Finishing Details in a Cottage Bedroom

I like soft lighting in bedrooms.

There are all different ways to accomplish this.

In my buddy, Kris's guest room, we replaced the paper lantern that had been hanging from the ceiling with a vintage fixture that shed an all over warm glow.

I spent days scouring ebay before I found this.

I was very excited!!!!!

Kris, bless her heartless soul, gleefully pointed out, that I must really like this fixture....

because I had found the same style for her bedroom.....

Well, at least the canopies and stems are different.

Actually.....

this is a good thing, because the rooms are side by side, so it won't look like a sample sale at a lighting store.

Between the two iron beds, I had the electrician wire another vintage light made of glass, that is a wall sconce.

I am a sucker for this type of light, and have two similar ones in my master bath....

We didn't have a lamp shade yet for Kris's sconce, so I went shopping in my closet inventory, and found the shade I had used on my sconce in my Watertown home.

I drove it over had it carefully shipped to Kris's house, and we tried it on her old sconce in her new guest room.

I think it is da bomb!!!!!

It is just an old beat up shade from a junk store.

Underneath it.....

we originally were going to hang a framed needlepoint picture.....

that we got at auction.

We Kris bought a pair....

They're really pretty.

It looked nice against the wallpaper....

 under the sconce.

But then.....

I started working on a watercolor from ebay.

When Kris got it, it was matted in a 

screaming white.

But after my eyeopening experience in Flerida,

with my transformation of my guest bath.....

I assured Kris that I could fix this baby!!!!!

Sooooooo....

I took it out of the frame.....

And found that it was glued to the mat.

So I cut out a piece of paper the same size as the painting, to cover the part I wanted to protect.

and then I dry brushed the mat with some Chalk Paint.

I took off the protective paper, to see how I was doin'.....

I like it!!!!!

Sooooo.....

I taped off part of the mat for a contrasting stripe,

put back the special protective cover, custom made by moi.....

and painted the green stripe around the watercolor.

Then, I crammed it all back together.

Now, it looks like an expensive mat job.

I replaced the needlepoint picture with this watercolor, just to see how it would look.....

Kris and I decided that we liked this better.

True to form.

I didn't take an overall shot of the room with it in it.

But I will for the next post, when I show you the rest of the art work on the walls.

On that note,

Latah, Gatah

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Betsy's Musing #627

When I was 30, and talking to my mom about marriage.....

she told me that she thought I would be happier if I never tied the knot.

Now.... 

before you get all up in arms about her anti-marriage views.....

let me point out that she has been living in wedded bliss for over 70 years, 

and her four other children have spouses.

It was just me.

She knows her chillins so well!

Of course...

I didn't believe her, 

and had to succumb to society's (and my hormones) pressures, 

dating anything and everything that wasn't nailed down.

I think I even dated some inanimate objects too.....

At one point I was even engaged.

(boy, that freaked me out.....)

(I realized, that once we got married he would never go home) 

I have a good friend, Jeff, who was married once,

he still likes his ex-wife.

But,

he told me the problem at the end of a nice day together was that she didn't leave.

He now has reached the same conclusion I have, 

we are both living in single bliss.

But,

there are downsides to living alone.

Last week I had to waste 20 smackers on a co-pay at my doctor's office.

There was a round red spot the size of a nickle on the back of my thigh.

If I had a mate, he would have been able to look at it for me.

It was hard to see in the mirror.

I twisted thisa way and thata way, and still couldn't get a good view.

I was afraid it was a Lyme tick bite.

(It wasn't)

The bulls eye rash can take some time to appear, and I didn't want to take any chances, since it's an epidemic here in the good old Massachusetts. 

My family, full of doctors, wasn't around.

(useless people)

So I did what any freaked out old biddy would do, 

and went to the doc.

At least she didn't laugh at me.

No tick bite.

Not even a bite.

It was just a little patch of psoriasis or eczema or something like that.

Weird, but not lethal.

Very attractive!!!!!

If I was married I could have save 20 big ones.

But don't worry.....

I will make at least that much this month from this blog.

This was just a post with TMI.

You guys are so special, I tell you everything!!!!!

Before I go.....

I have written a guest post over at Fine Craft Guild on color and pattern flow, just an FYI.

On that note,

Latah, Gatah

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The First Piece of Furniture I Painted

Before I was a blogger.....

Before I ever heard of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint.....

Before I was sucked into the world of DIY bloggers.....

I painted a chest of drawers.

This was one of the first pieces of furniture that my bidness partner, Kris and I 

bought for our very important and highly chic antique store.

We did not know what the hell we were doing.

Our goal was to make at least 25 cents apiece, and have some fun.

The guy that sold this to us saw us coming.....

He couldn't get away with this now!!!!

NOW WE BE SAVVY!

NOW WE BE SHREWD!

The condition this was in was not so great.

Lots of veneer loss.

BUT!

I am embarrassed to say.....I agreed to pay way too much for it.

It is very well made.

I think the lines are pretty.

However, there was no room left for any profit.

