Updating a little chandelier...

I am almost embarrassed to admit where I got this ugly little brass chandelier....

Out of the back of a strangers pick up truck at the dump. Seriously...I was paying out at the local dump and this guy drove up in a truck loaded with trash. Sitting on top was this light fixture. So I asked him if I could have it...and he said SURE!

Geez...I have become one of "those" people who dig through other people's trash! Crazy cat lady, annoying coupon lady...and now this...(shaking head in disgust)

Whatever...I wasn't sure what exactly I was going to do with it but I knew it could be "updated" if I could just find the right inspiration. I knew I was going to paint the dated brass, so I decided to start there until I could figure out exactly what I wanted to do with the fixture!

Originally I primed it with metal primer, then started painting it with plain ole' off white spray paint. (Remember, when you aren't sure what to do with something, take it to "base neutral.")

And that is when a little DIY project turned into a total disaster. Yes, it happens. Even to me. Even though I shook the spray paint can per the instructions, it still started spraying all "clumpy." I don't know how to describe it, but rather than a nice smooth finish, it was all grainy and rough....AAAAGGGGGHHHHH!

Made me so mad I tossed the fixture in the back of the garage and said "SCREW IT." (Yes, I curse at innate objects!) I knew I was going to have to completely sand it down and considering the "ornateness" of it, I knew it would be a royal pain. My "vision" was just a heap of "mess."

Then I saw this on Pinterest...

Andrea at "Personally Andrea" took a plain ole' chandelier and dolled it up a bit by using jute twine to wrap the ugly little plastic tubes.

Hum....just the "inspiration" I needed to dig the "ruined" chandelier out of the back of the garage and give it another shot!

I sanded down the "grainy" finish, reprimed where needed and then painted it in my current favorite teal spray paint! (This time I shook the crud out of the can AND test sprayed it!)

Covering the ugly plastic tubes is super easy. Andrea used tape, but I used hot glue. I ran a little line of hot glue along the tube as I wrapped it in the jute twine.

WORD OF WARNING!!! Hot glue is HOT...and the plastic sleeves are a tad flimsy so use the glue sparingly or you will actually melt the little tube which will make it impossible to slip back onto the light. (Lesson learned the hard way...fortunately Lowe's sells replacement socket covers for under $3 a pair!)

I think painting the fixture in black or oil-rubbed bronze would have made it a little more "formal." But I was going for "fun" and "hip" and a little more casual!

I liked the look so well I decided to do the same to my dining room fixture using the plastic covers I purchased at Lowes!

I found some glittery gold fabric/paper kinda looking stuff at the craft store that I am going to use to cover new socket covers for the Christmas holiday! I will share that later when I do my Christmas decorating!

Don't turn your nose up at the dated brass fixtures...as I have shared many times fixtures, lamps and fans are super simple to update with a little paint.

And of course a little inspiration! Thanks Andrea!

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Decorating with the traditional colors of fall!

The week before Brian and I left for our annual vacation to Colorado, I spent several days cruising the blogosphere and enjoying all the beautifully decorated homes on the "Fall Tour." I noticed many are now decorating with more "whites and blues" and neutrals for the season....blue and white pumpkins, vintage containers, natural elements, muted greenery.

I think it is all beautiful but as I decorated my home for the season I realized that all my fall decor are the bright and bold colors of traditional fall foliage....reds, oranges, yellows, browns and deep greens.

And as I have mentioned before, when I am done, it looks like fall has puked in my house. I LOVE this time of the year and every time I stroll through the isles of department stores, craft stores or a flea market I find more fall "stuff" I just can't resist.

I had pretty much convinced myself that I needed to transition to the more "neutral" pallet of the "farmhouse fall" next year. Until....

I neglected to take pictures of the southern view at Mesa Verde so I stole this picture from Thomas Mangan...he has some breath-taking photos....the colors are AMAZING and a pretty representation of the southern slope of Mesa Verde! — I neglected to take pictures of the southern view at Mesa Verde so I stole this picture from **Thomas Mangan**...he has some breath-taking photos....the colors are AMAZING and a pretty representation of the southern slope of Mesa Verde!

....Colorado...the vivid yellows and orange of the Aspens, the deep reds of the mountain sides and red oak foliage, the vibrant greens of the pines.

Yes, there are whites and blues and neutrals...the stark white of the Aspen bark, the muted "pinks" of Mesa Verde (a MUST see!)....

...the neutral pallet of a canyon wall along the river...

