Archive for the ‘Decorating’ Category

Looking for a simple way to add some oomph to an otherwise boring wall? Here’s a simple idea that you can customize to your style and need. It’s kinda like hand stenciling without the hassle of dealing with a stencil. It’s all freehand. I’m sure I saw it done somewhere or at least something that inspired me to try it.

This is my daughter’s room and she was looking for a nice teal/aqua color. But once painted, even though it was a pretty color, it was kinda blah and flat. I’m not into messing too much with detail stuff nowadays. I’ve painted full wall murals in the past, but those days are done for now.

Or at least until I have grandchildren of my own. If I can still see when they come along.

Anyway, like I said, I didn’t waste time with a stencil I just sketched some doodles on a piece of paper to see what style to go with, grabbed a small artist brush, a slightly lighter shade of the wall paint color and went at it.

It was a fairly quick process. And I can totally see it done with any pattern or design. Maybe leaves? Flowers? Or even a child’s stick drawing. Taupes with a sophisticated vine pattern for a more grown-up room would be nice. The tone on tone adds enough interest without getting too busy. These pictures are somewhat off on color and contrast, but it’s a very subtle difference in the paint color.

Again, all you’ll need is two slightly different shades of wall paint, and a good sturdy artist brush.

And of course, you. Or your artist friend that owes you one.

It’s fun. It’s quick. And it’s inexpensive. Let me know if you try it out. I’d love to hear what you come up with.

Do you have any wall techniques or paint applications to share?

I can’t tell you how many times in the past few weeks I’ve passed these grapefruit and other citrus and caught a whiff of their crisp, clean scent. It’s a happy smell, a quick lift in my day, a prelude to what spring will bring. If only I can enjoy it in other parts of our home.

But alas! I can! How many times during winter months do we put on a pot of mulling spices to fill our home with the warm fragrance? Why not in spring and summer too?

For the life of me, I don’t know why it takes me so long to sometimes observe the obvious. I’ll never know. So I began to build a citrus spring medley in a pot.

Potpourri is a word I’ve banned. Sorry all you potpourri lovers out there. It reminds me of dead looking stuff, covered in dust, usually with a musty smell. It just does.

Again I’ll call it a citrus spring medley in a pot, unless you have a better idea. I’m open to suggestions.

I feel kinda silly giving instructions for such a simple thing, but here I go.

For a fresh, clean scent I used grapefruit and lemon. Lime would’ve been nice too. Begin by adding a little water to a small saucepan – maybe 1/2-1″ deep.

Next, add strips of grapefruit and lemon peels, along with their zest. Then squeeze the juice from the citrus used into the pot.

For a refreshing all natural scent, simmer on the stove. It will reduce, so be sure to check water level often to avoid scorching.

Since it’s all natural, you can use the reduction in a glaze for a favorite dessert, in a sorbet base, to flavor water or tea or other culinary delights.

Do you have any simple tips to share that welcome spring into your home?

This weeks kicks off a new series called “Home is…” at Reluctant Entertainer. This weeks theme is “Home is a delicious scent in our home.” For more ideas about adding a delicious scent to your home, or to add your link to the list, visit Sandy at Reluctant Entertainer.

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Have you ever had a purchase just mess up your whole groove? Or throw off your feng shui or what I like to call “funky sway”?

Funky sway is easier to spell and speaks to me people, it just does.

Anyway, whatever you want to call it, this messed mine up: a brown sectional sofa.

The low down? It was purchased as a solution for more seating in the living/keeping room off our kitchen. The plan was to purchase the most seating (for the least $) without it feeling stuffy and cramped.

It’s an odd space because while the fireplace is centered in the room, one side has a walkway/traffic path that throws things off a bit and the only other wall has a triple window and one of the few floor vents in the entire space. Personally, I like symmetry and balance, and don’t like the idea of putting furniture in front of windows, but I know I’ll have to bend on one or both of these things.

