Beyond

How to make your SunPorch an Extension of Your Home

October 9, 2013

Being that I’m from Washington State, the concept of a sun porch was a bit foreign to me until I moved to Atlanta. In the south a sun porch is as much a staple as sweet tea is. Back in the day when a sun porch was decorated with furniture, it was considered a dressed-up patio. Today sun porches are being used in a different way, are considered an extra room in the home and people are taking a more serious approach to how they decorate this space.

While I still love a sun porch that has the feel of an outdoor space, my favorite sun porch rooms are those that are decorated as an extension of the home, both in décor and in usefulness.

If you’re lucky enough to have a sun porch and are struggling with how to make the space relate to the rest of your home, I’ve outlined a few tips that will help you out.

DECORATE WITH THE SAME STYLE OF FURNITURE AND ACCESSORIES YOU WOULD IN ANY INTERIOR ROOM OF YOUR HOME

Using indoor furniture on a sun porch is the easiest way to relate the space to the rest of the home. Upholstered furniture pieces will add softness, rugs will help define the space and add warmth, and lamps and accessories will add personality and create a true room environment.

Use decorative pillows to make the space feel cozy and add visual interest. Pillows instantly turn a sun porch into a relaxing living space.

Don’t shy away from dramatic paint colors on your sun porch. Rich colors will help the space feel warm while light colors will help play up the natural light and openness that most sun porches have.

Framed artwork will enhance the walls and add visual depth along with personalizing the space.

The all-white sun porch above is really refreshing but if you live in a cold climate the space will feel extra cool just because of the lack of color. The addition of a few throw blankets and greenery would add energy and warmth to this room.

If you love white, mix in some darker pieces to help ground the room and create that sense of warmth.

HANG WINDOW TREATMENTS TO CREATE LAYERS AND SOFTNESS

Using an abundance of textiles on your sun porch is one of the best ways to make the space feel like any other room in your home. Window treatments can add pattern and softness and woven blinds help to define the windows and add textural interest.

CREATE AN INVITING FURNITURE ARRANGEMENT THAT TAKES ADVANTAGE OF THE SCENERY

Most sun porches are built with lots of windows to capture the view outdoors. When creating a seating arrangement on your porch, use the scenery as the focal point and work your furniture arrangement around that. The use of multiple tables and chairs will give your sun porch a living room feel.

I love that this porch uses color as a way to play up the windows instead of curtains. The color draws your eye outside while still adding visual interest indoors.

This is a great furniture layout for this narrow sun porch. When the doors or windows are opened, the space becomes an indoor/outdoor space which enhances it function.

ESTABLISH A DEFINED PURPOSE FOR YOUR SUN PORCH

Other than a general sitting area, decorate your sun porch so that it has a specific use like a dining space, home office or reading room. Creating a space with a particular function in mind will make the room feel more apart of the home.

Although framed in brick, the use of a rug, curtains and a chandelier help to make this dining space feel like a ‘real’ room and not a porch.

HANG A CHANDELIER FOR AMBIENCE AND STYLE

Hanging a chandelier on your sun porch will add impact and make the space feel more homey.

ACCENT THE CEILING WITH PAINT, WALLPAPER OR A DECORATIVE ACCENT

Just like an indoor room, a ceiling treatment on your sun porch is a great way to help create warmth and define the space. Coffered ceilings can add architectural interest and make the space feel more like an interior room.

Dark ceilings will make the space feel warmer and more intimate.

When all said and done, the best way to make your sun porch feel like an extension of your home is to approach it with the same design principles you would your family room or living room. Create a space that you can live in year round and one that offers you the same comfort and sense of home as the rest of your house.

Fall Tablescape Inspired by a Woodworker

October 4, 2013

Do you have one of those friends whose talent is just off the scale?

The kind of friend that possesses a skill as a sculptor or ice carver or something that blows you mind every time you see their work?

Well, I happen to have several of those friends but one in particular happens to have some mad woodworking skills. He is so good at crafting things from wood that every time I see him I find myself saying the words “that’s amazing” about 100 times.

Meet my friend Jeff.

Along with managing a woodworking store and building all types of amazing things for folks around Atlanta, Jeff is in the process of setting up an Etsy shop to sell some of the smaller decorative pieces that he makes.

Not too long ago Jeff and I were having lunch and he was telling me about these candle holder centerpieces he was making. He described them to me and based on his description alone, I knew I had to get my hands on one and use it as part of a fall tablescape.

