Archives For INTERIOR PRODUCTS, FURNITURE & FABRICS

Our Basement Part 57: Ikea Karlstad Sofa Bed Assembled

June 18, 2012

New Karlstad Sofa Bed

I hope all the dads out there had a great Father’s Day!

This weekend was really busy while we tried to get the house ready for 25 kids + parents for Sam’s 5th Top Chef Birthday Party (more on that later this week). We also celebrated Father’s Day (which included Mr. S. working hard on the house + some quality time with the kids). Plus on Saturday afternoon our new sofa bed for the basement arrived along with a new wood countertop from Ikea. Gotta love $59 delivery (into the house no less) for both.

We went with the Karlstad Sofa Bed in Sivik Dark Gray (based on several recommendations). Ikea is also running a special of 15% back on a gift card (to be used for the last upper cabinet for the basement). It arrived in 2 big boxes + 1 small box (for the slipcover). Delivery took about 10 minutes (once we convinced them to pull into the driveway).  It took the 2 of us about an hour and a half to put  it together (including unpacking and sorting). It was a pretty easy install with no major hiccups. The bed pulls out sideways (so your head is at the armrest not at the back). We tested it out in the store and though it was reasonably comfortable. The sideways layout also works well for our space (leaving enough room to walk around when it is pulled out). We can already imagine pulling it out for a movie night with the kids. The seat cushions are a bit stiff at the moment, but the sample in the store was quite comfortable, so I am assuming with 2 kids jumping on it, it will soften up in no time. And as an added bonus the slipcover is machine washable.

New Pillow from Homegoods & Napkin from West Elm that will be turned into a pillow cover

I picked up these pillows at Homegoods a couple of weeks ago. I think they look great with the sofa. The black outlines in the fabric work well with the dark gray fabric (which has almost a denim feel to it). The napkin is from West Elm last year. I bought 4 thinking that they would make a nice pillow cover, not knowing where I was going to use them. Fortunately the orangish-red looks great with the pillows. Not sure when I will get around to sewing these up though.

This week’s post will probably be a little sporadic as I try to get ready for this weekend, but we did finish up a lot of long overdue projects on the house, so I will try and get at least a few sneak peaks of the updates.  I hope everyone has a great week!

New Wood Counter (temporarily supported) filled with stuff for Sam’s Party!

Here is a little peak of our new wood counter (Lagan, $59). We temporarily supported it with some scrap wood, so that we could start using it. We will be adding a wall cleat to the back, creating a better support for above the safe and screwing it to the base cabinet on the right.

In -Basement, -Fabric, -Furniture, INTERIOR PRODUCTS, FURNITURE & FABRICS, OUR HOME
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New Chair for Our Master Bedroom

March 6, 2012

Armless Chair in Desert Flower for the Master Bedroom, $329

Yesterday, like most days, I took a quick look to see what  One Kings Lane  had in stock and instantly fell in love. If you are not familiar with OKL, they are an online sale site that sells housewares in different categories for a limited time.  Often the popular items sell out almost immediately.  So for the first time in a while I felt the urge to buy something from them! So I called Mr. S. to see if he was okay with this chair and I bought it. I am normally the person that over analyzes every purchase looking for the perfect item so this was a bit of a departure for me. I think it will look great in our Master Bedroom (which is currently on hold while we finish the basement).  Maybe I felt the urge to pick this up after choosing off white walls in the basement. My inner kitsch is coming out! I am hoping it is as lovely in person.

In Progress Mood Board for the Master Bedroom

In -Bedroom, -Furniture, INTERIOR PRODUCTS, FURNITURE & FABRICS, OUR HOME
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Outdoor Pillows & World Market

February 23, 2012

Beautiful New Pillows!

Sorry  I have been a little off in my posting this week. We have lots of stuff going on this week. The good news is that the basement is still moving along and the first of the beadboard has gone up in our laundry area (it is very nice). More to come soon! I also have a new computer (still to be configured) so posting should be a little easier shortly, after I get all the kinks worked out! They are also moving the router and some wiring in the basement today, so my internet service is a little spotty (i.e. for the last 5 hours).

