Versatile Pieces

This morning I was scrolling through my local Craigslist looking for a buffet for Adam's dining room that I could make over. I didn't stumble upon anything I loved but I did find this piece:

I know it doesn't look like much now, but I think with a little bit of lovin' it could be a great piece for a great price of $40! The lines and shape of this table are so sweet and it instantly made me think of a series of posts done over at Good Bones Great Pieces.

I would use it as a vanity table in a bedroom or bathroom but Lauren from GBGP has a great spindle table similar to my Craigslist find in which she demonstrates just how versatile a piece like this can be.

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Here it is used as a night table and vanity/dressing area paired with a fabulous Venetian mirror and lucite bench.

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Here is it being used as a desk area, paired with a simple chair and statement lamp!

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Lastly, here it is again being used as a vanity!

In addition to a vanity or desk, this table could be used as a side table, console, or nightstand! Thinking about how versatile a piece of furniture can be before buying it is a great tactic to have, especially when furnishing for a not to permanent residence.

Have you purchased any versatile pieces lately? Scored any great finds on Craigslist?

Belated Christmas Decor

How was everyone's Christmas? I became violently ill and my poor mother had to cancel the celebrations at our house. I know right, who cancels Christmas? I was THAT sick. No fear, we are making up for it this Thursday by getting together and exchanging gifts. I still feel awful about it though, I kept saying how I ruined Christmas all day!

Anyways, I know Christmas is over, but I figured I would share today's post with you on how to take ordinary thrift shop finds and turning them into festive decor for the holidays! I actually purchased these two ceramic owls at a thrift store for $4 to use as everyday decor, but I so happen to love them as Christmas decorations! I also may have a slight obsession with ceramic or brass animals...I don't know why but they're irresistible to me.

Here are the owls in the state that I purchased them during the summer:

I simply gave them a light cleaning, and sprayed them with Rustoleum semi-gloss white spray paint, making sure to give them light, even coats. After letting them dry, I gave them a quick coat lacquer clear coat to give it a ceramic appearance. Here's the after:

crappy cell phone picture, need to get on that!

And here are the both of them set up at their home for the holidays!

As soon as the Holidays are over, they will be residing on Adam's bookshelf, but for now I like where they are.

Do you have a thing for ceramic animals? Have you ever spray painted a thrift store find?

Chair Before & After

Today I am going to share a chair makeover that I completed a while ago. I found this chair sitting on the side of the road. Actually there was 4 of them, but I only snagged one (stupid). And what I mean by 'I snagged' is actually, 'I made Adam snag'. But anyways, I forgot to take a picture before I started working on it so here it is with the seat removed and partially sanded:

Please excuse the mess in the background

 It's actually supposed to have a rattan seat but the people who threw them out had already removed it and replaced it with a very poorly upholstered piece of plywood.

See the remnants of the rattan?

I don't have step by step instructions but what I basically did was sand it, then cleaned it up with a tacky cloth, primed it with gray spray paint primer, then painted it with some black semi-gloss spray paint. I then took the piece of plywood, added some foam and reupholstered it with about a half yard of fabric! Here is the after!

Not bad for a free chair! I use it as my desk chair for now and added a little orange pillow for some extra comfort, and I have to say, I love it!

Have you made anything over recently? Or maybe you have a piece that you found on the side of the road that you love too?!

Can't Stop Thinking About It....

So, remember that green console I blogged about yesterday? Well, my Aunt Sandra bought it! I am so happy to live vicariously through her because I absolutely love the piece. It's so fun, and I think it really breaks up the all black furniture she used to have there before! She sent me some pictures as soon as she got home. Take a look:

I'm seriously in love, and can't wait to see it in place in person. Luckily, my Uncle Mike was able to haggle the price due to a few dings and I think they got a great deal on a statement piece that will be in style for years to come.

Have you bought any statement pieces that you love recently? Fill me in!

Weekend Recap

Last week was such a whirlwind, which explains the one post!

