blog

my design projects, inspirations, & a few personal tidbits

Here you will find what inspires me, and a peek into how I pull spaces together – the good, the bad, and the sometimes ugly mishaps along the way. I sprinkle in a little family life, travel, food, fashion, and party events, too.

February 11, 2014

AStoriedStyle.com

I'm so excited to share with you our plans for our master bathroom today!  This has taken so much thought and planning, and I really think we are creating something beautiful and classic and unique.  (that's the goal, at least)  I've got the plans to tell you about in detail, and lots of photos of where we are right now. Let's start from the beginning though.  This story begins with this photo, the MLS photo of our master bathroom when the previous owners lived here.  
February 10, 2014

[caption id="attachment_7779" align="aligncenter" width="195"]rowley company rowley company[/caption] Are you familiar with lambrequins?  Pronounced lam-breh-kinz.  They are a more traditional window treatment that has been around since the medieval times, where they were used around windows as a pretty way to keep out drafts.  As with all classic design elements, the popularity of lambrequins has ebbed and flowed, but they are popping up more and more in recent years. So what is a lambrequin?  It is similar to a cornice, but it has sides that continue to the sill or even the floor. For example, these window treatments feature cornices; [caption id="attachment_7772" align="aligncenter" width="645"]david hicks david hicks[/caption] whereas, these windows are dressed with lamberquins. [caption id="attachment_7774" align="aligncenter" width="645"]miles redd via elle decor miles redd via elle decor[/caption] When lambrequins were first being used, they were typically painted or stenciled wood, or covered in wallpaper.  It wasn't until around the Victorian Era that they became more elaborate and covered in fabric.  The photo below is circa 1850 from the book "Upholstery in America & Europe from the Seventeenth Century to World War I".
February 7, 2014

pinteresttaughtmeto How is everyone out there?  Are you cold?  It is FREEZING here in my part of the world, in the great state of Texas.  It's about twenty degrees outside, which is an improvement from yesterday, and I cannot even remember when we have had temperatures this cold.  It is nutso.  Kindergarten ended up letting out early yesterday, so I shelved my post and cuddled with my babies. In today's "Pinterest Taught Me How To", I've got practical mixed with frivolous fun like "How To Throw A Downton Abbey Dinner Party".  Enjoy.   [caption id="attachment_7756" align="aligncenter" width="279"]source unknown source unknown[/caption] 1.  How To Know If Your Eggs Are Fresh - This little how-to is especially important if you eat farm fresh eggs, but I would use it with my regular grocery store bought eggs too, especially if I have had them for awhile.  I use this little tip all the time, and I'm always so happy I am taking the time to do it when I see an egg bob to the top!  (I could not find a source for this photo.)   [caption id="attachment_7760" align="aligncenter" width="640"]a beautiful mess a beautiful mess[/caption] 2.  How To Style A Chain Braid - Have you ever heard of a chain braid?  I had not until I discovered it via this Pinterest photo.  It's pretty, right?  And fairly easy to do since it looks like it is not really that much different than a regular french braid.  I kind of want to do one on my daughter as soon as I finish typing this post.  : )  
February 5, 2014

[caption id="attachment_7750" align="aligncenter" width="614"]walker zanger walker zanger[/caption] I've been working on a little board to show all of you our plans for the Master Bathroom redo.  (and in case you are wondering, it is still gutted, nothing is really happening yet, and we are still sharing the tiny bathroom : )  )  Everything is ordered, and now it is basically a waiting game and prayers that no other pipes will get jackhammered, and it won't rain on the first floor again. Oy. We actually don't need a ton of tile for this bathroom, as we are not going put tile on the walls like before.  And in case you have forgotten, here it is before.  (previous owner's photo)   Gotta love pink and blue tile and original 1921 bathrooms!  There are things I am saving from this vintage beauty, like the opaline knobs and pulls and the giant built-in mirror, but I will go more into the actual design plan later.  Today we're talking about tile. I've been staring at tile, lots and lots of tile.  Thinking about it and staring at this room imagining all of the different ways it could be.  I needed tile for the shower, and that is pretty much it.  And we only need 100 square feet (that includes waste), so I could splurge a little if I wanted to.  Plus tile is a pretty permanent fixture, it's not something I can change a few years from now, so I wanted it to be awesome.  I was thinking period-appropriate, fresh & modern, and classic all at the same time. As Catherine Lowe would say, "grown sexy". I'm actually kidding, I have no idea what that even means. My favorite go-to place for tile is Bottega Design Gallery.  They have a vast selection, the prices are good, and the customer service is great.  I also purchased the charcoal herringbone tile from Bottega that is in my Addition.  It was at Bottega that I stumbled upon Walker Zanger's Studio Moderne collection. [caption id="attachment_7744" align="aligncenter" width="415"]walker zanger walker zanger[/caption]

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