The Office.....A Before and After Story

The office in our house started out as a "man cave" by the previous owners.  Nothing special, just a small bedroom with Berber carpet, yellow walls, and a window that lets in very minimal light (it's on the shady side of the house).  After we cut another door opening in the wall (see previous post here) it brought in much needed natural light and made the flow of that part of the house make sense. We decided it was an ideal location for an office.  Since this is still a pretty dark room, lighting is very important in making this space workable.  Before, I had a wall unit desk that included a hutch and desk with under cabinet lighting in the hutch.  There was a chandelier in the center of the room but the room still felt very dark.  Additional lamps were added but it just didn't work right.  I decided to sell the hutch and desk and start over this time realizing a couple of things.  First, I don't want my back to face the room.  I want to be able to look out and see around me and with a wall unit, you spend most of your time looking at the wall unit.  Second, lighting needed to be balanced. Lastly, I wanted an eclectic mix of furniture that was functional, versatile and vintage.  So, I set out to buy the credenza and desk from Craigslist (see previous post here) and went from there. The credenza I have left as found for now and for the desk, I had a piece of mirror cut to fit the top.  The original top is a wood grain Formica and I didn't want to mess with it.  This desk is interesting because it's chrome and wood. There are three drawers that are all wood along the front and I love the mix of the super shiny chrome with the natural wood.  The mirror makes this desk very modern looking and I like that it reflects light. I am using the same vintage chairs that I've had in here previously but they are now both reupholstered in a neutral linen.  The curtains are made from the same linen that is on the chairs so it keeps a neutral background.  The wall of mirrors are all vintage and I love how it makes this room feel larger.  They also do a great job of reflecting the light around the room.  The lamps are from Marshall's Homegoods and I like the old wood with the burlap shade.  It's a nice contrast to the new ultra modern vintage chrome chandelier.  The doors you saw as a before (see previous post here) and I stripped them, sanded and painted them and then did a wax finish to give them a little age.  The doors had to be mounted off the wall because there are electrical outlets that we need to get to.  HH mounted them so you can pull the door away form the wall to get to the outlets. They also slide so if they become uneven you can straighten them like you would a picture. Vintage brass picture lights are above each door and because the doors are offset from the wall, the combination gives the room depth.  The easel is old and I like having this here to display art and having the option to switch it out when I want. The chocolate brown and gold metallic cowhide rug was added to give a little punch to the room. Are you ready to see it?  Let's start with some before shots first. 

This was the credenza that I had before.  It is now living with a dear friend close by.

These are the doors that I bought for the wall.

 

This is one of the chairs that got reupholstered.  This was a dirty chartreuse velvet.  Not pretty. I got one of these chairs art a local thrift shop and the other one on eBay. 

 

Now, for the after...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well, there it is.  What do you think?  P.S.  Can you spot that blue that I am just loving right now? I found it in this wonderful velvet and then made pillows for the chairs.  They pick up the blues in the painting on the easel and feel soooo soft.  I love working in here and once again, am thankful to my HH for all of his hard work and indulging me in my requests. I should mention that for praticality sakes, the printer and my files and other office essentials (files, etc.) are in the closet behind where I sit.  You can see a little bit of it in one of the pictures. This closet  is outfitted with shelves so I can keep things organized and then be able to close the door when I'm done.  Just in case you were wondering where the actual office equipment is. Have a wonderful day.



The Breakfast Nook........Refreshed

Hi everybody!  Happy Valentine's Day!  Hope you get the opportunity to tell someone you love them today.  And then, have a piece of the best chocolate you can afford.  Ha!  After sewing for what seemed like weeks and making several trips to the fabric store (which is not that close mind you) I'm proud to say the Breakfast Nook is officially "refreshed".  These new cushions make a huge difference and I must say I'm loving the neutral color.  Don't get me wrong, I love white but this neutral linen blends monochromatically with the wall in a really lovely way.  Plus, it's a heavyweight linen that washes beautifully so I feel I am better prepared for spills and accidents .  Bonus.  For the pillows I decided to keep with the monochromatic look and just bring in a few different textures and patterns.  The fabrics are heavy and soft and I like the mix of the blanket like textures mixing with the flour sack and heavy jacquard.  Different from before but I like the change.  I also replaced the centerpiece with a large oval planter with assorted cactus and succulents.  This area obviously gets a lot of light and the plants should flourish here.  In fact, one is almost ready to bloom.  Pretty!  The color of this planter is muted shades of chocolate, taupe, cream and light turquoise in a super shiny glaze.  I immediately thought of this space when I saw this planter at Joann's.  Plus it was on sale so that made it even better.  So, here it is all freshened up.  It feels like a new space and we love it.  What do you think? 

Here's the before.  Totally love this too.  I don't think any of us realized how much we would use this space.  Alas, the dirty (and torn and saggy) cushions had to go...........

Here it is now.......

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All of the fabric with the exception of the vintage alfalfa sack is from High Fashion Home.

