The If At 1st You Don't Succeed Bedroom

It’s been 4 years since I signed my life away and tied my financial future to Bank of America for the next 30 years (well not BAC exactly but you know how it goes with banks and the buying and selling of mortgages).  My appointment with the lawyers was mid-day so that left me hours after signing to hang out at my new house and start the process of moving out of 1972.  So I immediately headed over and the very first project I took on was the master bedroom.  There were 2 major problems that needed fixing before I could spend one night in my new house and the master bedroom was one of them (the bathroom was the other). 

The master had some old very dingy wallpaper that had violets all over it on the walls and purple (lilac) ruffley curtains on the windows as well as a bluish/greenish/dirtish wall to wall carpet on the floor.

 

Mrs Johnson's Master Bedroom - she slept in this room
for over 60 years...I'm thinking she liked purple

I was told that there were hardwoods under that carpet so you know what the destiny of that carpet was…but first I wanted to take care of the walls & ceiling – no sense in pulling the carpet up until I had all of my painting done.

So, with all kinds of horror stories of removing wallpaper from my fellow home projecters fresh in my mind, every tool I could find at Lowes in my hands and with great trepidation I started on removing the paper. To my surprise it came right down – no tools, no wallpaper remover chemicals, no cursing…peeled right off the wall in strips.  Lucky or what?

This is my master the day I signed on that fateful
dotted line...It's hard to see the violets in this photo
so yo will just have to trust me...they are there and not
very appealing (to me).

Now, if you haven’t already figured out from my One Room Down post I’m a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to paint color. But I also was very limited on time to assess, analyze, contemplate, etc. I had exactly 3 weeks before I had to be out of my apartment and into this house and had to not only finish this bedroom but also a total bathroom redo.

So with no time I selected a pinkish/peachish color paint, put it on the walls and hoped for the best.  It was a California Paint color called Peach Breeze so it wasn’t too pink…definitely had peach undertones but when I got it all finished I definitely had a pink room.  Not exactly what I was going for but it was pretty and I’d make it work with brown curtains & bed accessories to try to make it a little less “Barbie lives here”.

The Barbie version of my master bedroom...a perfectly lovely color
but really not for me.

So, 3+ years later and with a long list of house projects done (so I feel I can justify redoing a perfectly good room) I am so done with the pink…time to repaint! This time I went far more neutral with a Benjamin Moore color…Butterfly Kisses….don’t you just love that name for a bedroom color? I didn't want boring beige but did want neutral – I think this color is perfect and it really has a great read on the walls.

Finished Bedroom..light, airy, neutral but definitely not
boring beige

With this paint color the brown curtains & bed accessories now were a bit too neutral so off I went in search of some color. I was going to try my hand at making drapes but when I figured out it was going to cost me $600+ in materials alone and since I am really not a seamstress I decided that really wasn’t a great plan.

One of the guys who works for me in my corporate life mentioned that Pier One had some great options at really great prices. He was right and I found just the perfect drapes…not exactly what I had in mind when I first went looking but I absolutely love these (and they are lined)!

My Master now...hopefully I will sleep many more nights
here...maybe not 60+ years though. 

I now almost wish I hadn’t waited 3+ years for the redo but definitely love the finished product now.

Plan B part 2 - Pallian & Company

Last winter on my way home from my family Christmas I decided to take “the scenic route”…from Portland ME Route 1 toward Boston…unthinkable in the summer months with all of the tourist (or better know as "people from away") traffic but in late December perfect opportunity for aimless meandering along the coast of Maine.

My initial plan was to head toward the infamous Maine Diner in Wells ME for breakfast and see what I trouble I could find along the way.  Given it was just after Christmas I knew it was just a matter of time until a big sale sign called my name….and it didn’t take long. 

Pallian & Company

2049 Post Road Wells ME

Pallian & Company in Wells was my first stop. Not only had I never been to this shop I had never even noticed it on this stretch of Route 1…a very non-descript building…so I really have no idea why I made the U-turn to check it out….but I am soooo glad I did.  This place is cottage chic at its greatest!

This is my favorite of all of the rooms at Pallian...beautiful
sea greens/blues are everywhere!

 

So, on my Plan B excursion a couple of weeks ago with by best girlfriend Kate from Scissors, Spatula’s & Sneakers I just knew I had to take her to Pallian & Company. Just as expected she was drooling as much (well almost) as I was over their gorgeous wares.

