Bathroom Sneak Peek

<div style="text-align: center;"> <center> </center> </div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <div style="text-align: left;"> Sometimes I get really excited about a color or a fabric or a style of furniture mostly because it feels really fresh, or at least not too played out. I've been really drawn to shades of olive lately because they look new again to me! And I'm especially loving olive paired with pale blues. </div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <img alt=" photo Olive9.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda011/Olive9.jpg" /></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> I have a post coming up where I'll share all the details on the millwork we added to the bathroom here, but I wanted to put up a few peeks now of the finished guest bathroom. I am SO happy with the room and the fresh color on the walls!</div> </div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <img alt=" photo Olive7.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda011/Olive7.jpg" /><br /> <br /> <div style="text-align: left;"> I think it's so important to find a good color temperature balance in a space. The light in this bathroom is very cool - approaching blue. The tile I chose for the floors was also pretty cool, so I knew we could go very warm on the walls and it wouldn't feel off balance.<br /> </div> </div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <img alt=" photo Olive6.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda011/Olive6.jpg" /><br /> <br /> <div style="text-align: left;"> The brass fixtures also help to add back some warmth in the sink and tub areas. Oh, you guys - the sink turned out so well! I can't wait to share this with you soon! We are getting a new wide angle lens since the shot is almost impossible to get without one. Such a tight space!</div> </div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <img alt=" photo Olive3.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda011/Olive3.jpg" /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /> <div style="text-align: left;"> The wall color is Farrow & Ball's Olive and the ceiling is Pale Powder, a barely there blue, and I love the combo together! The blue is so subtle, and the olive color has plenty of gray in it, so it's not too Army green and not too dark, which I was a little worried about. I was able to round up some inspiration images beforehand that helped me feel better about just going for it. This one, from the (seriously great) book <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" target="_blank">French Accents</a>, really sealed the deal for me though.<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=littgreenote-20&l=as2&o=1&a=030798530X" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> I love that all the moulding floor to ceiling is the same color! So striking!<br /> <div> <br /></div> </div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <center> </center> </div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <div style="text-align: center;"> <img alt=" photo IMG_5132.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda011/IMG_5132.jpg" /><br /> <br /> <div style="text-align: left;"> And remember this total classic from Domino? So good.</div> <br /> <img alt=" photo 627116d80956cbf23b5ced39db248bb5.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda011/627116d80956cbf23b5ced39db248bb5.jpg" /><br /> <br /> <img alt=" photo Dominomagseafoambluebookcase.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda011/Dominomagseafoambluebookcase.jpg" /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> </div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <div style="text-align: center;"> <div style="text-align: left;"> And further proof that soft blue and olive are BFF:</div> </div> </div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> </div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <div style="text-align: center;"> <img alt=" photo 87baffe2bb5720161fd50f47960e5ee4.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda011/87baffe2bb5720161fd50f47960e5ee4.jpg" /><br />  <i>source</i><br /> <i><br /></i><img alt=" photo cb06ed813a9159a22aab846bd5f5f907.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda011/cb06ed813a9159a22aab846bd5f5f907.jpg" /><br /> <br /> <img alt=" photo 89c253ff9b5c9b415a343a319cd96796.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda011/89c253ff9b5c9b415a343a319cd96796.jpg" /><br /> <i><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" target="_blank">source</a></i></div> </div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /> <div style="text-align: left;"> And remember <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" target="_blank">this amazing Harlem home</a>? Gah! So, so pretty, warm and inviting!</div> <br /> <img alt=" photo harlem-apartment-0511-03-lgn.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda011/harlem-apartment-0511-03-lgn.jpg" /></div> </div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /> <img alt=" photo harlem-apartment-0511-06-lgn.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda011/harlem-apartment-0511-06-lgn.jpg" /></div> </div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> </div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <div style="text-align: center;"> <img alt=" photo harlem-apartment-0511-02-lgn.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda011/harlem-apartment-0511-02-lgn.jpg" /></div> </div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <div style="text-align: center;"> <img alt=" photo harlem-apartment-0511-01-lgn.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda011/harlem-apartment-0511-01-lgn.jpg" /><br /> <br /> <div style="text-align: left;"> The great thing about paint is it's a pretty inexpensive commitment. So if I tire of the olive at any time it would be easy to switch it out. But for now, I love it even more than I thought I would! :)</div> </div> </div> <div style="text-align: left;"> </div> </div> <div style="text-align: center;"> </div>

Bathroom Sneak Peek

Sometimes I get really excited about a color or a fabric or a style of furniture mostly because it feels really fresh, or at least not...

