Greenish Thumb

What glorious weather we are having! In order to prepare our yard for a proper spring welcome, my husband cleaned out all the dried leaves, dead branches, and pestering weeds.  (24 big lawn bags full!)  Then he aerated and fertilized the dreadful looking lawn.

Tackling a yard, like any big project, is overwhelming, so we are taking it one flower bed at a time.  Here are the two  front beds we completed this past weekend.

It took two exhausting hours to dig up this scraggly azalea bush.  We posted it on Craig's List and it was gone within hours.  

In it's place we planted holly, surrounded by new guinea impatiens, laurel, and a small hydrangea (far left).

On the other side of the house we planted heather and Scarlett O'Hara.  The box woods and camellia are original.  I found some old slate pieces in the back yard to make a path from the porch.  My kids love it because they think it's a secret path.  I love it because it keeps the kids off the plants.  The ferns are in new planters I found at Lowes (especially the reasonable price tag - $39.)  

We transplanted some rhododendron to the side yard and filled in the space with another holly tree, heather, Scarlett O'Hara, and creeping phlox.  A freshly edged and mulched yard make me smile.     

Begonias for the planters on the steps.

We have a long way to go, but the hardest part is getting started, right?

Cheers!

Elizabeth

"Why try to explain miracles to your kids when you can just have them plant a garden." 

 ~Robert Brault

Basement: Before & During

Our basement is a respectable size and soaks up a decent amount of natural light considering it's below ground level.  However, the basement is in dire need of a makeover.  Here are some shots before we moved in.

Untouched knotty pine paneled walls +  a few coats of paint = instant gratification

SO much brighter!

 Just one coat of special wood  primer brightened the space.  Two  coats of paint down and, fingers crossed, one to go.  Please note, most of the paint application requires a brush which is very time consuming   

The color is Benjamin Moore "White Heron."  I apologize for the iPhone photos.  Here is a professional image of a foyer painted "White Heron."  The crisp, bright white, with gray undertone is exactly what I wanted.

 via House Beautiful

As evident from my photos, the basement houses the majority of the kids' toys.  A portion of the space is intended for a family/TV room use.  Once the ceiling and lights are replaced, the carpet is installed, and there is some sense of order, I will take some after photos.

Cheers!

Elizabeth

"The flowers that sleep by night, opened their gentle eyes and turned them to the day.  The light, creation's mind, was everywhere, and all things owned its power."  

~Charles Dickens, The Old Curiosity Shop

Ikea Etagere

In previous posts I've alluded to my affinity for books. Our old house had tons of built-in storage, something our new house lacks.  A few months ago, in an attempt to create a new home for my collection, I enlisted my carpenter.  Together, we fashioned a design of  bookcases and window seats  to run the length of the (fireplace) wall in our living room.  

The hold up is the pending kitchen/breakfast room renovation.  While I'm desperate for built-ins, there is a greater sense of urgency for previously mentioned project.  Looking for a cheap and quick fix, I copied this Vittsjo shelves Ikea hack.    

You can't beat the $70 price tag.  

Please excuse the photo quality.  There is something wrong with my lens.

I spray-painted the two shelving unit metallic gold.  (One on each side of the fireplace.)  Immediately after, while the gold paint was still wet, I strategically sprayed brass paint that created this fantastic cracked, patina-like finish.  

Gives it more depth, don't ya think?

My only complaint is the weight capacity of the units, so many things are still in boxes.  

Cheers!

Elizabeth

“I love walking into a bookstore. It's like all my friends are sitting on shelves, waving their pages at me.”   ~ Tahereh Mafi 

Workin' On

Our new kitchen and breakfast room design.  

Cheers!

Elizabeth

"Dessert…too much of a good thing is wonderful."  ~ Mae West 

Master Work In Progess

Last fall I paid a visit to one of my favorite antique shops and found this 1940's dresser. Originally the plan was to lime the blonde wood, but I changes my mind.

Now the dresser (in our master bedroom) is painted in French Linen (Annie Sloan Chalk Paint), which beautifully compliments the original brass hardware.  

As you can see in the photo below, the walls need a "little" work. After hours of painstaking work, bits of the floral boarder still remain.  I have numerous wallpaper samples but I'm leaning towards  a whitish textured silk wall covering.  As we "speak," the window treatments are under construction.  

Our bedroom has a small walk-in closet, but additional storage was required.  Enter Ikea Pax wardrobes.  

We added hardware from Restoration Hardware.    

Vintage Knob

Vintage Pull

The complete Pax makeover blueprint includes crown and base moldings so the wardrobes appear built-in, i.e.

via

Furthermore, I plan to add antiqued mirrors to the doors, i.e. 

via

I'll make the call on fretwork overlays or no fretwork once the mirrors are installed. 

via

Did you notice the bench between the two wardrobes?  If not, here is another peek.

The caned bench is original to the house.  The current design scheme includes paint and new upholstery.

 This Thibaut fabric -Cambridge Woven in Gray

Not one room in my house feels complete.  I'm simply whittling down the list one small project at a time.  Stay tuned.  

Cheers!

Elizabeth

"If there is no struggle, there is no progress."   ~Frederick Douglass 

Odds and Ends

Today's CDJs:

My favorite detail of this Lillian August  secretary, (finished in antique linen with gold accent), are the mirrored doors. What a lovely way to conceal not-so-pretty necessities.  The perfect addition to my living room!

I real want a fancy, grown-up dining room table and this Jonathan Charles Buckingham Regency 2 Leaf Mahogany Dining Table is it.  

