Chair DIY Update

Last week I shared my recent purchases and some thoughts on how I plan to update those items. Well, I've made some paint color choices on the step stool and hope to get that knocked out in the next week or two. The chair I've been going back and forth on. I had two large fabric swatches that I found in my files that would work perfectly for this small reuphostery project (yay for free fabric!).  The first is this Dwell Studio marbelized black and white pattern. I like that it is dark (don't want a light seat cushion) and organic. I envision it with a sort of forest or kelly green paint on the chair.

 The second is this Beacon Hill fabric which I fell in love with recently.  The chair could be done in a turquoise / teal color.

At first I was leaning toward the latter but now I'm thinking I prefer the green and the more neutral fabric so I'm not as locked into a color scheme as with the other. I also am in love with this Christopher Farr Cloth textile which I think would work really nicely with it (perhaps as a window treatment or large pin-up board?  I'd actually found a comparable fabric by Sarah Campbell for West Elm a while back but they seemed to stop making it (boo! considering the price on the Christopher Farr option).

Which chair option do you prefer? And what are your thoughts on the West Elm vs. Christopher Farr fabric (I love the pricey option, but is it worth it?)

On the books

Sorry for the blog silence recently.  Been super busy with various committees (chronic over-volunteering), new design projects, lots of hardware orders (yay!), and new showrooms.  I sort of took a rest from DIY projects but I do have a few things that I've been noodling around which I'll probably start in the next month or so. First off, there is this linen closet at the top of our stairs. Our contractor primed everything (and by everything I mean he even painted over the hardware and I'm pretty sure he just primed the drawers in place and I had to pry them open), but otherwise it was as-is.  It's semi organized but could probably use a little re-org. 

As you can see the drawers are in bad shape.

The bottoms are in pieces and are shifting around (here you can see the floor and my foot straight through the bottom of the drawer).

So the plan is to paint the inside of the closet a fun color, maybe do a decoupage wallpaper (ie: cheap wrapping paper I bought at target plus some modge podge), replace the drawer bottoms, and do a fun new and inexpensive brass bail pull.  I think I could also put some cork board on the inside recessed panel of the door to create some sort of message center.  I love how Jenny at Little Green Notebook revamped her closet and laundry room.

Also on the books are two furniture projects. Our knock-off Eames task chair bit the dust after our move and I've been using one of our other knock-off Eames dining chairs as a stand in desk chair.  I wasn't exactly sure what I wanted here but I was thinking something less officey (not on casters), and maybe more traditional and a fun color to break up the modern dark desk.  Of course I had trouble finding something that fit the bill and the budget.  However, the other day I was walking around our little downtown and went into Avenue Salvage and found this vintage cane back chair and a fun step stool (see below) for 30 bucks total!  I couldn't pass them up.  Now to figure out what color to paint the chair and what fabric to reupholster with. Of course, you can see that the office is a mess and needs a revamp in general, but more on that later...

The step stool is ideal because Bryan is big enough to wash his hands but can''t reach the sink even with a single step stool.  I'd looked online but most of the double step stools are super functional / ugly or really juvenile.  I was so happy to stumble upon this. The little handles are great for moving it and for when Bryan is climbing up and down.

Again, not sure what color to paint it (definitely want to do some sort of two tone like it has already), but I am definitely reminded of another one of Jenny's DIY's with her kitchen step stool.  What fun projects do you have on the books for fall?

Woman's Day Spread

So here is the actual Woman's Day spread (you'll have to head out to your local newsstand if you want to actually read the text).  I would say the photos and content are pretty much true to life (granted I do wish I owed some of the stylist's props).  I love how they did a "Get the Look" section and that the featured some of my hardware!  Thanks again Woman's Day!

Woman's Day Is Out!

If you've been follwing me on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter then you know how excited I am that our feature in Woman's Day Magazine is out.  We shot it back in July (here are some behind the scenes shots from a previous post) and the final results are in!  The feature is really great and I can't thank the crew at Woman's Day enough for their hard work, from the stylist, photographer and hair and makeup artist to the editors and writers.  Here are some of the photos that appeared in the magazine (will show you the actual spread and link to the online version shortly). 

