Goldi-lamp

When it comes to lamp shades, are there really any rules? What size and shape really makes the difference?

I decided to do a little experiment and find out. We desperately needed a floor lamp in our living room by our new couch, so I brought down the one from our upstairs reading nook and gave it a makeover.

Here's what it looked like.



Try to ignore the crooked-ness, I was going to fix that during the makeover process. Armed with Krylon's Oil Rubbed Bronze rattle can, I gave the painted-white-brass-lamp a new look in less than 10 minutes.



There was a problem though-the lamp shade looked awkward. I wasn't sold on it, but I couldn't put my finger on why. Finally it occurred to me that it seemed just a little too short. Isn't the shade supposed to cover the switch apparatus?



This faux leather shade was neat, but just a little bit long. I felt it was overpowering the swing arm feature, and the exaggerated bell shape was a bit too much.

Ah, just right.

The length is a little shorter than option #2, and the shape is more streamlined. I think this is the best fit (and also cheaper!), but what do you think? Hurry up before I take the plastic off!

To Paint Or Not To Paint

Hmmmm, that is the question I'm asking myself these days with regards to my kitchen cabinets. Although they are in near perfect condition, the light wood veneer and lackluster style screams contractor special.



Adding hardware did help, but I'd really like to add more custom touches. Since I love to cook and entertain, I want it to reflect my style and personality.

Fortunately, the kitchen and dining area really do need to be repainted. I didn't do a great job in the first place, and now that I've repainted most of the other rooms (with improved technique) in the house, the red accent walls stick out as less than stellar.

And then there's the fact that I'm just  bored with the red/black bistro look. It has been 3 1/2 years, maybe it's time for a change. I'd love to do a new wall color and add a tile backsplash. I suppose the colors I choose for these projects will determine whether or not I should paint the cabinets.

I do love a classic white kitchen...

But other colors are appealing as well.

So, what do you think? Should I paint the cabinets? If so, what color? What wall color do you like for the kitchen and dining areas?

Brunch Entertaining

Sure, everyone loves a good dinner party, but what I really love is having a group of people over for brunch. It's casual, and people just seem to be more relaxed when you catch them in the morning-before life has a chance to get stressful. So, I decided a few weeks ago to host regular brunches at my house and see how they went. The first one was wonderful!

Here was the menu:

Breakfast Bread Pudding (sort of a baked French Toast)

Noodle Kugel

Steel Cut Oatmeal with Topping Bar

Bacon (Turkey and Pork) and Turkey Sausage

Smoked Gouda and Spinach Crustless Quiche

Fresh Fruit

Mimosas

I know, it sounds complicated. But let me let you in on a little secret- I made most of the items the night before!

The noodle kugel and crustless quiche warmed up beautifully the next morning, and the overnight crockpot oatmeal was a snap to set up. If you love oatmeal in the cooler months, try this super easy method for the steel cut (also called rolled) variety.

Overnight Steel Cut Oatmeal

Read your package of steel cut oats for proportions, but it's usually 2:1 water to oats.

Combine water and oats in a glass bowl that will fit inside your crockpot. Fill the crockpot with water so it reaches about halfway up the bowl containing the oats. Basically you're cooking the oatmeal in a water bath. Turn your crockpot on low and leave overnight. Wake up, top with your favorite foodstuffs, and enjoy!



With most of the food prepared the night before, all I had to do the morning of was make the bread pudding, bacon, and slice fruit. All of the food turned out fantastic (except for an uncooperative honeydew melon which refused to ripen, and when I actually burnt some of the bacon in the oven-hey, it happens to the best of us!).

Now if you've read through the recipes and are thinking they sound delicious but unhealthy-don't fret! I heavily modified most of them using things like egg beaters and fat free half and half. If you'd like to see any of my substitutions, shoot me an email or comment and I'd be happy to share them with you.

Overall, brunch was a success. We had a great time, and I'll be hosting another one soon (I promise to take pictures this time).

If you're thinking about hosting a brunch for your friends, let me share some tips.

1. Keep it casual, no need for culinary gymnastics-make food you are comfortable with (unless you enjoy experimentation!)

