Jan 9, 2012

my living room: an update

a few updates in my living room:
the pictures aren't great...but when this room is all finished, i will get some better images.

on each side of the large mirror, i hung two matching vintage gauche paintings. (gauche is an opaque watercolor)
since i knew i had to keep all of my existing furniture and my existing rug, i chose to stick with a color scheme of camel, gray, black and orange. 

i also got the cushions back for this chair. i chose a large scale ticking fabric in ivory and white with a contrast welting in black velveteen. all three pieces (the back and seat cushions on the chair, and the ottoman cushion) took about 3.5 yards of fabric and cost about $120 at my upholstery shop. not a bad deal to totally transform this chair. you can see how it used to look here.

one thing that used to bother me about the ottoman cushion was that it didn't have any way to secure it to the ottoman itself...it was just a loose cushion. when  i took it to the upholsterers, i had them add two ties near each corner so i could wrap them around the legs to secure the cushion. it has worked like a charm! the cushion stays put, and i actually like the way the ties look!

i was really excited to put the new cushions on the chair, but it wasn't until i got the zanzibar pillows back from my seamstress that i fell in love with the chair! i really love how the stripes and the zany floral work with each other. the pillows were a splurge, but well worth it!
the black lamp was purchased at a thrift store. it started out brass, but i spray painted it black a few years back.
the peace sign hand was also purchased at the foundary.
the mercury glass bowl was also a thrift store find. it is filled with rocks from a beach on whidbey island, where my husband and i went for our anniversary two years ago.

my old, badly-needing-to-be-recovered-chair got a pick me up with a faux fur pillow in a hexagonal cutout pattern, found at tj maxi for around $8. i got the little metal stool at the foundary.


here is a look at the other side of the room. right behind the sofa is the dining room table. 
i haven't hung anything on the wall there yet....i am still trying to decide what to do. i have a few pieces that are leaning on the floor there that my or may not get hung there.
i think i am going to paint the metal bases of my ottomans an off-white. i want an additional pop of cream somewhere in the room...and right now, the stools blend in with the tones of the sofa too much.
i don't like the dining room fixture at all, but i will most likely leave it alone, since this is a rental house.

 
the large embroidered pillow and the zanzibar pillow were both made by my seamstress. she bought extra of both fabrics, and will have both pillows available soon in her etsy shop. she is in the middle of an out of state move right now, but when she gets settled, i will give you a heads up.

here is a close up look at the embroidered pillow. it is really beautiful in person! the subtle texture and sheen are really gorgeous. 

a better look at the zanzibar fabric...it's so pretty in person! the blue-gray tones, the deep orange, and the camels and blacks are so sophisticated, and the linen is a nice heavy weight. you really get what you pay for when you order a schumacher fabric!

all of the holiday garland is gone, but i still have all of my mercury glass displayed.
in a few weeks, i will replace the twigs with a fern or other plant to add some green, 
and will most likely take down the mercury glass and add some other accessories.

thanks for taking a look at the updates in my living room!
there are still a few more items i want to address:
1. probably paint the ottomans, and possibly change the fabric.
2. iron and hem the curtain panels.
3. add some green to the room with live plants.
4. possibly change out with light fixture...sorry i didn't show you pictures of it..it is an ugly ceiling fan with four horrible lights. the lighting in the room is really harsh, which i know can be improved with a new light...i am just not sure i want to go through the hassle.
5. eventually replace the tan chair.
6.paint of refinish the table in between the chairs. you can't tell form the pictures, but the top is really in bad shape. 


Jan 6, 2012

oly inspired mirror makeover




i have looong been a fan of oly studios lily mirror which retails at $2400.


i have had this large, ornate mirror for the last 8 years and have used it in several different rooms in our previous homes.
i bought it at american signature home, and i believe i paid around $120. i have since seen this exact same mirror on random online retailers, and it is always near $500, so i know i got a steal!

even though my tastes have changed over the last 8 years, i still really love this mirror...it just needed a quick update. (don't you love how filthy the mirror is? that's what happens when you leave a large mirror at "kid level" for a solid week...i don't even want to know that that huge drip in the middle is....)




to paint it, i covered the surface of the mirror with paper, being sure to tuck it in between the frame and the mirror.
i used krylon's paint + primer in high gloss white.
after i spray painted it white, i hung it on the wall, and it felt a little too....stark. the white was SO crisp and bright that it almost looked blue.


so i decied to paint over it with this ivory colored spray paint.
this really warmed it up. it still appears white... a nice, soft white.


you can see the difference between the two paint colors here. it's subtle, but just the shift in tone i was looking for.


here is the mirror, hanging in my living room!
i will share some additional pictures of this space in the next few days...

i think the mirror would look a lot better agasint a darker wall, like in the above photo. the contrast would help the mirror to stand out a bit more and look a little it more modern.  ni house #6, i will for sure hang the mirror in a room with some dark walls for maximum contrast and drama.

