Before and After Armoire

After a couple days of prepping and painting, we finally have the new armoire settled into its home in the master bedroom. As you can see, I went with a bold and sunny shade of yellow (Valspar's "Almond Puff" #3008-3A) in a nice semi-gloss finish. I don't have the proper drawer pulls on it yet, but otherwise it's pretty much complete. Here's a look at it's original, straight-from-Craigslist state...

Dirty and blah, right? But I knew the moment I saw the listing that it was the right piece for our bedroom. I was searching for a classic chiffrobe (with the closet on one side and drawers on the other) and this fit the bill. Also, I loved the curved top and the spindle legs, and knew the whole thing would look amazing with some TLC and a bright coat of paint. Oh, not to mention the $75 price tag... sold!

Now, when refurbishing this lovely piece, I didn't stop at the outside. The interior needed some loving too...

Seeing that I take up most of the closet space in the house, I wanted my fantastic boyfriend to be able to make use of the storage in this piece. So in order to make it slightly more masculine, I lined the interior of the closet with vintage map prints from Cavallini (though I'm thinking this would have been an even better choice) and painted the remainder of the wood trim in Martha Stewart's aqua-hued "Vintage Map" (#MS 337, also in acrylic semi-gloss).

Lining the walls was super easy. I simply measured the area I wanted to cover and cut the paper to size. Then after carefully applying a coat of spray adhesive to the area, I applied the paper and smoothed it down until it had completely adhered. $12 worth of decorative wrapping paper can really do wonders, don't you think? And now, Kevin has a worthy home for his gorgeous and pristine new Prada penny loafers (yet another wonderful NM Last Call find!)

The chiffrobe has some wonderful little details. This close-up shows the lock and key that adorns the sweater cubby. This also allows me to show a better example of the paint job. I started out by sanding the rough spots, followed by applying two coats of an acrylic all-purpose primer to the entire piece. Once the coats had dried, I applied 2 coats of the yellow semi-gloss. There were challenges in this process though. I found that the yellow paint was not taking well to the surface, even with the thorough primer coats. There was running and dripping and the coverage was not coming out even. So, instead of re-sanding and re-painting the whole piece, I decided to go along with the imperfections and play them up! Using small pieces of sand paper, I roughed up the surface and corners to give it an intentionally weathered look. After 30 minutes of random sanding, I had a finished look that was just enough "vintage" without veering into Shabby Chic territory (I hope!)

And so, another project checked off the list! I am very excited for us to have this extra storage - hopefully the bedroom will be much tidier, and more cheery, because of it!

Happy Monday + Bridget Pizzo Photography

Isn't this the cutest, happiest picture ever? It was discovered on Flickr, and belongs to Philly-based photographer and stylist Bridget Pizzo. The space shown above is her lovely guest bedroom, and it shouldn't be surprising that the rest of her house is equally charming and chic. I think I have discovered a kindred style spirit here in Philadelphia! Her whole color palette and use of cool, vintage finds is totally my thing! Check it out...

I'm loving her use of vintage wallpaper to add decorative flair to plain white cabinets!

The turquoise door pulls are such a nice touch...

These black lamps are so dramatic!

You can read lots more about the before and after process of creating these rooms at Bridget's blog, and for those of you lucky enough to live in the Philadelphia area, an FYI... she is moving soon and plans to sell many of pieces photographed above. If you have interest in any of these fab items, contact her here!

Bargain Baubles

There is nothing better than a good bargain, and I've been finding lots of them recently at area flea markets, consignment stores, and outlets. Jewelry seems to be where my luck has been best of late. Take a gander at some of the beauties I've discovered! They are all laid out on a vintage lucite cosmetics tray that I bought for $5 at a recent flea market, and the sweet little fern is potted in a $1 footed milk glass urn from the Salvation Army....

How amazing is this chunky, Art Nouveau-style bracelet? It was found this morning at a flea market for the ridiculous price of $4. It's a real statement piece, and will look great combined with a variety of studded bangles, or perhaps all by itself.

The little enamel and rhinestone whale is from Buffalo Exchange. If your city has one of their store locations, by all means make an effort to stop by on a regular basis. I often find wonderful vintage jewelry for mere pennies - this cutie was $2 and looks great pinned to the lapel of my khaki trench.

