Archive for February, 2011
February Superlatives
Note: This is a retroactive post that I cobbled together in December of 2011 so I could make this page full of monthly recaps for the entire year (our first in our new house!). Yup, I’m just a bit type A. So here’s what we tackled throughout the month of February – high school yearbook style.
Coupon-lovingest: This post about how I try to save money by cutting coupons.
Sneakiest: The use-tape-to-catch-drywall-dust trick that we outlined here for ya.
Most Mischievous: Painting an old glass lamp shade turquoise while John was out for a run.
Best Picture Ever Taken: This post about getting a resin ram at TJ Maxx which resulted in a photo of Burger doing yoga behind it.
Most Flabbergasting: Seeing our name as the winners of Apartment Therapy’s Best Home Design Blog of 2011. Color us blushy (and clammy). Amazing.
Favorite $2.80 Project Ever: Gray-washing the living room beams with a light dry-brush method and a $2.80 test can of paint.
Most Fowl: This goose (get it? fowl? goose?) that we found at a thrift store along with a cool quatrefoil tray. Gonna paint him something shiny and bright… someday.
Most Magpie-ish: Contemplating a few shiiiny metallic paint colors for the living room ceiling.
Most Words About Finding A Table Ever Written In The History Of The World: This rundown of our loooong drawn out table hunt, which finally led us to victory. Whew.
Most Alarming: Realizing that my mom and step dad were coming to stay with us at the end of the month and our guest room still looked like this:
Most Delayed Post: This tutorial for upgrading a 40 cent platter from Goodwill with decorative paper that we shared over two months late. Oops.
Best Score: Grabbing these two secondhand chairs for $35 each. Especially since Ballard Designs sells something similar for $249 a pop.
Most Likely To Look Miniscule: The console table from our first house (which had a much smaller entryway). So we relocated it to the hallway and started talking about adding a giant frame wall.
Most Well Rounded: Our deliciously curvy and chunky dining table, which’ll easily seat our giant family.
Least Afraid Of Moth Balls: Me while thrifting, especially when cool things like this $4 mirror are out there waiting to be found. Bring on the spiderwebs.
Most Thrifty: This post all about picking up 23 things for 98 bucks while on a family beach vacay in Rehoboth, DE.
Most Burger-licious: This chihuahua-riddled post, which details all of the places Burger hangs out in our new house (and how he has adjusted to the move).
Most Brown-Nosing: Going for extra credit during a quickie-guest-room-spruce-up by deciding to paint the walls (could have saved it for later, but we’re painting fools like that). Oh but we had to prime it all first:
Most Shocking: Painting our guest room a deep and moody dark teal color. Oh man do we love it. This post also has a video all about cutting in, so anyone who’s interested in seeing how I get clean lines without using painter’s tape, there it is.
Most Likely To Put You To Sleep: Our new guest room mattress, which we researched pretty thoroughly.
Most Appreciated: Enabling guests to actually use the toilet and shower by replacing the shower head and toilet seat (and adding a shower curtain and bath mat) in our guest bathroom.
Most In-Progress: Our guest bedroom after we tossed old bedding, new curtains, an old rug, leftover chairs, and other furnishings into the room (before tweaking things over the next few days before my mom and stepdad’s big arrival).
Most Chipper: Our bold and happy guest bedroom. It’s still far from done (needs art and a few other more permanent furnishings) but it’s ready for its first guests! Oh and we share how we made that luggage-rack-side-table in this post too.
Most Shower-Ready: Our not-perfect-but-ready-for-guests bathroom, complete with our recently purchased shower curtain, bath mat, and a few other small touches to make folks feel welcome.
Most Proud: Sharing a bunch of our favorite Richmond places to eat, shop, thrift, and hang out. We love our beautiful city!
Most Likely To Result In A “One Night Stand” Joke: This post about switching out two old side tables as temporary night stands.
Fab Freebie: Line Drawings
***This giveaway is no longer accepting entries - see who won below!***
Thanks to random.org’s, our three winners are Jane (who considers herself an accomplished doodler – especially during a meeting), Molly T (who dubbed herself the least crafty person ever) and Lizz (who’s no artist, but is killer at Pictionary). Congrats ladies!
You guys probably know Freshline Illustration from our monthly sponsor shout outs, but soon three of you will know them as the ones who hooked you up with some sweet art / pillows / stationery for your own home. And many of Freshline’s colorful and playful illustrations can be personalized with monograms, anniversary dates, or even your full family tree.
- PRIZE: A $50 gift card towards any purchase from Freshline Illustration
- TO ENTER: Comment on this post with the words “DRAW ME!” and…
- BONUS QUESTION: … tell us about your drawing skills. Are you a trained artist or the last one picked during a game of Pictionary? Either way, what’s your favorite thing to sketch or draw? Maybe you’re especially skilled at human portraits – or you just like to doodle your name in the margins.
