DIY Black & White Dotted Art Tutorial!

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On Monday I shared my new $20.00 DIY desk chair.
As promised in the post, today I sharing the tutorial for the black & white dotted art that hung above the desk.
This project is super simple. So easy that I am pretty sure my 5 year old girl could do it!
I had everything I needed for this DIY on hand, so the cost to me was nothing.
You know I like that.
Are you ready? 
1. I used the bottom of my cheap-o foam brush to make the dots.
I simply dipped it into the paint, made sure it picked up lots of paint, and pulled it out.
Notice in the photo above that the paint forms a peak on the end of the brush. 
Tip: The more paint the easier it is to create the smaller dots.
2. Get your dotting on. It doesn’t have to be perfect or have any pattern.
 Just go for it!

3. Frame it!
I love it paired with the gold frame and white mat, but when I hung it on my wall it didn’t feel right. (plus IKEA mats are much more cream than white!)
So, I got an idea…paint the mat black!
I took the art out of the frame, removed the mat, and started painting.
I used the same black acrylic paint as my art.
It painted great but did bend the mat when it dried.

Once I placed the mat in the frame, the weight of the picture frame backing flattened it out.
Tip: although I love the look, the black mat shows every single piece of dust that it collects. Patience is needed when assembling. 🙂
After a few naughty words I got the mat in without any dust!
I am in love!

I am pretty sure it is just what my wall was calling for.

I love how it adds a punch of personality but is still so simple.
I think it is fun to see how much impact a mat can have on a piece of art.
If you ever feel like your art could use a little updating, you might want to consider just switching out the mat!
So what is your preference?
 White or black mat?
xo,

Online Design: Teen Room/Guest Room

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Last week I finished an online design for a teen girl.
My client wanted to create a little getaway for her daughter but still wanted the design to easily convert to a guest room.
I went with a bright and girly color scheme but selected elegant pieces that will work for a spunky teen and guests.
A moody blue accent wall paired with crisp white for the rest of the room  gives the space some personality without feeling too dark.
I absolutely loved working on this space, I think it turned out to be one of my favorites.
I can’t wait to see it complete!
xo,

$20 DIY Desk Chair Makeover

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Since moving to Boise 3 months ago I have been dying to check out the second-hand scene. On Friday I was lucky enough to spend the whole afternoon bouncing from thrift store to thrift store. It was heavenly let me tell you.
I started out at Deseret Industries. I have been here several times in the last couple months but have yet to find something I wanted. In true thrifting fashion, my persistance paid off. 
I found these two chairs for $8.00…
The fabric is awful but the gold bent tubular frame had me at hello. In design school we studied all types of furniture from every era. I knew I recognized the chair style but couldn’t put a name to it. Later that night I determined it is a Cesca chair knock-off. I guess that contemporary furniture class actually paid off!
Obviously it needed to be re-upholstered, so I stopped in at JoAnn Fabrics and picked up a yard of faux fur for $10.50.
There is just something about fur and metal that is so good together.
Thank goodness this project required very little sewing since I am not very good with the sewing machine.
The seat and back simply screwed off.
The back was sewed on 3 sides and then stapled shut.
I simply pulled out the staples and pulled the fabric off the frame.
I then cut the two sides apart so I could use the old fabric as a pattern.
I laid my pattern piece on the fur and cut the fur to the exact size of the old fabric.
I then sewed the 3 sides together, put the frame back in, and stapled the bottom closed.
The seat was much easier. I took the old fabric off, cut the fur to size, and stapled it to the seat frame.
It only took about an hour and I am in love with the results.
I think it makes the perfect desk chair, don’t you?
It fits perfectly and is much more comfortable than the chair I was previously using.
I am also a huge fan of the white chair/blue desk combo.
The contrast is just so crisp.
Since my desk gained a pretty new chair, I thought it was about time to give a little attention to the wall.
I added this $35.00 mirror from Home Depot and made some DIY art.
I’ll share the details about my art later this week.
I  must say I love it when a project turns out, especially when it only cost $20.00 total!
So, what do you think?
xo,

Nursery Design on the Cheap!

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 I have been working like crazy on e-designs and have come across some really amazing deals.
I found this rug at Urban Outfitters and was inspired to create a nursery design around it.
When Emory was born we were very poor students. Her early arrival, long hospital stay, and lots of extra medical needs left us with very little for a nursery. At the time I didn’t realize a beautiful space on a very tight budget was possible.
If I could turn back the clock 5 years, this nursery would have been perfect.
The total for everything on the design board comes to just over $400.00.
I am a big believer that all types of income levels and budgets should have access to good design. Sometimes it takes a little digging to find the good stuff, but it is out there!
The mirror is from Home Depot. I use this all the time in designs, it is awesome. ($35.00)
The drapery is from IKEA. I haven’t seen these in person but I am loving them. I wouldn’t mind finding a place for them in my home. ($15.00 for 2 panels)
The crib is from IKEA. ($100.00)
The sheepskin rug is from IKEA. ($10.00)
The art is from Olive & Branch. It is a printable. ($4.50)
The rug is from Urban Outfitters, I love the print and color. It definitly sets the tone for the room.($90.00)
The lamp is from Target. I adore the acrylic base. This is currently my favorite lamp. ($55.00)
The lampshade is also from Target. ($20.00)
The crib sheet is from Land of Nod. ($30.00)
The dresser is from IKEA. You can follow this tutorial to transform it into a campaign style dresser. ($80.00)
Total: $440.00

I hope you like it!
xo,