Designing a Budget Living Room

Saturday mornings include the following: drinking coffee on the sofa, enjoying the fact that Charlie gets to watch tv on weekend mornings so he needs me NOT ONE BIT (like he doesn't even look at me), and then I just pin and pin and pin. Recently, as I was doing so, I found some strangely cheap but good things (as I always do) and it occurred to me that we, as “design experts” should start creating full room designs on a budget for you to order and decorate with (if you are into it). So I tasked Mel (from our team) with the challenge – see how cheap you can design a living room for, one that you really like, but REALLY cheap. Here is what she came back with:

Flower Art | Horse Print | Green Velvet Sofa | Floor Lamp | Orange and Green Pillow | White Pillow | Black Side Table | Orange Side Chair | Woven Pillow | Rug | Coffee Table | Rattan Chair | Pink Pillow | Pouf | Brass Table Lamps | Black Mirror | Credenza | Basket

I loved it a lot. It is happy, fresh, modern, and yet full of personality. But I wanted it RUHL cheap. Nothing in here is particularly high end, but a couple things, the credenza and the rug, and even sofa could be less expensive (although I loved them). I told her “What is the cheapest you can possibly furnish a mid-century boho living room for? Now go!!”

She came back with this:

Flower Art | Horse Print | Green Velvet Sofa | Floor Lamp | Orange and Green Pillow | White Pillow | Black Side Table | Orange Side Chair | Woven Pillow | Rug | Coffee Table | Rattan Chair | Pink Pillow | Pouf | Brass Table Lamps | Black Mirror | Credenza | Basket

You can't deny how cheap and wonderful that is. While three thousand is a lot to spend in one day, over a couple months it would be a really great way to guarantee that your living room looks good. Or hell, put it on your credit card.

But I wasn't able to buy a $1200 sofa until I had my own TV show when I was 30 years old, so I sourced a few cheaper sofas that could look good in this world and we got the price down even further….then we got greedy and brought the price of the pillow, chair, and pouf down.

So without further ado a midcentury boho inspired living room for $1,878:

Flower Art | Horse Print | Blue Sofa | Floor Lamp | Orange and Green Pillow | White Pillow | Black Side Table | Orange Side Chair | Light Blue Striped Pillow | Rug | Coffee Table | Rattan Chair (similar: we love this one just as much) | Pink Pillow | Pouf | Brass Table Lamps | Black Mirror | Credenza | Basket

Unless something becomes unavailable in the next few days, all of these pieces are purchasable online with the sole intention that this living room could be yours – no vintage or custom this time. If anything sells out, leave us a comment and we'll do our best to help you find something of similar quality for a comparable price. So what do you think? Are you into these posts? We might typically JUST do the cheapest version now that Mel knows how cheap I was thinking but at the same time I love the most expensive one the best and I'm so glad it's included here. Thoughts?

Check out our other round ups: Best Affordable Vinyl Tile, Why Matte Brass Might Be The New King Of Metallics, Shag Rugs Roundup, How To Zen Out Your Kitchen, Favorite Pastel Paint Colors (For Grown Ups), 48 Budget Friendly Kitchen Hardware Knobs & Pulls, How To Mix Multiple Rugs in the Same Room, 63 Favorite Temporary Wallpaper Patterns.

The post Designing a Budget Living Room appeared first on Emily Henderson.

Box of Sunshine

Hey friends! It's Melanie and Steffany from Find it, Make it, Love it. We're so happy to be here sharing Memorial Day with you! What are your Memorial Day plans?! Camping? BBQing? Working in the yard? Maybe even swimming? Memorial day is the kick off to summer. I gotta say though, here in Utah it hasn't felt much like May yet-we've had rain, cold, and more rain, but there is sunshine in the forecast! Hallelujah! Today we are matching the sunny forecast with this cute Sunshine in a Box craft.

Isn't it bright and cheerful?! It's also a breeze to make! Here's what you need:

• Sunshine in a box


• Stain


• Paint


• Vinyl


• Brushes

First step, place the pieces in the box and take note which side of the pieces you'll be painting. Then take out the pieces and set them aside. Start by staining the box. You'll stain all the sides and the inside bottom. Set it aside to dry.

Now, time to paint the sunshine.

