I love a good stripe...

::sigh:: new homes are a lot of work. This week I have really been focusing on getting my new place looking nice and filling in the gaps where I felt design was lacking. I wanted to do stripes somewhere in this new home and I finally found the perfect place.

I loved the idea of the Ralph Lauren "candlelight" and decided to give it a go. My foyer was a little light in color for my liking, but I didn't want to add color since there is plenty of it in the adjoining room. Using a yard long level I spaced the stripes out to adequately frame in the art I have on the walls in the space. I taped them off using my favorite, frog tape. I painted on the candlelight, which is just a glaze and was seriously BORED. I think it would look great on a darker color where you could actually see the lighter contrast of the iridescent glaze but if you are looking to see the stripes, don't try this on light walls.

I decided to mix a custom color with the paint I had on hand to make tonal stripes instead of the candlelight. I took the greyish brown color I used in my bathrooms upstairs (color matched to Valspar "siene") and mixed it with the basic beige I used in most of the house, which is also the color in the foyer. Adding just the slightest amount of "siene" I created a color that made a tonal stripe that would add interest but wasn't so much of a contrast that it overwhelmed the small space. I am pretty happy with the result. I didn't mix enough of my own custom color to paint the wall the door is on, so that is my next project!

No more matchy matchy!

I have spent far too many years buying everything that came in the pottery barn catalog and decided that, starting with this house, I am going to refuse to be soooooo commercial. I really don't want my space to look like anyone else's and if I buy the whole page from PB, it will look like a clone of someone else's place in anywhere, USA. Surely I will pick up generic pieces here & there but this is my declaration: my house will have as many one of a kind pieces as possible! So, that being said, meet my new throw pillows! All unique...different patterns, textures, fabrics. Haven't figured out the right arrangement yet...but at least it is interesting to look at! If you really pay attention to high end designer looks, there is always a very deliberate mismatch of fabrics that wind up looking so interesting you cant take your eyes off them. So here's your challenge: think outside the pottery barn box!

matching on the fly

Ever been out and found something for your home that you love, only to hem & haw over whether it will really match when you get home? Here's your decorating tip of the day!

• Always carry a swatch pack in your purse

Gather paint chips in all the colors you have used in your home. If you cant find them, paint over a chip in another color with the leftovers from the can. If you've got items that are colored but not painted, like large floor tiles, grab a bunch of paint chips from the hardware store & find the colors that best match your "cant take with you" items.

Also include swatches of fabric from major furniture pieces, duvets, rugs & carpet. It might take some looking, but every couch comes with a fabric remnant for you to cut off. Try looking under flaps, cushions or inside zippered pillows and you should be able to find a piece large enough to match. Search for extra duvet fabric on the seams & be aware of any packaging that comes with one when you purchase it new, that might be helpful when shopping for that "perfect" accent!

Here's a glimpse into my current swatch pack, which I am taking with me to the fabric store today to help locate the perfect mess of fabrics to accent my new home!

only took me four colors to get here...

but the great room color is now selected & half way done! It was an agonizing choice in color...went back & forth & back & forth and four purchased & tested colors later, we have a decision! I have decided that the thousand or so paint chips that benjamin moore sent me in my designer kit just dont help! But the limitless choices do mean the perfect color is out there. This is the one I settled on...and I kid you not...it's called texas sage.

We're not yet decorated, but we have color!

[here you can really see the ridiculous texture that texans put on their walls. it is AWFUL to paint, as it is such a rough surface. don't screw up when you nail into the wall either, because it is a nightmare to patch. what are they thinking?!?]

Gallery Wall

So determined to create order & confine my cluttery frames to one well designed area of my home, I decided to create a gallery wall! After some careful planning & even more careful execution I have designed exactly what I envisioned! I have this HUGE wall on one side of a rather steep staircase and knew from the very first time I walked through the skeleton walls of this home that it would be something special. I have collected a variety of black frames over the years so I was pretty sure I wouldn't have to buy anything new. I did end up spray painting a few frames that were either cherry, metallic or distressed with black satin spray paint to create uniformity, but I am very pleased at the result! You can find more info about various clean & well designed gallery walls here. Here is the inspiration & "how to" for the one I fell for:

INSPIRATION

EXECUTION

[began by tracing every frame I wanted to use on craft paper (purchased at the dollar store) to make place markers and used painters tape to play with the arrangement on the wall. I added, subtracted & rearranged using my eye as my guide for right & wrong placement. I messed with the frames for a couple of days before settling on the final placement]

[After deciding placement, I removed the place marker anchoring the major & middle pieces at the bottom first. I taped the place marker to the frame and poked a hole with a nail EXACTLY where the hanger was supposed to sit on the nail. Then I rehung the place marker and hammered the nail in. Then hung the first piece & began adding pieces tight to the first one hung.]

