One Room Challenge - Week Four

Good Morning and welcome to week four of the One Room ChallengeLinking Party.  If you are new here and are unfamiliar with the ORC, it is the brain-child of blogger extraordinaire Linda of Calling it Home.  Twice a year Linda selects twenty talented bloggers and gives them six weeks to completely make over a room in their homes.  They share it all weekly on their blogs.  This year Linda is also holding a linking party for those of us that want to play at home.  You can see Week One here, Week Two here and Week Three here.  All caught up?

So this week I’d like to talk about art.  If you want to read that as she-has-made-zero-progress-in-her-room-and-is-grasping-at-straws, be my guest.  Art is one of the most difficult things for me to decide on.  Why?  Because my art generally has to fit into three criteria:

1.  I like it to be vintage. 

2.  If it isn’t vintage, it needs to be original, or at least not mass-produced from Target.

3.  It must speak to me. 

Not asking much, right?  Sometimes, I know the perfect piece for a space.  Other times, I am at a complete loss.  Such is the case for the ORC.  I guess I have arters block.  So, I’ve put together a couple of boards to show you what I’m considering.  Don’t get jealous of my mad photoshop skills.

My main problem is this long white wall where my faux bamboo dresser resides.  I have a ton of space on each side, plus the area on top.  It is a looong dresser, so I thought about putting a round mirror above it, flanked by lamps then stacking two framed pieces on each side.  But what to put in the four frames?  Kinda like this.
 

 

Problem is I have loved large art lately.  So moving my dresser down and putting a big statement piece next to it also sounds good.  In a perfect world, I’d enlarge an old picture of my sister and me circa the early 80s and use it.  But I’m having trouble getting it enlarged. 

I have two gorgeous vintage Gracie silver-leafed chinoiserie panels that have perfect colors that can go on either side of the dresser, but then what in the middle?

 

Or should I put them next to one another and move the dresser down?

 

 

It’s definitely keeping me up at night.   What do you think?

Be sure to check out the other ORC Linking participantshere.  And the ORC posse here.

xoxo,

Kimber

My Train Wreck

You know the old adage “If at first you don’t succeed, try again”?  In the case of my 1920’s sideboard, it was more like try again…and again…and again…and…





 

 

The moment I decided to paint it (a tough decision because I loved the wood but it was in REALLY bad shape), I knew I wanted to do black and white.  I had a definite vision for this sideboard.  It has sexy legs and excellent carved areas perfect for accenting with paint.  So, armed with my favorite Rustoleum paint from The Home Depot, I happily got started.

I painted the main part of the sideboard black and waited (and waited! oil-based paint takes a long time) for the paint to dry to start on the white.  Yes!!! This was going to be SO GOOD. 

 

 



After two coats of white paint in the detailed areas, I had this train wreck.  Keep in mind …two coats using a tiny artist’s brush to get in the grooves, cleaning up eleventy billion drips, plus dry time…and I hated it.  WTF

 

 



Maybe I had too much white?  Out came the black…again.  Train Wreck.

 

 



How about not highlighting the carved areas?  More black…AGAIN.  TRAIN WRECK.



 

 

I seriously was about to hang it up at this point.  I decided to try one more thing.

 

 

 

Now we’re getting somewhere.  But we still aren't done.  She needed some jewelry and detailing.

 

 

 

And she finally (finally!) was finished.

 

 

Just noticed the dog hair under her...nasty.  Too busy painting to vacuum...don't judge

Do you love her as much as I do?

Hope you have a great weekend!

Kimber



One Room Challenge - Week Three

Good Morning Y’all.  Welcome to week 3 of the ORC Linking Party, where we have six weeks to make over a room in our homes.  If you missed the previous posts, you can read about week one here and week two here. 

I’m feeling pretty good about the progress I’ve made so far.  But I know that when week 5 rolls around, I’m going to be FREAKING OUT wondering what the hell I’ve been doing the last four weeks. 

