Slow Decorating

I've decided it's time to embrace the slow decorating movement...I've looked for a book but can't find one. Do you know of one? I think I first heard about this approach on the Nester's blog. But anyway, after rushing about my house for the last three years getting rooms redone and spruced up, I'm ready for a slower pace.

I like the idea of considering options more thoughtfully, and perhaps saving up money to get an item that I know I'll be thrilled with for years and will stand up to wear and tear. Or waiting until I find just the right item or solution for a space, instead of grabbing what I've found and making do.

Besides..."slow" is about all the time I have to put toward decorating these days! However, I did get one little project complete: The hanging of the wallpaper art.

Got some pictures to hang? You must get a package of OOK picture hanging hardware! 

{the best, bar none}

A couple measurements later, the Ikea Ribba frames showcasing colors of the vase wallpaper were hung...

...and pretty straight at that. Or close enough.

I'm loving them. Happy bursts of color & pattern!

And now I'm heading off to the coast with a group of girlfriends for the weekend...

Long overdue, we'll be finding lots to celebrate I'm sure.

Enjoy yours!

That Was Easier Than I Thought...

So I finally got around to bringing the Expedite bookshelf home.

Before I could lose momentum, the unpacking and assembling began, with a glance at the directions. Have you ever built anything from Ikea? Am I the only one that finds their "text free" directions to be sometimes puzzling?

Well, luckily not this time around. Easy peasy, even Max pitched in. 

{It's time to start teaching him how to build stuff...besides Lego!}

A movie in the background later we were done.

The next morning, complete and in place, ready to be filled!

But hey, don't think I've been busy refinishing chairs; these were brought up from the kitchen nook to see if I liked the style here. Shoot, I do. 

This means I now have to follow through on my plans to refinish these four. As you see, I haven't made one ounce of progress since talking about the project here. Good thing I'm not going anywhere.

Winning the Battle With My Paper Piles

When I talked to Pauline about writing this article for House of Fifty, I was also looking for personal advice!

Yes, my piles had gotten out of control.

But with all the newly acquired filing space brought into the bonus room through these cabinets,

I was ready to tackle the disaster.

What a laborious job, thankfully it was a team effort...

...with rewards! I discovered a lost gift card to JCrew. Good grief, this job even paid!

And after a couple sessions...

...everything had been sorted, labeled and filed. Who knew a filing job could be so satisfying! 

A couple drawers for the household, one each for Isabella & Max, a few for business and even a spare!

And the bonus? 

Newly freed up space that can house design supplies, 

items that are currently making the master walk-in closet nearly inaccessible. 

Oh, organizational happiness.

Chairs For the Bonus Room, Using What I Have

I need chairs to place at my newly beautified table in the bonus room! While I would love to just go shopping to pick up a few, I have four "spare" chairs sitting in the garage, extras we bring in when lots of people come over for dinner. Instead of sitting in the garage, why not "store" them in the bonus room!

The problem? They are not looking so hot! Purchased when we moved into our first house, a couple years ago I refinished four of them to place in our kitchen nook. 

The "after"chairs in the nook, sanded and repainted a fresher ivory, they look new!

{ DIY Bamboo Light Fixture project also pictured above }

I had intended to refinish to the remaining four at that time, but you know how it goes! Once you even take a brief "pause" on a project, it's hard to get back!

Last time my approach was to sand them and it was a huge job...strangely I'm feeling a bit too lazy to go down that path this time around.

So I slathered on a bunch of Smart Strip to see if it removed the finish, for an expedited process. 

....24 hours later...

Oh, not bad! Wiping off the Smart Strip I see nearly clean wood. 

Still, don't expect this project to be complete overnight!

Liming Wax! My New Favorite Product

I am so happy with the result of the refinishing job on this table...which once belonged to my grandmother, sitting in her kitchen nook. I have fond memories of many wonderful meals at this table!

A layer of Smart Strip removed most of the previous finish...

...and after a quick sanding job it was ready for its new finish.

