Wishing Myself Here

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I'm having one of those days where I wish I was in this absolutely gorgeous Parisian apartment instead of where I really am. It just looks like a place where life is easy and good. Did I mention easy?

Parents' Second Full Bathroom Design Board

These are the 4 colors that I've chosen to test out first. Which do you prefer?
I'm finally able to work on another room at my parents' house, the 2nd full bathroom, and I'm really excited about giving it a new look. I was going to start the painting process today, but because of Hurricane Irene's impending arrival, I've had to postpone it for another weekend. Maybe I'll just employ one of my brother's to do the painting...now that's a thought.

The full bathroom that's on my parents' second floor has been my brothers' primary bathroom and by the looks of it, you can tell that boys are the primary occupants. But that's about to change. Since the recently re-done guest room is right next to the bathroom, the bathroom definitely needs to be given an updated look. Unfortunately, I don't have a photo of the bathroom in it's current state, but I promise to get one before I start working on it. Until then, I'll try to describe it as best I can so you can understand why I chose what I chose in the design board.

First and foremost, this bathroom has NO windows. It is an interior room and gets no natural light so lighting will be key. Also, my parents have given me a strict budget, so I won't be able to switch out the vanity/sink or the tub. And that definitely means no re-tiling or gutting of anything. Pretty much, I have to take what's there and make it look as pretty as possible. It'll definitely be a challenge seeing as how the vanity is a light maple wood and the tub & vanity are a light creamy beige - not exactly my choice colors for a bathroom. But I think the colors I've chosen in the design board will balance out the light warm tones in the vanity/sink/tub. And because I've chosen some really graphic prints, I'm hoping that they will distract the eye from the permanent colors of the vanity/sink/tub. What do you think?

{Resources: 1) Striped Shower Curtain, 2) Wall Art, 3) Thomas O'Brien Wastebasket, 4) Dollante Collection Light Fixture, 5) Round Mirror, 6) Bathroom Accessories, and 7) Trellis Bath Mat. Paint by Martha Stewart}

Notice Anything Different?

Proper Hunt just got a fabulous redesign! And all thanks go to Jenna from QA Designs! She worked with me tirelessly (I was a bit demanding and indecisive) and she was absolutely darling throughout the whole process. I first learned about her when she had revamped Kirsten's blog (6th Street Design School). Seeing her work, I knew immediately that Jenna would be the right designer to revamp my blog.

My taste for interiors has evolved and so have my choices in fashion and graphic design. So, I figured it was time that Proper Hunt got a new look too. Lately, I've been drawn towards modern prints and colors - so for my blog, I really wanted to go for a modern & fun look with just the right amount of boldness added for good measure. Jenna absolutely took my idea, ran with it, and designed something that I never could've dreamed. Thank you Jenna!

What do you all think about it? I'm curious to hear your thoughts...

A Few of My Favorite Fabrics

Ever since we changed up our living room setup, I've had throw pillows on my mind. I want the fabrics that I pick out for the pillows to really pop against the seating we have and to freshen up the space a bit. So far, I've ordered a few fabric swatches of prints and patterns that I am really drawn towards (some for the throw pillows, some for other projects that I have in mind) and, I have to thank Kirsten from 6th Street Design School because she shared her favorite online stores for fabrics and they have quickly become my favorites as well.

The above and below photos show the swatches that I picked up from Lewis & Sheron Textiles. I'm definitely going to mix and match colors and patterns/prints for the living room and thought these were some great options. I really love the Indigo Links, but it's turning out that I want to use it for another project that's been somewhat on the back-burner. I think it'd be great as slip-covers for our counter stools in the kitchen instead of fabric for throw pillows.

When I picked up these Henriksdal stools a while ago, I told myself that I would get them slip-covered in a fun print, but I just didn't know what fabric to use (I like so many). But I finally found one that really fits the bill! And since I'll be getting them slip-covered, it's not like I'm completely tied down to it. If I want to change it up later, I can always get another slip-cover made. That's the beauty of slip-covers!

Such a tough decision since I like them all!

Henriksdal Counter Stool
We've got two of these counter stools and as much as I like them in the white slipcover, I'm ready to add some more visual interest to the kitchen.

Indigo Link
After much searching, I think this is the fabric I want to go with for getting new slipcovers made. What do you guys think?

I specifically chose the Indigo Link one since it would stand out against the yellow/green walls and has the same color as the drapes.
{Fabrics in 1st photo from left to right: Quito, Wonderland, HL Belami, Theo, Indigo Malaga, Khandar, Matteo, Sunglo Kilburn, Indigo Link, and Fiesta Joy.}

Must Share Item: O'verlays

Thank you Kathysue of Good Life of Design for sharing her latest discovery. O'verlays. They are lightweight fretwork panels that can be applied to any plain surface to give it a quick and chic update. They work with most Ikea pieces, and can be painted so you can really customize the look of your furniture.

Even though I was delighted to discover this on Kathysue's blog, I was also kicking myself for not finding this before we started on our Greek Key mini bar. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE our mini bar but it did take a few days from start to finish and if I had known about O'verlays, it might've taken us less time and energy to create something just as nice. BUT, I don't care. I'm definitely going to try to use O'verlays in a future project if I can help it. They're just too fantastic not too.

Making It Lovely

A great way to embellish a modern coffee table.

Love how 3 different types of O'verlays are used on this dresser. Creates such visual interest, and even though the designs are different from one another, they all seem to work together because of the common color, white.

