before + after :: atlantic cottage

In the Fall of 2013, one of my repeat customers purchased a simple little beach cottage in St Joe Beach. It was one of those location, location, location kind of things. The structure was in good condition, but a complete cosmetic renovation was clearly in order. In addition to new windows, paint, light fixtures, kitchen finishes and flooring, an ensuite bath was added onto the master bedroom. The contractor, F&B Builders in Port St Joe, did a wonderful job as always!

All new windows were installed along with the front sliding glass doors. A charming screened front porch was added for aesthetics and functionality.

On the rear of the home, the contractor added on a master bathroom, installed a soaking pool surrounded by a simple wooden fence.

For the living space, we chose to keep the original pine wainscot which resembles heart pine. We freshened the walls and trim with paint, updated the ceiling fan and installed a beautiful, wide-plank, handscraped laminate. The wall color throughout is my favorite go-to neutral -- Relaxed Khaki from Sherwin Williams (SW6149).  A tip for working with two wood tones in a room: don't try to match them. In this room, I chose a darker, chocolatey brown tone for the floors which complemented the darker tones in the wainscott.

 The dining area received the same treatment, except we replaced the ceiling fan with a brushed nickel warehouse-style pendant.

 The kitchen in this cottage had a small but efficient layout and solid wood cabinets that were in great condition. So we had them painted out, then topped them with beautiful honed black absolute granite. I wanted a classic and simple design that would compliment the overall aesthetic of the house. I had the carpenters notch out the original sink base to accomodate a Domsjo apron front sink from Ikea. To complete the design, we added a Glittran faucet also from Ikea and a white ceramic tile backsplash set in a brick pattern. We also traded out the dreaded faux wood trimmed flourescent fixture with a schoolhouse-style semi-flush mount.

Oh..small bathrooms are tough to photograph! With no natural light, this space was pretty dark and the dark cabinetry didn't help. We needed to keep the beige tub/shower combo which was in good shape, but find a way to blend it with the new white trim and vanity. So I chose install a white (instead of beige) toilet and white tile. To complement the tub, I designed a striped tile treatment with bands of beige penny rounds.

All three bedrooms suffered from drab paint, sad brown sculpted carpet and wobbly old ceiling fans. We painted out all of the doors and trim in white, changed the wall color, installed new carpet and updated the ceiling fans. A master suite was created with the addition of a full bathroom. Although I had designed a different pattern for the floor tile, the installer repeated the design from the guest bath. Sooo... what's done is done (throwing a tantrum wouldn't have helped and really isn't my style anyway). I do like the pattern and the mosaics are so pretty with the simple and very wallet-friendly white tile. The paint color for the master suite is Sea Salt from Sherwin Williams (SW6404). Its a great color and complemented the tile perfectly. 

Of course big budget allowances are fabulous...but there's something fun about a project like this one with a sufficient but pretty tight budget. I love creating a custom look using inexpensive elements. For example, the main floor tile was .99/square foot at Home Depot, but adding the mosaic bands gives it a unique look. And playing the "high/low" game is always a blast! I really liked the idea of the fixture on the left from School House Electric for $99, but found the one on the right from Home Depot for half the price.

Hope you enjoyed my little beach bungalow before and after!

diy :: bubble chandelier

Wow! I just realized how long its been since my last post, but I promise I've been a busy bee. I hope you've been tracking our progress over on the #barnhouse blog... Here's a recent post of a fun DIY project that is a crowd favorite~

If you've taken a look at my Pinterest inspiration board, you may have seen this super adorable bubble chandelier by Pelle.

I thought it would be perfect for the third bedroom which serves as a little girl's room and doubles as a guest bedroom. Its whimsical and modern at the same time -- fun for a child without being too juvenile. I think the original was about $395 (completely reasonable knowing what it takes to produce a light fixture for resale), however that wasn't in the budget, so I did a little research. Turns out, CB2 sells glass balls in two sizes and they already have a little hole in them which is perfect for inserting the wire holders. Here's what I used:

• five of the large glass balls ($3.95 each)
• seven of the small glass balls ($1.95 each)
• a white canopy kit from Home Depot ($7)
• two packs of candelabra base keyless sockets ($4 each)
• white lamp wire
• two packs of 4" candle socket covers ($2 each)
• one pack of four 40W candelabra base bulbs ($6)
• cotton twine (I already had this)
• paperclips
• glue gun & glue sticks

I started by making the wire holders. The wire that I had was a little too light, so I used paperclips instead. The wire is stiff and also thin enough to get through the hole. You'll need to clip the paperclips with wire snips and use only the straight sections. Bend/twist the pieces to make a loop and then bend each end down so the ends of the wire won't scratch the glass.

Before inserting the wire in the hole, I tied the twine onto the clip. Slide the wire all the way into the hole and pull up so the holders catch.

My next step was to create four clusters of the glass balls and braid those together. As I created each cluster, I held them up and varied the lengths of the twine.

Now, I measured lengths of the white lamp wire. I made mine about 24" so that I could have plenty of slack to trim after I assembled the fixture. We have 10' ceilings, so I wanted the finished height of the chandelier to be about 18". Then I wired each socket. This is a fairly simple step (instructions are on the package and everywhere online), but if you're not sure, its a good idea to "phone a friend" here.

