Bathroom Makeover Inspiration

  Hola peeps!  Wow, can you believe it?...... 2013 and we are still here.  Oopsie, I guess the Mayans got the dates mixed up.  Oh well.

Ha ha, seeing that I will be here after all, I decided to spruce up my bathroom a bit. As always I started with a little research.  Here is some of the gorgeous inspiration I found.  I am so excited!

Black and white photos are always a good idea.  So chic.

I really love this bathroom curtain and the rug. And check out the decorative mirror above the tub.  

The natural touches here and there are so relaxing, makes me think of the spa.  

This gorgeous basket and all of the products below are from pottery barn and the prices are not bad either.

The print on this towel is too fabulous for words. No need for a crystal ball, I see these in my immediate future.

Luv, luv.

Organic rugs, such a neat idea and beautiful too!

I adore a good terry robe so I am having a major crush on these.  It is the perfect thing for some "me time".  And we ladies can always use some of that.

Cherio!

Save A buck or Two - Easy File Cabinet Makeovers

Complete tutorial at designsponge

How many time have you stared at that old crusty file cabinet and would have physically thrown it outside...if you could lift it?  Well, after today, whenever you look at that cabinet it will be in awe.  I've got something for ya!  These easy makeovers will not only be a snap to do but they will brighten up your space and bring some style to your organizing.

As you know, file cabinets are very sturdy, durable and very inexpensive. That is, if you buy a used one.  You can find them just about anywhere and everywhere, at thrift stores, garage sales, craigslist....perhaps forgotten in your own basement.  And many of us do. A lot of these pieces are metal and they rust after a while so as soon as the rust starts to show they are put out to the curb or sold very cheaply.  But hey, this is good news for you!  Don't let a little rust scare you from seizing or retaining a potentially fabulous piece of furniture.

Here are some easy makeovers/tutorials you can use to transform a drab looking file cabinet.  Are you ready? Okay, let's do this!

 Find the super easy tutorial for this amazing transformation at quardecor.blogspot.com

You can never fail with map designs.  So chic.

quardecor.blogspot.com

Nothings adds more pizzaz than a pop of bright yellow.  How gorgeous is this!

Find the tutorial at littlehouseinthebigd

I absolutely love this! It is modern and romantic without being too girly...great balance and wonderful transformation. Find the tutorial at divineserendipity

The color and pattern on this piece is so rich, stylish and cheerful!

Find this tutorial at savedbylovecreations

Most of these transformations were done with  spray paint, leftover wallpaper remnants, spray adhesive, and cheap $2 handles from Home Depot or Ace Hardware. Stencils and scrap grass cloth can also be used as well.  Just have fun and let your imagination go!

Cherio and happy diy-ing.

Easy As 1-2-3...DIY Large Scale Wall Art Fixes

www.bhg.com

A group of paintings in the same/similar palette makes a stunning large scale piece

A few days ago, I decided to get rid of a large scale painting I had on my living room wall.  Sigh.  It was one of those paintings that you like but not love.  You know the kind, almost but not quite the right fit for the space. Well, since I moved the painting which was an original piece and fairly large, I was left with this huge open space.  As you know, large scale original Art is very expensive, so, there I was wondering, "now what am I going to replace this with?".  

Well, whenever I am need inspiration I make a beeline for the internet.  And so I did. I found so many neat ideas there I just had to share.  Most of the these pieces are so very simple and economical but they add so much grandeur and style to a room.  Check them out...  

www.bhg.com

You know those black and white photos you've been meaning to print?  Well, here's the perfect place for them. How gorgeous is this!

pic origin unknown

It doesn't get easier than this.  Just hang a piece of tapestry or decorative fabric and you have instant transformation.  Absolutely gorgeous!

decorpad

Who would have thought that plates could look so chic!    I bet you will look at plates a little differently from now on....

pic origin unknown

This look is one of my personal favorites.  All you have to do is find some images of birds or animals and print them out.  (You can borrow a book from the library and scan them or get them online.)  I like to collect old frames to frame my prints but if you don't, not to worry.  Any group of simple frames will do.  Just keep them within the same color palette.

pic origin unknown

This is basically like the look above but showcasing plants instead of birds.  So lovely and classic.

I adore this look.  It is so romantic and easy to make.  Poster boards were covered with burlap and then a print was centered (and glued) on top. Industrial screws were used as accents at the corners of the prints.  I love that little touch, it really gives this a little bit of an edge.

www.bhg.com

Framed wall paper??!!!  Oh yeah baby!  Super fast, ultra easy and your pocket book will thank you.

pinterest

And finally this look.  How's this for the "wow' factor. Of course your frame does not have to be this big. Just get a large glass or acrylic frame and lots of family photos. Perhaps this can be a family activity....  The extra hands would make this project fun and fast.

