Dabbling in Water Soluble Oil Paints

Dear Chicago House,

Today the sun is shining and the snow is melting. I can at last see some of my front lawn...it maybe brown and rather disgusting looking but it's a start and I am going to take it.

One of the things I have been dabbling with  during this miserably cold winter are water soluble oil paints, and this past weekend I completed my first canvas.

Here is a close up

and the entire composition of three sea birds on a Florida beach. It helped me to paint something that brought back warm sunny memories while dealing with "The Mother" of all winters!

I have never taken any art classes so Miss Chicago Teen has been giving me a few pointers.
She even joined me for a few of my painting sessions and is painting a much larger canvas.

 

Painting along side her was a bit intimidating as she can literally throw the paint on the canvas and it looks good.  I promise to share it when it's finnished.

We both painted from photographs and used our ipads to display them.

One of the most useful tips she gave me was to pick a neutral color and paint all the shadows in first. In photo above the far right bird is just rendered mostly in blue and this concept can be seen even more clearly in the lover two thirds of Miss Chicago teens painting.

I am excited to break out another canvas and continue with my dabbling!

Love from

Creative in Chicago

XX

Categories: Art, Beachy, color, Craft Projects, Crafts Project, decorative accents, On the Wall, Paint it baby, Pretty, teenager

Rooms painted in Behr Aqua Breeze

Dear Chicago House,

I cracked open my paint tins last week and painted my living room. Would it shock you to know that I have gone for Aqua Breeze by Behr ...again! I seriously love this color. It dons the walls of my office

 the walls of the living room (and master) in our new PA house

and I also used in the living room and master of our now sold St Louis townhouse.

And here it is in my freshly painted living room.

My plan is for a more coastal look in this room...which is quite a challenge with the great big leather furniture. Sally the driftwood sea horse already adds a bit of charm

Love from

Creative in Chicago

XX

Categories: Beachy, Paint it baby

Bringing Nature Indoors and The Dump Gift Card Winner

Dear Chicago House,

I planted 185 bulbs this past weekend and I am a little sore today I have to say...but sore in a good way!

I was so thrilled with the display of allium and tulips I had in the spring I thought I'd add to the show and plant some more in a different area of the garden. So hopefully come April I see some more of these.

I left the alium in place for ages as I loved the texture of the seed head. In fact I loved them so much when I cut them down I saved some of the best ones , spary painted them white and brought them inside.

Now I can enjoy them year long.


But lets turn our attention to more pressing matters that seed head. Who is the winner of my second "The Dump" $134 gift card?

I plugged all the comments I got through Facebook and on the blog post into an online Random Generator and out popped a name.

Congratulations Mary Rios you are the winner! I will be contacting you shortly to get your address.

Love from

Creative in Chicago

XX

Categories: Decor, decorative accents, Paint it baby, Pretty

A New House and Behr Aqua Breeze

Dear Chicago House,

So lets just say I have been a bit busy. The St Louis "sibling" town house was sold in May and we bought another townhouse in Pennsylvania soon after that (long story why...too boring to share).

I spent a lot of time house hunting online and Mr Chicago house did all of the viewings. We bought this house without me ever visiting it and what with a crazy summer schedule I had to wait until last week to set foot over the threshold. Had Mr Chicago made a good choice or was it a complete balls up?!

I loved it from the moment I walked in, bright, sunny and airy, 10/10 Mr Chicago house!

It is a brand new house which is a first for us and of course I had to get rid of some of the builder beige. Within 24hrs of my visit I had cracked open my first tin of paint and tackled the living room.

I am so in love with Behr Aqua Breeze the color choice was a no brainer

It is such a relaxing color ...I need to do a post one of these days with all the rooms I have painted in this color!

Anyone moving house will know the challenge of "making your furniture fit" but we have done pretty well. The dining room table started life in our first house in the UK, moved to Belgium and is now on it's 4th house in the US.

These stools however, are a new addition and give a great pop of color to the kitchen

What do you think?

Love from

Creative in Chicago

XX

Categories: Decor, decorating, Paint it baby

Which paint color do you like best?

Dear Chicago House,

Remember how everyone of your walls was brown, beige, taupe, fawn yuk, yuk yukity yuk? Well "brown makes me frown" and it is fast becoming  distant memory. You have a new color palette and as I have had quite a few requests as to the colors I have used, here we go. This is the easy going, relaxing color palette of your ground floor.

In the dining room I have used Behr Maiden Voyage and Benjamin Moore mayonnaise

In the Family Room I slapped on a couple of coats of Behr Relaxing Green

Then in the living room I selected a shade darker than the relaxing green and used Behr Herbal Mist

The sun room (which in fact was the only room that wasn't brown) got freshened up with the lovely Mayonnaise by Benjamin Moore 

And my latest paint project is my office which has come to life with Behr Aqua Breeze
 

The only room not pictured is the kitchen, which, while beautifully done with cherry cabinets ,is so NOT my cup of tea. I'd love to paint them but am terrified I'd ruin them forever!

Which one do you like best?

Love from

Creative in Chicago

XX

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Categories: Brown Makes Me Frown, color, Paint it baby

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

Transforming a Brown Home Office

Dear Chicago House,

A creative's work is never done, it is the same in my professional role as a web and graphic designer and within your walls.

Here is the big project I am about to tackle ...the office.

No surprises that yet again brown is the hue of choice in that room, everyone will know by now that brown makes me frown, so it is going to go. Be ready to welcome crisp white trim and soft aqua breeze walls. I have purchased the paint, prepped  the walls and dragged in my huge step ladder so I can tackle the vaulted bits.

I have been collecting ideas and posting them on an office board on pinterest

The light is wonderful in this room and very conducive to creativity, it will be even better when the brown is gone and I feel like I am on the beach.

Love from

Creative in Chicago

XX

Categories: Brown Makes Me Frown, Paint it baby

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

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

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