Heirloom White Dresser

One of the perks to having a living room with only a dresser and secretary desk is that they can be rearranged over and over. I felt so inspired after painting what used to be the brown wall grey, that I played around with decorating the one lone surface of the dresser. This room is the first room you walk into from the front door, and even though we don't hang out on sofas in here yet, we still like to have a place to drop our keys and "land" in a sense before traipsing through to the rest of the house after a day of work. That, and we do spend quite a bit of time on the floor. I had forgotten how nice it is to sprawl out on carpet. But anyways, like I was saying, having a place to catch all our odds and ends became the purpose of this little white dresser's table top as I rearranged things today. (Also, how much better does that wall look? SO MUCH better!)

The dresser was actually a hand me down from my cousin Natalie. They recently moved and hadn't a need for it anymore. Its been in our family for years, so it only makes perfect sense to keep it as so! She actually painted it white the summer I first moved to Colorado. We spread out in her front yard painting, sanding, and painting. (And sanding, sanding, sanding for what seemed like a millennium.) Somehow, the memories of sanding furniture seem to stand out the most (perhaps because those are the most brutal DIYs?) Anyhow, she has twin taste to me, so it basically works out to pass anything and everything on to each other. Natalie is also the one who told me to paint my walls Sherwin Williams Agreeable Grey in Eggshell. Having cousins who are wonderful friends AND wonderful decorators is too good to be true.

Even in an empty room, there are always small and simple ways to decorate even just a portion, without having to spend a ton of money. Besides the dresser being second hand, the lamp, wooden tray, and frame were all on sale from Target. The books were thrifted, the yellow runner are actually placemats on sale from Anthropologie, and the framed "Hello" print a card I saved that was sent to me in the mail. It's all about saving little bits and pieces that you find while running your errands, cleaning out your closet, or thrifting. In the end, they all come together to make your home uniquely you :) That's the beauty of decorating.

(*The wall in the first photograph/the far left wall seen in the second photograph is the only one that's been painted grey so far. The other walls are a khaki color that the previous owners painted).

Ciao, Brown Wall

Today is the day I sing my final goodbyes to the brown wall. This accent wall did not make the cut, fortunately, and its about to be covered by Sherman Williams Agreeable Grey. The grey is almost white, but grey enough that with white baseboards, or white linens, the crisp white still pops against its subtle shade. I debated going darker and richer, but I think that when it comes time for a sofa and furniture in here, those will be the rich dark colors - like a navy blue upholstered sofa and patterned accent chairs.

How easy it is to sit and analyze the color grey for hours on end. I am going with my gut on this, guys, and am thinking the color may even over take the entire entry way room today. I'd love to eventually redo our kitchen cabinets in a slate grey, so this lighter grey will peek through into the kitchen from the dining room and compliment darker shades if I go that route ( which I really would love to...with white subway tiles in the kitchen too, these are my dreams…). Now off to tape and drop cloth!

Dark Grey Bedroom Walls

Right now the master bedroom is neutral, tan, beige, skin tone. Oh how I want that to change. But something I've been challenging myself to do is patiently plan each room, and map out colors and aesthetics that Matt and I are both drawn to. Simple, crisp, and vintage is an overarching theme that I find myself mapping out in my mind over and over. And grey. Or gray. Grey/gray. The color keeps cycling back to the house plans, sneaking its way into every single room I redesign in my head. Gray so light it is almost white in the family room, grey base cabinets with bright white top cabinets in the kitchen, and subtle grey shelves in the laundry room. Leaving the the darkest of all the greys in the master bedroom. I've been trying to picture this bottom look in our room. What do you think? I kind of love it.

image via here

Ampersand Wedding Date Art | DIY

When it comes to gifts, I've been on a mission to either give locally made items or make the gift myself, especially since moving to Colorado. Going into Christmas here in a few months, I'm already starting to plan out what I want to make (like more of these & these for my friends), and am really excited for snowy days spent "making". When Morgan and Josh got married this past September, I knew I wanted to make them something. Something that would be unique to them and Morgan's eclectic style--and continuing with the "handmade" approach that their wedding was. Remember when I painted that chartreuse cup and used left over paint to make an ampersand (here)? Well, this is what that became. 

Using the painted canvas, patterned paper, a large frame from Ikea, and the tools below, I made the newlyweds a piece or art that had a hint of their wedding colors and their wedding date framed in a fun way. (I figured ampersands are hard not to like, so I was pretty safe with the idea). 

