CHAIRISH Room Design

Hey!

Sorry for the silence lately... I had planned on posting last week but then I got sick... and basically did nothing but rest after work everyday!!!  Well I'm finally feeling better and I have a fun post for today.

I was recently contacted by the company, Chairish, to see if I'd like to be involved in their Style Challenge... umm yeah!  Chairish is an awesome company that makes it fun and easy for design lovers to buy and sell pre-loved decor to one another.  They have lots of great vintage pieces that are easy to style and unique!!  I was asked to choose an item from one of their collections and design a space around it.  It was a difficult choice, but I fell in love with this golden velour three-seat sofa:

 Isn't she a beauty?  I love the golden yellow color and its simple yet interesting shape.  I wanted to create a cozy warm space around this piece; a place where I could curl up with a book, a cup of tea and a blanket and relax!

Rug | Chandelier | Chair | Coffee Table | Fur Pillow | Leopard Pillow | Lamp | Accent Table | Pouf | Gourd Vase

 I think the sofa steals the show!  The warm color sets the stage for the entire space.  The leather chair, coffee table, and GORGEOUS light fixture can all be found on Chairish.com.  I love the warm tones these pieces add to the room.  The rug adds a lot of pattern, nice texture and really grounds the space.  The pillows also add more pattern and texture (I'm obsessed with that leopard fabric).  I finished the room off with some affordable pieces like the accent table, lamp, and pouf.  Oh, and every room should have a fresh plant or two!  

What do you think?  Is this a room you could see yourself in?  I'd love to hear your comments.

P.S. - Later this week I plan to share some updates on my living room and how I decorated for fall, so check back!

Thanks for reading!

Emily

Malachite Pumpkin

Hello!

For whatever reason, I just have not been in the fall decorating spirit this year (...and fall is my favorite season!!)  I think it's because this summer was SOOOOOO nice and I'm in denial that WINTER IS COMING (GOT-style).  I usually at least decorate some pumpkins and display them around the house and outside.

I was not interested in decorating AT ALL until this:

A MALACHITE PUMPKIN tutorial?!?  How could I not at least attempt this!?

For those of you who are not familiar with with malachite, it is a beautiful vibrant green mineral that has beautiful light and dark green free-form rings like so:

via FenderMinerals

Isn't it bold and beautiful?  I'm a sucker for anything green.  In the last couple years it has really become a design trend as well.  Need proof?

via Traditional Home

via Little Green Notebook

Doesn't it add a great pop of color?  I picked up this tray a year or so ago:

I sort of used Jenny's tutorial (the desk DIY above) when painting my pumpkin and here is how she turned out:

I love the little pop of color she adds to my mantle.  What do you think of the malachite trend?  Is it something you'd try?

Later this week I will share more photos of how I warmed up my living room for the fall season!

Emily

Featured on Better After Blog!

Today is a great day...
1. it's FRIDAY!  and...
 2. I just noticed that my dining room makeover has been featured on Better After (THANKS LINDSEY!)  If you don't follow her blog, you should!!  She showcases great before and after projects - lots of eye candy!

Click HERE to check it out!!!

 Happy Friday, everyone!
Emily

Budget Fireplace Makeover

When Justin and I first bought our house, one of the aspects we loved about it was that there is a wood burning fireplace!  HOWEVER... it looked like this:

 

CONS:

-Dark brick color (same as the exterior of our home) makes the room feel darker.

-Hearth and mantel are dirty cement... there is nothing appealing about it!

-One side is against a wall and it is off to the side of the entire room!
-The track lighting is ugly...!

PROS:
-It functions!  That's always a good thing!
-It doesn't look completely terrible... I knew I could work with it :)

So before Justin and I moved in we had some MAJOR paint parties... like literally paint every room, ceiling, baseboard, door frame, etc. kinda parties...!  I remember we decided to start tackling this project around MIDNIGHT one winter evening (we are nuts) and immediately regretted that decision.  After cleaning the bricks, we started with a couple coats of Olympic Masonry Block Filler.  It's a primer for fireplaces that helps fill in the tiny cracks and pores in the brick and mortar.  It is amazing and totally frustrating how much paint the brick absorbs.  You really have to slop it on to fill in everything!  We then used one of my favorite paint colors, Swiss Coffee by Behr.  It's a really creamy white that gives warmth to the space.

After a couple coats of paint, the fireplace looked like this: 

Big difference... but I still HATE the cement hearth and mantel and I still cringe when I look at this picture!  I'll show you a closer look at how gross this cement really is:

YIKES!  It has looked like that since about January 2012...