Read more »

Home Depot Give

<center> </center> Thank you to the locals that stopped by the lighting <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" target="_blank">DIY Workshop</a> that I partnered with the Home Deport on last weekend! I LOVED meeting you and it was great to get tips from the on-site lighting expert about how to increase lighting energy efficiency. It's a topic I've been sadly pretty ignorant about until recently. We have a lot of CFLs in our house, but the Home Depot guy encouraged me to look at their LED offerings while I was at the store on Saturday.<br /> <br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> <img alt=" photo HD3.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda012/HD3.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div> <br /> I think it sort of stinks to have to drop $8-16 on just a single bulb, but how crazy is it that LED bulbs last for literally 20 years and they use a fraction of the wattage that an incandescent bulb uses?!<br /> <br /> I picked up a pretty expensive (almost $16!) Cree bulb that has a new technology that's supposed to help colors read more correctly, which has been my main complaint about LED in the past. I also bought this Ecosmart two-pack as a cheaper comparison that brought the price-per-bulb down to about $8. And I threw in to the test group an incandescent I already owned for good measure, just because I was curious. All of the bulbs were Soft White in tone and 60 watts or equivalent.<br /> <br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> <img alt=" photo HD5.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda012/HD5.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /><br /> <br /> <div style="text-align: left;"> I'm sure there are some in-between option too. I just picked up what jumped out to me. (What have you tried and liked?)</div> <br /> <img alt=" photo vIMG_5847.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda012/vIMG_5847.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div> <br /> Well, here are the results of my extremely technical and super scientific light test results! ;)<br /> <br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> <img alt=" photo HD4text.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda012/HD4text.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div> <br /> I actually really liked the tone of the most expensive LED bulb (surprise, surprise), but really the Ecosmart brand wasn't bad at all. I'd probably use it in bedrooms or for fixtures we use a little less. And actually I've read that it's a good idea to switch over to the more expensive bulbs over time to help spread out the initial expense, but that you should put the new bulbs in your most frequently used fixtures so you can start the energy savings right away.<br /> <br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> <img alt=" photo HD1.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda012/HD1.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div> <br /> As a part of the workshop last weekend, Home Depot gave me a $100 gift card to give away today! Maybe you'll want to spend the gift card on a dozen or so new LEDs? :) To enter, leave a comment here on this post. I'd love to hear about what bulbs you're using and loving.<br /> <br /> <i>Contest ends next Thursday at midnight. Winner will be emailed. Good luck!</i><br /> <br /> PS Home Depot has lots of great (free!) DIY workshops coming up! To see what your local store has to offer, <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" target="_blank">check out the registration page here</a>!

Home Depot Give

Thank you to the locals that stopped by the lighting DIY Workshop  that I partnered with the Home Deport on last weekend! I LOVED meeting ...

Read more »