Paint the pieces as shown in the picture below. We used 3 colors of yellow (Straw, Crocus Yellow, Custard Cream) and white. Be sure to paint the sides of each piece too. Two to three coats is just right.

Once the circle piece is dry, apply the vinyl. We decided to do a custom vinyl for ours using our Silhouette, but the Wood Connection has vinyl for this project that says “You are my sunshine.” We love both options!

When everything is dry, place the pieces in the box. You can glue them in place if you choose using wood glue, or even hot glue. Now, sit back and welcome the summer sunshine with your bright and cheery sunshine in a box!

We weren't kidding, that was quick right? It's just perfect for Spring and Summer!

For lots more crafts and some great Spring and Summer ideas head over to our site FinditMakeitLoveit.com and we'll hook you up with things like:

Apple S'mores

And

Jolly Rancher Lollipops

We hope you have a fantastic Memorial Day!

The post Box of Sunshine appeared first on The Wood Connection Blog.

MY CRAFT CHANNEL: PATRIOTIC BANNER

With the 4th of Just around the corner we are showing you how to make a festive banner.

Take 25% off Banners when you shop online at thewoodconnection.com and use code “starsandstripes” or in stores and mention My Craft Channel. Valid through June 10, 2016

The post MY CRAFT CHANNEL: PATRIOTIC BANNER appeared first on The Wood Connection Blog.

A Custom Daybed Story

We are making more and more custom pieces of furniture for clients (or myself). While it looks like a really simple, fast process where we just show a cute, hipster furniture builder a photo from a magazine and say “Hey, Wilson, can you make this but smaller, bluer, and deeper?” it is actually so much work. Every single tiny detail has to be specified, not just width, height, and depth. You have to think about the joints, the finish, the dimensions of each piece in every way, how those pieces are put together, what direction the grain or fabric should run and of course ensuring that it is the most functional, comfortable as well as stylish possible. Going “custom” isn't cost-effective or time-saving, no, but what you get is exactly what YOU want and something that should be unique and perfect for your space.

We needed a seating area in this playroom and while a sofa in that niche would have been fine, a wall-to-wall custom daybed would maximize the function of the space which was for reading and cuddling. Plus, I had serious canopy and pillow styling dreams that needed a daybed to be fulfilled.

First step was finding inspiration. Melanie and I (Mel was the project manager and design lead on this job) scoured Pinterest for our favorite low slouchy built-in daybeds.

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

I knew that simple would be better both stylistically, budget-wise, and to help maximize the space. We wanted it to feel chunky, heavy, and solid. I loved all of the above for different reasons. I showed them to my builder and he said all were doable for roughly the same price. I ultimately decided on doing a version of #1 (design by Alexander Design and Build) because it felt the most right stylistically. The feet felt too “furniture-y” and I really wanted it to feel permanent. The fourth one (plywood on both sides) felt to scandy and minimal for the house. So I was down to #1 and #3. One thing that I thought they would want is a ledge to hold drinks. It was mom-to-mom advice as I know that I'm always struggling for a safe place to put my coffee or wine in the family room out of reach of those Go-Go-Disaster-Arm children. So I thought I could do a version of #3 that had a ledge on top.

Option #1 was based on that first inspiration pic with some changes – no back, cute bolsters instead, etc.

Here are some things you probably didn't know you needed to think about – if you say 4″ cushion that probably means a total of 6″ height because the cushions are higher in the middle. I've gotten that wrong before and the cushion has been too high. Also foam and feather/down also affect the height so make sure to specify that as well.

This option allowed for the drink ledge that I secretly want:

Ultimately I thought that the first option was so much prettier and I was worried that the drink ledge would look REALLY stupid. I realized that putting a back on the daybed would potentially decrease the comfort as the height of the back could hit in the wrong spot on your back or neck. Ultimately, the second rendering was a way worse design. I think it could have been tweaked and salvaged but we all loved #1 so we moved forward with that.

The next step was getting quotes on building that bad boy. Our budget was decent (I prioritized this piece into the budget) but timing-wise we were on a rush and needed it within 10 days. So I found Colin who quoted us $1600 for all materials, labor, delivery, and install. If you think that is a lot of money, you are right. If you think that is over priced, you are wrong. Hiring skilled people who maintain a shop, who will source materials, build, perfect, finish/stain, load up, transfer, install, and sign off on a piece is a hefty price tag. Now this piece is simple and I think that many of you could make it yourself – maybe not as beautifully, but if you can then you should. I couldn't so we had to pay for it.