I've had very grand plans for this fireplace... like a complete overhaul... (as you can see my drawings on the left-hand side of the above picture) however, I want to make sure it would coordinate with other future plans I have for our wet-bar and kitchen... so I will just hold on to those ideas for now :) and keep saving.

I finally painted the hearth and mantel a couple months ago (not sure why I didn't paint it from the beginning!?)  Here is what it looks like today:

Picture - Goodwill | Candle Holders - TJ Maxx CLEARANCE! | Basket - Marshall's | Blue Throw - Target

Big improvement but it still needs work!  I did a rendering of what I would like to add in the near future:

  

Okay so lets start with the big piece... a new mantel.  I would love to remove the cement piece and get a nice piece of reclaimed wood.  Wouldn't that be lovely?

Next I would like to refinish or re-frame my Goodwill art-piece.  The current wood frame is a yucky cherry stain that just isn't my cup of tea.  I'm thinking something more natural looking.

I'd also love to add a beautiful pair of blue and white Chinese porcelain vases.  This pair runs a mere $460... so I think I'll keep looking.  It's hard to find pairs for a reasonable price!

On the hearth, I would love to add a Boston fern to the opening of the fireplace.  I am considering an artificial one, since it will get very little natural light.  I haven't seen any nice ones in person, but I figured since no one will be close to the plant, it might not be too noticeable?  We shall see!

I already ordered the adorable striped copper candles for my candle sticks.  I can't wait to see how they look in person.

So that's all I have for now.  I'm sure I will totally change the decor once we start using our fireplace this winter... but I'm liking this much more than the sparse look I had a few months back.

What do you guys think?  I'd love to hear from you :)

Happy Sunday and GO CARDS! (we will be cheering at the game tonight!!)

Emily

{Wife Approved} Man Cave Makeover!

Hey Everyone!

I've recently been given a unique opportunity to help with a new company's marketing campaign.  The company is called Man Crates, Gifts For Men and they ship fun gifts for men in custom wooden crates that you even have to open with a crowbar!  Their mission is to end the difficulties that have long been associated with buying gifts for men.



To coincide with their "Man Cave Makeover" Campaign, I've been asked to create a design board featuring gifts a guy could use to decorate his man cave; taking it from lame to stylish!

The man cave is a ritualistic spot where men retreat in order to watch sports with friends, spill beer, shout at the TV, and tell the same 8 stories over and over again. Man caves come in all sorts of interesting shapes and spaces, be it in a basement, a garage or the classic shed.  However, as original as these spaces are, when it comes to decor they tend to all look the same. A cheap neon beer sign (or beer mirror), a dart board and of course a mini fridge.  That is the case NO LONGER (or at least at my house, hehe!)

I used my hubby as inspiration and created the following mood board!  Hope you enjoy!

Good, right?!  Let's start with the foundation.  I chose Edgecomb Gray by Benjamin Moore the walls.  It's a nice neutral backdrop, perfect for a dark cave-like basement. 


I chose an indoor/outdoor rug from Overstock to combat those beer spills!  It's currently on sale and you can snag a 6'7"x9'6" size for $141.94 - what a steal!


I wanted the lighting to have an industrial feel.  I love this Pendant Light DIY by Design Dump using a cheap Home Depot light fixture.  I may just have to recreate this someday!  I also LOVE this Industrial Grid Wall Sconce from West Elm.  It feels like modern version of a neon sign you'd typically see in a man cave! 



This leather sofa from Macy's is perfect for stain-resistance and durability AND it is still stylish.  The clean lines give it a modern feel and the warm caramel color keeps it from looking too dark and dated.  It's a far cry from the typical bulky, shiny leather couches most man caves have.




These pillows add a pop of color to the room and are also a great price! (here and here)


Hanging above the sofa I chose a vintage postcard of Glacier National Park, which is one of Justin's favorite places.  All it needs is a nice matted frame to make a larger statement.  Next is this drool-worthy Nate Berkus wood/studded mirror.  I wish I had a spot in my house for this guy!  And last but not least, this creepy teddy bear photograph by Kent Rogowski!  The artist dissected the bear and sewed him back together inside out.  You may think I'm weird for choosing it... BUT when I first saw it, I was reminded of the teddy bear on Breaking Bad (Justin's FAVE show)... don't you think?!? 


Maybe just a little?  Well anyway, I like to keep things a little weird, and he matches my red shelving unit!


This coffee table from World Market provides warm wood tones to the room and is sturdy enough to withstand those rowdy game days.


