2 Dramatic Blue Gray Dining Nooks with Orange Accents & LPs!

Blue & orange. If you know a thing or two about the color wheel then you know the BAM! that this complementary color scheme has to offer. Blue and orange are definitely a color trend now in film, video, media. Think CSI Miami! Anyways, here are 2 young but not juvenile dining spaces with deep navy walls the perfect accents of orange. This rooms also have something else in common: records! Being a vinyl hoarder, I love to see records used in design.

Celerie Kemble dining nook

The first room is from designer Celerie Kemble’s portfolio. This is a cool space. It’s a little more modern than what I do, but it has vintage. OK, so the room isn’t “navy” but it is a bit of squid ink paint shade, so there is some blue in that gray. This gray appears more “blue” with the touches of orange. I love dark gray walls. It is a bit of a “modern” shade and it can come across as very masculine, but it packs drama. You want to transform a room in a weekend, paint it this color. Everything you own will look completely different. Whites will pop and blacks will shine. Anyways, I love the record storage in this nook! It is so clever to have it under the seating in a small space. I got to tell David. He need to build us one of these.  Anyways, this is a cozy space, very hip. I want to listen to records and lounge around drinking beer and eating guacamole and chips in this nook. *Oh, I love the textiles in here because it keeps this color combo and space from being too masculine. It’s a nice balance.

The other dining room or nook is from Rejuvenation’s website. It is a really cool space as well and totally reminds me of the early 1910-1940’s Craftsman homes in the Seattle area being fixed up by young adults like ourselves. (Rejuvenation is based in the PNW). This dining room is the kind of dining room you’d see in our neighborhood while your taking the dog out for an evening stroll. It’s classic but it has a special type of vintage lust seen in the under 40 crowd. I guess what I’m saying is that I love the look of vintage mid-modern pieces shoved into a Craftsman. The cool thing about this space is that you remove the furniture and the accessories and you have a classic Craftsman home that appeals to everyone. You didn’t do anything to ruin the vibe or the bones of the house. You worked with the house and added your tastes without destroying the authenticity of the home. I’m all about that.

Rejuvenation dining room

Anyways, I love this room. Once again, it is a “squid ink” shade that looks awesome against that white mill work. The orange accents are brilliant in this room. The lighting isn’t very typical of old homes but it has a nice vibe, a young vibe. I love the records on the ledge (recognize a few from our own collection). And one can never go wrong with a Saarinen table.

I guess we are going to try to finish the upstairs bathroom this weekend. I have to admit that I’d rather do something else, you know, like something fun. Oh, well. This house isn’t going to renovate itself. Bummer.

-Victoria

Read Full Post »

DIY Old Picture Frame Display Shelf

shelf from Country Living

Here’s a really cool DIY shelf from Country Living. Since I found the picture, I’ve found it on many other sites too. I’m trying to find an easy way to incorporate storage in our super small 1930’s bathroom. I like this idea.  I always find fancy picture frames at thrift and antique stores. I don’t buy them because they don’t have glass and because I have to stop hoarding picture frames. (I never use frames). I also can control the depth of the shelf. This is the issue in our small bathroom. Pre-made shelving and storage is too deep. So, now I’m on the hunt for a nice picture frame. Like always, once you are looking for it, you can’t find it. Here’s the tutorial for the shelf on Country Living’s website.

I’ve been super busy trying to finish some of the loose ends around the house. The weather has been oddly cool, rainy, and fall like. This makes me feel like I’m missing out on summer but it makes me keep busy in the house.  Saturday was our 6 year wedding anniversary and our 1 year home ownership anniversary.  So, I’m trying to make up for lost time.

-Victoria

Read Full Post »

DIY Pipe Shelving Unit

Photo from The Brick House

I love an industrial look. You see many of my posts featuring that antique warehouse “raw” feel. So I was delighted when I cam across 2 tutorials for pipe shelving. One is on The Brick House. This shelving unit totally transformed the space. I would love to put one of these up in the studio. The other isn’t as much of a tutorial, but it features lots of nice motivating pictures. It’s on Apartment Therapy.

It looks like making your own pipe shelving isn’t so difficult according to these two DIY posts. For under $200 you can really change a space and add a bit of an open and industrial feel.

I also like the thought of using a pipe shelving unit like this as a shelving unit room divider. It could be mounted from floor to ceiling.

I do worry a little about installing one of these on our lath and plaster walls. I’m sure that installing any shelving to our walls will mess it up. It’s one of those situations. I hope that you’ll see a tutorial of our version of pipe shelving in the future…

-Victoria

Read Full Post »