So anyway back to my post, last year I searched and searched for the perfect pillows and side table for my front porch. I ended up making some pillows and then I finally found a table this winter. Well wouldn’t you know it, I have now found the perfect pillows at a reasonable price! The pattern is really nice! It is just the right mix of a somewhat traditional print with a more whimsical feeling  with a modern bright color palette (which happen to coordinate with my exterior color palette perfectly). Now I am a little torn about whether I should replace the pillows I made or not. Maybe I will  buy these and use them in the backyard. I think the chair cushions will look very nice on our Adirondack chairs.

The pillows and seat cushions are from World Market. I have never ordered from them, but I have admired some of their outdoor furniture and umbrellas before. I’ve heard generally good things about them, so I think it might be time to give them a try! I am also excited to see what else they will come out with later this spring. This weather has put me in a full spring frame of mind!

Here are a few curtains that caught my eye (and look similar to some much more expensive options from other companies):

Cool Paisley Garden Curtain, $26.99 on sale

Warm Garden Paisley Curtain, $26.99 on sale

Suzani Print Curtain, $26.99 on sale

Has anyone ordered from World Market before?

In -Fabric, GARDENING & PLANTS, INTERIOR PRODUCTS, FURNITURE & FABRICS
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Is it Spring? A Visit to Terrain

February 17, 2012

Spring Bulbs at Terrain w/ Vintage Door. None of these are blooming in the actual garden yet.

The weather has been so strangely warm here. It feels like it is March or April especially with the rain. Yesterday was downright dreary so a little cheering up was in order!  I was out west of here yesterday, so it was a good excuse to stop by Terrain at Styers (one of my FAVORITE places). I am on the look out for some accessories for the basement and their vignettes are always inspiring! I hope you enjoy and have a great weekend!

Mix of beautiful winter interest perennials

I thought these winter interest perennials were really inspiring. It is impressive that there are not any flowers in this creation (just lots of lovely color and texture). I really am loving the red stems of the dogwood bushes (at the top). It seems like pairing these with a bright green evergreen right behind it would be really nice. Or maybe in a planter under planted with acid green/yellow grass (like golden sweet flag grass). hmm…I will have to return to this picture next time I am trying to layout a bed (it is so easy to get distracted by pretty flowers once spring appears for real).

Planters on Clearance

I loved some of the planters on clearance. Of course I don’t have a place for any of these, so I restrained myself. I did pick up one of the old grape crates at the bottom of the picture for the new basement bathroom. I’m not sure how I am going to use it yet, but it has a lot of character! I am really into the old log that has been hollowed out.  It could add instant interest to a new garden.

Inside I was really drawn to this arrangement made of ornamental cabbage (not roses)!

Inside I was drawn to this plaid sofa. Very simple and beautiful. This flower arrangement also made me swoon. I would have never thought of using ornamental cabbage in this way!

I love these mirrors. The mix of weathered wood, metal and glass is really nice and quite masculine looking.

I will be back next week with more basement posts, so stay tuned!

In -Shopping, GARDENING & PLANTS, INTERIOR PRODUCTS, FURNITURE & FABRICS
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Blue Metal Sidetable: Two Ways

January 12, 2012

Blue Loop De Loop Side Table from Urban Outfitters, $49.99 + extra shipping charge

I have been looking for a small sidetable for our porch (for next to our swing) for a while.  I have been back and forth on what to buy since the spring for the porch. I was leaning towards a ceramic garden stool, but could never seem to find one that was the right color at the right price. I had given up for now, figuring I would find something in the spring. I have also been looking for a new small table next to our wingback chair in the Living Room. The current one is getting a little unsteady thanks to 2 small children playing with it. So I was looking through the clearance section at Urban Outfitters over the holidays and saw a nice blue table. I was just reading my new Alexander Girard book, so this table really spoke to me! I was thinking it would be good for our Living Room so I decided to order it.

New Table in the Living Room

When I took it out of the package I was surprised at how heavy it was. It is definitely painted steel not aluminum (the description just said “metal”). I was not quite sure if it was suitable for the Living Room (which at the time was full of Christmas stuff). I did immediately think that this would be great for the porch or the backyard. It was also nice and sturdy and seemed like it could take having my kids sit on it (an important feature in our house).

