Dream your dreams with open eyes and make them come true.......



You all will never believe what I have to share this time!  I am as mystified at the sudden events as any of you will be after you read this.  You all know how much I like to decorate and re-do and change my space, right?  Well here is a serious re-do endeavor....I am buying a house!

Many of my single girlfriends were either in a house or on the hunt.  One of them in particular felt it was time for me to become a homeowner too. I knew what I wanted.  I felt like being around a lake was my calling which also kept me near my work. But I felt inclined to look where they lived. Most of them had come back to the city where I grew up and the prospect of living there was pretty enticing. Believe me, when I decided to make this move I had every intention of giving the different cities equal consideration. However my hometown is in a hot market, overpriced and in a situation where I do not see the maintenance of the city being on the upside. And, too, the inspiration for my decision came from a chance call from a realtor that I had spoken to about a year ago who called me on a whim to tell me about a cute cottage size house that had just hit the market. That call was about all the things I wanted in my next house...near a body of water, small town but with the comforts of the big city nearby. And above all...it must be charming! 

So while I was perusing online ads for homes I really was just looking at the market to see what the possibilities were. This realtor had been contacted by me months ago when I took a chance to ask a couple questions about a home at that time that was on the market.  I told her I was only browsing but had to know the specifics on this one occasion. She remembered me and called me right around the month that my lease was about to expire.  She told me about a home that was a "cottage" type and she remembered that is exactly what I was interested in.  After we hung up the phone I decided to take the short drive to the house she was talking about and instantly...I fell!  I surveyed the neighborhood, drove around the block to the city park with the pond and walking trail, and took note that a lake was within a mile distance away with privileges.  I actually held my heart as I pulled into the parking lot of the park, exited my vehicle and took a comfortable seat on a bench within it.  I noticed the tennis court busy with youngsters taking lessons, the basketball court abuzz with two teams of men in their thirties, moms with strollers walking the paved trail around the perimeter and the sounds coming from the nearby pond..you know...frogs, crickets...and the like.  The sun was high and the sky was blue and the grass was green. This was a beautiful place and I felt connected to it.  Suddenly I decided I wanted this.

A few days before someone from FHA contacted me to remind me of a program that would assist me in being a homeowner.  I scoffed at the plan originally as the woman reiterated the ease of utilizing the program she described. But now as I sat in that park I was in a thought frenzy...how could I make this work?  Am I really a candidate to buy right now?  How much would a house payment on a home that costs X amount of dollars really be?

Next day I was doing some serious math. I calculated every home I found online that interested me using their mortgage calculator. I contacted the agent about the house I had seen that day I decided to pursue my dream. She informed me that the house was already sold ..in a record 4 hours!  This only excited me more and before I knew it I was out the next weekend looking at 5 homes all within my price range. If I wanted to make this a dream come true...I would have to act quickly on anything that came up that I was interested in and fit my price range.

Fast forward to today in September and I am in the middle of the mortgage process.  All the documents I needed to prove my worth were already accepted.  My realtor and I are waiting on a waiver to allow the lender to sign off on some things that required attention at the house I am buying.  The appraiser had pointed out some places where paint was peeling and a map had to be drawn pointing out the location of the well and septic on the property. Once that document is logged in we are good to go and within a few weeks I will be a proud new homeowner.

I am over the moon for my little piece of heaven.  Its a 990 square foot 2 story bungalow/cape cod style.  It has two bedrooms and a large bathroom, extra large kitchen and a mudroom.  The living room is wide and short, kind of interesting floor plan and features vintage touches that show it's history.  There is a basement which suits me great because there is no garage and I need a place to store the things I love that in the past I have been forced to get rid of. 

This is one of two house on the blocks..that's the way this neighborhood rolls.
The neighbor keeps their yard beautiful and since I have only one neighbor I do not
feel crowded.  I think the porch could use a swing and the windows some colorful
planter boxes.  Don't you?

I love the layout.  Some may see the dining room being an obvious place for eating but

I would like to put my contemporary sitting area on one end and my vintage sofa and

other furniture pieces on the other end.  One day I will enlarge the window on the right to a picture

size.  for now..I am happy with the vintage flair of the crown molding and the wainscoting.

And some day...I will look into getting real wood floors back in here.



The bathroom is a bit too contemporary for my taste but it is sound in
its electrical and plumbing for now.  Someday a claw foot tub, vintage floor
tiles, a dresser re-purposed as a vanity and perhaps a nice window over the space
there would be something to look into.  The big closet across from the tub provides
lots of storage space....more than at my townhouse.  This room has great bones!

This kitchen was updated by painting the cabinets this warm cherry color and granite
counter tops were added.  A great start. I intend to change the color of the cabinets to a warm
cream color and build a fancy island/storage out of an old dresser. A nice chandelier over it and
add some pretty pendant lights over the peninsula/snack bar would do wonders for this room.