The amerpsand is a cute way to symbolize the 'and' when you are talking about a newlywed couple. Morgan and Josh are now officially Morgan and Josh--hence, the ampersand. The numbers are their wedding date: 9-7-13. First I traced the matting and centered the patterned paper under it, placing the canvas on top to lay out how I wanted the end result. Then I cut the paper to matting size.

Next, with my paper the exact size of the matting, I could place the canvas directly center and that would center up nicely in the frame. I actually glued the canvas to the paper, allowing it to set for a few minutes before framing it. Then I flipped it over into the frame with the matting down first and replaced that back of the frame.

Orange and chartreuse, I just always love this combo--a bit vintage yet also current, which is a win win. I really like how it turned out. Yes, it is a painting, but it really feels more like a print (which is what I really like about it). Now for a busy week ahead. But get ready, because I'm going to be sharing a few newly styled posts this week. I'm excited to stretch myself a bit! 

Chartreuse Cups & Ampersands

Chartreuse is a color I just love right now. It compliments the other hues that are dispersed around my house perfectly-its a crowd pleaser really as its guy/girl friendly. After making the E A T kitchen sign with chartreuse craft paint a few weeks back, I came up with a few more little projects to use it up and bring more chartreuse pretty into the world.

Thrift stores have seen me A LOT this week, which is always a good thing, while I've been on the hunt for pretty glassware and teacups (more on that later), and when I saw this little vintage jar, and its outer texture, I knew that for 25 cents it was worth it. Worth transforming. Worth chartreusing. Worth becoming a vintage modern pencil holder. 

Subtle White Ombré Barstools

We have moved four times in four years. That's a lot of opportunities to clean out and take furniture inventory! Every space has been so different from the next, so we have loyally stuck to Craigslist, thrift stores, and flea markets for our furniture. While renting our apartment, I find myself not wanting to spend a whole lot on furniture, knowing that one day, when we are home owners, the space might call for something completely different. Of course our bed, our couch, and a few vintage pieces from my Grandmother are going to be perfect in any home we end up in. But the odds and ends--like barstools--I opt to go cheap and DIY. 

We've never had a high counter until moving to Denver. Its so great to have a large tall space! This counter serves as a multi purpose area, housing messy painting projects, candlelit dinners, and a catch all for the daily movement through our little home. I found these rather plain barstools on Craigslist for $10 when we first moved in. I had been putting off painting them for a year, literally, because I demised the fact that I would have to sand them down and strip the coating. One of those projects I always put on the end of my to-do list...

E A T | d.i.y.

Have you ever come across something on Pinterest that you absolutely cannot get out of your mind? Like the world will not continue unless you make it, bake it, cook it, or what have you? I had one of those moments. This photo was it. And how simple the project--painted letters E A & T--and that's it! So I set out to Hobby Lobby, and eight dollars later, was able to let the world continue--because I had my own E A T letters. (Clean white subway tiled kitchen, to come at a later date).

You will need: Cardboard or wooden letters. Acrylic paint (my specific hue was citron). Paintbrush. Drop Cloth/Paper. How to: Spread out your drop cloth, or brown paper bag. Squirt out your paint. Paint your letters, allowing time to dry between painting every side. Que maravilla!

Matt liked to point out that after we "eat" we can more the E after the T and it will say A T E. I love this little simple project! And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why we DIY--for the feeling of giddiness and joy after standing back and looking at your little creation :)

It is Tuesday, so come back later for my Love Yourself Link Up post! Also, be sure to stop by on July 4th for a treat (HINT: It is three times the DIY!) Lastly, happy birthday Mom! 

Pinterest photo via 

The Do It Yourself Simple Guide to Paint

Below is an article I wrote for Darling Magazine this week--a simple guide on all things paint. Scroll down to read it in full, and check out the original on Darling Magazine's Website.

There was once a time when paint was nothing more than plant and flower pigments mixed with egg yolk, or milk mixed with colored pigments, then dried and left ready to be applied. Now, wander down the paint aisle in any hardware store when planning your next do-it-yourself project and be surrounded by the endless paint choices. Glossy, latex, enamels, oil based, water based, primers, cans of spray paint, and an equally large assortment of paint brushes hanging from ceiling to floor. And the colors! Hundreds of shades representing every inch of the color wheel, like simple white paint, are coined with clever names—navajo white, ancient ivory, frosting, cream fleece, ashwood, white heron, moonshine, linen, bone white. Where does one even begin?