New Table on the Front Porch w/ our Terracotta Colored Swing

So I brought it outside to take a look! And I really liked it. Then I brought it back inside to consider for the Living Room. It has now been living inside for about 2 weeks, and it has grown on me. So I ordered a second one and put it outside! Isn’t it funny how when you give up looking for something, the perfect thing suddenly appears. I also figured if I change my mind about the Living Room I can always use an extra table in the backyard.

What do you think?

P.S. Thanks Mom for the belated Birthday gift!

In -Furniture, -Living Room, -Porch, OUR HOME
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Laura & Ken’s House Part 3: The Kitchen Mood Board

December 6, 2011

I have been working closely with Laura to make the kitchen just right. We actually did a pretty major redesign from the original builder plans and now have a more modern open kitchen design with a large island. If you follow me on Pinterest you will see that the board related to the kitchen is filled to the brim with ideas and products.

I will put up a separate post later this week detailing the layout, but in the meantime I thought I would show the current mood board. You will see that there are still things to be added and refined but you can start to imagine the feel of the kitchen. It currently has a very clean white and gray palette. Fortunately they are leaning towards using a contrasting reclaimed oak flooring for the whole first floor. This should really help to start to bring in some warmth.

In -Laura & Ken's New House, INTERIOR DESIGN CLIENTS, INTERIOR PRODUCTS, FURNITURE & FABRICS
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Terrain Decorated for the Holidays

December 1, 2011

Terrain All Decked out for the Holidays!

Tuesday was a gloomy, wet day here. The weather was weirdly warm for late November but the rain felt like it was never going to end (which of course it did yesterday). I had some errands to run out near Terrain at Styers (one of my favorite stores for inspiration). So I decided to stop by and see what they had for the holidays and try to put myself in the Christmas spirit.  The entry looks like it should be in Germany (and I LOVE Germany around Christmas time). I put together a collage of some of my favorite things. As usual their styling was impeccable! I hope you enjoy!

Trends:

Twinkle Lights: Terrain knows how to use inexpensive twinkle lights better than anyone (i.e. back at the Design*Sponge book signing they had the room lit with the same lights). Use them in unexpected places, and dim the rest of the lights to let them be the main lighting for the space. Part of their success is using them in large quantities for a more dramatic impact.

Bring Nature Inside: This doesn’t have to be expensive. Cut a twig off of your evergreen and place them inside. Better yet cut a few small branches from several types of shrubs or trees and combine them. Put them in an inexpensive metal or glass vase. Add some twinkle lights for good measure. Another option is to literally bring in some logs or branches. Here they have used a lot of small cuttings of birch trees and various twigs for decoration. Also grab some pinecones, even we have a tray at our house. I think a mix of pine cones on a mirrored tray mixed w/ a candle would be lovely.

Indoor Plants: I will be the first to tell you that I do NOT do well with indoor plants. Here they cleverly combined a few red plants in with a bunch of their terrariums to give them a holiday feel. Terrariums are all the rage (at least in the design blogosphere) and Terrain has an amazing selection, and will even make one for you. I am still not convinced, but I do have some old glass lanterns that might make some lovely terrariums. However I think succulents are right up my alley. I purchased several inexpensive ones at Ikea this spring and I am thinking of combining some into larger pots to highlight their different texture. I was pleasantly surprised to see quite a few on display.

Combine Textures: The favorite combination I saw was rough wood and bark paired with dark metal and glass.

Sparkle/Pop of Color: Sparingly add a bit of sparkle or a pop of color. I saw a lot of small pops of orange to red to purple. After all it is the holidays and what says that more than a little bit of red. Another way to add a bit of sparkle is through the use of a mirror. The antique mirror tray below the silver trees added an extra bit of subtle bling.

 

In -Design, -Shopping, INTERIOR PRODUCTS, FURNITURE & FABRICS
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Laura & Ken’s House Part 1: Exterior Fiber Cement Siding Options

November 28, 2011

Rendering of House w/ Tan Siding and Blue Door

I have been working on an exciting new project here! Laura and Ken are building their dream house. They have the plans and the builder and have already broken ground, but they need some help with the details and product selections. So I have been helping to guide them through all of the choices. Today I thought I would show the options for the exterior cladding. The house is Cape style with 3 lovely dormers and a front porch. They would like to use pre-finished Fiber Cement Siding for the exterior. This is a great choice because the fiber cement wears extremely well, doesn’t rot and holds paint better then wood. Additionally the pre-finished siding choices come with a warranty on the finish, including fading, so the house will look great for years to come.

