Bella Inspirations

Head Turning Kitchen

2012-02-07T22:36:00.001-08:00

I know it’s been awhile, so let’s get caught up . . .

My good friends, John and Rebecca, have resided in their dazzling hillside So Cal home since 1994. They were kind enough to allow us front row seats for their spectacular kitchen reno.

This photo is their original 1967 kitchen in all it’s glory.

Before . . .

Rebecca spiffed up their original kitchen twelve years ago. She painted all the cabinets Beach Basket White and replaced the hardware, giving her kitchen a clean and fresh look, but it was still her dream to someday have a complete kitchen makeover.

After first reno . .

Approx. one year ago,

She decided it was time to say buh-bye!

After some hardcore demolition the room was completely gutted.

(The exposed framed wall seen below is the same wall seen in the two above images.)

So began the designing process . . .

There was some structural work to attend to first. Which would include, raising the ceilings and closing up the wall to the far right, while opening up wall w/ proposed new sink.

Proposed new kitchen plan

and here’s what they eventually came up with . . .

I was inspired instantly by this dramatic kitchen and knew I had to write about it. Rebecca brilliantly selected all of the rich design elements in her new inviting kitchen. She resourcefully shopped and not a detail has been spared!

Shall we . . .

Dark Chocolate cabinetry contrasted by rich polished Carrera marble. The magnificent stainless industrial style six burner range is a gas stovetop and electric oven. The range was a second, that she snagged. She had a few scratches removed and saved a big chunk $$. I just love the continuous line of the cabinets all the way up to the ceiling. I’m such a sucker for crown molding.

Her previous kitchen had two small ceiling light fixtures original to the home. Now she has a plethora of recessed lights, under counter lighting and two charming drop pendants. She even had a new stainless trim made to enclose the microwave oven, nice touch!

Beautiful paneled doors on the new family friendly built-in refrigerator, flanked by two bright and sunny windows. Rebecca is quite handy with a sewing machine (among many of her talents), and whipped up the stripped silk valances in just a weekend! More on the valances later.

The kitchen now has two sinks. Remember back in the days when the washer and dryer were in the kitchen, well this 1967 kitchen had just that. When they removed the washer and dryer, they were left with instant plumbing for a second sink, and opted to keep the existing sink for a prep sink. The raised countertop above the sink houses three convenient bar stools, perfect for entertaining. She swiped her stainless dishwasher from her old kitchen before the reno.

The striking vein cut porcelain floor tile repeats the veining pattern in the Carrera marble, ingenuously placed on the diagonal. We’re talking class!!!

New Sink

Existing sink becomes a prep sink, for fresh cut hydrangeas from her garden.

Custom built-in silverware drawer . . .

I added some accessories to the countertops: I grouped together these lovely candlesticks. The backsplash is Carrera basket weave, both timeless and elegant.

The Carrera stone countertop runs the entire length in both directions for a seamless corner. . . expert craftsmanship. Seen below in this back corner.

Between snapping photos we munched on homemade lemon scones. They were Delish!

I helped out with a few designer tricks. I advised Rebecca to hang the window treatments to the ceiling. Seen below, you are looking at the backside of the window treatment. To create this look, use 1”x 2” lumber with the fabric stapled on, and “ L” brackets to attach the valance. For a more finished look, you could first staple a smaller fabric piece to cover the exposed board.

Before . . .

After . . .

Photography courtesy of Jennifer Grey of The Old Painted Cottage.

A dream realized . . .

A huge thank you to Rebecca for sharing this story of their renovation.

Source List

Paint: Pours Stone-Dunn Edwards

Refrigerator: Warehouse Discount Center $3,000

Range: DCS Range, mfrd by Fisher Paykel Company $6,047

Backsplash tile: (eBay) Carrera basket weave $286

Island and Counters: polished Carrera stone major dollars

Cabinets: Modern Chocolate, flat $9,000

Cabinets: installation $1,000

Light pendants: (Home Depot) $114

Glass/ installation in cabinets $225

Floor tile: Vein Cut Porcelain $622

Window treatments: Jo-Ann Fabrics $80

Pantry door: ( Home Depot) special order door w/reeded glass

Sink faucets: Overstock.com

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My friend, the fabulous blogger extraordinaire, Joni, who writes Cote De Texas, and I have got together and cooked up the most fabulous giveaway! Rush over to her blog and read all about it. We have decided to offer the winner a charming hand knotted burlap table runner from my spring collection.

Best of luck to everyone!!

Renovation Hammer

2012-02-05T15:28:00.001-08:00

We've got some catching up to do, week two of our renovation. I can honestly say it’s been super fun, since Robert turned 50yrs old last April. He seems to be a bit more mature in his mid life. So I thought, ha-ha- once an adrenalin junkie always an adrenalin junkie. So Cal had a bit of rain last week, and he decided to go out for a mountain bike ride, once the rain passed . . . Ooops just a bit muddy!!! :-)

I’ve had a few “do-it-yourselfers” interested in the mill work I chose. The reason I like to work with beadboard paneling and casing, is because you can get a nice professional look for a fraction of the cost of more expensive moldings. See below for a detailed list of expenses.

Our cookie cutter home has laminate coated kitchen cabinets. yikes! Curious about painting - Robert and I paid a visit to our local paint store, and luckily found out that laminate could be painted over as long as we prime! Yeah! They recommended Zinzer stain blocking primer.

The drawers and doors on the island could be painted. This will be a substantial savings!!! :-) I was hoping not to replace the them, this will leave more cash for vintage lantern above the island, and additional upgrades.

With everything primed, we were ready to paint the island. I selected {Ralph Lauren Black Truffle.} It’s a lovely smoky black color. The dark tones of the paint will complement and blend with the existing white cabinetry. Thus resulting in a stylish eclectic vibe. More plans for our white laminate cabinets at the bottom of this post.

Seen below first coat of paint . . .

Existing outlets to be replaced with black.

Note to mom: I promise to clean up the unsightly clutter behind cupboards. Even concealed places must be tidy and organized. Right mom?

Remove all doors before painting.

Fine grade steel wool between coats, for a smooth finish. Always be sure to follow with tack cloth.

We chose a marine varnish, to repel any water spills on painted wood work.

Here’s a sneak peek at the kitchen island, before a few finishing touches and maybe a faux finish? We might have to break out the destructive sander ??? Isn’t this “VINTAGE BLACK” out of sight?

Really makes a bold statement don’t you think? . . . . “holla” ….

Next topic of discussion, We are planning to rework the two main kitchen walls. First upper and lower cabinets on the wall with stainless cook top. Plan of action will be to carefully remove the cabinetry directly above the hood then build larger hood surround out of ? you guess it, more beadboard paneling and moldings. See custom beadboard hood on our inspiration photo below.

Modify the two cabinets on either side, to half the size that they are currently. This will give us ample storage space, stretching the space above the stove area visually, and leave plenty room for our new custom built hood.

Second will be to select larger crown for the top of cabinets. We plan to use my favorite casing again to conceal the opening around the fridge.

Island upgrade expenses

two 4’ x 8’ beadboard panels $20

casing moldings $13

caulking $5

paint & supplies $63

hardwood floors Dream on!

Total $91

WOW, I think we’ll have enough for a new farm sink at this pace. lol

Thanks for listening, can’t wait to share more renovation with you!

Our Kitchen Redesign

2012-01-23T08:31:00.001-08:00

Do you give any thought to the style of the home’s exterior when you are planning to design an interior space?

When I think of how I would like to redesign my kitchen, I envision a Provencal style home in the south of France. The interior design style of this home would have all the dreamy European elements, seventeenth century cobblestone floors, aged architectural elements, steel windows and doors, farmhouse sink, etc. to go along with it. sigh

Back to reality. We reside in a suburban So-CA home. The elements and features have appropriately been referred to as “cookie cutter.” With that in mind, we’re planning to keep our kitchen somewhat in sync with our builder’s design layout. I plan to use a few design ideas from Tyler Florence’s Kitchen of the Year at Rockefeller Center.

We moderately redesigned our small space kitchen 10 years ago and as a designer that seems like an eternity. At that time we replaced the existing tile on the island with a “Sahara Green” granite slab, backsplash with 4”x4” tumbled travertine tile, counter surfaces with travertine slab. Stainless cook top and hood, faucet, dishwasher, hardware. The floor is also travertine. Okay, yep I can honestly say I’m seriously travertined out !!!

Here are a few of my inspiration photos for our kitchen redesign:

I was immediately drawn to the dramatic black island, Who knew? I fell in love with it!!!

I’ve always been inspired by copper elements and often incorporate them into my designs. I dig the open shelf concept on the side of the island.

Tyler Florence’s Kitchen of the Year!

We plan to remove our tumbled travertine backsplash and replace with subway tiles. Seen below Tyler chose to use more of a vanilla color subway tile, which gives more of an aged look to his kitchen. {Caliper series subway tile in Warm Candle by Ann Sacks.} Although you cannot really see the subway tile in this image. :-(

I heart these French library wall lamps from Circa Lighting.

I’d like, to use a pair of these lanterns from {South of Market} above the Island “ be still my beating heart.”

I’d love to hear from y’all, if anyone could recommend where we could purchase two vintage inspired lanterns for above our island. This one is a skosh over our budget at $4950 each.

Our moderate redesign we will be focusing on the millwork. We’re planning to upgrade the existing kitchen island and cabinets with beadboard and fancy crown molding. Always evolving, I envision sprucing up the white cabinets and refinishing the Island in black. Yikes, I know what your thinking, gutsy ha? But if you know me at all I can be fearless at times. Keeping in mind it’s only paint and can easily be changed.

Our Kitchen before redesign

Surround the frig with millwork, so that it has a built-in appearance. We love the clean lines of the cabinet depth KitchenAid frig, no more bulky frig sides to get in the way. YaY!

Our Nine foot Island makes a statement as soon as you enter in the room.

We plan to use 4’ x 8’ beadboard paneling to cover this side of the island and in several other locations. It’s cost affective and easy to work with.

We will also use the beadboard paneling on the cabinet door fronts, for a more updated look.

Proposed baseboard and island crown molding.

My husband will have two assistants on board for this project, myself and our English Labrador, Titus! Doesn't he look like a puppy??? He is eight years old, I think his Botox is working! lol

May the games begin!!

After cutting our paneling to fit, with a circular saw Robert applies adhesive to adhere our paneling.

