Something on the walls! Office decor progress

Dear Chicago House,

Let me start off saying a big thank you to all the birthday wishes last Friday. In that post you did have a little teaser to the progress I am making in my office, it seems to take me ages to get anything done around here but at last I am making headway. I have already shared  the paint job which took years off you, going from drab brown to a fresh "aqua breeze"

Now I have got around to  hanging some art on your walls, this takes me a little longer than the "normal human" because I am a self confessed art snob wanting pieces that are completely unique and insisting on creating everything myself.

Tadaaa!

I got handy,dandy with the drill and installed an Ikea Lack shelf then came my creations, the Sea and Sand string art (it was destined for the St Louis town house but I just love it here!), some gorgeous sea glass, a box frame of simple polished pebbles and some rope vases for some arty supplies.

And pulling back a little here is my desk
 

And lets take a little flash back in time to see what was.

Arrgghgh

Love from

Creative in Chicago

XX

Categories: Beachy, Before and After Magic, Brown Makes Me Frown, Decor, decorating, On the Wall, wall art, Windows

The Power of Paint

Dear Chicago House,

You know that room in your basement that used to look like this and now looks like this?

Well it's time to take a bow because it has been featured over at The Power of Paint, a  site dedicated to all things PAINT!



Love from

Creative in Chicago

XX

Categories: Before and After Magic, Brown Makes Me Frown, Featured

Art for a Dining Room

Dear Chicago House,

It may seem I jump around from room to room in your grand makeover and it's true I do. Last week I painted your office and instead of focusing on getting that room ship shape here I am hanging art in your dining room. Now to be honest these pictures have been in the making for a while ( I worked out my color palette here) ...but it takes time to get frames and mats, you know how it goes. So they sat around for a few weeks looking like this.

But now they are matted framed and hung...whopppee, exactly the contemporary feel I was going for in your dining room.

Getting there slowly but surely...all while nursing a blistered finger I dripped hot glue on. Ouch!

Anyone else got anything wacky hanging in their dining room?

Oh and just for fun lets take a little look back in time a remember what I started with in this room.

Love from

Creative in Chicago

XX

Categories: Before and After Magic, decorating, On the Wall

Decorating a home office: Progress

Dear Chicago House,

Whew, boy did I ache when I had finished painting your office last week. Would you like a sneak peak of how it is looking today. I have a lot more to do like adding a gallery of art and putting up a floating shelf but already it feels so much better.

Bye bye to

• Dark wood trim
• Beige walls
• dark stained built-ins
• More horrible window treatments

Hello to

• Crisp white trim
• White built-ins
• Soft blue walls (Aqua Breeze from Behr)
• Naked windows!

Remember how you used to be?

I can't wait to get going and make you complete, it is going to take time as I am snowed under with work as The Chicago web designer and also dealing with web design companies that have stolen my testimonials (I "out" them on my testimonial thieves wall of shame ..ha , don't mess with me! )

Love from

Creative in Chicago

XX

Categories: Before and After Magic, Decor, decorating, Paint it baby

Quick Fix for Scratched Hardwood Floors

Dear Chicago House,

You do have some beautiful hardwood floors, I didn't really understand the fuss realtors made of them until I had them. Now I am smitten.

Yours are generally in very good condition...apart from one spot in the living room which I think must have been damaged by the moving guys when your previous owner moved out. Here they are annoying scratched.

But I remember reading once about a simple fix ...rub the scratches with a walnut. Now I didn't have any whole nuts in the house...just a packet of walnut pieces I occasionally use while baking, but they worked a treat.

Here is the same floor just two minutes later ... nearly perfect

Now I thought this may be a five minute wonder and the scratches would reappear ...but three weeks later and the floor still looks scratch free.

Long may they continue looking fab.

Love from

Creative in Chicago

XX

Categories: Before and After Magic, How to

Decorating: A dining room before and after

Dear Chicago House,

I thought it was about time I shared another decorating before and after with you. This time it is the dining room, I am very slow at getting things ship shape and with all of your rooms this is "in progress" but worthy of a share.

Lets start with the before and hey guess what color you were? That's right, another brown/beige room complete with hideous curtains.

And by the wave of my internet wand here we have the room as it is today, and oh so fresh after years of brown. Behold the magic of paint!

