living room decorating

Two Clever Storage Solutions

We've got family in town today and deadlines are hounding me, so I'll just quickly share two storage solutions I spied on <a href="http://pinterest.com/">Pinterest</a>:<br /><br />1) Lillian at <a href="http://domesticsimplicity.com/2010/12/30/quick-easy-childrens-book-storage/">Domestic Simplicity</a> used an IKEA <a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40070185">spice rack</a> as children's book storage. They're $3.99 each! What's not to love!? I would love to see these used on the back of a bedroom door in an apartment. It's a great small space trick. And of course the sky's the limit with color options here.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/pinterest13031611_m3zQzMzO_c.jpg" /></div><br />2) <a href="http://www.ana-white.com/2010/11/laundry-basket-dresser">Ana</a> always has great (and totally achievable) wood-working tutorials. I love her laundry storage idea and wish I had one in our home. Anyone else feel like they're doing laundry every single waking moment? The girls are starting to help me a little more and being able to sort them right out of the dryer would be a great time-saver for us!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/12945017_MqE6iK4r_c.jpg" /></div><br />Do you have a clever storage idea? I'd love to <a href="mailto:jenny@jennykomenda.com">hear about it</a>.

Two Clever Storage Solutions

We've got family in town today and deadlines are hounding me, so I'll just quickly share two storage solutions I spied on Pinterest ...

2:30 AM

Dear Jenny: Cleaning Upholstery

<span style="font-style: italic;">Dear Jenny:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">I noticed in <a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2011/04/layering-floral-pillows.html">this post</a>, you mentioned you used outdoor velvet on your new upholstery. How amazing must that be! I wondered if the linen on your new gray sofa was also indoor/outdoor? If not, I would love to know what cleaning supplies you use on the upholstered pieces in your house. I have four children and I feel like there might be something to those clear plastic covers they used to put on everything back in the 50s!! Ha!!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Thanks,</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Kelly P</span><br /><br />Hi Kelly! I am the HUGEST (and completely un-sponsored) fan of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000ILA3YY/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=littgreenote-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399349&creativeASIN=B000ILA3YY">Folex</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=&l=as2&o=1&a=B000ILA3YY&camp=217145&creative=399349" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> upholstery and carpet cleaner. It is so incredibly easy to use. Basically you dose the stain with the spray, let it sit for a sec, and then sort of rub it in with your finger. The stain will disappear before your eyes and won't damage your carpet or fabric! The best part is there is no rinsing required at all. You can blot up the cleaning liquid with a towel if you want though. Fast and so easy!!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/IMG_7849.jpg" /></div><br />Want to see it in action? I got this adorable little kids settee at a flea market last year.  I love the chippy guilding on the frame.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/IMG_7835.jpg" /></div><br />The upholstery is really old, but it's still in good shape. I'm waiting to change out the fabric until I have the other fabrics in the girls room nailed down. So really, I hadn't done anything to the piece other than clean it since buying it last year. It held up well for a while, but then recently we had some play dates at our house and there were a couple of messes on the piece:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/IMG_7830.jpg" /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Pen is always the hardest thing for me to get out of fabric. Here's the 'during' shot, after a couple sprays of Folex. You can see the black ink is starting to disappear:</div><br /><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/IMG_7833.jpg" /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">About 20 seconds later, the pen was completely gone.</div><br /><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/IMG_7852.jpg" /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">The whole piece cleaned up beautiful (with almost no smell) in about five minutes.</div><br /><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/IMG_7860.jpg" /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">It was wet for a couple hours, but the stains were totally gone after the cleaner dried.</div><br /><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/IMG_7864.jpg" /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I'm glad it cleaned up so well so we can keep using it until it's reupholstered. It really is one of my favorite little pieces of furniture. It's just the right scale for a kids room and is a perfect prop for impromptu photo shoots of sisters (that love each other a lot).<br /><br /></div><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/DSC_0213.jpg" /></div><br /><br />Do you readers have any tried and true upholstery/carpet cleaning tools or products to share with Kelly?

Dear Jenny: Cleaning Upholstery

Dear Jenny: I noticed in this post , you mentioned you used outdoor velvet on your new upholstery. How amazing must that be! I wondered if t...

2:30 AM

Madeline Weinrib Sample Sale (New Rug for the Girls Room!)

<span style="font-size: 85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">**Sorry for double posting this. Blogger has been having site-wide technical difficulties and all of yesterday's posts and comments were lost.  Bummer. **</span></span><br /><br />I got a little preview yesterday of the <a href="http://www.madelineweinrib.com/" target="_blank">Madeline Weinrib</a> sample sale happening at <a href="http://www.abchome.com/" target="_blank">ABC</a> today through next Monday. There were TONS of great rugs, pillows and fabrics.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">My  little Gracie Girl, who is not yet six and who has lost FOUR teeth in  the past two months (!!!), was my shopping partner in crime. We made a  little mommy/daughter date of the outing and indulged in Shake Shack  afterwards.</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/IMG_7804.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/2IMG_7800.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/IMG_7794.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/IMG_7798.jpg" /><br /><br /></div><a href="http://www.madelineweinrib.com/" target="_blank">Madeline Weinrib</a>  products are not inexpensive, but the designs are gorgeous and the  quality is amazing - totally splurge worthy. The 30-70% off at this sale  helps too, making a large cotton flatweave about the price of a Pottery  Barn rug.<br /><br />I picked out a couple pillows and rugs for clients and  Grace tried her best to convince me on the pink and red chevron tote  (close, but no cigar).<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/2IMG_7812.jpg" /></div><br />Instead I used my motherly powers of persuasion to get G to fall in love with this fun dhurrie. I've had <a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2011/02/three-things.html" target="_blank">my eye</a>  on the design for a while now and there was only one of these at the  sale. It just happened to be the exact size I needed for the girls room,  so we'll just say it was fate and that I couldn't say no. Plus, it's  called the Jellybaby Rug. I mean, come on. So cute.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/IMG_7795.jpg" /></div><br />If  you're in the city, stop by the sale ASAP - it's worth it! If you're  not local, try giving Rick, who is the manager of the clearance basement  at ABC, a call and tell him I sent you. They are so helpful and are  always willing to ship to other states.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/IMG_7807.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">(Heaven on earth, I say...)</span></div><div><img alt="" height="1" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3009168790894665633-7323349821016651149?l=littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com" width="1" /></div>

Madeline Weinrib Sample Sale (New Rug for the Girls Room!)

