a treat for me: new crewel!

I might have a bit of an addiction going on here!

How could I resist this adorable, only a dollar, thrifted crewel? A tiny piece of vintage craft past? And of course the colors – purple and yellow – go so well with my sunroom as does the floral motif. Love it!

Sunroom treasures: curtains & crewel

I finally got the curtains sewed for the sunroom!

I first wrote about my fabric selection way back here in February of 2012. The design is by one of my very favorite artists and bloggers, Geninne Zlatkis. I just adore her sweet little birdies and appreciate our mutual love of nature. When I finally went to buy the fabric it was actually rather difficult to find a continuous piece. There seemed to be plenty of smaller quilt-worthy cuts but it was a trick to find what I needed. The moral of that story is if you see some new fabric line you absolutely must have, well, don't delay in buying it.

Curtains are fairly simple to sew once you've mastered the elusive straight line (I will admit this was actually quite difficult when I was first learning to sew) but I still sought some online guidance. I ended up following these directions posted on Design*Sponge.

I also added these sweet little crewel pictures I bought for a mere $2 each at the Allegan Antiques Market. Of course odd numbers are better when it comes to decorating so I will have to keep my eye out for a third!

The oval shaped one had this inscription on the back. If anyone knows Judy Verslype, please pass along my compliments. Her craft work from long ago is making me smile today!

New couch + new rug + backyard birdfeeders =

Our new favorite room!

After many months of musing about updating this sunroom I was ready to take action. A side trip to IKEA, the magic of the minivan (that loveseat just barely fit!), and an enthusiastic evening of assembling and decorating and my family has now moved our evening hang out time to the cozy little sunroom. I moved a small bookshelf up from the basement and stocked it with our nature guides and nature-themed picture books, a magnifying glass, binoculars, some blocks, and our board games (which might get some use now that they're accessible!).

The loveseat is positioned in such a way that you can watch the birds, which is really my main purpose for this room – communing with nature in the backyard and reading. The large flat arms are perfect for leaving the chapter books we've reading as a family. Or for providing a perch for kitty. Purple wasn't in my original plan but it is my very favorite color. So I welcome having it upstairs.

The green shag rug reminds me of grass and I like it a lot. I know shag is not for everyone but I think it makes sense in this sunroom. My older daughter's toy horse has claimed it as her field and become a permanent sunroom resident!

We also hung a lovely crewel piece by my great-grandmother. The dimensional greenery reminds me of the rug and the little purple flowers pick up the color of the couch. I want to get a few more fun pillows to pick up the gold color. And I am still planning on adorning the window with curtains made of this great bird fabric (of course birds for a bird-watching room!).

love this loveseat

I think this one might be it. But first I need a sit, which might require a road trip! West Elm's Henry loveseat in "Lagoon."

fall colors = sunroom colors

Pantone recently released its Fall 2012 Color Report.

I was interested to see that many of my sunroom color ideas are part of the palette:

A part of me really really wants to get some of that magenta into my house – they call it Pink Flambé – but after I fell in love with this fabric, I may just have to let that go.

a favorite artist makes fabric

I love and adore the work of Gennine. I have yet to buy any mostly because I can't decide which piece I love the most. This past week she announced that some of her work will be used on fabric to be released this spring. I am thrilled! I think I will use this one for sunroom curtains. It has little birds (I intend the sunroom to be a sit and watch the birds room as well) in a teal that is found elsewhere in my house. And it has the colors orange and yellow (already in or near the sunroom) and poppies, which are one of my favorite flowers. Sigh! Just lovely!

lime green couches do exist!

Was anyone else super-impressed with JCPenny's ad this past Sunday? New logo, new layout, perhaps new products? Before seeing this lovely, artist, white-space filled ad I would have associated their store with "grandma" (no offense to my dear grandmothers). Now I think of sassy spring clothes that I would actually wear and lime green couches (pardon, "gecko") that just might work in my sunroom. That's the power of graphic design my friends!

Poufs!

I saw this article in the Sunday newspaper recently. Plus, these cube ones popped up in a JoAnn's ad. I once saved these cushion making instructions from the blog Living with Punks. And a quick peek at pinterest shows a whole world of flexible seating options.

These appeal to me for several reasons. One, you can pick your own fabric. I never seem to like the colors and patterns that I can find in stores so making my own is often the best route to go. Two, these are super kid-friendly. They can be stacked and rolled and moved. Three, they're flexible. They can be tables, chairs, doll beds, or cat perches. I can just imagine these soft and friendly poufs floating about my house as needed. Perhaps a stack in my freshened sunroom?

