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Month: June 2011

A Favorite Summer Space

When I think of summer, the first thought that comes to mind is the outdoors — the beautiful great outdoors!  After a long winter of being cooped up in the house, I’m always ready to spend my summer days soaking up the sun and enjoying my time outside.

One of my favorite Summer Spaces is “nana’s house” – – that’s what my family calls it.  Actually, it’s a screened house on my parents property surrounded by the great outdoors.

It’s a little oasis in nature…

… a  place to sit and relax for hours reading a good book while sipping a favorite drink.

There are no worries or stresses….

… just pure bliss while communing with nature.

No matter what direction you look, you can see and hear the beauties of your surroundings – –

Flowers…

Water…

Birds (cardinals and goldfinchs are our favorite)…

“Nana’s House ” didn’t always look this pretty.  This is a before picture only a few short years ago…

The areas surrounding “nana’s house” are just as beautiful including gardens, quaint details, and the sounds of the great outdoors.

Thanks for taking a tour of on of our favorite Summer havens!

 

DIY: Cabinet Makeover with Glaze Overlay

Last week I shared my latest DIY: How-to Stencil project where I transformed one of the walls in my foyer.

Did you happen to notice the cabinet in the pictures?

It’s new.  Well not really “new” in the sense of just bought, but new to the place it now sits.  AND it just got a huge makeover!

This cabinet is about 40 years old.  My mom had it for about the first 35 years and I’ve had it for the last 5 (it’s had quite the life so far).  On a random day, a few weeks ago, the cabinet was looking quite sad, so I said, “let’s give you a makeover”!  And I did!!

To step back in time, this is how she looked before ~

Quite sad and in need of some L-O-V-E!

Here’s how I made her over

1. I’m often known to be a bit lazy and skip over steps, but after learning my lessons from other projects, this time I used a PRIMER!!

KILZ Premium Primer, Sealer, Stainblocker was what I turned to for this project.  It blocks heavy stains from showing through the paint (especially since the new color was light).

2. I applied the one coat of Primer using a good quality synthetic brush, then painted the cabinet with an off-white color.

Need help finding the right brush for your paint project?  Check out {this} post.

3. To cover this dark cabinet, I had to used 3 coats.  The 3rd wasn’t really necessary, but I wanted to make sure it was completely sealed and covered!

At this point, I thought I was done.  Just like a woman with a much-needed dye job, I had transformed this old cabinet into a new beauty.  But she was looking a little bland…she really needed highlights.

Yes, that would be the trick to make her fabulous!

After much thought, I decided to use a glaze overlay.  I had never before attempted a glaze, so I really didn’t know what I was doing. I thought I needed a special product for glaze, but I was wrong….

4. Here’s the glaze effect on the right and the plain painted door on the left.

How-to Glaze Furniture

5. Using the brown paint from my fireplace (Benjamin Moore Chocolate), I diluted it with water ~ about 3 parts water to 1 part paint.  Taking a dry brush, I lightly applied the watered down paint onto the cabinet.  (This must be done in SMALL SECTIONS because you need to move quickly).  Then using a paper towel (or rag), I wiped away the paint and what’s left was a lightly covered brown glaze.

* Note: It’s important to wipe the paper towel / rag in one direction (preferably in the direction of the grain).

Here is a closeup of the glazed cabinet~

6. Once the entire piece of furniture is glazed, you may want to go back and add a little more detail at the edges with a smaller paint brush.

With the addition of new hardware, she now sits beautifully in my foyer

Some colorful Spring accessories complete the look

Do you like glaze over a cabinet to give a distressed look?  Have you ever glazed a cabinet before?  If so, what technique did you use?

DIY: How to Stencil & Review of Cutting Edge Stencils

Sometimes (actually most of the time) going into a project, I never know what the result will be.  Because most of my projects are real experiments – – that’s why I call my home, My Experimental Playground – – I’m always a little scared “in the moment” anticipating a complete fail (which there have been many).  WELL…  the result of my latest project was surprisingly amazing.

I LOVE IT (now)!  Yet, during the process, was a complete different story….

A few weeks ago, I wrote a post about my love for stenciling and how it’s the new “wallpaper”. In that post I made mention of a company, Cutting Edge Stencils, that offers gorgeous, stylish stencil designs.  I got in contact with them, and they graciously sent me my design of choice, which was the Trellis Allover Stencil, along with all the materials needed for me to try it out and share my results with you!

I chose to use the stencil on one of the prominent walls in my foyer.  The overall wall color in the room is Benjamin Moore Lenox Tan in a flat finish.  For the stencil, I decided to also use Lenox Tan but in a hi-gloss finish.  My thought was this contrast of sheen would give a subtle, but dramatic appearance (and it does)!

So before I share the steps…..