Jan 5, 2012

patchwork cowhide rugs

something i have been seeing and loving lately?
patchwork cowhide rugs. 
i love the texture and organic pattern that a cowhide rug adds to a room,
and i adore the way the patchwork rugs add an additional layer of graphic appeal to an already classic look.

 the graphic pattern on this rug is gorge-eous.
i would love to have a rug like this in my office!

 its hard to believe that this is cowhide! it is such a fresh and modern look.

 i don't know which one i like more...the view or the rug.

what a statement room, eh? even though it has a lot of competition, that rug is definitely pulling it's design weight in the room.
i don't know the original source of the above 4 images, but i found them here.

love the pattern on this one....

zara home

this room is so calm and yet so fabulous! 
architectural digest

here is where you can find similar rugs:



maverik rug-sand, z gallerie

i love the organic shapes and stitching in this one....
(cowhide flower rug in white, the rug company.)

this one is pretty amazing as well.
(cowhide morroco rug, the rug company.)

how fun is this one?




or this one?

i love the graphic look of this one as well!


this is really small picture, and i almost wasn't going to post it, but i really liked the way that
the small panels in this rug mimic the look of a hide in it's natal state...


if you like this look, but are not ready to commit to a rug, 
you can find some pillows with similar designs:



so, what do you think about these rugs?
love them? hate them? think they are great but just not for you?
do tell...


Jan 4, 2012

latest and greatest affordable finds

if you follow me on pinterest, then you know i have a board called "affordable finds" that i update whenever i come across a great deal. here are a few of my latest and greatest finds....some which are so fresh, they haven't even been pinned yet!
enjoy!

although i am not crazy about the finish on this 27" mirror,  at
$19.99, you can afford to paint it any color your heart desires!
i think a pair of these mirrors would look great on a wall, flanking 
a great piece of art.

this petite ottoman is a steal at $69.99! i love the little casters on the legs....
making a slipcover for this in a fun fabric would really perk up this piece and personalize it.


i am kind of in love with this $60 mercury glass lamp, as well as a few others that kirklands is currently carrying. they have 5 or 6 lams right now that are spec affordable and darn right NICE looking.

the lines of this chair are pretty similar to the popular bobbin chair. i think we can all agree that some new fabric on this baby would update it and make it a lot more fun to look at...but overall, the lines of the chair are really nice, and it will only set you back $248, versus several hundred dollars more for a similar version. this would look great painted out in a soft grey or creamy white.

if clean simple lines are your thing, look no further. this wood slat mirror has a very west elm vibe to it,
and will not last long at it's current $48 price tag.

this little platner knock off wire table would look great in amy style of room.
only $119, and the mirrored top is a nice touch.

a kitchen or laundry room would be a great place to add this zig zag rug. it is available in 7 colors! it
could also be used to recover a bench or the seat of a pair of chairs.


i like the texture that driftwood frames and mirrors can add to rooms...especially kids rooms.
this one is a decent size, and a bargain at under $50.


these ceramic garden stools are among the most affordable i have come across. there are also several other styles available at great prices.
*the shipping can add a lot to this particular item depending on where you live....

Jan 2, 2012

twenty-twelve

well. it's here.
the NEW year.
twenty-twelve.
i'm pretty confident it's going to be a good one. are you?
this last year really few by. it seems the older i get, the more quickly the years pass.
it literally seems like the summer and fall just whizzed past without even stopping
long enough for me to catch my breath. i was lucky enough to have a few pretty fantastic things
happen in 2011...

celebrating my 15 year wedding anniversary in hawaii with my family.

having a room that i collaborated on with my friend land on the cover of columbus monthly homes.

hosting a curators event at joss and main.

having projects featured at great sites like designsponge, ohdeedoh, curbly and designmom.

being involved with some fabulous collaborations at 6th street design school and remodelaholic.

continuing old AND adding new relationships with other design bloggers, readers of my blog, and fellow pinners. it's so great to feel like you have friends that really "get" you.

working with amazing clients from not only here in utah, but all over the country to help make their spaces look and function better.
when i first offered e-design/online design on my blog, i wasn't sure if anyone would even contact me or want to work with a designer they had never met in person, and in most cases, lived thousands of miles away. THANK YOU to all of those people that have trusted me with their homes. i have felt so honored to work together with each of you!
thank you, thank you, THANK YOU.
you've made my 2011 one of the best years yet.
happy 2012!