Notice I said poufs with an "s." As in multiple. I always dream big don't I?

Dear IKEA

Dear IKEA,

Can you please offer this super comfy overstuffed chair perfect for cozying up in for long sessions of reading, journaling, or just watching the backyard wildlife –

– in this fabulous, cheerful, awesome pink?

My sunroom thanks you.


An IKEA fan,
Amanda

PS Dear blog readers do you think it is possible for modern square loveseat and comfy overstuffed chair to coexist in the same room? Or is that just strange?

"color and pattern expert"

In the October 2011 issue of Better Homes and Gardens they featured Khristian A. Howell in article about using and wearing color. They called her a "color and pattern expert." How's that for a job title?

Of course, I had to go check out her website. I've found a kindred creative spirit! She designs patterns that get used on fabric, journals, stationery, and other products. She sells her own photography and paintings and prints. She does graphic design. She writes books.

And she felt no need to narrow it down to one single focus. Her brand is herself and she shares, and sells, what it is she creates. Very intriguing to me.

Plus, I am totally in love with this Moroccan Mirage fabric. For the sunroom maybe?

Thoughts on the sunroom makeover

I am still building my inspiration board for the sunroom. I have found several inspiring rooms in decorating magazines.

 Of course, all my inspirations are large and the sunroom most certainly is not. So where I admire a room with 5 interesting side tables and collections of interesting lamps, I might only have one of each!

I need to decide between one small couch or a pair of overstuffed comfy chairs. I need to decide between neutral furniture (tan) or funky furniture (pink couch anyone?!). I am imagining the tan might be easier to find and reuse long into the future.

I really itching to start the room, perhaps by find the perfect rug or a fabulous funky floral fabric to make some curtains from... I think this is a project that will come together slowly as I find the right pieces. I haven't been searching diligently quite yet.

Martha, I love your poppies!

As some of you may remember, I have a bit of an obsession with poppies and poppy-themed art. I just like them. I suppose the sassy bright red-orange is part of the attraction. So you know that I just loved the May 2011 cover of Martha Stewart's magazine.

Once I finish my current project list, those simple stamps are a must. Look at the pillow! I am also imagining pillows in my not-yet-reality update to the sunroom. And perhaps curtains with blooms – a pattern? Or growing from the bottom? In fact, the cover might inspires me to stick with warm colors (plus green, the neutral of nature) and incorporate pink. 

So now where do I find the perfect couch in orange, pink, yellow, or lime green?

Sunroom color palettes

So after we paint the kitchen – perhaps next summer – then my next room to tackle will be the sunroom. I have actually already painted it a nice sunshiney yellow and have no intentions of changing that. Now that we are working on furnishing and accessorizing the adjoining outdoor room (the patio and pergola of last summer's labors) I am contemplating the sunroom as a parallel space. Like the patio area and the sunroom are sibling rooms.

Right now we have a couch in there but it is there by default and not design. I redid it in college with the help of a seamstress friend who was always willing to assist in making my visions reality. I have quite enjoyed it but the colors are not something I chose with this particular space in mind. Besides, we have long discussed getting a pullout couch of some kind so that we have a place for a guest to sleep if the need arose. I just read in some design magazine that you should always get neutral furniture so you can update the accessories in the room and completely change it. But I, the one who owns a red couch, may just be inspired to buy a purple or orange one for this room.

I am also pondering some bold, modern, floral pattern curtains on the two windows that face each other. Something with vines that are similar to the ones we are growing outside perhaps?

And a nice big rug for the center of the room. Perhaps an end table with a lamp? A cozy chair tucked into a corner for reading? Maybe a coffee table? I have an old cedar trunk tucked into a closet that might make a nice surface.

We have also discussed moving the rocking glider indoors during the winter so that makes me wonder if I should leave space for that.

The current room is mostly occupied by the cat. As you can see, it was added onto the exterior of the house so the brick and what was once an exterior window are a part of the room. I kind of like that uniqueness.


Here are some color palettes I have been pondering:

This was from a recent issue of Midwest Living. I can't say I've really explored using pink much in our home before now.

These are pages from a recent Crate & Barrel catalog. Of course I am attracted to all these bright colors. The warm purple is the same shade I painted our shutters and exterior doors last summer.

I am very intrigued by the combination of the ocean teal (the color I envision for the kitchen) and the warm purple. The room is from House Beautiful and the ad is for clothing by Coldwater Creek.

In the end, the decision will most likely be made by finding the perfect rug, fabric, or couch and going from there.

Any opinions anyone?