Thursday: Project (Remembered)

(Sarcastic Header and Picture)

Gone are the days (for me, though they shouldn't be) of hand planing, drilling holes with a egg-beater style drill, hand nailing, and pencil and paper sketches. 

I have been reflecting on my life lately, and how dynamic it can be. Dynamic meaning that it is a fluid thing. Some areas improving, and some declining, always trying to strike the right balance. I have noticed that my DIY skills are getting better in a lot of ways, but I am relying more and more on the technology that can sometimes replace good-old-fashioned-thought and planning. 

Years ago I saw the OEUF Classic crib, and I knew that it was "the one for us." Unfortunately, the price tag was "the one for someone else"

So my first child furniture related DIY had begun.

I first decided that I would need to buy a good router, then find a way to measure all of the openings in the crib, then build a template that the router could follow, then etc.blah,blah,etc.etc,blah,etc.

THEN I FOUND SHOPBOT

In this particular case, it isn't a matter of skill, or great craftsmanship, but rather the realization that computers are better than me.

WHAT I REALIZED IS THAT THE DESIGN IS THE HARD PARD. THE FABRICATION IS MANAGEABLE.

STEP 1

DRAW CRIB ON COMPUTER.

STEP 2

PUT SHEET OF MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard) on shopbot table.

STEP 3

Push ENTER.

STEP 4

PAINT

STEP 5

ASSEMBLE

STEP 7

ADMIRE AND BLOG

I am sure that I have Blogged about this before, but the reason that I have chosen to put it up today, is because I have a couple other DIY projects in the works, and I have noticed that when the Computer does all the work, things are easy. The latest project will go up soon, and I will explain what I mean. I have to give credit where credit is due. The computer did this project, and when I do it, things aren't quite so smooth. I'll post it up soon.

Tuesday: Backyards

They proved you can have a camp out in any backyard regardless of its size! Poor Satchel is still sick. Kevin was spending some much needed Daddy time with him. He loves his dad very very much.

Monday: Update on Boys Room

We moved the boys into the back room because of light and noise issues in the front room. Too many windows for nap time and too many kids playing outside to go to bed at night. We moved the Ikea bookcases upstairs to go on either side of the window. We brought the train table back out because it has spent that magical 6 months in hiding where Satchel now has a brand new toy to play with. Kevin is currently building him a toddler bunk bed/hideout in the pop-out in the corner of the room that you can't see. Eero will sleep underneath on the bottom bunk when he moves out of the crib.

Notes on room:
-carpet is from a carpet remnant store in San Jose for $80.
-Train table is Melissa and Doug. $100 I think.
-Frames from Ikea.
-Chair free on Craigslist with upholstered fabric from Ikea ($4)
-Bookcases Ikea. $130 each.
-Dresser. Hand-made by Kevin.
- Frame on dresser- Pottery Barn kids, elephant from Moma store. $25.
-Lamp HomeGoods $20.
- Cooler on bookcase- vintage. Kevin's grandparents.

Lots going on around here. Still in my PJ's and it's 2:45. Been working all morning with two sick kids. But the best part of sick days are we all slept in a little later because we were all up all night, and then getting to watch a movie with Satchel on the couch and pancakes for breakfast. We also went on a walk, hunting for pumpkins and got an M&M every time we found one. Terrible diet for being sick, I know. But I am in survival mode.

Hope you are all off to a great Monday.

Friday: California!

  

Thanks for all the comments! Happy Friday!

Thursday: Before and After

Thank you to the two who commented on the last post! I will try all of those suggestions. Thank you.

We've had a busy week. Tomorrow I am meeting to work on two commercial spaces re-designing the lobbies. I am also working on finally designing my living room for the first time instead of things just ending up wherever. I'm excited. 

This before and after was a blast! The clients were amazing. Budgets, deadlines, decisive! Every designers dream come true. It was an honor to work with them and a pleasure every day. And we still have more work to do so the fun will just keep going. 

Before:

After:

 Paint color: Elephants Breath FB match

 Paint color: light blue FB match

Monday: Survey

Today I am skipping Top Ten and asking if you would be so kind and participate in a survey we are doing for Match. As we are forming our business we would love to know what you (our clients!) really want. Please feel free to leave your comments anonymously.

 Survey Questions:
 What type of design work are you looking for if you were to hire an interior designer?

 What price range seems appropriate to design a room?

 How much would you be willing to spend on interior design services?

 What kinds of blog posts are you most interested in?

If I could help you with any tips or advice or shopping what would you most appreciate?

 What would you like Match to offer you that we aren't currently?!

 Don't be afraid to be completely honest! I know we are all on small budgets! Don't be afraid of writing too much or too little! I want this blog to be something that you love coming to each day and something you find extremely useful as you work on your own home.

 THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP!!!Whitney

image via GOOP

Thursday: Before and After

 This house belongs to a dear friend of mine. She was my very first client in Palo Alto almost three years ago! I just finished taking some portfolio pieces of her home and I think they turned out really nicely. Isn't the house beautiful?! I'm so glad I was able to be her interior consultant. We still have some finishing touches but it's coming along so wonderfully.  Hope you enjoy. By the way, it's almost Friday! We have a fun video for all of you to watch. Can't wait!

 

Wednesday: Designer Tip

We've had a request about paint colors!

Paint colors are overwhelming to me too. We painted our third rental about 10 times. We have sworn that no amount of money is too much to hire a painter for next time! Yeah, right.

Here is my advice:

I am very snooty about paint colors because of experience! I think of myself as having a very sharp eye when it comes to color but paint and how the light affects it and how it goes on the wall and how much darker or lighter it looks when you use it has been a bad experience for me every time I have used ANY color besides Farrow and Ball's. I am sure that there are plenty of very beautiful colors other places but I have always had great luck with them. I also really like Ben Moore's super white, decorators white, cloud white and patriotic white. My favorite F&B colors are: pointing, clunch, skimming stone, stony ground, bone, mouse's back, elephant's breath, london clay, citron, blazer, book room red, hound lemon, cooking green apple, olive, saxon green, minister green, vert de terre, light blue, cook's blue, chinese blue, drawing room blue, hague blue, down pipe, pelt, tanner's brown, green smoke, off-black. Even though I think every single color is absolutely brilliant.

Oh, and one other tip! Go Matte on pale colors, and eggshell or semi gloss on darker colors. You can do anything with white. If it's a small, dark room, add some shine to it.

Monday: Top Ten

Thursday: Project

Learn how to turn an Ikea easel into something more functional for the little ones.
Untitled from Whitney Lundeen on Vimeo.

(image via keepcalmgallery)

I know it's the second post of the day but I had to tell you that we have been mentioned in a few blogs and are excited and surprised and so happy about it!

Yesterday on Ohdeedoh, and last week on Desire to Inspire, Welcome to Heardmont, and Design Mom.

AND, we started our blog re-design yesterday! On november 1st you will all get to see it! We are excited. It is bad right now. Real bad.

We also need a photographer in the bay area to photograph our family. I am wanting some artsy/fashion style for the shoot. Let me know if you have any leads!

Wednesday: Designer Tip

"Movie stars have known this for decades. Looking good isn't just about the body or face you have; it's all about presentation. The setting, the pose, but most importantly, it's all about the lighting."

Lighting is an element of design that is often overlooked and under-purchased. That light that hooks to your ceiling in the middle of your room is NOT your only light source!

Do you recognized how pretty you look in the Anthropologie dressing rooms? Do you feel hideous like I do in a TJ Maxx dressing room? I don't know if I have ever bought something I tried on in that store! It's all because of the lighting. Light coming from the ceiling is not flattering (fluorescents)! In Anthropologie, two eye level sconces are placed next to the full length mirror. They are blushy tones and make you look incredible because there are no shadows on your face. Also, good hair salons have great lighting because it's at eye level.

Renters usually can't put lights on dimmers so here are a few tips:

1. Soften the lamps (design term for light bulbs) by buying pale pink bulbs and mixing them with regular bulbs throughout the house.  They flatter all skin types. I usually buy 75 w bulbs and 25 w for smaller fixtures that I barely want any light coming from. But always think about what the purpose is for each fixture and buy the bulb accordingly. 

2. Choose lighting from a mixture of sources, including table lamps next to the bed, wall sconces, or chandeliers over a seating area.

3. Use candles. They are very romantic and extremely flattering.  Have dinner some nights with just candles!

4. One last thing to consider is where the light is coming from. Level with your face is ideal, so a table or standing lamp will serve your purpose well. You may want to consider using several points of light to even out the shadows and to provide a soft glow throughout the room.

I personally love table and floor lamps and think they should be all over the house! And IF we use ceiling lights (besides chandeliers) they should be on dimmers or very low watts.

Tuesday: Cheap and Chic

We would all love to buy the originals from all the classic designs we see across the internet wouldn't we?! My design philosophy has always been the same as Billy Baldwin's, "Buy the best you can afford." For some of us, $75 per chair is the best we can afford. 

Overstock impresses once again. These chairs are $150 for both of them. They were designed to imitate Ray and Charles Eames molded plastic series. They are both a great design and affordable. 

Monday: TOP TEN

Every home needs a wingback chair. I see it in a corner with a floor lamp, ottoman, cozy blanket, small side table with a mug of cocoa and a good book. Don't you think every house needs a spot like that?

Here are some of our favorites. It's worth saving up for!

Which one would you buy? The bamboo one just needs a small cream back pillow. We are saving for the womb chair and I really love the lines on the wheat triton too. The piper is amazing but out of our price range. Maybe some day!