One Room Challenge - Week 3 - Sofas, Sconces and a Stool

Hi friends, we're at the half way point in our One Room Challenge and
although it feels like we're on track and knocking things out, our shopping list is still long!
  If you're new here, I'm working on my client's Great Room in their
new home. We started with a blank slate, you can catch up with previous weeks:  

Week 1 - The Plan

Week 2 - Fabrics & Fireplace Tile, Mirror & Sconces

Fireplace, hearth and sconces are complete.
I can't wait to get our ornate gold mirror up there and style it up.

If you're a regular you know I love thrifting and the thrill of the hunt.
I was on a mission to find some artwork, but a foot stool or ottoman was also on my
 list and look what I spied! :) 

Not at all what I was expecting, but perfectly unique!
It's tiny, but packs a punch after I reupholstered in classic Ralph Lauren zebra print.

(I was trying it out in my living room before delivering it to my client's home, dangerous!)

It will coordinate with this special chair that's been in the family for years.
The next time you see it it will be a timeless statement piece with new cushions and a
 makeover in the same zebra print.  

Another super easy DIY this week.
My client had a round marble top table, the size is perfect at the corner of the two
sofas and we loved the round shape, the marble not so much! We decided to paint the
 table and turn the top over, painting the bottom side, in case anyone ever did like the marble.
I used my favorite products to give us a glossy lacquer like finish.
 A quality Purdy brush and roller, and oil based Rustoleum Protective Enamel.
(Thank you Purdy for the nice surprise delivery!)

I love traditional style pieces painted in high gloss for a youthful look. 

Two coats down, one to go.  

We made a decision on our pair of gray sofas!!
Super comfy, and a kid and pet friendly color that they won't have to fret over, won out.
Of course, we'll ditch those matchy pillows for something more unique. :)

 


That's it for this week!
 Next week, Craigslist furniture shopping and rug shopping is on the agenda.

 Are you following along with all the other ORC participants' projects, such a crazy

 amount of inspiration from lots of favorite bloggers and former ORC designers!

 You can check it out at Linda's @ Calling It Home.

One Room Challenge - Week 2 - Fabrics & Craigslist

Hi friends, welcome to ORC Week 2, dang these weeks fly by!

Thanks so much for your excitement and encouragement for our Great Room project

 last week! I'm so excited to share our fabric choices today and give you a better feel

 for our eclectic mix! I was thrilled that my client was on board for a not-so-typical

 color combination.

 As I mentioned in Week 1, we'll be using two gray sofas, we chose pretty, bright

pops of fuchsia, and bold pattern with high contrast to give the room some pizazz.   

Here's a peek at our fabric choices for the first floor of their home,

I thought you'd like to see all of them. :)  

The Great Room choices are the three at Top Center and two at Top Right.  

My favorite paint color, that I've used in three other One Room Challenge rooms, 

 Benjamin Moore - Simply White is the choice once again.

 It's always just so perfect, I can't quit it!   

We chose a marble basket weave tile for the fireplace surround, and were so excited to

 see progress, only to notice the floor tiles they installed weren't correct, they should be

honed black marble. 

Our first Craigslist score was this ornate gold mirror for above the fireplace! Woo hoo! 

These 34" Savoy House sconces will flank the mirror.  

Remember our inspiration pic, our mirror and sconces are both larger in scale. 

This week we're finalizing our decision for the gray sofas, doing two simple DIYs,

and scouring Craigslist for a sofa table.  

Are you following along with all the other ORC participants' projects, such a crazy

 amount of inspiration from lots of favorite bloggers and former ORC designers!

 You can check it out at Linda's @ Calling It Home. 

spring mantle in bloom

Happy Monday, friends!
It was a gorgeous spring weekend, one of my favorite spring sights are the profusion
of beautiful crabapple trees blooming throughout our city. We're fortunate enough to have a
 huge tree in our backyard, I love bringing the branches inside and was inspired to create a
spring arrangement for our mantle.

 My abstract from Kerry Steele Art easily moves from room to room and is always a
 favorite to bring out for spring and summer. The intricate black scribble is by me,
detailed tutorial to come, haha! :)

Layering the sunburst mirror and artwork in front of a larger mirror adds dimension
 and interest. Off topic, but I don't think I've ever mentioned how much I dislike the
 color of our mortar - ugh! It has this peachy hue to it. (Except in a couple of these pics
it looks like a totally weird yellow!)
 One of these it's going to make it to the top of the to-do list!
 

Grab your pruners and go cut yourself a huge vase of anything fresh and green from
 your yard, and have a wonderful week!
 

     

fresh fall mantle...

Hey everyone, hope you all had a fabulous couple days off, we couldn't ask for more

a more beautiful fall weekend. Yesterday was a good day for my ORC room,  just

 as we were thinking we were going to have to buy retail, the Craigslist Gods smiled upon

 us and the ideal pieces showed up. Check back on Thursday and I'll show you what we

 scored for an amazing price! I fit in time for a fall mantle refresh using a few things

from around our house and yard.     

I borrowed a couple pieces from my blue and white collection, gave my favorite

 lady bust a shawl of Virginia creeper vine, added a few orange books, and propped

 my zebra tray from Target (did anyone not buy that?) up on an easel. 

I love my new gold sculptural sphere, a friend picked it up for me at Hobby Lobby,

it's a budget friendly ($8.50 with coupon) knock off of West Elm's sculptural sphere.

You know I'm all over using greenery from my yard, I was hoping for fall-ish

 looking branches of leaves, but no luck. I had two choices green or crunchy brown.

Have a wonderful week sweet friends,

 and thank you so much for all of your kind comments and excitement for the ORC! 

new client - fireplace update suggestions

I'm working with a new client and know they aren't the only ones with a

 fireplace that gets lost on a two story wall. They were kind enough to let me share

their fireplace and the ideas I'm suggesting. They're avid collectors of art and have

 beautiful pieces that would make a stunning statement against a white wall with

 trim detail. These are my ideas for them to consider.   

Add interest and texture to the wall surrounding the fireplace with molding in a grid

 pattern. A piece of their art would be beautiful hung on this wall treatment.  

desiretoinspire.net

Here is their fireplace, which could benefit from being beefed up by simply adding a larger

 board on top creating a deeper mantle and extending the sides to create the illusion of a

more substantial piece. I always find it helpful to take a photo of anything you're working

 on.  

Simple trim detail around fireplace.

bhg.com

Beef up the existing molding, building out closer to the edge of the wall. 

houzz.com

Decorative detail around the fireplace and cleaner lines above. 

bhg.com

remodelandolacasa.com

A mirror above the fireplace is one of my favorite looks, theirs would reflect pretty

 arched windows and the yard.

Add a deeper mantel, corbels, build out to edge of wall. 

 allthekingshouses.tumblr.com

Oversize mirror, similar to Ikea Songe, again add trim work to increase the size.   

 justinehughjones.com

Build out to edge of wall and add oversize mirror with framing detail

bhg.com

I'm anxious to see what they think, do you have a favorite?