While not exactly an "under $10" find, this rhinestone stunner by Tom Binns was a remarkable bargain nonetheless. Thank you, as always, Last Call Neiman Marcus, for continuing to fulfill my fashion fantasies!

It really is amazing what beautiful things you can find if you know where to look for them. The next time you pass a flea market or thrift shop, make sure you scan the folding tables and cases for a sparking gem!

p.s. The Flora by Gucci perfume pictured on the tray is also a recent acquisition. If you have not had the opportunity to take a whiff of this yummy new fragrance, do so immediately. It is lush and decadent, yet perfect for summer.

PB Teen Bedding + New Project

So sorry I haven't been around much this week. I've taken on the final decorating frontier of my house - the master bedroom - and it has been keeping me busy. I purchased a vintage chiffrobe from Craigslist for the bargain price of $75 and have been in the process of refurbishing it with paint and lining paper. Hopefully there will be pictures to share soon! 

(This is how I wish my new armoire would turn out!)

In the meanwhile, I've been thinking about other items that need updating in the bedroom, and first on the list is bedding. White sheets have been my preference for a while, but I believe it's time for a change. And that change is with color and pattern! The selection from PB Teen is pretty fantastic in that regard, with everything from Missoni-esque zig zags to a multi-hued variety of the classic hotel bedding. In this case I like the classic black, but they also come in aqua, pink, apple green and so on...

Most tempting though for me are the aqua-colored zebra stripe sheets, which have been a mission of mine to find ever since seeing a set in the "Sex and the City" movie (do you all remember that scene with Samantha in bed with Smith?)

Super cute, don't you think? I only wish they weren't so pricey. Am I wrong that $100 seems like a lot for a teen line? Do any of you have experience with their products, and if so, what do you think?

Any which way, changes are in store for my master bedroom, and I'm looking forward to sharing the results with you!

(Armoire image via Pal + Smith)

Sunny in the City

Such sunny and colorful images, from a Kate Spade advertising shoot in Los Angeles. Seeing these makes me want to put on a bright dress and go for a stroll around the city! 

See more here...

Images via Kate Spade

Friday Eye Candy

Sometimes store displays are the most wonderful sources of design inspiration. This tableau found at Petulia's Folly (a shop here in Philadelphia) just bowled me over when I first glimpsed it! It's like the most perfect vintage-style mood board come to life. I could totally see someone basing their entire wedding design on this look.

To begin with, the color palette is amazing. Don't you love the pale turquoise wall paired with the bold bursts of red, hot pink and chartreuse, and the more subtle touches of black and creamy white? And I'm enamored by the texture and shine that comes from the feathers, fabric scraps and embroidered gloves.

On a more literal level, I'm thinking about how great this wall would be as an inspiration for a bulletin board in my house. Maybe over the bar in my living room, similar to the one shown here...

Can you think of other ways to use this display as inspiration for a creative project?

Summer Tablescapes, Part 1

My back patio is finally starting to come together. Or at least the fence has been painted white (you can get some glimpses below)! In honor of the new backdrop, I put together a fun tablesetting, perfect for an early-evening spring get-together...

I've been dying to use this great tablecloth from the Orla for Target line. I paired it with $1 striped dish rags from the Dollar Store (here used as napkins), simple white melamine plates, jelly jar flower vases, and an assortment of vintage glassware. Oh, and a touch of playfulness from the Jonathan Adler "Viagra" canister.

Can't wait until the rainy season ends and I can start entertaining on a regular basis. I have so many more fun tablescapes to share!

Marimekko in my bath

Marimekko's "Kaiku" pattern is a favorite of mine, so when I recently came across the shower curtain in the sale room at Anthropologie I just had to pick it up for our master bath. It's so bright and fresh and it manages to cheer me every morning! Now with the addition of green to the room, I thought it would be nice to pick up the same color somewhere else in the space. So, I added this "light fixture" over the tub...

Sorry I couldn't get a longways shot for better perspective, but what you are seeing is our tub area with window and tiled walls. And the light fixture is actually just a lamp shade which I purchased a couple years ago at Urban Outfitters for $5!

