Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Fishy Business this Tablescape Thursday

Don't forget to check out all the other wonderfully talented tablescape artists out there click the side link to get to Susan's and check them out too;)

Last time I posted which I can't believe was much too long ago I showed off our deck addition. Well this week it's the deck all decked out for a little evening with friends!!



I guess it's a little tropical with the pineapple candle in the center and little fishies everywhere!



I never would have imagined that turquoise and red could look so good together but I think I like it!
















Aren't these the cutest little critters!! They were the inspiration for the tablescape!
I think they were $2.00 each at Target!














And of course these followed soon after. I actually picked these up at Christmas time or maybe even before then on sale at TJ Maxx, there were four different ones so I picked up one of each!







Add ImageStill trying to decide which my favorite is!







I think I like this one.. the best.... I think;)










But they are all so cute....








Casual outdoor dining with friends....









Hope you enjoy all the other posts at Susan's over at




Hugs French;)

xoxox














Sunday, June 14, 2009

Mini Met Monday

Go see other great Makeover's here at Susan's;)




Two years ago we added this addition to our very small back porch






You can sort of see where the original porch ended, my hubby had covered the porch with this canopy shortly after we first moved in...the canopy didn't last long and the color just wasn't working for me..the table and chairs were my original kitchen set and can hardly be seen here... but now..








This is what it looks like this year...we hd the canopy re-covered in a red fabric and the chairs were also covered in the same red to match..this is the view at night




Now we even have lights for the evening...music and even a fan up in the right hand corner to help not only with the heat but the bugs...;)

It is still a major work in progress but so much nicer to look at now





Hope you enjoy all the other Met Monday posts!!

Hugs French;) xoxoxo







Sunday, May 31, 2009

Met Monday revisited....sort of...

Check out the other posts at Susan's over here






















Before


















































Before
















After














Some of you may remember that I have been working on a few projects...I have finally finished the tables!!! and the chair which I love is finally almost finished just the upholstering left (phew)...sorry about the quality of some of the pics but they were taken at dusk and the light wasn't great....of course had to throw in a few garden pics too;) Hope you enjoy all the great Met Monday posts..


Hugs French;)


xoxoxoxox



Sunday, May 24, 2009

Who who HOOO are you?

A little nature from French's yard......hubby ran in this morning and said QUICK get your camera and come here. First, I am still in my jammies, second I don't go beyond the fence in the backyard....it's a jungle out there (ok not really but I am just not the outdoorsy type) it's all woods and a small creek...but alas I run off behind hubby with camera in hand to see a most spectacular view that even took my breath away.....we've been hearing this big critter for days now but finally got a bird's eye view of him (no pun intended)!! We also have a nest sitting on our front porch, I tried to snap a pic but it came out kind of blurry but you can just see a hint of a beak wide open waiting on breakfast....the other pics are of some flowers in the yard...hope everyone has a safe Memorial day weekend;)






Hugs and much love French;) xoxox
















































Thursday, May 14, 2009

Zimbabwe here it comes!!

There have been a few times in my life that I have been proud of my accomplishments...a few times I have given my time for others less fortunate...but for some reason I think this one little thing has made me proudest of all.......why you ask??? Simple...you see the bus pictured below? Well a week ago a friend of my husband asked if he could use our shop to store a bus he needed to work on since it was raining and because it was too large to fit in his bay....Well after some careful measurements and some incredible driving they managed to get this bus shown below into our bay. Why is it so important to me? When the man who owned the bus came by I asked him about it and this is how the story goes...to the best of my knowledge;) There were some people in Virginia that bought the bus with the intentions of using it as a Medical bus for needy people...for what ever reason there was some disagreement and after purchasing the bus it sat for several years..A local company bought the bus and got it back up and running in tip, top shape to send to Zimbabwe....as I walked into the bus I could just picture all of the people coming in and out of it...it gave me chills to think that perhaps this bus which we had sitting in our shop, was perhaps going to save the lives of so many children...it may be there to comfort people in need...it might be....well the list goes on....suffice to say that we didn't charge the company nor our friend to house the bus for a few days. After 2 days it was then being sent for one final check up and then driven to Charleston where it was going to put on a boat to travel to what seems to me like the other side of the world...hopefully to bring peace and comfort and good health to those in desperate need....Financially we can't do much to help others but sometimes the use of a space and your time means a life for others....Hope everyone is doing well and remember often it is better to give than receive;)