Of course the daybed also needed that cushion which wasn't included (I KNOW).

We had to source the fabric. Mel went sourcing downtown for a couple of hours and we chose this super cute, poppy coral. The original plan was gray – something quiet so the pillows could pop, but at the last-minute we shifted gears and went coral. After doing this daybed I advise that one should always shift gears to go coral.

Once the fabric was chosen we had to specify how it was going to be sewn. There are too many seam, stitching, tufting, welting and thread options out there.

Again, the drawing:

We wanted a boxed cushion but no boxing on the front, which sounds weird but it's what my sectional has and it's a new trend in upholstery. It's like a waterfall on front but on the sides its boxy and firm (not a knife-edge).

That drawing isn't to scale so I kept thinking that the legs were too close together or the frame was too high (see how the frame says 3″ which is about the same size as the 6″ on the legs?) If it had been for a paying client, we would have rendered them up properly for their ultimate sign off and approval, but I could see past these issues and we moved forward (plus we were in a huge hurry).

All in all, the daybed took a lot of man hours to spec, draw, design, coordinate, and install. But once it was done, it truly was perfect. Lets talk numbers:

Daybed construction and materials from furniture builder: $1600

Fabric: $251.79 (10 yards I believe)

Cushion materials and labor: $380

Total: $2231.79

Type of wood: cab pine. Colin gave us some options but we loved how it looked and it was relatively affordable.

Who would have thought that something so simple would be so time-consuming and expensive? Answer: all designers. Custom work costs money for good reason. I'm really big on valuing skilled labor, which you would think would be a common thing, but it's not. Because mass retailers manufacture sofas for $1500 doesn't mean that a one-off should cost the same. It shouldn't. A small artisan operation should charge more than the manufacturer that makes 25 or 2500 of the same piece. Now that I've written this post I'm sure that there will be many-a-less-expensive mass retailer imitation of this piece (hopefully), but when you are producing one thing with specific measurements and materials, it's custom, special, and expensive but worth it.  

In case you missed the whole playroom reveal, go here.

Let me in on what you are thinking. Are you SHOCKED that something so simple is $2200 or after I broke it down does it start to make sense? I think there is absolutely a way to do your own version of this on a budget but we didn't have the time to experiment nor the manpower to do that. Thoughts?

Sources:

Yellow Polka Dot Pillow | Wooden Architectural Blocks | White Flower Applique Flower Pillow | Dip Dye Bed Canopy | Pom Pom Pillow | Panda Head Throw Pillow | Pink Book Shelf | Pink Stripe Area Rug | Multicolored Tassel Throw Pillow | Corduroy Bean Bag Chair | Flower Bear Throw Pillow | Ice Cream Cone Throw Pillow | Hooray Throw Pillow | Flamingo Throw Pillow | Oh Joy Tassel Pillow | Party Hedgehog Figurine | Crosby Swing Arm Sconce | My House Charcoal Wallpaper

Liked this post? Check out these others: Sara Updates Her Childhood Bedroom – The Reveal, Playroom Makeover With PillowFort, The Easiest Guest Room Makeover Ever,Brady's DIY Peel and Stick Kitchen Flooring (For Under $50), A DIY Kitchen Redo Under $400, Who Pays For Design Mistakes, How To Layout A Narrow Living Room, New Kitchen Project and Design Plan.

*Photo by Tessa Neustadt

The post A Custom Daybed Story appeared first on Emily Henderson.

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY

Hello everyone, Jenn here from Housewives of Riverton and I'm so excited to show you how I created this 4th of July Wooden Plank Sign. I love how it turned out and think you'll want one too!

To create this sign you'll need the following:

4th Letter Set



Framed Plank Sign



Wood Stain

JULY wooden letters

Happy wooden letters or sign

Foam Paint Brushes

Red/White/Blue Paint

Black Vinyl for “of”

Small Banner Pieces

Wood Glue

Sanding Block

You'll start your project by staining the 4th letters and the entire framed plank sign.



