Look for Less: Studded Table

Did you catch the latest issue of Rue Magazine, which launched last week?  My favorite spread features the Upper East Side home of visual artist and mom Nicole Cohen.  I'm loving her master bedroom's Imperial Trellis wallpaper in Onyz Gloss, one of the less frequently used colorways.  And check out that sharp nightstand, and our 'look for less' piece below!

Olivia Studded Side Table

by World's Away $599

Nate Berkus Leather Studded Table

Home Shopping Network, $199.95

Have a great week!

Deb

Betwixt...

Delighted to get the call yesterday that my backordered yards of Schumacher's Betwixt are finally ready to ship.  Can't wait to use them on a tufted ottoman upholstery project in the colorway water/ivory.

The texture and gentle geometric pattern of this print make it sooooo versatile - plus, it's available at a great price point for a Schumacher fabric!  (No wonder it was backordered!)

Janet Gridley

Lonny

Chairloom

etsy pillows

via Designer Insider

What's your favorite?

Have a great weekend!

Deb

DIY - Gold Accents!

After much frustration looking for gold round mirrors for our bedroom, I once again turned to Home Goods for a little help.  Sure I could find gold leaf round mirrors for $800+ each, but simple round mirrors in a "good" gold color were almost non-existent.  They did not exist at Home Goods either, but a pair of lovely round brown mirrors did.

I had recently read "The Bossy Color" Blog by Annie Elliott about  painting a radiator with a "Modern Masters" metallic paint, and was inspired to take a stab at painting my newly acquired round mirrors gold.  After some investigation, I not only found "Modern Masters" metallic paint at a local paint store, but also found out that they indeed have a gold. Actually, not just one gold, but a whole bunch of gold color paints.  No joke. I was able to bring a my favorite gold picture frame to the paint store and select the "right" gold to match my little picture frame to paint my mirrors.  Talk about SCORE!!

Here is a partial snap shot of the Modern Masters Color Palette:

So I was too excited and forgot to photograph the "before" of the mirrors. So here is a "during" picture.  (Can you tell that I do my dirty work in a corner of the basement?) The paint I bought was a "Semi-Opaque" Pale Gold so I needed 3 coats, but that was fine by me.

Here is the little, round, gold frame I was trying to match.  It is difficult to see, but the little frame is the gold I wanted, and the other frame had way to much green in it.

I also bought photo frames, and of course wanted them to match, so you guessed it, they got a coat of my new favorite paint too! (Which look really orange here for some strange reason...)

And here is the end result - cohesive gold frames all around!

Hmmmmmm.... what else would look good in gold??

Cheers!
Becky

Circa Who

I was thrilled to find Circa Who this week, thanks to the latest issue of  Coastal Living.  This West Palm Beach, FL resale store features an incredible selection of reasonably priced 20th century furnishings, specializing in Hollywood Regency and Mid-Century modern pieces.  From the Chippendale chairs to the opaline lamps to the faux bamboo credenzas - I just want it all!  Circa Who works with a couple of shipping companies, so fret not if you don't live in or near West Palm Beach!

Check out some of my favorite pieces currently for sale below, and click here to see more of their current inventory!

The Bed Reveal!

Okay, I know you are on the edge of your seat waiting to see what the heck this crazy lady has been up to!  After much color testing, disassembling, sanding, painting, repainting, reassembling, my bed is finally complete.  Cue the applause!  The room is not 'done', and I am especially eager to find lamps and a rug that will work, and for a final photo to arrive. 

Here is the 'before' of my bed painted to look old and country.  I always loved the shape and style, but not the sunflower.  It just looks droopy and sad to me!

Color testing and the big debate!  In the end simplicity won and I am delighted.

In pieces in the garage waiting for the make-over:

Sanding thanks to my darling hubby:

Ta dah!  It is all starting to come together, and all the DIY projects are paying off!  Notice the gold frames (DIY post coming soon!), the decorative pillows and the cedar chest?  Isn't it amazing what a little elbow grease and a coat of paint will do?

What have you been up to lately?  Have any DIY projects you'd care to share?  Send them our way and we'll post them!

Cheers!
Becky

Bargain Hunting

I was delighted to see this pair of faux bamboo mirrors pop up on One Kings Lane last week, listed in the hundreds of dollars, with an 'original' price of well over $2,000.

If you've been reading for a while, you might remember the one I purchased for $35 at Junk Heroes several months ago:

Oh yeah, and that price included this dresser/sideboard:

Here's the mirror, presently housed in our master bedroom.  I'm quite sure it's the same as the One Kings Lane one, right?

I'm thinking of painting it a shiny red, inspired by this 1st Dibs beauty, which I am majorly coveting:

What do you think?

Deb

Think Spring! 5 Things To Do in Your Garden Now!

I know it's hard to even think about your spring garden when your yard probably looks similar to mine:

But this is a great time to start planning for Spring!  Here are 5 things you should do now to be ready for Spring!

1) Look at the "bones" of your garden and take pictures. Note what is working and what is not working.  Are you seeing your beautiful garden or your neighbor's compost pile or a neighboring cemetery?  Additionally, do you like what you see?  Or does your garden need more winter interest like bark, berries, grasses or interesting architectural elements like paths, walls, fences, arbors and trellis'?

2) If you have snow on the ground, look at the walking paths that people are creating.  Are they sticking to your walkways, or are they short-cutting or going around your walkways?  If so, mark the area with flags or stakes so that come spring you can adjust your walkways and paths that are most convenient to people.  Or plant to create a 'reason' to stay on the pathways.

3) Remove snow from branches. It might seem light and fluffy, but your post-shoveling, aching muscles will remind you that snow is heavy.  The weight of snow on tree and shrub limbs can easily snap or break them.   Two things to do: gently shake tree and shrub limbs to remove the snow and if you do have breakages, take a sharp pruner and trim off the broken limbs. (Breakages are an easy entry point for pests and diseases.)

This is what my Dogwood tree looked like during the storm, and below is the crack in the limb. (And no comments from the peanut gallery - yes we still have our Christmas lights up!!) 

 And here is my neighbor's tree with many broken branches from this last crazy snow storm!

*If you are continually shaking down certain smaller trees or shrubs, you can take preventative measures and tie the limbs up to support them or wrap the entire tree/shrub in burlap. 

4) Avoid using road salt and ice melt. This stuff is toxic to you and your plants.  When at all possible, use sand to prevent slipping on ice. The sand will not damage your garden or your kids (or pets) and will actually help loosen up compacted soil.  There are also other environmentally-friendly deicers.

5) Daydream...proactively!  Look at gardening books, websites and magazine and tear out photos that you love and place in a folder. When spring arrives you'll be ready to plant!  It is so much fun to do and it makes winter so much more bearable! 

Take comfort.... Spring is not far away!

Cheers!
Becky