Tuesday, July 24

Diary Of A Mad Decorator.

As I mentioned, I've been busy redecorating (yes, you heard me, again) around the dining room table my mum shipped up to me. It's gorgeous, and I'm so proud to have it, but it's also been quite the conundrum figuring out how it worked into the scheme of things, until I decided to flop my living and dining areas around. Somehow, it all just worked for me.

I realize at this juncture, you are thinking, this girl is seriously wacko, given the number of times I've changed my decor around. But, please, don't hate me because I'm crazy. Things get added to the room, and wham! you've got to rethink the whole darn thing. It happens, especially when you spend as much time at the flea market as I do. And, I love beautiful things, most of them at bargain prices, so my rooms evolve around the new treasures I find. So, with all that justification and rationalization behind me, here's some pix of the new rooms.

I brightened the room up with lots of fun, new etsy artwork and a new baby Saarinen Side Table. Yummy.

Please be forewarned, I still do not have my perfect dining chairs. I got these four bent wood cafe chairs (four for $25 on craigslist and painted them white) as a temporary fix. I thought that book The Secret was a little overboard, but hey, if I visualize and will some Eames Tulip Chairs my way, and they show up, I'll finally believe that crazy little book of wishful thinking.

Thanks to everyone for all their invaluable advice (whether I took it or not, please don't be offended - remember, I'm sick in the head) and to all the talented etsy artists who have recently contributed to my new little gallery. It's all still a work in progress, but I feel much, much better about it and am no longer losing sleep. I kid you not, people, I become a woman obsessed! But, I guess you figured that out. For larger pix, click on the images, or go to my flickr flickr photostream.




59 comments:

La Petite Maison said...

Uh, are you my twin? :) I, too, have been redecorating; drives my husband crazy! The transformation looks great!

Anonymous said...

I absolutely love it. Dare I say that the way you mix pieces so confidently looks very 'European'?

lookwhaticando said...

oh...wow....oh....I am spechless by the beauty you have created.xoxo

Anonymous said...

Looks sooooo nice, but Rico - has thou forsaken us?

Anonymous said...

victoria,

i i wish my place could look that good. i have so many framed prints but don't hang them up because im afraid of making holes in the walls.

will you tell us who your etsy artists are?
i recognize sugarloop but not the one with the woman's leggs wearing high heels - love that one!, and the printers book fair is that from etsy? and some of the small ones at the bottom. are the matte stephens originals? i also recognize his because i have 3 of his goccos.

how do you know what layout will look good on the wall? do you lay it out on the floor first? do you have to measure meticulously?

also, do you still have your wall of frames in the hall way or is something else there?

i love how light and airy your place is. my place is like that too. but just lacks character. you are so creative! i really like how you are starting to bring some pink in. before your accent color was robin's egg blue and pale green... now i'm starting to see pink. so lovely. yum!

thanks in advance if you get around to answering my questions.

just my 2cents. i preferred those silver bar stolls you said were from crate and barrell... you got them on craigs list a few months ago. i liked the cleaner lines. but it's all just so lovely.

xo

jill

Natasha said...

Such a soothing space, with just enough subtle color. It's good to rearrange and get a fresh perspective. Sometimes just doing that is more fun than getting new things. As an aside, my Keep Calm print arrived yesterday- thanks! Can't wait to hang it at work.

Ana Herda said...

I love the couch with the art above it, the arrangement of the frames is PERFECT.

I also love the lamp in the last picture.

kim. said...

Love everything you've done, again. And I'm the same way - I figure since I buy stuff cheap at thrift stores, then I can rearrange and toss/sell stuff when I feel like it (which is ALOT). And I love the $25 chairs. They really suit the space, even if just for now. I like Pink was also wondering where Rico went.

Anonymous said...

did you sell your faux saarinen to make room for the farm table? i am just loving your new living room. those prints juxtaposed with the sofa are just perfrect. can't wait to hear more about the prints.
jill

Barb McMahon and Alan Mailloux said...

Gorgeous!

Am starting a living room/dining room reno myself (only mine involves tearing down a wall and moving the bedroom!)

Thanks for the inspiration - I will be saving these photos to my clipmarks file!

Anonymous said...

It looks great!! I'm a bit obsessed with white and dots of color myself.

Suzy ~ lorenzstudio said...

I am in love with that dining room table! I can totally understand why you would "need" to rearrange!

Nora said...

love your etsy artists as well the grouping is great....decorate on!

jawcey said...

Ohmigosh it's MARVELOUS! I love your space and what you've done with it. It's actually kind of similar to my space and I've been having a hard time figuring out how to configure my dining room table with my living room furniture - I'm totally going to use your photos as inspiration! Thanks :)

Anonymous said...

your decorating style is lovely. I will have to pop in more often to see what you are doing.
thanks.

ChiGirl said...

