Diy Decorative Window Cornice

 Here is our dining room, very inviting huh...
 

Its been our painting-craft-throw all room till now.

We created a warm neutral backdrop with subtle triple color glazed walls

and large floor tiles with marble insets.
We invested in a large french country farm table and 2 upholstered chairs.

Its a nice start....

I wanted to make a formal decorative cornice on a budget of course.

 

I shopped for fabric and gathered my materials:

                                *Foam core
                                *T-square ruler
                                *Pencil

                                *Glue gun

                                *Utility knife

                                *1/2 inch thick Batting

               *Brown paper in a roll ( for sketching out my design)

                                *Long screws to affix cornice to the wall

                                *2 wooden rulers to attach fabric for the side panels

 

 

 

We measured the window, drew a few rough drafts

and came up with an ambitious design.

 

I folded the brown roll paper in half, drew my pattern and began to cut.

 

This paper tends to curl up so out comes the phone books,

See!!!! people still do use them!

 

Were ready to dry fit!

 

Hmmm.....It's little too ambitious...

Now is the time to make alterations to your design, so back to the drawing table..

 

Some minor alterations and we have a winner!

 

As you can see from the picture below we glued a strip of foam core

to the top so we have something to attach to the wall.

 

I cut the batting in the same shape of the cornice and hot glued. 

 

 

 

I aligned the fabric so it was straight and glued some more.

 I want to buy stock in hot glue!

 

I used a large ruler from home depot, cut it in half and hot glued my panels pleating them as I went along.

I wanted my flanking panels to be 12 inches wide.

It doesn't have to be pretty since its being hidden by the cornice.

 I didn't take pictures of the panel installation but we attached each one with 2 screws, drilling through the wooden rulers and
pleated fabricthen affixed to the existing window casing. 

 

NICE!!!

 

 

We dressed the chandelier by draping crystals throughout and

attaching them with black jewelry wire.

The picture does it no justice.

You'll just have to come over for dinner to see for yourself.

 

It really warms up the room. 

 

 

 This dining table centerpiece embodies the work horse that I am...

that.... and my son took this picture and wanted me to post it.

My future blogger!

 

                  

 

We found this beautiful scroll embellishment at hobby Lobby

and attached it with picture hanging wire.

 

The tassels are a nice finishing touch.

 

 

 We love the finished look and are ready for guest.

 

 

 

 

Upholstery fabric paint



I Love this chair!

Love the lines, scale, style, and price

 but..... it's the wrong color and the manufacturer doesn't offer it in different fabrics.
 

I've seen some upholstery paints and was a little leery

of the paint changing the texture of the fabric.
 

Thinking... Thinking... Should I ?... What if ?.....
Eh...Wrap-em up!

 

 

 

Close up of the chair arm.

It's a pretty gold color but its not in our color scheme.

I would like a charcoal grey.

 

I taped the arms and papered the wood to protect from over spray.
 



Hobby lobby had this fabric paint in the grey I wanted so...Here it goes.....

The fabric texture is slightly rougher but it doesn't bother me.

I Love the results!!

It was so easy you cannot mess it up.

The chairs took 2 coats a piece

 

 

 

 

Silk Padded Wall

 

Why would a builder stick a window in the corner on the Bed facing wall???

Symmetry !!!!

 

 

 

Here's the plan... Let's make it disappear

 

We covered the window with blackout fabric.

My supplies:

Measuring tape

Foam core

Batting

Fabric
2 inch strips of wood
Nail gun

and the all powerful glue gun 

 

 

 

We wanted a grid look so we purchased wooden slats and painted them

 with Ralph Lauren metallic silver paint

 



We found beautiful silk fabric.
 We measured, we cut, we hot glued the batting and Fabric on to the foam core. 

We cut strips of wood to size and nailed them to hold the panels.

They are snug as a bug!

 

We worked our way down the wall.

 

 What Window?

  

 

 

 Here is a photo taken during the day,

We still get plenty of light in our relaxing boudoir.

 

 

 

DIY Stain Staircase Hand Rails

It's been our mission since we bought this house to never see yellow oak again!

The problem: Light oak staircase... oh...and no carpet

Time for a makeover....

We began by taping the spindles and carpet at the bottom of the newels (post) to protect our new carpet.

Buhbye yellow oak...

 

 Before 

 

 Fab-After

 

 

 

  

 

This is one coat of gel stain.
If you desire a darker look this can be achieved by applying another coat.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Turquoise Armoire

 

My Husband just finished this beautiful piece of furniture for a client.

Love the color, the design, the scale, the damask stencil,

 I love everything about this piece.

And when he told me it is being used to hold shoes!!

I love it even more!!

 

This is such a happy color...

 

Great Jewelry Selection!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Family Portrait Spoof

Ever wondered how it would be to live in the 17th or 18th century?

Well... I was up to no good and with a little help from photoshop

I created a formal wall display of our

family in my favorite century attire......

Let's meet the family shall we?

 

 My daughter, who hates this picture, she says she looks like a dog with a head cone.

 The beautiful "Ginger"duchess, My mother in-law

 My sister the equestrian

 Moi

 Yeah...How you DOIN?

My bro in-law

 Love the curls ...Love the curls

 

Same brother in law with a new look

My gorgeous eldest Son, Heir to the Throne



My other Brother in law... The Arteeeest!!!

 Is this a princess? Or is this a Princess?

"IM A PRINCESSSSS!!!!

 My Lady...

 My Father in law who I really love him in this outfit

 Pops..

My beautiful "French" Puertorican gorgeous mother

 

 

 My Handsome Duke Mitchell the 3rd

 My other lady....

Young duke

 

Young knight in training
 

Last but not least, my cutie little nephew petootie..

the future earl of Missouri

 

I picked up french provincial frames at Hobbly Lobby and local thrift stores

 

The family loved it!