Fall Update

Apologies for the blog silence these last few weeks. It's been BUSY around here!  On the design front, one of my residential jobs is wrapping up, another has started back in and I'm working on a fun bar project in New York City.  I will definitely share more with you on those projects as things move along.

On the hardware front we've added new showrooms to the hardware line: Folger and Burt in the Bay Area, and Carter Hardware in Beverly Hills.  Welcome to the Nest Studio Family!  I've also been working on some new series that I hope to get prototyped soon. Very art deco in solid bronze!

I've also been planning Bryan's second birthday party and a large 80's party for a local organization that occur on the same day toward the end of the month! Needless to say, I'll be excited for the end of October.

We haven't been doing all that much around the house of late, but here are a few fall photos with our mums and pumpkins in place and the newly seeded lawn (still some brown patches but SO much better than it had been).  Happy Fall!

Dressing up a Dresser: Hardware Installed

I was recently contacted by fellow blogger Gabbi (and a New Jersey blogger at that!) of Retro Ranch Reno about using my hardware for a dresser revamp.  She selected the F-02 satin brass faceted knob for her project and went to work painting - and repainting - her fabulous mid-century find.  The end product looks fab and the hardware really adds a touch of glam. 

Check out more of Gabbi's renovation projects here.

I love seeing all of these great install shots of my hardware. If you've purchased our pieces and have install shots to share, please email me for a feature on the blog!

Stylin' Mamma: Soft Like Leather

Fall is a transitional month here in San Francisco, with temps ranging from upper 50s to upper 70s over the course of a single day (the marine layer, and all that).

I am trying (tryyyyying!) to curb the shopping after doing a small wardrobe re-vamp over the summer, but I couldn't resist these "vegan" leather shorts.  For September and October, they will work with the last of my summer tan; once November rolls around I can wear them over thick tights.  

The price is right on these bad boys, and I'm discovering that they're wildly versatile; a must for a mamma who transitions from workday to school run to board meeting and back again between 6am and 8pm.

Don't believe me?  Well, behold: Styled with a soft pink tee, flat shoes, and a playful bag (plus that omnipresent watch...one must always mind the time!), they are about as non-threatening as (faux) leather gets.  

For a more decadent twist, try a still-feminine -- but decidedly dressy -- top, pop-of-color strappies, and (always) jewelry (bigger! bolder!).  A classic jacket keeps those shoulders warm when the fog rolls in.  And hey, because you saved such big bucks buying vegan, you should absolutely splurge on that Chanel, no?

- Jaime

Lamps on Chairish

Do you remember these awesome orange lamps that I had in our LA living room?

I got them at an antiques mall in LA and had new shades made for them.  They really worked well in the scale of our space at the time.

However, there just isn't a space for them in our house here. I'd tried selling them on Craiglist but they are so specific and also a bit nicer than your typical Craiglist find (as in more expensive) that nothing really happened. Then I stumbled across Chairish on Little Green Notebook.  It's such a great source - somewhere between Craigslist and V and M and 1st Dibs.  I decided to list my lamps there. You can see the listing here. Crossing my fingers that I get some bites. Also excited to have a new source for vintage finds for client projects!

A little garage makeover

Lately, now that our interiors have hit a certain stage of "doneness", I've been itching to get outside. I did some planting at the front a few weekends ago and plan to plant some bulbs later today.  I've also been thinking about how I'd like to dress up our backyard in the future.  Similar to the house, the garage is sided in vinyl so we can't really paint it.  However, I've been considering dressing it up by painting the door, adding some carriage house hardware and a large sconce that matches the sconces we currently have on the exterior.  Landscaping wise, once the sunflowers bite the dust, we are thinking about extending our privacy hedge of Green Giant Arbovitae. I'd also love to plant a purple leafed Redbud tree to soften the corner of the garage and put a little arbor in that leads to our back area (Not sure what our plan is for that area except to keep the poison ivy at bay).  Here is what the garage looks like now.

And what I'm planning.

Lonny Magazine features Nest Studio

Check out September's issue of Lonny Magazine that came out today.  Our F-02 faceted knob in satin brass is featured in the Bees Knees roundup. Yay!