Do you ever walk through a store and see someone who is a hot mess and wonder if he/she doesn’t have a full-length mirror at home?  I did not have one in my room and really needed one.  Since I am on a tight budget (read:  zero), I looked around Narnia (a magical world where my friend Kristen swears I have access to and store my decor) and found a large mirror I bought from Kirkland’s about 10 years ago, you know, when I actually shopped at Kirkland's.  I originally planned on painting the whole thing gold, but then remembered I had purchased this a few weeks ago.

 

 

Martha Stewart’s Precious Metals line for The Home Depot.  The Conch color spoke to me when I was in the store and I bought a small thing of it on a whim.  This paint is very thin and actually kind of goes on like a glaze.

 I laid the mirror on my sewing table and messily simply painted the flat surface between the moldings to give it a bit of substance.  I love how it turned out and am so excited about the coral sheen it adds to the mirror without screaming C-O-R-A-L.  I am also excited that I now have a full-length mirror so I don’t go out looking like a hobo.

 

Speaking of Martha Stewart’s Precious Metals, I also re-painted the headboard for the room.  I had previously sprayed it using my favorite spray paint, Rustoleum Brass, but it wasn’t holding up as well as I’d hoped.  Please note this probably has zero to do with the spray paint and everything to do with a couple rambunctious boys that like to play “Sumo Wrestler” on mom’s bed.  Anywhoo, I gave it a quick coat of Tiger’s Eye from MS and love how the gold is a bit deeper than the spray paint was. 

 

Another new item in the room is this vintage faux bamboo dresser.  I originally planned to paint it, but really needed some wood tones in the room and decided to leave it as is.  I am still a bit on the fence about painting the pulls.  What do you think? 
 

 

 

 

The other side of the room has a pair of faux bamboo chiavari chairs and a little Dorothy Draper action happening. 
 

 

 

 

I cannot wait for you to see it!  But first, I must finish the other eleventy-billion things on my To Do List.

·         Make curtains
·         Bamboo Shades
·         Paint Headboard
·         Find Bedside tables
·         Make Bedding
·         Upholster bench for end of the bed
·         Art
·         Mirror
·         Rug
·         Dresser
·         TV cabinet

Come back next week to see more progress (hopefully) and be sure to visit all the other One Room Challenge participants and ORC Linking participants.

xoxo,

Kimber

 

Hello, my name is Kimber and I'm...

I’ve got to admit something.  Because admitting a problem is the first step towards recovery, correct? 

Okay, so here goes:  I am an addict.  A DIY addict. 

I come by it very honestly.  I remember when my mama, sister and I would go clothes shopping mama would always say, “Do you know how easy that would be to make?”  I hated hearing those words as a teenager, but now they resonate with me.  I like to think it was the teachings of my parents, who work hard and are the most talented people I know, that made me think that I can DIY anything.  But honestly it may just be that I am cheap  a masochist frugal.  Or that I have champagne taste on a beer budget (the other thing my mama always told me).  Whichever it is, I am an addict nonetheless.

So when I saw this I immediately began thinking of ways I could DIY it. 

available here

And then immediately began imagining it in my bedroom.  You know, the one that I’m re-doing as part of the One Room Challenge?  The one that that has to be done in the next 3 ½ weeks?  Yep, that one. 

The sad thing is that I KNOW I could make this.  But do I have time?  Do I care?  Should I go for it?  Am I freaking nuts?

Kimber

What Say You?

Good Morning Y'all.  I hope that you had a wonderful weekend!

I'm stopping in quickly this morning to get your weigh in on my bedroom for the One Room Challenge.  If you follow me on Instagram @houseofpemberley, then you've already seen this.  Sorry for the repeat.

I have a pair of x-base tables that I'm considering turning into stools to place at the end of my bed.

But I also have a vintage bench I can use there too.

Either choice will be upholstered in Scalamandre's Leopardo.

What say you?  Single or Pair?

xoxo,
Kimber

One Room Challenge - Week Two

Good Morning Y’all.  Thank you for joining me on the One Room Challenge journey!  Unfamiliar with ORC?  It is the brain-child of bloggess Linda from Calling it Home fame.  Twice a year she hosts a six-week boot camp challenge for twenty amazing bloggers to completely overhaul one room.  Progress is reported each Wednesday.  This year, she decided to add a linking party for those of us that want to participate from home.  Yours truly is one of the 70+ masochists bloggers that are participating!  Want to catch up?  See the Week One posts here.