Staggered Edge Shingle from James Hardie

Straight Edge Shingle from James Hardie

We started by looking at James Hardie shingles but now have expanded the search to include Certainteed as well. We are also reviewing the choices in siding styles including shingles and clapboard/lap/plank siding.  The advantage of looking at both is not only to compare costs, but to get a wider variety of color choices. When we had our house re-sided a few years ago we chose the Certainteed smooth lap siding to match the original wood clapboards, but couldn’t find a prefinished color to our liking, so we ended up having to have it painted, but it would have been more cost effective and quicker to install if we had used a prefinished product.

SIDING STYLES

 

Staggered Edge Shingle in Eaves w/ Clapboards on main body in Sandstone Beige (from James Hardie)

Random Square Staggered Edge Shingle in Pewter w/ PVC trim (from Certainteed)

 

Shingles

Shingles have been used on houses in America for hundreds of years. Unlike clapboards they tend to have a more rough hewn appearance, often with the wood grain being visible. Traditionally I think of them being used in New England and in beach homes. Cedar shingles are a favorite in salt air climates, as they withstand the rigors of the weather better than a clapboard that has to be painted frequently.  “Shingle style” architecture had a big resurgence at the end of the 19th Century to contrast the ornate patterned siding of Victorian architecture and to pay homage to the traditional colonial homes.Typically shingles will be more noticeable then a clapboard, since the pattern and texture are more irregular.

Both James Hardie and Certainteed make a straight and staggered edge shingle in the prefinished product. The shingles are more expensive then the clapboards due to the patterning. Both companies also offer fancier half round and octagon shingles for victorian style houses as well as board and batten.

Beaded "Smooth" Clapboard

Beaded "Cedar" Clapboard

"Cedar" Lap Siding

"Smooth" Lap Siding

"Cedar" Finish Clapboards in Sandstone Beige (from James Hardie)

"Smooth" Finish Lap Clapboards in Wicker (from Certainteed)

Clapboards

Clapboards have been traditionally used for hundreds of years. Unlike shingles which were rough, clapboards traditionally required milling to create straight and even pieces, creating a finer profile. In fiber cement shingles both companies offer a traditional lap and a beaded lap (which has a “bead” on the bottom). They also both offer them in a smooth or a wood grain, textured or “cedar” appearance. I prefer the smooth finish in this product and a lapping in the 6″-8″ range. I also think that the beaded detail gives a nice added touch of detail.

Fibercement Trim from James Hardie

Fiber Cement James Hardie Trim

 

Trim

I think that trim is one of the most important aspects of the exterior. If the trim doesn’t look right proportionally I think the rest of the house will not look its best, no matter what type of siding you use. I often think that is why vinyl siding often looks cheap, it isn’t the larger sections of siding, it is the thin trim that often has unsightly joints. For Laura and Ken’s house there are 2 options for trim. One is fiber-cement trim, which both manufacturers make. The other is a solid PVC trim which Certainteed makes as does Azek. In their case I would recommend sticking with the fiber-cement. Larger Fiber-cement trim boards did not exist until recently. We used PVC our our house. My main complaint with the PVC is that its expansion and contraction rate is quite high. Meaning on longer runs (over 15′), you will have joints that will open and close depending on the season. Laura and Ken do not have long runs on their house, but I am still not totally sold on the pvc, especially when fiber cement is now available. I also like sticking with the same material where possible since the texture will match and it will take paint the same way. The fiber cement trim are also available in prefinished which is great. For their house I recommend using a nominal 8″ wide board (typically 7.25″) with a 1″ or 1 1/4″ thickness. This will frame the house nicely and the white trim will contrast with the body color. If you notice, most of the pictures above have thick substantial trim.

James Hardie Color Palette

Certainteed Color Palette

Color

Both James Hardie (ColorPlus) and Certainteed (ColorMax) offer quite a few prefinished colors. However, I often find it is difficult to find just the right color, especially when you will be living with this color for the next 20 years.  For both companies you have to give them your zipcode so that you can figure out what “zone” you are in. Different colors are available in different regions of the country.

