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~ From Beach to Chic!

Author Archives: AMM

Nautical Chic: Sliding Porthole Bathroom Door

05 Tuesday Jun 2012

Posted by AMM in Bath, Before & After, Inspiration

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

bathroom makeover, Cody Harpie, Ding Shack, nautical door, sliding barn door

sliding barn door with port hole I am envious of Sarah’s punch list.  Mine is so long that I am not sure I would ever get through it.  However, today, we can cross one item off our never-ending list.  The kids room upstairs has been without a bathroom door since our renovation 3 years ago!  We finally hired our friend Cody Harple, from the Ding Shack to design and install a sliding barn door.  The hardware on the door is simple and the mirrored porthole adds a nautical touch that’s totally appropriate since my husband is a sailor and we live by the ocean.  sliding barn door for the bathroom

Sliding barn door with a port hole mirrorI also like the use of a mirror in the porthole instead of a window.  It reflects light from the front window and is already a hit with my toddlers who are already putting the stool up to it so they can make funny faces.  Now if I can just get some photos on my striped wall and door knobs on my closet doors I will feel a little better about the length of my punch list.

If you like nautical decor, then you might like these:
Open House: Amy’s Greenhouse Conversion
Upcycling the Office with a Nautical Touch
Ship to Shore Interiors Overlooking Newport Harbor

Outdoor Shower Makeover on a Budget

31 Thursday May 2012

Posted by AMM in Bath, beach, D.I.Y., furniture, garden, Inspiration, Outdoor

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

galvanized bucket, gardening, gutter planter, ideas for updating the outdoor shower, outdoor shower, striped shower curtain

A few years ago my brother built us this outdoor shower.  We already had the hot water hook up and it only cost 75 bucks for the parts and installation!  It has been invaluable for rinsing post beach and I find having a rinse is the most refreshing part of my day.  I hadn’t really cared as much about the way it looked as the functionality of the unit, that is until I used it for the first time this season.  We installed it with no shelving or stool.  Only a few towel hooks.

It’s pretty empty and devoid of character.  So I decided to revamp it!

I adjusted the slate tiles and added some tropical plants.  There is an old cast iron gutter that lines the house and is not actually functioning as a gutter these days. I had the idea a few years ago to turn it into a planter box and this was the perfect excuse to give it a shot.  I lined it with a straw mat and filled the bottom with stone and some potting soil.  I added plants and some top soil and the planters were complete.  I  chose plants that were happy in partial shade and also in high moisture.  I also chose plants that will grow and drape over the side.

outdoor shower with gutter planter

Lastly, to solve the shelf issue, I looked online at all the options out there.  Most were super pricey and we like the idea of having something either re-purposed or handmade.  It dawned on me that we had a galvanized bucket sitting around and it would make a great shower caddy/ towel holder!

There you have it, an outdoor shower makeover that cost very little and looks a whole lot better!

If you like this post, rinse and repeat with some others:
Upcycling the Office with a Nautical Touch
Spring is Coming! Create a Garden Journal
My Favorite Day of the Year

The Perfect Frosting Color

22 Tuesday May 2012

Posted by AMM in Celebrations, D.I.Y., Inspiration, Kids, Shops We Love

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

cupcakes, food coloring, frosting, Oh the lovely things

I never seem to get the frosting color just right when I attempt to color it myself, (not to mention the fact my baking skills are severely lacking).  I found this great D.I.Y. over at Oh the Lovely Things.  All you need is a standard box of food coloring that contains yellow, red, green and blue.  Take one cup of frosting and add the number of drops indicated under the color you want to use and voila!  A pretty little frosting that can be applied to cupcakes or any other sweet confection you are baking.  For more details head over to Oh the lovely things.  Note: the colors in this photo look a little soft to me so adjust the number of drops accordingly.

If you like this post, then you might like these:
First Birthday Party Ideas

Kids Birthday Party
Cupcakes for Everyone
A Birthday P-ART-Y

A Sweet Idea

Purple Reigns in These Rooms

16 Wednesday May 2012

Posted by AMM in Bedroom, Inspiration

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Irises by Vincent Van Gogh, Lavender, purple, Purple rooms, violet

“…The barge she sat in, like a burnish’d throne…Purple the sails, and so perfumed that The winds were love-sick with them.” William Shakespeare: Anthony and Cleopatra, II

irises-van-gogh Irises by Vincent Van Gogh

Let’s talk about Purple. Maybe it’s the budding Irises in my yard, but I have been drawn to this color lately. Soft shades of lavender and violet are not just for little girls who love princess colors. Shades of Purple can make a room feel feminine but also chic.  Pair it with grey, black lacquer, yellow, or even fuchsia and you can have a sophisticated room that would make anyone, male, female, young or old, feel cozy and at home.  Have a look at some of my favorite purple rooms:

purple living room

lavender decor

gallery on lavender wall

purple in the bedroom

Image sources:
Wabisabi Green, From the Right Bank, From the Right Bank, 4 Inspired Design, Little Green Notebook, Little Green Notebook