 

My rugs should be coming tomorrow or Thurday and my seat cushion for my desk chair should be done Thursday as well.  HH put the doors up on Saturday and they look great.  Here's a sneek peek at my remodeled office.  I'll do the full reveal hopefully by the weekend.  Until then, have a wonderful week.

 

Office Update and other stuff

Hi there everyone!  Just want to give you a quick update.  The top for my desk is done, the chairs will be picked up form the upholsterer today and HH will be mounting the doors I bought this weekend.  Woohoo!  I also purchased two rugs that should be arriving next week. I bought two so I can see which one I like best in my office.  That and the fact that I can use one in another room and they were on clearance and they were the only ones left. I might not like either of them and return them both.  We shall see.   That will be a surprise. After that, I'll be taking pictures to show you guys how it turned out.  I could kick my myself because I don't have before pictures but I can tell you right now that it was NOTHING at all like it is now.  I can't wait show you.  Stay tuned.  While I was at the upholstery place, I decided to have new cushions made for my breakfast nook.  Over time, the fabric has been bleached and washed so many times that it started to get holes in it.  Not good.  Also, the foam on the cushions was starting to sag and from the beginning they never really fit right.  We use that space so much that it's important to have it comfortable and looking good.  So, this time I picked out a very heavy weight linen in a neutral color that will hopefully hide some of the occasional spills.  Ha! Who am I kidding?  I need something that can take washing and come out looking good. I also decided on getting a darker fabric to try to masquerade some of the potential spills (i.e. black beans.....the worst).  I considered Sunbrella but I don't like the feel of the fabric and wanted something more organic.  I also purchased some new fabric to make pillows.  I  should be finishing up with those this weekend too.  This breakfast nook really needed some attention and I'm glad I got this done.  I'm also getting another slip cover made for the love seat in the living room.  Let me just say that the guy that made it previously did not allow for proper shrinkage (my fault too because I don't think I washed the fabric) and over time this has shrunk to nothing.  Currently it's torn and I hide it with a pillow (secret's out). I am super excited to get this done because the love seat is actually really comfortable when the slip cover is off.  It's these kinds of spaces in your home that can really take a beating. So basically this has been the year of upholstery so far but as you probably know, it feels great to finally get those things done that you put off.  I'll show you the before and afters on this next week.  Meanwhile, here are some rooms that I'm liking this week.  Have a great weekend.

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Blue Tuesday.....

Hope everyone had a great weekend.  I was busy going in all different directions but actually felt like I had a productive weekend.  First of all, my Guest House Interiors Logo is finished and my website is revamped as well. You can take a look at it here.  I'm really excited about it and think it turned out great.   I have finished one of the doors for my office but have run into a little snag with the other one which will require wood putty and a little more love.  I was hoping to get these finished over the weekend but such as life.  It will be done this week.  Meanwhile, I'm moving things around and  noticed that I have gravitated a lot to this gorgeous color blue lately and have purchased several things in this shade.  This color goes with almost anything and currently I have some touches of this in my office and bedroom.  This is a velvety shade of blue that is calming and regal.  A tufted velvet sofa in this shade would be divine. I don't have the sofa but I do have a few things that share this shade of blue and they include:

 

These fluffy cat tails

 

This vintage Lithograph from Paris.  

 

Blue candle from Marshall's. 

 

Vintage Rosenthal jar. 

 

Such a pretty color.  What color are you inspired by right now? 

New Look for 2012!

I thought I would give myself a little blog makeover this year and so here it is!  What do you think?  I like the simplicity of this and since I'm a visual person, I thought this look really speaks to what this blog is about.  A little notebook of projects, random musings, recipes, gardening and other points of interest. Do you like?? Anyway, this year is off to a busy start.  I am in the process of finalizing my logo for Guest House Interiors  and it's looking great. I will be making some changes to the website as well and will share that with you when it's completed.  As for my projects, things are moving s l o w l y.  First, my glass guy has just closed his business which means I don't have the piece for the top of my desk. His number has been disconnected so I'm pretty sure that means he is out of business for whatever reason.  Bummer. Second, I'm running into commitment issues with the upholstery folks.  If you have recommendations for people that do great upholstery work in the Houston area, contact me.  On the up side, I found a mirror that I was looking for last weekend and so my wall is now complete and I love it.  The last thing I am working on are these doors.  I'm going to be using these in my office and mounting them on each side of the window.  Clearly these are not pretty now but I stripped them on Monday and they are sanded (thanks HH) and ready to be painted or distressed.  I've done something similar in my dining room but I will do these a little different.  Here's what the doors looked like before:

Pretty huh? :)  I'm going to be working on these this week and should have these done over the weekend.  I am really liking the way this office is turning out and think these doors will add just the right touch.  What kinds of projects are you working on this year?

New Year's Decorating Resolutions......

