In a Design Slump? I’m Here to Help!

So I’ve been reading Rue and Apartment Therapy and Design*Sponge (among others) and obsessing over the new cb2 catalogs and vintage Etsy stores for about two years now. I decided that instead of nibbling my way into the world of decor like I’ve been doing, I’m going to take a big bite. I want to help you tackle your biggest design challenges.

My goal: help you make your home a better place to live

Everyone should feel as good as I did when I finally found the secret to making my living room a comfortable place to hang out (shhh: lots of lighting, a warm paint color, and appropriately scaled seating). If you have a space that is lacking character or comfort I can help you transform the space. If your home or rental feels like it belongs to someone else, or the college student you once were, I can help you make it YOU. If you’re on a grad student’s budget and feel like you’re stuck with white walls and Ikea forever, I can help you find affordable pieces and become a confident DIYer.

Your assignment: email me your dilemmas, let me know what challenges you are facing

Send me an email at justabouthomeblog [at] gmail [dot] com with a detailed question or request for a room mood board (for an example, look here or here). Even if you don’t know where to begin, I can provide a road map. I’ll answer all questions on the blog, and I’ll even recruit my mom, the decorating authority, if I’m stumped.

And if you’re local to the Bay Area, I’d love to experiment with full service design services: aka you provide the budget and I’ll make you a great room starting with the mood board and ending with the finished space (HGTV style!).

I always wanted to write an advice column, this just might be different than what I expected! Please send me any comments or questions you have- I’d love to hear from you!

-Liz

Design Love: Structural Chrome

I think I have a new obsession: mid-mod chrome.

I was doing some research for a mood board for Korin’s bedroom on etsy and found this fantastic chrome  fruit bowl. It reminds me of this West Elm table that I’m planning on putting in the bedroom mood board. Isn’t the bowl fantastic? Don’t buy it though, unless you’re making it a present for me!

Chrome Fruit Bowl from Etsy

I even bought a chrome ice bucket a while ago.

What are you loving?

-Liz

Pictures that didn’t make the Small/Cool cut

I took a few other pictures last week in preparation for Apartment Therapy’s Small/Cool contest (thank you thank you if you voted! and if not, click here), and thought I’d share them. First off, Daphne being chill (for once) on her new doggie bed.

This is part of the bedroom. I need some more art.

That chair is never that empty. There are always clothes on it.Another bedroom pic. Love love love that lamp and the fuzzy pillow! Please note my Martha Stewart business book on the side table.

Another picture of the living room with my Alameda Antiques Fair lamp and and candle holder, handmade pillow, and etsy GG Bridge print.

-Liz

Liz’s Repainted, Refinished or Replaced: Featured on Apartment Therapy!

Holy awesomeness! Today I’m featured on Apartment Therapy’s Small/Cool Home contest!

Brentan and I spent the last few days photographing the house. We figured it would be a great way to motivate to clean up, take some nice pictures and make our spaces feel nice– I didn’t really think I’d get featured. But here we are.

And now I need your help! Because I can win an iPad or $4,000 Home Depot Gift Certificate! So if you have a minute, please go check out my entry here, register on the AT website, and mark me as a favorite! While you’re there, check out a few of the other amazing entries.

Soon, I’ll post some of the extra photos that couldn’t be featured on Apartment Therapy.

Remember, VOTE FOR ME HERE! Yay!

-Liz

Korin’s Bold, Modern, and Geometric Living Room Ideas

I mentioned that I was helping Korin decorate her open living room in her new SF apartment, and I thought I’d share what I put together for her living room. Remember what her living room looks like now?

Ideas for her bedroom and den still to come.  Here’s the scheme for the living area:

Colors: Gray, mustard yellow, tomato red, and silver finishes

With the use of shades of gray as a neutral base, the living room will be comfortable and cozy, without the stark white of a new apartment. Accessorized with shades of tomato red and mustard yellow (which already exist in pillows on the current couch!), and geometric shapes as accents (a well placed cb2 cubist sculpture on the TV console to mimic the current geometric side tables) the room will have a fun, playful atmosphere, while still feeling grown up. The window wall can be covered with gray wall-to-wall floor-to-ceiling curtains on a track to soften the room’s geometrical shapes. New art (from 20×200) framed in silver above the couch match the colors of the room and the geometrical theme, and a red comfy chair can replace the ikea lounger.

