it's all in the details

last week i showed you the ::how to:: of transforming my corner hutch

but i didn't show you one of my favorite parts...

i love how our M knob subtly personalizes the piece!

and next week i'll show you the completed transformation of the decor in our breakfast room...

have a great weekend! 

::how to:: painting curtains

one of the first posts that i read at cottage and vine was about how she painted her curtains!

they looked fabulous, but i thought i'd never have the patience for that project.

turns out i got an extra dose a few weeks ago because that's just what i did!

i seem to get the most done around the house when hubby and little one are sleeping...

i had been thinking about painting curtains, so that night i just decided to go for it!

curtains down from the window

i totally lucked out that the curtains i wanted to paint already had vertical lines stitched into the fabric.

made it so, so much easier to tape.

no measuring needed.

these drapes are from IKEA...not sure of the name but I'm sure you can still find them.

{1}

then i taped, taped some more, and kept taping...

until all the sides of the stripes-to-be-painted were bordered by nice even lines of painters' tape

{2}

next up, deciding on the painting surface.

the painting actually took place the next day, not that night.

options

::1:: plywood

too many tiny pieces

::2:: cardboard

too many ridges

::3:: smooth wood

just right

::hint:: always choose the smoothest surface

{3}

tester stripe.

the last thing i wanted to do was paint the 5 stripes (x2) and then not like my results.

so, i painted a stripe and then hung the curtain over the window.

i'm so glad that i did because i realized:

::1:: the curtains need two coats of paint

::2:: i need to sew a curtain lining to block some of the light shining through

{4}

finish painting the stripes.

i used a sponge brush and loaded up the paint. 

the thicker the 1st coat, the easier the 2nd.

{5}

let the paint dry completely.

i set mine out to dry in the TX sun for an entire afternoon.

the last thing you want is a masterpiece ruined due to impatience!

{6}

re-hang the curtains.

{7} 

fall. madly. in. love.

from this,

see how my hutch turned white

to this!

and that's ::how to:: paint curtains! 

i hope you've been inspired to go out and paint your own.

if so, please link back here with your post so i can sneak a peek at your masterpiece!

sharing this ::how to:: with

Debbie Doo's newbie party

 domestically speaking's POPP ,someday craft, blue cricket design,
shabby chic cottage, knick knacks, shabby nest, fingerprints on the fridge, tidy mom, 
finding fabulous, cottage instincts **

pillows, pillows, pillows. never too many pillows.

our first fight argument as an engaged couple was over the number of pillows we would have on our couch.

we were in the middle of a large furniture store.  we'd gone to get ideas of each others "style."

he saw a staged living area, and the couch had 7 or 8 pillows on it.  

then went on to say "we'll never have more than two pillows on our couch. ever."

i laughed out loud.

but he was serious. 

we politely argued our points in the middle of the store... 

until a nosy sales lady came up and asked if there was a problem.

he said we couldn't decide about the number of pillows.

she said to pick the piece of furniture first.
...which makes sense b/c her job is to sell furniture.

here we are 3 1/2 years later and he has a much softer side for decorating now.

as he takes pillows off the couch when he lays down he says,

"babe, i sure love your pillows."

wanna guess how many pillows are on our bed?

we have 9 ...but until the other day we just had 8...

{4 of the pillows are behind the decorative pillows. we each sleep with 2.}

do you ever have a moment when you walk into a room and wonder 

"why did i make that decorating decision?"

a couple of weeks ago i noticed that something about the pillows on our bed seemed off...

then i realized that i only had 2 euro shams and 3 sure would fill in the extra space nicely.

i ordered 1 additional green apple pearl embroidered sham from the fabulous pb

pottery barn

a few days later it arrived at my door.

i opened up the pkg to find my euro sham, stuffed it, put it on the bed, and ta-da!

what a difference it makes!

now i just wonder why it took me so long to notice...

i didn't tell hubby about the additional sham, i wanted to see how long it would take him to catch on.

it took about 1.5 days, and he is totally ok with it :)

**linking up at Tidy Mom's Lovin' It**

my lovely corner hutch

a few months ago i asked for suggestions on how to paint my corner hutch 

when i bought her from c-list she was a distressed navy & her colors didn't work well in our home

but her shape and size were just right!

i finally decided to paint her white and stain her blonde wood the same stain as the dining table,

now she's absolutely divine.

here is the story of how she was transformed...

{1}

we took apart the top and bottom pieces for easier access

{2}

we removed the glass pieces from the doors

and removed the doors before sanding

{3}

after I had sanded all of the areas using this handy dandy little guy from a previous project 

it was time to start painting!

{4}

i began with the brown spray paint. i wanted to distress the piece after i had finished painting,

so I sprayed the spots that i'd want to distress with the brown spray paint, knowing the brown 

would pop through once i finished.

{5}

next up spraying the hutch white! i didn't use a primer because i was hurrying,

but i wish i had because it ended up taking 2 coats and some touch ups.

but i learned from my mistakes - so next time will be easier!

{6}

when i began staining the blonde wood, i noticed that it wasn't being absorbed very well.

i waited the 15-20 minutes that you're supposed to, but still the stain was sitting on the wood.

i wiped away the excess and was left with this...

I re-sanded and even used some liquid varnish remover, which gave me this result...

and now i was definitely ready to stain!

I distressed some of the edges with medium grit sand paper, bought some precious knobs
1/2 off at hob lob, and hubby helped me put it all back together!

i just love it.

she fills the space and fits the decor of the breakfast room perfectly!

we filled her with wine glasses up top and serving ware down bottom.

now she's purposeful, too!

thanks for sticking me with me through this lengthy ::how to:: post!

**I am linking up at Domestically Speaking's POPP, Shabby Chic Cottage, 

Fingerprints, Savvy Southern Style **

my white plates, in a magazine

i'm not even kidding.

so it's not actually a picture of my wall of white plates,

but it's the same exact plates!

home decorators collection 

my breakfast room wall

in the home decorator's collection catalog, a set of 9 white plates is $139!
this is don't understand, considering that i purchased mine last month for $2/ea at a thrift store!
whatever the reason, i was pumped to see a similar display in a magazine!
i loved that they hung them with ribbon, too.

they use two of these in their arrangement

and a large and small of this star design, too!


have you ever seen something you found at a thrift store in a magazine?!

hutch help

this little corner has been needing a friend for a long time now...

 

and we picked her up this weekend!

 ::sorry for the funky lighting in all the pics that follow::

although she needs painting/staining,
i love my new corner hutch!

she is my newest c-list treasure.

 

::please ignore the drapes, they are squooshed & the rod is obviously too long 

i'll fix all that...i was just in a hurry to take the pic!::

 i love how the hutch completes the breakfast room.

here is where you come in...

i need your paint color/ staining suggestions.

i am considering painting her white and distressing the hutch a bit.

then staining the blonde wood the dark brown of the table top.

what do you think? is that too much white in the room? 

the red wine rack in the right corner was purchased for our original color scheme...

what do you think about the rusty red wine rack?  should it stay red or should i paint it?

should i re-paint the chandelier?!?

any suggestions would be fabulous!

thanks & happy monday!