So this week I’m supposed to have a plan for my master bedroom. Guess I should get started on that, right? 

Let’s begin by revisiting my inspiration image, the much-coveted Oly Studio bedroom.

The awesome thing about this room is the contrasting colors that sing together.  The coral and green play so nicely.  And that bold leaf print is amazing; however the art is available from Oly for about $6,500 each.  So NOT going to happen.  Instead, let’s bring that feeling in using fabric. 

Tommy Bahamas Swaying Palms in Aloe

Coral Silk Dupione

F. Schumacher Gainsborough Velvet in Conch

And, of course, I have to throw a wild card in there, right?

Scalamandre Leopardo

 Let's combine them all together and see what we come up with, shall we?

I cannot wait to show you some progress I've made in the room.  And discuss the challenges I've already encountered.  Be sure to check out the other linking participants here and the ORC goddesses here.

  

Oh yes I did!

I’m back, Jack!  I know, I know.  You are overcome with excitement and sheer joy.  The sun is shining; the birds are singing…blah, blah, blah.  Missed you too!

So, I’d like to talk a bit about what’s been going on at #ProjectLemonade.  The short answer:  not much.  The long answer:

We are moved in and the kids have started school and sports.  Life has been uber hectic, thus my not posting.  Well, that and the little thing of us not having internet.  That’s kind of a big deal when you write a blog.  The kids are divided on what they want first, television or internet. 

We have definitely been back to the basics at our house.  But “basics” does not have to mean ugly, correct?  So, I’ve been working on things that really bothered me the most.  One such thing was our kitchen backsplash.  We have very common granite that many people have and an equally common travertine backsplash.  I’m sure, to some, it is fantastic.  But it just didn’t suit my style.  I’ve thought long and hard about replacing it, but, let’s be honest, I don’t even have a working oven right now, so...priorities. 

The other night I was calling out spelling words to my son and Just. Could. Not. Take. It. Another. Minute.  It was TAUNTING me.  So, I decided to change it.  Right there and then on a random weekday night.  How could I change a backsplash on the fly?  Paint.  Duh.

I began by grabbing my spackle and planned to help even out some of the tumbled tile.  I got a little ways and realized if I wanted it smooth I would have to skim coat it.  But before undertaking that craziness, I wanted to see what it would look like if I just primed over it.  So I did. 

You know the funny thing?  My boys did not even bat an eye.  I asked them if it freaked them out when they saw me doing crazy stuff around the house.  They both said no.  I asked them if it was because A. they didn’t care or B. they trusted I’d make it look fabulous.  They both, in unison, said they totally trusted me.  He’s my *favorite* son. 

Of course, this kind of undertaking requires a ton of prep work and the best tools. 

I used a foam cigar roller and my favorite Zinsser primer.  Didn’t even clean the backsplash first.  I love to live on the edge, folks.  *Note the foil-lined cookie sheet acting as my tray.  Class all the way.

 I used my favorite Purdy 2” angle brush to do the cut in and get in the really deep pockets on the tile.  When the primer dried, I gave it two good coats of this stuff.  Rustoleum Enamel Oil-Based Paint.  The white was a bit too white for my kitchen, so I dumped in some of the Rustoleum Almond color and mixed it up.  I just wanted to warm up my white a bit.  No rhyme or reason, I just dumped and mixed.

Best.  Paint.  Ever.  And I ONLY buy paint from Home Depot.  Period.  Ever.  If it isn’t Rustoleum, it’s their Behr line.  I’ve used every kind, and know I’ve professed my undying love many times, but it is the best. 

Then, I got really daring.  My roller was wet with the oil paint and the other side of the kitchen had not been primed yet.  I just rolled it straight onto the tile.  Oh yes I did!  And it covered beautifully!  Even the metal inserts that are randomly scattered on the backsplash.  The shine on this paint is unbelievable! 

I am so pleased with how it is holding up.  I simply wipe it down with soap and water, as needed. 

Most importantly though, look at the difference.  It makes the granite that I HATED work.  Why did I wait so long?

Have you ever taken a chance in your home?

Best,

Kimber