Art Crush: Paint by Numbers

I’ve been slightly obsessing with paint-by-numbers art for the last year or so.  It reminds me of my childhood when I would spend hours upon hours painting horse images (because I have a thing for horses).  Back in the day, paint-by-numbers art was considered elementary art for those of us wanting to feel like real artist, but here lately paint-by-numbers art pieces are becoming collectors items and are being used by designers to infuse unique art décor into their room designs.

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PBN art can be done on all type of home décor pieces and is even being use on fashion accessories.

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PBN art is a great way to add an eclectic feel to an art wall and is an easy and inexpensive way to own a piece of “original art”.

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After feeding my obsession with PBN art via Pinterest, I finally decided to buy a kit and give my painting career another try.  I decided on this beautiful bird image and I’ll be sure to keep you updated on the progress.  Until then you can check out lots more inspiration on my Paint-By-Numbers pinterest board.

via Joann Fabric

 If you want to give the paint-by-numbers thing a try check these on-line sources for kits.

 GoodPaintByNumber.com has their kits categorized by theme and the canvas piece comes already stretched on a frame. They even sell three panel kits so that you can create a long horizontal pieces of art.

Hancock’s Fabrics also has a pretty good selection of kits as does JoAnne Fabric.

If you want the look but don’t want to get your hand dirty, check out Etsy for a great selection of vintage DIY paint-by-number pieces.

Happy Painting!

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Inspiration + Weekend Reads

A simple and easy wall statement to welcome spring! 

Just a few things that I think you’ll enjoy this weekend!

If you’re faced with a challenge and need a little advice, I’m sure you’ll find some in this Words of Wisdom List.

I’m doing a little more painting these days and found these painting tips helpful.

Secrets to a Successful Vintage Treasure Hunt!

Have you ever wanted to make a lamp cordless?

We aren’t meant to be perfect, we’re meant to be whole!

The April issue is out and it is fabulous!

Have a great weekend!

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Getting Ready for Spring–Outdoor Cushion Update

Spring is right around the corner and it has made people start thinking about their outdoor living spaces. One of my readers recently asked me if I had any ideas on what to do with her outdoor patio furniture cushions which are worn, falling apart and faded.  She didn’t want to spend a lot of money and wasn’t keen on the idea of replacing all the cushions.  There are 10 pieces of furniture in her set and a total of 20 cushions which by any calculation = MONEY!

Naturally my first instinct was to suggest new upholstered or slip-covered cushions or to paint her current cushions but neither of those would work given the condition of her cushions and her desire to save money. So, I did a little research and found some really great options on Pinterest that might work for her.

First I came across the idea of creating new cushions using shower curtains as the fabric.  I thought this was a pretty brilliant idea and given the fact the most shower curtains are waterproof this would work great for her outdoor area.  Here’s a look at some pretty fabulous cushions created by MomsbyHeart!.

  

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Next I came across this idea of using standard bed pillows to create outdoor lounge cushions.  Way cool and super easy.

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And finally I came across this idea of using painter’s drop cloths and spray painting the fabric in whatever color you want.  Drop cloths are inexpensive compared to outdoor fabric and with a little sewing and a few cans of paint you can get a new look for not a lot of money.

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Since upholstering is always top of mind for me, this little research project shined a light on the fact that there is always more than one way to skin a cat or in this case get new outdoor cushions.

Spring is just around the corner…have you got your outdoor area together yet??

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Inspiration + Weekend Reads

I found this article on Growing your Blog as a Business really informative and a bit intimidating.  Seems I need to spend more time on Twitter!

Just in time for some spring painting, Ace Hardware is having another free paint giveaway.  Make sure to pick up your quart today, March 9th!

Check out this fun video on How to Style a Coffee Table from Pottery Barn!

I’m really excited about the new design collaborations at JCP!

This AMAZING site is filled with inspirational videos of women who have made a difference with their lives, the lives of others and the world. This is a must read for any woman who wants to learn, grow and be the best version of themselves that they can!

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This is one of the most beautiful spaces I’ve ever seen.  I love the simplicity, the rich colors and the warmth the space exudes.  And those curtain panel tops….AMAZING!

It is going to be a beautiful and sunny weekend here in Atlanta so I am planning to spend some time outside and get a jump on my summer tan

Wishing you lots of sunshine and joy this weekend too!

p.s  don’t forget to spring forward and reset your clocks tonight!

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Inspiration + Weekend Reads

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Here are a few things that caught my attention, inspired me and taught me a thing or two this week.  Enjoy!

What Everyone Should Know about Fan Decks.

Love this easy tutorial for a DIY monogram.

One of my idols, Martha Stewart shares one of her biggest life lessons!

Discovered this new blog whose premise is Work Smarter, Live Larger.  It is filled with tons of great articles including this one on How to Re-inspire Yourself!

If you use Pinterest you will find this article very interesting.

See you back here on Monday!

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5 Decorating Rules I (almost) Never Break

I bet every morning when you get up you brush your teeth, get dressed and eat something for breakfast.  These things are rituals in your life not only because they are necessary but because they make you feel better and set the stage for a productive day.  Just like your daily rituals, there are design rules or rituals that I think are necessary to get the most from your home and your décor.  These are the little things that bring out the best in the features of your home, the flow of your home, the function of your home and the style of your décor.  Whenever I am designing or decorating for clients, I try to always follow these rules, because they work and because the end results are always good!