2. Consider how many people you can comfortably entertain in your home, it could be 4-20, just make sure you think it through!

3. Invite people from different "groups" of friends (maybe single girls and single guys :P), we all could use more friends!

4. Provide different types of food, sticking with the basics like egg, carbs, and meat. I guarantee you will have a friend who hates eggs!

5. Have fun! Don't get so wrapped up in entertaining that you forget to eat :)

Neutral Hues

There is definitely something to be said for neutrals. I have learned over the past few years of decorating the house that neutrals can be just as interesting as big bold colors. Over time, your tastes may change, and that once oh-so-lovable bright colored piece of furniture will now stick out like a sore thumb.

Remember our big red couch?



I had grown tired of its subtle chenille pattern, and it had grown tired of us. Abused by our animals when they were little, it had turned into nothing more than a large dog bed. I was yearning for something more sophisticated to fit in with our newly redecorated room. I still wanted to maintain a relaxing casual space (as opposed to a formal sitting room), so I turned to Craigslist to find a replacement.

After a few weeks of hunting and inquiries (and some disappointments), I came across an ad for a queen size sleeper couch. I was immediately interested since I had always wanted to have a sleeper sofa, you know, just in case. I was lucky the seller had a attached a picture, which looked nice, so I emailed straight away for approximate dimensions.

The couch was a little shorter than our red one, which is a bonus since the extra floor space would allow room for a reading light. I was getting pretty excited about getting a new couch, so I made an appointment to see it. In person it was just as lovely, it even has nail head detailing. I loved that the back cushions are attached, a feature I never would have thought about before. It's amazing how you can really learn what works and what doesn't! I was really digging the couch and ready to take it home, but we needed a pickup truck. Thanks to a friend, we came back the next day for it in her dad's truck.

$150 later, we have a whole new look.



From far away it looks like a textured tan color, but up close you can see a subtle pattern which includes some navy and olive. Sure I might have preferred a plain tan microfiber couch, but for $150 this sleeper sofa was a clear winner.

Now to keep my pack of unruly beasts from destroying it!

House Tour Reveal!

After some hard work, I'm ready to reveal the mostly finished version of my house (for now)!

Our Foyer



Living Room









Hallway leading to Guest Bathroom and Kitchen



Guest Bathroom



Kitchen







Dining Room





Balcony off Kitchen







Stairwell



Guestroom/Office









Ryan's Room (top secret, this was the only shot I could post).



Upstairs Bathroom





Master Bedroom







I hope you enjoyed the grand tour, of course something around here is always changing so keep reading!

****Linked Up****

Spray Paint Can Fix Anything

Well, almost anything. It did fix this $1.00 ceramic bowl that I wanted to use in the guest bathroom.



I whipped out my can of Krylon Oil Rubbed Bronze to give it a makeover.

Guestroom/Office BIG reveal!

I waited until today to post this because my mom is currently in transit here from Reno, and I didn't want to spoil the surprise!

We have lots of big changes, so let's take a look at the journey. Here is what this room used to look like.



Wow, what an industrial looking nightmare!

After some furniture refinishing and shuffling (read about it here and here), I started to get more of a vision of how I wanted this room to look.

More moving of furniture, setting up a bed, and running cable across the room ensued.

Now, we have a relaxing functional space that oozes charm (if I do say so myself). Without further ado, here are some photos:



A $4 Goodwill chenille throw and a homemade no sew pillow sham add pops of yellow. I'm planning on refinishing the $8 Goodwill side table down the line.



The refinished desk will be functional as an office space, or if a guest wants to set up their laptop. The wooden chair came from the basement, and will eventually be painted.



I put up a mirror ($8.99 at Ross) and hooks ($4.30/ea Big Lots) for a jacket or purse to make our guests feel more at home. The corkboard I made from an old door holds pictures of us and our visiting guest (in this case my brother and I with our Mom).



But, we're missing one thing right? Where's the TV? Since we don't watch TV in there, I decided to make a space saving decision and put it in the closet.

Yes, the TV is in the closet (with plenty of room to hang clothes).



So, now that you've seen Hotel Evans, wouldn't you like to come visit us?