Chalk Paint

My latest discovery is Chalk Paint. You have to google it and find out what store near you carries it but it's the easiest paint to work with so it's worth the hunt! No sanding the piece before hand, no priming either and it dries quickly so you can easily add a second coat right away. It's amazing and with just two simple coats I was able to revive an old wooden nightstand for my new apartment for that Paris chic look! 

 

Take a look at the before and after. I even redid the handles using gold leaf paint from the hardware store. What a shiny new look to an old drabby piece! Now that I've found Chalk Paint, Martha is on the loose for old furniture to revive! Oh and one more thing, it's non toxic so you won't die of fumes if you paint in small spaces (I painted this Friday night in my apartment and went to bed and woke up fine on Saturday lol)!!

 

Enchanting Tissue Paper Garland

How enchanting is this tissue paper garland? It gives this tree a whimsical touch for this adorable birthday party. I made this garland out of smaller versions of my paper party balls (see how to make them in my previous post) tied together with pink and white string! This garland is sure to be a go-to party decorating piece for me in the future. Hang the garland in a tree, on the wall or around a light post. The possibilities are endless.

Imagine all white garland for a bridal shower... oooh!

  

A Decorating Tip

How many times have you been in a store and seen a home decor item such as a pillow and purchased it only to bring it home and realize that it doesn't quite match the colors that are already in your room? Shoot this can be so annoying when you are tryng to decorate a room using multiple fabrics and you want everything to blend nicely. Unless you are purchasing your entire living room from page 4 of Potterybarn where everything is pre-matched for you, you are going to run into this problem. If only I had a piece of the couch and chair fabric to tote along... but who has the fabric if you buy something pre-upholstered? 

To solve the issue I went to the paint store and browsed the blues and greens, looking for swatches that matched my upholstered furniture. "This looks like my blue, no wait I think it's more like this...eek!!" I had to bring home several swatches to make sure at least one of them matched up to my blue and green striped living room. In my pile of paint swatches I was thrilled to find a blue strip and a green strip that matched the tones of my fabric perfectly! Woo hoo!!  I marked the colors on the swatch and now I keep these swatches in my wallet at all times so if I see something in a store that I love, I can easily check if it matches my color scheme! I recently just brought the swatches to the fabric store to buy matching solid fabric to make curtains for the room! Thank goodness I had my swatches in my purse or I would have been way off in choosing my fabric!

The best part about using paint swatches is that they give you lighter and darker versions of your shade of color. I hope my decorating tip helps!

Pretty Curtains

Here are some pretty curtains I made for my friend Liz!

Here are some of my tips for designing curtains:

-If your windows are large and deep, try using a tension rod. Long panels can over power a room with large windows.

-Tension rods should sit half way between the distance between the window and the wall.

-If using a decorative rod, hang it higher above the window and wider than the window width to make the window appear larger.

-The length of a window valance should be no longer than 25% of the window length.
-When choosing fabric, hold it up to the light. Some fabrics are more transparent than they seem.
- Panels hung on the wall next to the window make a window feel much wider.
- Curtains are for decorative purposes only. Use separate sheers or blinds for privacy and light altering functions.
- Ribbons are an easy and inexpensive use for tie backs.
- If your walls are papered or painted with a pattern, choose a neutral fabric for curtains.
- White curtains are never a bad choice! When it doubt go white- it exudes cleanliness and enhances light.

Below are curtains I made for myself!

Decorating Open Shelves

I just had to share a photograph of my open shelving solution in my bathroom. Open shelves can easily bring clutter into a room so figure out a way to display attractive items while concealing unattractive items. Shelves can be a wonderful focal point in a room if items are arranged properly. Try using baskets to hide items or even create a little custom curtain as I have done using a small handmade valance and a simple tension rod. I used the leftover fabric to sew matching basket liners to pull the whole look together. I think the shelves came out great, don't you?!!

