Last Friday I went to Z Gallerie while I was in Louisville, KY, and found these beauties:
$149
I love them, and actually think the price is extremely reasonable. However, check these out (from Amazon!):
$104.40
Found by my lovely friend, who was with me at Z, and also felt inspired by these lamps. Obviously these lamps are VERY similar, and actually, I marginally prefer the ones from Amazon. What a steal!
xoxo
Susan
|
Susan McCusker |
As part of the basement playroom re-do I am in the midst of, I decided to paint a giant chalkboard wall. Got a quart of Krylon chalkboard paint (they make it in spray paint as well, but this is a BIG wall) at my local Sherwin William's store. It's on sale there this week for $8.64 per quart...far lower than I thought the price would be!
I put the first coat on the wall this morning, and will post pictures when it is done. Super easy project. It paints on just like regular paint. Easy to clean up as well. And it looks GREAT!
Here's some other chalboard inspiration for you:
Somewhere in the past few months, my kids seem to have really grown up. Especially my 3 1/2 year old. And all of a sudden, their playroom needs are looking quite different. My daughter's 6th Birthday is just around the corner (late March), and I have decided that instead of buying her any more Barbie dolls or stuffed animals, I'm going to re-do the basement playroom as her present (well, there will obviously have to be other small presents to unwrap as well!).
So I spent quite a bit of time last week looking at pictures of playrooms. I saw some of the most amazing playrooms ever! Unfortunately a lot of them are totally out-of-reach budget wise. Like this one (and don't you think it's just a tad creepy??? It's like the kids are locked up in those bubbles!!):
Anyhow, I have settled on a basic plan, which I'll share with you guys in a future post. The main idea is that it will be set up almost like a pre-school/kindergarten classroom, with plenty of different areas for different stations. We're going to do an art station, a blocks/trucks/lego station, a doll/stuffed animal station, a music/drama station, and of course a reading area.
Right now I'm working on colors. Thinking of this for the palette:
Also going to create an entire wall that is a chalboard:
Probably the biggest project is going to be a mini-stage that my husband and I are going to build. Hope it turns out something like this:
I spent this morning shopping and found some great odds and ends, that I will use some way or another. Since we travel a lot, I splurged and bought this absolutely enormous world map from Pottery Barn Kids (it was on sale last week!):
And I am going to snag some of these from Crate and Barrel. They look perfect for stashing Barbie dolls and small knick-knacks.
I really want to get a nice bright rug for the area. Going to work on that this afternoon. I am hoping for something like this, from Land of Nod:
I am so excited to redo this space. It's going to be amazing when it's done! Hopefully she'll think so too!
Over the holiday season we put my 3 year old son and 5 year old daughter into one room, because we had so many guests we needed the extra room. They had never shared a room before, but before the week was up, I knew they would not go back to their individual rooms by choice. Sure enough, when we asked if they wanted to stay in the same room we got a resounding yes. It's super cute actually! But, also a bit painful because they both had adorable rooms of their own. One pink. One blue. Acccessorized. Painted. Coordinated. Etc....
Now, I have blue cars bedding in a pink room. It looks awful. The practical part of me thinks that this is a phase that won't last that long. It's probably not worth re-decorating. But of course the decorator in me just can't stand the space as it is. And can't turn down the opportunity to have a little fun redoing things. Can you hear my husband sighing from here?? :)
So I've started a pinterest board, collecting images of different shared sibling spaces that I like. Here's a link to it. I'll keep adding as I find things that I like. http://pinterest.com/susan_mccusker/shared-spaces-for-siblings/
Here are a few of the pics:
I love this space. In fact, seeing the turqoise and red has given me a whole lot of new ideas. I don't love all the black. But I can definitely see a toned down version of this working in my home.
I totally love this space. It's such an eclectic mess that the whole idea of gender barely enters the picture!
This is very basic, but really cute. I LOVE the curtain. And those headboard decals are adorable!
