Faking Large Scale Molding

Tags

adding molding, architectural details, crown, faux molding, how to add molding, inexpensive home ideas, molding, Moulding, stack, stacking molding, stock molding, wall

Molding can really make or break a house, but it can also make or break a budget. Unfortunately, I just can’t get enough of it! You may have noticed in a lot of the pictures of my house that I have ornate molding – but I also have areas where we installed simpler, linear molding. Let’s face it, the fancy-smancy stuff isn’t for everyone and it has to suit the architecture of the house. It can also be pretty pricy. The problem I run into is that I have tall ceilings – 12′ on the main floor and 10′ in the basement and upper level. With that, the molding has to be in scale, so in many rooms I have stacked moldings or, in the case of our mudroom, duped the eye and used a trick that builders use to get the most bang for the buck.

Here’s what I opted for in our mudroom, which was SOOOO dreadfully plain, boring and devoid of any details:

I incorporated the wall into the molding by painting it the same color, which added several inches to the height. All the pieces are generic stock molding that can be bought off the shelf at Home Depot or Lowes. I SO wish I remember how much I paid for this project, but it wasn’t much!

Call Off the Search Party – I AM Alive ;-)

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APT, Blogging, cats, critical infrastructure, cybe warfare, cyber security, dog, dog and child in bed, guest posts, kid, Pets, product placement, sponsored posts, telecom

Where did the time go and where the heck have I been?!?!?

With my little ones on winter vacation I took some time off  – and my blogging, which I normally do during at night, got interrupted by this debacle:

Every. Single. Night!!!

A New Rug: Men, Kids, Dogs and Nice Things Don’t Mix

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beige family room, Carpet, dogs, family room, German Shepherd, gray, grey, husband, ideas, kids, nutcrackers, rug, ruined, ruining, transitional, writing on furniture

Good news: after the kids and dogs did all the damage they could to our family room area rug, we got a new one! After I did the post Fifty Shades of Grey, I inspired myself. There are two rooms on our first floor that could use my attention, but our family room really needed a new rug asap! The nice thing about grey is that it is a neutral – the new neutral – and can blend where you wouldn’t think it could.

I actually didn’t buy the rug for this room, but am using it here for now:

Gifts for the Home: (Low-priced Lighting Options I Like)

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aqua, aqua shade, blue, brass, Christmas gifts, chrome, Copper, desk lamp, French lantern, gift ideas, home gift idea, kids room, Kirkland, lamp, lamp shade, lantern, nickel, patina, Peacock lamp, pharmacy lamp, silver

My radar is always on for just about any product you can imagine. That’s why when I received an email asking for some low-priced lighting options, I had a couple of options handy that I think are lovely. And with the holiday season upon us, they also make thoughtful gifts priced at $25, $40 and $50, which is why I thought I would share my picks:

DIY $1 Nutcracker Ornaments

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beautiful ornaments, Christmas, Christmas tree, DIY ornaments, Dollar Store crafts, Dollar Tree, holidays, how to make nutcracker ornaments, inexpensive nutcrackers, nutcracker, nutcracker ornaments, plaid ribbon, set of nutcrackers, tartan, Xmas

Ornaments can be crazy expensive, but that doesn’t mean you have to settle for a skimpy tree or a tree full of balls; it just means you need to have your eyes open. The Dollar Tree has adorable 8″ nutcrackers for $1 that I have made into ornaments that look gorgeous on my nine foot tree.

And if the stigma of something from a Dollar Store gives you pause, bear in mind, I have ornaments on my tree that are extremely pricey and these blend in seamlessly, and I am very picky!!

