Billy Baldwin Slipper Chairs

Sunday, January 29, 2012

A few weeks ago I had the great fortune of coming across a pair of Billy Baldwin style slipper chairs!  These are good quality chairs made by Sherrill, and are probably from the 1980's. 


I've always loved this style chair for its good looks, classic lines and go-anywhere flexibility.  I immediately knew these chairs would be perfect for the family room over at Project Dollhouse.  The family room is a long, narrow space and I plan to divide into two seating areas; one area for watching tv and one area for reading. These chairs will be perfect because they don't take up much room and their low profiles will help me keep an open feel to this divided space.

And now, a little slipper chair/Billy Baldwin inspiration...






Masculine in a fab horizontal stripe


Do you like the contrasting seat cushion?  Not a fan myself...

And I'd love them in white, but I have three dogs and I'm a Capricorn.



And here's the best part - I worked out a trade of goods for services and all I have to do is provide my own materials and they'll be reupholstered in the fabric of my choice!

Yay! and oh no!  Let the obsessing begin...

Need some help pulling your style together?  The Green Room Interiors can make your home a beautiful place to be!  Call Kimberly Lemmon at 423.653.3186 or email thegreenroominteriors@gmail.com

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Darkening the Butcherblock Countertops

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Before we installed our butcherblock countertops over at Project Dollhouse, I did some research on how to care for the butcherblock and as well as how to darken the color.    Because we have so many white and tile surfaces in the kitchen, I wanted to add some warmth to the mix and a rich finish on the countertops could help me accomplish that.


A Google search led me  The Real Milk Paint Company.  They sell a product called Dark Raw Tung Oil that is non-toxic, eco-friendly, and has a darkening agent.  It seals and protects the wood  and I have to say I'm happy with the results!



First, there was lots of sanding....





As you can see, before the countertops were treated they were very light, and had a pinkish cast to them.


The company suggests cutting the tung oil by 50% with Mineral Spirits to help with absorption and to speed up the drying time between coats.



When the first coat went on I was concerned  because the countertops didn't look much darker at all.  But after applying 6 or 7 coats (with a day's drying time in between), we got a very pretty, burnished brown color.


You can really see the difference here with this untreated piece of butcherblock compared to the finished countertops in place.

Mission accomplished! Don't you love it when something works like it's supposed to?

Need some help pulling your style together?  The Green Room Interiors can make your home a beautiful place to be!  Call Kimberly Lemmon at 423.653.3186 or email thegreenroominteriors@gmail.com

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Project Dollhouse - Small Changes in the Kitchen

Monday, January 23, 2012

Are you ready for a Project Dollhouse update?  We've made some progress in the kitchen and I wanted to share the small changes we've made.


Here's where we started.  The kitchen had a functional layout with all wood cabinets that were in pretty good condition, but it was hardly the space I envision preparing meals in each day.  


Nothing dates a kitchen more than those scalloped valances over the sink that are intended to conceal the flourescent light fixture.  We removed the scalloped valance and that unusual structure above the cabinets that housed the wiring for the light over the sink. The window over the sink is new as well. We replaced all of the windows in the house, they were aluminum and in horrible condition.

  The cabinets were sanded, primed, and painted. 

 All of the cabinet hardware has been replaced with pink glass cabinet pulls.  I have a pretty good collection of pink depression glass - most of it has been handed down to us from family members, and I plan to display some of it in my kitchen.
  
The theme of this renovation has been and continues to be transformation with cosmetic changes. Here's where we are today.

We installed butcher block countertops, and a new white porcelain sink.  The cabinet to the left of the sink has been removed as well as the scalloped wood valance over the sink. We put white subway tile on the backsplash and on the wall where the cabinet to the left of the sink used to be.  
Open shelving will go over the subway tile to the left of the sink, similar to the images below.



 All of the lighting has been replaced with vintage pendants and shades.  I couldn't get a good shot of them in the space, but here's what they look like.
This pendant currently replaces the ceiling fan in the middle of the ceiling
and
This is the pendant fixture that hangs over the sink.

A few more shots of the current state of the kitchen.





My next post will have the rest of my selections for the kitchen - and it's the fun stuff!  Think wallpaper, fabric and rugs. I hope you can stop by and check it out.  Until then, the next two images are the inspiration kitchens I kept in mind when making my selections.  

and

Hope your week is off to a great start!

Need some help pulling your style together?  The Green Room Interiors can make your home a beautiful place to be!  Call Kimberly Lemmon at 423.653.3186 or email thegreenroominteriors@gmail.com

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