Home Tour

No Makeup Home Tour

I can’t believe that I’m doing this you guys…but yes, the first home tour of our new house that I’m posting is a No Makeup Home Tour. No staged, professionally photographed glamour shots in this post. But I guess it makes for good “before” pictures, right? When Kyla first invited me to take part, I had no idea we’d be moving a few weeks later!

[Read more…] about No Makeup Home Tour

Chic Chick Home Tour: Erin – Clementine + Olive

Another fabulous addition to my Chic Chick series. Meet Erin from Clementine + Olive. She’s a stylish, decor lovin’ Mamma of twins with a love of textiles & upholstery. You guys are going to love her down-home style & stylishly casual home! Give her blog a spin too, it’s chock full of DIY decorating fun.

Living in the Pacific North West, you can imagine how overcast and grey the majority of the year is. Yes, it really does rain 9 months out of the year here, but really I feel like it must be more. If it’s not pouring rain it’s grey. Even though it’s really lame to say this, I designed my home opposite of the weather in the North West, the fact is true. I started with a handful of beautiful furniture that all grey and was not working for me. I sat there staring at my living room and my bedroom always thinking “Why, is this not working?”. For reference you can look in the archives of my blog and see my moderately overcast grey bedroom and living room. I believe at that point I had picked out anything and everything that some how ended up being grey, or white. Seriously? It was obvious what was wrong and why I didn’t like it. I had inadvertently created an overcast decor.

       One day after observing the details in my inspiration images I
realizes this statement: “ I want to live in color!”. I sold all my beautiful grey and white items (which took a few
months) and started from scratch.

Living Room Mantel

Living Room

Coffee Table

At this point Dwell Studio had come out with their new fabric line and I
became overwhelmingly obsessed with the coordinating fabrics such as
plumes in jade, gate, pyramids and so on. There could not be a better line of fabric that described me perfectly on the inside. From
there my obsession with designer fabrics developed.

Bathroom


At the same time I had tackled a few projects with my new staple gun
and I realized how much I thoroughly enjoyed taking the cheap,
and usually very ugly, to the beautiful and lush. While my boys were
napping I painted, glued and stapled to my hearts desire. I created an
inventory of things that I knew people would love and named it Clementine + Olive.

Twins’ Nursery

      My home now reflects a style that is put together, classic and modern. I love the balance between painted items, textiles, metallics and earthy wood.

Dining Room – Table from this post!

      I started blogging on my second week of bed rest while I was pregnant with my twin boys. These two, I must add, are the biggest inspiration of all, as you can imagine. Not just with my store, but with everything. I mostly started with reading and blogging about family lifestyle, and then I came across some design blogs (like Copy Cat Chic). A few years ago I didn’t even know that there was a cheaper option, besides DIY. I always thought that the store was my only option. So like many people when I was introduced to Copy Cat Chic blog, I read-and read- and read all of the back archives of all of the budget finds. For example, I was set on buying the $1200 bed at Crate & Barrel and Reichel found a similar one from Urban Home for only $699. Sold! I spent the money I saved and bought my dining room table from Worlds Market.

Master Bedroom

I also purchased some fun accent acyclic chairs replicating the infamous ghost chair, that I had dreamed of but never knew I could afford. Reichel’s blog has opened my eyes up to having that dream home and décor.


Front Porch

You can find the chairs here and the pillows here!

Did you enjoy this peek into Erin’s home? I know I did, I just love all of those fun graphic fabrics she used everywhere. My favorite piece? The daybed she had reupholstered in Dwell fabric, it makes her living room into a chic lounge!

If you would like to be featured in my Chic Chick (or Chap) Series, feel free to email me!

Chic Chick Home Tour: Alexandra – Luisa Designs

I have a special treat for you folks. It’s been awhile since I’ve done a post in my Chic Chick (Chap) series. When I saw pictures of this Copy Cat Chic reader’s home, I just had to share them with you!

Alexandra is Copy Cat Chic at it’s finest. I love how she’s decorated her home with personal touches and cheap finds. She really has an eye for combining vintage finds with modern pieces. Check out her blog, Luisa Design for more details!

Hello, Copy Cat Chic readers! I’m so honored that Reichel is featuring my apartment here on one of my favorite blogs. My fiancée and I moved in together two years ago after graduating college and this is our second apartment. Copy Cat Chic was one of the first blogs I started reading as I became increasingly obsessed with interior design, and it was the one that gave me the confidence that I could put together a beautiful home with an almost nonexistent budget.

