So Easy A Caveman Can Do It

I'm about to share with you a design secret that's been in my family for generations. Actually it hasn't, I just felt like sayin that. Truth is, my dear sister, Beuhler (not her real name, but the only name I ever call her because eveybody and their mother knows her!) shared this secret with me awhile back and it's changed my life forever.

I've decided that the best way to share this secret with you is by giving you a demonstration. I'll do a before....... and then an after. The theme is kids rooms. Specifically, a teenage girl's room. To achieve the sought-after designer look of this dramatic makeover, you must have two things. First, a great imagination. All of the great designers have this in common and it's not as hard as you may think to acquire. Secondly, a huge amount of will power. And that's it! Easy peasy. Even betta, I'm gonna show you how to do it in less time than it takes to say

What? Elbow grease? Fuhgetaboutit! This project is so easy you won't even break a sweat.
So are ya ready???
Here is the before:

And here is the after:

For your added convenience I've even included a list of materials. Cuz I'm nice like that.

Materials:
1 Door

Getting Started

Step 1: Walk up to your teenager's room.
Step 2: Shut the door.
Step 3: Every time you walk past the door, imagine that it looks like the after picture above.

Now, this designer secret can also be used in playrooms, basements and messy bathrooms. Just about any room that gives you the creeps or induces intense nausea when you walk by qualifies for this easy makeover tip.

Feel free to share this with your friends, co-workers and family members - especially those with teenagers.

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall.....

I have a question for you. Can a person have too many mirrors in their home? I've been doing a little Post-Holiday tweaking around here lately and I suddenly realized that I have a mirror at every turn! Seriously. Are guests going to stroll around my home and suddenly start hearing "Your So Vain" in the depths of their subconcious? I'm seriously worried here. I did take one down yesterday, but I still think there may be too many. These are the things I obsess about people.
Take a look see, and tell me what you think.
This one's in the Dining Room and it's the first thing you see when you walk into my home.

I got this mirror at Penney's and I love it so it's staying put.


This little guy I picked up at Goodwill for a couple bucks. It fills a small space next to my front door perfectly. I've tried so many different things here and this works the best.



I just redid this whole wall in my Living Room. I used to have a huge picture over the sofa, but since I replaced the old sofa with this new one I found on Craig's List, I had to take it down. I decided to do a wallscape using some vintage mirrors I had just been storing in my garage. I then added a couple of sconces I got at a thrift store for $2 a piece.

I was so afraid to do this at first. Just the thought of putting all of those holes in my walls, and then what if I hated it?? I couldn't even lay it out on the floor because I'd never be able to hang them exactly the same way. Too much work. Obsessing again, I know. I told you! I'm happy with the end result though.

Remember my friend Stacy? She moved last month and I inherited so many wonderful treasures from her, including these mirrors from Italy that I used in this wallscape.


The one in the middle I found at a yard sale last summer and it matched the others so it worked.


The last one is a mirror that I got from Sam's Club a few years back and it's huge. The frame is what really makes it. I've never seen a large mirror with a frame of this scale. It kinda makes the room complete.



Individually, I love them all. But as a whole, is it too much? Is this the House of Mirrors? Does it resemble the Fun House at the carnival? Help me out here.

On another note, I let my little buddy play hooky today and we're having a fun little PJ day. Got alot to get done around here today. After all, it's alot of work to keep all of these mirrors clean!

Don't You Just Love A BahGain!

If you've been following me for a while, you know about my love affair with Craig's List. My favorite thing to do is sit at my desk with my coffee and hunt for treasures in the comfort of my own home with some good music in the background. Does it really get any better than that? Or this?

I spotted this on Craig's List the other morning and my heart started palpitating immediately. You know that feeling. The "I gotta have that or I'm gonna die" feeling? I've been looking for a new sofa for my Living Room for months.

The old one was busy and outdated and I wanted something neutral that I could dress up with pillows.
When I saw this brown leather beauty, I knew it would be perfect. The design, beautiful wood carvings and nailhead trim make it perfect for a formal Living Room setting. And when I showed it to my friend Stacy, she immediately recognized it as a Duncan Phyfe.



Of course nothing is ever easy. We had a heck of a time getting it out of the seller's home. They couldn't have been nicer though. I still haven't had a bad experience on CL and continue to meet the most amazing people!
I think it looks right at home in my Living Room. In fact, I decided not to dress it up with pillows after all. At least not yet. Don't wanna hide any of her beauty.

I almost forgot to mention the best part. I only paid $125!!!!! Can you believe it? And Stacy was right, it is a Duncan Phyfe. Hubby Googled it, and it retails for over $4,000! We paid far less than the shipping cost for the whole sofa! Ha! Of course it's not in perfect condition. There is some wear on the leather and the wood sustained some damage in the move, and a year or so ago that may have bothered me. But as the rest of you bloggers know, and I have learned, it doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful!
Thanks for stopping by, and enjoy your weekend!