Cottage Style Window Treatments

Top of the mornin' to ya!

I have a friend who is redoing her master

bedroom ... cottage style.

Recently she had the bedroom painted

a beautiful buttery, golden, yellow.

The room rec's TONS of natural light ...

so she's really wanting a window treatment

that allows light but would also have the

option of blocking some of the light

when needed.

Here's the bedding she chose ...

This is part of the Better Homes and Gardens Collection

at Walmart!  You can find it here.

(Sorry about the small images ...

the larger I make them ... the fuzzier

they become ... bummer)

Isn't this bedding beautiful ...

the pictures don't give it justice ...

the pillows have such detail in the

embroidery -- the colors are so fresh!

The only thing I would change with this

combination is white sheets ... in my

friend's master suite ... these colored

sheets might fight against the wall color.

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So I was thinking maybe this for a

window treatment ...

potterybarn.com

This picture sums it up:

1) wood flooring

2) area rug in a neutral tone

3) so many different white tones

being layered in this space

4) white sheers that can be easily

closed with the option of closing

a heavier drape to block out

bright light

5) maybe white wooden hardware

instead of the starkness of black or

perhaps medium stained wooden 

hardware to warm things up a bit - 

that would go nicely

with the wood floor

Perhaps a white sheer along with a white

drape ... that combination would blend

nicely with the all ready painted walls

and tie in nicely with all the beatiful

white painted trim in the room.

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May your day be filled with

glorious sunshine!

After I wrote this ... I had more ideas about warming up this bedroom with rattan shades ... hmmm ... I like that idea ... break up some of the "whiteness" a bit ... I'll get to ya on that vein of thought!  Later tater ...

An Update on the Kitchen Here in Our Cottage-In-The-Making

Long time no see!

Sorry about the crazy-long break ... wow!

end-of-year-school-stuff for our boys can really kick me in the patooty:O)

It catches me off guard each year because it's actually

more than the hussle-n-bussle of the holidays
... it really is ... 
but now summer vacation has officially begun!

YEE-HAW!

I LOOOOOOOOOOOVE having my boys at home ...

I'm just one of those moms who loves being at home with her kids!

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Sooooooooooo ... here's a quick update on our kitchen flip ...

Remember this wall's beginnings?

Those old green walls are gone!

I painted them White Sand by BMpaints 
and everything you see in white is 
Decorator's White by BMpaints.

Isn't it just dreamy?  I love it!

Here are some more pics of the current uppers ...

By the way ... I would love your feedback on
our current updates ... let me know how you
feel about the colors, design, execution!
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These were my initial thoughts in color & textures ...

White dishes, glassware, mason jars, earth tones,
some sort of basket system,
and the yummy warm color found in that,
oh so adorable,
crock!


As you can see it turned out a bit different ...


This is our first home that I can display some of our
Land's End dinnerware :O)

Didn't Dan do a fabulous job adding detail trim to
these old 70's cabinets ... :O)
I just love that man!

These wooden corbels were about $10 at
The Home Depot ... they add that country farmhouse
style that I so love.
And that bead board is more of the same great stuff ...
wallpaper!

Dan added a small bead of trim at the top of the
original cabinet ... then he added a 1 x 4 to increase 
height and then finally the crown molding to give
it that WOW factor.  And wow it is!

Do you remember in the recent post called
"How to make those bookshelves sing!"
There are some helpful suggestions for layout & design
when loading book shelves.  I applied these same 
techniques to the country cupboard.


(1)
The picture above shows a Vera Bradley, Cooking with Friends  
cookbook under the little tea-pot my dear friend, 
Susan Carter, gave me as a going away gift when we 
moved from Colorado to Massachusetts.
The white cookbook was in a (pretty but) bright blue book jacket ... 
so after unwrapping the jacket ... I found a hard bound book in the
exact color palette I was gunnin' for!