Notice all the wonderful light steaming in from outside?  This attracted me immediately
to the kitchen/mudroom area.  I think I would like to place my china cabinet, as seen in previous
installments of my blog, on that right wall. If I could change one thing..it would be to add a door
perhaps a dutch door, to the opening between kitchen and mudroom to sort of seal off the
basement entrance that is right there by the window in the mudroom. It may be needed to retain warmth
in the winter, even with the upgraded vinyl windows throughout the house.

I did not know how much I wanted a mudroom until I saw the one at this house. Someone
was smart about the floor treatment choice and installing the organizer!  Finally I will be able to
empty out my car trunk of all the picnic items and beach equipment!  Fate read my mind!  And, yes
that is granite on the sill there.    Notice how clean and fresh the entire first floor looks and it
is so bright with all the windows!


When I decided to make an offer I was concerned that the seller would only consider the kind of financing that the buyer would be using which would totally discount anyone else including mostly those low-balling.  So to make my offer stronger I wrote a letter to the seller letting her know my emotional response to visiting her place and how much it would mean to me and to my little dog Kozmo to be living here. I also inserted pictures of both me and my dog into the text of the letter.  My realtor tells me it made the difference.  Just goes to show you how creative you have to be in this fast moving market.  I am not to proud to beg which also helps!

I had been visualizing this event for the past two years.  I had even shared with my best friend that I had made up a visual board with pictures and writings glued to it that encompassed what I wanted, what I wanted it to look like and what my plan was to make it happen.  I heard brides did this prior to getting engaged and then in wedding planning.  I knew it felt right for me to do because I had also read the Book of Secrets that says that if you want something badly enough you have to visualize it to make it come true.  I guess that book was right.

So now as I prepare for the day I will actually close on my mortgage and take possession of the keys to my kingdom I am beaming with joy!  I felt an emotional attachment to this place as soon as I entered the front door.  From the big comfy porch to the cute and quaint living room, to the extra large kitchen which will allow me, for the first time in 5 years to keep and store all the things a good cook really needs, to the back yard with its cute tool shed...and all for the same price
per month I am paying to rent! 

I am not saying home ownership is for everyone but it will certainly agree with me.  And even though the house is just fine the way it is I can see the potential to put my mark on every room in this place and not have to give it up as I would with an apartment or other lease agreement. Being able to put to use all the years of planning and dreaming and doing will now make a difference in my surroundings and in my life.  I cannot express the depth of my contentment with the future I am beginning to build and will continue to build over the rest of my lifetime. 

Every decorating decision I make will be worthy of this blog and I look forward to sharing with you the little changes I will be making to each room. 

Stand by...this dream is about to be mine.  I am so glad you are here to witness it and I hope you will share your comments. 

With kind regards,

Kimber

With the passing of 2015 I have been reminded daily of all of the changes I have wanted to make to my townhouse.  While I am pretty restricted, obviously, by the regs that that my lease stipulates I have many options for making my place more my own.  I can paint a wall here and there, I can move my furnishings around and change the locations of the artwork on my walls.  More than that I can change the entire feel of my place by changing out the furniture pieces.  In that vein I have been seriously considering changing from the earth tone semi-contemporary feel that is has now over to shabby chic with a much lighter and more soothing color palette. So I am beginning to get some photos saved and looking at colors such as white, robin's egg blue, blush and the like, and in doing so I will be changing out my hardwood tables or painting them.
I began this process last weekend by looking at the china cabinet I purchased a few years ago. It is a dark mahogany or cherrywood, I do not know which, but it needs to be color-changed.  I have been interested in trying out the new chalk painting that seems to be all the rage and did some research to learn what I need to do to get a good result.  It is not supposed to be difficult.  I hear it is pretty easy to use chalkpaint, that it is very forgiving but it the paint is expensive.  I headed over to the nearerst home store to buy the paint, brushes and other supplies and began my project.
Choosing a color was a bit of a challenge.  Should I go robin's egg blue or stark white?  I liked both but thought I would do this project in white since I liked the look of a similar cabinet that I found on the internet that was painted that way.

This cabinet looks so much like mine, with the exception that mine has two doors separated by a a divider in the middle.  I love the look of the bright white inside and outside.  The china that is inside is exactly what I want to display.  The french cabriole legs and inset panels mirror my own.  This is where I began to plan my project.

So as you saw in my last post I began the project and then it didn't work out the way I intended so I ended up painting it plain white latex which by the way, looks just as nice.  I have thought of painting the inside but cannot decide whether to wallpaper it in some cool cabbage rose pattern or just paint it robins egg blue.  Either would be nice.  And since I changed the material covering the seats of my vintage DR chairs, either would coordinate nicely and give me that shabby chic look that I wanted, at lest in the DR.

I have a chandelier I can hang in there too.  The ceiling is a bit lower, I think seven feet or so, so I cannot hang something too big or too long.  but I do have my old light piece from my house from which I downsized.  Thing is..it is in a strange
goldish color.  Should I paint that white or blue?  Should I leave it alone?  And if I do paint it it would be better to do it before I hang it right?  So, here I am, stalled, because I need to decide on the whether or not to paint it before I hang it. So, I will move on to something else.

