Built-ins for Ironstone

Before we started remodeling our kitchen, I scoured through Pinterest creating board after board of things I really liked.  This helped me narrow down what we could do in the space we had.  I knew I wanted a way to display my ironstone but also be able to use it.  I found my inspiration from this picture below.

Via

I would have loved to have used the Ikea bookcases shown, but they measured too high.  Hiring a Carpenter to do it all was an option, but a costly one. (We still need a Carpenter to add molding and give it that built-in feel).  I  spent weeks looking  online for the exact measurements I needed, but couldn't find one with 3 shelves that would fit. My next option was to find a small enough bookcase with 2 shelves at a reasonable price, and close to the height I needed. I found these bookcases below on Amazon.  I've purchased 3, which leaves room under the counter but not enough for a fourth bookcase.

Amazon

The plan now is to hire a Carpenter to raise the bookcases slightly, hide the gap between the top of the bookcase and underneath the counter, and attach molding along the fronts to hide the fact they are individual bookcases.

I use the magazine holders from Ikea to hold all of the kid's learning materials like workbooks, extra paper, and worksheets from School they might need.  The ironstone vegetable tureen on the bottom shelf holds things like pencils, calculator, and erasers.

I've also put to use a few tureens without lids and a compote to hold each of my children's candy stash from Christmas.

Close-ups of some of my pieces.

Currently filling out the space is our one stop pet feeding station for both the dogs and cats.  The original idea came from Pinterest from an uploaded user photo.  The vinyl decals and supplies label came from Craftcuts.

Ironstone pieces have come in handy in creating a quick pet treat station.

The pet dish station is no longer available but was purchased from Anthropologie years ago.

The mat was a very easy DIY project.  I used a place mat from Ikea, cut the indoor-outdoor fabric we used for the window treatments and hot glued the fabric in place.  I then used Scotch Guard to treat the fabric and give it another layer of protection.

For now our pet station has found a home but I think eventually I will move it as I often do. I'm considering making this into our recycling center using the Ikea Trofast system.

IKEA

All of these projects will be done sometime in 2016.

Breakfast Nook reveal and source list

                                Happy New Year Everyone!  

I've decided to give blogging another go around.  I enjoy the creative process and this really motivates me to get projects done. 

We started our kitchen last year and had some issues along the way, which prolonged the process.  It's 90% finished with just a punch list left to do. I've decided to show you all, the breakfast nook first, which is something I've always wanted in a kitchen. Along with having the nook for eating, and snacking, we have also started using it as a place to play games. Originally the bookshelves were going to be used just for my ironstone collection but after visiting friends in North Carolina and seeing their nook/game area, I was sold.

I am so pleased with how it all turned out. Please excuse the boxes on the right.  We have extra flooring that can't be returned and my Husband has yet to move them to a new location.

My gallery wall is just above the bench. All pieces were found at Estate sales.

I blogged about my ironstone haul as well as these prints, here.

I purchased the frame from Michael's and used washi tape around the print.

I love this cow painting, my Husband not so much.  This painting first caught my eye while reading Miss Mustard Seed's blog.  You can find it here on Etsy.  In a couple of weeks, I will be revealing a second painting from this same artist, that I've purchased and currently having it framed.

My inspiration for using an Ikea bookcase as a bench came from this picture below. Instead of using baskets, I opted to purchase the doors separately.  I also changed out the knobs that came with each door to match with the hardware I chose in the kitchen.

Via

I love these brass knobs from Schoolhouse Electric.  You can find this Ikea bookcase turned bench here.  Ikea KALLAX shelving offers a few options, doors, drawers or baskets.

I upholstered the bench myself which was easy to do.  If you are looking for a good tutorial on how-to and a material list, I included a link, h2obungalow.

The fabric I used on the bolster and bench is no longer available, but I found it here. Fabric.com is one of my favorite sources for fabric. 

I had my 2 bolster covers made for me by CleusaSordiDecor, again found on Etsy.  Fast turnaround and wonderful craftsmanship.

All my pillow inserts come from this shop Peteuga on Etsy. Amazingly fast shipping.

The Ikat pillows were purchased as a pair and ready to ship from CastawayCoveDecor.

The navy Greek key pillows were purchased separately and made by JoyWorkshoppe found on Etsy.

I don't know why I didn't capture a picture of the smaller linen pillow in the middle but you can find out the information from SkippysCorner.

The DOCKSTA Table is from Ikea.  It is the only easy thing to put together.

The Blue & White Salt & Pepper shakers are from Pier 1 imports and are no longer available.

The tray is Lilly Pulitzer for Target.

The ironstone pieces contain candy for a little extra treat.