How to Make a Baby Sleeping Sign

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baby sleeping sign, diy, diy a sign, diy art, diy kids' art, door knob, door sign, green and brown nursery, how to make a plaque, how to make a sign, name plaque, Nursery, Nursery ideas, wall plaque, wooden plaque

My older brother, the City Mouse, had a baby two months ago and I wanted to give him something that I made (along with some other gifts) because this would not be something in his realm. I decided to make him a “Baby Sleeping” sign for the nursery:

How To Make a Child-Size Table

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birthday party, build, child-size table, children's play table, children's table, craft table, diy, how to make a coffee table, How To Make a Kid's Play Table, how to make a table, kids play table, kids' table, kitchen table, Wood

With two little ones, the need for a child’s table was needed for many reasons, but came in handy for more occasions than I imagined when I made it…

Life-Size Nutcrackers: Yes, Please!

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3 foot nutcracker, 6 foot nutcracker, bargain, Christmas, December, decorating, drum stand, entry, foyer, gold trim, holiday decorating, holidays, home decorating, huge, large nutcrackers, life-size nutcracker, navy uniform, nutcracker, soldier, Winter

I’m not a knickknacky sort of person and I don’t collect things, but…I seem to have acquired several pairs of three foot tall nutcrackers that I use on either side of our fireplaces. Well, imagine my delight when I happened upon some life-sized nutcrackers! And, I was with one (of two) of the worst influences ever – one of my children! Why I even bothered asking the rhetorical question, “Should we get a pair?” was beyond me.

DIY Baby Sleeping Sign

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baby, baby sleeping, baby sleeping sign, children's sign, diy baby sign, DIY baby sleeping sign, door hanger, door plaque, Downtown Manhattan, Financial District, green nursery, green white polka dots, how to make a baby sign, Hurricane Sandy, Mercer Street, Nursery, NYC

My older brother, the City Mouse, and his wife had a baby two months ago, which they yearned for – they had been trying for many, many years …with many, many bumps along the way 😦 So it was truly glorious that this pregnancy went to term. In addition to some presents, I wanted them to have something from me that wasn’t bought or manufactured, so I set out to make a “baby sleeping” sign for the nursery door knob.

This is the front…

Patterned Stained Floors

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border, diamond, diy, family crest, floor inspiration, floor patterns, hardwood, harlequin, how to stain a pattern onto your floors, inlaid, inlaid wood floors, medallion, patterns, Stained Concrete, stained floor, stained floor patterns, wood floor

I think I have a DIY ADD (Do-It-Yourself Attention & Daylight Deficient). There are only so many hours in the week month that I can work on house projects, but my mind is running constantly – and there are SO many projects and rooms that I want to do … with the list growing 😉 (Plus, I’m not one to pull the trigger unless I’ve thoroughly researched the possibilities.)

You may remember the stained harlequin floor from the post I did profiling a designer’s apartment… I haven’t stopped thinking about it since. (The interior shutters from that post went on “THE List” too, but I haven’t been able to shop fabrics.) I thought the stained diamond pattern on the hardwood floors would look wonderful in my kitchen or foyer.

Heck, while I’m researching, why not see if there are other stain patterns for wood floors that would be nice too because the first and second floors of our house (minus the orangerie) are hardwood. What was out there was a mixed bag of nuts:

Patterned Rollers for the Wallpaper Phobic

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DIY Channel, fabric on walls, hang, hanging fabric, hanging wallpaper, HGTV, paint, patterned roller, remove, removing wallpaper, rolling stencil, Stencil, wall, wall treatments, wallpaper

Because of HGTV and the DIY Channel, I am a little nervous to hang wallpaper. It’s difficult to put up well and time consuming to take down. Bottom line: it’s a commitment. But it’s soooo pretty!

Pretty, right?

