On the Armoir

A Beginning

I had a chance to dig in to my Christmas decorating on Saturday. There are a few odds and ends that need to be finished up by Thursday, but I thought maybe you would enjoy a little peek at the top of my piano. More pictures later this week...

Keeping it Simple~ Decorating Essentials

As I mentioned a couple days ago, I am moving my decorating philosophy much closer to a simple, less-is-more mantra. I have always enjoyed shopping for decor, but I now have very specific ideals to focus on when faced with a purchase decision.

With three little boys and a small home, I don't have space for a large collection of beautiful elements that can wait around for specific seasons or a nesting mood to strike. Storage is certainly at a premium, and too many decorative items on display at once can easily add to a cluttered atmosphere.

For those of you interested in either paring down a large amount of stuff into something more manageable, or in the beginning stages of gathering your own collection, I will share my personal list of decorating essentials.

A Clean, Uncluttered Home

Speaking as much to myself as anyone who happens to be reading, if I don't spend some time cleaning and decluttering my home, no amount of decorating is going to make it a peaceful place to live. Sometimes I need to take down all the peripheral stuff and take a look around. Just one beautiful centerpiece can look stunning when it isn't competing with chaos. And, again, too many decorative items on display can create a cluttered atmosphere of their own.

A Spot For Beauty
I've mentioned it before, but having one area that you have dedicated to beauty keeps the idea of decorating from being overwhelming.

Choose an area (a simple white shelf, a mantel, the top of a piano...) and commit to keeping it free of life's clutter (keys, wayward mail, sippy cups...). Don't be afraid to experiment. Practice your arranging skills. Change items seasonally.

You will find that your eye rests in that spot and gives you something to smile about. And that feeling is contagious. You'll want to keep the room picked up and maybe even extend the beauty to a new spot.

White Dishes

On my essential list: platters, pedestal bowl and cake plate, and pitchers. These don't have to represent a significant investment. Scout out thrift stores or even the dollar store.

The pedestal bowl is my favorite way to elevate (literally and figuratively) simple items into a beautiful centerpiece. I use it year-round, easily adding natural groupings which do not have to be stored for the next season.

A white platter becomes a piece of art when placed on a wall on its own or in a grouping. I used craft paint and a foam paint stamp directly on a platter to create additional interest. (It washed right off when I was ready to put it back in the cupboard with my other dishes.)

(A silver platter or a few colored/patterned dishes give new life to a set of basic white dishes rather than having multiple full sets of colored or seasonal dishes.)

Vintage Books

I am on the constant look-out for vintage books with interesting bindings. They come in handy to elevate smaller items or to add a pop of color. When they are out of service, I return them to a decorative bookshelf where they look lovely as a larger collection.

Larger beautiful books of fine art, gourmet cooking, interior design, or gardening can be used in similar ways. I love the colors and illustrations on quality children's picture books.

Candles and Various Candle Holders
Candles serve multiple functions in decorating. Nothing compares to the ambiant lighting of a small flickering flame.

I like to have a selection of colored taper candles on hand (inexpensive and easy to use up), but I tend to purchase pillar candles in neutral tones since I don't use them as quickly and they represent a larger investment.

Look for various textures (I love beeswax candles for a natural look) and don't forget the versatile glass religious candles.

Simple White or Glass Vases

If you have the space, it is wonderful to have various sizes of vases for fresh flowers or other natural displays. I'm not one of those lucky people with cupboard space to spare, so I've had to think outside the box. I prefer to find pieces with more than one function. Glass or white pitchers, canning jars, or even drinking glasses all work as well (or better) than standard vases. Again, most thrift stores would be a terrific place to pick these up.

Garden Ornaments
Don't be afraid to bring the outside in. Metal barn stars, trellises, statuary, watering cans, old wagons, armillaries, terra cotta pots, even bird baths can look fabulous in the home. When they aren't being used, they just head back outdoors.

Natural Items

This might be my favorite catagory. Inexpensive, easy to recycle, don't require storage, and speak volumes of the seasons. Moss, fruit, nuts, pine cones, stones, branches, fresh flowers, potted wheat grass, sheaves of wheat, shells, sand, gourds, leaves. The list really is endless.

I don't know if they would be considered natural items, but baked goods can be displayed (though they don't last long in my house) such as a glass cookie jar filled with home-made treats, and nothing says home to me like a fresh-baked chocolate chip cookie.

