Holiday Decor Preview

We finally got the downstairs painted, just in time to decorate for Christmas. Since the walls are now beautifully neutral, I decided this year's holiday decor would be too. I'm just so over red and green. I took a rustic glam approach with silvers, golds, and plenty of natural elements. I still have a few projects left before the Christmas decorations will be complete, including our stockings. Since I now have a pretty awesome camera on my iphone 4s and a photo app that I am in love with, I have been playing around with different effects. I will post more in depth about my dining room tablescape, pillows, etc. But for now, here are some shots from around the house.

tree trimmed with burlap ribbon and a rattan star

living room (now painted Bennington Gray)

new cowhide rug

lanterns filled with cotton, moss, and mini ornaments

The mini bar with a few festive touches

curly willow with silver mini ornaments

The unfinished mantle...stockings coming soon

I have a slight obsession with mercury glass

Kitchen buffet and hutch

Rattan Star (the larger version of my tree topper)

My fancy reindeer (about 4 feet tall)

still haven't added the mistletoe (trying to figure out how to get it out of a really tall tree)

rustic glam dining room tablescape

cotton place cards

jingle bells

Mirror Make-Over

In a recent post about my cubby unit, I mentioned that I was in the process of re-doing my bathroom. It is not an immediate project. I am just changing things here and there as I come across ideas or good deals. The walls are chocolate brown and the vanity, trim, and floor are all white. I am thinking I am going to stick with the white theme and add a white shower curtain. Before I began the make-over process, the bathroom design was a total mess. The walls were brown. The shower curtain was black and white. The rug was light green. A mess. 
The mirror hanging above the vanity was black and gold. I liked the carved detailing but the colors did not work at all. I took advantage of the beautiful weather this past weekend and gave it a transformation. First, I taped up the mirror with newspaper to keep paint from getting on the glass. Next I sanded the frame and then gave it a coat of white spray paint. I was surprised that one coat pretty much covered it. After the mirror dried, I made a gray glaze from gray acrylic paint and water. I rubbed it on with a cloth, working the paint into the grooves.

Before

Before (corner)

It turned out to be exactly what I had wanted for my bathroom. The mirror had the shabby chic look I was going for and the gray glaze was the perfect color to accentuate the carved detailing around the edges. It looked perfect against the dark bathroom walls. I will be taking pictures of the mirror hanging, once the rest of the bathroom is complete.

After

After (corner)