I should change my furniture.  I found this lovely shabby chic style of sofa at the right price but its gonna cost almost more to move than its worth.  Its perfect.  The photo shows its the right color and style. Maybe I should just suck it up and buy it before someone else gets it.  I want to treat the wood  frame with the chalk paint and maybe change the color of the upholstery into a robins egg blue. 

Isn't it a charmer?  I want it but I still have my old sofa and even though I have room for this in my living room now I feel like I am only interested because it is available for a limited time, not because I am ready to full force start changing up my décor.  And, I will have to find a way to move it.  Anyway, I am still trying to nail down this item through the seller and hopefully I will have it pretty soon.  I just do not see a better deal coming along. This seller is asking $185, but I am
hoping she will sell it for less since I have to come from so far away from her to get it.

Once I have the couch in place I am thinking of having one wall painted as an accent wall in that pretty blue I was talking about earlier, with some glaze striping on the same wall.  I recently hung new curtains that look like linen with silver threads running through, nothing gaudy, just a little speck of silver to pick up on the sterling silver ice bucket I have in which I will be creating a hydrangea flower bouquet.  Other colors in the room will be a white desk with a black chair and sort of farmhouse style shabby chic. Some pretty home made throw pillows and perhaps, just perhaps, a jute rug with some blue specks in it to make the beige carpet a little more interesting. And that is my start. 

Ill let you know when I get finished and come back.  With my life changing all the time who knows what my next post will say.  Let's just wait and see!

Wish me luck.

Trying the Chalk Painting Thing.....

Since I moved into my place a couple of years ago and brought with me the earth toned contemporary style furniture I already had, things have gotten quite boring to me.  Yes, I know that even if I do not have small children or pets and my color choice is practical for hiding a good amount of wear and tear it concerns me to be so milk toast. You may remember my post from some months ago highlighting the re-do of my galley kitchen. There is not a lot a person can do to improve thier digs when they are owned by someone else, i.e., a property management company. However there are small details that can be enhanced, colors introduced and non permanent things that can be brought in to make your place your own.

Well, changing out the furniture in my place will certainly make my townhouse feel like a real home.  And I am excited about that.

 

In the past year I have really bought into the shabby chic look.  On Facebook I joined a county shabby chic page and seen all the beautiful furniture pieces that people sell there and share with their members.  Since I am a big fan of a softer palate of colors for my surroundings this style works well for me.  Chalk painted tables and hardwood accessories, the soft pastel/white/linen colors of upholstered pieces and various decorative pieces in soft turquoise, sage green and pink go no only with my personality but also brighton my demeanor.  So that's the way I choose to go and decided to embark on

chalk painting a piece of furniture that screams "I want to be painted". 

 

It is a country french china cabinet done in dark cherry or mahogany.  Some people warned me not to paint such a beautiful piece..leave it as I found it.  I used to agree with that piece of advice. I thought it, at one time, that it was a crime to paint over natural wood.  But as the decades have proven, dark pieces make for a dark room.  And seeing the success that others have had with chalk painting intrigued and excited the heck out of me!  I can see the possibilities of having a pretty dining room with my pink Homer Laughlin "Marilyn" pattern china displayed so proudly. I can see pretty floral pieces and dazzling crystal set up in this  cabinet providing the perfect starting point for setting up a chalk painted country french dining table with chairs upholstered in a lovely cabbage rose pattern to match the skirt that hides the cabinets under my kitchen sink directly adjacent to the dining room.  My mind cannot stop now.  I am so ready for this.

Here is the before of my cabinet:

 

The beautiful lines and curves of this cabinet work perfectly
for a chalk painting project.  I cannot wait to get started!

So I picked the color I wanted, which was a linen white, and did some research to learn that the paint type I wanted is available at Home Depot.  It was just a quart and cost $15.98.  I bought some new brushes and a drop cloth too.  Everything I had been reading up to now about this kind of project kept telling me how esy it was to use chalk paint, how forgiving it is..what a nice smooth finish it provides with no sanding or surface prep required other than a light wipe down with a mild detergent to get rid of dust or other particles. 

I ran home, paint in the bag with all of my tools. I couldn't wait to get the paint opened.  I knew I had thoroughly dusted the piece the day previous and did not observe any new dust accumulating since.  I taped off the glass doors, but I left the hardware which i wanted to be painted anyway, and if need be I would change out the knobs later. 

I laid on the first coat with a brush about 3 inches wide.  The paint was smooth and thick.  I tried to be as even handed as I possibly could as I stroked on each line of paint and moved from the side of the cabinet to the front aruond the glass doors and up around the molding. 

 

It was about this time that I noticed the paint had taken on a crackle effect.  Oh no.  This is not the smooth linen finish I expected or wanted.  I had to stop.

