Prest-O Change-O Grey to Gold

In my house, procrastination knows no bounds! Shortly after New Years, I found a dining set on Kijiji and posted about it here on January 31st. At the very end of that post, I wrote the following:

"The chairs will need to be recovered in a new fabric,

and I'm obsessed with the idea of using a deep yellow velvet.

Can you picture it?" 

Fast Slow forward to March 1st, when I purchased 3 yards of fabric for this little project (keeping receipts helps to keep track of spending and project timelines), spending a lavish $36.36. Then life happened, and I tucked that bolt of fabric into a corner for more than 7 months before rolling it out in preparation for cutting. I removed the existing covers from the best fitting seat and chair back to use as pattern pieces to cut the new fabric.

There was some sewing and some stapling involved in this project, but I won't go into too many details, it's fairly straight forward. The trickiest part was avoiding wrinkles in the fabric while stapling and I didn't do a great job of that, but oh well. Despite the telltale DIY signs, I'm happy with the fresh new look:

I love the contrast of golden yellow against navy blue. What do you think?

Dining Dreams

A lot of single folks can't say this, but I eat at least one meal at the dining table every day. Generally that meal is breakfast, and since it's the most important meal of the day, the morning experience should be special. Do you see where I'm going with this? Breakfast is an important meal...Enjoyed at the dining table....In a special space...

Since I'm already planning the moulding and wall trim for the living room, I also need to consider the dining room since the two areas are within the same open space. The idea is to be consistent with colour and trims, but add an element which I've wanted for so long and never had the chance to incorporate into my home: a chinoiserie pattern. I've mentioned my love of chinoiserie fabrics and wallpapers here, here, here and also here.

The colour choice for the walls and trim has been finalized, and I've decided on Marine Bay (P5156-75) from Para Paints:

The living room wall will remain low key, but the dining room wall is going to be a showstopper. I cannot wait to see this come to life!!!!! The plan is to insert two Griffin & Wong silk panels within the inset wall trim. It is going to be un-believable!!

I have yet to get a quote on these two panels, so my fingers are crossed that this will be somewhat affordable... 

Dining Room Progress

Yesterday was an exciting day chez moi, since it was finally time to have an electrician connect and hang the chandelier above my dining table. I also had a dimmer switch installed for maximum ambiance;) If you're a regular reader, then you may remember an early December post (geez - 8 months ago!?!) where I picked up a glass chandelier for a bargain at a local estate sale. Can I get a drumroll for some "halfway there" progress shots of what's happening in the dining area...

I say "halfway there" because I have yet to make a few key decor decisions. First of all, I'm not not sure what will happen on the blank white wall behind the console. The mirror will stay, but I'm still debating the possibility of paint or wallpaper, perhaps with some trim molding thrown in for good measure. Also, the area is a bit tight, so I'm looking for a round dining table to replace the rectangular one that I brought from my previous home.

But getting back to that chandelier, doesn't it look great? I must say that I'm quite pleased :)

Down to the Wire

During the past year I've been "squirreling" away stashes of furniture, lighting, mirrors, lamps, art and wallpaper in preparation for the move to the new condo. The theory was that if I purchased these items over time there wouldn't be so many expenses all at once when it's time to take possession. Three cheers for planning ahead!!!

But now that it's getting down to the wire, I realize that there is still so much more :-( Despite the best laid plans there are still several outstanding essentials: I will require the services of a painter and movers, and then there's also the matter of a rug for the living room and a new bed for the master bedroom...

Dining Room Outstanding Items:

• Ceiling light fixture
• Fabric to recover dining chair seats
  
• Wallpaper? (still under consideration)
  

Guest Room Outstanding Purchases:

• None! Ready to Go
  

The living room won't see too many changes besides the switch to the vintage campaign dresser as entertainment console and hopefully a gorgeous rug. The new home office will be a built in desk and shelving unit near the front hall, which won't require more than a wireless network setup. The master bedroom promises to be the biggest challenge, where I'm planning for a fully upholstered bed, Chinoiserie wallpaper on the focal wall and a sweet PAX wardrobe system.