Hugs French xoxoxo

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Wordful Wednesday??? Southern Style


Enough said about that....here's your chuckle for the day for those that haven't seen this yet!!
I know the text is small but hopefully you can read it! Have a great day;)
Hugs French;)

Sunday, May 3, 2009

Mega things happening on this Met Monday



Please drop by and visit other posts listed at Susan's over here





These are just a few of the things we have been up to which has kept me away from blogging...doing the front yard









Planting some goodies...hopefully I will have good after pics when all of my bulbs are in bloom which aren't many but the first time I have ever planted anything!









The shop bathroom...since I am there all the time now I wanted it to look decent...





So it went from this to ...







To this...as you can see we are not quite finished but almost







This shelf unit was a maple and stood on the floor we cut it down painted it black, added mirror to the back ad some glass shelves and mounted it to the wall completely different look and makes the room appear larger by simply getting it off the floor;)














Then here are a few furniture pieces I have been working on...








These tables which before were cherry wood...








After hours of painting and sanding and a glaze coat they are almost complete









I will be inserting mirrors in the lower section to update them a little;)



Oh lookie a few things popping up;)




I think these are so beautiful;)








The backyard has just begun;( Its a ton of work



And this is only the one side of the yard (LOL)





This is the piece that so far I have spent 9 hours just sanding!!!!!











Here are two more tables and the chair after the first sanding








One table finished






Another one finished



This chair at the completion of sanding is seen below in several stages..


The order of these got mixed up a little this was at the end of sanding the other chair I had worked on...

The original seat cushion and flat back I decided to add the applique for more interest..






This was the chair before







This is the chair after in the entry way






A slightly closer view








The original company where the chair was made;)


Phew! Sorry this is so long but in no particular order these are just a few of the things I have been working on....It's been a busy few months and helping hubby full time at the shop has me scrambling to manage my time better, so it's weekends to do these things..... I hope everyone is well and hope to get around to visit soon;)


Hugs French xoxox








































Friday, April 24, 2009

Powerful Video.....please watch

Came across this video if you haven't seen it please turn off my music and watch it...pretty powerful stuff from such a young boy...Enjoy;) and in the meantime I will try to get a real post out soon!!! Hugs French xoxoxo:)

video

Friday, April 10, 2009

Help? and Happy Easter to All!!

Help I am having serious blog issues I have lost everything on my sidebar and have not done it myself this time!! I have no idea how to get it back up despite the fact that it is still in my layout!! I can't get to visit everyone until I rectify this please help if you can....As I am at a complete loss over here!!! Happy Easter to all since I can't seem to get anywhere without being booted either!! I need a techy!!!

French;)

