My Ikea Hack

First off what your about to see is not finished and the room is a complete MESS! But I'm so excited I figured I'd show you anyway...

This is still a work in progress, I will have completed pics at the end of the week. I'm really loving how this is coming out. These cabinets started out as basic maple IKEA Pax wardrobes with a brown stripe painted on them... see below..

( before)

Updated them with the left over fretwork panels I had from my sunporch project . I had panels of mirror cut to the same size as the panels, and then applied both to the doors. A carpenter made the frame surrounds and decorative panels below. Still need to add crown molding and knobs. They are going in the black guest room I've been working on for a client. (The O & L black Minaret paper is up so is the new chandelier, fabulous love love!)

Also, here is a peek at the other bedroom. Still need to hang drapes tomorrow, but headboard, some bedding and other goodies arrived so here's where its at.

More black and white... and a little gray.

house beautiful

Black Walls

I am so excited about a current project because I have a fabulous client that is not afraid of the dark. He is completely into the idea of doing a black room (in this case it will be the guest room and bath). We are thinking of using Osborne and Little's Minaret in black on black.

I love this look because its is so bold and sophisticated and sexy and edgy all at the same time. It can be played in so many directions too, from clean and modern to over the top Draperesque traditional. I'll post pictures when I'm done, in the meantime here is a little black room photo montage to enjoy..

Anyone else loving black rooms?

domino

For more black rooms check out this link for Apartment Therapy.

Sunporch: Phase One Complete

Nothing like an IKEA run to get your juices flowing. I have been putting this project off for weeks but now have completed the first step... the cornice boards and curtains and the electrical. I loaded up on plain white cotton panels (2/$9.99!)and a bunch of black and white striped 3x5 mats (where else can you fashion a 5x 9 rug for under $15?) and got busy!
The next round involves more paint and decorating... new cushions for the patio set, I'm keeping the old vinyl in the mean time because I really like the aqua and its water repellent for the kids. For now I need to add some pillows in a splashy color... maybe coral, chartreuse or yellow? I'm kinda sad because the black and white fabric I bought for the upholstery will be way too busy, maybe another room can use it. Now I just need a great pillow fabric to tie it all together. Any suggestions? I might paint the table tops and the mirror, can't decide. I'm going to upload this picture into the Color Viewer and play around with a few different schemes.

Part of my husbands for sale sign collection,...

Let me take you way back to the BEFORE... This is the porch back before the house was even ours, from when we just looking at it to buy. Dark wood ceilings, painted dragonflies and the two toned shed (I forgot about that)

My inspiration pieces for this project. Flea market finds ...several panels of square lattice I picked up last year & the spaghetti lamp from this year. Oh, there is that damn Can Converter. Yes it works, but I highly recommend hiring an electrician to do the work. It took me two hours, a lot of swearing and some soul searching as I contemplated what my family would do if I died from electrocution, but its done.

The painting took forever! I can't believe how many coats it took.

Ikea tension cable and panels.

Hanging the Cornice

I will add more pics as I go, In the mean time here are my Q's for you..

A little poll:

Do I band the curatins in black?

To paint some of the furniture or not? Its too much wood in my opinion.

Change out coffee table for a round one? Got alot of one set going on, feeling too matchy.

Accent colors and fabrics?

I'd love some suggestions!