Here’s the piece that Jeff created. It a chunky slab of wood that has multiple circular holes that can hold different styles of glass vases and candle holders. I love that the piece is large and substantial and the versatility of the holes makes it even that much cooler.

The piece is crafted of mahogany and has a dark stain finish.

And here’s the Fall tablescape I created inspired by this beautiful centerpiece, made by my friend Jeff, a master Woodworker!

Instead of a fabric tablecloth, I decided to use this faux bois gold and white gift wrap I picked up at HomeGoods. Isn’t it just awesome? The pattern plays beautifully with the handcrafted wood centerpiece and the width is perfect as a wide table runner.

The wood centerpiece was a great size for the center of my table and offers just enough height so that it won’t interfere with conversation across the table.

Again the really cool thing about this centerpiece is that it can hold different types of candle holders and small glass vases. The holes are about 2″ in dia. and about 3/4″ deep so any container in that size works. Lots of the candle cups available at Ikea are the perfect size.

My place settings also included wood. The square wood charger plates I found at a consignment store. I layered square white plates (purchased last year at HomeGoods) on top of the charger and then added floral napkins from Target. They were one of the clearance items I recently picked up (4 for $4.88). The gold-plated silverware was given to me by my mom and it coordinates great with the gold of the paper tablecloth.

Instead of using just candles in the centerpiece, I used a combination of candles, flowers and mini pumpkins.

Small glass votive cups hold bouquets of fresh flowers and I painted the mini pumpkins gold and white.

The taper candles are placed in flared glass candle cups that fit perfectly into the holes.

You all know I’m big on layering my décor and a table setting is no different. Layers are what give the tablescape depth and dimension and the mix of materials and finishes add visual impact.

My fall table was really quick to pull together and Jeff’s centerpiece was the perfect starting point for it all. I love the way the entire table turned out.

I know Jeff is working on lots of other items for his shop so I’ll be sure to share more of them soon and let you know when is shop is open for business.

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you’re enjoying fall as much as I am.

Decorating with Trophy Urns

October 2, 2013

When you go to flea markets and thrift stores, do you have items that you are always on the hunt for? I surely do and one of those treasured pieces is a vintage trophy urn.

Back in the day, trophy urns were given as the prize to the winner of a competition. The names of the winners were often engraved on the urn and the urn was passed from winner to winner. At some point in history, trophy urns were also put into use as a champagne cooler. Today, trophy urns offer much decorating versatility which is why I search them out.

Here’s a look a different ways you could use Trophy Urns in your home for fall. Be inspired!

Most often you will find trophy urns in silver-plate or brass finishes which look great against the leaves of a plant or mini shrub that offers an easy filler.

For a more casual, rustic look, branches look great in an urn. I use to look for trophy urns without wear and pitting but I’ve come to love those that show age and wear.

Trophy urns are a great way to add a little sparkle and shine to your kitchen counters as a utensil holder. This piece looks great on the kitchen counter of Kim over at Savvy Southern Style.

I love the idea of using an urn as a pedestal for books.

And nothing is more fitting for fall then an urn filled with a beautiful fall arrangement or even a pot of mums.

And for a stylish take on Halloween, plop a white pumpkin atop your urn and surround it with cascading greenery.

Do you have a trophy urn in your home and if so, how to you use yours?

My Little Red Desk

September 30, 2013

You know that saying, better late than never, well I finally got my office cleaned up and things pulled together so I could show you my small but powerful workspace, the space where all the creativity happens.

I’ve got a space in my garage where I tackle big projects that involve paint and crafting but my little red desk is where I spend most of my days working on design projects, writing blog post and fueling my creativity. My work area shares space with a guest bedroom but allows me just enough space to do what I need to do. In addition to my work area, I have a large walk-in closet in the room where all my supplies, fabrics, crafting tools and Etsy shop items are stored. I like keeping my desk area clean and organized so the closet is the perfect storage option for the items I use on a daily basis.

A few months ago my desk looked like this.

And then I got a wild hair to paint it red and it was transformed into this.

Red is my favorite color so having a red desk was long overdue. To give the desk even more of a facelift I replaced the metal pulls with beautiful horn pulls and a piece of glass for the top.

Once the desk was painted all the other elements fell into place.

