Practical and Individual

Practicality and individuality will dominate in the next few years.  Seek out older and better items from architectural salvage site, upper end consignment shops, even estate sales.  This is where you will find better made items.

Yesterday, I think I told you I bought a Louis XV style hair at an upper end consignment shop.  It is fine at the moment, damaged on one side of the cushion, but in great shape.  It is well worth reupholstering as it is exactly what I have been looking for.  I don't have it yet, as my friend is bringing it to me at the end of the month.  Then it is time for pictures.  It is upholstered in white, Perfect color for the master bedroom that I am going to be redoing.  I will however, probably put it in the living room.  I now have a pink Queen Anne chair in my bedroom, that is brand new, and I will be selling it on Craig's List.  I am rethinking all that I have done and want to do.  You get to an age that you really don't feel like changing, or else don't have the money to change.  I am going to try and help everyone, no matter what the income to get a new look in different ways.

It would be wonderful if you could walk into a furniture store ( a good one like Bauers and just buy whatever you want.  In the area where you live, go to an upper end furniture store and look.  The best thing, is to go there and see what you do like and then do the hunt.  I love American Pickers, and I see things they pass over that I would love to own.  So start shopping for things you would like to have, and make  list and start looking for them at consignment shops, online at e-bay or Craig's List.  Don't forget Estate Sales and Moving Sales.  Anyone of these can prove very fruitful.  Look for name brands on pieces of furniture.  Names like Hendredon, Baker, Hickory Chair, Hickory, or other great name brands are well worthy of reupholstering or refinishing.

On yesterdays blog, I showed you a basket, and then I realized it really wasn't a good picture.  It is 24" wide by 16" deep x 14" Ht. and the best part it is on wheels.  Look for a better picture tomorrow!!

Poker Room

Here is the beginning of uncluttering a room.  I guess not many can really believe I can clutter.  I can, if I don't have the proper storage things or places.

Today I was in Palm Coast working with a client.  We went out and ended up at T J MAX.  Here is what I bought:

It is a basket on rollers, that actually holds paintings (unfinished of course) that are many sizes.  It is perfect.  That whole purple bag is full of unfinished work along with other places.  Now I have a compact storage area and the greatest thing it has wheels, so I an easily move it.

Remember we are trying to utilize space and repurpose and reinvent.  Next are some pictures of the table that is 60" round that was handmade.

As you can see rom yesterday, many things have been put away.  The dollhouse is done and moved out along with the things needed to do it.  This was (and still is) a poker table that my husband built in the 70's.  It is a flat working surface for dining, painting or crafting on, or still for cards, dominoes or Left, Right, Center.  Here is his invention for the table that has served many functions.  The trays!

 

The tray fits into the table and has an insert that can be flipped around, one side is for chips, and the other for a flat surface.

Here is the flat surface.  He bought an unfinished wood base and hand stained and finished it.  The top is a synthetic leather that I sold at that time and the whole edge of the table has nail heads around it.

This is  dual table, that can be used anywhere and for any purpose.  Just a little time and a lot of ingenuity.

Right now it is used for my painting.  Tomorrow, tackling the bookcase!!!!!!!!!!!!

Repurpose and Declutter

I told you many times over, about clutter.  Believe it or not, here is clutter!!!  I are going to show you how to repurpose a media room.

 

This is the art, card, playroom and catch all at the moment.  This bookcase was added above the counter below several years ago, because of my extensive books on design and art.  Then my husband took up reading.  Now he has his I Pad to read.  Books are becoming a thing of the past.  He also has taken up crafts.  He made the dollhouse above, which will go to our granddaughter.

 

 

 

 My husband recently finished the ship sitting there.  We put in the television so we  can watch it when doing projects that we want to leave out.  The previous owners used this as a media room.

 

 

This was our game room at one time, now it is a combination sewing, craft, and my art room.  I am going to declutter this room starting this weekend, so I will lead you step by step.  Above on the right, my husband is painting doll furniture, hence the green plastic tablecloth.  He is working in acrylics.  When we have company, all these things are put away.  But this is all WORKS IN PROGRESS.

 

 

This is the counter that was built in and serves as a media center. The bookcase was added after we moved in.

 

Follow me through the transformation of this room.  From a media room to a game room, art room, craft area and sewing room.

