We have been working on a total house transformation! Specifically, we decided to 1) make our TV room a sitting room, 2) make our dining room the TV room, 3) make our formal living room the dining room, 4) sell our china cabinet and two rugs (Email me for info), 5) decorate it all. Whew! Did you follow that? My head is spinning but I LOVE IT! So, excuse my post today as it will be rather photo intensive (and focused on the DR/TV switch). FUN!

Here is the “before” shot of our DR (WHY is the picture so small? I don’t know. Sorry. I’ll try to take a better one and post again tomorrow!):

We decided (in conjunction with a friend/genius interior designer, Brandeis Short of Ann Brandeis Interiors) to make the wall with the china cabinet the station for the TV. After looking at lots of terrible “media center” choices, the lightening bolt struck…Ikea sells Malms! Malms are wonderful for creating a TV console!! I tackled the project in spite of the Malm’s CLEAR assembly instructions:

Now, if you are a genius like I am, this is no big deal. CLEARLY, the box at the top of the instructions is telling you, “You will be SAD and NOT accomplish anything if you try this alone. However, if you find a similarly shaped man with a pencil behind his ear (indicating his genius-like qualities), you will be happy and the Malm will be successfully assembled. Because, don’t you know, this IS rocket science, you stupid idiot.” Hey, Ikea, I did this by myself. In your FACE!

I put together two three-drawer Malm dressers and one six-drawer dresser. This is what it looked like when I finished it (no man with a pencil behind his ear could’ve done THIS!):

(“WHOA!”) Exactly.

Step 2 was to stencil the entire room. We chose the Zamira stencil from Cutting Edge Stencils on Etsy. WHY? Because it’s f’ing amazing. That’s why. I post my style interests like this stencil and other “covets” on my Pinterest Boards. Me heart Pinterest! Have you been there yet? GO NOW. Follow me on Pinterest by clicking HERE.

Luckily for me, the color scheme in this example was exactly what I wanted in the DR. And, our walls were already painted my go-to color from Benjamin Moore, Revere Pewter. It truly works for everything. Do it.

Here is the beginning of the project (more on the actual stencil work later…it is NOT easy but NOT hard…um….):

And, here is the picture a lot of you “oohed and ahhhed” at when I posted it on FB (the completed wall):

It is not finished, by any means, but here is the situation with my pretty new glass lamps from Pottery Barn:

I KNOW! I am really excited about it!! Oh, you’re talking about the wall? I was talking about watching Regis and Kelly. I never watch TV much less morning talk shows. I was really pumped to be painting and listing to that “k-razy” pair. Ha!

Now, why is the Malm so boring, you ask? Because in this picture it doesn’t show the GENIUS O’verlays I have since applied. WAIT FOR IT. I will post again about applying the O’verlays. I have opinions so watch out! Until then, happy, happy day to all of you!

Adrianne

I digress but I must tell you a little about my trip before moving on to the latest discovery. My trip started off just right with finding this beauty in line with me at the airport (I traveled on St. Patrick’s Day). Yes, he let me take a picture of his shirt…awkward? Maybe. Worth it? Absolutely. I present to you:

Side note: We have a really good friend, Paddy, in Virginia. Yuk, yuk!

When I arrived in New Orleans, I realized the shirt was only the beginning of the fun. On a walk through Audubon Park (memories!!!) we witnessed this strategically placed sign about Abraham Lincoln (I was quite relieved to not have to cut the grass in that particular area.):

Oh how I miss the land of filming random (and not-so-random) movies! Who will you see today??? It’s anyone’s guess…it could be the “bubble girl” or “Guy dressed like Lucifer” on the way to class or…eh hem…Ryan Reynolds! Yeeeee!!!

And, where else would you open the fridge and find the coldest, most amazing black and gold beer? GEAUX SAINTS! I had one. It was delicious.

