Saturday, November 12, 2011

Back Home Again...and the Next Stop on the Home Tour


Handmade soy candle GIVEAWAY 
now through November 20th! 
Click here to read about my new Etsy shop and enter for up to five chances to win a set of holiday soy candles!
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Well, hello there!  I slipped out of town last week for a trip to Kentucky with a couple friends to attend the Breeders' Cup at Churchill Downs in Louisville, and to spend some time in the Lexington area visiting horse farms.

When I returned home earlier this week, I was greeted by two surprises...

 
My husband and brother-in-law bought this tom turkey while I was away...and, yes...he's going to be Thanksgiving dinner. :(

The second surprise came later when I checked my blog email account: I was stunned to learn that I won The DIY Club's 31 Days of Painting Contest!  With nearly 100 seriously outstanding entries, I figured there was no chance I'd make it to the top 10, much less win the grand prize of two free gallons of paint from Dutch Boy.  Thank you DIY Club and Dutch Boy!

My winning entry was the cane back living room set I painted and then had reupholstered in drop cloths for my English-inspired reading nook.  I shared with you guys the before and after photos earlier this year, but here's a quick refresher.



And with fresh paint:


However, when I posted the after pics, I still had many more plans for this space.  Since this room is now finished, it's the next stop on the Carolina Country Living home tour!

This loft is just 8 feet wide and runs 15 feet long, and it overlooks the living room and dining room below.


I imagine when my son gets older, this will be his space as it's adjacent to his bedroom. But for now, I've co-opted it and have tried to inject a bit of vintage English country flair, inspired mostly by Cath Kidston fabrics.

Since finishing the furniture set, which was an auction find, I polished the room by white-washing the horizontal tongue-and-groove boards on the back wall with Minwax's Pickling Stain.


Envelope-style pillow covers made with Cath Kidston fabrics found on Etsy adorn the sofa and side chairs.  The larger pillow is covered in Provence Rose in Light Blue.  The smaller pillow is covered in Summer Blossom in Light Blue.


For an easy-peasy tutorial on how to make the pillow covers, visit Restoration House
This tutorial changed my sewing life!

This darling little pillow is a new arrival courtesy of Etsy shop Cornflower Creations.  The aqua ticking, hint of red gingham and the ditsy floral spiced up with the polka dots made me melt!  After seeing this pillow, I think I need to work more polka-dotted fabrics into this space. :)


In addition to all the floral pillows, there are three linen pillows on the sofa.  Two round ones with a button detail hide behind the blue floral Cath Kidston pillows below.  And a bolster that was recovered in linen by my upholsterer sits in between.


A pair of gorgeous yellow French Provincial tables from Spruce Antiques are a fun, colorful counterpart to the subtle hues of the cream and grey-painted furniture and drop cloth cushions.  They pick up the hints of yellow in the Cath Kidston pillows and further brighten the space.  The vintage hooked rug is a neutral backdrop to this sassy table.


Simple curtains sewn from fabric found at Hancock Fabrics dress the four windows.  I have no idea the manufacturer of this semi-sheer, quilting fabric, but it reminded me a little bit of the linen and faded floral fabrics made famous by Cabbages & Roses, another iconic English company.


For a romantic but frugal touch, the fabric panels were hung on $2 tension rods, then gathered, balloon style, and tied up with ivory grosgrain ribbon.


In between the windows, over the sofa, hangs a scrap of Cath Kidston stationery in an IKEA frame repainted with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Duck Egg.


The floor lamp was a purchase made by my husband in his bachelor days.  A quick coat of white spray paint on the base, and white pom-pom fringe hot glued to the beige shade, spiffed it up in a whimsical kind of way.


Milk glass adds to the vintage feel of the room. Here I cut a circle of fabric from Lecien's Flower Sugar line to provide a little more contrast between the white glass and the tinned candle, while adding another dose of this happy shade of yellow.


This wood tray was a thrift store find that I spray painted in Krylon's Cornflower. I like to keep my British home magazines here, since it only seems fitting!


The non-matching chair in the room is a slipper chair that came from my childhood bedroom.  Reupholstered in Waverly's Rose Sonata in Robin's Egg, and a coat of paint added to it's turned wooden legs (capped in casters!), I think it adds an element of older English style.   


Bright flowers--in this case, dried strawflowers--look sharp on a yellow table.


The only thing missing from this picture is me, stretched out on the sofa with a book in hand! :)


Thanks for coming along for the latest stop of the house tour.  We'll continue with the kitchen next week!

Hope you're having a great weekend,
Erin

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21 comments:

  1. GORGEOUS!!!!! Can I stretch out on the sofa with a book too!!?? SO dreamy! Such a beauitful, clean, and cozy little nook. I love it!

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  2. HA! except you would actually be downstairs next to the woodstove. I've witnessed it :D

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  3. Beautiful space, and I agree you found the perfect fabric for the pillows, can't wait to see the rest of the tour. Must be we are thinking alike I posted our kitchen last week and this week will be our living room:) Stop by if you have a minute:)

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  4. Love this space- just beautiful! Awww poor turkey....we are actually thinking about getting some turkey poults in the spring to raise next year for Thanksgiving!

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  5. The loft looks lovely, Erin! Congratulations on winning the contest :) Can't wait to take an in-person tour of the house next time I'm in North Carolina. Hugs!

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  6. Erin...you are the Queen of sewing and upholstering!! I just love everything. What a great idea to go with Cath Kidson fabrics...it all looks fantastic. I can see why you won!! What a cozy little area...don't give it up to the kiddos!!

    XO,
    Jane

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  7. you totally deserve it! love LOVE that painted set!

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  8. This is all entirely gorgeous, Erin! Awesome.

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  9. What a pretty, pretty space! I think it's perfect! What a transformation; you really had to see beyond the original state to what it could be!

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  10. I love everything about this room. The light coming in, beautiful fabrics, and all the white.

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  11. Visiting from Transformation Thursday and your room is just beautiful, love all your fabric on the pillows and curtains!

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  12. Beautiful beautiful room. Love all of it. Would love to have you join my party Wow us Wednesdays, too sometime.

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  13. We are actually thinking about getting some turkey poults in the spring. I hope it will be finish as soon as possible. The light coming in, beautiful fabrics, and all the white.

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  14. OH MY! I'm totally jealous right now! I love every piece!

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  15. Hey there!
    Thanks for the sweet comments...we are def kindred spririts. I love this room so much!!!

    ♥Linsey at http://farmhouseporch.blogspot.com/

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  16. Oh My Goodness! I want that furniture!!! It looks dreamy...job well done.

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  17. What a cozy space!
    Shannon
    www.akadesign.ca

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  18. Hi Erin, Thanks for stopping by my place. I've been skimming through your blog and OMG! Your house is amazing. It looks positively delicious! :) I know how you feel about the pajama pants, every time I try something new and succeed, I can't help but feel super proud of myself so congratulations to you on that! :) This room has got to me my favorite so far. It looks like an amazing spot to cozy up and watch a thunderstorm or read a good book, and your revamped chairs are gorgeous. I'm really enjoying your blog. Can't wait to see more. You've got yourself a new follower. :D

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  19. I love everything about this room!!

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Thank you for taking the time stop by and say hello! I enjoy reading each and every comment left at Carolina Country Living.