While waiting for the stain to dry you'll want to paint Hello red, July blue, and cut “of” out in black vinyl (you can also write it with a sharpie if you don't have the vinyl once the stain and paint is dry).

Once the stain is dry paint the planks white.

I didn't want a solid white paint so I watered it down a little and did a bit of a white wash on the planks. Once it was dry I slightly distressed the paint where the planks came together. I also distressed the letters for JULY.

Once everything is painted you can start laying out your words/letters until you have things just how you want them.

When you have things laid out how you want using a pencil or a small pin mark the planks so you know exactly where to place them once you have glue on the backside.

This sign makes me so happy whenever I look at it. To add a little extra fun I added a little red/white/blue banner that I picked up in the Target dollar spot, it adds just the right amount of extra cuteness. You can also make your own banner easily, The Wood Connection has a wonderful collection of red/white/blue paper that would make a darling banner.

Head on over to Housewives of Riverton, we're giving away a $25 Wood Connection Gift Card which will help you make this sign yourself!

The post HAPPY 4TH OF JULY appeared first on The Wood Connection Blog.

Should We Paint Wood Paneling?

 

Hey all, it's Ginny here with another design agony and this time we're talking about painting wood paneling. Our client Mickey emailed us with the following question:

Should I paint our den/office? I know it's ugly paneling, but the built-ins are beautiful solid wood and very high quality. I cannot decide what to do! I've been contemplating this for 3 years now. I feel like the room is dark (the curtains aren't helping), and I haven't put any style/decor effort in because I don't love the space. My husband LOVES this room just the way it is (of course, men love that gross paneling!). So, my question is, should I paint it? If so, do I have to paint everything (paneling, built-ins, and trim)? Or can I simply paint over the paneling and leave the trim and built ins? And if I leave the built-ins as is, do I paint the paneling that's behind them – you can see it in the shelf space. Also, if I paint the room do I have to paint the section of ceiling in the bay window that is wood (last picture). Finally, if you do think I should paint it, do you think I should go light or with a cool indigo or bolder color? I need help!!!!

The rest of our house is painted in whites or very light greys/beiges, with white trim. I would say the style of the house is cottage-y. We live in a rural setting in Pennsylvania.

From the before photos you can see that the bones are pretty good, and the cabinet doors are simple in style with no fussy flourishes. But the main issue here is definitely the color – it's just way too orange. We narrowed it down to two main design directions (white vs blue) that Mickey could follow, and in both instances we recommended painting all of the wood work in the same color, including the shelves, framing and back wall.  By doing that it would feel more cohesive and impactful. Let us be clear – if you have a beautiful wood den, or wood paneling in any color in a pretty tone that you love, KEEP IT. We love beautiful original wood as much as the next guy. But if its orange and dated then you do have some options.

Paint Colors: White Dove by Benjamin Moore | Cabbage White by Farrow and Ball | Wevet by Farrow and Ball

This is what we sent to Mickey along with our recommendation:

With what you have said about the rest of your house being light and airy it might be nice to bring that theme into this room too.  In option 1 we are suggesting that you paint everything in a soft white, something that it not too stark but has a calming feel to it.  You could also add some other pops of colour in here on your seat bench, and we'd suggest that you paint the underside of the window seat ceiling to match.  It will feel super fresh and compliment the amount of natural lighting you have coming in through the windows.  We suggest to remove the drapes and instead do simple roman shades.  We also think that you could do away with the window treatments altogether, unless you need them for privacy.  With either drapes or shades, you're going to lose some light because they are mounted on the inside and will end up covering part of the window. This is another reason for us suggesting to remove them.  We would paint out the room first before tackling the windows.

Paint Colors: Cooks Blue by Farrow and Ball | Stiffkey Blue by Farrow and Ball | Lulworth Blue by Farrow and Ball

Our second option is to go for a dusty blue colour.  We feel this is the one we would suggest you go for, because it'll bridge the gap between you wanting to repaint and your husband wanting to keep it dark. Whilst we love the idea of the white, it might be really fun to bring in some colour to your house if you mainly have whites, greys and neutrals elsewhere.  This could be a super cosy reading room, and you already have the leather chairs that would look amazing against the blue.  We're also suggesting to do the fabric on the built-ins blue too, with maybe a stripe or pattern to give some texture.  We would take the drapery advise above and get another great blue that works with the wall colour.  You could always do a white shade to keep the windows feeling white if you didn't want to go full on blue. Accessorize with leather, white and greys.  We are actually very excited by this route and I hope you go for it! 

