FREAKIN FINALLY!!

It only took, what, a month and a half to paint?  Here is Asher's bathroom - finally finished!

 View from the hallway - notice the black door, which I love!

Here is a closeup of the paint.  It is Ralph Lauren's "Approaching Storm" and cost $40 for a gallon.  I only used maybe 2/3 of the gallon for the whole bathroom - 3 coats.  It's darker than in this picture.  In the natural light it looks almost black.  It also matches the paint in his bedroom.  This hook for his towel is from Anthropologie and cost $14.99.

 This soap dish is from a hand made soap shop in Marseille, FR.  It was $15.  I love it, but it's starting to discolor a bit so I'm thinking of spraying it high gloss white.

My Grandma used to grow sweet peas, and I love them - so delicate and pretty!  These are from Chintz and cost about $25 for the bunch.  The vase is from Superstore and cost $4.

 

 This is my amazing deal - shower curtain was $35, hooks were $15 - from Restoration Hardware outlet.  Woo hoo!  The stitching color is aqua, which is the accent color in Asher's room.

 

 

 View of the hook, garbage ($5 from Ikea) and the aqua bathmat ($5 from Bed, Bath and Beyond)

Picture frames were from Michaels ($15 each, more than I wanted to spend), prints are from Bibbity on Etsy and they were$12 for the set of 3.

Here is a better look at the light fixture, and the mirror.  The light fixture was from Home Depot ($25 each, we have the same ones in our master bath, and one for the lower bath as well). The mirror was from Home Sense (Home Goods in the US), and was $36.

Total bathroom makeover cost - $277.  Because it cost so little, I think I might splurge and buy these towels from Pottery Barn.  Their towels are FAB!

Fancy

Tara's "Modern Vintage" Spare Room

My girlfriend is redoing her spare room and asked for my help.  She wanted it light, airy, and modern.   She showed me her inspiration - a sweater - and let me go to town.  She refinishes furniture (I've mentioned her before...she has the Lauren Lane Decor blog) and she has a dresser that she wants to use and that's it.  I got to pick everything else!  Of course I asked her opinion on stuff before I went with it.  And I love what we've come up with.  I can't wait to help her finish it up!  She's also in the process of redoing her main level which I will post more about on another day.  Or, you could just check out her blog (hint, hint).

Here is her sweater, and color inspiration:

Room Inspiration (this is the spare room from the Made by Girl "Glimpse Into My Home" blog):

And here is the layout of her room:

And here's what I've come up with:

OK here's the list:

Wall color is a light cream.  I like Sarah Richardson's "Jasmine"

Then, the dresser is her own - she said she has several dressers like that one and she will finish one with white paint and distress it a bit.  She does fantastic work - I've seen it in person!  This dresser is the perfect size. 

The art with the circles is by Jen Ramos from Hearts and Cocoa.  It's called Lipstick Dots.  This particular one is sold, but I'm sure she has plenty to choose from that will work.  I think it will go perfectly above the bed.

The bedding is Dwell Studio "Batavia" in Dove. I love love love the aqua sheets with it!  I definitely think that is a MUST.  Here are the ones I found at Pottery Barn Teen:

Now, the bedside table - it's a cheapy from Ikea ($20) but I want her to paint it this color (Sarah Richardson paint "Blue Box"):

And, that's not all.  I want her to add a mirror to the top.  Won't that look fun?  She can stack magazines and books underneath for her guests. 

The lamp is from Ikea, it's very simple and clean.  The candleholder is from Anthropologie.  I love the color - again with the aqua.  Seriously, it goes with everything!

The mirrors are from Pottery Barn.  I love the shape of them!
I had to add a coral Chevron vase in there - this one is from Jill Rosenwald on Etsy.  She has many cute ceramic items in awesome patterns!   Tara loves peonies so I thought silk peonies in hot pink or coral would look awesome in that vase.  You can get silk flowers anywhere, but finding ones that actually look good is a challenge.  We are lucky enough to have a store in Canada called Chintz & Co.  They have the. most. amazing silk flowers.  They are made by Allstate Floral & Craft.  If you can find a place near you that carries them, get them.  These are the only silk flowers you should have in your house. 

Now - the artwork.  Tara just bought a new bike and rides a lot along the trails with her dogs.  I think that this photograph of the bicycle with a vintage feel goes so great with the colors in the room.  I don't know if she'll like it - I didn't show it to her before I threw it in there - but I loooove it!!  And it kind of reminds me of the bike she just bought because it's blue. 

There are so many other pieces I have to add, but they don't fit on the board.  So here they are:

In a spare room, you should always have some amenities for your guests should they have forgotten them - or are staying over unexpectedly after a night of too much wine.  Towels, soap, little hotel sized bottles of shampoo and conditioner, and a toothbrush and toothpaste is perfect.  Here is a great basket from Restoration Hardware that would really look great on the dresser.  It's vintage looking, which goes nicely with the more modern look of the room. 

