tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10763234563893539542012-02-16T14:33:30.551-05:00Great Paint for Great Homesdecorative painting, faux finishes, murals, painted furniture, paint and color, interior design, decor,sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.comBlogger1211100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-55090796168759101192012-02-12T00:01:00.000-05:002012-02-12T10:11:09.430-05:00Ceiling Medalions
One of my little projects this week
was painting a ceiling medallion
to blend with a client's dining room decor.
A very simple combination of
bronze and antique gold
would do nicely in her room.
It took me less than an hour to do this.
But what surprised me most
was seeing the same ceiling medallion
at a local lighting store
for $314 ON SALE!
Medallions makesharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-43981948474071198732012-02-05T00:01:00.001-05:002012-02-05T00:01:00.512-05:00Small space - big impact, a Butler Pantry.
Seven years ago (!) I painted
this client's dining room.
The walls are multiple layers
of plaster tinted olive green and ochre
with bits of brilliant gold peeking through.
Next to the dining room is a butler pantry.
And this week I was asked to paint it.
The client wanted something
that would relate to the dining room,
but nothing serious....
whimsical and fun, sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-57139886378763802012-01-29T00:01:00.001-05:002012-01-29T00:01:00.477-05:00Oh Baby!
A few months ago I shared photos
of a furniture project --
updating some 1970's furniture
so it could be used in a nursery.
This week I was invited back to do a little more painting,
and meet the baby girl who now calls this room home.
Such a fun room!
A mix of elegance and whimsy all in one.
The new mother wanted a silver tree
added to the wall behind the crib,
so sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-47436213090120121292012-01-22T00:01:00.000-05:002012-01-22T00:01:01.536-05:00Can you fix this?
It's just paint!
That's what I always say.
If you don't like it....it can be fixed.... or painted over.
Ms. M is a dynamic, professional woman.
But hidden beneath her corporate image
is a creative spirit that begs to be expressed.
It was that force
which led her to faux finish
the dressing area in her master bath one night.
The call came the next day.
She wasn't sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-77075202598842495212012-01-15T00:01:00.000-05:002012-01-15T00:01:02.601-05:00Tips for Choosing a Paint Color
(Getty Images)
Face it, we gals do like a little change....
and painting a room
is an easy way to satisfy that itch.
But choosing a paint color often brings our ambitions
to a screeching halt because we can't decide on a color.
So where to start?
First, let me say this:
there is no ONE PERFECT COLOR
for any room --
it's a matter of personal choice
and that depends
sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-54938479429307014132012-01-08T00:01:00.000-05:002012-01-08T00:01:01.973-05:00Glazed Doors
Simply put, I am but two hands
doing for people what they can't do for themselves ~
Paint.
I take their ideas and make them happen.
Not all projects are colorful.
Nor are they all glamorous,
or wildly unique.
But each job is important,
because it's part of a client's plan for her home.
And I am pleased to play a small part in that plan.
This master bathroom is still under sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-35328276770497701452012-01-01T00:01:00.000-05:002012-01-01T08:27:29.439-05:00A Wild Cabinet
While I was doing my holiday shopping,
I happened to pass the window of a salon
where once I painted a cabinet.
Curious, I peeked in to see if it was there.
Imagine my surprise when I saw it was in great shape
and still being used twelve years later!
I ducked inside to re-introduce myself,
and see if I might take a photo.
But the owner surprised me.
"Sharon," she called out, "sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-41374484631454014532011-12-31T00:01:00.000-05:002011-12-31T00:01:02.083-05:00New Year's Greetings
Happy New Year!
Let this coming year be better than all the others.
Vow to do some of the things you've always wanted to do but couldn't find the time.
Call up a forgotten friend.
Drop an old grudge, and replace it with some pleasant memories.
Vow not to make a promise you don't think you can keep.
Walk tall, and smile more. You'll look ten years younger.
Don't be afraid to say,sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-14247386501210048872011-12-24T00:01:00.000-05:002011-12-24T00:01:00.170-05:00Celebrate the Miracles
May you enjoy the blessings
of this holiday season as you celebrate
the Miracles of Christmas and Hanukkah.
Merry Christmas
Happy Hanukkah
sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-29932561766999444092011-12-21T12:35:00.002-05:002012-01-01T19:53:32.450-05:00God Lives Under the Bed
Dear friends,
Life can be fast-paced and complicated,
especially at this time of year
when the holidays are nipping at our heels.
Like me, you may need a moment to pause for reflection,
so I offer this message sent by our daughter.
She works with mentally disabled folks each day.
Her uncle, my brother, is very much like Kevin.
While I don't know who authored this message,sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-40564684260902305302011-12-18T00:01:00.000-05:002011-12-18T00:01:02.043-05:00One Final (?) Project for the Year
As the days race toward the holidays,
I'm still painting,
trying to get things done
for clients who
have an idea for a special gift.
Here's the last of what needs to be done,
I think....
I got a call from a woman
who wanted these two items painted
as gifts for her Father and Father-in-law.
The table had been in their basement for years,and the John Deer box, never sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-72021202201890477132011-12-11T00:01:00.000-05:002012-02-03T07:57:44.294-05:00An Antique Silver Dresser
Here's a project near to my heart,
a painted dresser for our daughter's new home.
Shh-h-h, it's a Christmas surprise.
I can safely share this with you today,
knowing she's so busy packing up her old house
that she'll never have time to read this
and spoil my surprise.
(M. if you do happen to read this,
at least pretend....won't you?)
The dresser came from a neighbor's garage sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-19973272956224714242011-12-04T00:01:00.000-05:002011-12-11T20:48:45.869-05:00Third Time's a Charm
Before Marcello was born,
his Mom aked me to paint his room
with an airplane motif.