Love, love, love Pine Cone Hill linens!  So pretty & so
comfortable

They had these in 2 sizes...oh how I debated...I
have almost convinced myself to go back for
them...It's more than a possibility...

Does this look familiar?  It does to me....it looks an awful
lot like the blue plate I bought in Calabash NC last year...
see More Calabash Design...

Growing up on the coast of Maine sea inspired decorative items are like home to me.  I love the array of beautiful & chic beachy items in this shop. I could literally take everything home with me.

Many years ago I stumbled upon a documentary on PBS
about Cuba and all of the old American cars they have
and treasure in Cuba - owners actually park them in their
homes at night and make parts/fluids to keep them
running...Ever since I have wanted to visit Cuba.  I
imagine it to be like walking into 1954...This display of
all things Cuba stopped me in my tracks!

So chic, so simple...love it!

Another Successful Plan B Excursion...The Old House Parts Company

Ever since I moved back to New England several years ago my BFF and I have an annual tradition of going strawberry picking the weekend on or around the 4^th of July.  And this year was no different, after much back and forth trying to find something that worked for both of our schedules we agreed to meet up a couple of Saturdays ago.  I had already planned my week of meals around the strawberry shortcake I was going to make (i.e. I didn’t have to make anything any since I would have shortcake for every meal lol).

Well, for the first time in forever the fields were CLOSED FOR THE SEASON even before the 4^th of July.  Can you believe it…apparently it was a very good year and unfortunately for us a very early year.  Guess its back to real meals for me this week….

So, as often happens with us….we moved on to plan B.  After my excursion to Mason Brothers Architectural Salvage in Essex Junction VT, where I just fell in love with house parts I had added some other local architectural salvage shops to my hit list.  One of these The Old House Parts Company immediately came to mind as a great plan B.  It was just down the road from the strawberry farm and I’ve just been dying to check this place out. 

The Old House Parts Company
1 Trackside Dr., Kennebunk ME

The Old House Parts Company is in Kennebunk Maine…the center of large magnificent Victorian houses (and the Bush compound) so there is certainly an abundance of inspiration and inventory for The Old House Parts Company….and we were definitely not disappointed.

We were lucky and were able to tour the Wedding Cake House
 (a private residence) in Kennebunk a couple of years ago on one of
our "plan B" excursions.

Almost before we even got out of the car we were oogling over the fantastic array of vintage pedestal sinks & claw foot tubs…nothing beats a long soak in a claw foot bathtub full of bubbles.

The Old House Parts Company is a huge building and is packed full!  I don’t think we had ever seen so many doors or windows…anywhere.  They were from all eras, in all shapes and sizes 

and all just fantastic!

Can't you just imagine all of the fabulous
things you could do with this window?

Could there be any more of an obvious
sign that this place was for me? (for
those who don't know..KP are my initials)

And I know I have never seen so many pieces of salvaged hardware in one place, if you are looking for doorknobs, hinges, key plates, etc. this is the place for you.  No rusty nails here.

Just one of 3 huge displays of knobs

A utilitarian item with such artistic beauty

There were so many fun things at The Old House Parts Company – not just building materials but industrial decorative items as well. 

Isn't this just a fantastic idea for a
mason jar?  I can just see it in a little cottage
by the sea

Re-purposing of those old not so nice
floral vases and extra glass pieces.  They
are garden stakes!

Take the wheels off, add shelves and hang it on the wall...
that's what they did at The Old House Parts Co. 

It took every bit of self control not to bring this home with
me...I just couldn't decide what I would use it for. But
I am still dreaming about it so I may just have to go
back...

The Old House Parts Company is definitely going on to my list of “must see again’s”!!

This is what actually made it into the car & home with BFF...
isn't it just fantastic?  It's fairly large so we think it must
have been on a scooter/motorbike of some sort...,maybe
milk or newspaper delivery?  It's now perfect for scrapbooking
supplies...yes those are all letter stickers!

Don’t Mess with Dallas – Uptown Country Home

This spring was a crazy travel spring for me - I was all over the place for 4 months. 

Before I even visit some cities I just know they are going to be good.  This was the case with a work trip to Dallas a few weeks ago. 

