my best friend craig

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

2012-02-14T08:24:00.009-06:00

Hope your day is full of love and laughter!

* photos are from our wedding in Sonoma

WHITE BRICK FIREPLACE

2012-02-13T07:12:00.000-06:00

I've been contemplating on painting our brick fireplace in our family room white...

elle decor

decorpad

via from the right bank

unknown

apartment therapy

Do you love the look?

Shall I go for it?

MIRROR, MIRROR ON THE WALL

2012-02-10T06:44:00.000-06:00

I found a mirror for our ENTRYWAY REDESIGN!

Craigslist didn't disappoint...

art deco mirror

faux bamboo mirror {I have one in our main floor bath}

greek key faux bamboo mirror

antique gold mirror

vintage gilded mirror

another vintage gilded mirror

Thomasville mirror

gold bamboo mirror

bamboo mirror frame

Do you have a favorite?

Can you guess which one I got?

Yes!

I couldn't believe my luck! Just what I was looking for, and for $40! SOLD!

Have a great weekend!

A SHOUT OUT AND MORE PICTURES OF OUR LIVING AND DINING ROOMS

2012-02-09T08:30:00.002-06:00

Before anything else, I wanted to thank Abode Love for the great feature yesterday!

I realized that I haven't shared any updated photos of our living and dining rooms...

{I finally painted my dining table turquoise}

{Remember the federal mirror from the first bathroom redesign?}

Can you spot any difference?

Yes, I replaced the suzani curtains in the living room with white curtains to match the ones in the dining room.

I also replaced the jute rug(which is now in the family room) with a cowhide rug.

Thank you again Abode Love! And thank you all for the sweet comments!

Have a great Thursday!

ENTRYWAY REDESIGN

2012-02-08T06:29:00.000-06:00

I have been wanting to redesign our entryway.

Here is what I have come up with...

Currently, it looks like this...

{I hate these tiles!}

I think the black and white checkerboard flooring will add big impact to a rather small space. I plan to use 12x12 granite or marble tiles from home depot.

With the exception of the fabric and tiles, my goal for the entryway is to buy everything else second-hand (i.e. craigslist, thrift shops, antique stores, etc)

I already own a similar settee that I am going to recover with the Nanjing fabric in Jade.

Then I need to buy:

a nice pagoda/ faux bamboo mirror

a vintage umbrella stand

a sputnik chandelier or similar

accesories

I also need to:

paint the walls white

and

paint the handrails black

I am pretty excited to get this project started!

What do you think?

SNEAK PEAK: MY PARENTS' BACKYARD

2012-02-02T06:23:00.000-06:00

Hi! I'm back! Here are some photos of my parents' backyard in the Philippines...

The house was built in the 60"s. This explains my love of mid-century modern design.

It was designed by a famous Filipino architect, Lor Calma.

{water fountain}

Me and my siblings loved growing up in this house, I hope you like it too!

GOING HOME AND MERRY CHRISTMAS!

2011-12-23T07:16:00.000-06:00

We are off to the Philippines this weekend!

Boracay, Philippines

I'm so excited to see family and friends!

I'll share some photos as we go along.

But first stop...

Disney! Hong Kong style.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and yours!

CHRISTMAS CARD DISPLAY

2011-12-16T07:26:00.000-06:00

For the past 4 years, we've been displaying our cards like this...

I got the idea from Martha Stewart...

But I've seen other ways that are just as cute...

pinterest

both from martha stewart

all about you

Do you display your christmas cards?

Have a great weekend!

DIY: BUILDING AN ICE SKATING RINK

2011-12-15T07:04:00.000-06:00

First (and probably the most important), you need a level surface.

Form a frame with 2x6 boards. Here, we have 8 of them in a rectangle to make a 26'x32'frame. We dont even bother anchoring them to each other; just stand them up.

Next, we draped a 30x40' heavy duty WHITE tarp on top of the boards. Last year we used a blue tarp, which worked fine except that it was more prone to melting when the weather warmed up (A Blue tarp will absorb more heat)

Use logs or stakes (if your frame is on grass) to prevent the boards from falling over towards the outside and fill it with water! (the water/ice will prevent the boards from falling inward). It took about 3 hours to fill our rink up (about 1 1/2 to 2 inches of ice)

Wait for about 3 days of sub-freezing temperature(the colder, the better) and voila!

