Lovin' the look of Maine Cottage

I really love Maine Cottage furniture.  It's colorful and mixes comfortable, slightly old fashioned pieces with a contemporary twist.   Pictured here is their Zelda sofa in an outdoor wicker.  Right now the outdoor wicker is all 50% off.  If you go to their page and click on the "40 colors" tab, you can have fun trying out all the colors.  They sell furniture for every room in the house.  I've just been paying more attention to outdoor furniture because of the season. 

My sister, Susan, lives in Falmouth, Maine, and we went to the Maine Cottage store in nearby Yarmouth so that I could sit on the pieces and feel the fabrics.  I was very impressed with the construction.  Not inexpensive--but the sales are excellent and this furniture is going to last.  That store sits right on the water, so it's a very pretty place to visit. 

I really do believe in shopping locally whenever possible.  For example, Summer Classics in Raleigh sells gorgeous outdoor furniture, especially if you're looking for traditional pieces in classic stains (with amazing cushions).  But I also believe in seeking out special companies anywhere in the U.S.A. that offer something a little different.  Maine Cottage is a favorite of mine.

Ciao,

Anne

Local store review-antiques!

When Christine and I were in college  together (as adult students this time), we would go on "road trips" whenever we had a couple of hours between classes.  We would explore the surrounding area and had a lot of fun.  So now we continue that fine tradition whenever we can. 

Today we took a very short road trip right here in the Raleigh/Durham area.  We went into two antique shops on Rt. 70 in Durham, just north of Brier Creek in Raleigh.  Pictured above is the first one.  It's called K.A.S. Antiques.  It's a great place.  Karen, the owner, has accumulated a LOT of stuf.  Much of it is in the original, rough shape.  I like that.  The prices are reasonable and it's not all painted white, which seems to be the case at many other resources.  I like to paint my own pieces, thank you very much, and I would rarely ever paint anything white!  I brought home a little black iron bench for the porch--could be used as an extra seat, but I'm putting plants on it and will paint it a new color.  Karen's number at the shop is 919-451-1680.

Then we drove about 30 seconds further down the road to another shop, owned by Bob Johnson.  I don't think it even has a name, so just look for a place that looks like an antique/treasure shop right after KAS.  Mr. Johnson is a very interesting guy and has 10 rooms of stuff in his place.  Yes, 10 rooms (that's what he said and I believe him)!  He's open Monday-Saturday, noon to 5:00. Both places had some real finds and great prices and are run by nice people.  Go see for yourself!  And tell them that I sent you.

Ciao,

Anne

Easy peasy project, big impact

Sometimes (often) it's the simple ideas that can have a big impact in a room.  Years ago, I did this block painting project over a fireplace.  Using all sorts of leftover paint in the garage, I mixed yellow, white and beige to my hearts content, ending up with 8 colors (I think). 

Then I took a level, pencil and painters tape and just outlined squares and rectangles.  The key here is to label each cup of mixed paint and make yourself a little diagram of where each color is.  You'll need to do two coats, and believe me, you will NEVER remember which square is which cup of paint.  No mistakes can really be made though. When it was all done, I put a lovely framed landscape on the mantel.

I will always love this project.  It could go behind a headboard in a bedroom, on a plain, cheapo closet door, on a small wall in a dark hallway, around the mirror in a bathroom.  You could use any color combination that makes you happy, but I think part of my success here was that it was very tonal.   All one color family.  

Give it a try.  Easy peasy.

Ciao,

Anne

The wonderful world of Ikea

I went to Ikea 2 weeks ago with my pal Christine.  She and her hubby are building a gorgeous home and she's looking for a few new items to put in it.  Ikea is SUCH a great store to visit.  Their style is clean, modern and fun.  Their prices are very affordable.  The quality is totally decent.  By that I mean you can't treat the merchandise roughly or it will look shabby in short order.  But why would you want to treat the merchandise roughly?  Take care of it and it will hold up well.   

I know, the pictures I've chosen today are kind of white and plain, but these are two fabulous items.  The chair is a clear plastic material (ployblablablab) and really looks sharp.  I'd use it in the kitchen at the desk, in any age child's room, or as extra seating tucked away in room.  How about around a bistro table? 

The pendant lamp is gorgeous and around $50.  See the cool diffuser over the lightbulb?  Nice touch.  A few of these over a big island would be delish.  I believe this also comes in black.  The online catalog doesn't show nearly enough stuff.  Christine bought a pendant light that has a big drum shade for over the kitchen table.  It's going to be stunning.