We also suggested that they replace the hardware to something that would pop more against the new colour. Take a look at what we got back from them after they painted.

They wasted no time at all in painting the room and sent us some progress shots along with a note:

We absolutely loved the design and went with the stiffkey blue. I started priming that same day. I was able to restore the existing hardware. I attached some pictures, but the lighting isn't the best. For the decor I used pieces around the house that we already had and will continue to refine as time and budget allow. It is still very much a work in progress.

Thank you for all your help. Our den is a million times better now and we LOVE the blue – even my husband is glad we made the switch :) I couldn't have done it without your help!

We love the leather and wood accents that are in here now.  And I think swapping out some of the wood photo frames to black on the shelves will help them bring in another colour to the room.  I think a mix of blue, white and black pillows would also look awesome in here too.

Look how amazing her knobs came out that she restored. They are super fun and full of character and well worth keeping. They pop off the cabinetry way more now and accent the wall colour beautifully.

Even though I don't love the idea of blocking the light, I might be tempted to hang roman shades on the windows just to add some softness for the colder months.  I also like the pop of white from the seat bench but I'd still love to see a patterned fabric on here or even a throw blanket draped over.

Considering Mickey pulled together a few things she had from around the rest of the house, it's looking really cute.  I'm actually really glad they went with the blue because it makes it feel like a cozy library and really modernizes the paneling. If it were my space I'd totally want to hang out here and read a book with a cup of tea.

Interested in having us help you out with a room layout or full redesign? Visit our services page for more details.

***Design boards by Melanie Burstin for EHD with design direction by Ginny Macdonald, overseen by Emily Henderson. Post written by Ginny (with a few additions by EH). 

Want more Design Agony and E-Design posts? Check out some of these: How To Lay Out A Narrow Living Room, Master Bedroom Refresh Plan, Kitchen Nook Refresh, Cures for a Maple Orange Kitchen, Rustic Mid-Century Family Room, Neutral California Nursery, Moonrise Kingdom Kid's Room.

The post Should We Paint Wood Paneling? appeared first on Emily Henderson.

Notes from the Road (6) - Ivan eats Real Fried Chicken (RFC)

As we headed south out of Virginia, the warmth of the southern sun and the allure of real home cooking got us off the interstate. Ivan was hungry and not particular, but I wanted him to experience The South. As we passed fast food joints one after another, I explained that we were on a mission to find real southern food. And then I saw it.

The square 1950's plastic sign by the road said "MARY'S DINER". The building looked like an old shut-down business of some sort, but I saw what I was looking for...lots of cars parked out front. As we ambled in, past the gum ball machines in the front entryway, I knew we had found heaven. The smell of real southern fried chicken mixed with the clink of forks on real plates instantly set my mind at ease and my stomach into overdrive.

I gazed across the restaurant, ascertained that this was a buffet-style eatery, and the line was at the back. We tried to appear nonchalant as we made our way back, but the folks at each table scrutinized us as we passed and instantly recognized us as strangers. Thankfully, the first waitress we met smiled and asked sweetly, "Ya'll want menus or buffet?" I could have kissed her.

As we reached the line, a literal feast of freshly-fried love met our eyes, and the steam of hot mashed potatoes and collard greens filled our nostrils. The first hostess, a charming young lady of 75 or so, asked what we would like. Knowing that we had a long drive ahead, I opted for a light lunch...fried chicken and pork chops, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn on the cob, collard greens, carrots, green beans, cornbread, biscuits, and a huge slab of pecan pie. All with about three huge glasses of sweet, sweet tea to wash it down. Ivan followed my lead exactly. The last thing I remembered was him muttering "Vedy gud" a dozen or so times between bites.

We came to an hour or so later in the front seat of our rental car. Next stop, Atlanta, Georgia.

....

We hit Atlanta at five o'clock, which was the wrong thing to do. Fortunately, we were headed in, and everybody else in Northern Georgia was headed out. Just as we hit downtown, the GPS told us to exit and we headed a few blocks north. In about a half-mile, we saw Carlton McLendon Rare Woods and Veneers, navigated across a few lanes of traffic, and pulled the car up behind the building.

