House of Earnest

September 9, 2011

Friday Faves 9.9

It’s been a wonderful week, hasn’t it? Coming off a long weekend into a four-day week can be downright crazy, but it went quickly and it’s already the weekend again! My favorite things from this week are few, but exceptional.

no. 1 I’ve loved this desk for a while, but I’m thinking of making my own homemade version of it! If you want the real deal, you get it at West Elm for $399.

no. 2 This is my kitchen rug replacement! I found it! LOVE this! Lima Rug from Calypso St. Barth for only $400

no. 3 If you’ve ever wanted an abstract painting, but don’t want to sacrifice femininity (or spend crazy cash on something you could do) you will love these beautiful pieces from Aeropagita Prints prices starting at $19

no. 4 Next time you have guests over for coffee, no matter how impromptu, serve cream from one of these cute little cups from pigeontoe ceramics and you’ll look so together (and artsy!) $20

1 Comment

September 8, 2011

Blast of Pink Kitchen

in color, Home Decor with 5 Comments

In a world before I knew about this kitchen, I would have assumed that anyone with hot pink cupboards was nutso. It is still a little nuts, but in some ways it really works.

It’s grounded in a rustic wood island table with creamy walls. The greenery and antique chandelier bring things down another notch so that the overall concept is easier to get to.

Give me your feedback? Beautiful, or bananas?

Have a FABULOUS Thursday!

*photo from freshome

5 Comments

September 7, 2011

Hidden Treasures: Craigslist Antique Settee

in before & after, Home Decor with 2 Comments

This month’s Craigslist find is a beautiful antique settee! I have also been working on my foyer and knew that I needed something petite for the entry, but also something unique. You know my man Craig came through, once again! I had been eyeing this bench for a while, unsure about the design on the back. Even though it was listed at $200, I offered $125 and brought this baby on home.

My original intent was to paint it (gasp!) because I really liked the shape, and because I thought it would coordinate nicely with my dining room chairs, which Erin posted about here! However, when I saw the inlaid pearl and delicate cut detail in the back, I started to seriously fret.

But, I knew I wanted it white, so I sprayed a tiny spot on the leg to force myself to tackle it later. Big mistake. The more I looked at it, the more I loved it in its original glory. I could not bring myself to paint over such intricate detail. So, an hour of the finest grit sandpaper applied to the blunder, and it’s all better. Well, almost all better. I just told myself it has more character now. Lesson learned!

The original fabric didn’t suit my décor, so I chose a scrap piece of ivory matelasse from an old upholstery job from many years ago that I still loved. While I’m no professional, I tackled the recovering myself! Inside I found original horse hair. Because that freaked me out a bit and I didn’t want to rock the boat too much, I left the “stuffings” as-is for now. Perhaps I’ll hire Erin to reconfigure the seat support for me one day later…

Husband has been after me to finish the double piping trim… I just mastered single piping, but the double piping just seems a bit more intimidating…! But, I will conquer! And show you the magnificently completed product next month… maybe.

Have a fantastic Wednesday! Has anyone else tackled upholstery at home?

2 Comments

September 6, 2011

House Tour: Entry

in before & after, our home with 13 Comments

I love the entry to our house. When I was younger, I would think of having a foyer or entry in which I could put fresh-cut flowers, beautiful chandeliers and it would be the first impression people would have. Flash to reality. Nobody uses our front door. The main man getting all of those snapshots of our entry is the UPS man. I was comforted a couple of years ago when a friend at work said, “Did you get a new chandelier in your foyer?? I was driving by your house and saw it on through the front door!” I was elated someone had the opportunity to see it!

I do really like my foyer, and there have been some vast improvements made since I’ve lived here.

2008:

Ignore the obvious mini-monster the photo here and focus on the background. This, unfortunately, was the only picture I could find of a true ‘before’. The caramel colored carpet extended all of the way into the foyer. I had already painted but nothing else was done.

2009:

The carpet came up in 2009. We then sanded and stained the original wood (which is pine). The pine isn’t necessarily meant to be finished, but we liked the look of it. The soft wood takes stain color really well, so we went with a rich dark walnut stain.

2010:

From 2010 until present the entry has just underwent some styling changes which are chronicled in the ‘sticks and stones’ post from this past spring. I kept the framed insect pieces, but switched out the tall sticks for something a bit more colorful and styled.

2011:

The only thing I would still really like to do to the space is repaint the front door, and add some art to the stairway. Mostly, I’m happy with the entry… not that anyone enters through it!

Do you guys have an entry way? Do people use it?

Have a FANTASTIC Tuesday!

13 Comments

September 5, 2011

Happy Monday and End of Summer

in mood with 0 Comments

This weekend and holiday you might be sneaking in a couple last days of summer, or you may be celebrating the beginning of fall. Either way I hope today is whatever you want it to be and that you’re having a wonderful long holiday weekend!
I’ll be back here tomorrow with the continuation of my house tour!

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September 2, 2011

Friday Faves 9.2

in friday favorites with 1 Comment

no. 1 flanders chair $155 by industry west, no. 2 17 real framed butterflies $199 by ben the butterfly guy, no. 3 printed leather iphone case $50 by tovi corrie, no. 4 guardsman egg cup £6 by martha mitchell, no. 5 cotton herringbone throw $236 brahms mount

I’m seriously on the verge of buying every single thing here. All of the color-to-white pattern is really doing it for me today! I hope you guys find something that inspires you!

This is literally the first weekend in over a month that I’ve had NOTHING on the agenda – no out of town trips, no out of town visitors, no appointments or engagements. I am going to spend the entire weekend getting caught up on my projects around the house! It will be fabulous!

