The Sweetest Little Girl’s Bedroom

In my next life, I would like to come back as an eleven year old girl in my client’s family so that I can have this bedroom! What a fun project! My client and I spent countless hours discussing her two girls and considering all of their needs for this bedroom. This was all done while they were at school, of course. When I finally met the girls they both gave me the biggest hug. They are both so sweet and grateful.

My client originally called me to help her figure out if there was room to add a walk-in closet to this attic space that was being transformed into a bedroom retreat. The room is large but the three dormer windows and staircase left a configuration that would not allow for a walk in closet.

Instead, I suggested we use an antique armoire for a closet and then add upholstered screens for privacy. The armoire was painted and glazed to add depth (see previous post here). Then we found matching dressers (from Bramble) that fit into the tight space on both ends of the armoire.

The screens were designed with a scroll on top that graduates with the ceiling line. Silver nail head trim finishes them off with a bit of glamour. The screens are upholstered with contrasting fabric on the back. I think they turned out GREAT!

My client purchased two day beds from The Pottery Barn. We painted the walls Sherwin Williams Silver Peony. One of the best decisions we made was to use the fabric from Heather Bailey’s Nicey Jane collection (see my pervious post here). Heather designs fabric for quilters/crafters. At about $9 a yard we were able to afford the scads of yardage that it took to pull off the many girly pillows that make this room so special. All of the pillows are reversible so the girls have 92 different combination possibilities (or so). Here is one:

Here is another:

 

In one of the dormers, we made a window seat. Love it!

In another dormer, we added a vanity (also from Bramble)

 

In the third dormer we had these gumdrop pillows made from an Amy Butler pattern.

 

We also had a built-in bookcase built to make this the reading nook.

Don’t you agree that these are two lucky girls?

We still have some accessorizing to do but I really wanted to share the photos. I hope you like it.

For the love of quilting…

Each time someone in our family is expecting a baby we make a quilt. Even though the quilters in our family live in Utah, Texas and London we still manage to work together to create something special for each baby and expectant mother.  We just started a new quilt for my sister-in-law, Lindsey, and her new baby boy due at the beginning of September. 

Our process goes something like this: the pattern and fabrics are selected. My mom and I cut, package and deliver (via mail) the pieces to my sisters (and we keep some for ourselves) to be hand sewn into blocks.  Then they are mailed back to my mom who sews the blocks together and prepares the pieced top for quilting.

Because these quilts are meant to be used by children we have them machine quilted by a professional. I know my Grandma June would be so disappointed. But that is how we do it and it is so much fun.

I am not a great quilter on my own but with the help of my mom and sisters I can contribute to something special and feel a great sense of accomplishment as a part of the team. 

I really love to decorate with quilts as well. Everyone of the beds in my house is made with a quilt, I have quilts that hang over chairs and quilts that I only bring out at Christmas time. I use quilts as table cloths and one day I would love to recover a chair in a quilt. 

I love that they can be feminine or masculine, old fashioned or modern. I love that they add color, pattern, and a story to every application.

Some of my favorite quilts have been purchased at yard sales others have been handmade by my sisters, mother or grandmother. Each one is unique and could never be replaced.

Quilting is a great summertime activity because it can easily be done in the car on a road trip, while sitting on a beach, or by the side of a pool (I am laughing as I write this because my sister Emily and I spent 5 hours in the pool today with our boys who are 2 and 4 years old – there is no way we could have quilted. LOL)

Anyway- it is great! I love it. Thanks to my mom and sisters for keeping this tradition going! We have three quilts to make this year. It is going to be great!

Sneak Peak – Sweetest Little Girl’s Bedroom

Well- it has been a couple of months since I posted the inspiration photos for my client’s little girl’s bedroom. I changed the title to read the sweetest little girls bedroom because the girls that will be sharing this darling room are anything but sassy- they are just the sweetest girls and so are their parents.

The pieces for this room are starting to come together so I couldn’t help but post a few pictures of the focal point of the room…this gorgeous French armoire. We found it online at Mr. Beasley’s Antiques in Riverside California. 

Then Todd, at Cottage Charm Furniture, did a remarkable job on the finish which is antique white with a light brown glaze.

I can’t wait to show you the final photos! Wouldn't you have loved such a special room as a child?

How to find furniture that tells a story…

Last week I picked up some great prints at the Walter Larson Antiques show. They will be framed and hung in my four-year-old son’s room which is loosely themed “adventure”. I love their story-book quality and all of the motion in the artwork.

