We are getting ready to start painting at Casa Niche and I am also contemplating how to tackle this 745 foot fireplace wall.    

{that's my eyeball measurement--give or take a couple hundred feet} 

The electric blue is going bye-bye as are the marble tiles and brass trim insert...maybe even the mantle. To rock, brick, or tile the entire height of the fireplace wall to the ceiling would be lots of dollars. Obvioulsy, we could stop the tile/rock line at any point--5ft, 10 ft, even 20 ft tall. Or, we could cover it in trim  But, I spotted a fireplace wall on pinterest that had been simply been painted a dark color and loved the effect.   

 

 

 

 

 

 This particular Dutch design firm, Home Unique, uses this idea a lot. Many homes in their portfolio have a beautifully painted wall behind a modestly sized fireplace insert.

 

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While I am not a fan of the accent wall, I do really like this painted fireplace wall idea. What are your thoughts?

 

 

 

After spending our third straight Saturday watching it snow, and the fact that it is now March, I am getting antsy for all of the spring flowers that are surely close to revealing themselves to us. I can't wait to get my hands dirty in my flowerpots and unpack the cute sundresses and sandals. And speaking of cute dresses... 

 

 

 

 

 

I am so smitten with these dresses I spotted on etsy created using a collection of vintage textiles. Soho Mode is the sweet company created by Louise Hedley. Born and raised in England, Louise developed a love for old world glamor in her teens. Due to a very modest childhood, she was taken with vintage fabrics and the way a dress could transform her self confidence. In 1998, she moved to NYC, met and fell in love with her husband, and with his encouragement, she began sewing. Soon, she was selling her clothing created from her treasure trove of fabrics at the Chelsea Flea.

With her collected vintage fabrics, Louise and her team offer a huge selection in their etsy store or they can create one-of-a-kind dresses, cinched belts, ties, and skirts. In 2004, Barney's began to sell her tea dress collection and since then, many brides have embraced using her dresses in their weddings. I just love the eclectic charm of the combination of the vintage dress patterns with the cotton floral.

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Like Louise, I too have quite a collection of vintage fabrics, tablecloths, pillowcases and tea towels that I have sewn into little dresses for Maris. As a matter of fact, I am quite certain that some of the fabrics pictured were also hanging in my childhood closet {or as sheets on my bed!}. Browsing Soho Made's collection of online fabrics, I am flooded with sweet childhood memories of the dresses my mom and grandmother used to sew for me as a little girl, many of which I still have packed away.  

 

 

 

 

 

I love how creative you you guys are!! Yesterday I shared with you this picture of a 'feature' in a master bath I am working on.

 

 

I asked for you to bestow your smarts on me and help me figure out what in the %$# this was. Between my facebook and blog comments, this is what you guys have determined it might have been used for:

1. Speaker
2. hand blower
3. heat vent
4. weed grower {this was my first thought, too!!}
5. african violet hothouse
6. shampoo warmer
7. jewelry spotlighter
8. old laundry chute turned towel warmer
9. waterpick cubby
10. heatlamp to dry painted fingernails
11. small aquarium niche
12. incubator to start seeds
13. spot for the coffeemaker
14. spot to stick your head when you are sunshine deprived

I so wish I had the actual answer for you!! But, I loved reading your fun thoughts! There is a ton of work to be done in this house before the homeowners move in so don't think I won't stop trying to figure this conundrum out.   

 

Do you have fun weekend plans? We are super excited for our high school boys Mustang basketball team. Tonight we will be cheering them on as we have now advanced to the 3rd round of the State Play-offs. Our student section is the best. 

 

   

Wednesday nights game--my 2 are buried in the blue..see them??

No? See if this helps..

The one with the biggest mouth.

 

Last night Maris asked me to paint her a t-shirt to wear to support her favorite 3 players.

    

 

She sent me this pic of herself in 1st period this morning using Split Pic on her iphone. It's a really fun app that allows you to 'clone' yourself. All the cool kids are doing it.

 

 

She's all set for tonights 'black out' {but what's with those boot's????}

 

Hope you have lots to cheer about this weekend!!

 

 

 

 

This is the master bathroom of a house I am working on. My clients didn't build the house -- we are remodeling the remodel of the previous homeowners that happened about 6 years ago...

What is this 3/4 trimmed hole stuck in the corner of the wall????? We can't figure this out!

Here, let me turn the light on and see if that helps you out.

 

   

It has a tiled floor, is about 15" deep and the light is all the way at the back. What the ????? 

It's become a really fun game for me as I take all of my subs to it and ask them for their opinion. It's a head scratcher, for sure. Please, one of you incredibly smarty readers, splain this to me.