I love this crisp white goose neck faucet from Ikea.
I also love these brightly colored taps by Vola (via Apartment Therapy). So fun for a bold bath.
Archive for January, 2011
Duck, Duck, Goose
Monday, January 31st, 2011We’re Back!
Monday, January 31st, 2011The hard part is behind us, with a thousand thanks to Chad Williams at Creative Visual Design. We’ve been experiencing some major issues in the functionality of our site over the past few months and we’re finally back in action!
Now the fun part comes. We’ll be tweaking a few things to the site over the next couple of weeks to make it more user-friendly and to add a few new features.
In the meantime, blogging resumes…
Thanks for your patience!
Fun on a Friday
Friday, January 21st, 2011
I have been so envious of those lucky Canadians who have been able to watch the new Sarah Richardson series called Sarah 101. It is not airing in the US, at least not yet. Earlier this week, I decided to take a peek at HGTV.ca to see if I could at least find some pictures from her new program, and jackpot!
I LOVE her take on a navy blue nursery, and the kitchen is fantastic – can’t wait to see the pics from the remaining episodes. Check out the rest of the photos here, they’re perfect for some fun Friday browsing!
Dining Room Delight
Thursday, January 20th, 2011
One of the items on my 2011 to-do list was to finally get curtains for my dining room. Since my sewing skills are sub-par and my time limited with working full time and chasing a nine month old around – I decided to purchase pre-made curtains and call it a day! Here is the room before:
And after:
Before:
And after:
The one thing I really wanted to be sure of was that, whatever curtain I choose, it had to be sheer enough to still let a lot of light in. We get tons of afternoon sun in that room and I didn’t want that to be compromised. Even though the main colors are a dark chocolate brown and turquoise, the sun shines through and I am happy with the result!
To the right is a close up of the curtain from the Target web site. It doesn’t look quite as colorful here as it does in person, but you can see the detail of the paisley pattern and get an idea of the product.
Have you started tackling projects on your to-do list for the new year? Send in pics of your progress.
He Ate Cake
Tuesday, January 18th, 2011
We had a little birthday celebration for Nathan this weekend. It was very low key, which suits an active one-year-old, but I did have some fun with his birthday cake.
I used a template from an old Martha Stewart Baby magazine that I’ve had for years (unfortunately, I can’t find it on her website). The giraffe lost one of his feet between the kitchen and the dining room, but he was still a big hit. It’s official, Nate loves cake!
Ikea Fjellse Bed Frame Makeover
Monday, January 17th, 2011Following up on my holiday break projects, I want to show you a simple Ikea upgrade I’ve been working on. I decided it was time to make a proper bedroom out of our “library” since the only time we spend in there is folding laundry — our washer and dryer are stacked in the closet! The “library” classification is superficial at best — red walls, soft lighting and stacks of books — as I’m not sure we’ve ever sat at the desk or read a single page of a book in those four walls!
Anyway, I bought an inexpensive mattress and bed frame at Ikea and using some heavy cotton canvas, I slipcovered the frame in just a few easy steps! 
I wanted the canvas to have a raw, slightly rugged appearance to contrast with the more traditional feel of the room. I don’t care for stuffy interiors, but I do love the intensity of the red walls and gold details. By adding the unfinished details in the bed, I created a nice balance of high and low that I’m very pleased with.
I literally snipped a straight edge (maybe 2 or 3″) into my length of fabric and then tore the sides apart to create 1) a straighter length than I could have cut on my own, and 2) a perfectly unfinished edge. From there, I machine-stitched two matching panels together to create a custom-fit headboard slipcover. For the bedskirt, I simply used my staple gun to attach individual strips (a total of three) of canvas to the side boards and footboard.
I don’t know that it could have been any easier to create exactly the effect I wanted.
By the way, you might recognize that butterfly fabric on the bed from the coordinating sewing stool I re-upholstered over the break. I used a square remnant from that project to make a throw pillow for the bed that ties the whole vision together with natural linen, bold colors and classic details.
If you haven’t already figured it out, our comments are broken (we’re working on it!), so if you’d like to chat about anything you see here, feel free to visit us on Twitter or send us an e-mail!
I'm Lovin'
Friday, January 14th, 2011
Have you seen the new Serena and Lily catalog? Serena shares a peek at her updated breakfast nook, and I love it!
I’m clearly into navy these days, and I think navy in the kitchen is lovely and fresh. In fact, I’m thinking of adding some to my kitchen, too (stay tuned for #12 on my list).
Have a great weekend!
One Down…
Wednesday, January 12th, 2011
…twenty-four to go!
I painted the navy blue accent wall in Nathan’s room this weekend, and I love how it turned out!
I’ve been having a little bit of trouble photographing it properly, but I hope you can get the idea from these shots.
The wall adds some extra depth and dimension to the room, and the curtains look sharp against the dark color. It was such a quick project, too. Only 3 hours from start to finish, and I didn’t even need primer. It feels good to make some progress – now it’s on to pillows!
Climbing the Walls
Monday, January 10th, 2011There were some terrific new wallpapers featured in a recent issue of Luxe Interiors + Design. These are some of my favorites, both as wallpaper and as artistic inspiration:
Kreme Life, Butterflies :: Kreme Life, Spiro :: Cavern Artist Editions, Library
Kreme Life, Sundials :: Kreme Life, Ferns :: Kreme Life, Spiro
makelike Succulent wallpaper in red or gray
makelike Zig Zag Forest wallpaper in red :: coordinating tea towel
Cavern Starweave wallpaper in winter and night sky
All of these sources are really fun to get lost in! Be sure to check out some of the pillows on Kreme Life, the tea towels at makelike, and the inspiration gallery at Cavern! I’m loving Cavern’s logo, by the way!