If you like this post, then you might like these:
From Red Carpet to Your Home
12 Days of Holiday Decor Ideas:  Feather Boa for your Mantle
White Interiors: Chic and Colorful 

Potty Talk: Inspiration for the Loo

03 Thursday May 2012

Posted by AMM in Accessories, Bath, lighting, Tabletop

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Bathrooms, inspiration, Thames Street Kitchen, TSK

Thames Street Kitchen a farm to table restaurantLet’s face it, most restaurant bathrooms are pretty icky.  In fact, I find most commercial bathrooms, well, gross really. I would not normally write a post on such topics, however I was having dinner at a local restaurant, Thames Street Kitchen, and was very impressed with their unisex bathroom.  So impressed that I actually snapped a few photos.

Thames Street Kitchen ArtEven before entering the bathroom, I was met with some thought provoking art.

thames stret kitchen soap

Thames Street Kitchen PlanterMoss, smooth stones, and good lighting made the experience quite pleasant.  Thankfully, the food and ambiance INSIDE the restaurant were even better!

If you like this post, then you might like these:
From Farmhouse to Your House
Etsy Pick of the Week:  Sweet Meas for Upcycled Vintage Finds
Freshening Up in the Bathroom

Follow Up: Eames Chairs DIY Finally Gone Right

01 Tuesday May 2012

Posted by AMM in D.I.Y., Furniture, Inspiration

≈ 13 Comments

Tags

chair, diy, Eames, vintage Eames chairs

Eames DIY gone wrongRemember these?  My DIY gone wrong?  Well I finally had them re-finished and here is the end result…

Herman Miller Eames chairs painted Tangerine DreamHerman Miller

While I am happy with these as is, I am starting to obsess over the legs.  I would love to replace them with the updated Eames chair look.

Eames ChairsEames RockerAnd I think this Rocker would be pretty cute in the kids room.

As I was waiting for the happy return of my chairs, I got word that my grand mother has more!  This DIY just got even better!  Who knows, maybe I’ll put rocker legs on all 4 and paint them pastel or matte grey or red lacquer or matte white or cerulean blue or….

If you like this post, then you might like these:
Society Social Offers Entertaining Must-Haves
Colorful Plantation Chairs Perfect for Lounging
Vitra: Collectable Iconic Designs

Upcycling the Office with a Nautical Touch

25 Wednesday Apr 2012

Posted by AMM in Before & After, D.I.Y., Eco-friendly, Furniture, Home Office, Inspiration

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

11th Hour Racing, Atlantic Cup, conference room, Coronet, Dividing Open Spaces, Domino Chair, exposed brick, office, Pallet Furniture, pallet recycle bin, Pocket Doors, reclaimed wood, Recycled Sailcloth, sail cloth, Sail Cloth Decor, screens, Sliding Doors, Steelcase

“We’ve got everything we need right here, and everything we need is enough.”
― Jack Johnson

This year I started working part-time, for my husband’s company.  The first thing I had to do was find them a new office space.  After a bit of hunting I hit the jackpot!  A newly remodeled, open space, complete with exposed brick walls and incredible harbor views! Finding the space took time but was really fun.  Trying to decorate the space to accommodate the needs of five individuals was a bit more challenging.  Thankfully I have some very talented friends, including C&B’s Sarah Fernandez.  After taking a look at the space she helped me come up with some ideas.  I took those ideas and presented them to the bosses who also had creative solutions.  Our work is all about collaboration and I think in this case, the outcome is pretty darn good.

BEFORE:

Wanting to keep an open feel and not have to be stuck in a cubical, we found this screen in the basement of my husband’s sail loft.  Our wood worker, Cody Harple, designed the feet so it would have a free-standing feel to it.

AFTER:

Using reclaimed materials was a must for our office.  We are very conscious about minimizing the use of non-essential materials and maximizing the use of old materials by re-purposing them.  This desk was created out of reclaimed wood from the Coronet.  Cody had created another version of this and we HAD to have one!  Thankfully he had some left over pieces and was able to design a desk that fits our needs.  We can easily have two people working here at the same time.

