Nursery: Progress Report

Over the course of the holidays, despite plenty of company and my growing fatigue (and belly!), I did manage to get a good bit done in the nursery. When we last left off, the spare bedroom was essentially our storage room, which meant the first task was clearing it out. After several trips to Goodwill, we managed to empty the room and get cracking. Dave's big task was to remove the light and install the new fan, which has the added benefit of being on a dimmer. I like how the fixture has an old schoolhouse vibe; it's definitely the kind of piece I can use long after the crib is gone.

We've also purchased several of our "big ticket" items like the crib and the dresser (both of which are from Oeuf's Sparrow line). The dresser will double as a changing table. I had initially planned on buying a separate changing table, but decided the temporary convenience of a separate (and higher) space didn't really justify the additional cost. I also got DwellStudio's Draper rug, which ties in with the fitted stripe sheet and I really think it's going to make the room. 

My big DIY for the nursery last week was making the crib skirt. I used the Alphabet Tales print from Osborne & Little's Zagazoo line. While my mom taught me the rudiments of sewing when I was younger, I'm hardly a seamstress, so I opted to go the no-sew route with some Stitch Witchery, an iron and this short DIY video courtesy of Young House Love. Sherry does a wonderful job of walking you through it, so I won't take you step by step here. Instead, I'll just throw in my quickie advice: make sure your measurements are accurate for each side before you cut (and measure the inside, not the outside, of the crib for accurate dimensions, taking into account any support slats, screws or other obstacles that may keep the skirt from laying flat).

After hemming each panel with the hem tape, I used fabric glue to secure orange grosgrain ribbon along the bottom edges and secured each panel to the crib with Velcro (the stick-on kind for the crib and the iron-on kind for the panels). While the skirt might withstand a few washings, it's certainly not for the ages -- indeed, I even had to do some impromptu (and very hackneyed) cutting once I installed the panels to get the skirt to lay flat despite the support slats behind each leg. That said though, I think it looks good and I'm happy with the results.

The nursery is connected to a Jack-and-Jill bathroom that I'm also sprucing up (in the same color scheme) in time for BB Conn's arrival. I found some adorable towels in orange and aqua off ideeli a few months ago, but I'd been having a lot of trouble finding a shower curtain that I really liked in the same colors that didn't read as too juvenile (after all, this bathroom is also connected to our guest room). And so, I decided to make my own...well, I prettied up my own in any event.

I purchased an inexpensive plain white fabric shower curtain and some grosgrain ribbon in orange and aqua. I then used fabric glue to adhere the ribbons to create a wide band across the bottom of the curtain. I actually eye balled the spacing but if you're a bit unsteady (or a perfectionist), then I'd suggest marking your distances with a washable fabric pen. While the fabric glue does a reasonable job of keeping the ribbon in place, I knew that I needed to sew down the ribbon along the edges to really get them to stay flat and hold up in a damp environment (and in the washing machine).

Under the watchful eye of my mother, I used a sewing machine to sew down the edges. I used a clear thread to avoid having to change out the thread for each color. A great tip from my mom: sew the right (or left) sides of all four ribbons in one go and then turn the curtain around and sew the other sides down. This will keep the ribbons from puckering and ensure they lay flat.

Of course, there are still a number of items to check off the list in the next 8 weeks or so before I can call this room complete. Here's the status of my to do list as of last weekend:

(1) Clear the room. 
(2) Paint the walls (Benjamin Moore's Forget Me Not) and ceiling (Benjamin Moore's Icing on the Cake). [Note: I have, for once, decided to outsource the paint job to professionals; hopefully, my painter will be out in the next week or two to get this done.]

(3) Order the crib, dresser, glider and rug.
(4) Install the ceiling fan.
(5) Sew the crib skirt.
(6) Build the pelmet box for the window and upholster in the O&L fabric.

(7) Sew covers for throw pillows to go on glider and window seat.
(8) Order artwork and frames.

(9) Establish a furniture arrangement that optimizes space.
(10) Purchase/install floating shelves above the dresser for photos and diapering essentials.

(11) Arrange and hang wall art.
(12) Organize baby's closet -- wash and fold clothes, store toys and gear, etc.