Another turqoise and red theme. Not sure what my daughter would have to say about the lack of PINK!!
This is also really cute. The big room and high ceilings help make this work.
There is more inspiration on my Pinterest board. I am planning on tackling this project probably sometime over the summer! I will obviously post pictures when I do. Until then, the search continues!
| Susan McCusker Owner, Cape & Vine Designs Tel: (513) 206-3578
http://capeandvinedesign.com |
If you live in the Cincinnati area AND you have chilren, or are thinking of having children, or have friends having children, then you absolutely must get yourself to a really awesome store! Best for Babies is located close to Kenwood mall, in Silverton. This gem is a dazzling combination of baby furniture and baby gear (strollers, car seats, etc), and decor (bedding, art, etc). You'll find lots of awesome brands there. If you've seen it in a magazine, and are not sure where to find it in Cincinnati, chances are Best for Babies has it.
Owners Sydney and Lizzie are your best Cincinnati resource for anything baby related. These ladies really know their stuff. And they are not in the business of trying to dupe you either. They will happily tell you all the pros and cons of their baby furniture and accessories. They are a treasure trove of information! It is easy to pass half an hour chatting with them!
I will blog in the future about some of their great stuff. But, for today, I wanted to show you guys this really fabulous product that I found in Best for Babies the other day. As some of you may know, in the last year crib bumbers have pretty much bitten the dust. It's been a long, slow movement, but finally it seems, bumper time is over. So, what's a Mom/Designer who wants a cute look for the nursery to do?? Well, check out this ingenious sheet from SkipHop:
It's a sheet and bumper all in one. Brilliant!! With a variety of colors, patterns, and styles, I would say this pretty much takes care of the no bumper dilemma!
To see a collection of these sheet bumpers, and lots of other awesome baby stuff, make sure to head to Best for Babies soon!
Susan
Susan McCusker
Owner, Cape & Vine Designs
http://capeandvinedesign.com
I was going through some of my pictures the other day, and realized that I did a project back in September 2011, that I never posted about. During one of my shopping trips for a client, I found a bench that I really loved.
I had wanted something like this in my entry hall for awhile. This bench looked great. Except for the very blah upholstery. But, to be honest, I was actually grateful that I hated the upholstery. Because there is nothing I love more than fabric shopping!
Look how this practically blends into the walls! But in less than an hour...it looked like this:
The fabric is Robert Allen (LOVE his stuff) Cat's Cradle, in Amber. Available in lots of other colors as well.
New upholstery completely changes the look of a piece of furniture. For simple projects, like this bench, or often dining room chairs, I love to do the work myself. But more complex projects obviously necessitate the help of a skilled upholsterer.
Let me know if you have any upholstery projects in your future!
Susan
| Susan McCusker Owner, Cape & Vine Designs Tel: (513) 206-3578
http://capeandvinedesign.com |
Well, my friends, wallpapers are back in a big way. You knew it would happen one day, right? Forget about the giant floral wallpapers that you grew up with. Today's wallpapers are like works of art. And they're rarely intended for a whole room. There are lots of examples of wallpaper being used on just one wall in a room, as an accent, even on the ceiling! Truth be told, the new crop of wallpapers doesn't come cheap. I've been coveting some of these babies for a while. I definitely woukld love to do something with one of them on my dining room ceiling. Take a look and let me know what you think!
As promised on my Facebook page, here's how I created my winter mantel. First of all, here's an overall snapshot (I do apologize for my photography skills! They are really lackluster. I'm taking a few classes starting next week to remedy that!!)...
Those of you who follow this blog may recall that most of the things on this mantel, I have up year-round: the glass candle holders, the big glass vases. I try to keep things simple, and just add a few little details to the space for each season. For the winter, I fell in love with these owls at Hobby Lobby. As some of you have mentioned to me before, yes, owls are incredibly popular right now. Aren't these guys cute??!!! I got them on sale, 1/2 off, and so the total for the two was $24.99.