More Cute Jewelry Storage

I have such a jewelry storage issue. I have many cute things that I often forget about. My jewelry storage solution that I have had for the past 5 years is a cardboard liquor box with different plastic baggies filled with vintage brooches, Etsy finds, and silly costume jewelry. This is a mess. I never wear any of it and I don’t even know what I have. I’ve been on a jewelry storage expedition. Since my life is a bit more permanent now that I’m not renting, I feel it is time to unpack the accessories. I’ve looked at jewelry armoires. They seem to be very practical with spaces for everything. However, I don’t wear earrings and the craftsmanship of such armoires seem to vary. I’ve missed all of Target’s mega jewelry armoire blow-outs after Christmas. Argh! I could of got a decent one for $30! Oh, well. I also want something cuter than the generic mass retailer jewelry storage solution. I would love to have an old piece of storage furniture from a pharmacy or something. That will take some time to find and it is costly. I really like this jewelry medicine cabinet that I found on marthastewart.com. This idea doesn’t hold too much but it would be nice for necklaces and brooches and hat pins. I always find cute 30s era medicine cabinets at our local Habitat for Humanity salvage outlet. I always want to pick them up but I can’t think of anything to do with them. Now I can. I could line it with a luxurious fabric and use adorable fleur de lys pin hooks to hold necklaces. I also come across metal cabinets. All I would need for those are magnetic hooks. This would also be a cute storage option for delicate fragrance oils. I would say that I could easily do this project for under $30 sans my valuable time.

-Victoria

Oh, and Happy Nowruz! We’ve had a great sunny, Saturday!

Read Full Post »

Paintbrush Storage

This is a “duh” idea that I found on marthastewart.com after I have finished most of the painting in the house. Finding a place for brushes to dry is always difficult for us. With these magnetic strips, the brushes can hang down so that the water doesn’t cause the metal to rust and loosen any adhesive. It’s simple and I will have to add one of these down in the basement. It should be very easy to do since magnetic strips are self-adhesive and cheap. It had me thinking of a few other things…such as doing this for cosmetic brush storage or even pencils. I don’t think I will do the last 2 mentioned but it is a thought.

-Victoria

Read Full Post »

2 Amazing Dressing Rooms

Nanette Lepore's dressing room

I predict that I will never live in a place that will be big enough for me to justify having my own dressing room. But, I can dream about it, right? Currently, I have a closet sized boudoir and I feel “uptown” as my Southern grandma would say. I know if I continue to choose to live in older homes that I will never have a walk-in closet. It appears that a full-blown dressing room is my only option 🙂

This first featured dressing room is that of Nanette Lepore. Yep, I expect for this one to be magnificent and nothing less. This is a huge dressing room complete with romantic and over the top lightning and accessories. The ottoman has an Old Hollywood vibe and it wants you to set there and put on a pair of sparkling strappy pumps. Everything in this dressing room is organized so nicely. It’s a functional space that you wouldn’t be embarrassed to have a conversation in. Oh, and the dog is adorable. I think Frink has a crush on her.

This second dressing room featured in Living Etc. is my dream dressing room. It has that certain something that I like. Oh, that’s called antlers. Well, sometimes it’s horns. I drool over this dressing room. Look at that fireplace! (It feels a bit of a waste in that dressing room.) Both of these dressing rooms have great lighting. Oh, but I just love this one. The architectural details are superb no matter what one would choose to do with this room. I love how you can see all of the clothes/shoes. I know that center piece is filled with accessories.

Well, it looks like I am going to have to continue drooling over rich designer’s dressing rooms. I’m not going to have one any time soon. Maybe I can talk David into converting our studio into a giant dressing room for me. Wish me luck.

-Victoria

Read Full Post »

Storage Ideas: A Dollhouse in the Laundry Room?

Laundry room featured in Country Living

I love things to be organized. I’m not very good at it but I can spend hours on-line browsing silly storage and organizing ideas. The key to organizing and storing is to not have a lot of stuff. We all know that, but we still have a lot of stuff  in our daily living. I have rolls and rolls of paper towels, bottles of every variety of cleaner ever, and tons of other stuff that I need to run a clean household. I love for things to be organized in a “unique” and salvaged ways. I hate plastic totes! I spend hours drooling over well-organized basements and laundry rooms. The house is coming together but that basement is still as scary as ever. This is where I have to do laundry. It’s gross and I don’t know how much more of it I can take. I haven’t hand washed a cashmere sweater down there…ever. Just imagine the pics of this hoarder house before we got involved. Do you think the basement was clean if their was 20 toupees worth of hair around the stove? Nope. So, I’m spending time planning my laundry room/project room.

I came across this charming but somewhat terrifying laundry room in Country Living. I do like it despite my mixed feelings. It’s organized and better finished than my house, but it is still creepy like my dark, dusty, and scary seaside basement. (What’s up with creepy slasher film showers in old seaside basement homes?) The dollhouse used for storage makes this a bit of a horror flick. I’ve always been a little scared of dollhouses. They are interesting and they do take some skill to complete, but they are featured in many horror films. This has ruined their rep. I’ve passed up many antique dollhouses in my day. I find them too creepy. I find anything doll related creepy. Especially antique doll stuff. Now I wish I hadn’t of left huge handmade dollhouses in the dumpster. I kind of like this dollhouse used as storage/furniture. It’s creepy and novel. Two words that I would love to have describe my house. I want it to be contrived creepy not actually creepy like my current basement. We sure know how to grow spiders here in the Northwest…perhaps they could set up house in the dollhouse.

