Aluminum Chair

If you are like me you have been wanting chairs like these for your kitchen:



But have not bought them because they are $450 each at Design Within Reach.

And even the knock-offs are over $130 each at both Target and Walmart.

Well I am about to make all your dreams come true, because I just found these babies for...are you sitting down? $52 bucks.


(I know it says "door" instead of "chair" but I called them, they said they're just mis-labeled, but the price is correct.)

I spent half my day patting myself on the back for finding these and the other half playing Restaurant City on Facebook. So PRODUCTIVE day I'd say.

Elephants

Have you noticed elephants are the new birds?

Hybrid Home Print

Thomas Paul Pillow

Elephant Parade Pillows

Horchow Elephant Side Table - It can be yours for $1,089.00

Z Gallerie Elephant Side Table - Or you can buy this one, it's a bit smaller, for $49.95. I NEED it.

West Elm Cast Iron Elephant

Elephant Bank

New Stuff

I turned my tragic frosted mirror project into a chalkboard. I like it lots better.




The nice guys at Lowes cut a piece of wood for me the same size as the old mirror, and then I painted it with chalkboard paint. And I really did make cheeseburgers in a pan, but usually that menu will say, "You're on your own, I'm having microwave popcorn."

And here is a new rug I got at Target.

Zach dripped pizza sauce on it approximately 26 minutes after I got it home. Which is REALLY awesome.

Island

I had been planning on buying this stainless steel kitchen island from Ikea:

Utby Kitchen Island - $328


But then I found this at Costco of all places, and it is almost exactly the same size (slightly bigger actually):

Trinity Stainless Steel Work Table - $139.99 (including shipping!)

Not sure why they have it styled in the garage next to a car. The point is, it should be arriving at my door step any day now. YAY.

Behold the beauty of a stainless steel island. Behold it!

via Design*Sponge


via I forgot.


via Flickr

Umbrella-ella-ella

So did you see this little post over at Oh Brooke? You can print this photo, as big as 11"x14", for free!



Are you in love with it? You should be in love with it.

I shall put it in this imaginary bedroom.

1 - white bedding
2 - gray striped sheets
3 - pretty curtains
4 - red pillow, navy pillow
5 - Benjamin Moore Paint: "lookout point"

6 - i love lamp

7 - i've been obsessed with this rug for quite some time

Change

Changed my living room around. Unfortunately it didn't make my couch any less ugly.

Before:


After:


Isn't it awesome when you have big plans for your tax return that involve a new couch and maybe a mini vacation, and then your accountant calls with the news that you broke even? Super.

Oh moss green couch, how I hate you.

Stainless Steel Island

My island arrived!



I found it was a perfect home for my flying pig that Zach hates.


Here it is in action, assisting Zach in making our morning pancakes, and holding my morning Diet Coke with lemon. Two very important things in life.

Elephant

I fed my new elephant obsession and bought this little guy at Ross. He was $3 so I bought two.



I know Ross is gross; but that doesn't mean I don't find myself there on my lunch break from time to time.

Also Rachel bought me a very cute silver elephant ring holder but I do not have a picture. That's the good thing about blogs, you post about things you want and then your friends go and buy them for you.

Closet Organizer

If you're looking for a way to store your purses, shower curtain hooks work like the bomb dot com.



I got the idea from Real Simple:


However I find Real Simple to be hit or miss. Like the one time they told me to wrap scarves and tablecloths around mailing tubes to avoid them getting wrinkled.

Sure, I'll just be wrapping all my scarves around mailing tubes and tying them off with a bow if you need me.

And then the time they told me to wrap plastic bags around my knees while I'm gardening. No thanks Real Simple.

First of all who has hot pink plastic bags? Mine would have the Fry's logo all over them and it would look really classy.

Bedroom Dreams

I really want to start decorating our bedroom, but we decided we should wait to buy any bedding until we get a king sized bed. I tend to sleep in the shape of the letter "K" according to Zach, and so our queen is not cutting it.

However have you looked at king sized pillow top mattress prices? I'm going to be turning tricks on the corner to afford one.

Until then, let's just look at some pretty bedrooms shall we?


{Canadian House and Home}


{I forgot?}


{House Beautiful}


{House Beautiful}


{Elle Decor}


{Metroplitan Home}


{I forgot?}


{Design*Sponge}

Wallpaper

Still trying to pick a wallpaper for my dining room.

Samples I ordered from Sherwin Williams.

Not sure about any of them so I just go in there and stare at them every once in awhile. It's really productive.

Here's how they looked online.


So while I continue to fail, here are some pretty wallpapered dining rooms that are not mine.

Top Row: Sarah Richardson, Design*Sponge
Bottom Row: Little Green Notebook, Decor Pad

Linen Closet

Another closet post. What can I say, I love organizing closets. Especially at about 10:45 at night. Which is when these were taken - so sorry for the craptastic lighting.





And from the pros:


{Better Homes and Gardens}


{Martha Stewart}


{Better Homes and Gardens}

Here are my tips:

1. Buy matching baskets/bins, or at least pick one color and stick to it throughout your whole house. One, that just makes me happy in way that only cohesive closets can; and two, if you need to move a basket to another closet, you know it will still match. Which will allow you to sleep at night if you're like me.
2. If you're storing something pretty, like soap - put it in a clear vase. If it's ugly, hide it in basket or bin.
3. Take everything out of it's ugly cardboard packaging, like light bulbs or batteries. It saves on space, it looks better, and it's easier to grab something you need.

Planning

My plans are to tackle the master bedroom next. Even though we aren't buying a king sized bed yet, I decided to decorate anyway. I can't take the beige box of ugly any longer.

I'm going for a color scheme similar to this:


I have many projects in mind to save some cash money. First is to give my dresser a makeover. My mom bought this for me when I moved into my first apartment and it is still truckin'.

Here it is in our last apartment:


I'm thinking wallpaper maybe?

via Knack Studios

Or stripes?

Via Life in the Fun Lane

Or paint it a sexy color?

via Knack Studios

Decisions.