How To Build A Room

So, I've been watching some television shows...okay, just one in particular. Candice Olsen's Divine Design. It's a kooky kind of show featuring this really tall thin blond named Candice. She's Canadian and really goofy. But, since I've been watching the show, I figured out how she builds a room.

Here's the steps.

1. Figure out the layout of the room. Where does the furniture go and what purpose does each area provide? What is the focal point of the room?

I noticed that each room typically has about three distinct areas. In bedrooms, one area is for the bed and sleeping, one area is for lounging and media/reading, and the final area is for some big piece of furniture like a dresser or armoire.

2. Pick out the biggest pieces of furniture and build up the area with smaller pieces such as a chair or chaise. Decide if you are going to install custom cabinetry to the space and where it will go.

Always, always, always accompany the big piece with another functional piece such as a small side table, ottoman to rest something upon, or a bench or stools to place at the end of a bed or to take up room under a window. I also noticed that she really likes to make a moment of the area right around a window. If the bed has to go by the only window in the room, she swathes the whole thing in tons of fabric to highlight the area.

She NEVER picks out puny furniture even if the room is small, just less of them.

3. Start to introduce color.

She begins by picking out fabrics. Usually, it's the drapery or bedding fabric that begins the process and the style of the room dictates the color. If the room is meant for "peaceful tranquil retreat" the colors are usually watery blues and faded beige's. If the room is meant to masculine exotic, the colors are deeper browns and beige's with hits of red and black in the accessories. She picks the fabrics and colors on all the furniture including the headboard. That's not something I would really know to do. I also noticed that the wall color is not the starting point of deciding the color of the room. Rather, it's simply the echo of the other colors she's chosen. That is a relief to me because I think I put much to much emphasis on the wall color.

4. Decide where you want the sparkle to go.

She usually puts some kind of sparkle into a room even if it's rustic in style. For example, even in a rustic room, maybe the heavy wood furniture doesn't have any glitter on it, but the hardwood floors have a semi sheen and the wallpaper would have some sort of iridescence in it. If the bedding doesn't give off any shine, then the accent pillows and drapery sheers would.

5. Lighting

She is the queen of pot lights, track lighting, and sconces. And, boy, does it work. Instead of having one overhead light, she usually brings down that light to a chandelier or diffuses it in a drum fixture and then highlights the rest of the room with little dots of light in the way of pot lights and sconces. Doing this creates different levels of lighting and then the whole room becomes illuminated and no corner left dark and dingy. The light doesn't get unifocal and one noted. Rather, it is multidimensional and then the colors get a chance to pop by being highlighted in different levels.

She should win an award just for her lighting skills.

6. Contrast the flooring.

She usually picks a darker wood floor and a neutral rug that ALWAYS has some sort of pattern in it. If she opts for basic carpeting, there is always something going on in the carper like a design of some sort.

7. Add some heat.

She always adds a fireplace. This, I'm not sure about because who can afford to do such a thing in every room? I think that she does for people who can afford to do so to by making a moment out of the area. I think I'd opt to just arrange an area like there was a fireplace and then just omit the fireplace.

















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I Was Supposed To Go To The Gym...

But, I got too busy spending hours Christmas shopping. I went with my friend Stephanie. She's from Kentucky and has all kinds of good sense about her. So, I figured she would be a great person to go shopping with. You know, just very no nonsense. None of this stop and linger to look at everything business. And because of that, we got all of our shopping done.

The funniest thing about the day was when we stopped at the food court to have lunch. Panda Express it was. When we finished our meal, we opened our fortune cookies. Mine read, "Sunday is a good day to relax."

Good tip and one I will never take. You see, I don't really know how to relax. I am always doing something and when I hear people say they are bored I always wonder how because I think there are too many things to do.

But, forget about that. I am most excited about this one particular purchase I made today. I bought a diamond ring for my mother! This is by far the best present I have ever given her. And, yes, it's real. It's big, and sparkly, and real. Mr. Donaghy was quite impressed and also quite taken aback at my (I mean our) generosity. He hopes that we will become the favorites and that Baby Jesus will be forgotten this year. One can only dream.