Two bookshelves (like this or this or this) flank the TV to add depth and interest to that wall. Accessorize with silver vases, red and yellow flowers, and books (free up space in the den!). Storage baskets on the bottom of the shelves can hide TV accessories and other living room staples (games, blankets, etc).

Modern Geometrical Mood Board:

Sources for Mood Board:

CB2 Parlour Chair $699

West Elm Geo side tables (already owns)

Art from 20×200 $50

West Elm gray sofa (already owns)

West Elm Bello Shag Rug $849 for a 9×12

Yellow chevron pillow from etsy $26

What do you think? Would you decorate using a plan like this?

-Liz

Designing for Korin’s SF Sunny Modern Apartment

I’m helping out Korin, who just bought a fabulous new condo in downtown San Francisco, decorate her new place.  She already has a few fantastic pieces (check out those geometrical side tables!), but wants a little help with wall color and tying everything together.

Here are a few pictures of her living and dining area. I’m putting together some ideas, and will share them once they’re together.

I love her big window, it lets in so much light. And her wood floors are pretty, and it’s just a big, wide open space. Which makes it a bit harder to try to make the area cozy, comfy, and modern, which is what she’s going for. Well, it’s well on it’s way to being modern, but I think some nice textured wall to wall gray curtains on that window wall will make things feel cozy and comfy. Korin and I both like the feel of this room, so I think I’ll suggest a few similar elements.

What would you add to make this room fun and comfortable?

-Liz

Dedicated to Daphne

A few weeks ago Design Sponge showcased many of the DS blogger pets, explaining that those cats and dogs continually kept their caretakers company as they blogged away the day in their home offices. It was really cute, and fun looking at bloggers adorable animals, but brought up the fact that these pets are more than just animals–they’re friends.

Today my dog and friend, Daphne, was diagnosed with Addison’s disease. It is hopefully a positive end after a difficult, roller coaster ride during past few weeks.  Daphne has been strong, and patient with multiple trips to the vet, several nights of overnight hospital stays with an IV, and bouts of not eating or drinking.

It started a few weeks ago, after a (what seemed like a minor) head injury led to Daphne to act abnormally–she was lethargic, not eating, and not relishing her walks in the same way. We took her into the vet, had several tests run, and she came home. She completely stopped eating the next day, and hid out behind her dog house. Brentan and I were worried she wouldn’t make it. But we brought her back to the vet, who immediately put her on an IV and steroids and antibiotics. She was there for three days, and they ran more tests, including xrays, urine, and blood.

She made a near miraculous recovery and came home.

Daphne was fine for about a week. But then she stopped eating again. We took her back and the vet suggested an ultrasound done by a specialist. This is when he brought up Addison’s disease, and also the possibility of a tumor, or problems with the pancreas. We couldn’t refuse the $650 ultrasound with the promise of a diagnosis. We wanted Daphne to be back to herself, jumping at the prospect of food, pulling ahead of us as she went for her walk, and running around off leash at the park. The specialist, as well as a few other vets, said Addison’s. Today, her test came back today positive.

While Addison’s can be deadly if untreated it is luckily easily treatable. She’ll need regular injections and careful stress monitoring, but it is so exciting at the prospect of getting my dog back. I’m sure there will be more struggles with this but is nice to have a diagnosis.

I hope your pets and friends and families are well and stay well, but if the worst happens and a pet needs care, here’s what I’ve learned:

• Dedicate savings for emergency pet care. In the end, the whole process for Daphne will cost over $3,000. I’m not sure what ongoing medicine will cost. If Brentan and I did not have money in the bank for this situation, I would have been torn up inside. You don’t want to be in a situation when care is available for your dying pet and you don’t have the money to pay for it. If you can’t save, buy pet insurance.
• Don’t hesitate to go to the vet. Yes, you know your pet best, and can do research online, but a vet can bring up scenarios and treatments that you don’t know about. If you’re in doubt, call the vet! When you meet with her, mention anything and everything out of the ordinary
• But don’t hesitate to question the vet about the tests and treatments they offer. Our vet was quick to try every test possible, and frankly, we couldn’t afford everything. He wanted to be thorough, but we needed to know what could wait and what couldn’t. Ask what is the most pressing, the most important, and understand why and how they diagnose and treat as they go.
• Find a vet and clinic you trust. Our vet called us at night, in the morning, and was available on our schedule. We asked questions and he always had a good answer. And Daphne wasn’t scared of him, like she was of all the previous vets she met. In addition to a good vet, we trusted the vet techs at the clinic. They got to know Daphne, and would give us updates whenever we stopped by. They hand fed her. They sat with her. They were the best surrogate owners we could ask for, and I thank them so much.