Sooooo.....

we did what we always do in this case.....

we kept if for ourselves!!!!!

It is now in Kris's guest room,

waiting to have all sorts of art work hung above its pretty head.

The color is a little off from the other greens in the room, but I like it like that.

I like when things aren't perfect.

When I painted this baby, I had to sand the whole thing and patch the veneer.

I didn't know about Elmers wood filler, so I used Bondo.

Way more difficult.

Then I primed it.

Pain in my @$$.

Then I painted it with Benjamin Moore paint.

I painted all the little details in an off white with a little brush in a fairly dark space with my nose up against the bureau so I could see what the hell I was doing.

It took forever.

I painted the criss crossey things....

and the little molding on the drawers.....

And the molding on the side panels.....

And the details on the feet.

Then, I distressed it for an aged look.

All I can say now is....

Thank goodness for Annie Sloan. 

Now I can paint furniture to my little hearts content, and not have to do all that prep work.

If I hadn't started blogging, I would never have found out all sorts of cool @#$!!!

On that note,

It's time for my dinner....

Sooooo...

Latah, Gatah

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Sometimes Furniture Has to go in Front of Windows!!!

One of my readers commented on not liking furniture in front of windows.

Now, normally I agree that I don't like to block a window with stuff.

BUT

there are exceptions to every rule.

Sometimes bedrooms have windows just where you want to put the bed/beds!

This happens mostly in older homes.

My buddy Kris's house is around 130 years old.

Maybe they didn't have beds back then........

Anyway.....

I often have to put beds in front of windows to allow for the best arrangement of furniture.

In these cases, I use metal beds that have an open work headboard.

This way the window is not blocked.

I did the same thing in her master bedroom.....

(We're in the process of getting bedding for her bed.....)

(I wish her blinds would come in, already, the lace sheers on on my last nerve.....)

And in my guest room.....

In Kris's guest room, 

I took advantage of this problem,

and made it into a design accent.

For the windows behind the beds,I had the valances curve out a little, like half testers, to create a romantic backdrop for the beds.

Notice that the valances curve forward over the headboards.

For the other window, the valance was made straight across.

It's subtle, but these are the types of details that float my boat.

Often when I design draperies with valances, I add a contrast tape or cuff at the bottom.

This works to visually separate the fabric, so the valance shape is more clearly defined.

I very often use the same fabric on the bedskirts as I do on the hangings behind the bed.

This creates a cohesive look, creating the feel of it being one unit.

In this case I'm using the large floral for the skirts.

We haven't had them made yet....

because I'm waiting for Kris to get the mattresses on the beds made, so that they end up being the same height off the floor.....

I'm getting sick of hinting......

maybe, when she reads this post, she'll get off her @$$ and get if done already.....

We've chosen the fabric to use on the frou frou chair!!!!!

Remember this?

I'm going to reupholster it with this....

It's a linen, and I can sorta see things behind it, so I may need to cover the chair first with lining fabric.

(pain in my butttt.)

For those of you interested, 

here's the info for the fabric.

Here it is with the other patterns in the room.

I thinks it's  going to lay out on the chair beautifully!

As I redo this chair, I will share the journey in excruciating detail!!!!!

I must say, I just love this room.

I wish I could use this stuff in my house,

but I've run out of space.

On that note,

Latah, Gatah

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Creating a Cottage Color Scheme

HO KAY!

Let's continue with my buddy Kris's guest room.

As I said last time, this room is in the process of getting done, so I am sharing pictures as we work on it.

This has not been an overnight project.

Kris and I tend to like to ruminate on stuff.

Really let it marinate in our brain boxes.

Then....

when we're really sure which way we want to go.....

it can take a while to order the stuff.

We are in no big rush.

Sooooo

we've been working on her bedroom and guestroom for the past year.

They are just now coming together.

For her guestroom, we first found the wallpaper we wanted to use.

It's from F. Schumacher.

For those of you who are interested, the name of the pattern is Garden Gate.

This was the pattern that I used for a jumping off point.

Next I found a rug from Pottery Barn.

It was exactly what I wanted for this room.

It was a woven cotton stripe.

Kris first ordered it in it's smallest size, since it was a catalog/internet only option.

We couldn't go look at it in a store, so she got the smallest size as a sample.

We loved everything about it.

It wasn't too sweet, or pink or girly.

Just right.

It worked great with the other fabrics I wanted to use in the room.

And it looked great with the wallpaper.

 Sooooo.....

within a week of receiving the small sample rug,

Kris got on the horn, and ordered the larger size we needed.

It was discontinued!!!!!

To add salt to the wound.....

It kept being shown in the summer catalogs. 

we were not happy campers.....

But nothing can keep us down!!!!!

We would prevail!!!!!

Sooooo.....

We found an Albert and Dash rug that would work.

But it wasn't as good.

It was more pink.

Not as subtle.

Like ME!!!!!

Soooooo....

We pulled up our big girl pants, and just decided to deal with the reality of not getting what we wanted.

OY!!!!

Soooooo.....

