What do all these rooms have in common?

If you said they're all designed by Mary McDonald and include her trade mark Greek key....YOU'RE RIGHT!

And be sure to check out her new book here.

(***Top two mages via Mary McDonald's website. Others via La Dolce Vita.***)

Cleveland Christmas.

I announced Cleveland Christmas yesterday at the perfect time, as Cleveland proceeded to get what seemed like foot after foot of big fluffy white snowflakes. The roads were covered, the sidewalks were covered, and my Ugg boots were covered after I took all these beautiful pictures. Hope you enjoy!



























Happy Holidays!

Cleveland Christmas.

I'm so lucky to live where I do, in Coventry Village. Once Cleveland's mini version of San Francisco's Haight Ashbury, it was a favorite hangout of hippies and counterculture youth in the 60's. And while it's still populated by a younger crowd, this is due in large part to Coventry's proximity to the universities in Cleveland.

I love my apartment with its giant moldings, gorgeous wood floors, beautiful french doors leading into the dining room, and tree-lined street. Today, Coventry retains its creative past, still attracting artists and musicians, while bringing in wealthy families who savor its classic architecture and eclectic neighborhood charm.

Christmas has arrived in Coventry like it has everywhere else this season. The houses look so beautiful decorated for the holidays that I decided to start a segment in December featuring exteriors ready for Christmas! The homes I feature are mainly from Coventry and surrounding areas such as Cleveland Heights and Shaker Heights, also noted for their drool-worthy homes.

Here's a tiny glimpse of what's to come. Looks like Santa came a little early this December.












(***All images by me. Please feel free to use them but link back to me as the source. Thank you.***)

Uncork the fun. (Cork walls)

Domino featured cork more than once, and every time I loved it. It's such a classic material, but something about using it on a wall is strikingly innovative and fresh. And I love how it allows so much space for displaying a few a million pictures, be it art, photographs, or favorite keepsakes from a life well-lived.




(Peonies annnnd a cork covered lamp with photobooth pictures and a vintage broach attached to it. Sigh.)



P.S. It's used in wine. It must be good, right? :)



(***Images via Domino. Last image me.***)

Chevron Rug Sneak Peak.

Well I installed the chevron rug in the bedroom. Here's a sneak peak to hold you over until tomorrow when the whole room will be styled and complete (hopefully!!).

DIY Chevron Rug Tutorial.

Confession 1: my post about chevron rugs the other day was not completely random. In the corner of my bedroom, two black rugs have been waiting very patiently to be painted and turned into chevron rugs. Yesterday, along with the help of my very sweet brother, I tackled this project.

Confession 2: You know those experiences in life that are hard and great and you're glad you did once, but you hope you never have to do again. This project goes into that category. With that said, I really love the result. Even a small chevron rug would not be possible with my current budget. And now I have a 7' X 10' beauty for my bedroom!

Start with a plain black rug.
I used two of these from WalMart. I found them around college move-in time on big time sale. I paid $25 for both of them! I haven't seen them this cheap since.

Next create a triangle template.
To do this, (1) I created a rectangle as wide as the rug (for me 60") and about half as tall (26" for my rug). Then I folded the rectangle in half (2) and created a line diagonally across. Finally, I cut along the line and ended up with my triangle template (3).



Trace your chevron lines onto the rug.
I laid the triangle along the bottom edge of the rug. With a piece of white chalk, I traced the zig zag. Next, I measured 18" up on both the left side and right side of the rug (to ensure a straight line across) and moved the template up and retraced the zigzag. Continue this until you have completed the whole rug.



Tape the lines.
Using the white chalk, I first put a "W" in the lines that would be painted white so I didn't get confused. Then I used painters tape to section off the lines. ***To avoid the same mistakes I made, use duct tape instead. For rug #2 I used duct tape instead and was a much happier girl during the painting portion. The tape actually stayed on the rug and I wasn't constantly re-alligning the tape and nervous that paint would get under the not-so-secure tape. This made the project a lot more enjoyable and
manageable!***
Make sure you put the tape on the black side of the chalk lines to ensure even chevron stripes throughout the rug.




Paint the white stripes.
I used regular white wall paint. I added a little bit of water, about 5 parts paint to 1 part water, and stirred well. Using a sponge roller, I went to work painting the rug my afore mentioned sweet brother went to work painting the rug. Please use duct tape and save yourself a lot of work and frustration. But if for some reason you use painter's tape, be veeerrrry careful when painting close to the tape and make sure the tape lines are straight and secure. We did three coats of white paint and ended up with a gray color. I liked this color for my bedroom so stopped here. If you want true white, continue coating white paint until you achieve the look you like.



Remove tape, let dry, and marvel at the beauty that some patience and hard work can create.
I let the rugs dry overnight and they were dry midway into the next day. Drying time will vary depending on the amount of coats you apply.


(Rug 1)


(Rug 2)



I still need to put the rugs together and install them in my bedroom. Cannot wait to see the completely finished affect in my bedroom, but I know it will be great. More pictures to follow soon!

Hopefully my insider tips will make this project a lot easier to tackle. Be brave and try this project yourself. Trust me, it's soooo worth it!

High and Low.

Remember the zebra padded headboard I mentioned that Grant K. Gibson used in the Elle Decor Showhouse, along side custom de Gournay wallpaper?


Gibson couldn't find the right fabric anywhere, until he strolled through his local Target that is. Yes, I said. Target. He ended up upholstering the headboards with a sheet he found that couldn't have cost more than $50.

I love when designers mix high and low. While the wallpaper cost a small fortune, you can cut costs in other places. WIth good design so accessible these days, you don't need to spend a lot of money to achieve a stunning effect. Not everything has to be a million bucks to make a space look great. And truth be told, it's often the unexpected material that brings a room to life. Sometimes the projects with the tightest budgets turn out the most innovative, because you have to be to make things work.


Check out Gibson's unveiling here, on his blog. It's really amazing. And that bathroom, ahhh. I won't even start! :)


P.S.

Ditto when it comes to fashion. The Olsen sisters know this all too well, as evidenced by the Converse and Givenchy combo seen above.