Decor Inspiration Hunting

Home.

I have been doing a fair amount of traveling these past few months.  With all the traveling, one gets to see lots of different décor.  Not all is good, but quite a bit of it is very inspirational.  The price of some of these pieces in stores, hotels, etc. are probably out of control, but you just know many are quite possible to recreate.

Wood Lamp - Asheville, N.C.

While in Asheville, NC  I came upon a store called k2 Studio.  This store has become a stop each time Jeff and visit the city.  There are tons of great modern furniture and decorating items that I would love to take home, but are not compatible with our budget.  The one item that I truly fell in love with is a lamp. I knew instantly that I could make something like this, but it would take some planning and time.  I have been collecting wood/sticks for a few months now that are gnarled enough to use to recreate this.   I hope to get my butt in gear to show you this recreation soon.

Wall Art - Baltimore, Maryland

Wall art at Aloft hotel

On a recent week trip to the DC area, I saw this wall art in an Aloft Hotel we were staying at.  The look is so modern and basic that instantly I took a liking.  A piece of wood, a router, sander, and two different color paints look like they would allow to recreate this project.  I am saying this now, and honestly it could easily turn into a Pinterest fail, but you never know if you don’t take a chance. It's hard to see, but the lines going through the wood are channeled using a router and then painted with a light green to contrast with the white of the rest of the wood piece. 

Balls - Chicago, Illinois

Orb Lighting in a Chicago O'Hare United Club

Yes, I said it, “ Balls!”  Ok, orbs?  They were everywhere we went in Chicago, specifically lighted orbs.   They were in the hotels, the lounge at O’Hare, restaurants, clothing stores (Zara), everywhere.  What caught my eye was that they were all of a metallic finish (some darker, some lighter), varying sizes and heights, and all had some sort of light fixture incorporated.  Now, I am sure they all cost a pretty penny so I did some research.  All possibilities totally varied in price and style.  The main thing about doing something like this is that you need to choose the ball (orb) size that best fits your space.

Orb Lighting in Zara, Chicago IL

No matter how ridiculous the inspiration, take a picture of it and dream a bit.  If you love the look the caught your eye, you will find a way to make it on your own and yours.  Happy inspiration hunting.

<3 mk

What did you do this weekend?

Food. Fashion. Home.

Do you ever feel that if you aren’t doing projects over the weekend, that you didn’t do anything?  We constantly struggle with this.  If we aren’t traveling or have events over the weekend, we both feel the need to constant being doing things around the house.  No, it really isn’t a problem, but we need to get in the mindset that it is ok to relax a bit and not actually get a project done.  That wasn’t the case this weekend because we did get some things done, but also had some time to enjoy the warmer weather and spent some relaxing time together.

Food.

Normally on the weekends one usually makes more complicated dishes because there is more time.  I just wasn’t in the mood.  I made some of my easier dishes like the marinated edemame to go with some pot stickers for one meal and then a quick warm kale salad for a light dinner on Sunday.  That warm kale salad has become a staple dish about two times a week lately. 

I have been keeping up with my New Year’s Resolution to drink more water.  The aquazinger it awesome!  The fact that I’m not sucking up lemon pits when I drink my water has made the whole process easier.  I love the fact that the bottle is dishwasher safe, because things do not get washed by hand in this house unless absolutely mandatory, it just takes too much time.  I also love the fact that I get a few uses out of the fruit or veggies you put on the bottom.  My favorite for sure has been lemon and cucumber.  The bottle came with an ingredients ideas and recipes that have different veggies, fruits, herbs, spices, even sugars.  I think I will try the citrus cilantro this week.

Fashion.

I received something in the mail on Friday when I got home and I haven’t been so excited about a delivery like that in a while.  My first Stitch Fix order was delivered.  I knew it was coming because they had sent me an email letting me know it was on its way.  There are little surprises left in life anymore and this clearly was one of them.  I was so giddy to open that box and see what “my stylist” had chosen for me.

Inside was a fit and flare dress that was cobalt and blue, owl print button-up cotton cardigan,  two short sleeve shirts (chevron and solid/striped arms), and a printed ¾ sleeve blouse.  Inside the box were picture cards with each item for a day look and a night look.  I tried all the items on and really thought about outfits to put together with them.  In the end, I returned all of the items.  TEAR!!!   The dress was a little bit big for me, but I have something similar so it wasn’t worth exchanging, even though I usually love anything in cobalt blue.  The cardigan was exactly my style minus the owls.  I just don’t do clothing with animals on it, animal prints are ok, not animals.  The t-shirts were great, but for $48 each, this frugal gal just won't allow that.  My biggest upset was the ¾ sleeve blouse.  It was super cute and exactly what my style, but I also like to raise my arms in the air without tearing the back.  I have a larger back and this blouse had no stretch.  Going up a size would have been too large so it had to go back too.

Returning was really easy.  I just put the items back into a return bag that came with the order and brought the bag to the post office.  You have three days to make your decision.  I went online and completed a survey of the items, just as I explained above.  This way my “stylist” can understand my clothing choices better.  The survey asks about the style, the price, the fit, etc. and then also has a comments section.  How smart is it that they want to get the choices right?  Now they know,  “I don’t do animals on my clothing.” 

