Back to the old curtains

If you didn't read my previous post about having a party and going all crazy last-minute to fix my family room/ basement, well, that pretty much sums it up.  I've always wanted to replace my ikea curtains with doublewidth panels and tried out the Peytons from Pottery Barn because there was no time for custom curtains.  When I put them up, they completely changed the look of the room.  I figured I could repaint another time and switched up my rug and accessories for a quick change:

BUT it was completely the wrong feeling.  I loooove that rug but not in my family room.  I wanted fresh & fun & happy (we hang with the kids here a lot) and the rug & curtains were taking the room into a more serious, richer place.  Not okay.  So, I tried out the PB peytons in french ivory and with the lining and double panels, they still felt to "decorated" for me so up went my old cotton Ikea curtains.  I added additional rings so they wouldn't sag as much and am totally fine with them now after my fiasco.  (Just need to hem them! ;)

{The two men in the photographs are my dad (top) and my husband's dad (bottom) waaaay back when.  We have very odd wood work going on in our old 70s house so for now I'm just forgetting about it.}

I also switched up the art & accessories, FINALLY pulling in the green I was craving.  My basement was bothering me because it was so unrelated to the rest of my house but now with the added green, I'm loving the flow.  I had this old dinosaur chart and added the Peter Dunham pillows and a Dash & Albert rug we had:

{ignore the messy blanket and toys & books- sorry no time for pretty!}

And here's a pic of the natural woven shades we put up:

I'm ordering another set for the large window by the sofa to replace the white roman shade there, which will add the texture that's missing for me over there.  And here's a quick pic from the party:

I'll share pics from the party in my next post.  It was a ton of fun and took place almost entirely oustide.  I'm pretty sure no one even noticed my curtains.  (Except for those who'd read my whacky post before coming!)  Ah vell.  I do have to say though, I live for this stuff. 

xoxo,

lauren

If you'd like help creating a home you absolutely love, contact me about our design services.

Gardening Bliss

This little garden in my back yard is looking nice this time of year.    So, I took a few pictures of it. 

I edited the photos with parvous or serendipity textures in a soft light at 100%.  The textures were by Kim Klassen.
I will join Kim Klassen today for Texture Tuesday.
If you are wanting to try textures sign up at Kim's and she will mail you a free texture every week.  Lots of great photography tips at her blog also. 

Happy Memorial Day!

 

So, summer begins, where your tea can take on a seashore theme and be red, white, and blue-green.  Have a great weekend.

Sherry

I will join The Tablescaper for Seasonal Sundays.

Family Room Curtains Indecision

We decided we'd have a little party this weekend to kick off summer.  Well, our "little" party grew - which is always good- and yesterday I started looking around at our basement family room, tearing it apart mentally.  (Do you do that??)  Some of our friends coming over are designers and, although all of them are supersweet & would never judge, I couldn't help but want to fix it up before tonight.  (I had a client over to the office last week for a presentation and used areas of my home for "what not to do" and why we'd be doing what we were doing. hahaha )

I bought custom bamboo shades for the DC showhouse and sized them so that they could also work in my office once the showhouse was over.  As some of you know, my family room/downsairs has been irking me for a while.  I have to admit that I love the feeling down there- light, airy, fresh & happy- and I like working in it, but I've always felt like it just doesn't jive with the rest of my house.  Well, of course when the shades and some of my pillows came home from the showhouse, I started envisioning a new color palette for the space, using what I had.  Our basement is very coastal feeling and while I love it, it just doesn't make sense here.  (My dad lives on a lake and wants some of our paintings so I think eventually I'll give in because they'd be a better fit with him.) 

{greeeeeeen}

Anyway- besides the coastal vibe- the main thing that really bothers me about my house/ basement is the curtains. I made some myself and did Ikea for the rest, planning to upgrade later. I used only single panels on the door and large window. where I should have at least used double. Curtains are one of those elements that I notice when I'm in people's homes and they can really take a room up or down a notch. SO... Since there was no time to have any custom ones made the day before the party or change the color scheme too much, and I had the day off with my 3-year-old, we headed to Pottery Barn for some last-minute curtains. I like their linen "Peyton Drapes" which are lined and hung by drapery hooks so I bought a bunch in "blue smoke."

Here's a picture of the curtains that drive me craaaaaazy:

{oh so bad}

And here's a pic of the Pottery Barn Peytons (not hemmed to the proper height but that will have to wait for another day)

{oh yeah, I switched the rug with another one I had too.  I have plans to sell it but am having toruble parting with it.  I have a problem.}

I'm much happier with the width and quality of the panels and loved the color with the rug.. buuuuut....  I'm losing the vibe I want down there even more.  It took a turn in another direction I'm just not after.  (Although am now dying to do in a room "for real.")   The rug is insanely gorgeous in person and its vibe is just a little too warm/ rich/ formal for what I'm after.  We use the areas as the kids play space, and while I don't want it junky, I want it to feel a bit more effortless.  (ironic isn't it??  All this effort for "effortless?")