Mr. Donaghy came home sick from work today. He had coughed so much and so hard he threw his back out. Poor lad. I hope he is on the mend and quickly now, quickly.

The Exodus

Boy, what a crappy blogger I am. One year later and here are the pictures of our kitchen. I really did not want to post any pictures because I felt like a fraud. You see, Mr. Donaghy has not yet really completed the kitchen. Baseboards are still propped up against the wall and door frames, window frames, shades, backsplash, and art work still remains to be installed.

I decided to hell with it. This is how it is. Tell the truth about our failures as remodelers and join the legions of people still living amongst their "Honey Do" list. Ah well.

The really good news is that we (my brother and I) have purchased another house in Long Beach. My brother will relinquish his room and the rights to the garage. In his place, Mr. Donaghy will scoot right on in and take over THE MAN SPACE!

I am really excited. You see, my brother has a small problem with collecting car stuff. The back entrance of the house is cluttered with axels, gaskets, headlights, you name it, he has it. Also stuffed to the gills is the carport, the garage, the sideyard, and his bedroom. What were once lovely brand new sparkling clean carpets have now been deemed a health hazard caked with motor oil and the like.

With the exodus of the sibling we call Baby Jesus...shout out to Fancy This&That...the small miniscule parcel of space for Mr. Donaghy, now the dining room, shall be enlarged and relegated to said man space. Thus, the remaining interior and garden space shall be reclaimed by none other than me, Mrs. Donaghy! Alas! The dream is coming to fruition and I while I faint with delight on the chaise lounger that does not exist in my house, I am giddy with the prospects of what each room will become with the promise of order, organization, purpose, and cleanliness. Martha Stewart, take heed. I will become a protoge the likes of which you have never seen!

Hallelujah!

Madelyn Lorraine's First Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving was spent in South Bend, Indiana. Snow fell on bare oaks and evergreen pines creating a cotton-like sound diffuser that left a peaceful silence in the morning where only the chirping of birds could be heard half a mile away. Thanksgiving supper was superb and cousin Tony's sweet potato casserole was the biggest hit acting more like a dessert than a savory side dish.

But, the biggest highlight was the introduction of Madelyn Lorraine. The first great granddaughter of the Plaia clan. At six weeks old, Maddie closed her eyes for only a mere one hour to take a nap and the rest of the time was spent wide eyed with a half cocked knowing little smile sizing up the grown ups of her family in the midwest. Strawberry blond and thick as an elf's was her hairdo and round pink cheeks anchored her angelic little face.

Me thinks I had a flash of baby fever.

The family began quizzing me when I was going to have a baby. I stayed silent never betraying the secret agreement Mr. Donahgy and I made on the way to the airport for this trip.

7 Things About Myself...

Since I was tagged by Fancy This&That...I will humor said blogger by participating.

1. When I am really busy or even not so busy, one of my favorite things to do is close my eyes and pretend I just got named to win an Oscar. I even pretend that my face is on the TV screen of millions of viewers at home and go through the slow motion action of delayed and stunned reaction. The only thing that brings me to life is Mr. Donaghy embracing me in a proud congratulatory love hug. My eyes widen at the realization that I have won. My lips read, "Holy shit!" for zillions to see. Meryl Streep stands up to applaud me.

And there is nothing after that.

2. I clip pictures and articles of Kate Moss. Shhh. Don't tell anyone. I have been doing this since high school. Alas, every year, I throw everything away and start fresh.

3. I have dreams that include the surprising appearance of at least six kittens. These kittens come from the ceiling, walls, vents, and just miraculously show up while I am outside doing my dream stuff.

4. I sing really loud in the car all by myself. And, yes, I DO think I am hella good...at sucking!

5. Much to the chagrin of Mr. Donaghy, my socks and undies all have holes in them. Where?, you might ask...Well, I never! That's a personal question and a personal choice of where I would like to have my holes!!!!

6. I secretly wish that I could be a vegetarian. Maybe even a vegan. It's really healthy for oneself but I am entirely too undisciplined for the endeavor.

7. I watch Practical Magic, Breakfast at Tiffany's, Funny Face, and Something's Gotta Give almost on a continuous loop. I have been doing this since I was 19 years old. The latter film since I was 26 or 27.

There you have it.