Just Add Trim

I recently made a trip to M and J Trimmings in New York City in search of special ribbon for invitations for a bridal shower I helped plan. This store has virtually every type of ribbon that you could possibly desire and they also carry hundreds of styles of trim for sewing projects. While I was purchasing the ribbon for the invitations, I came across some pretty white cotton ruffle trim. It was so pretty and such a good deal ($3 a yard) that I purchased a yard of it and figured I would eventually find a use for it in my apartment. Well, I did find a great place to use it! I sewed it onto my plain white hand towels to add a feminine touch. With the addition of the white ruffle trim, the hand towels are now quite pretty and fit in well with my bathroom decor. I am so happy I found use for the trim. What an easy and inexpensive way to make an ordinary towel extraordinary!

The picture below shows the before (left towel) and after (right towel).

The Deal Of The Century

I can't help myself from blogging about my new silver trays. I just love the look of pretty silver and antique pieces are my absolute favorite. I guess every girl has a little grandma in her, haha! I have been eyeing two gorgeous (and tarnished) sterling silver trays in an antique shop on my Upper East Side street. Last weekend I decided to make a move on them. After a weekend of bargaining, walking away from the store and then coming back with my tail between my legs because I really DID want the trays, I finally got the pieces home for what I perceived as a great deal. Oh my, I spent the ENTIRE evening on Monday polishing my silver. I think it was several hours but I just couldn't stop unveiling the beauty under the tarnish. I swear that I scored the deal of the century. Both trays were heavily tarnished and their value was overlooked by other antique shoppers. Lucky me with black hands and exhausted arms, I now have two gorgeous and valuable home decor pieces that I just HAD to blog about. Ladies, lessons to learn here:

1) Look closer for the hidden gems out there, pretty pieces are out there so bargain and buy!

2) Everything fabulous takes a little work but as long as you enjoy the work, it's worth it, so polish away!

Enjoy the pictures (they are much prettier in person). I am so thrilled I can't take it!

 

A Monogrammed Mirror

I spent a lovely Memorial Day in East Hampton and while I was in town, I passed by a cute little monogram shop with a variety of monogrammed items. In the window I noticed a monogrammed mirror that I knew I could replicate when I got home. I figured that my glass etching technique would work on a mirrored surface as well. I got to work right away after arriving back to the city. I cut out my initials using sticky vinyl and my Cricut paper cutter which is amazing by the way. After carefully applying the letter cut outs to a basic mirror, I generously applied etching solvent in the negative space. You can purchase paper cutters and etching solvent at any craft store. After waiting about 15 minutes for the solvent to set, I rinsed it off and cleaned the mirror really well. Yay, I did it! I was able to make the mirror I saw in that East Hampton shop! My one of a kind monogrammed mirror is now hanging in my entryway and I am so excited for myself!

I decided to place my monogram in the middle of the mirror because the etching is faint so it doesn't prevent the mirror from still serving its purpose. How pretty!!

 

Pictures That Sparkle

In addition to my previous post on Chandelier Heaven, there's another way to bring the light of a chandelier into your space. I framed this photograph of a beautiful shabby chic chandelier from a decorating book I own. Hung above a sweet shelf, this picture actually sparkles! Framing light fixtures can give the illusion of more light in a room, try it!

 

Crisp White Antique Frames

While I was home for Easter, I rummaged through my parents' attic for antique wooden picture frames. I found a few that I painted a crisp white and when I got back to New York I assembled them on a large blank wall in my living room. I will eventually add more white frames to my wall and I'm hoping to find an oval shaped one at the antique flea market. Below is the result so far, simple and charming!

 

Decorating With Plates

Decorating a wall using pretty plates is simple and beautiful. I love collecting china, especially antique china. I chose several walls in my apartment to decorate with plates!

Tips for hanging plates:
• Generally plates should be about 3-4 inches apart from each other when you are grouping them together.

• Use plate hangers with a spring. Make sure to buy the appropriate size hanger for each plate being hung.

• Map out your plate design on a wide open space like a kitchen island or floor. Before you begin arranging your plates, put paper down so you can trace your finished design and use it as a wall template.

• You can also trace each plate on paper and cut out its shape. When deciding on a wall arrangement, tape the paper plates to the wall with painters tape. You can move them around on your wall to visualize your design before you put holes in your wall.

• If a plate has decorative holes on its edge such as a lace plate, you can hang it using ribbon.

Any room will do! Hanging plates isn’t just for kitchen décor. You can hang plates in the powder room or entryway, even the bedroom! Hanging plates around a window frame, artwork or mirror is pretty. You can hang plates above a window to simulate curtains or along a backsplash that isn’t tiled like mine. Have fun with it and get creative!

