Mish Mash Part 1... Formal Living Room Reveal

If you know me well, you'd think that my formal living room - the first room you lay your eyes on would pop out crying, "Look at me!  Look at me!"  Well... you thought wrong.  This room was one of the biggest challenges I've faced in my home to date.  Creative block after creative block, as I attempted to fill this room, it accumulated random decor and cast-off furnishings from the family room.  I avoided this area as much as I could.  You'll see why below...

Eww

I've sold off the entire sofa set on KSL Classifieds.  I kept insisting to the hubby, "Just get it out of here!"

My very first overpriced wall decor purchased from Tai Pan Trading.
This will stay in storage until I can figure out what to do with it.

With the eviction of the bulky everybody-has-one-just-like-it-sofa set, I became more aware that there was so much more potential with the room.  The space is 12' x 16' and holds a 16' high ceiling, recruiting Mr. Smitten for some help with brainstorming was a definite must.  We both agreed we didn't want our home to look like the everybody else's.  We craved for some personal touches that were unique to our taste: Extremely eclectic since we love all types of decor.  A major factor in this renovation was as always, budget.  We had some pretty hefty changes to make aside from the decor, that we had to make sure that we didn't break the bank.

So without any further delay, here is our Formal Living Room...

Have I caught your attention yet?

The only "brand new" purchases from this room are the paint, trim, flooring and faux plant (that came free with the flooring).  Everything else was either previously displayed in another room of the house, second hand from the classifieds, swap meet or thrift store.  I just added my own little oomph touches to make them look like they always belonged together.

Our Conversation-Starter/Wow Factor piece of art

I needed to "man down" all of the fuchsia coloring and searched for the perfect tufted masculine leather sofa.  Found it!  And I only had to shell out $100.

The records were purchased from a Swap Meet in the next town over in Riverdale for $1 each.  A 4'x8'x 3/8" piece of particle board, an old plastic gas price number ($0.75) and some leftover paint was all it took to make this art project a blast for the hubby and I.  This piece represents our love of music.

Finally, window treatments!

Nothing's better than a FREE monstrous sized piece of furniture that I can paint and get creative with!

My love for vintage knick knacks will never fade.

I love how Mr. Smitten will bring home great finds because he knows I'll fall in love with them.  The top left frame is now a home to a 1930s postal railroad route map he found while on a job at the very old Los Gables Apartments in Salt Lake City.

A project I will share with you very soon.

$1 globes I decided to hang from the ceiling on a whim

More frames and stunning original photography I discovered while browsing in a thrift store.

In a couple of weeks, I'll reveal the final result of my Kitchen and Dining area.  It's about 95% complete.  Just a few final touches...

Here's a reminder of the progress...

Original cabinets, flooring and counter tops - never a good idea to put three types of ugly together.

I never hated this decor, just grew bored with it.

Getting a little better..

Major improvement, but still not loving it.

Back to my formal living room, we've definitely met our goals:

Stayed within our budget

Got out of the Cookie Cutter Brown Color Scheme

and of course

Added whatever the hell we felt like and made the space ours.

xoxo,

~*Abigail*~

Mish Mash - Rules are for Sissies

 I'm back y'all!  This past month I have been finding inspiration everywhere - definitely something I have been lacking since late summer of 2012.  I had been going through the motions and smacked into a creative block.  I grew frustrated, decided to take a step back and a long break.  After much contemplating, I came to the realization that I need to break out of the cookie cutter rules and designs that you find in EVERYONE's home and do what makes me happy.  I feel no need to impress anybody, but myself.  It is my home, after all.

It's now 2013 - Break time is over.  My foot is wedged on the gas and the gear is stuck in 5th!  My ideas have been overflowing and I'm kicking down as many barriers as I can to make them happen.  If you love them, great!  If not your cup of tea, that's okay too.  I can only hope that I've inspired you to be true to yourself.


 Now a few hints of what's to come...

Industrial

What comes to your mind when you hear the word Industrial?

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Dirty, stinky power plants?

I see...