 

 

Professionally Done

All great rooms, ( this is any room ), need a mixture of finishes.  First there are the woods; they can be painted, antiqued, light woods, dark woods, with glass or marble tops, including faux tops and leather.  I am sure there are many more to choose from as there are many types of wood and shades of stain.  Rooms need wood, and then something metallic, such as: silver or silver leaf, gold or gold leaf, brass, or copper.  There are many shades of all these also.  One more thing to add is ceramic, that can be lamps, vases, pottery pieces or accessories.  These are all secrets of interior designers throughout the world.  It is using these elements that make a room look professionally done.

You may decide this year to unclutter your rooms.  I have heard this lately a lot from my clients.  Perhaps things change with age.  I have always said that you spend the better half of your life collecting things you love and the last part of your life getting rid of all these things.  I find that I am doing that myself.  I like things to be practical, easily accessible, easy to clean and look neat.  That may be a minimal look.

Simple, for the working parent or parents.  This is really to unclutter.  Nothing on  the countertops, hardly anything on table tops, one or two if any, throw pillows.  More straight lines, possibly overstuffed furniture and minimal lighting.

Multifunctional design is what we have been talking about.  A bedroom and office combined, or an office and playroom combined.  An art room and a game room, of which my next focus is going to be.

Renewable design, my favorite.  This is shopping for items at resale shops, garage and estate sales, or on Craig's List.

A Mantra that has been around a long time, "Less is More".  Focus on quality, not quantity when it comes to art, furnishings and rugs or carpeting, tile, or wood flooring.

Again, depending on where you live, sometimes it is better to buy an old piece of furniture and have it reupholstered.  Dollar or dollar, you will have a good piece of furniture.  I wish I still owned pieces from the seventies or before.

Tomorrow, dual purpose rooms again.

Reinvent Your Home

As I mentioned before, this is the time to renew, rejuvenate or reinvigorate.  Now is the time to apply these to your home.  Especially to all those who live in the parts of the country that are snowbound or home bound because of the weather.

Here are a few tips from a lot of different designers:
Try incorporating a new color into your room.  Rather than run out in this weather, look to your closet or the closet of your children.  Find some great colors and drape them around the room.  What looked good and brightens the room?  See how you like adding that color to your scheme.  If that doesn't appeal to you, try other colors.  If you find a color you like, decide where you can use it.  It may be as simple as vases, pillows or painting one or more walls.  Now make a list of what you think you need.  Look around your home and see if you have anything in that color you can use.

 Add accessories or just move things around.  Re purpose furniture or find a new place for an old piece. 

Add happy hues in the winter:  I love turquoise, pinks, purples, lime greens, corals, or copper colors, they add such a punch to any space.

Get away from brown or beige fatigue, go to bright whites or neutral grays, and add brights.  Just new paint will do a lot to lift your spirits and get you into the mood to do more.

We will start  again on redoing more, tomorrow more on brights!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The First Finished Room- A Hallway

Have been away for a while and now will be back to regular blogging.

We have been discussing before and after, rethinking rooms, and adding to a room to make it dual purpose.

Here is the project that I have just finished with the help of my middle daughter Vicki.

Here is the before pictures of the hallway:

 

 

 

Here is it painted white, as it was a light gold type color, then I panted it plain white.  Next it was striped 3" apart, see below.  I used 1" wide blue painter's tape, marked of the lines, using a level to make sure the lines are straight.  It takes a lot of patience to do the striping.  If you have no time, wait until you do.  Or I you don't care do a little at a time.  When finished you are ready to stripe your walls with whatever color you want.  I chose light blue.

 

 

Here is the finished hall:

 

 

Now with the pictures:

 

 

 

It is long lasting and all I have to do now is change pictures if that is what I want.  One room DONE!!!!

 

This whole look is no more than paint.  I am sure that you have pictures around in different rooms that you can use.  I move paintings all the time.  I can paint whatever I want, change colors, move them from my studio, or teach something I want to hang in my house.  Some paintings, I paint just for shows.

 

You might consider taking a series of painting classes and learn to paint yourself!  Visit my art blog, www.nancysadowskisfineart.blogspot.com.

 

Tomorrow back to some collections.

A Little Bit from Before

Sometimes the simplest things can make a big impact.  In doing one's home over, you must first consider all the things you have or those you do not want.  Up north, you have attics and basements.  How I would love a basement.  You could store things that you don't want to use, and later on, reuse them.  How many things have you given away, or gotten rid of and wish you had back?  I have a lot.  That is why I am reluctant to get rid of anything.  so I must find a new use for it.  I will show you some new ideas as we trod along in redoing places. 

