One Room Challenge Week 4

It is week four and this thing is getting real. Like, for real we gotta really make some real stuff happen, for real.

Our big accomplishment this week was that our ikea/silk hybrid drapes went up and I am so happy with them. The seamstress took Ikea Lenda panels and added a band of persimmon silk that I picked up on the clearance remnant rack. I personally think they look pretty stinking good based on their humble beginnings. We also had her cut off the tab tops and add a band of reinforcement to the tops so that we could use traditional drapery pins and rings instead of clips. I'll share details of that next week along with the Amazon curtain rods that TJ Breil from Slab Woodworking is making custom finials for. This not-so-expensive Ikea/Amazon hack, should look like a million bucks when we are done. That's the plan, at least.

This week, we also said "Peace out" to the infamous green chairs (If you missed the saga, you can catch up with ORC Week Two). Next week they should be back feeling fresh and new in their silverly seafoamy threads and some nailheads added for good measure. We might be overcompensating to redeem ourselves but I have no doubt this will be an insane transformation from the previous La-Z-Boyish situation. Insanely good that is. 

The upholsterers officially think that I have lost my mind. Normally they look at me like I have three heads when I bring in some wonky floral fabric for the cushion of a chair and another geometric for the back and then say, "oh, and I was thinking we could pipe it in this lime green velvet. What do y'all think?" I'm pretty sure the green chairs were the only thing they have ever done for me that they appreciated and they were starting to think I wasn't looney. Well I am, but they are troopers and are busting these things out to keep us on schedule. 

TJ finished the ikea cabinet with it's new wooden top and it is GORGEOUS. This week we are adding some fun hardware to the tops of the cabinets and taking the small lower pulls off. 

The lovely Stephanie is freaking out a little that the room looks like a big beige blob, but not to fear dearest Stephanie, more color is coming your way! 

I think when we finish this space, it will be the perfect blend of her natural neutral happy place and the color she is so badly craving. 

My favorite way to add color is with layers of fabric and accessories. So, its coming. It does look like a sandstorm right now. I'll give Stephanie that, but it won't for long. Promise.  

It has been a busy week. Luke Cleland has been in town doing shoots of some recent finished projects that I can't wait to share. Photographing spaces all day is exhausting and I have some major respect for anyone who can take photos all day and edit for hours upon hours. Just watching him all day makes me feel useless by the end of the day. Hard to believe this space will be shot at the end of next week. Better get at it. 

Hopefully next week's ORC post will be the longest ever with lots of accomplishments. 

Peace out for now. I am going to go interject some color into Stephanie's world, now. 

Check out all the other One Room Challenge Participants on Calling it Home! So much good stuff. 

One Room Challenge: Week Three

Picture this... Tumbleweeds rolling through a sawdust covered living room, that whistley noise that they play whenever they show a baron desert in a movie where a possible gun-fight is about to occur, and Stephanie and I sitting on the front steps of a ghost town saloon just waiting for drapes, pillows and maybe a cleaning service to show up... That's week three. 

The one good thing is that those tumbleweeds are rolling right past this amazing Marquin piece which is like an oasis in this bare and empty land. 

Now that I've gotten the drama out of the way and hopefully expressed the bore of this week, here are some updates on last weeks check list which you can read here... One Room Challenge Week 2

1. Reupholster Chairs 

The "Oh my goodness gracious - these are gross- green chairs" are on their way to a peaceful and serene happy place... and it is just SO much better. Seriously, I can't even wait for you to see how terrible the first go 'round was because then you will understand the debacle. Not that I'm proud of it, because I am not. However, this bumpy green ride (literally the first fabric was bumpy and green) has been a total learning experience about my process and knowing when something is right or not . I'm learning to listen to my gut and not to do it if it doesn't feel right. Thats one of the scary things about working on this tight schedule. Your gut is saying "no", and you're like "shut-up, we don't have time for this".

2. Ikea-Hack

TJ with Slab Woodworking is finishing up the wood-top ikea hack and it is looking so so good. It's just annoying how talented he is. So annoying but awesome at the same time. 

We just have to tackle hardware here. 