[Here is the final frame design. I wanted to use an eclectic mix of frames. Using the same frame uniform throughout would create too formal of a look for me. So, I varied the depths, sizes & mats so it had a lot of depth & texture. See how easy it is to create uniformity just by painting all the frames the same color?? There are tricks to achieve great results when spray painting, just remember ten coats of very thin layers are ALWAYS better than one thick coat that bubbles, but covers. The pictures are not in yet, these are just the pictures that were in the frames from my previous house. This wall will be an evolving piece of art for years to come!]

[top down view! now if only I could move that ugly doorbell box...]

nonono that did not just happen...

i am...so depressed. finally found the perfect piece at the pottery barn outlet to begin the right mess of junk on top of my entertainment unit...i was just starting to test stuff up there...thought i would take a picture since the family has been asking...was testing light on my camera & realized i needed to shut the unit's doors...took this picture & went to SHUT the doors...

[gasp] and off rolled the perfect piece...

least someone feels my pain...

getting busy w/ superglue and some joint fasteners on the back...cross your fingers. it will be affixed to the wall if i can get the puzzle back together...[tears]

Must have: FROG TAPE!

Doing a painting project soon??? I have a time saver for you!

I (with the help of my family) just finished painting all but two rooms in our house and after 13 gallons of paint, we know the secret to straight lines! Forget that blue 3M painters tape, go green and get FROG TAPE the next time you are at home depot. You wont be sorry! This stuff is awesome. Honest to god, we did a test strip of each just like the graphic below and it actually turned out looking just like this:

I have the most textured walls in the history of texture so it has been a total nightmare to paint a straight line. I never really used tape before, just free handed it. NOT in this new house! This has been my saving grace. You'll never go blue again!

**But, if for some reason you cant find it, just use a dab of caulk and run it down the blue tape and that should seal the edge so you can still get a straight line. Happy Painting!

choco-latte. the color of my new dustbuster.

Please god tell me when cleaning appliances became elements of design? Not hiding this one!

Meet my new Kurv.

Which makes me want Brum.

But only if it's in choco-latte. Dreamy!

Who knew cleaning could be so beautiful!!!

Pillow Design Tool

How cool is this?!? Can't say I am a big fan of the current Pottery Barn designs but this is so neat! What a marketing tool...for Benjamin Moore & PB. Check it out!

And just when she thought the world was coming to an end...

...THERE WAS TARGET.

No really. Target saved me from my 48 hour obsession...aaaaand breakdown over how shitty of a "designer" I am. (correction: thought I was)

You see, it all started with a stupid TV show ...which led to a bedroom color that I thought would be a good idea (charcoal-ish)...which led to a duvet that I thought would be perfect...fast forward two months...

Looks like SHIT. No really. Hate my furniture. Hate my taste. Hate my bedroom (which let me tell you, is NOT the room in the house you want to hate). On the verge of hating the house because apparently my design expertise doesn't exist outside ekru, olive, chocolate and russet. (those are colors, promise)

So...ordered duvet #2 which allegedly would make color #1 work. Negative. Made me hate it more.

Now I am $60 in the whole on shipping because someone thought San Antonio didn't need a crate & barrel. Ready to paint the room a new color and ahhhhh[higher note]ahhhhhh[lowest note]ahhhh...I visited target. Found the piece that will tie it all together. hallelujah. I can now sleep soundly.

Now color goes with duvet #3 [well, we'll see when it comes in the mail, ordered in clay] which is tied together by this lovely throw.

crisis averted...

[bedroom now...]

[pintucked duvet...bottom of the pile...backordered till september and yes, the colors are off on the screen...]

I think I need a job.

Time to breathe...

ssiiiggggghhhh...

most of the house is now painted.

whew.

My worker-bee parents came into town for a week to help me whip this place into shape while my husband, the zombie, is working about 18 hours/day at the hospital or reading! We got A LOT done this week and I am so relieved/thrilled/comforted by the results. I have tried some new colors and patterns outside my usual comfort zone and it is slowly coming together! Since the house is still littered with painting supplies, new light fixtures, tools, boxes & general clutter (my pet peeve!) I took some teaser shots so you can at least see some colors & textures that I am playing with:

[living room, walls=color matched to Gallery Taupe by Behr, in RL Paint]

[kitchen]

[living room & kitchen rugs, Panache window panels in Chocolate are from LNT and there are now ten, 95" panels calling my home, home. inspiration from here]

[reeeaaaally wanted a cozy orange accent wall and I now have one in my living room, just a small one, but it looks perfect! Color=color matched to Earth Tone by Behr in RL paint-and yes, there is a stupid piece of lint on my lens that I didnt see until editing...]