Above the desk hangs a large cork board that I made using a frame that was given to me by a client. Given that my mom taught English for 27 years, I’ve come to love the power of words so my inspiration board is filled with quotes that lift me up everyday.

Most of the accessories I use to hold pencils (I’m a fancy No.2 girl), scissors and such are vintage milk glass pieces I thrifted. The vintage glass lamp was a .25 cent purchase at the Longest Yard Sale two years ago. I covered the shade in a black and white print.

I bought my desk chair at a local thrift store for $7.00. It didn’t have a seat when I got it and the wood was stained an oak color but the frame was in good shape. I painted the chair black, had a piece of wood cut for the seat and upholstered it in a fun print.

The door you see in the background is the closet where all the goods are stored.

The mouse pad was a diy project you can read about here and the basket under the desk holds a few binders that I access frequently.

Between the closet door and bathroom door is a file cabinet I covered in a black and white stripe skirt. The TV sit on top and above that is a handmade piece of hand-painted fabric art my mom purchased in Africa when you took a trip years ago.

Framed prints I downloaded from Sarah M. Dorsey hang on a side wall.

One wall of the room has a gallery wall which I’m in the process of completing. And you’ve seen in previous post that I am a basket fiend so here are a few that hold crafting supplies and add visual interest to the room.

My work space is a definite reflection of my love of color and an eclectic design style.

So there you have it, my little red desk and where I work!

Thanks for stopping by today. Make it a great week!

Watching the Clock

September 27, 2013

I’m hoping that somehow time will slow down this weekend so I can get everything on my list of projects done. One of my projects just might make me go Cuckoo but that’s a good thing.

You see, early this year I spotted this image on Pinterest and fell in love with the idea of finding a cuckoo clock at the flea market and painting it.

Then I started seeing more fabulous images of cuckoo clocks in décor and my excitement grew.

And then a couple of months ago my thrifting adventures put a clock very similar to this in front of me.

I was at an auction and this clock was one of the last items up for sale. I bid, thinking I wouldn’t win it but shockingly I walked away with the clock for $20.

‘Yeah Me’ was my thought until I started doing some research and discovered that the clock I purchased was a 1960’s German Black Forest Cuckoo Clock and was selling anywhere from $100 to $300 on Etsy.

The designer in me says paint it but the Etsy shop owner in me says sell it.

What’s a girl to do?

I guess I need to add “decision-making” to my to-do list this weekend.

If this clock was yours, would you paint it and leave it alone? Inquiring minds want to know!

Bullseye!

September 26, 2013

How many of you knew this was going to be a post about Target? I entitled this post bulls eye because Target continues come out with awesome home decor collections with great prices and when items go on sale the savings are fabulous!

This morning I was out of the house early and dropped by Target around 8:30. It was such a treat to be in the store when it was quiet and little to no customers. As I wandered the aisles I began to notice the sound of clicking ticket guns. This is a sound that only avid shoppers are familiar with and one that is sure to make the heart best faster.

Upon turning the corner towards the pillow aisle I noticed a sales person marking items down and putting them on clearance.

I didn’t burst into a full run but I did push my cart at a more accelerated speed and starting digging through the pile of pillows.

After satisfying my pillow obsession, I wandered more aisles and stumbled across more and more clearance items. I was one happy gal!

Let me take you to my happy place..

This wood lamp base had the perfect aged look and was on clearance for $9.88! The shade I tried out on it was not only sale but was on $12.

These white pitchers are great and could be used for serving as well as flowers. They’d also be a pretty great Christmas gift for someone.

There were lots of mirrors on clearance including this classic square mirror.

The corners had metal brackets on them and the price…

Yeah baby!

Here’s another mirror and this one was only $8.48 and there were two styles available.

Loved these frames. They ranged in price from $6.49 to $10.48. I couldn’t pass up 1, 2 or all three of these.

The jars with chalkboard labels area great and can be used to store just about anything.

Lots of lamps are on clearance including these styles. All were less than $30 but most were between $10 and $20. That smoke grey glass one was so beautiful.

In addition to the clearance items I found there were lots of other items I wanted to bring home with me. Most were not on clearance but many of them are on sale now.

This mid-century modern style stool was great.

Cable knit pillows are definitely a trend for fall and winter and Target has a lot of colors at great prices.

This crewel work pillow was so pretty.

This grey and white ikat was definite winner.

And this grey and white pillows was a euro size.

If you like a little glam this pillow is stunning. The gold and black color combo is so chic.

