A little retail therapy

This weekend my girlfriend Melanie and I went window shopping in just about every home store in the Northern Virginia vicinity. I am so excited for the spring collections popping up.

Here are a couple spring  items we loved:

West Elm has a huge collection of sea-colored glass bottles

 Melanie is digging this stainless steel/wood island for her new kitchen.

And I fell in loooooooveeee with the Arlington sofa at Potterybarn in Flax Textured Basketweave (of course the most expensive fabric grade!?). The texture on this linen is absolutely stunning, and the flax color is the perfect stone/cream...not too brown, not too gray...let the saving start.

And I might also have to save for this super charming Ascot arm chair. It is shaped like a gentleman's club chair but the feminine fabric makes it unexpectedly beautiful!

I'm not sure if it's the beautiful Flax Textured Basketweave as the perfect backdrop, but I am weirdly drawn to this Blue Floral pillow. I can't decide if it's too Laura Ashley grandma, or modern spring floral??? I don't know if I should like it...but I do :) These might perfectly replace my red couch pillows for spring. I think I will pass on the monogrammed...that might be pushing it!

And then of course in my new found quest for decorative objects to style on my tabletops...you can't go wrong with a big ol' piece of faux spiny branch coral.

But in typical fashion, before I let Melanie and I walk into a retail store, I had to stop at my favorite thrift store...where I also found some super sweet decorative objects perfect for table top styling.

This $7 lobster plate (on my newly sprayed black table) is going on my bar, once I buy a standing plate holder...this plate has a really cool Nantucket trading company stamp on the back.

And these cute small Boston Baked Beans vintage jars I bought for $1.50 each. Right now I put them in my media cabinet downstairs, but I'll find a better home for them soon!

Okay so I bought this mug at Anthropologie, not a thrift store, but they do sell vintage pieces...and at $8 it's just as good of a find!

I might buy a couple more of these mugs and do a fun display like this below...love! (no pun intended)

Side Table: from thrift store find, to fabulous steal!

So I have a bunch of random photos, projects I wanted to share with you on this beautiful 80-degree Monday!

First, I finally got around to sanding and spray painting my $11 thrift store table. Here are my my tools: primer, flat black spray paint, and a mask.

 

Then I sanded the entire table.

 

Then I took my table outside and sprayed the first coat of primer.  I was kind of digging this gray. One day I'm going to be wacky and just keep something in this cool primer color :)

 

 

This is when an annoying bug landing right on my table, I had to get him off, smudging my perfect primer job and getting it all over my finger! I just tried to smooth it out and then spray over again in that spot. Not really a big deal...

 

Then it started raining :) so I ran my table inside. It did get a few rain drops on it, super annoying, so I'll still have to do a quick sand on the top and then spray my second coat of black tonight...but I think it is definitely looking great!

 

Since I was on a painting-kick, I decided to start painting my basement stairwell too. I ran to Home Depot and had them mix the same paint I used on my basement ceiling (Behr Paint & Primer in One--Mixed to Benjamin Moore's Smoke Embers).

  

The bottom wood paneling is going to get sanded and painted white, hopefully next weekend. And the stairs painted black on top, and white on the bottom. Then I'll have to search for some great striped runners.

Here are some painted stairs for inspiration:

Hope everyone has a great week!

Styling Part 1 of 3: How to style a fireplace mantel

A while ago, my friend asked me to do a post on styling a fireplace mantel. Amy, like many who don't want a flat screen on their mantel (totally guilty), are looking for ways to style their mantel throughout the seasons.

The fireplace is the natural focal point in any living room. Properly accessorizing your fireplace mantel can help define and elevate your room's soul, but first you must decide what look / feeling you want to achieve. 

Symmetrical (formal): Objects should be similar, symmetrical, and balanced:

Asymmetrical (casual): Layer, layer, layer. Objects can vary in type, size, and height. But both sides should still be balanced in weight. You don't want one end too accessory-heavy and the other looking bare. Layer by adding frames in front of mirrors, books in front of candlesticks, etc.

 

 

Here are some amazing mantel styles from The Inspired Room.

You can make your mantel go from boring to perfectly styled with any or all of these items:

• Mirror
  
• Picture frame
• Candlesticks (always 2 of either the same height or varying heights)
  
• Decorative plate
• Vase
• Clock
• Books
• Lantern
• Bowl
• Glass jar(s)
  
• Flowers
• Collectible objects (coral, XXX)

Some ideas for seasonal styling:

• Cover the books in decorative paper. Wrapping paper for Holidays, buffalo plaid for fall, and spring florals/ticking stripes/polka dots for spring & summer months)
• Fill the glass jars with seasonal objects (snow, fall leaves, rocks)
• Wrap the picture frames like a gift for the Holidays
• Change the flowers (bright hydrangeas for warm months, willows for cool months)

Check back next week for tips on styling a table top and bookcase, and meet the master of styling!