Pretty in Park Slope

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Today I am SO excited to share a brand new project from my friends Suzanne and Lauren McGrath from </span><a href="http://goodbonesgreatpieces.com/" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" target="_blank">Good Bones, Great Pieces</a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">. (Did you check out their </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1584799579/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1584799579&linkCode=as2&tag=littgreenote-20" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" target="_blank">amazing book</a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> yet? I wrote about it </span><a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2012/09/give-away-x5-good-bones-great-pieces.html" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">.) I love how fresh this Brooklyn space feels! </span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Here's Lauren:</div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">"This apartment is of a lovely young couple that found us through <a href="http://www.goodbonesgreatpieces.com/" target="_blank">our blog</a>. They live in an old brownstone apartment building turned co-op in Park Slope facing Prospect Park. Their apartment is small but Natalie (the wife) who is a real estate agent and often works from home, really wanted a space that felt cozy and chic. Natalie and her husband, a lawyer, are both from the Midwest, and they're still discovering the wonders of living in New York City. They love living here. It is so refreshing to see their enthusiasm! </div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/nr2.jpg" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;" /></div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">"They chose to live near the park so that they could be able to walk their beloved and ginormous dog :) The dog was in the apartment when we were installing all the furniture and artwork, and it was hysterical trying to navigate around him! Fortunately for us, Natalie and her husband truly wanted to hand over the design of this new place, so with a fresh start, they actually brought almost nothing to their new place. Most of the hodgepodge of merged furniture pieces was sold off on Craig's List. We were happy because we got to work with a clean slate- every decorators dream. It also helped that Natalie is such a delightful young woman.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/IMG_5208.jpg" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;" /></div></div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></div><div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">"We wanted Natalie's apartment to feel young and fresh and fun, like her! The first thing we purchased was the sofa at the Lilian August warehouse in Norwalk, CT. Once we had the main seating piece down, we were off and running! In terms of the color palette, we used the framed bird prints above the sofa as inspiration.These were taken from an old copy of "Audubon Birds of America" we found on a dusty shelf at a flea market. </div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/IMG_5208-1.jpg" /></span></div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">"We kept the largest upholstered piece neutral, as well as the rug, and injected pops of blue, red, green and pink with art, lighting, pillows, and other accessories. The show stopper was probably the amazing bird's egg blue lacquered Chippendale style chair Lauren found at Circa Who in Palm Beach, Florida. We chose to reupholster the seat cushion in one of our favorite Sister Parish inspired red and white prints. The combination jumps off the wall and makes us smile. Of course, we had to add cherry red tape to embellish the white roman shade on the window. It's so happy! </div></div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/IMG_5191.jpg" /></span></div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">"The lamp on the West Elm Parson's desk is quite oversized, and we like it that way. It's important to have some pieces in the room that are of different scale, particularly in small spaces. The LOVE artwork was a small stroke of genius. We fell in love with this textile from Lu Lu DK's latest collection at Schumacher. We decided to buy a yard and had it strung to a canvas. Apparently this technique was all the rage in college dorm rooms in the 1980's. We're bringing it back, with whimsy.</div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="background-color: white;">     </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/IMG_5214-2.jpg" /></span></span></div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">"The bedroom is actually a very small room, but we made it look grand by walllpapering the wall behind the bed- they insisted on a King! We found an amazing headboard at an antique emporium, tucked behind many others. Upholstering it in a cotton velvet just made it look so luxe. Inexpensive swing arm lamps save room when there isn't any for bedside tables. In the end, it looks quite fancy, but it's not. Their dog sleeps at the foot of the bed, we think! Whatever, we know they're happy with their first nest, and so are we.</span><br /><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/nr5.jpg" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;" /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">"This kitchen is very long and narrow but it was important to Natalie to have a place to sit and eat (since there is no dining room). We came up with a design for a built-in breakfast nook space which would utilize every square foot of space, and look like it was always there.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/kitchen2-1.jpg" style="font-size: small;" /></div><br />"We chose an adorable print fabric to make a custom seat cushion with, and it immediately looked welcoming and comfortable. The client found this table top at a thrift shop, then had a custom pedestal made to allow for leg room."</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/kitchen1-1.jpg" /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">SOURCE LIST</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Kitchen:</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Custom banquette cushion fabric: Pindler and Pindler</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Pillow: Pier 1 </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Table (client's own)</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Art: Stolen ;) from a Rothko book and framed in Ikea shadow box frames </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Roman shade: custom designed by us, Bright Apple Green Tape for Accent, Samuel and Sons</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Living Room:</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Sofa: Lilian August found at the warehouse store in Norwalk, CT</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Pillows: custom pillows designed by us in a Brunschwig & Fils paisley </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Coffee table: Found at the Salvation Army in Mount Vernon, NY for $15 </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Scallop-edge side tables: found at Braswell in Westport, CT , We lacquered them in a Ralph Lauren dark navy blue </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Rug: Overstock.com</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Lamps: Apple green, from Dovecoat, Westport Ct.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Bird prints above sofa: Taken out of the pages of "Audubon Birds of America"and framed in inexpensive frames found at A.I Friedman </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Pink upholstered chair: found at Brimfield, from an estate in Maine</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Art above chair: we created this large scale piece of art from one of our favorite Lu Lu DK fabrics for Schumacher. When the budget is tight we like to make our own art by framing a large canvas with a dramatic fabric. </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Desk: West Elm Parsons desk </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Stools: Found at Circa Who in Palm Beach, FL and upholstered in a Duralee ikat fabric </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Lamp: Wisteria </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Art: From the 1970's, Found at Consign It in Greenwich, CT </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Turquoise boxes: Wisteria </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Occasional chair: Found at Circa Who in Palm Beach, FL and upholstered in a Brunschwig & Fils fabric </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Duck prints above chair: Found at Brimfield, reframed</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Bedroom: </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Headboard: This is an antique French king size headboard that came out of an estate with lots of very old French pieces. We found this piece at one of our favorite auction houses called Braswell (unfortunately it no longer exists) and we had it reupholstered in a soft velvet. The headboard cost us $450. </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Wallpaper: The wallpaper is from Duralee</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Side tables: Wisteria</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Sconces: House of Troy</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Bed pillow: custom made by us from a Schumacher ikat fabric </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><i>A huge thanks the Lauren and Suzanne for sharing this lovely project!</i></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><i>All photos by Matt McGrath.</i></div></div>