ANYway…back to topic…when I was there, we walked down Magazine to see the sights in gorgeous weather. First, we saw this sign…anyone have a theory on this one? I am stumped:

Imagine confused looks on our faces…

Now imagine us “stumbling” (on purpose) in to Hazelnut, one of my FAVORITE shops on Magazine Street. I have talked about the gorgeousness of this store before…oh, how I covet every inch and every item!

SCENE: 70 degrees and sunny, we walk down Magazine and are sucked into Hazelnut (shocking, I know!) to view the latest home decor candy. TRUE CANDY!

Me: I am going to paint the back of my shelves a saturated navy. Wouldn’t an all white ceramic decor be lovely to make it really pop?

Friend: Doi.

Me: What do they have here to fit the bill?

Friend: Um…everything.

Me: True. Let me see here….(My jaw drops. Everything goes dark as all of a sudden a glowing, angelic light comes from one piece of true gloriousness in the store…) LOOK. AT. THAT. ARTICHOKE.

Friend: Simply divine!

Me: I. MUST. HAVE. THE. ARTI. (And, I repeat this at an alarming rate (thankfully but shockingly sans twitch) all the way home to Virginia.)

I should have bought it!!! I should have bought it!!! Oh, how mad at myself was I!!! A few weeks later, however, who should happen to grace my threshold? YES! IT IS TRUE! A box with goodies and…be still my heart…a wrapped box from Hazelnut. My friend sent me the glorious artichoke!! I cannot tell you how this lifted my day and made me whole (wholly artichoke, that is). I cannot thank her enough!!! What a delightful treat! Here is my Princess Artichoke in all her splendor:

I am now obsessed with finding her clone in all different sizes! I dream of an entire shelf lined with these beauties. See one somewhere? Email me immediately!

I’ll continue to post artichoke findings when they are found!

What’s your new obsession? Oh, and, if anyone can enlighten me (what the heck are “carpool clothes”) I would appreciate your feedback!

Adrianne

Above is the view from the kitchen to the den area. Wow: brightly colored plastic you-know-what and laundry on the chair. Sorry!

Ugh! Could this be more boring? I will say, however, that this is the most comfy chair in the Universe…besides my glider in Anna’s room. BUT, that is no excuse. OUT with it and IN with two pretty chairs (with, hopefully, equivalent comfy-ness)!

Note bolsters…note need of major refresh! (And some gorgeous roman shades would do nicely!)

I know, it’s not terrible. Oh wait, yes it is! I really like the rug, actually, but it does not go with what I want to do. It is FOR SALE. (See pictures below.) If anyone is interested, please let me know. It’s a one-year-old, 6×9 sumac, in stellar condition.  Not sure what I’m asking…make an offer! See anything else you like in there? Well, I’m open to it. Email me!

We have a lot of light in this room (and the whole house). I feel a coastal vibe when I walk in. I’m thinking of painting the walls a “moody blue” like Benjamin Moore’s Gentleman’s Gray:

Don’t you think that will pop nicely with our white wainscoting?

Then, I plan on recovering the nook bolsters in Serena & Lily’s Bark Diamond fabric:

I am 100% inspired by the make-over shown on the Serena & Lily website:

Errr…small picture. Frustrating! Here’s the LINK.

1. LOVE the basket pendant light. It’s a must to replace the stainless that hangs there now.

Oh! Is that a similar “Gentleman’s Gray” color I see in the background?

Okay, so I got a LOT of inspiration from the newest S&L release!

2. I have always loved the idea of lots of pillows. It’s also a must for the nook and white sofa, don’t you think?

3. Matte laminate. Yes, I said LAMINATE. I plan on laminating fabric for a more kid-friendly use. The current nook bolsters are totally and embarrassingly destroyed by Davis’ constant grinding of blueberries, spag sauce, yogurt, you-name-it-anything-that-stains into it. Yuk!