Well, I hope you found something here that sparks your creativity, I know I did.  Have a wonderful week!

Cherio!

Are You Ready For This!

About a month ago I on a whim entered a major gallery showing.  It was competition based so my sketches/ideas had to beat out numerous competitors to qualify. I sent the sketches and forgot about....that is until I got an email saying I had made the cut!  O. M. G!!!!  

And so, just like that I had a life changing opportunity in my hands.  I was so happy to finally have a major platform to express my heart through something that I love so much.  Art.   But then, I starting looking at the formidable competitors and envisioning what they might be bringing to the table and the more I did that, the more nervous and apprehensive I got.  My ideas were not coming together properly and the ones I did like soon became "not good enough".  I was second guessing myself and it was getting me nowhere.

The back and forth and vacillation between excited and overwhelmed continued until my son put an end to it.  He looked me dead in the eye and informed me "you gat this mom!".......gave me a big hug and and walked off.  Well, turns out that was all I needed.  After that I had fire in my eyes.   No matter what happened I was going to create something amazing. Something I can be proud of. 

 The first piece I made took a whole day to make but it was a little off so I scrapped it and started over from scratch.  I did not let it get me down, I just knew I could do better....... and I will.  At the moment I am working on two of the three pieces required for the show and everything is coming together quite nicely.  I am started to get excited now because I can envision/see the final product......the finish line.  I will probably have a Steve Urkel moment at the end, like "Did I do that???!" but in a really good way.  I am going to make sure of that.  

Well, back to work I go but I will be posting the pictures here when everything is finished.  Have a beautiful weekend everyone.

Cherio!

Drab To Fab Bookcase Style

Photo courtesy of Jacqueline Zinn 

If you hate clutter and love collecting books the way I do, then you know how 

frustrating it is to maintain order in your bookcase.  It gets even trickier if you 

actually use these books on a regular basis.  So what do you do.... 

First of all a bookcase is a great opportunity to showcase your personality and 

style.  So with this in mind, go around your home and collect decorative pieces 

to display that represents your interest and hobbies.  It could be as simple as 

river rocks, plates or picture frames.  You decide. 

Photo courtesy of Southern Living Southern Living

Ready?  Lets do this! 

Bookcase Makeover Guide

1.  Sort your books.  Take out the ones that are torn or ripped. 

2.  Group books by size and subject matter. 

3.  Arrange books in both horizontal and vertical stacks to create visual interest. 

4.  Fill unused/negative spaces with beautiful momentos such as framed 

pictures, decorative storage boxes, vases and figurines.  (or whatever makes 

you happy) 

5.  Finally, vary the height of each stack of books and create layers. This could 

be done by placing one decorative element behind another to create depth and 

more impact. ( See photo below for example) 

Unknown photo source 

Photo courtesy of Delightful Dwelling

I absolutely love this idea and its so easy to do.  Just add wall paper of your 

choice as a backdrop and  bring on the wow factor! 

Unknown photo source 

Photo courtesy of Real Simple

Photo courtesy of Material Girl

Photo courtesy of Honey We're Home 

Photo courtesy of Honey We're Home 

Photo courtesy of Honey We're Home 

I just love the way these books were arranged by color.  Simple but very dramatic effect.

hoto courtesy of Honey We're Home 

And there you have it!  You're done.  See, now that wasn't so bad was it..... 

Trash to Treasure Accent Chairs

Image from Little Green Notebook

Every time I see an old chair with good bones, I instantly turn into Smeagol from Lord Of The Rings totally obsessed with "the precious".   Its true.  I know it sounds crazy but no matter how beaten up the chair is, in my head I see it all decked out in fine fabric and looking fabulous.  Like the reupholstered chair above for instance. I love this chair.  How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.....

 Little Green Notebook

Think about it.  You can take an old battered chair with little or no value and give it a whole new life.   Am getting drunk with power just thinking about it.  There are no limits to what one can do with a little fabric and paint. Just take a look at these make overs and you will see what I mean. Enjoy and be inspired!

Image by The Hay Stack Needle

Image above: chair makeover by Design Sponge reader Melissa

Image above: chair makeover by Design Sponge reader Teresa

Chair Makeover by Jessica Jones 

Image above: by Always Mod

Image above: chair makeover by Design Sponge reader jennifer

I found this chart online and its so useful I just had to share.  It shows different types of chairs and the amount of fabric it would take to cover each piece.   

For a tutorial on doing your own chair makeover visit curbly