HOW TO CREATE A GOLD MIRROR GALLERY WALL FOCAL POINT

As much as I love to make seasonal decor changes in our home, sometimes I'll find that one change I like so much, I keep it. One such change I made here in our living room is the focal point behind the sofa. Last year, I had changed the images from NYC images, to coastal images in Summer, to horse images for Fall. But for winter and holiday, I was looking for a more simple approach and decided to create a gallery wall of collected mirrors. Most of the mirrors I already had (from HomeGoods & JCP), but I needed a few to bridge in some gaps and fill the wall. Thrifting for those last few mirrors at GoodwillAZ and Savers thrift helped to fill the gaps while staying on a small budget, but I was really wanting all the frames to be the same: gold. Although some mirror frames were already gold (and I left them that way), the ones that were black or silver I painted antique gold. This one small change made a huge difference and I haven't had to change the wall since...

 

Love the look of the gold mirrors on the dark grey wall.

Here is how I made my mirror gallery wall....

 

I started with a vision and a plan...

 

I used the garage floor first to layout the mirrors - like a puzzle...

 

I double checked the width to ensure it would fit in between the windows and above the sofa plus table...

 

A 'quick' spray of antique gold in the back yard...

 

A quick clean up with mineral spirits and a razor...

(Sometimes pre-cutting paper and taping takes too long and some paint comes through anyways) After soaking the mirror with mineral spirits, I was able to scrape the excess paint off with the razor - and not scratch the mirror + come close to the edge for a crisp clean finish.

 

Good as gold!:)

 

Ready to bring inside to hang...

 

Supplies all pull together on my work tray (old cookie sheet)

Chalk (because my walls are dark), level, tape, nails -- and yes: nail hole filler and paint to repair prior holes (remember: I'm renting)... 

 

Space cleared and I used some foamcore boards to re-layout the composition I had done in the garage...

 

Started from the top and across... then worked my way down the wall...

 

I really like the mix of gold shades vs being all one...

It was nice with the B&W images of NYC for a while, especially since we had just moved to AZ from the east coast. But as in Florida, I've since relocated the NYC to the home office (another time when something just worked and felt right.) Here is a look at the subtle changes, mostly coming from switching pillows on the sofa, but all working with the gallery wall focal point -- especially the mirrors...

 

Spring 2012 

 Mirrors mixed with images..

 

Summer 2012

 

Autumn 2012 

 Holiday Home 2012 plus see more photos at

Holiday Home Tour 2012

Spring 2013 

Bold B&W prints with Tribal Maze and Houndstooth...

Autumn 2013

Yes - in Florida I did more with color, but here in AZ, it just feels right mixing plaids (windowpane, glen plaid, and houndstooth) - especially in Fall paired with leopard...

 

Autumn 2013 

I'll probably go back to greens and whites for holiday this year, maybe with a few touches of red, but I really liked the green and white last year. Since it does get really cold here in the winter, many leaves die off tress and everything gets REALLY brown and overcast. Funny how three of these mirrors started off gold (back in the 90s) and I painted the silver (remember "JOY" for the Christmas bedroom I did?) and now they are back to gold. 

Everything old is new again - except me - I'm just getting older!! lol

Thanks for stopping by...

CLASSICS ON TREND: CHESTERFIELDS

Are you searching for a new sofa or looking for a way to merge his & hers style into your interior space? A style you might prefer is the Chesterfield. The classic Chesterfield has been popping up more frequently as the premiere sofa of choice for living spaces, and also as a means of adding tufted texture to a space. The Chesterfield, a more masculine sofa primarily used in a smoking room or library was once only available in brown or black leather, but now manufacturers have made available in colors such as red, lavender, blue, chartreuse, and even yellow. A softer approach to incorporating this tufted titan into your home is to go for a neutral linen, especially for a French chic interior, or stay tried and true with vintage worn leather - perfect for a mancave or family room. Below is a peek at how to incorporate this traditional statement piece into your home. For additional inspiration and tips to incorporate a Chesterfield into your home, please visit the Hadley Court blog to view my Guest Post: Trend Pin Tuesday: Tufted Chesterfields...

 

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Merging & Mixing Design Styles

Feminine & Masculine plus Traditional & Industrial elements into a space...

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This warm and approachable room by Amy Beth Cupp Dragoo is an excellent example of not only harmoniously merging opposing design styles (traditional + modern + rustic) it also exemplifies a well collected space for today's lifestyle  and features a Chesterfield in white.

Bentley Churchill | 357-03 Fabrizio Sofa | Made in the USA | 500 Colors Available | HPMKT

 For more image inspirations and manufacturer information about Chesterfields, please visit the Trending Now: Chesterfields board on Pinterest. If you missed my first guest blog post last week with Hadley Court, you can view at: Trend Pin Tuesday: Black Lamp Shades.

 

 Leslie Wood is the founding editor of the award winning blog, Hadley Court and Leslie also works as an associate for Chancellor Interiors. Be sure to also visit Hadley Court to see Leslie Woods' Top Picks from the Fall High Point Market coming up later this month.