I had originally been looking for pinecones to fill up these big glass vases. But, alas, apparently they are considered seasonal (i.e. Christmas) and therefore nobody had any left. Imaging my pleasure then, at stumbling across these awesome little guys at Ikea last week. At 7.99 a bag (I used 4 bags total for the mantel), they are a pretty good deal!
After putting everything together, I decided that the glass candle holders lookeda bit lackluster. I went down in my basement to see what I might find to add a little life to them...and came back up with 2 bags of this:
Again, a Hobby Lobby purchase. The bages were also 50% off, and so 4.99 for 2 bags. I LOVE the effect of the moss, especially for a winter or spring mantel.
And that's it. Simple as that. What do you think? Love it? Hate it? Want to create your own winter mantel? Let me know!
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Just wanted to let you guys know that I still have a few openings in my "Organized Beauty" class, next Saturday, Janaury 28. Class is from 2- 4, and is limited to 8. Once you sign up, I'll be in contact with you. Together we'll discuss which space you would like to organize. Everyone will leave class with a plan for organizing a problem area beautifully! Email me for more information @ schmccusker@gmail.com.
Find me on Facebook! OR at www.capeandvinedesign.com
I love Ikea. We're lucky enough to have one here in the Cincinnati area, and I visit it frequently. A lot of my clients have never been. Or they've been ONCE and hated the experience. Ikea can be totally overwhelming. Even I can feel my brain start to overload on possibilites. I think one of the reasons that it's hard to focus in there is because they really do an amaing job of showcasing their things. When you walk into the store and start wondering around, they have dozens of actual rooms set up with their furniture, like a real house! And they use things so creatively. I even manage to convince myself that I too could live in a 600 sq ft apartment with my husband and 2 kids. Haha. Anyway, I went up to Ikea 2 weeks ago to get some curtains, and as I was wondering around I took some pictures of some of the awesome things they have. Let me share...
One of my favorite things about Ikea is that they really incorporate kids stuff into their rooms. They have so many great and creative ways to store kids art, art supplies, etc. These little drawers look perfect for crayons, markers and the like.
The photo shelves are awesome. I have a few of them myself. They come in varying colors, and sizes. They range in price from $10-$20. It's a great way to showcase some pictures, or put your kids art up.
Wall ledges are also very popular at Ikea. And very economical. They have all kinds of sizes and colors.
One of my favorite things to get at Ikea is photo frames. Their Ribba frames are seriously awesome, both in price and looks. You can often buy up to 4 frames there, for the price of one at somewhere like Pottery Barn.
Look at this cute little chair for $129!!!
More frames...this is definitely the place to go if you want to do a gallery wall. Ranging in price from $4.99 to $9.99.
Love this!!
If you need to outift an office, I'd give Ikea some serious consideration. I am writing this blog in my own office, at this very desk shown above. Love it! If you are looking for more traditonal office furniture, Ikea may not be the place for you.
Ikea has storage boxes galore. And for beautiful prices.
This is the Poag chair. It is am amazingy comfortable chair. But I wanted to point out that there are some nice details to it. Like this ladder back.
Mirrors are another Ikea speciality. As you can see, this one is priced at only $19.99!
Ikea has tons of awesome rugs. Here are a few. Prices are usually $149 and under.
Ok, these magnetic boards are fantastic. $12.99 for the boards, and the magnets come in a variety of colors. I have 4 of these over my kids art table. They hang up their work as they go.
Would you believe it if I told you this cute little chalboard mailing box is only $14.99?? !!
This is a great desk lamp, that sits on my current Ikea desk! It looks like it should cost a lot of money. It feels like it should cost a lot of money. But at only $49.99 it's a steal.
I have absolutely nowhere in my house for this light fixture. But I love it. Everytime I go to Ikea I am drawn to it!
If you drink wine, you must get glasses at Ikea. You can break as many as you want, and replace them for $1.49 each!!