Halloween Treats for Your Sweets

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blood, Bond Street, Bond Street Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate skull, classroom parties, diy, DIY Halloween candy, DIY Halloween treats, DIY Halloween worms, edible eyeballs, edible fingers, Halloween, how to make candy, how to make candy worms, pumpkin cake, treats

Halloween parties….I have two children, which means two classroom parties. So what goodies to bring for the little ghouls? I’m not a rookie at this, but I feel a little bit of pressure for some “shock and awe”. Last year, my youngest was in preschool at a Montessori school that didn’t have classroom parties. But now, she’s at her big sister’s school, so I need to bring out the big guns. Here’s what I’ve been looking at:

Guest Post by a DIY Network Host

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art, Chevron, diy, DIY Channel, DIY Network, Fresh Coat, graphite, guest post, host, how to make a stencil, how to paint a pattern on a wall, how to paint furniture, how to trace a pattern, paint, paint ceiling, paint furniture, Painted Ceiling, Pinterest, Shannon Kaye, Stencil, tracing paper, transfer technique, tv host

Recently I received a submission which I thought was compelling enough to share. I love receiving submissions and requests for guest posts, but because I look for unique projects and instructions, this will only be the second guest post I’ve had on my blog! Shannon Kaye, who hosted DIY Network Channel’s “Fresh Coat” and is now launching a series of videos on DIY’s website, contacted me a few weeks ago, submitting her work to my blog. I was actually familiar with her work and had a picture of her chevron painted ceiling in one of my files:

Designer Rooms: A Peach Dining Room and a Tiffany Blue Boudoir

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antique chandeliers, antique sconces, blue bedroom, Blue Room, cool paint colors, coral room, coral room inspiration, designer bedroom, flea market design, high-end bedroom, how to add designer touches, Kelee Katillac, luxury blue bedroom, luxury dining room, neoclassic, panel molding, panel molding inspiration, peach room, sconce, warm paint colors, window treatment ideas

Good news and bad news. Good news is I have a new favorite paint color: a pinkish peach. It is delish. The bad news? I was looking for a cool color! I realized I have a lot of warm colors in our house, so I think I need to change a room or two on our first floor.

But peach…it’s just scrumptious! On Friday, I did a post on part of interior designer Kelee Kadillac’s apartment, but only showed you a portion of her apartment because it was quite a bit to take in. Here is the rest, starting with her yummy dining room:

Orange and pink is a “hot” color combination right now.

Designer’s Apartment Filled with DIY Inspiration

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blue and yellow living room, blue living room, diamond pattern stained floors, diy, DIY shutters, gold stick lamp, harlequin pattern, high end design, high end living room, how to add panel molding, interior designer's living room, Kelee Katillac, luxury apartment, Luxury interior design, mirrored furniture, Moulding, panel molding, paneled walls, raw amethyst quartz, upholstered doors, upholstered walls, yellow living room

Interior designer Kelee Katillac and her partner, architectural interior designer Steve Heiffus, recently collaborated on a 1915 apartment that showcased and married their skills. It seemed that the project was a success and both were happy with the result, which is good, because they are more than just partners – they are husband and wife – and they live in this apartment!

I wanted to show you this apartment because it is full of the DIY potential and inspiration. Even if this style is not yours, there are things that Kelee has done that are wildly creative and can be used in different applications.

I could just die over these floors!! This was the first thing that drew me to the apartment; I have been dreaming about doing this stain treatment to a floor (maybe our foyer or our kitchen??) in our house…having never done it before, though, I am slightly nervous about messing up! I’ve never even painted the harlequin pattern before…yikes! So, it may be a long time before I muster the courage, but there is one little entry area that I could try it that if I messed up, I could sand the floors and re-stain them…ugh…

Today’s Tasteful Take on a Historic House

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Barry Dixon, Baton Rouge, courtyard, designer, DIY outdoor drapes, drop cloth, Elway Hall, floor plan, French, historic house, historical renovation, House tour, interior design, interior designer, Italian chandelier, Ivy, library, neoclassical, painters drop clothes, Parsons desk, Target, Thomas O'Brien, toile, traditional, Travertine, Ty Larkins, West Elm

Historical renovation is something I am passionate about because of my love for the architectural features. In my “About Me” section. I referenced almost buying a beautiful, historic house named Elway Hall, but it was just too far away from my office and I would have spent a minimum of 3 hours in the car a day. Two interior designers ended up buying the house that I had to begrudgingly pass on; it seems that interior designers frequently take the challenge of older homes head on without thinking twice.