I’ll throw in a seagrass rug and some rockin’ pillows and chairs to pull it all together. My requirements: coastal feel, kid friendly function. That = matte laminate fabric…sounds weird but trust me…it’s amazing! Stay tuned for updates!

Adrianne

Yep. That’s Swiss Chard. My baby is as long as Swiss Chard. Does anyone else thing this is RANDOM?!

Back to the topic at hand…cool kid’s furniture:

Yesterday I was waiting in the doctor’s office…and waiting…and waiting. At least I was lucky enough to pick up the latest Elle Decor Mag. I was thrilled to see a reference to some of the chicest and simplest kids furniture. Last night I was able to review the pieces to ensure the chicness (because, naturally, Elle Decor asked my opinion!). Here are my favorites from their pics. It’s making me rethink Davis’ room completely…and covet a bench from Serena and Lily! There were even some standard Pottery Barn Kids pieces in there…see, don’t shake them off just because they are a “go to.”

This sofa is from Jonathan Adler…one of my true favorites! I love the mod design.

I can see curling up for a few Curious George stories on this beaut!

This chair is so sweet and elegant…I can see it in several different rooms in our house. I think it’s begging for navy blue and white…to sit effortlessly on this rug from John Robshaw (YES, I am thinking about this combo for our den area!):

Oh, and if that combo is going in a nursery, consider this sconce for more Jonathan Adler influence:

Do we NEED to discuss how awesome this bedside table is for a boy’s room?

Thank you, Elle Decor, for opening my eyes to Restoration Hardware!

I have been thinking of orange and white ALL week long and trying to figure out how to “stage” rooms for an orange and white blog post. Unfortunately, I do not have a closet of items in orange and white to throw a room together for you. But, if you have vision, think about this crisp desk with the blue and white featured above.

I think this imaginary room is coming together quite nicely, don’t you?

Last but certainly NOT least…my coveted bench. It’s a toy chest, you know. Think of the hidden possibilities! (And, a soft blue throw casually yet strategically placed diagonally on top of it.)

I heart Serena and Lily!

(See that cool blue in the middle? Perfect.)

All of a sudden, I am jonesing to decorate another nursery! NO, that does not mean a third kid. Call me if you want me on the job…craving the project!

Until tomorrow….

Adrianne

]]> http://www.lambchopdesigns.com/general-decor/cool-kids-furniture/feed/ 0 http://www.lambchopdesigns.com/kids-rooms/light-success/ http://www.lambchopdesigns.com/kids-rooms/light-success/#comments Mon, 27 Sep 2010 11:00:35 +0000 adrianne http://www.lambchopdesigns.com/?p=4619 Remember I was dying for this light for the nursery and didn’t know where to find it?

Picture from Serena and Lily

(See the white fluff on the left of the crib. Yes, that is a light!)

Well, thanks to Jessie at The Gimlet Eye, I found it at Unica Home! And, it wasn’t totally “designer” unaffordable. Score! So, I ordered it….in July. Then, I found out it was back-ordered for five weeks. Five weeks passed and it was still back-ordered for an “indeterminable amount of time” per their customer service. That annoyed me, to be honest. So, another five weeks later…i.e. Friday…I decided to CAN the order. Bummer! But, then, on Saturday, a FedEx van showed up at my house. Low and behold it was my coveted light!! I went to work right away.

Here is the beginning of the project…hanging the light fixture. Yes, I had to figure out how to run the wire along the ceiling and down the wall to the outlet. Ideally, it would be wired through the ceiling but I just am not motivated to have an electrician rip up the nursery ceiling a month before I’m due!

Here is the one of the “fluff” panels. I ordered three. Consider yourself warned if you order this light: it is very small and needs at least three panels attached. I am glad I kept the ceiling fan and used this as an alternative light above the glider. I don’t think it would’ve been big enough for the main light fixture in the room.

When you take this out of the packaging, it’s a little tricky because it’s metal and the small parts tend to grab each other. But, with a little patience and creativity, I got them wrapped around the light and hung!