When Neighbors Are Jerks...The Update

Mr. Donaghy was outside watering the tree the city had planted on the sidewalk in front of our house. Water was everywhere as he was hosing down everything in sight like a little boy playing with a fire hose. Mind you, it was dark and he wanted to play. I understand.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a young man sitting on the retaining wall of the front yard of our jerky neighbors.

"Oh, I'm sorry! Did I get you?" Mr. Donaghy asked worried that he unceremoniously hosed this poor lad down.

"Naw, man, I'm okay." the young man replied.

Mr. Donaghy was now starting to wonder who this young man was and why was he sitting in the neighbor's front lawn?

"Hey, um, I live next door here...I was going to come over and talk to you guys about the tree. We didn't mean to put everything on your side of the fence but it fell that way and we didn't want to clean up your yard without you guys being at home." the young man said.

"We had our gardeners come over and clean it up." Mr. Donaghy replied on the verge of getting very angry as he remembered what a mess was in our garden not so very long ago.

"How much did they charge you? We'll pay for it. We meant to clean it up and sorry that you had to pay someone for it." the young man offered.

"It's okay. We took care of it." Mr. Donaghy said.

"Like I said, man, sorry about that." the young man repeated.

"Just next time, don't throw anything on our side of the fence, okay?" Mr. Donaghy said.

I am so relieved that although our neighbors have a problem with communication, they aren't the jerks I thought they were. And, thus, Neighbors From Hell crisis averted.

Thank God.

Fire

All of Los Angeles is once again ablaze.

What should have been a beautiful Saturday has been made a scary sickening day.

The air is thick with smoke and Mr. Donaghy and I are staying inside because the smoke is suffocating. Today it was 95 degrees and I can only imagine that the heat fed the fire.

As I look to the sky and see an orange haze, the only thoughts I have go to the people that have fallen prey to this fiery beast. God bless the LA County Fire Department and everyone affected by these fires.

Shout Out!

A big jolly shout out to Reuben Jack Dodd as he welcomes his little brother into the world!

Reu--you are going to make the best big brother in the whole wide world!!!

reubenjackdodd.blogspot.com

When Neighbors Are Jerks

My beautiful black walnut tree has been violated!

I woke up to go to the garden and survey the scenery. This is one of my favorite morning pastimes. To my horror, I found huge heaping tangled messes of tree branches that had been thrown over the fence into my garden. I quickly realized that the branches had come from our walnut tree.

I stood there, mouth agape, and started to shake my head.

Mr. Donaghy was thoroughly pissed off.

"That's a black walnut! Those trees are protected!" he roared. Insert litany of profanity and cursing.

Upon further research, Mr. Donaghy discovered that what the neighbors had done was totally out of line. While they are allowed to cut the tree back to the property line, they are not allowed to throw the branches and debris onto our property. However, all this becomes null and void as the tree is a black walnut and therefore, protected.

Mr. Donaghy, red from anger and fury, declared he was going to speak to the neighbors.

Oh, wait, we don't speak their language and they don't speak ours.

I pleaded with Mr. Donaghy to just let this one go. While they were wrong, we were also wrong for not taking care of the problem sooner.

But, I wonder...
1. I spoke to them a year ago and told them I would do my best.
2. Why couldn't they wait until the tree was dormant?
3. Why couldn't they come over and try to talk to tme?
4. Why did they throw everything onto our side of the yard as though it were an act of anger or rebellion?
5. Why did they have to be jerks about it?

Neighbors suck. We should just live on a farm just like Mr. Donaghy says.

Mrs. Donaghy, The Interview Part One

Q: Hello, Mrs. Donaghy. Good afternoon. Thank you for taking the time to sit with me and answer questions about your life.
A: Sure, no problem.

Q: So, how long have you been married?
A: This coming February, it will be tree years.

Q: I'm sorry. Did you say tree years?
A: Ah, yes. Tree years.

Q: Don't you mean THREE years?
A: No, I don't.

Q: That's interesting, Mrs. Donaghy. Why do you say TREE years?
A: I say that because altho Mr. Donaghy and I will be married for THREE years, indeed, I look at those years as being a TREE.

