Archive for March, 2010
Bonnie’s Design Dilemma
Bonnie’s ready to give her living room a light and beachy look with a dose of glam worked in. Here’s her letter:
I can’t even tell you how excited I am to have your help. We’re looking for a beach inspired space with touches of glam. I love crystal, mirror and silver. The only pieces I really want to stay are the two Pier 1 side chairs. The cream leather sofa can stay or go, as I believe I am drawn to slip-covered white sofas more (but if you can work in the sofa, that’s fine). We need a new rug, and I like sisal and jute. We are open to anything really! We are having our wood floors sanded and varnished (not stained) so in a couple of months they’ll be a much lighter color. We love blues and greens, and color combos like turquoise and teal. I would like a new neutral wall color that I can carry throughout the whole first floor. I am at a loss when it comes to curtains because we need privacy and I don’t know what to do with those tiny windows by the fireplace. I like the mix of curtains & woven blinds like you have in your own living room. We will need a stand for a new flatscreen TV along with new lighting, end tables, and a coffee table. Maybe something with a little storage? We also like white furniture, and I’m open to mixing white with wood. All of the current art can be relocated, and I desperately need something pretty for over the fireplace. Thank you so much for your help! -Bonnie
Here’s the plan:
And here’s the new layout suggestion:
Now for the mood board breakdown.
Read the rest of this entry »
Window Shopping: More Target Trolling
We’re back with our it’s-almost-spring installment of window shopping at Target. We recently found ourselves ogling so many things that we knew it was time for another post… so here it is.
First we have what is quite possibly our favorite collection of bath stuff that we’ve seen yet. The circle towels are actually pretty reminiscent of the TJ Maxx ones that we snagged for our big bathroom renovation, and we love how easily mixed and matched everything on these shelves can be. You could grab the bamboo shower mat along with those circle towels and a few of those green ceramic accessories on the top shelf and have a totally fresh look in your bathroom. Or you could go for a plush striped bath mat along with the white and blue sea-shell towels on the far left and then add white ceramic countertop accessories instead. It’s virtually error proof!
But maybe you’re feeling more of the high-contrast thing these days? How crisp and modern would these great polka dot Dwell accessories look on your counter along with that bulbous white soap pump and some dotty hand towels? Especially if you opted to get pinstriped bath towels (or some other variation on the dot theme) to keep things from getting too matchy in there. Could be very chic indeed.
And since I’m not ready to get off the black and white thing just yet, we think these incredibly priced black sphere lamps (just $19.99 or $29.99) are the fastest way to a Domino-worthy room that we’ve seen in a while. Many designers say that every space needs a splash of black, and we think these babies (topped with a crisp white drum shade) would add so much classic elegance. You could place them on either side of a sofa, atop a console table, on either side of the bed, or even just pop one on your home office desk for style to spare.
But wait, there’s more black and white where that came from- in the form of this $49.99 zebra ottoman. Sure it might look a bit out of place among the aisles of Target, but again we picture it in a far more fitting setting- like a modern or eclectic room with a textured jute rug and a stack of chic hardcover books on it. Yup, it’s definitely that Domino look again- and the price makes it a lot more attainable than many other upscale ottoman options out there.
Next we just have to mention how glad we are to see a lot more Thomas O’Brien stuff. He’s one of our favorite Target designers (he’s responsible for both the brown houndstooth floor pillows in our sunroom and the green and white circle pillows in our den) and his mixture of sophisticated navy and airy light blue bedding has us loving them for an easy bedroom makeover. So if you have a sleeping space that’s calling out for a bit of posh personality, just picture the subtly graphic tone on tone comforter on the bottom shelf or perhaps the girlier navy and white floral number on the middle row. And you can’t go wrong with the polished light blue quilt with the navy detailing that you see on the top row. There are even coordinating-but-not-matchy-matchy patterned sheets to go with them, which is always better than stepford-ish identical linens. Plus they can feel a lot more effortlessly chic than regular white or solid blue sheets.