Building it was easy, maintaining the rink is another story.

Now, we just have to make our own home made zamboni!

OUR HOMEMADE ICE RINK IS BACK!

2011-12-09T06:30:00.001-06:00

Last winter, my husband built one for the first time...

The kids had a blast!

It was a huge success that we decided to try it again this year.

Now, we're just waiting for the ice to freeze and hopefully it will be ready by tomorrow.

Making one is pretty easy. No tools required.

I'll share a step-by-step how to next.

Hope your weekend will be as fun as ours!

CHRISTMAS TIME IS HERE

2011-12-07T06:30:00.002-06:00

Christmas is our favorite season! We usually go all out decorating.

I prefer simple and neutral...

My husband and kids like traditional...

As you can see, we did both! Everyone's happy.

18 more days to go!

Speaking of all out. Stop by on Friday and I'll show you what my husband built last year in our backyard. We are actually in the process of building it again.

Hint: It involves tarp and water.

Have a great day!

BATHROOM REDESIGN: THE REVEAL, TAKE TWO

2011-12-05T06:30:00.002-06:00

This is our bathroom now after the second renovation...

This is what our bathroom looked like when we bought the house...

And if you remember, this is what our bathroom looked like after the first renovation...

Before you call me crazy, I want you to read on and find out why I renovated again.

Don't get me wrong, I loved the original renovation. My problems?

The wallpaper

{water stains - cringe}

There is nothing wrong with the wallpaper itself. In fact, I would highly recommend it especially for renters. It really is an "easychange". It peels right off without leaving any marks.

My regret is not foreseeing the lack of a back splash for my vanity. The water marks just drove me crazy. Plus, I would probably leave the wallpaper installation to a professional next time.

I wanted to replace the wallpaper with another graphic pattern without dealing with water marks so I used the Zamira Allover stencil from Cutting Edge Stencils.

Next, the hex tiles

{dirty! another cringe}

(This is after sweeping, mopping and scrubbing!

My mistake? Using an off white grout and getting an unglazed tile.)

I was ready to replace the tiles when I saw this product at home depot

It is the traffic master allure resilient vinyl flooring.

The best part is the easy installation.

It goes on top of your existing flooring.

and it is so easy to clean!

I also replaced the gold mirror with the faux bamboo mirror from the living room. (I'll post more on the living room later, It looks different now!)

Not bad for pretty inexpensive fixes, right?

I KNOW YOU WILL FORGIVE ME...

2011-12-01T12:27:00.000-06:00

when you find out the reason for my long absence...

My 3rd! Sabrina Eve.

She was born on December 31, 2010.

It was quite a challenging pregnancy. I had the most annoying pregnancy related cough. Yes, every single day until a few days after birth.

Not to mention that we had the scare of our lives a month before my due date. I won't go into details, but I gave birth three weeks early to a healthy little peanut!

But now, I am back!

I've been doing a lot of house projects and I can't wait to share them with you.

Remember my last post? The main bathroom reveal.

Well, let's just say there is another reveal...

BATHROOM REDESIGN: THE REVEAL

2010-06-22T07:20:00.000-05:00

It is done!

Bye Bye 1980s

Hello...2010

The nude portrait is by a famous Filipino artist, Solomon Saprid, given to us by my parents

Mirror, Lighting and Vanity Change...

I really wanted to use this federal eagle mirror but the convexity of it made me dizzy.

I used this vintage mirror instead which I got from a thrift shop for $7.

The light fixture, baskets and tissue box are all from home goods.

We also changed the shower valve and trim.

{we still have to replace the shower door}

Here's another look at the before...

and after...

We had everything professionally done except for the wallpaper which I tackled myself. We spent a little over $2K for the entire project. Not bad considering the average small bathroom renovation ranges from $7400-$12,500{according to here}

BATHROOM REDESIGN: ALMOST DONE!

2010-06-18T14:16:00.001-05:00

Yes! All I have to do is hang the wallpaper, mirror and few accesories.

Such a big improvement...

don't you think?

Have a great weekend and Happy Father's Day!

BATHROOM REDESIGN: BEFORE

2010-06-14T12:46:00.000-05:00

Do you remember our plans for the main floor bathroom?

I am excited because today is demolition day! Here is our bathroom now...

Yikes! I know. More dated oak.