When it comes to paint, one size does not fit all. Matching paint with material is essential—so before you hit the paint aisle, and lay out your drop cloth, ready to dip your brush and make a color transformation, here are a few simple things to consider about the endless options out there…

Darling Tea Towels

Last week my tips and how to's for Hand Painted Tea Towels was up at Darling Magazine under The Hostess. You can read the article in full over here. I just sent some of these tea towels off to my best friend and her mom--they are the perfect Christmas gift! And they work great a-top a mason jar filled with goodies like peanut brittle, homemade granola, or peppermint bark. YUM! I hope this winter is treating you well! We leave for Argentina and Peru in 6 days! Its going to be a summer-like Christmas this year. Love and cheer from me to you!

 xo, Lauren

Bright and Bold Menu Chalkboard.

Matt and I are so lucky to have neighbors who feed us. Chris is a darn great chef, and we've had the luxury of tasting a bit of his own Italian roots through the meals he cooks at weekly "family dinners". Since we moved here to Colorado, Chris and Lauren have opened their home and have invited us to partake in conversation and laughs over home cooked meals, charades, and stories about our weeks. We've gotten to meet their friends and have a bit of quality "family" time. Its lovely.

When Chris and Lauren asked me to help them come up with art or a gallery wall to put up on the blank space in their well-loved and heart-of-the-home kitchen, we decided that a menu board was a was a must. Thanks to the scrap furniture store, they found this large frame for dirt cheap, which I painted with my favorite shade of red (left-over from past projects). Chris then cut out a piece of scrap fiber board which I painted with chalk board paint (again, left over). A little adhesive, and voila! The chalkboard menu is so large and the PERFECT addition to the space and the people who live there. I loved how Chris even had me come over last night to write the first official menu as he was cooking--and of course, the last touch was a signature from the chef. Do you spend time with friends over meals each week? 

Colorblocked Wooden Baubles.

On my outing to Goodwill this past Saturday, everything was 50 percent off! So coming across a strand of seven wooden napkin rings for $1.50, hands down no questions about it, they needed to come home with me. Just look at the neat geometric shape to add to the already super great price of these wood bits! When I put an instagram photo of these wooden rings up, the question I asked was "Chunky necklace or color blocked napkin rings?" My friend Natalie replied, "Both!" Perfect, right? Create a colorblocked necklace that can easily be untied and used as a table setting accessory.

Statement piece jewelry is everywhere right now. The bib necklace and other bits and baubles are something I have been noticing all over Denver {and Fashion magazines}. I think they are such a great accessory, yet so many of them can be costly. Now, I know it is not the norm to come across wooden napkin rings at every thriftstore out there, but any type of wooden bit with a hole in the middle can be used for this project. Check out your local craft store, or keep on the hunt at flea markets, Ross, HomeGoods, garage sales, etc. 

Making your Colorblocked Bauble: 

Gather your wood pieces, paint, yarn or string, and something to hang your wooden rings on to dry. For drying, I used a pencil set across two jars {The pencil being where I hung the wooden rings, and the jars as an anchor on either side-- creating a little trapeze looking contraption. It kept my painted wood from setting on anything, allowing them to dry properly}1. Dip your wood piece half way into your paint. I used BEHR's sample size of cobalt blue. It is a matte finish, which is what I wanted {and what I had in my paint bin}. You could also use multiple paint colors to achieve a different look. 2. After dipping your wood piece, hold it over the paint to allow excess drips to go back into your paint can. You can also utilize a flat paintbrush to wipe off paint if the coat is too thick. 3. Hang your half painted wood piece on your pencil trapeze drying contraption {or by other means} so as not to set the paint on any surface while it is drying. 4. Repeat steps 1-3 for each wood ring. 5. Allow to dry fully for one to two hours. Maybe more because the dipping process creates a thick layer of paint {I left mine to dry over night} 6. Cut your yarn to length, giving extra slack to play around with once you have the baubles around your neck {I like to have options for long, medium, and short, how about you?}. 7. String your colorblocked wooden baubles onto your yarn. You can really be creative with this. Use ribbon or even a long chain repurposed from another necklace. Make it completely your creation. It is truly up to you! 8. Add your necklace to your outfit of the day, and get ready to wear your statement piece about town! {And, if you somehow aren't agreeing with your necklace. Take it off, pop some napkins in your baubles, and throw a dinner party! Your guests are sure to notice your statement colorblocked accessories }