...snow capped mountains reflecting in the crystal blue waters of a mountain top lake!

...white snow filled clouds creeping over a mountain pass.

All beautiful...all colors found in nature!

For me, I am still in love with the vibrant colors of fall that are so prevalent here in the Ozarks...the yellows, orange, reds and deep greens. I have shared my "fall home" before, but I thought I would share again this year...nothing much changes from year to year and that is just fine with me!

Notice the "Colorado red" flagstone...yes, that is native Colorado stone and yes, there are rivers and mountains that color!

These little lanterns are "multi-seasonal." I can easily change them up for fall, Christmas and even spring/summer!

Every holiday I hang a "seasonal" wreath on the big mirror in the living room! I now have one for fall, Christmas, Valentine's and the 4th!

Still love my black doors! In the fall I hang simple "candle wreaths" with ribbon to decorate every door and window. I simply change them out for Christmas wreaths after Thanksgiving!

Several years ago I hit the 90% clearance at Hobby Lobby and snatched up all the high dollar fall garland...I wrap it in the dining light fixture, lay it on top of the display hutch and in the transoms, and lay it across the fireplace mental!

Say hello to Litty...she loves the camera!

Years ago I made two "table top" fall wreaths...I use to put hurricane candles in both but I found this awesome little grapevine pumpkin last year. What do you know...I actually do change things up a bit every now and again!

For vases and urns, I just bundled a bunch of fall stuff I like together and stick them in the container...simple! This one is a glass vase filled with fall glass beads I picked up for Pier One years ago!

Mr. Owl was actually one of those ugly plastic "decoy" owls I picked up at an auction. I painted him off white...again, super simple!

Here I shared how easy it is to make a little seasonal vintage box that can be easily changed up throughout the year...

THIS is what I love to decorate with...the traditional colors of fall. I love the blues and whites and neutrals but every year I take a 14 hour trip west to see the vibrant colors of the Colorado Aspens.

For some, it is the beach....white sands and blue waters and sky. For me, when I see a grove of shimmering fall Aspens, it fills my heart with pure joy! When I stand on a mountain top at Mesa Verde and look down at the red, orange and yellow foliage on a mountain side, I feel at peace.

So for now, I will continue to decorate with the colors I love. Maybe some day I will transition to the "in" colors, but this year, I am at peace in my home surrounded with the vivid colors of a traditional fall!

And that, my friends, is what decorating a home is all about!

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The kitchen makeover reveal!

It is time for the big KITCHEN REVEAL!!!

First, I had to wait on the maple trim...then I decided to wait on the new doors and glass!

I had not intended to start decorating for fall before "the big reveal." My plan for this week was to do the glass doors Tuesday, take pictures of the kitchen and get ready for Matt's birthday celebration Wednesday (he turns 26 Saturday!), post the reveal Thursday morning and then get most of the fall decor up and get my hair and nails done ...AND LEAVE FOR COLORADO FRIDAY!!! Yippeee!

One hitch...I got a call Tuesday morning that the glass wasn't on the delivery truck so it wasn't going to be in until Thursday...well that just threw a wrench in my whole week. So Tuesday I started working on my fall decor. Tuesday afternoon, the glass place called and said they "found" my glass and it was ready. Sooooo....short story long, the "reveal" pictures are going to have smatterings of fall!

I think I have mentioned before that I have a bad case of "Pinterest envy" when it comes to kitchens.

Tipsaholic recently featured some beautiful kitchen pantry/storage ideas. I love the painted kitchens and all the open shelving but the one thing I noticed about EVERY picture, whether featuring beautiful glass containers or pull out drawers, was the ORGANIZATION of every item and space.

For me, the key to a great kitchen (or any space for that matter) is making sure everything is organized and functional for MY needs! And of course aesthetically appealing, but unless it is organized and functional, I am wasting my time making it pretty!

While I love all the neat pull-outs and storage inspiration, I think the first thing you need to do BEFORE you start any kitchen remodel is get every drawer and cabinet purged and organized and see what you have, what you need and what space you can rework, organize or add to make your kitchen function for YOU! Plan, plan, plan!

Here is a post on purging and organizing your kitchen drawers! A super simple little project but it has made a big difference in my ability to find stuff I need!

My goal in "resetting" my kitchen was to make it more functional for my purposes.....and of course, change things up a bit aesthetically so I am not tempted to take a paint brush to these beautiful cabinets

I basically had a "standard" (and small) kitchen layout.

