One Room Challenge Week 1: Inspiration

 I am thrilled to be participating in this 2014 One Room Challenge as a linking participant.  I've participated in previous challenges and, whew, let me tell you, it is a whirl wind 6 weeks.  But I love every minute of it!  Here's the bohemian chic guest bedroom reveal  (another post here) from the past challenge. 

For those of you that are new to Calling It Home's One Room Challenge, this is a 6 week challenge where bloggers select one room in their house to makeover.  Each week, we reveal a preview of the progress of the room all leading up to the final reveal on week 6. 

This time around, I'm going to makeover my son's bedroom.  Jack is a seven year old who started sleeping in our guest bedroom rather than his own room so that he could be closer in proximity to our master bedroom.  Over time, this room became his room.  Now, I want to turn the guest room into his own space.  There are a few main objectives in this makeover.

1. Bunk Beds

Courtesy of Pottery Barn Kids
 

I want a space that Jack can enjoy for his own, but also share with his friends as he gets older.  Ok, ok, I must admit that sometimes Jack's lil sister, Vivi, also likes to have a slumber party in his room on the weekends.  So having bunk beds would be a cool way for them to share a room without sharing the same bed.  The only thing is, I'm torn about actual bunk beds.  I don't want them to be flimsy and cheap looking.  I want something that can be used for years to come.  I'm in search for the ultimate non-bunkbed-looking-bunk-bed. 

2. Unique Ceiling



Design Megilla

I want to have fun in this space.  Really deck it out and make the ceiling something that wouldn't normally be expected.  I want something that will make the kids feel like their in a special place.  I don't know if wallpaper or paint is the way to go, but something along these lines...

3. Individual Lighting

Jane McKeller

Soraia Tetamanti via Pinterest

I love the idea of posting individual lights on each bunk level.  These would be great for reading and creating individual personal space. 

4. Industrial Decor

I usually use an explosion of color in decorating my home.  Proof here and here.  However, for this makeover, I want to try to stick to neutral tones and select one color for a pop.  I envision a Restoration Hardware type feel.  Something that uses industrial type decor but in a child-friendly way. 


Via RH Baby and Child

via Lush Home

via Restoration Hardware

I can see using vintage/thrift and new furniture in this room.  This week, I'll be trying to narrow down the type of beds to put into the room.  I think that will drive the rest of the look in the space. 

Check back next week to see progress.  I'll also reveal a photo of the room I'm working with. 

 

Also, the following exceptional designers are participating in the ORC.  I encourage you to hop on over the Calling It Home to view the progress of their rooms.  It's breath-taking what designers can pull together in 6 week's time. 

 

Here are individual links to each participant. 

The Players…Abby M. Interiors  ||  Because It’s Awesome   ||  Bijou & Boheme  ||  Chinoiserie Chic  ||  The Decorista  ||  Design Chic  ||  The Design Daredevil  ||  Design Darling  ||  Design Indulgence  ||  Design Manifest  ||  House of Turquoise  ||  Jana Bek Design  ||  Jill Sorensen  ||  Maddie G. Designs  ||  Mimosa Lane  ||  A Piece of Toast  ||  The Pink Pagoda  ||  Stone Textile  ||  The Zhush  ||

 

Additionally, You can see more linking participants by visiting Calling it Home

 

Meet Chairish

Chairish calls itself an "online consignment destination that makes it fun & easy for design lovers to buy & sell pre-loved home décor to one another."  In reality, it's this and much more.   Chairish.com launched in 2013 and allows users to purchase pre-owned designer furnishings at the click of a finger. 

 

It's vision started by a husband and wife team that realized they had a handful of high-end items that they wanted to get rid of, but no sensible way to advertise them.  They soon realized that this was a challenge shared by others.  In addition, there was a market out there for buyers who desired to purchase high-end furnishings directly from the seller.  Thus, a handful of highly experienced co-founders was gathered to help this vision become a reality. 



Courtesy of Chairish

The site is easy to navigate, allowing users to shop by category (Seating, Lighting, Tables, etc).  Or topic:  "Curator's Picks", "New Arrivals", or "Markdowns." 

Every week Chairish marks down by 25% (or more) items that have been in their store for over 30 days.  Since all Chairish items start out at a great price, the markdowns are unbelievable. 

Buyers can also opt to "Buy Me Now" or "Make an Offer" for the item.  Shipping costs to your location are easily calculated.  Their motto:  Buy.  Sell.  Adore. 


Dorothy Draper Style Orange Twin Headboards sold by Parker Kennedy


I can't even describe the guilty pleasure I feel when I peruse the amazing offerings from Chairish.  Each selection is even more brilliant than the previous.  I can get lost for hours...

Courtesy of Chairish

It's like sitting down with your favorite design magazine and looking at one inspiring image after another.  Total eye candy.  Only, in this case, it's all available for purchase and can be yours at the touch of a finger.  And the products are affordable.  Attainable.  And just utterly amazing. 

This is like craigslist, ebay, and etsy all merged into one.  Here are some of my top picks:

  

Vintage Powder Blue Fiberglass Patio Set, sold by Parker Kennedy

 Dorothy Draper Style Chest of Drawers in Pink, sold by Vanessa D. 