3. Patterned Accent Wall

Andrea's abstract animal print accent wall is complete and it is beautiful. Stephanie is having nightmares about all of the pattern play, and although I'm not worried about all of the pattern play because its my jam, I am having nightmares about Stephanie's nightmares. Never fun to freak people out, but it is totally understandable at this point in the game. Nothing makes any sense right now when you can't visualize the end goal. Like, "how does that tumbleweed make any sense with the sawdust on the floor, the cardboard boxes in the corner and um this animal print wall?" Totally Understandable. 

4. Kid-Friendly Coffee Table with Poufs

The CB2 coffee table is scheduled for delivery and the poufs are covered. I showed the poufs from amazon last week and they look completely different now. We had them covered in a kid and shoe friendly fabric so these poufs can be used for kiddo seating at the coffee table or for your feet with the sofa or chairs. 

From this...

to this... basically magic. 

Taking inexpensive poufs and storage cubes and having them slipcovered is absolutely one of my favorite tricks. I think the auxiliary seating they offer is such a fun layer to any room and I am always up for another place to exhibit textiles. Bring on that wonky pattern play. Here are two other examples of how I've used inexpensive poufs or ottomans and made them look custom with slipcovers. 

5. Drapery Panels 

Picking up the panels tomorrow. I can't wait to see what happens when ikea panels meet taffeta for the first time. I think this layer is going to make one of the biggest differences to transform the space. 

6. Pillows 

Elizabeth with Wheaton and Whaley is hard at work cranking out our cushions. Dying to see these babies! 

7. Artwork

And.... obviously you know how jazzed we are about this.

Here is a real goof ball picture to accurately express the jazzed-ness. 

8. Accessories and Lighting

This will be the last layer but we are well on our way here.

Peace out until next week friends! Fingers crossed for some more progress and to be out of the decorating dust bowl. 

Check out Olive and Tate to see what Stephanie is thinking this week and head over to Calling it Home to check out everyone else's week 3 progress!

One Room Challenge: Week Two

So my friend, Stephanie from Olive and Tate and I are working on her living room for the One Room Challenge and it's week two. Week two of six and there's definitely been some progress made.... but there's still a lot to do. So, I'm multi tasking here and while I share what still needs happen in the space with y'all, this is also acting as my to-do list. Check back at last weeks post to see before shots of the whole room and our mood-boards. Ready? Here we go.

The List

1. Reupholster Chairs 

First off, we are beginning with a really neutral space and trying to turn it into an emerald and persimmon wonderland. 

We loved the idea of recovering the neutral chairs that Stephanie had with green velvet. The only problem with that was that her precious two-year old and his applesauce pouch paired with luscious green velvet is a nightmare waiting to happen. So, we began to look at some commercial grade green velvet. ALL of it was awful. All no bueno. 

Although I was never jazzed about this choice (which I have realized as a sign that I shouldn't do it) I thought that I had found something that would give us some texture like a velvet would offer and it was kinda of sort of the right green. So, Stephanie really trusts me and said go for it. We got them back and our upholsterer did a lovely job. There was just something wrong about this fabric. Then Stephanie's husband said the words that changed everything.... " It kind of looks like a 90's La-z-boy recliner fabric". Picture my brain exploding. That's what happened. It did. It looked exactly like a la-z-boy and oddly enough, the wood accents on the chair suddenly looked exactly like the oak lever thing that makes that sucker recline. 

I know. What was I thinking?

Never have I ever had to admit professional failure like this.... but it was bad and I refuse to show it to you until I can redeem myself when they are covered for the second time and look fantastic.

Yes, the second time. Now they will be seafoam green and it will be perfect. I am jazzed. Stephanie is jazzed. Everyone is jazzed and we will forget the "Lazy-Boy Fabric Fiasco of 2016", forever and ever.  

2. Ikea-Hack

The plan... take the Ikea cabinets that were already in the space, chop off the top shelves and add a wood top with a raw-edge thanks to our friend TJ Breil with Slab Woodworking. I have to say, this isn't done, but its well on the way and it is exactly like we imagined. EXACTLY. And its crazy crazy beautiful. Here's a little sneak peak of that.

3. Patterned Accent Wall

For the wall behind where the new wood-topped cabinet is, we wanted my friend Andrea to paint a patterned wall. She is insanely talented and painted a lemony paradise in my entry way that is one of my favorite things ever. So she is underway with her masterpiece and all signs point to her creation being an abstract animal print wall of awesomeness. 

4. Kid-Friendly Coffee Table with Poufs

Done and Done. This amazing acrylic coffee table is on its way from CB2 and these girly pink poufs from Amazon are getting recovered in a kid and shoe friendly gray. Feeling good here. 

5. Drapery Panels 

I am a fan of the Ikea Lenda panels... a great fabric that can be easily modified. So our plan for these guys is to remove the tabs and use drapery pins with rings to give them a more custom look. Then, we are adding a panel of persimmon silk to the bottom, hanging these babes on some gold rods with custom wooden finials from our friend TJ and calling it a day. 

6. Pillows 

Unless I'm missing a biggie, all we are missing after all of this is accomplished is the finishing layers and this is always my favorite part. Elizabeth from Wheaton and Whaley is helping us out with the pillows and I am so excited. Throwing some palms leaves and greek key in there with some gorgeous malachite that Elizabeth is hooking us up with. 

7. Artwork

SO jazzed about this... Marquin from Marquin Designs has created the most beautiful abstract for the space. I cannot wait to share it with y'all. The Colors are perfect and it is crazy gorgeous. 

8. Accessories and Lighting

Packing in the persimmon with this layer. Persimmon lamps, persimmon tray.... we might even find some persimmons and sprinkle them around. You never know. 

So, I think that gives the layout of what's happening. Big exciting stuff. Bumps in the Road but we drove over that big green reclinerish bump and kept moving. Peace out until next week. Make sure to hop over to Calling it Home to check all the other participants!

One Room Challenge

One Room Challenge

Guys! I am so excited to be taking part in the One Room Challenge.

 Not too long ago, the lovely and funny and sassy Stephanie from Olive and Tate reached out to me to help her with her living room for the Calling it Home, One Room Challenge. This is a six week challenge where you completely transform a room and share if along the way. As guest participants, Stephanie and I will be sharing our progress of the room every Thursday on our blogs. You can check out the Calling It Home website to see who else is playing along, just be prepared to enter what might be a decorating wormhole, where you will certainly be caught for hours.

Stephanie has conquered every other part of her house on her own and done a beautiful job reno-ing and decorating each space... She just couldn't make the living room come together, so she called on me!

At our first meeting, that was off-site, Stephanie explained to me that one of the main reasons that she was having trouble was that there was a pool table in her living room... and it had to stay. "A pool table, you say?" Quite the proverbial bump in the decorating road in my book, so this was our first challenge. 

Stephanie went on to explain that not only did her husband love the pool table, but it actually really served to be a great way to entertain guests and they used it all the time (and that she had already had it re-felted in a nice neutral, so that was good step in the right direction, for sure). So I adjusted to the idea and decided that even though I know absolutely nothing about the game of pool... I was going to win this game. On went the plan to make the living room beautiful, functional, and not quite as focused on the pool table. 

So... I played around with the space and I think the best scenario is to switch the placement of the entertainment center with the sofa. This will create a more conversational atmosphere with the chairs in their existing spots across a new coffee table that might be lucite and fabulous... and toddler friendly. Then, the entertainment center and the pool table will be on opposite sides of the space and add some definition to the living room. 

Second challenge is that this space needs to be babe friendly so fabric and furniture choices must be just that.

Third challenge... Stephanie is very comfortable with spaces that are all white (and before I get accused of imposing my style onto and unwilling participant, I promise that she asked for all the color we are about to pack into this space). I just have to ease her into color and pattern and tone back my "wonky pattern-play" as I believe she referred to it the other day. Btw, No matter how she meant it, I took that as the highest compliment.

We have a fantastic ikea hack planned with some help from TJ Breil from The Slab Guild, a wallpaper-like mural wall from the beautiful Andrea Sabugo, and some fantastic local art from Marquin Design. Oh, and an emerald and persimmon color palette to boot, headed up by our pillow fabric choices and a lot of help from Wheaton and Whaley Designs. Here is our sample board where our project is starting. We are jazzed and hope that you will follow along.