Faking the custom touches

Installing at a client's the other day, I was struck by how much custom details really can make a space--even if you have to fake it.

Now, there is nothing groundbreaking here, it's just a pretty room in a traditional style.  But it is a good example of how you can customize retail items to look custom, giving you a more personal and polished end result.

The bedding is all retail--pottery barn duvet and shams and a Martha Stewart bedskirt--but we customized the skirt with pleated grosgrain ribbon trim and will add a euro square in a gorgeous designer fabric.  Those two little details take this bed out of the catalog.

Similarly, the Pottery Barn draperies are silk, but were on sale, and I had my workroom pinch pleat the tops, giving me custom-look lined drapes for a LOT less.  We splurged on custom bamboo blinds (when you buy them from Home Depot or Target they may be the correct width but are never the right length), and cut to order curtain rods--much more substantial and finished looking that a skinny telescoping rod from a big box store.

We're not quite finished, but if you take a look at the before you can see just how far we have come!

Making the most of

I've been tossing around this idea for a feature called "making the most of..." to show how you can maximize something potentially awkward and make it totally awesome. I recently found this pink and green room--a presumed "before" picture to this lavender room I have shown before from Katie Rosenfeld--and it really hit home this idea for me.

The before room is sweet and lovely.

Source: katierosenfelddesign.com via Heather on Pinterest

The after not only tolerates the low ceiling, but makes the most of it. The layout is exactly the same, but the impact of the second room is just exponentially more. Using stripes to emphasize the sloped ceiling (rather than ignoring it), plus installing a window treatment with more presence takes the room to the next level.

Anything awkward you want to make awesome in your own home? Send me a picture and we'll talk.

Small Measures

hgtv Design Star

Painted lampshade.  Are you watching design star?  This is not a new idea, but I liked the way Britany taped off random stripes to incorporate yellow.  Did you see that desinsponge is having a painter's tape DIY contest?  Details here.

Instead of a giant curtain rod

Contemporary Bedroom design by Boston General Contractor Woodmeister Master Builders

Curtain hardware can be expensive, especially if you have a very large bank of windows requiring and extra long rod.  I recently did a consultation with a woman with exactly this issue.  Her apartment has a lovely bank of windows looking out into the trees, making it feel a bit like living in a treehouse (and who doesn't love that?)

While the room needed softening, the windows did not need functional panels.  Instead of shelling out for a jumbo rod, I suggested that she buy two smaller, less expensive ones instead.

(The more I pair "rod" with various synonyms for "large," the dirtier it sounds.)

I happened upon this photo from a Sneak Peek on Designsponge that shows the prettiest way to do this.

Susan Hutchinson

The key here is that the curtain does not completely fill the rod.  That extra foot or so gives it all a little breathing room.  Plus, making sure the rod is visible makes certain that your curtains don't look like they are growing out of your ceiling.

Of course, if you want a seamless, rod-free look (and a truly stationery curtain), mount the top of the treatment to a block of wood, and drill it to the wall.

Easy, pretty panels!

Wallpapered Closets

Thom Filicia

How gorgeous are those wallpapered doors?  Definitely a maximalist space, but I love the effect.

I have a client with a tiny bedroom but a huge wall of closets dominating the main wall--the wall you see when entering the room. The fix? Turn them into a feature. We chose a modern wallpaper and hardware to soften more traditional door moldings and the results are awesome. I'll hopefully share photos when the room is complete.

In the meantime, this gives you an idea:

Source: dreamitbuilditstyleit.blogspot.com via Tahirah on Pinterest

Source: theenchantedhome.blogspot.com via Julie on Pinterest

Wallpaper can work the opposite way, too.  If you want your doors to disappear, rather than stand out, try covering them in the same paper as the walls.

Source: fromtherightbank.com via Heather on Pinterest

In this fantastic room, even the closet molding is wallpapered in that sort of animal print pattern.

Source: mydesignchic.com via Heather on Pinterest

To turn doors into a piece of art, murals work nicely, don't you think?

Source: gallery.apartmenttherapy.com via Heather on Pinterest

Source: lookbook.elledecor.com via Heather on Pinterest

Wallpaper has been "back" for a while now, it's fun to see it used in such fun ways!

New Summer Bedding

Why hello there!

It was crazy town for a while there, with the 4th of July, two birthdays and two birthday parties in the span of 6 days.  Yes, my girls are four days apart (well, 2 years and four days), and it means that the beginning of July just sort of disappears off the map around here.  But I'm catching my breath.

Remember my little round up of summer whites?  I was so glad to find "the look for less" at Home Goods.

(Taking up the rug has made room for much larger train set ups).

I am really suspicious about Home Goods, and I usually don't get a cart until I have found what I am looking for.  Every time I am so presumptious as to grab a cart coming in the door, I strike out.  So, naturally, proceeding cartless meant there were 4 separate options of pairs of white twin quilts that I had piled all over the floor.  All at $29 per quilt--a lot better than my favorite from Pottery Barn!

I mixed in some chartreuse striped pillow cases from Ikea.  bought 'em for a client because I loved the button detail, but they are super sweet in here!

How's this for real-life shooting.  Do you see my daughter's hoarded stash by her bed?  Dollars, mini flags from the 4th--there's no telling WHAT you will find down there.

Now I find myself thinking about summer slipcovers for the headboards....it never seems to end.

Sew what?

Yesterday I got the day to myself.

My kids went off to an amusement park with their cousins, my husband went off to watch the soccer with my  dad, and I retreated into the icy cold basement for a day of sewing.

That's right, I got a day to myself and I spent it sewing.  In my pajamas.  Listening to the radio.  It was kind of bliss.



I finally actually made the pillow cover for this long lumber pillow in the guest room.  (I was cheating when I showed it to you here.)  You can see I basically just made an extra-long pillow case, with just one seam on the bottom and an open side.  I was going to affix ties or buttons, but this is working just fine.

And I'm loving the big euro square with a bold patterned front and a ticking back.  

Ticking is just one of those things I can't get enough of (along with spindle chairs and linen cafe curtains, it's that little bit of cottage style in me!)  The zipper foot doesn't work on my sewing machine, so instead of a welt I decided to do a flat trim.  I cut 2-inch-wide strips of the ticking on the bias, sewed them together, and pressed them in half.  Then came the geometry problem: how to make the pleated corners I was looking for, in reverse in order to accommodate flipping them right-side out after sewing.  I swear I spent half the day puzzling over this (the internet was down, therefore no tutorials), and while the result is not perfect, I am plenty happy with it.

Pretty, right?

These two new pillows will take turns living on this bed: stripes in the winter, euro square in the summer.  It was jut easier to photograph them together.

Next up: sink skirts for the girl's bathroom.  I got halfway done and had a better idea about a little detail, so I may need to take them apart before moving forward.