A year later, his family moved
and I painted airplanes again.
A few years later,
the family has moved once again,
and Marcello was was upset
about leaving
his airplane room behind.
So his Mom called
and asked me to paint it for a third time!
You can see that the crib
has sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-27834899924127111912011-11-27T00:02:00.000-05:002011-12-11T20:49:08.875-05:00Seeing Things in a New LIght
Recently there've been a lot of requests
to paint light fixtures.
Those with brass want oil-rubbed bronze.
Those with bronze want silver.
Those with silver want antique gold.
I'm happy to help,
but the challenge is how to juggle the lights
so they can be painted easily.
Two ladders and some pipe
made a sort of 'swing-set'.
The chandelier hangs in the center
and I can paint sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-9911382372122937082011-11-24T00:01:00.000-05:002011-11-27T14:08:29.686-05:00Thanksgiving wishes
visionarywomen.com
Be thankful to Him and bless His Name (Psalm 100:4)
"Has anyone ever been able to prepare an ideal,
Norman Rockwell Thanksgiving dinner?
Personally I don't think it can be done.
Yet every year, millions of us swarm
to the markets intent on perfection.
We contemplate the turkeys.
Fresh or frozen?
Sniff the sweet potatoes. Snap the beans...
sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-32102214553228516442011-11-20T00:01:00.000-05:002011-12-04T14:51:15.366-05:00Tea Time Table
Grandmothers are always thinking
of delightful ways to indulge their little ones.
This week I met with one
who had a small table and chair set
she wanted painted for her new grand-daughter,
Sabrine.
Pinks and pale greens were in order.
The new Mother likes topiaries so would I paint some of those?
....and ribbons....
and polka dots....and stripes.... and butterflies....
sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-53816179569813315122011-11-13T00:01:00.000-05:002011-11-13T00:01:01.670-05:00Sign Me Up
Sophia is growing up
and moving into her big girl room,
making way for her new baby sister
to occupy the nursery.
I was asked to paint a new canvas
to welcome baby Peyton.
The inspiration was polka dot bedding
from Poettery Barn.
This project is fairly simple to do ....
something any crafty gal can tackle.
Yes, it does require some measuring --
and a little patience,
but it'ssharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-67245100096287063652011-11-06T00:01:00.000-04:002011-11-30T14:50:34.957-05:00A Cow in the Kitchen
I've been asked to paint a cow.
I know nothing about cows.
Horses, yes.
Cows no.
So I went drove to a nearby farm
hoping to be inspired by a bovine beauty.
I hiked through the clover to get a closer look,
but only one cow,
sitting apart from the rest of the herd,
showed any interest in me.
Had these been horses,
a click of the tongue and an sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-25777126532984294892011-10-30T00:01:00.000-04:002011-11-13T17:51:05.797-05:00Men and their TVs
What is it about men and their flat screen TVs?
They love 'em,
but how do you decorate
a room around these montrosities?
When my friend Linda remodeled her home,
her husband bought the biggest TV
he could find and hung it
in the middle of the living room wall,
....leaving her to figure out the rest.
The TV looked like
a giant black hole in the wall,
and so Linda began the sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-38987351323741847632011-10-23T00:01:00.000-04:002011-10-25T11:23:06.155-04:00Detour Around Town: The Haunted Street
Welcome to our town,
where quiet streets and tidy Victorian homes prevail.
With summer now a memory,
pumpkins, cornstalks and bales of straw
are appearing on porches and lawns.
For one particular street, October marks the
beginning of its eerie transformation
into a haunting Halloween tableau.
Each year neighbors enjoy friendly rivalries
as they try to out-do each other
with sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-86781630180581703172011-10-16T00:01:00.000-04:002011-10-16T08:20:32.961-04:00Painted Pumpkins
When you play with paint,
it gets messy,
(and yes, this is my workshop).
You soon realize that some projects work.
And some don't.
This one didn't.
But with paint, just as in life,
when things don't turn out as planned,
they can be more interesting
than you first expected.
I wanted white pumpkins.
Not real ones.
Painted ones.
Could I crackle them
so that their orange sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-75211538560213582692011-10-09T00:01:00.001-04:002011-11-13T17:52:15.688-05:00Working with Friends Part 2
weedpatchcamp.com
With last week's home finished,
my friend Robin asked if I'd work
with her on another project
So we packed our bags, tools and paint
and headed out of town for a week.
This time it was a renovation project.
A dining room
The library walls were painted
Benjamin Moore 'Ballet White'.
We lightly glazed them
and accented the molding with grey.
sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-89313581926615844752011-10-02T00:01:00.000-04:002011-11-13T17:53:03.649-05:00Working with Friends Part 1
It's always fun to work with another artist.
And recently I helped a colleague, Robin,
with a very large project
she and her crew were doing.
When completed,
Robin and her band of merry painters will have
designed, painted and decorated
every inch of every wall,
every ceiling
and all the wood trim
in this grand home.
Whew!
Here are some snapshots of the job site
sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-24323297935179274022011-09-25T00:01:00.000-04:002011-11-13T17:54:02.082-05:00Welcome Baby!
Isn't this a charming way to welcome
a new baby into the family?
The sign stands over 6' tall
and as you can see, a baby sleeps in the cradle.
My client had the sign made,
and with the birth each child,
a name plate was painted
and hung on the front of the cradle
announcing her good news.
Not knowing if this baby would be a boy or girl,
I painted two name plates.
sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-84079215481849002332011-09-18T00:01:00.000-04:002011-09-18T00:01:01.530-04:00Feeling Blue
There's been a lot of furniture painting recently
-- and that's fine.
When you find bargains,
you've got to enjoy them.
This little gem was snapped up at a neighbor's garage sale.
It was either this, or the accordian....
and I chose wisely!
