Our New Star, The Main Bath

Update:  we finally finished the main bathroom.

Before:

After:

Of course, I am very pleased,

but let’s get this out of the way before I share more:

I know it skews granny, but I don’t care!

I love it!

That gingham wallpaper is tres awesome, don’tcha think?

I found it at a garage sale last summer.  $5.  2 rolls.  Yay!

The hook rack for our towels was an old window or door top:

Notice the buttery accents (yum!) that tie the room together:

My sister, Kathy, made that (called a “pineapple”) ornament:

We bought the vanity/marble top + sink set from Menards.

 I purchased the cross-handle (my fave) faucet online,

probably from Signature Hardware:

And now, check out my crazy splurge:

Yeah, that’s right.

I actually paid $50 to have this way-cool flush handle on our toilet!

Speaking of price tags, I can’t remember what I paid for this enamel tissue bin:

Our more modestly priced, vintage-style medicine cabinet is from Home Depot:

It’s been such a long time ago, I can’t remember where I got our pendant lights.

Aren’t they cute?

Meanwhile, this style of awesome wall-mounted mirror is usually $100+:

Ours came from IKEA + cost less than $10!

It’s nice + heavy + does not look or feel cheapie in any way.  So get one.

We use this vintage black cabinet for storage:

G.O. found it at an antiques mall — score!

I was going to strip its runny black paint job + re-paint it white,

after which I would stencil a large red cross on the door.

(Betcha I never do, but stay tuned!  Youneverknow!)

Enough about that — now let’s view my beloved plates:

I have been trying but failing to find the perfect spot to hang them,

but I just couldn’t commit.

After the wallpaper went up in the bathroom, that was it, for me:

They’re perfect!

And finally, looking down, we spy my beloved tile floor!

I’ve always loved this style of floor tile — it’s so vintage!

We searched + searched for it without success,

but I finally found it on Amazon.

Who knew?

Our tub + shower surround subway tile was from Home Depot.

That tile surrounding the window was quite an accomplishment,

if I do say so.

Thanks (again), Pinterest!

You’ve always come through for me when I needed help!

The good news is that even G.O. loves our new bathroom!

Earlier this morning, he said, without being prompted at all,

“That bathroom is really the star, isn’t it?”

Thanks for reading!

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Our Postal Sorter Gets A Fun “Re-Do”

So.

Last spring, I thought I’d combine a home office with our dining room.

 I was inspired by this room in designer Allison Kandler’s California home:

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Isn’t it great?  Those built-ins are so awesome!

Instead of $$ built-ins at our house,

my plans involved my beloved 1920’s postal sorter.

Here it is, serving as our entertainment center in our old house:

Sadly, the office thing never really clicked,

which I guess explains why there are no photos.

Every time I looked at it was a drag, so finally, I opted to re-do.

(Don’t you LOVE the re-do?)

Yes, I spent all day + was semi-deliriously happy to do so!

I just shopped the house + added a lot of kitchen stuff.

A few of my favorite cookbooks with Hoosier glass canisters:

Just for fun, I added pretty pumpkins from our porch.

I think this space needs an autumnal branch in a vase, too.  Later today?

I’ve opted to display my vintage platters in stacks.

They’ve been patiently waiting to be hung on a wall,

’cause I love that sort of thing but can’t commit yet.

Next, I opted to display a collection of glass items up on top.

Who knew? — I had so much of it?

How beautiful it will all be, after I’ve shoved holiday greenery among the sparkly glass!

Meanwhile, here are a few close ups:

One of the perks of having tall ceilings is that I can go up with my displays!

Next on my re-do agenda:  the top of our sorter in the living room!

Stay tuned!

Meanwhile, please “like” my Facebook page, where I share fun design inspiration,

including this fab, new hotel in NYC.

https://www.facebook.com/Red-Bird-Vintage-Home-290942574609/

My Love For A Classic Rug

Yesterday I blogged about our new curtains that I sewed:

Love them!  Don’t love hemming them!

Anyway, as I mentioned, I am officially in NESTING mode,

which means I long to make a huge pot of chili + re-do the living room.

Time for a new rug!

My beloved kilim rug has been retired,

after 10+ years of total grooviness . . .

. . . + here ’tis its replacement — a denim rag rug from Land of Nod!

http://www.landofnod.com/true-blue-rag-rug/f1794

People — less than $300 for an 8 x 10 rug!

Say no more!

But wait.  Needle scratch, even.

Isn’t a rag rug something that I would have had in the 90’s?

Um, excuse me?  Granny!

Further more, doesn’t G.O. hate rag rugs?

Please. I don’t think that it’s hopelessly outdated.

No way! — it’s more of a timeless classic!

Like jeans — they never go out of style + they go with everything!

Check it out!

The Land of Nod rug is chunkier (+ softer) than those of years gone by,

which adds a lot of texture to our room.

At this point, I am fretting over how monochromatic my room is.

Gray, blue, gray, blue.

Time to add some of my other favorite color, red!

RED!?  HA!  I think I’ve got it covered!

How about you?

What classics do you still have in your decor?

November Nesting

So.

If the calendar says November, that means Christmas is coming.

It means I should be doing the following:

Sewing pillows,

painting + stenciling everything in my path,

+ sewing yet more pillows.

 Exhibit A: painting + stenciling.

This coffee table is being re-done in my newest style obsession,

which I am calling Vintage Blanket.

I kind of love it where it’s at right now.

Perhaps I will keep it for myself!  Stay tuned!

But wait.

November on my calendar means merch, yes.

But is also has me yearning to binge eat the following:.

 3-packs of Affy Tapples

Countless containers of pumpkin flavored Greek yogurt.

HA!  JUST kidding about the binge eating!  (Or not.)

Actually, I find myself wanting to NEST.

Time to putter around the interior of one’s house,

after one has neglected said-same house all summer!

First, I have turned my attention to our living room,

more specifically, the windows.

  Look!  I’ve sewn curtains + lots of them!

My beautiful, semi-sheer fabric was once IKEA curtain panels, @$20 per pair.

2 pairs yielded more than enough fabric

for both our living room bay + our dining room bay.

6 window treatments for only $40-ish!

The embroidered stripes + knots are festive, are they not?

They add a little texture + a bit of pattern to our rooms.

I opted for only a single panel at each window,

as I thought the standard 2 pairs looked too puffy + granny’s house.

The single panel just looked better to me.

It allows lots of light to stream in (big priority for me),

+ we can still see outside.

Thankfully, it also handles my other concern — privacy,

both during the day + night time.  Yay us.

But wait.  What!?

Somebody’s forgotten to hem her curtains!

OOPS.

Fingers crossed I won’t procrastinate too much + do some hemming, stat.

Stay tuned!