Dragon Love & Lighting Up

No sooner had I published my last post, lamenting my no-dragon dilemma, when a friend texted to let me know that a friend of hers happened to have a yard of Chiang Mai that I could buy. I figured it was pretty much fate, and happily coughed up for my long-coveted fabric. Less than a week later, the fabric was in my hot little hands.

Since then, I’ve been admiring it from afar and wondering if I really have the guts to slice this investment into pieces and relegate it to a life of being squashed flat as a TV accessory – like this poor guy.

Last weekend, it crossed my mind that this fabric might be better off doubling as a piece of art over the sofa – where it’s safe from being karate-chopped into shape or being drooled on. A quick search of the interwebs turned up some great examples of framed fabric.

via Pure Style Home

via The Decorating Files, originally from Elle Decor

via Apartment Therapy

via Apartment Therapy

via Chinoiserie Chic

My theory is that it’s easier to start by framing the fabric – if I hate it, I can still get busy with my scissors and sewing machine and make the leap to a pair of pillows. Buuuut I’m still not decided (who’s surprised? Not me). What’s your take on framed fabric?

In addition to fretting over fabric, I also FINALLY found a home for our glass lamp bases (scored over a year ago from Target). I snagged two plain white lamp shades from Target, on sale for 15% off plus I rocked a coupon, so I paid less than $30 for both. In addition to the fact that the new lamps actually provide enough light to read by, the scale is perfect, and I love the lightness of the glass base. The old…

And the new.

I also conned the hubby into helping me swap the oh-so-lovely fluorescent fixtures in our closet…

For a pair of Alang fixtures from Ikea.

Now I can hem and haw over what I should wear without the humming of a flourescent fixture in the background. Plus they’re definitely easier on the eyes. Pardon the lackluster photo, it’s borderline impossible to capture a nice photo at an upward angle in a space the size of a phone booth.

Just eleven million more tasks to get the master closet up to snuff, but who’s counting?

Happy Wednesday, friends!

The Girl Without The Dragon Fabric

After 3 long months without dessert (I chalk it up to a miracle), plus a week of hemming and hawing about whether or not I could REALLY spend $160 on a yard of fabric, I finally pulled the trigger and placed my order for a single yard of Schumacher’s Chiang Mai Dragon in China Blue. When I rolled in to work Monday morning, I had a notice from PayPal waiting for me – namely, that my money had been refunded because my order had been cancelled. <Insert ear-splitting shriek of outrage here>

Apparently, our friends over at Schumacher decided (recently, I might add), that two yards is now the minimum purchase for any if their fabrics. And as much as I’d like to bring this dragon home, $320 for fabric is absolutely beyond my breaking point.

So, with Schumacher’s new edict in place, I’ve got a few options to consider.
1. Buy two pre-made pillows featuring my dragon’s fierce countenance. For a pair of 22” pillow covers with dragon fabric on the front only, it’ll set me back about $210 on Etsy from PopOColor’s shop. The bonus is that I don’t have to do any sewing on my own (and believe me, the idea of sewing with $160-a-yard fabric was giving me serious heart palpitations). It’s cheaper than buying a yard of fabric, too.

2. Scrap the dragon and find an alternative. After a lot of frenzied Googling, I came up with a couple of viable choices. The first, Nanjing in Porcelain, is also a Schumacher fabric, so it has a two-yard minimum order as well. But at $68 a yard, I’d still come out waaaay ahead.

I find it super challenging to actually understand the scale of a pattern in an image like this, so here’s another image to help you get a better idea. I am seriously smitten with this gorgeous headboard.

Source: Kyle Knight Design, from The Edit

The other option, Nanking, is a Ralph Lauren fabric – so no minimum order, but a steeper per-yard price tag – $120 for a yard.

The Ralph Lauren fabric feels more like my original Chiang Mai – and even has a dragon – but I worry it leans a little old-womanish. Both of these options involve some sewing, which is usually inextricably linked to swearing, but I can deal (and I’ve successfully crafted a pillow before, so I think it can be done).

What’s your take? Should I spring for the Chiang Mai and its gruesome price tag, or try my hand at sewing my own pillows with Nanking or Nanjing? And no, I don’t think those fabrics could have more confusingly similar names.

A Swedish Love Affair

Allow me to spoil the surprise and tell you that as I type this post, I’m curled up on Karl’s chaise… and it’s divine. <Insert contented sigh here> But let’s back up a few steps. Last weekend, our dining room was looking a little like the inside of a moving van.

After ogling his goodies for the last year, we’d finally brought Karlstad home for good. There was just one little problem: a room that was already full of furniture.