Vintage Treasures

Many elements in my decorating collection are simple, basic pieces, but I do find that I like to have a couple one-of-a-kind, unusual, or vintage finds to spice things up. This is where personalities can really shine through.

A few ideas for you: old telephones, typewriters, or cameras; empty picture frames; old window frame, doors, or shutters; pottery; paint-splattered wooden ladders (really!), records, card holders, world globes...

I have more to add to the list in a couple days, but this should certainly get you started!

What decorating pieces can you not live without?

Simple Things

It is so easy to get caught up in the 'stuff' mentality. I know I have fallen for it over and over again. Lately, though, I've had the sense of being overburdened with things. We are blessed beyond measure in this nation of ours, even with the slowing economy.

My sister and I had a conversation recently about our decorating philosophy, particularly how it influences what we buy or keep in our collections. Both of us have been wandering closer to the non-mass-produced, local, natural, handmade, one-of-a-kind, or found items. I will be getting into our basic decorating essentials in a few days.

Until then, I wanted to show you my thankful leaves. The garland is hanging on my spot for beauty. It required a walk to collect fallen leaves, twine, wooden clothes pins, two push pins, and a black marker. The rest of the room might be a disaster, but I have a place to rest my eye and smile. Everytime I glance that direction, I am reminded that I have much to be thankful for. (It also makes a terrific incentive to straighten up the chaos around it!)

Grouping Smaller Items...

...for a Bigger Impact

Last week we talked about hanging wall decor. I mentioned that larger spaces need larger items or a grouping of smaller items. Today, I want to offer tips on building a cohesive collection of elements on a wall.

1. Pick at least one coordinating element to unify your grouping.

::Purchase or paint all frames a single color. (It isn't necessary to use the same style if they match in color or tone.)


::Use all sepia-tone or black & white photos in a picture grouping.

::Create a collage of single colored items. For example: all white plates, frames, and candle sconces.

::Repeating a single element can create a bold graphic display.

2. Find ways to physically connect or contain smaller items.

::Use a shelf (photo ledge/gallery shelf) to display photo frames or plates.

::Pin memorabilia to a large framed cork board.

::Hang an over-sized empty wooden frame around a selection of diminutive decor.

::Connect several items with a length of ribbon hung either horizontally or vertically.

::Hang items (using twine, ribbon, wire...) from a long coat rack or wooden peg rack.

::This brings me to my favorite tip of the day...

Do you have a room that is crying out for a bold splash of paint, but you are too nervous to cover all the walls? Do you have an area or wall with no clear beginning or end? Do you want to create an instant focal point?

Paint a square (circle, rectangle) on the wall to contain your grouping. This can be a splash of color on a neutral-colored wall, a color slightly more intense than the base coat, a contrasting color, or even a simple neutral color.

I recommend painting an area just larger than the grouping you intend to highlight. If you want the freedom to change around your decor, keep the remaining can of paint handy for easy touch-ups and nail hole patches.

If you want to emphasize the area, attach simple (or not so simple) wooden trim in a frame around the painted square.

In our previous home I desperately wanted to paint our hallway an interesting color (it was boring white), but there was no place to end the paint before heading into the kitchen. I painted a large rectangle (it almost filled one wall), hung four picture ledges floor to ceiling within the space, and painted a quote to define the theme.

3. Be aware of your 'white space.'

::Keep a relatively even amount of wall space in between each element. You want your decor to be neither too far apart (so as to seem disconnected), nor too close together (creating a crowded, uncomfortable feeling).

::Avoid creating areas of boxed-in empty wall space in your layout.

4. Choose a unifying theme.

::Themes have a way of establishing instant atmosphere in a room. Straw hats and wooden oars: relaxing boat house. Metal watering cans and vintage botanical prints: garden cottage. Salvaged architectural pieces and industrial sculpture: urban loft. Elvis records and a CocaCola sign: retro diner.

::Consider defining your theme with a quote, lettering, or sign. For example, you might paint the word Nest within a grouping of bird-themed articles.

5. Experiment with placement.

::Set your items on the floor or on a large table so that you can see how they all fit together. When you've arranged everything to your satisfaction, take the center-most item and hang it in the center of your wall space, about eye level. Hang each item, working from the center out.

::Alternately, use pieces of paper cut to the same size as the items you'll be using in your grouping so that you can easily move things around to find the right arrangement. Use tape or poster putty to attach them to the wall. When you are ready to start hanging, put the corresponding paper up to the back of each item to mark where your nail holes need to be. Adhere the papers to the wall, pound your nails through them, tear the papers off, and you are ready to put up the finished product.