Onyx X-Base Tables

<center> </center> <div style="text-align: center;"> <img alt=" photo IMG_7632.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2022/IMG_7632.jpg" /></div> <br /> Years ago, at the ABC Outlet in the Bronx, I fell in love with this antique onyx-topped side table. But even on sale the table was about $700, so I just took a few photos of it and filed away the idea.<br /> <br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> </div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <img alt=" photo cIMG_3622.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2021/cIMG_3622.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /><br /> <br /> <div style="text-align: left;"> When I was figuring out the floor plan for the library, I knew I would likely have to design my own side tables for the roll-arm sofa, since the bay windows made the space a little awkward for furniture. I needed long and skinny tables that were the right height for the low sofa arms. (Don't mind my dresses hanging in the window here - I was just trying to figure out what color I liked for curtains.) :)</div> </div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <img alt=" photo vIMG_4247.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2021/vIMG_4247.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /><br /> <br /> <div style="text-align: left;"> About the same time, I totally fell in love with the legs of these side tables that were for sale on <a href="http://www.chairish.com/" target="_blank">Chairish</a>. The dimensions weren't right for my space though and the color of the stone was too similar to my floors, but the design was just about perfect!</div> <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="more"></a></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <img alt=" photo IMG_4731.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2021/IMG_4731.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <div style="text-align: left;"> I had found a welder who I was also using to make my <a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2014/06/guest-bathroom-sink.html" target="_blank">bathroom sink base</a>. His name is Dave and his business is called Custom Metal Concepts. He's a really, really nice guy and was careful with all the things I cared the most about (the diameter of the rods and the sturdiness of the bases). He is not all that comfortable with painted finishes as far as I could tell though, so I offered to handle that part myself. I am so thrilled with his work on both of the projects I had him do. I knew the tables would look different from the photos I gave Dave since my dimensions were about half the size of the inspiration tables, but I think he did a wonderful job of maintaining the feel and the proportion of the originals. And they are as sturdy as can be! No wobbles here.</div> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <img alt=" photo IMG_5463.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2021/IMG_5463.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <img alt=" photo IMG_5462.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2021/IMG_5462.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /><br /> <br /> <div style="text-align: left;"> For the table tops, I stopped in to Allpride Marble again to see what their remnant section had to offer. I found this (very dusty) small piece of onyx that was only $30! Fabrication costs were about $50 though, just to have the tops cut to size with polished edges and then to have the surfaces honed. But I guess $80 for the stone wasn't such a bad deal.</div> </div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <img alt=" photo vIMG_4903.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2021/vIMG_4903.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <img alt=" photo IMG_4904.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2021/IMG_4904.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /><br /> <br /> <img alt=" photo IMG_4905.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2021/IMG_4905.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /> <div style="text-align: left;"> I measured and marked out the cuts before leaving the stone yard so I could maximize what I thought were the prettiest parts of the slab. They dropped off the finished tabletops with the sink a couple weeks ago. I LOVE how the light shines through the stone. It just glows in full sun!</div> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <img alt=" photo vIMG_7819.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2022/vIMG_7819.jpg" /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <div style="text-align: left;"> Before I epoxied the onyx to the table bases, I cleaned up some of the rust off the steel legs.</div> </div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <img alt=" photo IMG_5551.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2021/IMG_5551.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /> <div style="text-align: left;"> I used my fingers and a rag to add some Gold Leaf Rub'N Buff to the legs in just selective spots. I didn't want the finish to look uniform at all.</div> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <img alt=" photo vIMG_5555.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2021/vIMG_5555.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /><br /> <br /> <div style="text-align: left;"> The steel took the Rub'N Buff really well and after it had dried the finish was pretty solid and wasn't going anywhere. It dried almost like paint.</div> </div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <img alt=" photo IMG_7822.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2021/IMG_7822.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <img alt=" photo IMG_7791.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2021/IMG_7791.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /><br /> <br /> <div style="text-align: left;"> I really, really love the tables. I love how they look, but I mostly love how unique they are! Lots of people indirectly came together to create these tables - from inspiration to fabrication. It was such a satisfying creative process for me.</div> </div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <img alt=" photo bIMG_7845.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2021/bIMG_7845.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /><br /> <br /> <img alt=" photo IMG_7884.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2021/IMG_7884.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /> <div style="text-align: left;"> It's hard to say exactly how much each table came out to in the end because the welder gave me a bundled price for the sink base and the two tables, but with the stone fabrication and everything I think these came out to about $200 each. Not exactly thrift store prices, but I know I will love these forever and ever. They are worth every penny and more to me.</div> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <img alt=" photo vIMG_7806.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2021/vIMG_7806.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <img alt=" photo IMG_7834.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2021/IMG_7834.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <img alt=" photo IMG_7700.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2022/IMG_7700.jpg" /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <img alt=" photo IMG_7624.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2022/IMG_7624.jpg" /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> </div>

Onyx X-Base Tables

Years ago, at the ABC Outlet in the Bronx, I fell in love with this antique onyx-topped side table. But even on sale the table was abou...

