Month: February 2014

Master Bedroom Refresh: REVEAL

Written by Jenna on February 26, 2014. Posted in Decorating, Furniture, Room Reveal. 15 Comments on Master Bedroom Refresh: REVEAL

The master bedroom refresh is finally complete. I’ve been sharing most, if not all, of the steps along the way and it’s been an exciting journey. I’m thrilled with the result and today I’m ready to share all the nooks + crannies of the room. Ready? Let’s go…

Where it all began…

The Creative Vision Board. The idea + direction for the master bedroom refresh…

The bedroom took on a new life with an inexpensive upgrade to the bed wall. Before, all of the walls with the exception of the bed wall, were painted Berkshire Beige when we moved into the house. The bed wall was painted Texas Leather which is slightly darker, but with all the light that filters in from the large windows, the contrast wasn’t enough.

To really add some depth and contrast to the bed wall, I started out the refresh by going to the dark side and painting the wall a deep chocolate hue called Brownstone by Benjamin Moore.

I had to start out the reveal with my favorite picture because it has my pretty kitty, Jessie. She made her debut on the blog over a year ago when we finished the foyer floor. Hasn’t she grown so much?! She’s the sweetest.

This is the area of the room that is to the left of the bed. It had pictures before, but I rearranged them a bit to create a new and refreshened montage. It’s amazing how a space can look so different using things you already own.

To put the collection together, I played around a little with the arrangement before adding nails to the wall…

I love the balance of pictures and meaningful (to us) quotes.

In this picture below, you can also see the contrast of the two paint colors. The dark wall surely makes a statement!

The statement. The focal point of the room. THE BED! With the surrounding new/updated elements, the bed takes on a completely new look and feels brand new, even though it’s 10 years old. I love the look of fully upholstered beds instead of just a headboard. It eliminates the need for a bedskirt and gives a higher-end look to the space. Yes, upholstered beds (with fabric side rails) are slightly more expensive than just a headboard, but they’re totally worth the splurge. That’s a place to spend the money!!!

I feel like I sleep in luxury every night (and a few weekend afternoons) with my new bedding from Crane and Canopy. We worked together on choosing the right look and feel for the room. With the other vibrant colors (plum + citrine), the simpler Linden Gray Border bedding was the perfect compliment. Sleeping under this luxurious 400 thread count duvet is like heavenly bliss. To be honest, it was difficult to choose a bedding style. They’re entire collection is beautiful!

The square canvas images above the bed are actually one collection purchased from Ikea years ago. sorry, but I doubt they’re still available. As with most rooms I design, I typically start with one element; one statement piece. The art is ‘The Element’ that the rest of the room evolved around. The plum pillow on the bed and the striped pillow on the chaise were purchased from Crate and Barrel years ago as well and they compliment the artwork perfectly. The only new pillows are the citrine shams that I randomly found at Homegoods. Of course I wasn’t looking for them at the time, but I am so thankful to have went with my gut because they make the room. In the store, I really didn’t think the color was right, but once home, they were spot on with the hues of the artwork! #score

Breaking up the matching furniture was key to making this room refresh a success. The space before looked heavy with 4 large pieces of furniture all in a dark hue. Something had to give. Eliminating one of the nightstands so the 2 weren’t matchy-matchy, was a great solution. I relocated the one nightstand to my office and brought in a new smaller, round table in a light gray color. It makes such a difference.

With the main wall going darker, other elements had to go lighter, which meant lots of white layers. The new white velvet window treatments were the perfect compliment, but needed to be jazzed up. My simple, inexpensive solution? Add a decorative leading edge! The update is incredible and the contrasting plum fabric frames the windows beautifully.

Also in this area of the room are the new hanging pendant-turned-light and the revamped desk that was headed curbside. Both were fun projects and made this corner of the room so interesting… so much more than before.

The desk is surely my most favorite furniture makeover to-date. I love what the bright hue does for the space + I’m happy to have tried something new – Make Your Own Chalk Finish Paint!

The pictures and artwork seen above the revamped desk are a new gallery montage I created and they continue across almost the entire wall, which is opposite of the bed wall.

This is what I wake up to and see every morning!

I love the new dress form that holds some of my pretty, colorful necklaces. It brings such an elegant, feminine quality to the bedroom.

