Sign for my Library Door

My "library room" is currently unfinished/undecorated and full of things I don't know what to do with right now so the door will be closed during my tea party on the 20th. Instead of putting an unfriendly "do not enter" sign on the door, I will post this instead - a "step beyond" and almost a "dare" for anyone to open that door! Here's a free download for you all in case you want to use it too!

A Timeless Dining Room

This is from an older Laura Ashley Home Furnishing catalog (at least 20+ years old, I kid you not!) but you'd never know it. It is as timeless as any room can be! It's French, its Swedish and its "elegant country".

The French blue, keeps the room light and elegant while the worn wooden French style furniture adds warmth and character. I have always loved that Palace garden wallpaper - I still have a roll of it in that same light blue colorway in storage. If I had several rolls, I'd cover every inch of my living room with it! The hutch is lovely too - a pale blue and white, filled with gorgeous china and crystal.

An Idea for my Library Walls

I don't know what was wrong with me at the time but when I ordered the wallpaper for my library last fall, I ordered only half the amount needed (and I knew all about the confusing single roll/double roll thingy).

I must have been working with half a brain that day. But then it took me 4 months to realize it and call the company I'd ordered it from, only to be told it was no longer available! Ahh! What to do - I loved the pale blue and white damask wallpaper but had only enough for half the room!

Well, here's the solution: wallpaper the upper half of the room (which means I can then avoid cutting around all those outlets, heaters and window sills!!) This is from a 20+ year old Laura Ashley Home Furnishing catalog and it is still the perfect solution! I can paint the lower half of the walls a pale blue, and add trim and wallpaper above that. It will keep the room airy and I won't have to try and find an extra $300 in my budget to order new wallpaper when I got the original for the smoking deal of $10 per roll! I just have to make sure I wallpaper high enough so as to not run out - will measure the square footage before making that decision.

I also like the idea of two rows of trim - the trim can be white, with the space in between and the lower half, being blue.

And curtains - I'm thinking a pair of white linen....tied back with a baby blue tassel on a polished brass hook.

On my next trip to the paint store I will have to take along a swatch of the WP so I can match the blues. This project will begin AFTER my February 20th tea party. Last night, in a moment of panic, I painted half the family room and added a bunch more gold leaf to the hutch. I realized I only had 13 days to the party. My friend Scott will come this Saturday to tile the step from the kitchen down into the family room. Progress IS being made....and I always did work best under EXTREME pressure!

Blue & White is Always in Style!

Case in point: this bedroom in an old Laura Ashley home furnishing catalog. In a dramatic blue rose pattern, it is still as fresh and inviting as it was back then. (I think this is at least 12-15 years old)

One can never go wrong with this color combination and I myself could never say "no" to a blue floral wallpapered room!

Waiting for Spring

With the living room space heater always on during this chilly Seattle winter, I often find huddled masses in front of it.

Here are my fab four this past weekend, soaking up the heat - this is a special moment because they don't normally want to be that close to each other!

I think they are barely hanging in there, waiting for the warmer days of spring when Mama lets them outside to roll in the warm grass.

Just had to share - I thought it was so cute.

Under the Eaves Redo

I have a one and a half story house - a Cape Cod from the 1950's - you know the house style. Most who pass by have no idea there is a second story and the rooms ARE pretty small. But they are also cozy, quiet and private - up a small, narrow, paneled staircase painted white and gray.

There is an open studio on the west side as you come up the stairs and then up two steps to the right gets you into the small, low-ceiling bedroom with storage built in along the eaves/walls. Up under the eaves, one can hear the squirrels on the roof, the rain and unfortunately feel the summertime heat and winter cold too.

I had to shut off the electric heater breakers because the heaters wouldn't turn off. Now I keep a space heater up there and a fan in the summer (I think I'll get a $100 air conditioner from Sears this summer so my old iMac doesn't get too hot).

I recently found a renter for the east side room - a young gal at my weekend job whom I really like. She is very happy to be moving into the room so she can be near school and work. I will appreciate the added income by renting out an otherwise unused room.

But the room was dark - with dark wide plank pine paneling. Even in summer's light days, one needed a flashlight to see into the drawers or around the room! And I do not like dark rooms so it was a no-brainer for me - the room needed to be transformed into a light, airy haven. But in a room with such temp extremes and paneling with old varnish, it would prove time consuming and labor intensive if I sanded it all.

The studio side was painted before I bought Elinor Cottage and it shows what will happen when done wrong! The paint is peeling and cracking and will need some touch up soon. The other side, if I was spending the time and money to do it would be done right and the secret is: TSP in powder form. Add to water, wear gloves, and wash the surfaces to be painted with a big sponge. Clean as many times as needed, until the water comes out clean. Then rinse with cool, clean water and a sponge. An instant clean surface with a little tooth.

Once dry, apply a coat of KILZ stainblocker primer. It won't be an opaque coverage but it WILL stop stains from the old wood seeping through when you cover the walls with white paint. My signature white is Waverly's "Cottage Linen White". It takes 3 coats. I did half the room 2 years ago when I was still occupying it and it hasn't crackled yet so I know I did it right!

Now I am scrambling to get the rest of the room done - just did the north side of drawers this past weekend. A trip to ROSS scored me 2 sets of twin cotton sheets, Laura Ashley brand for $12.99 each so I had instant, budget-conscious curtains and sheets for the bed.

The rest of the ceiling and the south side of drawers need to be painted next as well as the new ceiling light installed. Its a round, ceiling-hugging white sculpture of leaves and clear crystal flowers. It was under $75 from www.greatchandeliers.com.
The interior of the desk will be lined with my leftover bedroom wallpaper. Each drawer and closed closet space will also be lined in various blue & white wallpapers and then the new Shabby Chic room will be all ready for my new room mate!