Monthly Archives: May 2011

Velvet Love: west elm dishes

Posted in Velvet Love by

Whenever I am in Toronto, there are 2 stores that I make sure to visit:  west elm and anthropologie.  During last weekend’s trip, I couldn’t help but buy gorgeous dinnerware AND a casual set of dishes for outdoors at west elm.  Adam wasn’t with me at the time, and that’s a good thing because he would have confiscated my credit card and reminded me that we a) don’t have space to store these dishes and b) we don’t have a patio yet.

But, c’mon – aren’t these soooo pretty???  How could I pass these up??

Wood-Slices Organic Dinnerware

Bird Melamine Plates

Sunshine Melamine Plates

This little Mellie went to the market

Posted in Je T'aime Montreal, Velvet Love by

Have I mentioned yet how much I love antique and flea markets? Cuz I do.  I recently discovered the St-Michel flea market in the east end of Montreal (not quite sure how I learned about this place only now!!), and visited the St-Lawrence antique market this past weekend in Tdot.  My goal this summer is to visit as many different markets in the Montreal area and hopefully find some sweet, sweet goodness.

My To Do list:

  • Finnegan’s market in Hudson
  • Lachute market
  • Décor Decarie Antique Fair
  • St-Michel (again)
  • Any other suggestions??

Check out some of the things I found recently at markets:

Antique Fire Extinguisher

We bought this gorgeous old fire extinguisher for $35.  In Toronto, we saw a similar (but not as nice) extinguisher for $125.  Suhweet deal!

Coca Cola CrateCoke crate for 5 bucks.  I wish there had been no white paint splattered on it, but I still think it looks pretty cool.

Milk Bottles and Mason JarsSome lovely mason jars and milk bottles for $5 a piece.  I think it was a little pricey for what it was, but I really think these are perfect to use as flower vases or to hold other decorative tchotchkes.

Whenever I shop at an antique or flea market, there are a few golden rules that I swear by:

  1. Visits to the market can be hit or miss.  If you didn’t find something during your first visit to a market, don’t lose all hope.  With one-of-a-kind items being bought and sold every day, you’re sure to find something that appeals to you within the next few visits.
  2. Go early.   I’ve been told time and time again by sellers that the best stuff sells in the early morning, so make sure to show up at or around opening time.
  3. Do not fear the maze! With hundreds of people strolling through aisle after aisle, booth after booth , walking into a market can feel overwhelming and intimidating.  In this situation, I recommend that you focus on what’s right under your nose.  Whatever you do, don’t look beyond a 3ft radius – you will panic!
  4. Diamonds in the Rough.  Patience is a virtue, especially when it comes to markets.  I can guarantee that you WILL have to rummage through a lot of junk to find the good stuff.  My trick is to imagine each item on its own, in a beautiful room, and then decide if I like it.  Otherwise, the *junk* that’s piled up around it will make the item feel less special/valuable. Also, bear in mind that some items may need a little TLC  – you’ll have to be creative and think of the possible updates you could make to transform something from ‘Meh’ to ‘Yeahhhh’.
  5. Warning: May Cause Tunnel Vision.  It’s ok to go in with a shopping list, but you may end up with blinders and miss out on other rare or cool finds.  And, don’t you notice that you have more trouble finding something when you’re specifically looking for it?  That’s how it works for me, anyway.
  6. Browse, then buy. I like to take my time and “window shop” through the whole market before I buy anything.  I ask all my questions in the first round, including getting prices, so that I can compare with other booths and decide on where I can get the best deal.  Round 2 is all business – I make offers and buy, buy, buy!
  7. Customers: Cash only, no delivery. Even if you’re not planning on buying anything, come with cash!  Otherwise, you may beat yourself up for missing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity (remember, if it’s that nice, it probably won’t be around tomorrow).  And, if you’re shopping for furniture or bigger items, make sure you have a way to take it home with you.   
  8. Negotiate, negotiate, negotiate.  I’m not much of a negotiator, but I rarely pay the seller’s initial price.  I am also no expert at valuing antiques, but I always ask myself “what is this worth to me?”, and then I offer a price slightly lower than that as a starting point.
How do y’all feel about antiquing and flea-ing (I think I just created that word)?  What kinds of things do you buy?  Do share!

DIY: Chevron roller blind

Posted in DIY, Other People's Homes by

As promised, here are the instructions to re-create the dramatic chevron roller blind shown below:

Chevron Blinds DIY

A while back, I had come across a post on Apartment Therapy about painted roller blinds.  The post showed an example of large black and white vertical stripes painted on a pair of plain roller blinds, and the end result was beautiful.  I knew I’d have to try it out myself.

Instead of stripes, though, I opted for chevrons.  I’ve been a little obsessed with everything chevron lately, so using this motif somewhere in the kid’s room was a no-brainer.

