Chair Love Some More
This weeks chair love comes early! I spotted this beauty on Apartment Therapy earlier in the week. The picture is of the store front of the Pico Modern Furniture shop. What a pretty place! And, great taste in chairs, I might add.
The shop is described as unique and unusual. I love it already! And, I want the chair! 🙂
I’ve Been Spotted!
I just had to mention that I noticed I was spotted by Apartment Therapy! The other day they noted on their sister site, The Kitchn, the post of our kitchen island. It was featured as one of their delicious links. We are so excited to have inspired some one! Thank you Apartment Therapy!
Kitchen Inspiration
We are currently preparing to do a bit of kitchen renovation in our house. While I have a pretty clear picture in my head of what I would like to do I have also been scouring the blog world for some inspiration and creative ideas. We are trying to do this on a very tiny budget, so I am also searching ideas in that area. Today on Apartment Therapy I found one of my favorite kitchen pictures.
I just love the little swinging door. It reminds me of old western saloon doors. I am wanting one for our kitchen. I’m just not sure that every kitchen could pull this off. Maybe that will have to go on my “someday” dream list. For now we are thinking more basic remodel in the kitchen. I would like to sand and paint all of the dark wood cabinetry a glossy white. The cabinets are outdated and mismatched. This will also allow us to fill the holes from the old hardware and add new pulls. These are the pulls I am thinking of, bin pulls:
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wmc3cgAjw0k/SHeOWPk3S3I/AAAAAAAAAOc/sp4juB_wHwA/s400/IMG_6026_bin%2Bpull.jpg&imgrefurl=http://theletteredcottage.blogspot.com/2008_07_01_archive.html&h=266&w=400&sz=12&tbnid=1nyLQKGa76QSAM::&tbnh=82&tbnw=124&prev=/images%3Fq%3Ddresser%2Bwith%2Bbin%2Bpulls%2Bpicture&hl=en&usg=__noAFFwDt8FmB3VYpI7taTYFlhEQ=&ei=zCHRSb_kJMSInAfzwbhq&sa=X&oi=image_result&resnum=4&ct=image&cd=1
I have also been reading that it is possible to safely paint laminate countertops. Since paint is a much cheaper alternative to replacing the countertops at this point I would like to paint these black. Here is inspiration for a black and white kitchen with warm hardwood floors:
Little Bit Of Chair Love
I found this cute chair the other day on Design*Sponge in Jack and Lulu’s home sneak peak. The curvy lines on this chair match the bech seat I was loving the other day! The picture isn’t directly of the chair, but it’s right in front of the mirror here:
I want it for my bedroom! 🙂
Mini Bar Makes More Progress
I think the mini bar project is almost done (the mini bar we made out of a re-purposed vintage TV armoire). We are going to leave the wood as-is, at least until we see what it looks like next to the black desk (which is still in progress). We are planning on changing out the handles, but haven’t found the perfect Hollywood Regency looking pair yet. Yesterday we got the mirror for the back and the glass for the bottom cut and installed. We also hung a stemware rack under the top and I lined the drawer with some fabulous material. I would like to find a very simple mountable wine rack to hang under the top on the other side, so if you have one of those to recommend…! So, here it is, looking gorgeous!
Chandelier For The Porch
Here it is. This is the fancy project I completely with the ugly, little, pink basket.
Here is the before picture:
Here is what I made:
I took a 75cent basket from the Salvation Army and spray painted it black. I hung crystals and beads on it and added a length of chain. I added some mini candles in jars and viola! We now have a chandelier above the ice cream table on the porch! I found this idea on Apartment Therapy and think its super cute. What do you think?
Our Backyard
Our yard is a mess. The landlord kept it full of leaves, twigs, branches, logs, compost piles and even garbage. We are tearing all of this up. Slowly but surely we are cleaning up the mess we inherited, and making a pretty, and useful yard. So, over the weekend we plugged away at the daunting yard. We have, of course, started by picking up and disposing of his garbage and old broken items. The other items such as old pots, tools , and yard items were collected and stored neatly away in the already packed shed. Here was where the real fun began. We had already started to rake and remove the massive amounts of leaves from the back yard, but so much more remained.
This weekend is when we started working on a fire pit. This way, once this chore is finished, we can move onto the chore of burning the branches and debris that remain. Tony dug a very nice, large, circular hole, and we started with placing the first ring of bricks. We then layered the bottom with rock (the landlord also had much random rock to be picked up from the middle of the yard!). The pit is unfinished, but looking gorgeous already! Here are some pictures:
Here is some of the mess left in our yard.
Here is a bit more of the mess. We are removing all of the compost, which is those lumps, and the twiggy looking trees are going to be moved from the clump he planted them in.
Here's the start of the fire pit. This project is going to be a fun one for the summer!
Whats In Store For Next Week
Over the weekend I have a long list of fun little projects to tackle. If I get myself into gear and get them done you can plan to see updates next week. I hope to be working on the kitchen curtains, painting some pots, planting flowers, cleaning up the yard, building a fire pit, and working on redoing a headboard for the master bedroom. It sounds like a lot, I know, but I think I have most of it covered! And, my favorite little project…
Check out what I do with this ugly little pink basket!
Check back all next week for updates, photos, and how-tos of my many projects! Have a great weekend!
Other Green Ideas
After posting about saving household items on Wednesday I got to thinking about other green tricks and tips for your home. Often these green ideas are not only environmentally friendly, but also easier on the pocketbook. And who couldn’t use that right about now? Here are a few I think would be easy and helpful to start in your home. Now you can be on your way to “going green”!
- Unplug electric items when not in use. Items like TVs, coffee pots, and cell phone chargers suck electricity even when not in use.
- Use less bottled water. Get a thermos to take with you when you go and get a Britta pitcher to refrigerate tap water for better taste.
- Get energy efficient light bulbs as each bulb burns out. Also, use more lamps than overhead lighting, it not only looks better, but saves energy.
- Make a rain barrel. These collect rain water to be used later to water plants, or clean your yard items or car. These have a net on top to keep mosquitoes out.
- Buy shampoos and other products in the bulk, family sized containers. Not only are these products cheaper for the amount you get, but you use up less plastic waste.
- Hang dry your clothes outside or on a line installed in your laundry area.
- Use cloth napkins and towels for cleaning instead of disposable, paper products.
- Pull your yard and garden weeds by hand instead of using chemicals.
Tomatoskin's photo "Go Green!!!" on Flickr.
Although these are only a few of the many ideas, these are all ideas that are easy enough to get you started in your quest to being more green and saving money. These are all ideas that we are currently trying, or are going to try this summer. Any more ideas?
Chair Love Again
This week I have been slow. But, it just hit me. My daily Apartment Therapy email just came in, and there is was, this amazing industial looking chair. I do not know much about the chair itself, but Atelier 154 in France is the shop where this baby can be found, and the stylists of this blog that contains manygorgeous photos other photos are Elodie and Karine Kong. See them here: http://bodieandfou.blogspot.com .
Just simply beautiful.
P.S. I think that my weekly chair loves are so random and different because they tend to match my mood for that week (or day). I just noticed that as this chair even kind of matches the outfit I am wearing today. Casual, but classic, but also unique. Anyways…
Make Mine Eclectic 
