Before and After Party! (A drape redo)

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Well hello! Hope you had a wonderful weekend! I was busy keeping Kleenex in business with a lovely cold. :)

I did get a bit of work done on the basement – I could actually breathe much better down in the cold! It’s going to take quite a bit more time and a ton more work, but I am SO excited about the changes down there. The amount of crap we had has been a bit overwhelming, and getting it out of this house has been such a fantastic feeling!

So onto this month’s Before and After – I am pretty much done with the family room (mini) redo, and I’ll show you that whole space soon. There was one last part that was bugging me – the drapes.

I get a lot of questions about these drapes and I think many go “ARGH!” when I email them back and tell them I actually made these myself. ;) I started with the brown diamond patterned fabric as drapes, and then decided a few years ago they needed a little sumpin sumpin. So I found a coordinating (and much more expensive) fabric in a tan/wider diamond pattern and added it as a panel to the bottom:

I adore these drapes. Lurve. I was contemplating new window treatments in here though, because there were a couple things that had bothered me about them as I reworked the room. The obvious was the diamond pattern just didn’t look right to me next to the new rug. (As you can see a bit in the pic above.)

The other thing that has bothered me from pretty much the day I put them up is they never seemed to hang right. I always felt like they should look fuller than they did. They also covered a little more of the window than I really wanted.

There are two things I always suggest to folks about drapes – hang ‘em high and hang ‘em wide. High and wide gives the illusion the windows are bigger than they really are. I usually suggest hanging the rod far enough to the side of the window so the window treatment will only cover about four inches of the actual window.

This allows for more light, and again, makes the window seem wider. Which is never a bad thing!

Well, my drapes were covering way more of the window than I wanted. Not sure why I did that, or why I hadn’t fixed it yet? But staring at them the other day, I came up with a solution to all my issues. And it was FREE!

First, I took down the drapes and just shortened the rods by five inches. I used my miter saw to do this, but the first time I cut these to 24 inches each, I used my little miter box and saw and it worked like a charm. 

The finials had a brassy tone that I wanted to get rid of, but I didn’t want to have to replace the whole set. So I just taped the brassy sections off and sprayed them with my ORB paint:

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I love them all over again! (Like I did five years ago when I bought them!)

Once I got the hardware rehung, I went ahead with my wild and craaaazy idea and just flipped the drapes and hung them with the panel on top. I stepped back to check it out…

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And luuuurved it! UH DUH. Why didn’t I do this from the start??

Flipping these did a few things – it made the bottom of the drapes way less busy, and the brown matches the brown tones in the rug really well.

It also made the gorg diamond fabric the showcase of the drapes, as it should be:

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I love, love, LOVE this fabric:

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I would totally wrap myself up in it at night, I love it that much. But it’s not cheap. (I think $40 a yard at Joann’s?) So there will be no wrapping in this stuff. ;)

Then I used my usual tried and true drapery tricks to finish up…

I keep the outside drapery rings between the finial and the bracket so when fire trucks and trains are driven under the window treatments by a sweet little three-year-old, they stay put:

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And I hung them from behind with the drapery clips, creating the folds like this:

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Try that trick – if your fabric is thick enough and long enough, you’ll never go back to hanging the drapes down from the clips again!

I had to use flash in most of these pictures, so I apologize for the poor quality, but this one shows you how much of the window is covered by the drape. I like to use the window panes (if you have them) as a guide:

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Half of one pane is what I typically do. Oh, and please ignore the deck furniture that has been stacked and ready to go in the garage for the past four months, umkay?  :) Priorities people.

Shortening the rods made the drapes hang SO much prettier:

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They just “pleat” so much better now!

I. love. it! And did I mention? FREEEEE? All of the updates – cutting down the rods, rehanging them, spraying the finials and hanging the drapes again took about an hour. Not bad at all!

So here we go! Here’s the before from years ago – with the white two inch blinds, wider rods, and the panel of fabric on the bottom:

And here’s the after – bamboo roman shades (from last year), shorter (debrassified) hardware and the panels at the top:

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You like? I still love them either way, but I love how I made them work with the other changes in the space. I am keeping my beloved drapes! Yippee!

Now it’s your turn! Grab the button if you’d like:

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Then make sure to copy the link from your post into the linky (links to your blog address will be deleted). All you need to link up is a before picture – it can be any kind of project you want to share!

Have fun and thanks for joining in!

Casa antisísmica con paneles de madera

Materiales
Cuando tu casa se cae parece como que se termina el Mundo, toda tu vida queda trastocada.
Es como si de imprevisto una cachetada se hiciera doler fuerte en el rostro y profundamente en las vísceras. Después se siente hondamente en el corazón en medio de una gran angustia.

Por ampliar información de materiales de construcción siga el vínculo, hay una lista de posteos relevantes que podrá revisar en forma ordenada.




El dia después es para reconstruir. Hay materiales y técnicas constructivas innovadoras que pueden lograr maravillas. Una casa antisísmica de siete pisos resiste temblores de gran magnitud, ondula pero sus paredes no colapsan.
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Casa de estilo

Casas antíguas.
Esta gran casa residencial de estilo en la Ciudad de Buenos Aires, es un testigo de otra época hace 100 años. Hoy acosada por edificios de vivienda y dificultadas para su mantenimiento, no llega a lucir todas su características arquitectónicas.

Casa de estilo
El contraste entre las dos edificaciones en la imagen superior también muestra dos concepciones, estilos de vida diferentes, urbanización y delata distintas perspectivas a un siglo de distancia.
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Winner!

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Hello all! Thanks so much for all the funny and sweet entries for the Dimples and Dandelions giveaway! They were SO fun to read. Kids are adorable. Good thing, eh? :)

Anyhoo, the winner of the $50 gift card is Jude from Dolce Cape Cod! Jude, please email me (thriftydecorchick (at) gmail (dot) com) and I’ll get you connected with the Dimples and Dandelions folks.

I know I promised you all a post on the stairs this weekend, but I was hit with a lovely cold yesterday and it’s getting worse by the minute. I cross my heart, stick a needle in my eye promise I will share the how-to on the stairs early next week. For now, I must drink hot chocolate. And make soup. And sleep. ;)

Don’t forget about the monthly Before and After Party on Monday! (I’ll probably have the linky up late Sunday night.)

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Have a great one!

Aberturas información

Puertas y ventanas
Las aberturas de casas y edificios permiten la comunicación entre el exterior y el interior, el paso de luz y aire. Nuevas aberturas y tecnología aportan soluciones para habitar mejor. Aquí encontrará listados los posteos dedicados a diferentes tipos de aberturas.

Ventana casa
En cada posteo revise los relacionados en la tabla de color al pie. Aberturas hay de todo tipo, algunas son realmente ingeniosas, como piezas de una máquina.
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Ventanales de edificio

Abertura moderna
Estos ventanales de un edificio en la ciudad de Nueva York brindan una buena comunicación con el exterior y el angulamiento agrega espacio habitable, expanden el ambiente. Las cajas saltan hacia la calle y comunican desde el interior. Visite el sitio www.m127building.com

Por más información e imágenes de aberturas para la casa siga este vínculo, encontrará una lista de posteos relevantes.

Ventanal
Perspectiva de las bahías anguladas
Una simple angulación y se conforma una bahía que añade espacio, permite al ventanal proyectarse como balcón y al ocupante del departamento tener la sensación de ubicarse fuera de la linea de edificación, estando en el interior.
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Science Fair

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I know I’m not the only one who has created their own “language” with family and friends. I’ve done it for as long as I can remember. For example, my best friend (since 6th grade!) and I call each other “Bird.” ALL THE TIME. When we call on the phone. When we’re at dinner. ALL the time. 

It comes from the “pretty bird” scene in Dumb and Dumber. I believe we rewound that part of the movie about 80 trillion times that night at her house, laughing so hard we cried. From that evening, “Bird” was born. And it stuck, even 16 years later.  ;)

My husband and I don’t even call each other by our names. It’s usually a variety of cute, loving, puke-inducing terms instead. We have also picked up phrases over the years that mean something to us but no one else would ever know.

Translation = when we are at the store and talk to each other, I’m quite sure folks think we are either foreign or just nuts.

This brings me to “science fair.” It’s a term our friend Mike made up a new meaning for years ago. It basically means a total, complete MESS.

Like, “Wow, that traffic was a science fair!”

Or, “The license branch line was a total science fair.”

Or my current favorite -- “Our basement is a complete science fair.”

(More on that soon.)

You have no idea how many times I have typed those words here and had to delete them because you all would wonder what in the word I am speaking to you.

No more. Now that you are in the know, let me introduce you to my latest science fair. Many of you ask if I ever have a project go wrong. Yes. I do. But I do my best to roll with it and make it work. Like I did with this table. It turned out GORG.

I told you the other day  how I switched some art around from our foyer and family room. Since the day I brought that Ballard Designs art home, I have wanted one of those cool art lights shining down on it.

Since just switching out the art was FREE, and we can always use more light in our family room anyway, I decided to splurge and finally get one.  ($26 from Lowe’s.)

