House tour: A vintage, reclaimed, and chic beauty

One day I will have a gorgeous old leather chair...

I'd say those french windows were worth it.  They add so much to the space.

What do you think of this home?

via Heart Home Magazine

Tuesday Treat: A bright and airy NYC apartment tour

This apartment belongs to the uber-talented founder of Rubie Green, Michelle Adams.

This image makes me fall in love with white all over again - but boyfriend likes the darker woods.

Michelle is all about sustainable, green design.  This cypress trunk side table is free of toxic finishes.

The striped modern upholstery balances out the traditional frames of the dining chairs

I love the idea of using what you already have.  Under the table cloth (which is actually a drape that Michelle already had but didn't fit any of her current windows), is a sideboard that she found at a thrift store.  She wasn't able to get it repaired as she planned, but instead of tossing it and buying something else, she worked with what she had and made it work.  I think it looks great.

The textiles you see around her home are from her store which carries green fabrics, Rubie Green.

What do you think?

via Lonny Mag (April/May 2010 issue)

An easy furniture repurposing idea and an AMAZING GIVEAWAY!

So remember last week when I revealed my kitchen after stenciling it with a Royal Design Studios stencil?  Well, I have an addition to that kitchen to reveal - and am announcing a giveaway hosted by Royal Design Studios!  To enter the stencil giveaway, go to the Royal Design Studios site, peruse the amazing stencil selection, and come back here and leave a comment, or email me, with the stencil that you would like to win. To comment on this post (scroll to the bottom of this post and right above "Labels" you will see a number followed by the word "comments." Click on the word "Comments." Or, you will see a link, "Post a Comment," which you click on to comment.

If you receive posts in your email feel free to respond to the email noting that you'd like to be entered in the drawing. Then, go to Royal Design Studio's facebook page and "Like" them.  For this giveaway, the stencil you select must be under $50. 

Here is my kitchen and the easy furniture repurposing idea:
For this project I repurposed a medicine cabinet into a spice rack.

Here is the mirror situation that was in our bathroom when we moved in.  It has since been amended. The medicine cabinet, on the right, was not my style at all, with the carved flowers and dry brush metallic silver paint treatment.

I unmounted the cabinet, and removed the door/mirror. I also gave the cabinet a wash with a cloth and mild soap.  I decided to leave the holes where the door was attached and the magnetic closure.  I liked that it added some history/story to the piece.

I painted the cabinet in an eggshell white with a roller.  A roller creates a smoother finish than a brush.  I used a brush to get into the corners.  Note to the wiser than me:  If you're not sure the finish of the furniture you're about to repaint/refinish - sand it (and wear a mask in case the previous finish is nasty), and PRIME.  Turned out the paint didn't stick to well to whatever finish the cabinet had on it originally, so I had to go back and prime it.

voila!  The finished medicine cabinet turned spice rack in our new kitchen!

It looks like a custom piece, and the white contrasts nicely off the navy blue, I think.

I'm working on another kitchen DIY which I'll reveal next week. I'm very excited about this one - as it's going to free up a cabinet's worth of space.

I'll end by leaving you with some stenciling inspiration from RDS. Remember to comment with the stencil you'd like to win and "like" them on facebook! (They also have a Twitter feed). The drawing closes Nov. 2nd at 6 PM EST. I'll announce the winner the following day. Good luck!