**Sorry for double posting this. Blogger has been having site-wide technical difficulties and all of yesterday's posts and comments were...

10:28 AM

Mint and Cobalt

Mint and Cobalt

Do you ever look at a piece of clothing and wonder why (WHY?!) don't we make home fabrics in colors and patterns as gorgeous and fresh a...

2:30 AM

Carrara Marble Countertop

Another reason I decided to use that old dresser as our kitchen island is the dimensions were just right for the marble slab I had.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/DSC_0303.jpg" /></div><br />Lots of readers emailed asking what quarry I used in the tri-state area to get my carrara slab. Sadly, I have no recommendations for quarries. My slab is (was) a $70 coffee table, just cleaned really well and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/StoneTech-BPSS12-32-BulletProof-Sealer-1-Quart/dp/B00065W8G8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1304992164&sr=8-1">resealed</a>:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/IMG_2992.jpg" /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I got it at Canterbury Antiques in Delaware, but I've seen about a million versions of the same coffee table on craigslist. They're often under $200, which is an amazing savings, compared to getting a slab cut down or even using a remnant piece of marble.</div><br /><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/IMG_2993.jpg" /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Some of you asked in your emails how the carrara has held up for me. I haven't had any problems at all with staining. I forgot to mention that this slab is polished, but if I had carrara installed in future home's kitchen, I would definitely go with a honed finish. I've heard from friends and clients with honed marble counters that if you are diligent about sealing the marble every six months or so, there are no issues at all with staining.<br /><br />P.S. I'm starting to do some projects for our master bedroom and I'm using  the pretty table frame to make an upholstered bench for the foot of our  bed!</div></div>

Carrara Marble Countertop

Another reason I decided to use that old dresser as our kitchen island is the dimensions were just right for the marble slab I had. Lots of ...

2:30 AM

Painted Detail on My Kitchen Island

Last weekend was perfect. Mother's Day was lovely - Michael and the girls surprised me with a necklace I've been eying for a while and a gorgeous bunch of peonies.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/DSC_0315.jpg" /></div><br />The arrangement was so pretty that I thought it was a good excuse to break out the camera and take some 'after shots' of my kitchen island that I've been meaning to share with you.<br /><br />This old dresser was one of the very first things Michael and I bought as a married couple. We got it for almost nothing at a thrift store in Arizona. It's been about 20 different colors over the years and the hardware's changed a half dozen times. The top hutch piece was some I picked up a few years later at the Crate and Barrel outlet.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/hutchbefore.jpg" /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">When we moved into our new apartment, I knew I wanted to add an island to our kitchen to provide more counter space and to separate the cooking/prep area from the dining, but I didn't think I wanted to use this dresser. I mean, look at the back of the thing. It was in bad shape. This is right after we moved in last September.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/DSC_0166.jpg" /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Call me sentimental (or cheap), but I thought I'd at least give the dresser a run as a possible island, so I pulled off the old back.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/DSC_0177.jpg" /></div><br />I got a piece of very inexpensive chipboard cut to size at Home Depot, and stapled and nailed it in place. Then I primed and painted the whole thing in BEHR's Night Shade (it looks navy in the picture, but it actually has a lot of green in it).<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/2DSC_0187.jpg" /></div><br />The new paint helped the situation a lot. I knew I wanted to add moulding or something though to make the flat back more exciting. It's one of the first things you see from our front door, so it was important for the detail to be sort of punchy and fun. I liked this paint treatment from House and Home and thought it would be a cinch to do something similar:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/chhPicture10.jpg" /></div><br />After doing a little sketch and planning out my measurements, I taped off all the straight lines.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/DSC_0165.jpg" /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Then I put down a base coat of the same Night Shade paint to seal the tape and prevent most of the paint bleeding.</div><br /><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/DSC_0257.jpg" /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Then on went the white paint for the detail.</div><br /><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/DSC_0263.jpg" /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I like to pull my tape off immediately, while the paint's still wet. You can see the lines still bled a little, but it was an easy fix with a detail brush.</div><br /><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/DSC_0279.jpg" /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">To make curves in the corners, I just used a round glass as a template and then filled in the lines with the detail brush.</div><br /><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/DSC_0280.jpg" /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">At first I was worried that the white and navy felt too nautical, but I love the relief the white paint provides against all the navy and black in the kitchen, and it also ties in the floors and the marble on the island.</div><br /><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/DSC_0336.jpg" /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I'm also really happy with how the navy works with the black cabinets. I love mixing black and blues.</div><br /><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/DSC_0341.jpg" /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">And pink just looks good with anything.</div><br /><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/peonies2.jpg" /></div></div></div></div></div>

Painted Detail on My Kitchen Island

Last weekend was perfect. Mother's Day was lovely - Michael and the girls surprised me with a necklace I've been eying for a while a...

2:30 AM

living room decorating

Two Clever Storage Solutions

Dear Jenny: Cleaning Upholstery

Madeline Weinrib Sample Sale (New Rug for the Girls Room!)

Mint and Cobalt

Carrara Marble Countertop

Painted Detail on My Kitchen Island

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