Thursday, January 26, 2012
Look what the cat dragged in!....again...
So it's my latest purchase from a local re-sale shop for the new "family room/man cave" in the basement. Not quite sure what to do with it yet, but what can I say...it speaks to me! Good lines, clean, sturdy, classic design and the very best part...$30.00. I know right?!
I kind of like the caned?/weaved? side panels, but I don't care for the fabric. Though I dig a touch of orange, for me, it's overkill.
All the cushion wedges are removable so it could an open bench. It's big! It's the size of a twin mattress so wouldn't it be cool in an open concept living area?....ahem, which I do not have. Haha.
All of the cushion wedges are zippered covers so if I could make new ones in a different fabric, I image it to turn out something like this. I'm sure I'll get right on that (wink wink).
It's been moved into the basement and kid tested. Evan used it as a trampoline for about an hour so it's a keeper. Let me know what you think??? Have to? or Has Been:(
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Our Basement Bathroom Renovation and Some Clever Vanity Ideas
With our one tiny bathroom upstairs, we decided to add a bathroom in the basement a few years ago. We worked on it so slooooooowly. I'm talking, we are just finishing it! But, as my husband says, "I'm only one man", and even better, he's free! But, besides adding some minor detail trim work...oh yes!...and a door, which is very important (I'll explain that in another post)...we are done. I'm kind of glad it's taken so long, because I have trouble picking things out on the fly. I think sometimes good design kind of happens organically over time spent searching for just the right thing. I wonder what this bathroom would have been if we could have completed it all in one shot? Or, if we hadn't done a "budget" version since, after all, I had to keep reminding myself that this is just a basement that will only be "semi-finished". Because I didn't have the $900 it would have taken to do a wall to wall vanity area with the countertop (that's not even including sinks and faucets), we stalled the project.
Finally, in a local antique store I spotted a rustic old plank table that had a greeny, glazey, cool crackley finish on it. It caught my eye right away and was around $200 or $250, I can't remember which, but the set-up of it was perfect!! It even had a flat back to go against the wall and an apron on the front to hide the sink bowls below. Noah cut the sink holes and dropped two basic white sinks in the top ($136.00 total for those and the faucets too) and I think it came out great!
I love the table's coloring with the black slate floors. Please ignore that we have no baseboards!
By the way, I settled on this floor. I knew it would be slate, but I wanted the same Rustic/California Gold (I think that's what it was called:/) slate that is in the entrance of Coldwater Creek clothing stores. I had to jump through hoops of fire with Coldwater Creek to get the color name, but when it priced out at $6.00/sf, I chose this box store black slate that was on sale for about $2.00/sf. That's cheap for slate and I liked the blue-green colors in it for the "boys bath".
Even though I originally wanted something different, I know I can get other things to work just as well and accomplish a similar look, and oddly, I kind of find some excitement in the challenge of doing that!
I just need to add, I thought I might be 102 before Noah finished tiling that shower with EVERY piece of 3x6 white subway tile, but he did it and it looks great:) He's my hero! This was his first tile project. He has done a few "assistant" gigs with my brother-in-law and decided to take a crack at it alone here. Sink or swim! Subway tile is cost effective, classic, Very Bungalow! and never goes out of style. By the way, we had the floor pan for the shower prefessionally poured. When you don't feel confident on something as important as that, I think it's best to splurge for quality and re-assurance. It was either $150 or $200....I knew a guy;)
Looking at bathroom pictures over the years, and loving our own little make-shift vanity has made me take notice to the really clever vanity ideas out there that could be super cost effective. This old sewing base I thought was sooooooo clever!! I probably would have wanted to do something like this (using two of them) if I hadn't already found the table.
With storage too!
This bicycle is an A-MAZ-ING idea too! What a cool way to use something that might be sentimental, or if you were a biker or something.
Again with the white subway tile...you just can't go wrong!
Even an old dresser would have been cool if I could have found one large enough to visually fill up the 8' wall. The farm table we ended up with is 6', so we centered it with 12" on each side. I think this dresser/sink vanity is really beautiful and slightly modified for an opening at the bottom which looks good. I need a way to thoughtfully accessorize like this... ugh!...me and my dumb empty baskets! I WILL put something in them. As usual...waiting, waiting.
Hope you like the pics and thanks for reading! Now to actually finish this bathroom, again...a door would be nice!
Have a great day!
Finally, in a local antique store I spotted a rustic old plank table that had a greeny, glazey, cool crackley finish on it. It caught my eye right away and was around $200 or $250, I can't remember which, but the set-up of it was perfect!! It even had a flat back to go against the wall and an apron on the front to hide the sink bowls below. Noah cut the sink holes and dropped two basic white sinks in the top ($136.00 total for those and the faucets too) and I think it came out great!
I love the table's coloring with the black slate floors. Please ignore that we have no baseboards!