If you have an Ikea anywhere near you, go there and look.  It's worth a little day trip.  Totally fun.

Ciao,

Anne

The magic of slipcovers

Calico Corners sent me a notice about their slipcovers and I wanted to share the photo with you.  I would guess that every seat in the above room is slipcovered and don't they just look great?  There are lots of slipcovered pieces in my house.  Once you've purchase a good chair or sofa, you can easily keep it for many, many, many years.  All you have to do when you're ready for an updated look, is to have a slipcover made. 

Finding a seamstress or upholsterer who does a fantastic job is key, but just ask around and you'll find them.  I'm really loving that blue chair on the left, just because it has the crisp white welting (some people call it piping, too) on it.  Adorable. Fresh.  When having a slipcover made, always consider having some contrasting welting.  It's what says "custom" to me.  If not contrasting, then just something a little different to add polish to the look.

When choosing your new fabric for the slipcover, consider something that can be thrown in the washing machine.  After washing, throw it in the dryer, but take it out and put it back on the cushions before it's completely dry.  That's how you get it wrinkle free. I love a good slipcover.

Ciao,

Anne 

Construction is almost done!

The new screened porch and deck are almost done.  The builder promises that it will be ready by next weekend, when we have guests arriving (the in-laws!).  I just cannot wait.  They put the screens in last Friday and I've sat out there every day for a good spell.  The weather was perfect for it--now the heat is creeping back in.  Such is life in the summer in North Carolina, so it makes no sense to complain about it.

We've put a lot of thought into the design of this deck and I'll go over some of the key features when it's all done.  Money is suddenly tight around here, so decorating will be done carefully and frugally, with a lot of using what we have.  Hey, that's my favorite kind of decorating anyway.  Tighter budgets call for more creativity and that's what it's all about.

Ciao,
Anne

Shop Local!

In today's Raleigh News & Observer, there's a great article about the importance and impact of shopping local.   This is an issue so near and dear to my heart.  Go to http://www.shoplocalraleigh.org/ to see lots of information.  Here's a snippet from the article;

TOP 10 Reasons to Shop Local

1. Buy local to support yourself
2. Keep our community unique
3. Be eco-friendly
4. Create more jobs
5. Get better service

6. Put your taxes to good use
7. Invest in the community
8. Support community groups
9. Promote competition and diversity
10. Encourage future investment

Their website expands on each point, plus has lots more to say.  Good grief people, hasn't this recession and just everything going on in the world taught us all a few things about the importance of simplyfying our needs, supporting our communities and being much more mindful about how we live on this planet?   As an interior designer, I generally have nothing good to say about imported merchandise, other than it's cute and cheap.  Is that what we really want?  By making cute and cheap qualities that we look for when making purchases, we're supporting all kinds of awful behavior, from abusive labor practices to unsustainable manufacturing processes.  You know I could rant on and on, but you've all read the same stuff that I have. Please let's get our heads out of the sand and stop denying what we know is true.  We've got to pay attention and make better choices.  Let's just try shopping with an eye toward quality and longevity and being less about immediate gratification and jumping on the constantly moving trend machine.

Give it a try.  We have so many great independently owned businesses here in the Triangle.  I'll talk about some of my favorites in an upcoming post.


Ciao,
Anne

The latest project

The old deck's gotta go.  We can't walk onto it without getting splinters.  It's old, twisted and well loved.  In it's place will be a screened in porch with an adjoining deck for the grill and eventual fire pit.

So it was all torn down, about a month ago.  Things have progressed slowly but surely.

This is how it looked last week.  Will take another photo tomorrow if the heat doesn't melt us all.  It's going to be a beauty!

Ciao,

Anne

Backyard beauty

I promise (myself) that I will become a proper blogger, starting today.  But first, this photo.  Mike took it yesterday afternoon as he noticed 2 fawns cavorting about in our backyard.  With all the construction, it's an interesting place for any kid! 

Peace,
Anne

Back from the beach

We're back from the Outer Banks and this is my favorite picture from the week.  Our grandson, playing in the sand.  Focused on the task at hand, no other thoughts intruding on his fun.  Let's just pause here and savor the memory of feeling this way. 

Ok, now I've got to get back to work.  I'm working on a new website for my design business.  John, a talented webmaster, is actually doing the work, of course, but I have so much to do so that he can make it look great.  You'll all want a site made by him when we're done!  I'll share his info as soon as we finish.

Our screened porch is under construction  Have I shown you any pictures of that yet?  No?  Then I'll do that tomorrow.  It's going to be one fabulous room.

Ciao,
Anne