I hope Daphne’s coming home tonight, and I hope the rest of this process goes smoothly.

Give your dog or cat (or bird or iguana) an extra treat or belly rub for me today. You won’t want to miss it when you can’t.

Here’s to being such a trooper, Daphne!

-Liz

I am grateful…

Ranunculus from Sarah's Garden

“I am grateful for the lawn that needs mowing, windows that need cleaning, and floors that need waxing because it means I have a home.”  ~Author Unknown

Scouring the Alameda Antiques Fair: Finding a Good Booth or Seller

Cute nightstands that I bought

Alameda Antique Fair: April 2011 Edition

I was on the lookout for some cute nightstands for my bedroom yesterday at the Alameda Antiques fair. And I found them! I’m not sure if the top will stay green, but the color definitely helped them pop out at the fair. I’m hoping to put some sconces on the wall above the matching tables, like these from Pottery Barn, so I don’t have to keep Brentan awake with my crossword puzzle nighttime activities all the time.

I went to the antiques fair with Sarah, who was looking for new light fixtures for her house, and her friends Maryanne  and Sam. I ‘did’ the fair a little differently than usual, thanks to Maryanne’s insider tip of starting at the back, and it was successful. Everyone found a little something.

And I  discovered how important it is to find a good booth.

There are several kinds of booths and sellers at the antiques fair. Among them are:

• The Minimalist. Usually just a guy and a his truck full of random stuff, or the woman with a card table full of knicknacks. Generally low prices, and not usually stuff I’m looking for.
• The Haute Couture. Heavily styled. Usually full of French linens, boudoir items, and fashion stuff. They put a lot of work into creating an image for themselves and curating a beautiful selection of products, and you will pay for it. Pretty pretty eye candy and out of my budget.
• The Danish Modern. Full of Danish modern and 60′s teak furniture and accessories. Sarah and I drool as we pass, perhaps sit in a chair or sofa, but know that we already have beautiful teak pieces at home (and the best place to find theses pieces is Craigslist).
• The Specialty Shop. This seller only sells one thing. Like vintage telephones. Or antique hardware (see below). Or beer steins (not kidding, there is a booth that only sells beer steins!)

Knobs and knobs

However, the best booth is the Sweet Spot booth. That is where I found the nightstands. Practical prices, fun, pretty items, and stuff you just really want.

These tables just called to me, but another woman was contemplating buying them. As she hemmed and hawed with her friend, I overheard the (completely reasonable) price of $80 for both looking around at the rest of the booth,  and praying she would decide against them. I also discovered these gems: 60′s silver rimmed glasses, perfect for my bar! She passed, and I managed to negotiate the seller to throw in the glasses for free! Score one for me.

Cone glasses from the 60's--perfect for my bar!

When you come across a good booth (or any decent seller, really):

• Check out all of their items. Some things might be hidden. If I didn’t look around, I wouldn’t have found perfect new bar ware.
• Ask them to hold the stuff you’ve just bought. Most sellers will honor this, and not make you carry around tons of stuff.
• Bring your friends back to check it out. If you saw something you liked, they might too. Sarah and Maryanne found things when I went back to pick up the tables before we left.
• Negotiate price. Or suggest a deal. At a different booth, Sarah got a great deal on a set of plates by asking for a discount on buying four. The seller originally asked for $8 a piece, but she negotiated it down to $23 for 4 ($5.75/plate).
• Go back! Ask for their card, make a note of their location, and buy again next month. They’ll appreciate the business, and you’ll appreciate the selection.
• And of course, smile, be friendly, and chatty. You’ll feel good, they’ll feel good, and you might get a good deal for being so gosh darn cute.

-Liz

Most Amazing Mid-Century House Restoration

Photo by Phillip Newton, via Design*Sponge

If you like mid-century architecture and furniture at all, or even if you just like pretty homes, take a look at Phillip Newton’s Sneak Peak house tour over on Design Sponge.

Oh em gee freaking amazing.

I drool.

It is my dream some day to live in a house like this. I think Brentan would be happier in a cozy bungalow, but I want a sprawling, low, rancher with cantilevers, Danish furniture and wide windows. That preferably look out onto a tranquil pool or some city lights.

-Liz