I do love stained wood and as drawn as I am to painted cabinets, I knew the day would come in the future when I would regret painting mine. My stain color (Paprika Cherry on Maple) isn't totally offensive and fairly "timeless" if that is possible, unlike my daughter's kitchen which had "pickled oak," a stain my dad and I were putting in houses in the 1990s!! I did not discourage her in the least when they decided to paint their cabinets.

For those who believe "white is classic and will never go out of style" obviously don't remember the "honey oak" trend of the 90s..."oak is classic and will never go out of style!" EVERYTHING goes out of style...eventually! Which is why we are all painting honey oak cabinets!

Earlier this year I made an offer on a smaller house with a smaller yard in a subdivision I would love to live in. The house was basically a "gut job" and the new kitchen I designed had NO upper cabinets...none! I wanted lots of windows, maybe a few open shelves, tons of base cabinets with drawers and a big island.

But that deal didn't work out and I don't have the "footprint" to build a kitchen even remotely close to what I would have put in that house. Right now I don't have the funds (or energy) to make major changes and I can't bring myself to change out appliances that aren't totally offensive and work perfectly fine!

What to do, what to do!? I wanted some changes, but I didn't want to do something I might regret down the road.

This is one of those times when I had to "work with whatcha got" and make changes that would give me a few elements I crave, without spending a ton of money or eating out for 2 months while the kitchen is in complete disarray. In the end I probably spend under $800 (doing the work myself!) and I think we ate out two nights! Keep in mind that the three doors cost around $200 and special order maple trim can be costly. The changes I made would be A LOT cheaper if you use stock trim and don't add new doors!

If you aren't in a position to spend a lot of money on major changes and upgrades but you love the concept of open shelving and more storage, these few changes might just be the answer!

I did not paint my cabinets but I was making changes that required a few pieces of new maple trim the color of the existing. THAT is a Herculian task and one I would advise you do BEFORE you start moving things around...unless you have stock wood like oak or poplar, or intend to paint the cabinets! My kitchen cabinets are 16 years old and honestly even if I knew who, what, and where the odds that they would have trim pieces to match after all these years are pretty slim. I tried finding stock trim that came close, but none was close enough. There are cabinet manufacturers that will do "color matches" but unfortunately they won't do it for a few pieces of trim.

As I have mentioned before, most manufactured cabinets and furniture have a stain and finish that is sprayed on...so matching an existing finish can be pretty difficult! Thank you David, at Sherwin Williams in Springdale...most amazing color match EVER! I honestly can not tell the difference between the original and the new! I took a door and a few samples of the new trim and he matched it right up...amazing!

There were a few things I wanted to accomplish in this little "makeover." First, I knew I wanted open shelving. That is one element I am always drawn to in my quest for "inspiration." (Here I talk about finding your inspiration for ANY project!)

I wanted to "pop up" a few of my cabinets and open a few up for display. In the post featuring my laundry room, I tell you exactly how to "pop up" existing cabinets.

Moving the dish cabinet, spice cabinet and the two cabinets on either side of the refrigerator allowed me to add the open shelving beneath them.

Here you can see a step by step tutorial for constructing three different types of floating shelves!

The frame to the left is just foam board with scanned copied of my grandmother's old recipe cards tacked to it! The boys always gripe about my "shallow" bowls so I pulled a couple Philbe Fire King bowls I had in my booth and then ordered small matching custard cups I found on Ebay for dips and such!

My spices, along with my cooking and serving spoons, are now at my finger tips!

I love all the different glass jars! I painted my old knife block a pretty teal just to freshen it up a bit! I love refinishing and repurposing old cutting boards...this one is perfect for holding recipe cards!

This is now my "baking corner." I added the antique fan for comfort...you can see how easy it was to rewire this 80 year old fan here and bring it back to life!

I choose not to pop the cabinets all the way to the ceiling. I know some would, but I have 9' ceilings and to do so would have looked funny and made the cabinets completely unusable.

One thing I really love are the stainless and glass vent hoods. I really dislike the big hulking, over the range microwaves. The truth is, I don't have the real estate for a counter model, so for now I will stick with the big hulking over the range microwave! Poo.

I removed the doors on two of the cabinets and painted the interiors. After looking at them for a few weeks, I decided I did not like that open look even with all the "pretties," so I ordered new maple doors, stained them and added reeded glass inserts...like my laundry room door! (LOVE!)

