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Friday, April 29, 2011

Slipcovered Chair

I completed my first slipcovered project,
and although it was tough, it was totally doable!

All you need to do is cut your fabric, *cut larger than
you need, you can always trim later.
I learned that one the hard way!*
pin fabric together, and sew away!
It's not perfect, but it turned my boring desk chair
into something a little bit prettier.
I also added fabric covered buttons to the back
for a little added detail.
The best part was, I had everything I needed
so it didn't cost me a thing!
So go ahead and tackle that slipcover project you've
been wanting to do! If I can do it, you can too!

Happy Weekend!
I'm heading out of town to visit some of my favorite
people and to do some nursery designing with a friend, so
check back to see what we find!

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Before and After- Master Bath

A while back, when I was working for a design firm in
Atlanta I had the chance to work on a great master
bath remodel. Budget: $70,000
Yes, it was a dream job, I pretty much could spec
whatever I wanted, and move windows
and plumbing with no hesitation.

Here are some before and after pictures
of the space.

The vanity:
with custom made cabinetry I designed.

The view when you entered from the bedroom.
we moved the shower to where the tub was
and doubled the size of it.
And also installed a window over the new tub.

The laundry area is part of the master suite.
So we tied in the cabinets and made it
look less utilitarian.

Another view of the vanity
with new his and her sinks.
Can you believe it only had 1 sink
on that LONG countertop before?!

And we removed the TINY linen closet
(it was less than 12" deep)
to make room for a sitting area for
putting on shoes or lotion.

Although these clients had a large
budget to work with, I accept clients with any
budget! Sometimes all you need
is some new paint, accessories and lighting
to transform your space!
Email me for pricing information.

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

How To: Sew a Zipper

I have made MANY pillow covers over the
past few years. For myself, friends, design clients,
and for my shop on Etsy.
I just recently decided I wanted to learn how to
sew zippers into my pillow covers rather than
doing an "envelope closure."
All it took was a trip over to YouTube
to find out how.

I watched this VIDEO
and found the zipper foot that came with my
sewing machine, and that's it!
A few practice zippers later, I now know how
to sew in a zipper.
And guess what... It's easy!
Here is one of my finished pillow covers:
and the zipper closure:
If there is anything out there you have been
wanting to learn more about check out YouTube
or other blogs or tutorials. It's so much easier
than teaching yourself!

And check out my Etsy shop if you're in the
market for new pillow covers!
And use coupon code "springsale" to get 20%
your order!

Monday, April 25, 2011

Inspiration Board: Nursery

My best friend is due with her first baby in August.
And she just found out she's having a girl.
She lives in this great little apartment outside
San Francisco and the baby's room has these floor
to ceiling windows which are amazing!
Unfortunately it's a rental so paint
isn't really an option, so I decided to design
with some bold colors for the furniture and accessories
so it livens up the space.

Here is the inspiration board I designed for her:
Bright, fun, playful, and a little bit whimsy
with the owl details and the banner.

Inspiration boards are a great way to put ideas
together before buying items for a space. If they don't
look good next to each other on the computer screen
then they won't work together in a room.

If interested in my online design services email me
at simplesagedesigns@gmail.com
or if you live in the Las Vegas area, email me
to schedule an in home consultation.

Friday, April 22, 2011

Sideboard Transformation

I just received this little sideboard for free,
it was the perfect size for the nook in my entryway.
Only problem... it looked like this:

rustic, pine, cabin-ish sideboard... not my style!
So with some painting..

and some new knobs, it now looks like this!

I already had the paint on hand,
and I bought these knobs on sale at Anthropologie
for $2.95 a piece
(I'm a sucker for their hardware)

so for $18 I have a beachy, pretty, much more me
sideboard! I love it, and I love the extra storage!
It's amazing what a little update can do for
a piece of furniture!

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Check This Out-Baby Girl Nursery

My best friend Amber is an amazing Interior Designer.
She blogs some of her projects at Decor Chicks
You can check out their Facebook page here.

She designed a beautiful nursery for her
beautiful baby girl last year.

Pink. Gray. Girly.

She made the pom pom flowers,
the AMAZING ruffled crib skirt,
and added cute ties to a white crib bumper.

Painted picture frames, and a DIY pillow
add splashes of color to the room.

Amber and her husband also refinished those
GORGEOUS hardwood floors themselves.

It's clean, simple, but fun and girly at the
same time. I love her eye for design.
Don't you agree?

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by using code SIMPLESAGE35

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Kiddie Picnic Table

Have you guys seen Ana White's website?
Well... it's awesome, and she has free plans
for TONS of furniture!
My husband and I tried our hand at the
We started it MONTHS ago, but ended up
not finishing it, well the weather has been nice
and the hubby had some extra time for once,
SO...

he finished building and I got to painting!

It's the perfect size for a little one

And so cute!!

It was also less than $30 for the wood, screws,
and wood glue.
And I know it will get LOTS of use!
She already wants to color and eat on it everyday!

Ana's plans were easy to understand,
and it was a pretty good beginner level
project to tackle.
Trust me... if we did it, anyone can!

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thredUP.com
with code SIMPLESAGE35