Right now I have a house full of company, so all projects have about halted.  Except one, which is the hallway I talked about months ago.  I was going to stripe it blue.  I got the white done, but then all the holidays came and I stopped.  bless my middle daughter Vickie, as yesterday she put all the masking tape( blue painters tape ) on the wall for me.  Here is a picture of the walls all taped:

 

These line are really straight, it must be camera or comer distortion. The wider ones will be painted pale blue.  When the tape comes off, they will all be the same size.

the actual striping takes a long time.  You need a ruler, yardstick, a small level and painters tape.  It works better than masking tape as it doesn't pull you paint off.  May paint later today or later in the week.  Monday and Tuesday are work days, and company leaves on Thursday.

 

If you want directions on exactly how to do this, e-mail me at, nancysadowski25@gmail.com.

 

 

Walls and More for the Office/Bedroom

Here are another picture as promised:

This is a new color palette from Sherwin Williams.  I use a lot of Sherwin Williams and Behr paints.  It depends on what I want to do.  I have an area in my kitchen where there are stools and a counter to sit at.  The previous owner used a linen faux technique that has a texture in it.  I decided at one time to sand the wall down.  Then I saw this new metallic paint from Sherwin Williams.  Here is the ad that I saw:

 

 The second on the right is Collonade Gray Metallic, Faux impressions metallic, that looks like it may give me the perfect look.  It is SWF-307.  It had to be ordered as they did not stock it at our Sherwin Williams, all of these above are metallics.  They could really be beautiful in redoing things.  the sapphire is really gorgeous.  I may have to do a piece of furniture in it. 

 

Today, the magazines are calling Gray the new Black.  It is a very nice neutral and goes with everything.  It is a definite throwback to the 50's.

  

Here is another picture of the guest room/ office, my ongoing project:

 

 

I added a panting above the hutch to give more warmth to the room.  This is one of my paintings and can be viewed on: www.nancysadowskisfineart.blogspot.com.

 

There is the letter/ file holder in marble on the top shelf.  I may add or subtract things as I go.  Today, as I was returning a dish to my neighbor, I got a almost brand new desk chair for free.  Best kind of things.  I need to buy a chair mat for the carpet and then set in the new chair.  Chair mats do crack with wear, and ours is cracked.  Really, rolling chairs do much better on wood or tile.  Since it is a bedroom also, carpeting is warming, as wood or tile are cold.  The room is coming together.  I need a few more organizational things so I may look to Ballard Designs, TJ Max, Marshalls or Home Goods.  Perhaps a garage sale on Friday.  Thus far, I have spent nothing on my

new office except for a trade.  Pretty good!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Polished

Polished: is today's term.  What is polish?  Shoe polish, shines shoes; silver polish, shines silver; brass etc., etc, brings out shine or brilliance.

How can we be polished in redoing rooms and making them multi purpose?  For one thing, change hardware on drawers, cabinets even door knobs.  That can in itself make quite a change and it is an easy job.

Shine any metal pieces that are in the room, or add some metal or even polished stone such as geodes.  Add the unexpected.  I will add a glass paper weight tomorrow, or even several.  Many people collect paper weights.  What a better way to display them, than in an office/ extra room situation.  It adds interest and surprise.  I look for unusual things that serve me in my office.  I found a marble file holder.  This can serve as a multiple of things.  A letter holder, incoming and outgoing things.  I  like pretty things, so I try and find things that are different and no one would think of them.

For instance a silver glass, used as a pencil holder.  I have two sinks in the master bath.  So I have two soap dishes and two tumblers.  I am always breaking one or the other.  I have many one of a kind tumbler.  I use them in my art room for pencils, paintbrushes, different size scissors, and it keeps everything organized and at hand.  I now have silver metal ones in my bathroom, so they should last longer. 

What can you do to polish up a room?

This is the marble file, letter holder that I found.  I have nothing else to match it, but it adds a touch of elegance to the top of the hutch.  This is the side view.

This is the front view, see how it blends in with the rich oak and the light bouncing off it.  It is a polished piece.

A Bit on Taste

Taste: Another great term in design.  A designer can tell a person's taste in many ways. The way they dress sometimes is a dead give away.  The term there is sometimes.  The colors they wear, sometimes.  Sometimes is the key word in most instances.  I have known very wealthy clients that don't spend money on clothes and really don't care how they dress.  I met one lady, years ago, with runners in her hose, a dirty dress, unkept hair, and come to find out, her husband was a great Surgeon.  Go figure.  Some of the lower middle class women and men, dress beautifully and you would think they were very wealthy.  All this has to do with taste.

