Decorating To-Do List

I think most people who are into decor and DIY have a constant running list of to-do projects. I know my favorite house bloggers John and Sherry at YHL do so I feel less bad about the length of my list, especially since this is a hobby and not a full time job for me. But I do think it's helpful to keep a master list running so that when I have some spare time I can find something to knock off. This may not be a complete list, but it'll be a brain dump of everything I can think of at the moment:

Dining room:

• Paint chair legs to match the wood finish on my new table.


• Find a fun fabric and make a table runner.


• Bring the curio in the corner back to my mother. (it's hers but she lent it to me)


• Get a small Expedit shelf and wine rack for the corner to create a little bar and dining room supply cabinet for linens, napkin rings, etc.

Kitchen:

• Replace the prints over the laundry closet door with a decal.


• Purge and reorganize cabinets with only what I need and use.


• Accessorize above the cabinets with something more attractive.

Guest Room/Office:

• Make a larger fabric magnetic board to replace current corkboard.


• Get a third file folder for my active file baskets.


• Secure the magnetic strip holding my supplies with Command Adhesive strips. (The screws it came with aren't enough for the strength of the magnets in my supply containers!)


• Finish filling the picture frames on the display shelf.


• Secure the desk shelf to its brackets.


• Find or build a cabinet for under the desk to hold the shredder and external hard drive. (Will have the added benefit of making the desk more stable.


• Clear out the closet/clutter and donate stuff to Goodwill.


• Sell my old desk and chair on Craigslist.

Living Room:

• Finish painting the TV wall and the edges around the other walls.


• Add a self or artwork in the space above the TV (between the bookcases)


• Sell existing sofa/loveseat. Get a new sofa and chair (or two) that are better scaled to the size of this room and the way I want to use them but don't block the window.


• Donate existing coffee/end tables and get new (white) end tables.


• Replace table lamps with something more modern (current lamps are 80s brass).


• Find a home for larger books/binders and re-accessorize the last bookshelf.

Bedroom:

• Put duvet insert back in to puff up the bed.


• Paint and re-organize the closet.


• Get a cheery plant to brighten up the patio.


• Take down the white curtain panels and paint the back wall.


• Find art for over the bed.


• Find 2 - 3 white textured throw pillows to polish off the bed dressing.

Yikes! Even I didn't realize the list was quite that long! Luckily I have vacation coming up so I'll be able to knock some of this off the list soon. The furniture will probably take a bit longer b/c I have to sell the old stuff first but I am very much looking forward to having couches that don't choke off what little light makes it into my great room.

Stay tuned for updates to this list as I check things off, and more recaps of the work I've been doing over the last few months but just haven't blogged. It feels good to be back!

One Happy Dining Room

A few years ago, I redecorated my dining room in a neutral taupe color scheme. At the time I was trying to take my place from busy and cluttered to clean and calming, and for a while this worked.

But then I got bored.

My apartment can be dark, and I wanted to brighten it up. I can't add windows, so I decided to spruce it up with a bright cheery paint color in the dining room and kitchen.

I had also been wanting to buy a new dining room table for the entire time I've lived here, but I dragged my feet for 5 1/2 years for reasons that are too complex to go into. The one I had belonged to my great grandmother and while it is solid mahogany, it is old, creaky, and generally beat-up looking (you'd be that way too after 20+ years in my mother's basement!). Plus it's not my style from a decor perspective either.

Fast forward to today, and I now have a dining room I am starting to really love. Drum roll please....

Here's what I did over the last couple of weeks to make this transformation:

• Painted the walls with a pear-green paint color matched to Benjamin Moore's "Wales Green", with white trim on the chair rail and baseboards. ($30)




• Added a large mirror from Target to reflect light back into the space from the large windows that are on the other side of the great room. ($69.99)




• Added two glass wall vases from Pottery Barn ($20) and some cheery pink daisies ($3.99) from the grocery store.




• Replaced the dining room table with the Bjursta round/oval table from IKEA. I got this during tax free weekend so I saved a bit, which is always nice! ($229.)

I still want to get a new table runner (this might be a venture into DIY after a trip to the fabric store), paint the legs of my chairs dark to match the new table, and replace the curio in the corner with something that better matches the new table and is more functional. (I'm thinking about the 2x2 Expedit shelf from IKEA with some wall shelves above it, for storing party supplies and wine bottles.)

Total cost of this redo to date is under $350, which is so amazing. I can't wait to have people over for a dinner party!

