2013 Top Ten

Everyone knows I am fickle. Everyone also knows that I tend to procrastinate.. mostly because I have trouble making up my mind when there are so many good things to choose from; and these two traits do not neccessarily  make good friends. In fact, how they've both resided in my mind so long without making me go bi-polar is really quite the mystery.  So, in order to inspire myself to get moving on the 1,001 projects I would like to tackle in this house, I thought making a list would actually get me moving. So here are the projects I would like to cross off my list in 2013.

Disclaimer: this is not a New Year's Resolution. I do not do resolutions since I have difficulty committing to them. By saying it is not a resolution I am thereby absolving myself of any guilt should said projects not get completed.

2013 Top Ten Big-Ticket Items:
1. Paint Doors. This includes replacing the hardware on the doors.
2. Paint Kitchen Cabinets
3. Drywall downstairs Playroom and Bathroom
4. Replace floor in lower level
5. Retile entry-way floor
6. Build Bookshelf wall to replace top railing at entryway
7. Build storage wall in Dining Room
8. Put up mantel around fireplace
9. Finish Media Room
10. Stain outdoors deck

I have twelve months. I should at least finish two of them.

A Modern Living Room

I am slowly in the stages of bringing more of a modern design style into my home (very slowly). Over the years I have slowly moved from a more traditional style with glam elements to a more modern style, but I also love aged, rustic things. I guess my style could best be called Rustic Modern, though there is very little of it observable in my home.

In fact, I would say the most modern thing in my house right now is my recently painted chevron wall in the kitchen:

And, while I love it, there is not much else in my house that screams "this is Kelci!!!" So I've been slowly looking to bring peices into my home that bring more of the rustic modern style I like on a small budget. So far, there are only two peices in my house that fit this style: the leather sofa downstairs and the new coffee table:

 Yeah, very exciting, eh? I am by nature a very impulsive person. So I have found that it helps me to have a very clearly outlined plan for getting the look I want. So below, I've put together a moodboard for my living room.

1. Tali Curtains, West Elm
2. Starburst Mirrors, various, Ballard Designs
3. Olive Green Ovo Table Lamp, Lamps Plus
4. Parsons End Table, West Elm
5. Klyne Sofa, Crate and Barrel
6. Durham Nesting Tables, Ballard Designs
7. Robert Abbey Bruno Pharmacy Lamp, Lamps Plus
8. Sweater Rug, West Elm

Most of the peices are neutral, so, should I change my mind on a whim (I would never!) I can still take this style in any direction. But not country. Never country.

These three things followed me home...

I got a giftcard from work, and instead of spending it on smart, practical things, I went for a little quirky... we will call them my early Christmas presents (even though Peyton ran off with one of them....)

 

 

 

 

1. Smith and Hawken basket, Target

2. Standing Pug, Z Gallerie

3. Threshold Feather Large Platter, Target



 

 

Can you guess which one is my favorite? Can you guess which one Peyton ran off with?

 

On my Radar

I have this quote on my wall, and I read it every day to remind myself of what's truly important--that I have God in my life and a great family. I have a roof over my head and food on our table every day. There are many in the world who do not have these things, and I count myself truly blessed to have an abundance of riches in these things.

"We tend to forget tht happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have," Frederick Keonig.

That said, I love to shop, and I love to come home with new things and enjoy them in the moment. So here is this month's round-up of 5 things I really like, would love to have, but don't really need. And I'll remind myself that I have what I truly need each day. Without further ado, here are the things on my radar this month! 

1. Zooka Wireless Speaker for Ipad and Bluetooth devices, Amazon
2. Kendra Scott Darby Earrings
3.  Ricci Argentieri Bamboo Flatware, Bed, Bath & Beyond
4.  Washing Machine Hamper, CB2.com
5. Stadler Form Max Fan Heater

 

Color Shot: Raspberry

Lately I have been seeing rooms with one hot pink accent and there is something about the one element of pink that intrigues me.

from an episoded of Secrets of a Stylist

Source Unknown

 

Here are a few low-commitment ways you can bring the same shot of color into your home.