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The beauty of complex gears,

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The excitement of the city life with it's smaller homes and creaky pipes

Mid-Century Modern

Do you see

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Fugly overpriced Craigslist furniture?

I see...

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The nostalgic charm of diners,

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The excitement of "the future"

Question for you:  Have you seen the name Eames while going through the fun and "modern" maze we all call Ikea?  Do you know where most of Ikea's furniture is modeled after?  Do me a favor and google  Charles and Ray Eames.  You'll be surprised with what you find.  

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White

Do you think of

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Cold, sterile hospital rooms?

I see...

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A blank canvas and the endless possibilities of splashes of color.

Hmmm... sounds like a crazy mish mash of ideas, no?  It sounds like a whole lot of fun to me.

It's great to be back!

~*Abigail*~

Guest Blogger: Lisa... on Organizing and Storing Your Painting Supplies

Hey there, Smitten readers!  I have a treat for you today!  Organization expert, Lisa is going to teach everyone a little somethin somethin about organizing your messy paint cans and paint brushes (Yes, I'm talkin to YOU!).


Lisa believes in the power of storage units when they are used properly. She currently organizes storage units in Virginia Beach and Tallahassee.   Take it away, Lisa!

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Visit any home decorator’s abode and it won’t take long to find the paint stash. There are some that stack everything up until you have the leaning tower of paint cans, and others spread things out to make it seem like less of a mess. If you fall into one of these categories (or another messy one) then it’s time to get your painting supplies under control. 

Prepare for storage the right way

If you’ve ever reused paint, you know there is a right way and a wrong way to prepare it for storage. The wrong way usually involves just sticking the top on and stowing the can away.  Instead, you should take these few steps to increase the life of the paint. First, cut a circular piece of foil or wax paper and gently set it down to float on top of the paint. This will make sure you don’t have to deal with a filmed over top when you open the paint up again. Next, clean off the rim of the can completely and put the top back on. There’s nothing worse than struggling with the top of a can after the paint dries and seals it like super glue!

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When it comes to the paintbrushes you should also make some extra preparations. First, remove all the paint from the brush. If you’re using latex paint you can use water to get the paint off, and for oil paint you can use paint thinner. Once the paint is gone, clean off the solvent with soapy water and set the brush out to dry. After everything has dried out you can wrap the bristles of the brush in plastic wrap or newspaper to keep out the elements. Once you’re prepared to store, it’s time to get organized.

Organize and store

Now you’re ready to organize the paint and store it. Your paint should be stored somewhere with relatively constant temperatures where the kids can’t get to it. The garage is usually a good place, especially if it’s climate controlled. Depending on your home, you might also be able to use a basement or utility area for storage. I have a paint locker that I created from an old armoire, but anything with shelves will do. I like to break the organization down by paint type and color. All the latex paint goes on one shelf, all the oil on another, and all the specialty stuff goes on the last shelf. 

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You can store brushes in a variety of ways. I bought two hanging organizers that are similar to the shoe organizers you hang on the back of doors. I have one on the inside of each door to the armoire, one for each kind of paint. The brushes and other tools that get used with the “specialty” items go in old mason jars on that shelf. 

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Now you’re ready to organize your painting supplies. Good luck!

So are you ready to take on that jumbled mess that you hide away when company comes to visit?  I definitely did!  Thank you so much to Lisa for these great ideas on organization!  We all hope to hear from you again!

So what organization project is troubling you?  Leave a comment and you might see some hopeful tips in the future.

~*Abigail*~

Getting Antsy... The Planning Stage Has Begun

No, I'm not dead - nor did I hit it big with the lottery and moved away to a mansion where I sit sipping on margaritas, poolside all day long.  Quite the opposite, actually.  I am very much alive, still not a millionaire and have been slowly saving up my hard earned moola for my next room makeover.  I just couldn't figure out which room to attack.  It shouldn't have taken me this long to choose, since the answer was so obvious once I finally thought of it.  I pass by this room every day, three to four times a day.  I don't spend much time in it because well...  It pains me to look at it since it utterly bores me: a jumbled, no theme room with no oomph factor.  So finally, I have begun the planning stages of my Formal Living Room.

