‘B’ Musings

I’ve been working on a condo project for the last few months in which we gutted the space and started over. The client said she was looking for a sophisticated beach theme so I immediately began creating a Pottery Barn-esque condo for her. Unfortunately, she was still kitchy at heart and some of my ideas were vetoed.  Here’s a look at some of the before and after pics…

Aside from the use of the exact same 1980′s picture above the couch, I am pretty happy with the outcome of this space.

I love the cleaner, more open look to the kitchen. I would have liked to pick up some great accessories for counters as well but the home owner was going to take care of it.

The mirrors, due to budget, had to stay which actually worked in our favor.  But the pink walls, ivory bamboo furniture, and flamingo lamp had to go!

The number one piece of advice I give all clients regarding rooms without windows is to paint it a light color! When you use dark paints and wallpapers in a cave-like space, it is just going to make it feel more like a cave. By softening the walls and breaking up all the white, the space feels more inviting.

By far, my favorite room in the house to transform. Since the condo is a rental and the guest bedroom would be used for kids more often than not, I wanted to give it a playful, nautical feel.  What do you think of the final product?

I wish there had been more money in the budget to really “finish” this room. The contrast from before to after was really coming along when we ran out of money and I was unable to complete it. Maybe one day….

I adore this vanity space now that it is done. The turquoise, wax covered mirrors give it just the right amount of pizazz.

Sometimes all a patio needs is a new configuration of furniture, comfortable seating, and a burst of colors with pillows!

Though this project had a few hiccups, I’m happy with the overall final product. Wouldn’t you agree?

Staircases get overlooked all the time in the design world. People spend their money on elaborate kitchens and bathrooms and never take a second look at something as simple as the stairs. My question: why not add a hint of your personality to those stairs you climb every day or that might be the focal point when guests come through the front door?

For all you DIYourselfers, try adhering yard sticks to the stairs for a simple change or if you are more ambitious, pick up remnants of like colored wall paper and adhere a different pattern to each step.

 For a more clean look, paint the stair front with chalkboard paint so that you can change the message whenever you like. Just make sure you have legible hand writing first. And, if you have kids, use the stairs to highlight some classic books.

 Song lyrics and piano keys are a great way to express your love for music!

And for all you Bibliophiles,  try using the stairs to list book sections or better yet, cut into the stairs and use them for an actual bookcase.

Well, my file on stairs is massive and if I tried to include all of it on this one post, I’d be sitting here for days writing and uploading images. So stay tuned for future posts as I make my way through this file OR if you have anything you want to hear about, let me know and I’ll make sure to get to it sooner!

I try not to go to the Anthropologie website too often because I always find a ton of items that I want, want, want. Unfortunately my pocketbook isn’t big enough to satisfy those wants so I post them here to remember them forever. Here’s the latest craves:

This must be the cutest and coolest settee I’ve seen in  a while. It’s modern and traditional at the same time which makes it that much more appealing to me.

We used to create sofas like this in a digital program for fun and now stores are selling them for real? This plaid chaos would be perfect for a cozy library or large cabin family room.

A bed that addresses three loves of mine. 1) Vintage items with a rusty layer give furniture character, even if they are brand new. 2) Clocks. I’m obsessed with clocks as I have one in every room in my home and would probably have two per room if my husband let me. 3) Sleep. Who doesn’t want a cool place to lay there head to rest?

  Any time I see a dresser that has been refurbished into a trendy, interesting piece it makes me want to go out to Goodwill and pick one up. Hmmm…what would I put on the front?

  These knobs are so random that I simply must have them for odd places in the home. Perhaps a trunk in the living room needs an update or the chest of drawers in the billiard room. Something around here has to have these!

I threw a halloween party last year that was based on wicked fairytales. If only I had seen this chandelier when I was setting up my mad hatter tea party. I still could not have afforded it but I could have mimicked it fairly well.

Perhaps I will send a link to my husband about this woodpecker door knocker. We live in the woods and hear woodpeckers often so I think this would be an awesome addition to our front door.

There is nothing  special about this collection of mirrors. I simply liked the match up of colors and sizes to create an original art piece. And if you cannot tell by now, I love finding items on websites that I can create my own way later.

I’ve torn every piece of wallpaper off the walls of my homes for years and now I keep finding papers that I want to cover nooks and crannies of the home in…. Must resist the urge….or do I?