We wanted to have a large recycle bin in the office and this is what we came up with!  Thankfully pallets are very easy to come by and FREE!  The liners are recycled sail cloth from my husband’s sail loft.  They are easy to remove and have rope drawstring handles so we can easily tote the recyclables out of the office.

The conference area presented a greater challenge.  We couldn’t go up to the ceiling and we didn’t want to bolt anything to the wall or floor. Cody came up with this design that can be removed and reinstalled if we ever move, though I hope we never will!  The walls are made of recycled sails and reclaimed wood and are attached by clamping to the structural beams already in place.  The pocket doors slide easily in and out of the frame to create a private room where we can meet with our collaborators (or stash some interns). The conference table is made from wood and carbon fiber.  A homemade cast off from a friend’s former business that used to be my dining room table.

For seating, we ordered the Domino Chair from Steelcase.  They are really comfortable and we love that they can be completely recycled if need be.  It is wonderful to be in a space that is not only functional but unique and fun!  The fine detail work and design by Cody Harple makes each corner of the office a beautiful place to work.  My hope is that after viewing this post, you will challenge yourselves to re-think the norm when it comes to design. We are not all crafty or born with good design sense but we can all be creative.  When our group worked together by putting all kinds of ideas on the table, we ended up with solutions that make every day in the office a good one!

A very special thanks to Miranda Harple for the fine photography.

If you like this post, you might like these:
Translation: Sailor Stripe Shirts at Room Decor
Sneak Peek: Nautical Stripe Staircase Makeover
Knot Nice

New Pillows for the Patio

24 Tuesday Apr 2012

Posted by AMM in Accessories, fabrics, furniture, Inspiration, Outdoor, pillows, textiles

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

nautical, patio, preppy, Sunbrella, vintage

The warm weather we have been enjoying is getting me excited about my patio project!  This year I plan to remake the cushions for my outdoor furniture; after reading Pamela’s post about decorative pillows, I am going to add some to my outdoor furniture as well!  I have picked out this simple Sunbrella fabric and now I need to find some great throw pillows.  The problem is, there are so many great ones out there.

Nautical or vintage?  Preppy or funky? I Love this one from Etsy.  It looks like a vintage scarf.

What ever I decided I know I want to mix prints and add some pops of color.  Who knows, Maybe my tomato plants won’t be the only pop of red out there this summer.

Image Sources: Sail Rite, West Elm, Olive and Garland, Target

If you like this post, then you might like these:
China Seas Outdoor Fabrics
Under My Umbrella
5 Fabulous Outdoor Dining Tables for Under $500

Happy Birthday Fenway Park

20 Friday Apr 2012

Posted by AMM in Inspiration, textiles

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

fenway park, green monster, Green slicker, hunter boots, Kermit the Frog, VW van

The Green Monster

Today marks 100 years of Fenway Park. Growing up in Massachusetts, Fenway has played a big roll in my life.  I will always remember the trips to watch the Sox play with my dad and brothers, first dates with certain nameless boyfriends, and then there was my best friends cat, “Fenway” ( they also had a cat named Wrigley, talk about baseball fans!).  To pay tribute to this milestone I would like to dedicate today’s post to The Green Monster.  Here are a few green items that I feel are as classic as the old ball park.

Happy Birthday Fenway!

Image Sources:  Pavonia, French Classics, Ltd, Jildor, CCAD Designs, Wikia

If you like this post, then you might like these:
Weekend Snapshots from Bean Town
Green Gift-Giving
Need Even More Inspiration?  Follow Us on Pinterest!

Feeling Blue at Venetucci Home

17 Tuesday Apr 2012

Posted by AMM in Accessories, beach, Dining Room, fabrics, Furniture, furniture, Inspiration, Lighting, pillows, Shops We Love, Tabletop, textiles

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Azure, blue, gold framed art, linen, navy walls, pillows, traditional accessories

Who knew arriving to a yoga class 30 minutes early would work out so well?  Having a few minutes to myself, I hopped downstairs to a relatively new home decor shop here in Newport, Venetucci Home.  I walked in and noticed the various shades of blue throughout the shop.  Linen slip covered furniture happens to be a look I am in love with so I just about fell over when I saw chairs covered in this bright azure blue linen, .

There were beautiful textiles and accessories with hints of blue throughout.  The nautical pieces mixed in with traditional styling, put this local shop high on my like list.  A navy accent wall with gold framed paintings was the icing on the cake.

Thankfully, I am in the market for a new dining room table and chairs.  I think that is reason enough to return to Venetucci Home and skip yoga!

If you like this post, then you might like these:
Home Decor Hunt in Newburyport
Me Casa Sue Casa
Besame Mucho

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