First, let's pick apart this not-so-larger-than-life space, shall we?

Oh, I'm sorry!  Did I just walk into another person's house?
Nope, it just looks like the same ol color scheme as every one's house in a twenty mile radius.

Still no window treatments...  Booooring!!

What look was I going for, exactly ?  I'm not sure myself!

*Yawn*

My very first overpriced wall decor purchase.
So overpriced that I'm going to have to move this to another room for a future project, I'm sure.

I'm not big on giving too much away (where's the fun in that?), but yes, I have chosen my 10% of the 60/30/10 rule.

Chartreuse

Oooohhh yeah...  This is going to be fun.

~*Abigail*~

Come and Stay Awhile... Guest Bedroom Reveal

Did everyone have a fantastic weekend?  Mine was extremely productive - So happy to have some energy back!  Those commutes to and from Salt Lake City have been whooping my arse for the last few weeks and the result was = no result... for anything!  

During my last reveal, my Living Room, I mentioned that I began yet another makeover project: the destination o' junk, future guest bedroom.  I felt bad that I often sent my guests to the sofa or to the den where a blow up mattress would deflate over night (sorry, Alex and Joyce!).  

Before

Due to budget restrictions, this took a little over a month and a half to complete.  Being the impatient person I am, this delay was utter torture for me!  Bad host, no more!  I present to you....

Our Guest Bedroom

I was giddy with joy this morning when everything fell into place.

What did we change, you ask?

Painted the room three different colors: 

Top Half: Treasured Moment by Glidden

Middle Strip and Trim: White

Bottom Half: Bali Hai by Glidden

To see where I got my inspiration see my Color Palette Inspiration post.

Installed new flooring

Threw away the "booby" light fixture and installed a new, more classic one.

Made my own headboard

Added some guest friendly furniture and fixtures

and of course... eye candy.

There's also an open bar in the kitchen, if sparkling water doesn't cut it for you.

 Now this room is fairly small.  It's 9' x 10', so purchasing a separate vanity was a no-go.  But where were my guests suppose to get ready?  I don't feel like having to share my own vanity in my Master Suite, no matter how wonderful my friends are.  Yeah, I'm kinda selfish like that.

No hurdle is too large, I say!  Let's just make one and still have room!

The most inexpensive built-in ever made!  Bookshelves, which I painted white : $20 ea from Walmart, 1' x 4' piece of wood and mounting pieces: $10 from Lowes = $50!!!  What?!  That's so cheap, it's obscene!

Stool: $5 from IKEA, Mirror: $35 from Ross

Just enough space for makeup and jewelry storage.

 Just a little bouquet I threw together from my tulip explosion is the front yard.

I am *smitten* with this journal!  My out-of-town visitor, if he/she chooses can write about his/her Utah experience and also use it as a mini scrapbook.

Lovin this fab $3 vase from Marshalls.

Aren't the pugs cute?

 Ever since my Living Room makeover, I've been eyeing the oodles of chinoiserie decor everywhere!  Maybe it's a phase of mine, maybe not.  Either way, I think they're fantastic!

Did you know the "Foo-Dog" is actually a "Foo-Lion"?  I like to research all that I'm obsessed with.

Touch of vintage and Asian-flair.

Just a little sumpin sumpin contemporary that I whipped up.

In Utah, you can have both city and excellent mountain scapes at the same time.

I made sure to include all of Mr. Smitten and my fave books.

My Maple tree and a few snips later.... instant jumbo vase filler and money saved!

My very first upholstery job.  Not perfect, but damn proud of it!

$35 elephant garden stool from Ross

...and one of my favorite decor magazines has made its home on top of it.

 Do you remember my mentioning that I HAD TO incorporate laser cut metal into this room, I just didn't know how?  It's kismet, I tell you!!  On my first trip to Homegoods after I had posted just that... I find this magnificent piece of art..

I find myself humming "Isn't she lovely.." every time I'm around her.

My favorite lamp to date.

A note to friends and family extremely missed by moi, this is for you.  

Come... and stay awhile....

~*Abigail*~

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