Last Weekend of Summer...

Enjoy the last easy, breezy days of summer!

Tuesday Tip

Toss your nuts! Remember when I said scattering your pumpkins across your table or buffet was the easiest thing? Well, I think I may have lied! Emptying out a bowl of nuts was in fact the easiest thing I have ever done to decorate a table. Flowers would have been nice and most welcome. But I decided not to dash out and spend any money and to use only what I already have and still come up with a new, but simple, variation of the Thanksgiving table.

This year we will be having a casual dinner for four. I started with a simple linen tablecloth and then layered an aqua and taupe Pashmina over it. I have many of these from my husband's travels. Some go to friends, some I wear and some I use to decorate!

I used my rattan chargers, simple bone china and seasonal leaf plates. Then added  two types of glasses, glittery copper candles, my favorite crystal candle sticks (I like to use 5, it reminds me of a small candelabra) and vibrant teal blue napkins. I think it's festive and ready for turkey and all the trimmings!

Wishing you all a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Picture Perfect

I came across this living room and library recently and fell in love! It's one of those rooms that I am not trying to edit or change something. Nothing needs to be altered in my view. It has tons of books, aqua walls, beautiful floors and an amazing fireplace. The presence of these elements rank it high for me without all the other perfect pairings. And, because I am not always so helplessly attracted to interiors this vibrant, I know the mix is perfectly done.

I don't know the blog source I snatched it from (very sorry), the publication, the designer (could it be Miles Redd) or the photographer. I am hoping a savvy reader will be able to help me with the credits and details?

This weekend we will celebrating my husbands birthday, my son is coming home from college for a visit and we will have plenty of teenagers roaming the A&A interiors. Picture perfect.

Garage Makeover

Two years ago, we attempted to makeover the garage.  First we added a new, more attractive,  automatic garage door with windows to let in some much needed light.  Next, I had a carpenter move the threshold for the interior entrance that leads into the laundry/mud room about a foot.  A new door was also added (still not painted...) because the original was pretty beat up. We use this door as the main entrance for our family and every time someone was at the mud sink, they would get hit in the back by whoever was coming in through the garage. The original door location was a serious builder blunder!  I also had the old short stairs removed and replaced them with a 6ft. run that went to the wall allowing for storage and safety. The old handrail was on the left.  Absurd, since there was nothing to hold onto and prevent you from falling off the right side! And, when the hand rail was on the left, it made for the useless little cubbie that just collected dirt between the stairs and the wall. We also added extra circuits to the breaker panel for media and electrical wiring needed for planned renovations. 





Before-signs of phase 1



After-all phases complete

 
This past spring I promised my husband his Father's Day gift would be to complete the garage makeover. To say he was excited would be an understatement! We got started in the Spring with Step 1 through 3.  Steps 4 and 5 followed.  And, this past weekend the last few things were completed! I do NOT recommend, dragging it out this long, as there is a very good chance it will never get finished. We gave ourselves a firm deadline of the end of September to complete both the garage and storage room.

The Wish List:
Lots of sturdy storage shelving
Hanging system for tools
Work bench
New refrigerator

The Plan:
Be brutal about what we really needed to keep.
Measure for everything that would stay.
Make sure the systems were flexible for possible changes down the road.
Allow virtually nothing to be stored on the floor.
Make it as attractive as possible!



Donate & Dump



The Process:
Implement the 3 D's. You may call it something else, but this is my personal system:  Decide, Donate, Dump.
I use for it myself and  my clients.

Step 1:
Decide what you are keeping and put it aside.
Donate to your neighbors, friends, favorite charity, or local thrift store everything in good condition that you no longer need.
Dump the rest in the garbage or recycling.


Step 2: 
Draw up the design plan. We already had a metal storage cabinet (used to store paper goods and cleaning products) and the measurements for the new Gladiator refrigerator, so the rest of the space was configured from there. NOTE: Don't forget to account for your automatic garage door tracks and electrical outlets! Be precise about every measurement and size of every item. Each item will need to have an exact location. This is critical in knowing what parts will be ordered. This step is definitely, the most difficult aspect of the whole job, because it will impact everything, including what you spend!  Order parts and have delivered.



Assess the mess & decide what stays for measurements.


Step 3:
Paint the walls (aqua), ceiling (white), stain the floor (gray), and the baseboards (black). I use the term baseboards loosely because in reality it was a rough uneven space between the walls and floor.  We used an exterior paint for this part.  

Step 4:
Prep the floor. Sweep and then use a cleaner/etcher solvent. Allow to dry for 2 days. Apply 2 coats of concrete stain to floor. Not difficult, but very time consuming. Apply 1 coat of stain for a mottled look, 2 coats if you want the look of paint without all the scratching/chipping in a high traffic area. Plus, it covered up oil & rust (from our renter's car) and most of my mishap of spilled paint a few years earlier...oops! Wait at least 3 days for foot traffic and at least 10 days for car parking.




The products used

 


Goodbye oil & rust stains

Goodbye paint spill.

Left side after etching,-Right side after primer.

First coat of stain.

Second coat on upper left.

