Homefront: Reviving a Framed Painting with.... Paint

I got this large, Barbara Hails 1990's print in a semi-lovely fame at a garage sale for $7 a few months ago. It's been sitting here, looking all park bench floraly and very dull, sucking the energy out of the room. I only wanted it to bring some color to this massive brick wall, but the frame drabbed out any colors in the otherwise pretty painting. Obviously, the only clear solution is to paint it, white.

I'm lazy and don't sand, not even when I did my headboard or my mirror. But if you did prime and sand, you will have more longevity on the paint job and it will look better. I really don't mind if I have to touch up a nick, or I may even add intentional nicks to balance out accidental nicks.

 You can dry brush for a naturally shabby chic look and call it fin.

But I liked to pile on the paint, too thick layers, before allowing the first to dry. I'm impatient. I used plain old acrylic craft paint in ultra white. This painting doesn't come out of the frame. But if it did, then a can of spray paint would have been easy.

The print is a textured vinyl, so any paint I got on it, easily wiped off with a lightly dampened paper towel. I even think it would be fun to stencil or free paint some crazy design on here. If your picture surface is also not removable or vinyl, then be sure to cover it, so paint doesn't ruin your picture. I went around right under the frame edge with a piece of paper as I painted and it worked fine.

 It really does seem to brighten up the whole fireplace and give the colors some subtle intensity.

Our inheritance from my husband's grandmother's passing. His parents got this in Germany when he was  born and gifted it to his grandmother. A lovely, huge, vintage scenic candle, handcarved by Johann Gunter.  There are a few broken parts, but it's been moved around 20 times, though it is still very charming.

 I got his lovely bust and The Dicken's Bedside anthology book a few months ago at some antique shops.

 

Love my little bottle collections. This one is from my favorite antique mall a few years back and I glued a vintage brooch on with E6000. The flowers came from the mister. You know how a dying bouquet usually has a few good flowers left? I usually remove those when throwing the bouquet out and add them to small bottles.

Inspired home: Dark and Inviting

 I'm drawn today to these images from interior designer, Abigail Ahern  book, A Girl's Guide to Decorating. There is a rustic, regal feel, with a cooling urban atmosphere in her home. (Her sister Gemma's home is a dark beauty too). The dark and neutral tones and textures feel so homey to me right now.

In her recent blog post, she talks about figuring out your decorating style. She says,

"I follow my heart and my subconscious and although hard to define its a funked up, idiosyncratic tour de force (can I say that about my style)? For some of us it can be over whelming its visual overload out there what with cool interiors stores, magazines, galleries, blogs, fab bars and so on. Pull back and try to analyse what appeals what pushes your buttons or makes you heart beat a little bit faster – tear out images from magazines, flag blog images you respond too and before long you will have a folio that begins to build a story of how you want your space to look. Its worth noting anything that shouts Ta Da when going through images as this is what turns a space from ordinary to extraordinary. It could be a super sized lamp on a tiny desk, a beautiful patterned rug skimming a floor oh and remember it takes time. A simple fact you can’t define your style if you haven’t invested time in knowing what’s out there its as simple as that."

 Apartment therapy describes her book as, "Abigail Ahern's rooms are dark and seductive as photographed for her book, A Girl's Guide to Decorating. These rooms wrap you up like a cozy blanket when you're reading on the sofa late at night."
 

Homefront: Sparkly Halloween Mantel

Here it is, my Halloween mantle. My pretty white pumpkin fall mantle shown previously didn't last too long this time. I'm linked up to The Stories of A to Z Halloween mantle linky party.

Many of these items are from after Halloween sales for only 10 cents. I love how design problems inspire creativity. For instance, the witch's hat headband was put on top of the wreath to hide a white door hanger

 

These little glow in the dark bat toys look cute perched in the trees.

When helping unpack the decorations, my oldest (who is 4 1/2)  said, "She's ugly mommy! But I can still love her." I guess he has really been internalizing our talks on accepting people no matter what they look like!

Homefront: Figuring Out a Large Brick Wall Living Room

I really can't believe we've been living here for a month now. So, this is what you see when you walk into our home. A big, huge, fireplace. The paint color, I do like. The fireplace... I would love to paint it white, but can't since we're renting. Those pictures will be going up on the walls, but, what can I do with this space? I'd love to hang a mirror, but there aren't any holes, and I don't think the landlord would be thrilled with us drilling holes in a brick wall. It's just so dark and heavy feeling.

The dining area is filled with boxes and our armoir is being used as a pantry. I can't wait to paint that thing!

This, is the other side of the room.  I love how the chair rail, just kind of stops right there at the end of the dining room. ha! Cute little lamp complete with Nester tassel... though I feel this lamp is too short here.

 I'm thinking doing my gallery wall again... but I would have to spread it out somehow because this wall is so much longer than my last one and can fit two couches here. Because the room is shaped like a triangle, I can't quite figure out how to lay everything out. The couches are facing our tv in a triangle like way.

  (my last gallery wall in our old place for reference)

The tv is kind of caddywampus from the couches and fireplace. It is in the weird little corner off the entrance to the house. I can't really put art above it b/c the way it sits angled in the corner. Trying to figure this one out... I'm thinking of moving it in the dining section where the armoir is and putting the couches L shape to that.

I do feel this room needs an area rug, and a nice giant coffee table, but it's kind of triangular shaped. Maybe a round rug would work in here? Next up, add some drapes... I have my natural khaki colored ones, I really think they would be pretty dyed a charcoal gray, but I have no clue how to do that. I have family coming to visit this weekend, so I'll see what I can do before all arrive.  So, what do you all think about what I can do with this space?