Let's layer it up.
Here it is with an undercoat of vintage silver.
Second layer is:
It's a fabulous color to work with--
believe it or sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-42395877470658060942011-09-12T00:01:00.002-04:002011-09-12T00:01:00.102-04:00what's in a name?
Some projects just make you smile.
This was a very simple project - paint Jada's name on the wall.
But it was Jada's response that caught me by surprise.
Who knew she would notice, and show delightin the addition to her room!
sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-9536783438336903162011-09-11T16:25:00.001-04:002011-09-11T18:00:08.432-04:00
Today, like every September 11th, is a somber anniversary for our country.
Others will speak and write about this day more eleoquently than I,
for words fail me.
My heart aches for the families who were ripped apart
during this attack.
I think of the hopes, the dreams and plans
that were extinguished in those anguished hours.
On that day, we witnessed the absolute worst ofsharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-51719989687395554932011-09-04T00:01:00.054-04:002011-09-07T17:02:00.150-04:00Hopeful!
A hope chest.
Perhaps your grandmother had one.
There was a time when young ladies
would stitch lace trimmed linens, quilts, towels,
and gather dishes and silver
in anticipation of starting their own home.
They'd save them in their hope chest.
Today brides merely register at Bed Bath and Beyond!
.
This is how the chest looked at first.
Well almost.
Originally, the chestsharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-53174967969905046342011-08-28T00:01:00.024-04:002011-08-28T00:01:00.188-04:00A Surprise Gift
I received a surprise gift today --this cheerful piece of garden art...and a basket filled with goodies and treats delivered by my thoughtful friend, Sherry.
Isn't this so clever and cute?
I've long admired Sherry's glass sculptures,
and its a delight to have one in my garden.If you look carefully, you'll see a decanter,a floral vase, and pressed glass sundries all put in perfect order to makesharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-72447848409564602392011-08-21T00:01:00.002-04:002011-08-21T08:01:06.087-04:00Small spaces, Small murals
It's the details that personalize a room. Some might think they need a huge wall for a mural but they don't. A painting can be small, yet make a big statement.
This beach scene was painted in the space above door leading to the sunroom.What makes this special is that it reflects the family's enjoyment of the lakeshore.It's personal.
Powder rooms offer more small spaces to decorate.This sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-83567961410917339832011-08-14T00:01:00.009-04:002011-12-11T14:35:42.209-05:00Sun Room
Every project starts with an inspiration....
and this is a nice one.
It helped me identify the colors that the client liked
as well as her style -- sunny Mediterranean Villa.
This cabinet was in the back entry.
From there, we moved to the garden room
where my job was to give a potting sink a little update.
I forgot to take a before photo
because I was so enamoured with the sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-63890824349222647312011-08-07T00:01:00.009-04:002011-08-08T15:03:25.825-04:00Detour Around Town: The Lamb's Tail
Today, I spent a little time at a local shop filled with treasures.It's a feast for the eyes. A big ol' barn filled with curiosities, antiques and garden art.My mission was to purchase a Birthday Gift for my sister.....
but I can't tell you what I selectedbecause that would ruin the surprise.
Shall we explore together?
this would look great on a patio - for potting, or serving
sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-91455967329912710962011-07-31T00:01:00.037-04:002011-07-31T09:17:57.489-04:00A Colorful Playroom
Whenever I get to play with this much color, its exciting!
This project is a fun-filled playroom room for a client's three-year-old grandson.
I didn't plan this project -- merely followeda photo from the Disney Paint collection, using Mickey's Clubhouse colors.
Yellow is a color that "advances" --meaning it commands your attention.
You can't ignore this accent wall --
it's positively glowing!
sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-32064685623212006842011-07-24T00:01:00.030-04:002011-07-24T00:01:00.277-04:00The Road to a Friend's Home is Never Long.....(unless you're hauling furniture!)
My friend Sherry, is re-designing her Master Bedroom, and it is becoming more spectacular by the day.
I've helped by painting her furniture.
The armoire was first.
It became black
and I handpainted the vintage-looking floral panels.
Notice the tassle Sherry made.
I admire her attention to detail --
she always gets it right!
Originally, the furniture was cherry, by Thomasville.
I held mysharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-21213317767000048222011-07-17T00:01:00.003-04:002011-07-19T12:19:46.856-04:00Quick Fix Powder Room
Sometimes we can be so focused on a problem,that a solution eludes us,until friends step in.
The new granite counter top for my powder room
was cut too short.
Oh no!A 3/4" gap at both ends annoyed me for weeks. There was no additional granite for a backspash
and the space was too great to be filled by any tile.
What to do?
Thank goodness for clever, creative friends. When I described my sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-52670991879734768792011-07-10T00:01:00.001-04:002011-07-26T19:07:01.102-04:00Less is MoreI'm seeing a shift in children's decor
that reflects the general trend of simplifying our homes.
Themed bedrooms rooms are giving way to designs
that stand the test of time.
(because, kids can be so fickle!)
Baby Anthony is only three days old.Today I painted his name above his crib.
Four years earlier, I had done the same for his sister, Giuliana.Her name looks as fresh today over her big sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-68193943985576056502011-07-03T00:01:00.032-04:002011-07-26T16:40:10.054-04:00A Beach Mural
A young Mom asked me to paint an ocean mural for the children's play roomto remind them of their vacations at the shore.
Their daughter is in the Mermaid stage of life, so could she be painted as one?She loves dolphins.Her little boy likes to build things,and playing in the sand is such fun for him. Oh, and some toucans, please.
Gathering up some photos of the beach, children and toucans, I sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-70223692191958226602011-06-26T00:01:00.011-04:002011-06-26T11:14:11.494-04:00Refreshed Furniture
Ah, another baby's room. But this time, I'm focusing on the furniture. The armoire and dresser are older pieces,
and they have some interesting detail.
