A Porch Earns its Stripes

Recently, the weather in NY has been beautiful.  With warmer temperatures approaching a few weeks ago, we were itching to set up our porch.  The problem was that it didn't look so nice.

 Before                      

We had a mix of hand-me-down pieces, yard sale finds, and two new chairs.  Nothing seemed to go together.  The solution - give everything a fresh coat of paint!  It's an inexpensive an easy way to unify miss matched furniture.  We went with a really glossy black for the sofa.  Because it was rattan and had many small crevices, painting it was a labor of love!  The table was much easier because of it's smooth surfaces.  If you're going to try this yourself, we recommend putting a few coats of poly on any porch furniture that's not technically made for the outdoors.  Applying this after you paint it will help protect the paint job in harsher climates.  Moving it inside during the winter is not a bad idea either.

After

We also had new covers made for the cushions on the sofa and chairs.  We were inspired by the stripes on these porches below.  We love the elegant but bold black and white stripe and the fact that it's easy to mix with other colors and patterns.  We started with an indoor/outdoor pillow and a bright green candlestick.  I'm sure we'll find some more outdoor accessories soon!

No-Sew Sink Skirt Revisited

About a year ago we wrote a post about a DIY no-sew sink skirt.  You can read about it here.  It was a big success: it added some much needed color and pattern to a bland bathroom that we didn't want to paint and it held up over time.  Since then we have moved into a new house, and we gained a new bathroom to tackle.

below: sink from last year

There were a few issues here, and we're tackling them one by one.  The deep red color of the bathroom seemed oppressive in such a small space.  We started by lightening it up with a coat of light grey paint.  The previous tenants left us this little side table, which was made to fit in the space.  We painted that too, and it adds some storage but not enough.  Having the toilet brush and bowl cleaner just hanging out in plain sight under the sink did not work for me.

Before

So, I got inspired by last year's project. Unfortunately, the sink in our last bathroom was a completely different size, so I couldn't reuse the skirt with the beautiful Roberta Roller Rabbit print.  I took it as an opportunity to try something new.  I followed the same steps as last time.  You can read those here on Little Green Notebook.  I did everything the same, except I decided to add ribbon on the bottom of the skirt.

I didn't do a print this time because we have another plan for that room that involves a geo pattern.  More to come on that later!  (You might see a hint of what's to come in the reflection in the mirror.)  I also repainted the faux bamboo mirror that I found at a yard sale for $20.  I used Citron paint in gloss from Benjamin Moore after adding two coats of Kilz oil based spray primer.  Not bad for an inexpensive project!

                 Before                                                       After                       

Did I remember?

When it comes to shopping for those on your list, we at next summer have endless possibilities. But we know good design and living the good life extends beyond our shelves. Check out our gift ideas - from fun products in our store to an innovative style setting company to our top charitable picks - all very carefully curated to help you find the perfect something for those in your life. 

1. Warby Parker Gift Card ($95): Stylish, hip and forward-thinking. For every pair of glasses they sell, they give away a pair to someone in need.

2. Joseph Joseph Large Double Dish ($28): The perfect gift for all the hosts and hostesses out there throwing parties throughout the holiday season. It allows for multiple items to be served and a tiny holder for toothpicks; not to mention a larger hidden catch-all for pits and shells so you don't have to see your mess and the host can spend less time cleaning up and more time with guests.

3. Liberty Puzzles ($88 - $108): The locations depicted on these beautifully crafted wooden puzzles will stir fond memories for the giftee... sailing on the water, the paddock at Saratoga Race Track, skating on a frozen pond. It’s a gift that will last generations.

4. Christine’s Originals Rings ($68): Outwardly fun, these rings bring a little whimsy into the life of a confident, sophisticated wearer.

5. Lindsay's Pick (Visions of Sugarplums danced in their heads) JDRF:JDRF is the leading global organization focused on type 1 diabetes (T1D) research. Giving a donation helps move this important research forward. 
Matthew's Pick (I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas)  The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust : The Trust dedicates itself to the protection and preservation of Africa’s wilderness and its denizens. A monetary donation helps endangered species such as elephants and black rhino (but no hippos). 

