It's a Shabby Thing (or Defacing the Hemnes)

Shabby Chic is all the rage, especially with coastal decor. Unfortunately, my retro living room and terrazzo floors just weren't jibing with the classic white beach style that has pervaded the rest of the house.

Harbor Farm had hardwood floors stained in a deep espresso. The Ikea Hemnes living room collection complemented those floors and the West Indies style that ran through the farmhouse, but not so much at Trading Up.

I spent a little time researching how to distress (think destroy) perfectly good Ikea furniture and came across a blog called 'I Love Rehabs'. Jennifer's ideas for her Ikea Lack coffee table inspired my project and Miss Mustard Seeds Milk Paint webpage helped bring the look to completion. 

Here's how it was done...

Start with one perfectly innocent Ikea coffee table...

Cut linear grooves across the horizontal surfaces to mimic the look of planks...

Use milk paint to cover any dark stain...

Let milk paint do its thing...

Add any amount of additional destruction you desire...

...and voila!

Kitchen Mini-Remodel (the Christmas Project)

My family believes it wouldn't be Christmas without having to slave over reno projects. This year we kept the tradition going with a mini-remodel in the kitchen. Despite an open house on Christmas Day, a week of culinary prowess, and a few electrical issues (no one was hurt), this project came together pretty well.

Before - Dark with Weird Drop-Ceiling Feature (i.e., the Headbanger)

Before - Hello? Is anyone back there?

After - Bright and Open

After

For those that like to see the "during" shots...

I Like November

November is my second favorite month (June is my first--go figure). The weather is perfect (assuming you live in central Florida), you get a full 30 days between the silliness of Halloween and the drama of December, and everybody starts thinking about gratitude.

At my Thanksgiving dinner, we go around the table (or room depending on how many folks you're feeding) and each take a turn saying something for which we are most thankful. I wish we did this all year.

I even like those daily facebook posts in November, you know the ones where a friend writes something he or she is grateful for.

November is usually my busiest travel month so I don't spend much time at home. This November I was supposed to be away on three trips, but one was canceled. I'm not entirely grateful for that, but I'm thankful to spend some more time at home. 

To mark November and my love of Fall (short as it is), I am going to cook something special everyday. It's a loose goal, especially for the week planned in a Texas Hilton, but it's off to a good start.

Work space...always planning.

These are the real work spaces.

 

In October I spent a weekend with my bff, spiritual mentor, and someone who shares my love of cooking. I came home with so many great ideas and need for new ingredients, especially harissa and cajeta (goat's milk caramel). Admittedly, my cajeta addiction has gotten a little out of control.

Red Chard - best recipe in the WORLD comes from Rachel Ray. I can't stop eating this.

Bok choy in harissa (of course).

Annual Christmas pickles I make every year for gifts. Adding a radish makes the brine turn pink.

Oh yeah---since it's already Nov. 2nd, I should tell you yesterday I made Big Daddy Jay's Collards (it would a shame to die without eating these collards) and caramel chicken from Bon Appetit. These are all my pics, except for the chicken, but it looked the same. You have to be quick with the camera around here!

Big Daddy Jay's Collards - half  of these get canned for Christmas dinner.

BA's Caramel Chicken--should be called Asian chicken. If you make it, use coconut oil instead of veg.

Furniture Facelift

A couple of things happen after you spend all your money rehabbing and furnishing your house---for me mostly it involves staring at the pile of leftover wood and paint and wondering how to make accent pieces.

This library table has been in my family for years, kind of like Gus--who consequently had been using it as his desk for quite some time. However, now that my mother has an iPad (as she keeps reminding us) and no longer needs a desk, Gus took her desk and schlepped the table off to me. If there's one piece of furniture I don't need it's a table, but I couldn't disregard the sentimental family history and agreed to bring it home.

There really were no decent 'Before" pictures so I borrowed this one...

Library Table

A little white paint and frog tape...

 And voila!

Before you roll your eyes at the idea of painting wood, keep in mind this table was not mahogany (like the before pic) and was in major need of refinishing. It's also extremely easy to sand so I don't feel guilty about taking away the character of the wood. It goes better in my dining room now and that's all that matters.

Why Not?

In the middle of this summer of debauchery, travel, weeks of house guests, major new projects, and nearly depleted bank accounts, I decided to buy living room furniture...because, why not?

The only new piece of furniture I ever purchased was a $600 dresser to match an existing bedroom set and had to be lugged up 47 stairs in a narrow, concrete staircase to my Kalihi Valley cliff house. It sat in a spare bedroom that rarely saw company. When I left Hawaii it stayed in that bedroom, or maybe I sold it on Craigslist. Furniture was the last thing on my mind. 

Like most people that time travel out of Hawaii to the Holocene Epoch, I was enamored with Ikea. A small moving stipend and cheap, unassembled Swedish particle board actually managed to furnish all of Harbor Farm (not to mention the kitchen countertops).

But Trading Up has space. Like real space. And while the dining room serves as Grand Central for dinner, drinks, and late night card games, it's time to use the rest of the house. The living room is so underused this was the only picture I could even find of anyone in it.

Denise lounging post knee surgery.

Denise recovered just fine. I can't say the same for that couch, which in Ikea's defense came from Craigslist.

I tried to find him a new home, but unfortunately, even Craigslist thought it was too good for it. This is the last time I saw it.

But I'm happy the old boy isn't around to see his replacements ;-)

Master Bath Part III

Finally done! In retrospect, I can't figure out why it took so long...it all seems so simple in pictures.

For backstory and more 'Before' pics, check out Master Bath Part I and Master Bath Part II.

Shower Trim - Before & After

Shower Trim - Before & After

Despite all the work there was considerable damage left on the wall behind the old vanity. I used cheep and simple Wainscoat from HD to cover the damaged areas. To me, Wainscoat says early-American design (not my taste), but it seems to work in here.

White Wainscoat

The average height of a bathroom countertop is 31-inches. I failed to measure the original (hobbit) height, but I'm sure it was much less. Unfortunately, I may have gotten a little overzealous with the replacement. At a towering 43-inches to the top of the sink, even my 5'7" self needed a step-stool just to brush my teeth.

But that is not a problem when you have one these on hand (the sawzall not the blow dryer).

It was worth the wait!

Decorating is always more fun!

Sponge soap from Tarpon Springs, FL

Double Wide Blue

The paint color isn't for everyone. My boss in CO calls it "double wide blue". You really have to see it in context to appreciate. Fortunately, it's perfect for a central FL neighborhood on the water. And fortunately the color and yellow accents make even the crankiest neighbors smile :)

Before and After (I know I need to invest in a decent hedger)

Home insurance went up with the addition of the pool.

Little Hawi'iana accents

Carport converted into covered BBQ patio

Actual MATCHING chairs!

Come Visit!