-Victoria

Read Full Post »

An Inspiring Chambre “Display”

Marie Claire "display"

I love the magazine Marie Claire Maison. It also helps me refresh my French skills (or lack of them). I adore this “display” found in the magazine. It isn’t very functional and I am aware that it is just eye candy. I still love it. I’m usually not one for faux paint finishes in interiors. They often look super cheesy and have that “trying to hard” vibe. I already have dirty, disgusting, chipping, plaster walls 🙂 But, I do like this wall because I am loving gray. It is so moody and somber. The objects in this “display” are very nice treasures from the birdcage to the creepy portrait to the delicate perfume bottles. All together it has a creepy but feminine vibe. I try not to collect stuff or hoard but I can’t help it that I love “treasures”. I feel this is a tasteful way to display such treasures. It’s still not fun to dust but it is a nice balance and better edited than what I’m about to share.

This other picture is from our last residence, the rental house. I didn’t have a boudoir like I do now and this is how I had to manage all of my girly things such as makeup and perfume. (I have much more but is it hidden away from light.) It wasn’t as fabulous as this Marie Claire one but I’m just a regular gal and if I knew Marie Claire was coming over then I would clean up 🙂 I suck at editing. I’m aware of that.

My old "display"

I don’t know what to do with my current space. I just know that I need to learn to edit or at least get rid of some stuff. I admit that I am a cosmetic addict. But, I’m sure you already know that.

-Victoria

Read Full Post »

Funky, Retro Floral Wallpaper Rooms

I’m back and I finally have Internet connection! I so went through serious withdrawals, but I’m fine now…It’s been a super crazy week and I’ll share pics of the house as soon as I’m able. That means not checking all my junk email and social networking…

After all the time I have spent removing wallpaper, it is going to be a long time before I can wallpaper. However, I do love the look. It is quirky and fun. Wallpaper is great. I’m talking about clean and in good shape wallpaper, not what we inherited.

bedroom in Marie Claire Maison

I love this little London bedroom found in Marie Claire Maison. There are so many prints and colors! It’s just a fun, quirky room. I love all the different shades of blue and pink.  All of these prints make it a thrift store fantasy room. I have a few of those Russian boxes. They house cotton balls and stuff like that. They are cheap and take a beating. I like this room because it is small. That’s what most of us have. We don’t have these huge magazine perfect rooms with amazing architectural detail. This room is small but still fit for a magazine. It utilizes space and has lots of storage (too bad we can’t see the closet). I love how this room houses all these treasures and little collections. Somebody has spent some time at thrift stores, flea markets, and yard sales and still looks put together. And who would of thought that rose shade would actually work with cobalt blue? Well, it does.

The other room or rooms photographed by Paul Raeside (if I had a restaurant this is the man that would be snapping it), I should say, are very special because of the mix of prints/wallpapers. It’s an airy and whimsy space. The lighting is romantic and the entire space is just so darn girly. However, I don’t know if you notice but the 1st thing I noticed other than the prints in my face was that the ceiling is need of some repairs. Geez, even I can repair that, what’s this home owner’s excuse? It sure isn’t money.

Cute home photographed by Paul Raeside

Anyways, the floor could use some cleaning too 🙂 And the loose porcelain door knob. Maybe all of this a part of the elegant, whimsy, cottage mansion style.

It really does sadden me that there is no more wallpaper in the home. Wallpaper does so much and then you have to do so much to get rid of it. Bummer. Don’t tell my husband that I am thinking of adding it to one of the bathrooms.

-Victoria

Read Full Post »

Antiquarian Studies/Offices I Adore

Country Living office

I love old things. I try not to be a collector but it is my nature. I really like this home office in Ohio that was featured in Country Living. It’s not much of an office. No cords, computer, piles of papers that need to be attacked. That’s our problem. We will never have a tidy looking office because we both have things going on, this means we actually use office space.

I love this office’s color. It is a rich zucchini skin that really pops with that white trim. It’s a deep color, a bit of mystery, but neutral enough to not dominate. I would love to use this color but I feared that it would make the rooms appear to be too small, especially in the rooms with coving. I love the furniture and lighting. I can’t say that about every space that I find. Good lighting is hard to come by.  It’s a lovely space, simple and lovely. I doubt it’s actually used for working but it would make a nice writing space or art space. An office for the things that you enjoy doing. I would say that pens and art supplies could be stored in those boxes and baskets. I’d have fancy pens in one and fun stationery in the other.

The other is a desk from Domino (RIP). I just love all the old paper goods. I collect the heck out of that stuff. There is no way that I can display it all even though I should. It gets rotated every so often. It’s hard to make it “work” without having it all in picture frames and strangely, I dislike the look of picture frames, lots and lots of picture frames, especially with plaster walls. I have decided that in the “new” house that I will have a special space filled with my treasures. I want a desk like this to house my old postcards, stereoscope cards, sketches, journals, autographs, vintage perfume ads, and even old Goldman Fristoe articulation cards. I figure if I have enough of my odds and ends mixed with my actual paper mess such as bills then it looks like my mess is purposeful. Is it possible that a mess can make you appear more organized?

Domino desk

-Victoria

Read Full Post »