NEVER GO NAKED! 

With your windows that is!  I am a firm believer that most, if not all windows and the rooms they are in are enhanced by some type of window treatment.  Curtain panels add softness and can enhance the size of a room while valances, blinds or shades can add pattern, color and texture and that finishing touch that a room needs.  Straight curtain panels are my window treatment of choice and hanging them as high as possible is always the way!

for more window treatment ideas, check out my Curtain Call board on Pinterest

TAKE TIME TO REFLECT

And adding mirrors into your design mix is they way to do it.  I’ve said it time and again here on the blog that mirrors are a wonder drug when it comes to decorating.  Mirrors add light, they make small spaces look bigger, they enhance the good things in your décor and take the attention off the bad.  Adding a mirror opposite a window, above a mantle or on the wall across from artwork is a great way to reflect the beauty inside and out.

For these and other decorating ideas using mirrors, take a look at my Mirror, Mirror on the Wall board

ALWAYS PUT YOUR FEET UP

Yes I want you to create a comfortable home where you can put your feet up and relax but I also want you to make sure that the feet (front legs) or your furniture sits on the area rug that you have down.  This simple design principle will make your furniture arrangement feel more unified and connected and the will feel warmer and cozier too!

The Wrong Way…the sofa feels disconnected from the coffee table and the open space creates a visual barrier

The Right Way…

 COLOR INSIDE THE LINES

Just about every bookcase I work with, whether free-standing or built-in gets paint or a decorative treatment on the back wall.  Painting the backs of bookcases is an easy way to add color and drama to a room.  And it’s an inexpensive design treatment that packs a punch.  The rule of thumb I follow when painting bookcases it to paint the back wall only, not the side or the shelf.  The color on the back will draw the eye in and help the decorative elements stand out.

There are so many ways to decorate a bookcase and I’ve got all the inspiration captured on my Bookcase Beauties board on Pinterest!

ENCOURAGE A BREAK-UP

Some things like furniture sets are better alone than part of a group, so when you have the chance break-up the set.  While furniture stores create sets to make it easy for people to envision how the furniture will look in a room, their “set formula” doesn’t allow much room to create a unique personality for a space.  Often times a room decorated with a set of furniture comes off contrived and over powering. When I’m working with a client that is drawn to a set of furniture I focus on the piece (or two) that they like best within the set. Then I pull pieces from other sources and stores to work with those pieces, creating a more personalize look.  For a dining room, the table or the sideboard is usually the key piece to work around.  For a living room or family room, the sofa or coffee table can set the tone for the décor. For the most personality filled space it is also a good idea to break up the finishes that are used within a room.  A room with nothing but dark stained wood pieces will always look dark and heavy.  Try incorporating metal, fabric and painted finishes to change the vibe and lighten things up.

The Wrong Way…not only does the lack of color variation feel stale, but the design detail in the set is over-powering the other elements in the room.

The Right Way…

This bedroom still maintains its traditional style even with the addition of a more contemporary mirrored nightstand and metallic pouf!  These non-traditional elements add interest without disturbing the tone of the room.

Texture, Variety, Interest

Breaking these rules in not harmful to your health but it can cause a mild case of design style deterioration!

Other Post you might like:

My Ten Commandments of Interior Design

Design Tips to Live By

Space Planning

If you’d like help creating a home you absolutely love, CONTACT ME about my design services!

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Getting my DIY On

Remember when I told you last Friday that I’d be sharing my first DIY projects of the year with you AND do you recall that saying that ‘things always take longer than expected’?  Well, my projects fell victim to the time it takes for paint to dry in a super cold garage.  But alas, the paint is dry and it’s time to share my first project with you.

Last year (in early spring) I purchased this metal cart for $8.00 at a one of my favorite flea markets.

My plans were to paint it and turn it into a chic little bar cart.  Things started out great and I got the cart primed and ready for painting in late May and then life, work and daily obligations got in the way.  The bar cart sat for months (7 to be exact) until just a few days ago when I decided it was time!

So here is my finished bar cart, all dressed up and ready to party!

I decided to paint the cart gold using two different gold finished.  The base is Krylon Metallic Gold Spray Paint,

and to add a little style to the top of the cart I added a striped pattern using  Rustoleum Brilliant Gold Metallic spray paint in a shiner gold finish.

 ScotchBlue Painters Tape with Edge Lock allowed me to achieve crisp clean edges for my stripes and made the job easy!  I love the how my bar cart turned out!

I still want to add glass handles on each side of the cart to make it easier to move around but haven’t found the right ones yet.  Until I do, I’m going to celebrate my first DIY Project of 2013 with a cocktail!  Who wants to join me?

I’ll be back tomorrow with the second project I completed.  I think you’re going to love it!

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Painted Walls Made Easy

I hope you are having a good weekend.!

I just had to take a break from organizing and wanted to share a truly FABULOUS product I came across recently.  I am so smitten with this product and had to have one of my own.

This patterned paint roller allows you to add pattern to any wall in your home when wallpaper or stenciling is not an option or not something you want to do!  And if painting your walls in a cool pattern isn’t enough fun,  the roller can also be used on fabric and paper, allowing you to create your own custom gift wrap and textiles! Just the thought of all the possibilities has my head swimming.

The rollers are available from The Painted House via Etsy and are very well priced in my opinion!

Here are some of the other pattern choices…

 

 

 

Woo hoo!  I see a lot of painting in my future!

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