This bathroom serves as a powder room but there is actually a small shower across the vanity.

The plan is to change the floor tiles with these...

2x2 hex tiles i got from overstock.

Then paint the paneling white and replace the toilet also in white. You've seen my new vanity, the wallpaper and the mirror I am using.

The shower tiles are staying but we'll be replacing the fixtures and the shower door with a clear glass door.

Hopefully everything goes smoothly.

POTTED HERBS

2010-06-02T08:03:00.001-05:00

My daughter has been asking me to plant a "garden" with her. Since I have a black thumb, I knew I wanted to start small...

So when I saw this on pink wallpaper last week, I knew it was the perfect project for me and my 5 year old.

RED, WHITE AND BLUE

2010-05-28T06:30:00.002-05:00

house beautiful

living etc via decor pad

coastal living

country living

decor pad

apartment therapy

via mfamb

Have a very enjoyable and safe Memorial Day Weekend!

DECK IS DONE!

2010-05-26T08:08:00.001-05:00

You don't even want to know how many times we restained our deck(didn't like the first two stains I chose, oops!) But yes, it is finally done and I am happy with the result...

We ended up doing a two toned deck...

I think it matches the house nicely...

Now the deck is party-ready for the holiday weekend don't you think?!

CRAIGSLIST MONDAY: BEDS

2010-05-24T06:30:00.005-05:00

via meditations on life + style

1800's oak rope bed - $300

domino

1900's jenny lind bed - $195

decor pad

custom made headboard - $170 (any size/shape)

apartment therapy

vintage iron bed - $75

via little green notebook

vintage upholstered bed - $35

via design 2 share

lucite canopy bedroom set - $750

metal canopy bed - $200

Happy Monday!

The deck is finally done! I'll post more pictures next...

DECK UPDATE

2010-05-18T06:30:00.000-05:00

Just a quick update on our deck. Remember our pretty beat up deck..

After 1 coat of stain...

I am proud to say that I did this all by myself!{husband was out of town}

A second coat is recommended for durability. I like the shade I picked out but not loving it{hate when that happens!} I might have to use a darker, less orangey stain for the next coat. What do you think?

I'll share a step-by-step how to once done.

CRAIGSLIST MONDAY: ADIRONDACK CHAIRS

2010-05-17T06:38:00.001-05:00

Working on the deck this past weekend made me think of outdoor furniture particularly the Westport timeless adirondack chairs

this old house

I prefer the classic weathered look...

coastal living

but you can never go wrong with painted and modern looking ones too...

coastal living

via completely-coastal

country living

Sue of The Zhush wrote a great post on the modern versions of this staple chair.

No matter what size or shape...

pottery barn

flickr

unknown

via homework shop

the slanted back and the large broad armrests make this comfortable american chair a summertime favorite.

Now for my craigslist finds...

$50

$100

{these are made of vintage water skis}

$375

made to order -$159 each

cedar bench - $400

got this for...

$45!

By the way, it was a productive weekend.

Can't wait to show you my newly stained deck!

Happy Monday!

NEXT DIY: STAINING THE DECK

2010-05-14T11:10:00.001-05:00

I have been dreading this project. I don't have any experience staining and the amount of preparation is overwhelming (not to mention the size of it!). Whine.

It is the perfect weekend to do it so I have no excuse now.

Have you done this before? Do you have any tips for me?

Here's hoping for a productive weekend!

COLOR COMBO: GRAY AND ORANGE

2010-05-13T09:01:00.002-05:00

This is one of my favorite color combinations right now...

decor pad

The orange adds warmth to an otherwise "cool" gray room...

bhg

cb2

JMAN via flickr

jonathan adler

Love this dress paired with sexy gray heels...

carolina herrera

amy butler

I recently painted the Master Bedroom gray and I am adding touches of orange to make the space come to life...

I'll post more pictures once I'm done.

CRAIGSLIST MONDAY: BREAKFAST NOOK, BANQUETTE STYLE

2010-05-10T06:30:00.005-05:00

I love banquette seating...

decor pad

country living

domino via flickr

unknown

la dolce vita

Here are my craigslist finds...

breakfast nook - craigslist monday by my best friend craig on Polyvore.com

Antique upholstered loveseat with nailhead trim -$350

vintage oak dining table - $65

antique chandelier - $350

metal chairs - $20

two black and white prints - $20

OR even less expensive option...

