Archive for the 'Design Projects' Category

If anyone has sucked at blogging lately, it’s been me.  #oosie!  But it’s been busy at work, and outside of work, it’s been busy around this house.  Also in TMI news, it appears I have a strenuous-exercise-induced hernia.  Wait what?

So outside of work and hyenas, here’s what’s been happenin’ around these parts, in pics:

KITCHEN RE-DO.  My lovely landlord FINALLY stripped the Ferngully-esque wallpaper off the kitchen walls, and let me pick a paint color.  I chose a Sherwin Williams matched version (SW 6189 Opaline) of Serena & Lily’s Rain, which looks like a very very very very, barely there watered-down sea foam:

The kitchen doesn’t get a lot of natural light, is tiny, still has teal astroturf carpet (I sh*t you not), and has the original, probably 1940’s maple cabinetry.  Which makes it look like a sweet little cave at Grandma’s house.  This color is like a breath of fresh air in there.  Also added some lavender tulips (heaven) and a new Anthro bowl to holster the bag of lemons I buy every week.  Lemons are to me these days as Windex is to that guy in My Big Fat Greek Wedding.  I use them on my face, in my garbage disposal, zest in my food, and fresh squeezed juice in my water.  I could go on and on.  And on.

Also thinking of installing this little ditty in place of the crusty $5 frosted glass bug catcher that’s up there now.

Cuz what did genius child Angie Hranowsky tell us in Lonny last week about making a rental home your own??  These are all GREAT tips, btw:

DINING CHAIRS.  I’ve had these antique Louis chairs for YEARS (in black), and had nearly retired them…  they just looked tired.  But thankfully, a few coats of awesomely tacky gold spray paint brought these beauties back to life and up-to-date:

Not sure what I’m going to use to reupholster the seat cushion…  but it’s likely going to be one of Vivian’s bespoke raspberry/grape/magenta watercolor creations from Spoonflower.  Probably this one:

Or this one I blogged about last week, but the scale of this lattice fabric may be too big for that application (but perfect for drapes!)  This is an 18×20″ sample, so about the size of the seat cushion:

Vivian and I have been having a ping-pong-marathon email session this week over fabric.  So fun.  Chairs are going in this room.  Which fabric of the 2 above would you guys use??

BACK PATIO / GARDEN.  Ugh.  Quel mess – this is what it looks like now.  I moved all the patio furniture off of it to sweep, so it looks even sadder than usual.  Trying to find some good outdoor pillows I like for the furniture, but the more pressing matter is – eek.  What on earth do I do with that dead hunk of mondo grass (which Gus thinks is his bed) and the bed full of weeds on the other side?  Hydrangeas, potted plants, ground cover? I have been shopping for a pond fountain, because I’m thinking that might just do the trick. I need a fairy garden godmother.  Or, maybe I should just line up about 10 of these pink flamingos and call it a day.

Since that would probably give Gus a heart attack, maybe I should build up a bed and grow a jungle of basil??  Otherwise, the easy button version of that would be these 5 gallon buckets below, wrapped in burlap and twine.

I envision quelque chose comme ça for a patio.  Guess I’d still have to figure out the plant part, but look how cozy, fabulously un-decorated and inviting these patios are. We’re also planning to add a u-shaped outdoor kitchen to complement the outdoor dining space. I want to rig something like this, since we literally use that space as the living room May through October:

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Maybe a few of these guys (stripes | vintage block print) from Pottery Barn out there somewhere to add some color much-needed color (?)  Target also has some good ikats hanging around.

GRUB. Sidenote:  We did have this for dinner out there last night…  The shrimp marinade is my go-to homemade concoction I’ll have to getchooguys the recipe for soon, salad was thrown together, relish on the halibut is here.

And this the week before.  It did not suck.  Hummus Recipe is from Smitten Kitchen.  I would’ve done a little less garlic than they suggest.  And more pine nuts.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VOLLEYBALL LESSONS. When I haven’t been redecorating the house and the yard, I’ve been beating Matt teaching Matt to play volleyball in my spare time.  Bless his heart.

Two claps for Matty for being such a good sport and taking a beating from Drill Sergeant Ballard.  Rawr.

BEDROOM. Last but not least, I moved the freshly painted, happiest-green-ever dresser from the guest room into our room.

The walls are THE palest, barely-there lavender, and the furniture is cream…  so it needed a pop of something unexpected (and not something pink).  This is a pic of it when I first moved in, but you get the idea on the colors…

Also using Viv’s lattice fabric for curtains…  just can’t decide on a color yet.  I’m thinking I’m not going to try and coordinate it perfectly.  Because it’s not science, it’s decorating, and I firmly believe when it comes to decorating, you should do what makes you happy.

And I just want to put up curtains in whichever color really tickles my pickle.  Let you know how it shakes out!

Happy Monday,