Island with our first two newly installed beadboard panels.

This image ( seen below) you are looking down, we used 1'” x 4” lumber as backing behind the baseboards for a more beefy profile.

The finer details in life . . .

Inexpensive casings on top of the paneling. To give the beadboard a more finished look.

Fill joints with wood caulking.

Fill any nail holes with caulking.

Sand all joints, AaaAaAaahhhhhchooooooo!

I found a old pair of cycling gloves to use for sanding. They were supposed to be used for all that cycling, we planned to do together, NOT . . .

The inside corners weren't fun, and neither were Robert’s raw fingers, he didn’t think about using gloves, such a guy thing. :-)

She’s coming together, can’t wait to paint!!!

It’s a wrap for this weekend. Bob has a master’s race Sunday, and he will be going into “the hurt locker.” lol

That’s my hunk in the red helmet.

Come back next week for more kitchen beautification ideas!!!

For design inquiries, write to Laurie at me-n-you@verizon.net

Eclectic Anyone???

2012-01-17T17:22:00.001-08:00

Have you visited the Etsy Decor Blog? It’s da bomb . . . I hope you enjoy this interview blog post below. . . .

This week is inspired by the incredible Los Angeles apartment designed by Jared Frank and Sam Jacober, the stylists, interior designers and art directors behind Topsy Design and the Etsy vintage shop of the same name.

The Mediterranean-style apartment complex was built in 1929 and was once called home by James Dean and Rock Hudson. Since this Silver Lake apartment is fully furnished, Jared uses the guest room as bait to lure East Coast friends to the Left Coast.

Get the Look Decor: Antique Eclectic

Photo by TopsyDesign

Describe your home decorating style.
Antique eclectic. Buying vintage is both a moral and aesthetic choice. We waste enough in this society; home is the one place you can control, so living in a more sustainable way is very important to me. However, this isn’t health food, it’s real food: vintage and antique objects made before the industrialization of home furnishings were constructed so much better than the contemporary alternatives. The organic materials of wood and metal last and can take damage without looking worse for wear. Old objects tell a story, and I love surrounding myself with things that have depth. I often think about my furniture’s past lives.

That said, the last thing I’m interested in is living in a home that’s like a museum dedicated to a particular period. I like to mix styles from different eras. When you do this, you find that pieces have underlying philosophies that make them go well together. In the kitchen nook, I have an Arts and Crafts chair for my military field table. Even though their makers’ backgrounds differ enormously, they were both intended to function with utilitarian simplicity and constructed from materials designed to last.

Did you decide to decorate in this style or was there an evolution to your decorating process?
There has definitely been an evolution to my decorating process. I used to be primarily attracted to simple, masculine objects, but over time I grew bored. I became inspired by nature, and my female partner Sam encouraged me to open up my personal style and bring in feminine, delicate, curvaceous, ornate objects. In the study there is a metal table with a Victorian wicker chair in front of it. I love how the curvy lines of the chair play against the hard ninety-degree angles of the table.

Where are your favorite places to shop for home items?
My favorite places to shop are the flea markets of Los Angeles; the big ones are Long Beach, Rosebowl, and PCC. However, these experiences can be overwhelming for the uninitiated, and it takes a trained eye to make off with the good stuff at the right price. I work as an interior decorator and personal shopper for those seeking vintage and antique pieces for their home.

What inspires you when it comes to decorating?
I am most inspired by the needs of the rooms and my lifestyle. It should be possible to both work and chill in every room of the house. I never want friends to come over and not know where to sit. I want my life to flow seamlessly from contemplation, to production, to play.

What is your favorite part about your home?
The southern-style deck that overlooks Sunset Drive. If Sunset was a river and not a street, I’d stay in this apartment forever.

Does your home hold any strong memories?
The strongest memories this home holds are those I share with my business partner, Sam. We moved here and decorated the home together. We’ve recently parted ways, but we still work together. This home still holds our love and our history. If it wasn’t for her, it wouldn’t look the way it does, and it’s a constant reminder of our enduring relationship.

Have a beautiful week everyone, I am thankful for you.

For design inquiries, write to Laurie at me-n-you@verizon.net

Rock Residence Major Remodel

2011-12-27T10:05:00.001-08:00

Shelly, a warrior & breast cancer survivor, did a “happy dance” when her loving husband Bill, a successful general contractor, recently decided to surprise her with a dreamy remodel to their suburban Thousand Oaks home. My client Shelly is full of passion and celebrates with each and every day that passes, I simply adore her. Unsure how to make this reno all gel, Bill and Shelly asked if I could assist them. We have worked together in the past on several redesigns.

This renovation will include everything redone, and I mean everything!! “Including the kitchen sink” lol

Just to give you an idea of what I’m talking about, Bill completely emptied out their home and tucked away Shelly’s favorite antique pieces. They temporally moved to their beach home during this extravaganza.

This gnarly reno will include the following amenities: complete exterior re stucco, tile roof, back-lit raised ceilings, interior modeled plaster finish, recessed lighting, gourmet kitchen, sliding pocket doors throughout, oversized sliding glass doors, skylights, floors replaced with hardwood.

Although this home had good bones, Bill removed several of the existing walls and opening up the entire space. He created a large dramatic room. The space will include foyer, family room, kitchen, breakfast nook with banquette, formal dining area.

First look - foyer

Rendering of formal dining room . . .

To the back of the photo formal dining space with charming corner windows, and custom corner built in.

View looking into space when you walk through the front door.

Kitchen island under construction, family room to the right.

Scrumptious kitchen island to include a handy writing desk at one end, elevated counter, range with hood above. To help emphasize all of this beauty, the island surface will be luxurious Calcutta marble with OG bullnose edges. (And to be honest, After I pulled my open jaw off the floor – I thought makes me wish I had a stylish island with Calcutta marble!)

View of the kitchen: sink location will be in front of the bay window.

Custom built furniture style kitchen cabinets – so great looking!

Seen to the back of this photo, installed oversized glass sliding doors in family room. These doors will really stretch the space visually and will give a full view of their lovely backyard.

Outside view of new glass sliding doors.

The family room will have a sexy lounge feeling. My clients chose to use their existing Ethan Allen sectional and have it reupholstered. The space will house a large plasma television and custom-built credenza below that will hold media equipment, books and some display items. I will bring in their existing furniture and accessory pieces. I enjoy working with clients’ heirloom pieces and incorporating them into the design concept.

Notice the three windows in the preliminary drawing, they are the same windows in the image below, just to give you a feel for the perspective.

To the back of this photo, under the two corner windows, a custom built banquette with storage underneath and a round table. Shelly and I are currently working on textile selection for banquette. While my client doesn’t mind neutral tones she loves spicy vibrant colors, she says they make her happy :-)

Closer look at the corner where custom banquette and breakfast nook will be located. This location is sooooo peeeerfect right next to the fireplace, it will be so cozy! I feel a fireplace should be a focal point in a space, but the existing one was just an eyesore. I chose to cover up the old brick with backer board for a more updated look. More on the fireplace later.

I will create a sultry seating area for Bill and Shelly’s friends, with an antique round wooden table and cushions in a gray textured fabric.

I have successfully used the larger plank size hardwood with my other redesigns and it really adds warmth to a space. Seen below are two proposed samples.

Gorgeous six inch wide plank hardwood flooring.

Lastly, Sample of proposed ceiling crown molding to be installed throughout.

Pretty awesome, huh?

If you’d like to read more about this reno. I’m verrryy excited to share it with you all, there is still lots more to tell. Stick around for round two of this post, and thanks for listening.

For design inquiries, write to Laurie at me-n-you@verizon.net

Merry Christmas & warm Holiday greetings to all blog friends! ..

2011-12-22T11:16:00.001-08:00

I’ve always had such a big interest in decorating, especially for the holidays. I thoroughly enjoy it, so when my parents called on me a few days before Christmas to decorate their home for the season. I jumped on it! I decided to make the living room mantle the focal point of their holiday decor, it greets visitors, and is also where our family will gather for the Holidays.

Okay now comes the fun part. Yep, I kind of figured you would want to know some of the dets of how I achieved this look.

I used two oversized garlands, one at the top above the mirror and one on the mantle. The next step might make you a little squeamish, to hang the upper garland you will have to use two picture hanger hooks in. Yep, you will have to make a few small holes in the wall. The holes will have to be patched after Christmas. Come on folks you can do it, that’s what spackle was created. The lower garland you can secure with nails underneath the wooden mantle. That’s one of Mom’s crafty tricks!

The garlands aren't the skimpy kind you see at Target and WalMart, oooh no, these bad boys are densely thick and come with a hefty price tag. You can purchase them at specialty Christmas stores. I bought these the day after Christmas for half price, and have used them many times over the years. My clients often rent them for the holidays. I used a combination of fresh Noble branches mixed in with the artificial garland.

She chose a burgundy & gold color palette. I used this magnificent velvet fabric on both ends of the mantel, I allowed it to cascade to the floor in a puddle.

I placed this elegant angel mom purchased at Home Goods, in the center to be the crowning gem. We love Home Goods!!! I placed the angle on a pedestal to make her appear airborne!

Sorry about the blurry photos folks.

I mingled curly willow and birds (mom’s favorite) throughout. We call all birds rippers, not sure why, we just do. lol

I used 20 yards of burgundy velvet wired ribbon.

( before)

(after)

Wishing you all a very blessed and Merry Christmas!! Have a wonderful
day and enjoy!

How to use a Vintage Hutch for a Headboard?

2011-12-14T09:19:00.001-08:00

Happy Holidays everyone!!!

I want to announce the winner of my giveaway.

Congratulations Tery Hodges Annapolis, MD

Please email me your information.

Many Thanks for participating in our wonderful giveaway!!! It’s been so much fun getting to know all of Jennifer’s peeps!!! Thanks a bunch for all your heartfelt sincere comments, shout out to all my new followers!! Your arrival is a cause of joy!

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To put together a fabulous room, it helps to create a focal point. This vintage hutch turned headboard was just what I needed for this master bedroom. These photos were taken during our merchandising process, but I couldn’t wait to share with you, so please forgive the messy display of items.

I positioned the top half of a vintage hutch behind the bed, and mounted it to the wall. The hutch top was slightly larger than our bed, not to worry. I was still able to achieve the look that I was going for.

