DIY No Sew Ruffled Burlap Bedskirt {home decor}

When will finally completed the footboard to match our headboard we created a new need:  a 22" bedskirt.  When I started looking online to find an extra long bedskirt, the choices were extremely limited and expensive.  So of course I started to research DIY solutions.  I found a great burlap bedskirt that I loved on Etsy, but they wanted well around $115 for it and I really only needed a bedskirt for two sides rather than three.

Of course I can't sew!  Totally embarrassing to admit because I believe all women in my extended family can, including my aunt Martha who is AMAZING and publishes a magazine on sewing called Sew Beautiful.  Luckily I am signed up for my first sewing class THIS weekend... I can't wait!

Back to the bedskirt.... since sewing was not an option, I searched for "no sew" options and eventually came across a blog that gave me the idea I ended up using.  Unfortunately I cannot locate the blog to include a link, but if I find it I will add it.  Basically it included using a staple gun to attach burlap to a 1x2.... THAT I can do!

So I went to JoAnn's Fabric and bought about 3 yards of burlap and then went to Home Depot and bought a 1x2s.  The hubby cut the 1x2's to the approximate length of the bed (~78").

I started by cutting the burlap in half.

Then I folded about 1 inch of the short cut sides of the burlap and ironed it to get a clean straight edge.

To make the "ruffled" effect I folded the fabric about half an inch and stapled it using a staple gun.

Above 2" down I added another fold in the other direction and stapled it down.

Once complete I just pushed the 1x2 in between the box spring and the mattress.

Side view (before we put the footboard on).

Final product with the footboard.

The project ended up being REALLY simple and probably took longer to find the idea on the internet and get the supplies than the actual execution.  In the end it cost less than $50 to complete!

Let me know what you think about it!

Lydia Daybed (similar to PB Priscilla Daybed) {wedding}

For the wedding, I knew I wanted a "lounge" area but with the limited rental furniture market in Denver that was going to be a hard thing to do in my budget and match my style.  So I volunteered my soon-bo-hubby to build a bed, haha!

I found plans online for the Lydia Daybed on www.Ana-White.com (one of my new favorites... I will share more posts in the future of other items we have built from the site).  Paul reviewed the plans and we made a shopping list and headed to Home Depot.  Paul made a few adjustments to the plans to make sure he had the tools to build it and feel comfortable it would work, but overall it ended up coming out great and very similar to the Lydia Daybed and Pottery Barn's Priscilla Daybed.

Lesson Learned from this project: Make sure you build it so you are able to take it apart.  We can't get this bed up the stairs at our new house so it is just taking up space in the garage until we figure out how to fix it.  I love it so much that I don't want to sell it!

We used shelving corbels as the curved pieces rather than trying to custom cut them.

We ended up using curtain rod finials for the corners since we couldn't find any other options small enough or cheap enough. 

I painted it with leftover paint I had our the house and it matched my color theme for the wedding.

We added a couple of pillows from around the house and I bought a cheap white single sheet (not shown) to cover the mattress from IKEA.

Photo of the "lounge" area at the wedding with the daybed.

Photo courtesy of Anita Roach Studios.

Fireplace Tile and Mantel {our home}

 

One of the options we did NOT take from the builder was the tile fireplace surround. The standard included a porcelain 12x12 tile around the insert, which wasn't what we imagined for our dream fireplace. Rather than select one of the builder options (which we could have made work) we chose to save the money and do it later ourselves (as well as the backsplash, which I will post soon). We asked the builder to leave off the standard 12x12 tile since we would ruin the wall board by removing the tile once we were ready to redo it.

So after multiple weeks of staring at this lovely boring wall and visiting lots of tile shops trying to find a tile that we both agreed upon and was budget friendly, this weekend we started the renovation....

BEFORE: The fireplace and mantle

We started by installing the tile so they we could maximize full size pieces and minimize the cuts. We knew we could build the woodwork around it custom ourselves. With some instructions and tools from our dear friend, Steve, we attempted to install it ourselves. We learned a few lessons along the way and from our backsplash that we had just completed a few weekends before. It was my second tile install and I am pretty happy with the results! It helped that we picked a simple tile similar to the backsplace shape and size.... not the complex irregular shaped tile I tried to convince Paul we should install. Luckily I changed my mind and we went with a more traditional and graceful tile selection (and MUCH more affordable).

NOTE: When budgeting for tile as a first time installer, make sure you realize that sealers are a MUST for stone and ridiculously expensive (in my opinion). We paid $75 for the one we selected.

Close-up view of the travertine tile as we installed it.

Installation of the 3"x6" travertine tile.

Installation of the tile complete (minus sealer and grout).

As we headed out to Home Depot (our regular Saturday night date location), I snapped a photo of this molding in hopes to match it for the columns we planned to add. Unfortunately Home Depot didn't carry it and we ended up deciding while at the store that we would add another layer of molding to separate the top from the columns and help to hide the joint between them (thus we would have to move the existing molding anyways).

Close up of the molding before that sadly we had to remove.

So Paul set to work removing the existing molding and the LONG nails they used to install it. We ended up having to sand underneath quite a bit before installing the new molding we had picked out.

Removal of the existing molding since we couldn't find the same molding in the stores for the columns.

Close up view after the removal of the molding and some sanding.

Most of Paul's Sunday was spent building the columns due to the complexity of the cuts at the corners and the existing trim. After many hours and a sore back, he finally had the columns ready for the trim molding.

After the removal of the molding and some sanding. Also shows the addition of the columns which took most of the work for Paul due to the corner layout and existing trim and conditions.

Close up view of the bottom of the added columns.

All Paul had left was the trim molding on the top panel and the legs.... easy compared to the previously completed work.... especially with our new nail guns!

Installation of the new molding at the top panel.

Using our new nail guns makes the hubby happy! So much easier and faster to install trim!

Next up.... grouting the tile! Then paint.....

West Elm Turning Pendant Chandelier {home decor}

The standard builder fixtures were not my taste and I have been itching to start replacing them!

I had my eye on a gorgeous shade pendant from West Elm and I received a 10% off coupon in the mail. Luck would have that when I took the hubby in to look at it in the store, amongst other items I had been eyeing the lighting was all 20% off! It was meant to be, so we left the store with a new fixture we both agreed on.

Today the installation is occurring and for no additional cost thanks to my handy husband! No electrician needed.