Aluminum Chair

If you are like me you have been wanting chairs like these for your kitchen:



But have not bought them because they are $450 each at Design Within Reach.

And even the knock-offs are over $130 each at both Target and Walmart.

Well I am about to make all your dreams come true, because I just found these babies for...are you sitting down? $52 bucks.


(I know it says "door" instead of "chair" but I called them, they said they're just mis-labeled, but the price is correct.)

I spent half my day patting myself on the back for finding these and the other half playing Restaurant City on Facebook. So PRODUCTIVE day I'd say.

Chezerbey

What I love about architects is they have no shame focusing on the smallest of details when it comes to their home. Which is why I love Chezerbey, "a blog about the adventures of two architects and their 1910 fixer-upper." They've devoted entire posts to things like trash can organization and bar stools.

If this picture of their organized and hidden trash system makes you weak in the knees, we are kindred spirits.


Impressive before and after of their home's exterior:


Beautiful!

Their finished bathroom. Sometimes I am a true minimalist at heart so I'm loving this.


More drool-worthy organization:

Room Board!

Note - To respect the client that paid for the room board, I won't be sharing a full source list. But if you have a question about an item, send me an e-mail. Thanks!

Umbrella-ella-ella

So did you see this little post over at Oh Brooke? You can print this photo, as big as 11"x14", for free!



Are you in love with it? You should be in love with it.

I shall put it in this imaginary bedroom.

1 - white bedding
2 - gray striped sheets
3 - pretty curtains
4 - red pillow, navy pillow
5 - Benjamin Moore Paint: "lookout point"

6 - i love lamp

7 - i've been obsessed with this rug for quite some time

Real Simple Before and After's

Who doesn't love a good before and after? Real Simple featured a round up of some of their past before and after's - so I be browsin' them.

Elephants

Have you noticed elephants are the new birds?

Hybrid Home Print

Thomas Paul Pillow

Elephant Parade Pillows

Horchow Elephant Side Table - It can be yours for $1,089.00

Z Gallerie Elephant Side Table - Or you can buy this one, it's a bit smaller, for $49.95. I NEED it.

West Elm Cast Iron Elephant

Elephant Bank

DIY Sunburst Mirrors

These DIY sunburst mirror projects are so creative yet so simple! I totally want to try one of these.


This one started as just a big piece of wood that was cut up, sanded, and stained.


This one uses a cheap round mirror and spray painted wood dowels.


This one requires wood dowels (again), a convex mirror, and mini mosaic mirrors.

These people are geniuses.

Striped Dining Room

I got a wild hair on Saturday afternoon and decided to paint stripes in my dining room.

Here's how the room looked before we moved in.


And here it is in its striped glory.






There are still a few things I'd like to do in here, like probably get a big art piece for the striped wall that doesn't have the window, and a big rug to bring in some more color. But I am liking the progress so far.

I used this tutorial from Young House Love. I also tried FrogTape for the first time, and I am a believer. My wall is textured so I was worried about paint leaking through the tape, but the FrogTape worked like a charm.

Bedroom Change

I made a little change in the bedroom recently. I've never really liked the arrangement of black frames I had above our dresser.


My mom and I found this canvas art at Home Goods last week, and thought it would make a better statement for that spot. I like it much better.

New Stuff

I turned my tragic frosted mirror project into a chalkboard. I like it lots better.




The nice guys at Lowes cut a piece of wood for me the same size as the old mirror, and then I painted it with chalkboard paint. And I really did make cheeseburgers in a pan, but usually that menu will say, "You're on your own, I'm having microwave popcorn."

And here is a new rug I got at Target.

Zach dripped pizza sauce on it approximately 26 minutes after I got it home. Which is REALLY awesome.

Storage Idea

Loving this stacked crate storage idea from Real Living.


via Poppytalk

Design Advice : Haley's Room

Here is Haley's e-mail, and her bedroom as it looks now.

Hi Erica,
LOVE your blog, style, and your house is lovely! I'm writing because I need your advice on what to hang above our bed (and our DIY headboard - tutorial courtesy of Young House Love!) - I'm torn on whether this should be one big frame, three small ones, a cool mirror, or any other option? I also want to give more texture to the room b/c I feel it is a little too "matchy-matchy" right now. I'm thinking of spray painting my lamp bases in a different color (any suggestions on color?). I also would like to keep the art on the cheap if possible.
Would love to hear any guidance you could give me!
Thanks a million!



Here are my suggestions for Haley.


1 / 2 - First, I think the room could use some new throw pillows to punch up the color a bit. Pillow 1 is from Pier 1 and Pillow 2 is from Crate and Barrel.

3 - A cute and shiny retro alarm clock to add a little bling.

4 - This lamp is a rendering of my suggestion to makeover Haley's current lamps. I think new white shades like this one would update the lamps a little, the current shades blend in with the wall too much. Gluing some red ribbon along the trim of the shade would give the lamps even more style. Finally, I couple of coats of silver spray paint on the lamp bases would finish off the look.

5 - I like a simple mirror hung above a bed, this one from Target is chic and affordable.

6 - Blue canisters to add even more color, and tie in with the paisley pillow.

7 / 8 - Some simple stainless steel balls set in a wooden dish adds texture and shine.

Island

I had been planning on buying this stainless steel kitchen island from Ikea:

Utby Kitchen Island - $328


But then I found this at Costco of all places, and it is almost exactly the same size (slightly bigger actually):

Trinity Stainless Steel Work Table - $139.99 (including shipping!)

Not sure why they have it styled in the garage next to a car. The point is, it should be arriving at my door step any day now. YAY.

Behold the beauty of a stainless steel island. Behold it!

via Design*Sponge


via I forgot.


via Flickr

Before and After : Master Bedroom

I finally took some pictures of my bedroom to share. It's not perfect, but a vast improvement to the ugly beige box that it was before. I'm still not quite happy with the area around my dresser (too much black over there) - but I've found I'm never really completely satisfied with a room. It drives Zach a little bit crazy to say the least.

Before:

Speaking of Zach, there he is, refusing to get out of my before picture.

After:






The biggest project in this room was painting my laminate dresser. I used this tutorial.

Dresser before:


Sanding and priming, with the help of Peggy the cat:


Dresser after:


Source List:
Paint color - Valspar "Rising Tide"
Gray and White bedding - Marshall's
European pillows - Target
Gray pillows - Home Goods
Striped pillow - Made from a shower curtain courtesy of my Mother-in-Law
Turquoise throw - Target
Faux fur rug - Target
Lamps - Thrifted and painted (I posted about them here.)
White curtains - Ikea
Night stands - Big Lots