I read in yesterday's paper, that there was an Estate/ moving sale at a subdivision in Melbourne.  The ad said," deigned by Hilda Flack WPB".  To most people who go to garage sales, that wouldn't mean much, but in essence, she is a widely known designer with offices in affluent neighborhoods throughout Florida.  WPB is West Palm Beach.  I thought of going, but decided that I maybe would go tomorrow.  I need nothing.  That is where you find taste.  Whether it is your own, you may find something you love.  Remember, each person has their own taste.  It is how you put it together that counts, just like your wardrobe.

Tomorrow: Be Polished!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A Touch of Class

Today in reading, I came across several different things that peaked my interest. 

It was quoted by: "Clinton Smith, editor in chief, Veranda Magazine".

" The art of living well isn't going out of fashion, we just have to make time for it".  Enjoy the simplest pleasures like a vase of tulips, or any flowers on a table to brighten a cold winter day.

If you are redoing a room or rooms in your house in the New Year, think of simple elegance.  If you live in Florida, a crystal bowl filled with sea shells.  A crystal vase filled with sea glass.  Crystal mixes well with everything.  Not with Americana, so you have to look for fabulous wood bowls and wonderful containers.  So in my computer room/ guest room, I am going to look throughout my house to see what may add a touch of class to this room.  One thing to add a little class is to trim my lampshade.  The lamp in here was bought at a resale shop for $15.00.  It reminds me of a Lenox look.
It needs to be straightened and I need to go to Jo-Ann Fabrics to look at trim.  I am adding a painting of Seagrapes above the hutch.  I always like to use clocks that stand on their own.  It has to be a certain room, as this one could be to add a fabulous clock to the wall.  This will take some hunting.
So I have two things that I am on the look for, and possibly a vase for shells or sea glass.

Now I must check out the cupboards and maybe garage sales tomorrow or Saturday morning.

This is making time for great fashion.  People who live near places such a Naples, Florida, Palm Beach Florida, Palm Springs, Calif. or many such places with big names, their resale shops and estate sales are so fabulous.

Tomorrow, On The Hunt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

More of Previous Days

I have shown you several pictures of the double dust ruffle.  Here it is with the duvet  on top.

This picture shows the total look.

 

 

 

This picture shows what it would look like without the top dust ruffle.  See how neat it looks, nothing hanging down.

 

 

Next are the shelves that we built inside the closet.

 

 

This is a side part that you really don't use.  It comes in handy for this.

 

 

Just another view.  I still have a lot of storage left.



Saving Space

 I read some very profound statements today in the new Veranda Magazine.  This was one of them, in an advertisement for Ann Sachs, "Shouldn't all rooms be living?".  This is something we have been talking about.  For instance turning a guest room into an office with plenty of space for the guest.  I put a television on the desk.  Do you know hard it is to find a nice little T.V.?  Had to buy a 19" one, as guests like to relax and perhaps watch T.V..  Another thing to add is a ceiling fan.  It adds to the comfort of the people in any guest room.  I have a television in the large guest room also.  My little addition of the file drawer desk and the regular drawer, has now freed up space in my kitchen drawer.  I used some drawer dividers I picked up at Bed and Bath, to organize the drawer.  So this room is living an extra life.  Now someone is in here all the time.

 My husband likes to play games on the computer and now he can watch his football etc. games at the same time.

My little one who spends two nights a week here, can watch her programs.

We put shelves in the closet to hold all the papers and etc. so we have a great storage area out of the way.  Will do a picture of that tomorrow.  Plus the printer table has two shelves for storage.  In the nightstand, I use the three drawers there for storage too.  I just need to remember where things are or make a schematic of each area so I know just where to look.  As a matter of fact, that is what I will do tonight!

If you haven't, check out my other blog: www,nancysadowskisfineart.blogsot.com, or e-mail me at NancySadowski25@gmail.com

Guest Room #2

I am trying to stay on the subject at hand.  Yesterday, I talked about the double dust ruffles.  So I will stay in bedrooms for a bit.
Here is the guest room that I am slowly turning into a total office.  Before, I was a bit fragmented.  The reason, no drawers in the computer room, just a desk and shelves.  this picture is a little blurry, but this as the old desk:

 

So therefore, I had my files in one place, the bills in another, and I used my kitchen table for a desk.  Now, here is my new desk:

 

You can't really see them, but I have a drawer and a file drawer on the right hand side.  I am still working on it, as I said, I have been so fragmented.  This will be perfect and give us so much more room. 