Pretty in Park Slope

Today I am SO excited to share a brand new project from my friends Suzanne and Lauren McGrath from Good Bones, Great Pieces . (Did you check...

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White and Gold Design

<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Marianne and Jamie from </span><a href="http://whiteandgolddesign.blogspot.com/" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" target="_blank">White and Gold Design</a> <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">are based out of Salt Lake City. They are doing some great work and emailed me with one of their simple DIYs for their new office space.</span><br /><div style="background-color: white;"><div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/finisheddesk.jpg" /></span></div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Jamie says:</div></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">"Needing some desks for our <a href="http://whiteandgolddesign.blogspot.com/p/portfolio.html" target="_blank">new office space</a> on a tight budget, we were inspired by your <a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2012/06/brass-etagere-ikea-hack.html" target="_blank">etageres post</a> and how the spray paint completely transformed the piece. We bought the Vika Amon table top and it has a thick glossy finish that is actually pretty nice. We also bought plus two of the <a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/80130776/" target="_blank">trestle style legs</a>. Total spent $55. </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/startedwiththis.png" /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">"We picked up some Rustoleum Metallic Gold spray paint, did two quick coats on the legs and absolutely love the finished product!  </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/metallicpaint.jpg" /> </span><span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/paintedlegs.jpg" /></span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">"This DIY was awesome because it was so incredibly simple and best of all, cheap. You could buy any size of the table top from Ikea and create a similar look for a console table or even a small dining table. </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/OfficeDeskstraight.jpg" /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">"The legs really look like brass and the ordinary IKEA screws that we all hate transformed into nice brass bolts." </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/officedesklegdetail.jpg" /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/OfficeDeskside2.jpg" /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Looks great, right? Marianne and Jamie are a really talented duo! Check out these photos from <a href="http://whiteandgolddesign.blogspot.com/p/portfolio.html" target="_blank">Marianne's home</a>:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/bathcabinet.jpg" /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/masterbathdetail.jpg" /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/emilybrownphotography_masterbathroom.jpg" /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/entry.jpg" /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/masterbeddetail.jpg" /></span></div></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><i>If you'd like to submit a room or project to share on LGN, please <a href="mailto:jenny@jennykomenda.com" target="_blank">email me</a>.</i></div>

White and Gold Design

Marianne and Jamie from White and Gold Design   are based out of Salt Lake City. They are doing some great work and emailed me with one of t...

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DIY: Painting a Brass Chandelier

