Don't cast IKEA to the side just yet... or, another reason why I love Canadians

The Canadian House and Home designers/employees have developed two new uses for the IKEA Hemnes Wardrobe and IKEA Hemnes Glass Door Cabinet. Both are great solutions for city dwellers, or anyone else living in small spaces!

Wardrobe to Kitchen Pantry (video!)


Glass Door Cabinet to Linen Closet



PS - Husband, siblings, parents... if you're reading this, a subscription to Canadian House and Home would fit perfectly in my Christmas stocking... Hint Hint!

New Love

I have a new love... these fabulous Horchow mirrors... all under $400

White Fretwork Mirror

Amberlyn Mirror

Starstruck Mirror

White Wood Mirror

Chandelier DIY

Yes, of course I'm loving this budget friendly chandelier DIY! I certainly hope you will too!

Don't you love it...

Don't you love it when you find a new blog? Well, this one is not new, and I'm sure you're already in the know, but I just found Ada and Darcy! Oh my, oh my! Total loveliness!

Zinc Table

found here

Just found this beauty on Wisteria's website. What a perfect accent for your kitchen, hallway, or sunroom. I love the weathered look of the wood and the zinc top. At $199, you can't beat the price!

Newton Homes

Today we took a trip to Newton to see a series of homes on the town's annual home tour. I wasn't sure what to expect, as I've never been on a "home tour" before, and boy was I amazed! Mostly older homes, with a contemporary green home and mid century modern home thrown in the mix. Beautifully landscaped exteriors greeted us. We were welcomed into the homes and were amazed to find gorgeous interiors. Luxury kitchens, bathrooms and decor at every turn. Each of these homes were home magazine quality, though I'm almost certain that none of them would have been profiled in the same magazines.

It was fun for us to rank the homes by our favorite interiors. Within seconds of walking into one home, Michael and I both looked at each other, our eyes widened and we said almost simultaneously "this is my favorite."

I was able to take photos of the exteriors of the home, though I found that very few were successful photos. Funny enough, the best photos were taken while walking to and from our parking spots at each home, so that's what I've included.

I also had some time to think about all the homes after a rest this afternoon. Here are some of my thoughts:

1. Not every interior was my favorite, however I've learned through years of studying design is that no matter what the style of architecture, the amount of time and detail involved in designing, developing, building and restoring space is something to be respected.

2. Four hours is a long time for anyone to look at homes; even interior designers. By the end of the tour I was exhausted and ready for some coffee and some down time.

3. All these homes were beautiful, but I can honestly say that I'm not a large home kinda gal. Sure, I love a beautiful old restored home, but the upkeep must be incredibly tiring (or incredibly expensive).

4. And finally... (don't roll your eyes) money can't buy you happiness. Yes, the marble countertops were gorgeous, the Wolf ranges were sparkly, and the Subzero... oh my, the Subzero! But, none of these things equal happiness. I think this is sometimes the hardest part to understand when designing or dreaming of your dream home. These are things, not memories that you can't take with you. So buy it if you love it, but Wolf, Subzero, calcutta and carrera don't replace the real "stuff" that make a house a home... your family and friends. Okay, that was sappy, I know, but when your job is to sell a "look" and material items for a living, these things can easily become the focus. Its nice to take a step back every once in a while.

I just checked one more thing off the living room list. Pillows! The sofa is now filled with fluffy goodness perfect for sitting back and reading a great book.

I made all the pillows out of remants from the window treatments and other projects. The pink pink and ivory pillow was picked up at Homegoods. I initially liked it, but I'm not 100% certain that it works with the orange chair (notice the blue tag on it still). What are your thoughts?

Window Treatments and Zimmans

In the midst of wedding planning, I have taken some time to put some color on my windows. As many know, apartments often lack color. Mine is no different. As nice as it is to have a clean, uniform look throughout the apartment, the lack of color is getting a little, well, dull. I am working to bring some color and "L.Alden-ness" into the space.

I wanted to work on the living room first, which has taupe walls, white trim, light wood floors, and a white sofa. The room is crying for color!!! Deciding on my largest print was the first place to start. So I made my first trip to Zimmans, my new favorite fabric store! I picked out this floral print (I don’t know who makes it, if anyone recognizes it please let me know!) because it is fun, vibrant, and features so many different colors. I could see it going about 10 different ways in different spaces. After I whipped up the first relaxed roman and found that the curtain was crying for more oompf! The green in the leaves is gorgeous, and I knew it needed to be better represented, so back to Zimmans I went. Carly was there to help me out; let me tell you, this girl knows her fabric. Within seconds of showing her what I was trying to highlight, she knew exactly where to go. Well one week later and here are the results.

So, what’s next, you ask? Well, I need to make pillow covers for pair of rectangular pillows I bought at Homegoods (the striped one on the sofa above). I'm thinking a solid green with mother of pearl buttons. I also need to bring in the vibrant pinks, reds and yellows out subtly with accessories. Then its on to the fireplace. I'm looking to make or purchase an affordable oil pastel or oil painting for the fireplace. I'd love a street scene, maybe a cafe or little storefront. A heavy emphasis on perspective is a necessity too. Something sweet and Southern to remind me of my Virginia roots. Any suggestions are welcome!

Cheap & Chic - Ikea meets Serena & Lily

Remember yesterday's post about the Serena & Lily Cabinet? If you loved it, but couldn't stomach spending $835 on a shelf, then read on! I have found a way to rework an Ikea shelving unit that is inspired by the Hayworth Shelf for about half the price. (Okay, I think I may have been inspired by Janell and her son's cool IKEA bedroom)

Consider sprucing up the Ikea Hemnes Storage Unit pictured below with a few cans of spray paint. I chose Maine Cottage's spray paint in Zinnia because I love the bright pop of color! Spruce up the glass with your favorite geometric pattern and a can of glass frost. Replace the hardware, and voila! You've just made yourself a storage unit inspired by Serena & Lily's Hayworth shelf. Click on the link to enlarge.



The Details:

The price was estimated using the following math:
Ikea Cabinet: $350
Spray Paint (4 cans)*: $72
Stencil*: $25
Hardware (6 ring pulls): $5.70
Frosted Glass Spray: approx $5
_________________________
Total: $457.70

* To further reduce the cost involved in this cabinet, use less expensive spray paint (try color matching at your hardware store) and create your own stencil!


Please note: The Hemnes Glass Door Cabinet with 4 Drawers is not currently available at my IKEA. Therefore, I have not had a chance to try this project. I've typed up these directions for reference. Let me know your thoughts and any experience you've had with these products!

Well Aren't these Just Dandy!

Anthropologie Rhino Bust

Anthropologie Zebra Bust

Saw these last time I wandered through Anthropologie. I like the Reduce Reuse Recycle feel of these paper mache animals. And you know I like some zebras! But here's some top secret info... In this application, I actually prefer the rhino! I think because he almost disappears on the wall. Love it!

Easter: A few days later

All the Easter candy may be gone, but the decorations are still around.

Fa la la la la

Just downloaded "I've Got my Love to Keep me Warm" by Kay Starr on iTunes.
Go download it and do a little holiday dance.