"The Master Makeover: Week 1"

Hi Strangers!

I've been MIA recently but I have great excuses, really I do.  I've been swamped with great and exciting things.

For starters, since we last chatted I appeared on WBTV's Bounce TV to promote the Habitat ReStore's latest Blogger's Field Trip. 

We traveled to Hickory (my favorite place EVER) this time and it didn't disappoint.  For more on that little adventure you'll have to follow the ReStore blog at www.metrolinarestores.org/blog.

Thanks to the Metrolina Expo's Vintage & Antiques Show, I found myself in this month's Charlotte Home and Garden Magazine.  Yep! 

And now, in addition to working on the sweetest nursery EVER....

I'm currently running around trying to complete my master bedroom makeover in a mere three weeks.  An amazing opportunity presented itself last week and it requires that I tie up some loose ends around the house. 

There's nothing really wrong with my bedroom, it just no longer resonates with me. I decided to give it a bit of an update and blogged about it HERE.  Now, that the timeline has been bumped up a bit, I thought I'd chronicle the process here on the blog.  It was actually my friends idea but a great one nonetheless.

Each week, I'll check in with you guys to let you know my progress. 

For purposes of review, here's where the plan began. 

Week 1:

Ok, I've already had to veer from the original plan.  First, there wasn't enough fabric to get a custom tufted headboard and two sets of drapery panels.  So, I had to hit the road to find a new option.  I also changed the chair from a khaki wing back to a gray one and added these beautiful nesting tables I scored at the Habitat ReStore in Hickory to the plan.

So here's the good news....

I couldn't be happier with the fabric selections.

The embroidered trellis fabric is for the drapes and the crosshatch patterned fabric is for the custom ottomans.  I'll be using the animal print for Euro shams and of the Pyne Hollyhock that I blogged about HERE is the headboard, a bolster and a throw pillow for the wing back. 

The chair actually got picked up this weekend and is currently getting made over along with the nursery project rocker. 

Now here's the bad news....

I looked high and low for two chest of drawers, cabinets or demilune tables to flank my bed.  I mean high and low.  So needless to say when I spotted these beauties I was super excited, especially since there was a 30% off sale going on.  Much to my disappointment they had a little white tag hanging off them that read, "This Item is on LAYAWAY". 

What!!!???  Are you kidding me.  I could've cried.  They are exactly what I wanted and they'd look perfect with my new nesting tables. Unfortunately, they were taken and the hunt continues. 

I did manage to decide on a wall color, I think.  I'm leaning heavily to Oatbran by Valspar.

I need a little more fiber in my diet anyway.  Until next time...

Pinch Pleats and Penney's

My Grandma's house was always so nice and clean and well put together. She wasn't a plastic on the sofa type of lady but we certainly had spaces where we knew what our boundaries were.  She absolutely loved JCPenney, or Penney's as she called it. 

We spent countless Saturdays roaming around that store.  Of course I was fine with it as long as it meant I got something new and pretty, but when it came to the home section....total snooze fest. 

Well, they say apples don't fall far from the tree, and they're right.  After recently coming to grips with the fact that my coral kitchen drapery really needed to have a lining added, I started to rethink them all together. 

Sure, I liked having the pop of color.  I even coordinated my painted garage entry door to match, but lately I've been craving the more subdued. 

I decided to just look around to explore my options.  Funny thing is, when I think decent quality, ready-made drapes I automatically think JCP.  I'm sure it has something to do with all of those Saturdays. 

JCP.com

I have to admit after a short time on the JCP.com website I'd found more than a few good neutral options.  But I was sold when I stumbled upon these new pinch-pleated back-tabbed panels.  Nothing says custom like pinch pleats, and the fact that they had a back tab meant no extra hardware would be required and that = $money in the bank.

The great thing about these drapes is that in addition to various lengths, they also come in a variety of widths.  That was perfect for me considering four of the panels I needed were for the bay window and really only needed to be half width. 

So, I pulled the trigger and ordered them....only to discover they were backordered until March.  Of course they were, I thought.  Well, let's just say they were worth the wait.

 

I'm loving the more sophisticated look.  The drapes even inspired me to upgrade my rug.  I purchased an old faithful from Rugs USA.  I actually already had an oval version of the same rug in front of the sink.

 

I'd loved it so much that as soon as the 6" X 9' was no longer backordered, I jumped on it.  You can find it HERE

 

There's still lots to do in this space, but I'm pretty pleased with the results.

 

 

Now it's on to the patio.  Can't wait to share what's going on there.