by studiotullia | Oct 31, 2018 | DIY, INTERIOR DESIGN
We are at Week 5 and getting down to the wire. It is going to be a busy weekend, let me tell ya.
We got this darn heating vent installed, thanks to my husband! You have no idea what a relief it is to have a new one. Our old one was so beat up.
FLOOR VENT
ANTIQUE CAFE CHALKBOARD
I saw this a month ago at the Portland Flea Market and have been thinking about whether or not it would work. I called up the owner at LOOKS & BOOKS in Milwaukee, OR and he still had it! He said he bought it at an auction in Pennsylvania. He came down on the price so I went for it. I’m really kind of excited about it.
I am going with a standard charcoal gray chalkboard paint form Benjamin Moore and using a large salvaged chalkboard that our neighbor a few doors up was coincidentally getting rid of. How these things happen is a curious wonder. We just have to trim it down a bit and paint it.
ART
I am also getting a few works of art framed from I’VE BEEN FRAMED in Portland. They are close to my house and I use them a lot for re- framing vintage art. You’d be amazed what a nice frame, or a fresh matte and glass can do. Not sure they’ll be done in time for the final reveal, but sure hope so. They service artists a lot in the neighborhood and are a very reasonably priced, old shop with lots of artists working there. Always glad to support small businesses.
As you can see I have this old artist’s proof – an abstract, silk screened print of horses running, in browns and blacks. It was in a really heavy silver frame which I re-used for the upstairs GUEST ROOM. I never really appreciated it all that much but now that I am trying to bring out browns and blacks in the space, I reconsidered it. It has the original matte here below which I don’t really care for.
I taped it up there without the matte to see if I liked it better. I think it will add some interest and height to the room.
My husband added that wifi UFO thing to the ceiling for better internet service…
So those are the kind of details we are dealing with.
CURTAINS/SHADES
We are installing the blinds and curtains this week, too. One of my extraordinary seamstresses is bringing them tomorrow and I cannot wait.
As you can see, I taped the shade and the fabric up there so I could see how it looks before I pulled the trigger. IKEA for the fabric on the leading edge of the curtains and the brown woven shades since they blend with the woodwork. Basic, I know, but they will have to do until I can upgrade.
To see what all the other frenzied designers are up to at this point, you may click on the two squares below:
We will see you next week for the final reveal. Let’s pray for some sunshine so I can get some decent shots.
Have a great weekend!
by studiotullia | Oct 24, 2018 | DIY, INTERIOR DESIGN
We are at WEEK 4. The mural is pretty much done. Here are a few of the stages we went through getting to a place we were relatively happy. I took these with my iphone so I apologize for the quality of the images.
SKY MURAL
There are a few things I might change to balance it out but I needed to wrap it up and move on. I like that it adds some color and life to the room which is especially important in the winter months in Oregon. Half of the year it’s gray and rainy, day after day.
I don’t want to show you the final finished wall. I have to save that for the final reveal!
As you can see it adds quite a visual punch to the room.
It turned out darker than I anticipated so the room is feeling visually heavier on the mural side. I have been trying to address that with some other design choices. I decided that bringing out the black ,white and warm wooden tones throughout the space would also help unify the room.
LIGHTING
This fixture I chose by FEISS was installed. I am ok with it for now.
UPHOLSTERY FABRIC
My choice for upholstered chairs: Tumbling Blocks by Miles Redd for Schumacher.
ART/ACCESSORIES
I came across this painting on sale at Goodwill (originally from Target) for $5!!! and I was thinking, am I crazy for thinking this could work?
I brought it home and after living with it a few days decided to go for it. It is the same era, style wise – mid century, like the light fixture – that brings a modern element I like to the room.
This Pendleton Wool Blanket I had recently made up from salvaged Pendleton turned out to work nicely as well with its black, white, yellow ochre and red accent colors.
I had this original print of my Mom’s from the 60’s that I am having reframed, lightened up with an ivory matte, and hopefully installed in time above the door. And to think this was headed to the donation bin.
RUG
I like the new grass woven rug, the LONHOLT, available at IKEA for the rug. There is no point in having a really nice rug in there as the last one was partially trashed with all the birthday parties, dinners with tweens, etc. that go on there. The price was right, too.
CURTAINS
This is where I am headed with the bay window – three shades and two curtain panels on the sides.
