Making the Bed – Domino Idea

Hhheeelllloooo Nurse!  Remember that old gem?!?

For the last week I’ve been reading the Domino Book of Decorating.  I’m sure many of you have perused it (or even read it).

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It’s a beautiful book on the outside, which is great for decorating with it later, and has great photos on the inside.  I won’t say that it’s a wonder of decorating advice… it’s kinda predictable.  Not too much there that I haven’t heard before… but what am I expecting?  Only superhuman decorating powers!!  No pressure Domino.  Gotta step it up in the 2nd half.

BUT.  A few things have caught my attention.  Here’s what I read last night on the bedroom section, “The easiest way to combine different patterns (sheets, that is) is to make sure they share the same background color (such as white or ivory).”

It can’t be that simple, right?!?  Maybe, just maybe, in the sheet world, it is.

I investigate.

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These sheets all have an ivory background – Check.  Does it work together?  Check, check!

Now, I did struggle to find great photos of just sheets, but it seems that the rule does in fact pan out.  As for the rest of the bed?  That definitely takes a bit more artistry.  A few suggestions from the pros… pick 2-3 colors and stick to them, vary the scale of the prints (so, one large, one medium, one small), however, keep the intensity of the colors the same.  I’m learning something… I CAN be taught!!  Like the photo above, the reds are all super red and the blues are in the navy category.  Uh huh.

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All navy and white. Stripes, circles, large print, solid. Easy one, yes?
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More advanced, but still doable in my book. Reds, blues, orange with ivory as the anchor. Art matches perfectly too!
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Black and white can calm it all down, even in a print. This here was done by a trained eye. Yes, there is the pink chinoiserie theme, but the turquoise? Genius.

Now there this room, which is so put together and special. Yet.  The thinking behind it makes no sense to me.

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Thom Filicia you are a crafty dude. Purple walls?!?! Say what?

So with all that said, take these suggestions and then just do whatever feels right.  It is the bedroom!!  Wink, wink.

And now, just a bed set that I’m loving.  I must share.  Cool people sleep here, yes, they do.

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Now, go make your bed and lie in it.

Tootles!

 

 

 

Stripping The Mother Doors

Well, Hello there!

Sigh.  After a long weekend of fun, isn’t Monday just… sooooo Monday-ish??  It’s hot up in this mug, too!!  It’s over a 100 in my neck of the woods and it’s just adding to the joy of working on The Mother.  Another long sigh… I’m getting my intake of the AC before heading out again.  Mantra in my head,  You can do THIS.  Pause, while I get some H2O… can you feel my motivation at the moment?!?  Ha!

Well, some progress has been made.  First off, I’ve picked which cabinets will have the honor of a makeover and I’ve already started the fun process of getting the shiny off.

Since there is quite a bit of detail in the doors and trim, I invested in a paint stripper.  I was recommended this brand at the store and it worked pretty well, so I’ll pass on the recommendation to you.

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Here are the doors, removed, with the original treatment.

Close up of door/drawer detail

You will need special chemical gloves to do this and time, of course.  I used a cheapy paint brush to get the goop in all the crevices and let it sit for 25 mins.  The directions say 10-15, but I found that it was better to leave it on longer… it definitely came off easier, which is the point, right?!

And I would recommend safety glasses and throw-away clothes.  I did try to scrap it off in shorts and flip-flops, but I swear I could feel my skin burning in areas from the debris flying off.  You will also need a scrapper tool and metal brushes to get it all off.  A wood cleaner is the final step to really clean the chemical off.  But look at that rope detail?!?  So perfect… it’s going to be a shame to paint it up.

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Here are the newly stripped doors!  Whoo-hoo!!  All purdy and naked!  These 8 doors took me about a week in all, maybe 30 minutes a day (not including the wait time, which was used for internet surfing work).

Next step, I’m dreading… Oh, The Mother.  Why did you enter my life in the middle of summer?!?

Any projects you’re fighting through the heat with??

Tootles!

Maybe your room just needs… A Disco Ball?!?

‘Sup Homies?!  That’s my sad attempt to be cooooool… I’ll try to stop now before it gets bad.  Trust me on this one – I’m like a less air-heady Jess on New Girl.  We’re just incapable of being all that cool, well, for more than 30 seconds at a time… Looking back, those few times I’ve felt cool have ended up with then feeling super uncool.  Yes, I tripped on graduation, have called someones brother their fiancé when I REALLY should have known better, had false eyelashes that had were coming off on one end (without realizing it), I’ve split my pants (and yes, people noticed… oh, how it was noticed), had a bird poop on my new school clothes, green in my teeth during a meeting … I hate to admit it, but the list can go on and on.

Needless to say, now that I’m a mom and wifey, I’ve all but given up on being cool.  But with all the disco balls I’ve been seeing in home decor maybe it’s my way that I can inject a little swag into my pad (I did warn you).

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I love how it just fits in with any style… You can put it in any space and it could liven the place up.  And by a window, oh yeah!

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But you don’t just have to hang it, you can put a disco ball on a shelf, on a side table, in your fireplace… next to a clawfoot bathtub would be sweet… What about in an entry way??  Your guests would know where the Partay’s At!!  I’m seriously considering that one… it’s just sooooo BAD.  Michael Jackson BAD.

2c35d3f085d93975838b0755a7a69aa4 Disco-ball-light-small-living-room-decor-ideasGot a disco ball stored in your garage?  I may just have to dig that ball out and give it some love… My husband just told me to sex it up, because (who knew) sex sells.  Don’t worry, I’ll stop on that attempt, too.

Hope I inspired you to shine up some balls in your house!  Happy Decorating!