Curb Appeal

Switching gears for a bit to discuss the exterior of our house.  For the last two years, we've spent the majority of our time and funds working on the inside of our house.  We did quite a bit of landscaping last year, and earlier this Summer, but, for the most part, the exterior of the house sat idle.
Not that I didn't have big plans for it, we just try to find balance of time and budget for our projects.  I've always felt our house had a big case of the blahs - not an eyesore by any means, but not a lot of curb appeal, either, and that killed me.  I strive to take a house to its best potential, and that has been the driving force in me with this house - the unmet potential it has.

The style of our home is traditional - a standard colonial built with brick and metal siding. The siding was faded, and needed to be cleaned, but otherwise, it was in good condition (i.e. no hailstorm dents, etc)  I can't even tell you how many door-to-door salespeople we've had trying to sell us vinyl siding!  Replacement just didn't seem necessary, and the control freak in me didn't want to be limited in my color selection when it came time to update the exterior.

This is the house as it looked when we bought it

So, we hired a local company that specializes in painting siding.  We discussed general color options, noting the benefits of going with a higher-contrast color combo, like medium-to-dark siding, with a darker color for shutters, and true white for the trim.  I knew I wanted to stay out of the true beige arena, but the brick on our house tended to pull me in that direction until I decided to ignore the brick altogether, and go with what I liked!

We ended up choosing Sherwin Williams colors: Functional Gray (as it turns out, a perfect "greige") for the siding, Peppercorn for the shutters and garage door, and Extra White for the trim.

...and here's how it turned out

I can't get over the change.  I keep driving up wondering if it's my house!  

Now, to be fair, we replaced the doors last year, which has made a huge difference in our front entrance.  We also added a crossbeam above the pilasters to bring some architectural interest, added fresh house numbers, and replaced the sconces.   Still, the power of paint!

I no longer feel like our house has the blahs, but instead is one of the happiest houses on the block!

A "matchy-matchy" look I actually go for

I'm working with an e-client on the freshening-up of her living and dining rooms.  She's having crown moulding and built-ins added, and my suggestion is to paint the wall and trim the same color, but with different finishes à la this room by Suzanne Kasler.

via

...and then, paint the insets of the built-ins with a contrasting color that coordinates with our design scheme...

source unknown

  

Nothing radical, but a nice twist, and a step away from traditional.  Remember how Martha toned down the heavy (albeit impressive) moulding in one of her myriad homes with this pretty shade of blush? Splendid.

 

By keeping all this trim monochromatic, the room stays out of Fussydom

Serene.

It works well with more streamlined trim, too.

*Last three Images courtesy of this post on Houzz

Definitely. Yes.

Hacked by Hague

Well, it only took me about a month, but I can finally say I'm finito with the hack of my old, Ikea media cabinet.  Thanks to the generosity of Kathy from My Interior Life, who sent me a color-match of Hague Blue,  I was able to have my own Brazilian version made.  The paint mixer here was so "impressed" with my obsession dedication to having it just right that he renamed my custom color "Azul Americana." I'll take that as a compliment. ;)

I also subbed in the same gorgeous, brass pulls we used on my sister's hack.  They play very well with Hague.

The space above the odd-height cabinet will be earning some new artwork from Miss Jenny. 

 

Loving that reflective finish SO. MUCH.

...and since we're starting Halloween weekend, I'll go ahead and show you the Before again - it's kinda SKEEEERY!

Have a Spooktacular weekend, Peeps!

The Little Paint Swatch That Could*

Recall that I've decided to paint our ugly, old Ikea media cabinet, and I want to go Hague Blue. I tend to become very one-track-minded when it comes to these sorts of things. NOT a great disposition to have when you live overseas, and the product you desire is only available in The USA and Canada.
I think by the time it's all said and done, this project might qualify as an Act of God, because that's practically what measures are going into finding the closest match to "Hague." You see, this deep blue has many faces....

In a flat or satin finish, she appears fairly straightforward - marine-like blue with maybe a hint of gray.

Source: google.com via Alison on Pinterest

...but, gloss her up, and she takes on mutations of teal.

Source: google.com via Alison on Pinterest

Nimble little minx, isn't she?

I won't go into the finer details of the attempts I've already made to find a close match, but let's just say they do things a wee bit differently in the paint world of Brazil, and it hasn't been successful.
So, I did what all desperate bloggers do - made a plea to Stateside blogstress amigas, Kathy and Jenny - who both have first-hand knowledge of The Hague.
According to Jenny, Benjamin Moore makes two dead-ringers for The Hague:

So, armed with swatches of all three, as well as another from a Sherwin Williams colormatch, I will march down to my local paint store, and demand my right to some Haaaggguuueeee!

Oh, and I'm pretty sure an 'interpretation' of this painting needs to go above aforementioned media cabinet.