It only came in brass and brushed nickel, so I just spray painted it:

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In oil rubbed bronze of course. ;) As you can see if you look carefully, my spray paint job left much to be desired. It looks good from the front, but a mess in the back.

Ah well. I was OK with that. No one will look at it from the back. If you ever come to my house, please don’t look at it from the back.

My only hesitation with this light was the cord issue. You know how I much I desperately despise cords. With a serious, burning passion. So I really didn’t want to see the cord hanging down behind the art. Since my cord trick with the flat screen TV worked so great, I got a wild hair and decided to put more holes in the wall.

Brilliant.

I drilled a hole at the top that would go behind the art. I was all giddy in my cord hiding bliss – then I drilled the lower hole so I could pull the cord through and plug it in.

Giddy.

Then couldn’t get the blasted cord snaked through the wall. I tried and tried, but it wasn’t coming through. I finally gave up on it, after about six tries. I was left with this:

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Oh yeah, and one down below too. (Both have since been covered.) Perfect little round holes. In my wall. Two. Actually, more like six. I had to hang the light twice to get it in the right spot. OK, more like eight holes. But only two are large. Oh dear Lord.

SooooI have cords showing.

That’s right, I said it. I have cords showing.

I tried to hide them as best I could:

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I know. Just say it out loud. I know you can see it. Plain as day.

I’ve lost my mind. I’m OK with it.

Come on, you don’t see it right? RIGHT?

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It’s there just cackling at me. Every time I walk by.

To add to all this, I was a total dunce and just taped over the light bulbs, instead of just taking them out before I spray painted, so when I went to finally turn on the stinking thing and bask in the pretty over-the-art-light…nothing came on.

BOTH bulbs were burned out because the spray paint must have gotten on them.

So I couldn’t even enjoy this bleeping pretty light until the next day, after another Lowe’s trip.

I don’t know if it was worth all that, but I do love it:

026Two words: 

Science fair.

Say it yourself a few times. I guarantee you’ll be using this term tomorrow. All. day. long.

Like, “This chick who writes a decorating blog I read is a total science fair.”

And before anyone yells at me – the electrician is coming. (No, not just to deal with this.) And I will get my cord hidden. Oh yes. I will.

So, are there terms you use that no one else gets? I’m not alone, right?

 

P.S. I plan to post the how to on our stairs this weekend. And don’t forget about the next Before and After linky party on Monday!

Oh, and if you want to laugh HARD, read the comments from this week’s giveaway below. I love kids! :) The giveaway is open until tomorrow at noon. (Eastern time.)

Puertas antíguas

Aberturas
Fotos de puertas antíguas en la Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Estas imágenes forman parte de una colección de la cual ya hay un posteo en este blog. Ahora muestro publicando en varios posteos y estas fueron fotografiadas en el barrio Centro de la ciudad. Hay puertas antíguas de edificios públicos pero en las siguientes entregas podrá ver puertas muy antíguas de casas. Algunas puede revisar en el posteo anterior sobre puertas antíguas.

Por más información sobre aberturas siga el vínculo, hay una lista de posteos relevantes que podrá revisar en forma ordenada.

Puerta de estilo Francés reja artística
La primera foto es de la entrada a un edificio residencial. Estas puertas tienen un trabajo muy elaborado y son testimonios de una época de gran creciemiento del país, hacia fines del Siglo XVIII y comienzos del Siglo XX.
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Baños modernos

Diseño
Este es un modelo de baño con diseño muy avanzado y audaz. Baños de nuevo concepto, conformados por volúmenes escultóricos y aspecto de otra dimensión. Vanguardia en diseño y estilo. Hoy un baño moderno es una combinación de alta tecnología, Minimalismo y concepción estética de gran nivel. Por más información sobre baños siga el vínculo, hay una lista de posteos relevantes.

Baño diseño alemán
Tanto los alemanes como los italianos están a la vanguardia y realmente sorprenden con sus creaciones. Allí donde uno supone que no hay más que inventar o innovar, presentan productos increíbles que causan una agradable impresión. Baños Modernos es una manera de decir baños de diseño avanzado e impactante que a la vez cuida el medio ambiente. Los baños modernos deben cumplir exigencias cada vez más exigente para el uso del agua y el consumo de energía o eventualmente el re-uso del agua servida.
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Encimeras cocina

Mesadas de madera.
Las encimeras de cocina hechas con madera son recurso antiguo en algunos países, pero en otros toda una novedad. Ahora con recortes de madera que sirven además para reciclar y adhesivos efectivos se pueden conformar encimeras originales y con terminados repelentes del agua, resistentes, casi inalterables.


