B”H
I got such nice feedback last time I posted an “unedited” design blog post. Some of you said, “it’s like hearing my brain talk” and “it’s the raw, unedited you”. Well yes, it is! And truthfully, just like working on ourselves is a process (and we talk plenty about this here), so is designing a home. Getting hung up on achieving perfection is a futile and somewhat self-defeating exercise. There is so much more value in actually engaging in and enjoying the process. So since we’re all about the process, let me tell you more of what’s been going on around the house.
I love plants and flowers in interiors, and orchids in particular can be so beautiful. But, they can also be so pricey and some times finicky. I have a few orchids that after months indoors, I re-planted in my front porch and although I had hopes that they would come back to life, nothing is happening in this 100 degree weather. Yikes!
But a few weeks ago, my dear friend surprised me with this huge double orchid as a gift! What!? Out of this world! A couple of days later when I went to water them, I realized that the two large orchids desperately needed a new vase in order to grow, otherwise, they would not last too long.
So I remembered this wastebasket (?) /vase (?) I had picked up on clearance at Home Goods recently. I really picked it up because I love the pink with the white trim and glossy finish and this peony shade of pink is exactly the one that I have in accents throughout my home. But, I knew the size was a bit odd – too small for a wastebasket, too big for a plant pot, unless of course… it’s a huge, sculptural orchid!
But my new found vessel for said orchid did not have any holes to drain the water out, so pulled out the widest drill bit I had and got to work.
Five minutes later, I had four holes – enough for me to re-plant my orchids into their new pot. I love how they look in here.
I still haven’t found the perfect spot for the plant since the room is still so unfinished and I’m working on the accent table situation in this room, but I’m really happy with this solution and the glossy pink plant pot with white trim.
In the mean time, I realized that the old pot that the large orchids came in, would be great for this wonderful waterfall orchid that my mother in law gifted me- which was also growing out of it’s pot. Oops I forgot to take a before picture.
Anyways, it’s the same story- I drilled a hole through the ceramic pot, and re-planted the orchid. I was a bit nervous that the ceramic pot would shatter to pieces but it didn’t. In this case I had to also hammer a screwdriver and between the hammering and the drilling, I succeeded. I’m planning on changing the color of the pot though (you probably expected that) ;-).
This console table is soon going to get an update, but this old image stored in the back of my design brain has been the inspiration for this work in progress nook.
The yellow Chinoiserie lamp is probably one of my biggest thrifting scores. I picked up a pair of Chinoiserie Paul Hanson original lamps for $10 each at an estate sale! These go for thousands of dollars today on ebay and first dibs. My husband keeps telling me to sell them. :-)
Did you spot our wedding picture back from the framers? It’s going up on the wall this week. I’m so happy with how it turned out. You can see the matting has a few shades of the same pink that I have throughout the room. I did not do that intentionally, it just happened to have worked out.
But while we’re on the topic of framing, let me tell you a good rule. Always frame looking for a frame and matting that work with the art you’re framing. That is, instead of looking to frame the piece in a way that will go with the room’s decor. I know it sounds counter-intuitive, but try it and you’ll see. If you frame with the best interest of the art in mind, you will always win. And the piece will go well in any room because the piece is complete or in its element, sort of speak. On the other hand, trying to frame a piece of art with the room in mind, instead of thinking of what is good for the piece, will most often not do justice to the art you’re framing, and you’ll loose. Now, in the case of my wedding picture I knew I needed a gold brass frame and black matting. All the white and off white matts seemed to dull the whole piece and I tried to bring out some of pinks and blush in the picture with the matting. It just happened to be that what worked for the picture, works in the room. ;-)
And finally, on the same day that I picked up the pink pot/wastebasket at Home Goods I spotted this blanc the chine lamp and I snatched it! Of course, this is not an original, but these are hard to find. ebay and estate sales are a good source for them. I think this one does the trick for now. I’m not sure about the shade it came with, but that’s an easy change. It feels too wide to me, and I think I want to go with a black shade, but I love the lamp.
And now I’m off to Fedex to pick up the art that will go on that wall. Ha! Trust me, I will show you. So excited for this one.
Oh and if you like the skirted table with the trim- it’s a DIY I did a few years ago (before I started blogging), and I still love. (I have a thing for anything trimmed, can’t you tell?) These were my inspiration images.
I had the perfect size dresser that someone gifted me, sitting in my garage unused. So, following Jenny’s tutorial and after ordering a glass top for around $35, my skirted console table was done. (The fabric was left over from a love seat that I had sent to the upholsterer.) Here it is again.
Do you love tackling small projects that make a big impact!? Do you enjoy the process of decorating a room over time, or do you need a finished product quickly?
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