 

1. Lamps Plus, French Burgundy Ovo Table lamp

2. Erin and Evan, Etsy, Hot Pink Shower Curtain

3. Overstock, Vernon Panton Style  Pink Chair

4. Amazon, Skyline Furniture Wingback Chair

5. Rosenberry Rooms, Moroccan Pouf

 

I don't think I could commit to this bold of a color in my rooms... but there IS a little girl in the house and she happens to love pink....

 

 

Takes Two to Assemble

Quite a few months ago I ordered a coffee table off Joss and Main. I knew Christmas was coming but it was such a super-cheap price that I couldn't resist.I had been looking for months for a bricklayer style coffee-table, and most models were upwards of $300. This one was half that price, so after a couple of days of agonizing over buying furniture sight-unseen, I leaped.  It took quite a while to get here... in fact, I almost forgot I ordered it.  Since I bought it to replace my badly scratched up coffee table upstairs, I left it in the box for awhile. I figured why assemble and then have to move it? It made much more sense to assemble upstairs and not have to move it. So in the box it stayed.

Where it tripped me, repeatedly, every time I came downstairs. And the box taunted me silently. "Open me, open me."

So, I did. I opened that box and skimmed the instructions. "Takes two to assemble."  I eyeballed Peyton and then gave up. I didn't think "takes two to assemble" included a 6-year-old. So I left it in the box again. But there it sat, silently taunting me every day. "Open me, open me."  And at about the 100th time I stubbed my toe on the box, I caved. I opened that puppy up, put on my big-girl pants and set about assembling it.

One smashed finger and a very sore thumb later.... Ta-dah!

Ignore the mess... and the ugly purple carpet.... I have a plan for that. (The carpet, not the mess. The mess seems to follow Peyton wherever she may go...)

Rustic Modern Bathroom Moodboard

I have finally figured out how to create honest-to-goodness moodboads on Polyvore, thanks to a tutorial I found on the House*Tweaking blog! I thought I would start off with something simple, inspired by the bathroom remodel on House*Tweaking--it had elements of yumminess that I thought belonged in my house, pronto!
 

Bathroom Inspiration on Polyvore

 

1. West Elm Reclaimed Wood Shelves

2. Ballard Designs Crown Sunburst Mirror

3. West Elm Stripe Shower Curtain-feather gray

4. Ikea Dalskar Bath Faucet

5. Ikea Godmorgon Odensvik Sink Cabinet

6. West Elm Zig Zag Bath Mat

 

 

I am thinking this moodboard will be perfect for my downstairs bathroom, which needs to be completely gutted (except the toliet. Funnily enough, it is the only salvagable thing in that room). Someday I'll actually get around to finishing the projects on my massive to-do list, but until then, I'll keep playing around with inspiration. Because really, you know it's going to change ten times from now until I actually tackle the project!

The Fickle Decorator’s Guide to Serial Redecorating

I like seeing the environment around me change. No, not the weather, I don’t like that. If it were perpetually 80-degrees outside I would be a happy cracker. Except for December 25^th. Must. Have. Snow. But anyway, I digress. I like to mix things up every now and then and try new things. I am an avid home decorating magazine reader and every chance I get I pour over magazines with all their shiny, glossy, colorful shots of inspiration.  And then I like to bring it home. Now obviously, I do not have a money tree in my backyard, so here are 5 little tricks I’ve learned over the years that keep me sane (you say tomato, I say tahmato.)

1.       Paint. The power of paint cannot be denied. There is no cheaper way of switching up a room’s mood than changing the color of the walls. Professional decorators always say you should never start with paint, but rather have one central piece that your room will revolve around and then pick the paint from that. Usually the room’s fabric determines the paint direction: the rug, curtains, sofa or chair fabric. And this is true. Too many times I’ve selected a paint color and slapped it on the walls, and planned to buy the accessories and furniture to match it… and too soon I’ve become bored of that scheme and moved on before I saw it all the way through. So start with something , then add paint.

2.       Keep the big-ticket items neutral. I will be the first to admit that my favorite inspiration shots are rooms where the couch is upholstered in a gorgeous, vibrant raspberry, teal or green. But there is no quicker way to lock yourself into a color scheme than buying your biggest item of furniture in a bold color. Keep the sofa in a white, taupe or gray color and you can jazz the room up with bold colors in the smaller furniture items and accessories.

