SUMMER SPRUCE UP

I'm sure you have dusted the pollen off your outdoor furniture and pillows.  Maybe you were smart and brought your pillows in for the winter but most people just leave them and deal with it as spring and summer arrive.  Now is the time to spruce up the outdoor furniture!  My BFF in Bay Village, Ohio contacted me for her barren red adirondack chairs asking for just some pillows to spruce up her look.  So after the typical creative process…going from store bought, to laminated or vinyl fabric to finally this whimsical combo.

My template…

So off my brain went brainstorming…naturally I wanted it to be different and almost whimsical and all she asked for was a monogram!

Her inspiration...thank you Pinterest (photo a little fuzzy):

My end result...

               

My 2 cents:

Don't just add some pillows  - always take it the next step and the next…even though you are outside, make it as if you are inside…side tables, plants, comfort!  She will also need some potted plants but we have to see what happens after she works on her flower boxes!!  And keep your eyes open and be inspired by others and what's available to everyone online and HAVE FUN!!

CHILDREN'S BEDROOMS

My friend, Vicki of www.pepperandcompany.net and I always swap design ideas and she recently commented on Facebook about a reclaimed wood headboard.  And I told her - I did that over a year ago!  So this has prompted my blog post!

When considering your child's bedroom, you need to choose a "theme" or colors that they really like and that will make them happy when they walk into their room.  Some folks do get too wrapped up into making the room perfectly coordinated and lose sight of the child living in there!  So remember that!

My son, Keane, has always been into cars - Disney, NASCAR, Hot Wheels etc. and I could tell this "theme" won't die an early death.  We had received heirloom furniture which I quickly decided the wood color needed a dark background/paint.  And also a paint color that will carry him through if we swap out NASCAR and add something else.  My trick for the art in this room is a a photo purchased on www.shutterstock.com and having it printed on www.winkflash.com!  Love this photo and so does Keane!

My son, Hughes, has been into animals since the day he was born.  Any small or large creature, he is so gentle and loving with them.  So I knew an animal "theme" would be a perfect fit for him.  And luckily last year the animal taxidermy, modern heads were in and sold at West Elm!  Score.  Then I realized his bed/trundle combo was a cool wood frame but no headboard etc!  So what goes with animals?  Log cabins LOL!  So I took that and ran with it with a twist of Ralph Lauren.  Another fun thing I did…I wanted a worn cool bedskirt so I used a 10 year old sheet that basically looks like an old blue men's shirt (sorry not pictured).  Love it!  Thanks to my fabulous seamstress I am able to fulfill all of my whacky ideas!  And the quilt on his bed is also a queen that I had cut down, the front small plaid pillow is a throw from Ikea that I used as fabric to cover the pillow.  And actually the rest of the bedding is all Ikea!  And his nightlight is a $10 outdoor light from Home Depot that I had my handyman wire in with a beaded drop chain to pull on/off!  So fun!


The nightstands were a find by my friend Mandi of www.dryinkdesigns.com.  She called me on a whim and I took the trunks because I knew I liked them - $10 each :) and then they ended up working so well in the boy's rooms!