Emerald Leather For the Win

Sooooo... remember how much I loved <a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2013/09/peacock-blue-leather.html" target="_blank">that peacock leather</a>?<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo faDSC_0471.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2012/faDSC_0471.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />I really did love the color. The leather is gorgeous (and can be found at <a href="http://www.ebay.com/usr/peggysuealso" target="_blank">this eBay seller</a>), but the light in our dining room is funny and it would totally wash out the leather from most angles. Not that that was a big deal, it's just that I was counting on the leather for a bit of color in the room and it's not really peacock blue in the room if it always read as black to my eye.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo faDSC_0437.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2012/faDSC_0437.jpg" /></div><br />I went back and forth a little about the decision and hadn't pulled the trigger yet when I stumbled across these hides in a local fabric store called Mesa Sales.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_7351.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2012/IMG_7351.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />Hello, turquoisey emerald! Where have you been all my life?<br /><br /><a name="more"></a><br /><br />Is this color me, or is it me!?<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_7329.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2012/IMG_7329.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />It's me. But still I didn't buy it on the spot (leather is on the pricey side - about $250 for the full hide). So I mulled it over for a few days while I was working on other stuff and then when I came back to Mesa Sales to buy the hide, the sales guy told me someone had put it on hold like literally five minutes before I walked in (!) and that they had a seven day purchase period (seemed overly generous to me at the time - <i>harumph</i>). So I left empty handed and bummed.<br /><br />I called exactly seven days later and my luck was with me - the hide was available again! Sweet mercy. Come to momma.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_7839.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2012/IMG_7839.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />The color is obviously different and my chairs are different (I'm keeping the caning on my chair backs), but I kept thinking about <a href="http://grantkgibson.com/2011/05/san-francisco-decorator-showcase-2/" target="_blank">Grant K. Gibson's San Francisco Showcase</a> dining room chairs. What a fun hit of color in that space. I hope my new leather does the same for my dining room.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_8311.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2012/IMG_8311.jpg" /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_8337.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2012/IMG_8337.jpg" /></div>

Emerald Leather For the Win

Sooooo... remember how much I loved that peacock leather ? I really did love the color. The leather is gorgeous (and can be found at this eB...

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Painting Our (Faux) Stone Fireplace

I love that we have a fireplace in our bedroom! Such a treat, but the faux stone wasn't really working for me. We almost took it all off in the same way we removed <a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2013/09/more-fireplace-demo-and-plans.html" target="_blank">the fireplace surround in our living room</a>.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo wDSC_0475.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2012/wDSC_0475.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Before going to all that trouble though, I thought it was worth it to try painting the stone first. At the very least I thought it would buy me some time. So Ali and I tackled the big, dusty thing. We just used white primer and small two-inch angled brushes. It took quite a few hours to get in all those nooks and crannies! I probably should have just sprayed the thing with <a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2013/08/the-best-and-easiest-to-use-spray-gun.html" target="_blank">my Critter</a>, but I didn't want to move all our stuff out and do all the prep work (lazy).<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_7845.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2012/IMG_7845.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />We got to about this point and I felt hopeful about the way the white would look in the room.<br /><br /><a name="more"></a><br />Then in the morning, the light streamed in through the windows and suddenly I LOVED our faux stone fireplace! With the white paint, suddenly the fireplace looked interesting and kind of cool! And I think the contrast against the dark walls (Benjamin Moore's Knoxville Gray) is so pretty. I'm even liking the 80s palladian arch windows more now.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo qDSC_0482.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2012/qDSC_0482.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />Originally the plan was to hang <a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-new-carved-mirror-is-up.html" target="_blank">that giant carved mirror</a> we had in the brownstone living room on the fireplace. It is just barely big enough to cover up the arch. I tried as hard as I could to get a nail or a screw into that faux stone but the masonry drill bit I had on hand just wasn't cutting it. Then I thought to try <a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2012/12/entry-progress-bright-red-secretary.html" target="_blank">the old peacock mirror</a>, which was sitting on the floor in our office just down the hall. Admittedly I was in an 'oh, just screw it' mood, but I was actually pretty happy with how it looks inside the arch.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo qDSC_0484.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2012/qDSC_0484.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br /><center></center>I spy quite a few things in these images that need to happen next - I need to finish baseboards (the other side of the room is done) and I desperately need to change out the ceiling fan (or maybe <a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2013/08/updating-light-fixtures-with-paint.html" target="_blank">paint this one too</a>? And just shorten the hanging rod).<br /><br />I also still need to add panel board to the front of the stone on the hearth. The wood floors didn't quite fit underneath the stone, so there are gaps on the floor that need to be covered. Plus I just think it would look good to have paneling here.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo qqDSC_0478.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2012/qqDSC_0478.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I think black paint would look really good actually with the dark granite.</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo qqDSC_0478copy.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2012/qqDSC_0478copy.jpg" /></div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />So what do you think of the peacock mirror in here? Should I still plan to cover up the arch with the big carved mirror after buying a new masonry bit? I'm leaning toward keeping this one up for now.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0796.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2012/DSC_0796.jpg" /></div>

Painting Our (Faux) Stone Fireplace

I love that we have a fireplace in our bedroom! Such a treat, but the faux stone wasn't really working for me. We almost took it all off...

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Lavender Sofa Inspiration

I never thought I was much of a purple lover in the past, but I know better than to say that now. For a few years I've been so drawn to almost every shade of purple (except I'm still not a fan of grape purple, like Crayola box purple, in home decor). I loooove lilacs and lavenders and plum and oxblood and cobalt and indigo that lean more purple. They're all so good and so fresh-looking to me. Not a lot of people use purples in their homes, so maybe it's the novelty of the thing, but I mean, come on. How could you <i>not</i> want a sofa that looks <a href="http://www.deringhall.com/products/furniture/seating/sofas/13/front-room-sofa" target="_blank">just like this</a>? THOSE. TUFTS. ARE. EVERYTHING. EVER.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo ScreenShot2013-10-07at103259PM.png" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2012/ScreenShot2013-10-07at103259PM.png" /></div><br />It costs a royal fortune, but wow - what inspiration! I'm painting an old jewelry box lavender this week, partly inspired by this sofa and I love how it's come out so far. I'll be sure to share more soon.<br /><br />So, tell me how you feel about purple and shades of purple? Am I nuts for thinking about how much a I'd love to have a lavender sofa myself?...<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo front-room-sofa-sofas-rustic-wood1.jpeg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2012/front-room-sofa-sofas-rustic-wood1.jpeg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />PS - <a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2012/09/limiting-your-medium.html" target="_blank">Remember how Julianne Moore</a> only dresses in and decorates with black, white, gray, green and purple....

Lavender Sofa Inspiration

I never thought I was much of a purple lover in the past, but I know better than to say that now. For a few years I've been so drawn to ...

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