Q: Is that so? Elaborate for me, please.
A: Sure. When you get married, the both of you are pliable like a little sapling. But, as the years go by, things happen to one person and then the other and then both at the same time. So, the both of you start to form a crusty barky exterior so that you can protect your two person union from the elements. If the marriage is good, each layer will grow on top of the other forming rings around the both of you and the inside can stay soft and healthy. Do you get what I mean?

Q: Partly. Could you explain further?
A: Sorry, no I can't. It's a little too abstract for me to understand at times.

Q: Tell me, Mrs. Donaghy, how did you and Mr. Donaghy meet?
A: We actually met in my kitchen. I was coming home from San Francisco where I was a bridesmaid at my friend's wedding. I got home somewhat late in the evening and had to go to work the next day so I was rushing into the house. My brother, while I was gone, said he found a Canadian that needed a place to stay and offered our guest bedroom to him.

Q: So, your brother knew him?
A: Yes, they met through mutual friends in the hot rod circuit.

Q: Continue...
A: Yes, well, so I came home and Mike greeted me in the living room to tell me that our new boarder was here in the kitchen. So, I reluctantly went to the kitchen to meet him.

Q: Can you recall what you thought the first time you saw him?
A: I thought he was really quiet. He didn't say that much.

Q: Was there an instant attraction?
A: Oh, yes. We both became very shy and did not want to speak to each other. Actually, we did not speak to each other or make that much eye contact that whole evening. I even fled to my bedroom under the pretense that I was getting ready for work the following day.

To Be Continued....

good idea

http://www.re-nest.com/re-nest/creative-reuse/junk-mail-art-067812

Patio Please?

Gravel
Brick
Flagstone
Slate
Broken Concrete
Poured Concrete
Pea Gravel
Concrete Pavers
Grass
Mondo Grass
Moss
Wood Decking

What do I pick?
What would be cost effective?
What would be good for my back?
What would work so that Mr. Donaghy and I stay married to each other?

Oh Boy.

Wishing Hoping Dreaming Praying

Something's Gotta Give

If I ever seek inspiration for what I want a house or room to look like, I always pop in this movie. The interiors are great and the story of the film is just an added bonus.













I wish I could look at all the rooms in my house with a diffused light. Everything would look so much better...

Guest Bedroom

Wouldn't it be great to have a guest bedroom that looked like this? It's not everyone's aesthetic but I figure if you are going to have a room for nothing other than guests, why not make it the room you couldn't live in because it's so much? Hopefully, the guest will notice they are not in some boring place and will thank you for making the room so different. Or they will curse you because they can't sleep in such a kinetic room.

Stencils vs. Wallpaper

I dare say that I am not the type of person who could commit to wallpaper. I rather like the idea that $80 worth of paint could change the whole room and not involve any steaming, tearing, chiseling, cursing, or producing tons of garbage.

When I was five years old, my parents bought their first house. We moved from a relatively large apartment in San Francisco to a tiny quaint two bedroom one bath house in Pacifica. The first decorating project I remember was the wallpaper my parents installed in the living room.

I quite liked the wallpaper. It was off white with gray bamboo all over.

So pretty. So demure. So zen.

The installation was not so pretty, not so demure, and certainly not zen whatsoever.

What I didn't like was the constant barrage of cursing emitted from BOTH my parents. My mother never swore and to hear her hiss "sh*t" and "god damn" and other things in Chinese (her mother tongue) was particularly worrisome. My father simply bellowed "SOB" and "F*@!" like a good old American.

The atmosphere was tense. At times I did not believe the wallpaper would even make it on the wall. I even thought this wallpaper could make my parents get a divorce.

Eventually, the wallpaper made it on the wall and my parents stayed married. In the end, it was great. After a while, I forgot how difficult the whole situation was and I believed that wallpaper was a good idea.

And then...

I spent a winter in England visiting my best friend Jenny (best friend since kindergarten thank you very much) and happily agreed to assist in whatever DIY project they were tackling at the moment. That larky happiness quickly turned to snarky snappiness when halfway through wallpaper removal I was thigh deep in sticky residue and no sign of progress was in sight. No, they did not leave me a solo act in this endeavor. There were three of us working on it!! The only thing that got me through it was knowing that it wasn't my home and ultimately, I would not have to live with the results.