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I'll be exploring these tips in greater depth individually in the coming months (with photographs!). Let me know if you have any questions or are interested in a specific how-to and I will try to address them as I cover each topic.

Are there other decorating tips or how-to's that you would find helpful?

On the Wall

Sometimes the beauty is easy. Sometimes you don't have to try at all. Sometimes you can hear the wind blow in a handshake. Sometimes there's poetry written right on the bathroom wall.

~Ani Defranco

The post you've been waiting for...

I've heard from so many of you that you want to decorate your walls, but the actual 'what, where, and how' of hanging things on the wall has you stumped. I've got just the thing for you today. Head on over to my guest post at Simple Mom to find 10 Project Heidi tips for hanging decor.

When you are finished enjoying Simple Mom's excellent site, head back here and stay tuned. I have a terrific Project Heidi post on creating wall groupings coming within the next week. You won't want to miss it!

You Spin Me Right Round, Baby

Right round like a record, baby.
What do you do with a huge box of

old Victrola records?

If you are Heidi, you hang 15 of them
in your hallway.

(I must have been going through circle withdrawl after taking down my circle collage.)

Although it is close to impossible to get a decent picture of anything hanging in this hallway.
Now what shall I do with the remaining 30 records? (I almost placed three larger ones within the frame above my piano, but decided on the larger grouping in the hallway.)

Thanks for the treasure, hubby!

Don't forget to check out my guest post over at Simple Mom tomorrow!

Dawn in a Cotton Dress

But tomorrow, dawn will come the way I picture her,

barefoot and disheveled, standing outside my window

in one of the fragile cotton dresses of the poor.

She will look in at me with her thin arms extended,

offering a handful of birdsong

and a small cup of light.

~William Collins

Rather than a small cup of light, the sun has entered my unadorned kitchen window like a strobe light in the early mornings of the recent oppressively warm days. My beloved window needed a simple cotton dress.

I can hear the handful of birdsong now.

This window is a favorite of mine. In the autumn, winter, and spring, the sun streams in unhindered. I love seeing the trees in the various seasons. I love the bright light it adds to the kitchen atmosphere.

Mid-summer is a different story. Our house has no air-conditioning to speak of. We try to open everything up at night to cool off, closing windows and blinds as soon as the mid-morning heat makes its appearance. The kitchen window is the only window in the house that has (had) no curtain. I realized that the sun was heating up this room much too quickly.

I wanted something temporary, so that I could take it down when autumn comes. I wanted to purchase items that I could repurpose in other areas when not in use in the kitchen window. I wanted something very simple because my kitchen is often more cluttered than I would like, and I didn't want to add to the chaos. I wanted something that would still allow me to peer over the top to keep an eye on playing children and view the trees and birds. I wanted something easy and inexpensive. (Do you blame me?)

Cafe curtains. Tension rod. Clip rings.

White cotton floursack kitchen towels. Perfect.

...Accented with quilted-glass jam jars,

simple flower bouquets,

and milk glass tea cups

I mysteriously found in my husband's office area.

Speaking of mysterious objects in my husband's office space, what do you think of this terrific glass batter bowl? I love it!

It seems he (my unpredictable husband) bought a few boxes of 'stuff' at an auction the other day. I never know what that guy is going to do next. Happily, though, I've made off with another exciting treasure that I can't wait to reveal to you. I know you are on pins and needles, but you'll simply have to wait until Monday. Not to mention that it will be a perfect segue to my guest post over at Simple Mom on Tuesday. For all those who have been waiting, I'll finally be giving you my best tips for hanging things on walls!

Framed

At the risk of boring you to death, I want to talk empty frames again. (If you don't remember the first conversations, visit here or here.) A new frame is hanging on my wall, freshly painted a glossy red. I mounted a metal clip on the nail so that I can change out the framed decor as often as I would like without multiple nail holes (and with very little effort). (I bought the metal clip in the office supply section at a local store. They are easy to come by.)

Once I started trying out ideas, I couldn't stop. As always, the possibilities are endless. I love that kind of decor!

First came the dust jacket of a child's picture book. (Dust jackets annoy me and would get thrown out anyway. I glued this one to a piece of cardboard so it would hang flat.) Just for the fun of it, I pulled a few things from around the house to add to the display. I'm thinking I need to redecorate the boys' bedroom!

Since this frame is in our front room, I thought I would see what I could do to make the display a smidge more sophisticated. No problem.