I'm pleased with the progress so far, but my nesting instinct seems to have kicked into high gear here in the last week or so (perhaps something about hitting the 30 week mark?) and I'm ready to power this out quickly now. I'll keep you posted!

Quick & Easy Mini-Makeovers

While I'm a huge fan of the monumental DIY projects that many of my fellow bloggers tackle on what seems like a weekly basis, I'll admit that sometimes after a long week at the office I'm just not up for that. Instead, what I'm after is the kind of quick and easy project that gives you a big pay-off for minimal time (and monetary) commitment. If you're anything like me, you don't have each and every weekend to devote to big time decorating projects -- and besides, the discretionary income necessary for those larger projects can dry up faster than you can say "last month's Nordstrom bill". And so, in the spirit of tackling some smaller, mini-makerovers this weekend, I set about to perk up a few items in my study with some customized details to really give some ordinary, inexpensive items a bit more personality.

Mini-Makeover #1: Paint the back of your bookshelves. I bought this cabinet from Overstock (which is actually a bath cabinet that's no longer available but other items in the same style can be found HERE) for under $100 just to give me some temporary shelving and storage in my office until my budget can afford a larger piece. While I loved the Greek key detail and the combination of open and closed storage, I wanted to bring just a little bit more color and life to the piece, so I decided to paint out the shelves a lighter shade of purple (Waverly Home by Valspar's Purple Gray), which coordinates with the plum wall color (BM's Purple Lotus) without being too strong a transition with the stark white cabinetry.

Mini-Makeover #2: Tjuz up a blah lampshade. This crystal lamp was an $80 Home Goods find and, while the sleek crystal base was exactly what I was looking for to bring some more sparkle to my desktop, the plain vanilla lampshade was not. Certainly, it's inoffensive, just nothing special -- and since this is the one room in the house that I can go full-out girly glam in, I wanted it to sing. So I added a fabulous 1/2" Chinese braid (adhered with fabric glue) and a lavender tassel (which are very much back in vogue) and -- voila -- a fabulous, customized lampshade for a fraction of what you'd spend to have one custom made.

Mini-Makeover #3: Fake a contrast welt. I adore a contrast welt on upholstery and pillows, but not enough to pay for new covers for my daybed and bolsters. Sure, you can use fabric paint and paint it out (see Little Green Notebook and It's Great to be Home), but if you're like me and a little concerned about the steadiness of your hand, why not just fake it with some ribbon? Here, I used a few yards two very narrow velvet ribbons in lilac and plum and glued them just underneath the welt. The process took all of 15 minutes.

While I can't say for certain if the devil is in the details or if God is, I do know that a great designer is in the details and it's these small, personal touches that can take a room from ordinary to extraordinary. So what about you? Do you have any mini-makeovers you've recently undertaken that you can share with us?

Weekend Update: Credenza Completed!

Well, it took us two weekends, three coats of paint, one coat of polycrylic and a lot of elbow grease (and brass polish), but we finally managed to finish spiffing up the credenza I scored off of eBay last month for Dave's office. And despite this project being far more time consuming than I had initially anticipated, I'm pleased with the final results and consider it well worth the effort (especially given how little moola I ended up having to spend to get a look I am happy with!).

We ended up selecting Valspar's Scarlet Sun in a high gloss finish. We didn't prime the credenza because it was already painted white, but I suspect if we had used a tinted primer we could've saved ourselves one of the coats of paint. Given the smooth surface of the piece (and despite lightly sanding the top), we also had some issues getting the paint to stick in the first two coats. This could have been solved by using an oil-based paint, which will stick to smooth surfaces more easily than latex, but we managed to get a pretty scratch-resistant surface by spraying a water-based polycrylic (in gloss) over the final coat.