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(2)
The picture below applies rule #2

work from the left to the right on the first shelf 

and 

right to left on the next

this will help achieve balance

and 

keep the viewer's eyes flowing in a zig-zag pattern

soooo ... start at the top left and move right ...

do you see the zig-zag pattern?

(this is when I wish I had Photshop so that I could

draw fun little arrows to help make my point!)

Here are some everyday household items that

look great in a mason jar ... 

Bingo Balls

&

Scrabble Pieces

:O)

I got this idea from my most recent PB

on the itty-bitty desk ... there are two glass jars
with everyday household items ...
clothespins and scrabble pieces!




Isn't it good to display something that is functional too!

I think I'll display them in these jars found at IKEA.com

I really like the brushed nickel lid which will
go nicely with the cabinet hardware 
and 
pendant lights above the peninsula

pendant lights for the peninsula

 drawer pulls and door knobs


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The baskets were a bit of a challenge

but I am very happy with the ones I settled on ...

 

the darker stained baskets were too dark in this

very light and airy space PLUS the wood floor we'll

be installing (Red Oak w/Rustic Grain) will blend

so much better with the ones below ... 

and

these Waterhyacinth Baskets from Pier1.com are

great for storage (can't see through them)

and

they won't scratch the new paint job!

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I hope to hear from you -- until then
happy summer :O)

a little bit about me

Wouldn't it be easier to sit down and a have a cup of coffee and get to know each other?  In fact, a hot cup of Dunkin' with cream ... mmmm ... I can smell it now.  After living in the New England area (I've lived in OH, VA, CO, MA, NH and now NY) ... you just become a fan of Dunkin' ... it is a NE thang :O)

I have 3 amazing men in my life ... my main man is Dan.  We've been married for 13 years with a hiccup in the middle ... that hiccup means we were divorced at one time and remarried each other ... I know, reread that last part ... it's true ... God did an amazing thing in our marriage.  I give Him all the honor and praise for what He's done in our family.


There are 2 little men in my life ... Davis (9) and Dawson(6) who think I'm one "wacked" mom but still love me in spite of my goofiness.  We read books together every night (we just finished reading My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George) and they still tell me that they want to marry me when they grown up :O) **sigh**

I was saved by God's amazing grace when I was  25 years old and my journey with HIM has been an amazing one - one I hope to share with you over time

Why did I start a blog?  I suppose it's my love for trash-to-treasure ... whether it's a piece of furniture that just needs a little TLC or a room that could use a fresh coat of paint ... it's seeing the potential in something else.  Isn't that what our heavenly Father does?  He sees the potential of something gloriously beautiful in us ... and He doesn't give up ... He continues transforming us ... until we are what we were created to be. 

Besides loving on the 3 men in my life ... I enjoy ...

anything to do with the countryside

1. the smells of country

2. picket fences

3. garden rows of veggies

4. mason jars

5. galvanized metal

6. calico prints

7. boys playing in the sprinkler out back

8. fireflies

9. a fresh pitcher of tart lemonade

10. a long drive to town

11. queen-anne's lace growing in the ditch

12. dirty little toes after playing outside

13. watching a storm roll in

14. eating a picnic lunch in the back yard

15. riding bikes down our country road

16. a blanketed lawn after a big winter snow

17. neighborhood cats keeping the mice away

18. the stillness

19. sheets drying on the clothes line

20. a creaky screen door on the back porch

So where did my love-of-everything-country come from?  I'd say it started in my childhood - my parents were born and raised Amish (Beachy Amish).  They were married in the Amish church but left the Amish church when my sister and I were very young.  I grew up, not only in the country, but on a farm ... a working farm.  My mother taught me how to clean, cook, sew and harvest and "put up" veggies from a garden.  We truly lived off the land.

I'm glad you are a part of this journey with me ... :O)

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Mt 6:33

Seek Him my friend ...

How to Make Those Bookshelves Sing!

Hello Friends!

The other day we were looking at a picture

of my friend's fireplace/library room ...

