A Lovely Switch

I'm afraid I have no elaborate before and after pictures today; the work on the kitchen ground to a halt this weekend to enjoy a sunny father's day and some strawberry picking! I did however convince my husband to switch out our light fixture for something a little less......well, this:

Not only was it ugly, but neither the light nor fan was functional! So what replaced it? That pretty $10 chandelier I purchased garage sale-ing last weekend...

  

So much better! I managed to suppress the urge to spraypaint this one. I kind of like the colour. Am I crazy?

Ultra Feminine Interiors

Maybe it is just me, but there is a trend I have noticed lately; a resurgence of feminine taste in decorating, whether it be in palette (thanks Pantone, for selecting pink as the colour of 2011!), pattern, or materials (Lucite or velvet, anyone?). Which brings the question, if you were given carte blanche, would you dare?

 

Elle Decor 

Tufting and chandeliers...

Lonny

A fresh, feminine palate and floral print!

House beautiful

Canopy beds...

Madebygirl

Chanel inspired glamor...

Making it lovely

Vintage chic and pink...

High Gloss

Soft drapes and venetian mirrors! I can't help but fall in love with images like these, maybe this is why I've been craving more mirrors, crystal chandeliers, and pink in my house! The key will be to strike a balance between this love and my love for clean mid-century design. What do you think? can it be done?

Thrifted

This weekend was a beautiful weekend for garage sales; my favourite sales are the ones that are found driving around neighborhoods, following arrows on signs. It seems there were a lot of un-advertised garage sales this weekend, people! you need to put ads online! (even though thrifters like me love it because of less competition!). I came home with a few things, a good start to the season:

An old wooden cake stand, and a newer bowl that I liked the matte black finish on. I am a sucker for accessories!

 

I also picked up this pretty chandelier for $10, perfect because I am without a light fixture in my room at the moment. I have not decided whether to leave it alone or spray paint it, any suggestions?

 

I also found a large, wooden framed mirror. Not usually my style, but I like the contrast and the colour looks nice against the gray in my living room:

I am finding myself drawn to more gold and brass; something I never imagined possible for me! How was your weekend, any thrifting treasures to share?

Beautiful Bathrooms

Like Leila, the bathroom is a project that is on my radar (I have a promise for this summer, but I need that in writing still!). Because I gravitate towards several styles, it has been really hard to hone in on the look I want to achieve. While I love clean lines and a more modern aesthetic, I also love the charm that comes from a traditional bathroom! I thought it would be helpful for me to gather some pictures and pick apart the key elements:
White and Wood:
I'm not sure how I feel about this entire bathroom, but I like the way they combined traditional elements (white hex tiles) and an organic-modern element as well.

House Beautiful

A Hint of Fresh Colour

Whether it be aqua, green or blue; I always love a clean crisp colour paired with white. A deep soaker tub doesn't hurt, either.

House beautiful

Lots of Storage

This is one aspect of my house that drives me crazy; I would love to build in storage wherever I can

Via Elle Decor

Lots of Light and Elements of Nature

Love the open windows and skylights in this bathroom; would feel so nice to have a bath here on a summer day, don't you think?

Elle Decor

A Touch of Glam

A sparkly mirror or chandelier, or feminine and luxurious accessories are a must!

 

 Pinterest

And that about sums it up! I can definitely see a theme forming and will use these photos to pick the finishings ( on a budget, of course). It will be interesting to see how my girly traditional side can merge with the sleek contemporary spa like feel I want to create. Any ideas or suggestions?

New look for an ugly light fixture

Holly's room is coming together slowly, one thing missing was a pretty light fixture. Admittedly, this ten dollar garage sale find has been hiding in my closet for quite a while:It definitely needed a facelift. I was not a fan of the browny brass crackle effect..so one day I took off the jewels and plugged the light outlet:
Hung it up in the basement of my husband's shop:

and gave the old spray paint trick a try.


I'm a fan, but the ultimate test was my daughter. I still get a kick out of her when she tries to drag guests upstairs to see her "pretty light!".