[1/2 bath on the first floor got a beautiful coat of earth tone too...]

[loft, color=cameroon green by RL]

[one wall of the guest room, color=colormatched to Chocolate Curl by Behr in RL paint]

also just noticed I may want to try another angle with my camera...boring! feel like you are turning your head right a lot? I will work on that...

Rooms you didnt see: foyer, laundry, front room that we have no use for yet and the future nursery...or the master. My bedding didnt end up looking right and the hubby is sleeping (boooo to working nights!) so I cant go take a picture of the wall color. Just ordered the Lindsey Paisley Bedding to see how it will work with my Charcoal walls...we'll see. Dont have high hopes as this "cool" color scheme is what is throwing me off my decorating flow.

This is really my favorite part of the moving process. Organizing, color choosing, decorating...I just cant get enough. I am so blessed at this point of my life to have a brand new home that I got to design top to bottom. I wouldnt be able to afford this anywhere else in the country and am going to enjoy every second of it because as we military folks know, we never stay in one place for too long so this six year stay might be the longest one of our 20+ years of military life.

back to work...

ooh! and today is our 4 year wedding anniversary. I will never forget that magical day. =) Here's to four years of marriage, and 10+ years of togetherness! might just have to have myself a glass of wine by my lonesome tonight! cheers!

I'm alive! Promise!

Oh my what a month it has been! I have to get painting our bedroom but since so many of you have been kind enough to ask how things are going I am going to do a short picture blog--more pictures than words! Short update: Made it to Texas, moved stuff into storage, stayed with a friend for three weeks since house wasn't ready, I went to Germany, made it back, moved stuff out of storage & into house & now we are getting settled! Tommy officially starts tomorrow so here we go!!!!

[favorite part of front exterior: carriage style shutters, complete with polka dots & stripes!]

[living room, basic beige selected. Ralph Lauren paint, color matched to Behr Gallery Taupe since I hate Behr paint! Curtain sample draped over entertainment unit, will cover all windows on first floor living area/kitchen. See a few posts back for the inspiration, dark orange pillows & one orange wall to come]

[ugh...slowly but surely. I can only reach the first two shelves in each cabinet so that stupid step stool will be a permanent fixture. Paneling visible on back of cabinets will be replaced since it isn't the right color, chandelier has been replaced by my wonderful hubby! Love my sparkly new fridge!!]

[back splash view. so glad we did this upgrade, I love it!!! all outlets will be replaced with black covers so they dont stick out so bad!]

[loft area, getting ready for a ceiling fan. walls will be darker sagey green]

[Rusty, so glad to be home from three weeks of daycare, is mesmerized by our new LG Tromm steam washer & dryer! He keeps staring at them go round & round and gets extra confused when they play their song at the end of each cycle!]

Living Room Thoughts...Out Loud.

So my husband thinks I have decorating OCD...once I have something to decorate it becomes all consuming for me, and it is all that I can think about...all day...all night. I admit, I lose sleep over it! Sadly, I have found myself awake in the middle of the night with pillows and paint on the brain. Everywhere I go, colors speak to me...from friends houses to doctors offices, my senses become heightened and I start to notice & seek inspiration from my surroundings. I really think this is my calling, which is why I am heavily considering an apprenticeship with a design firm when we make our big move. But until then, I have this giant blank canvas to work with...and I am obsessing over it. So you get to obsess with me...:P

The basic colors of the new home are so different from where I am currently living which is really making me want to completely start over. But...I am working within a budget so I am constantly reminded that my beautiful decor will occur over time. Thank god (husband will disagree here) I am going to be living a short drive away from one of the nation's largest Pottery Barn Outlets!

I am currently working on the basic color in the home, and I am leaning toward grayish beiges (Benjamin Moore Ashley Gray) vs. the pinkish beige (Behr Comforting) I have now. I had to use pinkish beige to coordinate with the white wash cabinets I have now, but this shade does NOT go with the new cabinets I will have. Decorate around what you can't change! With dark cabinets, dark appliances & dark floors I fear that a colors will make the room too overwhelming. A light color may do, but I am not much of a pastel person. I prefer deep earth tones, greens, oranges & nutmegs. So...the search continues.

Do you have a basic beige that you LOVE??? Please share if you do!!!

My kitchen is open to my dining & living area and I am focusing on that for now. We have a taupe microfiber furniture set, dark cherry tables & a beautiful huge new black entertainment center to work with in this room. I have been struggling with curtains since I have to have at least 6 matching panels, at least 96" long (preferably 108") and I shudder at the cost. Unless I can get fabric at a bargain and I can make them myself, they will have to wait. But, this is my inspiration so far, my couch is this color.