The Walter Larson Antiques Show is about the best that we have here in Salt Lake City, but it is mostly grannies attic type shopping.

It makes me so sad every time I go just because I know what I am missing out on. I used to ride my bike to the Farmington Antiques Weekend (which is by far my favorite show).

Plus, I have shopped Round Top and Brimfield to my hearts content.

But the prints are great, right? This trunk is another piece in my son’s room.

I can’t thank my mom enough for letting me use it. I love the trunk but I also love that my mom negotiated to purchase it out of the Nautica store display window at Fashion Island, for my brother’s room when we were kids. She is hilarious!

We read a lot of stories at our house. I thought this book rack would help me keep them picked up but I also love how much color and life it adds to the room.

So now I am on a hunt for a great map to frame and a new dresser. If you have any suggestions for a great map source please send it my way. Of course I am looking for something big, colorful and vintage!

If you are looking for great furniture and accessories, the kind that tell a story, you have to look beyond the traditional sources. You might want to check out a silly antiques show, your mother’s attic, or a store display window. You never know what you are going to find.

The Shopping Challenge and the ebay Solution

On our recent trip to Round Top, Texas, my sister, Emily purchased a pair of pants. She was certain that they were a perfect fit for her mom lifestyle and even though they were a bit expensive ($150) she would wear them so often that it wouldn't seem a sacrifice. When she returned home, away from the antiques and eccentricities of Round Top, regret set in.

What is a girl to do? Unable to return the pants - she put them on ebay and did better then expected. She sold them for $335.

I love ebay! and I am also so glad that this pair of pants isn't sitting in her closet when there is someone else out there who really wants them. They are really cute - but maybe more of a flair piece then a staple.

The pants are from a company called Magnolia Pearl.

You can see from the photo how darling the salesgirls are in the baggy linen and lace bloomers. I really love their style and have had the owner's home in my inspiration book for a couple of years. I think it is a tribute to the company that their clothing has such a following and that people will pay so much for their things on ebay. Everyone's a winner.

Round Top Texas - Where do I begin?

And that is exactly the question we asked ourselves Friday morning as we pulled into Warentown, Texas. Antiques weekend is bigger and better then you can image, with everything from total junk to fine collectible furniture and art. The only way to experience it is to just jump in feet first and so that is what we did.

No, we did not rent that Penske truck to haul home our treasures, nor did we plan to make any significant purchases. You would laugh if I told you how little cash my sister and I brought. We came to be inspired and to have some fun.

I wish I could have brought you all back a Swedish mora clock or a demi lune table - maybe next time.

We decided that the only way to truly communicate the size and scale of this event would be to record the view outside our car window as we drove through many towns hosting the show. You would see thousands of tents filled to the brim, taunting you to come inside and look for something unexpected.

I loved this grouping of furniture for my own home. I love the colors of the brown and orange leather with the zebra hide. However, it was the back to back benches and large ottoman that caught my eye. I have a long living room with windows along the back - and this arrangement wouldn't obstruct the view. Perfect.

I have an obsession with pumpkins and gourds - so a couple of these made it back with me.

Is there such thing as too many ticking striped pillows or antique linen?

The best part about this trip was the people. We met some of the most creative designers and were continuously inspired by their collections and displays. My sister is such a great friend and we had so much fun together. Since we have now been to both of the biggest antique shows in the country (Brimfield and Round Top) there is only one place left to go and that is to visit our other sister in London !!!

Everyone Needs a Girls Trip !

Brimfield Antiques Market Photo:Country Living

I love this photo! The anticipation! The excitement! It is the opening of the Brimfield Antiques Show in Massachusetts, one of the biggest antique shows in the country (and probably the World). There are roughly 5000 dealers and it is held three weekends a year.

When I lived in Connecticut (1 hour away) I never missed this show. It was so much fun. I didn't realize how good I had it until I moved back home to Utah, where antique shows are non-existent. It has been a pretty big pendulum swing - from one extreme to another.

Next weekend I will be traveling to Round Top, Texas for Antiques Weekend and I can't wait. My sister, Emily, who lives in Dallas, will be meeting me there. We both have toddlers at home who will NOT be traveling with us, so this is a big treat.

I can't wait to return with photos and hopefully a few purchases. It will be interesting to compare the two shows. One thing I loved about Brimfield, which will hopefully be true of Round Top, was that there was everything from affordable cool junk to the out-of-reach rare antiques.

I found some great information about shopping at Round Top here thanks to Joni at Cote de Texas and here thanks to Garden Antqs Vintage. But if any of you have been there I would love to hear about it.