The Ottoman Search has Ended!

Back when we first got our couch, we started looking for a leather ottoman to replace our oval hammy-down coffee table.  We searched for months, and then a couple months ago we found one online that we were 90% sure would work. It was on back order and then a couple weeks ago arrived.  It 100% fits the bill!

We wanted something that wasn't goo bulky, since the space is limited.  We wanted real leather (we as in husband).  We wanted rectangle, to match the couch interior space.  We wanted something simple and modern.  Ideally it would have had storage, but that would leave us with something bulky, and our striped storage bench is serving that purpose just fine.

So the ottoman that took us so long to find?  From Macy's, on sale!

Here it is all moved in and already in use:

A bit closer up:

I'd like to paint that tray on top sometime bright to keep it from just blending in.

Oh and the giant yellow wall you can see part of behind the couch...looking for ideas on what to hang there...

Home projects never do end, do they?  And this room, the Living Room, has already come ALONG way!

DIY Headboard

I've alluded to the DIY Headboard I was meaning to get around to doing for the last few months, and this past weekend I finally did it!!  It was just as easy as I've heard, but it does take 2 people, a bit of thinking (and planning it out) and a couple of hours.

I think it adds so much to our room!  Here's before and after, and then the process I took to do it.

Here is the step-by-step process I took:

1. Measure your bed.  Mine is a queen, and I wanted the headboard to be a few inches wider.  I then used painters tape to visualize the measurement and make sure I would like the size:

2.  I mapped out all the measurements and figured out exactly how much batting and fabric I'd need.  For the batting and fabric, you want to add 3 inches onto the headboard measurements all around.

My Road Map:

3. I got all my materials:

-Fabric: ordered from Fabric.com and got Waverly Parerre Grass

-Quilting batting from a hobby store, mine from Hobby Lobby

-Cushioning foam - got a twin size bedding foam from Walmart and trimmed to size

-Ply-wood - cut the base to size at Lowe's and used the extra pieces for the legs on the headboard

Tools needed:

-Staple gun & staples

-Circular saw (to cut the legs to size - you could have the hardware store do that instead)

-Nuts and bolts to adhere the the legs to the base & headboard legs to the bed frame

4. Start assembling.  Take the base of the headboard (the cut to size ply wood):

and find a working space.  We used two saw horses for our workstation.

5.  Attach the legs to the base.

6. Use the Staple gun to fix the twin-bed sized foam to the ply wood (we stapled it right on top since we were covering this up with batting and fabric) & trim off the extra foam:

7. Wrap the batting around the base.  This is where 2 people come in hand.  Pulling the batting tight, staple it on the backside (wall facing) of the headboard. 

8. Now, the same thing for the fabric.  If you have a patterned fabric, like we did.  We got it in place by doing a few staples with the front side up, so we could make sure we were keep the fabric in place.  Though, using the stable gun this way, is not super safe. You should probably wear goggles/face protecting gear if doing this.

9. After getting the fabric in place, we flipped it over to secure the rest by stapling the fabric to the back side.

10. Dealing with the legs.  We did the base first, and around the legs, cut slits to corner off.  I took extra fabric and batting and added it to the legs.  I overlapped the fabric from the base with the added fabric to the legs and we stapled it to the back side of the legs.

End result:

Now with the addition of the lime green patterned headboard (and the 2nd newly refurbished nightstand), I'm thinking the yellow FLOR rug option - what do you think?

$75 Gift Certificate Giveaway!

It's incredible to host another giveaway, a 75 dollar gift certificate which you can use to purchase any item of your choice from any of the online shops of our sponsor, the CSN Stores.

The items available to you through your gift certificate are not limited to fashion - shoes, handbags, wallet and accessories - only but also include modern bedding, cookware, furniture and lots of modern materials for your home.

Enter the giveaway:

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Follow Creative Fashion through Google and visit the CSN stores - Luxe by CSN where you can find fabulous shoes, handbags and wallets; CookWare where you would get overwhelmed by beautiful cooking materials and kitchen wares, All Modern for all things you need in interior designing and CSN Stores then come back and leave a comment below this post stating what product you would like to purchase if you win the 75 dollar gift certificate.

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The Giveaway is open to all US and Canadian residents only and ends September 30. Winner will be chosen using random.org

Sneak Peak: Furniture Refurbished

After about a year of delays on painting the bedroom furniture - I finally got the first (of four) pieces done!  The first is the hardest, I think, because it was a lot of trial and error, and getting all the materials down!  And now I can zip on through the others...

For now, I'll show you the piece I did, but boy will the entire room look great once all the furniture is painted!

Before

After

What I did:

- Sanded off the original finish and then primed it.

- Painted it with Behr Black Suede (a brown, that is almost black)

- Sealed it with 3 coats of Polycrylic

- New hardware

So as soon as I get done with all the other pieces, I'll have a full room photo!  I'm excited for that day... :)

New House: Master Bedroom Furniture Painting

So, awhile ago I posted the mid-stage of where our bedroom was at.  You can remind yourself here. :)  Well...today, it's still the same.  But I'm getting back to it now.

I had a slight detour with staining the first piece of furniture. It just came out with way too much red in the brown.  So I had to re-sand it down and now I'm just thinking about paining it (vs. staining).  My current plan is to get it a really dark brown - almost black paint to go over the 1970s reddish brown with a pattern to it.  But now I'm starting to second guess myself and thinking maybe white is the way to go?

This is where you all come in!  I need your help, once again...

Keep in mind:

1. There are 4 pieces: 2 night stands, 1 long dresser and a tall armoire. Which is all probably too big or too much for the space, but oh well.  We have a lot of clothes.