Luckily, the bulky boys’ adoptive family made the trip down to Texas to pick them up last weekend, leaving us with lots of wide open spaces – perfect for an oversized Swede. In the interrim, we rocked an interesting furniture arrangement. No bonus points for functionality or comfort here.
On Sunday morning, we rolled up our sleeves and started unpacking the SEVEN enormous boxes our Karlstad arrived in. We built…

And covered…

And after 3.5 hours of following Ikea directions (with a little cursing thrown in here and there, because it’s practically required when you’re building Ikea furniture), we had ourselves a fully-assembled Karlstad.

And just to cement my status as a mind-reader, I know what you’re thinking: “Man, that picture over the couch is way too small.” I know this because the first two people that got a sneak preview of Karl said exactly that. And trust me, I agree wholeheartedly. I’d love something map-inspired, or the perfect piece of abstract art (without a “real” art price tag), but the search is still on. Also on the agenda: task lighting. A pair of plug-in swing arm sconces would be perfect, given the lack of table space. I love this Home Decorators version (although at $90 a pop, I’m on the prowl for a cheaper pair).

And if you’re thinking that a pair of Chiang Mai dragon pillows would be the perfect complement to Karl, you’re right. I’ve got almost half of the no-dessert challenge under my belt, so keep your fingers crossed that my willpower will have a 90-day window.

So what do you think – was Karl worth the wait? I’m dying to host a movie night here, now that we have ample seating for a small herd. More pictures, tweaks and musings to come soon… Happy Monday, friends!

Oh Hi, Karl.

If you’re a repeat visitor here at the Lottery House, odds are that you’re well aware of how much I’ve been jonesing to swap our bulky leather sofas for a clean, streamlined sectional that our family can cozy up on all together. After saving my pennies for close to a year and finding an adoptive family for the leather twins, we welcomed Karl into the Lottery House. So far, he’s just a really big pile of boxes camped out in our dining room.

Someday, though, he’ll look a little like this…

Young House Love’s Karlstad Sectional

Except in the Isunda Gray color from the image below. The tweedy finish will (hopefully) be perfect for hiding a multitude of sins from family living.

Contemporary Living Room design by New Orleans Architect Adam Breaux via Houzz

We opted for the corner sofa plus the chaise lounge add-on, which I first spied on Young House Love. It’s a monster, as far as couches go – around 140 inches long. With seating for ten, it’ll be perfect for stretching out on to watch a movie, or hosting game night with our friends.

Now the only thing standing in Karl’s way is the leather duo – scheduled to be picked up next weekend. I.cannot.wait. Adios, fellas. (Pardon the pre-rug photo.)

In addition to spending a year’s worth of pinched pennies, we also did some dog-sitting this weekend. Although this adorable Tina Turner look-alike was timid when he arrived…

In no time at all, he and Steve were happily sharing couch-space.

And in case you’re wondering, I’m still going strong on the no-dessert challenge. I’ve got a month of dessert-free living under my belt, and strangely enough, I don’t miss it much (ask me again after the many weddings & showers on the docket for the next month). One month down, two to go… Chiang Mai, you’re almost mine!

New Year, New Resolutions

You know what I love about the New Year? The chance to wipe the slate clean and set some goals for a new year… complete with a written list. Because there is little that I love more than a list – especially when I can cross some items off the list at the end of the year. Before I share this year’s resolutions, let’s see how I did on the batch from last year:

1. Exercise 4 days a week. This was going a LOT better before I ran headlong into my first holiday season in the retail industry. Not a total fail, but room for improvement.

2. Learn how to say no without feeling guilty. Epic fail. I said yes to a plethora of things I had no desire to do and was wracked with my usual sense of guilt. It may be a hopeless cause.

3. Watch less TV so I can get more done. Well, I definitely watched less TV. But the “getting more done” I had in mind wasn’t putting in more hours at work, so I am going to call this a fail, too.

4. Make the living room feel more like “us”. Definitely made some good progress here, although the “mini-makeover” I was aiming for turned out to be a lot pricier than I had envisioned. We traded out grubby carpet for hardwood floors, DIYed an upholstered ottoman, installed bamboo blinds, and rearranged the furniture, taking us from “Then” to “Now”. I’m still saving my pennies for a spacious new sectional, and the generic tree art over the sofa is begging for something a little more personal.

Then

Now

5. Blog twice a week, without going crazy. Another F for failure.

Ok, so. Last year, not an overwhelming success. There’s always this year!

1. Walk Steve 3 times a week. That’s the dog. You might be thinking to yourself, “How is it possible that you don’t already do this, you rotten pet owner?” The simple answer is that walking Steve is a lot like attaching the Tasmanian Devil to the end of a string and praying your limbs don’t get ripped off. See the look in his eyes? That’s pure crazy, my friends.