In this image below you can see how a hutch will most often come apart into two pieces, I used the top half. Our bed was Cal king 72”x 82”, twelve inches wider than a queen size bed, and adds four inches in length when compared to the queen size.

So y’all, next time your at the flea market or a garage sale… keep an eye out for a gorgeous antique hutch.

Isn’t this bit of vintage decor . . . . da bomb???

Shhhhhh don’t tell anybody or they’ll all be doing it. (wink)

For design inquiries, write to Laurie at me-n-you@verizon.net

I’m Giving Away a Bella Inspirations Gift Certificate

2011-12-05T04:44:00.001-08:00

My dear friend, the fabulous blogger extraordinaire, Jennifer Grey, who writes The Old Painted Cottage, and I have got together and cooked up the most fabulous Holiday giveaway!

Rush over to her blog and read all about it. We have decided to offer the winner of the $75.00 giveaway any item they want to spend their gift certificate towards from my Etsy shop. Here are a few of my charming vintage burlap items, pictured below . . . .

My newest creation, crown design with two perched sparrows table runner? My table runners are available in custom sizes for that perfect fit!

You can select from different styles. For your favorite Euro cottage look, a ruffle. For a more rustic feel how about 6 inches of fringe???

Charming French burlap pillows?

Grain sack inspired burlap pillows?

All of these beauties were designed by me and they are all very popular, I try my best to make my collection as gorgeous as it can possibly be.

So what will it be? Burlap Table Runner?

or a sweet domed cloche?

Leather Dr’s bag?

Good luck to you all!!!

I was so excited when Jennifer said she would be the mistress of ceremonies for this fun giveaway! Thank you Jennifer for your wonderful post and for helping me with this fun and fabulous giveaway.

Do you have a vision of how you would like your home to look?

Do you need help putting it in motion?

For design inquires email me-n-you@verizon.net

Something to Crow about.!!

2011-11-11T11:14:00.001-08:00

W’sup ??? smee . . . Longtime no talk . . . .

Last year in November I contacted the editor of Romantic Country. I submitted a few images from my handmade Holiday collection, and I have some verrryy exciting news to share. I am just smitten to have been chosen as a Favorite Find in the Winter issue 2011, and my items are featured along with an incredible talented group of women.

Would it be too boastful to share ?

(I can't help myself; I am going to anyway!)

Here are a few of the nifty images Jennifer(“ lv you”) at The Old Painted Cottage took of my collection.

Mom and I fell in love with the vintage rosette appliqués in this collection, each has elements of the other. Our rustic burlap stockings can hang on a chair back, bed post, door knob, on the front of a chest, or even a banister.. To see my Holiday store you can go here.

The two stockings featured (on the left of the photo) are off-white matelasse cuffs, one with a sheer rosette appliqué and the other with sheer rose trim around the cuffs edge. The last stocking (on the right) is a soft off-white linen cuff with ruffle & sheer rosette appliqué. They all have a natural burlap boot.

As a finishing touch we wrap gorgeous sheer rosette trim all the way around, and down the back edges of the cuff.

We mix organic burlap with time-worn favorite fabric’s and trims.

I love bringing vintage inspired grain sack elements into my holiday decor. I styled Jennifer’s vintage inspired bedroom with one of my charming linen grain sack pillows and a Itsy evergreen Christmas tree.

Meet the Bella Inspirations designers . . .

Yep . . . mother daughter duo, that’s mee on the left, and mom on the right. All our items are meticulously inspected by mom’s trained artisan eyes. Oye!

Happy Weekend everyone!

Malibu Master Bedroom Retreat

2011-10-23T12:23:00.001-07:00

My brother and Lisa are sporty, active, on-the-go types. During the day, Lisa is a busy sales representative and real estate agent. Jim is a United Parcel “lifer" (and former real estate developer). In their spare time, the two often play golf ( Rumor has it, they’re going to tie the knot soon! Yay!) Oh, and did I mention Jim surfs daily before work. Needless to say, they don’t have much time to relax.

They recently relocated into a contemporary style home in Malibu, CA. But when it came to designing their master bedroom . . . Lisa knew she wanted a relaxing retreat where they could unwind after a long day. So to start the update they purchased two velvet espresso colored drapery panels (seen to the back of the photo) at Cost Plus World Market. As we all know, one thing started in design always leads to the next, if you know what I mean ???

Sorry about the photo folks, I know it’s hard to see the panels. :-(

Before

They fell in love with their stylish new drapery panels ($40.00 each), now the smaller window above the bed seemed awkward and cold. To tie two windows together in this space, we discussed several possible options. Finally settling on a slender cornice, repeating the espresso colored fabric, with nice large brass nail details to highlight this bad boy!

Now we just had to enlist Jim to build it and hang it, Oye!!

The cornice was built using 1/4” plywood and 1” x 2” backing for support ( $20.00.) He used spray adhesive as the glue to hold the batting in place, then stapled a third drapery panel on top and around the sides of the cornice.

An attractive custom cornice like this could cost you a quite few bucks.

They used brass nail head details ( $40.00) for the real WOW factor – and created a gorgeous cornice, all done on a budget!

Simple and tastefully done, it really enhances the space don’t you think?

Seen below is one of our lumbar French design pillows, you can go here to take a better look at our full Bella Inspirations collection.

After . . .

A restful refuge for two.

French Inspired Cabinet Reveal

2011-10-11T10:49:00.001-07:00

Good morning, Hope everyone had a great Monday. Mine was actually quite nice, and really relaxing. Had time to take nice long walk, enjoy beautiful weather,etc....so it was a good one.

I am so thrilled to present my newly styled sun-washed, slightly distressed patina treasure. What a show off I am, lol?

I love finishes made from nature, rather than something that has a high lacquer finish.

I had some fun with this project and can’t wait to try my new faux painting technique on another piece!

To finish off my project, I’ll be on the look out for one of these old ladders :-) to give my little cabinet a more substantial base trim. Wonder where I got this idea?

Who would have known this itsy cabinet had such a hidden charm!

Before

It’s now a functioning storage cabinet filled with a vintage wire basket and wound bundles of burlap and cloth. Which emphasized all of its vintage beauty.

After

Dore Callaway at Burlapluxe.blogspot.com

The super talented blogger extraordinaire and my sweet friend, has an affinity for rural French style. Her fitting design philosophy is to recycle and restyle found objects of desire. Ultimately, they find their way into the hands of a new place to rest. She is an artist in trompe l'oeil and faux painting. Her free spirit allows her to paint in her imagination with a dramatic artful passion for European flea market style. Her favorite time of any day is to be able to fit in time to create.

Her designs are natural and organic, and they reflect the textures, patterns, silhouettes, and finishes of her stunning artwork. I heart her faded grey palette it truly inspires me!

If you want to shop for some of her handiwork, visit Burlap Luxe Etsy Shop. I cannot recommend it enough! You won't regret it.

Her uncomplicated designs are all hand done.

Lastly, for any of you folks who are interested in more painting fun, have you tried working with milk paint yet?

Provencal-Style Slipcover

2011-10-10T06:48:00.001-07:00

Perhaps you folks might remember Melissa, my dear friend and neighbor. She is still in the process of pulling off the vanishing act with a lot of her furniture that has become outdated. Since she knows I'm always up for a good repurpose project, she asked if I would like her 1990’s style love seat?

Since that day I had been reading Veranda Magazine May-June issue. Designer Pamela Pierce had done a magnificent interior reconstruction. This fabulous room really speaks for itself, outstanding color palette with French textiles and linens, antique stone walls, reclaimed limestone flooring. This room calling out to me with a soft place for my eyes to land.

Veranda Magazine 2011

As a textile and interior designer, I was especially intrigued by the outstanding generously cut linen slipcovers! This was the first time I had seen a ruffle placed on the outside of the slipcover seam, as opposed to sewn inside the seam. My insane though and vision was, I’d like to try and make this slipcover sometime. So when my neighbor offered her loveseat, I thought, oh that’s just the perfect piece to practice my newly found Old World look!

My next task was to figure out a way to give this older piece a new lease on life. Since enormous rolled arms are a thing of the past they would have be modified, hmph . . .

YAY another new project! :-)

As you can see I made quite a few design changes, I fashioned this hand-me-down love seat with Giorgio Armani 100% Italian linen. That I snagged downtown wholesale for $16.00 per yard. “No one will ever know that it’s not from France.” I used down back pillows and one long 8” thick seat cushion, instead of two cushions for a newer look, artfully modified the arms, to a more functional size,

and added this feminine inspired ruffle, for a true vintage feel.

Come on folks let’s be real, this loveseat has a very specific look and would only appeal to a certain client and decor. It really doesn't match my decor style. So everyone confusedly asked, “Laurie, what are you going to do with it?” Not really sure myself, but passionately wanting to bask in it’s beauty for a while, maybe a day. lol I took the custom designed French loveseat to our local antique mall and sold it, romantically skirted ruffle on the floor and all! :-)

Next time I think I’ll slipcover an itsy foot stool, this was quite an undertaking. It took some patience. But it was worth it!

Just wanted to let you folks know I am receiving your comments, even though there not showing up. I’m having a blogger issue, hopefully will be fixed today.

French Inspired Cabinet

2011-10-07T11:34:00.001-07:00

My friend Dore at Burlap Luxe is an outstanding artist and author. Through her blog I have been inspired in so many ways! Now let’s just say I’ve refinished furniture before, but always tried to make it look new. Dore expresses herself through her outstanding distressed works of art, she calls “French inspired.” Very excited to try this new aging technique, I decided to start small and move up to bigger pieces later.

I snagged this itsy cabinet at a yard sale for $15.00 ( isn’t she sweet?) I immediately took a few snapshots and sent them off to Dore. I knew the wheels had to go, and she recommended removing all the drawers and cabinet door. . . . Yikes . . . Pump the brakes . . . . . . This would leave just it’s shell? Only a little reluctant, I gutted this!

I’m super stoked, and ready to do this thing!

Once the cabinet was gutted, I decided in addition to our cabinet having a French vibe, why not throw a little industrial vibe into the mix? :-)

Now that were so knowledgeable with zinc . . NOT!

A few things you will need are, clamps, mallet, tin snips, large T-square, gloves, and a willing hubby. Oye!

Mark your raw sheet metal with a t-square first. So, that means we’ll have two marks. One mark for the cutting and one for the bending. Were going to wrap ours down onto the lip of the cabinet top.