So far we have been looking in the gray to blue range for Laura and Ken’s house with white trim. The 2 colors that they are considering from James Hardie include Monterey Taupe (warm gray with a hint of green) and Boothbay Blue (a medium blueish gray). From Certainteed they are considering the Silver Plate (lighter gray) and Pewter (a blueish gray). Of all of the colors I have seen in pictures my favorite is the Pewter, although I would like to see the sample in person. Which one is your favorite?

James Hardie Boothbay Blue

Certainteed Pewter

Up Next:

The front door choices.

In -Laura & Ken's New House, -Paint Colors, HOUSE PARTS, INTERIOR DESIGN CLIENTS
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Andi & Neil’s Kitchen Part 15: Accessories

October 21, 2011

Kitchen Accessories

Andi and Neil are busy using their new kitchen, BUT we still need to add some color punch! We have agreed on the William Morris inspired fabric for the window valance. We all love their persimmon colored Fiestaware, and I would recommend adding some more decorative Fiestaware pieces but I’ve tried to round out the room with some additional accessories. I am trying to mix some more classic style with some fun retro design to marry the more traditional house with Andi and Neil’s more eclectic style.

1, 2 & 3 Prints by Handz on Etsy: $19-21 a piece for A3 Size (11.7×16.5)

4. Print by Tidbits Photography on Etsy: $15 for 8″x10″

5. William Morris Inspired Fabric for Window Valance: Sweet William in Teal, $9.95 a yard. We are going to do an inside mount so as not cover the millwork.

6. Utensil Kitchen Towel: Frukost Dishtowel, Flatware on Anthropologie $18. This would also be really cute framed or as cafe curtain.

7. Inspirational color palette: Superneutral Decorating Palettes on Martha Stewart.com. We have been using this for reference since the beginning of the project.

8. & 9. Persimmon Fiestaware on Ebay.

10. Colorful Coffee Mugs: Modernist Mugs at West Elm, $10 a piece

11. Pretty Foodie Calender: Mini Foodie Calender by Tidbits Photography $14

12. Hanging Glass Planters: Shane Powers Hanging Glass Bubbles at West Elm $9-24

13.  Owl Measuring Cups in Coral: West Elm $19 a set

14. Beautiful Olive Wood Paddle Cutting Boards: West Elm $19-39. I think this would a nice contrast to all of the straight lines.

15. Red Biscuit Tins: West Elm $9-16

In -Andi and Neil's Kitchen, INTERIOR DESIGN CLIENTS, INTERIOR PRODUCTS, FURNITURE & FABRICS
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Mood Board: Early Fall

October 11, 2011

Early Fall Mood Board

I decided to take a mental break and put together a mood board for early fall.  I’ve been focused  a lot on work (both at work and at home) lately and have been feeling like I need to let my own style peek out a little more.

Kite Hill by Paul Octavious

First Snow by Paul Octavious

I am in LOVE with these 2 photos (Kite Hill & First Snow)  by photographer Paul Octavious available on 20×200 (each $50 for 11″x14″). I like the comparision of the 2 seasons but also the bits of color and whimsy of the children paired with the strong horizon. I used these as my jumping off point (which is kind of funny since it is currently fall not summer or winter). 

English Arm Chair by Hickory Chair

I next chose a comfy chair by Hicory Chair to contrast some of the brighter colors of the space. I love the beautiful “english arm” and deep leather, it is exactly what I want to sink into now that the weather has started to get colder.  I paired this with a beautiful pillow from Etsy that brings out the colors from the photographs but in a more sophisticated but still playful way. I also used a beautifully textured throw from Terrain but no longer available.

I decided to make the big pop of color on the floor. This is an amazing rug by Angela Adams. I have admired her use of pattern for some time but really like the texture and pattern of this hand tufted yellow rug. To continue with the texture and to contrast with the smooth leather of the chair I chose a paper-maiche side table by Stray Dog design for West Elm ($149). It is crafted out 100% recycled materials.

For the walls I chose a moody blueish gray painted on a textured wallpaper. I really like the concept of textured wallpaper, although only recently have more modern patterns been available. This one is from Graham and Brown. Finally I chose a curtain in a similar but slightly darker color and a nice heavy weight (West Elm, $29-69).

What do you think? Would you like to sit here and read a book?

In -Living Room, INTERIOR DESIGN CLIENTS, INTERIOR PRODUCTS, FURNITURE & FABRICS
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