Before + After: Dining Room Mirrors

I recently painted our dining room all white (pictures of before and after will be posted in the near future) and had to think for a while about artwork/what to hang on walls. I decided to make a gallery-style mirror hanging on the longest wall. I purchased all of these mirrors over time. Except for the one with the ribbon. I purchased it at the Pottery Barn Kids, you can see it here. It arrived with the pink ribbon, and I replaced it with the gold one.

To help me position the mirrors easily, I outlined all of their shapes on craft paper and made cutouts of each one, taping them to the wall with drafting dots. I came up with two options and decided to go with the second one.

I am really happy with the end result. The dining room feels bright, the mirrors reflect the beautiful chandelier and the light.

Wednesday Decor: Bathroom, Before & After

BEFORE:

AFTER:

When we moved into our house, our bathroom was dark and gloomy. The charcoal grey of the walls and the ceiling cast dark shadows on our faces in the mirror. I decided to work with what we had and make it as bright as possible. First and foremost, I removed the cabinet above the toilet: it made the already-narrow space feel too cluttered. The walls and the ceiling then were painted bright white. It made such a big difference, the transformation was instantaneous! The white shower curtain with bright elegant print, one-of-a-kind artwork and the little decorative mirror pulled this old bathroom together. We ended up with a well-lit happy space.

Shower curtain: Marimekko

Framed drawings of a nude: by navyblueshoe

Little round mirror: original from Anthropologie. Similar available: Coat Of Arms Mirror

Wednesday Decor: Living Room, Before & After

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Changing the paint of the brick around the fireplace from black to white brightened up the space and made the fireplace look grander. Paint between the wood panels: Duron Navajo White

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Large standing mirror: Hovet from Ikea
Table Lamp: from West Elm
Chair: Bertoia Side Chair and red cushion from Knoll

Wednesday Decor: Jen & Rich's Dwelling, Before & After

My friend & interior designer Jennifer and her husband Rich purchased their home about three years ago. Located in the swanky Passyunk Avenue of South Philadelphia, the house needed a lot of work, which they have been doing non-stop ever since they moved in. The transformation is incredible

The living room was dark and gloomy with dated wallcovering. Painting walls white transformed the entire room into a bright and airy space. Little details, such as paining the staircase hand rail & the ledge of the fireplace mantel espresso brown, offset the white walls and added simple elegant touch. Raising the curtain rod closer to the ceiling made the space feel taller. Clean lines of the mid-century and modern furniture mix, combined with the bright color of accessories completed the room in a nice polished way.

The old cabinetry, appliances, and wallcovering of the existing kitchen were very outdated; they all had to go. A bright-white kitchen cabinetry + chocolate brown quartz countertops, mosaic tile backsplash and ceramic flooring gave this kitchen a brand-new life. Sleek modern hardware & lighting added a great finished touch.

The biggest transformation was made on the third floor of the house, where the previous owner had a game room. Jennifer and Rich decided to turn it into their master bedroom. I adore the simplicity of lines and the color scheme. It exudes peace and tranquility, just like a perfect master bedroom should.




Living Room Walls: Divine White SW6105
Bedroom Walls: Mindful Gray SW7016
All paint colors by Sherwin-Williams

Before & After: Salvaged Beauty

I found this silver-plated tray at a local thrift store and could not resist buying it for a total of $3.00. A little bit of Tarn-X magic brought it back to life. With its elegant lines and shiny finish the tray adds glamour to my bathroom.

Before & After: Heather & Patrick's Dining Room

It took whole three years for Heather and Patrick Moore to find a wall paper they both loved. "...it was a trying experience to find 'THE' perfect colors & pattern" says Heather.

The couple did their own installation and what a beautiful job they did!!!


Wall Covering: Osborne & Little, imported from England.
Mirrored Buffet: Z Gallerie
Mirror: Z Gallerie
Table Lamps: Pottery Barn
Table Runner: Maharam Alpine Stripe
Silk Stripped Drapes: Bed Bath & Beyond
Dining Chairs: Crate and Barrel with custom upholstery
Framed Artwork is from an art gallery in Rehoboth Beach, DE
Crystal Chandelier: family heirloom
Trunk: is family heirloom from 1910
Stainless Steel Smoker's Stand is from Heather's Grandparents wedding in 1925

Before & After: Lori's Bookcase Makeover

I love paint makeovers. It is a great and easy way to bring some change into your room. Inspired to re-organize her built-in bookcase, Lori Parrish of Parrish Graphic Designs decided to add a bit of subtle gray to the back wall:

Benjamin Moore #AF-710
Color: Secret
Finish: Satin

It completely transformed the entire space by giving it more color and depth. Great job, Lori!

Painting Du Jour

Hm...
Maybe if I flipped it?..





Painting Du Jour:

Before & After: Closet Renovation

There used to be a closet...

It was slightly dysfunctional and extremely shabby.

It needed a makeover, so it went on a shopping spree:

Lucky to have a good friend who is an amazing carpenter.

Thank you, John!

Discovering old knob & tube wiring:

Priming future shelves:

Testing out rods:

The closet was deep enough to put shelving in the back and rods in the front. May be challenging to find something, but maximum capacity was important above all. Really.

Painting shelves...

Painting walls...

Scraping old paint off the mirror...

...voilà!

Love, love, love the new closet!