Out with

• Dark brown trim
• A chair rail that was too low
• 1980's window treatments
• Beige walls and yikes,wallpaper

In with

• White painted trim
• A better placement of the chair rail
• Cream walls with a fresh pop of turquoise (Behr Maiden Voyage) for a contemporary feel
• Lots of natural light
• Simple gromet curtains(Henley Rand from Ikea)
• Furniture!
• Some greenery - no silk plants for me

To Do

• Wall art ...I have something in progress
• Removal of that funky chandelier
• Purchase of a new light

This is such a cheerful room to come into


Love from


Creative in Chicago

XX

Categories: Before and After Magic, Brown Makes Me Frown, Decor, decorating, Paint it baby, Windows

Changes with Creative in Chicago, can you spot the difference?

Dear Chicago House,

Looking at the staggering number of visitors enjoying the journey I am having transforming you and all my crafty projects I decided to spruce up this old blog ...seeing as that is what is I do professionally. Just as your rooms are ever evolving so is this blog.

Can you spot the difference? You now have an updated header with easy access to anyone who would liked to follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, your feed and on Twitter . What do you think?

I have more plans in the works but this is phase one of your update. Stay tuned!

Love from

Creative in Chicago

XX

Categories: Before and After Magic, Graphic Design

More Basement Before and After: Shelves and Storage Closets

Dear Chicago House,

12 months ago your basement looked like a revolting dungeon, it is amazing what a little lot of white paint and 10 weeks of painting whenever I had a spare moment can do.

Now you may have been rather unpleasant but you do offer great storage ... see that long wall of cupboards (if you are British like me) or closets (which is also me, as I am America too!). They are just fabulous, who doesn't like storage.

But your chipboard laminated cupboard doors were brown and ugly just like the rest of your basement. They got the primer (Kiltz) and white paint treatment (semi gloss) too and my my don't they look so much better.

The wall of storage delight even offers some open shelves which got a styling makeover recently with a few treasures.

I did worry about the durability of painting the laminated doors but so far so good...they had three coats in total and have stood the test of giggly girl teens crashing into them.


Love from

Creative in Chicago

xx

Linking with

addicted2decorating | homestoriesa2z |

Categories: Before and After Magic, Brown Makes Me Frown, Paint it baby, Pretty

Managing Cables and Wires

Dear Chicago House,

Not every project I undertake within your walls results in something fantastic and arty farty I have to photograph straight away.

However a DIY adventure last week, to get a handle on the mess of wires in my office, produced in a very satisfying result that deserved a mini photo shoot.

Here is the before, messy irrating wires and cables

Abracadabra with wonderful WireMold Cordmate (you can get it in Home Depot)

And we now have order.

WireMold Cordmate is very easy to use, it has a self adhesive back and a locking chamber to hold all of those pesky wires. It took me longer to clean all the dust bunnies under my desk than to install it.

Love from

Creative in Chicago

XX

Categories: Before and After Magic, DIY, How to

Decorating a Sun room: progress

Dear Chicago House,

Forgive me if I am mistaken but isn't a sun room for a little light therapy", painting it a yucky dark color and filling it will heavy furniture sort of defeats the object don't you think. I mean look at yourself, you should be ashamed

But that was during the reign of your previous owners and this is now.

Bye bye to

• Weird ceiling beams ( they were decorative ??? anyway)
• Gross green walls...this was the only room in the house where the walls were not brown
• Wood stained trim
• A valance that extended the whole perimeter of the room

Hello to

• White woodwork
• Simple ceiling
• Fresh neutral walls
• Light

The room is not finished yet, I need a coffee table of sorts and some lamps, but it is a fabulous place to lounge.


Love from

Creative in Chicago

XXX

linking with

notjustahousewife | homestoriesa2z | addicted2decorating |  flamingotoes.com/ homemakeronadime.com | .iheartnaptime.net | sistersofthewildwest

Categories: Before and After Magic, Brown Makes Me Frown, Paint it baby, Windows

Guest Room Makeover: Before and After Reveal

Dear Chicago House,

Are you excited? Over the next few months you have lots of family members visting you ...all the way from the UK.

Now, do you think they will feel welcome in a guest room which is dark and dreary with shag pile carpet and "oh my god look at those drapes"  ?

I think not. So lets fast forward and see how your guest bedroom looks now.

I think this light airy room will be much more their cup of tea, don't you?

Out with

• Shag pile carpet
• Brown Trim
• Brown walls
• Heavy drapes
• The necessity to have two lights on in broad day light

In with

• Fresh soft green walls
• New light carpet
• Simple gromet curtains
• Loads of natural light
• A comfy bed ready to dive into
• An empty dresser, ready for your guests to fill.

I know which version of the room I would rather lay down my head in!