{ I'd recover the bench cushions in a nice graphic pattern}

breakfast nook 2 by my best friend craig on Polyvore.com

bench - $35

table and 2 chairs -$50

pendant light fixture - $50

chinese art - $30

Happy Monday!

6TH PHOTO TAG GAME

2010-05-06T06:30:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Mrs. Chic of Chic Little House for tagging me in this fun little game.

This is the 6th photo I posted...

Among the white kitchens I posted, I think this is my favorite. It is the kitchen of decorator and antique shop owner Kim Fiscus. I love the mix of simple, muted palette and clean lines with a modern touch.

Her home definitely reflects that...

images via house beautiful

Now I need to tag 10 more bloggers to present their 6th photo. Since I am relatively new to the blogosphere, I am tagging my first 10 followers to show my appreciation. If you have already been tagged and done this...sorry!

A Tranquil Townhouse
Simple Comfort food
The Ingle Nook Decor
Princess Anne County
ELCE
Casa Bella Decor
I used to be Snow White but I drifted
After I finish this row
Varnish
Flourish Design + Style

BATHROOM REDESIGN: UPDATE

2010-05-05T13:58:00.001-05:00

I went to Sherwin-Williams yesterday to look at wallpaper options for my bathroom redo.

I think we have a winner...

AMY BUTLER WALLPAPER

2010-05-03T12:39:00.000-05:00

As you probably know, I am a huge Amy Butler fan. I found out today that she's launching a wallpaper collection for Graham and Brown! Yay!

apartment therapy

CRAIGSLIST MONDAY

2010-05-03T09:18:00.001-05:00

I want to pay homage to my best friend Craig so I am allotting Mondays as his special day...

room service - $1,295

craigslist -$90

via cote de texas

Happy Monday!

VINTAGE FINDS (part two-furniture)

2010-04-30T06:30:00.000-05:00

Do you love mid century modern? Check out my furniture finds...

I love this coffee table...

on sale for $125 (red dot means 50% off!)

Not your style? How about this for $52...

this Paul McCobb (even without the top) is a steal for $80...

These wicker tables would be great painted or as-is...

I love the intricate details of this round table...

another inexpensive glass table($40)...

end tables with mother of pearl tops for ($24 each)..

I've been on the hunt for a tulip end table...

YES! For $38, SOLD!

I Love this pairing...

Mother tulip...

this table is so versatile, any chair below would look good around it.

This handsome walnut set is locally made($1700 with the benches, $1400 without)...

Here's more...

Love bentwood chairs!

I'm thinking of getting these ($195 for 4, but wait! red tag- 50% off)

$25 each...

I'd recover the cushions of these chairs with a geometric fabric...

and these with orange velvet...

and pair it with the walnut table above.

Love the rustic industrial look of this...

nice as counter stools too.

I've been eyeing this lucite chair ($125)...

love the arm details

The pink and gray combo is cute...

Oh yes...

Did I mention that this store has 3 floors?!

Check it out the next time you're in Milwaukee.

Have a fun weekend!

BATHROOM REDESIGN

2010-04-29T10:51:00.003-05:00

We are thinking of redoing our main bathroom.

Here are my inspirations...

decor pad

Sarah Richardson

I am loving black and white + splash of color(maybe green) + touch of gold

So far, I have...

restoration hardware

a vanity very similar to this that I got at Homegoods.

and remember this vintage find?

Yup! Took it home with me and might use it for this project.

I think the key though is finding the right wallpaper...

Liking this...

My favorite now...

I thought I wanted to do floral but...

I have zero experience with wallpaper(planning a DIY) so I wanted to get the removable kind. All are from sherwin-williams easychange.

Decisions, decisions.

What do you think? Which one is your favorite?

VINTAGE FINDS (part one)

2010-04-27T08:49:00.001-05:00

I am fortunate to have several antique shops and flea markets in my area. My favorite is Fox Skylight Antique Mall. They not only have antiques but vintage stuff as well. Here are some of the things I found from my latest trip.

