interior home: March 2011

DIY... from vase to lamp

My mother-in-law found this adorable vase at Anthropologie in the sale closet for just $15 and turned it into a lamp. Didn't it turn out so cute!?

Texas Chic... art supply storage

Yesterday we went to the Dr Pepper Museum in Waco, Texas for a Spring Break outing with my little boy. We brought home an old crate used in 1930's on a delivery truck just like this one...

It's perfect organization for art supplies.

London Love

A self professed "design addict", Kit Kemp, a self taught designer shows off her Hyde Park London townhome in this month's Elle Decor. Pure L O V E !

http://www.elledecor.com/

spring Lonny is out and it's really good

above: slipcovers, ping pong table and arcade games with a chandelier overhead. love!

http://www.lonnymag.com/issues/16-march-april-2011-issue/pages/1

patio pillows... a chic for cheap find

I saw these at Target last week. Imperial Trellis!!!??? I wish navy was my color. What a steal and surprise from Target.

my shiny, new kitchen sink

Lime cleaner left streaks and ruined the finish on the chrome faucet six months ago. I was secretly happy we had a reason to replace the faucet, but the sink was a trickier problem to address.

The hardest part when replacing an undermount sink is finding a sink with the exact dimensions as the cutout in the countertop. It took six months to find an off-the-shelf sink in the exact dimensions. We were afraid to go with a special order, just in case it didn't work.

Step 1: We scoured the web and all the hardware stores. Finally, a score at Home Depot. A single bowl undermount stainless sink from Kohler's company, Sterling. $250 off the shelf. I am thrilled Home Depot now carries a single bowl undermount stainless style, something they didn't have when we first started looking.

Step 2: Hire a willing granite company to send their crew to torch, pry and buff the shellac from existing sink and install the new undermount. $220 for 2 guys for 2 hours. Check.

Step 3: Back to Home Depot and Lowes to find a replacement faucet for just the right amount of holes (3 existing in the granite). This limited us because we wanted a soap dispenser and easy to turn-on-with-messy-hands lever, but not a goose neck (divides the kitchen). I found the perfect faucet at Lowe's. A bronze Price Pfister for $160 and a $20 bronze soap dispenser.

Step 4: Max rigged the faucet to be installed without the deck plate, used plummer's putty to seal the new stainless drain (Home Depot, $30) and reinstalled the old disposer and new faucet. (30 minutes.)

Result: Shiny and new. The single bowl makes the whole kitchen feel bigger. Not to mention much more practical for washing platters, pots, babies, puppies, watering orchids.... The soap dispenser - soap bottles = eco happiness and one less thing on the counter!

Success six months in the making for something seemingly so simple.

Lesson learned: Be careful what product you use to clean lime.

(it wasn't me!)

And one more tip: Add felt pads under the sink bottom and sides to muffle sound. (Wal-mart, $2)

Next on my Spring to-do list: re-do kitchen grout, freshen flowers beds and a dining room paint project. Stay tuned!

House of Spanish architect Beatriz Elorza

Two Gustavian console tables stand out in the entry room. The picture is from Ricardo Cavada. The black carpet is from the fantastic Italian designer Paola Lenti. The other carpet on top is Rich Basagoiti.

The leather carpet in the corridor marks the transition between the living and the dining room. The beautiful black and white picture is from Nuno Nunes Ferreira -gallery Juan Silió.

Projected by the architect Beatriz Elorza, this 900 m2 house near Madrid is a search for space and light, sometimes so shy in the north of Spain. The interior exudes the warmth and grace of an elegant and personal decoration.

Loft in Toronto

Originally a printing press factory, this Toronto building was converted into lofts many years ago. The owners wanted to improve the openness and flow between spaces. The design intent was to accentuate original features, and give attention to the quality of loft living. The kitchen was realigned and extended under the stairs to create a better path of travel and spatial division. Custom millwork, natural finishes and muted colours were used to create a more cohesive space. Modern furniture combined with unique colourful pieces creates inviting conversational seating in the living area, while monochromatic cabinets and tiles in the kitchen calm and integrate the large extent of storage.

Photo Credit: John Heineman Photography

Schumacher ad L O V E

Schumacher's upcoming ad in AD featuring:

Gustavian Bergère Chair

Upholstery: Lismore Linen Plain in Oatmeal

Pillow: Montauban Stripe in Dove / Haze

Drapery: Ambala Paisley in Greige