Sunday, March 15, 2009

~~~Met Monday~~~











Another Met Monday hosted by none other than Susan at;)


http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/






I am showing a simple before and after with a few subtle changes in accessories...my bathroom before and after....curtains which I had made as seen here using left over fabric from the bedroom drapes...


Before it matched the color scheme of the bedroom which was in the blues and browns...


Now it's lighter and more airy with the whites and corals..




Moved the light fixture from the bedroom to the bathroom..



Still haven't found the right artwork but eventually I will... just used what I had in the meantime;)

Hope you all enjoy the Monday before and after's and be sure to check out all the others listed at Susan above or use the Met Monday picture in my side bar;)

Hugs and have a great day!!

French;) xoxo

Monday, March 9, 2009

United States of Lisa???



Tara an artist, a mom a wife.....



One of her alter ego's Alice...the June Cleaver type...




Buck the testosterone alter...the manly man....




"T" the sex crazed teenager with no inhibitions.....





Some of you may or may not have heard of a new television show called "United States of Tara". I fell upon it one late night unable to sleep and found myself completely captivated by the show! It's on the showtime channel, and well worth a look-see.... and here's why...



The basic idea of the show is simple, a somewhat normal family living in suburbia, and with an untrained eye, a "normal" family...HA! The main character TARA, has multiple personality disorder..she has recently decided to stop taking her medication and try to live her life as 'normally" as possible...*he he* Note, the series would be considered rated "R" so please take that into consideration if watching it.




Her main character Tara is the normal one...the one who had a terrible tragedy happen to her which caused her disorder, of which her husband is desperately trying to get to the bottom of..




She has a completely non-sensitive sister who merely tolerates her, but hates the fact that she seems to have all the happiness in her life...




Her husband is absolutely adorable.... and a very recognizable actor..I'll let you look that up;)



She also has two children.. a teenage daughter who is rebellious, and a son who is the brain but trying to determine his own sexuality...



So this got me to thinking......maybe she has the right idea because let's face it ladies there are days we feel like this right? OK let's see........



Blogger....

Sex kitten.....

Mediator....


Nurse....



June Cleaver homemaker "extraordinaire"




Cook...



Housekeeper



Decorator....


Banker


Accountant


Last but not least ......

Psychiatrist



I am starting to think that having Multiple Personality Disorder might be something shared by all women....maybe we just don't know it?? Maybe we need to literally "play out" those roles like she does and become "One" with the characters.... I mean what a great excuse...."Sorry honey I had no idea "T" used the credit card to buy a whole new wardrobe...or "honey I'm sorry dinner isn't ready but you know "Buck" ain't the cooking kind...



I think they are onto something here...

The producer of the show is Stephen Spielberg...I say it's worth the watch....just be forewarned of the content being rated "R"...

Tonight I was the blogger and I know I am way behind and trying desperately to catch up!

Well....it's late I'm tired and deciding which personality I have to wear tomorrow;)

Hugs

French;)
xoxox

Sunday, March 8, 2009

Met Monday Make-over

Hosted by Susan at the above;)





I apologize for the quality of the pics but several were taken with my camera phone and somewhat blurry;) My client's table and chairs were a typical traditional cherry set with peach colored seats. She wanted a more contemporary room, so we began with painting the chairs and table black and replacing the fabric on the cushions!



The room before...










As some of you know I have been trying to help my friend decorate her new home. I guess you could say she has been my first client of sorts. Her budget was only $250.00 so we did the best we could with this budget;) Hope you enjoy the pics....she is really happy with the final outcome and I guess that's what truly matters.;) There are still a few things she wants to finish accessorizing the room but overall she is completely ecstatic with the outcome!




The first step....painting the chairs

The chairs re-covered...what a difference! They look new again!


We moved away from the typical builder beige to this green color.. and I sewed the drapes which are a tan linen... and added some bamboo blinds!!


The piece seen here on the wall was actually a headboard from a bed but was the right price and feel for the room at a $35.00 cost!



Added some shades to the current chandelier for a completely different look!




Took an existing gold framed mirror and painted it silver...took some scrap fabric that I had used in my son's room and framed them for some cheap artwork! Frames were only $5 each at Wally world;)





The buffet is actually an old stereo cabinet and actually the radio still works! It had been painted black already so it matched perfectly...cost FREE!!




