Showing posts with label big dream. Show all posts
Showing posts with label big dream. Show all posts

Big Dream, Small Budget

Hey! Happy Friday. This weekend is a welcome one for our household...it's been a long week.

But that's not why you called.

I got this inspiration photo in an email from my sis-in-law Katrina. She says: This is Caitlin Wilson's entry (or I guess I should say this was her entry, I think this is an old pic). I just love the colors and the feel of it. But I've only gotten as far as the sunburst mirror...


 Katrina is living in Hawaii (I know, right? Poor thing.) (Wait. Nope.) with her cute family for the next few years and was looking for a way to reconstruct this look in her entry, which currently looks like this:
 

(She DIY'd that sunburst mirror out of shims. Looks great, huh?)
Oh, and she wants to keep it as low-cost as possible. I know the feeling!
 
I think it's entirely doable, and pretty easily, too. She's got a great jumping-off point. Here's what I would do:
 
Use BM's Whispering Spring to paint out the walls.


Then paint out the table in creamy BM Decatur White.
 
(Did you know that, if you don't have access to Benjamin Moore paint, you can still have the colors created custom by your local paint store? You probably did. But just in case...there you go.)

Add a rug in front of your table (or wherever is most logical in your space) in the same colorway as the one in the inspiration photo. This step could be skipped for budgetary reasons, although I think it's such a pretty - and inviting - addition. Something like this ikat area rug from Overstock for less than $60 would be pretty:


Or this bluey-grey and ivory trellis wool rug for $85:


To incorporate the look of lucite (adding a vapor chair in this space would be awkward), $4 for this drawer knob from Home Depot would do the trick:


Then I'd do one of two things:
Plan A: Find an inexpensive terracotta pot at a hardware or craft supply store and create my own mosaic pot using broken-up brightly colored thrift store plates...
source
  
 ...then get some orchids at farmers' markets, or places like Wal-Mart and Home Depot typically carry them for around $15. (Or maybe something similar grows wild along the curbs in Hawaii? It is "paradise," after all...) The pop of fuchsia from the flowers is so important to the whole airy-yet-vibrant vibe.


Plan B: Buy one of these lamps (on Honolulu's Craigslist), spray paint the base fuchsia...


...remove the green, and trim the top of the lampshade with a stripe of trim. With a solid painted lamp base, I'd recommend a woven trim with a colorful pattern that brings out the colors of the inspiration vase. I like the colors and pattern of this vintage ribbon:

Vintage WOVEN TRIM Red White and Blue 1950s
.
or this Japanese woven trim:
Cute Japanese Woven Trims -Apple Red- 1 M


Lastly, shop your house and scour thrift stores and flea markets for a gold or brass frame (or spray paint one) as well as 2-3 other simple accessories, such as vases, ginger jars, etc. like these from eBay. (Just search for "vintage vase" or "antique vase" or "ginger jar" etc.) Keep them fairly small and similar...ish.

 
 
Eteched Brass Vintage Vase Marked  India 561
Etsy
Solid Brass Vintage Plate beautiful center piece or candle holder
Etsy

(Or, for a mere $4,500, you could be the proud owner of these beautiful antique Chinese porcelain ginger jars:


Decisions, decisions. :) )


Thanks, Katrina! That was fun. I hope this helps.
Annnnd I wish I was in Hawaii right now. The end.


Anyone else? Email me: brittneynsmart [at] yahoo [dot] com


Have a lovely weekend! No, seriously. Do.

{shared I Should be Mopping}
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A Space Worth Recreating

Hey friends! So, ever since this Persian rug fetish post, I've had this image stuck in my mind. I'm crazy about the bluey-green floral of the chair and the leaning artwork and the Persian rug. All together. All at once.





Pinned Image
source unknown...anyone?
I'm no designer, as we're all aware. I'm simply a girl who loves a great interior. But just for fun (and because I'm just that interested in recreating this space), I wanted to see what similar items I could find.
 
eBay has a great selection of Persian rugs lately; this one is close to the inspiration photo:
eBay
One of these chairs. Of course, the shape's not exactly the same, but the effect would be awesome if they were reupholstered...
2 chairs
KSL Classifieds (Utah's version of Craigslist)
...in one of these:
Isis
Lewis & Sheron

Richloom Platinum Collection Ampersand Cotton Jacquard Floral Drapery Fabric in Cobalt $23.95 per yard  
Richloom  

 
(This one's outdoor fabric, ergo, kid-friendly. Sweet.)
INOTECA OUTDOOR INDIGO
Calico Corners
 

Add in a small but beautiful wood secretary (this one's on sale for under $300). I love the drawers on top:
 (Maybe if I were feeling particularly adventurous, I would attempt to build my own. Except...nah. So many little cubbies!)

...and a brass desk lamp (this one captures the look for only about $60):
 
Throw in some great modern art, or channel your inner artiste and create something: 

via

via

...in clean-lined poster frames like these from Target:

Home® Poster Frame


or the Fjallsta from Ikea (in the lighter birch finish):
FJÄLLSTA Frame IKEA Fits certificates or documents. The mat enhances the picture and makes framing easy.

A few accessories will complete the scene, like these or other vintage or heirloom treasures:
Antique Clock on Mantle
Etsy



5 Vintage Sky Blue Book Collection - Book Decor - Photography Prop - Interior Decor
Etsy
Target

I think it could be pulled off! Maybe.

Do any of you have a dream piece or space you'd like to recreate? I'd love to see it! Email it to me at brittneynsmart [at] yahoo [dot] com. (If you want to up the ante a little bit, give me a budget you're trying to stick to. Just because...budgets are real-life, and I'm a real-life kinda girl.)
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