So do you want to know more details on what I purchased where? Here are some resources:

Resources:
1. Wall Paint – Benjamin Moore Brownstone in flat
2. Artwork – Ikea, Collection of 3
3. Lamps – JCPenney
4. Wedding Song pillow (DIY project) + striped pillow from Crate and Barrel
5. Nightstand – part of a 4 piece collection purchased at a local store
6. Chaise – Crate and Barrel; item no longer available
7. Rug – Safavieh purchased on Joss and Main
8. Duvet – Linden Gray Border bedding from Crane and Canopy
9. Upholstered bed – Queen Colette Bed from Crate and Barrel
10. Citrine Shams – Homegoods
11. Bamboo Shades – Payless Decor
12. Deep plum pillow – Crate and Barrel
13. Drapes – white velvet panels from Lowes with custom edge detail (DIY project)

14. Wall Paint – Benjamin Moore Berkshire Beige in flat
15. Lantern from World Market turned Light Fixture (DIY project)
16. Chair – Thrift store chair given new life with spray paint (DIY project)
17. Throw – Homegoods
18. Desk – Desk Makeover using Make-Your-Own chalk finish paint (DIY project)
19. Gallery Wall – Everything was repurposed from throughout my home; nothing new on the wall
20. Dresser – part of a 4 piece collection purchased at a local store
21. Lamp – Crate and Barrel; item no longer available
22. Silver Leaf Tray – Target
23. Dress form – Homegoods

And there you have it. The master bedroom refresh {reveal} in it’s entirety. Most of the space was revamped with new DIY creations and items from other rooms in my home. A few new items that I didn’t have were seamlessly added to create a cohesive look. I know it took a few weeks from start to finish, but thank you for following along on the ‘real’ timeline of my room refresh!

Master Bedroom: Picture Gallery Wall

Written by Jenna on February 24, 2014. Posted in DIY, Photo Gallery Walls, Room Reveal. 6 Comments on Master Bedroom: Picture Gallery Wall

One topic on the blog that I’ve shared inspiration on the most times, have received the most pins, and gets the most questions + comments, is creating a gallery wall.

Gallery walls are one of my most favorite design elements in a home because it tells so much. Whether putting together a collection of a few large black and white family photos or creating a wall from wall edge to wall edge filled with colorful instagram images + momentos from your travels, a gallery wall is an expression of who you and your family are; truly the most important part of creating a meaningful home.

As the plans for my master bedroom were originally coming together, I knew I wanted to relocate the TV and create a gallery wall opposite of the bed. The room just called for it. It asked to have more photos. I love being surrounded by photos, artwork, and elements that are most special to me. In the bedroom, it makes the most sense.

The opposite of the bed used to have a large mirror (which was part of a bedroom matching set that I broke up) and the TV mounted to the side with a table underneath. Very plain jane. The space certainly didn’t reflect ‘us’.

We removed the wall-mounted TV and the mirror, and placed the TV on top of the dresser. The dresser, which is about 5′ long has a lot of surface space, so in addition to the TV, I added in one of my all-time favorite lamps that I hadn’t found the right home for since we moved here. It’s a purchase from Crate and Barrel years ago and used to be in our previous home’s guest room. I’m so happy to have found such a prominent place for it! #happygal

These two elements – the TV and the lamp – were the perfect size, and balance each other well. The TV isn’t the focal point anymore and with the pictures that are about to be mounted on the wall, the TV will “disappear” and/or appear as just another frame on the wall.

As for the art / pictures on the wall, nothing was purchased. ALL came from other areas around my home or my storage closet with all my extra goodies. I wasn’t worried about the color of the frames or the images themselves, I just wanted only things that were important to us. This is the wall we wake up to and see every morning… It’s a great way to start the day (most days).

I don’t have too many in-progress pictures because I was so in-the-moment, but I started the gallery wall with the square mirror. Part of it is actually behind the TV, so the TV overlaps it, which creates a shadow = depth. Then I continued with the surrounding pictures – the square pictures above (Norman Rockwell prints) and the black and white Fallingwater image.