Anyway back to the brown sofa. In December we began the hunt. We headed to my favorite upholstered furniture manufacturer, Mitchell Gold, who also happens to have an outlet (with real deals to be found) not too far away, in Hickory, NC. Mitchell Gold has been a favorite of mine for many years because of their clean lines, classic color/fabric palette and slipcovered selections.

I like slipcovers. With children and dogs, slipcovers are some of my best friends.

The thing about the outlet is you never know what they’ll have in store. To make a long story a tad bit shorter, we purchased a chair (which if you could love furniture, I would)…

And the sectional.

Not that I have anything against sectionals, but I didn’t leave home with any intention of buying a sectional. It was an emotional purchase enhanced by fatigue.

Soon after arriving home and trying every combination with no success, the anxiety began to set in.

Now let me explain two things about myself:

One, I’m the type that will go long periods of time with bare walls or, say, no dining room chairs (for 3 years!), waiting for the perfect piece. Notice the table stacked with magazines. We’ve been pouring over them looking for inspiration. They taunt me with their beautiful rooms.

And number two, I’m a neutral kind of a person. I so enjoy visiting many of my friend’s homes who have everything so nicely coordinated with fabulous color combinations, but whenever I’ve tried to broaden my decorating scheme it just never feels right. It’s not me. So I’m always drawn to neutral bases (walls and big furniture pieces) and add small amounts of color here and there.

And while I consider chocolate brown to be a neutral, the sectional is dark and modern and not slip covered. Plus the seat height was off – too high. It felt like a big black brown hole in my space, totally wrecking my funky sway.

We quickly moved the chaise section to my husband’s office, and tried to make do with the remaining love seat. I actually avoided sitting on it and averted my eyes when passing by the dang thing.

Furniture purchases like this one are not a regular thing around our home. To me it’s a big purchase. So you can imagine how wretched I felt when I finally told Randy that I hated it and the remaining love seat section had to go in his office as well. Last week we finally moved what remained of the brown hole to his office. He now has the nicest upholstered piece we own in his office.

I couldn’t be more happy for him.

And guess what? Even though what remains in the living room doesn’t match, I can already feel my funky sway coming back. Just a little.

But now we’re back to square one.

Here’s the deal, the room connects to our kitchen and is adjacent to our dining area which creates traffic paths that flow on all sides of the designated living room space except the fireplace and window walls.

We have a neutral slipcovered sofa (that I can purchase a new slipcover – custom made for that sofa), the new neutral chair (also slipcovered), and a white chair (yes, slipcovered) that has been borrowed from our bedroom for the time being.

Have you noticed the neutral? Neutral sofa, neutral chairs, neutral walls, neutral drapes.

And the neutrals? All different, none matching. And the furniture styles? All different too. What was I thinking?

Apparently I wasn’t.

The thing is, after being so disenchanted with the sectional purchase, I’m kinda okay with just leaving everything like it is for a while. What I need to do now is decide on a few options and just casually keep my eyes peeled.

Here’s what I’m thinking and I’d love your input.

A) I could keep this configuration, replacing the white chair with a chair and matching ottoman in a neutral small pattern or texture or color? What color I don’t know. I like blue.

B) Purchase 2 matching chairs to be placed side by side (or angled) in front of the window with a small table in between (pretend these are matching chairs – for placement only), leaving the sofa where it is, maybe getting a new slipcover for it, and keeping the boxy neutral chair to the left of the fireplace. Note: the black armoire will eventually be removed and replaced with built-ins.

C) Start new with 4 matching chairs angled in with a large round ottoman in the center.

D) A love seat where the sofa is, 2 matching chairs in front of the window, the boxy neutral chair to left of fireplace.

E) Remove all furniture, buy a bunch of floor pillows and call it day.

Help. Please?

Any suggestions? Anything?

Are you by chance Candace Olson? Or know her personally? Can you you tell her I need her to help me get my funky sway back?

I need it back.

Can’t wait to get your input. A big thanks ahead of time y’all!