Don’t skip over reading this

The most important part of stenciling is to use the RIGHT materials!  These stenciling instructions are a must to read beforehand – – they are very detailed and will give you ideas of the exact tools you will need.

And the most important TOOL to use is a roller foam with an ultra smooth finish. It has very minimal nap and will give you the best result.  This is KEY to a successful stenciling result.  SO PLEASE USE THE RIGHT TOOLS!

So let’s get started….

Here is a before picture of the wall…. okay, but kind of boring ~

You will need ~

  • Stencil(s)
  • Sample board (Small Wall, poster board, cardboard, or even a pizza box to test out your colors)
  • Latex or acrylic paint
  • Dense foam roller with rounded ends or a stencil brush
  • Painter’s Tape
  • Paper Towels or rag

Note: I stenciled over an existing painted wall, but if you just painted your wall let it dry for 24+ hours before stenciling

1. Clean off the entire wall – remove all items including nails / screws, so the stencil can lay flat.

2. Starting in the corner, lay the stencil on the wall and tape the stencil to the wall with painter’s tape.

3. Using the innovative clip-on Stencil Level (which is included), check that the pattern is level.

4. Pour a small amount of paint on a plate or in a painter’s tray.  Roll it back and forth a few times.

5. Then roll it on a paper towel to get most of the paint off.  Your roller should have no visible paint left ~ it should look almost dry. Less paint is better to avoid seepage under the stencil.

6. Using a light to medium pressure, roll the paint over the stencil.  I lifted the corner edge to sneak-a-peak and noticed that the first coat wasn’t covering enough, so I ended up using two coats (READ BELOW on how to avoid using 2 COATS).  I let the paint dry about 5 minutes between coats.

(this is a picture my son took of me while painting – he did pretty good, right?!)

7. Once the section is done, remove the stencil and reposition the stencil right below the finished print. Use the parts of the design to realign your stencil.  And don’t forget to make sure it’s level!

Finish the rest of the wall and you’re done!

Overall, I am very happy with the result, BUT I have to say it does take some time to get used to.  I tackled one wall, and I’m not sure if I’m ready for a whole room or ceiling.  Check out {these} projects by other bloggers.  Since I’ve previously tackled wallpaper AND now, stenciling, I would say stenciling is a wee-bit easier.  The result is a little more forgiving.

An important note I want to share: I used Behr paint….BIG MISTAKE.    I’m not really a fan of Behr paint (sorry, Behr), because it dries too quickly and then removes the paint from the wall.  I ended up having to use Behr because they were the only company who had a hi-gloss finish and could color match the Benjamin Moore Lenox Tan.    So here was the problem ~ At times during the stenciling, the paint was peeling off the stencil and getting onto the wall.  I spoke with Cutting Edge Stencil about this problem and they never had that happen before.  SO that confirms that it was the paint that was the issue. To avoid this issue….

They recommend using:
Benjamin Moore  Aura – It’s more opaque and usually gives great coverage in just one coat

Again, the result is subtle, but dramatic.  Depending on where you stand and the amount of sun light filtering in throughout the day, the overall look changes.

Even though Cutting Edge Stencils sent me their product for review, I am giving my 100% honest opinion that they have a great product!  Stenciling is not just roosters and flowers anymore.  They have truly taken their designs to the next level to enhance the overall look and feel of a space. Here are a few others that I love:

Moroccan Dream Stencil

Nadya Damask SM scale

Vision Allover Stencil

AND it gets better…

Cutting Edge Stencil is offering a GIVEAWAY!  But, you’ll have to wait till next week to enter.  Head back to SAS Interiors next Thursday during my Summer Spaces Link Party for the Blogger Block Party and learn more about what Cutting Edge Stencil wants you to have!!

DIY: Faux Roman Shade

You might think I’ve gone drop cloth crazy (which I have), but this material is truly simple, affordable, and stylish!  Plus it’s also durable, chic, and a great neutral palette for any accent color.   Lately I’ve been transforming my interiors to look a little more casual. With updated fabrics on the pillows and windows, and some stylish new accessories and repurposed pieces, my interior is changing into my desired style (of the moment…next week it could change again)..haha).  My latest drop cloth project was to make faux roman shades for my dining room windows.

Before, the window treatments were dupioni silk drapery panels with detailed sheers to match.  I was over the heaviness-look and wanted something to lighten and brighten the space.

I was on a mission to repurpose, so I took the window panels that were in my living room and moved them into the dining room.  But it still wasn’t “just” right ~ It needed something.  With a little experimentation of fabrics, I thought the drop cloth material would be a perfect neutral accent to the simple burnt orange/red drapes (the roman shades also coordinate quite nice with my table runner).

