Jim Thompson's "Enter the Dragon"

I saw this sample today, and it took my breath away.  It is not in stock in the US, only in Thailand. Special Order only.. These iphone pictures don't even do it justice; the colors are more brilliant-- oranges, turquoise, yellows, a brown background. It is very "painterly", meaning:

 there are visible brushstrokes, the result of applying paint in a less than completely controlled manner, generally without closely following carefully drawn lines. Works characterized as either painterly or linear can be produced with any painting media, oils, acrylics, watercolors, gouache, etc.  *

I am seriously thinking of just framing a yard of it over my bed.

Are you your worst client?

I am. 

I'm trying to make decisions for my small laundry room project for the ORC and honestly, because I see so much decorating on a daily basis, I love too many things and can't narrow it down for myself. My current dilemma is the window treatment.  This is what I have to work with:

You'd think the sky's the limit, but I'm being sooooo picky. Here's my mindset:

•  I want a decorative pattern, something that stands out, designer-y
• I don't need full privacy, but would like a valance or something to come down 1/2 way from the top window
• I could do a faux roman shade
• I''m not sure if treatment should hang from the ceiling
• I do love the white molding of the window to show
• Alot of color or neutral? ( I'm thinking no on neutral...TODAY)
• Layered treatment with woven shade under a topper?

Here are some choices I've considered:

Have you seen this hand stitched detail on this fabric! WOW.

Bethany's opinion of her Mom as the client:

Whew, good thing I love her.... :)  She loves everything but will only fire on neutrals, Scandinavian or traditional things.  She can get me to fire on something that I'm hemming and hawing over, but as good as she is at execution, she can't seem to do it herself.  At least on her laundry room.  We've looked at fabrics until we're blue in the face but still she second guesses it. Bottom line, if she was a real life client, she'd better be paying me some good money because she would be a tough one.  That brings me to another point.  If we had all the money in the world, she would have the most beautiful things.  But since we always have a budget in mind for all of our personal projects, we have to get creative.  But most things she likes are pretty timeless and she's always been way ahead of the curve.

Nancy's opinion of Bethany as the client:

I absolutely love Bethany's aesthetic. It is fresh and a little different than me.  She is young fickle though, and  buys (and returns) a lot online.  I feel there is no compensating for touching, feeling and seeing the actual scale of the print.  Of course that takes time and legwork and if you have to wait for samples to be mailed, that's time lost.   Shopping in real time, that's when we have the MOST fun; sourcing and doing our 'market research' out in the real world, not virtual world.

Personal projects are probably the most fulfilling because we can stretch our imaginations and convince each other to do things we otherwise couldn't impress upon a normal client.  But even so, I still find myself stuck on this fabric dilemma.  

What is your dilemma room in your house?

-Nancy

THE REVEAL

When some of you suggested I bit off more than I could chew, I thought 'nah, I can do this'.  Well, I do have another day job, a huge beckoning yard AND I didn't factor in mistakes, so this was a great learning experience for me. 


Here is my breakfast room BEFORE:

Here is the AFTER:

(alright I seriously need to makeover cabinets and counters next, maybe a pendant light ASAP )

 I do want to know how to make all these things, so I took on the challenge and the deadline. (which was the hardest part!)  So many of my rooms are not 100% finished, so this made me realize all the little finishes I need in some of my other rooms, cause IT REALLY MAKES AN ENORMOUS DIFFERENCE! (duh)

One of the big challenges was my faux roman valance over the kitchen sink.  I watched a few online videos and researched directions, but getting those folds straight and aligned without sagging was tricky, to say the least.  AND, in my blinding effort to forge through this I accidentally cut the extra length off my shade on the width end (and made it 42" wide) not on the bottom of the shade. So I had to piece another width to the side of the valance so it would span 54" and then add another piece of lining to the back all seamlessly so no one would notice.  I think I pulled it off.  My husband helped talk me off a ledge at midnight one night 'cause I was bound and determined to get it installed in one day.  It took me one whole day to make a little valance!

                      Here area my Danish modern (MCM chairs that are 40+ years old) BEFORE:

DURING:

Here they are recovered in Primitive Stripe Navy, Natural AFTER:

Here is my light fixture  BEFORE (I upgraded 5 years ago to stainless and never was thrilled with):

and here is my new fixture, AFTER:

The  trim fabric ,Sumter Ikat Sky, was added to white panels from West Elm,  BEFORE:

    DURING:

with assistance from the cat:

                           

 AFTER:

              

My kitchen window BEFORE, sans valance:

  DURING: ( see big mistake here)

with faux roman valance AFTER:

Add the Jill Rosenwald "Fallon"  rug:

Here are some more pics from our own photo shoot:

Total cost of makeover = $406.

light fixture $89.99

Drapery panels: $40.00

2 yds. Trim fabric: $17.96

2 yds. Seat fabric: $121.45

Scotchguard $7.99

Rug $129

Thank you Linda, the founder and fellow "undaunted dozen" for joining in this challenge and pushing us to finish a project!  Can't wait for Spring Into Action, Part 2 -- no time soon, please!

Kerry at Design du Monde

Suzy at Saved by Suzy

Tiffany at  Living Savvy

Laurie at Traditional & Modern

Cathy at Room Rx

Carrie at Hazardous Design

Lisa at A Room with A View

Sam at The Junk House

Becca at from Gardners 2 Bergers

Jean at Flower Hill Design

    Linda at My Crafty Home Life

xo Nancy

P.S. There is no solution for a crimped shade. Im ordering a replacement for $40.

For Sale: Mysore Stripe Fabric in Spa Blue

Offered for sale is "Mysore Stripe" in Spa Blue.  Purchased from Calico Corners for a project and we have 5 yds. left over.  This fabric retails for $24.99 per yard. 

We are asking $$75.00 for all OR MAKE OFFER!!!

Fabric is a heavy taffeta and the colors are spa blue, taupe, and a metallic ivory accent line...it is beautiful.  Contact me at npp703@comcast.net for more information.

-Nancy