Crisp & Clean

In 2001, we knocked out a wall to create an entry way and give the illusion of a larger dining room - I chose Benjamin Moore, Provence Yellow for the walls.

circa 2012

With the limited space in our little cottage, we wanted each room to flow into one another.

summer 2014

But, times have changed - in 2001, Steve was a businessman, not a full time artist and our house was not the art studio/gallery that it is today.

In 2007, after studying under the artist, John Comer, Steve began prepping his canvases/boards with orange tone house paint to make the colors pop.

beginning of a commission Steve is working on of a neighbor's daughter and fiancee

The trouble is, against the Provence Yellow walls, the paintings do not "pop" and for a long time, I have wanted to paint the walls white to create a better backdrop for Steve's work.

Recently, "Mr. Bill", our neighbor and house painter, tackled the entry way, dining room and guest room.

We are happy with the crisp, clean look in our little cottage.

Previously, the sand of Hanalei Beach in "The Descendants" blended into the yellow walls, but now the sand stands out.

There were no decor changes made in the entry other than to organize the inside of the cabinet.

For now my old classroom stool graces the entry, but I have some ideas for Halloween decor soon.

"Ha'ena From Tunnels" pops against the white wall reminding us of our recent vacation.

Like the entry, there were few changes in the dining room decor.

Blue and white dishes tie in

with the blue and white of the new SUN SEA SAND pillows on the window seat.

The yellow of my favorite skinny table looks better against a white wall too as does the Ventura Visitor's Bureau poster that features one of Steve's paintings.

I opted to use just two chairs for now and am deciding if I will paint them both blue or leave them as is.

I have no idea if this crisp white color scheme made the difference, but in the 2 weeks since Mr. Bill transformed our entry and dining room, Steve sold a painting and received 3 commissions from visitors to the studio/gallery.

And that is a good thing because after my "asthma episode" we need to be able to go away on a mini vacation while Mr. Bill is painting the rest of the house.

With the entry way and dining room complete, I had time to finish organizing the garage for my creativity.

But, there will be very little creativity for me this week because I need to sand this floor before the bed arrives on Saturday to finish off the guest room.

I work around the house and garden every single day, but it doesn't seem like I ever finish - how did I ever decorate my house when I was working full time?

A Table That Fits

In 2001, we knocked down a wall in our utility room to create an entry way,

built a window seat, 

sold our circular oak table and ordered a custom table to fit the proportions of the tiny dining room,

and voila, we had a dining room we loved.

BUT, Steve has hated the custom built table since the day it arrived - he thought it was too short and narrow.

On New Year's Eve day, Steve and I drove into Los Angeles and hand picked reclaimed wood from a recycler to create a new table top for our existing table.

Steve cut the wood to the right length, glued the 5 boards together and attached the new table top to the existing table base.

We wanted a rough look to the table, but we knew we also didn't want to get splinters every time we sat at the table.

So Steve began the messy process of sanding, brushing, more sanding, more brushing - 

all in the dining room because the table top is so heavy and we didn't know if it would fit through the door if we worked outside.

Next came 5 coats of urethane to protect the wood from spillage and our fingers from splinters.

And finally, last night, we at dinner on our new tabletop.

We are over the top happy with the rustic look and the larger size.

I can put a centerpiece on the table and leave it while we eat.

If you look closely, you can see the distance from the edge of the chair to the edge of the table is different from the first tabletop to the second.

This new rustic tabletop gives us about 5 inches more on each side and edge of the table.

Now I want to paint the table base and chairs in Annie Sloan Chalk Paint - Old White.

My project list in 2014 isn't getting shorter because each project triggers 5 more projects.

Such is life!

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I am joining these lovely bloggers

Savvy Southern Style - Wow Us Wednesdays

Jennifer Rizzo - Fabulously Creative Friday

Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson - Share Your Cup

Rose Chintz Cottage - Home

Ivy & Elephants - What's It Wednesday

No Minimalist Here - Open House Party

Beyond the Picket Fence - Under $100 Link Party

On a mission . . . from empty to finished in 5 days

KC moved to town last Sunday to a duplex filled with boxes and her limited furniture.

Like a tornado whipping through town, KC took that empty space and turned it into her own special haven.

Yesterday afternoon when I dropped by to take photos, she was relaxing on her sofa in a space decorated perfectly for her and the lifestyle she lives.

Her bedroom was finished on Monday morning except for the headboard that she redid Wednesday afternoon.

2 yards of blue suede, 134 nails and 1 blister were all it took to obtain a stylish and sophisticated look.

Nautical accents show KC's love of the ocean.

KC rented her place sight unseen and was pleasantly surprised that the bedroom was larger than she expected.

The kitchen came with only a stove so she shopped around for an apartment size refrigerator.

Favorite quotes, save the dates and pictures add color to the white room.

I gave her the K mug from Anthropologie several years ago so all she needed were the F and S to display knives, forks and spoons.

A butcher block cart from IKEA adds both a work surface and extra storage.

After I took the photos, she stole a large green metal basket from my hallway to replace the small wicker basket on the shelf.

The painting is a still life Steve did in an art class years ago.

KC had no dining room at her San Francisco apartment so she needed a table.

With limited space in the dining room, she opted for an outdoor bistro style table and chairs from IKEA.

  She "stole" the yellow bench from our bedroom to hold books and provide extra seating when she has company.

The "&" pillow is from Crate and Barrel.

The turquoise bar cart was a birthday present last May that I bought KC on my annual Mother's Day San Francisco visit.

I bought the CHEERS sign on the same visit and the painting of Fort Point is one Steve did for KC several years ago.

I can't believe what KC accomplished in 5 days - check here to see the living room.

I transplanted flowers from my garden to her yard today, but I am not nearly as productive.

It will take me far more than 5 days to create a garden worth photographing.

 And, I have to fill holes in my house created by all of KC's thievery.

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I am joining these parties

Twigg Studios - Sunday Showoff Linky Party

My Romantic Home - Show and Tell Friday

Funky Junk Interiors - Party Junk 210

The Dedicated House - Anything Blue and Pink Friday

VMG 206 - DIY Sunday Showcase