bathroom makeover

Finally added some color to my bathroom walls!! What do you think? I had originally thought to go a little darker but opted for a lighter gray-blue to keep the room open.  The color is Sherwin Williams 6218 "Tradewind".  Here's some before & after photos.

BEFORE

BEFORE

AFTER

AFTER

deco candles

I don't even remember where I saw these candles (sorry!), but I snapped a quick pic because I loved them SO MUCH!  I love the shape... so Art Deco :)

Candles are great accessories.  Never underestimate how much they can dictate your personal style to others.  It's fine to use fancy candle holders with white, unscented pillars... but why not spice things up by making the candle the focus?  These are beauties and I'm so in love with them!

sales!!!

SALES!! ...at some stores you can shop online or in store. Enjoy!

West Elm

Z Gallerie

Pottery Barn

Williams Sonoma

World Market

Macy's

Bed Bath & Beyond

(West Elm Organic Matelassé Duvet Cover + Shams)

Liberty of London at Target

I really love the Liberty of London collection at Target.  The patterns are so great! They just make me happy!! Check out some of my favorite items!~

L

Liberty of London @ Target

Custom Shelving vs Pre-made

I'm big on built-ins when it comes to decorating your home.  Not only will you get the results/function you need, you will always come out in the end with a more "high-end" look.  Example: Shelving.  The convenience of pre-made, store-bought shelving is undeniable and you usually get it at a great price.  But depending on the application that might not be the best choice.  Sure it takes a little more work to make custom shelving, but overall, it's really pretty simple.

In my own bedroom I have a mixture of both custom and pre-made shelving.  One of my biggest tips in home decorating: LET THE ARCHITECTURE DICTATE THE SOLUTION.  In other words, if you have some defining architectural detail, don't fight it, use it! 

I live in a contemporary loft so exposed concrete posts are a defining characteristic of my home decor (and I absolutely LOVE them, by the way).  Instead of ignoring the post in my bedroom, I used it to my advantage.  Perfect solution: built-in shelf for some books and other decorative items.

This space between my concrete post and the wall is over 7 feet long... try finding a pre-made shelf that even comes close to that length!  I thought about layering multiple floating shelves, but in the end decided that I just couldn't fight that post... it sticks out from the wall about 9 inches and a custom shelf butting up to it was the best solution.

 It did take a little more work, but not much!  Hardware stores like Lowe's and the Home Depot and happy to help with this simple DIY project.  If you purchase your wood at their store, they will usually make a couple of cuts for free (or if they charge, it's usually about 75 cents per cut).  Knowing the size of the space you'll be fitting your shelf into is essential when you buy the wood!  They make the cuts and you take home pieces the perfect size for your space, without having to worry about using power tools at home (I am NOT a power tool kind of gal!!)

The only labor I did in this project was putting 2 coats of paint on the shelf and mounting the brackets to the wall and shelf.  The project took me about half a day and I spent less than $50.  The result is a great looking shelf that is completely custom to the space.

On the opposite wall in the bedroom, it was the perfect opportunity to take advantage of store-bought shelving.  This blank wall doesn't have any defining architectural details so a regular floating shelf was exactly what I was looking for in this case.

On another note, the mix of contemporary floating shelves with more traditional bracket shelves adds to my eclectic look.  And please disregard all of the empty picture frames... I'm working on that :)

spray paint can work miracles!

I have been searching high and low for a suitable magazine rack to put in my bathroom.  I have a small bathroom and an even smaller space between my toilet and wall where I planned to put it.  Reading in the bathroom isn't really my thing (haha) but for some reason it's big with the men!  I cherish my Architectural Digest magazines and wanted a safe place for them... some place besides the edge of the tub or next to the sink where they risk getting wet.

I didn't want to spend much money since, as I mentioned, this is not a priority item for me.  I saw some nice options in a few different stores, usually ranging from $25-35... too much for me!  And usually they were too large for the space I have!  I was close to giving up until, BAM!, I walk into GoodWill one day and there's an old brass magazine rack, the perfect size and shape, for $2!!!  The only problem... brass finish and a little banged up from use.  So I went to WalMart and purchased some brilliant silver spray paint and 30 minutes later... brand new magazine rack, perfectly matching my decor.  Total investment... $5!! You can't beat that!

Spray paint really can work miracles!!  You can change the look of almost anything these days just by spending a few bucks and a few minutes spraying it a different color.  I was amazed at the number of color options for spray paint!  Silver is a pretty basic choice but you could choose a color to fit any decor.  Whatever the object you find, if the only problem is the finish of the piece, consider spray painting it!  It is such an easy option!

And here's the finished product! :)

It's been awhile...

So, I haven't been blogging in quite some time.  If you've wondered why it's because I've been spending the last few months concentrating on my 2nd business!  In addition to owning my own design business, I have also started up my own Mary Kay business!  I LOVE working for myself and after using the products for a few years I decided that it was something I really wanted to do.  I still have my design business and I still LOVE decorating and organizing but Mary Kay is something I wanted to add to my life!  It's an amazing company and opportunity for women!

Now that I've built the basics for my Mary Kay business and worked hard to develop my consultant skills and build my customer base, I'm back to blogging!  I have to say, I've never been happier!  It's amazing to work from home and set my own schedules, for Cassandra Renee Interiors AND also Mary Kay!  Now not only do I make people feel good about their homes, I also get to make them feel good about themselves!  It's the best!! :)