These frames($10-$65) are great...

arranged like this...

desire to inspire via decor pad

how about these doilies($2-$5)

framed ala Kristan Cunningham

via apartment therapy

or these maps

in your boy's room

decor pad

This lovely lady($750 + 30% discount) is surely a head turner and would be great in your entryway or a focal point in your living room

Antlers

for your coffee table...

decor pad

Federal Bulls-eye mirror($40)

over the fireplace

a perfect gray

Milk glass

for your collection

apartment therapy

Umbrella stands($39 each) perfect for rainy spring days...

ladder

for your shelves

southern accent

and this lucite lamp

would look great with a black shade

modern lamps

If you love vintage furniture, you're going to love the great deals I've found, next.

LAUNDRY ROOM

2010-04-23T09:18:00.002-05:00

Since we got back from vacation, it seemed like I have done a hundred loads of laundry and I have a few hundred to go! How I wish I had a pretty laundry room like one of these...

unknown

hampton design

decor pad

sirwal

It's great tp be home via flickr (above 2)

decorology via flickr

Sigh.

Happy "laundry-less" weekend!

COLORFUL SAN JUAN

2010-04-22T08:34:00.002-05:00

One of our stops was San Juan, Puerto Rico...

love all the colors...

and balconies

I would rent here...

stay here...

which is right across San Juan Bautista Cathedral...

live here...

overlooking this...

and this...

and few steps from this...

San Cristobal Fort

I love San Juan, would go back in a heart beat!

CARNIVAL: TURQUOISE GLORY

2010-04-19T11:08:00.001-05:00

We are back from a great vacation in the Caribbean.

This is only my second time on a cruise and was surprised to see these...

turquoise rocking chairs!

They are very comfy too.

chess anyone?

Who wouldn't want to hang out here...

or sunbathe here...

and read a book here...

or simply lounge with the husband here...

(I want one! Anyone knows where I can get one?)

Did I mention that this is the adult-only retreat area?

Carnival got it right, in my book!

More inspirational photos to come.

Happy Monday everyone!

GONE FISHING

2010-04-12T07:00:00.003-05:00

Time for some family relaxation...

Hope to post some pictures when we get back. Have a great week!

FAMILY ROOM

2010-04-09T07:17:00.003-05:00

You got a glimpsed of our family room before...

It looked like this when we bought the house...

We had the paneling painted white...

Spray painted and recovered the seat cushions of these thrift store bought chairs. Since I have no sewing skills, I had the back cushions made by a nice lady I met through craigslist.

I painted the bookshelves and mantle as well...

Coffee table, "dresser",

and this wing chair

are all from craigslist!

Finally...

the view from the kitchen.

I am still contemplating on painting the walls white(?) and staining the wood beams darker. The brick fireplace I am okay with but sometimes I am tempted to paint it white too! I want to know what you think. {Please take the poll in the upper right hand corner of this page, thanks!}

Have a great weekend!

OUTDOOR FURNITURE: KENNETH COBONPUE

2010-04-08T08:54:00.000-05:00

Kenneth Cobonpue is a Filipino designer who is known to create modern and sophisticated furniture using traditional and local sustainable materials found in the Philippines like abaca, rattan and bamboo. His designs are "basket-inspired" and all hand-made.

Here are some of my favorites...

Check out more of his amazing stuff, here.

"MUSICAL TABLES" AND DIY #2

2010-04-07T07:18:00.001-05:00

One of my favorite rooms in our house is the family room. This is where we spend most of our time. It used to be my problem room.

It all started with this tv table I got from ikea.

(pardon my dusty tv)

My husband wanted it placed on an angle so he can see it from the kitchen (football nights, you know!)

My problem? The furniture layout of the room. I didn't like the fact that the tv is blocking the bookcase and the sectional divides the room into two.

The "country" look didn't help either.

After convincing(begging!) my husband to change the layout, I moved the tv to the photo wall and used the chinese credenza because it is tall enough to be framed by the photos.

Perfect height, wrong width!

This leads to my 2nd DIY and another great craigslist find...

It is not bad now but the condition of the wood is not great. I painted it a nice shade of blue.

I followed the same steps as my dining chairs and spray painted the pulls brassy gold. It looks like this now...

Where are the 2 previous "tv tables" you might ask?

I moved the chinese credenza to the living room...

and made the ikea table into an entry bench...

Nothing wasted. Everyone's happy (husband included!).

WHAT MAKES A HOUSE A HOME

2010-04-05T07:23:00.004-05:00

Last week, A Perfect Gray suggested that we post ideas about what makes a house a home.