Well, here's another shot of the same room,

different angle ... the bookcases.

Don't you just love the rug in this space?

LOVE it :O)  The colors are brilliant.

She has managed to follow these

colors into the rest of the house.

And that leather sofa ... makes you

want to curl up with a book and melt the day

away in a juicy story.

These were some of the suggestions I had for
her bookshelves ...

1. incorporate the mantle clock

on one of the shelves

2. remove the 2 small framed pieces on left of unit

(this will clean up the large frame the bookshelves give

to the wall they reside on)

 3. arrange a series of framed pieces (photos or artwork)

along the top of the book case

4. create arrangements on bookshelves that zig-zag your eye

throughout the shelving (see tips listed below)

5. update pillows on leather sofa that will contrast

with the warm, yummy hues of the leather

6. the basket left of the unit on the floor -- update

with a larger one ... deep in color and rich

in texture

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Okay!  Let's get started, shall we?  :O) 

When I saw this picture in my latest Pottery Barn

issue ... I immediately called my friend and shared

the layout with her.

(ignore the fact that it is a media center ... these

concepts the designer has used can be adapted to

the bookshelves we're reviving)

The pictures along the top draw the eye upward ...

and give continuity to the looooong stretch

overhead.

Also notice how they stacked books vertically and horizontally.

Remove brightly colored jackets from hardbound books ...

the neutral colors underneath will blend nicely together and give

it a vintage-bookcase look.

Add metal (photo clip and wire baskets) textures, 

wooden textures (baskets and keepsake boxes), and

pottery (notice the white crock) 

to your collection.

Adding a small plant also gives an element of softness.

Again, baskets (woven or wire) can be a great way

to organize children books on the lower shelves.

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Here's another one from Pottery Barn.

Want to achieve this on your own bookshelves?

Here are some easy tips to create a bookshelf

piece of art ...

1. the basic rule is the rule of thirds:

1/3 books

1/3 accessories

1/3 empty space

2. work from the left to the right on the first shelf

and right to left on the next ... this will help achieve balance

and keep the viewer's eyes flowing in a zig-zag pattern :O)

3. if you have high books on the left side of one shelf, you don't

want the same type of books and space on the next shelf

4. do not line up books like a library ... try lying a pile of books

on their side and use them as a bookend or to lift up an accessory

5. when choosing accessories, think color.  some colors will better

enhance your books, or the the room as a whole

6. include free space ... the viewer will be able to rest their eyes ...

if you overcrowd a bookcase, it will look messy

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Here are some fun accessories for the room ...

I found this @ CrateandBarrel.com!

It would create 

height in that 

corner and the 

red berries 

would sing with 

that  beautiful 

area rug!

Speaking of the colors in the rug ...

These pillows come from the Pottery Barn collection ...

I see some of the beautiful colors in her area rug that

would "pop" nicely along that leather sofa :O)

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But if she's seeking more of a neutral pallet with
a mono-chromatic feel ... the classics below are
the answer :O)

crocheted pillows from PB ...

The texture of these beauties partnered with the buttery
hues of the leather 
would make a wonderful marriage!

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And for frames ... as long as all the frames are the

same medium ... same size ... with same matting ...

skies are the limit ... BUT these are gorgeous options below.

They are made of a rustic wood (of course found at PB)

and would contrast nicely with her neutral wall color.

The wood tones mixed with the other textures and tones

in the room would blend nicely.

Again, whatever you choose to do ... make it consistent ...

the artwork will stand out more and your eye will

be drawn to the continuity of the whole picture not

just the individuals.

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Happy Decorating My Friend!

The Concept of Re-Design (and a quick update on the kitchen!)

Hola!

I rec'd an email from a friend who wanted "fresh eyes" on a few

of her spaces in their home of several years.

Before they moved in ... they completely re-did the kitchen, 

painted every square inch of trim (oy!) 

and painted every single room.

They've also a had the basement finished, resided the house,

replace windows with new and installed the most amazing

driveway/back-yard court-yard space.  wow!

