accessories

Some accessorie ideas.

The side tables are small in scale. The key is to find something that fits perfectly nestled in between two beautiful chairs - too large, the wrong shape, etc. will look awkward and mismatched.

Sorry some of the pictures are tiny. My blogging/computer skills are limited.

tarah's formal living room

Tarah,

Here are a few ideas for your formal living room. First off, I would place the piano on the adjacent wall to the front door (the wall directly to the left as you walk into the home). I know you were considering putting it somewhere else; however, I think if you put it on the wall I'm suggesting, your furniture arrangement will make more sense. I would use the piano and the wall space above the piano to showcase my favorite family photos. I love it when a piano is adorned with family photos - it's such a warm, familiar look.

I would buy two matching chairs. These chairs should be smaller in scale due to the size of the space. A fully upholstered or overstuffed chair would be too large. Go with a chair that only has an upholstered seat and back cushion - anything less would be uncomfortable. I've included a few suggestions. Also, a settee or loveseat makes more sense given the size of the space. Of course, always measure your space to be sure. However, if my memory serves me correctly, a sofa would be too large.

The pieces I've included are my taste and may not be yours. And, that's okay. Regardless what colors, fabrics, and wood tones you like, the scale of your pieces is what's most important. I love neutrals. The pieces I've included in this post are basic and classic. A neutral color palette allows for lots of different pillow, rug, and window treatment options. I would always suggest buying quality pieces, in classic coverings. So, when you're in the mood to rearrange or redecorate, you can start with swapping out throw pillows – a much cheaper option than buying new furniture.

With the piano on the wall adjacent to the front door, your chairs and settee will face each other. This arrangement will make for easier conversation. Depending upon the space that you have, you may want to place an ottoman or coffee table in between your settee and chairs. I would include a small side table in between your chairs - the perfect spot for a beautiful lamp or flower arrangement.

I'm emailing you a room layout I created in MS word. For some reason, I couldn't get it to post to the blog.

Hope this helps.

xoxo,
Kristen

well versed (continued)

OK, so I'm just now getting around to posting a few pics of the built-in bookcase I have in my family room. Here's what I've done so far.

Now, I probably shouldn't do this, but I'll go ahead and give you the scoop on what I've purchased to fill the unit and where I've gotten things. All the books you see here came from D.I. At 2 bucks a pop, I'd say they're quite the deal. I've gone 2 or 3 times now to hunt for books that look old, have unique spines, etc.

blue & white vase, $10, Down East; hat boxes, $10, iKea; picture frames, ?, Bombay Company

framed bird prints, $23, The Emporium; wooden box, $9, Ross

WOW! That's a lot of cheap stuff!

office space

Yeah, the movie's hysterical, but a real office space should be inspiring and work-promoting. Which is probably something we could all benefit from. I've been burried in work these last few days. Every spare moment I've had has been consumed with editing, editing, and more editing! Enough all ready! I guess all this time in MY home-office has made me think about what I'd eventually like to do to it. Yes, that's right, I have my very own office. And, it's not part of the kitchen or in my bedroom or a guest bedroom. Okay, it's actually just a spare bedroom, but I don't mind. The fact that it has four walls, a door I can lock, and an attached bathroom is all I need to feel good about this space - well, and some great furnishing, of course! Here are some office tips and pics I found online that I thought were particularly inspirational. Hopefully you'll find them equally as helpful when you get ready to do or re-do your home office. Thank you Southern Accents for having the BEST photo gallery online. I give you all the credit for this post.

Multifunctional Space

Now the space has a library-like feel. Fran suggested a color she describes as "chocolate malt" that created a cozy spot that's a little darker and warmer than the rest of the house.

Get Organized

The once-white built-ins got a semi-gloss coat of the wall color with rich chocolate brown on the shelves and back wall. They are now multi-functional, with cookbooks and kitchen accessories on the left (closest to the kitchen) and barware on the right (closest to the dining room).

Make Use of What You Have

Old suitcases are used for extra storage and as a side table. The Schlossers stow rarely needed documents like bank statements and tax forms inside. A table lamp adds additional lighting.

Clean It Up

Chocolate brown paint on the moving parts of the windows add visual interest in the room. The fabric on the Roman shade ties it all together. To eliminate desk clutter, Fran placed the printer on the shelf at left, near the computer.

The matching filing cabinet was bulky and wasn't working well, so they decided to move it out and place file boxes on the new bookshelves.

Make Your Own Rug

Fran loved this jute rug, but it's available only as a 4 by 6 -- too small even for this tiny space. To make it work, she bought three rugs and stiched them together with silk cording.

It Doesn't Have to Match

To give the pine desk new life, they painted it a rich olive green. The turned-wood pulls were traded in for old doorknobs from an architectural salvage shop.

Now the smallest and most neglected room in the house is the Schlosser's favorite, and they hang out in there even when they don't have work to do.

the bathroom: not just a place to go "you know what" anymore...

More and more I'm seeing furniture pieces in bathrooms, and I'm LOVING it! Why can't our bathrooms be equally as beautiful and comfortable as our living spaces? If you're lucky enough to have a bathroom large enough to allow for a furniture piece or two, then count your many blessing and get on it! I love the idea of an antique (or made to look antique :-) ) bookcase or hutch that houses all of our bathroom essentials (rolled towels, apothecary jars filled with sponges and cotton swabs and bars of decorative soup). Who wouldn't want to feel like they were stepping into a spa every time they frequented the bathroom? And, while we love the knight in shiny armor, let's be honest, it's the spa that makes us big girls feel like princesses.

So, if you have the space and a piece of furniture that doesn't quite seem to have a place in your home, (preferably a piece that has shelves or drawers so it's also functional) consider using this piece in your bathroom. Or, add a chair in the corner or up against the tub to function as seating and a surface on which you can place the items you use when taking a bath. How attractive is a charming little chair stacked high with crisp, white towels?! Uhhh, I'd say a 10!

This lovely space boasts a bookcase, chair, and desk! Who would have ever thought to put a desk in the bathroom? But, it works!


Wait a second, is this a bathroom or a living room? With plenty of seating and a chandelier that looks like it could hang in your dining room - this bathroom makes you do a double take.

And, on to my personal favorite. A free standing tub; shined to perfection polished nickel tub filler; a sweet, little side table that's as functional as a nightstand; and the wow factor, a timeless hutch that most would confine to the living room.

I just love the little sofa used in this space, and the dressing table isn't too shabby either!

everywhere i look...purple!

Seriously, everywhere I look, I see purple. I was reading in one of my favorite decorating magazines last month, and a featured designer said, "every room needs some purple." So, if you're looking to spruce things up a bit, but you're not interested in painting your walls purple (and I don't blame you), try placing an arrangement of irises on your coffee table and/or adding a purple-hued throw to the sofa. It will make your room feel fresher and more current.

Who would have thought purple could look so charming!

in the mood

This isn't going to be much of a post. I just wanted to say that this mantle really gets me in the holiday spirit! So, I just thought I'd share.