The picture of the big haired blond lady with bright red lipstick came immediately to mind and I just know this stereotypical imaginary woman has a highly decorated McMansion.  She’s buying (and selling when she redecorates annually) her home wares somewhere and I had every intention of finding these shops and squeezing a moment into my schedule to stop by for a perusal.

So, in order to most efficiently utilize my time I did a quick scan of some of the décor blogs I frequent and came upon Material Girls who has a whole ton of info of where to find the decorating gems in a handful of cities around the country. Given limited time and what looked to be an abundance of options I ended up picking a few that looked like they might just fit the bill and headed south. 

My plan was once I arrived at my hotel look at the geography and narrow my selection further based on the location to where I was staying.  That is how I ended up on the doorstep of Uptown Country Home.

Uptown Country Home
3419 Milton Avenue
Dallas, TX

Uptown Country Home does a lot of merchandising by color

I just love the pop of red!

Another example of why merchandising by color works...
this blue vignette makes such a strong color statement

Uptown Country Home specializes in repurposed/recycled cottage style furnishings & accessories – fun, fun, fun stuff at this place. 

Shabby Chic...the glass knobs add such pizzazz to this dresser

Fun, fabulous mirror framed with different leftover
moldings, handles and scrabble tiles...love! 

I recently replaced all of the windows in my home and
I am so glad I kept several of the old ones for possible
projects...this is actually exactly what I had in mind for
one of them...message board, magnetic bulletin board, etc.

Isn't this an awesome repurpose of old doors...
it's Uptown's checkout counter!

The are located in a really quiet “neighborhood” so it feels like a main street in any small town and the shop itself was far smaller than I had expected but wow it is just filled with wonderfulness!

Huge selection of message wall art

If you are a “clean lines” decorator this is not the place for you but if you have an appreciation for unique, cool recycled wares I highly recommend making time for a quick visit.

And finally...a coffee percolator
repurposed as a lamp

Chicago My Kind of Town - Posh Revisited

So a couple of weeks ago I was back in Chicago for work and unusually had not allowed for any time in my schedule for “personal meandering”.  I was attending the National Restaurant Show and had two packed full 14-hour days scheduled.  Now, realize this tradeshow is phenomenal and really hardly constitutes working but it is huge and takes all of the two days I had scheduled to even come close to seeing it all.  Just imagine every kind of food sample you can imagine as well as kitchen equipment & supplies in 1,000,000 sq ft of exhibition space.  My feet are aching just remembering it….yes, I did wear cute shoes (not cute in a crippling painful way, but cute none-the-less).

And as a special bonus former President Bill Clinton was the keynote speaker!  Put politics aside he is a fascinating man with a compelling perspective of food as it relates to our politics, healthcare and the world at large.

Photography is definitely not my strength...but you
get the idea

Usually when I visit Chicago I like to stay right on Michigan Avenue with all of the hub-bub of its shops, restaurants & hotels.  I also tend to have an affinity for the historic, non-chain hotels – it’s a wonderful old city with wonderful old hotels.  This visit I decided to shake it up a bit and opted for the Embassy Suites on State St – I knew this was in a desirable location but really did no research to see where it was and what was around it.  I figured I had no time so it really didn’t matter.

Imagine my surprise when I looked out my hotel
window and spotted Posh (2nd storefront from
the left in this photo).

So, imagine my pleasant surprise when we arrived and I happened to spot my favorite spot from my last summer visit to Chicago…Posh (see earlier post here) right across the street from the Embassy…talk about serendipitous.  I just knew that somehow, some way I was going to sneak a few minutes away and pop in.  It took me a whole 24-hours before I found my opportunity but find it I did.

Phenomenal Selection of oil paintings at
great prices!

Vintage Fire King!  

I absolutely love this selection of reproduction vintage maps

And…..my opinion is officially the same as my first opinion.  I LOVE this shop! 

Enamelware...can't you just picture yourself making
coffee around a campfire with this?

On this trip I happened to be travelling with one of my colleagues and he was not so impressed.  His concern was that since this is a shop that mixes authentic vintage (he loves vintage) with reproductions you can’t really be sure what is old and what isn't.  My take is a bit different – I take it for what it is and pay what I would consider fair regardless to its authenticity of age.  I like what I like and it doesn’t need to be old or new to work in my house.  I’m not selling fine antiques here…just finding fun decorative items for my house. 

This so almost made it on the plane with me!
I love, love, love this pink Fire King!