So there you have it....some paint....fabric and a few gently used pieces and the room has been completely transformed into a cozy, contemporary updated space!

Still a few things needed, but overall a huge transformation with a minimal budget and best of all a happy homeowner!!




Hugs and thanks for taking the time to visit;)




French;)xoxoxo



















Saturday, February 28, 2009

Fabric 101


One of the things I have learned to love is fabric..Above is one of my latest sewing projects....I fell in love with this material and have decided to make curtains with it...I want to have them in my living room...but that means re-painting and re-covering chairs...am I crazy??? Kelly has been the culprit to my love of fabric and she has been teaching me a lot about sewing...she is a seamstress...and does amazing work!!
Despite the fact that most of these I won't personally use I wanted to show you the fabrics and my thought process with each of them...let's see how different we each see things..

The above fabric is an ultra suede...perfect for recovering chairs or an ottoman..yes?



A tone on tone linen stripe this would make beautiful drapes....




An olive green chenille type fabric perfect for accessory pillows or re-covering an ottoman...




This plaid reminds me of a Ralph Lauren type chair for a stately type library or office.....what do you think?




Oh lookie here....toile that's beige and red with wildlife instead of people this reminds me of a vintage room that shabby chic cottage style....or maybe something French???





This beautiful linen fabric didn't show up well but is incredible in person, this would make beautiful drapes for a bedroom don't you think? Paisley look with greens, golds, so many options here.....






I fell in LOVE with this fabric the colors are so warm and the pattern is beautiful...imagine where and how you could use this....so many possibilities....







I love this fabric I think it would be wonderful with an Asian theme.....beige linen with raspberry roses imagine using it with a slate colored tweed.....how yummy would that be? or do you see country???









Once again my pineapple fabric...do you think it works with my British Colonial decor?.......
Hope you enjoyed touring the fabrics.....this is just a few of the fabrics we have collected...see something you like? See something you would want?? What would YOU be willing to spend for a custom pair of drapes? Just food for thought....I have been really busy lately buried in life...I hope to try and get around to see each and every one of you soon!! There are several of you so it may take a while but just know each and every one of you are always in my thoughts and prayers!!
Hugs and much love French;) xoxoxo






Thursday, February 19, 2009

Undercover


Too many things to keep up with right now...going undercover for awhile! Sometimes life just gets in the way of blogging;) See you all soon!! Hopefully with some good news and some new stuff and ideas!!!


Hugs French;)

xoxoxo

Sunday, February 15, 2009

Metamorphosis Monday

Be sure to check out all of the other postings over at Susan's here;)



I didn't have anything prepared so put I this together in quick order despite the fact that there have been a few more changes that I haven't taken pics of yet...This is was the original builder entry light...plain and simple with very beige walls




In this picture you see the difference lighting can make;)





This was how we originally had the entry set up...use what you have until you can put it all together..




View from the other direction...I wanted a new hall table and was having trouble finding one until...

I found this one...It has copper inlaid in the front and leather straps to look like belts coming down the front...the bonus was that it also has storage space to hide stuff;)





Found a mirror that matched it quite well style wise...were on a roll now!

That stark white door in the background just wasn't cutting it so...a half a quart of black paint and voila a whole new feel...now what isn't shown in pics is that the glass on the sidelites was changed to a patterned glass that looks really nice and removed the white muntins...

I really liked this piece and still do;) and it was liked so much that it was used as an inspiration on the Rate My Space TV show...we were the last episode of the first season and had a blast doing it!






View now from the front door...Still want to stain the stairs a darker color possibly change the spindles to wrought iron...always a work in progress...

I think G-mans' honey DO list is getting longer by the minute;)

Hope you enjoy all the posts shared during this Met Monday;)

Hugs French xoxox



Friday, February 13, 2009

Oooohhh and Ahhhhhhh "French" Style


When I get overwhelmed like I have been lately I have to take a few minutes to indulge in the things that make me feel good.....rooms like these take my breath away and carry me to a far off place where life seems so much simpler...

A place where the only decision of the day is what will we have to eat for breakfast?




A place where perhaps breakfast will be served to me before the sleep is washed away from my eyes.....





A place that feels like heaven on earth...where the outside falls into my lap and feels completely calming and refreshing....a place that washes away the here and now and promises of better days ahead....