This is what I expected the piece to look like:

The fnish on here is not streaky or crackled. It is a smooth
white finish with a wax sealant on it.  I think the
finish makes the china more attractive. Just my opinion though.

When I posted this on FB I got kudos from many who said they thought this was
a very attractive outcome and said they would not change it.

While my FB friends thought this was a beautiful finish I could not disagree more.  I envisioned a different smooth white shiney finish. I felt that it highlighted the china more and provided a sort of fancy with a plain backdrop for everything inside the cabinet.  I believe that the crackle finish makes everything look more folk art primitive...not the look I wanted.
So today I will be going home and working on correcting this and my next blog update will follow letting you know what happens.  Thanks for following.  I will return in a few days! 

So it has been a few weeks and I have not even gone back to my chalkpainting project.  I am so afraid of being found out by a professional grade chalk painter that my efforts were less than stellar and that I may have ruined my piece. You see, I am not ready to sand down the finish on the portion of the cabinet that crackled.  So I tried painting it with shellac and repainting in an inconspicuous place and I am not sure it looks good painted matte white.  I will never be able to get that chalk paint finish that I was seeking.  Oh well!

So, onward and upward to just painting the whole thing with plain white latex, replacing the knobs and calling it a day. I find that I just do not have the energy to re-do this whole project right now.  Here I was thinking this endeavor would be fast and easy, but it is not, especially when I figure in all the things I would rather do on the weekend or at the end of a long day.

I will try this paint method on another piece that is smaller on another day in the future.  Take care and see you back here next time.

Beautiful Tablescapes using Cakeplates...and other Surprises

A beautiful dessert table scape cannot be underestimated.  During the recent Christmas holiday I was able to attend a number of holiday events and enjoy  the beautiful table displays.  People were so creative in their presentation.  I noticed that the elements utilized in the displays were elements that you or I would not normally consider in preparing a presentation. So I decided to share this blog entry which will show and discuss creating a beautiful table scape for any occasion that will add that little extra something for the guests who will be partaking of the tasty delights at your event.

I am a collector of fine china as you probably already know.  I kind of over indulged in the plates and tea cups and the many beautiful china patterns and serving ware that accompanies my many sets of vintage Noritake and Homer Laughlin china.  Recently I acquired a lovely domed cake plate created by Martha Stewart.  It was a raffle prize and I absolutely love it. It was one that I had seen before in the department store one of many that Martha Stewart created as part of her line of cakeplates and serve ware.  Her stuff is always beautiful.  But this particular line of cakeplates is one that I have been eyeing for some time and actually acquiring one through a prize raffle was exciting for me because her product line is pretty pricey.
A few years back people began to take a liking to the "shabby chic" style.  It consists mainly of light pastel colors, repurposed fancy furniture treated in a whitewash with a glaze overlay.  The furniture of this style is attractive all by itself but then designers began to add place settings and serve ware to the mix.  I think that is when the Martha Stewart line began to interest me.  Other manufacturers grabbed hold and now you can find a variety of beautiful white and glass shabby chic inspired cakeplates and accessories.  See the picture of the cakeplate I have?  It is a treasure to me.


 

I love the crisp white color, detail and

the glass bird knob on the dome of this Martha

Stewart cake plate.  I own now  this one.

You could virtually place a half of a bologna sandwich on this cake plate and it would look like a piece of art!  And wouldn't that make the person who was going to eat that sandwich just a little more enthusiastic about it?

Cakeplates and other serveware can be used to create dessert table displays as part of the overall decor for any party situation.  I admired the following as I researched for this blog entry.  I just have to share these!  I hope you are inspired to try to recreate these in your own home for your own occasion. In the first picture you see an old table set very attractively using sterling silver flatware, tin and wood elements and the color scheme of the treats is all sort of pastels.  Pretty but all functional.  Several different heights are created creating a great roam for the eye of  admirers.   This treats table would be suitable for a wedding or baby shower or even the wedding itself.

 

Rustic but with sophistication

I love the way this enhances the cupcakes

Circular tree slices as trays! How original!

The second photo to the right demonstrates beautifully the use of a picture frame and a color theme of pinks highlighting the cupcakes being served.  I looked at this and a sweet sixteen birthday party came to mind. See the way the creator of this lovely setting used candle holders as the "legs" between glass or acrylic shelving to heighten everything?  Adding dimension to a tablescape is so important.  Don't get stuck in everything being flat.  Have fun!

The bottom picture depicts another cupcake treat event.  I love the use of the round wood trays.  The color scheme is acceptable to use for both genders.  I like the way the eye has a center to focus on and then all the different trays that are around it.  What a great trip for the eye.  And again, I cannot over emphasize how creatively the designer elevated several of the trays to give the display more depth which creates more interest for the viewer. 


This is the very point of serveware.  While eating food is an everyday event sometimes making it a special event is the very thing that we need to do to keep the people we are cooking for engaged and excited to partake of the feast that would otherwise seem pretty ordinary.

