Last Minute Gift Ideas

Unbelievably, we're about 9 days out from the big day! Nothing like the countdown sign at the entrance of Wal-mart to light a fire under my procrastinating self.

How is your shopping coming along?  I'm nearly done with mine.  As usual, once I get the majority of my shopping done I feel pretty good about it - and then those last few shopping days creep up on me and I panic!

So, for those of you who are sharing this boat, I give you some last minute gift ideas that are sure to please the most discerning recipient.

First up, we have books! Not only can we enjoy what's inside the pages for a lifetime, they look great on the coffee table. All can most likely be found at your nearest Barnes & Noble.  Here are three at the top of my  list.

2.  Scarfs.  They keep you warm AND they add a pretty shot of color right by your face.  All good!

                                                                             Here

BONUS: For you fashion-challenged readers, I've provided a link that gives you 40 ways to tie a scarf!  You're welcome.

3.  Candles.  Diptyque in particular.  Here's why this is an awesome gift. It's because Diptyque candles are such a luxury item it's hard to justify buying one for yourself.  Getting one as a gift removes the anxiety !

I'd love it if you would share your favorite last minute gift ideas!

Happy shopping!!

The Green Room Interiors provides interior decorating and design services to happy homeowners in Chattanooga, TN. If you'd like to experience the joy of living in a well designed home, contact Kim Lemmon at 423.653.3186 or email thegreenroominteriors@gmail.com

Patterned Floors - Yes or No?

I think we can all agree that wood is at the top of the list when it comes to flooring choices. And with good reason.    It's hard to beat the warmth and timeless appeal of a wood floor.

But have you ever considered taking a risk with a bold  pattern on the floor?

Alex Papachristidis in Elle Decor

I love this bedroom in a large way, and for the record, most everything Alex Papachristidis does. 

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I think if I were going to try a patterned floor then the bathroom might be the best place to try it.  That floor is amazing with the white walls isn't it?

I particularly love the patterned carpet in the bedroom below by Mario Buatta and Susanna Salk. And that fabric.  Pretty gorgeous.

And here's a patterned floor in a room with an entirely different feel, courtesy of Kelly Wearstler in Lonny.

This one is a modern interpretation on the classic hex tile.  

So what do you think?  Patterned floors?  Yes or no?

Follow along!!  Facebook    Instagram   Pinterest

The Green Room Interiors provides Interior Decorating and Design Services to happy homeowners in Chattanooga, TN.  If you'd like to experience the joy of living in a well designed home, contact Kim Lemmon at 423.653.3186 or email the greenroominteriors@gmail.com.

Decorating for the Night

Hey Butterballs! Did everyone have a good turkey day?  Mine was great too!  And while most of you are trimming your trees and decking your halls, I'm still pondering the decoration of my formal living room and dining room at Project Dollhouse.

Here are some thoughts about these spaces. They'll be used mostly for larger than normal family meals and holidays. At night.  So how do you go about decorating a room for night time use?  My plan is to embrace the darkness of it all.

Mario Buatta in Architectural Digest

Dark walls are a must. They make a dramatic backdrop for night time entertaining.

And do you know what looks amazing against dark walls?  Gold accents!  They add warmth and keep the dark spaces from feeling too somber.

 I also plan to use (mostly) classic furnishings. Since these rooms will be used as gathering spaces for family and friends,  I want them to feel homey and comforting.

Smart fabric choices are also important for night time rooms. I think it's a great idea to add in fabrics that have a sheen.  Consider using silk

and/or velvet in your night time spaces.

And finally - have fun with it!  Alex Papachristidis used modern art and textiles to add another dimension to this mostly classic living room.

So there you have it.  Do you have any rooms you decorate specifically for night time use?

For more updates on this and all of my decorating projects, make sure you follow me on Instagram and/or follow The Green Room Interiors on Facebook.

The  Green Room Interiors provides Interior Decorating and Design Services to happy homeowners in Chattanooga, TN.  If you'd like to discover the joy of living in a well-designed home, contact Kim Lemmon at 423.653.3186 or email thegreenroominteriors@gmail.com

Still Here

In case you were wondering, I haven't fallen off the face of the earth.  The truth is I've been blessed with an abundance of work and between that and keeping my booth stocked and still being a wife and Mommy and enjoying our sweet new grandbaby its been a little tough to find the time to blog.  I'm also feeling a little spent after the One Room Challenge .  Oh, it was all good and I'm beyond excited to have my kitchen all zhushed up but it kind of zapped my energy.  Speaking of the One Room Challenge, thank you so much for all of your kind comments and emails.  Those last few weeks were tough and your encouragement meant the world to me.

So, how about I give you a quick round up on what's new in my world.

First of all, this little guy is such a bright spot in my life.  At almost 4 months, he's in that sweet spot where the smiles come easily and he's happy most of the time.  What a blessing!!

And there have been (more than) a few purchases.

I'm currently having an inner debate about whether to paint these or not.  On one hand, they're in great shape.  On the other hand, well, red lacquer. These will most likely make an appearance in my living room at The Dollhouse.