Supplies needed to create your own faux roman shade

  • Fabric of choice
  • Double Fold Bias Tape
  • Sewing Machine
  • Sewing supplies (pins, scissors, measuring tape, etc)
  • Velcro

Before I begin the tutorial, I wanted to mention there was an existing honeycomb-style shade where I wanted to install this new faux roman.  I removed the fabric shade using a straight edge, but left the bar on in place.  This is what I later used to attach the faux roman shade with the Velcro.  **If you are starting from scratch, you could put the Velcro directly on the window OR get a tension rod and Velcro the shade to it.

Let’s jump right in

1. Decide how many ‘drops’ you want for your roman shade. I decided on 2 drops, and then I added a Header Flap on the top.  Each drop is 5-1/2” and the top flap is 3-1/2”.

2. Measure the width of your window and cut your material.  With regards to the length, I cut mine to be about 36” long.  It’s important to leave a lot of extra material on the length, so you have enough to create the drops. (Read on and it’ll help you determine your length).

3. Take your Double Fold Bias Tape and edge the length of the roman shade.

4 and 5. Pin and Sew the bias tape onto your fabric.  If your top edge is not finished, fold over and sew, so you have a finished edge.

6. Fold over your fabric to create a 3-1/2” Header Flap; Iron the edge and sew along the top with a ½â€ inseam.

7. It’s time to start your first drop: Measure 9” from the top (3-1/2” for the Header Flap + 5-1/2” for the drop) and then fold the fabric under to create the drop of the roman shade. Bring the fabric all the way to the top of the back.

8a and 8b. Flip over the Header Flap.  Pin the drop and sew the fabric underneath the flap (along the pinned line as shown in the picture).

9. Onto the second drop: Measure another 5-1/2” for the next drop (which is now 14.5 from the top).  Repeat step 8.

You can make as many drops as you’d like to create a longer roman shade. 2 drops worked perfectly for my size window.

10. When you are complete with your roman shade, flip it over and attach the Velcro to the top edge of the shade.

11. As I mentioned above, I used the existing bar that was already in place.  If you are starting new, you can either attach the Velcro right to the window or use a tension rod and attach the Velcro to it.

And here it is …

Here is the overall space: Lighter and Brighter!

Adding a non-functioning roman shade can really jazz up a window.  I’ll be honest, this tutorial was a bit difficult to write and I hope I didn’t lose you.  It’s actually quite easy to make once you get started.  If you have ANY questions, please reach out to me and ask!

* Just a reminder, don’t forget the BIG Blogger Block Party event ~ link up your Summer Space projects to my link party next Thursday, the 23rd! *

Summer Mantel with Frappe Accents

After many months, the warm weather FINALLY made it’s arrival and over the past few weeks, I’ve been sprucing up for summer.  One area of my home that I’ve been focusing on is making some updates to the fireplace mantel.

With a few simple switches and a couple DIY projects, it’s looking much lighter and summer-y!

Just to give you a peak at what it looked like before ~

The fireplace wall is quite the focal point in my home.  The wall is a burnt orange hue (the pictures distort the actual color a bit – – it’s not as bright in person), while the other walls in the room are cardboard brown.  The burnt orange color is continued throughout the space as an accent color, and can be seen in pillows, accessories, etc.  For the summer, I wanted to downplay the ‘orange’  and bring in a more neutral hue.  My new fav ~

frappe

I flipped the chalkboard platter so it’s now vertically positioned, and wrote the saying “Beautiful Blossoms” ~ I was just feelin’ cheery and thinking about the colorful flowers in the garden.  Then with a little frappe paint, I transformed an old green vase (that was sitting in the basement since we moved here) into a summer beauty!

What do you think of my new jars? I’m a lover of pasta and on occasion when I don’t have a chance to make sauce (or gravy as the true Italians call it), I buy jar sauce. I know, a sin, but out of convenience  it’s an easy substitute. Over the years, I’ve gone through quite alot of jars and have thrown all of them away (another sin), until now!

With my newly cleaned pasta jars, I painted the interiors with my frappe paint, filled them with flowers from the garden, and assembled them on the mantel. How pretty!

An inexpensive, but beautiful display.

On the other side of the mantel, I introduced one of my favorite TJ Maxx finds, the distressed $10 lantern ~ a must for summer.  Next to it, I lightened up the look with a framed “bloom” printable, along with two glass jars filled with a candle and potpourri.

And did you notice, I switched out the artwork for a mirror…another way to “lighten” things up! Here’s an overall view of the space ~

(FYI – my ottoman looks a lil’ sad, but it’s only because my 20 month old takes everything off and throws it on the floor.  I’m never one to leave an ottoman / coffee table bare)

I’m really loving the new fabrics on the pillows.  So refreshing!  Want to make your own Summer Pillows?  {check out this EASY-PEASY pillow tutorial}

I hope you enjoyed my little spruce up for summer!  Have you been doing any Spring / Summer updating?  I’d love to hear about it.