As recent college grads in a terrible economy, this space necessitated a whole new definition of “designing on a budget.” When we moved into it about 6 months ago, we knew that we needed to work with what we had from our first apartment (decorated almost exclusively from craigslist) with minimal additions. Through a combination of craigslist, flea markets, DIY projects, and budget buys – many found on Copy Cat Chic! – we managed to put together a space that makes both of us happy.

Our one-bedroom apartment is about 500 square feet, so every decision was carefully thought out to make the best use of our space. The “entry” is barely bigger than the 2×3 rug that’s in it, but with some determination and lots of careful measuring we managed to built a skirted console table that fits perfectly in the space. The one yard of fabric I needed for the skirt was by far the most expensive element; the lamps were a Copy Cat Chic find at Target (actually purchased on sale for $7 each) and everything else is from Homegoods, Urban Outfitters, and Goodwill.

Our living/dining room is an amalgam of styles, combining mid-century classics with antiques, Moroccan pieces, and a dash of preppy color. Perhaps the design world has had enough of zig zag rugs, but seeing this view when I walk in the door every day still makes me smile:

Of course the zig zag rug is another Copy Cat Chic find. At $250 with a 20% off coupon, it’s the second-most expensive thing in the room, but even my fiancée loves it! The table is an antique sofa table that I bought, along with the dresser to the left, at my favorite flea market. Knockoff Panton chairs (also craigslisted) accentuate the lines of the table and provide a modern element.

Appropriating pieces for alternative uses is a necessity in a small space. We couldn’t fit our dresser in the bedroom, but in the living room it makes a fantastic sideboard, topped with my favorite lamp ($13 from Goodwill) and a bar tray. A set of brass nesting tables from Craigslist live next to the dresser but are often used as temporary coffee tables, since there isn’t room in front of the couch for a full-sized table. And although I’m proud of every wonderful deal I’ve gotten and attached to every piece of furniture, by far the most precious thing in the room is the large-scale print on the wall, given to me as a gift by the artist, a family friend.

The other half of the room is the “living” area, with a small couch (Room and Board via Craigslist, the most expensive piece of furniture in our apartment at $400) and a fantastic inlaid Syrian chair. I sewed the geometric pillows on the couch from napkins and also made both the large drawing propped on the mantel and the subway scroll (which may now be ubiquitous, but after hand-painting all those letters I’m loath to replace it!).

The three campaign-style bookshelf units were also found on Craigslist, in not-ideal condition). After a coat of white paint and some polishing, they fit the space beautifully – and, since they’re deep enough to hold two rows of books on each shelf, we can fit almost our entire collection!

My concept for the bedroom started with an obsession with dark walls and a fantastic but shabby Chinese screen found on Craigslist for only $25. Everything in the bedroom, from furniture to linens to accessories, cost about $500 total!

I’m sure most of you recognize the DIY Ikea nightstands; instead of staining them brown like many other bloggers, I chose to paint them a glossy black, and replaced the screen’s edging with black and gold greek key trim. The lamps and bedding (another Copy Cat Chic feature!) are from Target, and I recovered the tufted ottoman myself with neutral ikat fabric bought online.

I think most people gravitate toward light, calming colors and cozy textures in the bedroom, but I wanted to make myself go a little bit outside my comfort zone and create a space that felt a little more glamorous and striking.

Pink bathrooms are a rental-apartment plague, but ours has the distinction of being the only one I’ve seen featuring forest green floral wallpaper. The two main rooms of the apartment had clearly been recently (beautifully) renovated, so the time-capsule state of the bathroom was slightly baffling. After living with it for about a month, I decided that – since we plan to be here for a few years – having a bathroom that didn’t make me cringe was worth the possible loss of our security deposit.

After taking the plunge and tearing down the wallpaper, we found out that we in fact have the best landlord ever; he was only waiting for the apartment to be vacant long enough to renovate the bathroom, and he’s agreed to redo the bathroom – with my choice of fixtures! – while we visit family and friends this summer.

In the meantime, I’ve actually come to accept – even, almost, like – our pepto-bismol bathroom. Filling it with lots of simple white and grey elements with elegant chrome accents has made it a sophisticated and tranquil space.