Catching up

I can't believe it's been 5 months since I posted to this blog. Yikes! I've actually been doing alot of redecorating and playing with fashion, just not posting it here. But that's going to change. I'm putting the finishing touches on redos of my home office, dining room, and kitchen. And I'm working on a redo of the living room that finally includes all new furniture.

Stay tuned for pictures and details coming soon!

YHL gets some love for being stodgy, in a good way

One of my favorite blogs, Young House Love, got some love itself recently when its authors were featured in a project that celebrates a return to old fasioned values. I love it! Congrats John and Sherry!

http://www.younghouselove.com/2011/03/bringing-stodgy-back-2/

My Favorite Things: March 2011

It's been a while since I did a "favorite things" post, so it's time. If nothing else it helps keep a focus on the positive while we wait for spring to arrive here in snow-buried Boston. Here's this month's run-down:

1. My new camera, a Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS5. I bought a new camera because my old one went for a swim in the ocean and was not fixable. Can't say I'm sad because that old Sony was pretty bad at picture taking, and the new Lumix is worlds better! I got it for a steal ($169 on a regular price of $278) because I happened to be shopping right before the new line of cameras rolled out. The store was trying to clear out its old models, so I got a camera with high end features like 12x optical zoom and manual controls that I can use if I decide to take that photography class I keep talking about.

2. San Jose del Cabo, Mexico. I needed a new camera because I was heading out on vacation to Cabo with two friends. And I quickly fell in love with our location. It's about 19 miles away from Cabo San Lucas and is the slightly quieter cousin to that Cabo's party reputation (they're called "Los Cabos" because they're so close to one another). Here are just a few of the reasons I fell in love with this beautiful spot (thanks to #1 above!):

3. My new spice rack. I know I already posted about this, but I can't help it. I just smile every time I see it!

4. The perfect nude strappy sandals. These were a complete impulse purchase at Nordstrom's yesterday. But they're the perfect color, just the right combination of casual and dressy, a nice heel height without being painful, and so, so, so comfortable. I had a bit of sticker shock, but the comfort and quality construction convinced me that these were an investment that I would have for a long, long time. (Make: Via Spiga, Model: "Horizon")

5. Daffodils. I saw someone carrying a bunch of daffodils last week and smiled, because to me these scream "spring is here!". I remember them most from the Daffodil Days fundraiser that someone in my small child's circle did when I was young (don't recall who). That association still comes back each year, plus they're just pretty and yellow and after all that dirty, dingy snow a little pop of bright yellow will cheer anyone up.

So there you have it...five things I'm loving right now. And now that I've got a camera back stay tuned for more updates on decor, spring fashion, and other domestic pursuits!

Spicing up the kitchen!

Because I live in apartment there are many things I can't do decor-wise, but I managed to find a way to implement one of my favorite kitchen ideas without getting in trouble with the landlord. It's a metallic spice rack over my stove, implemented thanks to the magic of Command Adhesive Strips. I used 6 of their picture hanging strips on the back of a sheet of galvanized steel that I bought (pre cut!) at Lowe's. Those strips allowed me to stick the metal to the tile behind my stove, and (so far) have been more than enough to hold 18 fabulous metallic spice canisters from Bed, bath & Beyond.

I love looking at it and - even better - it's inspired me to cook more and use the lovely spices that are so beautifully displayed. I was also able to move some of my other spices from a basket atop the cabinets to my spice rack inside the cabinet so the full array of options is in arms reach.

So if you're thinking your hands are tied with decorating because of landlord limitations, have faith! With a little creativity you just might find a way to work around it. And here's a photo of my masterpiece:

The total cost of this project was lower than what I saw for pre-made kits online, which were over $100. I spent about $73. Probably could have gotten the spice jars for less, but I wanted it done ASAP so I skipped the online bargain hunt this time. Here's the breakdown:

Command picture hooks (Lowe's): $5

12 x 24 pre-cut sheet of steel (Lowe's): $10 (make sure it's steel or they won't stick!)

18 spice jars (Bed, Bath & Beyond): $53

Clear cartridge for label maker (Target): $5

Total = $73

Frustrated and flashless

I've actually made great strides around the old abode lately, but my camera went for a salt-water swim during a recent trip the Bahamas so I am unable to share the progress with all of you for now. But camera shopping is on the agenda for this weekend, so hopefully I'll be able to show off the new entertainment center, newly painted kitchen, and updated bedroom soon. It all looks so good!