Simple Sunday - Architectural Style

As someone who studies, enjoys and appreciates most architectural styles I find that out of the hundreds out there I find myself always coming back around to the same one as my favorite. 

I love raw cut wood, warm colors and natural solid surfaces.  I have been in the process of designing my dream home for a good 25 years now.  Over time as I have learned more and gathered more ideas my dream has evolved into something not short of spectacular.

I don't know when or if this dream will ever solidify but when it does it will be a collection of 1/4 century of sculpting and imagining.  What is so much fun now is incorporating Critter's dreams as well.  His shabby/rustic hunting lodge style and my antique ranch hacienda style are a perfect blend to creating something simply us and perfectly unique.

The photo is a picture courtesy of Architectural Digest of actor Gerard Butler's home.  I cannot get his amazing home out of my mind.  I love the rustic feel along with punches of glamorous elegance to highlight the rugged rawness of the materials and gives just the perfect 'feminine touch.'  This picture simply inspires the direction I want to take our dream.  Maybe someday Gerard will take me for a tour of his amazing abode... a girl can always dream right...



(Photo: Architectural Digest. Home of Gerard Butler)



Simple Sunday - Doe & Buck

I simply adore these mounts.  I think they would be super fun in a kids/baby room maybe someday soon...???  That is if I can find them again, sadly I didn't save the site name where I found them.  Figures! 

Anyway, kids are on the list for Critter and I so baby room ideas are always loosely floating around in my head.  Definitely a cute idea to hang on to until the time is right. And what will we a have, will it be a little doe or a young buck? ;)  If God decides we are to be parents someday eventually we'll find out.

I can visualize a baby room that is contemporary yet whimsical and adds a bit of rustic charm.  You can't visualize it, well someday maybe I'll get to show you! 

(Doe & Buck)

Project Monday - Cabinet Plans Complete

If you go here it will take you to the post I did on December 6th about the plans I drew up for my dad to make Critter (and me) a rustic baker's cabinet for our kitchen from old weathered barn lumber.  My dad as always never fails to make not only a fully functioning item but makes an incredible piece of art.  This cabinet is beautiful! 

(Pre cabinet)

I wanted to make more space in our small kitchen and Critter and I had been discussing a cabinet.  It couldn't have been a better idea and the best part besides having an amazing and talented dad was getting to see the look on Critter's face when he walked in the door and saw it filled with cookbooks and spices. 

I'm fully convinced even as an adult that if I can dream it and draw it up my dad can work miracles and make it become reality.  He is a true craftsman!



(Critter's Surprise)



(Loving the new Cabinet!)



Project Monday - Bathroom Cabinet

Speaking of cabinets... (last Monday) Here is one that my dad and I designed and built last summer.  This one is in our front bathroom.  I use that bathroom in the mornings to get ready.  Our house is pretty small and if I use our master bath I have to be extra quiet since Critter's day starts later than mine and I don't want to wake him.  I wanted this cabinet since the bathroom is so small and I didn't have much for storage space of my things.  I keep my perfume, earrings, lotions & lipsticks in it.  And since I still shower in the master bathroom I use the bathtub in the front bathroom for storage as well.  Its actually a pretty handy place for extras.

(Bathroom Cabinet)

Project Monday - Cabinet Plans

This post is about an upcoming project.  Critter has been bugging me for months to design and build a cabinet with my dad to put in our kitchen.  We have the perfect spot to put a handmade rustic vintange wood cabinet.  The plan is to fill it with my cookbooks and our spices. 

I will post pictures after it is built but for now here are the plans for my design.  The best part of designing and building with my dad is that typical design rules go out the window and I draw it based on the way my dad and I work best together.  We are kinda on our own plan when it comes to working together, whatever it is, it works.  He gets me and I get him. 

Feel free to use my design if you'd like and can make it work for you.

Oh and DON'T mention this project to Critter, its a part of his Christmas present from me!

Why not paint them?

I bought these little white display shelves about 5 or 6 years ago when I was living in Phoenix.  I had them in my Phoenix bedroom the entire time I lived there.  When I moved back to my house in Washington I ended up putting them in my guest/front bathroom.  I have them hung one above the other on the wall near the sink and one day I lit a candle on the lower one thinking they were far enough apart to do so; I was wrong.  

(Shelves Painted)

For the longest time after the little burn mark/candle incident I just left them.  I didn't know what I would replace them with or what to do with them at that point.  Finally one day it just came to me, why not paint them?  So here is a little project I did last week while Critter was up at Elk Camp (he gets home today, can't wait to see what he thinks of them now.)   See below for the simple steps I took to accomplish this shabby, rustic style look I got that looks even better in my modern rustic styled home than they ever did painted in their original white finish.                                     



(Finished Shelves)

I took the shelves down and then laid out the old shower curtain that I had just replaced with a new one and put them on it in the garage after giving them a light sanding on all of the surfaces.  I purchased a can of flat brown spray paint when I was at Wal-Mart and gave them a full but light coat and let them dry for about 3 hours.  I went back out and sanded the paint off with 240 grit sandpaper until I achieved the weathered/worn look that I was happy with and hung them back on the wall and put the stuff back on them.  Notice I put the candle back in the same place. 





Note to self: don't light candle and let it burn while on shelf.  (Unless of course you are ready to reinvent the look of your decor again.)