just a couple of facades that caught my eye ......
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Friday, March 2, 2012
What didn't get blogged about
My Friday post is a little later than unusual. But there is some fun news that you may have seen on twitter: Our kitchen renovation is being captured for the TV show Cityline. This past week they came to film the "Before" and when our renovation is complete - they will come back to film the final reveal. (Which, may, you never know, may also be tied in with a magazine) Appliances come next week so Monday I'll show you what we've picked! Yay! Still a long ways to go in terms of the design process.
Unrelated to the filming, I got picked as the Cityline Blogger of the month. It's fun being interviewed and hope you take a peek. I have to say the question about my photography made me sad for a moment :( Anyhow, it's a really nice interview. See you Monday. xo Linds
mimosa et la cote d'azur
.I'm taking a few days break, in the South of France, visiting with family, relaxing, low key, ... zen
Here it is the season for mimosas, bright yellow, heavy scented, growing wild in the hills all along the Côte d'Azur.
I love the perfume of this flower, linked to happy memories, visions of small towns here in the South.
During this week I'll be posting a few simple bits and pieces from the south, places to visit, moments to remember .. nothing too ambitious.
Wishing you a long slow zen weekend ...
{The House That Trash Built} - the City Paper
A few weeks ago I scrambled to get our house clean to prepare for Meg, a contributing writer for The Philadelphia City Paper, who was visiting to interview me and take some photos of our house.
What resulted was this hysterical article, which will go down in history as my favorite title ever associated with The Painted Home.
Thanks Meg it was fun.
I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I did...
Reporter Meg Augustin takes you inside some of Philly's most fab dwellings to showcase our city's unique grasp on design and architecture.
Denise Sabia (featured in a recent Great indoors) is no rookie when it comes to flea-market finds. The designer and author of The Painted Home has had a constant rotation of dumpster-find redos and DIY country-chic projects for clients and fans. Her own home is no different. “We call it the house that trash built,” says Sabia. Every room sports a bevy of make-it-yourself projects, major trash finds, flea market scores and ingenious repurposing. Over the year and a half the Sabias have owned their Ambler home, Denise has worked on a limited budget to turn a shabby house into a chic home. We’ll walk you through Sabia’s designs and DIY projects in every room of her six-bedroom abode.
Front Hall
Walking into this small space, one easily feels at home. Beadboard wainscoting is set off by chocolate burlap that Sabia used as wallpaper, and the super cheap wall covering was made from free coffee sacks. The smaller space also presents the opportunity to undertake a more dynamic paint job. Sabia did a turquoise-and-blue stripe job on the ceiling, making the entryway the home’s “great first impression.”
Dining Room
Instead of using the front room as another living and lounge area, Sabia wanted to repurpose the large
space as a dining room fit for parties and socializing. The large table, which can sit 12, works perfectly for Sabia’s Dine & Design nights — an all- girl’s night where Sabia hosts meals with chef Jeanne Joneswhile teaching a DIY design project. We showed up the morning before Sabia was getting ready to host a Ina Garten-style “Thank You” party for friends who helped her set up for the Philadelphia Home Show. The Pennsylvania Barefoot Contessa has perfected every corner of this social space with minimal purchases. The enormous farm table was a gift for the designer’s birthday, chairs were dumpster finds that have been roughly painted and repainted, buffet tables were gifted by a friend and then repainted, and even the enormous buffet was found on the curb just down the street. The dining room also sports great ideas for the average home owner. Sabia repurposed an antique suitcase as a liquor table. Above the bar area, a shipping palate was cut into several “pockets,” creating perfect wall shelves for books, toiletries, plates or plants. The stunning mantle piece was built from scrap wood and functions as a kind of shoebox lid. The wooden box simply slides on and sits atop the mantle, making it an easy DIY mantle makeover.
