Saturday, October 14, 2017
Saturday, October 18, 2014
The Peacock Chair Treasure
Turning dated decor into treasures is a great design idea. It is a great way to reuse old and worn artifacts that you have in your home!
For the last few weeks I had been working on a chair creation. I up-cycled an old plain linen chair into a new creation. It was part of IFDA's (International Furnishings and Design Association) Take A Seat event - an auction to benefit Project Home which helps fight poverty and homelessness.
The concept of up-cycling is great for anyone and everyone; professionals as well as DIYers. If you have an old chair, wardrobe or sofa that you adore, why throw it out if the bones are great or if it's a family heirloom? Grandma might not have had the best fabric taste, but her furniture may still be worth something.
Renew it into something fun and different. I was able to do that with my chair! My finished product can be seen below...
The fabric I used for the top portion of the chair was Beacon Hill - Provocation Emerald and the seat fabric was Robert Allen - Royal Comfort Lemongrass.
I used gem stones from a local fabric store along with paint to create the effect on the legs.
The original chair had good bones, but needed some sprucing up....see below...
My chair was chosen to be showcased in Philadelphia's Center City Macy's display window before being auctioned at The Philadelphia Academy of Fine Arts. See below...
I hope this sparks you and some of your friends to start working on a fun weekend DIY project on this lovely Saturday!
Happy Up-cycling!
For the last few weeks I had been working on a chair creation. I up-cycled an old plain linen chair into a new creation. It was part of IFDA's (International Furnishings and Design Association) Take A Seat event - an auction to benefit Project Home which helps fight poverty and homelessness.
The concept of up-cycling is great for anyone and everyone; professionals as well as DIYers. If you have an old chair, wardrobe or sofa that you adore, why throw it out if the bones are great or if it's a family heirloom? Grandma might not have had the best fabric taste, but her furniture may still be worth something.
Renew it into something fun and different. I was able to do that with my chair! My finished product can be seen below...
The fabric I used for the top portion of the chair was Beacon Hill - Provocation Emerald and the seat fabric was Robert Allen - Royal Comfort Lemongrass.
I used gem stones from a local fabric store along with paint to create the effect on the legs.
The original chair had good bones, but needed some sprucing up....see below...
My chair was chosen to be showcased in Philadelphia's Center City Macy's display window before being auctioned at The Philadelphia Academy of Fine Arts. See below...
I hope this sparks you and some of your friends to start working on a fun weekend DIY project on this lovely Saturday!
Happy Up-cycling!
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Green With Fabric Envy
After the recent rise in temperature; you would think it was already summer, but hold on; it's still spring. And after the long cold winter, I'm glad to see the nice weather surrounding us.
This warm weather brings lush gardens, and parks that our open again for plenty to enjoy. Trees, flowers and lawns begin to grow and blossom. Experiencing the great outdoors is much more enjoyable for me, and many others, during the spring than during the bitter, cold weather that winter brings us.
When I think of spring; I think of green; like nature; not money (but money never hurts) and how all of the barren branches become fresh with new life.
I might even admit that a particular green might be my favorite color; but that's for another time. Right now, I'd like to share with you some of my favorite green, nature-inspired fabrics to spark your minds with ideas for spring design!
This warm weather brings lush gardens, and parks that our open again for plenty to enjoy. Trees, flowers and lawns begin to grow and blossom. Experiencing the great outdoors is much more enjoyable for me, and many others, during the spring than during the bitter, cold weather that winter brings us.
When I think of spring; I think of green; like nature; not money (but money never hurts) and how all of the barren branches become fresh with new life.
I might even admit that a particular green might be my favorite color; but that's for another time. Right now, I'd like to share with you some of my favorite green, nature-inspired fabrics to spark your minds with ideas for spring design!
You
can use the textiles below to create a new pillow, sew some new drapery panels
or even reupholster a beloved chair. You will be bringing spring into
your home.
Enjoy!
Green Colored Nature Inspired Fabrics - Part I
Fabrics clockwise from top left...
Hidden Temple/Emerald
Fenway Garden/Billiard Green
Fleur Raffia/Mint
Island Flower/Marine
Green Colored Nature Inspired Fabrics - Part II
Fabrics clockwise from top left...
Enchanted Vine/Emerald
Bloom City/Billiard Green
Elizas Garden/Blossom
Moon Blossom/Orchid
photos and fabrics from Robert Allen
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
The Homey Effect...Model-see, Model-do
Last weekend I had the pleasure of touring a new construction neighborhood
in South Jersey. Seeing new and pristine
houses without the effects of day-to-day wear and tear is fabulous!
The house that I walked through was not necessarily my taste but I could definitely appreciate the vibe that it was trying to obtain. And by seeing a model house instead of just a blank slab; potential new homeowners are able to be more at ease before they end up purchasing a new home.
But no one ever calls that home; that's a model.
Settling into a new home is always hard. Whether it be to downsize to a condo, upgrade to a mansion; relocate to a new neighborhood or even just a spur of the moment pick up and move someplace on your bucket list; it's going to be a journey. But by choosing a wonderful layout that is in tune to your style of living; you can easily be on your way to an exciting new space.