For now, these IKEA grass shades will work.
IKEA also had some very affordable fabric so I brought some home to see if it would work for the curtains.
PILLOWS
Is this adorable or what? I had to add a small pillow in this fabric I love to the mix. A little woodland theme with a pair of twin bunnies…I could not resist.
Fantasy Forest by Schumacher
I found this at the Portland Flea Market last month and I am pretty sure I am going to buy it. It is a cafe chalkboard frame. I called the dealer and he still has it. I think it will add something truly interesting to the room and he is giving me a deal…it just needs the chalkboard part. There’s that.
So, I am going in a new, completely unexpected direction. Quite an evolution from my original scheme. It feels more masculine, but I like it. I think the neutrals will allow for different table schemes with colorful place settings. I have a healthy collection of plates, linens, etc which I love to use throughout the year.
Here’s my remaining TO DO LIST:
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Hang the mirror on the Mural wall.
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Upholster the dining seat chairs
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PDX FLEA MARKET: Purchase my café frame and make the chalkboard back for it and install (surprise coming)
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IKEA: Purchase and install 3 32 inch wide Roman shades
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IKEA: Purchase 6 x 8 woven rug
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Paint drapery hardware or rather spray paint with black paint
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Install drapery hardware
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Finish and Install curtains, shades
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make two pillows
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Try to refinish surface of the table
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Buy plants to go in front of the window to cover the ugly duplex outside.
Wish me luck as we are getting down to the wire here with less than two weeks left to pull this together.
You may follow along with all the other designer and guest participants by clicking on the images below.
Thanks for reading, I really appreciate it. Tell me what you think. Am I crazy or will this work? See you next week!
by studiotullia | Oct 17, 2018 | DIY, INTERIOR DESIGN
Here we are at week 3 and I have made some design decisions. The lighting and upholstery fabric have been ordered. But most importantly, I have started the mural! It’s like getting into a swimming pool; its a little hard at first and then you get more comfortable.
Be sure to check out what’s happening with the other ORC guest participants (tap the image above).
And to see some of the the featured designers at week 3 (tap the image below): 
There are so many talented folks who do this – you should grab a cup of coffee (or a glass of wine) and spend some time checking things out.
So, onward we go. I settled on a chandelier:
LIGHTING
This was what we had before:
And this is what I selected:
$297.45
Originally $729.35
There are a few chandeliers out there that I love (that cost a lot more) but ultimately to find something my husband and I both agreed on, and with the price being so right on this one, we went for it. I like that the shades are hand blown glass rather than fabric shades that gather dust. And I like the more modern look and black silhouette. I can take my time and wait to find a really amazing chandelier down the road.
UPHOLSTERY for CHAIRS:
I was going to go with a leopard velvet kind of like the rocker pictured below.
I needed something somewhat neutral that works with the black and white in the room on the loveseat and the sideboard.
STRIPED BLACK & WHITE LOVESEAT
BLACK/BROWN PERIOD SIDEBOARD:
I ultimately chose:
RED MILES TUMBLING BLOCKS by SCHUMACHER
It will breathe some new life into the room, I am hoping.
So, the inevitable needed to happen. The mural needed to begin and I have never done a mural before.
MURAL INSPO
JOHN DERIAN’s SWALLOW WALLPAPER:
and this lovely wallpaper mural by:
So began the custom mixing:
And the beginning application of paint with the roller:
And the brush (see our lovely temporary light fixture below):
My 11 year old daughter was helping me quite a bit with the sky and clouds. She has always been an artist…
By the end of the second day, it was looking more like Van Gogh’s Starry Night than what I had in mind.
I made the mistake of thinking that I could bang this out in a couple of 3 hour sessions and after two days, that is what it looked like.
I told my daughter I wasn’t happy with it and that I wanted to paint it over. She asked if she could play with it for a bit if I was planning to scrap it anyway. So she did. I swallowed my ego and admitted that I liked what she did with the clouds. She softened them and blended them better so they weren’t so animated. Then I realized that, as usual, I needed to slow down and take my time if I wanted to create something worth keeping. She is always telling me to slow down.
So needless to say the mural is still in the works.
We are in full swing now and I look forward to sharing my progress with you next week. In the meantime, you can follow me on INSTAGRAM
Let me know what you think and thank you for following along!