- GIVEAWAY CLOSES: Wednesday, March 2nd at 8pm EST
- NUMBER OF WINNERS: Three
- PRIZE SHIPS: Anywhere in the world!
- USUAL STUFF: One entry per e-mail address is permitted. The winners will be selected using random.org and announced on Thursday as an update to this post. That’s right, come right back here on Thursday morning for the announcement of our winners. Good luck…
Note: We weren’t paid or perk’d for hosting this giveaway, we just like rewarding our lovely readers! See our Giveaway FAQs page for more info. Pics from Freshline Illustration.
One Night Stand
Okay, make that two night stands. Though technically they’re just the living room side tables…
… that were displaced by the arrival of Karl:
So even though they’re not technically nightstands, we love our Target tables (from the Victoria Hagan collection, purchased a few years back) and those seeded glass lamps (from the now sadly non-existent Nate Berkus collection at Linens N’ Things) too much to let them go unused. So they’ve now found a new home in the master bedroom. At least for now.
Not only do they start to balance the room more, they’re a huge help in the function department. Sherry’s poor short arms couldn’t take storing her cell phone and magazines on the floor much longer. At first we wondered if they were a little too low, but we’ve been reading in bed easily thanks to them, and we can also easily reach anything on the table since they’re within around 5″ of the top of the mattress, so we just roll over and grab.
So although they may not be permanent fixtures in our bedroom decor (Sherry has this crazy hankering for eggplant lamps someday, and I, for one, would appreciate a drawer or something in our future nightstands for some extra concealed storage) they were f-r-e-e and they definitely do the trick for now.
And one cool byproduct of our new additions is the way they change the character of the room at night. Using the soft table lamps (instead of the bright white fan lights overhead) cozies up the room big time. It feels a lot warmer, the paint color takes on a greener feel, and there are a few dramatic shadows thrown on the ceiling, courtesy of Ed the Bed.
And I can’t even begin to express how awesome it feels to be able to turn off the light at night without having to get up and walk over to flip off the light switch on the wall anymore. Now I don’t have to fake-sleep so Sherry’s forced to do it. Sweet.
Next on our bedroom lighting to do list: replacing that not-so-purdy fan. We have our eye on something kinda crazy, but it makes us smile so it’s a strong possibility.
Five Richmond “Top Fives”
Today’s a cool day – it’s marks our 5th anniversary of living in Richmond.
On this date in 2006, Sherry and I woke up on an air mattress in my Upper West Side apartment (she had already moved all of her stuff out of her Soho studio and turned in the keys) to greet my dad, who had driven up in the mini-van that would move us and all of our worldly belongings (hence the air mattress – we had sold our mattresses) to the River City. Seven hours and one stop at Ikea later we arrived at our new apartment in Richmond – unemployed, unwed, and uncontrollably excited about the life ahead of us.
(Gorgeous pic of Richmond’s skyline by doxadigital on Flickr)
But enough about our back story (you can read more about that here), let’s talk about Richmond. We often get asked for recommendations for what to see, where to shop, and what to eat when in Richmond. So we’re taking this 5th anniversary occasion to share five “Top 5″ lists about some of our favorite things in RVA. Are you sensing a “five” theme here? Here’s what we’ve covered:
- 5 Favorite Places to Chow Down
- 5 Favorite Tourist-y Things To Do
- 5 Favorite Ways to Enjoy a Gorgeous Day
- 5 Favorite Places to Score Home Deals
- 5 Favorite Swanky & Inspiring Home Stores
***5 FAVORITE PLACES TO CHOW DOWN***
Sherry and I aren’t “foodies” by any means, but we definitely love finding an excuse to eat out for those special occasions. Here are a handful of quintessential Richmond restaurants where we love to dine:
- Kuba Kuba: A cozy, casual, and colorful spot in The Fan for Cuban food. Sound “in the know” by pronouncing it “Coo-ba Coo-ba” and not “Kyoo-bah Kyoo-bah.” Here’s the Kuba Kuba website.
- Bottom’s Up: We took the Bowers to this pizza spot in Shockoe Bottom during their visit last year. Be sure to check out the 6 foot high water marks from when it flooded during Hurricane Gaston in 2004. Here’s the Bottom’s Up website.
- The Boathouse at Rocketts Landing: We celebrated the news of Sherry’s pregnancy at this new-ish riverfront restaurant. The food’s great, but the views of the James River and the expansive city skyline are our favorite part (see the picture below). In fact we took Sherry’s mom and stepdad here last night. Here’s the Boathouse website.
