Showing posts with label furniture. Show all posts

The Bedroom


This is what the bedroom looked like when we first were shown our house. It was in really rough shape. I hated it mostly for the huge AC unit (that doesn't make sense because we have central air) is permanent unless we get someone to come out and patch the siding and huge interior hole it would leave. It kind of became our junk room, while we slept upstairs in the "finished" attic. 


Which is kind of embarrassing really, but isn't that what most spare rooms end up being? Warehouses for things you don't need or have any use for? 

So this past month I decided something needed to be done, and painted the wood floors white. I decided to be extra awesome and protect them with a poly coat. 

BIG MISTAKE. They turned pee yellow.

So at this point, I was back to square one. I had to resand everything, buy the correct kind of paint (valspars no VOC floor and porch paint) and redo everything.  So something that should have been accomplished in a weekend actually took a month. 

Finally the floors were white and wonderful though! 

I patched all the weird spots in my hundred year old plaster walls and was ready for paint. 
I chose Valspar's Belle Grove Aloe Green.


The overly helpful lowes paint guy drew a heart on the can and gave me some good advice. With older walls like mine, which are far from perfect, you should use a flat paint with a 1/2 nap roller. Not only will the roller carry more paint, but it way lay it thicker with more texture to cover imperfections. The flat paint also helps hide anything. Once you've painted the whole room you then go over everything lighting "feathering" it. It made a huge difference and looks awesome. 

So over the weekend I cut in, and started painting. 


I just got everything moved in and set up. I am SO PLEASED.  There's still a fair amount of work that needs to be done, but this feels like the most completed room in the house so far. 
Bedroom redo
My DIY drop cloth curtains, that need to be hemmed. They also cover the gross AC unit until we can get it fixed. A framed seed sack, in the largest Ribba frame (My Favorite!) available at ikea! The window is a straight view into my neighbor's less than picturesque backyard and side deck. I'm thinking about just frosting the windows instead of always keeping the curtain shut. Good idea or bad idea? 

Bedroom redo
The lamps are a total target score, they were ten dollars a piece, more than half off. I love a good lighting deal. 

Bedroom redo
My DIY Vanity, using jetmax cubes from Michael's, A mirror left in the basement by a previous owner of my home,and a project board from Lowes.  The chair is the urban chair from Ikea, and the mirror is also from ikea, as is the bed spread.  The glove mold is an antique mall find, named "The Handlander", don't ask. The green lamp is target, and I'm not sure if it's staying there. I need something a bit more practical for makeup lighting. As far as the desktop of the vanity, should I paint it, stain it, or seal it? I kind of like the look of the raw wood. 



Bedroom redo

I'm at a bit of a loss what to do above the bed though, maybe a few bookshelves? I also plan on making new matching slipcovers for my Solsta ottomans, Ikea of course, that serve as nightstand. I'm thinking either bright white, or maybe a fun pattern. After all it's just a slipcover and I can change them at whim. I do wish our headboard was a bit more "regal" looking. Something tall and tufted. I might DIY and see what I can come up with, as a new bed frame isn't in the budget currently. 

I also need to tackle the closet from hell that's in this room. It's huge, but poorly organized, which sucks. 






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New and Improved Karl!


Remember how I told you guys about how we spruced up karl a bit? Well I finally got around to taking some photos. I think he looks pretty good. For the last version of the living room check it out here. 


Why yes, that is the third rug we've had in the past two years. This one is sticking around, it's so soft and wonderful. The table was a vintage find from an antique fair. The Ikea tray we already had just so happens to fit perfectly on top. 

Look at how big Taco is getting (Depending on who you talk to, it's Taco or Spaghet. In real life, he answers to "kittens" more than anything. David never ended up sticking.)! I think the first time I posted about him was here.  He still has leg issues, but at this point it's looking like it will be a lifelong thing. There's a hunch that his cerebellum either isn't full developed, or it sustained some trauma early in life. He has a pretty awesome life, he scuttles around the house chasing Bowie, and eats EVERYTHING. 


I also picked up this tray the day I bought the chaise. It's nice to have a place to set the remotes and my coffee in the morning. Plus it's a great color. I need more blue in this room. I think the curtains are going to be a bit too dark for winter though. Might be time to do a little seasonal switch out. 

Winters are pretty depressing here in Cincinnati. We statistically have more overcast and rainy days than Seattle. A little color couldn't hurt in improving the mood round the house. 

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Craigslist Score

There I was cruising my regular craigslist search keywords yesterday when I found something interesting, and cheap.
I’ll be the first to admit I’m not the end all be all of mid century furniture knowledge. Well I like to think I know more than the average bear in regards to the heavy hitters [see eames, nguchi, knoll, and nelson] I couldn’t tell you the name of anyone who designed more common pieces. When it comes to pieces that aren’t quite iconic, I’m at a loss.

