Come On In! Fall 2017 ORC -The Entryway

This should be "reveal day" but thank goodness it isn't. 
(I'm sorry for the reasons for the extension.)

After being lulled into a false sense of being in control thanks to the extra week this go 'round, I allowed my attention to be diverted from the ORC by, you know, life.

And refinishing the floors. 

#notonthelist

I said on instagram last week that I am participating in the One Room Indecision.

I have been to the fabric store a bit more than I should have. 

#epicindecision

I even went on a Sunday only to find out that they are closed on Sunday. 

I dragged Mollie up there. Twice.

Fabric and Fringe Warehouse, Marietta GA

Anyway. I finally bought something.

I was happy with it (for the most part.)

 Great fabric, just uncharacteristic indecision on my part.

(Its more coral than red in real life)

Then I mentioned to my Dad that I was looking for a rug 

and he loaned me one of my mom's rugs that was being stored in their basement :)

The rug wasn't "awful" with the fabric above but it wasn't head over heels "love" on my part. 

So back to the fabric store I went.

 Because I loved the rug. 

And Mollie loved the fabric I had already bought so she took it to use and I no longer felt the guilt of not using it. It would have been OK. Just not "love" on my part.
(Believe me - I know these are #firstworldprobs)

And then I saw it. From afar. And the colors were perfect.

So I bought fabric AGAIN. After dragging Mollie up there again.

Wait until you see it!!!!

And then I negotiated, in a way that would make some of the major players at international summits at the United Nations  watch in awe, with my husband to NOT put the dreaded, dust collecting rack of hats back in the entryway that is soon to be home

 to a fabulous rug and fabric that I am actually committed to!!

No more hall tree of hats. 

Just a lovely bamboo shelf that will hold all kinds of fabulous eye candy. 

And a plant. Definitely a plant.

So here are a couple of little peeks at my progress
 and the vintage family heirloom rug that is on loan from my dad :)

Starting to put a few accessories here and there in the room...

And the rug. I just love it!
(And yes, we got stain on the bottom of the door. We are playing rounds of the "touch up" game over here. 
Touch up trim. Touch up floor. Touch up trim...)

I also took time out of the ORC schedule to go to the Atlanta Lights Festival with Mollie. 
She got tickets for her birthday in September. 
The weather was perfect and it was an amazing experience. I highly recommend it!

Of course, I am now, once again, scrambling to finish by next week because there has been a change on several major points with the introduction of the new fabric choice. 

#imsuremostofyouhaveclickedtothenextblog

And in case someone, anyone, is still reading:

So here's "the list:"

1. Stain the floor (stained - now watching poly dry )

2. Continue looking for  rug. (I may be on to something)

3. Add fabric border to the bottom of the curtains- Fabric purchased. Again.

4. Pillows for Brighton chairs.

5. Paint hall tree :)))))) It's outta here!!!!

6. Paint back of front door - something fun that works with fabric and rug which is TBD :(

7. Decide on accessories for the chest - they are in front of the mirror.

8. Decide on accessories for Brighton table 

9. I want a plant in there somewhere... 

10. And I completely forgot that I planned a gallery wall above the Brighton chair and table. :0

See you next Thursday. 

#fingerscrossed


Be sure to check out all the other Guest Participants progress!!

One Room Challenge. One More Time. Half Time.

This will be my 5th ORC.

One Library. One guest bedroom.  Mollie's bathroom and Master bathroom.

Four rooms greatly improved by this awesome event.

I have plenty of rooms that need ORC caliber attention.

But life is a tad nutty right now
and I'm going to be out of town 3 or so of the 6 weeks of this ORC
 so I'm going to go back and give my first ORC the finishing touches it truly needs.
Is she crazy?? Half the time??
Or maybe you are thinking  I'm lame
 to go back and tweak a room that has all the hard stuff already done.
But I just love the challenge of the ORC and don't want to miss out!


During my first ORC I underestimated my 5 week time frame,
spent too long mucking the junk out and painting the walls white



to really give it the final zhush it needs.
I talked about being an 85%-er when it comes to the final, final details
 and that was so true with this room.
So this is the 'before.'
We are starting where the I left off.



I still love my previous inspiration rooms but I also have a few new images that I'm inspired by.

Maybe I can tweak a few things in my "half the time ORC."

I love this pic from IG which is of the Caspari shop in Charlottesvillle, VA.



So maybe more pillow variety. Looser arrangement?
I love the orange chinoiserie on the bed. 
I love white bedding that I chose previously but this is fun!




And art.
I painted a large blue and white vase with coral in it the night before the reveal



(that's how things go sometimes) and it's the only art in there.
That's bananas!!

I feel like a big fabulous gallery wall around this armoire might be just the thing!
Lots of vintage and thrifted bamboo frames would make my day!



Remember this gallery wall?

I have this fabulous thrifted chair...



I block printed some fabric that became curtains in a #secretproject (still to be revealed)
so I might want to print some to use in this room
 (I must remember I only have 3 weeks to pull this off!)
And as always the game plan is more creativity than cash!



So follow along here and on my Instagram and see what I can pull off in my "half the time ORC!"


Thank you Linda for this event and all the inspiration and motivation it creates.

Ladies Who Brunch

We had a party!
Mollie and I decided to host a Christmas Brunch for a few favorite ladies.

We wanted to let them know how special we think they are.

We made our list and sent out invitations the middle of November.

The holidays are busy and we wanted to get our date on their calendars.