As the wall continued, it started to take form, but it wasn’t smooth as butter. Creating a gallery wall takes time, planning, and most likely a few mishaps before it’s just right! Believe me, I didn’t snap my fingers and say Presto, to have it all complete in 5 minutes. It definitely took a few days and a few moves. As I’m working on a big project, especially something like a gallery wall, I like to do it and then take a step back to reflect.

After hanging most of the images and reflecting on it, I realized something was off. Many of the frames were too in line and not overlapping enough. To create a successfully balanced gallery wall, I feel it’s important to have a mix of larger and smaller pieces, along with them being staggered / overlapping.

I took a picture of why I didn’t feel this 1st attempt wasn’t right…

And take a look at the change after a few adjustments / moves…

Many of the pieces of art were given to me and a few are store-bought finds.

> The sepia image of the flower was in our previous powder room and purchased at Homegoods. It’s actually part of a pair, but I broke them up.

> The black and white image above is a charcoal drawing of a house that the Mister drew. He’s so talented!

> The pretty sunset image in the larger white frame to the right used to be in my daughter’s room, but I stole it 🙂

> Continuing to the right, the 2 square images are Norman Rockwell prints – Day in the Life of a Little Boy + Day in the Life of a Little Girl. They remind us so much of our little kids.

More of the wall…

> To the right of the Norman Rockwell images is a black and white picture of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater that was gifted to my husband for his graduation. We were both Architecture majors in college, so it means a lot to us.

> The gold framed image at the top is an oil painting of Paris gifted to me after my Mom and I took a trip there 10 years ago.

> The other gold framed oil painting is a random picture that was given to me from my parents (or maybe I just took it from their house – can’t remember)

> In the black frame below are my little boys handprints – my first mother’s day gift.

The rest of the wall…

> The white framed ballerina piece of art was recently given to me by the talented Donna Talley, stylist and producer for BHG. She’s been a very special person in my life as of late! She has provided me with some amazing opportunities.

> The other white framed image above is another charcoal work by my husband of Falling Water.

The wall in it’s entirety…

Now that I’ve shared the result of the entire wall, I thought it would be helpful to show you where I started (with the mirror #1) and how it took shape.

Some tips for creating a gallery wall:

Start with one framed picture and continue laying out the wall off of it. Laying out the gallery wall on the floor first can also be helpful. I did that on this previous wall I created…

Stagger the framed pictures instead of laying them out in one line.
Overlap framed pictures to give depth.
Create balance with a variety of larger and small pictures

For more ideas + inspiration, visit this previous posts:

Creating a Photo Wall Display
Useful Ideas and Layouts to Create a Photo Gallery Wall
Ideas + Solutions for the Wall Behind the TV

If you want to check out my EASY tip on hanging a picture or artwork, check out this post:
The Best Tip to Hang a Picture

Let me show you the rest of the wall.

The view as we enter our bedroom with lots of beautiful light filtering in…

The before, in-progress, and after is pretty different. I’m so happy with the transformation because it’s a space I created that truly reflects us!

The gallery wall… the final project before the big reveal.

Even though you’ve pretty much seen the entire room throughout all the DIY projects that I’ve shared over the past few weeks, the final reveal is coming later this week!

Let There Be Light: How to Make a Pendant Fixture

Written by Jenna on February 13, 2014. Posted in DIY, lighting. 2 Comments on Let There Be Light: How to Make a Pendant Fixture

You may have noticed a pretty little pendant in some of the pictures I’ve been sharing of projects throughout the progress of my master bedroom revamp. Guess what, I made it. Well kind of.

So I didn’t actually make the fabulous fixture, but I did electrify it so it could work as a light. The fixture I am referring to is the capiz hanging pendant from World Market, one of my favorite resources for interior decor. I had originally intended on using the pendant on our ceiling fan. I’m not crazy that we have a fan in our room instead of an amazing chandelier. But since it gets super hot during the summer months and the Mister vetoed the removal of the fan, it simply IS. So making the best of it, I had planned on adding the pretty pendant during the winter when the fan isn’t in use. WELL, the size and the mounting didn’t work once I had it in hand, so instead I thought it would make for an interesting light at my newly revamped desk. So to make this pendant glow and actually function as a light, I purchased a light kit from Home Depot (I’m a Lowe’s gal through and through, but they didn’t have the parts that I needed). For this project, these are the supplies I used:

Decorative Pendant (try a mason jar or an unconventional fixture to use as a light)
Light Kit
8′ length of extra wire
Decorative Chain
Wire Cutter
Screw Driver

Here are the steps I took to make this pretty pendant into an actual light… In all the light kits I found, the wire cord length was only 8′, but I needed it to be 16′ long. Solution: I purchased the light kit + extra wire that Home Depot cut for me, which cost an additional $3 for the extra 8′ of length. 1. At home, I first connected the (2) 8′ lengths of wire. First, using a wire cutter I cut about 1/2″ of casing off one end to expose the wires inside. 2. Then I cut the ends off the other 8′ length wire. So I was left with 4 exposed wire ends. 3. I connected (2) ends together and (2) ends together, and then sealed them with electrical tape. It doesn’t matter what end goes with what end. These steps are very easy and take minutes to do. Depending on how long of a pendant you want, you might be able to skip right over the steps above and start with the following steps of connecting the wires to the socket. 1. Start off by removing the cardboard and the socket shell. Then create an Underwriter’s Knot with the end of your wires. This type of knot will prevent the wire from loosening inside the socket. To make this type of knot, first separate the wires, form a large loop with each wire, and thread the end of each wire through the other loop. Complete the knot by pulling the ends of the wires so the knot will tighten. 2. With your fingers, twist the wire strands together to form a partial loop. Then wrap each wire clockwise around the socket terminals (the inside of the screw). Then tighten the terminal with a screwdriver. 3. Once the wires are secured and tightened into the terminals, slip on the cardboard sleeve (YES, LEAVE THE CARDBOARD ON), and put the socket shell back into position. 4. Let there be light! For the bulb, I used an old fashion style that I found at Lowe’s (like this one). They give such a great look since the bulb is slightly exposed. FYI, these style light bulbs won’t be available much longer because the US in no longer producing or importing filament bulbs. So grab em’ while you can! Once the wiring was complete, I added the decorative chain… Here’s a close up. Isn’t it pretty?! And here’s how the new pendant looks in the room… (psst… I still have to cover the black electrical tape where I connected the 2 wires) I’m in love. And surrounded by my newly painted desk + my newly custom-made (for little $$$) window panels, I’m a happy girl! The bulb is only 40 watts, so it gives a beautiful glow when lit. Definitely nice for the evening while watching TV. And I’ll tell you, I’ve been spending alot more R + R time in my room lately! I’m just loving the space. Next area of the space to show you… The Galley Wall! And then the final reveal. If you want to see another lamp project of mine, you can check it out here when I guest posted at my friend Lindsay’s blog, Makely Home.

Are you a fan of shell style light fixtures? Have you ever made something/anything into a light? If not, what do you wish you could electrify?

A Simple Idea for Customizing Store Bought Curtain Panels

Written by Jenna on February 11, 2014. Posted in DIY. 6 Comments on A Simple Idea for Customizing Store Bought Curtain Panels

After more work this past weekend on the master bedroom, I can say it’s almost done and I couldn’t be happier with the overall refresh.

Everything in the space has been upcycled, repurposed, or DIYed, so essentially little $$$ (money) has been spent on jazzing it up – that’s my favorite kind of room makeover.

Today, I’m going to share the details on the new window curtain panels. Now, you know I went darker with the focal wall, so that meant the layers in the space needed to go lighter to create balance and contrast.

I found pretty, but basic cream-colored solid velvet rod pocket curtain panels at Lowes and thought they’d be a perfect base for the room. Of course, I couldn’t just leave them as-is and had to customize them to give them a designer, custom look.

This is the result…

I forgot to snap a picture of the packaging, but believe me the ‘before’ was a simple cream-colored curtain. AND each of them were a wrinkled mess. Here is a peak at what they looked like.

Plain Jane.

Now the ‘How-To‘ on jazzing them up to give a custom, designer-look…

Materials Used:

Store Bought curtain panel(s)
Fabric for leading edge – 1 yd. was enough for 3 panels
Matching thread for leading edge fabric
Sewing machine
Iron
Measuring tape
Misc / typical sewing materials + supplies

When shopping for a leading edge fabric, I found a deep plum colored material that coordinated perfectly with some of the other accents in the room. I purchased 1.5 yds, but only used about 1 yd.