“Come on honey, can we do this a little faster? It’s taking forever!!” He responded, “slow your roll there hot shot.”

Carefully snip your corners at a 45 degree angle, and bend one side of the snipped corner under.

Use clamps to secure metal top while bending around cabinet top.

Robert taking five before I spring the next project on him . . . . :-)

Dore, thank you for inspiring and motivating me to try something new. I am grateful to have you as my new blog friend! I can’t wait to start the painting process!

How to build a zinc top table?

2011-10-06T09:15:00.001-07:00

Have you heard about all the industrial vibe decor going on these days? A few months ago while I was shopping at our local flea market, I stumbled across four hand craved solid wood legs formerly attached to a table. Hummmm . . . . although they were heavily varnished and stained with cherry wood color, I concocted a design in my head, and purchased them for $20.00!

Now I just had to convey the idea I’ve concocted to my master carpenter & loving husband. Ya know, kinda get him excited about this idea, too, if that was at all possible? lol Unfortunately folks, I neglected to take any before photos. You have my promise on the next one, scout’s honor!

I asked Robert if he would take the reclaimed legs to his sandblaster. grumble grumble . . . . PLEEEEASE . . . . . more grumbles anything for you honey! Once they were sandblasted it really got the ball rolling. He could see the amazing potential in the distressed salvaged wood legs. YAY He built the table sides by attaching 1” x 4” pine lumber, and the console top with 1” x 18” pine lumber, that will be covered with our new zinc top. I will later stain the side panels to match the balusters natural antique finish.

Zinc top: Since this was our first time working with raw metal, I turned to the internet. I learned zinc is really just raw sheet metal that has oxidized. Okay this isn’t rocket science . . . . The net recommended 1/16th” gauge metal. Well um . . . lets just say this . . . We could have built an airplane with this metal, it’s as solid as a Boeing 747 :-). The raw sheet metal console top $75.00 big ones! The fabrication $75.00 bigger ones!

Next time we’ll choose a much lighter metal for a table surface. To seal the industrial antique zinc top, we used a wipe on ( love it) clear MATTE polyurethane. Robert attached the zinc top and finished off the corners with industrial concrete nails. I purchased four old caster wheels from EBay for a truly vintage look!

After we moved our new console inside, I decided to play with my new toy!!!! YAY

Since it’s October, I gathered a few things I had around the house, gourds, velvet pumpkins, curly raffia, vintage lantern, wire bird cage, and more flea market balusters that I will use on another project later. :-)

Our handcrafted console really complements the chunky carved rococo mirror in our dining room.

Wouldn’t this make a DYNAMITE center island in a kitchen!!!

I used this tall lantern filled with curly raffia and velvet pumpkins. It provides balance for the wire bird cages height.

For design inquiries, write to Laurie at me-n-you@verizon.net

The Kloster House #2

2011-09-23T09:57:00.001-07:00

I’m excited about sharing with you part two of the Kloster home. For those of you who missed it, you can view part one go here. I’m sure you’ll find this post to be equally as inspiring. This time I'd like to share a few of the rooms that I missed on my last post as well as her special backyard oasis.

Follow me . . . Let’s do this thing . . . :-)

Christy’s formal dining room is located at the back end of the home. The open French doors lead you in from outside. As you pass under this arbor cascading with Star Jasmine and dainty white roses, look closely, and you may can catch a glimpse of her vintage crystal chandelier. Every time you turn a corner, there’s something new to see in this lovley home.

Once inside the charming dining room to the left is a large carved gold leaf mirror, below the mirror, a wonderful garage sale find that she styled with three handy storage baskets. She mixed two different types of antique chairs with slipcovers for a unique look. Her elegant tablecloth is circa 1930’s.

Her spacious master bedroom is loaded with a vintage antique collection. She used a pair of chests at each side of the bed (we love the extra storage and added visual height) as opposed to bedside tables typically much lower to the bedside.

Christy says, “everything is worth saving.” She appreciates the special charm in recycling and reusing vintage pieces. I heart this vintage settee, I swoon over it’s curved back and carved wood details.

For added panache the doorway draped with soft linen invites you into the spa-like bathroom.

The mosquito netting above the soaking tub and new hardware add a certain elegance.

Outside, a spectacular backyard with . . . yep . . . . you guessed it more antiques. :-)

Every nook and crannie in her home is made for nesting. By using a wrought iron daybed, she created a cozy entertaining area for her friends and family. She hangs a vintage chandelier from a tree branch.

For even more panache a wrinkled burlap table runner cascades to the floor. A darling black metal fireplace is perfect for those cooler So-Cal nights.

Deeply colored petunias are displayed in a beautiful split terra cotta planter, that wraps around a tiered rack’s center post.

In So-Cal we embrace the outdoors at this time of the year, September/October. We’ll have many more warm outdoor days ahead into November. This beautifully outdoor styled daybed is as creative as ever, perfect for an afternoon snooze.

Soft gold and floral pillows look excellent against the green landscape.

Do you happen to know anyone with a bed in there backyard ??? lol

Photography courtesy of Jennifer Grey of The Old Painted Cottage.

Do you have a vision of how you would like your home to look?

Do you need help putting it in motion?

For design inquires email me-n-you@verizon.net

DECORATIVE pumpkins with velvet

2011-09-21T07:58:00.001-07:00

As each September day passes it starts to feel more and more like fall. I just love the feeling in the air of the seasons changing. Here’s a sneak peak at my fall decor. I created a quick fall display with these handmade velvet pumpkins! They are crafted out of vintage velvets, flea market finds. These vintage inspired pumpkins have become quite the blogging buzz. It seems as though everywhere you turn someone is posting about it, they have become so popular you can even purchase them at Bloomingdales.

I just love the rich colorful fall colors . . .

I filled my pumpkins with mostly rice (for a nice weighty feel) and a little batting. Remember to save your pumpkin stems for next year, I was able to snag a few at our local pumpkin patch. But these babies are hard to find, my favorite is the rich green color stem!!!! My heart be still . . .

I made a few of my pumpkins kind of squatty, so they would look similar to the fresh fairytale pumpkins I love so much!

Have you started your decorative fall juices flowing yet???

My dear friend and blogger extraordinar Jennifer has been featured in Better Homes and Gardens CHRISTMAS IDEAS. She put together this amazing Christmas decor. I was really caught off guard when she selected my Etsy shop (Bella Inspirations) to be featured along with her special magazine feature. I am honored to be featured along with some incredibly talented artists, thank you Jennifer!!!

Tried and True Texture . . .

My hand woven ribbon and matelasse fabric tree skirts are stenciled “Oh Holy Night the stars are brightly shining.”

Do you have a vision of how you would like your home to look?

Do you need help putting it in motion?

For design inquires email me-n-you@verizon.net

Head Turning Kitchen

2011-09-05T08:26:00.001-07:00

Hi y’all I know it’s been awhile, so let’s get caught up . . .

My good friends, John and Rebecca, have resided in their dazzling hillside So Cal home since 1994. They were kind enough to allow us front row seats for their spectacular kitchen reno.

This photo is their original 1967 kitchen in all it’s glory.

Before . . .

After first reno . .

Approx. one year ago,

She decided it was time to say buh-bye!

After some hardcore demolition the room was completely gutted.

(The exposed framed wall seen below is the same wall seen in the two above images.)

So began the designing process . . .

There was some structural work to attend to first. Which would include, raising the ceilings and closing up the wall to the far right, while opening up wall w/ proposed new sink.

Proposed new kitchen plan

and here’s what they eventually came up with . . .

Shall we . . .

Dark Chocolate cabinetry contrasted by rich polished Carrera marble. The magnificent stainless industrial style six burner range is a gas stovetop and electric oven. The range was a second, that she snagged. She had a few scratches removed and saved a big chunk $$. I just love the continuous line of the cabinets all the way up to the ceiling. I’m such a sucker for crown molding.

The striking vein cut porcelain floor tile repeats the veining pattern in the Carrera marble, ingenuously placed on the diagonal. We’re talking class!!!

New Sink

Existing sink becomes a prep sink, for fresh cut hydrangeas from her garden.

Custom built-in silverware drawer . . .

I added some accessories to the countertops: I grouped together these lovely candlesticks. The backsplash is Carrera basket weave, both timeless and elegant.

The Carrera stone countertop runs the entire length in both directions for a seamless corner. . . expert craftsmanship. Seen below in this back corner.

Between snapping photos we munched on homemade lemon scones. They were Delish!

Before . . .

After . . .

Photography courtesy of Jennifer Grey of The Old Painted Cottage.

A dream realized . . .

A huge thank you to Rebecca for sharing this story of their renovation.

Source List

Paint: Pours Stone-Dunn Edwards

Refrigerator: Warehouse Discount Center $3,000

Range: DCS Range, mfrd by Fisher Paykel Company $6,047

Backsplash tile: (eBay) Carrera basket weave $286

Island and Counters: polished Carrera stone major dollars

Cabinets: Modern Chocolate, flat $9,000

Cabinets: installation $1,000

Light pendants: (Home Depot) $114

Glass/ installation in cabinets $225

Floor tile: Vein Cut Porcelain $622

Window treatments: Jo-Ann Fabrics $80

Pantry door: ( Home Depot) special order door w/reeded glass

Sink faucets: Overstock.com

For design inquiries, write to Laurie at me-n-you@verizon.net

Bella Rustica Cottage

2011-07-20T16:19:00.001-07:00

Meet Kim Kelly - she is just adorable . . . artisan, animal advocate, and federal agent. What she has done is so AMAZING!!! The before and after images for her refurbished Bella Rustica Cottage. I just had to share her post with you all. :-)

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

At Christmas, I purchased what is fondly referred to as "The Pink House" on Saint Simons Island, GA.

For those who don't know, a year prior I transferred to this area with my federal agency to be an instructor at The Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Southeast Coastal Georgia. So, LABBIES California became LABBIES Georgia. Saint Simons Island is the land of second homes for wealthy Floridians and Georgians so in the struggling economy, the vacation home is the first to go. As a result, the market in general was soft but this particular house had been unoccupied for almost 8 years. It is located within 4 blocks of the Atlantic Ocean.

