A LITTLE DIY

OK....I did not actually do this one but it was my idea!  I had an email asking about the ottoman at Maria's house and where it came from.

Here is how it went down.

Start with Kent Ottoman found at Ballard Designs Outlet on the cheap.

Now I like this piece but it is kind of low....only 15" high.

Purchase a cowhide [find em all day long on the internet].  Make sure it is large enough....check with your upholster on that.  We used a brindle.

Score some large casters....

You can find them at Home Depot and either have the upholster or "do it yourself"....which makes it a DIY right?

And there you have it....an ottoman that is higher and very durable.  Cause after all....cows live outside right?  

I am sure it can withstand anything you could throw at it.

While I might not actually be a crafty booger I think like one.

Next up today is the magazine with my sisters ORC is out.  Lisa Mowry and I along with Anthony-Matherson [photographers] had fun styling and singing oldies on this shoot.

I am happy to say that I covered 43-50 of the 100 ideas.

Anything I can do to help right?

This dirty face smoochie had to have a tooth pulled yesterday.

But I think she is having a good time on the pain meds.

I binged on Netflix with season 1 of this show...

It is filmed near Atlanta in Griffin, Ga. 

Season 2 just started.  

It's kind of slow [ so was House Of Cards in the beginning] but I really liked it. 

That's it.

Enjoy the weekend.

Shazam

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MORE OF THE HOME REFRESH

Alrighty then....today we have the last few pictures of Maria's home makeover or as I like to say it "for crying out loud....let's update this place"

Can I stretch out a project or what.....I am a professional "blog post stretcher".....

Yeah....blah blah blah.....get to it girl.

Before

 The dining room just needed some flowers....

I wrote about updating this room in 2011

This is the music room right off the den...there is a baby grand behind this sitting area...

We lightened it up...by replacing the brown curtains and pillows.

I scored these cream ready made curtains at Bed Bath and Beyond and added new pillows.  Of course flowers will make any room look special....

A little cheetah can be a game changer.

When they get bored she can play the piano and he can grab a guitar....

Are they like shoes....can't really have too many?

Remember I said they had the exterior painted...here is the before.

After

The body is Benjamin Moore Classic Gray

Here are the shutters Mike made!  Makes it look like a little french cottage.  The color is Benjamin Moore Brewster Gray HC 162.

You probably don't remember but here is the same  combination on a show house.... I almost used these colors...

I didn't do anything in this space but I wanted to show you the backyard....Mike made the swing bed.....

Have you guys gotten into the world cup?  Sunday nights game was so exciting.....I think I am hooked and will be watching US vs Germany on Thursday.

I bet everyone is getting ready for vacation over the 4th.  I'll just be here....holding down the fort....in the heat....hangin. 

Sheriky

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BEFORE AND AFTER

Thank you for the love on my "refreshed" bedroom on Friday.  I  have to share with you that these updates were fueled by the fact that her home is being published in a local magazine.

That will get you going right?  In fact they were about to have their trim painted on the outside and it fueled having the whole house painted along with new shutters....

And of course we can't forget painting the bedroom, bath and a little updating for other rooms of the home.

I helped with this renovation 10 years ago when she first moved back to Atlanta.  To say it was time for a change....well.... I would be the wrong person to even comment on that right?

Here is a before of the den

It needed some accessorizing.....

We changed out the art work and ordered these small ones from Etsy.

How about mixing and adding some new pillows....duh right?   Has being my best friend not taught you anything?

 

A little greenery goes a long way to bring some life to the room....

Before.....

A little pillow explosion....good luck finding a place to actually sit.

Here is the shot I showed you on Friday where we took the larger chest for the bedroom...

After...

The smaller chest works....but I think one a little wider could be best:)  Always an excuse to keep the decorating ball rolling right?

I accessorized a little....

With an old Andrew Wyeth book on a pedestal.

Before

After

As you can see...pillows, a few accessories and greenery made a big difference in this room. 

We tweaked a few other areas....so I will save those for later this week. 

I know for some of y'all....summer is just arriving but here in Atlanta we went straight from spring to some hot...hot weather.  I am already wishing for fall:)

Shasweatin 

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BEFORE AND AFTER

Oh boy....this has been a long time coming.  I have not had a good makeover since before Christmas.

Of course this one was for my best friend which makes it easy to be honest....saying things like girl this has got to go and I didn't exactly get to fund the landscaping debt if you know what I mean:)

But it was fun and still nourished my creativity.

Here is the before just for reference.

Let me explain.  I actually did all of this about 12 years ago when she lived in Tampa.  Yes....she had the nerve to move away for a few years.   You can see that when she returned to Atlanta the bed hardly fit in the space so the finials had to be removed.

Now she we did did not want to break the bank so here are the changes.

Lighten up with paint

Changed out the lamps

Tweaked the bed pillows 

Moved bed to opposite side of the room

Layered a rug

Added some ready made curtains

I picked BM Natural Cream OC 14

Since the camel color was on the chairs and 2 of the pillows I decided to stick with it and found the lamps at HomeGoods.  Score.

I had Sudi whip up some pillows and we added the mirror [also from HG] 

We were able to use these bad boys again....

Since the black and white toile is classic that was also going to stay but I removed the shams and used some white ones trimmed out in black from my stash.

I also had a little Riad lurking around that was just enough for a pillow.  She wanted a bright color and of course if you are my friend you have to sign an "affidavit" saying that all pops of color will be turquoise.  Duh right.

Now lets talk about the area where the bed was.

OK....stay with me .....  this is the area where the bed is NOW.  All of this got moved.  Well not all of it cause some did not make the cut.

Plan #1.  Relocate chest.  Hang a few pictures and layer a rug.  Guitar for height of course....everything is about staging.

THEN....husband decided that he wanted a TV over the chest and I decided that this one was too small.

Cue music of Jaws as I peruse the house for a larger chest.

Ah ha....Boom.

We were together when she bought this one at least 15-17 years ago.

Yeah....all the pretty on the chest will be dispersed but for now until said TV arrives.....

We removed the topper to lighten up...and added a new lamp from Pottery Barn that after being on sale+ 40% off the sale price+20% trade discount+25%coupon+50.00 gift card came to a whopping $8.39 [regular price was 200.00]

Best friends get perks like that.

They had gotten the rug on their honeymoon and it was hiding under the bed.....

I think the room has a sort of bohemian/chinoiserie  look now....is that a style?

Here is the master bath which is right off the bedroom....

It needed some major attention....

A new paint color....SW Comfort Gray and some editing helped.

Much better huh?

Of course other changes were made throughout the house....more on that later.

I am over at Vanessa's blog today talking about 7 things that make me Decor Happy!

Friday is always a good day!

Shaboom!  I'm back!

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