This slate coaster set from West Elm is the perfect masculine touch and will keep your coffee table free of ring marks.  Bonus:  they can also be monogrammed!  This book from Crate and Barrel chronicles nearly 500 beer cans collected from 30 countries - a fun read for beer lovers :) andddd it's on clearance.


This Target metal accent table is a great price.  The brass color gives the room more warmth and it is virtually indestructible!  Just add a little braided hardy succulent for some color!



Now for my favorite part!  I got my hubby this record player (in a different color) a few years ago and he LOVES it.  Not only does it look totally AWESOME, but it is also easily portable and has an auxiliary connection so you can plug in your iPod!  We listen to records all the time now.  The Ikea Kallax shelving unit is perfect for record storage (Justin has TONS) and I love this glossy red color they offer - and SUCH a great price at $64.99.

 
Records are always a great gift for guys (if they have a player, of course!)  Here are a few recommendations for the indie rock lover in your life!  (Beck, Flaming Lips, and Goastt)

Well that's it!  What do you think?  I'd love to hear your comments.  Are there any unique gifts for men that you've seen lately?  How would you decorate a man cave!?

Thanks for looking!
Emily

What's Your Decor Style?

Hey All!

Domaine Home (one of my favorite design blogs) posted a fun quiz today that I wanted to share - What's your Decor Style?!  I got CALIFORNIA ECLECTIC, which I LOVE.  It says:  "You love the combination of midcentury modern lines with organic pieces, ethnic textiles, and plenty of plant life. An expert at layering, you never met a brass accent piece or large-scale photograph you didn’t like."  Totally reminds me of Emily Henderson, my idol! :)  I love the easiness and casual vibe you get from this style - for the most part I would say it is pretty accurate (especially the brass accent piece part!)



Take the QUIZ and let me know what your style is!  Do you think your results are accurate?

Have a great weekend!
Emily

Dining Room Evolution

Hello - it's been quite awhile!  Although I haven't posted since Spring, I have been quite busy working, plotting and planning all of the home projects I want complete (more on that later). :-)

Today, I wanted to share photos of my dining room!

When Justin and I purchased our home in January 2012, our dining room looked like this:

AHHH!  A little heavy on the burgundy, no?  This room was so dark and dated.  I mean, those silky curtains?!?!?  The pealing wallpaper?  The light fixture also wasn't my fave, but I knew I could get some $$ for it on Craigslist to use toward the redecorating!  It all had to go!

When choosing paint colors for our home, I normally go the soft/neutral route and add pops of color... BUT for this room I really wanted to go BOLD.  I thought ripping out the wallpaper and adding white wainscoting would really add some character, brighten the room and also balance out that BOLD color I wanted.  I ended up choosing Benjamin Moore, Surf Blue. 

Here's what she looked like after the paint job!

 Don't mind the ugly brown ottoman.  I used to let my puppies sit there and look out the window until I realized that Wylie (my papillon) was EATING THE WINDOW SILL!!!  Literally.  Let's just say we got rid of the ottoman and I had a fun day of trying to recreate a window sill with wood putty (white window sheers help to disguise it now :)!!!)

I love this paint color so much - so bright and fun!  I think my whole family thought I was a little cuckoo when I showed them the paint swatch, but they are all on board now!  My MCM dining room table was a Craigslist find and comes with 3 leaves.  Our beautiful credenza is a Broyhill found at one of our favorite STL shops, Momoderne, and so was our awesome Sputnik light!  Justin bought me the light for my birthday!!

Over the past couple years I have slowly collected and added to this room and it feels so much more complete.  Here is what our dining room looks like today:

So pretty.

I will never tire of my sputnik light or my mirror! 

The bar cart is vintage and belonged to my great aunt.  It was in pretty rough condition, but is looking good after a fresh coat of gold spray paint.

This cute little chair is from Justin's grandmother and fits perfectly in this corner.  I love the spindle-y legs!

The lamps are from TJMaxx.  I love how they have an acrylic base!  The brass planter is a thrift find and used to have a beautiful living orchid in it until I accidentally killed it... oops.  I bought a nice fake stem from Hobby Lobby and no one can tell the difference... Shhh!  Now, I don't have to ever worry about watering it again ;)  The antler was found by Justin while he was hunting for morel mushrooms...mmmm...!

 I just purchased these two upholstered chairs from TJ Maxx.  I love the Greek Key pattern and the color looks great in the room. 

And just for fun, I decided to set my table for {an imaginary} dinner party!

The rug is from RugsUSA and I purchased it over Labor Day weekend for 70% OFF!!!!  Talk about bargain!

One last before and after:

BEFORE:

AFTER:

I hope you love it as much as I do!  Have a great weekend!
Emily