A place that feels luxurious and...... yet so comfortable and unpretentious....


A place like this I could call home....Honey not this year but maybe next this is where we will be...

"I LOVE YOU G-MAN"


HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!


Have a romantic one bloggers;)


Hugs French


xoxoxox

Sunday, February 8, 2009

Metamorphosis Monday

You can see more Met Monday before and afters by visiting Susan's blog here

Hubby said the laundry room didn't look that bad and at first I didn't think so either...then I took a picture..typical builder wire shelving left everything open for viewing and I hated that..so a visit to Home Depot was in order.

Some paint, these cabinets, new lighting and a bit of work and voila! A completely new look! All for less than $300.00!!



The only thing that is new now, a new washer and dryer since mine went kaput a few months later! This is an easy do-it-yourself project that we managed over a weekend! Eventually we plan on actually expanding the size of the room to add cabinets and a counter for folding and extra baskets as well as a place for a larger pantry!
Hope you enjoy all the other Met Monday make-overs!!
Hugs French;)
xoxox



Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Tablescape Thursday;)

Welcome to our first Tablescape Thursday;) hosted by Susan over here;0)

So what does one do when out of ideas and dishes? Go to a friend's house of course and borrow their dishes, table, stemware, etc... for a few hours and snap some pictures;)


I knew that Kelly had several dishes and a beautiful room and table to display them on so I invited myself to play a little with her stuff;) See the detail in the cup isn't this sweet!! The dishes are a light aqua color so soft and pretty;)



It was easy with all the stuff she had to throw this together...I would stand there and say "nope...somethings missing" and off she would run and gather more stuff. (lol)




The center piece is a mirror she made that usually hangs in her sun room, we used it as the centerpiece...then we realized we had a theme of sorts and out she pulls this fun vase to set in the middle of the table... and look at the tulips isn't that kind of unexpected yet fun!





The crisp white napkins and rings I had brought with me and look they look perfect up against her setting!







This was fun and something I truly enjoyed for a day! A nice little escape from the chaos that seems to be following me;)






The wall color in the room even matches the lovely setting it's so soothing isn't it?








Look more circles on the candle holders!









Well I hope you enjoyed looking at something different today!! A big thanks to Kelly for putting up her stuff and her house for me to use and play with.... friends like that are "priceless"!!


Hugs and enjoy the rest of the tour as I am sure there are many lovely spaces to look at;)

Hugs and much love

French;)

xoxoxo













Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Need prayers and an Extra Warm Welcome!!

First, please say your prayers as I spent the last almost 7 hours in the ER with a friend who has been admitted to the hospital. He is my best friend and I love him dearly. We have been the best of friends since 1996 when I first moved here to the states. He has since retired and has been in ill health the last few months. He is my friend, my confidant and the kindest most gentle soul I have ever had the privilege of knowing.

Second, I need prayers for my family...it's been a difficult few months for me back and forth to the doctors and just when my specialists appointments were finally scheduled my employer cancelled my health insurance and have basically fired me..Yeah I think I need a lawyer...and the money to get one...I can't even discuss the hell I am going through...enough about that...

I can't be all doom and gloom so finally some good news.....


Third, my dear friend from RMS, (kiakai or Kelly) who I regularly talk about has FINALLY after much persuasion started a blog. This lady has taught me so much over the last year since we met, we took Interior Design classes and have also worked on a few projects together. She is my rock when it comes to design. NOBODY can turn junk into beauty better than she can! She is an awesome seamstress as well. Please stop by her sun room which she has done with a budget of $215.00!!! It will take your breath away. Have any questions about re-upholstering, sewing, staining, building, molding etc....... she knows it all and all the tricks of the trade!!! You can find her here at: please give her a warm welcome;)

http://muchtodowithnothing.blogspot.com

Much love French;)
xoxoxo

Monday, February 2, 2009

Metamorphosis Monday



When we first moved into this home we had no idea how we were going to tackle these huge cathedral ceilings and massive walls...however, I did know that because of the architecture I wanted the fireplace to stand out so we added the green color to that wall, the green is in the same family as the sofa. The new TV no longer fit in the armoire so it had to be moved to the bedroom and this is what I was left with...ugh...not the look I was going for, but time, money etc...you can't completely see it but that wall goes way up...