I decided to stick with the original hardware, primarily because it ended up being nearly impossible to find hardware that I liked that came in both 3-1/2 inch and 2-1/2 inch sizes (both of which are fairly non-standard as most hardware comes in 3 or 4-inch) and I didn't want to have to drill new holes (and fill the old ones). Unfortunately though, cleaning these babies up proved to be quite the task. We first soaked all the hardware in a salt and vinegar mixture for 30 minutes to an hour. After lightly cleaning them, we found that while this removed the first layer of tarnish, we still needed to go after them more seriously with a (very noxious, but highly effective) brass polish. Warning: the smell is seriously strong with this stuff, so if you use it, I'd work in a well-ventilated room (or outside) and take frequent breaks. The end result of our polishing isn't quite "like new", but I like how the hardware's patina preserves the piece's vintage-quality.

A few more close-up shots. What I love most about this credenza are the details; the faux-bamboo lattice work on the center and edges and the campaign-style brass corners really elevate the credenza into a statement-worthy piece. Even better, now that Dave has ample storage for his many, many collections, we've freed up a ton of closet space, dumped the cheap-o plastic storage bins that used to occupy this space, and given him 6 feet of display room for his favorite geodes and fossils. These pieces will be joined by a pair of table lamps (yet to be purchased -- any budget-friendly suggestions?) and a few more pieces of art to fill the large wall above the credenza. I promise to post follow-up pictures once we get the area styled, but wanted to share the makeover with you now rather than later.

How was your weekend? Did you get any projects completed off your "to do" list?

Weekend Update: Going Turquoise

This past weekend Dave and I decided to perk up our dreary (and windowless) guest bathroom with a bright punch of color. I've been itching to go really bold with paint in the new house and decided this secondary bath would be the perfect spot for some serious experimentation. I selected Capri Seas from Benjamin Moore, which is a classic turquoise, a perfect balance between blue and green. All in all, I like how the paint really brightens the small bathroom, especially the interior shower-area which was dangerously dark. Nevertheless, such a bold color does take some getting used to and I'm hoping the overall effect is more beachy than kiddie...but the great thing about paint is that it's a choice easily changed should I decide in a few months that it's just too much. For now though, I think it's fun and I love how it really makes the white trim and vanity pop (despite them being pretty builder-basic).

Last time I used Benjamin Moore, I went with their zero-VOC paint (Natura), but this time selected their low-VOC version (Ben) just to see if I could tell any difference. And I did. The Aura paint is all but odorless and, while the Ben paint is significantly less toxic-smelling than regular latex paint, it still had a noticeably unpleasant odor -- not a good thing when you're working in a small, confined space without any ventilation.

We also updated the vanity area by swapping out the large, frameless mirror with a slick white version of the Hutton Mirror from Restoration Hardware. We used the same mirrors (but in the espresso stain) in our last house (see HERE) and I can't say good enough things about them. Not only are they extremely well-made and easy to install (the mounting hardware even comes with a built-in leveler), but these mirrors are also well-priced.

Sneak Peak of My Next Project

In an effort to stick to my self-imposed decorating schedule, I thought I'd go ahead and post the "before" photos of a project that I hope to complete in the next few weeks. Last month I scored this great Hollywood Regency-style dresser off eBay for a fraction of the price of a new sideboard and after some simple upgrades (paint, hardware), I think this piece is going to be a real show stopper in Dave's study. [By the way, if you're in the market for vintage furniture, the seller TS & Company has a great selection of Hollywood Regency, Chinoiserie and MCM furniture available at their eBay store. Right now I have my eye on this pair of end tables.]

One of my major criteria when buying furniture off eBay or Craigslist is to stick with well-known brands. For example, this piece is by Thomasville so I had a pretty good idea ahead of time (a) the quality of the piece and (b) what a reasonable price would be for this item. Other brands to look for when shopping for furniture include Hickory Chair, Drexel Heritage and Baker. All of these companies have been in business for years, manufacture their products here in the U.S. and can be relied upon for consistently producing high quality, long lasting pieces. Another major rule for buying vintage online is to look for pieces where the seller has provided a lot of photos and a detailed description not just of the piece, but of its condition. It's best to know every major flaw before you bid. Another tip: get a shipping quote ahead of time (most dealers will provide this for you upon request). I've made the mistake in the past of bidding on (and winning) a "great deal" only to see that deal look not-so-sweet once I caught wind of what it was going to cost to ship.