Kitchen
Thanks to a bit of luck, Sabia was able to get new cabinetry for her ’80s-style kitchen. However, Sabia still found ingenious ways to cut corners. The furniture-styled pantry was a gift from her contractor. Often, cabinetmakers and contractors have to get rid of pieces that have been scratched or slightly damaged in shipment, so her contractor offered her the piece for free, knowing she could work with it. A simple paint job hid any imperfections and gave it a more polished look. Finials finish off the piece as door handles. The fridge sports another easy DIY: an antique frame that fancies up the mundane appliance. Just attach magnets to the back of an old frame and voila! For Sabia’s beloved farmhouse sink, which can go for well over $1000, she headed to Ebay where she found a Mexican, hammered copper piece for half the cost. The beautiful sink is set off by the open and airy shelves, which look gorgeous and is a great way to save a few bucks on cabinetry.
Master Bedroom
Moving upstairs, the master bedroom offers a serene escape from social areas of the house. Muted tones and luxurious-looking linens give the room a relaxing atmosphere. Utility lighting wrapped in gingham fabric turns a cheap lighting buy into unique bedroom sconces. Antique, stacked suitcases make for an easy occasional table. This room also shows off Sabia’s DIY artwork. She painted the above-bed art herself. , which is made to look like an old sign from her husband’s childhood campsite.
Check Critical Mass next Monday for the second half of the tour.
What resulted was this hysterical article, which will go down in history as my favorite title ever associated with The Painted Home.
Thanks Meg it was fun.
I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I did...
THE GREAT INDOORS: The house that trash built, Pt. 1
Reporter Meg Augustin takes you inside some of Philly's most fab dwellings to showcase our city's unique grasp on design and architecture.
Denise Sabia (featured in a recent Great indoors) is no rookie when it comes to flea-market finds. The designer and author of The Painted Home has had a constant rotation of dumpster-find redos and DIY country-chic projects for clients and fans. Her own home is no different. “We call it the house that trash built,” says Sabia. Every room sports a bevy of make-it-yourself projects, major trash finds, flea market scores and ingenious repurposing. Over the year and a half the Sabias have owned their Ambler home, Denise has worked on a limited budget to turn a shabby house into a chic home. We’ll walk you through Sabia’s designs and DIY projects in every room of her six-bedroom abode.
Front Hall
Walking into this small space, one easily feels at home. Beadboard wainscoting is set off by chocolate burlap that Sabia used as wallpaper, and the super cheap wall covering was made from free coffee sacks. The smaller space also presents the opportunity to undertake a more dynamic paint job. Sabia did a turquoise-and-blue stripe job on the ceiling, making the entryway the home’s “great first impression.”
Dining Room
Instead of using the front room as another living and lounge area, Sabia wanted to repurpose the large
space as a dining room fit for parties and socializing. The large table, which can sit 12, works perfectly for Sabia’s Dine & Design nights — an all- girl’s night where Sabia hosts meals with chef Jeanne Joneswhile teaching a DIY design project. We showed up the morning before Sabia was getting ready to host a Ina Garten-style “Thank You” party for friends who helped her set up for the Philadelphia Home Show. The Pennsylvania Barefoot Contessa has perfected every corner of this social space with minimal purchases. The enormous farm table was a gift for the designer’s birthday, chairs were dumpster finds that have been roughly painted and repainted, buffet tables were gifted by a friend and then repainted, and even the enormous buffet was found on the curb just down the street. The dining room also sports great ideas for the average home owner. Sabia repurposed an antique suitcase as a liquor table. Above the bar area, a shipping palate was cut into several “pockets,” creating perfect wall shelves for books, toiletries, plates or plants. The stunning mantle piece was built from scrap wood and functions as a kind of shoebox lid. The wooden box simply slides on and sits atop the mantle, making it an easy DIY mantle makeover.Kitchen
Thanks to a bit of luck, Sabia was able to get new cabinetry for her ’80s-style kitchen. However, Sabia still found ingenious ways to cut corners. The furniture-styled pantry was a gift from her contractor. Often, cabinetmakers and contractors have to get rid of pieces that have been scratched or slightly damaged in shipment, so her contractor offered her the piece for free, knowing she could work with it. A simple paint job hid any imperfections and gave it a more polished look. Finials finish off the piece as door handles. The fridge sports another easy DIY: an antique frame that fancies up the mundane appliance. Just attach magnets to the back of an old frame and voila! For Sabia’s beloved farmhouse sink, which can go for well over $1000, she headed to Ebay where she found a Mexican, hammered copper piece for half the cost. The beautiful sink is set off by the open and airy shelves, which look gorgeous and is a great way to save a few bucks on cabinetry.