Recently I have been setting up tablescapes in other places using serving ware.  Sometimes a pretty plate can be used in a bedroom to display jewelry or small photographs in pretty frames, or even display jewelry.  Take a look at the photo below.

 I have such a tray set up in my master bath.  I have a milk glass tray

I love love love this idea!  Just change out the size to

fit the space. Adding a beautiful vintage watch would make

this suitable for a men's room.

 

 

and on it I have placed three small crystal perfume bottles, a
pretty sterling silver necklace and a pearl necklace.  I also have a Swarovski element lipstick case on it.  It enhances the decor
of the bathroom and it actually makes me enjoy using the room and showing off my personality.

You can make your own cakeplate if you do not have exactly what you want.  If you have a candlestick or pretty jar that you are not using for anything you can cement glue it to the bottom of any vintage plate or tray and create a cake plate that way.  Here are some lovely examples of what you can make with a bit of glue, some charming china and a little bit of imagination.

Notice how old wooden candlesticks were put
to good use..and painted to create a whimsical as well
as colorful freeform cakeplate/dessert display.

Even mismatched odd candlesticks, some I recognize
as from the dollar store with a mismatched pretty china
plate are put to good use here.

The person who created these cake plates
even decorated otherwise plain and lifeless
drinking glasses to come up with these retro
style cake plates.

One thing you can say for sure is this:  There is no limit to your imagination in designing the perfect table scape using some very interesting elements.  Another idea you may want to consider is having friends and family of a mother to be put a few of these cakeplates together before the planned baby shower and use them as the door prizes or takeaways at the event.  I do not know anyone who couldn't use a unique and homemade designed serving piece at some other occasion in their life.  And if you are fortunate to have some of the elements around the house taking up much needed cupboard space this is the perfect way to use them.

Now if you are into cakeplates and serveware that is store bought there are many lovely options at any high end department or home store from where you can find the one that fits your needs and occasion.  And who is to say that if you thought they needed more embellishment you couldn't go crazy with it?  Take a look at the examples below and be inspired.



I found these on Amazon but if you go into
any fancy bakery they may be found there too.
I love the Shabby Chic style of these.



How could you not have this on your dessert table
at the next church luncheon or Women's Auxiliary
meeting?  Also perfect for any bridal or baby
shower!  So much more beautiful with a lovely decorated
cake or dessert underneath.

If you like the look of old world sterling silver
in your tablescape this one fits the bill. The mirrored
top throws light and will add another cool element
to your particular fancy occasion.



If you were fortunate enough to get a few of these
out of Grandma's things before they went off to
be donated then lucky you!  Nothing can take the
place of a vintage hand painted beauty to make
your tablescape the envy of all of your guests.


 



When you begin to decide what you will be serving at your next event and are deciding on color scheme and theme don't forget to plan on using a nice tablecloth or runner beneath the platters and serving trays and cake plates you use.  Here are a couple of ways to highlight your food table using color from napkins, tablecloths and other serving ware that will make your table glow.

Time to pull out your pretty china.  The Charger plate is a nice touch and
accents the theme or feeling you are trying to emulate at the brunch or fancy
family affair.  Too many glasses you say?  Of course not!  Use everything
you have.  Put those lovely wedding gifts to proper use!

I like the color combination of the flowers, light greens and pinks.  No, napkins
and napkin rings did not go out of style.  And notice the hand painted glassware?
Here is another way to personalize your presentations..show off your artsy
side!

Perfect for a little girl's birthday party. Can you imagine the look on your
children's mother's faces when they see this?  Notice the placemats
provide the inspiration for the colorful and whimsical presentation. 

Don't be afraid to pull your grandma's silver out for your next occasion. Don't
worry about appearing to be pretentious.  Having a beautiful setting adds
to the mood and enhances the guest's demeanor at an afternoon tea
or party.

This lace table runner needs to get out and breathe once
in a while so don't hold back.  Once you lay this down,
and here on a more primitive table shows your designer
instinct and will garner lots of attention!


 

I could add more here but will stop for now.  I may add more ideas later so come back from time to time and check.  If you have any comments to add please do!  I love to get pictures and feedback ...share your ideas with me. 
Have a wonderful day!

For information and a way to purchase the lovely things you will need to produce a glorious table scape, go to http://libertytabletop.com/2015/08/formal-dining-etiquette-by-liberty-tabletop/. 

Redecorating a Tiny Townhouse Kitchen in the Shabby Chic Style

As you know I moved into a new townhouse a few months back. I have loved my new location and my space because it is more space than I had when I began writing this blog.   I said goodbye to one bedroom, one bath and said hello to two bedrooms two baths.  Everything is great, I love the location and am enjoying the extra room. 
With that great change in my life I decided to purge a lot of the stuff I brought with me to my new address and came across a wonderful facebook page specially created to buy/sell/trade shabby chic and country french items.  On that page I sold a bunch of stuff in just a couple of weeks things that had been advertised on Craigslist, eBay and a couple of other sites for eons.  The women I have been meeting that purchased my stuff are all into the shabby chic style as most of the things they were buying  were paint projects for them.  They were posting photos of beautiful furniture pieces and home made decorative accessories that they themselves were selling.  In just a few days of reading the daily posts on that page I was hooked to this site and became part of a very stylish family and  was inspired to change the color and style scheme in my own little galley kitchen.