3.       Pillows.  Pillows are relatively cheap (as compared to a new sofa or chair!), and they can take a room in an entirely new direction. They’re also super-easy to switch out and store. Invest in a lot of pillow covers in a variety of patterns and colors and you’ll have the easiest switch-up ever.  

4.       Colorful accessories are a girl’s best friend. Buy your accessories in colors you love—and don’t limit yourself to one palette. Even if your house is currently rocking teal, and you see an orange lamp you love, buy it—it may not work with your current color scheme, but some day it may. For whatever color scheme you commit to, make sure you have at least 3 accessories in that color. Repeating the color 3 times in a room helps unify the pieces. Another thing to do is to rotate your accessories through your house—switch up the rooms they are in and you can change the vibe based on the accessories in that room.

5.       Keep it eclectic. Don’t lock yourself into one style. If you buy all of your furniture and accessories in one style, even when you rotate or move them between rooms, you won’t feel a big change. If everything you own is traditional, when you have a hankering to go modern, you’ll have to buy a lot more, and it may mean replacing everything to get the change you want. So buy pieces that can fit more than one style and rely on the accessories to get the style you want.

Obviously, these are not new decorating tips, but rather tried-and-true ways to change up your style when the whim strikes without investing in an entirely new house of furniture!

Now about that money tree....

Color Shot: Gray and Yellow

 

Gray is the perfect neutral. It can truly be paired with anything and look fabulous.  I have been thinking about going with shades of gray and yellow in my media room.  While browsing my daily blog reads, I stumbled across this great inspiration shot.

Better Homes and Gardens

There is an eclectic energy in the image above--a neutral background and bright pops of color grounded by a dark rug and metal accents. So I whipped up a few inspiration peices to help me dream of achieving the look. (I know, I don't really need any inspiration to be more fickle than I currently am...)

Crate and Barrel's Klyne Sofa

Start with a neutral softa--I love how creamy sofas can be jazzed up with colorful pillows. Pillows really work for me--they are the icing on my cupcakes. So speaking of pillows, let's add a little pillow love:





Pillows are: Crate and Barrel's Madeline pillow, Crate and Barrel's Hayward pillow, and Ballard Design's Custom pillow in Haviland Gray.

   

Then, we need to add a couple of slipper chairs in a fun pattern and a set of nesting tables to bring in that iron accent.





 













Leyland Armless Chair, in Asha Pewter, Ballard Designs



 




Durham Nesting Tables, Ballard Designs

 

For lighting, I would bring in these rustic sonces over two white bookcases with the backs painted in Benjamin Moore's Kendall Charcoal paint.



20th C Torpedo Scone Aged Steel, Restoration Hardware

 

Finally, to ground the scheme, lay down a rug:



Tiger's Eye Dhurrie Rug, Shades of Light

I think I need to stop online browsing now... I'm eyeballing my shelves now and thinking they need some white and gray paint....

Dreaming of a White Kitchen

 

Someday, probably far, far into the future (and possibly in another galaxy…) I will renovate my kitchen.  On that day, this is my dream kitchen. 

November 2010 issue of Remodel magazine

Until then, this is what I have.

And it desperately needs an update.  Since I am on a budget, I will have to update in stages. So here is the plan:

• Move cabinet above fridge to over the microwave  (sorry, Dad)
• Replace refrigerator and build shelves around it
• Paint cabinets white
• Replace faucet
• Retile the backsplash
• Install track lighting
• Add storage

Of course, being fickle as I am, this plan could change at any time. Until then, here are a few images I've saved over the years of yummy white goodness. (If you know the sources, let me know!)




Source Unknown

Kitchen designed by Jonathan Adler for Liz Lange, Source Unknown



Canadian House and Home

On My Radar: Bookshelf Accessories

As a serial redecorator, one of my favorite things to do is re-style my bookshelves. Currently, I own more books than shelves, but I am dreaming of the day when I have enough bookshelves with room for books and accessories.  Here are some pretty little things I am crushing on for when that day comes…

 

 



 

Sources:

1. Penguin Classic Books

2. Jonathan Adler Vases

3. Elle Lacquer Boxes

4. Ceramic Owl Speaker

5. Ampersand Bookends



 

Color Shot: Chartreuse Love

I think my most favorite color combination would have to be Chartreuse and Teal. Chartreuse is one of those colors that people seem to either really love or really hate. My mom really hates it. But I am most definitely a lover of all things Chartreuse. And when you throw some teal in with it, it's got verve!