After some debate I decided to try Briwax's Liming Wax...here is my test. I got a bit carried away and nearly did the entire table top...I just wanted to see what it would look like! Really, how can one see what you're going to get from a tiny spot on the underside of the table?!

Luckily I liked what I saw and didn't have to backtrack. At first I applied little dabs of the wax and rubbed it in, but soon I decided to just slather it on and go for it.

The more I applied, the more I liked it.

This table has been around, and there is no pretending it is in perfect condition. This actually lends itself to this type of finish: it is meant to look aged and worn and imperfect, highlighting variations of wood tone, nicks and dings.

When my aunt read one of my previous posts on this table she shared its history in more detail. It was originally hers when she and my uncle lived in Athens, GA. Then it traveled with them to Key West, later crossing the country all the way up to Seattle and later made its way down to Portland, finding a spot in their home in Lake Oswego. When they eventually moved to California it was given to my grandparents. But years later it also traveled to California after my grandparents passed away, and it came to live with me when I moved to San Francisco from Chicago. It has yet to make a full circle, that would require my moving to Athens and taking the table with me, but for now it is back in Portland! Confused? 

But back to the finish. The wax seemed to take differently to the apron and legs, concerning me. But I kept applying layers and eventually they looked right alongside the table top. I think that is the key as well, accept that the wood from the different parts of a piece of furniture may react differently to the wax. It's not meant to be perfect and variances are all part of the look.

I am so glad I went with a lighter finish rather than the tinted brown wax...the table looks wonderful against the dark walls.

The wax has a beautiful subtle sheen...

...and I adore how the liming wax brought out the gray tones of the wood.

Okay, now where are some chairs?!

{This table did come to me with three chairs, but of course I've already refinished them and they are happily living in other rooms of my house!}

An Itsy Bitsy Tiny Bit Of Progress

Okay, I wasn't wild about how these finishes looked on the table...the clear solution of Briwax turned the wood yellow and once I moved the table into the room I saw the Tudor Brown was going to be too dark, against the rich brown walls.

So I ordered a can of Briwax Liming Wax. I've never used it, but I liked the idea!

I had been advised to test a spot of wood on the underside of the table, and I thought I would...but how do you stop once you get started?! 

LOVE what I'm seeing, the white fresh subtle finish which brings out the gray tones of the wood. 

Time to find a moment to finish the job!

Moving On To The Refinishing Projects

This table, that once sat in my grandmother's kitchen nook, got passed on to me years ago. Refinishing it has been on the to-do list for a long time. But now that I've found a place for it in the bonus room, it's time! 

I actually recall watching my grandmother working on this table when I was a girl, giving it a liming finish with a green tint, which apparently she redid at some point to this achieve the finish seen below. Need I wonder where I get my DIY genes from?

The table has gotten a lot of use since its last makeover, and I wanted to see what I had to work with.

I've had fabulous results with Smart Strip, removing paint from a brass light fixture and a mirror frame, so I figured it was time to see how it would work removing the layers of stain and polyurethane.

After testing a small area I then covered the entire table with a fairly thick layer.

After letting it sit for a couple hours the table was ready to be scraped clean.

Using a large putty knife a gooey mess was scraped away, taking most of the previous finish with it!

Afterwards, to remove the final residue of stain and even out the table surface, the table was sanded.

Instead of using stain this time around, the wood is so beautiful with its grain and various tones of beige and grays, I was thinking I'd use either clear or Tudor Brown Briwax to complete the makeover.

But then I moved the table into the room. 

(It will sit in a far corner, next to a closet and the filing cabinets, to provide a work surface and also a place for games and such...)

Now I can't decide which finish of Briwax I like better, if either! I like the lighter wood against the dark walls, and could use the clear Briwax, but it leaves a yellow tint. So then it occurred to me, hey, how about a full circle move and use Briwax's liming wax! The reviews say it lightens the grain to a whitest finish...hum.

Anyone have any experience with this or other liming products?