Dirt Chic

New Book Nook

I decided the other day I need a bookshelf in every room, because every room has books in it, one way or the other.

I had a bunch of books cluttering up a side table by the couch.  So when I was looking for specific Christmas gifts at Salvation Army today, I found this little awesome metal shelf, and it had no price, and the VERY NICE young cashier gentlemen offered it for $3.99 ($4.30 with tax).  Cha-ching.

 

I'm still working with it.  But I love it.

 
So does my hubby, because it frees up the coffee table. :)  Now I don't have to move all my school and research stuff when people come over!  Mega-score.

--Arwen

Finally Got Me a Tree

Brandon and I got our first full-sized tree of Craigslist, for $30.  It is not the best white tree of all time, but that's quite alright. :)  It wasn't $100+.

Brandon fluffs the branches...

We went to Hobby Lobby when the ornaments were half off, so we got a big tube of silver-and-black ornaments (some disco balls!).  This is our First Tree Incarnation.  Next week, we will decorate it differently. :)

Brandon gives thanks and praise:

 

As do I.  I don't have the rest of the decorations, yet, as they are in my in-law's garage, but I still can feel VERY festive with this tree glowing, and one of my holiday Glade candles burning!

 

--Arwen

Round, Round Rug

Mary reminded me that I've been lax in posting but I haven't been doing much but mucking about with skin care. :)  I did, however, have an adventure in floor-covering.

We have hardwood floors.  And a pug.  This is not a good combination for play - carpet is so much better.  You should see Biff go to town at my in-laws... so I felt that I needed more than just one rug in the house.  The dining room is the middle room, so it is a prime pathway/space to play.  I was pricing IKEA rugs (and with my pickyness, could come in under $150), checking craigslist, etc.  

Then, I was out with my visiting parents at Lowe's, and my mom and I came across the carpet remnants.  Most were blah Berbers and the like but there was one big remnant in BRIGHT BLUE.

Now, what I had in mind was something black or grey.  Not blue.  Granted, blue is great, and is my husband's favorite color.  But it just didn't totally work with my vision for the room.  But I took a cell phone pic and went home.

It didn't take long to realize that this was a Design-Altering Purchase possibility.  I talked to my mom about it, who was very excited by the blueness.  I showed Brandon the pic and we went over to Lowe's, and got the 7"x8" remnant for $40, plus some supplies to cut it into a circle.  

I took it home and quickly realized that I was incapable of doing the remnant justice.  I knew I would botch the circle and I hated the thought of making it look lame, or wasting my time.  So I tracked down a business that would cut and edge it for me.  It was $90 to have this done - sortof expensive, but that was how much I thought the remnant itself would be.

I brought it home, and it is perfect.  It's even made it so that a little piece of furniture in the room that is covered in blue fabric is going to stay that way - I wanted to reupholster it in black.  

But it works, now.

  

And the Biff can play and play and play. :)

Some New Apartment Before & Afters

I don't want to look at these Before pictures again until 5,000 years from now.

But anywho!  The kitchen, the day after unloading all our crap.

To clean a mess, you have to make a mess.  The Art of Rearranging Crap, AKA Moving In.

After.

The addition of some of our collection of little white shelves made up for the slack in pantry space.  All of our non-food kitchen stuff fit in all the cupboards, though.  Yay!

My favorite area.  Cookbooks and kitchen collectibles on the shelf from Mom & Dad's attic.

This was the living room when I viewed it (after which I promptly signed the lease):

This was the Satanic Mess that had to be cleared out (different view, looking into the dining room):

Mid-way through (one of the easier rooms to deal with - no books):

After.

More After.

The much-longed-for Record Case (IKEA, $90) awaits Order and Stability.

After.

(Lack table, slightly dinged, $6.  BOSE speakers, $10.  Everything else I already had.)

More to come.

Bright Spots

My mom used to be into Christopher Lowell and would talk about color a lot.  I need no encouragement to go overboard on color in decorating (or anything, for that matter).  It can make drab circumstances seem less so.  Painting is kind of a drag, but it's a cheap way to lift your spirits and elevate your style.

I enjoy how this staircase has randomly different-colored carpeting on it.  Note to self, if self ever has wooden staircases!

Speaking of somewhat random, this isn't decoration (and I forget where I found it, so kudos to the original photographer), but yet... it is.  Ping-pong paddles.

Walls can make all the difference.  My former professor's office.  I loved the green walls.  They were so soothing, for some reason.  What shade would you call this?

More green, but this time on the door, too.  (From a very old building in my hometown.  Just think - if they were renovating, they would paint over this.  Sadness)

Paint isn't just for walls, though.  I love the teal accents in this historic building.

And finally, one of my favorite rooms of all time.  Granted, the photo is a bit saturated, but that was the general effect at night.  My dear friend Anne's bedroom, AKA "the brothel", lol.  A wonderful warm pinky-red.  I would love to have a similar room, someday. :)

Feed Me, Says Froggie

Come to think of it, I've never had my own cookie jar.

Mom was cleaning out her frog collection from when she worked at a church as a children's ministry director, and people, knowing she loves frogs, would just give them to her left and right.  She has over 400 of them.

She saved me this cookie jar.

He belongs in my kitchen.

Now, baking time. 

Lampshades

Came across this awesome idea for lampshades.

Go there and look - what a great way to change-up the look of your room.  I myself am always having lampshade issues, as I don't ever like the colors or styles I find.

--Arwen

Frames: DIY's

I'm always needing frame solutions, being that I don't want to buy new ones.  The real issue right now are LARGE things like posters, but I like solutions for small things, as well.  And craftiness is always fun.

From Treasures from Throwaways, jar-lid frames.  (Reminds me of a set of classic paintings in small frame at my grandma's house.)

I LOVE this idea from Blueprint (RIP).  I actually found some of these sheet protectors at an old job, and they were givings them away.  I haven't used them yet, but I'm sure I will, especially since they are in black.  Choice.

Really good idea for kids' art!

Here's how:

The Apartment Book has some good ideas, as usual. Such as how to make your own Plexiglass frames,

or something I love (as would my mom): a frame from a window.

From another great decorating book, some collage-y ideas:

And while this isn't precisely framing, it's pretty cool: enlarging pictures for wall art.

Go DIY!

--Arwen

Frames Everywhere!

I have two boxes of frames, some with pictures.  The problem with apartment life & moving a lot means I don't get to bust a lot of them out - because I don't want to fill in a lot of wall holes.  I also am not a fan of over-cluttering with pictures just because I have them.  They need to look good, too.

But in the meantime, I can plot and take inspiration from these ideas - and someday have a place to put EVERYTHING up. :)

On the fireplace - interesting.  And near the floor - even more interesting.

I love this huge wall - instead of just being a swath of white, it's instead a swath of paintings and such.

Gold-gilded portraits on panelling.  This room is so comforting to me.

A little more geometric, but it makes sense.

And pictures in the kitchen - who would've thought?

Next: DIY frame uses.

--Arwen

Walls: Curtains & Such

I live for my curtains.  Mainly, for covering doorways to keep rooms warm.  But someday, I will be able to put them up over windows.

 

They seem like something I could easily make.  I love things I can easily make.  How satisfying.

In the meantime, I have blinds.

No, not as cool as these blinds!  Not nearly as cool!  In fact, not cool at all!  But these above are extremely enjoyable.  I would totally go for this.

This is a fun idea, especially for a big-city apartment.

Bring the outside inside, when the outside is not even outside (smog, too many lights, etc.).