I bought it for 200K, filled with mold, open beam ceilings, lots of potential, and made it my own. I decided on a coastal look with Italian attitude - diverso (different) for this area. Most of the homes here are Coastal Cottage shingled or tabbied ( a concrete and oyster shell finish) but The Pink House was stucco, similar to my house in Coronado, CA. As I continue to learn about this part of the United States, I have come to understand that pink stucco is very "Florida".

After removing the carport, I painted it Universal Khaki (Sherwin Williams) and exposed the terra cotta brick over the carriage garage doors. I worked within a budget which is honestly more fun than having carte blanche. Because I have done it both ways I can say this. For those of you who don't know me, my Life Philosophy is that Life is mostly Plan B. Once you give in to this concept (a reality anyway, amici) Life becomes simply more fun and adventuress - like this re-model. For example, instead of marble countertops I did thick slabs of Live Oak from a local mill and I love it. When my contractor said we could not do something I asked what we could do and then we went from there. As a result, even I did not know what it would look like in the end.

To the left of the front door is an alcove (see below) where I leaned a hand-made chalkboard I'd made so people can leave messages for me.

Because the lot is so long, I wanted to plant my organic raised beds in the front yard, similar to the Victory Gardens of World War II. Aside from the herbs and vegetables in the raised beds, all additional plants are rosmarino (rosemary) and mexican sage. Initially, I wanted to plant rows of lavender but it does not thrive in this climate.

Herbs, heirloom tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, and yellow, orange, & red bell peppers are the bounty. I used crepe myrtle branches for rustica tomato trellises and they work perfectly.

Melanzane (Eggplant) maturing.

This was the original galley kitchen in a home not lived in for eight years. My design was based around a "J" design. I had to remove the wall to the right to open the kitchen to the living room to just over 7 feet to allow for my 7 foot farm table. In order to accommodate the refrigerator, 30 inch farm sink, dishwasher, the range, one (36) inch cabinet and two lazy susan cabinets the back door wall had to be extended.

Here is the just over 7 foot opening I mentioned. I opted to have the upper portion of the wall arched for accent.

I was on a budget for this home so I ended up choosing cabinets from a display model at U-Save Cabinets. I would never have chosen the original style - Mission - but knew I was going to paint and shabby them up. It's amazing what paint can do. I paid less for these all-wood cabinets than I would have for the particle board unpainted cabinets available at Lowes or Home Depot. I primed them with a gray primer and then added layers of two brown-grey paints mixing them with glaze to extend the time I had to move the paint around until I found the perfect combination. For contrast, the original wood color in seen on the sides of the cabinets. In between, I sanded edges and created "worm holes" and then hand wiped burnt sienna acrylic oil paint onto and into the raw wood. I finished with layers of orange oil. I love the finished product.

I had already decided on Live Oak solid wood countertops so off to Saint Simons Mill I went.

The logs are milled thirty feet from where they lay and then moved into the warehouse.

If you have never had an appreciation for wood, you would have coming here.

I choose the thickest width of wood the cabinets would hold and then asked that the edge of the counter remain natural in form and that when the back pieces where cut straight to accommodate the walls, that natural edge be used for the backsplash.

I hoped that when the original false-ceiling in the kitchen was removed, the open beams used in the living and dining room were also originally used, and they were. Because they were covered right away with the ceiling they were never painted like the rest of the house. I chose to allow the kitchen ceiling to remain natural and would have wanted to sand-blast the other rooms to match but it was cost prohibitive. Because the kitchen was extended, there was not enough original flooring so instead of matching it I decided to lay rough hewn travertine marble.

In order to accommodate the copper farm sink the door to the cabinet had to be removed. Rather than having them cut down the doors and re-attach them, I opted to skirt that area in burlap. The copper farm sink was an eBay ~~purchase~~ steal at $300.00. I would normally not have chosen the embossed sea shells but that was where the savings came in and since I am less than a mile to the ocean, why not?

Apparently, the house was made of stucco over brick so when the kitchen wall and ceiling were removed the exposed brick was peeking through so I immediately knew I wanted to open the back wall up. This was the only area this could be done so it ended up making more of a statement.

I had the ever-talented Tamerie Shriver made my roman shade out of, what else, burlap.

I splurged here and saved there. The lighting over the sink is a galvanized barn lamp available at Loews for $20.00. You just have to have exposed galvanized metal over old brick so that made it easy for the electricians.

The alcove behind the range idea I swiped from a magazine and recreated it here. The street address sign I had made the last time I was in Italy and it depicts the address of my genitori italiani (parents), Alfonso e Carla Tomasi, 24 Via Monti, Sesto Fiorentino, Italia.

More photos to come on Kim’s blog... here

Kim, I absolutely adore your cottage, you have done an exquisite job. I love the way you bring in the unexpected by selecting the textures and materials you’d find in nature. Beautifully done!!!!

The Kloster House

2011-07-17T07:32:00.001-07:00

It just so happens the lady of the house is a very close friend of mine and not lacking in decorating talent by any means. Her name is Christi, (we call her Triss) a busy mother of two, and a graduate of FIDM Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising. She’s the queen of unfinished projects. She often has ten projects going at once. :-) When she and I get together there is lots of love, laughter and creativity .

She’s done quite an exceptional job at sprucing up her crib. If her husband doesn’t feel like joining in on the reno’s, somehow she pulls it off, yep . . . by herself. Let’s start with the kitchen . . . shall we?

Christi completely renovated the whole kitchen after purchasing their home. She replaced all the appliances to stainless steel. The cabinets, they were originally a outdated whitewash color, they got a facelift, too.. Her newer updated look is a darker stain with a geometric molding detail on the cabinet doors, and lovely stainless bin pulls.

She uses a old wooden table as her island and it’s charming.

She added three great pendant lights above the peninsula .

This is her kitchen eating area. She fashioned this bench from a vintage headboard, and made a elegant slipcover for the seat cushion to add warmth and color. I finished ‘er up by bringing in the unexpected with one of my handmade natural burlap table runner’s. I just love textured fabric.

Her palette is soft faded golds. She has a fondness for vintage pieces, and layers many different types of luxurious fabrics…

Don’t you just love her panche style!!!

Seen here in her living room, she whipped up this amazing burlap slipcover, with beautiful long fringe. Who would have thunk? I choose a unique French design for the chair back that finished it off.

One of the pieces I purchased for Christi is her 1930’s wardrobe chest. The paint is all original and we love the wood carvings on the front of the glass doors.

How cute is her daughter Sophia’s funky tween bedroom ? Seen here again layers of many different patterns and styles of fabric, black and white damask, vintage floral, zebra, etc. I especially love the unique drapery treatment. A sheer fuchsia poke-a-dot panel with large fuchsia bows and flowers, super brilliant !!! What a fun look!

A French chandelier (I found for Christi), and vintage framed artwork above the bed complete this look. I just love this casual imperfection!

All photos courtesy of The Old Painted Cottage

Meet Sophia and Christi, I absolutely adore them!! Thank you Christi for taking the time with me, sharing ideas and thoughts. I look forward to many more projects with you.

Always in my thoughts.

I will be visiting the Kloster’s home again soon.

Happy Weekend :-)

Rachel Ashwell, reinvented

2011-07-12T07:51:00.001-07:00

Saturday, July 9, 2011 :: LATIMES

In Ashwell's latest home her signature Shabby Chic look is in full effect.

At a time when weathered woods, vintage treasures and timeworn flea market finds are enjoying a renaissance in the decorating world, it is more than a bit ironic that Rachel Ashwell, the queen of Shabby Chic, finds herself rebuilding her empire.
Just two years ago, Ashwell was forced to closed the doors on 15 of her Shabby Chic stores and file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, a casualty in the housing market meltdown and ensuing recession. Her beloved mum, the muse to whom she dedicated her last book, had just passed away. Ashwell later would have to say goodbye to her three-bedroom, three-bath home in the tony Malibu Colony too.

"The castle had crumbled and I had to let it go," said Ashwell, who was 50 at the time. "It was a very painful time on every level. But what happens when you go through these kinds of things is a kind of rebirth, and you are very selective as to what you bring back."
The maven of comfort style is indeed back, this time in a 1960s clapboard rental in Malibu's Paradise Cove that she affectionately calls her "Shabby Shack," a symbol of her refocused life and work.

"The cottage isn't perfect," Ashwell said. "Saltillo tiles are not my favorite. In the past, I would have replaced everything — installed hardwood floors and new windows, changed the staircase and railing — but it's not necessary. I think the cottage demonstrates how to work with what you have. Even when things are not exactly the way you want, you can make it work."

In the last 24 months, Ashwell has been at work in other corners of her castle, rethinking her life, making changes. That includes her newly edited furnishings business — now three boutique stores under the moniker Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic Couture in Santa Monica, New York and London, as well as a B&B called the Prairie that opened in March in Round Top, Texas, site of a twice yearly antiques market. Her forthcoming book, "Shabby Chic Inspirations and Beautiful Spaces," will be released in October.
But it is her Shabby Shack that may best represent Ashwell's adaptation to economically challenging times. A simple coat of matte white paint spruced up the exterior, although she left the beige on part of the second floor that cantilevers over the pool. ("I would have had to bring in scaffolding and painting it was just too costly and too much trouble," she said.)

Inside, romantic Turkish rugs in faded red and teal blues camouflage the unloved Saltillo tiles as well as add warmth and color to what had been a plain setting. Rather than replace the harsh black stair railing, Ashwell covered it with vintage textiles — all part of her new philosophy of "making do but not settling." Her signature Shabby Chic look is here, to be sure: the oh-so-comfy slipcovered sofas, the decades-old furnishings with soul, the flea market discoveries that the designer handpicks. An old wood table on the deck surrounded by mismatched chairs is as charming as ever. Her favorite weathered benches, combined with a giant table for dining or for work, represent another recession appointment: furniture that can serve multiple purposes.