House Beautiful profiled one such designer…

50 Shades of Grey

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50 shades of gray, 50 shades of grey, Dining room, gray, gray bathrooms, gray bedroom, gray bedroom ideas, gray curtains, gray living room, gray living room ideas, gray living room walls, gray office, Gray paint, gray paint colors, Gray room, grey, grey bathroom ideas, grey bathrooms, grey bedroom, Grey paint, Grey room, Living room, mushroom gray, slate gray, slate grey

Although I haven’t read the book, I thought I’d show you my version of 50 shades of grey – 50 shades of grey paint 🙂 Grey rooms can fit into any style: romantic, minimalist, modern, traditional, sophisticated and rustic. Grey, though, can be a tricky hue to get right as it can be tinged with different hues.

There are cool greys, which are mixed with blue, that read more of a more slate-grey, and warm greys, which are mixed with yellow, that read more of a mushroom-grey. From the pictures below, you will see examples of each, which may help you in determining your preference.

Small Space Solutions for the City Mouse

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bookcases, Cambridge, how to decorate a small apartment, loft, Lucite, New York City, NYC, small apartment, small space, sofa turns into bunk bed, solutions, Staircase, storage solutions

I am a country mouse. My brother, however, is a city mouse. Our lifestyles could not be more opposite. He has lived in Cambridge, London, but primarily in New York City, where apartments have their quirks and run on the small side. New Yorkers have adjusted and know the tricks to get the most out of their space. Maybe because of his metropolitan living, I was intrigued…

On my Mac, I have a file entitled “Small Spaces”, which is full of pictures that I find engaging for one reason or another, which will take me quite a while to get through, but I wanted to start and show you a few!

This space may be small, but it certainly doesn’t give the impression of being cramped.

White Walls: Sumptuous, Intentional and … (wait for it) … Cozy?!?!

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Furniture, how to decorate a white room, ideas, ideas for white walls, luxurious white living rooms, nordic, paint, room with white walls, walls, white, white living room design, white paint colors

In the comment section of another post, a reader asked about white walls – do I love them or hate them? I actually do not have any white walls in my house, but I do have many neutrals. As I told her, I have been in many houses where it was painfully apparent that it was the builder’s white and the rooms felt cold, undone and uninviting, despite residing there for years… and I’ve been in homes, where the walls were Nordic white and the rooms were sumptuous and downright cozy!

If you want versatility, are renting or just hate painting, white walls offer a blank canvas, but they need to be addressed the right way to be successful. In other words, they need to look deliberate in order to work.

White living rooms bespeak of a certain type of lifestyle: chic, sophisticated, metropolitan … and that of no kids, no dogs and no red wine 😉

DIY Funky, Cool Office Art

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art, canvas, chips, computer, diy, diy decorations, frame, Leonardo Ulian, mixed media, office, parts, spare, wire

Want a crazy-cool piece of art for your office? If you have old, broken computers lying around, you may want to convert them to art as Leonardo Ulian did. You do not need some great artistic ability with a paintbrush, merely an eye  for where to glue pieces on a canvas.

It’s so simple that it’s genius.

Clive Christian Kitchens

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backsplash, cabinet moldings, Clive Christian, countertop, cream, creme, green, high-end kitchens, kitchens, luxury kitchens, Marble, molding, Moulding, oak, painted, white, yellow kitchens

Clive Christian is a fabulous cabinet manufacturer – a very, very high-end cabinet manufacturer that focuses on details like no other. Their millwork is so impeccable that their cabinets with the Edwardian style and the preponderance of moldings transcend kitchens and enter the realm of libraries, bathrooms and closets.

Since I didn’t want to drop $250,000 just for cabinets in my kitchen, I studied one of their designs, picked it apart and based my kitchen upon it.

This was my inspiration. Rod Stewart dropped the money this kitchen.