And we noticed a bunch of red sale stickers (score) on a ton of Dwell bedding so we just had to highlight that as well. From a graphic brown and white quilt to colorful and modern comforters there’s definitely a lot of interest to be added to any room with just one purchase from their collection. And how cute is the coy and romantic little pink and brown floral pillow up on the top shelf? It would be so sweet on a cozy chair (that could be any color from white or cream to tan, mocha or chocolate).
To stay on the patterned and graphic theme for a bit longer, we also saw these great little bowls that would add instant interest in your kitchen (or beyond). Of course a stack of them would look endlessly charming in a glass fronted cabinet or even piled high on your dining room buffet, but we could also see someone grabbing a set of two and using them to organize everything from q-tips and cotton balls in their bathroom or even paperclips or rubber bands on their desk. And we especially covet the ones on the right since they remind us of a much pricier Hermes pattern that’s nearly ten times the cost of these babies. Oh and if you have basic white china how great would your table setting look with these bowls added to the mix, just for a bit of sophistication and fun? I might just be going back for those babies soon…
And in more ceramic eye candy news, we also loved these timeless white vases (for $14.99 and $19.99) that you could literally use from now until the day you die. We think there’s something very luxe and Jonathan Adler about them, and they would look great with any type of bloom or even some chic branches. File them under “instant classics.”
Now we’re back to Thomas O’Brien. Oh how we love him. Let us count the ways. Well, way number one = this rug. The raised chenille floral pattern is interesting yet neutral enough (thanks to the cream and tan palette) to make it fit into nearly any space without much effort on your part. Score.
And we couldn’t scoot through the rug and ottoman area without sharing these clearance finds. These burlap-looking ottomans were marked down to just $24 each. Isn’t that amazing? We literally stood in front and them and dared ourselves to find a spot for them in our house (sadly we couldn’t so we moved on, but they might just end up at your house if you can do a better job than we did in that department). They feel really casual and Lee Industries-ish to us (they do a lot of external seams like that, which we adore). And for less than $25 a pop they’re a stone cold steal.
In the cheerful and fun department, we hunted down these graphic and floral comforters (just $24 for a full/queen one!) which would definitely freshen up any room for spring. Heck at that price you can get one just for spring and summer and switch it out with your existing duvet or comforter in the fall and winter for a whole new look.
And this giant basket had us at hello. Especially because it had little chalkboard rectangles on each side for easy organization (it’s a good DIY idea too, btw). It wasn’t supremely cheap at $39 but we’re fairly confident that it’s one of those purchases that you’ll use for decades for containing everything from soccer balls and sneakers in the mudroom to spare blankets in the guest bedroom. And it would be fun to change that little chalk label every time you give it a new use.
We can’t really explain why we were so smitten with this birdhouse but there was just something about the super rich solid wood and the chic egg shape along with that textured hanging rope that nearly had us taking one or two home with us. I think we just liked the fact that it was a lot less frou-frou than most traditional birdhouses- and the $14.99 price tag was pretty appealing too. Note: they also sold similar looking bird feeders, so you could grab two of them to ensure that your backyard birds not only have a place to sleep but also a 24-hour buffet to saddle up to.
And last but not least we couldn’t leave without snapping a photo of these fun spring-y floral napkins. Aren’t they like a romantic watercolor painting? Heck for $2.19 or $1.99 (depending on the size) you could probably grab a pack and frame one of them for instant painterly art anywhere in your house. Or you could use them for a festive outdoor picnic or just put them on your kitchen table for a quick dose of happy every time you wipe your mouth.
So that’s what tickled our fancy at Target this time around. Oh and since our little window shopping sesh they added the new Liberty Of London collection, which is full of punchy bright spring-like fun. Definitely worth checking out in person or here online. And we’d love to know what you guys think of our latest Tarjay roundup. Any favorite finds among the bunch? Anything that you’ve already purchased or have been coveting for a while now? Is there something else you’ve seen there (or anywhere else) that makes your heart go pitter-patter? Let’s talk about window shopping and what you’re digging these days.
Oh and p.s. – We have no affiliation with Target nor were we paid or otherwise rewarded for this post by those fine red-shirt-wearing folks. We just love sharing affordable items that appeal to us and we hope that you enjoy our little window shopping excursions. If you’d like to check out more of our window shopping adventures, click here for a plethora of past virtual shopping sprees.
