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Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Dinnerware ... A Conversation Starter?

Hi Everyone!

I believe there is nothing better than the details in life.  The party that has everything prepared and ready so the hostess can be with her guests instead of in the kitchen for example.  Or the little details spread throughout the house to tie the whole design together.  A perfect party wouldn't be complete with out some great dinnerware!  In my last post there was some interest in the whimsical tea set I photographed, so I decided to pull together a few favorites and just plain interesting pieces that will make a statement for any dinner party!


Pretty cool collection "Dressed for Dinner"!  Definitely a conversation starter!

You can find this cute little tea set here!

I love these glasses, they are even better in person - flawless and make the water (in the glass) look so crisp and refreshing.  
You can find them here in tons of colors!


I really love this scribbled black & white coffee set by Esther Coombs.  I don't know if this set is produced anymore, but there are some great pieces in her collection! 

These Diane von Furstenburg wine glasses are on my "to get" list, for sure!
 Diane von Furstenburg
This collection is by Marcel Wanders

This brilliantly designed asymmetrical tea set is called Five Senses Centuries by Barbara Schmidt & Andreas Meissner.


I mean - a city made out of plates and glasses - brilliant!  How much better could it get - not to mention my favorite part are the floor plans on the faces of the plates!
Can find it here or here.
Fantastic Idea!  Bowls by Obol.
You can find these cute everyday mugs here.



Spider Web Inspired (however I just like the geometric look) by Baita Design.


Thanks for stopping by!

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Interior Design & a little SOUL

Over the weekend, I was in Austin for a dinner party and I always get excited to visit the laid back dog friendly city!  After living there for 2 years and visiting my whole life it is a great place for me to get away or mix up it up.

Anyway... I have always wanted to stay at this great boutique hotel in South Austin, The Saint Cecilia.  However, because it is a small hotel and I rarely plan ahead, it is almost always booked.  But this time I got in and we were lucky enough to stay in one of the bungalows which are very private, surrounded by trees and the main house is a historic landmark!  This pet friendly hotel literally has soul built in and interesting quirks around each corner.  The owner Liz Lambert did a fantastic job and it has set the bar high for any other hotel.  Every little detail was thought out and I didn't want to leave... there was even a record player in our room - it was fun! 

Plus, if you are traveling with dogs it is a great place to stay.  Not only did they offer us dog bowls and beds for our pups but there was a little park right across the street!  The hospitality was really wonderful and I won't ever forget it.

Here are some pics for you guys!





photograph by Allison V. Smith

 




 This is the view of the patio below our bungalow.  I love the blue stained saltillo tiles!  Great D.I.Y project for anyone who has saltillo tile in their home. 



Thanks for stopping by!






Thursday, November 3, 2011

Furry Photos by Sharon Montrose

This is one of those ideas that you wish you had thought of!  Sharon Montrose beat us to the punch:  she combines her love of animals and photography.  By melding her two passions she creates perfect photos for any home or nursery.  A modern and simple backdrop makes a spot for these cute baby animals to shine!  Add these prints to your gift list if you have any pregnant friends!



All images can be purchased here.

        Thanks for stopping by!  

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Inspiration Image of the Day - Brazil

It's not every day you see a sunken living room!  I love them because they are so unique!  Plus, the idea of different levels in a house excites me.   The way Isay Weinfeld, the architect for this Brazilian beauty, incorporated the book shelves in this room was very cool.  

Image via Architectural Digest

Thanks for stopping by! 
 

Monday, October 31, 2011

Restoration Hardware Recreation Disaster... well almost!

If you are like me... you may love Restoration Hardware but you do not love the prices!  To be honest I'm kind of sick of them.  I've decided to take matters into my own hands and recreate some of their looks.  