Source: jaclynpaige.tumblr.com via Alison on Pinterest

Bottom Line: If I can design to my tastes in Brazil, I can design ANYWHERE!

*Post title coined by Kathy

Happified

Something got a little facelift this weekend....

Spray paint,*cue Elmo voice* "You my only fren...."

What would I do?

Do B&A pics draw you in, almost addictively? I'd venture to say my interest has some sort of sadomasochistic twist, since I have precious little opportunity to partake in Before and After fun - what with the lack of resale/Habitat/Craigs down here in Brazil. (Do I hear violins?)

Anyway, I still spend hours conjuring up the What Would I Do's when I see something begging for a facelift. Lately, I've seen some very snazzy images of cane back chairs taken from sads to shaZAMZ

via daisyjanie

designsponge

pemberley style

So, when I spied this little 'ol lady (one of a pair) on Houston Craigs, I immediately thought of giving them a new lease on life for my sister client.

Of course, fabric and color selection depend on room, personal aesthetics, and for me, mood. Here's a few fabric and paint combos I put together:

Yellow Ikat via L&S + Glidden Rich Navy


Flowering Branch via CC + Francesca by Martha Stewart Paints


Sudan by L&S + Behr Premium Ash Violet


Formosia via L&S + Glidden Deepest Wooden Green


Jamil via L&S + Glidden True Turquoise

What would YOU do?

*Psst...if you don't know, let me help you! email me at: atexski@yahoo(dot)com

Would you ever?

...have the patience to do this...

In order to get this?

...and finally, this?

LeAnn did. She lives in Austin, so, she's de facto cool. And talented. Really, ruuullly talented. ...and patient, apparently.

Project Planning: Sister's Casa

My sister, Brooke, and brother-in-law just bought a "next step" home. It is spacious, and has a lot of potential, and I can't wait to get my grubby little hands on it! So, I guess it's a good thing she's already been hitting me up to put together some inspirations and ideas. I wonder if there's such a thing as putting a decorator on retainer? Hmmmm....

Anyway, because the house is quite a bit larger than their starter home, they'll need a good amount of furniture - not to mention the layering it'll take to make it feel really special. Almost the entire house will get a new coat of paint - right now, it's a mish-mash of colors they'd never select. Obviously, some rooms, like the family room and master bed/bath, will take priority.

The dining room probably isn't one of them, but I keep coming back to it for some reason...

Since it is one of two rooms seen immediately upon entering the house, I pause at the idea of leaving it blank for too long. I also pause over the fact that someone recently sponge-painted ANYTHING, but I can see why the previous owner might have tried to give the room some sort of architectural interest. It is screaming for it, is it not?

I immediately thought of panels, and likely using them to frame out some wallpaper or fabric. I recently spied this particularly brilliant idea - bamboo yoga mats framed out to give the incredible texture of grasscloth, without the investment. It's waaay more interesting, too!

chinoiserie chic

Brooke isn't looking for a tightly traditional aesthetic, and so far her color palette is neutral. Something soft like this might work, if she wants to keep it calm.

decorpad

I'd be more inclined to go the way of something like this. It maintains a "safe," traditional element, without going geriatric.

the zhush

We're heading to The States for Christmas, and I'll have about three weeks to pull together at least a room or two, so let the project planning begin! BTW - it's Brooke's birthday, today - so this post goes out with big hugs, kisses and Birthday wishes!

Details Geek Needs Help!

Two things going on at Casa Giese: Isla's nursery and the "office/playroom"

First: I had a burst of get-it-done energy last weekend, and tackled Avery's old changing table with a new coat of paint. It's a small, vintage sideboard we picked up in Virginia for $25 before Avery was born. It serves perfectly as a changing table. I was ready to see the shabby look go, though, so it got a coat of gray paint.

Before: Sanded-down white with glass knob hardware

Partial After: Light-ish gray

I intend to change the hardware, but have hit a stumbling block - and this is where I need your help....

If I go with ring pulls, similar to these on the drawer:

What do I use for the cabinet doors, where the the same ring pulls won't fit?
Egg knobs in the same finish?

Round knobs?

What about a sleeker, cleaner, but also shinier situation? (Dare I go polished brass???)

Need your thoughts!

Also, I was thinking of keeping the "canvas" of the room very neutral in all grays - gray walls, gray changing table, and a gray and cream ikat on the glider (waiting to be reupholstered) and then letting colorful art take center stage, but it that TOO much gray?

Should I repaint the changing table black, or at least a very deep, charcoal gray, to add some more contrast? (Think that polished brass hardware = yum!) Yes, I'm noting the difference in hues between the fabric and paint...yet another dilemma...

I think in my haste, I'm not really thinking the design through, and need some guidance - so dear gurus of style.... Lead me!

*I'll let you chew on this for a day or so, then I'll follow up on the office/playroom situation soon!