We've only been in our house for 8 months but friends and family are impressed at the amount of work we've put in to do just that. I believe by simply adding photos and personal art instantly transforms a house to a home.

My husband and I are both away from our families. His siblings are in NY and my entire family and his parents are in the Philippines. We have a wall of photos, old and new, in our family room to remind us of them. Sort of a haphazard family tree if you will.

For our 5th wedding anniversary(traditional gift -wood), my thoughtful husband gave me this...

A lovely painting of our wedding church(with our wedding car!) in Petaluma, CA

and I gave him these...

Stenciled portraits of our kids. It was actually pretty easy once you find the right picture. I followed this tutorial.

My sister in law gave us this when my daughter was born

It is a birth announcement painted in canvas. I love it! I think it is a great way of remembering the details of her birth. I even made one for my son when he was born

I've given several as presents since then.

Lastly, my kids' art everywhere.

The kitchen...

playroom...

the basement...

and papa's desk...

to name a few.

These are some things that make our house special.

What about you? What makes your house a home?

Thanks Donna for letting me participate!

NURSERY

2010-04-02T06:30:00.001-05:00

I got an email from fabric.com about their sale on retro and mod fabric. I had to check it out. I was drawn to the dolce collection. Particularly these 3...

And this Good Earth Maps fabric

My kids, now 5 and 3, didn't have their own nursery because we just didn't have the space then.

If I were to decorate a girl's nursery now, I'd probably do something like this...

girl's nursery by charmainenunag on Polyvore.com

I would paint the walls a nice gray color. Then I would mix and match those fabrics(which is $5.99/yard or less by the way) for the bedding, chair cushions and the window treatment. I'd search craigslist for a similar dresser and rocking chair. I'd buy the classic Jenny Lind crib in white. I'd splurge on 2 Jonathan Adler sconces and blue zebra rug(ok, maybe not. But they're fun!). A couple of DIY projects are in order. One is a cute paper mobile. There is a nice tutorial here. Then I'd make roman shades out of mini blinds (Little Green Notebook's tutorial here).

I'd have to add some personal touches like an original art and a growth chart like this that A Perfect Gray shared with us.
Lastly I'd install 3 white floating shelves for toys and books.

I would do the same for a boy's nursery but use these 2 instead of the orange ones...

So it would look like this...

boy's nursery by charmainenunag on Polyvore.com

There you have it! Pretty mod and retro, don't you think?!
Happy Easter!

nursery by charmainenunag on Polyvore.com

TURQUOISE

2010-03-31T08:13:00.000-05:00

When I saw this picture over at desire to inspire last week, I couldn't help but stare at that table!

Yes, I know. It is the pantone color of the year and is probably overused. I don't care though because I've always loved turquoise.

And then I saw this over at House of Turquoise

Don't you just love that kitchen island? And the touches of yellow?! I love, love this kitchen. Jen of The Little Things did a fantastic job!

I am seriously considering painting(instead of staining) my dining room table, yes you guessed it, TURQUOISE! I haven't told my husband yet, but hey, it's only a $40 table so I don't think I can go wrong.

Pardon the bad "paint it" job but you get the picture! I can bring up my parson chairs to downplay the color a little bit and of course remove those pillows.

I am waiting for the weather to warm up so I still have time to decide. Today, I am leaning towards painting it.

Do you think it's too bold? Trendy?

CRUISER

2010-03-30T10:14:00.002-05:00

Yesterday, I got my new bike!

Isn't she a beauty?! It is very comfortable too!

Don't you just love the butterscotch color and the purple trim? The cup holder and the basket are nice additions. Thanks to Jade of Pretty Pieces who blogged about this bike(over a month ago). I love it! If you are looking for a pretty and affordable cruiser, check this out!

SPRING INSPIRATION: OUTDOOR LANTERNS

2010-03-26T12:14:00.004-05:00

coastal living

restoration hardware

real simple

lonny

crate and barrel

You can get this one for $7. Here.

Relax and enjoy your weekend everyone!