I think it all looks great, and I love that you decided to swap the dining and living area, it worked out so well. The saarinen table and sitting area is my favorite little area of that room. Nice job!!

sfgirlbybay said...

thanks everyone! i'm so glad you like it. :)

let's see, to answer some questions:

I did sell the cane chairs and the ikea doksta (saarinen knock-off) to make room for my mum's 200-year-old farm table. it went to a good friend, so it doesn't hurt as bad.

no worries - rico is still there - i guess i missed that angle of the room. he's atop my armoire gazing lovingly at emma lou.

i'm going to update the post to list all the etsy artists.some of the artwork i had - the sketches of me removing lint and adding salt that my friend casey drew after a trip to london (i hate lint; and love salt). the portrait of cooper, also painted by the talented casey. the shins posters i've had. those legs are a promo piece i got somewhere and framed - i'll have to see who the artist is. the 'dick & jane' looking girl is also i promo piece i received at work & framed.

i did lay these all out on the dining table to get a sense of how they might look. but once i hung the shins, i ended up just adding around it by what felt right and had a sense of balance.

and thanks for the 'european' comment - i quite like that! :)

more links to come on etsy artists! i'll add an addendum to the post.

Mrs. Blandings said...

just right - it's lovely. Knew you would find your muse.

Alicia said...

So gorgeous! I especially love your etsy art wall. I am still trying to figure out how to organize my collection. Yours looks like it flows so smoothly, yet each piece really stands out.

Where is your chandelier from? Sorry if I missed it written somewhere. It is so beautiful!

Anonymous said...

alicia,

i remember V saying when she moved into the apartment the former tennants let her keep that amazing chandelier. I think she did some kind of trade with them, but I'm sure she will correct me if I'm wrong! I only remember this because I covet it every time I see her photos!

V,
thanks for the info on the etsy artists and how you figured out how to arrange them. I really WANT those legs! ugh, figures it was a promo piece. If you can find out the artist let me know. Right now I have 12 prints framed in birch Ribbas and they are all leaning up against the wall on the floor. I have a phobia about putting nails in the wall and then what if it doesn't look good... like yours does. And I love all your white with little bits of pink.

thanks again for sharing! you are so inspiring.
jill

Anna said...

It's gorgeous -- and it's inspired me, too!

Love the Murano pendant in the living room...

sfgirlbybay said...

thanks alicia! and jill is correct, the chandelier came with the APT. i have seen them on Paris Hotel Boutique (Lighting section) - in the $200-400 range.

http://www.parishotelboutique.com

jill - now listen to me. go to the hardware store, get yourself some spackle and a spackle knife and start nailing! i do it all the time and when i screw up (which is often) and just spackle and touch up the point and make a new hole! my walls are probably like swiss cheese by now.

Anonymous said...

Wow! You have great taste in furniture. I am not to fond of the cold weathered San Francisco. I think that if I lived in San Francisco my home would have to be as bright and cherry as yours. Well done! Ciao!

Anonymous said...

IT'S SUPER LOVELY!!! I don't have anything to say left ... it's just suuuuuuuuuuper lovely!!!

Alyssa Coberly said...

muy bueno chica! i love it ... and hello you are most definately not crazy in the head ... i dont know how people can keep their decorating the same for years and years - i love to change it around all the time.

Anna said...

Do you take your prints somewhere to get matted and framed? Any pointers on saving $$$ on framing? Also where did you get the chalk board. Very cute idea!

Anonymous said...

jill - now listen to me. go to the hardware store, get yourself some spackle and a spackle knife and start nailing! i do it all the time and when i screw up (which is often) and just spackle and touch up the point and make a new hole! my walls are probably like swiss cheese by now.

really it doesnt leave scrapes and bumps in the wall? okay... im going to lay them out on my table and see what order they will look good in. any color tips or sizing tips? should the biggest ones go in the middle like you did it? is it bad to have 3 prints by the same artist in a grouping of say 11?

Do you still have your wall of frames in the hall?

thx!

jill

Alexandra said...

It looks wonderful - congratulations! It's a great idéa to keep redecorating, it makes the home so warm and fun!

sfgirlbybay said...

thanks again for all the nice comments.

anna - nothing is professionally matted or framed - most of these are Ribba frames from Ikea. A couple from Cost Plus (the tin black frames). the chalkboard is an old schoolhouse chalkboard left at my office by an art director who left the company - i got lucky. :)

jill - you can sand the walls, too, if they get bumpy. just try and scrap across the spackle evenly and scrap away any residue. i really think it's up to you, what you like. i think a larger print is nice to center the gallery. and i think it's fine to have 3 prints by the same artist!

the hallway where the old gallery was is blank at the moment - i'm working on that! :)

Blogging Masterclass said...

yeah! You made that your art wall. I'm so happy you decided on that. High five on a nice job!

Michelle said...

everything looks so fresh and warm too. love it

Anonymous said...