The soon-to-be-new-Mom loved the ornate scrolls. BUT,
the pieces needed to be refreshed.
Don't you agree?
Before
We decided to highlight the scrolls with silver and gold,
and paint the top of the dresser dark silver.
What a sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-76063366024966810822011-06-22T06:00:00.018-04:002011-10-08T12:27:47.261-04:00Detour Around Town: Antique Shop
Whenever I drive by this storefront,
I think, "Next time, I'll stop."
Finally, I did.
I found a mix of old and new nestled inside.
It was a visual feast.
Silver serving pieces sparkled against the black walls.
...and tea pots always catch my eye.
From vintage clothing and linens
to furniture, there was much to admire.
I bought this tole tray sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-56258382207540400052011-06-19T06:00:00.048-04:002011-06-21T15:42:33.954-04:00Guest Bedroom(s) Finally Done!
It's not often that I get the chance to work on projects for me.But recently, I've focused on the guest bedrooms.
Tho' I failed the white-room challenge by using brown accents,it was good to have the room put back togetherbefore our guests arrived.
I am delighted by the cornices that Sherry made for me.
What a special friend she is to offer me her time and her talent.Everything her hand sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-57813745251595551732011-06-16T07:31:00.002-04:002011-06-16T07:51:12.351-04:00Grey and White BathLooking for a simple paint design for a bathroom? Here's a project I painted yesterday.
The dots were painted in shades of grey,but easily would adapt to any color scheme.
The bath still is in progress,
with plumbers and electricians expected to finish today,
so these photos aren't complete.
But you get the idea.
Yes, the ceiling was painted dark grey.
BUT
No, it doesn't make the room sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-34472608066260638592011-06-12T06:00:00.078-04:002011-08-04T12:58:37.703-04:00Detour Around Town: Estate Sale Hunting
Have I mentioned that my Dearly Beloved enjoys Estate Sales?
These snapshots are of a sale we visited, but by the time we could join the fun,so much had already been sold.
Why do these sales always begin on Thursdaywhen he's working?(maybe a vacation day is in order)
My purchases were small, but I can share some photos with you.
Don't you just love barns?The doors were tempting....
The house sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-70134183622530706952011-06-05T06:00:00.098-04:002011-06-05T06:00:07.145-04:00Guest Bedroom BeginningI'm not a white-on-white gal. I like color and contrast. Let me luxuriate in a room of reds, browns,
with a dash of leopard.....like this.
However, the beautiful photographs of white rooms
at blogs like those of
Miss Mustard Seed,
Freckled Laundryand a long list of others are seductive.
See what I mean?
(serene, peaceful, soothing)
So I gave myself a design challenge. Could I put sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-50243223368488353272011-05-29T06:00:00.054-04:002011-11-11T15:21:05.484-05:00Babies Rooms
Helping with a baby's nursery is always fun,
as it's such a happy time for the family.
Sometimes, I'm asked to paint the walls.
storybook animals could be either for a boy or a girl
this little guy has portraits of his family's horses in his room
this little girl is surrounded by pink and a nursery rhyme border
and for this little one, its bunnys and sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-78565461211833793702011-05-27T11:35:00.000-04:002011-05-27T11:35:44.793-04:00Surprise for my EyesSome days are just special. Returning from a brief trip, I found the garden had finally begun to blossom.(and joy! the sun finally was shining).
Then, at the front door, there was another surprise.Aren't these wonderful?
Before leaving, I had hung a spring wreath,hoping to encourage the season!
While I was gone, my dear friend Sherrymade these sweet door-cans to go with my wreath.
Don't sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-42694530770991765582011-05-22T06:00:00.016-04:002011-05-22T06:00:08.345-04:00Sweet Master Suite
Red and Gold.With such an elegant master bedroom, the adjoining bath needed to be equally well dressed.
The walls were plain and beige....but not for long!
The fabric at the doorway inspired the walls.Let's make the walls look like faded wallpaper.
First two shades of antique gold were used. A hint of red was tapped into the design to echo the red fabric and paint in the bedroom.
Finallysharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-26369411577779466612011-05-15T06:00:00.022-04:002011-05-15T06:00:06.109-04:00Here's the Second Mirror
Remember this sad looking mirror from last week? Ah, things have changed.
First he said, "Its too far gone."(and wanted to put it in the trash)Followed by,
" I can't imagine what you're going to do with this."(hoping to dissuade her)And finally, "Let me make a piece of molding to fix this for you."(acquiescing to the inevitable)
She washed it. She sanded it.She painted it.She stainedsharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-29935066938216117732011-05-08T06:00:00.026-04:002011-05-10T20:05:17.498-04:00Let's Talk Mirrors
I found these two mirrors on Craigs List earlier this week. Paid $50 for both. He said, "That's expensive firewood."She said, "They have potential."
The mirrors came home.He said, "Garbage Day is tomorrow."She said, "They have potential. Sort of a shabby chic look."He said, "Well, you've got the shabby part right."
A few hours later, after some Windex and fresh paint, the mirror went into the sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-35027627715115269072011-05-01T06:00:00.026-04:002011-05-01T15:04:06.818-04:00Let's Talk Lamps
My husband loves what I call the "happy hunt."
He'll be the first to suggest we spend Saturday
digging through flea markets and barn sales.So off we go. Not long ago, he had a notion that he wanted an old bridge lamp for the office. (yes, the same office I started working on months ago) After a few weeks of searching, he found just the right one. It was the perfect height and size and thesharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-86798885568906629822011-04-24T06:00:00.014-04:002011-04-24T10:53:54.089-04:00A Hall Cabinet Re-do
When a piece of furniture comes into the studio, it is reviewed immediately by Simon, who joined us as a short-term houseguest but has made himself at home for over a year now. Cats are like that.