Restoration Recipe: 

Restoration Hardware Price: $2990 
WPG's Price:  $450 


Time: 4 hours

Tools you may need:
Hammer
Screw driver
Phillips head screw driver
Wood Glue 
Electric sander
Sand paper (in 220, 100 & 80 grit)
Damp old towel
Blower or vacuum
Mod Podge
Newspapers
Ralph Lauren (or another brand) acrylic metallic paint
Foam brushes (disposable)
New knobs



StartFind some old dressers for a great price - that are in pretty good condition!



Prep Work: 

1.  Start by taking off the old hardware
2.  Sand the old finish off.  For the new paint to stick, it can't be shiny.  Any small areas, fold use the sand paper.  If it is looking real scratchy then you need to use a lighter sand paper grit.  The lower the number the more coarse, so use a higher number if it is scratching.  Click here to answer any sanding questions you might have!
3.  Get out the blower!  I loved using the blower to clean our all of the drawers and get rid of the old spider webs and any bugs that might be in the dressers!  Plus it got rid of the sanding residue... :)
4.  Wipe down the entire dresser with a damp cloth to get the rest of the "sand" off. 

This is also the time to make any repairs - for example I had to reattach the backing in some areas on one dresser.  I also repaired two of the legs with new screws and some wood glue (tie the area tight with string & let it dry for a while).  





Why not Paper Mache...

I decided to Paper Mache the dressers so they would look more like "metal" after the paint...  This was also my first time to Paper Mache - I loved it by the way!

1.  Cut strips of newspaper or any other paper you want to use
2.  Apply the Mod Podge to the area you are going to apply the paper (one section at a time)
3.  Place the paper over the "glue" and then spread more Mod Podge over the paper and smooth out the air bubbles. 
4.  Continue this over the entire dresser. 

This was the result - which looks really cool! You leave it like this!  But just apply an acrylic sealer over the paper so it will last! 


 


  
Time to Paint! 

1. Get your painting supplies out!  I used Ralph Lauren's Metallic Paint in RL - 03
2. I like the black sponge brushes because they are easy to use & give a pretty good finished look. 
3. Apply 2-3 coats until you cannot see the wood or in this case the paper through the paint.








And here it is... The Duck Tape Dresser!
I think it could have been cool if I had done larger pieces of paper and smoothed the wrinkles better.




The Pretty One: 

So........  I tried it out with just paint on the other dresser. 
It looked MUCH better!  :)  Now I just have to add the knobs... and re-do the duck-tape dresser!






In the end, I decided a paper mache dresser looks cool but just not with the paint over it (or at least not the way I did it).  I definitely think this replaced the Resoration Hardware nightstands because I made them myself, saved a ton of money and they will still give the same look to any room! 

Let me know your thoughts?  Which one do you like... be honest?


Only one more project to go before unveiling the completed WPG master bedroom! 

Thanks for stopping by!

Friday, October 28, 2011

My List is Full... and I'm happy about it!

Happy Friday Everyone! 

I'm ready for some projects!  No out of town trips - just me and a huge list of fun things to do.  Two projects are included in the previous Master Bedroom post and then the other is a dining room project.  Hopefully I can get all of it finished for you guys by next week! 

DINING ROOM INSPIRATIONBlack Crow Studios creates graphic wallpapers and murals in a new way!  They have a very edgy touch and are creative to say the least!  I'm using this inspiration pic for my dining room walls - stay tuned for the before and afters!  



Hope you have a great weekend!

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Grandeur with Emerald

This is a little post for all of the green lovers!  Let's face it... I'm one of them!  Emeralds, a silk dress and green leather - need I say more?!!!  This library is one of my favorite rooms of all time! 

Everyone  needs a little green in their life!  Use something bold like this amazing Diane Von Furstenburg rug or for the more neutral at heart use a small patterened pillow or just some flowers!  

Have a good one!
-WPG

1.  Climbing Leopard Rug by Diane Von Furstenburg    2.  Image from here     3.  Kelley Dress by Jerri Moore    
4. Lettuce Flowers from The Knot    5.   Unknown Source     6. Anthropologie    7.  Image Diane Von Furstenburg's home