"They can be a place to sit, or a coffee table, or simply a place to put things," she said.
Elsewhere, the home is filled with more of her trademark look, from the perforated wood chair by the fireplace to the scuffed-edge vintage tray topped with a mix of old flea market glasses. It's a style that Traditional Home editor in chief Ann Maine calls "very personal … homey and casual."
But Ashwell's signature white-on-white is evolving to include more color these days, part of her new "Russian peasant cottage style" inspired by some of British photographer Tim Walker's recent imagery.
"It's a bit more bohemian with a slightly richer palette than the Shabby Chic white-on-white and pastels," Ashwell said. "They're colors that were once intense and are now faded and smoky."
Ashwell's rental home also serves as a laboratory, a testing ground for Modern-inspired pieces that she recently added to her lineup. The iconic bean bag chair has been tweaked, the 1960s vinyl covers in psychedelic hues replaced with hand-dyed velvets in muted jewel tone colors, offering a soft landing for family and friends.
A sectional sofa has been added, the standard fare of modern interiors given the Ashwell spin: white linen and faded floral fabrics. The designer is quick to assure faithful customers that the form may be more contemporary than what they're used to, but the cushions are "still as mushy and comfortable as ever."
The bedroom — dressed in her new bespoke linens and a small mountain of ruffled pillows — offers the ultimate, forget-the-world cocoon.

In her small office niche by the winding staircase, lacey gowns from bygone eras hang off an old sconce, conjuring images of ballrooms and gardenia corsages. Nearby, a memory board fashioned from old cork and a painted white frame — another Shabby Chic signature piece — has been layered with children's photos, invitations, articles and fabric samples.
"The memory boards are like a scrapbook of your favorite things, but they hang on your wall so you can see them," said the designer, who considers them a form of "authentic, organic art."
The various looks, old and new, add up to what Karen Sellars, Ashwell's friend for more than 20 years, calls extraordinary resilience.
"The challenges of her business taught her a lot of lessons, but in the end it didn't dull her spirit," Sellars said.
Family Circle's director of home design, Judy Prouty, pointed out that although Shabby Chic isn't likely to be embraced by the fans of the clean-lined, pathologically uncluttered homes that dominate modern design blogs today, Ashwell's celebration of casual imperfection makes sense for imperfect times.
"Rachel's fondness for vintage pieces, cushy furniture and lots of white slipcovers give it a family-friendly, easy-to-live-with vibe," Prouty said, adding that Shabby Chic actually dovetails with the current frenzy for crafting, DIY and "anyone who wants to express their personal/artistic vision with a paintbrush, wallpaper, bits of lace and fabric."At the heart of Ashwell's pretty-but-imperfect furnishings always has been a kind of ethereal beauty, so it's fitting that in the corner of one of Ashwell's memory boards hangs a pair of broken wings.
"I have a philosophical connection with them," the designer said with a laugh. "So many Texas songs are about angels and broken wings. For me, they speak to the fact that you may not be able to fly as high or as fast, but you can still fly."

Rachel were so glad you’re back, see you at the flea market! :-)

Grain Sack Stencils

2011-07-10T10:02:00.001-07:00

Laura, the owner and creator of Maison de Stencils is an absolute peach-of–a-gal. I am thrilled to have her as one of my friends. She has a unique flair and a keen eye for all things French. Laura’s stencils are some of my favorite design tools.

Don’t ya just love this stencil Laura designed? I thought I would share with you a few things I have developed for my line of reproduction antiques.

I often start with something familiar like an ottoman base, and try to re-purpose it. I use a quick fabric spray paint on my stencils, forget about sponging, besides my hands get tired that way. I like quick results with less effort, don’t you??

This ottoman has a washed Belgian linen slipcover with a 12 inch ruffle.

Yummy . . .

Then I move on to larger things like this washed handmade linen slip cover I stenciled.

All of Laura’s stencils are cut from 7 mil mylar, and are super durable and can be used again and again. There is no need to clean the paint off your stencils. It dries quickly usually within a few hours, depending on what type of paint you’re using.

This charming vintage inspired footstool, is still up for grabs in my ETSY shop :-)

If you like this stencil, Laura will design a custom stencil just for you, personalized with your family name and the date your Chateau was established. How cool is that ??

These stencils are just a click away, Happy Stenciling!!!

For design inquiries, write to Laurie at me-n-you@verizon.net

How would you decorate 12”of space?

2011-07-08T16:51:00.001-07:00

Since I purchased my new Cannon power shot, I’ve been busy taking a lot of photos all over the house. Yikes, I got a real good look at what a mess was going on above my kitchen cabinets. Everybody likes to merchandise their counter tops, but when it comes to decorating above their kitchen cabinets, well . . .

(Above kitchen cabinets before)

Our kitchen had twelve inches of neglected space above the kitchen cabinets. I recently did a little tweaking, and here’s what I came up with on a limited budget. The twelve inches became quite challenging, most accessories are a bit taller. Soooo this is where the element of scale comes in. I found shorter items that were just too itsy. The challenge was to find larger scale items under twelve inches.

I had envisioned a soft neutral scheme. The natural element from the curly willow softens the strong hard edges of the cabinets. I used an iron bird cage and a beautiful scroll design decorative piece in the area above the stove. The soft patina green in the decorative piece brings out the greenish tones in the wall color.

I found a rectangular shaped frame and covered it with stenciled burlap fabric.

I had an old rectangular metal box around. I wrapped the rim with a natural beaded garland for texture. This also works well on a round basket.

(Above kitchen cabinets after)

I think I’ve really enhanced that twelve inches of wasted space. I love the way it elevates our tumbled travertine backsplash, too!

Were giving away a vintage inspired pillow on The Lettered Cottage !!!

2011-06-15T18:28:00.001-07:00

Meet Layla, the fabulous blogger extraordinaire, who writes The Lettered Cottage, she and I have gotten together and cooked up the most fabulous giveaway! You should rush over to her blog and read all about it.

Take a look at the AMAZINGLY talented Layla’s kitchen reno. If you haven’t met Kevin and Layla yet, get to know them. They are super fun and adorable!!

Check out Kevin and Layla’s handy work in their sophisticated relaxed kitchen, while oozing with style and class. Layla has a special way of decorating. Isn’t the flooring great? It’s comfortable yet durable. Notice the seating, check out the comfort of the wicker she worked in to the space. I always encourage my clients to MIX, glance to the end of her dining table . . . notice the stylish flair of using of a different dining chair.

I love the way she takes advantage of the rooms architecture.

Killer Reno!!!

If you would like to get your hands on a beautiful handmade pillow, leave a comment at The Lettered Cottage and you might be the winner!

Good Luck!!

Today create something truly beautiful !!!

We may not be newlyweds anymore…..

2011-06-02T12:52:00.001-07:00

Nope . . . its our Silver Wedding Anniversary today!!!!

Twenty five years ago today, we were married in font of a small group of our closest friends and family. My mom styled our wedding cake with fresh flowers, greens and two white doves on top. Inside was yummy Italian cannoli cake for our guests to enjoy!

There are only a few major events in our lifetime, this day was one of them! Our Wedding day June 2, 1986

Happy Anniversary to my loving husband who I cherish with all my heart.

Now that’s a milestone!!! :-)

Elegant Swedish antiques and more

2011-05-11T10:47:00.001-07:00

I woke up this morning thinking, what can I share with you folks today? I am constantly in search of new designs, therefore, my post today is a few great design ideas, I couldn’t wait to share with you.

Do You like sumptuous Swedish antiques? There's nothing quite like these seen below. If you have the budget to purchase one of these bad boys, lucky you! For those of us do it yourselfers, Jeffree Turney owner of Lone Ranger Antiques shows us how. He recently appeared as a special guest on the Martha Stewart show! Ohmygoosh, what a terrific demo on distressing furniture using milk paint!

Jeffree travels 5 months a year to Sweden, he searches for the most unique Swedish country antiques possible. His selection is phenomenal!

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I am fascinated by diptychs (two panels of art), and triptychs (three panels of art), if you’re adventurous, try some of these paneled art images for a special added touch to your decor.

Green Day

I heart black and white images.

Have you thought about rearranging your furniture . . . and thought . . . and thought . . .

Remember any item can always go back to its original “home.” Embrace change, its fun!

For design inquiries, write to Laurie at me-n-you@verizon.net

High Point Market Report: Color is King!

2011-05-02T05:13:00.001-07:00

I have to share with you all !!! This week I stumbled on a wonderful home design article and blog written by interior designer, Mary Carol Garrity, she is a fabulous writer and successful designer. Her article below is full of ton’s of top design information!! I wish, I was one of the attending guests. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Twice a year, I and 80,000 other retailers make the pilgrimage to High Point, N.C., for the High Point Market, which, in my opinion, is the best in the world. This Mecca of the home furnishings industry, with its 10 million square feet of showroom space and 2,000 exhibitors, is one of the best sources for inspiration in interior decorating. And this spring, I was blown away by what I saw at High Point. The styles, colors and trends were the most exciting in a decade. I couldn’t wait to get back and share with you all my “best of show” – the emerging trends and hottest looks of the season. …

For the past few years, it seemed like everything they showed at market was brown, brown and more brown. Don’t get me wrong – I love brown, but enough is enough. This year I went to High Point craving color and was dazzled by what I saw. Everywhere you turned, you were drenched in vibrant hues that sent a jolt of joy through your whole body, like marigold yellow, Clementine orange, parrot green and fuchsia.

But it wasn’t just the color scheme that was exciting this year. It was also the fresh take on traditional designs that also sent my spirits soaring. For instance, one of our favorite furniture makers, C.R. Laine, showed a furniture grouping (pictured above) that knocked the ball out of the park: a Chesterfield sofa covered in black menswear herringbone fabric paired with spool side chairs, the seat cushions done in parrot green with black piping. I was breathless!

The showroom pictured in the snapshot above seemed to encapsulate market this year: fresh, clean, inviting, invigorating. When we walked past this furniture-filled breezeway, I was instantly sucked into the gravitational orbit of blue and white, one of my favorite color combos. I loved how my old friends were reinvented through this crisp transitional furniture and playful paper lanterns. I wanted to throw a party in this space!

I am a bargain shopper from the word go, and one of the things I enjoy most at Nell Hill’s is seeing shoppers do a double take when they look at one of our price tags because they can’t believe how inexpensive some of our merchandise is. So these inventive light fixtures made me snap to attention. The creative exhibitors took the same lanterns we carry at Nell Hill’s and outfitted them with simple bulbs on electric cords, the kind you can pick up at the hardware store. We’re going to copy their idea and show our customers how they can do the same in their homes, turning these inexpensive lanterns into unique chandeliers to put over their dining room tables (three hanging in a row would look sensational), on their screened porch or over a kitchen island.

Our ongoing quest for color repeatedly drew Becky, Marsee and me into showrooms like the once pictured here, filled with vibrant tones and fun shapes. Of course, we went pillow crazy! But, how could you not when you have choices like these? If you’d like to perk up your sofa or side chairs this summer, just add a few accent pillows loaded with color. You will find a garden of them at Nell Hill’s in the next few weeks, as our shipments start coming in.