Ikea is curtain mecca. True, they don't have a ton of patterened curtains. But they do have a huge selection of plain curtains in many colors. Tab tops, pole pockets, and grommet style. Most of them are between $19.99 and $34.00 a PAIR. Yes people, I said PAIR!! Where can you beat that price. And you can get very creative with Ikea curtains. I'll give you a peek at what I did with my bedroom curtain sometime in the next week!
Lovely art. They have a great selection. Good prices of course.
This floor length mirror is HUGE. Really. Like easily 6 feet tall. For $109.
Love these little silver candlesticks. $2.99 and up!
You may not think about Ikea having a floral department, but they do. And it's pretty impressive. Lots of artifical plants and flowers, but also lots of live plants. I got a great bonsai tree there last year (and it's still alive, thank you very much) for $20! They also have really awesome vases and glass containers.
$0.99c. Yes, you read that right.
How cute is this little planter. For $49! You could put it by your front door in the summer. You could even paint it if you preferred a different color. I think it's adorable.
If you have never been to Ikea, or if you went and found yourself wanting to run out the doors screaming, here are a few tips:
1) Always go with a plan. Ikea is not the kind of store where it's fun to just wander around aimlessly, trying to come up with inspiration. You'll either leave with nothing, or with $2000 worth of furniture you didn't know you needed. Case in point...last weekend, I went up there with the singular goal of getting curtains. It allowed me to just absorb and enjoy all the other stuff, without creating a panic.
2) TRY, if at all humanly possible, to go in the week, or on a weeknight. Unless you love mass crowds, the weekend can be a miserable experience (think Disney World the day after Christmas)
3) Decide in advnace how much stuff you are willing to assemble. When we moved back to Cincinnati in 2010, I bought so much stuff at Ikea in a 2 week time-frame that I pretty much lost all the skin on my fingers from assembling it!
4) You know those little pencils and pieces of paper they have everywhere? Take one. Or Two. Really. It's no joke. When you get down to the warehouse end of the store, you really do need to know exactly what aisle and bin to find your product in!
5) Consider the size of your car. People arrive at Ikea with Uhauls, and moving vans. I guarantee you're going to buy something you didn't expect while you're there.
6) Be careful when you open your new purchases. I have found their return policy to be less than easy. Usually if something is open, you get a store credit. And, if you just spent 2 hours assembling a bookcase, it's kind of hard to return it.
6) When the overhwhelm sets in, simply repeat "All I need to do is look" to yourself over and over, and over.
Don't think you're up or navigating the vast swedish land of Ikea alone? Give me a call and I'd be happy to meet you up there! I am considering running a "How to Shop at Ikea" Class, where we meet up at the store and go through it together. Let me know if anyone would be interested in that!
Last but not least, if you like this blog, please take a moment to click here and visit my Facebook page. Every Facebook Like I receive as a small business is really important to me. Thanks in advance!
Susan
Cape & Vine Designs
(513)206-3578
Now that the holidays are over, and things are getting back to normal, you've probably notices a barrage of sales fliers and catalogs devoted to organization. I don't know if it's all the new years resolutions, or the desire to pare things down after the extravagance of the holidays, but most people's minds turn to organization in January.
I perused some of my favorite sources and came up with some inspiring organizational ideas. I definitely want to implement some of these in my own home. I did come across some really amazing things, BUT I tried to stick to things that were actually reasonable for an average homeowner (i.e don't cost thousands of dollars)...
One component of storage and organization that often gets overlooked is beauty. Yes, beauty. Some of you may be wondering what that has to do with anything. But I believe that one of the reasons it's hard for a lot of us to stay organized is because our organizational systems are ugly. Beautiful things speak to our sould. They restore and refresh us. If everytime you opened your pantry door, you were confronted with something that was beautiful, you may be more inclined to keep it neat!
Keep in mind that designers and decorators are more than happy to help with organization projects. Even if you just need an hour of help, or advice on how to spruce some area up. In fact, organization and pretty storage solutions are among my favorite design jobs!
Here's some ideas to get you thinking:
