Color with Doors

I've been dreaming of painting a few doors in our house for some time now.  I really want to tackle the front door, but I'm so indecisive on the color for the outside (I know I want the inside of it to be black). Our home is tan with cream trim and it definitely needs a little somethin' somethin' to wake up the front porch.  I think a freshly painted front door (and new light fixture if I'm being greedy) will do just the trick.  

I love this gray and green combo.

Our front door is not the only door I want to paint.  We have far too many interior doors (including 4 pocket doors) to even think about painting so I'll leave them white.  However, I do have an itch to paint the door in our laundry room that leads out into the garage.  Right now it's a white door in a tan room with slate tile and a white washer and dryer.  It needs something.  A fun colored coat of paint on the door would be perfect---not to mention easy.  You can paint one side of a door with only a sample size of paint in most cases...which means it would be a nice room update for less than $5!  And if I use one of my many sample colors I already own, it'll be free!  Decisions, decisions. 

I always love when I come across rooms that have a door in an unexpected color.  Painting a door in a different color makes it stand out and become a fun accessory in the space instead of a typical, overlooked necessity.  

Oh hello beautiful pantry door!*

Here's Emily's mint door from Little Green Notebook.

Then there's these blue beauties.

A little coastal blue.

Periwinkle is my favorite.

Everything about this kitchen is lovely, including the door.

Coral, anyone?

Whenever I make some decisions, I will let you guys know (and see!)  

*Click on images for sources.

Rain Chains

Over at the Nguyen Casa, we are planning on installing gutters. When you think of gutters you probably think generic, boring. However, gutters can be spiced up with rain chains.

If you are unfamiliar with rain chains, let me introduce you. As the name implies, they are chains that hang from the gutters and help guide the roof run off down. It is an attractive alternative to a downspout that can add architectural interest to your home. They typically pour over a pebble covered drain, into a water feature, or can be used as irrigation in flowerbeds and planters. Since my backyard is a breading ground for malaria, I’m interested in the container-less setup.

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Rain chains can be found in a variety of shapes and finishes.

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Here are a few images of some installed:

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As you can see there is a rain chain that suits any style.  Here are a few of my favorites that are available online.

UPDATE: A few of the ones below have sold out, but click here for some that are available.

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 //

Do any of you have rain chains on your home? If so, how do you like them?

livin' the dream

Starting a business isn't easy. Doing what you enjoy is easy, but actually making a living from it is where it gets tricky. I think very few people have unlocked the secret to making this work while keeping a reasonable work-life balance. We've made a lot of progress here at 3A, but we still have a way to go. 

Being where we've been, it always gives me a dose of joy and inspiration to see someone else taking the leap. Especially when it's someone I personally know!

Friends, meet Lauren:

She's making it happen, y'all. Last week she launched her website, the Department of Agra Culture. When I saw it, my first thought was this is SO her!

Lauren and I met in college in our grueling interior design program and became friends (as most of us did as a result of spending the majority of our waking hours together in studio). Growing to know her, I can say three things about her:

1. She is kind-hearted and hard-working.

2. She has a traveling spirit and a love for new places.

3. She has a true knack for collecting treasures in looked-over places and putting them together in a beautiful way.

The "thrift store" method of decorating and design has caught on like wildfire: going to the nearest salvation army, finding an old discarded piece of furniture, painting it, and displaying it as a treasured object. But this method has it's flaws: either people don't really know what they're looking for (i.e., honey, you should have left that at the thrift store), or their house starts to look like a thrift store. Lauren takes it up a notch, knowing how to take something overlooked--whether it be new or old, local or from across the globe--and putting it together like something out of a magazine. And she's been doing it as long as I've known her. Even having my own talents, I've always been envious of hers. It's beyond local shops--it's into lands unknown; it's a unique gift she carries.

Her new business takes all of that and rolls it all into one unique career perfectly made for her. 

Follow her as she travels all over the world (literally), collecting things to repurpose, create, and share. Personally, I love her style. It's bold, it's bright, it's cheerful, and it doesn't follow any trend. 

Lovers of neutrals, I challenge you to open your eyes to culture and color. Lauren will make you love it!

Happy reading!

Fall Patio Refresh

Fall is my favorite season.  Hands down.  I could have sworn someone was burning leaves outside the other day (ahhh that smell!) and my heart nearly skipped a beat.  Pumpkins, foliage, scarves, football, chili...I love it all.  But one of my favorite things about fall days are the temperatures--when it's a little cool in the mornings and evenings but perfect during the day.  Yes, that's what I'm dreaming about.  So even though we're still having temps near 100, I can't help but fantasize about relaxing on the patio during those cool, autumn days to come.  

If you're like me though, your patio may need a little love to revamp it from these long summer days.  And now is actually a great time to give your patio a little refresh.  Stores are ready to move out seasonal merchandise, which often leads to great deals.  You can use much of what you may already have and give it an update with a few key items.   Here's what I'm dreaming of for my patio facelift:

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1. Cafe lights add instant charm and give the perfect nighttime glow.

2. Pillows are one of the simplest ways to update a space, especially with one as beautiful as this.  Use your existing summer blues and add in some warmer tones and patterns to compliment them (see number 4).

3. Black and white stripes.  You. Can. Never. Go. Wrong.  Sophisticated and classic without being too stuffy.

4.  See number 2. :)

5.  These red tumblers are the perfect color for fall and the "seeded glass" looks so real you'd never know they are plastic!...which means worry-free for accidents!

