Displaying Antique Dishes

I have a weakness for antique dishes and not nearly enough surfaces to display them.   I liked the idea of having them on my kitchen wall but didn't want to use a traditional wall mount.

I got the idea from a bakery in Toronto called Bobette and Belle to have the plates grouped together on a different background.  They mounted theirs on a chalkboard surface.  I chose a sand coloured linen and inexpensive white frames.  I hot glued the bowls and plates to the linen.   This way should I ever decide to take the bowls/plates off, I can simply peel the glue from the backs of the dishes without damaging them.  

I also created some small frames and a bulletin board - all white frames with a linen background.  Having these mounted on picture railing allowed me to also include some small decorative items along with the frames. 

I thought it was a fun and modern way to display my antiques and collectibles.

Every Chair Deserves A Second Chance

My hands are blistered and sore but it was so worth it.  I was in need of a chair in my living room and was so excited when my brother and sister in law were getting rid of a chair that had belonged to the previous owner of their house.

My sister-in-law has amazing taste and could see the potential for this very old 70s chair.  Sadly, having something re-upholstered is so expensive.  Short of the piece being a family heirloom - you may as well just buy a new chair.   And while my upholstery skills are good - they probably wouldn't stand up to little girls bouncing on the chair so in the end - the chair will sit quietly in the corner of my room - waiting for me to curl up with a good book and cup of tea.

The worst part of the job is pulling off the old material and stuffing.  I actually opted to wear a mask to save my lungs from the abundance of dust that came from the stuffing and straw (yes straw) that made up the innards of this old chair.






Before

  





Bones of the Chair

 





After

 

Striped Drawers

Before

After

I love finding old ugly furniture at yard sales.  I know I've said it before but it is extremely difficult to find new furniture that is solid and free of plastic.  That is why I was so excited to find this little side table for a measly $12 at a yard sale.  The guy threw in this amazing retro wallpaper as well.  Stay tuned for projects that feature that fab find in the future.

I opted to use my favourite new finish - bright paint with a layer of stain to give the finish an antique look.

I really believe in all the little touches - including lining the inside of the drawer with matching wallpaper.  The end result is as you see and really so much fun to pull together.

Bold Bathroom

I love this project. 

Painting the bathroom was step one.  I used left over grey paint to match the existing neutral tones in the tile and step two was adding a bold wallpaper print to two walls.  The wallpaper is bold but the colours are equally neutral and look great with any towel colour.

Here are two looks - one with bold pops of plum and one with clean whites. 

Depending on the mood or season - you could go back and forth between the two.   
I have to apologize for the pictures - it is incredibly difficult to photograph a small room  effectively.

The Sparest of Spare Rooms

I used to love that line from Anne of Green Gables - "The sparest of spare rooms." There is something pretty wonderful about visiting a friend's house with a pimped out guest room.  I've been a fan of fully stocking a room with cool items for guests since viewing an episode of Oprah.  Don't get your hopes up - guests won't be leaving this room with a car but hopefully will find the decor leads to a restful evening.

The colour is called Diamond Dust - a grey/mauve that is accented with leaf green pictures on the walls. The room has to be multi-functional as well and house the computer.  Rather than using a computer desk - I opted to use an old antique cabinet and hide the desk chair on a hook on the back of the door.

The room is small and will only house a single bed but ensure the bedding is inviting and towels are plush can make a guest forget they are sleeping on a smaller mattress.

The pendant lamp was a very exciting find.  Home Depot sells this pendant for under $40 and has the option of extending the length to accommodate all ceiling heights.

This was a fun room to put together.  I even painted out a dresser (sad to say it was one that I sanded down in the 90s).  I've always been a fan of mixing antiques with modern - makes for a unique space.

Chair stored on back of door.

Pendant lamp

Grayscale Dreams

It has been soooo long since I've added a new posting and so much has happened.  I've literally painted all but one room in my sister's house.  I of course had to paint my temporary abode as well and I have to admit that it is one of my favourite bedrooms to date!  I like colour but in muted tones or little touches of bright accents but when it comes down to it - nothing calms me like shades of grey mixed with white and black accents.

Sounds boring I know but with the right accents and a fun damask patterned quilt - the result I think is quite lovely.

The ceiling light (very cost effective at Home Depot of all places) really brought everything together.  I never regret buying the circular Umbra mirror at the Umbra warehouse sale in Toronto.  I managed to find the only unbroken one in the bunch and it seems to go with any colour or theme.  The black pyramid shelf in the corner is something I normally use in my living room just as a book shelf but fits in nicely as book storage, picture display and media nook.

I borrowed the lovely bedside lamps from my sister - standard lamps from Ikea that have the wonderful telescopic bases allowing for extra height and making them anything but standard in appearance.  Finally - the curtains.  Lovely muted grey curtains with black-out material on the back which cost all of $15 a panel - thank you Giant Tiger!

My room is soothing and tranquil at the end of a long day.  Feminine but not girly which I love - all in all...I'm happy with the results.  Wish I had before pictures to show you but I got so excited to paint that I forgot to take pictures first.