I may have missed where you got your couch - it's simple and perfect and so inviting! Do you mind sharing your source...?
thanks for all the inspiration!

swell.life said...

Wow. I am so in love with your work! Looks so clean and cozy. I'm also interested in where you found your couch.

rachel @ blackeiffel said...

love it!!

Peggy said...

I totally understand. I am the same way. But you really solved the dilemma beautifully and your places looks marvelous! I love the lamps, by the way.

I mentioned you on my blog today, because I was trying to "briefly" describe my own form of decoration schizophrenia.

Great work. Thanks for being an inspiration.

MrsEm said...

Love it! Where did you get your sofa?

sfgirlbybay said...

y'all are way too kind! thank you!

the sofa is the Modern 86" from Room & Board and is slipcovered (so you can machine wash the covers) and is SUPER comfortable. i love it!!

robyn said...

It looks so, so great, thanks for sharing your pics and your talent. Love the chalk board.

Anonymous said...

Wow, it just keeps getting better over at your place. I love the new look. Very European. I really do like how your style has evolved over time. Thank you for sharing your home with us.

Anonymous said...

Your apartment and style are adorable. Thank you for sharing them, and this is yet another inspirational push to get me into decorating my rental, never mind re-re-redecorating!

Do you have any advice on painting furniture? Like the way you painted your chairs? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you again!

Making it Lovely said...

Beautiful, beautiful! Everything looks so fresh.

sulu-design said...

Stunning. I'm bookmarking this for future reference. Amazing work.

Anonymous said...

i love your colors and even the colors in the art all work well together. keep showing us new pics! you are such an inspiration and so sweet to boot.
jill

Jan Halvarson said...

wow! loving the art placement too!

Liz Harrell said...

Everything looks wonderful. Your apartment now has a very paris/mod apartment feel. You are not alone... I love redecorating.

Anonymous said...

If only I had your knack for room arrangement! I have a long living room, something like yours, that I am forever trying to rearrange.

Anonymous said...

I like the dining room chairs! Beautiful room - you have a great eye for composition. Love the blackboard!

Kelly said...

Everything looks FANTASTIC! You have a wonderful way of mixing old and rustic peices with the modern and still keeping the overall look fresh and graphic. You've inspired me!

annechovie said...

I absolutely love your place! So charming and cheery! You have an excellent eye and loads of talent!

Anonymous said...

ok, how great does your place look? and the art? Fabulous ~ I'm so inspired!

sfgirlbybay said...

donna - sorry i missed your question (i just had time to sit and really read all these nice comments - you guys know how to make me smile). i actually suck at painting furniture. i think if you saw these up close you'd see that. they really need a sanding, and another coat of good paint. this was one of my random "hurry up and make them white" projects.

Anonymous said...

I love the white iron work chair with the floral seat. I also felt the book the secret was overbaord. Can you image if you tried to follow the author's suggestions...how screwed up you could make life for those around you?

Elle Jay Bee said...

I am so with you on the chairs...I, too, am searching for the perfect chairs (and table) and am making do with prettied up UGLY for now (although your chairs are much prettier than mine). I recently blogged about the whole "sad"story:

http://restyledhome.blogspot.com/2007/05/my-dining-room-re-do.html

I am in the process of doing a paint job on the whole set and will post the "new and improved" version soon. I wish money were no object for I'd get exactly what I see in my head...hmmm...which version would I pick??

Love your blog! Come visit me at mine. I'm a Canadian girl decorating on a budget and with limited spots to shop!!

Linda

Ashley said...

I'm surprised no one mentioned this ... but my absolute favorite thing in the room is your light-colored wood sideboard (with chalkboard on top). It is GORGEOUS! I love the rounded corners, the color, etc. And it looks really nice with that green stool beneath it. Actually, the whole arrangement there is perfect. I'm assuming it was either inherited or found at an antique shop? If not ... do share.

sfgirlbybay said...

thank you *ASK* - the buffet was one i found at a yard sale in L.A. a long time ago. it was $5 and covered with ugly white paint, so i stripped it and polished it. it's sort of my own family heirloom. :)

Ashley said...

$5?!?! OMG!! Wow. Nice find.

Ashley said...

Sorry to bombard the message board ... but I came across an Ebay listing with chairs like those you are replacing. In case any of the readers who said they like your current chairs are interested ... only catch: they are pickup only in Pennsylvania.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160141198317&ssPageName=ADME:B:EF:US:11

cheryl said...

Hey..beautiful redeco!! Just a qn, when you hang up all your pictures..do you drill into your wall? Because I was wondering if there was anything less permanent than that. Especially since it means I can't keep shifting my pics around or it'll leave holes everywhere!
Thanks!!

sfgirlbybay said...

Hi Cheryl,

I'm ruthless - I just nail holes in the wall and if I don't like the placement, I spackle the old hole, touch up the paint and put a new hole in!