Here is the final result:

Well, semi-final result! I have to take that painters tape off the cord! Anyway, I was THRILLED with it and, of course, deem it worth the wait. Now, I can focus on what’s left to do: wall decal, birch tree mural (in progress, stay tuned), put all the bedding together.

More tomorrow!

Adrianne

]]> http://www.lambchopdesigns.com/kids-rooms/light-success/feed/ 2 http://www.lambchopdesigns.com/kids-rooms/rikshaw-design/ http://www.lambchopdesigns.com/kids-rooms/rikshaw-design/#comments Wed, 22 Sep 2010 11:00:58 +0000 adrianne http://www.lambchopdesigns.com/?p=4572 No, I’m not talking about the design of a cart pulled by a human in India…

I’m talking about some of THE most adorable baby bedding and clothing I have seen in a while: Rikshaw Designs! I wasn’t aware of this precious collection until the other day (Thank you Jessica). First of all, the collection is fab. Secondly, the company is woman-owned (always love that) and she has a really interesting story.  She makes me want to travel the world! The worldly influenced goodies I found are as follows:

Bombay Crib Bedding. I LOVE the feel of these patterns together. So fresh!

Super chic and cute!

LOVING the seahorse design on this burb cloth and bib set.

These lightweight kurtas are stylish and fun.

A sassy camel pillow. I need one for Miss Babe!!

Last but not least…are you kidding me? How cute is that tush?! I’ll take one of each pattern.

Look at more of her cute things by visiting her site: Rikshaw Design.

Happy shopping!

Adrianne

I also have to give credit to Good Night, Sleep Tight. I have mentioned this book before, I believe. I happened to pick it up a few days ago (for the millionth time since having a child) and read that she recommends three-year-olds get no more than 10 1/2 hours of sleep at night with a 1  1/2 hour nap during the day. Enter waking him up 30 minutes earlier in the morning and putting him down for nap time an hour later. So far, it’s working. I don’t want to jinx myself but we are on day five of no insane getting out of bed and running around. H.U.G.E.

Thanks to everyone that gave me advice and input! It really did make a difference.

On that sleep note…I have also had requests to see my newly painted headboard for the baby’s room. Remember these beauties my friend found on Craigslist?

I was going to paint them green, remember? Couldn’t visualize? Well, see below!

Granted, I have not put the bedding together yet (sham on the duvet). YET. We are keeping her name top secret and the duvet has her monogram. I won’t be showing that to you any time soon!! I know…the suspense…

Here’s another shot pre-glider delivery this afternoon. Yes! The glider is here. It resides to the left of the bedside table.

I could sleep in that thing…and will.

(Ugh! Dark pic…hard to get the right light except for at night!)

Anyway, I was super excited about the result. It matches the drapes perfectly and has the pop effect I wanted. It was an easy project, too!

OK! Back to the birthday project tomorrow!

Adrianne

Perfect setting for an “Alice in Wonderland” scene, non?

My guy, Jarod, did all the crazy hair for this “tea party” shoot! I wish I could show you pictures of the hairstyles…truly amazing. We’ll just have to wait for the next issue to run, I suppose.  Anyway, to find out more about Nonpareil, I searched the website and found their wonderful website with a wonderful DIY idea for Baby Girl’s room. This will, undoubtedly, serve as another “Road Test” topic in the coming weeks.

I have been playing with ideas for wall decor over the changing table. I have HUGE wall space to cover (high ceilings and wide walls). I have a great mirror to hang:

(I had to take this picture at an angle as to not totally blind you from the flash!)

