Pillows that Pop!

As I mentioned on Friday... my long wait for completion of my X benches has finally ended...click here if you missed the... final...  "Final Reveal" from the One Room Challenge.

I ended that post with a little teaser about new pillows I have been working on for a matching pair of chairs in the living room and voila...they are now done too...just in time for Christmas! Forget diamonds or furs...give me a good design delivery and I am good for the season!

I must admit...this crush has turned into TRUE LOVE!!

What is on your holiday wish list this year?

Thank you Santa!

Many of you who follow my blog regularly know that I participated in a One Room Challenge this Summer. I redid my living room. During that time I found a pair of X ottomans that I enhanced and refurbished. I added architectural details in the form of moldings and circles on each and then lacquered them each black....but it took months to find the perfect fabric and then it arrived this week from England...just in time for the holidays!

 

When I took them into the upholsterer they insisted they would not be able to get them done as they were inundated in a pre-holiday rush...everyone wanting the same thing....of course! However, my favorite elf in the back of the shop worked extra hard to get them done for me...and did them right away! I picked them up yesterday!

Now I am going to share a little secret with all of you...consider it my Christmas gift....I have discovered the greatest resource for designer grade fabrics and more...at wholesale prices...the LADC (L.A. Design Concepts)  has been in business for over 20 years and offers a 30-40% discount on all the best fabrics and furnishings available on the market today. Essentially they give consumers access to "trade only" merchandise.

The staff is just the nicest and the service is excellent! I have been completely impressed with everything I have ordered. The process is simple. In the case of fabrics, you contact them for a sample(s) of  the fabrics you are interested in. After you receive them and decide on your selections you fill out a simple form with your credit card details and "voila" the fabrics are sent to you immediately directly from the vendor.

 

For this project I used a beautiful Zoffany fabric...and I have pillows being completed today in this wonderful Designer's Guild fabric. With the help of LADC I don't have to work with a designer to get access to my favorite fabrics! Oh the possibilities....stay tuned!

 

Happy Holidays! XO

If These Walls Could Talk...

This Summer I participated with a number of other design oriented bloggers in "The One Room Challenge". I redesigned my living room and if you are interested you can see the final reveal here.

I've since had to update that last post because I finally got up the courage to do what I wanted to do to the walls during the course of the challenge...and if "these my walls could talk" they would have shouted at me all these months..."just do it already"...as I sat staring at them time and time again...so I finally did!



I previously had painted (a wonderful shell metallic color) only two panels of the eight panels in the room.

I painted the two that flanked the fireplace but I hadn't touched the rest of the panels around the room or the trim because I was initially concerned that it would be "too much" within the space...and I wanted to accent the hearth

...but as rooms that aren't "just right" tend to do...this space kept my brain from resting every time I entered it so...I decided to just go for it and do what my gut told me would be best!



Here are the "before" pics of the other panels....

and here are the "afters"...

I also added lighting over the gallery spaces to lighten up that side of the room at night. They have two settings so I can set mood lighting...love lighting that gives me options!!

 

 

The other gallery space during the day....

 

 

 

and now at night....

 

These pictures do not accurately show how impactful this paint job was on the space (if I do say so myself). The iridescence of the panels not makes the room truly glam! Painting the trim high gloss white finished the look! I love the way it looks so different (but equally lovely) day to night!

 

...note to self...go with my gut...especially with paint...one can always fix mistakes!

 

Other fun notes....

 

Here is a tea cup from a china set I found "flea"-ing last weekend...

and I decided my office needed a little holiday decorating so voila...a little zhoosh to start my week!

Happy Monday!!

The One Room Challenge...The Final Reveal...

19 Bloggers...(we lost one along the way)...Six Weeks to redo a room....how did we do? If you would like to " begin at the beginning" please click here. Thanks for checking in again this week!

Here is where it all began....

When we first moved into the house about 11 years ago...wow...this one makes me cringe today!

                                        
       Update about 5 years ago...styled for a magazine shoot...