Their house is beautiful -- but she was wanted a little refreshing.

I call that a need for "fresh eyes"

Sometimes that's all a space needs is a friend to come

and see things that the home-owner gets used to.

.

Fresh-Eyes

Let's take a look at what she wants to re-design ...

I just love their fireplace!  The space above the mantle

is sloped ... and don't you just love those built-ins ... yummy.

I suggested a  couple of things that would make the fireplace

SING 

in this space ...

1. paint the space above the mantle 

the same color as the mantle and brick

2. replace small candle holders with large

chunky ones (black or dark stained wood)

3. replace twiggy wreath with an over-sized

piece of artwork ... leaned back onto slope

4. replace pillow on wicker chair with one

that is lighter in color (like wall color) and

textured (burlap/canvas) or fine print

 5. hide electrical cord  

(can be seen through the chair arm-hole)

6. place large basket w/cozy throws 

(or filled with airy wheat grasses)

to the right of the fireplace opening
or
set a couple of LARGE candle-holders
on the floor
(this option may not be kid-friendly, though)

7. on left side built-ins ... 3rd shelf from the

bottom -- scale picture down a size 

8. coffee table setting ... remove all small items 

and replace basket with one large shallow tray 

(metal/wood/weave) for books & magazines

9. coffee table, cont'd - remove candle holder

and replace with a medium vase with greenery

or faux flowers ... add a "soft" element :O) 

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here are some ideas that can work in this space nicely ...


my friend has small children -- so the coffee press wouldn't
be a smart choice -- but the trays are a mix of wood & metal -- nice.

- i just can't help myself when it comes to galvanized metal -
it's timeless and so casual
- makes me smile -
:O)

this is the weave option ... gives texture to a space but
is also sturdy enough to serve a round of drinks
(what is it with all the yummy green this season?)
this is a great color to make a room feel happy!  yes?

Whatever you do -- do not pay big bucks for chunky candle-holders!

I've gotten crazy-awesome deals at Hobby Lobby (90% off!)

or 

find mis-matched ones at at a consignment shop 

or thrift shop and spray paint them

Here's a peek at a set that would look great at the
base of the fireplace ...

ooooo ... see the crackers, wine and cheese ...
I'm getting the itch for some hubby time
snuggled up by the fire.

You can't see it in the picture but my friend's fireplace/library room has
a leather sofa ... these textured pillows will add to the warmth
of the room and will "pop" nicely against that wicker chair.
Love the wicker chair and the placement is perfect :O)

note: they may be a bit "gray" in color but the
writing and linen texture is easy on the eyes

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Speaking of libraries ... I found this picture on

RestorationHardware.com

Layering 3-dimensional artifacts with favorite books
(remove brightly colored jackets from books)
can help you achieve the look of an old library.

Redesign can be fun ... it takes existing spaces and freshens them up!


Sometimes it only takes a little rearranging ... Sometimes there's
a short list of items to either purchase or make ... or shop your garage
or house -- you might find a surprise lurking in the corner ...
ask a friend to come over and give you fresh eyes on the space
you've grown accustomed to.



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okay, okay

here's an update on our own redesign project in the works


The paintable wallpaper beadboard is an amazing product ...
here's a play-by-play of how we've used it to add the
cottage feel to these ordinary cabinets.

 

These cabinets need a good caulk job and 2 coats of semi-gloss paint.
I'm really liking how they turned out.
I want to polyurethane them so damage will be reduced to a minimal
as we start to use them ... but I hear "no yellowing poly"
really doesn't work.
That freaks me out a bit ... 
so I'm going to do a little research :O)

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Our electrician will finish the new recessed lighting
tomorrow night and then the fun begins :O)

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It gets bad when you go off to work (I work at a private

Christian School) with primer on your arms & legs and

really don't care that it didn't get washed off.

:O)

I'm getting silly ...


Happy Re-decorating my friend!