Updating Accessories For Less

Every once in a while you just get sick of a perfectly good accessory, but you're too cheap (okay, maybe that's just me) to spring for something fabulous from one of the wonderful retail establishments you troll for design inspiration (oops, that was just me too). 

I recently decided I had enough of this...

There's nothing wrong with it really, I'm just tired of it.  It has been there for a long time and I'm over it.

So, after perusing the latest issue of Canada's House & Home (love that magazine) and Cameron MacNeil's Bringing It All Together feature, I decided to try this look...

It's not dramatically different from my current centerpiece, but enough of a change to make me happy...for a while anyway.  Plus, I already have all the elements except the glass lantern.  Oh, and one is fine - I didn't feel I needed three as my table isn't that large anyway.

I had two bags of river rocks I picked up a year or two ago at Tuesday Morning.  Wasn't sure at the time what I would do with them, but they were less than $2 a piece so what the heck?

I was too cheap to spring for the $49 glass lantern from PB, so I picked up this glass jar at T.J. Maxx for $9.99.

And here is my finished version of the look...

And here it is with an battery operated candle for when I want to leave the lid on it.  Obviously I think we all love real candles best.  Nothing beats or replicates the glow of a real candle, but you can't put a lid on it if you light it up.  Since I keep all of my candles in baskets in the armoire a few feet away, switching out my candles from real to battery is no big deal.

You've probably spied that price sticker still on the base and the initial sticker still on the top of the jar.  If you've read this blog before, you know I have to date most any accessory that comes into my house before I decide to make a commitment to it.  If you haven't read the blog before, where have you been?  This is fascinating stuff people!  Now, if you can tear yourself away from all this decorating brilliance, go make a new centerpiece and tell me how it went ;-)

Front Door Makeover Underway

Painting the front door has been a little tricky.  Apparently, paint doesn't like extreme humidity - it kind of gums a bit...not pretty. 

Anyway, here is the new color, Valspar's City Chartreuse.  I do like it.  But, it may be too much...well...green.  Maybe a shade darker?   I really don't want to buy more paint so I'll have to live with it for a bit before I decide.  It's perfectly fine to date a look before you marry it.  It prevents a lot of unhappiness (and wasted money) down the road.

This color looks very summer to me, but it might be a day brightener once the cold returns.  What do you think?

My Front Door Needs a Makeover

I'm in the process of painting my front door.  Not just painting really, but slapping on a brand new kick plate, door knocker and, if I can find the right size for this lovely old house, new door handle.

Here is the door before in all of it's blazing red glory:

This is the color it was painted when I bought the house and I did love it for a long time.  I think the Chinese believe red is good luck...or I thought I heard that once.  Eventually though, it was in desperate need of a paint job and I was in desperate need of a change in color.

I have settled on green, just not on the exact shade of green.  Something in the chartreuse family I think.  Chartreuse is such a cheerful color. A chartreuse door just says this is a happy house, don't you think? 

This is how far I've gotten with City Chartreuse from Valspar:

It'a a little brighter in person.  Not sure if it's too bright or not ... hence the unfinished bottom half of the door.

See that slightly darker swatch down the center?  That's a bit of Benjamin Moore's Olive Tree.  I really like that shade too.  It's just a bit darker...maybe a little more palatable?

Tonight I'm just going to finish painting it City Chartreuse and then decide if it's just too much or not.  If it is, I'm taking it back to Lowe's to see if they can deepen it a little more for me. 

Weigh in if you have an opinion.  I love opinions :)