And there are several really great chair and ottoman styles to choose from.

Target is really hitting the bull’s eye” with each of their new product introductions and even though I couldn’t buy everything, several of these items did follow me home.

If you’re looking for some new pieces for your home and want to save lots of money I suggest you make your way to Target as soon as possible!

Happy Shopping!

Stylish Bookcases in a Flash

September 24, 2013

Whew!!!! That’s all I can say at this moment! You might have noticed that I’ve been absent here on the blog for the last few days and you might have wondered what I’ve been up to. I wish I could say I was off enjoying the beach or taking a fun trip but that’s not the case. The fact is that I’ve got a lot of projects on my to-do list and they have kept me so busy that I haven’t found the time, energy or creative mindset to blog.

One of the projects I’ve been working on is a big event for a non-profit agency I work with. I am on the board of directors for the Community Assistance Center and I’m chair for their big fund-raising gala which is next weekend. All the planning and making the centerpieces for the table décor have me knee-deep in auction items, paperwork and paper crafting.

I’ve also been super busy working on the finishing touches of a e-design project which I’ll share with you soon, trying to add a little fall flavor to my home and finishing up a piece for my desk (I know I promised to show it to you last week). All in all, things are a tad busy in my life at the moment.

So now that you know I’m still alive and kicking, I did want to drop in today and share one of my favorite product lines with you.

We’ve all seen them…

those images of bookcases where all the books have been meticulously covered in beautiful paper or fabric.

And if you are anything like me, you’ve thought to yourself, I’ll do that with my own books and then my bookcases will look like all those other beautifully styled bookcases on Pinterest.

source

But one day you take a hard look at your bookcases and the hundreds of books that are staring at you just waiting to be covered and you think to yourself, there has to be an easier way to make my bookcases look pretty.

We’ll folks I’m here to share a great source for INSTANT BOOKCASE STYLE with you, E. Lawrence Books!

Several years ago, when my store was open, I sold E. Lawrence books but I had forgotten just how amazing they are until a trip to the mart last week. E. Lawrence has always had a great selection of leather-bound, classic covered books perfect for a library or more formal setting, but over the years they’ve added lots of stylish covered books to the mix. Their book collections are really dynamic and are a great way to add a strong design statement to your bookcases in a flash.

The Eifel Tower set is one of my favorites. Because the books stack vertically, they are great on shelves with large openings or on the tops of bookcases or armoires.

The paper zebra covers are just amazing and so chic!

They have lots of different floral covers which can add a bohemian feel to your shelves.

The ikat and flame stitch patterns are also some of my faves. Reminds me of something you’d see in Anthropologie.

The lighthouse covers would be great in a men’s study or young boys room.

Another fun floral inspired collection.

If you like a little color pop on your bookshelves, these covers with script labels would do the trick.

Abstract prints.

I adore this purse stack.

Classic with a modern edge.

And the looks go on and on!

While I’m always up for a DIY book cover project, but with so many beautiful books from E. Lawrence I’ll be saving my crafting skills for something else.

To see more of the book collections from E. Lawrence head here.

For those of you in Atlanta, the full E. Lawrence collection can be seen in the J. Douglas showroom at the mart, Blog. 1, 13-a-1 and E. Lawrence has a booth at the Scott Antique Market each month in the North Bldg.

This is not a sponsored post, just sharing a product line I really love!

Fall Fashion Trend: Jewelry with a “B”

September 16, 2013

Good Morning! I hope you weekend was super. Mine was great and I got lots done around my abode and even squeezed in a little outdoor time. Did you feel the change in the air? I surely did and can’t tell you how much I’m looking forward to fall arriving in full force. One of the things that I’m most looking forward to is adding a few new pieces of jewelry to my fall wardrobe. I’ve seen such fabulous looks in all the fashion magazine and it has me in the mood to shop. Good thing one of the items on my to-do-list this week is a trip to the gift mart. Just so happens that on the 7th floor of building 3 there lies an enormous showroom full of on-trend fashion jewelry. I wish I could take pictures of the showroom to share with you but it is strictly forbidden. But I can share a look at three fall fashion trends I’ll be on the hunt for, Bold, Bling and Bodacious!

BOLD

BLING

BODACIOUS

With the jewelry trends for fall such statement pieces, you’ll only need to wear one or two pieces to complete your outfit. This is the season to Go Big, or go Home and I for one will be going BIG!