Reader Redesign: Light & Lovely Loo
When Grace sent over her gorgeous bathroom renovation pics we just had to share them- especially since she and her husband did all of the work themselves (all while on a super tight timeline). Here’s her letter:
Greetings from sunny San Diego! We recently renovated our bathroom (and did it all in under a month just like you guys). My husband Collin did all of the work himself (with a little help from yours truly) and we really love how it turned out. We especially like the glass tile that we chose for the tub, the lighter look of two pedestal sinks (over our previously bulky vanity) and the nickel fixtures that finish everything off. We hope you enjoy the before and afters! Oh and you can check out my blog for more details. – Grace
Here’s her bathroom before the big makeover:
And here’s the same space after they upgraded pretty much everything- from the sinks, sconces, mirrors, and tile:
Stunning, no? Didn’t Grace and her hubby Collin do a fantastic job? We almost can’t believe it’s the same room. It definitely shows that a dated and dingy bathroom can be totally transformed into a light and airy masterpiece with a bit of thought and some simple yet sophisticated selections (like those gleaming shower tiles, two elegant pedestal sinks and a few brushed nickel accents that feel classic and crisp). Plus to achieve that major transformation in just a few short weeks (well, they probably felt pretty long) of hard work is just amazing. Don’t forget to head over to Grace’s blog to learn all about where she got what and to peruse even more brilliant bathroom details. But first let’s play the what’s-your-favorite-part game. We’re thinking ours is that wall of gorgeous iridescent bath tiles. But we love those double pedestal sinks too. Hmm…
Nursery Progress: Closet Quick Change
As you may remember, our nursery closet left a lot to be desired. Yup, this tiny nook (which can’t be expanded thanks to ductwork on the left and the back of our living room fireplace on the right) was in need of a serious upgrade. But we were determined not to spend over thirty-ish bucks to take it from terrible to sweet and organized. What? We’re cheap.
First my smart (and surprisingly design savvy) hubby suggested that we paint it the same soft aqua color as the ceiling to make it a bit more fun- especially since we removed the door because it constantly banged up against the main door to the room (check out the rest of our nursery paint job right here).
Then we put the original clothing bar and shelf back in and painted them a nice crisp semi-gloss white color. And next we hung a little homemade curtain to instantly cute things up (see how we DIYed that right here).
Then we added a few storage solutions and a second hanging bar… and now it looks like this:
Now granted we hung every single item of baby clothing that we have so far- many of which we’ll probably store folded in our newly refinished dresser (our friends and family are insanely generous). But we just couldn’t resist the urge to fill the bean’s closet up with her pint-sized clothes after we added a bunch of organizational systems – you know, just to see if they worked.
First we’ll show you how we created the little custom hanging cubbies on either side of the top clothing bar. They’re actually shoe organizers from Ikea but we got them on the house (a friend of ours was purging and sent us home with two of them- thanks Kristin!). But obviously with that newly installed second clothing bar, we didn’t have room for them to hang at full length anymore…
… so we cut them down to size…
… and now they work like a charm. They can be used to house everything from bibs and stockings to onesies and little undies and even socks and burp cloths. Again we’ll probably put a few of those things in our newly refinished dresser but it’s nice to know that our closet not only has space for hanging items but also has small cubby holes to tuck other things into.
And since we mentioned that our sweet friend Kristin actually gave us two of those shoe organizers, we placed one on each side of the top hanging bar for even more stash space (after trimming a bit of length off the second one as well). Of course that one is totally empty thus far, but we keep hearing this rumor that kids come with lots of stuff so we’re sure it won’t stay that way for long…
You’ll also see from the picture above that we stashed a little striped fabric storage box that we already had around the house on the left side of the top shelf of the closet (that’s also empty but we figure it can be used to corral everything from toys or books to extra linens or even blankets when the need arises). And on the right side of that shelf you can see from the photo below that we just folded four of the blankets that we’ve already received (I’m telling you, our friends and relatives are too kind) so they’re easy to grab at a moment’s notice.