I hope you guys enjoyed Alexandra’s home tour. I think it’s just fabulous! And personally? I love that vintage pink bathroom, it has so much personality and she’s made it into a classy boudoir 😉

If you would like to be featured in my Chic Chick (or Chap) Series, feel free to email me!

Gorgeous House Tour

Hey everyone! I’m back from my lil’ vacation/babymoon 🙂 Cabo is perfect this time of year….We stayed at the Hilton which was sooo nice, check out the view from the pool 😉

Anyways, I wanted to tell you guys about my friend Terri Long and her fabulous home. Terri’s blog, La Dolfina, is FULL of eye candy…and so is her house! lol. I met Terri last year at Eddie Ross’s fleamarket tour. Good times!

When blog friend Julia from CasaSugar asked me about a house tour I pointed her in Terri’s direction and once you check out the tour you’ll understand why! Go take the tour!

Ron Marvin Continued

Do you folks remember my post about Ron Marvin?

Well I don’t know if you noticed but one of his spaces was featured in the first issue of Lonny Mag (starting on page 85). His career is taking off and it’s no wonder, I just love his bold sense of design. It’s so sophisticated and chic. One of my clients wanted an office that is similar to the office space on page 94. I just hope I can do it justice!

All images from www.RonMarvin.com.

Metropolitan Home’s Swankiest Small Space Winner

I know this is from last year’s Metropolitan Home’s Small Space Contest, but really….It’s one of my favorite small spaces. I keep going back and checking out the pictures. I find it so inspirational, don’t you? Simple, clean, elegant…what more could you ask for! Anu Suebsawangkul did a fabulous job with her space, don’t you agree?

Met Home’s Swankiest Small Space

| Trend Living’s Glass Orb Terrarium |

Now these round glass terrariums from Trend Living have been on my Wist for months! I just think they are such an adorable accessory. They are so chic, are they not? Well, one of my loyal readers has found a GREAT alternative! Macy from Me Oh My emailed me the other day with her find and I was estatic! Here is a link to her blog post about it. What a great find, this totally makes my day 🙂

Trend Living’s 5″ Glass Orb = $55

CB2’s Whirly Hanging Candleholder = $3.95

| Fabulous DIY Headboards |

I’m going to call attention to a couple of my favorite blogger DIY projects. These ladies both made their own gorgeous headboards inspired by designer beds for a substantial savings! What’s not to love? I’m seriously considering making myself a new headboard, even though the one I have is less than a year old….lol.

First up, we have Freckles Chic with her awesome linen headboard with nailhead trim. Cost of making this headboard? Only $73!

Looks pretty similar to West Elm’s Nailhead Upholstered Headboard…King size = $449.

Next, Holly over at Life in the Fun Lane made a glamorous white headboard (directions here)in keeping with her unique clean cottage chic style. Just love it!

This is an easy and cheap way to get a headboard that looks like Williams Sonoma Home’s Fairfax Bed with out the pocket emptying cost!

| Ron Marvin – One of My Design Idols |

Have I told you guys that I am a small space stalker? If you didn’t realize my obsession from my Kelly G post, this one will open your eyes 😉 I recently ran across this Small Spaces blog post on the Alkemie Blog. I love this little studio space. In fact it reminded me of one of my all time favorite San Francisco apartments featured in Metropolitan Home. I have this in my library of tear sheets safely tucked away.

The article was about a small jewel-box of an apartment in which the owner furnished everything (EVERYTHING) in the studio for under $100. From street finds to sample sales, he outfitted his gorgeous SF space to look just scrumptious. Now just to let you know, this article was published in January of 2001. That’s right 2001!

Fast forward to Alkemie’s Blog post…now tell me you don’t see some similarities. Well, I did. I thought to myself, now this has to be the updated (8 year later) version of my favorite little SF apartment. But no! This apartment is in New York, and in fact was a Semifinalist in Apartment Therapy’s Smallest Coolest Apartment Contest.

I did a little research and guess what I found? It’s the same Owner/Designer: Ron Marvin. Ron Marvin’s two apartments have been featured in Metropolitan Home three different times as well as being on a couple of HGTV shows: Decorating Cents and Small Space, Big Style. I just love this guy’s style. It’s timeless yet updated. I love his use of white and neutrals, it’s calm yet playful at the same time. I wish he still lived in San Francisco so he could come make a little house call 😉