#293...giant geography

This was my sister Julie's family room a year ago.

It held a new sofa purchased for the room, two wooden end table boxes that my Dad made several years back for Julie's former apartment, and a giant green lamp that I bought at the Goodwill.

While visiting this past week, and doing some thrift store shopping, I found this giant metal map of the US that we decided would be a perfect art piece for over the sofa.

...and here is the room now

The room got a coat of a warm chocolate paint. The end table boxes got spray painted with a black hammered finish. The green lamp got a new drum shade and a new terracotta color. Here is an up close of the lamp before and after.

before

after

#292...hanging cactus garden

My sister Julie loves potted succulent gardens. A few years ago, I painted this cactus triptych painting for her. She and her husband have it hanging in their home office atop a charcoal gray wall, which really makes it pop. 

#291...california thrifting

I'm in California this week, babysitting my niece. While she was at pre-school yesterday morning, I did a little local thrifting. Here are a few pics of the things I bought. Now to figure out how I am going to get my treasures home.........

cereal size pottery bowl...$2

oversized brass lamp with shade... $11

4x6 inch horse watercolor...$2

 

yardage of vintage cotton...$6

small brass whale...$2

2x3 ft. flamingo print...$5

#290...ashley's living room

Last week I shared the makeover of my friend and client Ashley's entry stairwell. Now it is time to debut her living room, which we just finished working on. Here is a shot of her living room before.

...and here it is after

Ashley's new room consists of a new rug and a freshly painted vintage credenza turned media center. I made some arched pelmets for the windows, and added nail head trim detail to give them some subtle shine. Ashley had an eclectic art collection including some music festival posters, vintage chair prints and old album covers, which we framed and hung gallery style on her TV wall.

#289...FLOR

Do you know FLOR? They make modular carpet tiles. They have a great concept and product, but this post is not about their flooring. I was flipping through their latest catalogue yesterday, and I noticed a lot of decor items in the photos that I really liked, and wanted to remember and share.

I love this floating wood credenza and bright planet-like painting

Admirable gallery wall

Simple art: A blown up page from the dictionary

Cool loft kitchen & dining room

I like how they made the one big space feel like two rooms

Clever platform rope bed

Motorcycle in the house......just kidding

I'm not usually a fan of old suitcases, but here, in the giant stack atop a rolling cart, I really like them.

I want that plant...and striped blanket...and chair....and painting

Hooray for rainbow book displays on floating wall shelves

I spy an enviable pottery collection atop a fantastic sideboard

Gray color palettes with pops of turquoise, pink and gold really take the cake

#288...football & trains

Two years ago for Christmas, Tyler asked me to paint him a painting of his college football stadium to hang in his office. He found the below photo for me to use as composition inspiration.

His painting got pushed to the bottom of my work pile, but I am happy to say that over the holidays I was able to complete it, and last night we hung it in his office.

The painting measures 3ft. x4 ft. and Tyler's mother was instrumental in helping me get it underway. She is an artist, and when she was here at Thanksgiving, she laid out the building for me, which was the part I was really dreading. Without her it would not be done.

 While working on the painting, I found an old calendar by Catherine Breer, and drew inspiration from her color palette and style for Tyler's piece.

#287...sol's guest, office, workout lounge

My client Sol's spare bedroom really multitasks. She and her husband use it as their guest bedroom, office, art studio, exercise room, and lounge. The room started with some great pieces. Here are some before shots.

and here are the afters..........

The file cabinet was custom made for the room, and paired with the floating wall shelves above provides lots of office and art supply storage. 

 

The couple needed an easy to access place to store weights. We decided that a good option would be to store them under the fold-away-bed sofa. I created a weight caddy that simply slides out from under the couch. I made the caddy from a piece of oak plywood cut to size, and stained. Using an old leather thrift store belt, I made a handle for the caddy. To help it slide easily out from under the couch, these magic sliders grace the underside of the wood.  

Another issue tackled in the room was the closet, which stores duffel bags, camping gear and back packs on a cavernous top shelf of the closet.....see all the bag straps hanging down before...

To give the closet a more tidy look, we used a hemmed fabric to hide the duffel shelf. The curtain is attached on the inside of the closet, and easily lifts to give access to the bags.

 

Using the stripe fabric from the closet shelf drape, we changed the former french door curtain panel out for a  sewn roman shade to allow for guest privacy.