The Lillian August Foster Hutch and Base makes a subtle and elegant statement.  Finished in ivory with soft silver accents and nickle hardware, it would compliment my dining room.  

I've searched high and low for a tall, narrow bookshelf for my younger son's room.  This Theodore Alexander piece fits the bill! 

My stairwell has a small landing with a window.  At night it's rather dark.  This Jonathan Charles Luxe Biedermeier Mahogany Console table with a lamp would really warm it up.  

Cheers!

Elizabeth

"Don't buy a bedroom suite, but collect your pieces separately - generally cheaper and always the decorator's way of furnishing."  ~ Dorothy Draper

Light Up My World

We fell in love with our "new" house, because underneath the peeling wallpaper, heavy drapery,  and dated fixtures, existed great bones.  Plus, over five decades, the previous owner invested a tremendous amount of care in the property.  With the keys in my hand, I've opened the door to endless opportunities: the chance to reveal our home's true luster.  

Now that the windows are bare, the walls are stripped, the floors are refinished, the central air is installed, a few walls are knocked down, the trim is repainted,  and the boxes are unpacked, I've slowly started decorating.

I firmly believe lighting makes or breaks a space. While we still have a very long way to go, replacing a few light fixtures has made a world of difference.   (Unfortunately I only have before pictures, but I am ferociously working on the after shots.) 

The master bedroom fixture sported energy efficient light bulbs.  I'm all for going green; I buy milk in reusable glass bottles, recycle everything, etc., but those light bulbs actually offend my eyeballs. 

Typically I am not a fan of flush mount lighting, but there's always an exception to the rule.

For Christmas, this sexy mesh swag light was under the tree, with my name on it!  Now it's hanging in our master bedroom and it's stunning. 

The previous dining room chandelier, including more compact florescents.  

Do you recall this beauty?

It showed up just in time to illuminate the dining room for Christmas Eve dinner. 

The light fixture in my older son's room.

Replaced with this natural oak openwork pendant.

This fixture, in my younger son's room,  is proof that not all vintage mid-century pieces are created equal.

I found this nautical brass pendant in an Annapolis, MD antique store.  

(Note: the walls and ceiling have yet to be painted.)

There are numerous other projects to share.  Stay tuned.  

Cheers!

Elizabeth

"Design is defined by light and shade, and appropriate lighting is enormously important."

~Albert Hadley

Fencing (Not the Sport)

In many instances pressure fosters my success.  When it comes to making a personal design decision I do not cared to be rushed.  This week, in addition to selecting a floor stain color, I must finalize our fence plans.  Between our blind dog and daredevil toddler, enclosing the back yard is essential.  Brick walls flank either side of the backyard.  Therefore a simple fencing and two gates are all that is need to enclose the backyard.
Regardless of a job size one must always consider the details. I plan to borrow inspiration from the following:

images via

Cheers!

Elizabeth

"A woman's dress should be like a barbed-wire fence: serving its purpose without obstructing the view." ~ Sophia Loren

Floor Update

Working on a house one hundred miles away is challenging.  For example, the flooring company offered to apply samples of selected stain colors.   Unfortunately there is no time for a quick trip up 95.
Selecting a stain color for your entire house is a big decision I am not leaving up to chance.  So, I decided to make my own samples.

The wood is white oak.

This iPhone photo does not distinguish the color contrast very well.  The board on the left is 3 parts Jacobean, 1 part Ebony.  The right side is 3 parts Dark Walnut, 1 part Ebony.  The top color on the middle board is Jacobean and the bottom color is Dark Walnut.  

Based on these samples I (think) prefer the Dark Walnut/Ebony mixture.  It appears to have more depth than the Jacobean/Ebony mix (which looks flat.)

Maybe I will try a mixture of the Jacobean and Dark Walnut...

Cheers!

Elizabeth

"We shape our dwellings, and afterwards our dwellings shape us."  ~Winston Churchill 

Slowly, but Surely

Last week I shared pictures of the demo. Here is the progress thus far. (The picture quality is less than desirable - Blackberry photos.)

We will complete the trim/molding once we settle in and after we select paint colors.  Here are some interior paint colors in consideration.  

Benjamin Moore Stone White for the kitchen walls.

Benjamin Moore "Super White" for the cabinets and trim.

Farrow and Ball's "Blackened" for ceiling paint

OR

Benjamin Moore "Patriotic White"

I purchased a sample pot of Benjamin Moore's "Fondant" to test on the living room walls.  It looks great, but delaying the decisions until the furniture is moved in and the floors are refinished.  "Calm," "White Opulence," "Sand Dollar," and "Pink Damask" (all Benjamin Moore) are the other hint-of pink colors in the running.  If the pale, blushy color does not work I will likely go with a "greige."

Vertical stripes in a foyer are classic.  I envision tone on tone white and gray stripes. (again, decision  postponed until move-in.) Here is the "short" list.

Benjamin Moore's "Owl Gray"

"Paper White"

"Revere Pewter"

"Edgecomb Gray"

"Winter Orchard"  (thanks BK :-)

"Horizon" 

"Elephant Tusk"

"Distant Gray"

"Winter White"

"White Dove"

"White Wisp"

If you have any words of wisdom please share.

Cheers!

Elizabeth

"White is not a mere absence of color; it is a shining and affirmative thing, as fierce as red, as definite as black. God paints in many colors; but He never paints so gorgeously, I had almost said so gaudily, as when He paints in white."   ~Gilbert K. Chesterton