I know I had seen that pattern before, but can’t think of, or never knew the name. I end up consulting my main man Mr. Google. I used image search and believe I typed something along the lines of  “wavy wood mid century credenza”, technical I know. After about ten pages I found something similar and it was captioned, “Broyhill, Brasilia”.

I also know that Broyhill made some seriously stellar mid century wooden furniture, so I figured I had found something worth at least 30.00$. Not to mention I just overall really liked whatever they were, even if I had no idea of scale thanks to some pretty crummy listing photos. I didn’t expect for the background info on the design to be as interesting as it was though!
“The signature lines and waves of Brasilia furniture were inspired by the distinct architecture of the city of Brasilia, the capital of Brazil.
The city of Brasilia was planned and developed between 1956 and 1960. When viewed from above, the city’s shape resembles a plane or bird, which is mimicked on much of Broyhill’s original fabric and tiles. Most of the city’s architecture was the vision of a man named Oscar Niemeyer. Some of his most notable works are the Palacio de Alvorada and the Cathedral of Brasilia (Pictured).
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These both feature clean lines and simple, modern design. What stands out most about the architecture is the use of hyperboloid structures, as in the cathedral and it’s parabolic columns, which are said to represent two hands moving upwards towards heaven. This particular building is one of Brasilia’s most recognizable attractions, due to it’s unique design and grand scale. 
When viewing the architecture of Brasilia, it is clear to see the inspiration in the design of the Broyhill Brasilia line of furniture. This line was first featured at the Seattle World’s Fair in 1962 representing the city of Brasilia. These unique pieces were created throughout the 1960’s in various forms. “[1]
I’m in love with Brasilia now. Why aren’t buildings designed so wonderfully as this anymore?  You can really see the influence from those modern shapes everywhere in the city, even so in the seal.
 
  
Seriously some wonderful stuff. I also came across a copy of the original brochure for the entire line of furniture offered by Broyhill!
Now I’m able to identify my mystery craigslist item as two Broyhill Brasilia Commode. Internet sleuthing for the win!
Now for those of you not be well versed in furniture terms. I did not buy a toilet. The word commode is french for convenient. It refers to cabinets, in more modern terms it's really a nightstand, which hold personal effects in the bedroom. Victorians had a "nighttime commode"  or the cabinet that held their chamber pot and cleansing basin. The Victorian version is why we nickname the potty as such. I'm glad all these bad boys will end up holding is remotes and records.
I decided to use them for the time being in the living room seeing as we are sofa table less. As luck would have it they fit on either side of the couch quite wonderfully, dare I say perfectly? The lighting situation in the whole house right now is still pretty dim [SEE WHAT I DID THERE? DIM, LIGHTING, GET IT?] My friend anna reccomended doing like a pendant light cluster in the corner, and it's sounding pretty awesome at the moment. 

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Paint & Craigslist

So the first half of yesterday was mostly spent taping up carpet rolls full of cat pee and dust. Bagging up all the gross carpet pad, and removing the tackboard and staples from the floor.
The other half I spray painted the floor vents.

I used kilz ordorless spraypaint and it worked like a charm. I think you can see the one before in the set, grimey and gross.
Then I met up with the Penny wonder duo to pick up my "new" vintage Lane Dining room table. The people had wanted 300 for the set, but I talked them down to 160$. I think in a past life I must have been a con artist. The pennys stole their parents sweet truck and off we went to the west side to pick it up. No one had remembered to bring a blanket, but as luck would have it nathan had a bunch of clothes going to goodwill in his car. I think were the first people to use pants as furniture pads.


Those chairs are sexy.
I took the liberty of cropping myself out of all the photos. I am a hot mess.
The dining set came with 6 chairs, two captains and four armless. The table, and three leafs. Plus a table pad. It's my first grown up set. :)
Dinner parties will never be a problem again. This bad boy gets huge.

I think I'm required to have all major holiday functions at my house now!
Things I'd like to get done today:
Get the carpet and plywood off of the porch. 
Clean up the rest of the rooms, sweep, mop, walls, and baseboards.
Clean out DOOMFRIDGE
Take down weird bulletin and cabinent
Take stuff from the storage unit to new basement: xmas, bikes, puppy stuff
Have a bloody mary
Have a bloody mary
maybe paint front door if I can decide on a colorpick up more paint to finish front door.
pick up porch and side of yard
Fix side of couch that I broke last night.
Find out when trash day is.  teusday

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