How about a cooking or kitchen theme? I took a piece of black card stock and used chalk to create the menu (which, sadly, does not reflect our dinner menus in any way). Try photocopying a page from a vintage cookbook.

Paper could be used a myriad of ways. Write favorite quotes or verses, for instance, or your happy list.

Enlarge photos and clip:

Display scrapbook pages you've completed:Sheet music. I copied one of Levi's favorite songs from his piano book onto natural colored card stock:



For a great resource, shop for calendars. I found a calendar with pictures of vintage travel posters for a dollar a couple years ago. Use pictures from your old calendars or buy calendars after the first of the year for bottom dollar. Fine art calendars would be especially attractive; rotate the picture every week or two for art study!
Game night, anyone? I grabbed my Scrabble board to see how it would look. Love it! Now I want a game room with a huge collage of frames and game boards. When we're ready to play, we just make our choice from the wall and unclip the board.
Vintage photos and memorabilia. Children's artwork. Maps. Nature sketches. Loose pages out of old books. It is addicting, I tell ya!

Canvas of Happiness

If you can believe it, I've actually been getting to a handful of creative projects around the house. Nothing big, nothing much new, but I'm sharing them with you anyway. Grin.

The raw materials (we're starting with the canvas today):

The canvas on the left was used a few years ago in Levi's room. It has since been abused by children with various pens. It was crying out to be rescued. I thought maybe I could help with a coat of green paint. I tried craft paint first. The pen leaked through, so I resorted to spray paint. Luckily I had some on hand. Infinitely improved.

Now that I had a solid base coat, I returned to the craft paints, choosing various greens and a few accent colors:

I wanted the colors to go on somewhat streaky for artistic effect.
Once the greens had dried, I added the tiniest bit of red, brown, and black for a distressed look.

This is what I ended up with:

Years ago I sat through a creative writing class which was almost entirely a waste of time. Sadly, but not entirely surprising considering the fact that I am list-obsessive, my favorite assignment was to make a random list of things that make me happy. No writers block there. My list was constantly being added to, I kept it after graduating, and it has continued to grow.

In the master bedroom at our previous house, I took the list to a new level and painted a selection on a wall. The whole wall. It was fabulous.

I wanted to use a list of happy words in our new home, but thought I would make it a little less obtrusive. A canvas would be perfect. I grabbed a piece of paper and jotted down a few ideas.

A ruler and pencil helped mark the canvas and keep my lines relatively straight and even. I winged it, choosing words and phrases as I went along. I've used black paint before, but I wanted something easier. A big black felt pen worked very nicely.

The finished product is far from perfect. It is personal.

A large canvas painted in this way holds many possibilities. A happy list can be vague and universal or specific and personal. You can choose to be artistic or sincere (though one doesn't preclude the other). You could paint a favorite quote or themed words such as foreign cities, favorite foods (great kitchen decor), 'welcome' in numerous languages, names of family members, or favorite books or authors (great library decor).

Remember that canvases can be repainted when you tire of them, making an affordable decorating or craft project! An oversized canvas is a handy way to adorn a large wall on a not-so-large budget.

Awnings

I'm guessing that by now you all are thinking that the creative decorator side of me has dropped off the face of the earth. It isn't so, but I don't have any proof. I've promised a few times previously that a Project Heidi post is coming soon and one hasn't shown up yet, so I'm not promising this time around (even though more are on the way).

Until then, I want to show you one of the things I miss the most about my old house:

I often lamented over the lack of character our starter house had. No great features or architecture. No moldings. Plain, flat doors. Boring. In an effort to add charm and character, I decided to make awnings for the four windows in the front room. It was the best decorating scheme I cooked up over there.
For each pair of windows, I purchased 3 decorative metal plant hangers. I might have spray painted them black if they weren't already. The hooks for the top bar were simple hooks purchased at Target. The rods were made out of metal pipe cut to size at Home Depot and spray painted black.

Once I had the hardware up, I measured and cut squares of fabric. I used the sewing machine to edge, make narrow pockets for the rods, and even managed a box pleat in the center of each awning. Voila! I can imagine making the fabric part more simply, maybe just tacking it on rather than sewing pockets for the rods.

These awnings accomplished exactly what I wanted them to do. I loved the feeling they gave the front room. A little architecture. A little softness. A little personality.

Had we stayed in that house any longer, I might have experimented with other fabrics. The fabric above is a small tan and white pinstripe, but I would have loved to have a fabric for each season, particularly a bold awning stripe.