PB Roman Shades

I recently ordered the Pottery Barn Cordless Roman Shades for a client and was super impressed. Roman Shades are such a great alternative to drapes but the cords involved make them dangerous for households with kids. The mechanism in these shades means that they truly are cordless and also that they roll themselves up once you give the "tug" to start the process, making for a cool party trick.

For this project I decided to customize them with some grosgrain ribbon. You can actually get the shades with grosgrain in neutral colors from PB (but without the blackout lining) or in brighter colors (and blackout lining) from PB Teen. But we wanted yellow for this project so we DIY'd.

First, I extended the shade fully and laid it out on a work surface. Then I pinned the ribbon 1.5" in from the side down the length of the shade. For the corners I folded on the diagonal to create a mitered corner. 

Then I used my trusty Fabric-Tac glue to adhere the ribbon to the shade. I went back and put an extra drop or two in the mitered corners to make sure it held and no white would show through. 

(Sneak peak of a nursery project I've been working on.)

My client and I are very happy with the way it turned out. 

Local Tip: Lumens Light + Living

I love living here but it is (mostly) true that Sacramento is often in the Bay Area's shadow when it comes to major metro amenities like, say, design sources. However, one of our shining jewels is Lumens Light + Living. Lumens advertises in the major shelter magazines and can definitely hold their own against the competition. I feel very fortunate that they are based here in my hometown. AND they have their Annex here where you can score some pretty incredible deals. 

My husband and I recently got this beauty for our kitchen dining area at a very reduced cost. 

The Annex is open today and tomorrow - and will be the 2nd Friday and Saturday of each month. Go shop!

Spray Paint Signs

There has been a lot of spray paint around here lately. And I'm not talking about DIY furniture projects. Can you guess what's up?

My long-awaited home addition is actually going to happen. I am so excited! Excuse the lame photos of utility company markings. It's all I've got to show at the moment. That and the middle photo above which is what our contractor sprayed on our lawn to mark where the new construction will be. I actually went out there after he was gone and used my own spray paint to mark out where some of the interior walls will be so I could get a true sense of the space. Here's the plan:

We are taking the bedroom at the back of the house and adding 21 feet to create a master suite. This has been my vision since we bought the house 5 1/2 years ago. I can't wait to see it all come together! I've got my work cut out for me - tile and bath fixtures and lighting and textiles and on and on. I'll be posting about it all here. Hopefully soon I will have more to show than spray paint. 

Nate Berkus In Matchbook Mag

The new Matchbook is out and they have a great feature on Nate Berkus. Love him. In addition to the interview and photos of his NYC home we get a peak at his new fabric line for Calico Corners:

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And even more exciting, a glimpse of his new collection for Target. Mark your calendars for February 24th!

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I also like what Nate had to say about design:

"I've always thought our homes should tell the story of who we are and who we aspire to be. So when you meet somebody and you see their personality shine through, those are all the cues you need to do a good job in design."

I completely agree. Thanks, Nate.

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Marble Coffee Table

What a find! My mom and I recently made a quick trip to Berkeley for some mother/daughter bonding. She was so supportive and kind as I dragged her through many an antique store - not all of them worth the trek. We did however score at Jack's Antiques on Adeline Street. (They are old school and don't have a website but you can find them on yelp, etc.) I've been on the lookout for an oval coffee table for the living room. The space definitely needed something smaller than what we've had there for years. Plus, my husband kept banging his shins on the old rectangular one so he was on board with the idea of a change. Lo and behold, we found this:

Once I got it home I cleaned up the legs and trim with a mix of baking soda and lemon juice.

And then I went over the trim with my krylon gold leaf pen to brighten it up a bit more. You can see what a difference it made.

I do love the greek key and other details in the trim.

And now it is happily installed in our living room. So pretty.

Right On Target

So Target has done it again. They have a new collection in their Home Decor section that is spot on. Here is the aisle I snapped on my phone when I stumbled across it:

And here are shots from the website of some of the items:

You can view the whole collection here. And then get yourself to Target!

Cardboard Frames

I was in my local Anthropologie recently and, as always, found myself ogling part of their display. Here's what caught my eye:

Those frames are made out of cardboard! It's such a creative idea. I may have to attempt this as a way to frame some of my kids' artwork.

Modern Toile

Flipping through Elle Decor I saw a small blurb about modern toile that caught my eye. Turns out a number of designers have updated the uber-traditional toile, giving it an urban edge. This newer version has replaced the images of old-fashioned upper class enjoying the out of doors with skateboarders, cell phone users, and the homeless. How fun and unexpected. This would be perfect in a powder room. Give your guests something to laugh about while using the facilities and the perfect conversation starter.

Here's a New York Toile:

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A closer look at some of the scenes...

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And a close-up of this London Toile

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But this one is my favorite. It was created by Mike D from the Beastie Boys (with Help from Revolver New York and Flavor Paper)

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Fantastic, no?

Rue Magazine Gift Guide

Every blog, magazine, and website seem to be putting out their gift guides for the holidays. Most of these don't do it for me but I was impressed with the guide Rue Magazine put together. It strikes me as creative and well curated and possibly, well, useful. You can check out the full issue here. Bonus: articles on Nate Berkus and Tom Delavan. Not bad for one little issue. Go read it. 

Here are a few of the gift guide pages:

Litographs

I just discovered a very cool art source. Litographs makes prints using the text of classic books and reverses out an image representing that book. Take a look-see:

Moby Dick

Peter Pan

Wizard of Oz

Alice in Wonderland

Aren't they cool? I think they would make an amazing gallery wall in a child's room.

Litographs also has more adult fare that could work alone or as an addition to a mixed media gallery wall.

Walden

And they also come in black and white.

Ulysses

AND, for every print purchased a book is donated to a community in need. So you get to do a good deed while decorating your walls. All images from the Litographs site. Go check it out.

Modern White Kitchen

I'm working with a client who has very modern tastes. Lots of white, black, and grey with glossy finishes. It's a more pop-art modern though, with hits of red or other bright colors, art deco influences, a white baby grand piano - and absolutely no wood tones, which are a fixture of most modern settings these days to bring in warmth.

She is renovating the whole place with grey concrete floors downstairs, a new metal and concrete stairway - you get the idea. We're trying to plan out the kitchen and I have been pulling inspiration photos for her. Take a look:

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This is going to be fun! You can follow me on Pinterest to see more photos.

Rustic Table, Modern Chairs

I have long loved the look of a rustic dining table with modern chairs. The juxtaposition is just right - the rustic table keeps the chairs from seeming too cold and hard while the chairs freshen the space and keep the table from feeling too heavy and farmhouse. My good friend Laura just purchased a rustic table and is in the market for chairs. She and her husband moved from a loft to a craftsman-style house so this mix seems perfect for them. Let's see if all these photos I've pinned can convince her to go this route, shall we?

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