Black accent pieces

Via, original source unknown

I have been loving darker spaces lately, especially dark walls, which can make a room feel sophisticated and sexy.

I'm dreaming of painting our bedroom a dark, smoky grey, but it will be a big change, since our walls have always been light neutrals. 

If you're not ready to commit to dark walls, try adding a few dark accent pieces to for that moody glamour. 

Vase | Placemat | Jewelry Box | Stone Box | Plant | Coasters | Pillow | Bar cart

Styling an entryway table

I am so excited to finally, finally share our completed DIY Parsons table! I previously posted the tutorial for this inexpensive and relatively easy DIY (here) and I finally get to show you the finished product, upholstered in faux crocodile vinyl fabric.

All of the credit for making and upholstering the table goes to my husband who built the table in no time, and then painstakingly wrapped every inch of this table in not-so-easy to work with vinyl. He did such a great job and I'm thrilled with how it turned out!

James Roy Photography

Once it was done, I styled our entryway table with: 

• Gold and white pieces from Erie Drive (here)
• Target lamp and shade (here and here)
• Decorative box from Homegoods
• Restoration Hardware mirrored coasters (old - similar here)
• Vintage candlesticks found at antiques store in Wisconsin
• Fresh flowers

Introducing Erie Drive

This post was supposed to be entitled "Part Two: Parsons Table DIY."

Remember the Parsons table DIY (here) I shared a while back? I wouldn't blame you if you didn't, since it was oh, about two months ago. 

What was supposed to be a quick upholstering project, turned into a headache since we underestimated the difficulty of upholstering a multi-piece table with vinyl fabric.

Long story short: I won't be posting step-by-step instructions for upholstering this table because I wouldn't recommend doing it the way we did. Check out the tutorial we initially referenced (here) and keep in mind that a thinner, soft fabric is easier to work with than vinyl.

What I have for you instead is early styling shots with beautiful new pieces care of Erie Drive.

Erie Drive is the online destination for unique and charming gifts, home goods, accessories and more. When they kindly offered to send me a couple of items for review, I scanned their hand-picked collection of goods and was immediately drawn to the Dauville collection (here). You can find a few of my other favorites here, here, and here!

I already had our Parsons Table in mind when I picked the Gold Glazed Pebble Dish (here) and Gold Glazed Porcelain Nesting Bowl (here), and knew the white + gold would look beautiful against the black crocodile tabletop.

Stay tuned for a full reveal of our upholstered Parsons table and in the meantime, hop on over to Erie Drive (here) to see more of their unique wares. 

James Roy Photography

make your own parsons table diy

i am really excited about today's DIY and even more excited about part two coming next week!

james and i have been looking for a compact, sleek console for our entryway on and off for months. we live in a small apartment (900 sq ft) and needed something that would add interest, not bulk, but we couldn't find anything that would fit our space and price point.

and then it hit me: we can make one! what i love most about this DIY is that you can customize it to your space. our tabletop is long and narrow, but you can adjust the dimensions to suit your style. to get an idea of standard console dimensions, we checked out the options at places like West Elm, CB2 and IKEA. one rule of thumb, most consoles are 30-31" in height.

now, here is the real stunner: assuming you own or can borrow the tools listed below, the total cost of materials is $34.

this doesn't include the cost of materials to finish the wood, but there are inexpensive finishing options, so stay tuned for part two of this DIY for ideas!

a quick note: we decided to add "braces" for structural support and i actually like the look a bit better. for a more traditional parsons table, you can leave the braces off, but any bowing or arching in the lumber will cause the legs to taper and you might find that a brace evens things out.

DIMENSIONS
48x12x31.5"

MATERIALS 

- 8'x12" (cut into 48x12" for tabletop)

- 2 lengths of 2x2"x6' (cut into 4 pieces for legs, each 30" in length)

- 8 flathead #8 gauge 3" wood screws

TOOLS

- electric drill

- 1/8" drill bit

- level

- pencil

- sandpaper
- hand saw (if adding braces)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. write "TOP" in pencil on one side of tabletop.

2. with the "TOP" side up, place one of the legs on one of the corners. use level to ensure edges of leg are flush with edge of tabletop.

3. trace edges of the leg with pencil, to make a square.

4. next, remove leg and mark where to drill the screws. with a ruler, draw a diagonal line down the middle of the square and mark two evenly-spaced, centered dots (see photo for exact measurements).

5. repeat steps 2-4 with for remaining corners.

6. starting with one corner, drill through each of the dots marking where the screws will go.

 james used a makeshift drill guide to ensure screws drilled in straight. for instructions on creating your own drill guide, click here.

7. place tabletop perpendicular to floor and align a leg against one "BOTTOM" corner of tabletop, so that all sides are flush.