Courtney Cox’s Modern Malibu Manse

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étagère, Bourgeois Bohème, Celebrity home, Celebrity homes, Charles Pollock, Christain Liaigre, Courtney Cox, Elle Decor, Haenisch, Hans Wegner, Harland Miller, Hermès, Intérieurs, Kent Williams, Malibu, Massimo, Matt Palmer, Matthew Heller, Michael Kovac, Minotti, Paul McCobb, Rug Company, Trip Haenisch, Vitali

Courtney Cox recently moved from a house that she adored because it was level with a public beach and she couldn’t even go for a walk without pictures being taken. The home, designed by famed architect John Lautner, was “futuristic”, “modern” and, according to Cox, “the most amazing place I’ve ever lived in.” (See bottom for details on the house.) But, the silver-lining in all this is that she got to buy and renovate a new home!

According to Elle Decor, before becoming an actress, Courtney Cox wanted to become an architect. Hmm…that sounds familiar (Brad Pitt). Difference being, she actually took college courses in the architecture before pursuing acting. She has been very involved in every home and this project was no different. She held weekly, 3 hour meetings with the architect, Michael Kovac, who was referred by Laura Dern, and her designer (and friend), Trip Haenisch.

The team took this house, which they were not allowed to demolish:

It’s Tulip Planting Time!

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beds, double bloom, exotic, Fall bulbs, flowers, Landscape design, landscaping, lavender, mulch, peonies, perennial, pink, purple, tulip, tulips, unusual tulips, varieties, white, yellow

The last time our mower came out, my husband inquired how much it would cost to mulch around our house. His quote? $3,800. My husband hates yard work and rarely, if ever, wants to venture out there. Last year I mulched everything, but I guess this was my husband’s subtle way of saying it needs to be done again! Of course I am not going to pay that much money, so I said I would do it again. His response? “Have fun”! That was his not-so-subtle way of telling me I was on my own…again!

I figured since I’m out there, I might as well do some fall bulb planting as well…but it’s so hard to get motivated sometimes!! After looking through a few of my favorite gardening catalogs, I really would like to plant some tulip bulbs.

These pictures are just insanely gorgeous!

How to Choose a Paint Color

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blue, bold paint, brown, colors, cream, dark paint, diy, gold, green, how to choose a bedroom color, how to choose a living room color, how to choose a paint color, how to paint, how to pick a paint color, navy, neutral paint colors, paint, painting, painting tips, Renovation, sweat equity, tan, yellow

For some, it may be easy to pull a room together – (and if this is you, this may not be the post for you, except maybe to comment on your thoughts, preferred colors, etc.) – but for others, it can be a real puzzler. There are so many thoughts, rules and philosophies on how to choose paint colors, but forget all that. Here’s what you really need to know:

– Paint should not be the first thing you pick out/pick up. Why? Because it comes in just about every shade imaginable, but your sofa, upholstery, rugs, accessories and artwork do not, so it’s better to start with them and work your way out.

– Pull a color that exists in the room or furnishings already. Looking at this rug:

there are a myriad of colors that could be used on the walls, from cream, yellow, peaches, navy blue, cornflower blue, sage green, burnt sienna, etc.

Darling DollHouse

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Birthday, Christmas, Craigslist, doll house, dollhouse, dollhouse ideas, dollhouse kits, gift ideas, girls, Hobby, holidays, kids, parenting, St. Patricks Day, toys, Valentine's Day

My post yesterday had a picture of a dollhouse used in a laundry room, which inspired me to show you our dollhouse. I always wanted a grand dollhouse. Growing up I used a narrow, vertical bookcase as a “mouse house”. (To understand read my blog post, An Award, Moi if you haven’t already.) Clearly, it started in childhood because I thought mice were way more appealing than dolls!