Read more »

Yellow Curtains Playroom

There are only two bedrooms on the main floor of our house, the master bedroom and a large-ish room at the front of the house. For the first few months that we lived here, I used it as <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" target="_blank">my office space</a>, but it just didn't really work for some reason. Then I had the idea to move my office to <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" target="_blank">the big space above our garage</a> on the other side of the house and make the old office our playroom.<br /> <br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> <img alt=" photo 16.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda014/16.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div> <br /> I had been a little worried that toys would end up migrating all over the house with this set up, where the playroom is right by the living spaces, but really, it's been so great. I love both the studio space and this playroom, which we only very recently decided to quickly decorate in time for the Domino shoot. We had been planning on doing Evie's room as the kid's space in the spread, but the playroom ended up being the easier space to photograph in the end, so we threw this room together in about seven crazy days! These yellow curtains were our jumping off point.<br /> <br /> I wanted this room to feel girly and playful, and I thought pretty curtains were a great place to start. We had no time and really no budget to make fancy curtains though, so IKEA came to the rescue. I had actually picked up three packs of these white cotton Ritva panel pairs a couple months before (when the room was still an office) and I just hadn't got around to hanging them yet.<br /> <br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> <img alt=" photo IMG_5541.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda014/IMG_5541.jpg" /></div> <br /> I almost didn't use them because I wanted the walls to be white, and I wanted the curtains to be a fun color to pop off the white. This image kept coming to mind when I was brainstorming colors. I only wish I had the budget to recreate these exactly!<br /> <br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> <center> </center> </div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <img alt=" photo PaulCostello1.png" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda014/PaulCostello1.png" /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" target="_blank">image</a></i></div> <br /> I figured it wouldn't really be a wasted effort to try and dye the IKEA panels because I wasn't able to return them at that point. So I picked up four bottles of RIT dye - two each of Golden Yellow and Lemon Yellow. It's not for everyone, or for every tub, but I felt comfortable with dying the panels in my bathtub. I tested the dye beforehand and there was no staining on the fiberglass, so I felt good about moving forward using my tub. It made the project and clean up about a million times easier than using a big tupperware tub (and I have a front-loading washing machine, so that wasn't an option).<br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <img alt=" photo IMG_5550copy.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda014/IMG_5550copy.jpg" /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> I got three of the panels wet in the shower first (which helps the dye soak up more evenly) while I filled the tub with about six or seven inches of the hottest water I could get out of the tap. I added one bottle of each of the two yellow colors and about half a cup of salt. Once that was all mixed, I put in the three panels and while wearing long gloves, moved the fabric around in the dye bath for a good 20-30 minutes until the color looked bright and even. I turned on the faucet again, to cold this time, and let the dye bath drain and the cold water run on the panels until the water was close to clear. I moved the panels to a laundry basket and took them to the washing machine for a cold water wash on the delicate cycle.<br /> <br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> <img alt=" photo IMG_5548.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda014/IMG_5548.jpg" /></div> <br /> I made a hanging station and let the panels air dry over night. And then I started again with the second batch of three panels and two more bottles of dye.<br /> <div> <br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> <img alt=" photo IMG_5601.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda014/IMG_5601.jpg" /></div> </div> <br /> Then we ironed each panel well before hanging them over white fabric shades from Lowes (which were less than $20 for the 48" size!) and white wooden rings and rods, also from Lowes.<br /> <br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> <img alt=" photo 18.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda014/18.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div> <br /> I love, love, love how these curtains turned out. Because I had bought the IKEA panels so many months before, it practically felt like a $12 project, where I just had to buy the dye. :) And I think the color combo of the lemon and golden yellow colors really worked out perfectly, which was sort of a lucky break.<br /> <br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> <img alt=" photo 17.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda014/17.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div> <br /> I think when I have some extra time I'll add a thick or even black out lining to these to add some weight and a clean white backside view from the front of the house (though the white roman shades help a bit with that for now).<br /> <br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> <img alt=" photo 15.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda014/15.jpg" /></div> <br /> Have you had any successes with dying big projects like this? Have you used your tub or a tupperware container?

Yellow Curtains Playroom

There are only two bedrooms on the main floor of our house, the master bedroom and a large-ish room at the front of the house. For the first...

Read more »