Once I determined that I wanted to have a 3″ leading edge, I layed out the fabric and marked off, then cut every 4-1/2″.

Here is the breakdown: 3″ finished leading edge + 1/2″ seam on side edge + 1″ seam on the other edge = 4-1/2″

I used chalk to make the 4-1/2″ line, but a straight edge could also be used. Then using the same straight edge or a scissor, cut the line.

One strip of fabric won’t be enough length needed to create the leading edge, so two strips will need to be sewn together to create one long strip (then depending on your panel length, you should have a longer strip than panel).

For my 3 panels, I cut 6 strips that were each 4-1/2″ wide, then put 2 of the ends together and sewed them.

Once the longer 3 strips were made, it was time to iron the edges to create (1) side that has a 1/2″ seam and (1) side that has a 1″ seam.

I used a tape measure to make sure my 3″ was consistent throughout the entire strip.

Once the 3 strips were ironed, it was time to attach them to the curtain panel.

I started off by placing the curtain panel and the leading edge fabric face down, leaving extra contrast fabric at the top and bottom. Then I tucked the edge of the curtain panel into the 1″ folded side of the leading edge fabric and pinned it in place.

It was time to sew.

I started by sewing the edge of the curtain to the edge of the contrast fabric.

Then I sewed the other edge.

Once each side was done, I was ready to deal with the 2 ends at the top and bottom of the curtain. At each end, I folded over the extra fabric and sewed.

Once the top and bottom were sewed, I trimmed the extra threads, and the panel was complete!

Instead of using the rod pocket, I used rings with clips to hang the panels.

Here is a good closeup view and you can see how the leading edge fabric is sewed all the way around onto the edge of the curtain panel.

The windows in my bedroom are large and here is a peak at how the space is all coming together…

It feels great to have this space almost complete – Finally after almost 2 years!

If you want to see some more ideas and inspiration on creating / embellishing curtain panels, take a look at these past posts:
How-To Make a Simple Lined Window Panel
Drop Cloth Curtain Panel with Leading Edge Detail
How To Add Decorative Trim to Curtains {for cheap}
How-To Hem Curtains
Adding Stripes to Curtains using Paint
The Right (and Wrong) Way to Hang a Curtain
10 Online Resources for Affordable Curtains

Have you ever jazzed up typical curtain panels? Or do you stick with the store-bought style? Have you had window panels custom made? Was it worth the cost for custom? It really is amazing what can be done with a little fabric and/or trim!

Desk Makeover using Make Your Own Chalk Finish Paint

Written by Jenna on February 7, 2014. Posted in DIY. 22 Comments on Desk Makeover using Make Your Own Chalk Finish Paint

OK, so let me start off by saying, THIS. IS. MY. FAVORITE. FURNITURE. TRANSFORMATION. yet

And the kicker is, I have a lot of furniture purging planned for the Spring and this desk was on the to-go list. Can you believe I was going to sell this beauty?!

Here’s the before and after + a few closeup shots. I’ll share the details of the transformation on the other side…

Pretty crazy that it’s the same piece, right?! And I am in love with the color.

So this month’s Lowe’s challenge for the Creative Team was to create / transform something using make your own chalk finish paint. Since I’m in the midst of my master bedroom makeover and this desk was about to go curbside, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to jazz it up. If the result wasn’t right, nothing lost, nothing gained.

The desk was purchased years ago from the Bombay company (during my dark-furniture-all-over days) and it’s served it’s purpose well, but I was ready to say adios.

The making of my own chalk paint made me a bit nervous, since I’ve only used the premade mix by Annie Sloan and that took a bit of getting used to (more for the wax application than the actual paint). But, I decided to jump right in.

Here are the supplies I used:

Latex flat paint (I used Valspar Signature latex)
Plaster of Paris
Stir sticks
Plastic bucket
Water (cool, not warm)
Measuring Cup ( do not reuse for food)
Sealer – wax or polyurthetane

Here is the formula I used:

In a mixing cup, add 1 cup of latex paint
Then add 1/3 cup Plaster of Paris + 1/3 cup cold water
Mix all together until the Plaster of Paris is fully dissolved

The mix will make enough chalk paint to apply about one coat to an average-sized 6 drawer dresser. I ended up using only 1/4 of the mix and apply 2-3 coats, so it makes a lot. Chalk paint goes a lot further than typical paint.

