MAKEOVER MONDAY - chair redo

really dig this chair....what a great way to spruce up a flea market treasure.

note it:

"where i stood" by missy higgins

(photo credit: can't recall)

MAKEOVER MONDAY - redressed

then:

this dresser started out pear green. paired with citrine + cream accents against a backdrop of "white sand" (benjamin moore) walls, it resided in our home in ohio. scroll down...

now:

it is glossed in "nimbus cloud" low odor, low VOC high-gloss paint from the martha stewart paint collection for home depot. lacquer-esque, i love it!

placed against a came-on-the-walls pale peach in our rental in california, i completed this revamp by choosing glass knobs from anthropologie so the color shines through. accessories include a turquoise glass table lamp that i had previously purchased from crate + barrel, handmade art by my son (then 2) + the cutest succulent in a little vintage tea cup.

how:

it took a weekend to sand, prime (see the drawer to see the previous green color) + paint. redone, it softens our new bedroom.a little elbow grease never hurts - and can make you proud of a job well done!

note it:
"paint it black" by U2 (covering the stones)

MAKEOVER MONDAY - shiny red apple

i actually have a bamboo bar cart.

what i liked about this one - as made over by eddie ross for house beautiful in 2005 - is the sultry red glossiness.

a flea market find, eddie sprayed it until it was as shiny as a red apple.

cocktail party delicious, i think.

note it:

"kokomo" by little feat

(photo credit: house beautiful, march 2005)

MAKEOVER MONDAY - rural the roost

why not paper your hallway or dining room this weekend?

wallpaper collective has some great stuff! like these "cockney" and "parsnipity" designs from palace papers. hand drawn and silk screened on natural papers, these are the brainchild of casey gunschel.

farming is "in."

rural the roost.

note it:

"dixie chicken" by little feat

(photo credits: wallpaper collective/palace papers)

MAKEOVER MONDAY - the milk carton (part 2)

greetings, new york!

upper east side manse meet tribeca loft meet gramercy park high-rise.

iridescent pink vintage glass trees add urban edge to our sidewalk.

(see my earlier post today for the kiddie "how-to" do.)

even the milk carton can be repurposed.

drink up!

(click here for the "making of" our candy city.)

note it:

"i want candy" by bow wow wow

MAKEOVER MONDAY - the milk carton (part 1)

it's not too late to make a gingerbread house....

in our home, charlie (3 1/2 years) + i decided to make new york city dwellings (the most festive city during the holidays, i think).

three in all: tribeca loft, gramercy park high rise, single family manse on the upper east side.

the frustal décorista in me cleaned out milk and cream cartons to build our city - frosted with good ol' duncan hines in a can.

graham crackers fashioned the facade.

embellishments included peach rings, sprinkles, marshmallows, dots, twizzlers, sweet tart candycanes and one lone peanut m+m for each doorknob (we chose to eat the bag!).

it's not too late to whip up your own creations for your holiday tablescape.

got milk?

(click here for our candy city.)

MAKEOVER MONDAY - bedtime for yule

it's been awhile since i've recreated a room. while i'm not the most traditional gal, i do think this bedroom is quite appealing.

i particularly like the modernly glass candlesticks juxtaposed with old world antiques + burlap-esque bed linen.

the simple evergreen wreath hung at the foot of the bed is quite creative + very cool.

i figured i'd give this makeover an eclectic whirl....in 30 minutes or less.

the redo:

racing against the clock, here are some easy-to-find, budget-friendly e-resources to woo you to redo your own boudoir:

~ to save money, try this british colonial wood and rattan headboard via pier one (queen: $349.95). you can tie your lovely wreath to the back of your desk chair with a wide satin or grosgrain ribbon.

~ monogrammed "basic bed pillow covers" in cordovan velvet or maybe chocolate twill from ballard designs ($14.00-$16.00 for cover with free monogramming!)