Vintage Faux Bamboo Demilune Cabinet on Chairish here. 



Vintage Faux Bamboo Daybed by Parker Kennedy

Vintage Gold Bamboo Side Table sold by Tracy S

Rehabbed Bamboo & Cane Chairs sold by Dalip K

Vintage Baker Furniture Bamboo Chippendale Chairs, Sold by D.C.

 Recently, Gwyneth Paltrow's goop.com asked the founder of Chairish, Anna Brockway, to open up her "black book" of experts in the vintage furniture resurrection area.  Excitingly, Anna listed my fave boys at Parker Kennedy as the experts in Atlanta for laquerwork.  (More on Parker Kennedy soon). 

Parker Kennedy also featured in Southern Living Mag, March 2014

Chairish has also been featured in publications such as  InStyle, Domaine, Elle Décor, House Beautiful, The Oprah Magazine, and glo to name a few. (Read more about their press here). 

Chairish  has also launched a super user-friendly iphone app (see here). 

You must keep your eye on Chairish.  Soon, more of my Vivid Hue Homies will begin using this site to sell their products (think Blaze and Bloom) and you'll be able to buy even more premier items right from your sofa! 

Buy. Sell. Adore.

Have you had any experience with Chairish?  Have you been to their site and what do you think about their offerings? 

Please note:  I was not reimbursed by Chairish in any way for this review.  All reviews expressed are my own.  As I always say, I love when I find a company that makes me happy and pleased and love to share it with others. 

Napa November Photo Reveal!

Happy January!  Remember Napa?  I started talking about 'The Countdown' in October, 2012.

I shared some of the craftiness that went into the planning for this party in early November.

For those of you that may not recall, I hyped my Napa November trip pretty heavily and promised to share photos as soon as I had them.  And then, I didn't!   Ha, really, I'm quite embarrassed about sharing photos in January from an event that happened in November. But I'm going to blame it on the holidays! 

If you're late to the party and have never heard me talk about 'Napa November' , in a nutshell, my husband (EG) and I both turned 40 last fall and decided to host a weekend in Napa to include a handful of our closest friends from grade school to present. 

Twenty five guests in total; some arrived as early as Wednesday but all were there by Friday for our big party.  I selected the Farmstead in St. Helena as the venue because of the authentic barn-style decor (the restaurant itself is housed in a former nursery barn).  Once I started planning the party with their event coordinator, we moved our party to their private dining area space.  It has the same authentic feel.  I really wanted to give guests a Napa feel with a chic barn house flair. 

I wanted the table scape to be filled with wild flowers and seasonal vegetables that were not the traditional autumnal colors (red, orange, brown).  I envisioned eggplants, aubergine, celedon (purples and crisp greens).  I wanted mixed vases and vintage containers.  Come on, ya'll, this is Vivid Hue...Nothing matchy matchy here!  (smile)

I found a photo of each guest pictured with EG or me at a point in our friendship and used those to create this photo clothes line.  It was a great way to commemorate our many friendships. 

Here is a close up of EG and me in NYC.  Each year we try to celebrate our wedding anniversary weekend by returning to NYC (without kids) and visiting all of the places we used to go when we were dating.  I * think* this was taken on our 7 year anniversary weekend.  (photo removed)

This weekend really was about celebrating our vast and meaningful friendships with so many special people (I know, I know, as much as I hyped MY birthday leading up to this...) This was a weekend filled with so many wonderful memories and hysterical laughter. 

These are the girls I go on my annual mom's Vegas trip with...

Even though there were 25 of us, I wanted the dining room setting to seem intimate.  I had the table set up like one long barn table.  We all set at a long table and it was pretty easy to converse with each other!   I had originally thought about sticking to white table linens but then decided to be true to myself and add a spice of color and pattern.  Yes, it was supposed to resemble a barn like setting, but I asked everyone to wear cocktail attire.  So I was already mixing things up.  Adding a fun table cloth just provided some additional flair. 

My theory is that you don't have to follow the rules all of the time.  This was my party so I did exactly what I wanted.  And it was exactly as I envisioned. 

There were some shabby chic and vintage elements in the room that added personality such as a vintage wheelbarrow with old barn doors.  An old birdcage and accents of orange. 

I made  a banner that said "Happy 40th Grahlings" from burlap and stencils and had the venue string it with twine and clothes pins. 

 

 

Here's a group shot of our happy group.  We really had a wonderful time.  My motto has always been "let's make a memory," and we certainly did.  It was a weekend that I'll remember forever. 

It's an amazing thing when there are years between when you see an old friend but when you get together, it's as if no time has been lost.  You're able to pick back up where you left off.  That's how you know you're really great friends.  As we get older and our own families demand more of our time, it becomes more difficult to give devote daily time to friends from childhood and college.  But when you can get together with friends and continue a conversation as if you have seen each other just yesterday, that is a sign of a friendship that can endure the test of time.  I cherish every single one of my friends.  I'm truly blessed. 

Happy 2013.

All photos courtesy of Matt Edge Photography 



xoxo Heather

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