So the Debbie Downer part of this story is that I had to return my stuff, but the upside is that in February the 11^th to be exact, I will get my next order and the surprise factor will return again.

Home.

There is always a project to keep me busy.  I did a lot of odds and ends things this weekend; sewing, cleaning, organizing, and small projects.

Back of pillow slipcover showing access opening

I made another slipcover for a pillow.  I didn't think I had enough of the navy chevron fabric, but it worked out perfectly.  While I had the sewing machine out, I also sewed a few items that needed a stitch. 

After reading a post for YHL, I got the idea that we needed to renew the grout in our bathrooms.  Jeff was the logical one and suggested just using some bleach and a toothbrush; he is so smart. Our house is only a few years old and therefore the renewal wasn't needed.  No need to purchase and spend more time than needed.  A little elbow grease and about an hour and it was done.  It looks like a whole new floor.

Before bleach and a toothbrush 

After bleach and a toothbrush

I also made some wall art for our master bathroom that I will be posting later on this week. The project was extremely simple and took only a few minutes. More to come.

What did you get done this weekend?  If you said nothing, then I'm a bit envious.

<3 mk

DIY Holiday Craft Decorations

Home.

The holiday season has begun!  Two weekends ago, the tree in our house went up and the decorating projects went into full swing.  Having a new house, it made me want to change things up a bit.  I chose to stick with the color scheme in the dining room and living room; black, white, royal blue, and silver/chrome.  Here are some of my favorite projects that I completed this year.

Ornamental Tree Branches

To start the decorating, the mantel has been dressed up again similar to the way it was last year with a few chrome updates.  Its amazing the way a simple can of spray paint can make anything seem fresh and new. My frugalness couldn't let the can go unused.  In came the ornamental tree branches.

This is so simple and extremely inexpensive.  Just cut or collect a few twigs from a tree.  Because of the time of year, they will be leafless and bug free.  I chose small branches that stretched out in many different directions and could hold an ornament. 

Spray paint the tree branches with whatever spray paint color of your choice.  I used the chrome spray paint and some black that I had on hand.  I used gloves and held the twigs up to spray paint over a tarp. Don't lay them on the tarp to dry because they will smug.  I stuck them directly in the ground and they dried easily.  Just make sure you do this on a dry day with some sun to ensure they dry quickly.

Ornamental tree branches in vase

When dry, take the twigs and arrange them in a vase of your choice.  I had a chrome decorative vase that was purchased at TJ Maxx many years back.  Hang some colored ornaments from the colored tree twigs and voila, done.

JOY Letters

I keep seeing words spelled out on people’s mantels and fell in love.  Our mantel is not capable of being so decorative because of the gigantic television over the top.  That didn’t mean I couldn't make the letters for other locations. 

The letters are super cheap and sold at craft stores in various materials and sizes.   My letters are about 8” tall and made of a hard hallow paper.  While I was spraying my ornamental tree branches, I also sprayed the letters.  Wanting some diversity with the letters, the “J” and the “Y” were sprayed chrome and the “O”, black.  The “J” got a decorative wired bow and the “Y” was covered with a piece of clear plastic patterned paper. A few dots or glue and the clear paper stuck on the letter easily. 

No matter what color, word, or decoration; this is an easy sure to please project that will last you for many years to come.

DIY Outdoor Lighted Christmas Tree

Another easy DIY project, but this one is for outside. Tree lights and a tomato cage are all you need.  I wish I could say that I thought this up myself but the idea came from here.  Surprisingly, the local store still had tomato cages and in a variety of colors, so obviously I chose red.

I actually wrapped the cage in just the lights in the beginning, but made the decision to use garland and then wrap the lights.  Use some zip ties to hold the garland in place as well as keep the tops together.

The tops tend to look a bit unfinished so you can use anything you have that you might top a tree with. Just remember it goes outside and will need to handle the elements.  I used a bow made of wired ribbon that I had from previous years holiday décor. 

Peacock Feather Door Wreath

This beauty was done a few years back after my wedding.  I had tons of peacock feathers left over from my summer wedding and couldn’t just not use them.  Peacock feathers have the most beautiful colors in them and should be displayed for all to see.

First, spray paint a foam wreath base with a color similar to the feathers; such as a dark gray.  Next, use a glue gun to attach the feathers from their quill or rachis (main shaft).  Make sure they all go in the same direction and layered so you can see the eye of each feather.  There is not a need to cover the back, but go into the inside and far enough of the back so there aren’t any blank spots.

Peacock feather door wreath

I love this wreathe so much that I just ordered more feathers to make a second matching one for the second door in my main entrance.  Please don’t purchase the feathers from a craft store.  They are insanely expensive and only come in small quantities.  Amazon sells them in large quantities for a fraction of the price.  Just be aware, if you don't buy using the prime shipping option, you’ll have to wait at least over a week and a half for them to ship to you. You can buy a set of 25 peacock feathers at amazon for $14

I definitely had done tons more projects for holiday décor, but these were for sure my top choices to share with you.  What kinds of holiday projects did you do this year?