Once the formula was mixed, I was ready to paint!

It’s important not to have too much paint on the brush, especially when painting furniture. It’s better to apply thinner coats. When applying too much paint at once, drips and runs could develop in the corners and crevices of the furniture.

If that happens, no worries. Get as much paint off the brush as possible and drag out the “puddled” paint so it thins out and covers more of the furniture surface.

I forgot to mention this neat tid-bit about the desk… it actually opens up to a writing surface.

The difficult part was deciding where to start and stop the paint because I did not want to paint the inside – too difficult.

In the end, I chose a start and stop point for where the paint would go. At first I was only going to paint the legs, but wasn’t thrilled with the look. Here is a peak…

painting on the counter is so much easier than on the floor!

So in the end, I decided to paint the top as well, leaving only the line of the desk that opens, the original stained finished. It actually makes for a more interesting piece – well, I think.

Here’s the top with one coat of chalk finish paint.

2 coats later (3 in some spots), the desk was complete…

And ready to display in my room…

I sealed the entire desk with wax that I had on-hand. Others that have used their own chalk finish paint have used clear finishing wax (Lowes link) or polyurethane.

If you want to read more on applying wax, head over to this post…

The revamped desk fits perfectly next to my existing dresser with a new gallery wall above (more details on that coming soon – I’m still finishing it up)

The chair wasanother furniture transformation from a few years ago and I just recently added a new cushion using black and white striped fabric from The Online Fabric Store. The furry looking throw draped over the chair back is actually fabric that I plan on making some fun pillows with.

Check out what this space looked like before…

BIG DIFFERENCE!

Let me show you a few more ‘after’ shots…

What do you think?

What’s your favorite part of my desk? The new color? The lines of the desk? Or the ‘secret’ compartment of the writing desk? For me, it’s all fun, but I think I love the paint color the best. By the way, the color is Benjamin Moore Martini Olive. Lowe’s color matched it for me and used their Valspar Signature Latex paint.

My thoughts on making my own Chalk Finish Paint.

I really like it! Comparing it to other chalk finish paints, it is very similar and obviously the cost is a lot less AND you can make any color you’d like. With other chalk finish paints there are only about 30-40 different colors to choose from. When making your own, your color choices are limitless. The cost is also significantly less because the Plaster of Paris is about $6 and a quart of paint is about $15-20. Since only one cup is needed, a sample pod / tester most likely would have been enough for this project. Also, I could have used a latex color that I already had on hand (in my stash). Comparing the application process, it’s very similar and the finish result is about the same. A dull, chalky (but not grainy) finish is what you will get. Waxing is important when using any chalk finish paint because it seals the color and finish. I’ve also heard of people using polyurethane as a sealer, but I have never tried that.

Why chalk finish paint?

I feel the advantage of using chalk finish paint is the elimination of sanding, prepping, and priming the existing wood. When using chalk finish paint, you can simply start the painting process directly over the stained or painted finish. *If a piece of furniture has a hi-gloss, then I would recommend sanding and possibly priming first so you have a thorough base to paint.

I hope you enjoyed my adventure of making my own chalk finish paint. I love trying out new things and this is a winner! Have you used chalk finish paint? Have you made your own or have you used a premade mix? Would you try this on a piece of furniture?

To gather even more unique, fun, and creative ideas for your indoor and outdoor Winter spaces, I would definitely suggest downloading the Loweâ€™s Creative Ideas app on your iphone and/or ipad. Iâ€™m always checking out the FREE app for great seasonal + do-it-yourself inspiration. And even better, this Pallet Christmas Countdown creation will be featured in the upcoming Winter guide â€“ how cool, right?!

Also consider following Loweâ€™s on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram as well.

Disclosure: I am part of the Loweâ€™s Creative Team and was provided with a Loweâ€™s gift card to purchase items for my project. I was also compensated for my time to use the products. No one told me what to create, what to buy, how to use the product, or what to write. All opinions are 100% mine!