I can't find the information for the Manufacturer's of my ghost chairs.  I originally purchased them as a pair for my porch, and will again, since these will be staying here in the nook.

The rug is an indoor-outdoor one from allmodern.  The shedding was minimal after the first vacuuming.  Very easy to clean and super soft underfoot.

My children are really enjoying having most of their games here.  In those plastic containers I have playing cards, learning materials, as well as small puzzles.  More on those, on another upcoming post.

In the meantime, I've covered the backs of the bookcases with the same wallpaper I used in my hallway. You can read more about it here.  I'm going to eventually change it to a grasscloth wallcovering.

Below are 2 pictures that helped shape my vision for what I wanted for my Breakfast Nook.

Via

Via

I hope you enjoyed the little tour of my Kitchen.  Please join me again for the rest of the tour.

Estate sale of a lifetime

I am very choosy about the Estate sales I attend.  Mostly because they do require a considerable drive, and getting all the troops up early and out the door to get there for opening. I have to want at least 5 items from the pictures online. If you don't already subscribe to an email list of upcoming sales, then I suggest checking this one out. 

Really good companies will upload lots of pictures of whats to be offered. This is invaluable tool in determining which ones to attend and which ones don't feature items you are searching for. Also it helps to set up a game plan by remembering which rooms to go to first in order to get that special item.  

Make sure you read ahead about the rules of each estate sale.  Some sales do not allow small children to attend, whereas others might not care.  Also, there are usually rules about bringing in bags, which generally isn't allowed.  Yes, this makes things very difficult to shop.  What I tend to do is once I enter, I grab one of the empty available boxes inside and use that to shop with.  

Don't be afraid to open drawers, and search through those boxes in the basement or attic.  There is treasure to be found. One of my favorite Bloggers Miss MustardSeed once found an antique chandelier complete with crystals inside one of those cardboard boxes for just $4.

I have seen some people at sales haggle for better prices with mixed results.  You are better off on a Sunday snagging a big ticket item as companies generally make everything half off.  It's not always advertised that things go for 50% on the last day of a sale.  I managed to score a beautiful antique piece of furniture for half the price just by going back the next day.  It was worth the risk to save that extra money.

This particular sale I went to on Saturday was a bit of a haul.  It took close to an hour to get there, and required some serious sucking up to my loving Husband to not just get me there but get me there before it opened.  Which meant we had to get up at 5:45 to get ourselves ready and out the door by 6:15.  Let me tell you it was well worth it.

Let me show you my finds at ridiculously low prices.  I have never gotten this lucky at a sale before.

 I smile everytime I look at my growing collection.

It's all in the details...

Today I'm sharing some of the sources and details of my multi-purpose dining room/entrance/and office space. I first spotted these x benches on the blog Dwellings by Devore.  I loved the green print on them which fits in perfectly with this room and having them in front of the fireplace just added something to it.  The price is amazing because they are on clearance, so I would grab them sooner rather than later.

This chair I found a long time ago at a consignment shop and had it reupholstered.  It's starting to show it's age, so I'm beginning to think about having it recovered, I've ordered lots of fabric swatches but nothing has really stood out to me. The pillow was custom made a long time ago as well and was used in my middle daughter's nursery.  The dog prints were found at Brimfield which I highly recommend.  It's one the largest antique flea markets you can find. The green table was bought at Antropologie (no longer continued), lamp at Neiman Marcus.  Here's the tutorial of the lampshade.

You can read about my ironstone find here.

What are some of your go-to sources?

What I'm loving on Etsy

When something catches my eye on someone else's blog, or even a magazine photo, my go to place to look for it, is Etsy.  I love ebay as well, but sometimes I just don't feel like bidding and waiting.  Etsy fills my need for instant gratification and usually at a lesser price.  Today I'm going to share with all of  you what I'm currently loving.  

Source

At $3 dollars a lid you really can't go wrong with a wonderful wall display.  I also LOVE ironstone.

Source

I don't know if it's the colors that I really like or the bamboo frames, but something about it just sticks.  It's also only $20 for the 2.  

Source

I love this little glass cloche.

Source

I love pastoral and cow paintings, and this also features a New England scene.

Source

If I had a spare $4500 lying around, then I would jump on this one.

Source

I need a new window treatment for my downstairs bathroom.  It's a toss up between this one and,

Source

this one but maybe with a valance on top as well.  I love this bathroom.

Source

Any one of these.

Source

Any print from The Pink Pagoda.  I recommend checking out her blog, it's one my personal favorites.

Source

I love pillows and grain sack is so durable.

Come back later on in the week to see which one of these items I purchased for my home.  Don't worry (Husband) not the $4500 painting.