                                         
Corner near entry... a year or so ago...I am always making design "adjustments"...

and here is one year during the holidays...

and FINALLY... here is the "after" in the form of a TAA DAA pictorial.....

 First I am coming clean with what I didn't finish....I still have to receive and install the picture lights (see below) above the three galleries in the front of the room....

and finish the two black lacquer ottomans (see below) with hot pink and white silk fabric that will sit on each side of the fireplace.... so please use your imagination as you view the room to include these items!

Hopefully you will keep visiting so I can give you an update on those items within the next month.....in the meantime here is where I am now.... a baby grand piano used to sit where the white parsons table currently resides. Although I did save the legs of the antique piano to make a new leather bench as you can see below.

Adding a chandelier with an ornate ceiling medallion and sconces on each side of the fireplace "glammed" up the space! All of the lighting in my house is on dimmers...this room is no exception so I can really play with the "mood". I also found a fabulous Moroccan huge tray that I put over my hyacinth coffee table for a mix of metals and textures in the room...

Here's a little update a few months later.... I ended up painting the panels around the room the shell finish...and painted the trim high gloss white.

I added new sea grass rugs all around the main floor and a hide in this room for a sophisticated and soft touch...

I love the addition of this white parsons table for it's clean design and function...now with the buffet/bar I have another place for inside entertaining. I plan to have dinner parties in this room since the table sits six comfortably...in front of the roaring fire (the white logs will have to be removed first)! I have decided that dining tables placed in almost every main room in a home serve great purpose!



You can also see in the picture above how I repurposed an antique console into a radiator cover...by adding some wooden Moroccan-"esque" screening in front that I stained to match....I lifted it on top of the radiator and... voila...a new bar, buffet, etc. etc...so much better than that yucky old tin radiator cover...

I have some beautiful fabrics picked out for pillows in the room for the colder months but I like these for a fresh Summer vibe....

As I mentioned I redid my entry hall as well as I began to lighten up the living room....one thing leads to another... I added a new lighting fixture and a new mirror to the entry hall and repurposed and designed a new look for the table I used to house in my living room. A new fun rug also was in order to spice up the entry hall....I did leave the plates that I found that are the same color as my painted living room...love the added architecture!

Can I just say... I cannot WAIT until I get the  black lacquer ottomans in place on each side of the fireplace...it will be like Christmas in August!! They will complete the "look"...it really feels unfinished without them! Although I am LOVING the panels that I treated to a seashell metallic finish on either side of the hearth...and the sconces too!

Playing with different centerpieces on the cocktail table...never ending fun!

We're not big drinkers but I love a pretty bar so I designed one for the space...I am all about the bling!

It's fun playing with different flower arrangements and accessories too...oh the possibilities! This will continue to change as I continue to find treasures that need to be displayed...

The same is true for the mantle...so many possiblities...right now I am into old books and flowers!

Lilacs and Hydrangea from my garden....

I am going to love "merchandising" the parsons dining/living table throughout the seasons too....

The only other item that is still possibly on my agenda is putting in recessed lighting on dimmers in the ceiling of the two built-ins in the back of the room for added mood lighting using glass shelves instead of the solid wood ones currently there. I  would keep the white wood casing though so there is still a vintage vibe..... 

I have really enjoyed this challenge and want to thank

Linda at- My Crafty Home Life

for coming up with the idea and pulling it all together! You have graciously spent enough time at my house (thanks for indulging me and all my photos) now it is time to visit my blogging buddies to see how their rooms look after all their hard work!

Beth- Chinoiserie Chic

Lauren-The Cottage Mix

Sherry - Design Indulgence

Lindsay - Everything LEB

Barbara - Hodge:Podge

Kim - Kim Macumber Interiors

Lisa - Lisa Mende Design

Tiffany - Living Savvy

Jessie - Mix & Chic

Danylle - Nana Moon

Nicole - Nicole Scott Designs

Julia - Pawleys Island Posh

Jennifer - The Pink Pagoda

Bethany - Powell Brower Home

Lindsay - The Pursuit of Style

Lindsay - Sadie + Stella

Lisa - Trapped in North Jersey