What do you have on the docket?

Have a SUPERB holiday weekend!

1 Comment

September 1, 2011

Open Air Everywhere

in house envy with 2 Comments

It’s the first of September and this is the perfect time of year for some open doors and windows. It is cooler, but still sunny, humidity is decreasing and the fresh fall air is creeping in. There is always a time of the year in both the spring and the fall which I dub ‘open window weather’ (creative, I know). This is a time when there is no heat, no a/c, and windows stay open! Get a fan if you have to, or get a blanket if you must, but all of that fresh air is required!

I dream of large open windows or french doors. Unfortunately, the only way I’ll achieve that is if we blow out the back of the house. I live in a home that has some windows which are painted or caulked shut. It’s pretty hilarious when people say, ‘so you don’t have air conditioning, and your windows don’t open?’ Haha… it’s funny because it’s true. I did go around one day with a box cutter and open the windows that could be pried, but in a 120 year old house some windows are just not suitable to be fussed with. So we live with it until the day we decide to break down and put all new windows into this house.

Oh, and in the kitchen too! This is just fabulous. Both the fresh air that french doors bring in as well as the access to the patio, either way, I’m loving this.

Even a large window with panes that swing open would be so wonderful! The few times I’ve been to Europe, this is one thing that sticks with me – all of the wonderful windows which just swing open and grant you instant access to the beautiful and fresh outdoors (or on my last trip to Italy, the windows of my Florence hotel room swung open and granted me instant access to the Louis Vuitton across the street – sweet!).

If this was where I woke up to this morning, I’d be waking up in heaven!

What are your thoughts? Some people control their HVAC so meticulously that there is never really a ‘windows open’ period for them! Are you one of those people?

*photos: 1/ Bosworth Hoedemaker 2/3/4/5/6/ Journal de Maison

2 Comments

August 31, 2011

Just a Splash {of Aubergine}

in color, mood with 2 Comments

*photo from design sponge – Irina Graewe Sneak Peak

Okay, so maybe it is a bit more than ‘just a splash’ but aubergine is one of my favorites this time of year. Late summer into early fall signifies the harvest of blackberries, blueberries, and well – aubergines! It is still such a fresh, outdoors time of year with a hint of cool – just like the color!

*photo by style by emily henderson

*photo from picsdecor

Interested in adding a little splash of aubergine to your home? Use pretty feathers or gourds, paint an accent wall, how about a cozy knit throw? – either way it will make such a fresh pretty addition!

*photos from top left: sewn natural, kimono, elle interior norge, luna yarns

What are your feelings on aubergine? Love it or hate it?

Have a PLEASANT Wednesday!

2 Comments

August 30, 2011

An Inspiration Display to Inspire {Part Two}

in organize with 1 Comment

I showed you guys my vintage wooden hangers when I posted a couple of months ago when I posted about my take on displaying information and inspiration pieces. Then after I showed pictures of my total office redesign, I felt that the ‘organization’ area of the office was looking slightly sparse. It needs a little something extra and something a little more user-friendly than the hangers (it is really difficult to actually hang things on those hangers). This prompted me to use the clipboards.

Aside from the askew one on the left, they’re so much easier to use than the hangers! I decided to put things that are not as temporary on the hangers (photos, art) and keep my constant rotation of inspiring clips and swatches on the clipboards.

Initially I was going to do something cool to the clipboards like cover them in awesome fabric or paper, do some sort of stenciling design or painting treatment. However, when it came down to it, I just wanted something that would tie back to the hangers and not upstage them or look out-of-place.

It sounds silly that it was actually a big decision for me to add the clipboards to the wall. I am a sucker for simplicity and a minimalist approach so I was really afraid of cluttering up the wall. With the addition of a little faux milk glass vessel and some dried lavender, I think the area still looks easy and natural – what do you think?

Where do you guys display your inspiration?

Have a PRODUCTIVE Tuesday!

1 Comment

August 29, 2011

House Tour: Exterior

in our home with 15 Comments

Our home 2009

Last week when I told you guys about starting the house tour by doing a photo a week, I wasn’t thinking about my porch or the exterior of the house. This is (so far) my most embarassing moment on the blog.

Our home is old. On the auditors website, instead of saying the year it was built, it literally just says, “old”. The age of the house shows most on its exterior. There are so many things we need to do, but most of them are big and overwhelming… So let’s get started.

2006: Upon moving into the house in 2006 we painted the front porch and spruced up the front landscaping.

2009: The above photo was taken in 2009. The front porch paint still looks nice. There are a couple broken window panes, from bad storms and 120 year old glass wearing out. Since then we’ve just switched out the broken porch swing for some rockers, and fixed the broken window panes (which are hard to see from the photo).

our house current (2011)

2011: The house is in desparate need of several things:

Repainting the porch
Replacing lattace
Repainting the window trim
Power wash exterior siding
New roof (meeting with roof man tonight!)
New gutters
New house numbers and porch light
Thin out and spruce up landscaping (hostas can really take over!)
Paint front door exterior (maybe a fun color?)
Remove door ‘shutters’

our house current 2011

I bet you wonder why we’ve put this off so long? In truth, this house is a rental. We technically rent from my mother-in-law and the idea of putting tons of money into the exterior was not quite appealling to me. We’ve recently decided to buy the house from her, so now we need to get to work! As you can see, there is a lot to do! It is so easy to get overwhelmed, but we’re going to start digging in.

Do you guys have a long list of to-do’s for your homes exterior? Anything you’ve been putting off? I would love to hear that I’m not the only one!

Have a SMOOTH Monday out there!

15 Comments