A Decorating Story

Once upon a time I attended a baby shower honoring my dear friend Alison. Alison has fabulous taste and I love visiting her home because I get to see her creative decorating ideas in action. I can't resist sharing one of her darling nursery decor ideas. Alison took one of her favorite books from her childhood, cut out some of the classic illustrations and turned a collection of them into wall art. She chose six illustrations from Where The Wild Things Are and framed them in simple white gallery frames. When assembled together on the wall, the framed illustrations tell a classic childhood story and the nursery is now decorated happily ever after!

 

I'm In Chandelier Heaven

I just love chandeliers! Chandeliers bring a lovely sense of sophistication to a space and also a sense of whimsy too. Even the smallest of spaces can seem grand and elegant with the touch of a chandelier. I used several chandeliers in my apartment. Below are some photographs of my chandeliers. I have one in my entryway. How inviting to welcome guests with the sparkle of a chandelier! I also have one in my bathroom...

This small cream painted iron chandelier holds candles. No electricity needed to make this bathroom pretty! Be careful if you actually light the candles (mine are just for show). How elegant does this little bathroom look!?!

Over my kitchen island I don't have an electrical hook up but I insisted on having over head lighting. I purchased this large iron candle chandelier and instead of using traditional pillar candles, I used battery operated candles so the piece can flicker away without the worry of a flame. The best part about these battery candle pillars is that they are remote control operated! I am always just a click away from beautiful soft candle light, how heavenly! 

Modern Twist on Victorian Decor

As promised, here is my Victorian silhouette wall collage. I opted for basic frames rather than ornate frames to modernize the antique look.  I love the idea of painting the center mat a bold color. It anchors the collage and makes the black silhouettes really pop. I purchased a Benjamin Moore bright pink paint sample (only $3.50) for the project.

I also used the pink paint in another unexpected place to further modernize my Victorian room. Across from my silhouette collage is an antique Victorian vanity that I purchased for almost nothing. The piece needed a complete overhaul (new paint, new upholstery, new hardware etc.) After I redid the vanity, I decided to add a pop of pink to the inside top of the vanity.

The splashes of pink are few in my mostly Victorian room, but they are fun, unexpected and add a modern twist. The paint samples are the way to go for small simple projects and remember that you can always repaint if your decor changes. I just love my little Victorian sanctuary and since I live in New York, the modern twist was a must!

Creating Silhouettes

This time next week I will be blogging from the Upper East Side. Yep, that's right I'm moving and that means I'm going to write a lot of posts on decorating! Well, I FINALLY decided on my design scheme for my bedroom. I went back and forth because I love so many styles, but I'm thrilled to announce that I'm designing a Victorian bedroom. I chose Victorian style because it's just so pretty and inviting. It's also feminine and luxurious which works well for a female bedroom. A Victorian room would not be complete without framed silhouettes. They are classic and striking and very inexpensive to create. Here's how to make them.

Photoshop: If you have Photoshop here's what to do...

1) Take a profile picture or a picture of a object, preferably on a white background.

2) Open photoshop and select the background for removal using the wand tool. Once highlighted, go to edit and cut.

3) Go to image and select adjustments and then desaturate to remove all of the color.

4) Go to adjustments and select brightness/contrast. Both lower the brightness and increase the contrast.

5) Use the paint tool to fill in black where necessary.

6) Save your image, print and frame!

Internet Images: You can use ready made silhouette images from the internet...

1) Google "silhouette images" to find royalty free images that are already black with a white background. Right click on the image, click edit and copy to copy the image. Open a word document and click edit and paste so you can adjust the image size, print and frame!

2) Try istockphoto.com to purchase images from a greater selection bank for a small fee. This gives you the right to the images and the selection is stellar. Once the file is purchased add it to a word document, adjust the size, print and frame!

Try clustering a bunch of framed silhouette images on the wall for a beautiful look. Vary the size and shape of the frames, and stick with antique style frames for a most authentic look. (I'm going to do this once I get into my new place so stay tuned for the result!) Here are a bunch of silhouettes I am using for the project. All of the images were printed on ivory colored cardstock. So pretty, right?!