All in good time, my dear friends, all in good time...

BTW, I have listed the following items for sale on Kijiji. Please tell your friends!!
Ikea Bjursta
West Elm 2x2 White Console Desk

Oh, The Possibilities!!

As the final closing date for the new condo draws closer, time seems to be slowing down. Fourteen months have passed since I signed on the dotted line, and these final 2 months are going to feel like a lifetime. To pass the time I'm thinking about how to decorate the space, and this week I'm considering the dining area.

The dining area is one of the few spaces with its own wall. Most of "walls" in this condo are floor to ceiling windows, so this real wall is prime real estate!! The current idea is to install chair rail 36" from the floor, with panel molding below and wallpaper or paint above. I have a few pieces which must be used here because (A) they make sense in the dining area and (B) there are no other wall options. The dining wall must accommodate three items I already have: a white console, a pair of aqua glass lamps and a sunburst mirror.

Here are mockups of the possibilities I've considered so far, but since I've just started brainstorming, the options are wide open:

Above Option: Thibaut Shangri-La (White)
Verdict: The combination of the sunburst mirror
and the busy wallpaper is too overwhelming!!

Above Option: Thibaut Shangri-La (no mirror)
Verdict: The wallpaper is great without the sunburst,
but I really want to use the mirror in this space!!

Above Option: Thibaut Shangri-La
Verdict: Love the wallpaper surrounded by half round
trim, but this still doesn't work with the sunburst mirror.

Above Option: Thibaut Fusion Trellis (Aqua)

Verdict: This is a strong contender, since the mirror &
wallpaper work well together. But is it too much aqua?

Above Option: Harlequin Elite (Duck Egg/Gilver)

Verdict: A clean look, and the metallic stripes are
appealing, but it feels underwhelming.

Above Option: Galerie Fresh Floral (Green & White)

Verdict: I like this look!! It's clean & fresh with just a
hint of aqua. Plus I love the fabulous quatrefoil motif.

Above Option: Navy Paint (Such as BM Admiral Blue)
Verdict: It's dark. It's dramatic. It's paint, which
makes it the most inexpensive option.
But it's kinda boring, isn't it?

Above Option: Aqua Paint (Such as BM Glacier Blue)
Verdict: The panels created with half round molding
make this a much more interesting paint option.
(Colour options will ultimately be determined by
the area rug in the adjoining living room.)

PLEEEEEASE tell me what you think!! Any thoughts on the above options? Any ideas to add?

Sarah's House 4: Dining Room

The second episode of Tuesday night's Sarah's House, featured the new home's dining room. Finding inspiration in a set of china from Around the Block, Sarah and Tommy aim to create excitement and interest in the dining room by using vibrant shades of blue. Sarah sums it up when she says, "...make it lively, be daring, go out on a limb and try something new...".


Sarah takes the colour up onto the walls of the room, using a blue denim grasscloth on the upper half of the walls, with a vibrant blue on the lower half, separated by a chair rail. Note the vintage brass wall sconces, as well as the tray and candlesticks Sarah uses for accessories. These warm metals tie into the gilded beads of the room's statement chandelier.

Upper Walls: Thibaut Grasscloth Wallcovering

Lower Walls: SR11, Ocean Liner

Sarah finds a beautiful paisley for the drapes, which incorporates several different shades of blue, as well as a hint of gold. Tommy discovers a plush blue velvet for only $9.99 a yard, which turns out to be the perfect fabric to upholster a tufted Lindsay bench. Three more fabrics are incorporated into the dining chairs: blue mohair, blue linen, and an awning stripe.

Mill Creek Fabrics Blue Paisley
via InVU Drapery Company

Sarah & Tommy search high and low for the perfect dining table, scouring consignment shops, new furniture stores, and even Kijiji before settling on the Sutton Sheraton dining table from Elte. They choose this table for several reasons: the beveled edge, the double legs, the large size (46"x114"), leaves which include the apron, and a price tag that is within the budget ($1985).