I still have that bookcase (it’s in my oldest daughter’s room), but I wanted to take it up a notch for my girls. For Christmas a few years ago, I wanted a special toy for my girls that could be passed down to their children and I thought that they were ready for more than the plastic ones. Being the perfectionist that I am, I spent months researching dollhouses. My choices were:

1. Buy a kit and build one
2. Make one from scratch
3. Shell out a L-O-T of cash
4. Search for one online

Large and Lovely Laundry Rooms

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apothecary jars, clothes pins, colorful rooms, drying rack, Home Depot, how to decorate a laundry room, ironing boards, large laundry room, laundry, laundry baskets, laundry bins, laundry detergent, laundry room, laundry room design, laundry room ideas, laundry room inspiration, recessed ironing boards, small laundry room, tile ideas, tile patterns, wrapping paper storage

I mentioned in my last post, Smart Little Laundry Rooms, that it takes real ingenuity to design a small space because every inch needs to serve a purpose and be maximized. Larger areas? Not as much. It’s a luxury…and a real curse (more surface area for junk to accumulate, more cleaning…)! But if you do have a dedicated or larger laundry room, how do you decorate it? Like any other room. Think about functionality first and then the aesthetics.

The paint color actually matches the ironing board and the shelves were painted as well to disappear into the wall.

Even here, they have a retractable drying rack as I talked about in my last post. Putting the clothing pins in a glass jar in very pretty. (In case you don’t know where to buy clothing pins, they sell them at Home Depot – I think a pack of 50 is $3. How do I know? I live at Home Depot!)

Again with clothing pins in a glass (apothecary) jar, as well as powdered detergent. See my previous post for a brilliant liquid detergent equivalent. Note that the fold out ironing board door is wallpapered on the inside too. It’s details like this that show incredible thought. Ready for the other half of the room?

Smart Little Laundry Rooms

Tags

city kitchens, city space, Closet, dryer, ideas, laundry, laundry room, laundry room ideas, laundry room inspiration, Renovation, small laundry room, small space laundry, washer

A small space takes above average creativity. With a large space, things can be put in willy-nilly and without much thought. That is just not the case if you live in a city or a smaller and/or older home. The placement of a washer and dryer is one of those things that takes some thought. A laundry room just may not exist, so it’s going to have to be tucked in somewhere…and addressed aesthetically.

How gorgeous is this? The tile floor, the wallpaper, the molding, the side panels that are hiding…??? Of course laundry supplies, but how great would laundry bins be too? It appears that this was fitted into an awkward space (with the ceiling slanting in on one side) that would have been unused if not for this brilliant concept.

With a Heavy Heart…

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animals, bleeding heart, cancer, cemetary, death, dog, Garden, grieving, how to bury a pet, Jack Russell, loss, nature, pet, rainbow bridge, statuary, statues

It has taken me so long to even touch on this subject – and even so, I have to gloss over it as it just breaks my heart. My sweet little Jack Russell, Lucy, died a few months ago and I still am in such a state of anguish and grief.

She was diagnosed 2 years ago with cancer and given just a few months to live. I told the vet I was desperate for any treatment, so he said we could operate to remove the baseball-sized tumor and extend her life by a month or two.

Published High-Tech Nursery Article

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4Moms, baby, baby gadgets, Baby monitor, Cloud B, creativity, Cruisin’ Motion Soother, high tech nurseries, low-tech, luxury baby rooms, Northern Virginia, nurseries, Nursery ideas, nursery video camera, surround sound, Technology, toys, Withings

With my background in technology, most assume that I advocate gadgets and technology wherever and whenever possible…but that’s actually not the case. Maybe because of my background, I know the extreme mark-ups in prices and bugs that invariably happen with the first few releases.

I think the reporter that contacted me for this piece thought that I would be on the “pro” technology side, but if you read my post, Interview: High-Tech Nurseries, you saw what my answers were to her questions. So, I wanted to see what you all thought of the article:

Interview: High-Tech Nurseries

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baby, baby gadgets, c-section, cat 5, cat 5 cabling, Children, collic, ethernet, HIgh end nurseries, High tech, high tech nurseries, Home section, Infant, interview, nanny cam, national newspaper, nurseries, nursery video camera, reflux, security cameras, Shopping, Technology, web cam

Recently, I was contacted by a reporter to see if I would be willing to be interviewed for a piece on high-tech nurseries since my background is in technology. With the reporter’s deadline looming in a couple of days, I asked her to send me the questions and that I’d turn it around as fast as I could.