I'm anxiously awaiting the arrival of this beauty from My Darling House.  I used to be into horses in a big way, and I've never seen a fox hunting themed painting in colors like these.  

Also, there has been some work-related progress a la this:

and

and decisions have been made regarding my living room and dining room makeovers here at the Dollhouse.  I'm excited to share that business soon.  I think it's going to be good!

So I leave you with my most sincere wishes for a wonderful upcoming Holiday season. Posting may be a little sporadic over the next few weeks, so I hope you'll check in on me now and again.

If you'd like more frequent updates, I'd love to have you follow me on Instagram!  Posting is quick and much more regular.  If you're not on Instagram, follow me on Facebook and/or Pinterest.

Who's ready for the holidays?

The Green Room Interiors provides Interior Decorating and Design Services to happy homeowners in Chattanooga, TN.  If you'd like to experience the joy of living in a well-designed home, contact Kim Lemmon at 423.653.3186 or email thegreenroominteriors@gmail.com

One Room Challenge Week 6 - My Kitchen Reveal!!

Welcome to the final post of  The One Room Challenge!  Before we get too deep into this, I'd like to serve up a biggie size thank you to Linda at Calling it Home for inviting me to participate!  I am completely honored to have been given a chance to make over my kitchen along with 19 of the most talented designers/bloggers/friends out there.  High fives, ladies, we made it to the finish line!

If this is your first visit to my blog, then you came on a good day.  For the last 6 weeks I have been sharing the trials and tribulations of my kitchen makeover.  If you'd like to read the back story, click here.

Let's have a final look at where it all began:

Oh my.  That's a dreary little kitchen. 

If you recall, I didn't make any changes to the kitchen's layout and I kept the original cabinets and flooring. 

I (meaning the husband) removed the upper cabinet to the left of the sink and we (again, the husband) replaced it with subway tile and white shelving from Lowe's.  Said shelves were styled mostly with stuff I already had.  The lemons and clementines are fresh.  Shopping for accessories in the produce department was a new and out of the comfort zone experience for me. 

This is a look at the cabinet wall across from the sink.  I styled the counter tops with things I already had and leaves from my back yard.

And here's my teeny tiny dining area. I'm pretty delighted with the 11th hour bench I scouted out at a local antique mall.  If you recall,  I wanted to keep this side of the seating area open by using a bench. Unbelievably I found a bench with nearly perfect size and form.  I zhushed it up with paint and fabric during the wee hours last night.

And did you notice that lovely sconce over the dining table?  I found the the perfect solution to my lighting dilemma at Rejuvenation.  Those folks are wonderful to work with.  I went with the Reed Plug-in Wall Sconce in a "burnished" finish and the shade is "old brass".  The plug-in feature means no electrician had to be called in and there is very little anxiety for those of you with commitment issues. You know who you are.

Can we just talk about how much I love my print from Etsy artist Loopy Lolly.?!?!?? I  wanted something whimsical over the kitchen table, and I knew instantly this was "the one".

My dining table is styled with leaves from my back yard, a thrifted trophy vase, and swan salt & pepper shakers we got as a wedding gift.

This is my favorite view into the kitchen, taken from my family room. My awesome Joy at my work room whipped up the roman shades for me out of super inexpensive cotton duck fabric trimmed out with craft store grosgrain ribbon.  They are beautifully made and she had them to me in 3 days.  Thank you Joy!!

And one last "big picture" photo.

Thanks for following along on my kitchen makeover journey. You guys have been so supportive and encouraging and I appreciate all of your comments and emails.

Oh, and a special thank you to Jaime for her beautiful photography work!!

PS.  I've been so impressed with the bloggers that are linking up with their room makeovers every Thursday! Make sure you check out their reveals too. You can find the links on Linda's blog tomorrow.

I'm dying to see how everyone else made out.  Here are the links to their reveals!

Calling It Home

Chinoiserie Chic 

Classic Casual Home 

Cottage and Vine 

Design Addict Mom 

Design Crisis 

Design Indulgence 

Design Manifest 

The English Room 

The Green Room Interiors

Henhurst Interiors 

Little Black Door 

Maddie's Nest 

Mix And Chic 

My Notting Hill 

Pawleys Island Posh 

The Pink Pagoda

Shelter

Simple Details 

The Vault Files 

One Room Challenge Week Five - Kitchen Progress

I can hardly believe I'm typing this but we're now in WEEK 5 (aka "Panic Week" ) of  Linda's One Room Challenge.  If this is your first visit here, welcome!  As part of this series ( which culminates in the BIG REVEAL next Wednesday)  I've been making over the kitchen at my house.  If you would like to see the progression thus far, click here.

So about this week. Not a huge leap forward, but a few little details have been addressed. I think "shopping" is the theme of this post.

Like I changed out my cabinet hardware. When we first moved in I used some pink glass knobs and pulls left over from another project. I replaced them with these lucite knobs and very simple drawer pulls I found at Home Depot.

And that early 90's tile floor that makes me cringe is a little less visible under my new seagrass rug from the O.  Please note that if you want a natural fiber rug in the kitchen, seagrass is the way to go.  Seagrass is grown in salt marshes and is naturally water/stain resistant. Why they take all that water resistance and then band it with plain cotton is beyond me.

A cute and easy storage solution was found at my local HomeGoods.  The big basket is large enough to hold a 20-lb bag of dog food and the smaller stripe basket holds 4 big soft drink bottles and an assortment of canned drinks too.

I have been styling and restyling my shelves ad nauseum.  "Effortless" looking styling is exhausting.

Finally, I tried out this little x- bench but I don't think it's staying.  All those legs going every which-way is just too much.  I think if by some miracle I can find a bench with cabriole legs similar to the table legs then I would be good with that.  Or I may just end up getting another Panton chair.  What do you think?

I'm still waiting for window coverings to be finished, art/framing to be completed and picked up, and over the table lighting installed.  And more shelf styling.  This could be a nail-biter of a week.

Wonder how these folks made out.

Calling it Home 

Chinoiserie Chic 

Classic Casual Home 

Cottage and Vine 

Design Addict Mom 

Design Crisis 

Design Indulgence 

Design Manifest 

The English Room 

Henhurst Interiors 

Little Black Door 

Maddie's Nest 

Mix And Chic 

My Notting Hill 

Pawleys Island Posh 

The Pink Pagoda 

Shelter 

Simple Details 

The Vault Files 

The Green Room Interiors provides Interior Decorating and Design Services in to happy homeowners in Chattanooga, TN.  If you'd like to experience the joy of living in a well-designed home, contact Kim Lemmon at 423.653.3186 or email thegreenroominteriors@gmail.com

One Room Challenge Week 4 - My Kitchen Wallpaper is Up!!

So here we are at Week 4 of the One Room Challenge, the one where I and 19 other bloggers/designers are making over a room from start to finish in 6 weeks sharing our progress along the way every Wednesday.  All of this fun is courtesy of my hero Linda from Calling It Home .  She's smart like that. Anyway, if you're just joining the series, you can get caught up on Weeks 1 - 3 here.

You may recall that I left you last week with a little tease that arrived in a cardboard box all wrapped in shiny plastic.

Curious about which pattern I chose? Take a look!

 Ha ha.  Just kidding.

Here's the pattern I chose.

Scalamandre's Tabore from here.

I put my own spin on it and had my wallpaper ladies install the paper horizontally. I don't know if it made much difference but it made me feel pretty clever. Here's how it looks on my walls. The color in real life is somewhere between the drabish olive seen above and the what you see below.  It's vibrant without being garish.  And I love it.  Truly.  It's transformed my kitchen!

But wait!  That's not all.  I also got my shelves up!  Those came from Lowe's. Right off the shelf.  They had the perfect size (17.7") to fit the tile where we removed the upper cabinet.  Happy!

Hey, outlet just hanging out there in the middle of the wall between the tile and the window. Why are you there?

So, let's all calm down for a moment and consider the other issues that need to be addressed to make this kitchen worthy of the Dollhouse.

Two issues in this photo.  1.  Lighting.  The overhead lighting does not adequately light the dining area at mealtime. That little lamp sitting on the table is a band-aid.  Obviously I need something better and cuter.  2.  That's a big blank wall that needs some interest.  I've got to figure out what to put there.  Feel free to jump in with your ideas on that.

So that's all I have for this week.  I'm feeling overwhelmed and under prepared because I need to have decisions made and in place to show you a finished kitchen 2 weeks from today.

Dang.

Don't forget to check in with the other participants and offer up your encouragement and kind words. It really does help!

Calling it Home 

Chinoiserie Chic 

Classic Casual Home 

Cottage and Vine 

Design Addict Mom 

Design Crisis 

Design Indulgence 

Design Manifest 

The English Room 

Henhurst Interiors 

Little Black Door 

Maddie's Nest 

Mix And Chic 

My Notting Hill 

Pawleys Island Posh 

The Pink Pagoda 

Shelter 

Simple Details 

The Vault Files 

Art in the Kitchen

As I make my way through my kitchen makeover as part of One Room Challenge,  I'm giving some thought to how I can bring some personality and interest into my small, featureless kitchen.  One thing I'd like to explore is bringing some art in my kitchen.  If you recall, I have a rather large, blank wall at one end of my kitchen where the dining table and chairs are placed.

My wall is crying out for help.

But what do you think is the best scenario in this situation?  

I love the idea of a large, single piece of art, maybe even a big portrait.

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I love everything in this kitchen.

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I think the portraits lend an air of sophistication to these kitchens.  

But how about something whimsical?  

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or dramatic, like below

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Botanical prints are also something I would consider

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Or even a colorful abstract..

So I 'd love to hear what you think .  Do you like to use art in the kitchen, and what do you think the best option is for my blank wall???

The Green Room Interiors provides Interior Decorating and Design Services to happy homeowners in Chattanooga, TN.  If you'd like to discover the joy of living in a well designed home, contact Kim Lemmon at 423.653.3186 or email thegreenroominteriors@gmail.com