NEW HOUSE UPDATE: Mirror Paint and Molding

 

We are starting to add our personal touches to our new home, and it feels so good to be able to start this process.

 Before New Mirror

Recently we purchased a new mirror for over the mantel in the Great room. It was a mirror I had admired for months and it was on sale for a great price.

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I knew that the mirror would have to be painted  because as pretty as the finish was, it was just not right for our environment. 

I had a couple things to think about before painting my new mirror........

Did I want it to stand out and be the focal point?

Or

Did I want it to look integral to the fireplace mantel and TV niche?

If I wanted it to be a focal point then it should be painted a darker color. The colors that ran thru my mind were....

Black which is an obvious choice with my decor......

I also thought of Cobalt blue....

Obviously not the same mirror, but I wanted you to have a visual  of the color.

Kelly Green...........

All three colors would work beautifully in my room if I want the mirror to stand out and be a focal point.

This is where you have to think a little deeper than just the mirror or the fireplace wall.  

This is also where I see many homeowners make a mistake. They ONLY look at the project they are working on and not how it will flow with the rest of the room or the house.

You HAVE TO always keep in mind.....

The overall look and feel of your entire home and
the flow in the room.

Our home has a classic, clean, simple Hamptons vibe so I need to have a classic, yet simple look.

Since this mirror was tall and thin measuring 31w X 41h I knew I needed to add some molding around it . At first I thought I would follow the lines of the mirror, something like this.....

My son and DIL did something like this in their home and it was beautiful and would work with my mirror.

Now comes the important part!!!

This is a pretty formal look and since I am going to be adding other moldings in my home, how will it marry to the overall feel and look that I am planning on?

Now if I were JUST thinking of this one wall and one room, it would be perfect, BUT remember I am keeping in mind the future look of my entire home.

This is where planning is so important. Otherwise you can get a home with a mix bag of goodies and styles that looks like a hot mess and has no continuity.

Remember the buzz words..... Classic, Simple, Clean.

Lots to think about and lots going on in my designing brain, but all necessary thoughts.

So here is what I came up with......

Since the fireplace and TV niche read as one wall I wanted the mirror to look integral to the fireplace so I chose a white on white look......

The sconces will be moved once the molding is in place.

Now came time for the molding choice. Oh my!! there are sooooo many choices to choose from. 

Remember I am trying to keep a nice flow going throughout my home so I had to figure out how I wanted to address the TV niche as well.

There were other elements to consider as well.... there will be a crown molding and a top treatment above all of the windows. That is a lot of lines going on so I had better keep it simple since I like a clean look.

We decided that we will treat the  TV niche surround as if it were a door, and use a wide casing that matches our existing door casings.

 With that in mind I chose a smaller version of the casing to go around the mirror. The trim had to be fairly wide in order to be in proportion to the mirror's frame so I chose a 2 1/2" molding......

The molding on the right was the winner!!

Here it is!!! I am beyond pleased with the results and I am looking forward to the next steps..

Installing sconces

Installing molding around niche

 

 

How To NOT OVER DECORATE For FALL!

   Keep It Simple, Keep it Natural

GOAL:

To add texture and warmth with the additions of a few Autumn touches.

There are copious amounts of Fall home tours going around blog land right now and it is a great way to get ideas and inspiration that you might apply to your own home.

I have seen the:

THE GOOD 

THE NOT SO GOOD

&

WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD THEY DO THAT? 

 There is nothing worse than when a home's decor looks as if it should have price tags on everything. Also remember not everything requires a bow!!

Of course it is all subjective, and I am a self-proclaimed a less is more, big is better kind of gal when it comes to decor. 

If you are a more is more kind of gal, please don't take offense to my methods, it is just what works for me and what I'd like to share with you today.

 My perspective comes from let's keep it simple and natural as possible.

Seasonal decorating can be tricky because it is so easy to get carried away. 

We have so many offerings out there, and social media and the internet has opened up so many opportunities in the decorating world.

The very first thing you need to do is to remove all the accessories in your room so you have a clean slate. 

Then slowly move the larger additions you would like to add, and create your layers, always keeping in mind less is more, and you don't have to have everything you own out all at once. 

I have a few guidelines that I use when doing seasonal decorating.

1. Keep it simple
2. Use natural elements whenever possible
3. Choose 3 different areas in your home to decorate.
4. Just like on the stage, there should only be one star in a room 
5. Repeat elements to give continuity to your home, I like to use 2- 3 main elements in my Fall decor.

KEEPING IT SIMPLE 

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My home

USE NATURAL ELEMENTS

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CHOOSE THREE DIFFERENT AREAS TO DECORATE

ENTRY:

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MANTEL

I am going to show you a little contrast here. The first mantel is what I would call simple, natural and tasteful Fall decor. The second mantel is in the, "Let's put a price tag on this stuff and sell it!"

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The Don't Do This!!

You will notice the only thing natural in this arrangement are the candles. They could have saved themselves so much money and work by doing something simple and natural.

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 If you need a little help in doing your mantel I have a step by step blog post that can help you out. 

Read it HERE!

THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE STAR IN THE ROOM

What I mean by this is if you have a dining room attached to your kitchen decide where you will put the Fall decor, the table , island or counters. If you have Fall decor everywhere, the eye will be bouncing around the room and not be able to relax and enjoy the view.

