Homemade Wallpaper Remover

Hi! I unfortunately haven't been able to post because my internet has been down. I want to share a really great homemade remedy for removing wallpaper. My brother has been wanting to re-do his room for quite some time. There has been striped wallpaper up for over ten years on 2 walls and since it was raining and he had just cleaned his room this was the perfect time to strip this wallpaper down and get the ball rolling. So I talked him into taking down the wallpaper with my help.

 I couldn't find the store bought wallpaper remover my dad had purchased so I looked online for suggestions. A lot of people had recommended fabric softener with warm water in a spray bottle. I came up with the idea of mixing warm water with not only fabric softener but also vinegar and baking soda (I used apple cider vinegar because that is all we had). I chose baking soda as well because it would help disintegrate the glue behind the wallpaper. So about:

1/2 c. fabric softener

2 tbsp vinegar

a couple tsp baking soda

& warm water (to fill up the spray bottle)

This mixture worked great! Of course I would wait quite some time for the mixture to settle in. You may have to spray a few coats. Now the wall is being prepared for primer as I write this! When the room is finished I will post before and after pictures. Enjoy your day :)

Xo,

Designer David Bromstad

Winner of HGTV's Design Star Season 1, David Bromstad, has become one of the most renowned Interior Designers. If you have followed Design Star and have seen his work in the White Box Challenge there is no questioning his artistic and creative talent. He is also well known for his hit show on HGTV, Color Splash. In his show, David is not afraid to be bold with color. 

He is known for leaving a peice of his original artwork, created especially for each of the spaces he transforms. If you have read my second blog post, I am not afraid of it either! Another thing that makes David Bromstad such an amazing designer is his fierce personality. He has such a high energy that really translates well on television.

Before David's journey with HGTV, he went to the Ringling School of Art and Design in Sarasota, Florida. David used his art and design skills when he was hired at Walt Disney World in Orlando after he graduated. Now if this already doesn't sound like a dream, winning HGTV's first season of Design Star does! David has made several other HGTV appearances as well. If you haven't checked out David Bromstad's official website I would recommend to. There you will find more about David himself, his work and maybe even apply for a room makeover! Here is the link: David Bromstad: Offical Website

 

Who says small spaces can't be fun & glamorous?

 Love the clean lines in this relaxing bedroom mixed with the organic, rustic look the bench adds.

 I especially love the use of turquoise in this space with crystal and clear accents in the chairs, chandelier and hutch hardware. It gives this space a chic look paired with more rustic pieces like the wood table and  brick fire place.

This is just one of the many Bromstad signed canvas pieces - he is so good at making something simple stand out in an artistic way. 


Until next time :) 

Xo,



HGTV's Trash to Treasure

Today I got my daily email from HGTV about amazing furniture makeovers. If you have an interest in design and decorating and love hearing new tips I would recommend signing up for emails from HGTV like I did. Anyway, this email talks about different ways to repurpose furniture. If you read my last blog I had stated that I kept the vintage frame in my room but spray painted it black to match the furniture. That is just one simple way to make an older peice look fresh and new. So don't toss old furniture...see what you can do with it first! HGTV talks about some very cool ideas. 

Here are some of my favorites:

1. Melissa Michaels of The Inspired Room repurposes an old step ladder into a display shelf on the wall. It can act as a great focal point or design element in any space. The color scheme of turquoise, tan and white gives this space a cottage feel.



This step ladder is small so it doesn't over power the room. With its size and turquoise color it looks quite elegant.



2. Janell Beals of Isabella & Max Rooms turns an old dresser into a bright, fun peice of furniture in a childs bedroom. Not only does the new, bright colored paint make it look fresh and new, the paint is chalkboard paint so kids can be creative and write anything they want on their drawers. 



If you aren't liking the hardware on your old furniture try replacing it with something more modern or funky, depending on what style you are going for.

3.  If you have scuffs or niches in your dresser don't throw it away! Marian Parsons uses decoupage on this dresser to cover up some imperfections. Here she uses old antique music paper but you can use anything from newpapers to magazines.



I love how Parsons chose crystal hardware on this antique dresser. It really gives it a vintage look and looks beautiful against the antique music paper.

4. Don't be afraid of a pop of color! Melissa Michaels  paints a traditional coffee table a bright, royal blue. It is a wonderful contrast to it's traditional look and really makes it come alive.



Repainting is one of the easiest ways to transform a dull peice of furniture in your home.

5. Will Taylor of Bright Bazaar comes up with a fun and inexpensive way to transform your table into an exciting work of art - wallpaper scraps & paint. All he does is pick out different pieces of wallpaper and puts them together in different patterns and colors on the table.

My tip would be to lay glass that fit exactly right over the wallpaper on the table to make it a more functional peice of furniture.  It will look like it was meant to be there and you won't have to worry about any imperfections or spills.

So there it is. My 5 favorite HGTV tips on how to transform furniture in your home. Before you throw away any old furniture take a minute to think of how you can reuse it in your home. Also, this time of year is great for flea market and yard sale shopping. Don't be afraid to be creative :)

Xo,

Why Start This Blog?

I really wanted to start this blog to have a place where I can display my interest and passion for interior design and decorating. Over the last few years my passion has grown. I just graduated with my Bachelor of Science degree but I have a desire to pursue a career in Interior Design at some point. 

Design is not only about picking out paint colors and furniture, although that's a great start. To me it is about thinking outside of the box. Making a space aesthetically beautiful and functional looking effortless at the same time, making sure totally different pieces in a room can go together, identifying a particular design style(s) and making it present in a sophisticated way or creating a space with clean lines or with architectural elements that stand out. This list can go on and on. 

But if one thing is true it is designing a space that the client loves is most important. Even if I don't have clients (yet!), I know that it is the designers job to deliver what their clients are looking for. Even if they don't really know what they like, designers have to get a sense of their clients style to come up with a space that they will love. 

Over the past few years, I would do projects for my parents such a reupholster their dining room chairs and pick out colors and paint their living and dining room. I have also been painting a lot more recently so I know I have more than a few creative bones in my body. I have a lot to learn about design and I would love to see where it takes me. I would love to learn more about creating a floor plan and coming up with ideas for an empty space and turn it into something beautiful and transitional. My particular design taste is quite versatile - I love vintage chic, eclectic spaces but also bold spaces where there are moments that stand out. I have not chosen one specific area where I want to focus on throughout this blog yet but there is more to come! 

Xo,