Another year has come to a close and with it, several projects have been completed and new ones laid out.  I don't make New Year's resolutions in general because I feel like anytime is a good time to make positive changes in your life so there's no need to wait.  This year however, I'm going to make some New Year's Decorating Resolutions.  Sounds silly right?  Well, if you're remodeling or decorating your home you know that ideas come and go and sometimes you try to talk yourself into a concept or a piece of furniture because of the cost or for the simple fact that your tired of having an empty space.  I don't mind having and empty space but I have been guilty of compromising because something is a great deal and I could make it work.  This year, I'm making some resolutions that will be friendly reminders when I'm out shopping at thrift stores and resale shops.  These are also meant to be anchors when I'm making decisions for new projects.  Here's what's making the list:

1.  Buy what you love.   I've been doing this long enough that my gut tells me when something is good.  I've learned that if I hesitate on something, I should consider passing on it. 

2.  The exception to this would be if I pass on something and I think I should have gotten it  24 hours later.  That's when I usually go back and see if it's still there. If it is, I buy it.  This doesn't happen  often now but it used to when I was first starting out.  The gamble with this would be that the item is no longer there and now you want it. My attitude is if it's meant to be mine, it'll be there.  That always makes me feel better if it's not there when I go back. 

3.  Don't paint anything unless you are 100% sure.  I say this because sometimes you put a piece of vintage furniture in a space and you think that by changing the color, the whole room will magically come together.  This doesn't work unless you are absolutely happy with everything else in the room.  I'm actually going through this right now with the credenza I have in my office.  I think  I want to paint it but the rest of the room is not finished being decorated so it's staying in it's original finish for now.  This makes it easier for me because it's not the focal point in my room.  It's a big accent but not the showstopper.  I will see how it fits when everything else is done. 

4.   Don't proceed with a project unless you are committed to the plan. This sounds easy enough but for me, this means that if you are hesitant at all about the final layout or design, keep working on the plan before proceeding.  I'm thinking of my Master Bathroom for this one.  I'm trying to renovate this space with everything where it is but will have to add plumbing for the pedestal tub.  Question is, does this layout work?  Is there a better way to lay the space out with the addition of the tub?  Do I like the view from the tub? As much as I hate this bathroom, we are still working through the final design and we are committed to paying whatever the additional pricing would be to have the best layout for this bathroom. We may end up leaving things where they are but for now, I'm not 100% so that tells me that I need to give it more thought and look for more inspiration. 

5.  Be patient. I can honestly say that I am thankful that I didn't renovate the whole house at the beginning.  A lot of the renovations we've done were never ideas that we had when we first moved in almost 7 years ago.  The renovations that we've done have created spaces for the way we live while honoring the original layout of the house.  It's by living in your house that you realize what works and doesn't work for you and your family. Finding inspiration and incorporating the vintage with the modern and the recycled is the fun part.  For me, once I determine how I want the room to feel, the plan is made and I start to focus on the details. This could be the exact opposite of how some people design but for me, this is what works.  Being patient has paid off and developed my creativity more than anything else.

6.  Last but most importantly, be thankful for what you already have.  Step back, appreciate and be thankful for all you've been blessed with.  Everybody wants a beautifully decorated home.  Having a loving family to share it with is priceless.

I love designing spaces and creating environments and look forward to several new projects in 2012.  I am also hoping to grow Guest House Interiors by offering some of the vintage items I find for sale.  Perhaps something I find will inspire you to create a room you love.  Whatever your goals are for 2012, I wish you all the luck in reaching them.

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Having Fun with Holiday Decorating...

It's so easy to get caught up in all of the craziness that comes with the holidays but I'm one of those people that refuses to let it stress me out.  After all, this is supposed to be a time of celebrating and coming together right?  I always put my Christmas tree up the day after Thanksgiving and this year, I decided to buy a flocked tree.   I remember having a flocked tree when I was younger and we used to decorate it with colorful kitschy ornaments and multicolor lights.  That's the mood I'm in this year.  I wanted something that was fun, colorful and cheery.  I wanted to do something that was NOT traditional and not serious but more festive.  It all started on a trip to the Salvation Army last month.  I came across a beautiful black velvet skirt that had this gorgeous and colorful beading and detailing on it.  It was a full skirt that had this Mayan theme all around it.  It included the Mayan calendar, Mayan ruins, Mayan Indians, and an Eagle with a snake in it's mouth.  The pictures were a combination of hand painting and hand sewn sequins of every color.  It was beautiful and truly a piece of art.  I tried it on thinking this would be fun for a Christmas party but it was a little small.  I couldn't leave this so I decided to make it my Christmas Tree skirt.  This was the inspiration for my colorful tree.  I used this along with a few boxes of very colorful vintage decorations I got from my Grandmother who used to throw awesome parties back in the day.  These decorations I've had for a long time and most of them were never opened.  I'm so glad that I finally got to use these and although this tree is unlike any other tree I've ever done, it's colorful and festive and that's just the way I want it this year.  My girls love it and HH says it's a nice change. I wound up buying a few of those large shatterproof ornaments to fill in a few spots but that's it. However you decide to decorate for the Holidays, I hope it makes you feel festive and puts a smile on your face.  If you're tired of doing the same thing every year, consider changing it up by adding some over sized decorations or incorporate some non traditional items like old necklaces or scarves and tie them on the tree...  It's time to celebrate.  Have fun with it.