We chose the first Saturday morning in December.

We hoped people would have fewer conflicts that early.

It motivated us to get started with our Christmas decorating!

A bit tricky since we were at the beach for Thanksgiving 
and we don't decorate before Thanksgiving.
We had 6 days to pull it off!

Come in!!
(and Go Braves!)

 Wal Mart had $4.00  Fraser Fir wreaths.
 I added the bow and some additional greenery 
including the obligatory Southern Christmas greenery - Magnolia.
 If you live in the South and don't have a Magnolia in your yard 
and your friends won't share their Magnolia with you then you need new friends.;)

Our Entry Way.

In August, my mom surprised me with two, yes two, amazing bamboo bar carts. 
They are in perfect condition. They belonged to a dear friend of hers who is clearing some things out. Her friends' mother bought them many years ago in the Philippines when they lived there. They are truly antiques and I feel so fortunate to have both of them. Mollie and I decided to decorate the carts, stock them with goodies and sprinkle them around the downstairs to help with the  flow.

This bar cart was to the right in front of our DIY mirrored French Doors

 

 Next to the front door, we placed the other bar cart. 
This beauty has a brass tray for the top!

(I still have more polishing to do but it already has a great, warm gleam!)

The bamboo basket holds a little "surcie"
  (Definition (n): word used in the South to mean a small, thoughtful gift, unexpected gift, just because.)

We made an ornament for each guest.
And gave it to them as they got ready to leave.

To the left is our Library from our Spring One Room Challenge
 all decked out for the holidays with plenty of seating for Ladies Who Brunch.

I've already talked about this little tree and it's DIY Chinoiserie ornaments.

To the right of the entry way is our Family Room.
Clean and without two big dog beds in the middle of it :)
Can we take a moment?
#raredoghairfreepicture

No ornaments on the big tree yet. We only had 6 days, remember??

And in the corner of the Family Room we placed a bar cart that we already owned. 
It's thrifted, but not as old or distinguished a the other two!

This cart was for those who weren't having Mimosas.
(We also set up a coffee and hot chocolate bar in the kitchen using Mollie's Keurig.)

And then in to the kitchen...
and this is where I fell down on my job as photographer!
We got to talking and I forgot to take many more pictures!!! Happens at every party!
But here are a few shots of the food and fun...

Chicken Salad in little jars with leaf lettuce.

I'm not sure Valerie was ready to have her picture taken!

We used the large blue and white flower pot to hold our champagne on ice. 

Worked perfectly!

I always use gift wrap as my table runners.
 I bought this bright green and white at Hobby Lobby back in October. 

The table at the other end of the kitchen matched the island set up!

But I didn't take any more pictures of all the goodies or cute touches!!

#bloggerfail

Mollie and her Sorority sisters at the brunch.

(They did not talk beforehand to coordinate their outfits for this photo op!!)

We had so much fun, everyone was so glad our get together was brunch

 and early in the month.

Mollie and I think this may the beginning of a tradition!

Fall 2016 One Room Challenge - The Reveal !!

If you want to see how fast time flies sign up for the One Room Challenge!!!

First, Thank you to Linda at Calling It Home Blog for providing us with the amazing motivator that is the One Room Challenge. Every time I do one of these I think to myself, "Why didn't I do something about this room sooner?"

I chose to refresh our neglected Master Bathroom.

It was not a remodel - nothing was removed, replumbed, etc.

I used more creativity (I hope) than ca$h!

Let's take a (brief 'cause it's not good!) moment to remember where we started.
A dingy, yellowed faux bamboo cabinet, mirrors and such stored in the 80's garden tub, and paint cans waiting and ready!

 

and, below,  the main inspiration photo from One Kings Lane

And here is where we ended up...

The yellow-y thrifted cabinet is now the Ravishing Coral beauty and the star of the room.
China cabinets - not just for dishes anymore.

 The same cabinets got a coat of glossy white paint and some new gold hardware.
The black and white tile floor stayed but I bought a seagrass runner from IKEA back in the Summer and it's fabulous. We have 2 sinks, a shower and a tub. That's too many little rugs. 
The zebra rug is an indoor/outdoor rug that I snagged online, on sale, for the Black is Back Library ORC and it didn't make the cut. Trying it out in here.

 Thrifted Chinoiserie lamp in my coral-y orange. Such a find. 

The fabric on the shower curtain was love at first sight. 

And a little Greek Key trim never hurt anything!

A vintage bamboo magazine rack holds necessities.

I'm not sure that painting is staying but for now... 

And the banana leaf fabric cornices weren't mentioned before

 because the day before I was supposed to post my reveal

 this is what they looked like - 

 

Last minute much?

Yes, after going out of town unexpectedly on a Relief Aid trip I decided at the last minute that the bamboo shades need a finishing touch. I had the fabric so I might as well build cornice boxes at 8 a.m.

If you would like a tutorial on how not to build them at the last minute and cover with fabric while the wood glue is still drying, then I'm your gal. Let me know!

I did do the gallery wall like in the inspiration photo.

 I used some seascapes since I didn't have an ocean view outside my window. 

It might be nice to soak in that tub now!!

I'll be back in a day or so to post some details and talk about all the vintage and thrifted finds that made this refresh so economical and, I think, fresh and interesting!

And the toughest part of this whole ORC was getting that bathroom sparkling enough for close ups!! Whew!!
I'm doing the driveway next ORC!!