The same for your living room or Great room. If you want the mantel to be the focal point then you should keep the coffee table and end tables very simple.

Remember to always enter your room and stand back to see if the eye flows seamlessly or if you have moments of jumping around from one area to another. Your home should have a flow and continuity.

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Of course these are all just guidelines and methods that I have found that work for me over the years.  

Nothing in design is ever in cement or an absolute.

Use your own discretion and keep in mind at all times the look and feel you want your home to have. 

Keep in mind........

You will have to put away ALL the stuff you put out in order to do your Christmas decorating. Ho-Hum sigh!! That just might be what puts a limit on the more is more look!!

 

 

A FASHION POST: How To Wear Plaid Pants

How To Wear Plaid Pants And Still Look Like A Grown-Up!!

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Plaid has been on the fashion scene for several years now.

We can all wear a cute plaid shirt in cotton, or flannel with our jeans, and feel in style, and quite comfortable. 

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However, when it comes to plaid pants we are not all quite as brave, or adventurous.

Plaid pants were huge in the 80’s, and they were a staple in my wardrobe back then. 

I had a black watch plaid pair, and a cute red plaid pair of pants that were go-to wardrobe staples in the winter months.

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I was one happy lady when I saw plaid pants emerge again. 

I purchased a black watch plaid pant at the beginning of the winter season, and I must say those pants have become my go-to pair of pants.

Since I have enjoyed wearing my plaid pants I thought I would share a few ways to wear them that are appealing to me.

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When I saw this outfit I immediately ordered a mustard sweater. I knew it would make a good combination for me, since mustard is a color I can seem to wear with my coloring. 

One very important detail  I want you to all notice is the proportions in the outfit above. 

PROPORTIONS, PROPORTIONS PROPORTIONS, LADIES!!!

The sweater is not pulled down around her hips, which is a good thing it would only shorten her legs.

She also has a V-neck sweater, which is also a good idea since  that will elongate her neck, and make her look thinner. If you don't have a V-neck sweater try wearing a long pendant to elongate your look.

She accessorized with one great statement necklace, and  simple cuff bracelet. This was a very smart choice. She kept the plaid, and the pop of color in the sweater the focus.

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I love the pop of the red shoe with this outfit. It feels a bit unexpected, and makes this outfit more fun, and interesting.

The layered tops are dark enough to make your top look slimmer. 

The shirt peeking out of the bottom of the black sweater is fun, but to be honest it is peeking out just a tad too much. If you decide to wear the peeking shirt tail make sure it is just barely peeking out.

Also remember with this look you are creating a horizontal line  across your body that is going to stop the eye unless it is close to the color of the pant. 

A simple black purse would have been a bit more classic, and I would have added pearl stud earrings, and a simple strand of pearls. I almost always wear one gold bangle so that would have been my choice of bracelets.

I know layering of bracelets is in style and I love the look, BUT and I do mean a big BUT,you do not want to over accessorize, and become a TREND-ZILLA. So keep that in mind when adding layer upon layer.

Helpful Hint:

When you know you are wearing one very current trend try to not overload on other trends, keep the other pieces more classic and simple. Let the trend speak for itself.

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I  love every element of this outfit.

Unfortunately I can no longer wear a high heel so I would opt for a leopard flat, but every other piece is a smart and classic look.

For the winter I would also wear this ensemble with a black turtle neck and a simple long gold pendant necklace.

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In this outfit collage you can see the person shows 6 different  shoe options. 

I personally would not choose the nude shoes, only because I think the plaid needs a little more weight as in the leopard or the black shoes.

The chambray shirt is fun, but with the accessories I think the shirt needs to have a bit more tailoring, and I would never wear a huge statement necklace with a shirt that has two pockets. 

Too much going on in one small area. A more tailored chambray in a darker color would be a more classic choice for me personally.

HELPFUL HINT:

When choosing a necklace keep in mind what is going on around where the necklace will be placed. If there is a yoke, collar and pockets, keep the necklace simple, or do not wear one at all, try statement earrings instead.

Two pair of plaid pants that I like……..

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Classic black watched plaid, slim cut ankle pant.

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Fun red, cobalt and black plaid on a winter white background. Slimmer cut ankle length pant.

The current way to wear plaid pants is a slimmer cut, and hemmed at the ankle. 

When wearing this look make sure you can see skin, that is key. 

I just ordered these pants at a great sale price of $29.99 marked down from $89.00. 

One thing about these pants, they will hem them to your desired length, and if they don’t fit you can still return them, now that is what I call great customer service, and the hemming is FREE!!

I love fashion almost as much as I do interior design, and I hope you enjoy my post on fashion from time to time.

I am not an expert by any stretch of the imagination, however I do like to dress well, and feel good in my clothes, so that keeps me on my toes with my ever changing body at this age, if you know what I mean.

Have fun with your wardrobe, study what is out there and find the looks and proportions that are right for your body type.

I have 18 pinboards on fashion that are at the top of my pinterest page if you would like to see what I like to wear.

Click HERE to go to my pinterest page.

More post on wearing plaid can be found:

HERE