Trellis Stencil pattern with metallic paint

Our Blurry Office..

We recently purchased a house and carefully chose the room

 that would be our new office.

Unfortunately, I didn't take a good before picture so

I used the poor quality listing picture, hence the blurriness

(Is that a real word...)

I've been seeing a lot of trellis patterns in interior design and I'm totally in love.

Lets do a featured trellis wall!!

I researched many stencils and chose cuttingedgestencils.com

Were impatient so out goes the blow dryer!

on cool a setting of coarse

It's very important to use a level when preparing a starting point

so your pattern stays level and consistent throughout

oh... and and tape the edge of the ceilings

Patience is a virtue...

We took more time making sure that we kept the pattern level

This is a before picture of the featured wall

I should mention we converted the closet into an open

space to place our office credenza.

Fits like a glove....

We used a metallic paint so taking a picture was challenging.

The pictures captured a halo.

Here is a close up shot of the stencil.

I made a padded cornice out of a beautiful rich metallic fabric,
 foam core, batting, pins, and of coarse hot glue.
I purchased buttons that could be covered with fabric, I then threaded a thick needle with thick thread and tied it on the backside.

I love my new office.

DIY Patina Antique Mirrors

Fireplace facing walls can be challenging....

 Let's see....
You can build the usual bookshelves,

 maybe anchor the walls with art, or place furniture against them.

I wanted something that was going to reflect light in our house

but not need to wear sunglasses.

We decided to anchor the walls with a dramatic installation of

antiqued patina mirror tiles.

This is a project that I've been waiting to do.

Behold the bare naked wall...

 When removing the silver from the back of a mirror I used a strong metal stripper(AMPS) and so the instructions stated it would require 70 degree's of heat or higher.
Impatient me tried it in the house and I almost fumigated our family, so.....
 I'll have to wait for Mother nature to bring it!!

So I waited ....and waited.....

Finally a dream forecast of 80 degree weather and most importantly SUN!!

I placed the tiles out on my deck back side up and rolled on my metal Stripper
The sun curdled the backing in minutes.

After I thoroughly cleaned them, I mixed and spayed the back of the mirrors with the patina mixture to achieve my desired look.

Measure ... then measure again, use a level, then measure again...

finally mark your points.

We attached the mirrors with heavy duty double sided taped.

You only get one chance to place your tile,

 there is no moving them after they're attached.

This was the effect... I LOVE IT!!!
You can go lighter or heavier with the patina product.

But it needs a finishing touch... Oh Honey Sweetie Pie!!

 My Hubby customized a stunning frame around the mirrors using 6 inch crown stained in an ebony finish with a pearled acid wash in the grooves.

Double stunning!! 

It's exactly the right amount of light that is reflected back to our living room

 

 BELOW: Before the mirrors were framed

BELOW: After the mirrors were framed

 The frames around the mirrors give it a finished and much more substantial look.

Well, it's been fun, and so our next project awaits us....

I've got an IDEA!!!! Oh honey sweetie pie!!!!

Kitchen Makeover

Some may know that I'm a realtor so we recently purchased a house that we are going to grow old and die in

In a Realtors years that's 3 - 5 yrs

At this point it's an addiction to remodel and sell

Let the games begin!!!!

This was our YELLOW oak kitchen and it's about to get a makeover

We wanted a modern french feel, not the bright white cabinets,

but a soft neutral off-white color with a charcoal gray detail glaze

This was our tile color before we stained it

It's not bad but we want to go with a grey color scheme

It's very "peachy" in color and it tends to stand out

Voila!!!!

This is the look we wanted and we achieved it

I love the fact we didn't have to demo the kitchen tile and break the bank

to get a look we wanted

We also added crown molding to finish the look

Whats a french look without the crown. no?

After we painted the cabinets the tile color didn't compliment the rest of the kitchen so I use a product called stain and seal.

I mixed a metallic silver with a ebony and created a nice translucent grey tone.

I cleaned and prepped the surface and applied the product right on the tile

NO PRIMING!!!

I then stippled it and use a very high grade commercial top coat

As you can see the grout took the stain darker

so it looks like a dark gray grout We love it!!

Tantalizing Turquoise French Provincial

We found this old little French Provincial vanity/desk on craigslist.

I couldn't wait to take it home and begin my therapeutic relaxation session

with paint.

It was old ... it was vintage.... it was dingy yellow and

it had a little girl's graffiti all over it.

You know what time it is???

It's Prime time!!

Turquoise is the happiest color ever!!!

We all have a color that makes us happy, right?

There are so many happy turquoise colors ,

It was hard to choose from but this made me the happiest.

I couldn't find a zebra stencil large enough so...

I made my own zebra stripe design with frog tape.

Ribbet....

I then detailed in gold metallic and purchased some black and white pulls.

You can't see from the pictures but I glazed the whole thing in a

faux effects gold metallic. I glistened in the sun.

I put the last finishing touch .... Love

I hope there is a little girl out there enjoying it, or a mom, or guy.

As long as it brings happiness.

The many faces of art

Do you have a teenager who is always bored ?????

I used to tell my daughter I was going to hire a full time clown

just to keep her entertained.

So I gave her a camera instead

It's amazing to see her perspective from the eye of a camera.

Meet the new photographer of the house,

Her name is Destiny

She is now currently attending a photography program and is hoping to attend the

Kansas City Art Institute next semester

So as a proud mom.... gush gush smile smile

I present this series of her photography this very talented, once bored,

young lady can range in.....

Real Estate....

Nature....

life....

portraits.....

nostalgia....

artistic....

Fashion.....

color.....

mysterious....

sassy....

happy.....

humerous......

commercial.....

pets.....

moments......

action.....

contrast.....

scale....

We even did the honors and posed for her