Current House – Page 93

Gimme a Giveaway: Studio Tullia & Our Humble Abode

Published on January 4, 2013January 30, 2013 by Our Humble Abode126 Comments

This giveaway is closed; thanks for entering! See who won here.

Happy first Friday of the New Year, everyone! We’ve got an awesome giveaway today, coming from Studio Tullia and yours truly.

Studio Tullia is a lovely Etsy shop stocked with pretty, pretty pillows, so here’s a peek at my favorites.

Natural Cotton with Red Ribbon Embellishment:

Orange Ribbon Embellishment:

Chartreuse Velvet Pillows:

Now, feast your eyes on this beautiful 10 by 22 inch Ribbon Lumbar Pillow Cover, the first prize of the day.

Each pillow cover is made to order, so you can choose aqua (shown), pink, white, red, or brown ribbon on the natural cotton backing. Also up for grabs is a pair of my new Astrological Constellation Cut Outs.

Choose a pair to hang by your bed. Or keep one and give the other to someone special, the choice is yours.

The Goods: One 10 by 22 inch Ribbon Lumbar Pillow Cover from Studio Tullia and a pair of Astrological Constellation Cut Outs from Our Humble Abode. That’s a total value of $105.oo!

To Enter: Leave a comment, which can (but doesn’t have to) include our Just for Fun question.

Just for Fun: Tell us if/what your New Year’s resolution(s) is/are.

For additional entries:

1. Like Studio Tullia on Facebook.

2. Like Our Humble Abode on Facebook.

Contest Closes: Thursday, January 24th, 2013.

Number of Winners: One!

Ships: Anywhere around the world!

Other Info: We will select the winner using random.org and announce on Friday, January 25th. Good luck!

P.S. We’ve changed the length of our giveaways. Rather than one every other week, we’re spacing them out to one per month, for the whole month.

Nookie There

Published on January 3, 2013March 26, 2013 by Our Humble Abode17 Comments

In addition to the fireplace surround, we’ve also been busy building a little nook storage. We’re still not completely done (are we ever?!), but a few of you noticed it a few posts back. It was a small project, but we think it will make a difference in the function of the room. Another dead, useless corner, we need not. Ben built a basic cabinet with a floating shelf above. To make the floating shelf, Ben attached thin strips to the side and back walls. A piece of 3/4 inch MDF on top, then a few bracing boards sandwiched between a piece of 1/4 inch MDF.

To hide the gap, he added a piece of 3/4 inch MDF. Wood filler, primer, and paint covers the seams and brightens the little nook. Eventually, we plan to add a tv on top of the cabinet with decorative items and books on the top shelf. Originally, I wanted two shelves, but it would have been too tight and cramped up to the ceiling.

Oh, and I’m testing out a paint color. I picked up many of the swatches you all recommended, and Behr’s Wheat Bread was a close contender. But being on the north side seemed to bring out the blues in every color. Instead, we moved to the next swatch over and liked Behr’s Sandstone Cove. In bright light, it reads more tan, but in dimmer light (natural on the other side of the room or artificial) it has a slight gray undertone. Here it is compared to a 25% tint of Wood Smoke.

Wood storage is necessary close to the fireplace. Right now, we’re going outside to get wood. Every time we want to start or stoke the fire. So that’s how the bottom cabinet will function, once the paint cures that is.

Now we’ve got to install the baseboard, crown, and the rest of the trim around the doors in the hallway. There it is, a quickie built-in.

Have you made any storage additions recently? I’m craving a good organizational fix. Am I the only one that gets that itch after a new year?

NY, NA, ND

Published on January 2, 2013January 2, 2013 by Our Humble Abode4 Comments

Could I be referring to New York, not applicable, and North Dakota? Nope, I’m talking about a new year, new art, and a new deal. To kick off 2013, I’ve added two new cut out options to the shop. First up, a completely custom map cut out, focusing on an address of your choice.

At 12 inches square, this cut out is detailed, but still easy to frame. Pop it in an Ikea Ribba frame and you’re done. All roads are cut from white, then mounted to the background color of your choice.

Next up, a series of astrological constellation cut outs. Map out your (or anyone’s) zodiac sign. As a fun way to show who sleeps on which side of the bed, get one for your self and another for your spouse to hang on either side.

Each cut out is maps the constellation as well as the name; cut from either blue or black card stock, then mounted to a white sheet.

And now for a new deal. From now until January 10, every item in our shop is 50% off using the code RINGIN2013. Cut outs, prints, pillows, all 50% off.

Surrounded

Published on December 31, 2012March 26, 2013 by Our Humble Abode28 Comments

Well, it’s the last day of 2012. I seriously can’t believe how fast this year has gone by. We’ve got a nearly complete year and nearly complete fireplace. Though we did deviate from our original plan. Ben added the border trim and we decided to k.i.s.s.; keep it simple, silly.

Down the road, if we feel the need to add more trim, we can. I spent a few days sanding, priming, and painting the beast.

The front, mantel, hearth, and both sides have simple 1/4 inch thick by 2 1/2 inch wide trim around the edges.

Once the paint cures, I can start decorating. Eek, I’m so excited. We’re still not sure exactly what large item we want above. Maybe a mirror, but I’m leaning toward a long, lean art piece.

And then I can add accessories to the mantel. For now though, we’re just happy to have a more functional, brighter, cleaner (and easier to clean!) fireplace. Black hole, no longer.

Next up, sealing the slate, then grout. And then we can cross this make over off our list.

How did 2012 treat you? Any big life changes for you? Moving to the mountain house was our biggest change. And one we didn’t expect a year ago. Heck, this time last year we were mid kitchen remodel.

Squirrel in the House!

Published on December 28, 2012March 26, 2013 by Our Humble Abode13 Comments

Luckily, not a real squirrel. Just squirrel colored paint. On the doors. Two down, six more to go!

Handy Sammy is home visiting his family, so I took this opportunity to paint the main bathroom door. When only the boys are using it and they don’t care about privacy.

I used Behr’s Squirrel, color matched to Glidden’s Duo paint. Two coats of paint on each side with drying time between and here we are.

This is the only room we’ve installed new trim, and I love the contrast of the dark gray door with white.

This color changes depending on the lighting. Sometimes it has a green tint, others slightly brown. But here’s the most accurate shot of the color.

And now the brass handles don’t look terrible. Still not my favorite, but better. Perhaps I can use a very fine sandpaper to take the polished brass down to a satin brass? Ben is completely against spray painted handles, so that’s out. I’ve also tried Blue Magic and steel wool without any change.

Do you like dark painted doors? Have you used a fine sandpaper to tone down the brightness of brass?