Before & After: Guest Bedroom Project

I don't know about you but for me, the best part of a project reveal is seeing the "Before and After" shots.  Sure, it's easy to ooh and ahh over pictures of a pretty room but there's something about seeing a truly unfortunate "Before", which my guest bedroom most certainly was, that makes the "After" so much more dramatic.

It's been a while since I first posted my frightening "Before" shots (I still can't believe I put these images out into the internet for the world to see!). I apologize for the happiness-sucking brownness that I'm about to inflict upon your eyeballs.

Behold, my shameful past:

Gah!

On one hand, I do have to give myself props for finding the most realistic shade of poop brown ever known to man. 

After:

So. Much. Better.

A little side-by-side action:

Both nightstands (which I already owned) underwent transformations as well. 

Finally (with a little nudge from my friend Kate) I came to my senses and realized navy blue was the right color all along.

Duh.

And oh, the drapery.  The drapery! The boring brownness! The horror!

The ultimate neighborhood watch in action.

I know it's a little hard to see but trust me, there's just a whole lotta brown going on. 

I found a really great navy  and white modern trellis fabric and sewed my first ever fully lined drapery panels.  Not only was it a million times easier than I imagined, the panels came out beautifully and no sewing apparatus were thrown across the room in the process. Always a bonus when sanity is maintained.

This photo is the most realistic representation of the color.

See how the bottom of the panel just baaaaarely kisses the floor?  That's what you want. Unless you're purposely pooling a luxurious puddle of fabric, which also looks absolutely gorgeous in its own right.

Such a dramatic change, don't you think?

Next week I'll go into a little more detail on how I designed and transformed this room from a brown, boring blob with no energy or design direction to a fresh, airy space that any guest would love. And, I did it all on a really, really small budget. I'll also be sharing some of my sources, splurges and biggest steals.

Have a great weekend!

If you want help creating a home you absolutely love, email Sarah Elizabeth Interior Design today to schedule a consultation.

Guest Bedroom: Reveal!

Well it is finished folks! I can cross my guest room makeover off my list! It took just a little longer than I originally planned due to a fabric back-order situation and a little indecision on my part but I am absolutely thrilled with the final result.  I hope you enjoy it too.

In the coming weeks I'll be going into more detail on the various elements that came together to create the finished space.  This project was definitely a budget conscious one, so I'm all too happy to share how I made it happen.  But today, I'll let the pictures do all the talking.

If you decide to do any pinning (which I wholeheartedly encourage!) please click on the original post so that your pins link back to my blog and I receive proper credit for all my hard work.  I would really appreciate it!

See you back here on Friday! 

If you would like my help creating a room or home that you absolutely love, please email Sarah Elizabeth Interior Design to schedule a consultation.

Monday Morning Drive By

I'm popping for a super quick post this morning before I run out. I've decided that today I'm going to bust out the installation of the final elements in my guest room makeover.  It's time to complete this project and move on! There are a few odds and ends to shop for and a couple of (hopefully) quick DIY projects to tackle.  Wish me luck!

Accessorizing and styling are parts of the design process that don't come naturally to me - I find there is a fine line between a well-curated look and hoarder-ish clutter! So, I've been finding tons of inspiration online and I'm excited to give it my best. 

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Come back on Wednesday to see the results!

Friday Fashion: Dress for Spring

I've booked my flights and hotel room for BlogFest in NYC next month and it's starting to feel like my trip is right around the corner.  Now that I've got the transportation and lodging sorted out, it's time to focus on what's really important - the outfits.

In addition to the three action-packed days of BlogFest, I decided to make the most of it and add a couple of extra days to bum around the city on my own.  So. Excited. Confession: I've already "Google-Street-Viewed" some walking routes to all the shops and restaurants I have on my list.  I'm such a nerdy, planner type like that.

There's nothing I love more in warm weather than the easy breeziness of dresses. By changing shoes and accessories, it's easy enough to take any of these dresses I spied at Old Navy from day to night. Bonus: dresses take up less valuable souvenir space in your suitcase than separates.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Daydreaming: Springtime Soiree Edition

Here’s something that you may not know about me, I daydream………a lot. Like, a lot a lot.  If I’m not working or in an actual conversation, it’s a pretty good bet that I’m daydreaming. When I'm really really tired, I can get so engrossed in them that I often don’t hear the first few words of any sentence that B utters.  A typical conversation between us goes a little something like this:

B: Should we get pizza or Chinese for dinner tomorrow night?


Me: Huh? Yeah, that sounds good to me.

B: Which one Sarah?

Me: Wait, what?