Here he is being useful.
My client's husband snagged this cabinet at an estate sale for $30.He certainly found a treasure, didn't he?He can be my designated shopper any day!
The size and style sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-79564592512439567742011-04-17T06:00:00.013-04:002011-04-18T07:24:09.035-04:00Vintage Powder Room
You know how I love pretty powder rooms! (One day I may finish my own!)
Here's the Before.There was a great color on the wall: Sherwin Williams Artifact (#6138).Chair molding had just been installed andthe homeowner wanted something interesting on the upper wall.
The overall style of the home was elegant, but very comfortable rather like a luxurious country home.
We chose a sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-64492081943002754572011-04-10T06:00:00.092-04:002011-04-10T06:00:00.934-04:00Painting at God's House
Seems like I've been painting
a lot of bathrooms and bedrooms recently, so painting a Church was a pleasant departure.
"I was glad when they said unto me, 'Let us go into the house of the Lord."
(Psalm 122:1)
The church is nestled against the woods with a river meandering nearby. Jan, Karen and Barb are working to re-decorate the Church.
They chose a color scheme from nature--shades ofsharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-24983682724419481122011-04-03T06:00:00.009-04:002011-04-03T11:49:36.660-04:00Dressing Room Blues
Have you noticed how blue is popping up all over?But its not the Country Blue of decades ago. It's blue with a new attitude.....sort of a French Blue-Grey. It looks grey in the can, but reads blue on the wall.
A recent master bedroom project used these fabrics. The client chose Sherwin Williams, Naval, a rich Navy Blue
for the bedroom walls.
What a dramatic change from builder's beige!
sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-17158862312498558112011-03-27T06:00:00.037-04:002011-07-26T19:09:11.350-04:00From Sweet to Sassy
Years ago I painted whimsical flowers
in a young girl's bedroom.
The colors were delicate ---
a whisper of pink and pale
spring green. But time marches on.
That little girl is now a lovely seventeen year-old
who is eager for a more artsy, sophisticated room.
She decided on these colors--
Benjamin Moore - Costal Paradise, Mocha Brown & Springtime Bloom
So we said good-bye to the sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-33354094566159282242011-03-21T06:00:00.001-04:002011-03-21T06:00:20.153-04:00Thinking of Paris The space above the fireplace in those high-ceiling rooms
can be a challenge to decorate.
A large mirror or a flat-screen TV are the usual solutions.
But one client had a more personal idea.
The family vacationed in Paris, and like many others, they fell in love with the city.
They wanted the Eiffel Tower on their wall
to remind them of their travels.
We looked at photos from their sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-11445809154929965072011-03-20T19:53:00.001-04:002011-03-21T07:49:50.679-04:00For the Birds - A Linky Party
Nature provides us with the most perfect inspiration--it's colors are always in harmony.
Today, just for fun, I'm joining Anne from BIRDLIKE for another design party.
This time, Anne has challenged her party-goers to design a room
using the colors of the Spotted Owl.
Here goes:
Have you tried playing with Olioboard yet?It's fun, er, addicting....so now I'm off to paint. There's work to sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-46472084957724996372011-03-17T06:00:00.013-04:002011-08-04T13:00:41.229-04:00Detour into the Kitchen: St-Patrick's Day
Happy St-Patricks Day to all!
I'm painting a client's home today,(and will share photos later) but have planned a simple dinner of Irish Stewand Soda Breadto celebrate the day.
I'll use the slow-cooker, so the house will smell yummywhen I come home -- a nice welcome. Let me share my Soda Bread recipe with you.There's still time to make some!
Some would call this "Spotted Dog" - not Soda sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-33011596869235555902011-03-13T06:00:00.000-04:002012-01-23T11:22:27.673-05:00Powder Room Details
Powder rooms are alway a topic of interest,
so here are a few ideas to think about for your own home.
Does your powder room have an exhaust fan in the ceiling?
They're not very attractive, are they?
Is there any way to disguise it?
Here's what one client and her willing electrician
did to change the bathroom fan and light
from dull to deluxe.
She wanted to hang a small sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-13146437218333004522011-03-09T10:35:00.011-05:002011-03-14T07:55:27.246-04:00For the Birds - a Design Detour
Usually I post only once a week, but I thought I'd share this with you now, so you'd have time to join the fun.
If you enjoy playing with color and design this might be for you.
Anne, from BirdLike, is hosting her first Linky Party on Monday. She is a landscape designer who loves nature,
and writes about home decor and fashion featuring birds.
Anne has cleverly combined both her passions,
sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-13256542412674629522011-03-06T06:00:00.018-05:002011-08-03T07:52:21.281-04:00Mural: show your school spirit
This young family was passionate about their alma mater, Michigan State. They wanted a mural that would show support for their team and be fun for their friends.
Their entertainment area was designed to look like a pub. With seven TV screens (including one in the bathroom!), not a moment of any game would be missed.
Could I paint Sparty, the school's mascot, standing before a stadium sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-91430092579303347082011-02-27T08:11:00.016-05:002011-03-11T20:49:41.911-05:00A Stone Kitchen
The house I worked in this week is under construction, and chances are slim that I'll ever see the totally fnished room once the family moves in, so I can't offer you any glorious before and after photos. But I thought you'd like to see how I spent the past few days.
My job was to make the kitchen walls look like dry stacked stone with a bit of creeping ivy, and a bumble bee or bug added as sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-28356485098010297642011-02-20T06:30:00.004-05:002011-04-07T12:52:50.928-04:00Back Hall Makeover
Because the back entrance to this home is used more often than the front, this homeowner wanted to dress up her hallway. She wanted to greet her guests in style, but recognized that this room got a lot of use and abuse, so the walls needed to be pretty, but more importantly, they needed durabilty to match her busy family.
