covered books - yay or nay?

I have never really given too much consideration to re-covering books until recently when I was styling a client's bookshelves.  Out of the three extra large bins of books, there were only a few she would let me use because she didn't like the binding colors on the rest.  My first thought ran immediately to India Hicks' living room in her Hibiscus Hill home, where she used craft paper to cover a bunch of her books for a more cohesive look:

A few mixed in here and there I'm totally on board with, but I still can't decide whether or not I would fill an entire set of bookshelves or built-ins with them.  For me, the binding, font color and overall wear and tear of each book is part of what lends character.  With that being said, I still admire photographer Matt Albiani's take on India Hicks' craft papered books in his New York apartment, originally featured in Domino:

You could easily -and inexpensively-recreate this look yourself at home.  A 6 foot by 180 foot roll costs less than $2 at Lowes:

Nautical charts and maps are another great way to add a ton of interest to your books.  I love this display from the November 2011 issue of Coastal Living, in which vellum maps were used to cover books:

For a similar look, you can buy HUGE nautical charts (think 3 feet by 4 feet) for less than $30 a piece online.  NauticalCharts.com and Maryland Nautical are two of my favorite resources-great quality and so inexpensive!

Leftover wallpaper, gift wrap and sheets of craft paper from Michael's are all great options, as well.  These marbled beauties from Kate's Paperie are beautiful:  

                                     

 What do you think? Are you for or against re-covering books?  Inquiring minds want to know :)

before + after: beach bungalow kitchen on a budget

When my client and good friend asked me to help her update the kitchen of her beautiful bungalow in Wrightsville Beach, I jumped at the chance!  The kitchen is the first room you see when you walk into the house, and since we were on an extremely limited budget, paint was one of the fastest, easiest ways to make a dramatic first impression.  The house is incredibly charming, but in the kitchen, all that charm was hidden under layers of dull, chipping yellow paint all over the walls and beautiful wainscoting:

The homeowners are young and fun and the yellow just wasn't a reflection of their lifestyle and personalities, so we painted the walls the most beautiful greige, Benjamin Moore's Valley Forge Tan, which actually looks like wet sand.  Sherwin Williams Extra White makes the wainscoting and trim really pop.  The result is so crisp and clean:

Storage was limited, so a corner hutch was painted and distressed and now showcases the client's crystal and serving pieces. An antique crystal chandelier adds a touch of elegance, while the reclaimed pine farmhouse table and bamboo blinds add warmth and texture:

 Working on a tight budget can definitely be tricky, but with a few cans of paint and a little elbow grease, this kitchen has been brought up-to-date and now totally reflects the young family who lives here.  Stay tuned for more pics of the rest of their bungalow!

before + after: my corner built-ins

It's time I started keeping up with posting finished projects around my house, so first up are my corner built-ins in our family room! You might remember this is how we watched TV for the first year we were in our home:

You can't really tell in the photo below, but this was a tricky spot because one wall was 60 inches, while the joining wall was 72, making planning for an evenly spaced corner unit difficult.  Because of the vaulted ceiling, we also couldn't bring the shelves all the way to the ceiling:

Here is the finished space now-I love how it has completely opened up the room and the added storage beneath is definitely a plus!  We added Shaker style doors below to match our kitchen cabinetry and I backed the shelves with beadboard, run horizontally for an unexpected touch.  I still need to add hardware to the doors, but I'm super excited with the turnout:

I painted them to match the cabinets and trim throughout our home - Sherwin Williams Extra White.  We get a lot of light in this part of our house and the white looks so clean and crisp:

I change around the shelves probably on a weekly basis.  I chalk it up to my OCD, and the fact that I like to rotate things in and out constantly, but it drives my husband crazy!  This is what they are looking like this week:

I love the chunky molding we picked to top it off:

Hope you're having a great week!

client sneak peek

What better way to kick off the week than to share some pics of a client project in the works?  This one is a particular favorite not only because the client has become a good friend (I always get to work with the best!), but also because this home is up for House of the Year in Pinehurst!  One look and you can see why:

Twelve foot ceilings, six foot wide coffers, a nine foot island and just wait until you see what that hood is going to look like!  The cabinetry has been a labor of love....tweaking it again and again until it was just right, but thankfully, it started going in on Friday.

The floors in the master bath are also moving right along - porcelain "walnut hardwood" tiles, laid, one by one to mimic the look of distressed hardwood.  It makes me smile every time I look at it; aren't they beautiful?

Here is a close up shot (excuse the dirt and dust - they had just been grouted):

Stay tuned for more progress pics!

farewell, big guy

My heart goes out to my mom, who said farewell to her 210-pound teddy bear, Cooper, today.  This gentle giant was a constant companion, protector and friend who helped my mom get through some trying times.  Anyone who has ever loved and lost a pet can imagine how heavy her heart is today.  Thank goodness for our furbabies...for enriching our lives and changing them forever.  We miss you already, big guy...