whitewashed table

Last year, I posted about how to get a cerused oak or "limed" finish, as it's more popularly referred to.  It's a beautiful way to add a weathered, aged look to a piece of furniture while still preserving the integrity of the wood.  It's one of my favorite ways to transform furniture, so when a close friend recently asked for help with a table she recently picked up, this was the technique I turned to. 

The table is in great condition and has a lot of character, with knots, grooves, dings and dents from everyday wear and tear, but in her breakfast area, it got lost in a sea of similar wood tones.   First, I did a light whitewash to tone down the wood and also highlight the imperfections and grain and then I drybrushed white paint over top.  I used White Dove by Benjamin Moore.  Here is the table before:

And here is our table after, in all its gray, weathered glory:

Lightly drybrushing white paint highlighted the wood grain beautifully:

a 4th birthday party fit for a princess!

My friend Krista is an amazing mom...when her little girl turned 4, all she wanted was a Cars-themed birthday party and, boy, did Krista deliver! Every last detail Krista did herself-whether by hand or with Photoshop-from the banners and oil funnel party hats, to the Car Wash and flag-wrapped straws (she used duct tape!)  I think it's safe to say that Krista can now add "party planner" to her already impressive list of credentials!  I headed over a little before the party started to take some photos - here are some of my favorites:

Happy Monday!

distressed cabinet

Sometimes, all a piece of furniture needs is a coat of paint, some glaze and a little sanding to give it new life, so that's exactly what I did to this cabinet.  It's pretty heavy and I love the shutter doors, but even though the wood was in great shape, it had an orange tint to it, so it was time to get to sanding.  Here is the piece before:

After sanding, I brushed on a coat of primer, followed by a light coat of turquoise (Benjamin Moore's Poolside Blue).  A coat of ICI Wexford Gray, followed by a tinted glaze tones down the blue-gray and gives it depth.  Here it is after. It still needs some new knobs, but what a difference...

I hope you have a fabulous weekend!

coming soon to my bookshelf!

New York-based interior designer/architect Steven Gambrel is, by far, my favorite designer!  With a portfolio that runs the gamut from urbane uptown pads to chic country cottages and haute Hamptons hideaways, his style is classic with a modern twist, and every space he touches is polished, yet comfortable.  So, you can imagine my absolute delight when I discovered his first book on ten of his favorite design projects will be released this April!  I just reserved my copy here.  If you've never browsed his portfolio, mosey on over here and check it out...it will be the best half hour you've ever spent!  While I love all his work, I'm especially partial to his country best:

luxe for less: natural curiosities seaweed prints

Yesterday, Christina from Greige Design posted these beauties from the Capistrano Collection at Natural Curiosities and I haven't been able to stop thinking of them since.  I'm torn between the navy blue and charcoal - at almost four feet tall, they make such a dramatic statement, I would happily take either in a heartbeat:

At around $750 a pop, they are a tad out of my price range, but thanks to Etsy vendor Driftwood Interiors, you can find a close match:

Sea Coral - $25

Sea Fan - $25

These prints are approximately 8x12 inches, but shop owner Kerri Shipp takes requests for custom sizes, as well.  Check out her shop here and visit her fantastic blog here.