~ organic cotton blanket in natural (or sea grass) from west elm ($69.00-$99.00)

~ unadorned rosemary and calla wreath at organic bouquet ($43.96, on sale).

~ this simple flip top desk in cherry ($252.99, on sale) or this decoratively carved camphor wood study desk in cherry stain ($306.99) alongside this country cottage chair in antique white with cherry seat ($89.99) at overstock.com

~ glass lumiere candleholders from cb2 ($2.95-$4.95)

~ botanical, landscape or maritime artwork from local your goodwill, salvation army thrift store or flea market (don't shy away from using various frame types to unify the headboard, desk + chair). if you want to splurge, these hugo guinness prints in vintage frames from john derian are amazing....and statement making.

don't yule love it?

i do.

note it:

"holly jolly christmas" by harry connick, jr.

(photo credit: nell hill's "o christmas tree"/main image; other image credit cited)

MAKEOVER MONDAY - i dug this rug

i dug this flat hand-woven "rand" rug.

woven by skilled craftsmen from long-fiber wool, it is unique...and, i believe, art.

it's even reversible.

designed by anna sörensson, this floor decor from the ikea stockholm collection knocked it out of the park!

(photo credit: ikea.com)

MAKEOVER MONDAY - buttoned up

hot off the (online) press at martha stewart weddings: adorable buttons seal favor bags at design*sponge blogstress grace bonney's nuptials held in savannah.

custom made by busy beaver button company out of chicago, these are great! beneath each was a recipe for "shrimp + grits," a southern staple, with grits inside the bag - a terrific idea + nod to the bride's roots. (mine too!)

the entire wedding was, well, all buttoned up. artful, thoughtful and beautiful. cheers to the newlyweds!

(photo credit: belathée + posted at marthastewartweddings.com)

MAKEOVER MONDAY - trees

makeover your entry way with a gorgeous display of green. i just love this look....

(photo credit: tbd...yikes, can't recall!)

MAKEOVER (er) MONDAY - no holes left

(apologies for the belated "makeover monday" post. "tabletop tuesday" forthcoming....)

i recently saw this photo in july's BHG. 

hanging art this way is a snap. in fact, i use this same technique myself:

~ cut kraft paper (or reuse paper shopping bags) to the size of the pictures you want to hang. 

~ arrange the templates to your liking.

~ hang nail or picture hook.

~ rip away paper.

~ hang your art.

no holes left to be desired.

(photo credit: bhg)

MAKEOVER MONDAY - bamboo for you

why not paper a room this fall? 

why not try a pattern with an interesting colourway like "bamboo" from the UK's Farrow + Ball, makers of block printed wallpapers and using their zero VOC paints?

this collection includes muted grey and yellow-based neutrals, soft pastels, earthy greens, browns and greys, cool blues + shimmering metallics. 

there is also a small selection of bold and graphic combinations (like these) for a more dramatic - and i say energetic - look.

since bamboo has long been considered a symbol of good fortune within Asian culture, why not add some good luck (and a good look) to your home?

(photo credit: F&B)

MAKEOVER MONDAY - horsing around

i live in pepper pike, ohio - a leafy suburb of cleveland. next door is the grand "village" of hunting valley. lots of land. lots of estates. lots of "green," so to speak.

it is also known as horse country with its many polo fields. when i was flipping through pottery barn's "home" the other day, i could envision this photo being an entry way in a stable there (why wouldn't the barns be fabulous?).

it could also be quite lovely as an entry or mudroom in your own home.

the styling here is a modern day version of "country chic" with its pale robin's egg walls, creamy wainscoting, propped canvas (be it valuable or vintage...) + binoculars atop a vintage door knob coat rack.

easy-to-do and quite quaint, i think.

midwest must:

learn more about hunting valley, daisy hill greenhouses (one of my favorite plant + tree nurseries), polo matches at wilde fields, a fairy tale of an equestrian complex of times gone by.