I recently caved and ordered a pair of these pillows from Motion Fifty-Two, on Etsy:

I can't wait to get them. They will go fabulously with my teal and green accents. And these curtains from Ballard Designs just might quite literally be the cat's meow:

Custom Curtains from Ballard's Designs in Matisse Ikat

 

But what puts the icing on my cake is when they are paired with this fabuolously gorgeous Teal sofa:

Jonathan Lewis sofa from Homemakers Furniture

Ignore the white pillow on the sea of teal bliss and instead picture some Chartreuse pillows and a little sparkle..

 

Pier 1 pillows

 

Meow.

Ikat Inspiration

Recently I started focusing on my bedroom. When I moved in, I painted the walls a dark navy blue. And I loved the color. Mostly because it felt like I was sleeping outside every night under the stars. Ok, I didn’t have stars. But it was dark, and made the room feel much smaller than it is. So a year after I painted it navy, I re-painted the room in Benjamin Moore’s Titanium.  And the color was beautiful-like floating in the clouds on a foggy day.  (I apologize for pictures with bad lighting--I'm a very poor photographer!)

In fact, I loved the color so much that I decided it was too good to keep contained in a room I only see when the lights are off and my eyes are closed.  So I took that same color and splashed it in the main living rooms. And then, because I have this philosophy that rooms in a house should not be the same color (unless they are open to each other), I was back at square one. And the same-colored room has been nagging me for the past two years.

Then, I saw the May issue of House Beautiful. And I heard angels singing.  Christina Murphy had designed the most inspiring apartment-and I got lots of ideas. One of those ideas was the bedroom she’d designed.  And this became my inspiration shot:

House Beautiful, May 2012 issue

I love the Ikat wallpaper and the pop of color against the neutral colors of cream and gray.  But since I cannot commit to (or afford) wallpaper, I’ve been on the hunt for stencils.

And I just may have found the perfect stencils at Olive Leaf Stencils on Etsy.

Olive Leaf Stencils, Etsy, Ikat Pattern #2

Olive Leaf Stencils, Etsy, Ikat Pattern #3

I’m a little torn between the two patterns. While the one on the bottom looks very similar to the inspiration shot, the one on the top seems a little less busy.  So until I make a decision, my bedroom is on pause. The walls have been painted cream. I’m just waiting for inspiration to make a choice.

 

Butterfly Girl

I am the kind of person who gets bored easily. And in my house, there are unfinished projects in almost every room. My bedroom walls are painted cream and waiting for the stencil, my media room has one unpainted wall, a fireplace with no mantel or trim, exposed studs and wiring from where we knocked down a wall, and three types of carpet linking the lower level rooms.

But there is one room in my house that has found its happy place. While it could still use some finishing touches as we go along, Peyton’s room has avoided the mess of half-completed projects that seem to trail in my wake.  When we first saw the house, the room that is now Peyton’s had a lot of personality.  

So I re-painted (and removed the butterflies and the colorful valence and the junior-sized fan).  I didn’t have the foresight to snap a picture after I painted her room pink. But trust me when I say it was much better than the blue sponge-paint effect. But the color was very pink. And after a few years of living in princess-pink bliss, my subliminal messages of “if you could paint your room any color, what color would it be?” finally sank through her head. (Ok, I admit it, they weren’t very subtle. I might have plopped a paint deck on the table and sat her down and said “pick a color, any color but pink.”)

And today, her room is the happiest room in the house.

 

It was still missing a little personality, however, so we added something to the empty wall above her bed. I confess. I removed the butterflies when we moved in the house. But they came back in.

At least these butterflies sparkle.  And for a girl who loves butterflies, what more could you ask for.

 

On My Radar

I want these. Badly.



 

Jonathan Adler Pillows as made by Pop O'Color, Etsy

 

 

But at $65 each, I'm going to have to lust from afar.