Besides its chic faux-bamboo detailing on the outside, one of the primary reasons I picked this piece was for all it had going on inside. The ample storage (the dresser comes with 11 drawers in total!) should be enough to hold all of Dave's many collections and files with some room to spare while the best pieces will hold pride of place on the top. If I had my druthers, I'd also put a pair of these derrick tower lamps atop it (not only do I like the shape and the antique brass finish, but they seem rather fitting given Dave's job as an engineer at a major oil field services company):

Alas though, Dave wasn't as ardent a fan. But back to the task at hand....My plan is to repaint the sideboard in a high-gloss red-orange, something along the lines of this foo dog:

The bold red-orange will make a serious impact against the dark teal walls and, since Dave isn't afraid of color, this will be an excellent opportunity to play with a color combination that I've been wanting to try ever since I saw this Houston study (designed by Rob Southern) in House Beautiful:

I'm thinking Benjamin Moore's Tomato Red might be the right shade, but I'll need to see it in the context of the wall color (Benjamin Moore's Slate Teal) to know for sure.

The one decision left to be made though is the hardware. I'm currently debating whether or not to try and refinish the existing hardware to restore the existing brass hardware or install new hardware altogether -- what do you think? Should I try and polish these babies back to their former glory or remove them in favor of some more modern hardware?

The Bathroom That Blogging Built

This weekend marked the completion of the final decorative touches to our master bathroom and I couldn't be happier with the finished results. What excites me even more though is that this is the first room that I feel like I can really cross off my list and declare "done" in the new house (as much as any room I ever design can be deemed complete as I'm always tweaking things). It's also the first room that I can really say is exactly as I had hoped it would be as the majority of my house is still incomplete. In honor of the occasion, I thought I'd give you a virtual tour of the room, from top to bottom.

When I last updated you on my master bathroom, I was debating which light fixture to switch out the small, completely inadequate, ceiling light with. Well, after months of contemplating my options, I decided to go with: Neither! Ultimately, I felt that if I was actually that torn about which light to pick, I should just hold out until I found one that was exactly what I was looking for. And I'm so glad I waited.

A few weeks ago I spied this fixture over at Aesthetic Oiseau and knew instantly that it would be a perfect fit for my master bath. As a major bonus, it was also well under what I had budgeted for a light fixture (I bought the smallest version, the three-light fixture). And, while my ceilings wouldn't allow me much room for hanging, I do think the hanging pendant brings a coziness to the space that a flushmount simply couldn't have.

With all the hard tile (and all the white and gray!) in the bathroom, I wanted to bring in some softness and pattern in the form of fabric. Obviously, in a bathroom draperies aren't particularly practical, so after reading about Jenny's gorgeous pelmet boxes over at Little Green Notebook a few months ago, I decided to try making my own pelmet box to fit around our large, very bare window over the bathtub.

Because the bathroom will obviously see a lot of moisture over the years, I decided that constructing my pelmet box out of foam core was probably not the best move (I could just image it starting to droop after a few months of showering!). So I decided to tear apart the plywood box that one of our mirrors was shipped in and reuse the plywood as the frame for the pelmet box. It took Dave and I several hours (and several attempts) before we got a product that I was happy with, but overall the project was fairly simple. We hung the pelmet with two L-brackets,which we hung just a few inches from the top on either side so they're now completely invisible.

The fabric is Windsor Smith's Archipelago fabric in Haze. Normally this fabric is to-the-trade-only, but I managed to score it (at a pretty decent discount) from Avid-Home (which I heard about via Paloma over at La Dolce Vita). I love the fabric so much that I'm thinking about using the mist colorway for draperies in the master bedroom.

Beth has touted the virtues of this trellis foot stool (from, of all places, JCPenney's) several times on her blog Chinoiserie Chic. And, once it went on sale, I decided to pick up my own for the vanity in our bathroom, intending to recover the seat in the same Windsor Smith fabric as the pelmet box. When the stool arrived, I was pleasantly surprised by its sturdiness, but wished the base were in a bronze instead of a brushed gold (which is actually quite nice, I just didn't want to introduce another metal into the room). So I decided to pick up some spray-paint at Lowe's and give it a quick coating of bronze paint. I did a light coat to allow for some of the gold to come through, which I think gives the metal a more authentic, bronze look.