Then I had these mis-treatments going on too...nothing was working and I was becoming increasingly frustrated..then hubby and I realized other than the huge TV wall the problem was the fireplace it was much too traditional for the look we were trying to achieve and the paint needed to be carried on to that huge monstrous wall..yikes! I love my big round mirror and assumed because of it's size it was best placed on the biggest wall.... but thanks to some very patient ladies from RMS and a wonderful hubby that big bad boy had to be moved!



Finally, the look we wanted, cream glass tiles, a hearth and a big chunky mantel..and look the mirror fits much better here! All things by trial and error. Don't be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone and try new things.../a>I loved that big 3 piece armoire when we bought it and now those two end pieces are sitting in my garage...I need to find something to do with them but what??? hmmm that's a project for another date...



It's always a work in progress but getting there...I just wish that once I could complete a room from beginning to end without having to wait for the money to do it;) We are planning to add a header above the TV and add some much needed lighting for the space. This is the room we live in the most...but hubby says nothing more inside until we start on the backyard...it's a mess maybe one day I will have my tropical getaway back there...maybe....

All I know is that I am so lucky to have a handy man because if not we sure wouldn't have this much done;) Don't forget to check out more of the Met Monday's ideas just click on the badge on my side bar to take you to Susan's and the list!

Hugs French;0)

xoxoxox





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Monday, January 26, 2009

Tablescape Tuesday

To see more lovely table scape please visit Susan over here;)





Since Valentine's day is just around the corner, I thought I would take this opportunity to share my table scape idea for Valentine's day.



We often get so caught up with every day life we forget to take time for each other as a couple... between work, kids, and Tae Kwon Do lessons and violin, and PTA events etc.....so this is my evening planned for hubby and I.....



Just a simple and romantic setting for two.. did you happen to notice the little mini cake plate? It's my first one and it cost a whopping $4.00 at TJ Maxx;)




Candles, rose petals and sweets...who needs dinner????




A little Marvin Gaye playing in the background...and the kids are off to friend's for sleepovers...all is quiet....ahhhhhh




The dinner planned is steak with mushrooms and onions cooked medium rare, garlic mashed potatoes, and a zucchini/squash vegetable medley.




Tonight's wine will be Woodbridge Pinot Noire...



Take your shoes off, relax and let's talk about us;) Let's laugh and reminisce about the day's gone by......




Let's look at each other's eyes and remember what brought us together 22 years ago...





The rose petals are actually from a potpourri bag,...I thought it added the touch of romance the table needed;)



A closer look at the napkin rings with a small candy heart for my true love...








Layers of silver, white and red with simple black placemats.




The centerpiece is a bouquet of roses (shhh yes they are artificial)....but don't they look beautiful!



Last but not least the dessert being served this evening will be strawberry eclairs....delicious!




Don't forget to do a little something special for your significant other this Valentine's Day!




Hope you enjoyed the tour!



Hugs French



xoxoxox

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Metamorphosis Monday

Sponsored by Susan here








In the very early days of RMS I posted my bedroom. It wasn't nearly finished but I wanted some input on how to move forward. What I discovered very quickly were that several people were very helpful, some were just down right mean and that the colors of the year seemed to be---- blues and browns and they were showing up all over the RMS site.

After much looking and shopping and searching for ideas, I eventually was able to put this together. Much better than the previous. Yet, something wasn't quite right...

Ah, this looked much better....but alas I still wasn't satisfied with the final result...primarily because it didn't speak to my true style...The British Colonial style that I love...so after much research and lust over the bed below I broke down and bought the new bed...

Of course changing the bed meant changing everything else...Hubby continued to shake his head in complete disbelief at me...after all we had just really finished the bedroom after almost 5 years then here I went changing it...yes again!




I love the bed, and I love the feel of the room now. I haven't been able to get the plantation shutters yet, so I opted to purchase these shorter shutters from Craig's list for $35 and stained them to match the bed. There are so many things in here that Kelly helped me with including the making of the bolster, curtains and coral pillows. In fact she even helped me paint the room, she's a God send! For those that don't know Kelly is a fellow RMS lady that I met who actually now lives about 5 miles away from me;)


Love the look for the summer but still felt as though something was missing and then I found these pictures which I adore...I think they look wonderful yet don't distract from the beauty of the headboard, which to me is a work of art in itself!

