I Got The Whole World In My Hands

A proper study needs a proper globe, don't you think?  How about a globe with a modern twist?  In order to visualize the "study", I must remind you of what it will look like eventually.  For more detail you can read my previous post "I Have A Dream".

Note the purple wall, the desk is in the middle under the two pendant lights in the sketch.  On the right wall I have placed my painted cabinet which I am going to modify to reduce some of the red. I previously posted about the hand painted cabinet.

In between the painted cabinet and the back wall where the built-ins will be, I have stationed the study globe. 

As with the shadow box that I used for my fabulous red chandelier wall art, the globe came from one of my former colleague's old office.  Apparently, people moving offices is a great way to get really cool finds. The globe was very traditional looking because it had a dark mahogany wood stand.  I gave the stand a fresh coat of Benjamin Moore's Super White and to the metal arches attached to the globe, a silver acrylic paint-over (though this picture doesn't show the silver over the goldish metal arch around the top of the globe) and now I have a modern looking globe for my "Study"! 

All I have to do is spin the globe for full effect!

I have it on the U.S. because I'm egocentric, I guess.

Doesn't it look great against Benjamin Moore's Gentle Violet?  If I had left it dark wood, it wouldn't have worked in the space because the walls are dark enough for the both of them.  Besides, I am going with the theme of white/light furniture against the vibrant colors.  And I love the fact that it was a reclaimed item. Instead of going into the garbage, it has now been recycled and reused.  I get some personal satisfaction of being able to do that.

Thanks for stopping by and Stay tuned for more creativity!



I'm Dreaming of a White......

I mentioned in a previous blog that nice white furniture is hard to find.  It's not that hard to find almost white furniture, but really white furniture.....  So one has to get creative.  I had a great empty space against the wall next to my front door and since that area is also my "Study" (sounds a little snooty, oh well) and because I needed some storage for files and such, I decided it was the perfect place to put a big file cabinet type thing.  Some file cabinet furniture looks too much like office furniture and usually doesn't come in white.  I found this great piece at www.homedecorators.com.  I've gotten a lot of stuff from them, trouble is you have to put everything together yourself.  The cabinet I chose, had NINE drawers...wooof!  Oh, almost forgot to mention, the cabinet I chose only came in black. Here's what the thing looked like after I finished putting it together.

This piece is pretty large and holds a lot.  I really like the three top drawers.  Great storage.  But black wasn't going to work for my decor, so I had to paint it white.  The white color I used throughout my apartment is Benjamin Moore Super White.  It took roughly three coats to make it into the beauty it is now.  I wanted to add a really cool design element to the front drawers, so I sketched different designs and at the end I was inspired by the wallpaper that I am going to put up in the dining room above the chair rail molding.  The wallpaper is made by Graham & Brown, the pattern is called Darcy, www.grahambrown.com, and looks like this.

Using the design I put down on paper, I then cut it out onto stencil paper using an exacto knife.  I then taped the stencil to the first file drawer and using silver metallic acrylic paint, I carefully painted the design.  Once the initial painting was done, I removed the stencil and I then went over the design until the paint was dark enough and the look was fully realized.  Here is what it looked like along the way.

You'll notice, I wanted the pattern to connect to each drawer.  Depending on how the light hits, you see flashes of metallic.  Above the cabinet, I wanted to display some of my photography.  I had nine photos printed by www.Kodakgallery.com  8 x 10 and got nine 8 x 10 white frames from Target and hung them above the cabinet.  I picked the photos based on their composition and color.  You may laugh, but I printed out little thumbnails of many photos I took and put tape of the back of each one and then arranged and rearranged them on paper so I could be sure to get the look and order that I wanted.  Type A personality, I guess.  Also important was what to put on the top of the cabinet.  I needed a lamp, some decorative objects and a place to rest my handbag.  I found a beautiful crystal lamp from Home Goods, along with a silver tray with white quartz handles and a faux orchid plant.  My good friends gave me this gorgeous crystal bowl from Michael C. Fina and I filled it with crystal paperweights in various gemstone cuts that I found on www.onekingslane.com.  Got to have my bling where ever I go. Oh and I found this white runner at Burlington Coat Factory for nothing and it protects the surface of the counter. Anyway, here is what it all looks like. 

Here's a close up of the gems :)

Thanks for stopping by and stay tuned for more creativity.

A break from job searching

Hello again.  I'm currently job searching but I feel I did a lot today and need a break, so post number 2. 

I bought a one bedroom coop not too long ago and decided that I wanted to really to make the place my own.  Especially after living in a studio for 13 years.  I wanted bold colors on the wall instead of being surrounded by white walls like before.  I wanted to turn around and see things that made me happy.  During the buying process, I decided I would have painting done before I moved in so I had to map everything out.  You may laugh, but I ended up making a diorama.

I even used paint samples and painted the walls.  And tried out furniture placement and rug choices.

So I didn't buy the rugs yet, but I was thinking of those.  Oh and I would like to get a flat screen TV for that wall across from the couch with a white electric fireplace mantel underneath.  One day! 

So, paint colors.... While watching Sex in the City first movie, I fell insanely in love with the beautiful blue paint used on the walls of Carrie's redesigned apartment. 

I went on a search to find who the set designer was, I even got a hold of his number and left him a message.  I told you - insane.  Needless to say, I never heard from him.  But he gave an interview which I found online and apparently I wasn't the only one asking so he mentioned the color was closest to Benjamin Moore's Electric Blue.  The color is gorgeous and changes in the light.  Then I found a purple that would look good next to the blue - Benjamin Moore's Gentle Violet.  Here are some more pictures to illustrate.

As you can see, I went bold.  It's been a year and a half and I still love the colors!  BUT, wait until you see what I picked in the bedroom.  I wanted red ruby walls and I searched high and low to find the right red to no avail.  I finally asked the mixing expert at Janovic to try to match a rolo red cup.  I know what you must be thinking but its my vision.  The mix master came through with a red sample which I then dubbed "impossible red" because it was impossible to find.  And for all of you naysayers out there, while picking up the paint several people noticed the swatch I was holding and asked which color that was.  Anyway, let me first show you my inspiration for the red room before I show you what it looks like now.

Okay, so I'm not quite there yet, but here is a bit of my red bedroom.  As you can see, I have had my ceiling painted metallic gold and what is really missing is the white crown molding.  Here I have taped up some paper to see what it will look like and to try out different thicknesses.  See how the white molding makes the ceiling reflect differently.  Alas, I am not able to have the work done yet, but it will be fantastic when its done.  I might even do something more like the picture above.  Not sure.  BTW, do you see the orbs in the picture?  I get those sometimes.  What do you think, ghosts?

Okay, one more area to discuss.  This post will make future posts make more sense.  I have a "dining area" and I wanted to keep it white since all of the other walls were bold.  But white doesn't mean it has to be plain.  Okay, so before I moved in, I had the walls painted white and I had a chair rail put in.  Above the chair rail will be wallpaper...at least one day.  Here are a few visuals for the dining room. The chair is from homegoods. I love them and I love homegoods! Hey, just remember, everything is a work in progress.

Need a new table!

Thanks for stopping by again and stay tuned for more creativity!