I added the wired sockets to each of the glass balls clusters, again varying the lengths. Then I wound the braided twine around and up the lamp cord, securing along the way with dots of hot glue. In the photo below, I have the bulb already screwed in. I need to add the extra step of the socket covers, which have to be trimmed and slipped on before the bulb is put in. I added another little detail (although in reality you can't see it after the chandelier is up) -- I wrapped about half of the socket cover in twine and continued it up the wire to meet the other twine braid.

I then gathered the four clusters together, adjusting the length along the way. The goal is to make it look effortlessly irregular -- kind of like creating the perfect messy up-do (that in reality takes 30 min and half a can of hairspray :))

Now the next step is where I needed some help (did I mention that thankfully my fiance is a master electrician??) . You'll need to wire the four lamp wires together and through the ceiling canopy kit. Again, there are instructions on the package and online. After it was all wired together, I needed to join the clusters together. I chose to braid lengths of twine together and then wind those up the lamp wires. You'll want to get this pretty tight, so I secured the four wires with floral wire, then wound the braided twine securing it along the way with dots of hot glue. I'll say, the braids on the original fixture are much neater than mine, but when its installed, you don't notice the irregularities quite so much.

This is my finished fixture and I'm thrilled with the results. It is also everyone's favorite -- even the men! The light sparkles through the clear glass balls and literally makes people smile the minute we flip the switch.

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Redesign :: Brooklyn on a Budget

One of my favorite design shows is Sabrina Soto's "The High Low Project" on HGTV. After completing the previous post where I designed the interior for a Brooklyn row house with beautiful but high end items, I challenged myself to come up with a "low" design for those on a tighter budget. Here goes:

Carmen Sofa in Toasted Pecan $799 :: Pier1

This is a comfortable sofa with a similar shape and nailhead trim like the Lee option. The "toasted pecan" upholstery lends the room a nice warmth.

Sedgewick Leather Recliner $1299 :: West Elm

This is an example that the expensive option isn't always best one. I found this leather chair from West Elm. It's a great substitute for the Lee leather club chair, but I think its a better choice because it reclines!

Melba Chair in Dansbo Dark Gray $249 :: Ikea

This was actually the chair that inspired this challenge. Leave it to Ikea to produce high design for so little money. Although it doesn't have the bronze legs, it does have a nice heathered charcoal gray upholstery and is a dead ringer for the Goodland chair -- and exactly $3K less per chair!! I really loved the warmth of the bronze metal, so I'd probably spray these legs out with Rustoleum Designer Metallic Spray in Aged Brass.

Bessarabian Kilim Rug $1200 :: Bradfords Rug Gallery

 The rug is where you could definitely shop around (either online or at your local rug stores) and save quite a bit. This kilim is a great option and brings in the rich colors I chose for the original design. It is quite a bit smaller than the original choice and its not an antique hand-knotted wool... but it could still work nicely and kilims are very durable for the kiddos.

Egg Chair in Orange $712.86 :: Amazon.com

While this chair isn't an authentic Jacobsen Egg chair, its a fairly good replica and the orange upholstery is a nice alternative to the Persimmon Ducale wool in the original chair. And again the savings are outstanding -- this chair is a tenth of the original.

As for the coffee table and trio of side tables, my original selections are pretty well priced so those are staying...

Milo Teak Coffee Table - Jayson Home :: $1,395

Sig Side Tables - Jayson Home :: Starting at $195 each

Twisted Metal Drum Table $129 :: Wisteria.com

 I found a nice alternative to the Platner table that I chose to place between the gray armchairs. It has a nice dark finish and mimics the general shape of the original. Plus the solid top might be a nice choice if there are children around.

Wood Stool $220 :: Shed Eclectic

Good design always inspires replicas and the Eames turned wood stools are no exception. This piece from Shed Eclectic is a beautiful interpretation and is offered at a very attractive price point.

Verona Trestle Table $549 :: World Market

There are trestle tables all over so finding a alternative to the Ethan Allen design isn't difficult. This piece from World Market is a viable option and is almost a quarter of the price -- definitely a good starter item.

Lydia Dining Chair in Pacific Velvet $319.98/pair :: World Market

While we're at World Market, we might as well pick up a pair of these dining chairs which are a pretty attractive substitute for the custom upholstered chairs from the original post. The indigo velvet is still my first choice, but this teal works nicely. What about the super fantastic Chiang Mai fabric?!? For me its a crucial element, so... I'd have a pair of small lumbar pillows sewn. There are several talented folks on Etsy that sew pillow covers in this iconic fabric.

Bowen Wishbone Chair $139 :: World Market

World Market delivers again with their interpretation of the Hans Wegner iconic wishbone chair. Their weathered finish is nice and on trend, but for this project, I would probably paint the chairs (or have a pro spray them for an even more durable finish). A soft black like Benjamin Moore's Gravel Gray (2127-30) would be a nice complement to the other elements in the room and relates nicely to the charcoal armchairs in the living room.

Satellite Chandelier $1126.25 :: Design Within Reach

This chandelier is a fabulous option and won't feel like a compromise at all. It's an iconic design on its own, but is roughly half the price of the Cosmo light.

I've gotta say...this "High/Low" challenge was fun! I may just have to make it a regular thing...