TV Components

So many of my clients want vintage credenzas to use as TV consoles. But we keep running into the same issue - they want to keep the component boxes hidden, but they also want to be able to use their remotes. And they don't want to spend more than the cost of the TV to get a hidden system installed.

Then today I saw this image again from the home of the owner of See Jane Work. Check out the doors to her armoire...

via

It looks like radiator grill! Wouldn't it be so easy to just add a pretty grate to the doors of a vintage armoire or credenza? And then just paint the grill the same color as the rest of the piece? The remote still works, but I don't have to look at my cable box! Win-win.

I also like this pierced MDF decorative screen, probably even better than the radiator grill idea. Have you seen any products like this?

Sofa Upholstery

I'm a big fan of buying the best quality sofa you can afford in a neutral color. Pillows can be the pop of color and pattern and can also be easily changed.

Both my mom and I are in the market for fabrics to reupholster our sofas and, while I think the neutral sofa idea is pretty sound advice, I am finding myself sort of drawn to colorful or large-scale prints. I'll probably still go with a kid-friendly linen-look fabric in a solid color (chocolate, navy or gray most likely), but I like looking at these pictures and dreaming of being a little more adventurous in the meantime.

elle decor


Cottage Living

Martha Stewart Living


Kristen Buckingham


Timothy Wealon

via coco kelley

domino

Annie Schlecter

Mary McDonald

domino

domino (Amanda Peet)

The Living Room Curtains are Done.

I told you...dramatic, right?

I'm liking them - I wanted drama.

Plus, every time I walk into the room now I say "BAM!!" to myself while doing a little kick. A positive development, I think.

Make an Ottoman From a Coffee Table, Part II

It wasn't all that long ago that I made a tufted ottoman from a $25 Craigslist coffee table.


I never loved the velvet (it was just something I had already) and I couldn't manage to get the tufts as deep as I wanted and that always bugged me.


So reupholstering the coffee-table-turned-ottoman was high on the priority list after moving.


I ended up bagging the tufting idea, and adding a few more layers of batting and foam for a more rounded effect. Another big change was I cut the legs down a few inches. I feel like this is a much more visually pleasing height.


I used a little of my vintage grosgrain ribbon to cover up the staples. I think these new corners turned out so much better!


What do you think of the results? I really happy with the colors of the new fabric with my sofa and pillows. And I'm so excited to show you guys the rest of the room. Most of the art went up today and the curtains will be finished later this week (wait 'til you see those - holy DRAMA!).
{P.S. the blue linen pillows are available at Crate&Barrel right now, in case some of you fellow peacock blue lovers are interested.}

Bridging the Gap with Fabric

I knew that I wanted to redo our living room after moving, but we are on a really tight budget for the next year. I decided to restrict my decorating budget to the amount we got from our moving/yard sale and then anything that I could sell on Craigslist or eBay. Not surprisingly, I don't have enough to buy a new sofa or even to slipcover my blue Craigslist wing chairs liked I had hoped to (though that is the eventual goal). So my new goal was to find some fabric that tied in all of the colors I already have and some of the colors I want to have in room and to reupholster my coffee-table-turned-ottoman with the new fabric.

Shopping for a specific fabric is infinitely easier if you have another fabric swatch to reference. My favorite trick is to snip off the color windows from the selvedge, especially if the print is very colorful and large. Here are the color windows from a bold fabric I'm using in another project (a kids room):


Often though, you won't have a fabric swatch of your upholstery. Before I had paint decks, I would take pictures of the upholstery I needed to match and then go to the hardware store to pick up paint chips that match the colors in the fabric. It is so helpful when you are looking for a particular combination of colors!

Like I mentioned, my citrus green Lee Industries sofa will be staying.


As will my blue Craigslist chairs (that were originally purchased with the thought of getting them slipcovered).


I've been so obsessed with peacock blue lately. This image (that I've blogged about before) has really stuck with me. I was hoping I could find a way to connect the blue in my chairs with a more teal color.


And here are some of the interiors with similar bold colors that I knew I would be working with: green, blue, orange, black and white.

Celerie Kemble Interiors

MMR Interiors

Design by Miles Redd

I knew that I wanted a floral or something with a bright pattern for reupholstering my ottoman. I considered a vintage or antique suzani at one point, but that was a bit of a risk, and could get a little too pricey for my budget.

This Donghia fabric was in the running, but ended up getting scratched because of the price per yard:


I decided to head out to Zimman's fabric store in Boston and my heart skipped a beat when I saw this crewel fabric:


Sofa green? Check.

Wing chair blue? Check.

Peacock blue? Double check!!

Even a little coral for good measure. And all in a big, bold embroidered pattern with lots of black, white and gray.

This fabric (on the roll) was still on the pricier side - $49.99 per yard. Lucky for me, the people at Zimman's are customer service geniuses and told me that they had about 1.5 yards in the remnant section, the exact yardage I needed for my ottoman. I ended up paying about $30 for the remnant.


I reupholstered my ottoman over the weekend and I think I'm in love. Come back tomorrow morning for the pictures. And stayed tuned for more progress in my budget living room!