And finally, I decided to cover the majority of the open floor with a rug because (1) those tiles are dangerously slippery in the morning, (2) I love the look of a real rug and not just a bathmat in a bathroom, and (3) our pristine white grout is a major b*tch to keep clean. I chose the steel zig zag rug from Madeline Weinrib because I wanted to stick to the same neutral color palette, but go with a bold pattern that would really make a statement. As a bonus, the fact that the rug is a cotton flatweave should help it stand up to the dampness.

So many thanks to all the bloggers mentioned who inspired specific aspects of this design as well as to all the other bloggers who have inspired me daily and helped me to better define my own sense of style. It's a great feeling to finally have an entire room more or less complete (even if it is just a bathroom). Next on my list: finishing up the living room.

Weekend Progress Report

As the countdown to the holidays continues and the specter of hosting seven people over Thanksgiving looms ever larger, my desire to get the new house in order has increasingly become a necessity. This weekend saw the completion of a few more random projects around the house and the delivery of some new pieces for the living room (finally!).

After weeks of waiting we finally got one of the pieces I purchased at Ethan Allen over Labor Day. My Rand wing chair arrived on Saturday and I absolutely love it! Between the nail head trim and the subtle metallic and blue hues in the fabric, I nearly swooned when I saw it in the show room back in September. If every room has a star, then this chair is a bona fide diva, and my hope is that the sofa (which should be arriving in two weeks) and other major pieces (not yet purchased) will play a supporting role as they compliment and hold their own against the chair without overpowering with it -- after all, two or more divas in a room can end very badly.

I've paired the wing chair with this greek key floor lamp that I bought from Shannon over at The Designer's Attic. Shannon (of Pink Wallpaper fame) features unique fabrics, accessories, lighting and small furniture pieces that she's scored in her years as a designer. It's a "must" follow for anyone on a perpetual hunt for unique, designer-y finds at wallet-friendly prices. I simply added an inexpensive shade from Shades of Light and a cheap-o harp and finial from Lowe's and -- voila! -- gorgeous floor lamp for under $100!

Ever the princess, Olivia is rather fond of it, too.

Progress was also made in my study as I added a ceiling medallion around the new chandelier that Dave so painstakingly hung last month. Because of the height of this room -- and the look on Dave's face when I suggested we add a ceiling medallion -- I used a ceiling medallion that came in two separate pieces, which allowed us to mount the molding around the existing fixture without having to remove it!

Since the medallion is made out of lightweight polyurethane, we installed it easily with just some heavy-duty glue (which saved us an additional step of caulking and painting over any nail holes!). Prior to mounting, I did repaint the ceiling medallion in our trim paint to ensure an exact match. I was a little concerned that the seams between the two pieces would show, but from the ground they blend indistinguishably with the petal detail. All in all, this was a quick and simple upgrade that took us under an hour (dry time for the paint not included).

And lest you think I've forgotten altogether, I'm also announcing the winner to the oh, kirby! giveaway tonight. Through the highly scientific process that is random.org, the winner is...

Maple!

Christina, please email me with your address and choice of print. Many thanks also to everyone who participated in the giveaway and congratulations to Christina!

Finishing Touches on the Master Bathroom

Up until a week or two ago, the very thought of launching into another painting project at our house left Dave and I exhausted. After all, the memories of our painting marathon back in August were just too fresh. Now though that summer has turned into fall, I find myself with some renewed energy to focus on home improvement projects around the house and over the weekend I managed to talk Dave into repainting our master bath from the boring-but-pleasant builder basic beige to a lovely, rich medium-tone gray (Lamp Room Gray to be exact) that ties in perfectly with our blue-gray master bedroom.

And so, with the UT-OU {hook 'em horns!} and then UF-Arkansas {Go Gators!} football games in the background, Dave and I managed to knock out the painting in just a few hours. While the "before" and "after" photos aren't terribly different, I do think the bluer gray works nicely with the white ceramic tiles and white Silestone countertops. In addition to the new paint color, we've also swapped out the hardware with Restoration Hardware's vintage collection, which features a lovely combination of frosted glass and oil-rubbed bronze.