That's also where design comes into play. Using design as a way to express yourself is wonderful. It allows you to turn a brand new home into your own. Chances are the new place has a brand new roof; amazing stainless steel appliances and a wonderfully manicured front lawn; but it also needs to include memorabilia and furnishings from your old home to make it your own lovely retreat.
Great pieces to add to your new home include artwork from a favorite painter, accessories from cherished travels, fabric from a local artisan and most importantly sacred family heirlooms. These items are what turn a slab into your new and approved abode. It's a scary and exciting adventure that I know you will enjoy!
And for some visual stigma here are some photos from the community I visited...
The house that I walked through was not necessarily my taste but I could definitely appreciate the vibe that it was trying to obtain. And by seeing a model house instead of just a blank slab; potential new homeowners are able to be more at ease before they end up purchasing a new home.
But no one ever calls that home; that's a model.
Settling into a new home is always hard. Whether it be to downsize to a condo, upgrade to a mansion; relocate to a new neighborhood or even just a spur of the moment pick up and move someplace on your bucket list; it's going to be a journey. But by choosing a wonderful layout that is in tune to your style of living; you can easily be on your way to an exciting new space.
That's also where design comes into play. Using design as a way to express yourself is wonderful. It allows you to turn a brand new home into your own. Chances are the new place has a brand new roof; amazing stainless steel appliances and a wonderfully manicured front lawn; but it also needs to include memorabilia and furnishings from your old home to make it your own lovely retreat.
Great pieces to add to your new home include artwork from a favorite painter, accessories from cherished travels, fabric from a local artisan and most importantly sacred family heirlooms. These items are what turn a slab into your new and approved abode. It's a scary and exciting adventure that I know you will enjoy!
And for some visual stigma here are some photos from the community I visited...
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Pinpoint Your Pad - From An English Basement To A Penthouse Retreat
As many of you may know; I have recently moved approximately 130+/- miles from our nation's capital (DC) to the lovely city of brotherly love (Philly).
It wasn't an easy decision for me, but one that would allow me to start a great new experience in a city near my childhood home. Moving is hard. You have to pack everything you own, somehow transport it to your new location; and then settle all over again. But in the end, it's always worth it.
When I decided to move to Philly, I gave myself some time before I found a place. Luckily I had the luxury to stay with family in the nearby burbs. But where did I want to live? What mattered to me most? How was I going to find the perfect place?
I started with familiar websites...Zillow, HotPads, and the infamous Craigslist (it's how I found my last DC home) but how did I know these sites would find my future abode? In the end they did. But persistence and the ability to put together a "Want/Need" list really helped my search.
I knew how many bedrooms and how many bathrooms I preferred. Yet these requirements were not in my price range in my desired location. I had to look a few blocks outside of the area, and found more options at affordable places. (Also, forcing me to walk and exercise more!)
I eventually ended up finding my dream apartment by accident. I was checking the portal of a building I wanted to live in and found the prized corner unit available. I reserved it and was good to go. I kept on top of the search; and after visiting over a dozen places in the span of six weeks, I knew this was the place for me. Not perfect, but definitely a place to call home in Philadelphia.
Just remember that when you plan your search; don't get frustrated. Go see places that might not fit your wish list. You might see them and actually have your wish list altered by the experience. I know mine did during the search. It also never hurts to meet realtors or brokers along the way. They are definitely in the game to help you. And I was fortunate enough to meet some that recommended other comparable places if I wasn't pleased by the apartment I had just seen. The more you see, the more you know what you like and what you don't like.
Now it's time to get ready to move in; and make sure to design my future abode the way that makes it a...Home.
Happy Hunting!
It wasn't an easy decision for me, but one that would allow me to start a great new experience in a city near my childhood home. Moving is hard. You have to pack everything you own, somehow transport it to your new location; and then settle all over again. But in the end, it's always worth it.
When I decided to move to Philly, I gave myself some time before I found a place. Luckily I had the luxury to stay with family in the nearby burbs. But where did I want to live? What mattered to me most? How was I going to find the perfect place?
I started with familiar websites...Zillow, HotPads, and the infamous Craigslist (it's how I found my last DC home) but how did I know these sites would find my future abode? In the end they did. But persistence and the ability to put together a "Want/Need" list really helped my search.
I knew how many bedrooms and how many bathrooms I preferred. Yet these requirements were not in my price range in my desired location. I had to look a few blocks outside of the area, and found more options at affordable places. (Also, forcing me to walk and exercise more!)
I eventually ended up finding my dream apartment by accident. I was checking the portal of a building I wanted to live in and found the prized corner unit available. I reserved it and was good to go. I kept on top of the search; and after visiting over a dozen places in the span of six weeks, I knew this was the place for me. Not perfect, but definitely a place to call home in Philadelphia.
Just remember that when you plan your search; don't get frustrated. Go see places that might not fit your wish list. You might see them and actually have your wish list altered by the experience. I know mine did during the search. It also never hurts to meet realtors or brokers along the way. They are definitely in the game to help you. And I was fortunate enough to meet some that recommended other comparable places if I wasn't pleased by the apartment I had just seen. The more you see, the more you know what you like and what you don't like.
Now it's time to get ready to move in; and make sure to design my future abode the way that makes it a...Home.
Happy Hunting!
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