Tag: DIY

Hotel Style at Home

Well, as you learned yesterday (via La Route Libre… my neglected travel blog), over the weekend we stayed at the Moonrise Hotel in Saint Louis. While booking it (and snagging the stay two nights, get one night free deal) I was fully aware that this would probably be the nicest hotel I would ever stay in. Unless I land a sweet job that sends me around the world for work.

Due to its contemporary and modern nature, all the furnishings were extremely up-to-date (although they could have toned down the faux bois veneer on drawers, lobby features, etc). The bed was seriously the most comfortable thing I have ever slept on. We considered strapping it to the top of the truck and heading for the hills.

The room made me think more about ways to make my home more “hotelly.” You can see my ruminations below. 

  • I have got to get my paws on a settee like the one in photo one. Is that what it’s called? Or a chaise? Either way, sitting on it to watch TV made me feel very cosmopolitan, indeed :)
  • The art above were quirky “photobooth” -esque shots of old timey people posing on a giant moon. There were two more of these in our room and more everywhere in the hotel. I thought they were cute and quirky, lending a fun and different aspect on the “moon” theme.

  • The mirror would be “easy” to DIY (I put easy in quotations because the theory is easy but in practice might be harder). Just cut a piece of MDF into a cute exaggerated frame and attach it to an existing frame–unify by painting the whole thing one color.

  • Statement pieces like this lamp made me swoon. If only stuff like this was more affordable.
Have you taken any decorating ideas from hotels? Or written down a list of what not to do–like the Moonrise’s carpet, maybe? Ick! 

 

Courage

Today’s post about being courageous in your own home is inspired by this post from Under the Sycamore about the floors in her bedroom. I can’t post the picture, but you can see it on my pinterest here, and remember to check out her original post for more eye candy and a how-to!!

Okay, you looked at it? Great. Now we can get to the point.

Get this: she ripped out all the carpet, evened out the plywood that lay underneath, added a few coats of paint, stenciled a design, and sealed the whole thing. I think it looks absolutely incredible, and all the project took was a few days and less than $100. I’d love to do this as an alternative to carpet. I mean, hardwood floors are what I’m totally digging right now (and probably always will–they are timeless, durable, and go with everything) but they can cost a pretty penny. So, in the meantime–Ashley had the right idea–take a risk and the payoff can be huge! I’d love to recreate the look of sealed concrete in this way.

A “risky” thing that has really paid off around here is the yellow paint in the living room that stops a couple feet short from the ceiling. My genius mom came up with the grand idea in order to save our backs (ceilings are approximately 12 feet high?) and to save almost a whole can of paint (taking into account the strip goes all the way around and would require two coats.

I haven’t seen another house with it so I know that I stand out. In fact, painting this way lets the true color of the green show up better, and it’s one of the first things people notice and comment on when they come over. It wasn’t as easy as painting the whole wall–we had to meticulously measure and level our painter’s tape, and I wouldn’t have been able to consider it without my rockstar mom (can you tell I love her?). I definitely think it paid off  and hope the next renters to move in love it as much as I do and decide to keep it this way.

Basically, what all this rambling is trying to say is, even if something seems risky, if you stay true to your design sense, more often than not it will become the think you love the most.

Have you tried anything risky in your home? Did it pay off, or not so much?

Just Like it Should Be!

The title of this post has two meanings. First, when I start a project and show it to you here on MFS, I should finish it up and show “after” pics before you forget about it altogether–which, thanks to the miracle of Memorial Day, I actually did!

Second bringing poor, abused pieces of furniture into my house and making them look like they were meant to: after a couple hours’ worth of TLC, this sad coffee table looks much, much, better–more than the $20 (0r was it $10?) we spent for it Sunday at Goodwill!

Before:

After:

Naturally, some things didn’t disappear–like that giant water ring, but look at that wood shine! It’s much, much, much better. This took 4 applications of Watco Teak Oil–look how gorgeous it is! Now for a shot of it in the living room…

It doesn’t go with the couch we currently have in here AT ALL, but I should be getting a MCM style vintage couch from my grandma’s in Illinois soon! This will look KILLER with that.

Alas, for now, we put the black coffee table back into place temporarily so it will be a more dramatic change when the couch and table both debut to the public together.

Comments?