Love from

Creative in Chicago

xx

HandymanCrafywoman | Home stories A2Z | homemakeronadime | sistersofthewild | notjustahousewife | adiamondinthestuff | bunnyjeans | livelaughandcraaft | addicted2decorating |

Categories: Before and After Magic, Brown Makes Me Frown, Paint it baby, Windows

Beach inspired family room makeover: before and after

Dear St Louis House,

Are you ready for a before and after of your family room? You are a bit of an odd shape, built directly over a garage, long and thin with just one window.

Here you are in your before state, a bit bland with a carpet color almost the same as your walls.

After a wonderful holiday in Florida, a plan was mulled over, formed and you were destined to become a beachy room even though you are about as far away from the sea as you can get in the jolly good old USA.

You are not quite finished yet ...needing a little wall art, but the bones of the room are in place.

 

 

You have a very sea scape palette, Aqua breeze walls, a sink in luxury sofa the color of drift wood and a glorious loop carpet the hue of sand. Nautical and beach inspired accent pieces  ( decorating with shells, Monkey Fist rope balls, fish net coin jar) are dotted throughout.

The curtains and pillows both come from Ikea ...I have been desperate to find the right room to use these curtains for ages and they fit here perfectly.

I hope you like it!

Love from

Creative in Chicago

XXX

Linking to

theshabbycreekcottage | gingersnap | bunnyjeansdecor | addicted2decorating | homestoriesa2z | liveloveandcraft | handymancraftywoman | lilluna |

Categories: Beachy, Before and After Magic, Paint it baby, Town House

More Basement Makeover

Dear Chicago House,

I am pretty bad at getting round to posting updates on some of your more eye popping makeovers. I look at the picture below and ask myself how we ever convinced ourselves you were are lovely house to buy. This is the bar area in your basement. Yuck yuck yuckity yuck! I mean there is nothing nice to say is there?

Are you ready for the after?

ahhh that is so much better, not perfect by any means but it's no longer quite as disgusting.

Here is what I did

• Painted all the paneling ( read about that here)
• Primed and painted the cabinet doors white
• Replaced the hardware on the cabinets
• Primed and painted the formica work surface black.
• Got my husband to smash that weird shelf thing on the right hand side
• Framed some contemporary scrap book paper in a set of simple clip frames

Much better!

Love from

Creative in Chicago

XXX

My entry into Domestically Speaking’s Power of Paint Party is sponsored by Appliances Online and the Bosch Washing Machines.


Linking with

a beach cottage |Home stories A 2 Z | Thriftyhome | therosehome | Domestically Speaking | bluecricketdesign | organizeanddecorate | shabbycreekcottage | somewhatsimple | Not so simple Housewife |remodelholic | HandymanCrafywoman |

Categories: Before and After Magic, Brown Makes Me Frown, Paint it baby

Master Bedroom Curtains: makeover update

Dear Chicago House,

Hurray, I can dance naked in my bedroom... at last you have curtains on the windows! I debated long and hard about what to do for window treatments. I wanted privacy but maintain the lovely light that fills you. The last thing I wanted to do was go overboard as your previous owners had and make the room a dark and drab chamber.( see photo of master bedroom progress)

Roman blinds, mini blinds, curtains, double pole, single pole, lights and airy , patterned?...choices, choice, choices!

Good old IKEA came to the rescue and I was so please with the way the curtains I had hung in the master bedroom of the sibling house had turned out, I decided that was the way to go for you too.

With a total of six windows I thought something plain yet elegant would work best and the grommet tops add a contemporary touch.

This master bedroom is well on its way to recovery after years in darkness! ( see horrible window treatments here)

Love From

Creative in Chicago

XX

Linking with

Addicted 2 Decorating | Home Stories A 2 Z | blog.addicted2decorating.com

Categories: Before and After Magic, Pretty, Windows

Staining a deck that's gone green

Dear Chicago House,

Eeek one of your decks has gone green, you know I am not that keen on brown but when you go and try to disguise it with green gunk,  well I just have to do something. Your deck need to be restored to it's brown state ...there are some things that do look good brown! I bet you never thought you'd hear me say that.

So  I have been out there hosing you down and scrubbing with a broom (the power washer decided it wanted a day off and refused to switch on) and then gave you a couple of coats with lovely rich brown (yes brown!) stain.

Are you ready to see the result?

 You are now a lovely place to sit.

and relax.

 

There is a place for brown after all.

Love from

Creative in Chicago

XX

Linking with sasinteriors | Addicted 2 decorating | Centsational Girl | shabbycreekcottage |

Categories: Before and After Magic, Garden, How to