Sarah & Tommy agree on a striped rug for the dining area that features all of the colours found in the paisley drapery fabric. Tommy reasons that the stripe is a timeless classic, plus it lends a casual element to the room. Sarah goes out on a limb and selects the art deco sideboard on her own, and receives a questionable response from Tommy. The artwork above the sideboard, Ulan the Horse, is certainly another brave choice.

Judging by many of the comments I've read in various forums, there has been a strong reaction to the way Sarah & Tommy decorated this room. To be honest, when I walked through the space during the home tour, it didn't come across as blue as it does on television and in these photos. Some of my favourite elements were the beaded chandelier, the strong blue grasscloth wallpaper and the paisley drapes. What do you think of the dining room?

All room photos courtesy of HGTV Canada.

Own 8 Pieces of Sarah's House 4

This past February, I drove out to Georgetown to get a first hand look at the house Sarah Richardson decorated for Sarah's House 4. There were no photos allowed, so I took notes and tried my hardest to remember colours, fabrics and wallpapers in order to write this post. So when I saw this set of dining chairs today at Of Things Past, I knew exactly where I'd seen them before. This fall you will see these chairs featured in an episode of Sarah's House 4 on HGTV Canada:

In typical Sarah Richardson style, Sarah incorporated not one, not two, but three fabrics into the host and hostess chairs. She chose mohair for the seat, a striped cotton for the rear back and piping, and then finished the arms and seat back in a coordinating linen. Sarah is the master of mixing fabrics!!

The set of 8 chairs can be yours for around $3000.00. Wouldn't it be cool to have these chairs in your dining room when the series airs?

Ralph Lauren Red Pagoda

Today at Homesense, I spotted this fabulous chinoiserie china, Ralph Lauren's Red Pagoda. By Homesense standards, it's a tad expensive, but it makes such a pretty place setting!!!

Bowl $14.99

Small Plate $12.99

Large Plate $14.99

Sarah 101: Episode 5 Jewel-Like Dining

Tonight's episode of Sarah 101 on HGTV was right up my alley. I liked so many things about this room, I don't know where to start. Well okay, how about the dynamic Nina Campbell Stradivari wallpaper? Or the amazing set of 6 shield back chairs from The Elegant Garage Sale? And who can forget the gorgeous flamed mahogany dining table Sarah & Tommy found at Of Things Past? Everything came together in this room to add character to a blank space, and create a warm and inviting place to entertain.


Searching to add pattern and interest to the walls, Sarah & Tommy spotted a gorgeous lyrical wallpaper design from Nina Campbell. The "embellishment" adds a contemporary touch to the room's traditional bones. Below the chair rail, panel molding is applied to the walls and painted in three shades of Sarah's Designer Palette: Fog (SR27) on the inside, Oyster (SR3) on the outside, and trimmed with Snowfall (SR29) to set it all off.


Using the wallpaper as their guide, Sarah & Tommy selected fabrics for the shield back dining room chairs. They chose to use a combination of fabrics, pairing a casual geometric cotton on the seat and inside back, together with an elegant embroidered silk on the outside back. After repair, refinishing and reupholstering, the final cost of these chairs was approximately $400 each. They may not be cheap, but they are one of a kind, and they are stunning!!




With so many other strong elements in the room, the drapery was kept simple, made from a simple twill with a slight sheen, and embellished with greek key trim and pink ribbon detail. Sarah mentions how repeating a particular motif in a room creates a unified look. The ribbon detail along the edge of the curtain echoes the pattern painted on the floor, and this same pattern is repeated again in the mirror over the sideboard and the molding on the door.





I really enjoyed this episode, and I can't wait to see what Tommy & Sarah do next week! How about you?

All photos courtesy of HGTV Canada.

Sarah's House 3 Episode 5

This week on Sarah's House the challenge was for Sarah and Tommy to develop a functional dining room in a space that would also act as a passageway to the new addition. The WOW factor in this room was the bold paper backed Schumacher fabric which was installed above 6 feet of creamy white paneling. What a great idea!

This week's budget: $20,000
Actual spent: $19,500

Photos courtesy of HGTV Canada.