By the way, I settled on this floor. I knew it would be slate, but I wanted the same Rustic/California Gold (I think that's what it was called:/) slate that is in the entrance of Coldwater Creek clothing stores. I had to jump through hoops of fire with Coldwater Creek to get the color name, but when it priced out at $6.00/sf, I chose this box store black slate that was on sale for about $2.00/sf. That's cheap for slate and I liked the blue-green colors in it for the "boys bath".
Even though I originally wanted something different, I know I can get other things to work just as well and accomplish a similar look, and oddly, I kind of find some excitement in the challenge of doing that!
I just need to add, I thought I might be 102 before Noah finished tiling that shower with EVERY piece of 3x6 white subway tile, but he did it and it looks great:) He's my hero! This was his first tile project. He has done a few "assistant" gigs with my brother-in-law and decided to take a crack at it alone here. Sink or swim! Subway tile is cost effective, classic, Very Bungalow! and never goes out of style. By the way, we had the floor pan for the shower prefessionally poured. When you don't feel confident on something as important as that, I think it's best to splurge for quality and re-assurance. It was either $150 or $200....I knew a guy;)
Looking at bathroom pictures over the years, and loving our own little make-shift vanity has made me take notice to the really clever vanity ideas out there that could be super cost effective. This old sewing base I thought was sooooooo clever!! I probably would have wanted to do something like this (using two of them) if I hadn't already found the table.
This bicycle is an A-MAZ-ING idea too! What a cool way to use something that might be sentimental, or if you were a biker or something.
Even an old dresser would have been cool if I could have found one large enough to visually fill up the 8' wall. The farm table we ended up with is 6', so we centered it with 12" on each side. I think this dresser/sink vanity is really beautiful and slightly modified for an opening at the bottom which looks good. I need a way to thoughtfully accessorize like this... ugh!...me and my dumb empty baskets! I WILL put something in them. As usual...waiting, waiting.
Hope you like the pics and thanks for reading! Now to actually finish this bathroom, again...a door would be nice!
Have a great day!
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
A William Morris Inspired Quest for Vintage.
While reading the latest issue of Old House Journal a few weeks ago, I ran across a quote by a pillar of the Arts and Crafts movement Mr. William Morris, he says, "Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful". Thank you WM for the great advice!
I love this quote because I firmly believe every word of it. Nothing against "box store" decorating...sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do, right?:) But it's such a better feeling to be surrounded by decor you love and cherish, and it's been somewhere and has a life of it's own...(sigh) like anything vintage. I had a yearning for a great vintage find so I decided to re-visit some of my fav stores in the lovely city of Des Moines, Iowa last weekend.
First stop...West End Salvage. Great place in an old warehouse downtown with a coffee shop inside. Tons of cool stuff. Nothing I wanted to afford that day, but if you need something specific, he's probably got it. http://www.westendsalvage.com/
Second stop...Atomic Gargage in the Valley Junction area of Des Moines. Love their vintage clothes!
http://www.valleyjunction.com/
What about this sweet Mommy and baby matching ensemble??? My friend Michelle spotted these relics right away. I wonder if Evan would wear this with me...
Atomic Garage (above) is all clothes (my other passion), but they have a sister store across the street http://aokayantiques.com/index.htm that has incredible antiques, vintage decor, and the upstairs hosts an inspiring collection of some of the best retro era pieces of furniture.
So great! I didn't buy anything but clothes. I know, right!? I'm frugal, what can I say...
I bought a fun green printy shirt for spring, a sweet petal pink chiffon nightgown, and I regretfully did not buy this, but a sexy 70's black one piece pantsuit that I'm still kind of kicking myself over...I may end up calling for that later. Here's the shirt. My friend and I decided it'd be cute with some white linen pants for summer maybe.
So there it is! My vintage search in a nutshell. I'm just finding little bits at a time, whether it's clothes or decor, and that's ok because I don't really have space just to get "stuff". I just buy what I love or find useful like ol' William Morris suggested. A special thanks to my friend and best shopping buddy Michelle for chauffering me all over town too. Love ya!
I love this quote because I firmly believe every word of it. Nothing against "box store" decorating...sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do, right?:) But it's such a better feeling to be surrounded by decor you love and cherish, and it's been somewhere and has a life of it's own...(sigh) like anything vintage. I had a yearning for a great vintage find so I decided to re-visit some of my fav stores in the lovely city of Des Moines, Iowa last weekend.
First stop...West End Salvage. Great place in an old warehouse downtown with a coffee shop inside. Tons of cool stuff. Nothing I wanted to afford that day, but if you need something specific, he's probably got it. http://www.westendsalvage.com/
Straight from an Arts and Crafts bungalow, the traditional bookcases with pillars.
http://www.valleyjunction.com/
What about this sweet Mommy and baby matching ensemble??? My friend Michelle spotted these relics right away. I wonder if Evan would wear this with me...
Atomic Garage (above) is all clothes (my other passion), but they have a sister store across the street http://aokayantiques.com/index.htm that has incredible antiques, vintage decor, and the upstairs hosts an inspiring collection of some of the best retro era pieces of furniture.
