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Showing posts with label Outdoor decorating. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Outdoor decorating. Show all posts

Tuesday, 20 October 2009

Outside comes in

Posted on 04:21 by kumar
This is how part of my apartment looks from my balcony.

Kinda cozy, yes?

I admit it: I love looking in front living room windows while walking along the street at dusk - not to see people but rather to look at their decor!

But it would seem kinda creepy if one of my apartment neighbors was looking across the way into my pad ... unless of course they happened to be editors of decor mags!

Yesterday's post in which I showed some worn chairs my Mom found in the trash and decorated her patio with has inspired me to bring in my balcony chairs - it's getting colder and the wicker and rattan will get damaged in the rain and snow that will inevitably come, alas....

Outside, these chairs took on a Shabby Chic look, with flowery pillows and such. Inside, though, that frilly dilly look won't go with my decor. Here I created a little nook with empty picture frames and a suede multi-coloured pillow. Cozy wozy.

The faded striped pillow was found used at Goodwill for a couple bucks and the blue wicker chair was from the trash.

With this rattan chair, found at the Sally Ann for $10, all it took was tossing a faux fur rug over top - a look I've seen in decor mags on chrome chairs. The effect is cozy with a modern twist.

I finished off the look with a plush brown pillow found at Value Village for a couple bucks.

Who says you have to store outdoor summer furniture?

For a peep at my balcony with these chairs in the summer, and other outdoor decorating projects, head here.
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Posted in decorating, Furniture, Garbage picking, Outdoor decorating, Salvation Army, Thrift, thrift shopping, Thrift store decorating, Value Village | No comments

Sunday, 18 October 2009

Proud of my Mommy

Posted on 22:00 by kumar
When I was at home on my vacation I snapped some pics on my parents' back deck before the frost would drive the plants in forever - or until the Spring at least.

My Mom has done this cute thing with potted plants and old chairs she's found in the trash along the side of the road.

This little guy is your average white outdoor chair, except it's a mini chair for a kiddie.

Check out this wee one.

It's wood and worn and has a definite Shabby Chic look to it.

And it looks just fine sitting next to those cheap faux wrought iron dollar store plant holders, thank you very much.













As I was about to go in the house I spotted this regular size chair, again distressed with time, at the side of the house.

Didn't get a chance to ask Mom what she had planned for it, but I bet I'll find out in the Spring.

Will she let it linger outside all Winter, I wonder?

No matter: Mom, you do this trash picker proud!
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Posted in decorating, Furniture, Garbage picking, Imperfection, Outdoor decorating | No comments

Monday, 21 September 2009

Blooming into fall

Posted on 19:10 by kumar
Ahh, last day of summer today and first day of fall tomorrow. Mixed emotions, totally.

If you're a reader of this blog you'll remember some of my outdoor decorating projects like my balcony.

Well I was pretty thrilled this weekend when my hibiscus bloomed agin - the weather has been so lovely it's no wonder.

And just look at that lavender!

Can you see the tiny purple flowers on top??

Hey what's that to the left of the lavender? That's the roses blooming!!

Summer, keep on bloomin' - I'm still hanging out, happily, on my balcony.
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Posted in Outdoor decorating | No comments

Thursday, 16 July 2009

Explore your decorating alter ego

Posted on 04:26 by kumar
I would normally never buy a pillow such as this - it's a bit frou-frouish for me.

I found it at the Salvation Army Thrift Store for $1.99.








Ditto for this one (handmade pillow, $2.99 at the Salvation Army Thrift Store).

And this one below, $2.99 at the same store, is a bit washed-out beachy for me.


But as I discovered as I progress with my balcony makeover, having a somewhat discrete space in your living area like a balcony can be a decorating get-out-of-jail-free card, allowing you to explore your decorating alter-ego ... in this case a Shabby Chic look I would NEVER have explored in my indoor living space.

And on a practical side, since they're used and thrift I don't care so much about their getting mucked up further by the elements ....
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Posted in Accessories, decorating, Outdoor decorating, Room Makeover, thrift shopping, Thrift store decorating | No comments

Tuesday, 14 July 2009

Romance & trash: my balcony project

Posted on 05:03 by kumar
Romance and trash? Definitely a doable combo.

Two things for my current patio project were given to me by men I've dated/am dating.

An ex gave me the silver hanging box planters - yes, he found them in the trash!

I plan on putting herbs in them. I know, it IS a little late in the season but I'm a novice balcony gardener, ok?







See, I even have the pebbles in the bottom, ready to go!

Mmm, come to think of it I got the pebbles from the business of the man I'm dating now.

And to be honest, he bought me my flowers and herbs, the sweetie.

After I told him I needed a tiny wrought iron table or some such thing for my patio project, 'lo and behold he found me this brass marble-topped table that was left behind.

Isn't it just perfect?

Romance and trash: it works. My legs are jelly, really!

Let's see if I can get him to drill holes in the concrete for my sheer curtains ... Grunge Queen isn't so handy....

Then I can make him dinner as thanks - and serve it on my new balcony!!
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Posted in decorating, Entertaining, Furniture, Garbage picking, Handy, Outdoor decorating, Thrift store decorating | No comments

Monday, 13 July 2009

Patio project proceeds - slowly!

Posted on 04:16 by kumar
Perhaps its the less than seasonable temperatures, or maybe it's because it's been crazy busy, but my thrifty patio project is moving along at a snail's pace.

But with the purchase of some herbs and flowers yesterday, I was able to spruce up the balcony a bit.

I found this huge planter - that looks like it's been broken and glued together several times! - on the curb. It now houses my new Hibiscus, which I'm told is super easy to care for.