9. while holding leg firmly against tabletop, drill through screw holes from "TOP" side of tabletop, into leg.

10. drive wood screws through drill holes completely into leg, until screw is flush with with top of tabletop.

11. repeat steps 6-11 for remaining corners.

optional - adding braces
12. stand table upright and measure interior distance between legs. using leftover lumber, use hand saw to cut two pieces to match interior distance on each side of table.

13. set table on its side, with legs facing you. on the outer ends of each leg, use freshly cut brace to trace square and drill holes, as in steps 2-4.

14. drill through each of the dots marking where the screws will go.

15. align brace against interior of one leg, so that all sides are flush.

16. while holding leg firmly against leg, drill through screw holes from leg exterior, into brace. repeat with opposite leg, so that brace serves as a connector piece.

17. repeat for legs at opposite end of table.

et voila!

we're planning to upholster our table with faux animal skin fabric (details coming soon!), but i took a crack at styling it to get an idea of what it will look like all finished! what do you think?

TIPS

- we purchased and cut our lumber at home depot. we chose Select Pine because it has a more polished appearance. it is a little more expensive than stock lumber, but the pieces are less likely to have imperfections.

- if you choose to add braces, save extra 2x2 lumber during home depot trip.

- you can pick up an inexpensive bubble level and the wood screws while you're at home depot.

- use sand paper to smooth out any edges and even out connection point between legs and tabletop.

ikea hack: billy bookcase and besta storage unit

i am so excited to finally share the ikea pieces that james and i have been working on. i posted a sneak peek a few weeks ago, but we finally finished all of the details this past weekend. 

we have been slowly working on zhushing up our little home (it's an apartment, really, but it feels like home) and the time came to buy some new furniture. the main priority was hidden storage; in such a small space, even a little bit of clutter can make the entire place look messy and unkempt. 

we looked online, in local shops, and resale stores for nice furniture for months, but we realized the hardwood furniture we liked was out of our budget. complicating matters, i wanted a bookcase with doors to keep things tidy and dust-free.

we settled on the billy bookcase with paneled glass doors. i liked the idea of showing some of our books and decorative pieces, but still having plenty of room to hide, so the half-glass paneling was perfect.

taking a cue from kate's amazing ikea hack i painted the back panel a dark charcoal - behr's stealth jet - and filled in the peg holes with white nail hole filler. unless you're up close, you can't see the holes, which is usually a tell-tale sign of an ikea piece. 

we also wanted a streamlined media center with storage and the besta storage unit fit the bill. we paired it with glossy white doors and topped it with white glass.

we chose the standard square legs, but spray painted them with rustoleum's metallic spray paint in gold.

speaking of hardware, i've had jen's home tour posts bookmarked for ages because i love the brushed brass pulls and knobs that she has used.

we did consider other legs for the besta unit, but couldn't find anything that we loved for a decent price. although the spray paint is gold and the rest of the hardware is brass, it matches really well. after seeing how great the legs looked, we disassembled the bookcase doors to spray paint the hinges and screws. it was a bit of a hassle to do so after the fact, but it's one of my favorite details.

so, friends, what do you think? have you hacked any ikea pieces? if so, i'd love to see them!

all images: james roy photography

inspired by art deco

this past weekend, a good friend and i were chatting about the beauty of art deco rings, which got me thinking about the style. with it's geometric shapes, clean lines, and bold colors, art deco pieces always make a statement.

below are a few favorite fashion and decor items to add a little deco to everyday life.

pillow | cuff | lamp | clutch | cape | ring | scarf

diy: how to reupholster a chair seat

i 'm so excited to share my most recent DIY with you today!

well, i really shouldn't say my DIY because i couldn't have done this without james' help - it's really a two-person job. we referenced two online tutorials for the project - here and here - and made some adjustments along the way.

we recovered two chair seats that measured about 15x14 in. and used 3/4 yd. fabric. the fabric is a faux crocodile leather we found at joann's for less than $8. true story.

oh, and we have chair sliders on the base of each chair leg to save the wood floors, but to jazz them up after reupholstering the seats, i painted them a metallic brass color.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

- fabric

- batting

- foam

- scissors

- pliers

- screwdriver

- heavy-duty staple gun

- 5/16 in. staples

- spray adhesive

STEP ONE:

flip chair over and unscrew seat from chair frame.

STEP TWO:

remove staples, backing, fabric, batting, foam, and fabric from seat. if your chair is more than 5 years old, consider tossing everything. putting new foam on your seat will breath new life into the chair, not to mention, make it more comfortable.

