Before and After ~ Basement

As most basements tend to be....ours was dark, dreary, dusty, and cluttered! So we decided to turn this wasted space into a guest room. 

Bright white on the walls and floors really brightened up the space, and damask on the two opposing walls gave just the right amount of pattern and texture. Keeping the bedding simple allowed the beauty of the wallpaper to take center stage.  

The terrible before: 

"Headboard"

I'm totally digging this "headboard"! A modern take on the traditional bedframe. What a great, and inexpensive alternative! And perfect as a DIY project. This would be ideal for a guest room, or any room where space is an issue. Though I'd recommend more pillows to cover the space between the bed and the bottom of the painting, to help enhance the illusion a bit.

Morbid much?!?

Call me crazy, but I'm sort of digging this baby-bits coat rack. Morbid? Maybe. Unexpected? Definitely.

Adding to my list of DIY projects? Absolutely!

Brilliant!

This isn't the first time I've seen this done, abut it's the best execution I've seen! What a smashing idea! I'm getting ready to install wood laminate flooring in a stairwell. Just today I was debating how I would get the laminate to work on the "rise" portion of the stairs. I think I've found my solution! I'll wallpaper them in some fabulous pattern instead!

True Love

As mentioned in my previous post, I'm working on a black and white design project. In my quest for the perfect wallpaper, I stumbled upon two stunners:

The first is the Cole & Son's Wooded Wallpaper, available at Rose & Radish. This little beauty has been popping up everywhere lately, included the designer's house in Season 2 of Top Design. It's striking and quirky without being too bold or brash. The stippling technique creates an almost antiquated feel, while the stark black on white keeps it fresh and modern.

The second is the Blackbird paper by Cavern. Available in several colors, each divine. Two of my very favorite things, trees and birds...in the same paper...heavenly! It's so crisp and clean and almost abstract from afar. I'm loving that wallpaper is making such a strong comeback in interior design. Either of these papers, used even sparingly on just one wall could transform an average room into a delicious and decadent space.

Lovely Lattice

I'm in the process of desiging a basement. The bedroom and living area will be pure black and white with yellow accents. I'll post before and after pictures when the project is completed. I've purchased most of the items for the rooms, but one this is missing...these pillows!!! The yellow and white lattice is pure perfection and would tie the rooms together brilliantly. Oh how I covet this fabric...

I found the next picture after I began the project, and it is remarkably similar to the style and vibe that I am trying to capture. This room was featured in Architectural Digest, and is stunning. I can only hope to achieve a similar result. And of course...they are using the same lattice fabric!

Strippin ain't easy...

Soooo, the frontal facelift continues on our house. Our porch was in desperate need of some updating...

I had originally planned on just painting over the white with a dark brown...but once I started prepping the wood, we realized that the white paint was peeling and cracking and needed to go. So my mister decided we should strip the paint first and stain the wood instead. Which is a great idea...we just didn't realized we'd have to strip off SEVEN layers of paint!!! Yowza!

So after lots and lots and lots of stripping...this is the current state. Eek, a little scary! The patina is actually sort of pretty in person...and kind of fun to see all the different colors that the porch has been, and imagine all the different people who have sat on this porch and sipped lemonade.

Lots and lots of sanding is next...then onto staining!

I can't wait to see how it turns out!