The owner of the business, Richard Kuehndorf, met us at his back door. I had met Richard online through my wood collection efforts, and he had invited us to stop by. The business was a simple affair, just a couple of small brick buildings from the 1920's. He led us to the back building first. What I saw next, it is fair to say, blew me away.

As Richard opened the door, the delightful, distinctive smell of old wood engulfed us like a warm wave in the Gulf of Mexico. From the concrete floor to the rafters, old planks and timbers were stacked loosely by species. This is one of those points where I really miss the video I shot, because the stories Richard shared with us over the next hour or so overwhelmed my feeble brain and all I can recall was Wood Everywhere. But the one thing I do remember is that Richard showed an obvious love and respect for the original owner of the business, under whom he had learned the business himself. From the company's website...

"Carlton McLendon is well known around the world as the founding father of the Victorian reproduction furniture industry. Even though he sold his operation in 1970 to retire, you can still see his furniture actively sought after in the antiques markets today. 

After a short while he realized he didn't like being retired and decided to share his knowledge of wood. He naturally had active resources and made them available to the local craftsman and do-it-yourselfers. In 1976 Carlton decided to go full blast into the retail environment with the purchase of a historic building in midtown Atlanta. Only a few years later he bought the building next door to expand further. We have grown with Atlanta and are proud and prospering in the same buildings for 40 years later."

Mr. McLendon passed on a few years ago, but his spirit lives on in Mr. Kuehndorf's mindful stewardship of the business. If you're ever in the Atlanta area, and you're a true wood lover, pass up all those tourist traps and hit Rare Woods and Veneers. It will be one of the best days of your life. Tell Richard you know me and he'll give you the Go Wood discount, which is a free cup of coffee.

As good as this day was, this trip was just starting to warm up. Ivan was about to find himself in the swamps of Northern Florida.

Everyday Mini Banner

I love the idea of hanging a banner in your kitchen window, but I wanted one that I could leave up all year round.  So I came up with this “SIMPLIFY” banner because it's always a good reminder.  And to make it even better I made it reversible!  So anytime I have reason to celebrate anything…birthdays, graduation, good grades or whatever it is you want to celebrate all I have to do is flip it around!  No digging through a drawer or box to find it.  It's already there and super convenient!

Supplies needed:

11 mini flag banner

lots of paint

scrapbook paper

alphabet stickers or Cricut

2 yards bakers twine

sanding block

foam paint brushes

wood glue

First use your sanding block to smooth all rough edges on all sides of the banner pieces.  Then paint them white on both sides and all edges.  I did 2 coats where the letter would be showing through.

If you have a Cricut you can cut out your own letters (this is what I did), but you can also buy alphabet stickers at your favorite craft store.  Starting with the “celebrate” side, stick your letters on and paint a light coat of white paint over the top of them.  This will help prevent bleeding when you paint your next color.  That way you will have nice clean lines when you pull up the stickers.

Then paint each banner piece a different color.  Here is the list of colors I used:

Tangerine

Bittersweet Orange

Crocus Yellow

Apple Green

Kelly Green

Sea Foam

Tahiti Blue

Seafoam

Navy Blue

The paint colors I used for this side are Sea Foam and Charcoal.

When you flip your banner pieces around to do the other side make sure you do it the right way.  The “E” on the end of “CELEBRATE” should become your “S” at the beginning of “SIMPLIFY”.

Now for the “Simplify” side.  Put your letters on first and apply a thin coat of white over the top to help create clean lines.  Then paint your top color part way down.

Next, tape off the top and again apply a coat of the Sea Foam blue this time over the tape line to again help create a clean line.  Then paint Charcoal over the whole top, making sure you don't paint on the sides.  Once it's dry you can peel off the letters and the tape.

For the end pieces apply your favorite paper with the wood glue.  String the whole thing together and you're done!  To help string it together, I used a wide eye needle to pull it through.  It makes it much easier!

Now I have a cute banner that stays up all year long and I can just flip it anytime there is a reason to celebrate!  I love it!!!

The post Everyday Mini Banner appeared first on The Wood Connection Blog.