I'm still not sure about this little spot as you walk into the room, eventually would like to get a flat panel TV instead of the big armoire... and want to replace the dressers as well...would love to have a spot for a leather bench at the bottom of the bed or maybe a chaise....yes I know patience.......



Found this fabric below and loved it! In total cost me $42 for 9 yards! Can't beat a deal like that and the colors and print really follow the "theme" I am trying to achieve.


I know the mirror looks to be hung a little low but if it were any higher I couldn't see in it (yes I'm short) but in reality the new chest of drawers I want is shorter and then the mirror will look better.




All in all it's been a great learning process and I am loving the changes so far....I have seen grass cloth and beams on the ceiling of one room and would love to try that.....maybe (he he) who knows what the next look will be! Hoping to get the real plantation shutters some time this year! Hope you enjoyed the tour! The bottom line is that I buy almost everything on sale,(well almost) but half the fun is the hunt isn't it? Finding that right piece, or fabric or pillow etc..?


Happy hunting!!


Hugs French;)


xoxoxoxox

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Wordless Wednesday;)
















Sunday, January 18, 2009

Metamorphosis Monday




This is the before and after pictures from a complete house make-over that Kelly and I done during our Interior Design class. This homeowner needed a complete house make-over with a budget of only $1500, for the entire 1500 SF home. This small hallway required 4 coats of paint! It was so dark and dreary, look at the difference with the after. Even the doors were painted!
Wow what a difference!

The bedroom before? Where to start? The upper part of the walls had wall paper and border, and the bottom half was painted apparently to match? Burgundy and gray on the upper with green and peach on the lower...what were they thinking?




The after, creams and tan paint, the bedding and curtains were something I had stored and pulled out to use for the staging, the set was plum and gray. The artwork, and black and cream pillows were provided by Kelly as was the idea of the backboard to hang them on! HUGE improvement. The homeowner cried as she walked into this room, she loved it!



The living room had been used as both a living room and a dining room, to maximize the size of the room we stored the dining room furniture. The lower part of the walls were wallpaper, and it was impossible to remove so we opted to add bead board and trim.




We tried to show off the hardwood floors which are the original ones to the home. The curtains were pulled from the bedroom and the addition of sheers let some much needed light in the room! The sofa and coffee table were things I also had in storage, we removed the theater sofa and replaced it with this smaller one again to maximize the space;)





This was the kitchen before! A mish-mash of items that didn't belong in the room, what I didn't get a picture of was the kitchen cabinets which were also painted!







The addition of a new but gently used round table, some new seat covers, and a table runner, some art work and a new but used light fixture which was a vast improvement from the previous fixture which was a mini fan? Unfortunately the budget didn't allow us to change the floors which we would have liked to do as well as remove the current blinds but we had to stay within our budget!







The bathroom before....so many things done in here, the addition of a new vanity and faucets, new grout, paint and flooring.


After, a new curtain made by Kelly, and some fresh new towels! These pictures don't really do the rooms justice because the after was truly a VAST improvement!



All in all the make-over was a huge success! We did this makeover for free! Sometimes you can't always have the things you prefer when confined to a budget, so you simply learn to improvise and use what you have. The bottom line was that the first person that looked at the house after the work was completed, bought it! We were very pleased with that as was the homeowner! Original listing price suggested per the realtor was $62,500, after the make-over she decided to list it at $89,900! It sold for full price of $89,900!



Success!



Hugs and thanks for stopping in!



French;) xoxox



Special thanks to Susan for the first Metamorphosis Monday!



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Thursday, January 15, 2009

The "Kilt" Question Finally Answered;)

As most of you know by now my husband is very proud of his Scottish ancestry.
His mother was born and raised in Glasgow. She lived there until she moved to Canada in her early teens. I love her accent, and it's still as strong as ever...hubby says he doesn't hear it!
He wore a kilt on our wedding day...and often people asked if he wore anything under that kilt...

And of course in true Scottish form he never answered....
It's time for the truth to be set free (lol);)

Literally!! (he he)
Now did you really think I would show you that? Not to worry no Full Monty's on this page it's PG - 13 for goodness sakes! LOL
French;)
xoxoxox




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Lisa (aka) French
South Carolina, United States
designer/decorator by passion.....
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