I don't know if you have a Tuesday Morning store near you, but I went for the first time with my aunt this weekend. It's basically a huge store with a modge podge of stuff crammed in it. You name it, they got it. Here's what I snagged up:

A burlwood frame. Wish I grabbed another! $6.99 people!

A black and white candle you can personalize yourself for $5.99.

A Waverly desktop organizer that my aunt bought for me for $7.99 I think.

I love everything that I got there but had my sights set on a buffet/console piece that was amazing but the price a little out of my reach at $699

It had a beautiful carerra marble top and a great kelley green crackle finish. I am going to try and convince Adam that we need it as a buffet in the dining area! My aunt was also contemplating buying it as well, so we will see!

When I got home I was anxious to place all my new items in place in my room. I rearranged some things and snapped some photos to share.

I know the picture aren't the greatest, but you get the idea! After my mini shopping spree my aunt treated me to a manicure and pedicure for my efforts in helping her paint a room in her house. She's the best.

I went for a colored french manicure, something I typically would never do, but I wanted to try something different and I kind of like it! I'll spare you the picture of my toes, however. If you're curious the color is "Don't Mess with OPI" by OPI.

I know that was quite the random post but..

How was your weekend? Despite Christmas shopping, did you pick anything up for your house or yourself?

New York Trip

So this past Saturday I went on a little day trip to New York City with some of my family. I would love to share some pictures, but I can't find my camera cord right now! We spent the day walking around the city,  shopping, and eating! Our first stop was Barney's where we shopped and then visited GaGa's Workshop on the 5th floor which is filled with Lady Gaga merchandise in which the proceeds from your purchase goes to one of her charities. I will be posting pictures of it tomorrow, once I find my camera cord.

I was pleasantly surprised that there was some very fun pieces as part of her collection. I wish I had made a few purchases, but since it was our first stop I held out. These are the two pieces I am coveting and may just purchase online!

A fabulous metallic leopard print journal/notebook!

Chic playing cards!

and just because I love and collect teacups...

I'm mad at myself for leaving without the teacup, because I really do love it so I may just have to buy it online for myself! Notice the diamond at the bottom of the cup? So fun!

What did you do this weekend? Was anyone else part of the holiday madness in NYC?

Black Interior Doors

I know this is a topic that had been blogged about a lot recently but I wanted to share some images I've found that have inspired me to perhaps make the leap! At Adam's house, we really really need to paint the interior doors. They are white, but dingy from the previous owners. At first I was thinking about just painting them white again until Adam made a suggestion that we paint them something else! I thought it was a great idea and immediate thought black. It's just so classic:

via mfamb

via lavenderandlilies

via decorpad

via swooninteriors

Black will go great in his place but then I thought, it doesn't have to be black either. Take a look at these colorful interior doors:

via shelterpop

via inyourbackpocket

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via realsimple

via paringdown

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So, although I'm not about to go neon, I'm thinking it's a race between a glossy black and maybe a light gray or smokey gray. Maybe I could even go navy blue? I don't know, I think I have some thinking to do!

Adam and I put up his Christmas tree last night and let me just say, it almost looks identical to the tree I created for this post and I love it! It coordinates with the room beautifully. I have to get a good picture during the day because the living room is so dark it was hard to get a picture during the day.

Would you ever paint your interior doors a different color?

Getting in the Groove

How was everyone's Thanksgiving? I feel like the past 5 days have been a complete whirlwind of events! Between cooking, shopping, and putting up Christmas decorations, I'm not exactly sure where all the time went! Anyways, as I get back into the groove of things, I have an image to share today as a continuation of the canopy bed post from last week.

via amberinterior

I don't know what it is with this current fascination with canopy beds but I am just drawn to them. I think I love absolutely everything about this bedroom. Since it has a lot of natural light, the black walls are quite the statement but are lightened up with all the dreamy white and cream linens. I also love the layered look of the rugs with the natural weave and the bold stripe. Don't even get me started on that chaise and Hermes blanket! I want to be cuddled up on it right now playing on this:

The Amazon Kindle Fire ladies and gentlemen. My amazing Aunt gave it to me as my Birthday/Graduation gift and let me just tell you, I am obsessed with it. It is essentially the iPad but smaller. I was skeptical about the Kindle's and Nook's at first because I'm kind of a traditionalist and love books, but the convenience of this thing is fabulous! So, if you're thinking about buying one for yourself or someone this Holiday season, I highly recommend it!


