What's Brewing for February...

Today I just thought I'd wrangle together a few thoughts about what projects are currently in the works. Hot on the heels of adding character to the dining room wall, I've been trimming out the main wall in the living room. As a matter of fact the wall is ready for paint and I'm currently trying to psyche myself up for that final step. If all goes well, this project will be completed by the end of the weekend. Stay tuned...

Last week I talked about my latest Kijiji score (a fabulous 1970's chrome dining set) and soon I'll be on the hunt for a few yards of golden/saffron/mustard yellow velvet to recover the chair seats & backs. I'm thinking this is just about the perfect shade:

Above image via.

There is one more project in the works too. A few weeks ago I found this pair of stools for the breakfast bar at Around the Block consignment shop:

^^They're interesting...right? I've been looking for a pair of stools for quite some time, with a strict criteria - the "right pair" needed to have backs for good posture & comfort, they needed to be counter height (not bar height) and they needed to be in my (low) price range. Et Voila! These babies met the criteria, although I know they'll require a little nip & tuck to update them.

I'm considering a fresh coat of white paint paired with this Dwell Studio 'Ming Dragon' fabric from Tonic Living:

 

Only three projects on the go right now!! And just when I thought I was getting close to the finish line.

Is it ever really done?

Small Pieces

I've always thought of creating a comfortable home as a process, it rarely happens overnight (unless, of course, you have elves).  Time is spent gathering all of the pieces and then fitting them together just like a jigsaw puzzle. Some pieces are BIG and some pieces are small, but all of the elements have importance in the overall picture.

One of the small things I needed to take care of were new covers for the lumbar cushions that go on the living room slipper chairs. Since I love to tackle my own projects (let's be honest, I take on most of these projects to save $$), I figured I could whip up a pair. Sure, I had made these cushion covers before (see 2009 & 2011), but this time I wanted something a bit fancier...

...I wanted the cushions to have velvet on the front half, a woven graphic on the back half, a fold, sunburst gold buttons and an invisible zipper. I recently had a similar pair professionally sewn for the master bedroom, so I thought, "If someone else can do it, why can't I?" As it turns out, I can do it :-) Yay, me!!

Ta-Da!!!

 

Please take note of the invisible zipper, which I have now MASTERED:

The Fun Stuff

Many of the basics at the new condo are complete - the furniture is in place, the closet is organized, and the artwork is hung. Now it's time for the fun stuff; the finishing touches, if you will. Once the drywall repairs are done (hurry up already, Edilcan!) the painting can get underway and the wallpaper can go up in the guest bedroom. Until then, I've been working on the little things, like these pillows I had made for the master bedroom (thanks to Tim for setting me up with a talented seamstress).