Last fall, Kris had the walls wallpapered.

And she bought this rug.

And we ordered the fabric for the draperies.

I found a beautiful floral that was very "Me".

It was just WONDERFUL with the wallpaper.

Now, Kris is not the flowery type girl that I am.....

but I was whining at her that this was just the most

perfect fabric for the room....please, please, please.....won't you please use this for the draperies and bed skirts????!!!!????

It's a Cowtan and Tout fabric, name: Gallica.

Well....

bless her tiny heart....

she agreed to go for it!!!!!

Sooooo....

After all the drama with the rug.....

This past spring she calls me and says.....

Hey!

I found the rug we wanted!!!!!

Pottery Barn had it on sale as a close out item!!!!!

She's like a little tenacious terrier when she wants to find something,

Here's a picture to show the difference in the two rugs.

We were trying to convince ourselves that it wasn't too sweet........

It would have been fine.

That's what I keep telling myself, anyway.....

I would have been happy with either one. (sort of.....)

But Kris, isn't a sweety like I am.

She's more of a red person than a pink person.

Sooooo.....

now we have to figure out what fabric we want to put on the frou frou chair I'm going to redo for the corner of the room.....

Remember this one?????

It's going to get painted and reupholstered without the tufting!!!!!

So, on that note....

Latah, Gatah

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Creating a Cottage Look

Before we get to today's post, I'd just like to complain a little.

Golly Gee!!!!*

It sure has been hot around heah!!!

Well, just cut it out, already!!!!!

I am a delicate flower, and my hair gets frizzy.

And I get sweaty.

And I get grumpy.

*insert multiple swear words.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

But!

enough about me...

Let's return to my buddy Kris's home.

Next to her bedroom is her daughters's bedroom the guest room.

Isn't it wonderful when kids graduate from college and leave the nest????

Another room to redecorate!!!!!

Like I did with Kris's room, I am not going to wait till this room is all done, but share the process with you guys along the way.

We are part way there, but have a ton still to do.

Here's a shot of how the room looks this far in our process of design wonderfulness......

I wish I had a picture of the way we had done it for Kris's daughter.

It was so much fun.

Lime green walls, billowy white draperies and a funky modern twist.

Here is a shot of the room after the furniture was removed.

We gave it to my niece for her extra bedroom in her new home.

Not much of a change.....

We hung this on the wall over the poor girl's bed, as it was her favorite thing to say at the time....

To get started on this room, I first had to find a wallpaper that we liked.

Kris finally let me have some flowers in one of her rooms!!!!!

I do love me my flowers.

My lovely assistant Kris, held the wallpaper against the wall for me to check this baby out!!!!

Because of the layout of the windows, I once again decided the best placement of furniture was beds in front of each one.

Kris wanted a mismatched pair of old iron beds.

We found the first one on ebay.

She sent it to a guy to strip and prime.

He was an idiot.

He repainted the old brass fittings on the bed in some sort of gold paint.

He thought he was so cleaver.

I thought he was so stoopid!!!!

But I told Kris,  

"Don't worry!!!!!, everything can be fixed with paint!!!!!"

So when we painted the bed this soft pretty beige, we just painted the brass parts too.

Sooooooo.....

I went back to ebay, and spent a million hours looking for a bed with a similar shape and size to match this one, but not too closely, because they were supposed to not be an exact pair.

and I found one!!!!!

Sooooo.....

Kris bought it, and arranged for shipping to the guy who would strip and prime it for us.

The ebay seller shipped it to the stripper/painter.

 The stripper/painter took forever to strip and prime it.

Then it was shipped to my basement workroom where we opened it up to start painting.

It sat in my basement for a little while.

I didn't think anything about it.

Until I went to paint it.

He shipped the wrong bed!!!!

So the painter painted the wrong bed!!!!!

So we had the wrong bed!!!!!

So we didn't want the wrong bed!!!!!

So we were pretty #$% off!!!!!

It's a perfectly nice iron bed, it just doesn't match the one we already have.

I'll have Amy Chalmers sell if for us at Maison Decor.

in her new store in Reading Massachusetts

Sooooooo.....

I had to go back into the bowels of ebay, to look for another bed to match the one we had already painted in our pretty greeny beige.

It took me MONTHS.

But I found one!!!!!

Sooooo.....

this time it took forever for it to ship.

I mean months.

But we weren't sending it to the stripper/primer guy.

So it came right to Kris's house, 'cuz she was going to paint it in her basement workshop!!!!!

It came missing a piece!!!!!

We were batting 1000!!!

It has three of these spindles.....

missing the fourth.......

It had all of them when Kris bought the damn bed.

Of course they are an unusual size.

We haven't been able so far to find a replacement.

But we will prevail!!!!!

The most important thing is that it is of a similar height and shape to the bed we were trying to match.

Kris took all the other spindles off....she's planning on finding something that works, and getting four that match.

Good luck to her!!!!

That's as far as I'm going to go today.

You'll just have to tune in for the continuing story of Kris's guest room.

On that note.

Latah, Gatah

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