be jane

I purchased this book the other day on a whim... What a purchase! It is a great how-to book geared towards women. It covers any kind of home improvement you may want to do. From refinishing hardwood floors to changing out a faucet! It's a great book for anyone looking to tackle a home improvement project... enjoy!

weekend finds

Had a very successful weekend on the home decor front! Saturday I went to some local yard sales and scored this great dresser for only $15! I think it'll be perfect in my guest room with a little white paint and some cute glass knobs.

Also picked up this cute side table off of craigslist! I'm planning on putting it in my computer room next to a chair. Just needs a little paint and some distressing! A great find for only $10. The shelf does have a break in it, but nothing a little Gorilla Glue can't fix!

I picked up this adorable little mail organizer that just needs a little cleaning. I think I'm going to use a little chalkboard paint to the side to add a little character. It'll be the perfect housewarming gift for my friend Angela.

secretary update

The secretary is finished! It was by far the hardest, most time consuming project I've completed to date but I'm so happy with the results. Here is what it looked like when I brought it home.

There were so many pieces! Here I started by laying everything out...

I started by using a standard spray primer after sanding every piece down. The old wood bled through in spots so I ended up using Kilz oil based primer. It worked wonders! It's going to be my go to primer whenever I paint. I used a bright white paint from Dutch Boy that was perfect! Lastly, I spray painted the brass hardware with a brushed nickel spray from Valspar at Lowes. In the end, I decided not to change the glass to mirrors. I really like the idea of having a display inside.. and it's so easy to change them out later! Here's the final result!

glidden giveaway

Glidden paint is giving away a quart of paint on their website! Just pick out your favorite color and they'll send you a free quart of eggshell paint! Here's the link! Happy painting!

https://www.glidden.com/promotions/free-paint-giveaway.do

loving...

I am truly loving tufted headboards. They really seem to be everywhere right now. I love how classic they are, but can be updated with a cool fabric. This one on the right is from Ballard Designs and can be custom made with a variety of fabrics. I love the classic white though.

This white beauty is from Pottery Barn. It looks so crisp and clean with the brighter colors of the comforter.

Restoration Hardware has this one... isn't it regal?

I love this turquoise one! It really completes the room...

Holly, one of my favorite bloggers from In the Fun Lane, recently made one herself! Here's a picture of the finished product. I absolutely love it! I see this project in my future... if you're

interested in seeing how she did it. Click here.

yard sale mirror

To update the $2 mirror I found at a yard sale this weekend I decided all it needed was a couple coats of antique white spray paint. The paint I used was Rustoleum and it literally only needed two coats to cover up all the gold. I love the way it came out and it's perfect in the guest room!

inspiration

When I first saw the movie, "The Holiday" I could not help falling in love with Cameron Diaz's Los Angeles home. The home that was used for the exterior shots is actually located in Pasadena and was designed in 1928 by famed architect Wallace Neff.

The home is beautifully decorated in true California style. A mix of both traditional, and casual pieces with a modern twist.


The staircase is absolutely amazing with the sea grass runner, the grey painted accents and the gorgeous ledges. Don't you just love the plants?






























The living room is a gorgeous mix of contrasting colors with the crisp cream walls and the dark panel curtains. The detail on the stucco walls is amazing. I absolutely love the white chairs with the brown throw pillows.




I love the way the home flows from room to room by using similar colors. Here, in the dining room another shade of grey is added to distinguish the room.

This corridor really makes the house unique and adds to the California feel. The wood ceiling sets it apart from the living room and makes it feel almost as if you're outside. I love the use of the large lanterns.

Here is the same room from another angle. The same details are continued out the french doors which go to the pool area.

Speaking of the pool.... That little balcony is adorable.

















The neutral color palate continues upstairs into the master bedroom. I love the mixing of different textures in the room, especially that shag rug!



















On one side of the bed is the reading/tv area. I love mixing whites and creams together as shown on the couch.



















And on the other side of the bed a more formal sitting area.

busy weekend

Had a very exciting weekend when it comes to decorating! First, I painted the guest room...

Here is a little before and after:




































The new color is "Dew Point" from HD's new "green" line. I got it color matched though at Lowes. I love the way it came out. In real life, it's more of a white with tint of light blue. So relaxing!



On Saturday I went to my first yard sale with my lovely friend Angela! I found this fab vintage looking mirror for only $2! I think it'll look perfect in the newly painted guest room once it's sprayed with a little white paint!


Lastly I made my first two purchases off of Craigslist. One was a secretary desk which I have started taking apart to refinish and the other was an amazing Louis Vuitton Steamer Trunk. I have always wanted Louis trunk to use as a coffee table and could not resist this amazing find. It may be too large for my living room and it needs a little love and cleaning but will be in top shape shortly!

secretary

For the last few months I've been searching antique stores, thrift shops and the Internet for a used secretary desk. Ever since I saw this beauty on Eddie Ross's blog I new I had to have one. After searching high and low I finally just found one of my own! And on eBay! Luckily, it was being sold by an antique store that is only a 45 minute drive from our home. As of Saturday refinishing this beauty will be my new project! I can only hope it turns out as beautiful as Eddie's. Wish me luck and stay tuned for the transformation!

Eddie amazing transformation:

*update - well the secretary I originally bought on eBay didn't work out... But I bought one off of craigslist yesterday so the transformation is underway!

mirror makeover

I was walking around in Homegoods yesterday when I discovered this brown mirror in the clearance section. It was on sale for only $15 since it was a little banged up. All it needed was a little spray paint and it was perfect for my entry table.

Here it is after a little prep and a spray of black paint.

And here it is on the table. I did quickly go over it with a little sand paper to bring out some of the imperfections.