Here we go!
We discussed lots of options before decidingsharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-7298469662376639812011-02-13T06:00:00.011-05:002011-03-01T10:55:23.449-05:00A Little Doggie Decor
Just as we girls like a little pampering, so do our pets! A friend recently made a big career change and is getting ready to open a Grooming Studio.
Having a real rug in the shop isn't practical, so she asked if I would paint one for her.
She found this whimsical dresser on CraigsList -- already painted and ready to be used. It became our inspiration for her rug. Isn't it too cute?
sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-13296807062532864252011-02-06T07:00:00.040-05:002011-03-01T10:58:25.268-05:00Folk Art in the Kitchen
Projects don't have to be large in order to be fun. In fact, often its the small detail that completes a room.
Recently I helped a client put the finishing touch on a piece of folk art for her kitchen.
The homeowners found this unique piece of art made from re-purposed architectural materials while they were on vacation. Its a great conversation piece for her new kitchen.
Made from oldsharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-13413028761454952132011-01-30T07:00:00.003-05:002011-03-01T10:54:13.892-05:00Change of Paint
the view from my porch
Maybe its the icy, wintry weather keeping us inside that makes us want to feather our nest. Or maybe its the start of a new year and the promise to tackle those projects that have been set a side for a while.
Whatever the reason, with a burst of energy, I decided this was a good time to freshen up our den. Out with the old, and in with the new color ---rich, sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-15758162149039573362011-01-23T07:00:00.015-05:002011-07-26T19:08:43.148-04:00Gold or Silver?
before
This dining room sparkles! So why was I needed?
A friend asked me to change the color of her mirror from antique gold to antique silver. She felt the cool silver color would suit the room better, because it would complement the crystal chandelier.
The gold frame relates to the background of the wall paper
A few hours later, after applying silver leaf and a toning glaze,sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-54180259521049102752011-01-16T07:00:00.013-05:002011-03-01T10:58:48.995-05:00Fun with Furniture
There's a growing stash of furniture in my workshop that begs to be painted. Each time I look at it, I tell myself soon....soon...soon.
No more procrastinating; it was time to begin! I decided to tackle a few pieces at time, starting with the smaller ones, saving the larger pieces for a more ambitioius day. A bit of sanding got the job started.
The brick is holding a piece ofsharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-76388706488142207812011-01-09T07:00:00.030-05:002011-01-09T09:32:25.632-05:00A Kitchen Mural
We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day. (Edith Loveljoy Pierce)
Each New Year brings a fresh start -- time to begin with a clean page of the book and write a new chapter for ourselves.....a "do over" of sorts.
In the spirit of starting over, let me share a recent sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-66613248978581167182010-12-31T07:00:00.003-05:002011-03-01T10:57:41.148-05:00A New Year!
Everyone wants to do something festive on New Year's Eve -- what's more festive than watching two people get married and then toasting them all night?
Just before Christmas I met a bride-to-be who was putting the final touches on her New Year's Eve wedding. She was planning a party with her bridesmaids and wanted me to paint the wine glasses with each girl's initial and some whimsical sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-18387696826309225502010-12-25T06:00:00.014-05:002011-03-01T10:58:00.216-05:00Merry Christmas
Lorenzo Lotto - ca 1527
One Solitary Life
Here is a manwho was born of Jewish parents,The child of a peasant woman.He never wrote a book. He never held office.He never went to college.He never put foot inside a big city.He never traveled two hundred miles from the place he was born.He never did one of the things that usually accompany greatness.He had no credentialsBut himself.............
sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-76337327073499680822010-12-19T07:00:00.069-05:002011-08-04T13:01:34.681-04:00Detour Around Town: Wrap it Up, I'll take it!Days spent with girlfriends are such a rare treat, which is why I was thrilled to spend an afternoon with two of my Book Club friends recently, as we prowled the local Potters Market. The three day event was huge -- over 130 potters filling 12,000 sqft with all sorts of hand crafted pottery.
It was a feast for the eyes. We roamed the aisles enjoying it all - sculpture, cachepots and teapots, sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-74902793656509618362010-12-12T07:00:00.011-05:002010-12-29T17:51:30.167-05:00It's Friezing!
The month of December always is busy as people scramble to get their homes ready for holiday entertaining. Large projects wait until after the New Year, but right now smaller ones are plenty. People inquire about painting their powder rooms, or the mirror frames hanging above their fireplace mantle, and they even ask about changing the color of the trousers on the giant nutcracker figures sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-39982409711417242322010-12-05T07:00:00.095-05:002011-03-01T11:07:21.225-05:00Looking Up
Ceilings often get neglected. We spend a lot of time and energy selecting the perfect paint color for our walls, but we often forget to consider the ceilings…and they comprise a large portion of our room’s real estate! While WHITE always has been the safest and therefore the preferred color for a ceiling, it may be time to re-think that idea.
Ceilings offer a unique opportunity for sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-6723808224075461852010-11-28T07:00:00.008-05:002011-03-11T15:01:44.754-05:00A School Project: Painted TableIt's always a treat when asked to help with a fund-raising event. Recently one of my clients asked if I would be willing the paint a table for an auction at her son's school. Another Mom woulddonate the table, so all I needed was a design.
Because this was a boy's academy, there'd be no frills, nothing cute or girly, no polka dots, no squiggles,no bling. Oh dear! Plus the table had to have sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-23908181407193761142010-11-21T07:00:00.008-05:002011-03-11T18:10:51.795-05:00Powder Rooms - Bold BathsLet's turn up the volume and enjoy some bold baths. There is nothing subtle about these rooms. They command attention!