Master Bedroom
Moving upstairs, the master bedroom offers a serene escape from social areas of the house. Muted tones and luxurious-looking linens give the room a relaxing atmosphere. Utility lighting wrapped in gingham fabric turns a cheap lighting buy into unique bedroom sconces. Antique, stacked suitcases make for an easy occasional table. This room also shows off Sabia’s DIY artwork. She painted the above-bed art herself. , which is made to look like an old sign from her husband’s childhood campsite.
Check Critical Mass next Monday for the second half of the tour.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
the valley through the seasons
Driving home this week, I pulled off the road as we reached the valley and got out my camera. I sensed a little bristling of impatience in the car "Mummy, why do you need another picture of that view, you've got loads already?!" He was right of course ... my son, cutting down to the essential in life. Shame that my essential and his essential don't always coincide ....
So - angel that he is - he bore with me for a whole 45 seconds while I clicked away, happy and then we were back en route, relieved, content and in the throws of a discussion about when is a picture not just a picture, and what is a good picture anyway!!
I'm sure he got out the car thinking, "that's it, she's lost it!" ... but that doesn't matter.
So what was the view that couldn't wait? This little road that winds its way down to our village, my eye is always drawn to the solitary tree and the soft colours that change so beautifully through the season.
No matter what my children say, I'll still take the pictures and I still enjoy those short moments in the day when I stop dead in my tracks and say Yes!
So what was the view that couldn't wait? This little road that winds its way down to our village, my eye is always drawn to the solitary tree and the soft colours that change so beautifully through the season.
See what you think ....
Built In Sconces
I am dreaming of a new bed. Not sure when that will happen but I am seriously considering having sconces built into the headboard.
I don't have the sources for these pictures, anyone know?
March 2012 Giveaway Day
Our March Giveaway Day is finally here! This is something new we are trying here at The Cottage Home blog. We've got some wonderful prizes from our lovely blog sponsors. I think you are going to be very happy!
Here's how this is going to work: I am listing all of the prizes that are available today. I have included a link underneath each prize that you can click on to enter each individual giveaway. Do not comment on this post to enter to win. You must click on the links below the prizes and enter each one separately.
I thought about doing this as one giant prize, but I realize that not everyone is interested in every prize. Also, this way we will have lots of winners, which means lots of happy people! We'll try it this way for now and if I need to make some adjustments next time, I will.
So, what can you win today? Check it out........
Modern Fabric Studio
Giveaway: $30.00 Gift Certificate
(Click HERE to enter)
The Hook Up
Giveaway: $20.00 Gift Certificate
(Click HERE to enter)
Birdsong Bows
Giveaway: 5 e-book patterns
(Click HERE to enter)
Heartsong Quilts
Giveaway: 'Primitive Modern' by Marcia Derse Fabric Bundle
(Click HERE to enter)
Fat Quarter Shop
Giveaway: 'Tweet' Fat Quarter Bundle
Giveaway: 10 Fat Quarters of 'Modernology' by Art Gallery Fabrics
(Click HERE to enter)
Many of these sponsors are also offering exclusive discounts between 10% and 15% off your entire purchase as well as free shipping. Click to enter their giveaways to obtain the exclusive promo codes that they are offering for The Cottage Home blog readers.
Again, please click on the individual links below each prize to enter to win that specific item. You can enter one or all of the giveaways. Good luck and thanks to all my wonderful sponsors for giving away such generous prizes!
Happy Giveaway Day!
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