Artist Kris Kuksi

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A Detailed House, Artist, Artist Kris Kuksi, Chris Weitz, Fred Durst, Golden Compass, Kansas, Kris Kuksi, Mark Parker, mixed media, Nike, Robin Williams, sculpture, Sotheby

Ragmag described Kris Kuksi’s art  as “mind-blowing, macabre, and beautifully grotesque art…[that] will taunt you by the sheer complexity of detail, leaving you even more baffled as you stare for hours at all the figurines that were smacked into coexistence.” An American artist, who grew up in Kansas, Kuksi’s  “Fantastic Realism” genre is intriguing, Baroque in influence, steampunk, hedonistic … and fascinating.

 

How’s that for a door header??

Small Kitchens, Big Style

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A Detailed House, blue kitchen, city kitchens, Construction and Maintenance, design, green kitchen, House Beautiful, inspiring small kitchens, interior design, Jonathan Berger, Ken Fulk, kitchen, kitchen colors, light fixture, NYC kitchens, Pendant light, Shelving, small kitchens, space saving kitchens, Suzanne Kasler, White kitchen, yellow kitchen

In a previous post, Small Kitchens That Still Inspire, I traversed the world of small kitchens and showed examples of space-starved rooms that were full of beauty. Although space may first be perceived as an issue, creative solutions can be jaw-droppingly elegant and finishes, that would be cost prohibitive in a large kitchen but affordable in a small one, can make the diminutive dimensions quite exquisite.

I love the dichotomy of the worn, warm, wide-plank floors with the sleek, modern appliances …. and the pendant light fixtures centered on each window looks smart!

A great example of maximizing space by going up to appropriate the dead area above the cabinets. The arches take it a step further to make this kitchen grand. Who would think that a galley kitchen could be described as grand??

However….

Instructions for DIY Ornate Pilasters and Door Surrounds

Tags

A Detailed House, appliques, architectural detail, Crown molding, Crown moulding, Dining room, diy, Do it yourself, Door, Door surround, fluted, fluted pilasters, frieze, home improvement, ionic, ionic cap, molding, Moulding, pilaster, pilasters, Renovation

Supplementing my post about our dining room pilasters, here is the break down and the instructions for the door surrounds. The material list below is what we used, but (of course!) adjust to your taste, architecture and level of complexity with which you are comfortable. Also, we have 8′ tall doors, which aren’t the norm, so please make sure to measure your doors prior to buying any materials or “ready-made” door pilaster kits.

DIY Ornate Door Pilasters

Tags

A Detailed House, Crown molding, Crown moulding, Dining room, Door, Door header, Door surround, Doors, Dramatic doors, egg and dart molding, fluted pilasters, Home and Garden, home improvement, Ionic order, mantle, Moulding, pilaster

After we did our kitchen door pilasters, which were actually more difficult and our first time attempting door surrounds, we felt we had the hang of it. So you can imagine what crossed my mind. Yep, let’s rip them all down! Great idea, right? It was…until children came along and threw a wrench in my grandiose plans of custom molding everywhere! I think my husband thought the children would be less work, but they suck up more energy than all my projects combined 😉

We have gradually managed to address a few, one being the dining room pilasters:

My Silos

Tags

A Detailed House, Dovecote, Pigeonnier, Renovate silo, Ruins, Silo

As a follow up to my post yesterday called Keep Silos, Dovecotes and Pigeonniers and Think About the Possibilities, here are a few pictures of our silos that I opted to keep:

Keep Silos, Dovecotes, Pigeonniers and Think About the Possibilities

Tags

A Detailed House, Abandoned houses, Abandoned structures, Bird, Bird house, Bird houses, Dove, Dovecot, Dovecote, England, Glass dome, Guest house, Message transfer agent, Old barns, Pigeon, Pigeonnier, Ricardo Bofill, Silo, Silos, Travel and Tourism

When we bought our land, one of the questions that was frequently asked was: are we demolishing the silos that stood upon our acreage. You see, our property was at one time farmland, so with it came an old, dilapidated barn, crumbled milking sheds and, my favorite of the structures, the silos.