Now the style of my living area and dining area is something I cannot do much about right now. But the kitchen is the room  that is more flexible and smaller so I thought wouldn't be too big of an expense and take very little effort. On this blog I will share photographs of the way it looks now and as I move along in my quest to get the space infused with the colors, finishes and style I want now I will let you know how I made each change, list the resources I utilized to get the components I needed to make the change and also comment on what I was thinking, feeling and trying to express in this room along the way. 

Day one - Photos and commentary of the way my kitchen looks now.  Ugh!  Just a recopy of the kitchen I had in the last place I lived. Definitely time for  a re-do!

This is not a terribly ugly kitchen by any means. But  it is just so ....small.  And the cupboards are old thick fiberboard, the doors are ill fitting and they have tons of layers paint on them. I cannot really do anything about the cupboards unless I paint and then I have to change it back.  I plan on getting some kind of clearance from the management about my limitations. Maybe it would be okay with them to get a square routered out of the door just to add some depth and design. Still checking on that one!

The handles on the cupboards are just as average as the rest of the space I evaluated.

This is the right side of the galley kitchen. The
color scheme is the same all the way around.
It looked dark to me and was ready for change.

 



This is the right side of the kitchen. I do like the counter top..
it mimics granite and is cream and black in color.

While I was grateful for the black and white speckled "go with everything" Formica I saw that this kitchen looked too much like the one I moved away from in my last apartment.  Good thing that the cupboards were white and the walls were white also.  A perfect place to start changing over to the more feminine flair of a shabby chic kitchen re-do.

I began to evaluate what I could re-use in the way of accessories to decorate the space in the new scheme. I knew I could re-use the framed "kitchen prayer" hanging under the metal tray on the wall. I could even use the tray itself, but it is too big for the wall and affects the amount of space I have to work with in adding new accessories. I actually ended up selling the tray even as pretty as it was with the roses and black backdrop.














Take a look at the vignette, below,  from which I am drawing my inspiration.  I like the pink and the sage green and I like the flowery fabric. I like the off-white accessories and the gold tiny wooden picture frames.  A nice start?  I think so!

Take a look at  the footed dessert cups.  They are from the Sharon "Cabbage Rose" pattern. I collect

Fostoria etched crystal and found these ...being in pink I began collecting them

to accessorize with my pink china.  The  edge of the white china in the photo

is pieces from my other set of china that I love which is Pope Gosser "Rosepointe".

Look it up...you will love that pattern too. It lends itself well to the shabby chic

scheme I am trying to achieve in this kitchen project.

I love my Homer Laughlin "Marilyn" pink china. It has all the markings of a shabby chic
china set...flowers, delicate gold trim, and in pink!  How lucky was I to find this set
in Florida for $30 for service for 8, and have a relative pick it up for me and bring it
back to me in Michigan for just the gas to get to the seller's house.  Again, you can see
my Pope Gosser Rosepoint coffeepot which is very shabby chic.

I took all of the beautiful things I have collected over the years in the color scheme for my someday shabby chic kitchen project and put them together.  This way I could get a fix on what to add and what to take away.  Everything in this photo is an inspiration to me.  They are the colors I love.  And, too, notice the classic china and accessories...everything from the coffee pot to the tea cup and the wall art down to the little cast iron "chick" spoke to me.  The beautiful fabric you see, a thrift store find for pennies,  actually made me think about using this kitchen as the first place I would put all of these things together.  This is the way to begin any decorating project with a flavor that is specialized and designed to incorporate any of the things you collect that you love.  This vignette helped me to get started.

So I looked at the kitchen, careful to evaluate each corner.  I had a nice backdrop to begin with what with the white cabinets, the black and white speckled Formica counter tops and the cozy size.  If I could have changed anything else in the space I would have raised the ceiling a few feet and gotten rid of the dishwasher which I think was a huge waste of space since I never use it.  I would have also replaced the appliances with a french door refrigerator and a new gas stove. But I couldn't so I evaluated other ways to inject the style I wanted into the very boring space.

The light fixture change out was a huge no no...I could see that in the past there was a repair to the ceiling there. But I could at least change out the globe.  I saw that the cupboards were old and the doors were makeshift and not fitting right but they at least closed off what was inside them.  I saw the knobs were unattractive, the floor was boring linoleum which also could not be changed..and I saw that the backsplash was the same colorless white at the entire space.  So, I began looking for things to do to dress it all up. Here are some of the elements I incorporated to make the changes to the space.

I love the intricate delicate flowery detail
on this medallion. I also changed out the
globe with a $7.97 one I found at Lowe's.