Project New House Bedroom

So, for those of you that are avid readers, you know that I have a little bit of bedroom ADD. My master has been redone three times in the past two years, and well...its going to be redone again for our new place. The cats have annihilated the duvet, and though there is no print to get sick of (like last time) I am sick of the color. I'm going for a more muted color scheme in the new place and want the bedroom to be a place of serenity, not loud colors.

I first got my inspiration from bedding. I inadvertently ripped out the same picture (left) from magazines on three separate occasions and when I found three of the same picture in my decorating file, I thought it must have been a sign. I had a gift card from work just burning a hole in my pocket and thought-it's now or never! So, Crate & Barrel's Aubrey Bedding is somewhere on its way to my house.

This is the same Peter Kuttner art that is on the walls above, just one of the pair of prints. I couldn't believe that C&B is trying to sell the prints for $169 each!!! Granted they are framed, but I am opting to use a frame & mat I already have that will work perfect for this print, and found it for $31. Nice! This is the building block for my color scheme.

Now for colors...I love the color I have now, Ralph Lauren's Master Room, so much so that I am going to use it in the loft living area upstairs in my new home. But, I want something different in the bedroom. Now, an admission, I am a [gasp]viewer of The Hills and am a huge fan of the decorator that chose the colors for the girls' apartment. I caught my first glimpse of Audrina's bedroom last week and was very impressed at how well the dark wood contrasted against the charcoal-ish walls. I wouldn't have never thought these two colors would look so good together. But, design is all about stealing and recreating what you like, so off I go! The walls in the display picture with the bedding are actually wallpapered and I am not a fan of light walls, so I am pretty sure that my wall color will be something like this. It does look very different depending on the light though, so it is going to be tricky to find just the right hue. The pictures below are from the same room...see how different it looks depending on the lighting!!! I have quite a challenge on my hands...

After a couple of days of studying it in daylight & night light I am liking Ralph Lauren's Spun Twilight, of the Vintage Masters Collection.

*our master is upstairs, so this will blend with the bathroom color scheme that is the third picture on the next post..nice, right???

The Fun Stuff

What a whirlwind week! Bought a house (yay!), sold a house (bigger YAY!) and made it through in one piece! Time to celebrate!

On Monday I was able to choose our upgrades & options in the new house. I am thrilled with the final decisions. It is amazing how fast money flies when you are in a builder's "design center." ...cant have that flimsy sink...must have one three inches deeper for HOW MUCH??? Might as well just go up one more level of tile so I can get what I really want...and shoot might as well do the backsplash while I can still get stuff that matches. Cant just have the half inch carpet pad, for a slim $500 more I can have thick cushiony goodness under my feet every morning when I get out of bed! Kitchen cabinets?? Might as well go the full 42" and while were at it, go ahead and add the decorative crown moulding. It was never ending! Alas, I came in right at budget and was happy to compromise on the few things we didn't end up getting. Ms. Tori gave me some of the best advice (and is now in my husband's good graces!) saying that I shouldn't try to get everything perfect all at once because then I will be bored for the next six years if I have nothing left to do! So true...:) I couldn't take any swatches with me, so I will have to wait until I get down there to choose paint colors. But here are a few of my choices:

[w/flash, this will run in the entire downstairs. Tile in foyer, powder room, dining area, kitchen & utility room/pantry. Counter tops are granite looking (cant have it ALL!) Cabinets are cherry stained maple. I got the upgraded arched top which will run on the top cabinets only. A finishing molding will run the top of the cabinets. Tile will be 17x17 on the floor. Backsplash will be 12x12, set on diagonal and trimmed out. All appliances will be stainless steel and I FINALLY get my gas stove!!!!]

[w/o flash, can see the color a bit better. carpet is a greyish beige neutral.]

[These are my upstairs choices. Tile will run in both bathrooms. We upgraded to have tile on all of the walls of the guest shower. The countertops were already upgraded to white marble so we stuck with that. The huge tub & separate shower will all be white marble as well. Carpet will run throughout & down the stairs]

Dreaming big...

Hello friends! After a long week, we have found & purchased what is our dream home for this point in our lives. My mind is working in overdrive rearranging furniture in my head and planning color schemes. I am pleasantly overwhelmed. Tomorrow I get to pick out all of my cabinets, carpets, appliances and tile so I am trying to get my color scheme nailed down. This is a very exciting time for us! I will try and share my planning and "making it work" strategies here. My current struggle: finding a way to make all my curtains work in my new 9' ceiling home! I am trying to be creative! Thinking of adding contrasting panels on the bottom of each one with a coordinating fabric/ribbon/something(?) thrown in the middle to spice them up. Ohhhh what fun this is! For now, here is my dreamy new home:

This will be my peaceful view from the kitchen, living room, master bedroom & future nursery. This was a HUGE selling point for me! You don't usually find this with new construction: