HomeStyle: beautiful burlap

<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">We have this ugly little cupboard-looking door (water main access) on a wall in our family room in the basement. The bane of my home-owning existence. Well, it's a toss-up between that door and our mortgage...but still. </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">I'd been on the hunt for months to find a suitable (translation: cheap, beautiful, and correctly sized) folding screen to put in front of it, with no luck.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-2xdcHmeG98uuGHXF7Nx0h5Z_sjEoPLhG_qF6QKK7RinGtXHLl7vAuPNf-95DL7Z4So4imNHSUkS1kotME9VmR7Owy9Eh9slVJGvmSa2qn79XiZYd8PWXiluak4nmh4f_0tOcF8-nMqdP/s1600/burlap3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-2xdcHmeG98uuGHXF7Nx0h5Z_sjEoPLhG_qF6QKK7RinGtXHLl7vAuPNf-95DL7Z4So4imNHSUkS1kotME9VmR7Owy9Eh9slVJGvmSa2qn79XiZYd8PWXiluak4nmh4f_0tOcF8-nMqdP/s400/burlap3.JPG" t8="true" width="298" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The screen had to be tall enough to cover the door but short enough to leave a mounted speaker (near the ceiling) free. It also had to be narrow enough to not block the TV (on a shelf right next to it) but wide enough to cover the door. Ugh. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Stupid, stupid door.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Enter: the best day of my e-life, where I stumbled upon this little gem of inspiration:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVWeULS_PtQHcDCuYi8-QmrnDc-W_WYk5oJuHwa6RyaaavlzbnQmA6BPr1MxQiaIJ97TxyksMo4k69TDVgwEDo9BIi0O8YuFVA5azE7Jg3y7nOvuZt39LOv6cjpA-_Q4adVl-d-yGIOeE1/s1600/burlap_room_divider.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVWeULS_PtQHcDCuYi8-QmrnDc-W_WYk5oJuHwa6RyaaavlzbnQmA6BPr1MxQiaIJ97TxyksMo4k69TDVgwEDo9BIi0O8YuFVA5azE7Jg3y7nOvuZt39LOv6cjpA-_Q4adVl-d-yGIOeE1/s400/burlap_room_divider.jpg" t8="true" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(Forgive me, I can't find the website where I got this pic from...if anyone knows, please please let me know and I'll credit it!)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hanging burlap! Brilliant! <em>and</em> cheap! <em>annnnnnnd</em> customizable! I got some burlap, cut it to size, and, using the above pic as a guide, busted out some acrylic paints and a sponge brush to paint the design.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZbgrjFEO_i7v3-Q1zM2nIA_gKS0Tm_einZ_wfrQ7zC4pgASBsAvRY8xh1GMNwb0-9VlfsvsEQf0l6pv1FW9tWq_h58Q7y2Ojtoob44dvujB5EUIsEVVQtEwwrPCI6VQs8l9qtjf3XtWyi/s1600/burlap4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZbgrjFEO_i7v3-Q1zM2nIA_gKS0Tm_einZ_wfrQ7zC4pgASBsAvRY8xh1GMNwb0-9VlfsvsEQf0l6pv1FW9tWq_h58Q7y2Ojtoob44dvujB5EUIsEVVQtEwwrPCI6VQs8l9qtjf3XtWyi/s400/burlap4.JPG" t8="true" width="298" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I only had to sew the sides, the top (for a curtain rod) and the bottom (to hold a "weight" of sorts so it would hang straight...I used an old wooden blinds slat).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1L1dOwPbwcaMnx9Lsguw8_Q_Kbf9eg-Hp6Qf8CyA4iHXuaqn_8bVubJ6nPbPY4mNw7Nh6ABLFiyMiLFhkGhbHqd1vi3yKUwb47Lc1yMOCMjA6Yvi93PN6wlZg9TOwnJ-7DDJqYtDFlPBu/s1600/burlap5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1L1dOwPbwcaMnx9Lsguw8_Q_Kbf9eg-Hp6Qf8CyA4iHXuaqn_8bVubJ6nPbPY4mNw7Nh6ABLFiyMiLFhkGhbHqd1vi3yKUwb47Lc1yMOCMjA6Yvi93PN6wlZg9TOwnJ-7DDJqYtDFlPBu/s400/burlap5.JPG" t8="true" width="298" /></a></div><br /><div align="center">After rummaging around in the garage, I found my old missing hiking sandals (saweet! they'd been missing forever!) and, more importantly and pertinent to this particular endeavor, some chains and a curtain rod. I spray-painted both black and hung them up. (Have I told you lately how much I love spray paint? Oh man, that stuff is glorious. Easy, quick-drying, and did I mention easy. Bim-bam-boom.) </div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">Hung up the burlap at an angle to soften the corner a bit and make it look less like I had something to hide. Which I did. But I didn't want the world to know that. The world who comes into our basement. Which is at <em>least </em>10 non-family people a year. So.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIUHaXAjNgv3n-j4gE33jPYsOufrIQVKrftilH-M6ya5Nobb9RL9FBfRMOjjuXxiGrJ8tJ8GuLTDzMDb6RXTTk7zJxNpb5By5K-4n4gPqc2kxDs_EDDEjqwfACaAzzRt9Zbuk-mf4iAn5f/s1600/burlap2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIUHaXAjNgv3n-j4gE33jPYsOufrIQVKrftilH-M6ya5Nobb9RL9FBfRMOjjuXxiGrJ8tJ8GuLTDzMDb6RXTTk7zJxNpb5By5K-4n4gPqc2kxDs_EDDEjqwfACaAzzRt9Zbuk-mf4iAn5f/s400/burlap2.JPG" t8="true" width="332" /></a></div><br /><div align="center">End result:</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTvnLhq6qi01DLQOssC1uVCKxjQXewpMf-Dmpk8wyE4gvloCoRhTb8NyUjWmJhASo8OQhWUAjv8xYSBCLl1PShpQyikGRjROLmNIzDxcawYQwa9g4WdWano0QH4ppOISN6SXAgQtbt81Ap/s1600/burlap1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTvnLhq6qi01DLQOssC1uVCKxjQXewpMf-Dmpk8wyE4gvloCoRhTb8NyUjWmJhASo8OQhWUAjv8xYSBCLl1PShpQyikGRjROLmNIzDxcawYQwa9g4WdWano0QH4ppOISN6SXAgQtbt81Ap/s640/burlap1.JPG" t8="true" width="361" /></a></div><br /><div align="center" class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">The painting's not the best; I messed up on the right-hand side where it's supposed to "flow" off the burlap, but we've lived with it and survived okay. What about you guys? Do you have anything in your house that you want to hide or that you've already successfully hidden/camoflauged? I'd love to hear about it. Seriously. I love this kind of stuff.</div>

HomeStyle: beautiful burlap

We have this ugly little cupboard-looking door (water main access) on a wall in our family room in the basement. The bane of my home-owning ...

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HomeStyle: Chunky Stripes

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">If there is one thing I can't get enough of (but, actually, in moderation, otherwise it's just weird and uncomfortable), it's a chunky stripe. On curtains, mirrors/frames, floors, walls... </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I'm drawn to the chunky stripe because of its unabashed boldness and graphicality (yep), its capacity to lend balance with other, softer prints, its whimsical sophistication, and its most-basic-pattern-of-all-time sensibilities.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIoC8wxx5lFehQzJphZE7ml-g2Cc8GlD6EetXhw8X6YtjJAcqhb0Pbb8azs8nrgas7t9Yma8wAlpCsWMa2AcTCts3DVcErhdYyWu2zLHcsCYbyi7fgM51iv39QnDdIG3pdt0ZL9UZS1HE0/s1600/X1britt4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIoC8wxx5lFehQzJphZE7ml-g2Cc8GlD6EetXhw8X6YtjJAcqhb0Pbb8azs8nrgas7t9Yma8wAlpCsWMa2AcTCts3DVcErhdYyWu2zLHcsCYbyi7fgM51iv39QnDdIG3pdt0ZL9UZS1HE0/s400/X1britt4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">What about you? How do you feel about stripes as home decor? Do you prefer them horizontal or vertical? Chunky or skinny? High-contrast or barely there? Or is there a different print/pattern you can't get enough of...or can't wait to get rid of? </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Happy Tuesday!</div>

HomeStyle: Chunky Stripes

If there is one thing I can't get enough of (but, actually, in moderation, otherwise it's just weird and uncomfortable), it's a ...

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HomeStyle: Wall Collage

<div align="center">In my basement lives a large family room. Translation: tons of walls, where nailing up a framed family photo or two just isn't going to cut it. I don't know about you guys, but for me it's hard to fork over $millions$ for great large-scale wall decor...but it's also super hard for me to live in a big, empty-walled room. </div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">My budget-friendly solution: Create a wall collage of many smaller but similar framed pieces => large scale for little cost. I had loads of different frames that were sitting in a battered Sharpie-labeled "<strike>dishes</strike> FRAMES" cardboard box on a dusty top shelf. Pulled 'em out, removed the glass, and spray-painted them white. I think I cleaned the glass, too. *gold star*<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZK0jr9_mhfsKQN2kCGN2WQlAEsp0q3pO-DbqU1yKiV6Zcqps24ce-lGv9JqI-Szt_IdYw7BmrcHkv0NDIBO9tujzL3VhZQFSS45jughOrBvOden0kUzjYsAoWv_Em41PE-A3hP3fexTpb/s1600/Wall1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="352" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZK0jr9_mhfsKQN2kCGN2WQlAEsp0q3pO-DbqU1yKiV6Zcqps24ce-lGv9JqI-Szt_IdYw7BmrcHkv0NDIBO9tujzL3VhZQFSS45jughOrBvOden0kUzjYsAoWv_Em41PE-A3hP3fexTpb/s400/Wall1.JPG" width="400" /></a></div></div><div align="center">I'm kind of in love with the minimal-realist artist named Charley Harper. Sadly, so are plenty of other people, which means the prints are a little out of my price range. Enter: free downloadable art like <a href="http://indiefixx.com/Feed_your_soul/downloads.html" target="blank">this website</a> and google images. I found images I liked, sized them electronically, and printed them out. </div><div align="center">After framing all the pieces, I played tetris on the floor with the frames until I found an arrangement I liked. Pounded some nails into the walls (I'm pretty cavalier about doing that...as my husband will tell you...but I figure, hey, they're easy to putty-and-paint over if I hate it. Worth the risk.) and hung them up. Bing-bam-boom.</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOhrRAwVfth-MWyby4kYz1nR2SSOkRhUPV5dTnI0bcaWJu6fNrW5kHFR2pBCnJ6bKmhZJPmsuuhdbKpRgsRw9g1zXcv7eFbWg4sOSP7YuQSCdRRHu0blxM8IOEvI-nGyes_je9PJqTIvSL/s1600/Wall4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOhrRAwVfth-MWyby4kYz1nR2SSOkRhUPV5dTnI0bcaWJu6fNrW5kHFR2pBCnJ6bKmhZJPmsuuhdbKpRgsRw9g1zXcv7eFbWg4sOSP7YuQSCdRRHu0blxM8IOEvI-nGyes_je9PJqTIvSL/s320/Wall4.JPG" width="251" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFgZ3oWdBLfnFCfjhjpYWBBsQZdhAhlXnI_6WpucO54eoG-n10e2fj0I2jdTdg1JsqcZ4uAkFKa5e-dhpALYO-uiwKC2toGhdtAzSadsBXH7QOLO9sRpfZGmQnwVgeGC1hB-6rckbGjTyy/s1600/Wall3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFgZ3oWdBLfnFCfjhjpYWBBsQZdhAhlXnI_6WpucO54eoG-n10e2fj0I2jdTdg1JsqcZ4uAkFKa5e-dhpALYO-uiwKC2toGhdtAzSadsBXH7QOLO9sRpfZGmQnwVgeGC1hB-6rckbGjTyy/s320/Wall3.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div align="center">Despite the funky lighting that these photos convey, I like the real-life end result. Here are the things that, to me, make a hodge-podge collage "work":</div><div align="center">(1) All frames have a commonality. In this case, it's the color. The size, shape, width, matting, and layout are all different, which makes the overall space visually interesting but not distracting.</div><div align="center">(2) Likewise, all artwork has a common theme. In this case, birds. You could do landscapes, buildings, faces, water, plants, inventions, etc. etc. etc.</div><div align="center">(3) There is balance to the layout, with regard to the visual "weight" of each component. This helps it to look good both from far away <em>and </em>close up.</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">And, the best part about it: It's a great way to make a statement, by grouping many smaller (and, in this case, cheaper) things together to become one larger unit that's both interesting and delightful (at least to me).</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbPDoq4ix8YheX_6QtmH5JgvxszLQ6LKttS30mYql3Ug_ueMF9IaMAbGT7PwMR0fZqGHyeJlSIXBLFd0HIc3lTss9BLidpWmWVEXc77XfGXo57J-m3yzbNpiFGlNADrHdBWrpjBWEnF6Ru/s1600/Wall2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="353" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbPDoq4ix8YheX_6QtmH5JgvxszLQ6LKttS30mYql3Ug_ueMF9IaMAbGT7PwMR0fZqGHyeJlSIXBLFd0HIc3lTss9BLidpWmWVEXc77XfGXo57J-m3yzbNpiFGlNADrHdBWrpjBWEnF6Ru/s400/Wall2.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Do you guys have any secrets for cheaper-but-still-awesome large-scale wall decor? I'd really love to hear. No, seriously. Tell me. Tell me now.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">p.s. Don't forget to enter this week's <a href="http://adayinlifetoo.blogspot.com/2011/05/giveaway.html" target="blank">GIVEAWAY</a>!</div><div></div>

HomeStyle: Wall Collage

In my basement lives a large family room. Translation: tons of walls, where nailing up a framed family photo or two just isn't going to ...

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HomeStyle: Chairspiration

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">For some reason unbeknownst to myself, I'm not getting dressed today. It's already after lunchtime, and I'm still in some semblance of my pajamas. I'm not even sick or anything. Just have too much to do...or nothing at all, but I'll never tell. Plus, I haven't worked out yet. So I'm holding off awarding myself a shower until that happens.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Could be a stinky few days...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">But. To tide you all over, I wanted to show you a recent reupholstery project I did. Saw this sad little number on craigslist a while ago and thought it had potential. I also thought, after I scored it for a mere $10, <em>"Sweet, I can pick up some fries for the drive home."</em> Nevermind the fact that the drive home was about 5 minutes. I just love fries, okay? </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXshGYc7t4988cFrazgrKEs4F2HXGcyODK_xbJ9FXKOzSEyCZMEHW08YvdTAhL391GFAEM3GTQlRq5ndIHHAJMsuO2lKfxWIUV1BZfefK96z7EzCcwRqxCGhD-up-eQdiHrhtWi9cP2NMF/s1600/002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXshGYc7t4988cFrazgrKEs4F2HXGcyODK_xbJ9FXKOzSEyCZMEHW08YvdTAhL391GFAEM3GTQlRq5ndIHHAJMsuO2lKfxWIUV1BZfefK96z7EzCcwRqxCGhD-up-eQdiHrhtWi9cP2NMF/s400/002.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">What would you do with a chair like this? A few things about it: it reaked like smoke and other weird smells, the frame was terribly scuffed up, the rattan-type siding was starting to fall apart, and the velour was aging in an undignified way. Oh, and also? The thing was extremely comfortable and well-built.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">I'd originally intended this chair for my girls' room, which already had lots of pink and pattern, so I wanted the new look to be fairly neutral and in-the-background. After scouring the Internet for fabric, I finally found this awesome greek key-esque print at (surprise!) JoAnn's and snatched it up. eBay supplied me with some nailhead for the finishwork, which helped to ground a chair that would otherwise be pretty floaty-away-ish. (Feel free to enter term that into Wikipedia.) </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0vu3d5_5_DMd6j4FcbykDMHZMuWACOoywIYYRIUGACfulyfEvAH252EIvl0gY-htqPkfCgGWSbYfs4cFFvzL_w_IH9-5MtcsavC70_1TMBfy7acOmw5m2dYVCsLa4yyV3qH3YkJp83T4C/s1600/rocking_chair_detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="288" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0vu3d5_5_DMd6j4FcbykDMHZMuWACOoywIYYRIUGACfulyfEvAH252EIvl0gY-htqPkfCgGWSbYfs4cFFvzL_w_IH9-5MtcsavC70_1TMBfy7acOmw5m2dYVCsLa4yyV3qH3YkJp83T4C/s400/rocking_chair_detail.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">I used the tea candle method to distress the frame as I spray-painted it (Heirloom White, I think) for a kind of French provincial effect, and I padded up the tufting for a more modern look. I also completely gutted the rattan (does anyone know what that stuff is actually called?) to make the chair more contemporary and, let's be honest, good-lookin'. </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Here's a little Before & After for your viewing enjoyment:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbe-DH8yFLXyXvxCZ7qT_tob5NnITdSw3UjZPl_awtFrOqK4xRqtxvFmE9LGnJ5BkHkJTN0yMleTbzFoGX6p-tlJ3mnx1mkkEs4UyX2DccKBAI2h57QYwUCxPIeH1OISUMVmszd1H6zpwg/s1600/rocking_chair_B%2526A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="288" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbe-DH8yFLXyXvxCZ7qT_tob5NnITdSw3UjZPl_awtFrOqK4xRqtxvFmE9LGnJ5BkHkJTN0yMleTbzFoGX6p-tlJ3mnx1mkkEs4UyX2DccKBAI2h57QYwUCxPIeH1OISUMVmszd1H6zpwg/s400/rocking_chair_B%2526A.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"> I like how it turned out. But here's the deal: I scored another beauty of a chair (translation: hideous piece of furniture with exceptional potential) from craigslist and now am on the hunt for a look I love. Anyone have any ideas? I think for the next one, I want the print to be a little bolder, and it needs to fit into my living room scheme (where I normally take my outfit shots). </div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">I'm not afraid of boldness; as proof, here's one of a set of old boring office chairs I redid for our basement:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNj1Qx8_oUQGHmChdbc49xZbA5WNYG3OVU5qHICwMjJBw-ROzCJoarU45JASChX57qFKClgWtCUBucFWnIEuu6KA4dzGvy-a6vr8XZKCuROC6O7nMgKIWiVe4M0Hre6ncAXve8Nk9BYLSd/s1600/chair.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNj1Qx8_oUQGHmChdbc49xZbA5WNYG3OVU5qHICwMjJBw-ROzCJoarU45JASChX57qFKClgWtCUBucFWnIEuu6KA4dzGvy-a6vr8XZKCuROC6O7nMgKIWiVe4M0Hre6ncAXve8Nk9BYLSd/s320/chair.JPG" width="256" /></a></div><div align="center">I'm not afraid of bold statements. Just, y'know, a time and a place.</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">So. I'd love to hear your ideas. What color combos on furniture do you love? Like? Hate? Or...if you don't care anything about chairs and want to see photos of my pajamas, I suppose you could leave a comment expressing that sentiment as well. We're all friends here.</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">Happy Monday!</div>

HomeStyle: Chairspiration

For some reason unbeknownst to myself, I'm not getting dressed today. It's already after lunchtime, and I'm still in some sembla...

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HomeStyle: Paint a Chevron Rug

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">[Editor's note: This post is part a new, infrequent series on home design ideas and projects. If you're new here (welcome!), this blog really does deal mostly with style/fashion. Specifically mine. Heh. So don't be alarmed, but just pull up a proverbial chair and stay awhile...]</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">So, maybe chevron (zigzag) pattern is a has-been for some of you, but I'm still deeply (wipe a tear) <em>deeply</em> in love with it. Especially rugs. I've wanted one for a while now. Like these:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPzd5F7mzZ6PU6JNyQwyTnBxmFLBYKpiq6W6640PgJRlbK73EHA7WbENefGjvJB6UakEcYLgAZXdNa_ABKZ15c8yA7XOuVWdzgR64Z_J-Cf66R7SumBpftwaDExfxKznGlSlHy93CXqORG/s1600/rug1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPzd5F7mzZ6PU6JNyQwyTnBxmFLBYKpiq6W6640PgJRlbK73EHA7WbENefGjvJB6UakEcYLgAZXdNa_ABKZ15c8yA7XOuVWdzgR64Z_J-Cf66R7SumBpftwaDExfxKznGlSlHy93CXqORG/s400/rug1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(<a href="http://www.westelm.com/products/zigzag-rug-r656/" target="blank">West Elm</a>)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVVxVHcV7vAdK8T9BuZ7rg5uKmuT5CNMSehYUtaXBb-e8gg7AMJhFMU6l6aIxwI7XAqayRMQ5DkYzJ78xv09NTzuKADlWje0EtWL26Zd01TWx-UKiQ3ojUZ_mzLu2__u5TC8Jugo8dNYPi/s1600/rug2.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVVxVHcV7vAdK8T9BuZ7rg5uKmuT5CNMSehYUtaXBb-e8gg7AMJhFMU6l6aIxwI7XAqayRMQ5DkYzJ78xv09NTzuKADlWje0EtWL26Zd01TWx-UKiQ3ojUZ_mzLu2__u5TC8Jugo8dNYPi/s1600/rug2.bmp" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(<a href="http://www.bing.com/shopping/search?q=nate+berkus+dhurrie++rug&FORM=HURE" target="blank">Nate Berkus</a>)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">But I just couldn't bring myself to fork over the cash for one. Enter the five-star idea in cyberworld (especially <a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2010/06/diy-chevron-rug.html" target="blank">here</a>) that you can actually paint your own rug. Genius.<br /><br />I bought an inexpensive plain flatweave rug from Ikea. Decided on the size/scale of ziggity-zagness I wanted, then proceeded to spend 40 days and nights marking it out and taping it. Okay, fine, not <em>that</em> long...but close.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpaRwbzYc2vG4IgX3onbHvVhlyY_hB39wNUCJiOj0dNenZ7jQzS9Jtth0pmYu03aFFnmkwytTIbnARK4RP6s4BlRF9HsTCwMXreJHsnEPy9pbNzvO30AC8yzBhwi60kZscDgxb2Zr_OIYp/s1600/Chevron_Rug.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpaRwbzYc2vG4IgX3onbHvVhlyY_hB39wNUCJiOj0dNenZ7jQzS9Jtth0pmYu03aFFnmkwytTIbnARK4RP6s4BlRF9HsTCwMXreJHsnEPy9pbNzvO30AC8yzBhwi60kZscDgxb2Zr_OIYp/s400/Chevron_Rug.jpg" width="350" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">I'd planned all along on using a reddish paint, but I made a last-minute decision to go slightly more muted with a paint color called "toasted almond," mostly because I already had nearly a full quart on-hand <em>and</em> it's a pretty color. (My sincerest apologies to those of you Google Search users coming here amid your quest for ways to toast almonds. Feel free to create your own blog post on roasting the nut and calling your method "painted rug" just out of spite. I'd understand.)</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">(ahem) So. I'm happy with the color and the way it turned out. I like the dry-brush effect; it seems instantly antiquated, but in a more subtle way than if the color itself were darker. Also, slight paint bleeding under the tape isn't obvious, and the zigzag looks crisp and sharp.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKdsRpgJOFlGfe3ME9FRGvC9Lqb60yVXJPMQ5kb5upbCrZU2ZMpm9wssikCTIDcfMrwV8nZvo6no5LdAAcddMmLA2fUpQsoNnhCstqyFihsgcCovGkCbcY62gpJanQkrN6UTXeuIXNxVF3/s1600/Chevron_Rug_done.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="325" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKdsRpgJOFlGfe3ME9FRGvC9Lqb60yVXJPMQ5kb5upbCrZU2ZMpm9wssikCTIDcfMrwV8nZvo6no5LdAAcddMmLA2fUpQsoNnhCstqyFihsgcCovGkCbcY62gpJanQkrN6UTXeuIXNxVF3/s400/Chevron_Rug_done.jpg" width="400" /></a><br /><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">I just threw the rug down on the floor for your viewing pleasure here; it obviously needs to be integrated into the space. What do you guys think? Would you ever paint a rug?</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">p.s. If you're a style blogger, don't forget to join the "Unexpected and Maybe Awesome" linkup in the post directly below. I'd link to it, but I don't want to insult your page-scrolling intelligence... Seriously, link up! The more the merrier.</div>

HomeStyle: Paint a Chevron Rug

[Editor's note: This post is part a new, infrequent series on home design ideas and projects. If you're new here (welcome!), this bl...

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(New Blog Feature) Home Style: Trays

<div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;">Hey friends,</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Okay, so here's the deal. Somewhere between several and many of you have asked to see parts of my house, which is so super sweet of you all. Honestly. My "real life" friends know that, although I enjoy dabbling in certain realms of home design, I have no innate skill or eye whatsoever.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">That being said, I don't want to ignore those of you who've expressed interest in my home. So, I'm going to shake things up a bit on this blog. On occasion (I'm trying to figure out just how often...weekly? twice a week? yearly? What are your thoughts?), I'm going to add a home design DIY or idea or something that I've done. That way, those of you who care will see parts of my house and home style. The rest of you can ignore me. (But not you, Mom. You're stuck with me...)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">So. Let's start small, shall we? Today's idea features a tray makeover. I think trays are wonderfully subtle ways to infuse a bit of style into a space without screaming, "Hey everyone, look at me!" They're also very practical, for serving food at parties, holding utensils at family gatherings, keeping keys and sunglasses and miscellaneous stuff quarantined by the door, etc. They're not only fun but incredibly useful.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I thrifted this little baby for about $2 last Fall.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr3JiGn-4rI937Qj5ZI_Oz9Xmod-hFiDGtowLVv_OrhLwkhHOJqJ1GyebzXfF_xsqHvhkWuLvvgBHMrIluy3rr96_TxrbudAGwPixDkGQBU5UDPoZWS3IO1fZ12RiEYESkUeolNLtoS-c4/s1600/019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="210" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr3JiGn-4rI937Qj5ZI_Oz9Xmod-hFiDGtowLVv_OrhLwkhHOJqJ1GyebzXfF_xsqHvhkWuLvvgBHMrIluy3rr96_TxrbudAGwPixDkGQBU5UDPoZWS3IO1fZ12RiEYESkUeolNLtoS-c4/s400/019.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Thought it had potential, with the cool iron edging and solid wood base, although it was a bit scuffed up and had the look of check-out-what-I-did-at-craft-night. (Craft nights are great, mind you...I just prefer that the finished product doesn't give that impression right outta the gate, you know?) </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I took it apart, spray painted the metal navy and primed and painted the wood base white. After the base dried, I taped out a chevron design, which I then painted grey. Went over the whole thing with wipe-on polyurethane. This is the end result (my first attempt at chevron pattern...I learned some things). The tray sits on a chartreuse console table, and I love the color combo of all of it together. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdH9AkNwA4OEAr8x9i73vnf2HoM0rU2j_cO6t63t3X8NbrAQqGRyL-QSaMSbZdKFw16T0EFzMHCl85pZVFpfjE2M5PNax2J2aTL051sGj2cFF4Y2V04uHXfmi33hvqNWqfDCw_AtcUfX1Y/s1600/020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdH9AkNwA4OEAr8x9i73vnf2HoM0rU2j_cO6t63t3X8NbrAQqGRyL-QSaMSbZdKFw16T0EFzMHCl85pZVFpfjE2M5PNax2J2aTL051sGj2cFF4Y2V04uHXfmi33hvqNWqfDCw_AtcUfX1Y/s400/020.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">I'm still working on a vignette for the top of the tray (ideas, anyone?), but in the meantime, I think it's an improvement over the original tired old painted cherries. Nothing against cherries, of course. They're a delicious fruit. </div>

(New Blog Feature) Home Style: Trays

Hey friends, Okay, so here's the deal. Somewhere between several and many of you have asked to see parts of my house, which is so super ...

Read more »