I went to eBay to look for a ceiling medallion to use in the kitchen. However I saw that I did not want to mess with electrical work of any kind. This is an apartment dwelling after all and I also saw the repairs done around the light fixture in the past.  I came upon a medallion with no middle..meaning it could be mounted around the light fixture adhered to the ceiling with no electrical work involved at all.  With a little bit of liquid nails I was able to place the perfectly sized ring with the pretty detail and the fix was in!  The ring  only cost $10 by the time I was finished with shipping.  What a great way to add some charm to a boring ceiling for little or no cost and no messy electrical work involved.
I spotted a cheap lamp kit at Lowe's and bought it for the globe itself which is clear glass but looks like crystal and lended itself nicely to the lamp base which is white, so no electrical work involved.  The finished product..well pictures to follow so you can see the entire complete picture. I think it turned out beautiful.



 I saw this clock at Lowe's and thought the colors were perfect.  I did need to have a clock. This one works with my theme and fit perfectly over the sink.  The cost was minimal...I believe it was $9.99.

The pink shade turned out to coordinate
perfectly with the theme. I also ended up
purchasing a lovely sage green jar also
which you can see in the space also.

 Lowe's provides for these sample size jars of paint.  I chose to paint the boring white backsplash with a dash of pink to set off one of the main colors in my vignette.  For about the cost of a bag of chips I was able to paint the backsplash both behind the sink and behind the stove too.  I also used the paint to paint a shelf and a picture frame to decorate the space.  I have over half of the jar left.  I used sponge tipped paint brushes so clean up was easy...they were so inexpensive I just threw them away so I did not have to mess with cleaning the brushes when I was done. 

I purchased the pink crystal knobs
from eBay for $15 for a set
of eight.  I have not changed out
the handle knobs on the doors yet but
intend to do so.

I went on eBay to look for feet for my cabinets...an easy way to dress up otherwise lifeless and boring cabinetry.  The feet I found cost almost $15 per foot on every site I was directed to.  And...they would have had to be painted by me which I was not ready to do.  I remembered that many curtain rods have pretty finials that can sometimes be purchased to screw into the wall directly as they are independent of actual rods.  It occurred to me that this would be the answer to my dilemma of getting fee added to my cabinets.  So, again, at Lowe's I was able to find these curtain finials that were being discontinues.  Usually retailing for $22 dollars a pair, I found these white fancy ones on sale/clearance for only $5.13 a pair!  I quickly scooped up three sets of two, which provided four "feet" for my sink cabinets and one set for the set of cabinets between the stove and refrigerator.  I made them fit the space by using shims.    I think they add a custom look to the kitchen and for minimal investment. 





I could not change the floor but you can see the corner of the rug I purchased in a lovely green shade to serve as a runner down the length of the kitchen space.  It covers the floor and stops the eye from dwelling on it.  I thought of a brocade rug of some kind but have not found one.  Important:  use a rubber mat under any rug you place on a linoleum floor..otherwise it will slide around. 

So now I have arrived at near completion of the kitchen re-do:

I accessorized for the purpose of this photo with my
beloved china and my silver plate flatware and
jacquard napkins.  The domed butter dish, a recent
purchase at a thrift store is useful and used every day
but it is an attractive useful object in this space.

The pink painted backsplash was a perfect choice. I can easily repaint it if I need to.  It coordinats perfectly with my china and my "kitchen prayer" that you can see hanging there and all my other decorative accessories.

The domed cake plate, one of the Martha
Stewart items I have been wanting to get
for a long time inspired my love for
shabby chic style.  The gold framed picture
works well here..a carryover from the previous
kitchen design. And look, a silver plate butter
dish...pretty!



Notice the new clear glass globe in the ceiling which replaced
the plain white one.  A great look for pennies. The shelf on the
wall was burgundy in color...I repainted it and now I can
display the Sharon Cabbage Rose footed sherbert cups.

I made this skirt out of the fabric I found at the Salvation
Army...it was originally a shower curtain in a nice cotton duck
sort of fabric. Perfect for my use and perfectly sized. I cut it in
half and just one
straight stitch to create the rod pocket and I was done!  The
rod wasn't a big investment at $2.99.  Skirts were common
in kitchens of the past used to hide ugly piping. Here it hides the
cabinet door that didn't close and a few other sins as well.

I painted out the shelf and purchased a couple of frames
that matched one another in the sage green and pink paint
samples. What should I put in the frames though?  Thinking
of printing off a couple of quotes or recipes or floral photos.



A cute feature wall space to display a couple of the
matching luncheon plates to my prize china.  Another
intricate mini gold frames features a floral picture I
cut out of a magazine. I love intricate gold frames. This one
plays nicely off of the detail of the medallion ring
that I have on the ceiling around my light fixture.