On another note, I helped my Mom put up her Christmas tree and decorations this year. Her house is really traditional so this is what we went for:

A tabletop tree to save on space, and really traditional colors. Although I wouldn't want this in my own home, I really love it! Tonight I will be helping Adam put up his tree to look like this which has a completely different look from my Moms tree. I will try and snap some pictures to share!

Did you put up your Holiday decorations yet, or are you still stuffed and exhausted from all the Thanksgiving Day celebrations?

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is by far my favorite holiday of the year. I know a lot of people share this sentiment and I think it's because it is one of the last pure holidays we have! There's no gift giving, egg hunts, candle blowing, etc. It is a time where we gather around with people that mean the most to us and eat delicious food! What's not to love? Even if you don't have lots of family and friends to celebrate with, there is still a lot to be thankful for and to me, that's a beautiful thing.

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Since I created this blog to document things that I think about, I am going to share a few things I am grateful for!

• my families health
• interior design
• the opportunity to do what I love
• being creative!
• my strong support system
• the ability to reconnect with old friends

the list literally could go on and on but for now, that's what I feel extremely thankful for. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!

Canopy Beds

As a little girl I was fortunate to have a fairytale-eque canopy bed that made me feel ever so special. My whole room was Minnie mouse themed and my canopy bed was made of out pink polka dot fabric. Needless to say, I loved it and I have fond memories of my childhood room that I think every little girl deserves. I've stumbled upon some images lately that brought back the memories I have of my own room that are a smidge more sophisticated than what I had going on as a kid.

Aren't these rooms stunning? I know they are meant for little girls but I would gladly have any of these rooms for myself as an adult! I don't know what it is about the canopy, maybe the feeling of security or a secret hiding spot, but even grown-ups are getting in on it! Take a look at these images of canopy beds in adult spaces that are absolutely inspiring!

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I think most of these looks are custom made solutions but I think it is something that could be easily achieved with some store bought ready made panels and some store bought hardware.

What do you think, would you ever want a canopy bed for yourself? Or is it strictly for a child's room?

Moodboard Friday

Today I am in a bit of rush but I wanted to share a moodboard I created that is completely different from last weeks moodboard. It's nice and light  and as much as I love color and pattern, I think it would be nice to have a completely neutral room to escape to. I know this moodboard has some trendy elements that some people may be sick of but I still love them! Here is what I have to share:

I may be back later to share my sources but for now I've got to run! Hope you enjoy it and have a great weekend!

The Power of the Foyer

I one day DREAM of having a proper foyer, preferably one with a grand staircase! I think the impact that a foyer has on guests when they enter your home really sets the tone for what the rest of your home is like. I think some of the best foyers I've seen always have one or more elements that kind of steals the show. I've noticed that I've pinned a lot of entryways/foyers on Pinterest lately and decided that I would share them with you today. Take a look!

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The orange detail along the baseboards along with the runner are what make the impact here.

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Hello leopard runner!

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Bold chairs, large scaled mirror, and orange grasscloth ceilings

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Two-toned chevron floors, amazing!

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Very traditional, but fresh with the bold stripes and color combination.

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High contrast black and white creates a huge impact and is always classic.

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Hermes-esque walls trimmed out in black are stunning.

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Hello stripes, and burlwood console! Hmmm, that horse lamp looks very familiar! 

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The symmetry, mirror, and console make this space interesting.

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A collection of unique pieces and pattern.

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I just love this vignette in general and think it would be so lovely to see this upon entering your home everyday!

Do you have a foyer you love to walk into everyday? Or maybe you have a special vignette that just makes you smile?