Recently, I read about color trends for the new year and it looks as if metallics are still going to be big - both in fashion and decor. Good news, as so many of my clients ask for walls with a shimmer. Let me share two bold, but elegant examples with you.
This bold purple sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-79729091807272664822010-11-14T07:00:00.016-05:002011-03-11T21:02:04.503-05:00Powder Rooms - stylish and neutralPowder rooms come in a variety of styles, from fun to fancy. These little gems are a great place to let your imagination take flight. Some people go for the bold, while others prefer more subtle color.
Here's proof that a neutral color scheme doesn't mean dull or boring. Let's look at some powder rooms and see some possibilities.
When I first saw this powder room, the paneled molding gave sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-2931504212786231702010-11-07T07:00:00.017-05:002011-03-01T11:15:56.329-05:00Add Some Architecture
Versailles - Galerie des Glaces/Hall of Mirrors
Ah, for the good ol' days when homes had architectural details!
But what we lack today can be added by a skilled carpenter, a handy husband, or a determined woman with a mitre saw and a nail gun.
Humble or grand, it's always fun to see how a little bit of trim molding can make a big statement in any room.
By the time I arrived at sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-25991454223223876762010-10-31T07:00:00.012-04:002011-03-01T11:18:09.887-05:00There's a Cat on my Chest!When you have cats, nothing is off-limits to them. They will nap anywhere you wish they wouldn't. Sometimes I find them sleeping contentedly on folded laundry still warm from the drier, and sometimes (oh dear!) on a painting project.
By the time I thought to snap a BEFORE photo, I'd already sanded, primed and painted the chest in Antique White. Guess I got off to a fast start!
Originally thissharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-80982969064964612822010-10-24T07:00:00.007-04:002011-03-01T11:21:59.724-05:00Fall Fix-up: Woodgraining a Door
Cornstalks, bales of straw and pumpkins are beginning to appear all around town, as fall shows up in all her spendor. I saw this little fellow today, while I was taking a walk......a creative walk, feeding my senses with the the color and textures of fall. I enjoyed seeing the many ways my neighbors are decorating their porches and front doors for the new season.
A beautiful entrance sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-40670913804424727852010-10-17T07:00:00.003-04:002011-03-01T11:23:20.391-05:00Frame upJust as the right accessories make an outfit look fabulous, the right accessories for your home can complete a room and make it look fabulous, too.
A client wanted to hang this mirror in her dining room, but the color needed a change. The yellow-gold leafing on the frame was too gaudy for her muted neutral style. Could I make the frame more more silvery? More like champagne? And leave a sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-40126360187618295622010-10-10T07:00:00.005-04:002011-03-11T20:50:25.060-05:00A Kitchen EncounterThe kitchen is the heart of any home. It's here children do their schoolwork, family meals are served and friends gather for a cup of coffee and a chat. We like our kitchens to function well, and look good while doing it.
This kitchen was fun to do because my client, an ambitious and capable woman, did so much of the remodeling herself. From installing the ceramic tile, to nailing up the crownsharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-264612073052569702010-10-03T07:00:00.007-04:002011-03-11T20:56:32.152-05:00Fireplace FocusWhile some prefer simple, clean-lined design, others revel in complexity, finding joy in mixing layers of color, texture and pattern for a visual and tactile experience.
This fireplace falls into the second category. It's part of a feature wall that stands directly opposite the glass entry doors in a bright, stylish foyer. By its very location it is the focal point of the entry and commands sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-71145268352141940932010-09-27T07:00:00.007-04:002011-07-26T19:09:45.128-04:00Fun with a Friend
It's always fun when a friend calls and asks for help in finishing off a project for her home. That's what happened recently when a member of my Book Club called and asked me to paint a border in her young daughter's room. So off I went to have some fun!
The room already looked cute as can be. It was very feminine - painted pale lavender with soft white furnishings. The drapery panels were sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-37486547516932214552010-09-12T20:38:00.002-04:002011-06-18T21:38:05.706-04:00Out of the Basement
Years ago, this library table sat forgotten in the basement of my in-law's home. It was piled high with rusty cans of old house paint and covered in dust. I learned that the table originally came from my husband's grandmother's house. His mother sat there to do her to do her schoolwork, and so for that reason alone, I needed to rescue the table from its ignoble setting.
That's how the table sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-77801836114205079642010-09-05T07:00:00.008-04:002011-07-26T19:10:04.833-04:00A Name for BabyGood news! Not only did the bench from the previous post fit into our SUV for the long drive to my parent's home, but it fit into their room perfectly - as if the bench were custom made for it! This was a short week, but I was able to do a little project for a client's nursery.
Isn't this a beautiful room? Applause for Mary Grace and her line of couture baby bedding, Baby Bellagio. She did sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-58768502910587643022010-08-29T07:00:00.008-04:002011-08-08T08:13:57.056-04:00One Bench to Go!
This week, I faced the unthinkable -- I ran out of storage room!
When you enjoy painting furniture, things tend to pile up. There are finished projects waiting for a new home, pieces ready to be delivered to clients, and newly rescued treasures patiently waiting their turn to be refurbished.sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-61664175897578478322010-08-22T07:00:00.012-04:002011-08-08T08:41:57.890-04:001--2--3 Mahogany
Miss G, a friend, purchased these corbels at one of those big discount decor stores. She couldn't resist them because they were on sale for $20. But the corbels were made of lightweight composite - not wood, and so she asked if I could make them look like mahogany.
I needed to create a "passable" mahogany that would blend with her existing cabinets.
THREE STEPS will work for any sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-9744749500638620282010-08-15T07:00:00.008-04:002011-08-04T13:05:28.414-04:00Detour into the Kitchen: Just Peachy!Although I usually write about being creative with paint,
there certainly are other ways to express our creativity.