- Crab Louie’s Tavern: Technically in Midlothian, this seafood restaurant sits in a historic house older than the USA. Among other reasons, we love all of the fresh bread options that you get before the meal arrives. Carbs. Yum. Here’s Crab Louie’s website.
- Sticky Rice: We loves us some sushi (read about our sushi tradition here), so this somewhat American hipster twist on it is always fun. Plus, where else can you order “Sticky Balls” and not get a weird look? Here’s the Sticky Rice website.
***5 FAVORITE TOURIST-Y THINGS TO DO***
We don’t have a Statue of Liberty or an Eiffel Tower, but these Richmond “landmarks” should be on your list when you’re in town:
- Browse the VMFA: Recently renovated, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts building and the art within it is pure eye candy. And with the exception of special exhibits (currently it’s Mr. Picasso), it’s all totally free to see. Here’s the VMFA website.
- See a movie at The Byrd Theatre: This gorgeous movie palace built in 1928 still shows second-run movies for just $2. It’s fun to grab some popcorn, squeeze your legs into the old school seats, and enjoy the cinema in style. Here’s the Byrd Theatre website.
- Stroll around Hollywood Cemetery: It sounds weird, but this cemetery makes for a gorgeous afternoon walk. Beautiful views and famous headstones (including two US presidents and countless Civil War figures) totally negate the creepy factor – especially in the fall (pictured below). Here’s the Hollywood Cemetery website.
- Shop Carytown: Loads of local shops and restaurants line Cary Street to create Richmond’s iconic and colorful shopping district. You’ll even hit up a few other items on these lists in the process of visiting. Here’s the Carytown website.
- Walk (or run!) Monument Avenue & The Fan: Monument Avenue is lined with stunning historic row homes and – surprise! – several monuments. And the nearby Fan district also boasts lots of inspiration. It’s great for walking or running on a nice day, especially if you have time to stop in a neighborhood restaurant or park. Here’s The Fan district association website.
***5 FAVORITE WAYS TO ENJOY A GORGEOUS DAY***
We think Richmond truly shines when it’s nice out, so here are some of our favorite places to soak up a beautiful day:
- Pony Pasture: This horse-y name actually belongs to an area of the James River Park System with great nature trails for walking, gentle currents for swimming, and exposed rocks for sunning in the hot months. We always describe Richmond as a beach town, but instead of having an actual beach, locals hang out at the river. (Check out Burger enjoying a hot rock and a long stick in the picture below). Here are directions to Pony Pasture.
- Maymont: This park is one of our favorite spots to take visitors. Why? Tons of paved paths, beautiful gardens, a petting farm, historic buildings, a nature center, and even a zoo (sorta – there are bears, foxes, buffaloes, and bald eagles to name a few). And most of it’s free – even the zoo and the petting farm. Here’s the Maymont website.
- Belle Isle: Kinda like Pony Pasture, but more island-y and closer to downtown, you can come here to enjoy nature and the city skyline in one vista. Plus it has great trails for walking, running, or mountain biking. This is where Sherry and I went from liking to loving Richmond when we first moved here five years back. Here’s Belle Isle on Wikipedia.
- Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden: Call it nature in a more controlled setting, but the admission price is definitely worth the scenery (and the landscaping ideas you can bring back home). We took Sherry’s mom and stepdad here when they first visited – it was a great way to spend the day outside strolling through scenic settings. Here’s the Lewis Ginter website.
- Stony Point Fashion Park or Short Pump Town Center: These are spots for a more traditional “mall” experience, but in an airy outdoor setting. So you can hit up Anthropologie or Crate & Barrel, but still get some sun and stroll along cobblestone paths. Stony Point’s even dog-friendly (Burger has visited every shop from Sur La Table to Banana Republic). Here’s Stony Point’s website & Short Pump’s website.
***5 FAVORITE PLACE TO SCORE HOME DEALS***
We couldn’t survive in this town if we couldn’t find awesome deals for our house, so here are some local haunts that we love (besides the national chain stores like Tar-jay):
- Diversity Thrift: We’ve found lots of great stuff here over the five years (including the base for our pedestal table in the sunroom and our glass coffee table in the old living room). You can read more about why we love it in this post.
- Love of Jesus Thrift: This is another go-to thrifting spot, especially if we’re on the hunt for furniture. My sister scored the amazing console below a couple of years ago there. Read more about that in this old post.
- Lakeside Avenue Thrift Stores: A more recent discovery of ours, the thrift and consignment stores along Lakeside Avenue (like Consignment Connection and Pass It On) are where we recently scored our beloved wooden goose.
- The Decorating Outlet: This store is where items from local sponsor Shades of Light go to be discounted, and where we’ve been going to buy items like the rug and the capiz light fixture in Clara’s room on the cheap. Here’s the Decorating Outlet website.