2. Exercise for 5 hours a week. Being sedentary at a desk for so many hours a day really makes me realize the importance of moving!

3. Eat less sugar & dessert. I am a sugar addict. In an effort to actually make this resolution a success, I cut a little deal with myself… if I can go dessert-free for 90 days, I will earn a yard of the insanely overpriced fabric I’ve been lusting after for months, so I can whip up a pair of pillow covers. Of course, the other problem will be choosing a colorway.

Schumacher’s Chiang Mai Dragon fabric in China Blue and Aquamarine. Pillows from Etsy seller Pop O’ Color.

4. Finish the kitchen. Although we upgraded the floors to my favorite herringbone pattern, we have to refill the coffers before diving into a kitchen redo. Fingers crossed that we’ll be ready to roll on the kitchen project by this summer!

Then

Now

5. Improve work-life balance. Fewer hours behind a desk, and more hours with my family and doing things I enjoy!

6. Drink more water. I think I am at least part camel, because I appear to have no need whatsoever for water intake. Buuuut, it’s good for me, so I should make an effort.

Fun With Flushmounts

In lieu of starting yet another post with a plea to forgive me for my extended absence (we’ll chalk it up to holiday fun in the retail industry and move on), let’s dive right into what’s on my mind when it comes to design.

When the hubby and I tackled the update for our master bathroom, we elected to ignore the closet’s many woes, given the number of other projects that needed to be addressed in the space. And we, like good little soldiers, have continued to ignore a lack of function for the past two years. Unfortunately, the overhead lighting on my side of the closet has recently begun a seizure-inducing flicker, indicating that the ballast in the fluorescent fixture isn’t long for this world. Since replacing the ballast in the fixture would cost $30+, it seems like a good excuse to replace the operating-room lighting with something a little more appealing. Because we’re working in a space with low ceilings, we’ve got to stick to the world of flush mount fixtures.

If you’ve had to look for flush mount lights recently, you’re likely aware of the dilemma: a total dearth of any attractive fixtures. Unless, that is, you adore boob lights, in which case your options are endless.

After multiple trips to Home Depot and Lowe’s, and lots of mousing around the interwebs, here are some of my favorite flush mount options.

Allen & Roth from Lowe’s – $59.17

Allen & Roth from Lowe’s – $59.87

Schoolhouse rocks! Allen & Roth from Lowe’s – $44.97

More old-school style. Allen & Roth from Lowe’s – $53.37

I can’t resist sparkly things! This fixture was even prettier in person and the aged brass finish is baaaaack. Hampton Bay from Home Depot – $69.97

More crystal… from Overstock.com – $99.99

Pricier, but oh-so-pretty. From Overstock.com – $178.20.

Right now, I’m leaning towards this basic fixture from Ikea. At just $29.99, it’s one of the most economic options. And considering this fixture is closet-bound, economics seems important. Plus, it’s clean, streamlined, and modern.

Got any favorites among this bunch? Or do you have another source for flush-mount fabulousness that won’t break the bank?

Rustic Chic Console Table

After replacing our busty, builder-grade lights, bidding our old-fashioned hall tree adieu, swapping tired carpet and forever-dingy tiles for hardwoods, and giving our front door a few coats of peacock blue, our front hallway has come a long way. (The walls are the same shade in both pictures – hard to believe that time of day and camera can have such a big impact!)

But what was really missing was some functional storage in this highly-trafficed space. Because yes, I was super tired of seeing the hubby’s car keys and wallet parked on our mantle like pieces of decorative art.

When I spied this rustic-X console on Ana White’s website, I knew it was the perfect piece for our front hallway. This beauty was built by Hillary of The Friendly Home – you can get all the details here.

We tweaked Ana’s plans to remove 2″ of depth, so it would be just the right fit for our space. With plans in hand, it was time to start building.

Although we spent several days trying to figure out the appropriate angles and cutting methods for the Xs, we came up empty. I was super frustrated that we couldn’t figure it out, but figured I could live without them. After we had the table assembled, we hauled it inside for a preview.

The baskets that used to live in our bookshelf are a perfect fit… with room for two more! After thinking long and hard about how to finish the table, we dragged it back outside. We whitewashed the bottom of the frame and gave the top a coat of Minwax’s Dark Walnut, followed by a stain and poly-in-one in American Walnut. I absolutely love the contrast between the top and the bottom, and how perfectly the top ties in with our rustic floors. Stand by for beauty shots.

Next up, styling. The mirror is just a temporary visitor – I’d like something that better fills the horizontal space. Plus we’ll need a lamp. I couldn’t resist playing, though!

The decorative cabbage I picked up at the grocery store is my favorite – all that texture, the rich green color, and how they perfectly fill my big square vase ($6.99 for the bunch, not too shabby).