Category: home sweet home

ideas and inspiration for your home

Painting Furniture 101

July 13, 2009
One of the key features of my new home office was the use of modern black furniture, instead of the original cherry wood furniture I’ve had for years. I decided to re-purpose the same furniture by re-painting it in black. This was not as easy as it sounds, but in the end it was still worth it!
At first, we thought spray paint would be the best option, but we soon learned that spraying the furniture black (even after sanding and priming it) did not result in the best finish. We started with the desk, and as you can see below the paint went on blotchy and did not look so great.

A quick trip to Home Depot to return the many cans of spray paint ended up in purchasing interior paint in a Satin finish to complete the project. I had to sand down the desk again, to remove the spray paint, and then applied two coats of paint with a small paint roller. The result: Success! As you can see below, the finish was even and had a nice sheen to it, and best of all, it was QUICK!

Here are pictures of the rest of the furniture, in various stages of repainting.

TV CART

LARGE FILING CABINET


TV CART &
SMALL FILING CABINET


I hope this inspires you to re-purpose some pieces you have, and save some big bucks buying new furniture. In today’s economy, we all need money-saving ideas that keep our house beautiful.
The cost of this project was under $50, including the can of paint and the painting supplies.
{A big thank you to my husband, Victor, for moving the furniture in and out of the office, as well as helping me tape and touch up the tedious corners and drawers of the furniture!}

Do Sweat the Small Stuff: Light Fixtures

July 10, 2009

When I bought my new home five years ago, I upgraded as much as possible to make sure I could have a home that was beautiful and elegant. However, the upgrades the home builder offered for lighting were still nothing but dull and dreary. I hope the pictures I share with you of the true upgrades I’ve made in my home inspire you.

DINING AREA
In the dining area, I inherited an inverted half-sphere, which was standard but not very appealing. I quickly went out shopping looking for something more dramatic, and found these beautiful pendant lamps to hang over my dining room table. I bought three of them, and set them on a dimmer for mood lighting. I cannot stop receiving compliments on this quick update, which did not cost more than $200.
BEDROOM
For the master bedroom, I found this beautiful capiz shell pendant that echoed the light colors of my decor and complements a romantic, airy style. I found this at Cost Plus World Market for under $100, and also put it on a dimmer to up the romance factor in the bedroom.


BATHROOM

Every new home comes with these awful Vegas-style dressing room bulbs. I was also quick to replace those in the master bathroom. It really made a world of difference. See for yourself the touch of elegance it brought to the bathroom. These I found at Home Depot, and am sure I did not spend more than $100 on them.

Inspiration: Citrus

June 18, 2009

Here are some thoughts around a design scheme based on a citrus theme. The design is for an adjacent living and kitchen area I’m working on. The palette is neutral, with creams and light furniture, accented by yellows and greens — inspired by citrus fruit! There is also a fireplace in the area that would be beautiful whitewashed, as the one shown in the photos.

It’s funny how once you start looking for a certain color palette, it seems to be everywhere. Most of these photos are from Pottery Barn and Crate & Barrel, but you can find bright, sunny items just about anywhere these days. I hope this color palette brightens up your day!

Wanted: Glamorous and Chic Office

June 18, 2009

I have been working on a new design scheme for my new home office, to better suit my style and personality, so that it becomes more inviting and fun to be in. My inspiration is taken from Domino’s Book of Decorating (shown above). It is very feminine and glamorous, and I love the black and white balanced with the soft blue.

Right now, my office is painted a soft yellow and my desk and filing cabinets are a dark cherry red wood, while my large bookshelf is black. I am going to repaint my desk and cabinet black, to modernize the look, and plan to rearrange the furniture again to open up the room a bit. Once I’ve moved the furniture around I should have plenty of room to create a small seating area, which will also make it more inviting for others. This could also be a small reading corner for me on the days when I just want to relax. Here are some seating ideas I have, from Ikea and Target, respectively. Have not yet decided whether I’ll want two small chairs or one small sofa…

Another item I want to bring is is a large mirror, so I can hang it over my desk when it’s facing the wall, to give the room depth and to give me a bit more peace of mind by still being able to see the door behind me. I like these structured mirrors I found, from Martha Stewart and Mitchell Gold & Bob Williams.Once I’ve made these changes, I will bring in some chic white and acrylic accessories to lighten the room up some more. I’m still looking for a great light fixture as well — preferably a nice pendant or chandelier lamp.

Here is a picture of my office, as it looks now. Hopefully, it won’t be long before you can come back and see how I’ve transformed DRAB into GLAM!

Featured Recipe: Chicken Piccata

June 16, 2009

This is one of my favorite chicken dishes when I’m on the road, since it’s so light and simply delicious — so I never feel too guilty eating this late at night! I’ve tried a few versions of this recipe, and this is my favorite–from the queen of Everyday Italian: Giada De Laurentiis. You’ll love making this if you consider yourself a cooking novice, and are looking to make a tasty meal under 30 minutes. Served best over linguini. Happy cooking!

Chicken Piccata
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis
Featured on the Food Network

2 skinless and boneless chicken breasts, butterflied and then cut in half
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
All-purpose flour, for dredging
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup brined capers, rinsed
1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess.

In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter with 3 tablespoons olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add 2 pieces of chicken and cook for 3 minutes. When chicken is browned, flip and cook other side for 3 minutes. Remove and transfer to plate. Melt 2 more tablespoons butter and add another 2 tablespoons olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add the other 2 pieces of chicken and brown both sides in same manner. Remove pan from heat and add chicken to the plate.

Into the pan add the lemon juice, stock and capers. Return to stove and bring to boil, scraping up brown bits from the pan for extra flavor. Check for seasoning. Return all the chicken to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove chicken to platter. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to sauce and whisk vigorously. Pour sauce over chicken and garnish with parsley.

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 4 servings