For a bit of personality, I also hung some antique Japanese woodblock prints (which I scored from Fuji Arts on the cheap years ago) that had been sitting in my closet. Frames are simple Pottery Barn gallery frames that I've used (and reused) for years.

My next project is going to be to replace the existing light fixture with something a tad less boring. I'd like to do something with some serious personality, but because of the height of the ceiling (9 feet), the fixture needs to be either flush mount or extend no lower than 6" or so. Right now, I'm debating between this Jonathan Adler flush mount or this Morovian star pendant. Since our house is currently tied 1-1 on which to go with, I thought I'd let you the readers cast the deciding vote.

poll by twiigs.com

Halloween Crafting

I know it's a popular thing to say, but Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. I've always loved the fun traditions surrounding the holiday, its religious roots, the folk lore -- and of course, getting a free pass to dress up and play pretend as an adult. There's also something about Halloween that just makes me want to bust out my Mod Podge and glitter and start crafting. Perhaps it's because the majority of ready made decorations available are either (a) heinous, (b) cheap looking, (c) overpriced or (d) some combination of the above. As a result, I'm often left thinking "I could make something cuter myself". Okay, well, maybe I couldn't, but Martha Stewart certainly could. And so, I thought I'd bring you some of my favorite craft ideas, courtesy of Martha Stewart.

I'm not generally a fan of Martha Stewart -- she's a bit too stiff, serious and unattainable for my tastes. That said though, I buy the Halloween issue of Martha Stewart Living every year. Because, if there's one thing Martha and I could bond over, it'd be our shared love of Halloween. Martha's website is a veritable smorgasbord of ideas for Halloween and while I've featured a few of my favorite below, there are literally dozens of other crafts, recipes, arrangements and even costumes to get you inspired.

I love this arrangement -- it's so dark and moody. Just goes to show you orange isn't the only color pumpkins come in and I love these gorgeous inky green beauties (according to Martha, they're Australian heirloom varietals called 'Jarrahdale' and 'Queensland Blue' ). And there's no need to try to improve upon nature with these pumpkins -- I wouldn't dare besmirch them with carvings. When Dave and I hit up the pumpkin patch (i.e., the local grocery store), you can bet we'll be looking for some of these to take home with us.

I love an easy craft project and boy are these candles easy. Simply light a red candle and drink the red wax down a white taper. For extra credit, why not try this with black tapers?

Think beyond a jack-o-lantern face when it comes to carvings. I love how eerily beautiful this moth and flame look. Another good tip is to let the shape of the pumpkin dictate the design. Here, the bell shape suits the shape of a candlestick.

While I love the look of a beautifully carved pumpkin, I'm not a huge fan of carving pumpkins -- it's just such a mess and I'm not a huge fan of the smell of uncooked pumpkin. Plus, I'm not so adept with a knife as to do some of the really gorgeously elaborate cut outs that Martha showcases. So for those of us who aren't so into carving, these glittering pumpkins are a wonderful alternative. A little Elmer's glue and a few coats of the glitter of your choice and you've got some beautiful pumpkins that will easily transition to Thanksgiving. Unless you want to purchase glitter by the bucketful, I think this project is best left for your small pumpkins.

Another candle idea but this one involves taking ordinary frosted glass hurricanes and decorating them with glittering spiderwebs. All this project involves is some glue and glitter. I'm fairly certain drawing a spiderweb is fairly fool-proof, but if you're nervous about free styling, Martha even provides a handy template that you can print out and trace on.

These paper lanterns are definitely the most complicated of any of the craft ideas I featured here, but I love them and think they'd look so fun hanging over your next Halloween spread. Don't let the multiple steps involved here daunt you though, Martha will hold your hand through the whole ordeal and even provides templates for all three of the lanterns and graphics.

For as simple as this idea is, it really makes a great impact. To make the tree, simply spray paint a branch a glossy black, use Styrofoam to secure it firmly inside the vase of your choice, hide the Styrofoam with moss (I think dead leaves would work nicely, too, though). Et voila! To finish off, just hang ornaments on the branches as you please. As for ornaments, you can either buy some or make your own (see Martha's directions on making the ones above here).