I get the "openness" without the cabinets looking "unfinished." There is a chance I may eventually do this with the doors on both sides of the refrigerator!

I did add some under counter lighting above the pasta shelf and the "baking" shelf.

I wired into the existing under counter lighting and ran the wires between the cabinets and across the top of the cabinet above the refrigerator that was covered by a shelf. Now all the under counter lighting can be turned on with a flip of the switch that was added when we did the original lighting!

I added glass jars here and there to hold tea, baking stuff, beans, and pasta. I love the Anchor Hocking Heritage jars for flour and white sugar but they don't have sealed lids which is necessary for brown sugar. (That was one great thing about reworking and organizing my pantry...I was able to designate one cabinet and shelf area specifically for baking stuff.)

I found sealed jars similar to the Anchor Hocking Heritage jars, as well as jars tall enough for spaghetti and linguini at TJ Maxx! I ended up with a variety of jar styles I picked up at TJ Maxx, flea markets and Oneida online.... and I like the different looks!

While I think the matchy-matchy boxes and storage bins are super cute in pantries, I prefer to actually SEE what I have...so I organized my pantry and cabinets so that like items are together and I am able to see what I have and what I need at a glance!

The upper shelves were a great addition...mostly so I can now openly display my cookbooks and a tiny bit of my china (I have 6 sets!) and also a few little decorative do-dads.

The old coffee grinder is one I have had in my booth for MONTHS...probably because it is missing a piece of the top...but it looks pretty neat on the shelf with the big gold B I picked up at the flea market, a fall berry wreath (I also have a boxwood, but the berry wreath is a new fall find this year) and an old chopping board I turned into a little "chalkboard."

This shelf had to be removable for one special reason! "Lord ?" He is stored away in the attic for the time being, but he has to have a special place when I decorate for Christmas and he would be too large for the space if the shelf could not be removed. So I painted the shelf bracing the same color as the wall and the shelf can easily be removed when it is time to display him!

As you can see, my kitchen is pretty "traditional." With furniture, I tend to lean more towards the clean lines of "modern/mid century" now but as with everything in my house, my kitchen is more of a mix of traditional, modern, and "farm house." Eclectic, to say the least. That seems to be the "style" I am most comfortable with...not too much of any one style, but a broad mix of everything!

A toss of this, a pinch of that, a smidge of whatever strikes my fancy!

One of the great things about being "eclectic" in your decorating style is you can pick up anything without worrying about whether it fits in with the "style" of the room. Whether it is modern, traditional, transitional or farm house...if I like it, I can usually make it work!

The biggest improvement for me is the addition of the open shelves and my ability to reorganize a few spaces to make the over-all kitchen a tad more functional and organized.

And that my friends should be the PRIMARY goal for any "makeover." Because let's be honest...if the piece or space isn't functional and organized, all the pretty it the world isn't going to cut it!

First and foremost, make your space or piece functional and organized. THEN make it pretty!

BTW, as much as I debated painting the fireplace wall when I remodeled my den I am SO glad I didn't...it is perfect for the holiday seasons...fall AND Christmas.... and I can't imagine it any other color!

Friday we head out for our annual train/zipline/fishing/Aspens adventure! I am soooo ready. Matt will be here holding down the fort and when I get home, fall will be in full swing...regardless of the temperatures!

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Simple fall decor....

I am a "warm" person so I love the traditional colors of fall and it is my favorite time of the year!

I know a lot of people are decorating with blue and white pumpkins...tablescapes, vignettes (that's a fancy way of saying a "grouping" of decor), mantles, etc...but I like the orange, burnt reds and yellows of a traditional fall! Warm tones....and I have TONS of natural light in my house so it makes it a lot easier to decorate with "warm" holiday colors!

Several years ago I decided I wanted to remake my bannister Christmas wreaths in blue and silver....a touch of "cool." Katie quickly reminded me that "red and gold" were our TRADITIONAL colors and she didn't want that messed with. So I obliged and stuck with the "traditional" colors of the season. Occasionally I sneak in something a little "non-traditional," but very little.

So very little changes from year to year...except maybe a few little "additions."

Traditional decorating is, in my opinion, the way to go. I said last year that I thought it unwise to spend a great deal on burlap and chevron Christmas decor only because I knew it was a "fad" and would eventually fall by the wayside. As I predicted, we are seeing less and less of that this year.