Inspired by the vibrant shade in Liz Lange's Jonathan Adler-designed kitchen, I took a stab at rigging my own shade over an existing recessed light. Using three small hooks, I lined them up to the metal rods at the top of the shade and then screwed the hooks into the ceiling. After that, all I had to do was insert the rods into the hooks and... Voila! Instant light fixture! Seriously, it took less than 5 minutes, and no electrical wiring or tools were required. Oh how I love the easy projects...

An Interview at Sweet Pie...

What a treat! Jackie over at the great blog Sweetie Pie Pumpkin Noodle was kind enough to publish today an interview she did with me recently. I was incredibly flattered to be asked to participate in her "You Oughta Know" series and it was such fun to have the opportunity to answer her thoughtful questions. You can read the interview here! And please be sure to peruse the rest of her lovely blog while you're there.

Thanks so much, Jackie!

A Jewel of a Clutch

Oh how I love glamorous accessories, and this "Eros" clutch from the legendary Kenneth Jay Lane takes the cake. It's a total Art Deco-style gem! I recently discovered this beauty hiding in a basket of wallets and such at Daffy's (a discount designer department store) here in Philadelphia. And at such a fantastic discount! Definitely one of my favorite finds...

Meanwhile, how about these lovely KJL peacock feather earrings that I came across over at Vivre!

To see more KJL accessories, click here and here... and read an interview with the man himself here!

Paint by Numbers

I often get questions about the how-to's of using paint to spruce up furniture and objects. As spring is here and all of us are seem to be eager to freshen up our houses, I thought I would share some tips and pointers for (relatively) fool-proof painting...

1. It's all about the finish. Spray paint (as well as the regular brush kind) works like a champ on metal, resin, plastic and unfinished wood without sanding and priming. Just make sure the surface is free of dirt and dust, then spray away!

2. Watch out for highly varnished wood and metal. Super shiny finishes don't take paint as well, and usually require the advanced prep work of sanding and priming.

3. Spray paint works best on items with lots of nooks and crannies (such as a chair frame or a dog sculpture) or ones that require a super-smooth service (like metals). But break out the pail and brush for larger objects or ones that have wide flat surfaces (like a flower planter).

4. Acrylics work fine for most standard household projects. I love high-gloss acrylics for covering objects and furniture, but sometimes a matte surface is called for, like on this light fixture.

5. You can paint your stuff in the house if you are using a brush. Just make sure to put down newspapers or a drop cloth. (See how neat and tidy the kitty is above!)

6. Spray painting, on the other hand, requires a well-ventilated space where you can get a little messy. In other words, DO YOUR SPRAY-PAINTING OUTSIDE! Spray paint can blow around and leave teeny-tiny droplets all over the place. You may not even notice until after you pull your newspapers up and realize the floor or counter surrounding it has changed color.

7. Another idea for mess-free spraying is to use a folded piece of cardboard to create a shield. Use the shield behind the item you are painting to contain the droplets!

8. If you are using a brush, make sure you have the right tools to make it perfect. I usually have a couple brushes in different sizes for getting large spots and small. Sometimes a sponge brush (it's basically a sponge on a stick) is good for pushing into spots your bristles won't reach. And don't forget the painter's tape for getting clean lines and protecting hardware!

9. Use a light hand, and keep it moving, when you use spray paint. You want to apply thin, even layers. You may have to go over the entire piece 5-6 times to get it perfectly covered, but don't worry, you only have to wait a minute or two between layers.

10. Finally, make sure your item is completely dry before moving. You don't want to mess up your handiwork by being impatient!


Bonus Tip:

Please be thoughtful and extremely careful when painting something that is expensive or personally valuable to you. You can be more cavalier when spraying a resin pineapple bookend from the thrift store, less so when you are refurbishing your grandmother's dining room table.

My Dream House

I have been obsessing over this Jonathan Adler-designed house ever since I saw it in the May issue of House Beautiful magazine. They finally posted the images on their site, and now I am sharing a few of these stunning spaces with you. They really are just too good, aren't they!?

Looking at these rooms, I take away a lot of great ideas for my own home. Like the bold white curtain rods with white curtain rings in the dining room, the black and white zig zags, the double coffee tables, and the fantastic lamp shade-style light fixture in the kitchen. The fun part for me is figuring out how to do it all on the cheap! I have some notions though, and can't wait to share them with you soon....