from BEACH to BURBS

Thursday, March 31, 2016

A painted piece: before it was the THING to do...

As I was spring cleaning our family room today it hit me that I painted this side table about 15 years ago. I haven't retouched it once. My mom gave this table to me when she was done with it. She had picked it up at a tag sale and painted it herself about 20 years ago!!

(she was painting pieces long ago...she'd paint you if you stood in front of her long enough...lol..)

When I inherited it from her, I painted over her forest green & yellow sponge paint with white. I decided to give it an aged look by using a dark stain...
I rubbed it on and rubbed it off.

(and although I LOVE and often use the chalk paints,
I continue to use this technique today)

I still love this piece!

And now it's sooo in!

Just goes to show you that

neutrals and whites last forever & maybe painted furniture will continue to be popular for some time.

Take a peek...

Have a happy day!!

xo, Mariaelena

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

WHITE ACCENTS: here, there & everywhere...

If you follow along, you know that I accessorize with white all over my home. I love the simple, classic, clean look white brings to any decor.

Here are just a few examples in our BURBS house...

take a peek!

Have a happy day,

Mariaelena

LINKING UP TO THESE PARTY PEOPLE:
http://thewickerhouse.blogspot.com/2016/03/create-share-inspire-link-party-21.html

Thursday, March 3, 2016

A quick spray!!

My friend gave me this idea around Christmas time when she used some old hydrangeas to decorate her tree. Today I gave these old, dried, brownish hydrangeas a quick shot with some white spray paint to freshen them up...
take a peek!!

BEFORE & AFTER

IT TOOK ALL OF ABOUT 3 MINUTES.
CAN'T GET EASIER THAN THAT...

Have a happy day,
Mariaelena

sharing this post over at:
http://www.dwellings-theheartofyourhome.com/2016/02/amaze-me-monday-152.html

http://bec4-beyondthepicketfence.blogspot.com/2016/03/talk-of-town-link-party-9.html

Tuesday, March 1, 2016

NEUTRALS & WHITES = my HAPPY place!

Today I'm writing a quick pictorial post showing how neutrals & whites can be light and bright but definitely not boring...

Our living and dining room share one rectangular
open space...

After 20 years in our home and lots of changes along the way this space has become my new favorite...take a peek!

Have a happy day...
Mariaelena

sharing this post over at:
http://chiconashoestringdecorating.blogspot.com
http://www.dwellings-theheartofyourhome.com
http://bec4-beyondthepicketfence.blogspot.com/2016/03/talk-of-town-link-party-9.html

Thursday, February 25, 2016

BOXWOOD...a great late winter filler!!

I needed a new filler for my tin pitcher

on my dining room server...

As much as I LOVE the spring flowers that are already in the florist shops, it's still very much winter here in the Northeast, so I grabbed my snips and clipped some boxwood from our garden....

I'm thinking this is the perfect answer for the rest of winter...take a peek!

Artsy angle???...lol

Have a happy day & remember it's never a bad idea to use what you have
& snip something from your garden!!

xo, Mariaelena

Tuesday, February 23, 2016

OLD WINDOW LOVE...

I LOVE re-using old windows...

Here are a few different designs using windows that we kept when replacing them in the BURBS house.

take a peek...

3 different sizes and 3 different uses...

I removed the glass and took it to a local
shop to have it fitted for a mirror...
It now leans on our mantel...

If you follow along, you've seen this one before...
a smaller window that I painted white
and added the toile fabric to the back...
it has hung in our foyer for years...

Finally, a longer window that I again removed the glass from.
I painted the frame with some
Annie Sloan Duck Egg Blue chalk paint
and then dry brushed some taupe glaze & some more white paint on top...
It almost looks as if I found it that way!!