The bottom portion of the closet consists of that added second hanging bar that we mentioned (from Home Depot by the way) and a little double tiered shoe rack from Target (which we’ll probably use for Baby P’s shoes when she gets bigger someday, but currently functions as a place to store rolled crib sheets and changing table covers along with even more blankets (the beanette will never be cold!).
You’ll also notice those two blue fabric boxes on top of the shoe rack. They’re actually things that I’ve had for years (originally from Crate & Barrel back in my NYC days). And although I used to use one to store my sewing supplies (aka: a few rarely-used spools of thread and a plethora of iron on Heat & Bond tape) and the other to store iPod cords and other electronics, it was easy to find another box for those items since their punchy turquoise color fit so perfectly with the rest of the nursery. So now they too are empty, but we love that they can easily be used for toys or crayons or legos down the line. Empty bins and boxes = room to grow. Note: we also have a third one, as seen in this post.
And speaking of room to grow, we love that there’s still a little slice of space under the shoe rack on the floor where we can tuck another set of bins and baskets or even store shoes and boots down the line. You know, when the bean’s feet actually touch the floor.
So that’s our little closet overhaul for ya. And since we vowed to do it all on a shoestring (pun semi-intended after all that shoe talk) here’s a budget breakdown for ya:
- White tiered shoe rack on floor (from Target): $12.99
- Second hanging bar (from Home Depot): $5.37
- Blue boxes: already owned
- Two hanging shoe organizers (from Ikea): free from a friend
- A plethora of baby clothes, blankets and bibs: courtesy of our sweet friends and family
- GRAND TOTAL: $18.36
Not bad right? Especially for something that started out looking so bleak. Plus even if we had to buy those hanging shoe organizers they’re just $6.99 a pop at Ikea, so with two of those we still would have come in at $32.34. Of course that doesn’t include the price of the curtain (which we factored into this curtain making post) or the paint (although that was free since it was leftover from the ceiling). It’s definitely still a sliver of a closet, but with our big double dresser and a bunch of other storage options that we’ll be adding to the room we’re pretty sure that our baby girl will have plenty of places to stash her stuff. And speaking of stuff-stashing, have you guys used anything interesting or unusual to keep your closet organized (Hat boxes? Easter baskets? Recycled cereal boxes?). Or have you adapted anything to make it work (like cutting a storage system down to size )? Spill it.
Psst- Wanna see our nursery progress from the very beginning? Here’s our painting post, our big shopping spree, our crib hunting rundown, our curtain-making tutorial, our fun little chair search, our mirror-painting extravaganza, our DIY faux sheepskin project, and our big dresser makeover (and subsequent drawer lining project). Good times.
Fab Freebie: Natural Amenities
***This giveaway is no longer accepting entries***
You know we love the idea of keeping your bedroom as eco-friendly as possible, especially considering all the time that you spend sleeping in there each night. So that’s why we’re so excited about this week’s prize from Amenity Home. Plus, who doesn’t like fun, graphic prints like these to add a little more bedroom ambiance?
Our winner this week will be scoring a Fern Duvet cover in the color and size of their choice. And not only is the print nature-inspired, so is the art behind creating this modern statement for your bedroom. Since Amenity Home is all about organic and earth friendly products, their process uses non-toxic, water-based dyes to print onto 300 thread count organically-grown and organically-processed cotton. It doesn’t get much more pure than that.
So here’s how you can enter for a shot at taking this week’s prize to bed:
- PRIZE: An Amenity Home Fern Duvet in the color (amber, peacock or celery) and size of your choice
- TO ENTER: Comment on this post with the words “I’M A NATURAL” and…
- BONUS QUESTION: … tell us how you like to bring nature into your home. Plants and fresh flowers? Natural fabrics and finishes? Outdoorsy art? Or are you just looking forward to opening your windows once the warm weather arrives?
- GIVEAWAY CLOSES: Wednesday, March 17th at 8pm EST
- NUMBER OF WINNERS: One
- PRIZE SHIPS: Worldwide (how’s that for earth-friendly?)
- USUAL STUFF: One entry per e-mail address is permitted. The winner will be selected using random.org and announced on Thursday. Good luck!
Find more freebie info on our Giveaway FAQs page. Pics courtesy of Amenity Home.
