Tampilkan postingan dengan label small spaces. Tampilkan semua postingan
Tampilkan postingan dengan label small spaces. Tampilkan semua postingan

Senin, 24 Juni 2013

Vintage French Sheet Slipcovers: Part 1


This is such a pretty photo of my little living room...taken by the super talented team of
Victoria Pearson and Heather Bullard
for Country Living Magazine

 those are some very old and creaky windows 
on the wall behind the pine bench, so I'm really glad they don't show !

We have some fun and interesting plans in the works for that wall
 ( a new space for dining and entertaining!)
but that's another story

So lets talk about the couch...
 the story with this couch
(why does all of my furniture have a story? too weird)
is that I basically got it for free,
well almost free...
When we bought this house I needed a small couch and 
 I had tons of American Express Rewards points so 
I turned them into Pottery Barn gift cards 
and bought a couch...yep it was quite a few gift cards

Here is the couch in the catalog:
It is called the Greenwich Loveseat
It has a tight back which makes it seem deeper for a small couch
 and
 the lines are clean and simple 
with plenty of room for pillows

I also thought that it would look great slip covered without being too frilly

Because the living room is rather long and narrow,  there are only a few ways to place the furniture
so the back of couch can be seen most of time.

I know that doesn't sound like a big problem but how often do
we really think about how the back of a couch looks?

And what fabric to use for the slip covers?!

Once again I called on my wonderful friend Wendy Lewis

I purchased some wonderful faded floral fabric
very similar to this


my original plan was to slip cover the cushions in the floral and the rest of the couch
in white or cream linen...
but in the end the fabric seemed lightweight and bit too feminine
and maybe not quite strong enough to hold up to
dogs, muddy shoes and coffee stains

So how about thick French Linen sheets?

Perfection!

I purchased 3 really big sheets.
Two with red monograms like this one

and one with a white monogram and ladder cut work like this one 

None of them match 
but the weight is very similar
and they feel old and washed and very antique!

Just what I was looking for...

Next post...
Part 2
getting creative and putting it all together 

Senin, 03 September 2012

E-Design Story: CG gets her first Apartment, Chapter 1



 This is the story of a new College Grad...
She has lived with her parents for the last two years, saving for her first apartment,
paying off student loans and looking for her dream job in Los Angeles

She finally landed a job in downtown Los Angeles working as an Admin manager
for a huge fortune 500 company
and
 rented a nice ( but expensive  $1500 per month)
one bedroom apartment in Manhattan Beach

College Grad or "CG" as we will call her,
 can take the train into work every day to save money...but now what?

No furniture, a limited budget, beige carpet and white walls!!!

HELP!

CG and I, wanted to start fresh and leave all of her old bedroom furniture at home, so
 when she goes home for holidays she will feel wonderful and welcome...her Parents agreed!

CG was lucky to get some money from friends and family after graduation,
plus what she has saved by living at home,
 she has about $10,000 dollars for apartment move in costs
and furniture


Our budget for the living room was $2000 dollars


here is what we did


Our first stop is a great discount and ethnic inspired store called 
World Market 
We looked at dozens of sofas and finally ended up with this one

Called the Crosby...you buy the frame and then pick your slip cover
total cost $ 700 dollars
CG loves bright colors
 but she also wanted the living room to be calm and open

CG loves to shop for vintage too
 so we went with things that will have a fun and young look 
and can be swapped out for a variety of looks, depending on her mood

we picked up 4 pillows...
two of the turquoise Jacquard and 
two of the recycled silk Sari wovens 

 at $25 dollars each
total cost $100 dollars

Because the apartment is small, there really wasn't room for big cushy club chairs 
and the space next to the living room will have a small dining area


The chairs we chose are the Jayden woven cairs 
which sell for $250 dollars for a set of two! 

and we can use them in the dining area as well


While cruising around the store we spotted these wonderful stitched zebra pillows...
had to have those!
 so we bought two

cost:  $ 60 dollars

World market has so many great kitchen and decorative items 
at really wonderful prices

We spotted these grey and cream pottery vases
at $20 dollars each...we bought three

 Because CG loves to shop at vintage and flea markets, 
she thought that she might be able to find some great inexpensive art work down the road...
but what to do about the big blank wall behind the sofa?