<3 mk

Quick and Easy Picture Gallery

Home.

Easy Picture Gallery using Ikea Ribba shelves

So have you ever put a good amount of time into doing something and then never actually used it?  Well, I spent a good amount of time prepping and planning a picture wall for our dining room and then never ended up using any of it.  Frustrating yes, but the final product of what we ended up doing is way better than originally planned - and painfully easy.

In our last home, there wasn’t a wall space big enough to put many of our framed pictures together in a large cluster. We ended up having a mini gallery in the front entrance and some in the living room.  With the new house we have the space to put all of those pictures together.

When it comes to home projects, I'm usually not heavy on the prep work.  I want the instant gratification of the final product ASAP.  I occasionally realize I need a different brush or more taping when my hands are covered in paint or something.  So when I actually did all of the prep work for this project and did not use any of it, it proves that I've been doing it right all along!

Similar to what I did by tracing and cutting all the frames.  Look how much fun they are having!

First, I gathered all the pictures I wanted mounted.  I then used left over boxes we had to trace and cut the outlines of all the pictures we were going to use.  Using paper that can be taped to the wall is much easier to visually see what the final product would look like.

Layout possibilities for hanging pictures

I also used inspiration for different frame layouts (see above) and then measured and laid out the different combinations to use.  I did this for short amounts of time over a few days and came up with a few possibilities.  And then…I saw this.

Inspiration from Ikea

This IKEA inspiration totally took all the work I had done and negated it. All my work and effort gone because we like this idea better.  It also has the added benefit of requiring far less work.

I went on a day trip to IKEA and purchased the Ribba shelves that came directly from the inspiration on IKEA’s website.  They come in black and white and in two different sizes.  I ended up purchasing two of the longer 45 ¼” versions in black for $14.99 each and one of the shorter 21 ¾” version in black for $9.99.  

After some quick planning we ended up recreating the idea of the inspiration photo.  Obviously our pictures weren’t the same, but we really went with the idea and weren’t trying to be original.

We didn’t end up using the two of our larger wedding pictures that were to go on that wall, but they ended up together over the newly painted bar table.

There are still a few empty picture frames that will eventually have something.  With time, the ideas for their contents will come.  Our experiences in our new house, new state, new lives will help with that.

<3 mk

Elongating Your Room with Curtains

Home.

The Final Product- Compare to the picture below.  Much better!

Before

News flash, if you are even paying attention to any design blogs or pictures on Pinterest, you probably know that you shouldn't hang curtains the way you use to.  No more of this fitting the rods to the top of the window molding.  You want them as high as possible and as wide as possible.  This way all the light is getting in and you have the optical illusion that the room is taller.

The last few weeks in our new house have been really early mornings, thanks to the lovely sun streaming through the translucent blinds.  I am really sensitive to light so the sleep mask has been a savior.   Of course, we were always going to put up drapes, but it took some time to find the right length for our ceiling height.  I needed drapes that measured about 108” in length that would hit as close to as high of the bottom part of the tray ceiling hits near the windows.  Hard to describe, but makes more sense with pictures.

The curtains are called Lush Décor Pima silver/black curtain panels. I ended up purchasing these beauties on Overstock because they were the style I wanted, the price I liked, and we had a moving coupon from the USPS for changing our address. They come in a variety of lengths from 95” to 120”.  I ordered the 108” panels and they pool just the right amount on the floor in our bedroom.  The price ranges from about $40-$50 depending on the size. 

Dignitet System- IKEA

To keep the actual curtains up, we ended up buying a wired Dignitet “rod” system from IKEA that we have used before.  It is fairly easy to put up and it isn't bulky like some of the other curtain rods that I have seen for sale.  We ended up using two of the regular sets and then two of the support posts for the corners. 

The whole process took about an hour to do.  We ran into a few quirks in the process, like putting up of supports backwards (the side does matter!) and not enough room for the cover to fit over the screw, but it got done correctly in the end.

Make sure you have the proper supplies when getting into this.  You will need a ladder or step stool because you do want to make your room appear larger, right?  You also need an electric screwdriver, measuring tool, small screwdriver (see above) with an allen bit the size of the Ikea allen wrench to tighten the screws tighter than the Ikea tool will let you, wire cutter, and a cute helper.  The cute helper is an extra, but helpful when you need your supplies and don't want to get off the ladder. 

This is the section of the Dignitet Rod system that tightens the wire to keep the curtains up. 

  

Overall the total cost for this project did not break the bank.

Dignitet Rods - $12.99 (we used two, but already owned a set)

Dignitet Support - $4.99 x 2 = $9.98

Curtains - $40.49 x 2 = $80.98 (we used a 20% off coupon)

_________________________

Grand total- $103.95

In the beginning I don't think Jeff was a believer in the fact that these curtains would elongate the room, but in the end he did comment on the fact that the room looked bigger.  I am torn about possibly adding in another set in the middle, but the jury is still out on this one. What do you think?

<3 mk