6.  I've had a fire pit on my wish list for quite some time now.  I love that this one is open on the top AND the sides to offer the maximum heat for those chilly nights.  It's also great for s'mores and ambiance.

7.  You need a good tray for serving your drinks and food in style, and this one fits the bill.

8. Plants (and planters!) bring life to a space.  I love the unique shapes and heights of these offered at Crate & Barrel.

It doesn't take much to really transform your patio and make it a space where you'd love to spend time this fall!  

I've shared my favorites.  What's on your outdoor wish list this fall?

coffee-stained wood

More progress in the navy bedroom. Last week the curtains went up! I don't have photos yet because they still need to hang a while to get out some of that new-curtain stiffness. Plus what good is seeing everything go up piece by piece. I think it diminishes the final "ooh" and "ahh" over the grand reveal ;)

In order to put up these new curtains (that have been sitting in their packaging for months) I needed a really inexpensive DIY method for my curtain rods. I'm in love with these from West Elm:

But I'm not so in love with the price. So, I made a rough inspired recreation and here's how it came out:

I'll eventually paint the hardware, but for now you can't even see them except at certain angles

Not exactly like the real thing, but good enough for $11 per window. 

Here's the easy DIY:

1. Buy a dowel rod from Lowes and some hardware that will fit the diameter of your rod. That was tough to find, since the dowel was 1" in diameter and most curtain rods are thinner. I settled on these, even though I wanted these, because they were cheaper :) Hey, I have 3 windows. It adds up, people.

2. Take about 2 scoops of fresh coffee (not leftover grounds because they are less potent in staining power), put in a bowl with boiling water--just enough water to make it soupy. You definitely want it much more concentrated than coffee you drink. 1/2 cup to 1 cup should be plenty. 

3. Take an old rag, dip it in your cooled coffee mixture and wipe onto your wood in a single direction, as to not agitate the texture of the wood. It will probably take several coats before reaching the desired darkness. I think mine took 4 or 5 for a medium stain (and they dry lighter than you think, so make sure you let the wood dry before throwing in the towel...literally).

4. Measure the width of your window and add on a good allowance for your window panel and hardware to be well-spaced (about 10-20 inches per side, so 20-24 inches total) and trim down accordingly. If you don't have a saw, you can do the measuring ahead of time and ask a Lowe's employee in the wood department to cut them down for you.

5. Paint your ends gold (I did 5 inches of gold). Done and done! You can use a shiny sealer if you want, but I prefer the natural finish. 

I may go back and buy a thicker dowel rod cut it down to 3 inches, paint it gold, and screw it onto the ends so it has that end-cap look of the ones from West Elm. We'll see. For now I'm satisfied

Here's a close-up of a before and after side-by-side to see how dark the wood became:

I got the idea to use coffee from my visual arts days. We sometimes used coffee to stain paper for sketches or ink drawings to make it look more antiquated. And I'm always a fan of using something that's totally free of harmful fumes! 

I was skeptical at first of how it would turn out, but I love the color. I would imagine different coffees produce slight color variations. And large pieces would probably take a good amount of time so I would definitely stick to small pieces if you decide to try this for yourself. Definitely a good alternative to buying a whole can of stain for 3 little curtain rods!

And as you might have guessed, this means I'm getting closer to my master bedroom reveal. Baby steps around here :)

Until next time!

Amelia's Nursery Reveal

I'm baaaack. Took some time off to enjoy my new little nugget, Amelia Skye. This little being has brought us so much joy. After almost thirteen years, I love being a new mom again.

The day we brought Amelia home, it was so neat to show her her room that I had put together while she was in my womb. I still have a few finishing touches but figured I would go ahead and show you.

If you recall this was the inspiration for the room. I wanted the room to be fun and yet classic at the same time. The room was designed around this sweet flamingo print by Bella and Bunny. Originally, I had planned on wallpapering the wall behind the crib. However, after considering the way the walls stagger and the small size of the room I decided against it since it would make the room feel more choppy. To serve as a soft backdrop, I chose Benjamin Moore's Classic Gray for the walls.

The inspirational glider was beautiful and came with a hefty price tag of over $1000. I was not sure how much I would use it. So, instead I found a vintage bentwood rocker with nice lines and painted it white. Well, Ty painted it :) Not bad for $45 and a couple cans of spray paint. It is pretty comfortable too.

With a lack of storage in mind (Amelia and I share the closet space), I chose this great crib with underneath storage from Target.com. The sheet is from Target.com as well.  Pillows are a Tuesday Morning find. The blanket is a handmade gift from a friend along with the tassel garland. And the book ledges are from Ikea.

 I created a cute little dressing valet for Amelia with these sweet little shelves from Land of Nod.

The original design included a starburst light fixture but I wanted something a little more girly. Came across this light fixture on a trip to Home Depot. Attached a tassel and got instant glam for about $100. At night it makes the most beautiful patterns on the ceiling and walls. The side table was another vintage find.

This little guy used to belonged to big sister. I sprayed painted an embroidery hoop and wrapped gold twine around it. Now he has a place to perch.

The painting is of Ty and I looking over Amelia. Ha! Just kidding. I know it is not the typical art you would find in a nursery but I love it! It has the Palm Springs vibe that I was going for. The pineapple print is by yours truly and the dresser was another vintage score. You can check a DIY I did on it here. The changing pad cover was a custom order from an Etsy store.

Though there are a couple items I would still like to get, overall I am happy with how the room turned out. Looking forward to creating many memories in here.