 

This is our second guest room and has a trundle bed in it.  Our great granddaughter uses this room two nights a week, as she stays with us.

 

I will take pictures of the completed room.  Below is the armoire that I painted and use it for office storage.

 

You can see the storage on top, I use it or price lists, and a book shelf.

 

This is the old Mediterranean armoire and I showed it to you before.  I painted it white and hand painted ferns on it. You can look back in the blog and find out about it.

 

The bottom has four drawers that hold the rest of my supplies for Decorators World Inc and art supplies.

 

 

This is a small room yet it maintains enough room for two twin trundles that an make a king.

Tomorrow, more on organizing and finishing this room.

Double Dust Ruffles

dusHere are a few pictures I promised you.

First here is how I do a double dust ruffle:

 

This dust ruffle is over the box springs.  Because I have a deep mattress, sheets and blankets really don't fit, as do most coverlets or duvets.  A king bedspread might be another option, not a coverlet. See the picture below.

 

The sheets are plenty long, but the blankets really aren't.  This happens to be an electric blanket, and yes, we do use them in Florida.  I just leave it on the bed all year and unplug it in the summer.

This is the dust ruffle on top of the  mattress, sheets and blanket.  Today it is very hard to find bedding that fits a lot of beds as they seem to be getting higher.  If you add a foam mattress cover you add height, the same with a magnetic pad.  I suggest that you try a bedspread with one dust ruffle if you can't find what you want.  These are custom made and I have used this plan since the late 90's.  This is actually the set I am going to change to my guest room and have new dust ruffles made for the master bedroom.

Tomorrow, the duvet and bed trimmings and the starting of my new home office..

For more information, please e-mail me @NSado44959@aol.com.

Home Office Surprise

On my list of New Years things to do, as I told you was to redo bedrooms.  Sometimes things just happen.  A new (slightly used desk) fell into my hands and was even delivered.  I spent this afternoon polishing it up.  It is a light oak and Scott's Liquid Gold, cleaned it up beautifully.  If you have never used it, it is great for wood furniture.  It has given us so much more space, and I traded it for a painting.  It has a drawer, of which my last one did not, and a file cabinet.  So for 2014, I have my files right next to my computer, as it also has a file drawer.  It is perfect!!  I will take pictures tomorrow!  so I have my home office, of which I only had a partial one before today.

I now need to find a new chair and pad for the floor as there is carpeting in here.  I'd love to tile the room, but that is way down on my list.

So as usual, I got way laid into a room that I had no idea to get involved in at this time.  So we did go out and buy a T.V. as my husband likes to play games on the computer and watch T.V. at the same time.

I do see the need for more paintings in here though.  I have been selling some lately, so check out my blog: www.nancysadowskisfineart.blogspot.com. 

Hope you have been out there finding great bargains, as I am not looking any more for awhile!!!!!!!!!

Re look at your rooms in 2014

I have been talking about redoing rooms for the New Year.  I haven't started yet as I am still undecorating from Christmas.  I thought I would be done, but it seems to be growing.  Even had to buy new bins, as I ran out of space.

Hopefully by Sunday, I will be ready to start.  I will take pictures of my dust ruffles, in the next few days so you can try it if you want to.  I will start with pictures of the existing rooms, and then the stage as I go.  It will take some time, as I need to paint the rooms, and I will probably do them myself.  I cannot move furniture until after the 16th as I will have help then. 

Shouldn't all rooms be lived in?  That is the question you should ask yourself starting the New Year.
Re look at what each room is used for an make a list of all the things you, your husband and your children do.  Sort them into categories, such as: homework, home office, computer area, files, bill paying center and whatever else falls into that category.  Do you have space somewhere in one room to put a computer desk, with a file drawer and organizers for all monthly things.  Is there enough room for an area or children to do homework? 

If there is just no room, buy two saw horses, that you can get at Home Depot or Lowe's etc..  Find a good finished piece of plywood, about 1/2 to 3/4 " thick.  It may be a little costly, but you will be able to use it for a multitude of things.  when you need a space to do a craft or a temporary office, perhaps at tax time,  jut put up the sawhorses and put the plywood on top and you have an instant desk that can be taken apart easily and stored easily.  You can also put a tablecloth on it and use it for a table inside or out for extra company.

So let's rethink each job, craft and room.  Too much wasted space in most homes.  I loved living in the north as we had basements and they were great for extra rooms!!!!