West Philly Living Room Transformation

Happy Monday! Wait a second, isn't that an oxymoron? It's a rare thing for me to be blogging during the week, but I couldn't wait to share with you the results from this weekend's living room transformation!!

Photo: The Tiny Abode

Notice anything different?  Here's what the space looked like before.

 Photo: The Tiny Abode

Feeling inspired, I went to IKEA on Saturday and purchased 2 yards of Sofia fabric in black and white.  Stripes really can make a room feel more uniformed, tying the entire room together making for a more finished design (we still need a lamp shade!!). This was such an easy DIY!  Anyone can do it, and it only cost me pennies.  Here's how it's done: 

 Photo: The Tiny Abode

So what do you think?  Are you feeling the stripes??  Have you ever attempted a Roman Shade DIY?  Window treatments can really spruce a room up!  I'm very happy with the results.  Oh and one more side note!  We brought the faux bamboo tables out of the dungeon (aka, the basement).  I feel they look rather sculpture-like in the living room.  You can see more of our West Philly Home here. 

What's Black and White with Stripes all Over?

All day today I was in go-mode!  Feeling inspired, coming up with new ideas, totally energized!  Where did all of this come from, and why can't every weekend be this way?  Perhaps it had something to do with the first snowfall.  It's always so pretty to see the city streets covered in a white blanket of snow.

  Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

 I headed to Ikea and purchased two yards of Sofia fabric.  That's right, this self-proclaimed BIY-er (Buy-it-yourself) is going to attempt a DIY!!!  Who is this girl this girl, and what's she planning on doing with my house?

I'll be working on the surprise project tomorrow, and hopefully I will finish if all goes as plan.  

Wish me luck!

Stealing Orchids is Legit!

One great thing about the dead of winter, is the sales you can find on indoor plants.  Yesterday, while visiting Lowe's (again feeding my fixation), I brought home three orchids for only a dollar each.  THREE!! I couldn't pass it up!  That's a whooping $3.00 or you could just think of it as a very cheap center piece.  It doesn't get any better than that, unless you find some for a quarter each (doubtful).

 

 Don't skimp on indoor plants.  They can really bring any ol' drab room to life!  One of my favorite design bloggers, Emily Henderson (yeah you remember her... she's only the most awesome Design Star winner, EVER), gives tips on styling here.  I plan on taking Emily's advise and re-potting these into something a little bit more interesting, but for now they are definitely helping out my otherwise naked kitchen table.

Here are some interesting ways to decorate with orchids.... 

Eclectic Living Room design by Los Angeles Media And Blogs Lisa Borgnes Giramonti

 Photo: Daily Dream Decor

I'm considering adding my collection of orchids to the mantle.  Pretty predictable, I know, but it is a no brainer. 

Photo: J.K. Place via Villanueva design

 Now that my terrariums have made their way to the window seal, the fireplace needs some jazzing up. I'll let you know how it turns out, but first I need to find an interesting pot!

Oh Mighty Succulent...

 
January may seem like an odd time to consider gardening, but ever since the hubs and I cleared out a vacant lot beside our home, I can't stop thinking about all the possibilities!

 I am no expert, but I know that this is no time to consider planting outdoors in the dead of winter.  To satisfy my fixation, I have been focusing on the possibilities indoors!  I started with my potted succulents which were in dire need of being rescued.  These little creatures were once living in my office, but too many hands kept touching it.  I am not sure, but I have a theory that the oils on fingertips is not good for succulents.  Does anyone know for sure!?  Anyway, I brought them home about a month ago and started my own little growing / rescue project.  

I started by rounding up all the clear containers I could find.  Nothing is new here besides the potting soil (which it is actually cactus soil... you could make your own if you prefer).

Next, I gently pulled apart the plants until I had individual units.  I wanted to keep some of the original soil in effort to not shock the roots during the transfer.  I even saved some of the broken pieces, and let them sit on just on top of soil.  After a couple of weeks, roots began to form. 
 

I decided to separate my plants out into mostly individual containers.  I was to give each of them room to grow and to really establish their roots. At some point, I may combine several of them into one container to make an interesting collaboration. Here are the outcomes...

During the holidays, I decided to decorate my mantel with the terrariums in lieu of having a Christmas tree.  It was quite serene in my opinion.

Right now, I have placed mine in the window seal for extra sunlight.  There are so many ways to use succulents in your home!  Really the possibilities are endless.  Plus they are great conversation starters.  People love them!!

So far, I am pleased with my results (i.e. nothing is dead yet!).