STEP THREE:

cut foam, batting, and fabric. i'm a nerdbird and measured it out, but you can probably eyeball the measurements - just make sure to err on the side of too much material vs. too little.

cut foam 1/2 inch larger than seat.

cut batting 3 inches larger than seat. 

cut fabric 4 inches larger than seat. 

*love note on seat is optional

STEP FOUR: 

spray wooden seat with spray adhesive and carefully center foam on top. it will bind immediately, so there's no drying time.

set cut fabric down on a workspace, place batting on top, and stack seat with adhered foam on top of the batting.

STEP FIVE:

gently stretch batting and fabric over the back of the seat and staple the fabric in the center of all four sides.

if your fabric has a pattern, now is a good time to flip the seat over to see if it is centered.

continue stapling one side by gently tugging fabric until is is taut, then move to the opposite side and again stretch fabric before stapling. repeat for remaining sides. 

*we had to run out to get a heavy-duty upholstery staple gun and i stretched the fabric while james stapled. if you manage to get a wooden seat with new foam stapled by yourself, i tip my cap to you.

that's it! once the fabric and batting is safely stapled, screw the seat back into the chair and you're done. 

james roy photography

gilded goodies from zara home

like i'm sure many of you were, i scoured zara home as soon as i heard word that it launched and let me say, it was worth the wait. the housewares are current, stylish, and better yet, priced really well.

when i saw the bevy of gold accessories, i immediately thought of my girl cave and how nicely they would fit in.

created by me via

as i've mentioned before, the mr. isn't a huge fan of gold or brass decor, so when i do set up my girl cave it will be a gold explosion. don't you think the gold accessories below would look great in the girl cave? me too!

if you've had a chance to check out zara home, what were your favorite items?

1 | 2 | 3| 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8

chandeliers and statement lighting

kishani perera interior design via

statement lighting can serve as a focal point in a room and pieces like a fabulous chandelier can add drama and interest. i wouldn't mind putting a crystal chandelier in every room, but modern pieces like these black enamel chandeliers and gold fixtures would be just as amazing!

a tip for the gal on a budget: overstock is a great source for affordable chandeliers! they are priced lower because they come disassembled, so that does mean you'll spend a couple of hours assembling all of the pieces. assuming you don't mind, it's a great way to add some glamour on a budget. two of my girlfriends gave me this beauty for my bridal shower and it is absolutely gorgeous!

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

glamorous crate & barrel living room

man, crate & barrel has been knocking it out of the park lately! c&b has been a longtime favorite of mine for affordable, stylish home goods, especially for dining and entertaining. the mr. and i received lots of beautiful pieces from c&b and especially love our drinkwear and flatware.

but i have to admit, i viewed c&b as a store for basics and staples and didn't consider it a go-to for chic furniture or on-trend decor. and then this month's catalog came in the mail. i have to say, i am impressed. from beautiful wooden casegoods to nail head details, the product offering is chic, fresh,  and more sophisticated!

i was planning on posting a round-up of some of my favorite pieces, but i had so many products on one page, i realized i could create an entire room! now picture this space with dark hardwood and benjamin moore's lancaster whitewash on the walls.

what about you? are you impressed with c&b's new look?

*all items pictured available at crate & barrel. this is not a sponsored post, but feel free to e-mail me if you have specific questions or can't locate a product!

design love: grey + pink

i have been loving the mix of moody greys and blush pinks lately! the juxtaposition of light and dark strikes the perfect balance - the look is sophisticated and glamorous and impossibly chic!

are you a fan of this color combo?

  

photos via

mini home tour

 i've been documenting bits and pieces of our apartment since making little updates like these DIY abstract paintings. the result is the mini home tour below and upon reflection, i have a problem - i seem to have forgotten that i live with an adult male.

 i love our place now, but i want to build in masculine elements to our home, so our space is interesting and appealing to the mr. (and actually looks like a man lives there). luckily, i have time to figure it out because james indulges my predisposition for all things girly.

living room 

bathroom

bedroom

kitchen drawer liners

linen closet inspiration

if you've followed ANC for a while, it's probably no surprise that i'm getting more and more into home design and decor. the mr. and i are slowly updating and redoing our little apartment by doing things like refinishing hand-me-down furniture and spicing up the living room with DIY abstract paintings. and of course, many of the beautiful wedding presents we have received have helped!

one thing that i'm dreaming about for the future is a full-size, beautifully organized linen closet. i have a serious obsession with linens - i love bright white soft sheets, cozy down comforters, and plush towels, and i love having a stockpile of clean ones on hand so i can change them as often as i like. if you haven't read annie's post on the importance of clean linens, you should!

we don't have space for a closet dedicated solely to linens yet, but when we do, i'll be drawing my inspiration from these images.

 via