 Step 5:

 Install the system. We chose an Elfa system because of durability & flexibility.  The old plastic shelving didn't function well. We were on our 3rd one! They crack over time and are a hazzard if you are trying to store anything heavy. Plus, debris always gets trapped underneath.  Since this was suppose to be a gift to my husband, I didn't want him to have to do this part. Instead I had an Elfa expert to the installation. With the design plan in hand (we gave them our measurements and parts list, then they put it into their software program to create the final plan) it only took him 2 hours. Worth every cent! 




Ready to get organized!

  Step 6:
Put everything away based on the design plan. Note: Our backyard deck is enclosed with lattice and there is an entry gate to access storage underneath.  Large items such as the lawnmower and wheelbarrow are stored there under a tarp. The trash can has always been kept on the side of the house, hidden from view by a large Holly tree. Recycling is now located right by the door. Convenient for tossing newspapers and cardboard!


Before:


Pleading to be rescued...

 After: 


Dignity for our family & our cars restored!

  


The Details:



Storage Wall



Work Wall



Recreation: Bikes & Golf

Playing too!

And a little gardening...



Favorite helpers!

 



Big help for muddy feet & paws.

 


Finishing touches...they help too!

 
What it cost:
Design fee: Zero. I hired myself! 

Elfa shelving & hanging systems: $1,475

Installation fee: 30% of total
Gladiator refrigerator: $925
Metal cabinet: $75
Work bench: $200
Rug: $85
Materials: $150



All photos courtesy of A&A

Back to School with Aqua & Orange

If your kids aren't already back to school, today's the day! It's sort of the unofficial start to fall, which always turns my attention to warming up things both inside and out. I can recall so many years when my children's teachers would ask students to draw a picture using favorite colors. I remember once it had to be their 2 most favorite colors. I have plenty of aqua in my home already, and I keep finding myself drawn to orange. Maybe just a throw or a few toss pillow will suffice.

Some of these pictures have just a hint of the colors and for others, it's a really bold gesture! But,  I have saved them all as favorites. Enjoy my "pictures" using orange & aqua!

Aqua paint on an iron table

A winning kitchen combo

Just a hint on the trash can

Vibrant and so inviting

Bold and traditional

The perfect seat

Fabric & Wallpaper: Gone to the Dogs!

I became completely smitten the first time I saw this fabric by Eric Cohler in 2006 aptly named, Unleashed! I tore these pages out and slipped them right into plastic sleeves the moment I came across them.  I love the fact the design is appealing for both young & old!!! I've yet to come across a dog themed fabric I like better!

Red

Blue

Orange

And, the selections in canine inspired wallpaper are giving a case of puppy love! I think it's so wonderful when good design doesn't have to be too serious!

Osborne & Little's Best in Show-black

Peter Fasano's Maxx

Peter Fasano's Calvin & Lewis

Peter Fasano's Bow-Wow

Thibaut's Best in Show-aqua

Tuesday Tip

Ten minute tablescape! I love entertaining, especially outdoors!!! I have been working on getting my deck whipped into shape this year and posted about it here and here. The casual nature of dining alfresco takes all pressure off to make things perfect. I nearly always just use what I have on hand.

Which is why it is so important to always be editing yourself and to make thoughtful purchases. When I am buying something new I always ask myself 2 simple questions.....

1.) Is this item flexible? Specifically, whether I am shopping online or in a store, I ask myself...can I use it in multiple ways...does it go with multiple styles, seasons, and rooms?
2.) Do I have space to store it and access it easily? This is equally important.  Because if not, I won't ever remember to use it!

I don't often buy new items. I have a decent and  flexible supply of  dishes, linens, silverware, candlesticks, baskets, containers and vases. But, sometimes I find I really do need something or it's too fabulous to pass up! So as long as I can justify it...using my own guidelines...well out comes the credit card:

When they're not enjoying time outside, I think these little blue birds ($12) would look equally good on a desk, bookcase or table. And, the mini aluminum planters ($2) you may have spotted one lined with parchment holding croissants here. They also did a very good job containing Goldfish, pretzels, and Trail Mix for some teen snackers!

For those of you who like to blow up the picture, your eyes do not deceive you...yes, I just plunked the pots of white inpatients into the planters. And, yes I know you can see the black plastic rims. I can assure you no one minded...or even noticed!

The 3 plastic containers were relocated from my seagrass basket that will sometimes get lined with a large napkin and loaded up with rolls:

And, just in case someone is concerned that I don't know how to properly set the table...I do, but I was trying to get a good picture of the flatware with the trees above reflected in the spoons...and got distracted...

cooking bacon.....for homemade potato salad. The sun kept going in & out and never I never did get a clear close-up picture and ended up leaving it this way....no one seemed to mind this either!

Sources:
Tablecloth: Ralph Lauren Home from Macy's
Silverware: Pottery Barn Mother-of-Pearl
Napkins: Pottery Barn linen with bee embroidery
Plates: Johnson Brothers-English china
Rattan Chargers: William's-Sonoma
Ceramic Bluebirds: RSH Catalogue*
Glasses: Villeroy & Boch
Aqua Hurricane: Villeroy & Boch
Mini planters: TJ Maxx*
*new purchases this spring

A mix of high & low.....Simply done.
All photos by A&A