I have to say thank you to all of you for your suggestions on what color to paint the faux bamboo chest I scored last weekend while out thrifting.  Quite frankly, it’s one of those pieces that would look really good in any color, but there were a few comments that coaxed me toward peacock blue. 

Ooh, rich bluey-turquoise . . .

Make the gold hardware pop, yes that’s a must!

Yes, me likey colors of the ocean, thanks for reading my mind Andrea.

Amen sister, peacock is da bomb. 

So I busted out of my ‘just paint my furniture white’ box I fit so nicely into, and pulled off a bold shade of glossy peacock blue.  You saw the faux bamboo chest a few days ago that I dragged home from a thrift store. 

Check out this hottie now:

Now that’s what I’m talking about!

I love it, don’t you? 

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Good evening!  What a great conversation going on with yesterday’s article, asking how you all feel about open shelving in kitchens.  I’ve read every comment, a few of them funny, many of them informative, and so many opinions on both sides, thanks so much for sharing and keep ‘em coming!  With such great feedback, I’ll be sure to write up another ‘Timeless or Trendy’ spotlight next week so we can all debate another topic some more.

I want to take a moment to introduce you to a few of my new sponsors.  Please welcome The Inglenook Decor, a source for unique and stylish home décor.  They have so many fantastic items for sale, from rugs to lighting to furniture to home accessories.

Here are a few of my favorites:

Bridgitte table; crown cake stand; burlap bucket lantern; Trina Turk zig zag rug; feed sack ottoman; Degas artist table. 

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Hey all, thanks so much for the amazing feedback on the faux bamboo chest earlier today!  Thanks to many of you, I picked a bold color at your suggestion, and it’s actually one I’ve worked with before, can you guess it?  Oooh, I’ll leave you in suspense but it’s looking really good so far, can’t wait to show you when the paint dries!

Did you catch Design Star last night?  I did, loved it!  Great designer contestants this season, I have my top four picked out.  I completely agree with Julia’s assessment, loved David and Tamika, giggled at Kellie’s “confetti” analogy, and oh my, who dressed Candice? 

With all this talk about what’s good, bad, and current in design, I remembered I did a post a while back asking your opinion, do you remember this article:  All White, Timeless or Trendy?  It got a lot of feedback, you all certainly have opinions to share, I loved it !!

I thought it fun to run a series of these throughout the summer and take polls so you can all weigh in with your opinion.  This week’s topic is open shelving in kitchens.  I tend to be old school when it comes to cabinetry, I love a lot of glass fronts and traditional upper cabinets with doors, but no doubt you’ve noticed how many designers have been using floating or open shelving in kitchens, restaurant style.  You can’t deny when decorated with pretty dishes and accessories, they look amazing, and they do seem to make kitchens feel bigger and brighter.

I wonder about practicality, and would love to hear your thoughts.  What happens when there’s a gap when using the dishes, cups or accessories?   I don’t live with open shelves in my kitchen (except for one small cookbook and display shelf, seen here) because I know myself, I am not this meticulous or organized.  How often do you need to clean them, and what’s the secret to maintaining the look?

via Decor8

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I participated in the Day of Thrifting event last Saturday, hitting up three of my local favorite thrift stores and visiting a brand new one that just opened in my town.  Tucked away in a corner under a big pile of shoes I found a piece with a certain detail I’ve been wanting forever.  Faux bamboo!

Check it out:  

Obviously not everyone’s style, but I love its Hollywood Regency like bamboo trim and bonus, check out those awesome campaign pulls.  It’s definitely in need of some TLC but a good price at $25.  For anyone who likes the wood ‘stain’, sorry but it’s faux, and chipping off in places, so I plan to sand it down, prime it, and paint it. 

I’ve been gathering inspiration from all across the internet, trying to decide what color to use.  Usually, I just make up my mind when I see something, but I’m a little torn here.  You know me, my first inclination is always to paint it a (safe) glossy white!

Design*Sponge

Williams Sonoma Home

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I learned years ago as a kid that having a successful yard sale was like a competitive sport ~ there is hard work, sweat, and strategy involved.  My parents used to have them every year, and often we’d visit other sales too.  After my own kids came along, the excess unwanted stuff began to pile up rather quickly, so selling it all at a yard sale and making some extra cash seemed pretty genius to me.  Ever since, I’ve had one at my house every summer.

Here are the guidelines I follow for a successful yard sale every year:

Declutter Every Single Room.   Go through every room in your home the month or week before your sale, asking yourself do you love it, use it, or is it just collecting dust?  Does it hold serious sentimental value?  If not, put in in the ‘yard sale’ pile.  Don’t try to sell things that are broken or worthless, instead recycle or dispose of them, they will detract from the things you’re selling that have actual value.

Get Together.  Enlisting friends and neighbors makes for a fun social scene, and also more things to offer buyers.  Make sure you mention in your ad that it’s a multi family sale!

Advertise.  Online ads on sites like Craigslist and Garage Sale Finder have replaced the local newspaper, so use them strategically.  List the time, specific address, and directions if your home is not so easy to find.  List your categories of goods like “toys” or “linens” and a few big ticket items too.   Keep the sale short, I find it brings more customers.  “Saturday Only, 8 to 11” sells your stuff a lot quicker than “Saturday and Sunday, 8 to 2”.

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