Thanks for stopping by,

IN CELEBRATION OF AN AMERICAN ICON: RALPH LAUREN

We all have that one someone in our life that we look toward for inspiration - and for many years, my inspiration has been Ralph Lauren. It's not that I follow his every whim. I don't know every last detail of the latest resort runway show, handbag creation named after his wife, European store launch, latest charity benefit, collected automobiles, tablescape collection, menswear collection, new deco furniture line, or where to locally purchase his paint line... BUT - Ralph Lauren has been an overwhelming influence to my personal design style. From the layered looks of his womens wear and menswear in the 90's I'd apply to my display forms, to the statement turquoise jewelry, to his automobile influences in his home collections, and falling in love with his leather pillows and millennium chair in 2000, I've often referred to Ralph Lauren for cues on American style. I've applied some of his influence when dressing a window display, to setting a tablescape, to collecting & using B&W images in our home decor, and I even had referred to Lauren's love of the Southwest when we started our relocation out west to Arizona. I think my admiration of the RL iconic style comes from Ralph Lauren's strong understanding of creating lifestyle stories, which he so eloquently tells within each new line, launch and endeavor...

 

Since 1967, Ralph Lauren has defined the essence of American style - striking a balance between “timeless” and “modern”. Today, October 14, is Ralph Lauren's 74th Birthday -- and the man behind the lifestyle brand is still going strong, having just last week hosted a Fall '13 Collection show and private dinner in celebration of restoration project and patron sponsorship of L’École des Beaux-Arts in Paris...

 

 

 

 Beaux-Arts feature in our St. Germain store windows to honor Ralph Lauren's patron sponsorship of the famed art school...

 

So today, celebrate the enduring style, sophistication and class of this Iconic  American Legend...  

 

 “People ask me how can a Jewish kid from the Bronx do preppy clothes? Does it have to do with class and money? It has to do with dreams" ~Ralph Lauren

Happy Birthday Ralph Lauren ~ Thanks for the dreams.

What enchanting story will you tell next?

FAST FALL VIGNETTE

During my trip back home last week, I spent most of my time visiting with my mom in Miami. Unlike me, she's NOT a shopper but she was very much looking forward to going on a little Fall shopping trip with me: her personal shopper! Since she was looking for both some fall fashions and decor, we skipped the major mall scene and headed to a nearby TJMaxx and HomeGoods. The cart worked great to hold a few Fall finds for her home (a natural pumpkin, a wreath for the front door, a new vase and a copper picture frame) while the handle bar hung some new knit tops, Fall sweaters and handbags - all great scores and didn't bust mom's budget! While we were out, we even had a Miami style Cuban lunch at a local spot called Sergio's where I devoured a roast pork sandwich! After some last minute grocery shopping at Publix for dinner, we got back to her home and I did a little Fall fix-up -- just before we surprised our family-like friend Marcia (she didn't know I was coming -- but had asked when I'd visit because it's been two years since I was back home in  Florida). I asked my mom if she wanted to skip Fall and I'd put up the tree for her -- she laughed and she said no - so within the hour, I made just a few quick changes for Fall, using some items she already had plus the new finds from our shopping day...

 

My mom isn't into heavy layering or over-the-top seasonal displays. She likes to keep things simple - easy to clean-up, pack-up and put away. But just a few Fall finds from HomeGoods gave my mom the little touch of Autumn in Miami she was looking for. She only spent $65 at HomeGoods and $35 at Michael's for her budget-friendly Fall fix-up!

 

The copper frame came in handy to display pressed leaves - in a pinch faux, but my mom has some Fall leaves from New Jersey pressed in a book to switch these out for. We also had stopped at Micheal's so I could pick out a few Fall flowers for the table - to switch out from her Summer white hydrangeas. Her table is oval, so a few dark woven matts add a little texture and act as a small runner...

 

 The new wicker wrapped vase added a little texture to the glass top table and the Fall leaves looked pretty reflecting in the mirror for her entry. From the guest room, I pulled over a small stack of books in orange and mustard to stack on the ottoman (and camouflage the plug)...

 

To keep the few Fall changes small, I kept them to table-top surfaces: the entry console, the gallery wall bench, the dining table, the buffet and the coffee table -- no textiles -- this way she can easily switch out Fall for a little winter holiday decor later after Thanksgiving...

 

I spotted this apothecary jar in mom's hall closet filled with shells, and I switched them out for some nuts, gourds and pinecones she had. All of her candles are vanilla and work great paired with fresh coffee beans as filler in the glass container...

 

Also from the patio - I brought in a mustard pitcher I picked up for my mom a few years ago while thrifting - and I switched out a lighter basket with wicker spheres for this darker basket with wood chips... and added some of the mini gourds, nuts and pinecones she had...

 

The sea grass had faded from the sun on the patio, but worked great as straw and added height on the buffet. The lanterns were a previous HomeGoods find and glow nicely with lit candles inside...