The other pots, both signed Italy on the bottom, were found for a few bucks each at thrift and consignment shops.

Tomorrow I'll show you what the men in my life, past and present, have contributed to the project. Yes fellow grungers, thrift and romance can coexist!
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Posted in Consignment, Garbage picking, Outdoor decorating, thrift shopping, Thrift store decorating | No comments

Wednesday, 1 July 2009

Canada Day parties & sisterly inspiration

Posted on 07:21 by kumar
Yesterday's post should have been my Canada Day post as I featured red and white roses, but here's an entertaining post for those of you who are BBQing today.

My sis hosted a party the other day and decorated with pink everything. You can tell she's related to the Grunge Queen 'cos she kept her decor cheap n' easy.

The pink roses were plucked from the rose bush in the front of her home, and all she did was snip 'em and plunk 'em in some plain white bowls and voila: instant centre-pieces!


I love the cake - so girlie, so sweet, so preety - and so easy!

All she did was put yellow, pink and orange smarties on top - you see they match the dollar store napkins she bought!

Way to go, sis. Lovely party.

And Happy Canada day to fellow Canadians!
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Posted in decorating, Dollar Store, Entertaining, Home, Outdoor decorating, Sister | No comments

Friday, 26 June 2009

True blue thrifty patio

Posted on 12:34 by kumar
I'm still on my patio kick. Since I haven't had time to work on my current patio re-do project, here's a little look I put together four years ago in Ottawa - along the Rideau River - using thrift store and dollar store finds.

The tablecloth was $14 at a dollar store and I ended up giving it to the person who owned the house and let me do the photo shoot there.

The rest of the items you can see listed in the article I wrote for the Ottawa Citizen newspaper; simply click on the image to the left to make it larger.






Some of my fave things:
I turned this wrought iron telephone table - picked up for $5 at a garage sale! - into a serving nook.

I threw tiny carnations into old glass sugar containers.



I think these dollar store wine flutes look perfectly elegant on an old silver tray.







Speaking of old silver I love putting flowers in old silver water jugs - the look would just get better as the silver tarnished over time.


I cheated a bit by putting old pillowcases over the bright purple vinyl seatcovers on the wrought iron chairs bought at the Sally Ann - that's the grunge-queen way: fake it!




Here's the look from afar, overlooking the river. It was the end of May and not quite full-on green-ess.


Hopefully this will inspire you in your weekend entertaining!
Have a good one!!





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Posted in decorating, Dollar Store, Garage sales, Grunge Philosophy, Outdoor decorating, Salvation Army, Tableware, Thrift | No comments

Thursday, 25 June 2009

Tea party patio a la cheap

Posted on 04:01 by kumar
My patio project (see post below) has gotten me thinking of past patio projects - which have been few given I've lived in apartments for my time in Toronto.

Three summers ago when I was just getting in to freelance writing and junking in a big way, I wrote a piece on having a tea party in your outside space - from there I created a romantic tea party look on my ugly fire escape so I could have a pretty photo accompanying the article.

I hung up dollar store sheers to cover the icky white brick, plopped my fave piece of Ralph Lauren floral fabric over a ratty fold-up table I had painted red (same table will be part of this year's patio project!), and threw together some pretty tea cups and a silver tea set I found at the thrift shops. The gold-tone shawl hanging on the silver chair is still a fave for draping over chairs and such - I found that at Value Village for $6.99 or so.

Some creative touches: an old watch as a napkin holder; spray painting the wrought iron chairs silver and recovering them with fabric from a dollar store tablecloth!

I even made the crustless sandwiches for my photo shoot, which I styled myself (and broke my sister's borrowed camera in the process - talk about spending money to make money!).

Here's the article I wrote about putting it all together along with some tea trivia; just double click on it to get a better view:
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Posted in Deals, decorating, Dollar Store, Entertaining, Furniture, How to thrift shop, Outdoor decorating, Tableware, Thrift, Thrift store decorating | No comments

Wednesday, 24 June 2009

Patio project, part 1

Posted on 04:02 by kumar
I'm a closet Shabby Chic-er, I discovered after a $22 dig at Goodwill yesterday, on my way home from doing a shopping column.

If you're a regular visitor to this blog you'll know the look in my pad is slightly funky - not very country or feminine.

But when I saw these faded blue pillows, $2.99 each, I was inspired to do something with my icky looking balcony and give it a Shabby Chic redo!

Shabby Chic was popularized by Rachel Ashwell http://www.shabbychic.com/ who has built an empire on white slip-covered furniture and contemporary country-esque decor. It's characterized also by pale faded blues and pinks and greens.

I threw the pillows on the chair I bought at the Sally Ann for $10.

I had the tablecloth already - I got the faded pink look by accidentally washing it with a red towel (very grunge queen of me) - and I bought two chunky green wine glasses during my Goodwill dig for $1.99 each - I asked for a better price as I could likely find them at the dollar store for a buck, but no go.

I had a glass of wine to celebrate the beginning of my patio project. I still have more to show you from my $22 patio project redo shop at Goodwill and will be posting more as the look evolves ....

More to come!

P.S. One day later: I'm re-posting the story of how I got the chair you see here for Frugalchick - it was found almost a year ago for $10 during a Sally Ann auction that was truly fun - the Salvation Army has even posted the article on its website! Just click on the link below:

How grunge queen got her $10 rattan chair at the Sally Ann
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Posted in decorating, Goodwill, Grunge Philosophy, Outdoor decorating, Room Makeover, Salvation Army, Shopping, Shopping Column, Thrift, thrift shopping, Thrift store decorating | No comments
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