Or this one would work very well also (from Jennifer Lyons shop on Etsy)

Here's another decorative piece that could be used as a door stop or on the nightstand.  It's been sold, but this is just so you get the idea.  Random funky pieces like this really make the space feel "modern vintage".

Tara loves keys, and this jewellery stand would look so great in her room!  I don't care if she uses it in the spare room - she has to have it!  It's from Urban Outfitters.

This hook is also from Urban Outfitters.  I think hooks painted in funky colors (like hot pink, coral, yellow or aqua) are so awesome!  This one would look great in her room in coral, on the wall right when you walk in the room.

I found this fun rug - the colors go well with the color scheme she chose for the room...not sure if she'll dig this rug though!!  The rug is from Anthropologie. 

And, every bedroom needs an alarm clock.  This is a classic style.

I think that's about all I have for the room for now.  I hope Tara likes what I've put together for her, and maybe I've given you some ideas too!

...Fancy

Natalie's New Room

My girlfriend is moving to a new house, and needed help with her daughters room.  Since I love decorating, I said I'd help.  Here is what I came up with. 

So, this needs some explaining, obviously.  The walls will be dove grey (the color I chose for the background), and the main fabric will be the floral.  It goes so nicely with the grey.  The crib skirt will be off-white, with a dark purple and pewter velvet trim.  The purple dot could be used to make a patchwork type quilt with the off white, another grey stripe fabric and the floral.  Good thing my girlfriend is handy with the sewing machine!

She has a white dresser already, so I suggested dressing it up with pewter handles. 

I added some dark purple and aqua throw pillows for her little girl to use when playing in the floor, reading, etc.  The accessories I chose are white and have a distressed shabby chic feel.  There should always be some black in the room to anchor the eye, so I chose ornate black frames that could be hung 3 in a row with art prints in them. 

It's hard to visualize what the room will look like when it's on a board like this, and it makes me want to fly down to see her and help her put it all together!  I can't wait to see the finished product!

Asher's Room

I had a vague idea of how I wanted Asher's room decorated.  And I changed my mind several times.  This is the outcome, and I love it.  I never ever want it changed, but I know one day he'll want it painted camo or something like that.  Maybe I'll move him into the office so I can leave this room as is.

I don't have any before pictures, but it was the same color as the rest of the house - boring ass beige.

I just noticed that the lightbulb in the chandelier ($60 from Walmart) is burnt out.  Gotta change that.  The chair and side table were my Grandpa's - I had my Mom recover the chair in charcoal wool ($300 for the fabric) and I refinished the table with high gloss white spray paint.  The grey curtains are from Ikea ($30), same with the white sheers ($20).  The bottom paint color is Approaching Storm by Ralph Lauren, the top is white and grey (I don't remember the names, but they were from Benjamin Moore and I'd never recommend that place to anyone), but the grey stripes have a silver coating on them.  It was soo much work, but I love the results.  Thank you Carl!

A better look at the corner.  The crib is from Sears ($400), bedding is home made - sewn by my Mom.

That table is so 70's.  I love it!  Spray paint was $10.

The print on the wall was from some very good friends of ours.  It's so cute!  Lamp is from Ikea ($10), marble side table was $40 but my sister gave it to us for Christmas.

Frames were on clearance at Michaels ($7 each) and spray painted with high gloss black ($10).  The prints are by Mark Ryden - a box set I bought several years ago.  The set is called "Bunnies and Bees".  Each print works out to $3.

Shelf - $10 from Ikea.  

I paid $49 for this dresser in 1993.  The knobs are from Lee Valley ($6 each, a bit of a splurge), and Carl added the white moulding (cut it himself, and glued it on).  The change pad cover was $30.

The mirror was originally $100 from a Home Depot type store, but because it was chipped in many places we got it for $50.  Then we spray painted it with high gloss black.

Bunny - gift from Grandma.  

$5 vase again.  Blocks from Etsy - $25.  I'm not crazy about the color.  I might change them one day. The "A" was used at Asher's shower/meet the baby party.  My sister made it.

A closer look at the bedding.  The turquoise fuzzy stuff was on sale for $5 a meter, and the bird fabric is organic cotton from Etsy.  It was $15 a meter.

I think I might put a stick on monogram above the bed.  Like this:

My God those look so fake...but anyway, I thought of doing a large A with the dots around it.  And, wow do I ever love that fabric curtain around the head of the bed. I even love the pom pom trim!

So, for all the items listed above plus paint, the room came to approx. $1400.  Not too shabby :)