Maybe its tending the vegetables in your garden,
baking cookies, or even sorting out the garage.
It seems to me that each time we put our hands to work
and strive to do it well, we are creating.
Art is the overflow of a heart filled with life.Today, my creativity found itssharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-20648135465057586012010-08-08T07:00:00.008-04:002011-08-08T08:30:41.470-04:00More Pink!Little girls and their mothers love PINK. This bedroom was for a pre-school sweetheart who was making the transition into her big-girl room. While she wanted PINK, Mom didn't want a room with a theme, but rather a room her little girl could grow with and enjoy for many years.
The decorator had chosen some lovely fabric for the drapery and bed linens, then asked if I would paint some false moldingsharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-35164965218267990772010-08-01T07:00:00.002-04:002011-06-18T21:39:34.499-04:00Bunny Bliss
The charming world of Beatrix Potter and her animal friends inspired this nursery. The mother-in-waiting chose a pale aqua color for the walls. Accents of yellow and green were used so that the room could welcome either a baby boy or girl.
Mimicking the illustrative style of Beatrix Potter, I set about creating a fantasy garden that would serve as a backdrop for this tranquil room. Muted sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-82128099967797092882010-07-25T07:00:00.005-04:002011-11-11T15:26:27.545-05:00A Tale of Two Tables
Proving once again that one man's trash is another man's treasure,
I searched though a nearby second-hand shop l
ooking for a table that would fit into a corner of my living room.
Nothing on the main floor of the store caught my eye,
but in the back, where items patiently wait their turn
to be priced and placed on the sales floor,
I spied a round wooden table.
The simple, sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-57824062885741207452010-07-18T07:00:00.006-04:002011-08-08T08:26:51.644-04:00Paint it Red!Red is my favorite color. Sassy or classy, red always commands attention.
And red never goes out of style. Regardless of the latest trend, some form of red will always be in fashion. While finding the shade of red that works best for a room's decor can be a challenge, using this exciting color is guaranteed to bring drama and style to any space. Its worth the effort!
Those who study the sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-6665054205444788012010-07-11T07:00:00.012-04:002011-11-12T17:12:18.555-05:00Cracked Up
One of this week's projects
was getting a bathroom ready for guests.
Earlier, the designer chose stylish wallpaper
for the vanity portion of the bath.
It was a perfect fit for this masculine room.
My assignment was to create
a companion paint design
for the adjacent shower area.
We decided upon lightly cracked, stained walls
that looked like old leather.
sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-59972846437274389852010-07-04T07:30:00.004-04:002010-07-08T19:46:53.926-04:00Second-hand RoseMy friend and partner in Hungtington House Designs, Miss Sherry, is an avid scrounger! She combs second-hand stores, resale shops, antique stores, flea markets and estate sales for treasures of all descriptions. Usually her bounty is glassware and porcelain, but sometimes she returns with something inspiring for me to paint.
One of her excursions turned up this vanity and chair. Of course theysharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-71461424233027600862010-06-27T07:45:00.002-04:002011-04-27T16:52:46.434-04:00Walls that Shimmer
A beautiful powder room is a gift you give your guests.
When the owners moved into their new home, they inherited a powder room that didn't fit their style at all. So we set about changing walls previously painted with a mural of trees and sky, into something more suitable and elegant.
A grey green metallic fresco was chosen because it complimented our inspiration piece - a mirror that sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-60454139045766324062010-06-20T08:00:00.008-04:002011-10-24T15:11:55.312-04:00Detour into the Garden
These white climbers bloom all season
Today, I'm painting furniture,
which is a slow process
of waiting for primer and paint to dry.
So in between each coat of paint,
I decided to do a small project inspired by my garden.
I'm neither a skilled nor diligent gardener.
In fact, I'm a lazy gardener.
I plant what pleases me and when time permits,
I attack the weeds.
sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-27336685388431342582010-06-13T08:00:00.011-04:002011-07-26T19:10:52.139-04:00Raspberry and Orange Parfait
An orange and raspberry room is not for the timid!
This bold, cheeful nursery was done three years ago, just before the guest of honor's arrival. Her mom tells me that the room suits her young daughter's exuberant personality perfectly. Her daughter loves the whimsical jungle animals and is especially fond of monkeys.
Today, the baby that once occupied the crib, has graduated into sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-14022227340870170682010-06-06T08:00:00.017-04:002010-06-06T17:41:23.366-04:00More Table Talk
Whether its in the kitchen, dining room or on the back porch, when friends and family gather, there's usually a table in the middle. And if the table is pretty -
that's even better!
After sharing my sister's table with you last week, I thought you might enjoy these, also.
This table began life as a stained oak table with two leaves. Once upon a time, the client painted the top white with sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-83219667772535729602010-05-29T08:00:00.051-04:002010-06-02T13:38:19.433-04:00Table Tops
I found this table and chairs at a barn sale a few years ago. Their size and shape were instantly appealing -- and, surprise, they were in good shape. One of the supports for the drop leaf needed to be replaced, but other than that, the set was in tip-top condition, considering its age. Of course being old and oft-used brought dings and dimples, but to me this just added character.
When I sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076323456389353954.post-32240818972446360522010-05-23T16:44:00.003-04:002011-07-26T19:11:15.381-04:00No Jumping on the Bed!
As I finished up a nursery, the client's sister-in-law called to see if I could help with her daughter's room. It was time to move from the crib into a "big girl" bed, and could I help choose a color and a design for the walls.
Inspired by dreams of ball gowns and fairy tales, the pink and gold damask linens are an elegant mix of color and texture. And the bed....well, let's just say that sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047908435370947576noreply@blogger.com1