 

I had my mom snap a few pics of me surprising Marcia at the door - She was so happy, and so was I. It's been too long and love the long talks we use to have. Marcia is a retired Dade County school teacher... 

 

After dinner, we enjoyed some of mom's delicious homemade Cuban flan (small price to pay a personal shopper! lol)

It was so good - and it was good to be home...

Have a great weekend!

I'll be sharing more pictures from my trip next week!

Thanks for stopping by,

Note: This post is sponsored by HomeGoods and the Happy By Design project. All thoughts and opinions are of my own.

CLASSICS ON TREND: BLACK LAMP SHADES

Since engaging on social media, I have met so many wonderful people - both online and in real life. One person I've met and have had the pleasure of collaborating with is Leslie Carothers, the CEO of The Kaleidoscope Partnership. Recently, Leslie referred me to a social media client of hers, Leslie Hendrix Wood, to be a blog contributor to the Hadley Court interior design blog. I also had the pleasure of meeting Leslie Hendrix Wood this past March in LA at the Design Bloggers Conference, where Leslie's blog Hadley Court was awarded Design Blog of the Year. Thrilled to collaborate with Leslie & Leslie, please be sure to stop by the Hadley Court blog to view my first contribution post: Trend Pin Tuesday: Black Lamp Shades, where you'll see the Top 5 most pinned images of rooms using black lamp shades, as well as tips to incorporate this trend into your own home...

 

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As stated by Interior Designer Jan Showers, "Every room needs a touch of black, just as it needs one antique piece" -- and one way to achieve this concept is with a black lamp shade...

 

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Happy to be blogging again after my trip back east, and thrilled to be collaborating with Leslie Hendrix Wood of Hadley Court...

About Leslie

Leslie Wood is the founding editor of Hadley Court. Leslie received her undergraduate degree in business. She worked briefly in banking and returned to school to earn her master’s degree in business. Upon graduation, she moved to Washington D.C. to work on a Presidential campaign and received a Presidential appointment to a position in International Trade. At the end of the administration, Leslie returned to her hometown and joined the family oil and gas business. Now that her children are grown, she has returned to school to pursue a lifelong passion to earn a degree in interior design. Leslie also works as an associate for Chancellor Interiors.

 For more, inspiration, information, and even sources of black shades, also be sure to visit the Trending Now: Black Shades board on Pinterest and stop by Hadley Court interior design blog for the top pins and tips to incorporate black lamp shades into your home...

 

Thanks for stopping by today...

DWELL WITH DIGNITY - FALL THRIFT STUDIO 2013

It's that time of year again for the fantastic Dwell With Dignity Pop-Up Thrift Studio event! This bi-annual event has taken place every Spring and Fall for at least the past three years and I've enjoyed watching it grow! What started out as just a few volunteers and home furnishings donations has blossomed into an industry recognized and respected event. I had first learned about the Dwell With Dignity organization while watching an episode of Nate Berkus and thought "what a wonderful concept - I'd love to contribute my time to as a volunteer." Dwell With Dignity is a Dallas-based non-profit organization dedicated to helping families escape poverty and homelessness through design, one household at a time. However, the organization and Thrift Studio event are currently only held in Dallas, Texas. Be that as it may, I had the honor of meeting & speaking with the Founder & President of the Dwell With Dignity Lisa Robison plus VP & Director Kim Turner earlier this year at the Design Bloggers Conference - and the future looks bright! Hopefully sooner than we think, a Dwell With Dignity Chapter will open in other metropolitan cities to give help to those in need. The Thrift Studio Event is one such event launching with a Preview Party on October 10 from 7pm – 9pm with a special reception for VIP’s from 6 until 7pm with Honorary Chairperson and Designer: Jan Showers. The Pop-Up Thrift Studio Shop will be open October 11 - November 9 - Tues - Sat, 10am - 5:30 pm...

 

 

Lisa Robison - Founder & President of Dwell With Dignity

 

Kim Turner - VP & Director of Dwell With Dignity

 

 

Interior Designer & Dwell With Dignity Honorary Chairperson - Jan Showers 

If you're in the Dallas market, show your support and be sure to fit this event into your plans!

 Thrift Studio Event 

P R E V I W  P A R T Y

October 10 from 7pm – 9pm 

with a special reception for VIP’s from 6 until 7pm 

and Honorary Chairperson: Designer Jan Showers

(See ticket info at: TICKETS)

Pop-Up Thrift Studio Shop 

will be open 

October 11 - November 9 

Tuesday - Saturday 

10 am - 5:30 pm

1250 SLOCUM STREET, SUITE 280
DALLAS DESIGN CENTER DALLAS, TEXAS 75207

 

See previous Dwell With Dignity posts at:

A Pop-Up Thrift Shop? YES! At Dwell With Dignity!

Coming Soon: Dwell With Dignity Pop-Up Spring Thrift Studio

Thanks for stopping by...