Reading blogs can be good

As it happened, at the exact time one blogger was giving a heads-up to another blogger about an auction in Virginia, I was reading that blog and as it happened, I was soon to be on my way from the north to the south with a planned stop in that exact part of Virginia at the exact time the auction was taking place. And, as it happened, Mr. Man say, sure honey, we can spend the whole day at the auction.

So we did. And I won a few things.

vintage wool blanket

  some kind of oddish lamp that nobody else wanted

desk chair

the exact desk chair I wanted

at a decent price

authentic

a vase

not nearly big enough

so, why can’t I find big, jumbo accessories?

why?

I'm about to get busy

decorating and blogging. I have a number of projects on tap, and now, maybe time to get them done. I hope to be blogging from the new and improved Design Junkies, too, at designjunkiesblog.squarespace.com.

Stay tuned.

Here's a little before and after.

My sister sourced this bench and I jumped on it. Of course I didn't have a plan for it so into the secret warehouse it went. Then, on my last trip to Atlanta, with my buddy needing a bench for her new bathroom reno, I hauled it up there for her to check out

There was extra shiny pleather left over from my dining room chairs

A keeper for sure.



Country’s not my thang

but when there was nothing else on the Winn-Dixie checkout magazine rack that I hadn’t already thumbed through, I picked up the latest copy of Country Living with decoupage pumpkins on the cover.

And I brought it home with me because maybe there’s a recipe there I want to try, or maybe I will decoupage pumpkins (not really). And there was a house I wasn’t completely opposed to.

I’m not opposed to those chairs.

I am not opposed to that bench or that runner.

I am not opposed to a frame like that with a plaster dog face next to it.

I am never, EVER, opposed to a natural zebra hide rug or Parsons tables.

Am not opposed to some pillows from Archival Decor. 

Never opposed to a bit of chinoiserie.

So, I probably had the wrong idea about “Country Living” houses. They don’t all look like this one from the same issue:

Not my thang.

Although I’m not opposed to Windsor chairs.

I’ve missed blogging!

Hi anybody! I sure have missed updating Design Junkies and reading all my fave design hot spots. My silly life with all the travel and crazy schedules has got the best of me. Plus, I’ve been busy turning the wheels on my newest pad project and getting in some much needed pool time. But here I am!

Yippee!

I’ve been pulling easy to reach pieces from the secret warehouses that I want to try to use in the villa. They’ve been collecting dust, sitting around waiting for tile and carpet installations. The walls have been all painted white (except for one bath with heinous vinyl wallcovering that got a once (or twice) over with off-black). The tile, which I thought was going to be black, because the description said “Black”, is actually a brownish-blackish-copperish mash up. I went with the clearance 12x12 tiles based mostly on the price of $1.03 sf. The carpet in the bedrooms (via a cost effective hook-up by a relative) is a dark taupe-ish gray. I’m working strictly on the CHEAP!!

Here’s some shots of the mish-mashed collection

coffee table gonna be stained top with painted base in a zesty lemon yellow

door to a cabinet that’s been stripped. the piece has a black slate top and is gonna be left natural. when finished, it will be a dry bar.

hanging rattan chair. gonna get a cushion.

  this aluminum screen is gonna to be a room divider

brass side table

smoked acrylic and monofilament fixture for the foyer. oh, so fab! LLUVIT!

faux bamboo bench for foyer. gonna be painted (maybe black), and I want some chartreuse in there somewhere, like on the upholstered seat. OR, do I paint the bench a green?

   brass for a wall somewhere. all interior doors are black.

lamp base. needs a black shade.

two black leather chairs for in the kitchen. i need a table to go with them.

chairs for the dining room, with seats to be recovered in a black and tan tweed

wee orange and gold lamp with a tall string shade

Wow, looks like a jumbled mess! But I’m betting I can make some sense of it all and pull together a cheap, but stylish, place.

And, just for the record, I positively DON’T think that MEG is an amazing designer. UGGGHHHHHH… HGTV designers and Design Star judges – STOP SAYING THOSE WORDS. Oh, such lame and common style. And I must be the only one who can’t bear to listen to her speak. UGGGHHHH….

Shopping trip gone good!

You gotta love a road trip in a big-ass Suburban, particularly if you’re beating tracks to a shopping destination for fabric, furniture and accessories. I had to go to Atlanta to pick up my thrifted and re-furbed dining room chairs so I took a buddy along who is working on the master bedroom of her new home. We stayed with a design junkie bestie and spent 3 days hittin up some of my favorite sources (along with a recommended must-see by Atlanta blogger Susie). So yeah, we scored and made it back safe with a truck load!

Here’s what I got

I couldn’t have found anything more perfect for my powder room wall, I think. Bold color, graphic and textured – it all fits on the Timorous Beasties wallcovering! ZING! LLUVIT!

Right now it’s framed in black plastic and resting on the Toto, but I want to put it in a brass float frame.

Then, there’s this

BIG, faux shagreen tray for the cocktail table! I knew it when I saw it, another perfect fit! BIG!

I still need bits to style it up right, but you get the idea. Right now there’s a book in it. A new book.

 

It is “Living In Style – Paris”, and there is so much goodness on those pages! Super-duper inspiring goodness. I’d like to post some beautiful pictures from the tome, but some crappy snaps was all I could manage so I’ll move on.