And a few shelves:

But wanted to do a combo of frames or something similar. Enter Nonpareil’s DIY “Fit for a Queen” silhouette project:

It even gives you a tutorial on how to make that “mirror” and frames. I’m going to give it a shot. Can’t be too, too hard: a trip to the thrift store, some spray paint and profile pictures…glue and pretty paper backing. DONE!  What do you think -  a silhouette of each person (and dog) in the family? For the “mirror” script, I’m thinking a little non-cheesy poem or her birth stats. Cute or what! I’ll hopefully get started this weekend and let you know the true deets on how it goes.

Adrianne

P.S. I think the Target lamp is the wrong green – too olivey/sage for my “grass green” accents…

The fluffy, white thing hanging over the crib is a LIGHT. I was dying to find out where I could buy it when The Gimlet Eye herself came to the rescue.

Yes! That’s it!! And, sold at Unica Home. Who knew? THANKS Gimlet!

So, anyhoo, here are the gorgeous floor lamps I was considering until today:

I love this crisp white lamp from Stray Dog Designs! It is 100% my favorite. I 100% do not love it’s price tag of almost $500.

The price tag on this bamboo lamp from Shades of Light is better but I still didn’t want to spend $300.

Cute and priced much more my speed but I already got the table lamp version. I don’t like to be too matchy-matchy. And, PBTeen doesn’t have the right color green for the shade.

I found this at TARGET today for $25. I am not 100% sure it’s the right green.

Here is my nursery shot from a week ago (so you can see the green):

I think it will be close! If not, I’ll check this cutie out from Land of Nod ($29 steal!).

Enjoy this hump day!

Adrianne

(Aside: goody gumdrops it’s starting to storm as I’m writing this post. What is more cozy than a storm in the summer? LOVE IT.)

We all love Pottery Barn and it’s trifecta of baby, teen, and adult home decor. But, what if you want something a little different? Have you tried Pixie Dust Decor, Serena & Lily, Rosenberry Rooms, Oliver B, Kate Quinn Organics, or Carousel Designs? Keep reading…

For my friend having another boy, here are a few of my favorites:

I love the fluffiness of this light blue and white combo from Pixie Dust Decor. Here is a close-up:

See the little pagoda? Too cute…and very original. If you wanted to add more color to this theme, I would add a dash of lime. Look at the crib sheet you could have made:

This swatch is of Pixie Dust’s Aqua Lattice fabric. Oh, did I mention that you can also buy fabric by the yard from them? Fabulous!

Pixie also carries an adorable red/blue theme for a boy:

I love the boldness of this look! Here is the close-up:

Oui, oui! Non?

How about this cutie gumball design by Carousel Designs? I like blue and brown and I do love the fun gumball design! I think, however,  it would look really fresh and crisp with white nursery furniture. I love a good, CRISP room.

Moving into a little gender neutral territory…

I really like the idea of this pique white bedding with a white crib! It’s so simple and so chic. And, think of all the possibilities for room decor…endless.

I am really into neutrals right now, though. So if you wanted to add a little interest, you could  add:

Marlo Crib Bedding Blanket from Serena and Lily

Or go with the entire Marlo room:

Crisp! Fresh! Soothing! And, may we please discuss the awesome origami birds above the crib?

Let’s be honest,  even though I heart neutrals, you know I love a good color pop! This bedding from kate quinn organics comes in other great shades like “pomegranate” and “blackberry.” YUM!

For the girls:

Here is what I bought for Miss Thing (Lulu Bedding from Serena and Lily):

As you know, we are focusing on crisp whites, grass/lime greens and shades of purple. By the way, I am dying for the mobile shown in this picture. Has anyone found it out there somewhere? I am on a mission. If you have any info, let me know!

Other girly bedding I like includes:

Singing Birds! I love this daring black, white and lime combo. Very chic, indeed. Rosenberry Rooms

And would ya just look at those bows! Oliver B is a company that makes bedding that helps reduce the risk of SIDS. Check out the site. So smart!! The bumper is fully ventilated. Cute boy bedding, too.

I have many more suggestions. If you need help, email me and let me know what you have so far. FUN!

Adrianne