So find a style or decor elements that you truly LOVE and make that the bulk of your "traditional" seasonal decor. No harm in infusing a few "faddish" elements here and there, but if you try to go all out with the newest fad, you may find yourself with an attic full of outdated seasonal decorations. (A few of us are old enough to remember Santa ducks and "mauve" Christmas ribbon...ouch!)

The BEST time to buy seasonal decor is AFTER the season. I know it is tough to buy things you are going to immediately stick in storage, but it is soooo much fun to discover all your new goodies year after year...and it is a great way to build a stockpile without spending a lot of money. MOST of my seasonal decor was purchased on sale for 80-90% off after the season!

Another tip...you are going to get older and there will come a time when a lot of fluffing and froofing and climbing up and down ladders is hazardous...to both your physical well-being and your pets (yes, I have stepped on a few coming off the ladder!) So years ago I started transitioning to things that were easy for me to "set out." It is much simpler to tie wreaths to the bannister than it is to struggle with yards of garland and ribbon...and I am not consumed for days every year painting and sewing and making wreaths and garland with the newest fads.

So this is my "traditional" fall decor....

The den is the perfect template for fall decor. The fireplace wall is "burnt red" and it makes a beautiful back-drop for both my fall and Christmas vignettes. Years ago I bought new fall garland for the front door...the old garland had gotten a little "aged" looking but I didn't want to toss it, so now I just lay it across the mantel....takes all of 10 seconds. The white owl is a new addition I shared here. I bought 4 identical wreaths and hang them in the windows from ribbon. Fall leaf floral in the urn, pumpkins and scarecrows and knick-knacks here and there...

I shared how I dress up these simple outdoor lanterns for Christmas here. For the fall, they get a "fall" ribbon and floral pick, pine cones or a seasonal candle.

Outdoor lanterns are great for all seasons. After the holidays I just remove all the ribbon and seasonal stuff and place a candle in them! I love that they are simple to decorate and don't have to be stored from one season to the next!

The den side table gets a little fall vignette as well....

I shared the branch box on the floor here. Years ago I made two "table wreaths" with a round floral form, a grapevine wreath and fall picks. I put a candle in one and I found a nifty little grapevine pumpkin at a garage sale for pennies for the dining table! Both are simple to set out and store!

A few little knick-knacks here and there. (I bought the silly turkey at an auction for a few dollars! Garage sales, thrift stores and auctions are great places to find holiday decor for next to nothing!)

I bought a bunch of candle holder "berry wreaths" several years ago. I hang them on all the downstairs doors and on a few frames and cabinets with seasonal ribbon...super simple and when I decorate for Christmas, I just replace them with holiday wreaths!

This wreath I hung on my new living room mirror is a little larger. I think I found it in a box of seasonal goodies I bought at an auction for next to nothing! For Christmas I have the perfect crystal wreath I shared here and I think I will pick up a boxwood wreath for after the holidays! Wreaths are super simple to decorate with and store after the holidays! I just drop mine in plastic bags for storage!

Inexpensive (especially on clearance) floral picks and sprays are ideal for vases and urns...it usually doesn't take a lot to dress them up and they make a huge impact. I just replace the fall floral for Christmas floral every year!

Seasonal garland is super simple to lay on top of hutches, wrap around light fixtures, hang around doors and lay on tables. I love fall garland...but if you have ever priced it, you know it can be super expensive!!! And that, my friends, is where "after holiday" sales are great. Every year, I hit Hobby Lobby the weekend after Thanksgiving and snag their 80% off decor!

I lay inexpensive garland in the dining and den transoms and then mix in a few real pumpkins and gourds....well, usually but this year I didn't quite get around to picking up pumpkins and gourds...but it is still pretty!

Last but not least, the "kiddo scarecrows." I hesitate to even share these because it is so hard to get a good picture because of the glare (as I have said MANY times, I am NOT one of those bloggers that has killer photog skills!) I originally put these up when my two boys and youngest daughter were little...now they and the pumpkins are a tad faded and tired looking. I intend to change this little vignette every year, but a busy life always seems to get in the way. So, someday! In the meantime, they take their place every year and are replaced the day after Thanksgiving with Santa and the pine forrest!

Building a cache of seasonal decor can take time. But if you keep your eyes open at thrift stores and garage sales, shop the after season sales and stick with "traditional" decorating, you don't have to break the bank. Save the "fad" vignettes for one or two special places in your home and avoid the frustration and stress of having to decorate your entire house every year in a "Pinterest theme."

Enjoy the season!!!!

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