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 

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 

Never A Dull Moment

Well... July is shaping up to be an eventful month.  We closed on our new house two weeks ago.  The following day my oldest son was involved in a boating accident that reaffirmed my faith in God.  Two days later my youngest and I went for another ambulance ride.  Today, I am thankful that our entire family is home, together.
Meanwhile, we are attempting to complete necessary work before we move in.  The projects include air conditioning, refinishing the floors, knocking down walls, moving plumbing, opening new doorways, sanding ALL the trim in the house, removing wallpaper and carpet, building a fence to keep our blind dog and kids from running into the street, and the list goes on and on and on.

Here are some in progress shots.

Kitchen before.

 First my husband removed the cabinets.  Then I knocked out the pantry to create and the wall to open the kitchen up to the breakfast room.  

  

We ripped out the shelving in the den to make room for doorways and built-in bench seating.  

Den before:

The space felt claustrophobic. It sit's below a stair landing, so the ceiling is much lower.

View new from the breakfast room into kitchen.  You get the idea - better traffic flow, more light, open, space, etc.

Before: breakfast room view with the window to your back.  

Removed the door between the breakfast room and foyer. 

Here I am knocking out the wall between the living room and the breakfast room.  Surprise!  There is a waste line smack in the middle of my intended doorway. Lucky for me I found a great plumber. 

I probably will not be back to the house until move-in day.  Can't wait to see the "completed" jobs! 

Back to packing...

Cheers!

Elizabeth

“Miracles are a retelling in small letters of the very same story which is written across the whole world in letters too large for some of us to see.” ― C.S. Lewis

"New" Kitchen and Breakfast Room

A few weeks ago I finally paid a visit to the Shades of Light outlet.  Boy was I missing out.

During a recent run-through Shades of Light (the actual store) I promptly decided these Petite Mirror Back Sconces were perfect for my new bedroom.  The only problem is the price.  $439 each.  Guess what I stumbled upon at the outlet?  That's right, the  Petite Mirror Back Sconces priced at $308 each.  Close, but no cigar. I am saving up for this beauty:

It will look perfect in the new dining room.

Even though the two previously mentioned fixtures remain on my wish list, I did not go home empty handed.  I am now the proud owner of this 20" diameter copper pendant.  It's the perfect replacement for the current 4x2 florescent flush mount fixture (see image below).  While our budget does not include a kitchen renovation, I figured $94 "to distract  the eye" was a good investment.  

I am hesitant to share this photo, so please trust me when I say this house has good bones and loads of potential. Cross my heart and hope to die.  

Other plans include an free standing island below the pendent; a new light fixture over the sink (the current one resembles something you may find in an unfinished attic and is operated by a hanging string); a sideboard for additional storage and counter space; painting the cabinets; pulling up the linoleum and refinishing the pine floors that are underneath; turning the pantry into something more attractive and functional; creating a door way into the current den, that will function as a breakfast room.  Yada Yada Yada...

A 52" piece of furniture on this wall, painted with and topped off with a cut-to size piece of stone will provide more counter space. Over that piece I imagine one or two wall shelves and a cool piece of art. 

Some inspiration...

My dream shelving.

Love the clean look and lines of this.

Open shelving, all white and glass dishes and serve ware, and glass canisters for food storage. 

Black and white and adorable all over.

This shelving is inspiration for my pantry. I may have to incorporate a mirror too.

Open shelving and art.

Big art in kitchen.

Copper pendants above island.  

More copper.

The pantry in the new house  has wide shelves and electricity.  With a little paint, a new light fixture, and a new set of doors it could be cute...  

These get me thinking about possibilities for the pantry. 

The den aka breakfast room.  Imagine an L-shaped banquette, a round table, and my new chairs.  This picture also illustrates why there is no room in the budget for an addition - every extra cent is funding a new HVAC and refinishing the floors.  No AC was the deal breaker for my husband. I suppose me too. Radiator heat is the best, but I won't miss the arrangement limitations they create.  

The plan is to knockout the first set of shelves and open a doorway into the kitchen.  

More inspiration.

I like the paneling on this built-in bench.

All images are on my Pinterest Boards.

I picked up this mid-century solid wood table (made in Denmark) for $90! It even has 2 leaves for extension.  I can't deiced if I want to give it a gray-washed limed look or a glossy white coat of paint.

The kitchen and breakfast room are the first priority, so after pictures to come later this summer.  

Cheers!

Elizabeth

“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” ~Theodore Roosevelt