A Fashionista's Bedroom

Black & White

Vintage Cottage

Happy New Year!

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Happy 2014! Via Etsy

Office Space - Teal Edition

Created this mood board inspired by NYC lofts,  bold colors, trendy gadgets and my love for fashion.



What does your ideal office space look like? 

Understanding Your Personal Style

From House Beautiful - October 2010

Ahh, personal style. We're all born with it. It just takes some us a little longer to realize our true "style potential". This post is dedicated to simply that. Simple steps to help you tap into your creative side and make your space truly yours.

Like fashion, decor is something personal. I found myself countless times trying to imitate a style I saw in a magazine only to feel like it just wasn't "me". What I've learned over time is that decorating your home is like a work of art. There is no right or wrong way, it's simply a matter of proportions and color harmony.

I may not be a decor guru, but I've made enough mistakes to know that when in comes to personal style, you simply have to trust your instincts.  My friend recently moved into her own apartment and asked me how she can make her home feel, well, "like home".  I thought about it and compiled a list of tips that helped me personalize my own space.


Tip #1  Don't rush it. Take your time and fall in love with every individual piece.

Tip #2  Flip through magazines and decor blogs, make mental notes of what you like and what you don't like.

Tip #3  Pick a color palette. This will help keep color harmony along the way.

Tip #4  Play with bold prints. Mix and match. Try different styles. Have fun!

Tip #5  Take Risks. Sometimes you won't know if it works until you try it. Not quite sure if you're ready to commit? Try creating a mood board on olioboard.com  first. This is a great way to visualize a project before investing time and money.

Tip #6  Show off -  photography, diplomas, your own art, showcase your talents. Not only do these things add a personal touch, they are great conversations starters too.

Below are images of the October 2010 House Beautiful issue. I love this particular issue because it focuses on personal style and showcases quirky, yet traditional designs.

What are your personal style tips? 

Happy decorating. 

Xoxo 

Franchesca

I Hated my Ikea Hemnes Dresser

Goal: I want my apartment to look quaint, chic and overall truly reflect my personalty.

Problem: I own a piece of Ikea furniture. That horrid, plain looking piece of furniture that happens to be sturdy as a rock and you have no good reason to get rid of it. 

Solution: Paint it, of course.

 I googled tons of tutorials on how to do this and the stuff I found was really impressive. Like this:

http://californiacallahans.blogspot.com/2011/12/hemnes-hack.html 

How cute is that?! 

Now, if you have limited time and aren't totally confident about your painting skills (like me), you can try highlighting the borders and changing the hardware. 

For my Hemnes dresser, I decided to paint the borders and knobs with Amaco's Rub N' Buff Metalic Finish in Antique Gold. If you're not familiar with this stuff, be warned, it's very addicting!  You'll want to use it on everything, probably even your cat. 

The entire project took less than 30 minutes.  I don't have step by step pictures, but the process is incredibly easy.

First, I taped around the edges and used an old rag to rub the wax on the wood. The best thing about using a finish like Rub N' Buff is that you don't need a lot of it. I used a little less than half of the tiny tube for the entire dresser including the knobs. 

 

Changing the knobs is incredibly easy, but I didn't mind keeping most the original knobs (it was also cost effective). 

Now, my Hemnes dresser may not be a charming antique, but I think a little color adds pizzazz to a plain old dresser. What do you think?