Oh - the paint colour is Behr Silver Screen in an eggshell finish.  I didn't buy Behr paint though (sorry Behr but I hate how your paint goes on the wall).  My advice - go to Home Depot and buy Glidden paint and use a Behr colour.  Instead of $35-$40 a gallon, a can of Glidden paint costs $18 folks and I think goes on even better with less coats.  This is not a low viscosity paint so if you are sensitive to fumes, ask the person at the paint counter for the best brand.  I'd rather save a dollar and crack a window myself but I'm sure my lungs won't thank me for it.

An Ottoman For Jess

After

I am way overdue for an update and this isn't even a holiday edition.  Still - it was a really fun project that allowed me to take a break from packing (I recently moved away from Toronto to Ottawa - more on that in another entry).

So picture someone surrounded by boxes and packing tape, eagerly pulling material off an old ottoman  ONE WEEK before her movers are set to arrive.  Yep - that's me.

My friend Jess had this awesome ottoman that look deceivingly innocent but I've been told is a cherished piece by the family as there are so many memories associated with it but that there is every possibility that some famous feet that may have rested upon the material.  I can only speculate!

Before

The really neat part of this project was the material chosen to recover the old traditional brown floral that had seen much better days.  Jess found an amazing modern twist on an art deco patterned material and while I would have walked past the colourful bolt - her eye went to it immediately.  The result is a traditional piece of furniture with a colourful modern twist.  I'm so pleased overall with how this turned out.

The secret for this piece was to treat both the cushioning on top and the base as different parts - covering each piece first and then attaching the elements together afterwards.

Fall Fun Touches

I'll admit that I'm obsessed with Christmas but I'm not really one to decorate for any other season.  This year seems to be the exception as I stumbled on so many cute items for both Thanksgiving and Halloween alike.  I went to West Elm for the first time last week and discovered all sorts of fun Halloween items on for half price.  I indulged in a glittery bat garland and some cute (bordering on creepy) plates.

I'm really big on cards for Halloween for my family and friends and sometimes the selection for this season is even better then Christmas.

Oh - and don't forget a wreath for the door.  Regardless of the season - I always stick with themes that don't revolve around a single day celebration.  Rather than a Christmas wreath - I prefer a winter theme (ie. snow men, snowflakes etc).   Along these same lines, I opted to stick with leaves, wheat and multi coloured gourds to cover both Thanksgiving and Halloween.

For an extra Fall flair - why not add a dash of essential oil to the wreath.  I added a few drops of the Body Shop's Pumpkin Nectarine home fragrance oil to the wheat and the grapevine portion of the wreath.  Now each time I enter my home I get a very subtle scent that instantly reminds me of pumpkin pie and falling leaves.

Chandelier Revisited



After



I recently received a chandelier - complete with actual crystals from a friend of my mother's and instantly knew where to hang it. My kitchen. The issue - it was brass and a little scuffed from the travel to my house.  The solution...paint it!



Before



If you are planning on doing this with an old chandelier - here's a tip - make sure you take a photo before with all the crystals in their correct location because this isn't the easiest thing to reassemble once it is hanging from the ceiling and a picture takes out a lot of the guess work.

I used various shades of brown, burnt sienna and copper paint and stippled over the brass finish.  The effect blends in beautifully with my kitchen (and hopefully makes it a little less country - I'm not allowed to paint out the wood cabinets but if I were - they would be painted white so quickly your head would spin). 

I will admit that any type of electrical work scares the bejezus out of me but I haven't let that stop me yet.  The neat thing about this piece is that I can paint it again if I choose to move and have it go with another colour scheme.  One thing is for sure - it will never be brass again.

Confessions of a Nature Collector

Post number 23 and I have a confession - I'm loving specimen type decor right now.  No, I'm not referring to taxidermy or harboring any other type of dead animals in my house but I've slowly been collecting bell jars and pieces of nature for a display.

I had rocks and shells from my travels as well as iridescent striped feathers that my aunt would send me in letters from her farm.  When I found a beautiful display cabinet at Home Sense - all of these pieces came together in my mind to be collected in a nature table of a sort.

I also came across old fashion natural history template pages online that I incorporated into the display.  My one fake in the display are the blue robin's eggs - they aren't eggs at all but some high end soap I bought at Soap & Water in Oakville.  I had no idea when I bought the soap that I would be using them for display purposes but I think they fit in well.

These display cases are so inexpensive and can be used for a variety of projects from a collection of old keys or even a wonderful place to hang necklaces and other jewelry.

As for the bell jars - I have a collection of old clocks and books that nestled in nicely with these shiny glass domes on my coffee table.  In the tiny bell jar, I found a cute mini plant that seems to tie it all together.  To be honest, only the tall dome is a real bell jar - the wide one is a cake dome and the small version was a cupcake dome but I've repurposed them for non-baking display.

I also found these great vintage looking books at Home Sense.  They are hollow and fantastic for keeping items such as remote controls, coasters and other clutter that lives in the living room.    I think I'll need to stay away from that store for a while.