains, but ultimately we decided that our upcoming housing expenses (hello, gutters!) warranted something even more modest. This presents its own unique challenges, since we'll be traveling each day of the week. Our boys are aged 3 1/2 and 11 months, so their needs are a big consideration in our staycation plan. I'm happy to report that our first day went off with flying colors, so I'm going to share some of our kid survival tips with you while they're in my mind tonight. They will probably seem obvious to most of you snazzy readers but it has taken me a few years of mothering to put these thoughts in order! So here goes:

 1. Bring a good stroller. We have a collection of strollers in our home, but our favorite right now is a Sit-n-Stand that we snagged for $5 from a yard sale. We like this one because it allows both boys to ride, but my 3 1/2 year old, who loves to walk on his own, but lacks the stamina to walk all day, a chance to get up and down. (Note: I have read elsewhere about parents having strong opinions about the ages at which a child is "too old" to ride in a stroller. I have no thought on the matter except each family should do what works for them. My 3 1/2 year old would probably choose to walk if given the choice, but for the sake of the day we made the decision to bring the double. It was the right choice for us, today: he wasn't burnt out at the end of the day but was able to get up and bop around at least half of the time. Moral of the story: Do what works for your own family!)

2. Start early in the day. Our kids woke us up at 6 this morning. That's unusually early for them, but we decided to roll with it. We were out the door by 7:30 and rode on the train with the commuters. In my pre-kid days I would have laughed in your face if you had told me I'd be starting a "vacation" day at 6am. But since we were up, it made sense to just grin and go with it. Kids are fresh in the morning, so we have to learn to be morning people, too! One bonus of this is that we got to do a lot of sightseeing before the crowds were in!

3. Aim for off-peak travel times. Little did we know when we showed up in town this morning, that our destination was one of those towns where Monday is the "day off" for many of the smaller shops. I was really disappointed about missing out on some antique gazing until my husband gently pointed out that the upside was that we wouldn't be working against as many crowds--giving our honkin' stroller more space on the sidewalk, and our preschooler more room to bop around when he was out of the stroller without attracting the hairy eye from fellow visitors. Enough of the shops were open that we got a flavor for the place without missing out on anything--except the crowds!

4. Work in plenty of down time. It's work for kids to do something even as simple as riding in a stroller and using a reasonable tone of voice. This was especially evident when we stopped at a large park for about 30 minutes today. As soon as we gave him the go ahead, my 3 1/2 year old blazed a trail around the park in curvy lines and shouted gibberish like a baboon. He was really holidng it in while we were window shopping!  Likewise, the baby had been cooped up in the stroller seat and was happy to just stretch his legs and enjoy picking up pieces of dirt. Mostly, we kept the dirt out of his mouth.

5. Pack snacks! Snacks are a natural pick-me-up for anyone, but they are simply a necessity for little bodies. Nutri-grain bars and fresh fruit go a long way with little bodies, especially those that are out in the sun. Today we packed about twice as much as we thought we needed but brought only one little pack of fruit home. Yum!

6. Stop before burn out. We started to head back to the train station a little after 1 pm, but didn't get home until about 3pm. There was some fussing involved by the end. And the kids were cranky, too. But we were home early enough for everyone to nap. The evening agenda will be simple: dinner and a family movie. Why pack too much into one day and ruin a good thing?

So what about you? What are your survival tips for a day out with the little people in your life?

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