I got the chairs home and they’re beautiful in the space! I really need to get busy on a table.

If I had a table, the big wooden vessel that was on the bottom of the cocktail table would be sitting on it in the dining room. It still is gonna be chock-full of brassy bits and bobs. Now it’s a centerpiece.

I’ve been waiting to pick this piece up too!

A Karl Springer-esque pouf! I also bought the fabric to have it re-upped in so that it will work in Mr. Man’s room.

There’s a peek at it draped in the new colors.

That’s all the action of mine! There were many rolls of fabric, lamps, and other miscellany that my friend pulled the trigger on in order to make it a one-stop Atlanta shopping trip for all her bedroom decorating needs. Between the two of us, there was no room for the cooler that we packed with goodies on our way up!

Now, I can’t wait to get to Philly to take another look at a HUGE chrome piece of wall art that I found last time in. I’m hope, hope, hoping it’s still there ‘cause I’ve realized the perfect place for it at Casa Blanca! YES! I’m making progress.

I like some grit and pink

So, I'm browsing old rags - circa 2006 - and there's a spread in the March issue of House & Garden featuring the home of Sasha Lazard and Michael Mailer (now split). They were guided in the design of their digs by Emma Jane Pilkington (who everybody but me, apparently, knows about). So I thought, I like certain aspects of this place. The use of color, the mix of ethnic and traditional pieces, for instance. So I wanted to post some pictures from online because I don't have a scanner.

While doing a search for decorating pictures, I come across this (and please enlarge to appreciate all the grit)

via thecobrasnake.com

I love photos of people that show personality. And there's lots of personality in this one - all that gel, that awesome top, the pasty paunch with belly diamond and tattoo, and the fag. (I'm not a smoker, don't endorse smoking, etc., etc, but cigarettes do something for me in photographs.) This is not a picture of Sasha and Michael. I don't know who it is, but I love it - just seedy enough. 

Anywho - here's a couple pics of the decorating

via  cote de texas & style hive

How do you think the look has held up over 5+ years?

Dreamy and good

 

From the Philly design studio of Ashli Mizell, take a look at this simple, pretty dining room. The wall color really sets off the other design elements in the space. I love each of the chosen pieces. The marble Saarinen table, Danish Modern chairs with black leather seats, graphic rug, and brass chandelier – perfect!

Coming soon..

My new and improved blog with this new blog banner. The work of susie q at eye spy, it’s nearing completion and will be live just about the time I’m ready to start blogging in earnest again.

I’ve been spinning my wheels in attempts to get something going at Casa Blanca, between traveling and family visiting, and I feel discombobulated and spazzzed out where decorating is concerned. I haven’t taken the time to start any projects, and Lord knows, they’re stacked up around here like dead flies. Focus Melissa, focus!

And then there’s this

It’s a long story and another project that got plopped down in my dining room, where it can not stay! I would like to see it refinished because it is a beautiful piece and BIG. Big and beautiful – but not for my house.

Neither is this

But I would like to snatch it up from the thrifty store and refinish it! It’s BIG and solid wood, with fantastic hardware. It could be a true beauty. For someone. And for 114$ I think it’s cheap! I hated to leave it behind and may have to go back for it. 

I’ve been yammering on about a store for many years now and that’s why I keep collecting – it’s all for the store! One of these days………

I haven’t blogged much lately

but that doesn’t mean I wasn’t acquiring more junk - ‘cause I was. Some of it may move into Casa Blanca for good, some may be sent to hibernation in the Secret Warehouse.

All of it will be treasured. And sooner or later my “intuitive” decorating plan will look like it makes sense!

This brass floor lamp with a very cute green tin shade might work in this guest room. I know everything looks plain and disjointed right there, but I think when the whole space is fleshed out, I’ll like the looks of that corner. The lamp is definitely a keeper.

This wicker floor lamps makes me vibrate with glee! The chinoisserie chair has been sitting there begging to be reupholstered, but I took so long that now it may be replaced with a different chair – the big, open wingback envisioned in kelly green velvet. The lamp will stay.

The little brass table has to stay! Somewhere. What a terrific shape.

Great trash picked chair my girly-girls pulled from the side of the road in Sarasota. They spied it, they pounced, and they brought it home proudly to Mamma. It sits next to a pile of other finds, and a suitcase that’s packed and ready to go if ever Mr. Man can take no mo of my hoarding and tells this pack-rat to hit the road!

Another rescued chair! A concerned friend sent me a pic and hoped I could save this pair from those poor living conditions. Of course I said yes – no chair in need is ever turned down.

I’m big hearted that way.

Thrifted scarf gonna be made over into a pillow.

Mirror painted white and hung on the wall! The first thing I’ve put up.

I’ve deliberated – this is going to be painted off-black with slightly off-white cushions. I have a glass top. This group may be staying on the back porch.

Also hung – these two mirrors!

And FINALLY – the upholstered headboard for the guest room is right and ready to be slapped up behind the bed!

Hopefully, this little spurt of activity and gathering will be just the start of lots of creative moments. I’ve come so far with this project, yet still have so far to go. I want to be a closer and get it wrapped up so I can start moving on to the next project – a store! It’s only in my head right now, but if I keep up the  hoarding….