the right way to paint furniture

My love for painted furniture runs deep.

I have no qualms about transforming a worn old wood piece with a lick of color.

It's like painting a wall, 

my heart is bursting when that first bit goes on and it is PERFECT!

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One of my must-reads every day is Better After -

do you visit?

Lindsey features fantastic readers re-dos (say that five times fast!),

and her charismatic writing is not to be missed :)

source

That said, there are so many redo's out there people begin to think it's easy.

It's really not.

You can slap on a quick coat of paint, of course -

and it will look just that, slapped on.

To really bring a tired piece up to par it needs LOVE.

And by love I mean elbow grease.

Preparation is a must.

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This morning I read a fantastic primer at Effortless Style

detailing how to properly paint a piece of furniture.

I must say, I usually use the wood putty first, sand, then prime and sand,

but Camila is a painting star, and really goes the distance to ensure a proper finish.

Pop over and read her process..

it's rather full of great tips for reviving your latest thrift find.

Great color, yes?

Today I am picking up materials to get the blinds started..

hope to show them to you by weeks end!

Have a great day :)

Roman and Williams: Perfectly Unique and Personal Spaces

Day two of Roman and Williams love.

Yesterday I posted about their commercial work, 

but today the real gems - residential.

Anyone remember this incredible space from Instyle?

Kate Hudson, in her posh hippy haven, designed for comfortable lounging.  

Thank you to Shayna (The Ruffled Snob) for taking me back to this..

No pretentious entry here, but sophisticated choices bring a dose of drama to the laid back vibe.

Warmed hues welcome while the lush textiles invite lounging..

The most spectacular chandelier..

Kid and popcorn friendly style.

Sunday afternonns, here I come..

After all the color and pattern - a dreamy white bedroom..

Really. If I could cut an paste that entire space into my own I would!

So that's Roman and Williams in Cali,

check out how they do Montauk:

In every direction this room offers gorgeous vignettes

The Main living space continues the industrial/organic feel..

Not your usual white beach kitchen :) I love this! 

With all the light here, it's the perfect opportunity to venture into the dark side..

Bedrooms kept simple, with the emphasis on comfort.

note the bureau - how clever is that?

Lastly, the designers set free in a loft.. this is a more typical setting for their design style,

but they rock it!

I think that these pics may eat up the majority of space on my inspiration boards.

I love design that celebrates the occupants of the home,

instead of bowing to what is trendy at the moment, or design "rules".

I hope that we see more people claiming their space as their own, 

and creating spaces that bring them joy!

til next time..

Crushing on the Design of Roman and Williams

I have a crush.

These guys have almost topped my list of favourite designers 

(no one will ever be dearer than Muriel Brandolini :)

Not sure why I didn't venture further into this portfolio further when I posted about The Ace Hotel,

but the design team of Roman and Williams (founded by Robin Standefer and Stephen Alesch)

 have an adventurous, unconventional aesthetic where they " combine disparate objects and allow them to simmer to see if we can raise the temperature of a space".

Anyone who uses design and alchemy in the same sentence has my full attention.

This may be a few days series - 

there is no selecting one project over another, they are all top drawer.

Let's explore the hotels first, shall we?

The Standard Hotel, cleverly wrapping a bed in panelling.

The Standard Grill - have you ever seen such wonderful ceilings?

The Standard 18th Floor - 

a nightclub that manages intimacy and excitment with such tactile finishes, I want to touch everything.

The Royalton Hotel

The M40 Club at 40 Mercer

The Ace Hotel, their most recent hotel..

 gorgeous design, where disparate objects are brought together so perfectly.

Roman and Williams Office

How very talented these designers are - 

look at how they layer their space.

Hotels must be gorgeous without all the extra accessories, 

but when these creative designers are able to create a stunning space and then fill it.. magic.

 The Roman and Williams office begins to give you a sense of how real their residential design vibe is.

These are spaces to be appreciated and used, not just viewed from a doorway.

Tomorrow I will highlight their residential work.

It's to die for... don't peek!

It'll be worth the wait :)

Spent the weekend painting our ensuite bath, 1 coat of primer

 and 4 coats of a gorgeous new white I have discovered!

Just installing lighting and shelving and I will show it to you.

Working on a condo project today,

hope you all are having a lovely, creative day :)

til next time..