When I was <a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2012/09/update-on-jenny.html" target="_blank">hospitalized</a> <a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2012/10/diy-wire-console-table-or-how-i-got.html" target="_blank">with tetanus</a> shortly after we moved to Brooklyn, my mom flew out to help. She saved the day and helped keep the house running and distracted my girls so they didn't get too scared about the situation. (I'm doing much better, by the way :) One evening when I was recovering at home, Mom came back from a walk around the neighborhood with the girls. She asked me if I had seen the purple chandelier in the neighbor's house down the street. "You will die when you see this thing" she said.<br /><br />In most cities, if you walk around a residential neighborhood at night, you can sort of see into apartments. It is way too much fun to me - probably one of my favorite post-dinner date night activities. I know it sounds creepy, but it is amazing to get a glimpse inside these beautiful homes, and plus, everyone does it (city dwellers, back me up!). I tell myself it's just like looking at real estate listings. Ish?<br /><br />So by the time I was feeling well enough, I hobbled down the street in search of a fabulous purple chandelier in one of our neighbors' houses. I know I gasped out loud when I finally saw it. It is the most incredible blue-purple murano glass chandelier EVER. I snapped a single sneaky photo that doesn't even begin to show the fabulous-ness of this fixture (trust), and I felt like a total creepster (though I have been known to snap <a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2010/09/inspiration-everywhere.html" target="_blank">sneaky photos</a>). The whole house looks like it's amazing - the art! the paneling! the moulding! - so I keep hoping I'll run into the owners one day on the street. I would shamelessly out myself and beg/plead for a house tour.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/IMG_9397.jpg" /></div><br />ANYWAY (wow, this is going to be a long post), the chandelier has been stuck in my brain for months now. I go out of my way to walk by it often and it's somehow even more lovely every time I see it peeking through those windows. When it came time for me to choose a color for the <a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2012/11/giant-brass-chandelier.html" target="_blank">big brass chandelier</a>, I knew there was no way I could pull off a lavender or lilac, but I thought a pale blue that leans toward periwinkle could actually be really cool.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/DSC_0070.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/43DSC_0065.jpg" /></div><br />Here's the full run down on how we painted this beast of a chandelier...<br /><a name="more"></a>I enlisted the help of my girls to tape off the sockets on all 24 arms. Just a little piece of painters tape works fine. Make sure to take off all the candle sleeves first.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/IMG_9001.jpg" /></div><div><br /></div><div>While I had the chandelier on the ground still, I wiped it down well and then lightly went over some parts with a leftover can of white spray primer I had lying around. This was a lazy step and I probably should have primed everything here, but I felt like it wasn't really necessary. Nothing really touches a chandelier after it gets installed anyway. </div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><img height="400" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/IMG_9015.jpg" width="298" /><img height="400" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/IMG_9032.jpg" width="298" /></div><div><div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">My local hardware store has a fantastic selection of spray paint. More brands and colors than the big box stores even. I really liked this Valspar color (Sky Blue) at the store, and then later I was super impressed generally with this paint (first time trying Valspar spray). Good coverage. Not too crazy in the smell department. Fast drying. Easy to spray.</div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/IMG_9010.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I think the best way to spray paint a light fixture is from the hanging position. We strung up the chandelier on a 2x4 between a ladder and our fence. That way I could easily walk around and under the chandelier and spray it from every angle.</div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/IMG_9039.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">And there were a LOT of angles. </div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/IMG_9038.jpg" /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I'm not going to pretend this was a fast spray job. I went through six cans of spray paint to fully cover this 60" wide chandelier. I had paint all in my hair and there was a soft outline of a mask on my face. #periwinkleglow</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/IMG_9112.jpg" /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Some of the parts of the fixture needed to be painted on the ground. See the orange chain? I thought the chain that originally came with the light was a little on the wimpy side, so I used a chunkier one from the hardware store.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/IMG_9017.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I was starting to get excited about the color right about here:</div></div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/IMG_9034.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">So, I wouldn't really recommend DIYing a big electrical install project like this one, but my super handy and wonderful dad was in town, and he was up for the challenge of hanging and hooking up the new chandelier. We took down the hideous old light and installed a new light kit that is made for heavy fixtures. It stretches between joists and grips into the wood.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/2DSC_0070.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">While we were working on the new light box, we threw up a ceiling medallion too. I wish I had planned more for this step and had ordered something big and extra special, but this one from Lowes worked fine in a pinch.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/IMG_9078.jpg" /></div></div><div><br />Here's the medallion and ceiling plate in. Wires ready to be spliced into the chandelier's after hanging it, which was a feat in and of itself - that thing is so heavy! If there had been an extra set of hands in the house, I would have had someone take a photo of that step, but we needed every adult to help hoist while Dad spliced.<br /><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/IMG_9085.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">It's hard to really show just how big this chandelier is. It's enormous, and we love it.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/DSC_0188.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">The color is just the right shade of periwinkle blue.</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/43DSC_0065.jpg" /></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><div style="text-align: left;">And those 24 bulbs make for a really bright meal!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/DSC_0255.jpg" /></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">And the view from below is pretty.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/33DSC_0228.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">And! I love how it looks with my <a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2012/10/flea-market-art.html" target="_blank">giant vintage abstract</a> (it's hung the wrong way so it fits on the wall here, but I still like it).</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/DSC_0116.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">AND! (best of all) Michael came home a couple nights ago and said there were some girls outside talking about how much they loved the chandelier and sneaking some photos with their phones. I was only creeped out for a second. Then I felt proud and less guilty for doing the same thing weeks before. Hopefully those girls will keep the periwinkle chandelier trend in our hood moving forward!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%203/IMG_9650.jpg" /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">PS Another huge <a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2011/05/diy-sputnik-chandelier.html" target="_blank">chandelier DIY</a>.</div></div></div></div>

DIY: Painting a Brass Chandelier

When I was hospitalized with tetanus shortly after we moved to Brooklyn, my mom flew out to help. She saved the day and helped keep the ho...

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