 

I will be doing some other things to this space in the future.  I intend to dress up the plain cupboard doors. I just have to figure out how and maybe find some carpentry help with that part of the project.  I will add more pictures as I go along but I think you all get the idea.  Keeping everything in this small space neat plays a big part everyday in enjoying this kitchen.  I am forever washing dishes to keep the sink empty or shoving them in the dishwasher.  I have to shake out a rug now where before I was simply sweeping.  I love waking up in the morning and coming down for tea now, before it was just a utility room...now it is an enjoyable pretty space that perks up my mood upon entering. 

I hope this post inspires you.  Please share your comments and advice.  Have a beautiful day!

Decorating the Office With Style for the Holidays on a Strict Budget

Every year I decorate the space at my office for the staff holiday season.  More fun is to decorate the sterile employee lunch room that, between the pale linoleum on the floor and the florescent lights in the ceiling, is bright enough for a doctor to remove a kidney right there on any of the tables.  So I faced a challenge.  Over the last few years I have perfected my ability to complete the task for pennies on the dollar and have the end result rival a  fancy expensive ballroom.

I start with the color scheme.  Last year and the year prior I came up with the red and green colors.  So I purchased the supplies I needed in those colors focusing on the centerpieces and the room decorations.  It seemed like making centerpieces for this room would be so expensive.  There are ten round tables and then there are the room decorations that would be required to warm up the space. 

I used to be a professional gift wrapper. I started out at J.L. Hudson's, which is now Macy's.  I became adept at making beautiful fanciful packages wrapped for any occasion using wires ribbons, grosgrain and other types of ribbons adorned with "tie-ons" designed to create a package that no one would want to open.  By that I mean that the packages became so pretty to look at that pretty soon I found myself doing this to my own packages. It was about this time that  I observed that the  dollar stores had great pricing on pretty wired silks and sparkly ribbons in a variety of prints and widths.  Tie-on's that used to cost an arm and a leg at the craft store could now be found at the dollar store too. 

Putting my expertise to work I decided to make the centerpieces for our employee holiday party out of a wrapped present and the dollar store red faux silk runners.  All the wrapped packages are the same size box.  The wrapping paper was purchased from the dollar store too. In all the cost of the packages wrapped ran about 1.85 per box!  You can see the results here. 



The dollar store table runners combined with
the festively wrapped packages

Each individual package looked like a million
dollars but cost under $2 to create



Each package had a different tie on, as I purchased them as I could find them.  The big box craft stores were a bit pricey so I tried to use materials only from the cheaper resource.  The wire ribbon was fun to find and I found I had to visit several of the same store and clean them out of their wired ribbon to make sure I had all the same. Of course I could have used different on each package.  That's an option after all.

So next I was faced with how to warm up this big room space.  I think you can see what I have had to work with over the last two years.  This room is so plain, bright and lifeless. There is  no dimmer switch, no switch to even turn the lights down.  I could resort to flameless candles to create atmosphere but obviously that is not an option. The atmosphere is not festive to me at all as it was no matter how nice I decorate the tables and so I came up with a couple of ways to get past that.

I had our facilities manager remove one florescent wand from each of the ceiling light fixtures.  
Next, I decided to use the Christmas bulbs I purchased from Sam's Club for $29.99 per box and suspend them from the ceiling on fishing line.  Since the ceiling tiles are perfect for stick pin usage, that was the best way to hold the hanging bulbs in place. The final product looks like the bulbs are hanging in mid air and filled up the space nicely. 

Next, I created a chandelier of shorts from two different sizes of wreath.  The room size meant I would have to have a pretty large wreath and then a little smalled one for the second tier.  Now for this I did not  have to buy at a craft store because my budget was small. I had to be resourceful. I did have smaller ones to bring from home and I think I actually did end up purchasing the larger one from a thrift store.  I used the wire ribbon from the packages to bind them together and then added the same bulbs as the ones suspended from the ceiling to decorate the underside (the side everyone would see looking up) and then connected a very strong hanging wire to hang it from the ceiling.  Last year I added a string of lights and worked the extension cord through the ceiling down to the edge of the wall and then down to another extension cord into an outlet for extra ambiance.  You can see the results of the entire ceiling decorating project and I am certain you will agree that it turned out beautiful!   

My first attemtp at creating a "chandelier" holiday light fixture.
  And the bulbs appear to float in mid air.

The view from the front of the room Notice how the color
 scheme warms up the space.
 

The completed job took very little money.  Everyone seemed to be in awe of the final product. I know I can wow everyone again this year. I am changing the color scheme to bright white, silver, red and light blue. I will let you know how the changes work out. Photos to follow after the 19th of this month.  So I will be adding to this post.  for now...enjoy this short presentation. 

I work at an automotive supplier in the human resources/administrative area.  Over the years I have been the one to coordinate the corporate activities for the employees.  It is a fun job and I have enjoyed the oohs and aahha from the employees....especially when it comes to preparing for the holiday party.

I love to decorate my own place. So every year I have gladly decorated the lobby for the holiday and most importantly, the employee lounge where the holiday party is held each year.  So I devise a color scheme and get to work on creating a mood in a very otherwise sterile environment and centerpieces for each of the tables.



The view of the room from the doorway