For your Halloween party, why not try whipping up some gorgeous black and silver pompoms? For less than $15 for the kit, you've got some seriously chic party accessories that will far outshine ordinary crepe paper.

If you're more of a baker than a crafter, Martha has a slew of ghoulish dessert ideas -- I particularly love all her cupcake options. So you can get to the fun part (decorating them!) faster, I'd recommend whipping up Nigella's Fairy Cakes (which you can make in a blender and cook/cool quickly) as a base for all that colorful icing and candies. Directions for decorating the cupcakes shown above are here.

If you lack the time and/or inclination for a little DIY, Martha Stewart's new Halloween collection over at Grandinroad has some really cute stuff (much of which is already on sale). Another great online source for creepy-but-still-cute Halloween decor is ZGallerie.

Happy Halloween crafting!

All photographs courtesy of MarthaStewart.com.

Week Thirteen: Closing

Last Wednesday we finally closed on the new house (hurrah!), so now it's officially ours to move into (and, just as importantly, decorate as we like). Unfortunately I didn't get around to shooting quite as many pictures of the new house as I would have liked this past weekend, so a complete tour will have to wait for next weekend, but I thought I'd go ahead and give you a taste of what the finished house looks like.

Above is a picture of the kitchen -- I'm really happy with how it turned out, especially since I had rather limited choices for finishes. The light fixture/pot rack above the island is my favorite element and I really think it finishes off the space quite nicely. As for hardware on the cabinets, I've decided to go with these (both available at Lowe's and Home Depot):

The pull will go on each of the drawers while the knob will be on each of the cabinets. It's definitely a modern look, but I tend to prefer a more modern look in a kitchen, and I don't think it's so modern as to be incongruous with my generally more transitional tastes. I couldn't believe it when I counted it all up but it looks like I'll have to purchase 14 pulls and 23 knobs for the kitchen alone; Dave is going to have quite a job installing them all next weekend. [Love you, honey!]

Also on tap for next weekend is painting the dining room. I bought a gallon of trim paint that matches the existing trim to paint out the lower third of the wall to mimic wainscoting. Above the chair rail I'll be using Farrow & Ball's Drawing Room Blue. I can't wait to see how it turns out.

On Saturday morning while I was at a bridal shower, Dave was nice enough to install the sconces I bought to replace the cheap-looking brushed nickel ones the house came with. Here they are in the master bath -- basic, but pretty, and certainly a better match to the bronze faucets and shower door than the brushed nickel ones.

The major project we undertook this past weekend though was painting my study. While the footprint of the room is relatively small, the soaring ceilings meant that we had an awful lot of square footage to cover -- and on a 14' ladder to boot! I'm so thankful that this is the tallest room we'll be tackling in the near future as it's definitely nerve racking to be up painting that high. In the end though, I'm really pleased with the result: it's exactly what I had in my mind and the dark walls really emphasize the height of the room. I also absolutely love the way the color looks through the french doors (which are on your immediate left as you walk in the house). Once we paint the dining room blue, I think the rich colors will balance each other and be a great contrast with the neutral hallway.

Some friendly advice though: painting a room deep eggplant [I used Benjamin Moore's Purple Lotus] is just like painting a room red. You'll need at least two coats to get the saturated look you're after. We didn't prim first (the paint was brand new after all), but it probably would've saved us a bit of time touching up at the end. For the first time I also sprang for low VOC paint and I will say it made a huge difference as far as smell went. The paint is virtually odorless and what little scent it does have is actually quite pleasant. While that may or may not have long-lasting impacts on my health, it obviously made it much more pleasant to paint in a confined space for hours on end.

Before I left for vacation I ordered this chandelier from ZGallerie (which is currently on back order). I can't wait to get it in so I can install it and see how it looks in the space. Not only should it up the "glam factor", but it will provide substantially more light than that undersized flushmount.

The next few weekends will largely be taken up with painting, installing hardware, waiting on various deliveries/installs and, of course packing (which I have yet to start -- yikes!). If I seem a little distracted between now and D-day [August 15], you'll know the reason and I hope that you'll forgive me.