2. Sometime soon, we'll be painting all the current sandy 1950s wood trim and doors white, so that will help open up the space more.

3. I'm STILL planning to make a headboard with a fun lime green pattern to add a splash of color and interesting visual.

4. I got this HUGE (estimated 4'10' long x 2'6' wide) mirror from HomeGoods (only $100!) for above the dresser (yet to be hung) that will also really open up the room.

 
Now, the bedroom with the furniture as it is now:

 

The options:

1. Paint the furniture Dark Almost Black-Brown, a la...

 The cabinets in this kitchen:

Benjamin Moore Bittersweet Paint Sample

Too chocolaty?

The vanity of this bathroom:

Behr Espresso Bean

Any other good dark brown, almost black, paint recommendations?

2. Or do I lighten way up and go with white paint for all this furniture??

I think then, I'd need to change the curtains (maybe to match the color of the headboard I make?),
as that would be too much white...

So what do you all think?  Brownish-Black or White paint for the furniture?  
Your help is appreciated!

Fabulous Upholstered Benches

I saw this amazingly perfect upholstered storage bench in gray and white stripes from Target a week ago.  I huff and puffed to hubs, "OMG I have to have this.  I love this so much.  I want it!!"  He calmly responded, "wait one week, and if you still want it, we can get it."  So...

 

It. is. on. it's. way. 

Yay!

Storage. Um, awesome.  

IRL pics to come, when it arrives.  Not 100% sure where it's going to go, but have a few ideas. :)

And here are a few more that are just as darling...

Robin Blue 

 

Um, Houndstooth, I love you.

 

Floral, with yellow pops. :) 

Adorable!

Recent Purchase: Dining Room Table

With the Dining and Living room renovations coming to an end, it was time to get a few pieces of furniture. While we're still on the hunt for a couple more things, we did successfully find a dining room table and chairs to fit our picky needs and wants.  We visited many stores before finding two we really loved at Macy's.  Then finalized it to the Metropolitan Contemporary Dining Table and Chairs:

We'll get this set delivered in a week and a half, and fill this big empty space:

Until then, the room is dedicating to wiping off Charlie's muddy feet (aka the big blue towel).

Mirror, Mirror...

In my yellow room (that I have yet to unveil completely...it's still coming together organizationally), I have gotten a few mirrored pieces as accents. At first when mirrored furniture started popping up everywhere from Anthro, to Target, to Pottery Barn to Z Gallery, I wasn't so sure... but it few on me and now I love the pops!

Little peak at one of my pieces that sits next to the couch:

 

See...the shelf isn't even put back together. :)

And that lamp will not live there (sofa console table in need...)

I got the mirrored side table from Target.

I also got this mirrored tray (no long online) that will go on our ottoman, when we get that...

And while I really want one of these wall mirrors:

 

Large Beveled Mirror

Rectangle Mirror

I actually don't have the wall space, where I want the mirror to hang, for these sizes, so am going to hunt down 2 of these small square mirrors to hang one on top of the other:

Not available online...

Are you sporting any mirrored furniture or accent pieces in your home??

I need this.

Oh my gosh. I love, adore, need, want this beautiful chair. This would be perfect for my living room that is still coming together!

West Elm Upholstered Slipper Chair

I think a little accent chair is needed for our living room. Something to add a bit of splash to the room. Hubs suggested a recliner. Yikes. We are not there yet, but if he needs that - that is going in the den with the plaid couches!

New Home Update: Couch is in!

Our new couch that we bought a couple of months ago arrived last week and we were so excited to get it! Our living room is no where near being completed, and the wall paper has made NO progress, but the couch does help see a glimpse into how it'll look once we paint and finish decorating...and it makes me excited!

Here is a reminder of the old couches (that have now been moved to the lower living room level):


...and here is the new couch!

Taaa-Daaa!
Chuck thought this photo shoot was for him.

Dinning room still paint free after we stripped the wall paper down.
Wanting to paint all the rooms at the same time...but the other rooms aren't coming along...

You can see the wallpaper hasn't gone to far going up the stairs.
Our TV Console was the first item we got for the room and has been put to use.

What we will next add to the room to keep bringing it to where we want is an ottoman to replace the oval coffee table (and then will need to get a coordinating side table).

Leather ottoman options:

Amazon - Baxton Studio Full Leather Cocktail Storage Ottoman, Espresso Brown
Loving the storage in this piece....

Brand: Diamond Sofa Direct Ship
Nebraska Furniture Mart

Macy's - Paige Ottoman
This one also has storage!! I love that.

Brand: Chateau D ax
Nebraska Furniture Mart

Besides painting the room yellow and trim, window seals, mantel, and shelf white, we'll also be working on purchasing a console for behind the couch between the dinning room table and couch, throw pillows for the couch, side table,

What do you guys think - do you like one better than the others for our room and couch?

New Couch...coming in Jan 2010

We got a new couch this past weekend, well we picked it out, designed the shape and chose the color (a grey), ordered it and now, we wait. It'll take ~6 weeks to receive. Patience is not my strong suit.

This couch is the start of our living room grey and yellow transformation. But I guess I'll just have to wait...6.weeks. Until then, here is the couch, sorta:


Ours is a very slightly a lighter grey color, and the "L" of the sectional is on the right side with no chase (even though I REALLY wanted a chase...our room is not conclusive to two sides jetting out). Anyways - this couch picture and the one we got is by Jonathan Louis at Nebraska Furniture Mart. This is a great brand because you can design the sectional you want - big, small, curved, straight, bottom choices, arm type options, etc. And there are tons of colors to pick from. There were like 10 greys alone.

I'm excited to get it...in 6 weeks. I guess that's what you get for getting to design the sectional that will be perfect for your room...