Dark Blue Sofas: Bold Yet Versatile

Decorpad
I'm pretty sure most of you can recognize this living room. It's none other than Carrie Bradshaw's living room in SATC 2. I know what you're thinking. This movie came out a while ago, why is she talking about this now? Because I have to explain where my obsession with dark blue sofas came from. This living room, hands down, made me obsessed with any kind of dark blue sofa. Tufted, velvet, rolled arms, squared arms, you name it, I like it, as long as it's dark blue. It literally can go with any color scheme you throw at it and it's not your boring brown or beige sofa. I'm a bit biased here too, because I am so sick of our brown sofas. Yup, that's right, we've got two and I'm ready to chuck both of them out the door.

When I first moved into my own place, I figured a dark brown couch was the safest bet in terms of decorating. And it certainly can be, but now that I've become a bit more adventurous with color, I'm ready to move away from the brown sofas and onto something a bit bolder. I'm pretty sure the next sofa we get for our living room will have to be a dark blue, velvet, tufted, squared arm sofa. Now, I just have to convince Steve. Have I convinced you with the images below? These are some of my favorite dark blue sofas, each styled quite differently from the other.

Kishani Perera

Oxford Development

Decorpad

Decorpad

Atmosphere Interior Design, Inc.

MMR Interiors

Rue Magazine via DecorPad

Decorpad

Ideal House via Decorpad

French Club Chairs On My Wanted List

House Beautiful

I just got the new House Beautiful in the mail today and right on the cover are chairs that I need NOW. These French club chairs by Niermann Weeks are the perfect shape & scale, and of course in a fabric that I totally dig. Something about chairs that have rounded backs always gets me and these are definitely at the top of my list of wanted chairs.

I've been keeping my eyes out for vintage chairs to reupholster but still no such luck. However, and I know I mentioned this earlier, I did get that vintage settee reupholstered and it looks fantastic! I've been meaning to show you guys the settee in our new living room setup, but I kind of want to wait til I have the perfect pillows before photographing anything. But here's a sneak peak of the settee - sorry about the quality of the photo!

New Items at Shop Proper Hunt!

Happy Monday! I hope everyone had a great weekend. I definitely did. The Great Gatsby gang got together for a very special dinner party to celebrate birthdays (yay Steve and John!) and a recent engagement (congrats LWs & David!) and we definitely celebrated in true Great Gatsby style. It was full of amazingly yummy food, delicious drinks/cocktails, and fun times with great friends.

As a way to start your week off right, check out the new items I've added to Shop Proper Hunt. I would especially advise you to check out the Vintage Vera Neumann placemats - such a fantastic find!

{Photo Credit: Christina Johnston}

I Adore Caitlin McGauley's Works

Living Room
You might recall that this past Christmas my husband gave to me as a gift Kate Spade books on Style, Manner, and Occassions. And you'll remember that I created some DIY wall art from the illustrations in the books since I loved them so much. Thanks to the XIVth chair, I stumbled upon the website of Caitlin McGauley, who is the illustrator behind the Kate Spade books. Seeing her illustrations makes me so happy and I am so excited that I found her website! She also sells her prints online so go check them out! I'm pretty sure I'll have to get 1 or 2 prints for my office, although I would absolutely DIE if I could get some custom prints from her...

Happy Friday everyone!

p.s. We just picked up the reupholstered settee that I dropped off a while ago and it looks stunning! I'll have pics up as soon as I style it a bit.

Necklaces

{All images by Caitlin McGauley}

My Weekend Deals

Our new Carly Chair in our living room - the cobalt blue frame goes perfectly with our secretary!
Remember how I told you guys that I was in search of armchairs for our newly configured living room? Well, I was hoping to score some great vintage chairs and reupholster them, but I was having trouble finding chairs in the right shape at the right price point. Luckily for us, this weekend we found the perfect chair for a great deal at Crate and Barrel. We literally just went in with the notion of checking out their new tufted sofa (another obsession of mine: tufted sofas) and while I was searching for it, Steve made a beeline for the sale section.

After realizing I was wrong in thinking that they had a new tufted sofa (it's Pottery Barn that has a new tufted one), I too made a beeline for the sale section. And lo and behold, a chair that I had been secretly eyeing for months was sitting right there. We checked the price and couldn't believe it. The sale price was 40% lower than the original price, but then they had taken an additional 20% off the lowest marked price! Knowing it was a deal we could not pass up, we got it right there and then.

*They also had the Carly Chair with Anjou Yellow Frame in the sale section, so if you're interested I say hurry on over to the Annapolis Crate and Barrel store.

Here it is sitting perfectly in our living room. I'll have more photos of our living room once we get one more armchair and a few more side tables.


Lulu Dekwiatkowski Black Bamboo Wallpaper (Sold out)
I also picked up this wallpaper during Saturday's Tastemaker Tag Sale of Lulu Dekwiatkowski at One Kings Lane. Any bamboo print done in black & white is A-OK in my book. I thought this wallpaper would make a great backsplash in our kitchen. We've been procrastinating with adding a backsplash, so hopefully this wallpaper will be the kick-in-the-pants we need to get that project going. Fingers crossed that we don't keep procrastinating even after the wallpaper arrives.

Bulletin Board: Palmer Weiss

The other day I realized that I haven't shared with you another designer that I am completely jealous of and yet totally admire. I have known about her for a while, but she somehow managed to escape my Bulletin Board posts so far. The designer is none other than Palmer Weiss. She is solely responsible for inspiring me to create my own skirted foyer table. Her creations are so crisp and chic that I just can't resist making my own.

But aside from her skirted tables, I just love the way she incorporates unexpected colors and patterns into traditional layouts and spaces. Plus, I am absolutely enamored with her use of mid century pieces (see photos below). I've recently become obsessed with everything mid century, so when I discovered Palmer Weiss' portfolio, you can imagine how attracted I was to her style. So much so to the point where I want to mimic everything she's ever done.

{Photo Credit: Palmer Weiss}