I’m also a big fan of furniture made by Lee Industries. I really liked their new take on traditional dining room groupings. Instead of chairs, why not pair your rustic table with a pair of booths, covered in a washable slipcover fabric like these? We thought this combination was perfect for young families!

Painted furniture is still huge. And we fell for these distressed painted console tables because they are loaded with style and incredibly inexpensive — perfect cheater pieces you can use for a bed stand or buffet, or even as a cabinet to hold a bathroom sink.

I couldn’t pass up this super cute dining room set, made by the same company as above and every bit as affordable. With the dining room chairs covered in blue buffalo check, the grouping feels like it’s straight from Sweden.

I continue to get turned on by what designers are doing with lamps these days. This ceramic lamp in today’s hot, hot, hot turquoise color is just a sample of the fun accent lighting we gobbled up at market.

I am a sucker for tradition, but I really like what designers are doing today to give classic pieces a fresh new feel. Wing back chairs, like the one pictured here, are a perfect example. Today’s wing backs have smaller wings, lower arms and less girth, which makes them easier to use in conversation groupings. Covered in hip fabrics like this geometric pattern in marigold yellow, these pieces fit in well with décor that ranges from modern to classic.

At Nell Hill’s, we have a hard time keeping wonderful bookcases in stock, they are so popular with our customers. And no wonder, because you can’t beat them when it comes to defining a space. Thankfully, we found loads of fabulous bookcases like the one above, so all three of our stores will be full of great selections.

Anyone else out there a fan of the TV show Mad Men? These funky green leather chairs (which are not only comfy but also swivel!) would look ideal in Don Draper’s office, wouldn’t they? And, they would look amazing in yours too! The mid-century look is really big right now in furniture, accessories and lamps.

Check out these fabulous baskets! You could hang one on your front door or on a wall. Prop one in an empty, lonely corner. I’ve even had customers use great baskets like these as mailboxes. The wood boxes in this snapshot are also divine. They are attractive storage units that also add visual interest to a room. Stack two together and use them as an end table, place one on top of a cabinet to fill this unused space, slide one under a leggy end table to give it more visual weight or put one onto the shelf of a cabinet.

Marsee, Becky and I all adore garden accents, so we got into lots of trouble in this showroom, ordering garden statues, urns and baskets with wild abandon. I couldn’t resist all the texture and that aged patina.

This was the market of the magic carpets – This fall, Nell Hill’s will be filled with a huge selection of area rugs because we are expanding our selection exponentially. You’ll find everything from classics patterns to more contemporary pieces. Nell Hills is Mary Carol’s stunning home decor store.

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Psssst . . Guess what folks ??? The talented Sherry from No Minimalist Here and I have gotten together and are having wonderful giveaway, we’ve carefully picked an item from my collection, that will steal your heart’s away!! My friends please take a moment to visit her lovely blog! I’m sure she would love to meet you all.

Would you would like to get your hands on a beautiful handmade burlap table runner from Bella Inspirations?

Enter our giveaway! HERE

Have a super week everyone!

The Barr House #3

2011-04-24T18:57:00.001-07:00

I stepped in to help my clients with some small redecorating jobs. They have a very large island in their kitchen. Although their spacious kitchen was packed with style before, it really was lacking a focal point. My plan is to redesign the island with custom moldings, and provide additional lighting with a new hanging fixture.

(Kitchen before)

Island before with proposed beadboard sample.

We installed the beadboard on the surface of the island. . . vertical to the floor, to stretch the space visually. The beadboard has a manufactured primer coat, and will have to be painted. It looks good already, doesn’t it???

Larger craftsman quality baseboards replaced the old smaller ones, as well as other various moldings, that highlight the island and stone even more.

The island is detailed with encased raised panels.

Now the island is ready for paint. . .

Although my clients are in their golden years, I was able to persuade them into a lovely rich brown color. Yep, you guessed it French Roast, it’s a little bit spicy for the older folks, however, I reassured them one way to elevate good style to great style is to embrace a bit of good drama. Yes, It’s the same color I used on my new built-in, just in case you were wondering. This color will give the island that pop we’re looking for!!!

This kitchen is truly a cook’s dream. The custom center island with granite surface is perfect for preparing anything. Elegant stainless steel appliances with a six-burner range, and double oven. A dual drawer dishwasher, trash compactor and microwave. I chose an iron oil-rubbed bronze fixture, with hand crafted glass shades. My clients were concerned the size of the fixture would be too large, however, I think it suits the island nicely and they do, too! I have successfully transformed this classic designed kitchen island into an eye catching masterpiece, and my clients are thrilled!

(Kitchen After)

Remember the barstools (seen below) in front of the island before. Well, we decided the island looked so amazing, we didn’t want anything to block this focal point!

So we removed the bar stools . . . GONE!

Stay tuned for more decorating changes occurring at the Barr’s house.

A shout out to all my new followers, so nice to have you on board. The lucky winner of our Spring Basket Giveaway is Deborah at The Fairfield House. Congratulations!

Sending my wishes for a wonderful Easter Holiday to all of you.

Hope that bunny found his way to your home….

HAPPY EASTER!!!

Were giving away an Spring Basket on The Old Painted Cottage !!!

2011-04-10T19:55:00.001-07:00

My friend, the fabulous blogger extraordinaire, Jennifer Grey, who writes The Old Painted Cottage and I have gotten together and cooked up the most fabulous giveaway!

You should rush over to her blog and read all about it. If you would like to get your hands on a beautiful handmade spring basket.

Good luck to every one participating in our wonderful giveaway! I’m looking forward to getting to know all of Jennifer’s peeps! Your arrival is a cause of joy, and I will try my best to greet you all !!! For those of you I haven’t met yet, see my brag sheet below.

About MEE . . .

In June 2008, I was abruptly terminated from my position as a Broker Liaison, a direct result of the slumping housing market in Southern California. Shortly thereafter, my dear friend Jennifer, encouraged me to launch my own business - which was always my dream, so it was either sink or swim. I began my Etsy shop last year with my staple French inspired burlap table runners with much success. As time went on, Bella evolved into offering not only the runners and various handmade pieces, but also beautiful vintage antique items as well. I am truly living my dream! Jennifer has inspired me into wearing a plethora of different hats. Seen below are JUST a few of my creations. Thank you, Jennifer!

Vintage inspired linen pillows . .

Burlap pillow collection . .

French document burlap pillow on the left, Fleur-de-lis lumbar on the right. .

Linen and fluffy down pillows, timeless and elegant . .

Burlap ottoman w/ French inspired grain sack script . .

Charcoal grey medic cross pillow and vintage army bolster.

Vintage French linen ottoman with lovely ruffle. .

Slipcovered arm chair with French script and Chateau BRADBURY pillow on right. .

Burlap and grain sack holiday decor with hanging tassel. .

Burlap & organic cotton stockings with petite ruffle. .

I heart drapery rings to hang my holiday stockings.

It adds just the perfect stroke of sophistication.

Burlap starfish stockings . .

I was so excited when Jennifer said she would be the mistress of ceremonies for this fun giveaway! Thank you Jennifer for your wonderful post and for helping me with this fun and fabulous giveaway.

Hurry on over to The Old Painted Cottage (click here to enter our giveaway) and read all about it. Leave a comment and you might become the winner!

Good Luck!!

Today create something truly beautiful !!!

Etsy Treasury

2011-04-08T07:19:00.001-07:00

My friend and fellow entrepreneur, Julie has a lovely Etsy shop called Rusticrevivals. She put together this amazing Etsy Treasury and really caught me off guard. She selected my shop (Bella Inspirations) to be featured on the very first page of the treasury !!! The theme is The Burlap Bride, my listing is called “ Here comes the bride” ( click here to view my listing.)I am honored to be featured along with some incredibly talented artists, thank you Julie.

Happy Weekend folks, stop by next week were having a great giveaway!!!

Custom Built-in Reveal

2011-03-22T15:13:00.001-07:00

Hello everyone, I know you have all been waiting to see our finished built-in.Click here for my original story. Just a few days ago Robert gave me the green light, the paint was dry enough and I could have my way with our new built-in. Tucked away in the corner of our office I transformed this eyesore niche seen below into a striking built-in.

(Right side of niche before)

( Back left corner before)

(office niche before)

( office built-in after)

Stunning bead board details grace this custom built-in. I designed it with a spacious desk top work station, perfect for a computer/study area, etc.

I merchandised the built-in with lovely vintage antique items, mostly collected from flea markets and garage sales. These items include old encyclopedias, cast iron pulley, vintage inspired clock, personalized worn leather suitcases, basket from France, etc. So far this is what I’ve come up with, and I will keep adding to it, of course. We haven’t yet installed lighting, I will also be on the look-out for an industrial style desk lamp.

Seen below is the canvas art I hung inside our built-in, it’s a world map that depicts one of Christopher Columbus’ three ships hung on a retractable rod. The inspiration came form Restoration Hardware’s retractable military world map $ 639.00. I duplicated the same idea for $220.00. not bad eh?

I did my thing, and there is only one way to describe this floor-to-ceiling built-in

TALL DARK AND HANDSOME !!!!!!!

Do you have a vision of how you would like your home to look?

Do you need help putting it in motion?

For design inquires email me-n-you@verizon.net

Got Paint ?

2011-03-13T17:10:00.000-07:00

All right folks our built-in is moving right along. I’m going to pick up where I left off. As you can see below, Robert has installed the crown moldings, medallions, etc. We are inching our way to the painting.

Hold up . . .

Before he got any further, I reminded him with caulking, less is always better. We can always go back over it, but once the caulking is on…Uummm?

Next step will be to prep the built-in for paint, tape around the entire unit. Are we done yet?

So far our built-in has set us back $514.00; not bad considering a custom built-in of this size could run as much as $2,800 to $3,000 by a professional. I do apologize for the crazy photos, I’m trying my best.

Okay folks can we talk?!!! I am VERY picky when it comes to paint brushes. I typically will only use PURDY brand $$$$…I guess you could say I am a paint brush snob!

Since I promised to help out with the painting, I snagged a few of these brushes ( seen below) from the 99 cents store. If you see any of these around grab them, they are fab !!! Usually inexpensive paint brushes are a no go, this brand for some reason doesn’t shed and has a wonderful quality. We used the three inch size and a two inch size angle brush.