DINING ROOM

2010-03-24T10:40:00.000-05:00

Sorry for posting this a day late but here it is

BEFORE:

AFTER painting the walls:

You can't really tell here but the upper half of the room is a light grayish blue(BM iced cube silver), the lower half and the trim white(BM atrium white)

The black and white photos are mostly pictures of all the apartments that we lived in as a couple in NY (where my husband is from ) and Wisconsin. Others are photos that are meaningful to us (Yankee Stadium, Wedding Reception and Church in Sonoma, Miller Park, etc)

I love this vintage chandelier but thought it was too small for the space

So, I (acutally, my brother in law) moved it to the Master Bedroom and replaced it with this

I like to add touches to a room that remind me of where I grew up. The capiz chandelier is from my native country, the Philippines. The curtains(which came with the house) remind me of the Barong Tagalog...

which is common formal attire (like a tuxedo) for Filipino men

It looked like this for several months.

The oak wood gets no love from me so I painted the outside of the hutch gray(RL medium gray satin) and the inside white(atrium white). I changed the knobs and pulls too.

I put a coat of wipe-on polyurethane to finish it up

I bought the pepsi crate for $4 at a flea market. Saw a similar one at Pottery Barn for $24.

AND here is our dining room now:

I still want to stain the dining room table darker. Any advice? Otherwise, I am happy with the outcome.

What do you think?

DIY #1: BEFORE AND AFTER CANE CHAIRS

2010-03-22T06:00:00.006-05:00

This is actually an old DIY project done several months ago.

I bought a dining room table and 4 chairs from a thrift store for $40! Since we entertain a lot, I needed a table with extra leaves. This one came with 3. I also saw alot of potential in the chairs.

I removed the cushions and recovered them with Amy Butler fabric

Instead of sanding, I started the project using liquid de-glosser. Then, I put one coat of Kiltz oil based primer. Finally, I used 3 (or 4) coats of leftover paint from the "White Kitchen" project.

(BM atrium white semi gloss)

I love the caning so I knew I wanted to highlight them. I painted them yellow (BM lightening bug

semi gloss). I followed the same steps as the frame and used an artist brush to avoid drips.

The result:

And here they are in my dining room

Not bad for a $70 project!

More pictures of my dining room tomorrow.

WHAT THE?!

2010-03-20T10:23:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was sunny and 60F

Today, this. Welcome Spring! Not!

INSPIRATION: CANE CHAIRS

2010-03-19T09:10:00.000-05:00

decor pad

apartment therapy

decor pad

The Find

My first DIY, before and after pictures...Monday.

Have a Happy Weekend!

"GREEN"

2010-03-17T09:51:00.000-05:00

The antique table, tripod lamp, coffee table and vintage painting all from my best friend Craig(Craigslist!)

Mirror and driftwood lamp from a thrift store.

Happy St. Patrick's day!

MATEO

2010-03-16T11:57:00.000-05:00

My precious little boy...

Is not so little anymore

today, he turns 3!

Happy Birthday, Matt! We love you!

LIVING ROOM AND MORE OAK

2010-03-15T15:15:00.003-05:00

I have mentioned it before and I will mention it again(and probably in the future) that our house is filled with oak wood. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against oak but my problem is the color... 80's yellow oak! It is so glaring and it outdates the house significantly. So the question is paint or stain? I chose paint only because I like the clean look of white. After having the kitchen cabinets painted, I hired the same painter(Bob) to do my living, dining and family rooms. Today, I am sharing some picutes of our living room.

before shots:

During:

(I removed the living room chair rail)

And after Bob left:

(taken in July)

Here it is now:

(I painted the stair spindles and will probably paint the rest except for the treads and handrail )

What do you think?

WHITE KITCHENS

2010-03-14T13:40:00.007-05:00

Don't you just love white kitchens?

I do.

So clean and classic.

With a touch of color, you can transform your white kitchen from being too sterile to warm and inviting.

Images from house beautiful

So when we bought our oak wood-filled house in July, we transformed this

into this

and this

to this

I didn't do anything major. I wanted to paint the kitchen myself but with a little research and help from my best friend Craig (Craigslist that is!), I decided to hire a professional. He did a good job painting the cabinets inside and out. Other than paint, the only thing I did was to reposition and change the hardware. The knobs are from anthropologie and the cup pulls are from overstock. Not bad, right?

I mentioned that our house is filled with 80's oak wood. I wasn't kidding. It was so overwhelming that I even submitted a question on Apartment therapy. Check it out here , here and lastly here. Thanks AT! You have inspired me to keep going. Stay tuned, this is just the beginning...