What you’ll need for this DIY:

  • white vinyl roller blind
  • ruler
  • 45 degree drafting triangle
  • pencil
  • painter’s tape
  • acrylic paint
  • small paint roller and tray
  • large plastic sheet or dropcloth
DISCLAIMER: This project is not for the faint of heart – prepping the blind requires a lot of patience and meticulous detail.  I personally found it therapeutic, but my family thought I was a little crazy.
Step 1: Buy the roller blind and pre-install.
I purchased a white vinyl roller blind for about $60 and had it cut down to the appropriate size (the store I got it from offered this as a service, free of charge).  Before taping and painting, we installed the hardware and hung up the blind to make sure that the measurements were correct.
Step 2: Draw a pattern on the blind.
Make sure you have a large, flat working space and lay the blind down, unrolling it completely.
Lucky for me, I had a drafting triangle that I could use to draw the chevron pattern directly on the blind.  It took me a couple of tries to figure out the right thickness (2″) of each chevron and the overall alignment of the pattern.  Tip: start your pattern from the bottom center of the blind, and then work your way out to each end, and then up.  This was the best way to ensure that the pattern was properly centered.
Drawing chevron pattern onto the blind
 Eventually, I got the hang of it, and I used a little 2″ by 2″ cardboard square to easily measure the 2″ distance between each chevron point.
Chevron pattern templating, continued
Step 3: tape up all of the sections that will stay white.
To avoid confusion, I lightly drew x’s on the bands that I wanted to paint black, and I then taped up all of the alternating rows. This was definitely the most time-consuming part.  (about 3hrs)
Painters tape applied to blind in chevron pattern
Completed template for chevron roller blind
Step 4: Paint.  Twice. 
I got some black acrylic paint from an art store (I read online that this type of paint is the least likely to crack on such a flexible material) and a small paint roller for the job.  Cover the large flat surface with a plastic sheet (or dropcloth).
Paint supplies for roller blind diy I applied 2 coats of the paint onto the blind, waiting about 24hrs between each coat.  Don’t be scared if the first coat doesn’t appear very black.  I had a mini heart attack on day 1, but then saw that the second coat really adhered well and it became an opaque black once dry.
Painting the blind with a small paint roller Black paint, completed
Step 5: Remove the tape. 
Once the second coat is dry, carefully remove the green tape, row by row.  I noticed there was a little bleed under the tape – not quite sure as to the best way to avoid this.  Thankfully, it’s not noticeable unless you get really up close and personal.Remove Painter's tape from the roller blind Painted roller blind, after tape removal
Step 6: Hang up the blind. 
With all the tape off, all you need to do now is hang up the blind.  woohoo!!
Chevron Roller Blind, installed

A bedroom for Noa and Jona

Posted in DIY, Other People's Homes by

For those of you just tuning in, I’ve been writing for the last few weeks about my niece and nephew’s guest bedroom that my hubby and I redid for my parents.  After several months of part-time decorating and DIY muscle, it’s finally time for the big reveal!

I’m hitting myself on the head for not having before pics of the room, but close your eyes and imagine a room with beige walls, a crib, a little bed, and a persian rug.  Got it?  Now, open your eyes and feast on this:

Co-ed Kids Room

Kids Room with Chevron roller blind

Shelving and Storage for the Kids' room

What do you think??

There are a few approaches that I took while decorating this room.

First: Color.  Lots of it.

I opted for a very calm wall color (Celery Salt by Benjamin Moore), but then added lots of punch with the fabric, wall decor, and accessories.  I really wanted to bring in hints of black for added oomph (and, to prove that it’s not taboo for a kid’s room!).  Not too much of it, but enough to give the room a cohesive look.

Black Accents for a Kids' Room

Second: Patterns

I used a heck of a lot of fabrics in the room – 6 different prints for the bed + chair, and then a custom bunting via Knotted Nest on Etsy.  When deciding on fabrics, I made sure to pick designs that 1) matched the color theme, 2) were youthful, and 3) had varying print sizes (e.g. large swirl for the headboard, medium sized flower pattern for the big pillow, and then polka dots and thin waves for the small pillows)

Decor Details for Kids Room

Notice how the triangle pattern was repeated in the roller blind, chair and bunting.  Again, this helps create a cohesive look in the room.

Repeat a Pattern

Last but not least: If you can’t find something ready-made for your budget – Do. It. Yourself.

Adam and I did a total of 6 DIYs for this room.

1. We bought a dirt cheap bed from IKEA, cut off its headboard, added a chair rail, and painted it white:

IKEA Bed Before & AfterWe also made:

2. Our own headboard for the bed and affixed it to the wall

3. all 4 colored pillows – might I add that it was my FIRST time EVER using a sewing machine.  Believe it or not, Adam (yes, Adam) taught me how to use one, and then I followed a step-by-step youtube video on how to sew pillows with a zipper.  He’s totally going to kill me for publicly admitting that he can sew.  Oops.

4. A 3-piece collection of  owl and floral pins (instructions here)

5. new upholstery for a vintage chair

6. Last but not least, a custom roller blind with a chevron print.  Can you believe how cool it turned out??  I’ll be posted the instructions for this one later this week.

So this was my first full-on A to Z project.  Thoughts?  Criticism?  Still learning lots, and I welcome all feedback!

Velvet Love: even dogs like vintage

Posted in Velvet Love by

I don’t have a doggy
But boy if I did
I’d make him a little house
Where he could live

Vintage Suitcase Dog Bed

Is this cute??  I spotted this neat idea on Houzz.com, and instantly thought – I think I need to get a dog just so that I can make one of these!!  Click here to view instructions on how to create this uber cool dog bed made from a vintage suitcase.