Yes, I do believe it's the Eames 670 chair with ottoman...bow your heads...
I bought a fun green printy shirt for spring, a sweet petal pink chiffon nightgown, and I regretfully did not buy this, but a sexy 70's black one piece pantsuit that I'm still kind of kicking myself over...I may end up calling for that later. Here's the shirt. My friend and I decided it'd be cute with some white linen pants for summer maybe.
Here's the nighty..at least that's what I will be wearing it for.
Here's also a leopard vintage 1950's handbag I scored from a previous trip several years ago, but I still love it so much that I have to show you all. What a find!
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Great finds...and nowhere to put 'em!
Once in a while, when I'm scouring my local thrift shops, I find something that speaks to me and I fall madly in love. I buy it of course, especially if it's a great deal because that's all part of the fun, but here's the problem...when you live in bungalow, you lack serious space, so I never have anywhere to put this great stuff! Here's some of my latest finds that I have lovingly tucked away in our un-finished upstairs for future use. At least I hope for future use:/
By the way...I have a future "master bedroom vision" for my upstairs that does not include stored goodies of past findings and it looks (in my head) something like the color palette and feel of this...
http://www.houzz.com/photos/39931/Suzanne-s-Bedroom-Makeover-Win--bedroom-philadelphia
With this color vision always in the back of my mind, I stumbled upon this lovely soft gray grasscloth wallpaper at the Habitat Re-store (one of my hot spots. I snatched that up quick! Not sure how much it will cover, I need to measure it. It's so very "coastal glam" (a term I've coined.haha..) that would be so serene in a master bedroom.
$1.50 per roll, Thick, heavy, real, actual, grasscloth:) I'm in love...now...as to where it will hang...hmmm...no clue. But here is a similar bedroom palette with grasscloth walls so you have a visual of the texture. Fab!
I also found this cool bamboo folding chair at the Goodwill for $12.00 a while back. I winced a bit at the price because it could use a little stain touch up and I wouldn't exactly say it's the sturdiest chair I own. It has a hair of a wobble. But, a little tlc and tightening and it'll be so great. And where will it go you ask??? Ummmm...not sure, but I'm thrilled to see Ballard Designs carries these chairs for a pretty penny so I think I scored here!
Ballard for $109
Yay! $12
By the way...I have a future "master bedroom vision" for my upstairs that does not include stored goodies of past findings and it looks (in my head) something like the color palette and feel of this...
With this color vision always in the back of my mind, I stumbled upon this lovely soft gray grasscloth wallpaper at the Habitat Re-store (one of my hot spots. I snatched that up quick! Not sure how much it will cover, I need to measure it. It's so very "coastal glam" (a term I've coined.haha..) that would be so serene in a master bedroom.
$1.50 per roll, Thick, heavy, real, actual, grasscloth:) I'm in love...now...as to where it will hang...hmmm...no clue. But here is a similar bedroom palette with grasscloth walls so you have a visual of the texture. Fab!
I also found this cool bamboo folding chair at the Goodwill for $12.00 a while back. I winced a bit at the price because it could use a little stain touch up and I wouldn't exactly say it's the sturdiest chair I own. It has a hair of a wobble. But, a little tlc and tightening and it'll be so great. And where will it go you ask??? Ummmm...not sure, but I'm thrilled to see Ballard Designs carries these chairs for a pretty penny so I think I scored here!
Ballard for $109
Yay! $12Lastly, the Goodwill scouring has provided me with a super retro hanging globe light for $5.00. This is the find that I absolutely have no clue if I will ever use, but I love a little piece of nostalgia and it was in great condition so hey, why not! Price-wise I felt a score and since I saw this website had an identical one for $52.00. Yay again!
Monday, December 19, 2011
Major Project 1...The new shed
Leaving our, already vulnerable, historic barn in shambles
The clean-up was a very slow process, but we saved what we could.
Let me just say that my husband has NEVER built anything like this. A stud wall, yes. A building, no, just learning along the way. The goal was to salvage what we could since we desperately needed the storage and were on a serious budget. Afterall, this was/IS! a piece of our property's history, so we decided to build a shed and found a design that fit our needs with what we had left to work with. Board-wise it wasn't enough for the roof unfortunately.
So, here is where we are with the new "shed" which actually ended up being just a hair bigger.
But after months in the making...
it's pretty much at a standstill. Ha ha.
But, slow and steady is more our style I guess.
Stay tuned for more pics as we progress. Happy holidays!
If only we had extra barnboard...maybe we could just whip this up too (wink;)
Monday, December 12, 2011
One of my holiday favs - The "fancy chandy"
I love chandeliers! Even if I have to make them myself. Since a traditional bungalow leaves little room "decking the halls", my dining room's basic black chandy is a chance for me to add a little bling during the holidays. Even at work we managed to hang a pre-lit wire tree upside down (the biggest we could find of course) and hang a little sparkle:)
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