It just so happened we had a full gallon of my favorite color in the garage. Perfect, no dealing with primer since this amazing paint has it already built-in. PAINT AND PRIMER IN ONE . . .

BEHR ULTRA ( FRENCH ROAST)

I’m ecstatic !!! The painting is finally in progress. We are thrilled, the bead board texture, along with this gorgeous color, looks very elegant on our built-in.

Designing with Brown

Though often the most feared palette, the right amount of brown will add excitement and enhance a room. Many people think brown will make a space look too dark, but good designers know that if used properly, brown is a powerful tool. I will demonstrate this to you as this room starts to take shape. For those folks who are haunted by the look of brown reminding you of the 80's, the twenty first century browns are a whole new ball game. They are significantly different from the eyesore paint colors that were once used in the 80’s. Embrace the new brown tones, they have just the perfect stroke of sophistication.

See you folks later, I’m off to find the perfect accessories for our new built-in, while my loving husband finishes up on the painting, hee hee

Do you have a vision of how you would like your home to look?

Do you need help putting it in motion?

For design inquires email me-n-you@verizon.net

Got Caulk ?

2011-03-04T14:20:00.001-08:00

Because of the large size of this built-in unit, Robert decided to built it outdoors. When the time finally came to bring it inside, it was so massive, we asked a few of our friends and family to help out. When my Dad , husband and neighbor lifted it into place, Yep . . . you guessed it, it didn’t fit. The top of the niche was 1/2” wider from the bottom. Oh did I mention the unit was extremely heavy, 300 lbs or so. Needless to say my husband was not a happy camper.

As the built-in progress we have had to make a few changes to our original design. I’m sure all you do-it –yourselfers can relate. Robert knew I was really wanting the look of floating shelves, and since neither of us knew how to build them. lol He took a stab at it.

Crank up the blow by blow…

Let’s see, Sunday was our 10th trip to Home Depot since our project started. Needless to say his patience is running at an all time low. “ I’m so sick of this project. If one more thing goes wrong I’m going to throw a grenade at it.” “ Come on honey! You can do it!”

( Built-in before moldings and trims)

Shelves before molding and my sweet hubby filing for separation papers, lol

My parents dropped by today to see how the built in was looking. They expressed their loving complements and support. Then they inquired “ Who is going to paint the new built in?” Much to my surprise my better half spoke music to my ears, “ I am.”

Our built-in is shaping up, the crown molding and medallions are now installed. I’ve already started gathering some wonderful items to merchandise the shelves with.

Next we will caulk around all the joints. I’m so glad my master finish carpenter hubby knew about caulking the built-in. Because I didn’t have a clue.

What’s a home project without a bit of good drama? lol

xoxo

Do you have a vision of how you would like your home to look?

Do you need help putting it in motion?

For design inquires email me-n-you@verizon.net

Does anyone like bead board?

2011-02-15T12:15:00.001-08:00

A show of hands please. . . .

We have been the proud owners of our crib for nine years. The office has a large niche, and it could be used as a closet, but that would be too closed in and boring for my taste. Huummmmm bead board?

My dearest friend Jennifer at The Old painted Cottage is quite familiar with bead board and has chosen it for several surfaces around her stunning cottage. She’s even thought about it on the ceiling. All this talk about bead board has really got me thinking! . . .

Now comes the fun part, convincing Robert with my plan of action. That he of course, will think is absolutely insane! lol “Honey, would you be up for build a shelving unit in the office????” “grumble… grumble… I am not a finish carpenter.” “That’s ok, we’ll just try to wing it, what do you think?” “grumble … grumble…Why don’t we just hire a carpenter?” “Because we can be proud that we built it ourselves.” “ What did you have in mind? Only if you keep it simple.” hee hee Simple doesn’t exist in a designers vocabulary. hee hee

Our new built in shelving unit (87”X 9’) will have, Yep, you guessed it bead board on the back surface and much much more too. I can hardly wait to begin!

Left side of office niche before …

right side of office niche . . .

Left side of office niche before…

Proposed moldings for our new built in shelf unit. Unless of course, I change my mind, that I’ve been know to do. :-)

I designed the built in unit to house three floating shelves, with enough space in-between left so I can merchandise them with larger scale items.

The first lower shelf Robert installed at desk height. This gives us the option of additional desk space if needed and with a swivel chair we can use both our desk surface and shelf in the built in. You can never have to much desk space.

The corbels were a garage sale find, wish I had a few more.

Stick around, this weekend will install the moldings on the fronts of the shelf's. Cant wait to share with you!

xoxo

Do you have a vision of how you would like your home to look?

Do you need help putting it in motion?

For design inquires email me-n-you@verizon.net

Suburban home Part five

2011-02-14T08:59:00.001-08:00

Get comfortable, curl up, and enjoy the rest of this redesign. Missy, a nurse and a dedicated mother of three, is still chugging along with her redesign The worn neutral carpet will be replaced with gorgeous hand scraped, wide plank durable hardwood in a mid-tone color, the slip covered sofa was donated to our local women's shelter. I plan to work in a L -shaped sectional to be placed where the existing sofa is, and it will wrap around the corner to the right. This will give Missy and her family ample seating. It’s the perfect fit! One half of the sectional will be placed in the existing sofa location under the windows.

(family room sofa before…)

My design goal for this room was to create more “ Balance”. As you can see, the sectional distributes the weight in this 15’L x 16’ room much more evenly. :-)

We chose a kid friendly chenille blend fabric on the new custom sectional. I talked her into a soft mocha brown. I also custom designed the sectional to fit the room, it measures 130” x 102”. Yep, it’s a biggie!

( new family room sectional…)

Notice how this nine foot sofa ( seen below) seems a bit lost in this large family room. The walls in this spacious family room were painted with Restoration Hardware’s Latte. To see the redesign of the wall on the right, with the shelves go here

(family room before…)

With her new look taking shape, she still likes a little touch of frou frou. She purchased the ruffle edged pillows ( seen below) at the Rosebowl in Pasadena CA. They are a nice creamy white. I decided to throw in a touch of my burlap collection for our photos.

Do you guys remember back in the day-The Broadway Department Store? Yep, her sturdy coffee table was purchased 16 years ago, and has made it through those tough childhood years and still has more mileage to go.

( New stylish family room…)

We are super excited for this redesign to receive those beautiful hardwood floors. They’re coming up soon. We cant wait to show you!

There you have it…

Sorry about the photos, I’m still learning how to adjust the settings on my camera. Urgh

Thank you all for allowing me to share my designs with you.

xoxo

Do you have a vision of how you would like your home to look?

Do you need help putting it in motion?

For design inquires email me-n-you@verizon.net

Suburban home Part four

2011-02-03T07:46:00.001-08:00

Now that the walls have been painted, Missy and I can start to put some of the finishing touches in place. Missy has a lovely photo collection of her three “pups” oops girls, capturing some of her favorite moments. She has decided to keep the trio of shelf/ ledges, but do a little tweaking.

(family room wall before)

She had already had two pewter photo frames and decided to add more. Of course, I had to get my grubby little hands in the middle and do some rearranging. Gone are the artificial plants, in with some larger scale items. This charming clock creates a focal point and adds a nice impact. Lucky for us, she already had the clock. Missy added a few more of her favorite images, with just a skosh larger frames. Notice how significantly different the three shelves look? I didn’t change the location of the shelves, just the items! What a beautiful family! Don’t you agree?

( family room wall after)

Just to the right of our newly worked shelving is her lovely fireplace and hearth. The framed art above the fireplace is a classic signed limited edition from the Marty Bell collection. Although we admire it’s beauty, we have decided to move it to another location. I introduced Missy to some larger scale art for above her family room fireplace, which I will reveal tomorrow. She cracks me up, she really got into scale/ proportion! Well, as you can imagine, with all these changes going on around the house Missy’s daughters have become quite curious about all these new changes. Missy, clever mother that she is, is teaching her oldest(eleven yrs.) daughter, Kayla, about scale and proportion, it’s toooo cute. Meanwhile I asked her younger eight year old daughter, Lillian, “So, how do you like your newly decorated house?” She replied with a big smile “I’m still getting used to it!” lol

(family room fireplace wall before)

family room - painting in progress

Thank you all for allowing me to share my designs with you.

xoxo

Merry Christmas & warm Holiday greetings to all blog friends! ..

2010-12-23T18:17:00.001-08:00

Okay now comes the fun part. Yep, I kind of figured you would want to know some of the dets of how I achieved this look.

I used two oversized garlands, one at the top above the mirror and one on the mantle. The next step might make you a little squeamish, to hang the upper garland you will have to use two picture hanger hooks in. Yep, you will have to make a few small holes in the wall. The holes will have to be patched after Christmas. Come on folks you can do it, that’s what spackle was created. The lower garland you can secure with nails underneath the wooden mantle. That’s one of Mom’s crafty tricks!

The garlands aren't the skimpy kind you see at Target and WalMart, oooh no, these bad boys are densely thick and come with a hefty price tag. You can purchase them at specialty Christmas stores. I bought these the day after Christmas for half price, and have used them many times over the years. My clients often rent them for the holidays. I used a combination of fresh Noble branches mixed in with the artificial garland.

She chose a burgundy & gold color palette. I used this magnificent velvet fabric on both ends of the mantel, I allowed it to cascade to the floor in a puddle.

I placed this elegant angel mom purchased at Home Goods, in the center to be the crowning gem. We love Home Goods!!! I placed the angle on a pedestal to make her appear airborne!

Sorry about the blurry photos folks.

I mingled curly willow and birds (mom’s favorite) throughout. We call all birds rippers, not sure why, we just do. lol

burgundy velvet wired ribbon

( before)

(after)

Wishing you all a very blessed and Merry Christmas!! Have a wonderful
day and enjoy!

P.S.

Last week while at my niece and nephews Holiday program, they sang about figgy pudding.

It's amazing what the brief mention of this Victorian-era Christmas carol did for me. Come to find out every year, thousands of people around the world, including myself become curious about the figgy pudding mentioned in the secular English carol, "We Wish You a Merry Christmas." Apparently, it came from an obscure little dessert.

“Please pass the figgy pudding!”

For design inquiries, write to Laurie at me-n-you@verizon.net