If you haven’t already figured it out, our comments are broken (we’re working on it!), so if you’d like to chat about anything you see here, feel free to visit us on Twitter or send us an e-mail!
1, 2 and 3
Thursday, January 6th, 2011
I’m tackling the first 3 items on my list this month, and they are all in Nathan’s room. He turns 1 on the 13th! I’m not sure what is harder to believe, that a whole year has gone by or that I’m still not done with his nursery. So, as a birthday gift to the little guy, I’m finishing it off. I just need to paint one accent wall to show off the window treatments my mom made, make some pillows for the day bed, and find a rug to add one final cozy detail.
1. paint accent wall in Nathan’s room
The paint chips are on the wall. I’m leaning towards a Sherwin Williams color called indigo batik (in the upper left). I can’t wait to see what the curtains look like against a dark backdrop.
2. sew pillows for Nathan’s bed
I’ve decided on a pillow layout for the faux bed that I made for Nathan’s room. I want it to feel less like a bed and more like a couch for lounging at least while he’s still in his crib. I’m using two large bolsters on either end and a body pillow along the back, and then I’ve filled with 5 other throw pillows. Two of the pillows used to be in the living room, but they don’t fit with the new scheme, and I love how they look in Nathan’s room (that’s my first trick – use the things I already have). The pillow in the middle is an adorable one that Juliet made for the nursery – I’ll share a better picture of that when the whole bed is complete. Now I need to cover the other 5 pillows!
3. find rug for Nathan’s room
Lastly, the room needs a rug. I basically have 2 looks in mind – navy stripes/zig zags or furry off-white. I’ll wait until the wall is painted and the pillows are in place before I decide to see if the room needs another hit of color. I have narrowed the choices down to these four (zig zag rug, ticking striped rugs, sheepskin rug, ikat carpet tiles):
It feels good to make a little progress! I plan to keep the momentum going through the weekend, so stayed tuned for updates next week.
New Year, New List II
Thursday, January 6th, 2011
I’m definitely of the same mindset as Rachel and Juliet – ready for 2011 and ready to get started on new projects! I have created a list, as well, made up of 15 tasks to tackle in the new year. I’m not sure what order I’ll go in to get these accomplished, but I’m hoping, like Rachel, that by sharing this with you that it will keep me accountable and motivated.
I will share before/after photos and information as I check off the list. We’ll have to see if any of the larger scale projects listed in #15 will fit in our budget (hence the asterisk!) or if we’ll be saving before we can get started.
Again, share with us your plans for the New Year. What goals have you set for yourself and how will you improve your home in 2011?
Before & After :: Mid-Century Sewing Stool
Wednesday, January 5th, 2011I’m back with one of my holiday break accomplishments! I picked up this ratty sewing stool over the summer at a great vintage warehouse sale. I love that I can stash things in the seat!
With some fabulous designer fabric and a little grit, I’m super-pleased with the results!
It’s a perfect fit in our office/guest room beneath a slim desk where we sort the mail and pay the bills. And it’s an easy addition to the living room, just around the corner, when we need an extra seat for company.
New Year, New List
Tuesday, January 4th, 2011
I’m with Juliet – I’m ready for 2011! No post holiday blues for me this year because I’m itching to dig in to my New Year’s resolution. I’ve come up with a list of my top 25 home projects. Some items are things that have been on my to-do list for a while and some are new projects that I think will have a real impact around here. The goal is to check all of these things off the list before 2012. At first, 25 projects in a year sounds easy, but that’s just over 2 a month, and there are some months that will fill up fast. I’m working on a plan to keep me on track, and I’m hoping that by sharing my list and progress with you, it will improve my chances of conquering the list. So, without further ado, here it is:
Phew, it’s a daunting task, but I have a few tricks up my sleeve to help along the way. I’ll keep you posted on how I tackle each project, and of course the best part, the results!
If you have projects on your list this year, we’d love to hear about them. Send us updates on your progress, and we’ll share your pictures. And, if a project has you stumped, ask us about it, and we’ll do our best help out. So, best of luck with your resolutions and keep your fingers crossed for me!
Tying Up Loose Ends
Monday, January 3rd, 2011Ahhh, a new year. I need this. I need the mental cleansing that comes from a fresh canvas and an organized desk. I need the invigoration of tearing apart closets and cabinets, ridding my soul of clutter. I need the promise of new beginnings to breathe deeply and stretch my bones.
I spent quite a bit of time over the holidays doing all of the above, yielding much of the progress below. Tying up loose ends — all those projects that have been sitting incomplete in my workroom. I also got rid of a ton of stuff that someone else needs (giveaways) or wants (consignment) more than I do right now. I swear every time I opened a drawer or a closet between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day I saw at least one thing through to completion.
I did some painting.
I did some sewing.
And, of course, I did some organizing.
Wouldn’t it be nice to live every day this way — with intention and determination?
I’ll dig into the details of my painting and sewing over the next couple of weeks!
PS: We’re also in the process of tidying some things up here on Urban Nest (mainly our back end WordPress files) that will fix a few glitches you may be experiencing and quite a few that we are experiencing as administrators! For now, it seems that our comments feature is busted and our Feedburner e-mail notification is sluggish, at best. Bear with us. And if you’d like to chat about anything you see here, feel free to visit us on Twitter or send us an e-mail!