For aesthetics, the prevailing sentiment was that we should take all these structures down, but I loved these structures and think too often things are stripped bare – the very things that give character. So they were staying and there was no talking me out of it.

What I Got on Craigslist

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A Detailed House, Antique finds on Craigslist, Antique furniture, Armoire, Bargains on Craigslist, Basement storage solutions, Craigslist, Family room armoire, Kids' storage, Shopping, Wardrobe

Nothing pleases me more than a bargain. Well, maybe that’s an overstatement because I am really happy when my house is clean and in order, but honestly that is a freak of nature thanks to the loves of my life, all two and four legged. Since that rarely (if ever) happens, I have to get my thrills from bargains.

When I did my post on DIY Ideas for Kids’ Rooms, I talked about Craigslist as a source for armoires. (Now with flat screen TVs, many are trying to get rid of the armoires that they used to store their bulky TV.) In my research, I happened upon a find that I couldn’t pass on:

Beautiful Bathrooms

Tags

A Detailed House, Barry Dixon, Bathroom, bathroom fixtures, Bathroom ideas, bathroom inspiration, bathroom renovation, Bathroom sinks, home improvement, luxurious bathrooms, marble floor, marble tile, Stone sinks, tile designs, tile ideas, tile work, Venetian mirror

While researching bathrooms for a project, I came upon pictures that were too exquisite not to share! Some of these luxurious bathrooms have unusual sinks, fixtures, mirrors and/or faucets, providing a statement piece – a good idea for any room – that goes beyond the typical and gives that “custom” look. Any homeowner can tweak certain features, even if you aren’t doing a bathroom overhaul or renovation.

I just love the drama of this deep, moody, masculine grey paired with the feminine Venetian mirror and gleam of the metals.

Celebrity Kitchens

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A Detailed House, Andie MacDowell, Angela Lansbury, Architectural Digest, Billy Joel, Brad Pitt, Bruce Willis, Carole King, Celebrity homes, Celebrity Kitchens, Ellen Degeneres, Giada De Laurentii, Hailey Idaho, Hilary Duff, Jada Pinkett Smith, Jerry Seinfeld, Justin Timberlake, Katharine Hepburn, Kevin Fitzsimons, kitchen, Lee F. Mindel, Lee Mindel, Molly Sims, Neil Patrick Harris, Portia de Rossi, Sagaponack NY, Sting, Taylor Swift, Telluride CO, Tracy Morgan, Trudie Styler, Will Smith

Thanks to Architectural Digest, HGTV and MLS listings, it’s possible for us to be a little voyeuristic and get a glimpse into homes that would normally be inaccessible to us, in this case, celebrity kitchens.

Maybe some of them will speak to you – maybe some won’t; the styles are all over the place!

Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi‘s kitchen.

Sweet Nurseries for Sweet Baby Girls

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A Detailed House, baby, Chevron, girl nurseries, high end baby rooms, HIgh end nurseries, Jenny Lind, Kids rugs, luxury baby rooms, luxury nurseries, mirrored furniture, Neutral nursery, Nursery, Painted Ceiling, Pink and brown, pink and green, Pregnant, Wallpaper ceiling, White furniture, White nursery

Having a baby is hard enough; add tackling a nursery to mix and it can become overwhelming! There is so much pressure put on this one room – and the mother. When I was pregnant with my first child, I scoured magazines and the Internet for inspiration, but found it difficult to find rooms that I liked and a time consuming endeavor.

I’m hoping that these pictures will save mothers the aggravation and provide some inspiration for them.

White and luxurious with the mirrored furniture. The monogram can be made on your computer and framed!

Great treatment for the window arrangement! The colors are feminine and a combination that is increasing in frequency, yet different and not the stereotypical shades, and the chair is unique.