I vowed then and there that I would never never never hang wallpaper in any house of mine.

Until....

I spotted this one particular wallpaper. I friggin' love this wallpaper! I love it so much I might consider forgoing my deep rooted convictions about wallpaper.





It's called Cordoba from a company called Zoffany. I really like all the colors it comes in. I would buy a roll just to cut it up and frame it. Or wrap presents in it. Or make a dress out of it. Or anything. I would do anything my little heart desires with this wallpaper.

What could I do to make a wall interesting without committing to wallpaper? How about a stencil, I thought.

Maybe. It's a lot of work yet much better than wallpaper! Still holding out for Cordoba, though!

Plants I Wanna Plant

There is an area of my garden that has a tremendous amount of shade. Luckily, I gravitate towards shade gardening and I personally think that a shade garden is far more rewarding and relaxing than a sun garden.

Here are some of my favorite plants and ones that I will be planting.







I plan to plant a copious amount of camellias, azaleas, and hakenachloa. The accents will be bamboo and angel's trumpet.




And, of course, Japanese Maples. I have three already and they are losing their leaves. However, they are greeting the autumn with the most fascinating red buds just swollen with the promise of a burst of red shock! I can't wait!

Altho the urge to plant tons of different kinds of plants exist within me, I think the most muted yet powerful statement can be made with the simple repitition of the same kinds of plants. Of course, the plants must have foliage interest as well otherwise it's impact can not be appreciated during it's off season.

I particularly like these plants because they have a fall/winter bloom. The other plants are interesting all year in terms of foliage.

So, at the end of this winter season, guess who is going to hit up all the nurseries for clearance sales of said wonderful shade plants?

What to do when you throw your back out...

Last night, I was preparing myself for a long and luxurious soak in the tub as I had just finished a long day at work. I ever so gracefully raised my leg to be lowered into the tub of hot water only to be met with a shooting pain that stabbed me like a Judas in my lower back. A nerve was struck and my leg was suspended in mid air paralyzed with pain that left me doubled over like a rice patty harvester.

"AHHHHH! MR. DONAGHY!!!!" I yelped from the bathroom.

"What is it?" Mr. Donaghy asked with apprehension.

"My back! I think I just threw out my back!" I replied.

"What did you do?" Mr. Donaghy asked.

"I don't know!" I said. And before he could mutter another word, the following irritating noise left my body. "Iiiiiiiiiiit huuuuuuuuuuurts! Huuuuuuuuuuuu-uuu-uuuu-uuuh!"

Silence.

I realize now that I prematurely started to whine. That said, I have no one to blame but myself for the lack of sympathy for my thrown back. It's like crying wolf even though it's really a wolf and the whining has left the other person with the wish that the damn wolf would just eat you up so they won't have to listen to it anymore. Whining is such a querulous act and once performed, any ounce of stoic heroics are viewed as "oh-it's-not-so-bad." I should have just stayed a silent movie and let the physicality of my body do all the talking.

However, I knew that Mr. Donaghy really was sympathetic when he offered to get out of bed to turn off the bedside lamp...on my side of the bed. What a good husband.

BUT, onto the next day. What do I do with myself when I am crippled? The only position I feel good in is in the sitting position. Alas, I have plunked myself down in front of the computer and have decided to post quite prolific. I am obsessed with the idea of redecorating the two other rooms we have and thus, have started to compile images of paint colors, furniture arrangements and the like.

I am always really inspired when I see anything that Kelly Wearstler does.



I love how her rooms are so graphic but not too overdone because the colors are usually muted with a huge pop or emphasis of said color and the graphics are more like a background effect.



I also like how she is not afraid to use primary colors like I am. I always fear that the room will end up looking like a children's hospital ward but the way she does it, it's like a relief. Almost like the color doesn't take the room too seriously.



Now, how's that for a masculine room Mr. Donaghy could sleep in? I, myself, prefer the masculine look because I like a room to look sexy and nothing is less sexy than a romantic room with cheap thrills and lace and flowers. A room like that is not the room Mr. Donaghy or any husband for that matter could make any kind of magic happen!



I really like the aubergine room. That would be great for a master bedroom.