{So although the vibe's off, I'm much happier with the drapery hooks being hung nicely on the curtain rings...  my unlined ikea curtains were not thick enough up top to properly support the drapery hooks I'd used, so they sagged and flopped too much. And I'm also loving the doublewidths.}

BUT... they had to go because I can't justify them if they not where I'm trying to go.  I returned them last night & picked up some new ones in french ivory.  I also restrained myself from using the pretty rug and it's all safely packed away again.  (Who does this?!!!  I know I have problems.)  SO...  now I'm off the the family room to try out the ivories, but I have to be honest that what I really want isn't off the rack and I think that I'm looking for unlined and a bit more chill.  (and I know my friends will not care in the least if the windows are bare or Ikea'd) BUT...  maaaybe they'll work and then I'll be thrilled.  (And if anyone from Pottery Barn is reading--- so sorry to be such a PIA!!)

Wish me luck!

Is it weird that I love this?!!! haahahah

Oh ps-   We're having crab, shrimp, and bratworst along with a bunch of salads-  am so excited to dig into the kitchen today- and the party will be mainly outside in the backyard.  I can't wait to share pics!!

Have THE BEST WEEKEND!!!




If you'd like help creating a home you absolutely love, contact me about our design services.

Home Sweet Home #16

Welcome to Home Sweet Home!  I created this little wreath last summer for my front door and I named it "Gifts From the Sea." 

I thought the asymmetrical shape to the wreath looked like the waves washing the shells; "gifts from the sea," onshore.

Well, little did I know there was a famous little book by the same name.  So for my vintage inspiration I found the book at the thrift store for 50 cents and I read it.  It was very good.  I think I was past the stage that the author was at the point she wrote the book.  I enjoyed it though.

For Photo Feature Friday here is my flower.  I adjusted the levels in Photoshop and applied a soft light layer called Warm Sun by Kim Klassen at 100%

So many wonderful entries last week!  Here were a few of my favorite.  Rita May over at her blog May Days took an old sink and created a fantastic potting bench.  Click the link to view.

Next, Adrienne at her blog La Vie Quotidienne created the most gorgeous basket full of bath goodies.  Click link to view it.

Stefanie, over at her blog Rose Petals and Rust has the backyard of dreams, just check out her roses in bloom spilling into the waterfall.  Click the link to view.

Tiffany over at her blog Savor Home shared her living room and dining room decor.  I really thought this space was well thought out and nicely decorated. Click on the link to view.

And last, Susan over at her blog Hometown Girl shared her back porch she had spruced up for spring and the space was delightful!  Click on the link to view.

Now onto today.

I will join these ladies today:

Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home

Photo Feature Friday  at A Rosy Note

Vintage Inspiration Friday at Common Ground
Feather Your Nest  at French Country Cottage

Thrifty Things Friday at The Thrifty Groove

Guidelines for Home Sweet Home Party:

Attention: To link up with inlinkz you must have a permalink back to this party in your post or they will not allow you to link.  If you find your link deleted, add the link, and then try again.  

My button is on my sidebar for the party, if you want to use it.   If you are new here I hope you will become a follower.  No Etsy link ups or direct advertising, please.  Please visit some of the other blogs and get some great inspiration.  Thanks.:)

Now let's see your beautiful homes!

Summer of 1961

Let's time travel back to the summer of 1961.  My father was 14 and he began this collection of butterflies for a 4-H project he entered in the county fair.

Dad started this collection and having been time worn and faded, my sons and I have added to it in the last few years.

This is the stuff of summer when you raise three boys.  In tribute to my Dad, my summer mantel.  

I will join Layla for at The Lettered Cottage for her Summer Mantel party. 

And, Time Travel Thursday at Brambleberry Cottage.

Client's Bungalow Living Room Plan

I stopped over to check in on a client's in-progress project yesterday & just had to share with you.  My client is young & creative and when we first met had literally just moved into her adorable bungalow:

The bungalow had been lovingly restored to certain point, but we're tailoring it to perfectly fit her lifestyle.  She had everything out & ready to show me & we assessed what she'd keep and what we'd replace.  

{The house is really beautiful.  Love the doors!!}

She was ready to upgrade her Pottery Barn-type pieces for a more sophisticated yet still casual look.

My client entertains often & knows how to throw a good party.  I noticed that she was really drawn to blues & aquas and a classic-vintage look in her inspiration photos.  The rooms she loved all had a touch of old-fashioned charm yet still felt fresh & updated.  The living room isn't large but is just what she needed to for a cozy 4-chair furniture arrangement by the fireplace.

The spaces my client loves also feel open & airy yet still have a warm to them.  Many of her inspiration photos had shutters instead of curtains.  We decided to keep her existing shutters and warm up the cool-feeling space with grasscloth on the walls.  I stopped in yesterday & got a peek:

{Grasscloth by Thibaut}

Our installer, Michael DiGuiseppe, who also did the DC Showhouse room, is soooo good & incredibly fast.  By the time I was finished with our two hour meeting, he'd almost finished the living room. 

{Thanks Michael!}

Last night, my client snapped a shot of some of the furnishings in place & emailed it over:

{Completely unstyled, but you get the idea}

I'm loving the blue against the grasscloth and can't wait until everything else arrives!!  We're waiting on the upholstery and are working on a gallery wall full of personal paintings & prints. 

Will keep you posted!!

If you'd like help creating a home you absolutely love, contact me about our design services.

Edits

Final edits of some of my recent photos as I am learning new Photoshop techniques.  If you want to see what I am up to I have gone into more detail on my photography blog, you can view that here.

I love editing the photos to make them look old.
I will join Kim at Wow Us Wednesday at her blog Savvy Southern Style. 
I will also join a new party to me;
L.A.C.E. Wednesday with Trish at Lily-Rose Cottage.
Go and visit these lovely ladies.