We spotted these really fun chalkboard birds on a string and bought three

total cost at $8 dollars each...$24 dollars
 getting back to our furniture needs ...
this coffee table was just so interesting and a nice small size with a very ethnic and vintage look...kind of like an old door

the Youkos coffee table was $400 dollars...a bit of a splurge,
 but could be used as a bench or even on a patio, down the road
 next to the sofa and chairs 
we needed a nice little table and lamp...


the table above is the Aiden end table 
priced at $149 
  the lamp base we liked had a nice grey 
wash
and was only $59 dollars
topped of with this really bright embroidered shade 
it looks amazing

shade: $24.99

our last piece of furniture for the living room was this shelving unit...made from recycled wood it will house a small TV, some stereo equipment and a few books and collectibles


We loved how all of the shelves were adjustable and it was an easy item to move around

and talk about a great price!

the Campaign bookshelf is only
$279 dollars

last on our list were a few items to make her new place a bit more friendly 
after a long day at work

we found some great items in the kitchen department 
and will do some faux silk arrangement in these cute
 "good morning bowls"
bowls $10 dollars for 2

silk orchids
2 sets of two at $24 dollars

bringing a touch of black into the room seemed 
like a good idea 
so we 
purchased two of these black tea tins, 
which will hold candy and the TV clickers

$3 dollar each
total $6 bucks



finally some great baskets for magazines, newspapers, gym shoes etc 
we love these tub baskets 
2 for $40 dollars


here is CG's finished living room
and she may even have time to get a little kitty

total cost $1,972 dollars

well within our budget and really cute and fresh...

next post:

the kitchen and eat-in area

plus...please enter the give way 

thanks so much for your great ideas and comments

cheers

kel

Rabu, 20 Oktober 2010

New Home....did I say Home?

Well here you go...
the very first peek at my new and somewhat temporary living space

Yes my friends...I'm going condo!

We have decided to make the most of the horrible Real Estate market conditions in California and rent for a while....not really sure what a while is, but more than likely it will be until I go completely bonkers from the beige walls
Yep
Everything is beige...walls, ceilings, carpet, floors....all beige...everywhere you look...beige
That is of course except for the black toilet...yes I said black!
I didn't even know it was possible to order a black toilet and why would anyone want one?
Well clearly someone did and now I will be looking at it...
luckily this is a powder room and I can close the door
Interesting sink too...sort of has a little Vegas Vibe
don't you think?
Guys seem to sort of like this bathroom...wonder why?
This is the living area
More beige with the fireplace accented with black granite, 
I guess to match the toilet
As a designer I always tell clients...what ever color your toilet is you will need to use that same color for your fireplace surround
Makes total sense...really...really?
Notice the little yellow box?  I stole that from the house I just sold...and why did I pick that box?...too weird!
The very first thing I did when we moved in was to remove these giant shutters to let in more light.  
It's that "handyman gene" coming out in me again...notice the cordless drill on the floor...just couldn't help myself!  
I felt this insane need to start fixing and changing things, within the first 5 minutes!
 I swiped a lamp too!
Here is a peek at the kitchen...not too bad 
The stone makes me a little dizzy however...
One of the better things in this condo are the built in areas...there are lots. 
 Storage is always a plus when you are a renter...which I haven't been for quite some time, but I'm learning fast!
It has two bedrooms, but both are good sized, another plus...and  there is a little bit of a view of Newport Harbor
More beige
and beige
Here is the master bathroom...no black toilet
Thank you!
Standard issue sliders and fuzzy carpet...
mirror, mirror on the closet....
Maybe I'll start dressing better with these big mirrors...nah
A very nice second bathroom with beige stone
Notice anything?

No furniture...nada....none...zip...zero...

How long do you think I will last?

Note to self:  buy a couch

~Kelley~