(photo credit: pb home)

MAKEOVER MONDAY: a bit shady

love the idea of inking a window shade.

try pottery barn, smith and noble or even overstock for "off-the-rack" window treatments.

find a multitude of old world or modern typefaces at P22 type foundry.

embellish as you wish.

(photo credit: better homes and gardens, "new decorating")

MAKEOVER MONDAY - remake your home office

check out my new work space! 

now i can unwind + unwire.

(photo credit: lissa lowe)

ROAD TRIP: springfield, ohio

just in time for MAKEOVER MONDAY, here are some super cute vintage ice cream parlor chairs that i happened to see at the springfield flea.

(can you tell that chairs have really been on my mind lately?! lots of recent posts about them...)

can't you imagine the seats recovered in this darling textile called "portobello" from rubie green? made from 100% certified organic cotton + water-based, non-toxic inks sans VOC, her fabrics are femininely chic. 

(now i'm really wishing i had sprung for these chairs...)

perfectly suited for a kitchen nook, sun room or garden for an ice cream social, would look oh-so sweet.

(photo credits: textile/rubie green; chairs/lissa lowe)

MAKEOVER MONDAY - sit on it, spill on it

recently i was looking for some indoor/outdoor fabrics to recover a small sofa in a client of mine's sunroom. 

stain resistant, fade resistant, it got me thinking that these textiles would be great to use to recover the seats on dining room or kitchen chairs.

some that i pulled from trade-only duralee (some decorators will work on fee even for small projects like this one. doesn't hurt to ask...):

~ pattern #14966 in "capri" - using a happy palette, an updated take on classic plaid (i really like this one)

~ pattern #14990 in "bermuda" - add sizzle with animal stripes in an unexpected color

~ pattern #14274-636 in "confetti" - stylish ikat-esque design

designs like these make me want to run out to the flea market to find some new chairs.

the biggest bonus: no more worries about spilt wine - or milk (if you are like me with a 3 year old in the house)!

(photo credits: ryan benyi/country living and lissa lowe/textiles)

MAKEOVER MONDAY - just spray it

DIY DÉCOR

awhile back, i traveled to the flea market at the richland county fairgrounds in mansfield, ohio where i spied this aged dresser mirror. i liked its simplicity + curves. $8 later, i was lugging it home (well made, it was heavy!).

all it needed was a fresh coat of paint. 

while it would have been fun to have it lacquered in glossy white or a fabulous bright, i decided to go with something less expensive + quick. 

for speedy sprucing, i chose rust-oleum's american accents spray paint in "aged brass" metallic finish. it has a soft luster to it that plays off of the gold tones in a vietnamese painting i have hanging in my home office. just the right amount of glitz, so to speak.

how to "spruce-it-yourself:"

1) lightly sand the piece + wipe it clean with a tack cloth.

2) tape the perimeter of the mirror with painter's tape to keep paint from bleeding underneath.

3) then, lay plastic sheeting on top of the mirror to keep face of mirror free of paint.retape.

4) to prepare for spraying, follow can instructions.

5) lightly spray a first coat, followed by a wet coat. repeat as needed to cover the piece. 

6) voila! now admire yourself (and your work!).

MAKEOVER MONDAY - surfside for hue

my son and i reached surfside beach, south carolina just in time for easter weekend.

while walking to the beach to view easter morning's sunrise, we spied pretty pastel homes.

wouldn't it be fun it we could all have a street of houses in candy colored hues?

DIY DÉCOR 

for indoor walls, some sweet but not too sweet hues. chocolate is always a good anchor for these pale beauties.

• blue - topsail (sherwin williams 6217)
• orange - glowing apricot (benjamin moore 165)
• pink - pink petals (benjamin moore 2085-60)
• purple - easter ribbon (benjamin moore 1381)
• yellow green - lemon freeze (benjamin moore 2025-50)

(photo credits: lissa lowe)