- U-fab: This discount fabric store is always on our list when we’re hunting for textiles or patterns to bring home. Their selection is more stylish than the big chains tend to be, but they’re cheaper than the fancy designer places. Here’s the U-fab website.
***5 FAVORITE SWANKY & INSPIRING HOME STORES***
On the opposite end of thrifting and discounts are some of Richmond’s most gorgeous and inspirational home stores. Be sure to bring a tissue to wipe the drool from your chin when you visit (even if you don’t have the money in your wallet to buy something):
- Williams & Sherrill: Half housewares, half fabric store, this place has more inspiration than we can handle on most occasions (see our photo below). Someday we’ll be fancy enough to actually buy something. Sigh. More on them here. And here’s the Williams & Sherrill website.
- Ruth & Ollie: This shop in Carytown is smaller yet a bit more contemporary than Williams & Sherrill. We especially love the furniture and art that abounds. Check out a few ideas that we got from them in this post. Here’s the Ruth & Ollie website.
- LaDifférence: Located in Shockoe Bottom, LaDiff is a huge store filled with modern furniture, accessories, lighting – basically, the works. You may remember them from this oft-referenced wallflowers giveaway post. Here’s the LaDiff website.
- Shades of Light: Yes, they’re a sponsor of our site, but we couldn’t not include them on this list of go-to home stores in Richmond that we love, especially when it comes to gorgeous lighting (we’ve been obsessed with them since way before their sponsorship started). Here’s the Shades of Light website.
- Caravati’s: Unlike the others on this list, you won’t find anything new or pristine at Caravati’s. It’s an architectural salvage warehouse that is loaded with once-loved items for any remodel, restoration, or craft project with a historic and authentic twist. See some more in this old post.
So there you have it, five “Top 5″ lists to celebrate our 5th anniversary of moving to Richmond. Obviously in five years we can’t claim to be Richmond experts, so we invite everyone else who lives here in RIC (or have visited) to chime in with their favorites in these categories (or others). And while we’re at it, those of you in other cities are welcome to comment with a “Top 5″ list for your hometown too. Who knows if we might end up visiting someday!
Boathouse photo by Beth Furgurson found via Richmond Magazine.com, rest of images snapped by us (except for that gorgeous first pic from here).
Psst- We announced this weeks giveaway winners. Click here to see if one of them is you.
The Guest Bath: Meh, But Functional.
How’s that for a title? Haha. We’re about 20% there with this room, but we’re sharing these pics in the name of the work-in-progress reality that is our new house. We definitely think some paint on the walls (we’re flip-flopping between soft gray and mocha) will tie things together and better integrate items like the shower curtain and the bathmat along with the sweet vintage yellow tile. And of course bringing in better art, fun window treatments (maybe a bright roman shade?), changing out the light fixture, and implementing other tweaks down the road will hopefully take it from “meh” to “how you doin’?”
The good news is that it works and it’s clean. You can brush your teeth, take a shower, and use the “facilities” without issue. And thanks to the previous owners’ meticulous housecleaning skillz, there’s not a dot of crud or mildew to be scrubbed. Anyway, enough intro. Here she blows:
That’s right, I folded the toilet paper into a little triangle like they do at hotels. Because I’m crazy.
I apologize for the lack of sweeping see-everything photos, but it’s a tiny room. You can stand in front of the sink and touch all four walls – that’s how small it is. But as for our other little additions, I added a small acrylic trash can to the left of the toilet (you can see it peeking out in that top pic) and we used one of those suction cup shower caddies to store some little sample shampoo & conditioner bottles along with body wash in the shower. We also plopped a mini tube of toothpaste in a cup above the sink.
I thought offering bar soap and liquid soap would please anyone with a strong preference either way, and we hung some “placeholder art” above the toilet (three food related wedding pics – cupcakes, grapes, and lemons – that we already had framed) just to fight the Complete Bare Wall Syndrome that was going on. We figure they’re good for a bathroom because they’re just photos that we reprinted and framed ourselves, so if they get damaged from the moisture over time, we still have the originals and can easily reprint them. Although someday we’d love to hunt down or DIY something that ties into the printed shower curtain and deep teal walls in the adjoined bedroom for a little more pop.
We don’t have much by the way of “countertop” in our tiny bathroom, but we kept the lid of the toilet tank empty so people can drop their toiletry bags there if they’d like (since our sink doesn’t have any lip to speak of). And bringing in some plush white bath towels, hand towels, and washcloths completed the mom-and-Jack-ready makeover. It may not be done but it’s definitely grandparent worthy. Haha. And at least we’re not dealing with this awkward see-your-whole-body-while-sitting-on-the-toilet issue anymore:
Three cheers for a non-reflective door in front of the John. And by John I mean both the commode and my husband. That’s right, it’s a toilet-related double entendre.
