Cheap chic

Last week I ordered Target's Modern Stool with a bit of trepidation. I had promised myself I would not but any more cheap furniture but The desire for an X-bench of sorts won out. It was $54 but with my Redcard discount and free shipping it was less than $44.

I pleased to find that it was not completely crappy but the pale blue velvet, while not awful, was not how I intended to leave it.

I decided to use one of my Le Lac scraps to cover the cushion.

Keeping the buttons wasn't going to happen. 

I played with the place ment of the fabric before I started stapling. As a side note, the iconic Brunschwig fabric Le Lac is lightwieght and not meant for upholstery. This little bench won't see daily use as a seat so the light fabric is fine.

The rest was super easy. I just stapled along opposite edges pulling tight but too tight.

I folded under the edges for extra strength.

Since I am the world's most impatient person, I made a folded corner as opposed to sewing it.

 The entire project took me less than 30 minutes. The only thing I do not like is the rubber foot cover/floor protector thingys. They give it an institutional feel. I plan on replacing them with something better.

I am pleased overall with the bench and for $50 total cost it is cheap chic.

Quickie DIY inspiration

Several months ago, I purchased a lot of Brunschwig and Fils  iconic "Le Lac" in pieces on eBay. There is no real yardage just large scraps but I got them for a song and it perhaps my favorite fabric ever.

Not familiar? Just more Chinoiserie ? Mais non!

The magic of this fabric lies in its apparent simplicity. The colors are far more complex than one's eye will reveal unless it is closely inspected. As I see it (and I am sure I will miss a shade) there are 2 grays, 4 greens, 2 reds, 3 yellows, 4 browns, 1 lavender, 1 purple, and one creamy white that is above and beyond the background. All of this is hand printed and manages not to be "too much".

Here is what I did with the smallest and most unusable piece from the lot I have.

I bought this bulletin board at Target for 6 and change. I accidentally bought that paint a few months ago for a dollar.

The board is about 16 x 20.

First, I painted the frame with the glossy red paint. There was no need to be super neat since I was covering the cork later.

I had several spools of this black grosgrain that I bought for another project and did not use.

I adore this fabric!! I got so excited that I forgot to take a pic of the beginning of the fabric placement.

Basically, I put a bead of fabric glue along an edge and placed my fabric. The I used pushpins to hold the corners in place and flipped the remainder up and inside out so I could prepare the next lines of glue.

I kept the fabric 1 or two inches too big in every direction. Once all edges were glued and pinned, I grabbed a VERY sharp utility knife to trim up the edges.

um..My camera makes everything look sloppier than it is

I glued two sides of grosgrain ribbon on the long sides, just inside the frame. Next I glued the shorter sides and mitered the corners by cutting a straight square edge and folding it to make perfect 45 degree angle. I used a pushpin to secure it.

I added a sawtooth hanger to the back because it was set up to hang in landscape orientation and  eye hook and wire would not do for a bulletin board.

Here she is on the inside of my pantry door until she gets a real home.

I made this because Kris of La Reportiste had a wonderfully inspiring post on inspiration boards, and clearly, I was inspired.

The point... to use this board as a place to keep all of my samples of paint and fabric currently in use, as an easy to use and pin (in real life) reference. In my early days I kept a book but it got too fat and I think this is far more accessible and inspiring.  I just grab a room and go.

The top ten "scores!" of 2011

Some are posting their favorite rooms and some are posting our favorite posts but here are my top "scores" of 2011. By "score" I mean a unique and most likely inexpensive find for my home.

Number 10.
Antique chandeliers:  2 for $500.

I know five hundred bucks is a lot of cash but when you look at the boring, mass-produced stuff at Home Depot and the like, this was a bargain.

Number 9

Three vintage Vera scarves. I think they were $6 each. This pink one will be a part of my youngest daughter's room, either framed or as a pillow.

Number 8.

My vintage Henckel Harris dining room chairs at $125 per chair. That's less than Pottery Barn prices folks.

They are in pristine condition, meaning no nicks or scufsf on the legs from use.

I think they must have been in one of those houses where they never use the dining room.

Number 7

Well you saw it in the last picture too. It is this antique Oriental rug. It is about 11 feet by 13 1/2 feet and was all of $350 on eBay.

Number 6

Ok, its a little trendy, but it is my style and I won't grow tired of this garden seat that I got for around $90 from Overstock.com. They are often much more.

Number 5

This vintage Bombe chest came from the same great antique dealer in Culpeper, Virginia. It was deal at $375.

Number 4 is a category--art

by Linda Monfort

I built an art collection this year or at least began one. Some of what I bought was expensive, some not.

Here is a peek.

Number 3

 Ballard mirror for $2 at a thrift store.
I know, right!!?

Number 2

I am not sure that this totally counts since I did not spend any money on it but I felt darn lucky and that's what this is all about.
Last August Meg from Pigtown-Design hosted a giveaway that I won. Two amazing antique fish knives and  Mark Hampton's  On Decorating.

Drum roll please...

This year's Number 1 score  a Chez Kerry is

Tons of Brunschwig and Fils fabric for a pittance.

I was initially upset at my haste in buying this fabric for $20. I thought it was a waste since it did not work where I planned for it. As I examined it further I realized that I had enough yardage to accomplish many things on my list. I also realized that the retail price was at least $325 per yard-- at best and I had more than three yards all together.

It has become many things, not the least of which is the chinoiserie addition to my rather masculine dining room.

I also scored a few yards of the ark of the covenant Le Lac for $30.

I don't have a plan for it yet. 

The anti score.....

or the most expensive, semi-functional thing I have purchased in recent memory

And wouldn't ya know the most expensive thing I buy, everyone in the house hates except me.

Have a great New Year!
I hope you "score" big in 2012

Designing a room around an icon

I have longed for curtains made from the iconic Brunschwig and Fils fabric, Le Lac for a few years.

The chinoiserie print has a multitude of colors without appearing garish or overdone.

Designing a room with this fabric a the showstopper is easy, just choose your colors and go.

 There is plenty to choose from. Here is how I would do it.

The color cues are easy enough to trace.

1. Peach walls

2. Brown velvet sofa--remember my obsession with velvet?

3.Quirky green leather wing chair

4. Pair of Chinese styled stools- following the chinoiserie look

5. Oversized antique bird prints-- I just like them

6. Simple sleek tables and lighting-- glass coffee table, leather parsons console and chrome lamps
7. Classic Persian rug

Of course floor to ceiling panels in Le Lac, perhaps with a subtle touch of brown or red trim on the leading edge.

Unfortunately, at well over $300 a yard I will have to do without for now, but dreaming is fun.

Maybe yellow walls or plain grasscloth...