As you can imagine, my daydreaming tendencies can be a source of frustration for him. Luckily, for me (and my productivity!), it seems to be limited to down time (doing dishes or vegging in front of the tv) or when I'm having a hard time falling asleep.

What do I daydream about? Situations like how I’d decorate my sister’s living room if I lived there, what I’ll say to Margaret Russell when I see her at BlogFest (probably something weird like, “You’re Margaret Russell. Oh my god, you’re Margaret Russell. Nice to meet you, Margaret-freaking-Russell”) or even what my imaginary interior design show would be like (maybe a mix between “Secrets From a Stylist” and anything with Sarah Richardson? Would I get a Tommy of my own?). 

Anyway.

With Spring in the air, my daydreaming time has lately been occupied with planning perfectly-designed, springtime soirees.  These parties should always take place outdoors, be perfectly decorated (not too fussy, but no plastic-ware either) and have just the right easy-breezy, laid back vibe.

Like so:

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If you're planning springtime festivities, be yours real or imagined, any of these tabletop beauties will help you set a pretty table. I've really got my eye on the wooden trays, table linens and beverage dispenser.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11.

So, now is the time when you leave me comments along the lines of "OMG I totally daydream about party planning and decorating other peoples homes too! You're not a complete weirdo!".

Weekend Snapshots

How was your weekend?  Around here, the weekend flew by way too fast but I did manage to snap a couple photos of the goings on.

I scored a couple of new lamps for the guest room and they're getting a hit of white paint.  I'm trying my hardest to be patient and apply multiple light coats rather than aiming for 100% coverage in one fell swoop. Hopefully I can avoid dreaded drips this time.

You may notice that I'm doing the painting in the far back corner of the yard.  B has permanently banished me from conducting anymore spray painting in the garage.  The variety of colors that have been over-sprayed on the floor of said garage tells the sordid history of my DIY escapades. I once had to scrape red over-spray off the windshield of his truck so I guess he has a valid point.

While I was in the backyard painting I noticed things are starting to bloom.

This may look like a certain herb but it's only a Vitex plant.

Ahhhh orange blossoms in bloom!  There is nothing like the sweet fragrance of orange blossoms!  It is pure heaven!

I also managed to finish sewing the drapery panels in the guest room and I'm in love!

We capped off the weekend by grilling steaks (which came out amazing and although I fully intended to be the one doing the actual grilling I was immediately disqualified when I failed to remove the old ashes before adding new charcoal. Geez! I never claimed to be Bobby Flay.) and catching up on the new episode of Mad Men. 

Sidebar: Did anyone else enjoy watching Joan kick "Dr Rape-y" to the curb?  It's so good to see her stand up for herself again!  Also, do you think that sleeping pill for Sally will be her gateway into her drug-fueled teenage years as a hippy?

Back to the steaks.

Have a great day guys!  I'm heading out to pick up some trims for pillows and lampshades. See ya back here on Wednesday.

Friday Design Crush: Porchlight Interiors

It's no secret that I love spending time on Pinterest (check out my boards here) and lately I've decided to delve a little deeper into the photos I'm pinning.  When an image really catches my eye, rather than quickly repinning and moving on, I keep clicking away until I get back to the original source of the picture.

This week, all that clicking led me to discover an exciting new design crush on the beautiful work done by Porchlight Interiors a firm in Brisbane, Australia run by Hayley Hayes and Tracey Leeson. Feast your eyes on the incredible use of color and pattern in the image that led me to their website:

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Here it is from another angle:

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Mixing patterns and using bright colors can be tricky but these ladies have pulled it off beautifully don't you think?  I adore the green sofa, the fabric covered lamp shade and the soft white backdrop that allows all that gorgeous color to come alive.

A few detail shots of the same room: (Confession: I'm an absolute sucker for detail shots!)

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Just lovely.

After all this bright, Spring-like color, I'm really dying to use this fabric I found last week:

If you're looking for some quick, affordable ways to inject a bit of Spring into your interior, changing out your pillows (or pillow covers) is a great way to do that.  I found all of these pillows at Z Gallerie.

This artwork from Cozamia, one of my favorite online sources, would also be a great addition to a Spring palette.

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Isn't it amazing how one image, found on Pinterest, can lead to so much inspiration?  I'm dying to get my hands on a new project and use this pretty palette. If you haven't tried clicking back to find the original source of your favorite images, I highly recommend it. You just might uncover a really great product, company or source of inspiration.

Have a wonderful Spring weekend everyone! Oh, I nearly forgot! I'll be revealing a couple of sneak peeks into the major progress I've made on my guest room project on Twitter and Facebook. I hope to see you there!

xo
Sarah

P.S. If you'd like help creating a beautiful, functional home that is uniquely you, email Sarah Elizabeth Interior Design today!