Las encimeras (Mesadas) de cocina deben tolerar agresiones como golpes frecuentes y el filo de los cuchillos o las puntas de otros cubiertos.
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Mesas auxiliares de diseño

Muebles
Por diseño, las mesas pueden ampliar sus funciones y decorar.
Son muebles de gran utilidad en la casa. Estas mesas auxiliares están hechas en perfecta escala, unas de otra y una mesita cabe en la siguiente conformando un volumen de gran valor estético. Mueble + Diseño = Funciones.
Visto en Studio Mumbai (India) sitio web www.studiomumbai.com

Por más información y fotos de muebles siga el vínculo, encontrará una lista de posteos relevantes para consultar.

Mesas auxiliares
Mesas auxiliares de diseño
El conjunto armónico hace de estas mesitas un objeto más para la decoración de interiores, pero la idea es inspiradora y puede aplicarse también a un conjunto para exteriores. El diseño de estas mesas auxiliares salva espacio, ofrece un mueble curioso, muy simple y funcional.
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Fantastic giveaway!

**This giveaway is now closed.

First of all, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your wonderful comments on our stairs! I am so proud of them and it has been a pleasure reading your sweet comments. Thank you so much!

I am SO excited about this fabulous giveaway! I know I say it all the time, but I LOVE my advertisers. Dimples and Dandelions is an online children’s boutique that I swear you are going to fall in love with.

Be prepared. I warned you. ;)

Their selection is like none I’ve ever seen online, or anywhere for that matter. They offer clothing for babies and toddlers, beautiful gifts, unique art, lighting and bedding and SO much more.

I found a few of my favorites just to show you a sampling…

What I love is many of the decor items could easily be used in any room – not just for a kid’s space. I adore each and every one of these rugs:

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How fun would those be in a craft room, and office, a bathroom? There are so many possibilities. And if you did use them in a girl’s room, any one of them would work for a nursery or a teen’s room, easy.

The same goes for their fantastic variety of lighting. Of course there’s the cutie patootie stuff like this star lamp, perfect for a baby boy or toddler:

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But this beautiful chandelier also work over a desk or craft table too:

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There is also an incredible selection of clothing – items I’ve never seen anywhere else!

They actually have cute boy’s clothes. Do you know how hard it is to find CUTE boy clothes? I don’t understand it. I so wish this was still available in the Bub’s size because this Momma would be the bees knees if I got this one:

city_threads_2009_cf_1_258OK, he thinks I’m the bees knees anyway. (At least for now!)

How perfect is this one for Easter?:

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And for you ladies with girls, you just better give up now. You’ll just die. How impossibly sweet is this hat?:

2pr1_grace_hat Check out this onesie…with a tutu sewn on. Dying:

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There are unique gifts that any new Mommy (or Bub!) would love to have:

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The decor items are just lovely. I love the detail on the hanging letters:

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And these height charts are so fun – the monkeys!! Oh, the monkeys:

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I kept finding more and more I wanted to show you – told you I warned you. This art is so adorable:

odb_art_cherryblossombirdies_94_05 I ordered the “Woo Woo” (fire truck) birthday banner for my son tonight:

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There’s also a fantastic selection of furniture:

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And last, but certainly not least, their bedding selection is like I’ve never seen!

I want this bedding in my room:

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My girlfriend (hey Krista!) is going to DIE when she sees this one – sock monkey bedding:

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Seriously? Sock monkeys! They make me smile. (They also have nursery bedding in this as well.)

And their selection also includes bedding that any teen girl would love:

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See? Told you! Fantastic!!

Dimples and Dandelions has graciously offered one of you $50 free to use as you wish at their online shop! Yahoo!

You know the deal – two chances to win! First leave a comment here for your first entry. Let’s make these comments an extra fun read -- share the funniest thing a little person in your life has said. (If you don’t have kids, no worries – you don’t have to share. It’s just for fun.) I can’t wait to read these!

For your second entry, go to Dimples and Dandelions and check out their products. Once you find an item you love, come back and let us know in another comment.

This giveaway will be open until Friday at noon, eastern time.

I’ll start it off – the Bub says things that have us rolling all the time but it’s still mostly stuff only Mommy and Daddy “get.” ;) So instead, I’ll share something Stink Eye Sister said as a child. (She used to be so darn cute.) She used to pronounce Cosmopolitan magazine as “Cos-mop-eh-light-in.” We didn’t correct her for years and would laugh hysterically every time she said it. (Years!) I think she was still saying that way as a teenager. Ha! Love it.

Have fun, good luck and enjoy browsing!

 
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