The Butler's gotta drink too

Lindsay and I have been doing a lot of work on our home. We've promised to show you as we updated and . . .well, the updates have been few and far between. It's not that we haven't done anything. On the contrary, we've done a lot, but until recently, we hadn't completed much. We've finally completed our "Butler's Pantry" - well, at least that's what Lindsay's mom, a Southern Belle through and through, calls it. 

Here's the Before picture. 

I really like this one, mostly because Izzy is in it, so I couldn't resist. As you can tell, it's less of a "before" picture and more of a "during" picture, but you get the idea.

I've included this picture to show you just how bad the floor was. The unfortunate thing is that neither photograph shows just how bad the wall color was. 

So here are the "after" photographs. The project broke down into four phases, 1) doors; 2) painting; 3) counter; and 4) carpet. This picture below is a "panoramic" shot that I took to show the overall view. No, our walls are not bowed in real life. 

The first thing we did was remove those doors to open the cabinets up. Then we painted the walls a light grey color which made the white trim stand out more. After that we painted the interior of the cabinets a hot pink that was a perfect background to our bar accessories.

 We then had to get rid of that horrible countertop. Putting in soapstone, slate, or quartz counters was not in our budget for this little space, so Lindsay came up with an ingenious solution. She decided to get a mirror cut to the exact dimensions of our countertop. We just fit that in over the old linoleum counters and it instantly transformed the space. To finish the counter's front we bought an inexpensive piece of molding, gave it a high quality glossy finish, and glued it to the front of the counter. 

Finally, we covered that terrible floor with Flor carpet tiles to match the back of the cabinets. This gives the overall space a more modern and sophisticated lounge feel. We love it. Hope you do too!

Design is a game

How many Saratoga-specific items can you find in this photograph from our Saratoga store? Comment with your guess and we'll let you know which ones you might have missed. Happy searching!

DISCOVERED: Pipe & Holly

Truth be told, we first noticed them because they were wearing wellies.

"They" being Josie and Nicole.

Better known to you at next summer as Pipe & Holly.

After the boot envy subsided, their product took center stage. Hanging from a clothing line and piled high on tables were a wide range of playful, unique images that had been hand-carved and printed on children's clothing and linen napkins. We ended up being particularly fond of the locally-inspired images: sail boats, jockey silks and thoroughbred race horses.

As for Josie and Nicole, a creative business together has always been in the works.

The two attended undergraduate school together at Sage College of Albany as ceramic sculpture students and then continued on in the graduate art education program. Upon graduation, both became art education teachers. (Josie teaches high school art at Corinth Central Schools and Nicole is a middle school art teacher at Ballston Spa Middle School.)

This summer they took the big leap and launched Pipe & Holly, a block print company.

Their goal?

To take a step back into the world of hand crafted goods with a touch of modern flare.

That's a concept we at next summer can get behind.

With the school year in full-swing, both Josie and Nicole are back in the classroom; luckily, their products are still available at next summer in Saratoga and Bolton Landing.

Where's your TV?

The Television is an item that the whole family seems to really love, at least in theory. Those responsible for the decorating around the house often find themselves at odds with the person who actually bought the television. You see, the decorator often wants to hide the television, while the buyer often wants to accentuate the television - or at least, they want everyone to see just how "awesome" their new TV is.

In today's home you'll find the same situation with refrigerators and dishwashers. Lindsay and I have been lucky enough to avoid that argument, but we think it comes down to a sensible philosophy. TV's, refrigerators, and dishwashers are necessary elements of a twenty-first century lifestyle. They should not be viewed as items that need to be hidden away or denied. They are items that we can celebrate. They are opportunities to demonstrate our individual style. Just as a fireplace in a traditional home wouldn't be hidden from view or disguised as something it isn't, today's appliances shouldn't be either. 

Where are the two places that a modern family gathers the most? Around the TV and in the kitchen (around the refrigerator and dishwasher). These items need to be celebrated as communal destinations, as symbols of the closeness of a family. By announcing their presence boldly we welcome those who come in our homes and say, "here is where we gather with those we care about, and respect. We want to include you."

I write this as the proud new owner of a TV that didn't seem as enormous at the store, as it does in our home.