Touch of Charm & We’re In

Jessica from San Diego contacted me a few weeks ago about using my Touch of Charm internet-based design service.  I always love creating these designs for people.  Jessica and her hubby are moving into a new home and wanted an update for their living room.  She had purchased a sectional sofa, but other than that she was starting with a clean slate.  Oh, the possibilities!  Jessica’s style request was to create a room that is comfy, yet modern and stylish.  She didn’t have any constraints on color and said that she pretty much liked everything.  So here is what I came up with for Jessica and her husband.

This beautiful Asian-inspired pillow was my inspiration for the entire room.  Everything else blossomed from there.

***If you are interested in finding out more information about Touch of Charm or my long distance design services email me at charmhomedesign (at) gmail (dot) com.

----------------------------

We’re In!

It’s hard to believe that two weeks ago from today we moved out of our teensy condo and into our new home.  It was an extremely stressful day for me(moving at 8 months pregnant was a very daunting task).  Thank goodness for my sweet hubby and amazing mom and brother.  They were my saving grace.  Especially since I spent about 2 hours in a total emotional breakdown.  Somehow we managed to get out of the condo, into the new home and we are actually out of boxes for the most part. 

For the last two weeks I have been consumed with “nesting” and trying to get the place in order for our soon to be little bundle of joy (who may be coming sooner than we planned according to the doc).  We have a long way to go with the house but it does look somewhat like a home instead of a storage unit at the moment.  I promise that I will post pictures as soon as I have a chance to take them.  I took really great before pictures, but it’s hard finding the time to take progress pictures. 

Chase’s nursery is almost complete.  Today I’m heading to Ikea to pick up a new dresser because the beautiful vintage piece that I bought never got painted.  I’ve found a better home for it in our new dining room though.  Chase’s room will be the first totally completed room and will probably be the first one I post on the blog so stay tuned. 

Thanks to all of you for hanging in there and continuing to comment on my blog during my long breaks in posting.  I appreciate every single comment and word of encouragement, even if I can’t comment back to you.  It’s pretty hard to find the time to pick up the computer and blog these days.  I have so much to blog about yet so little time to actually blog. 

xoxo, Cristi

LiveJournal Tags: Chase's Nursery,Ikea,Touch of Charm

{ May Paper Flowers }

would you believe me if I told you

my 5 year old made these?

she can't read, nor does she peruse decorating blogs.

Lucy did have some help in the hot glue department.

But, she cut them out and curl a lot of them herself.

I found the tutorial by Emily from 

Jones Design Co.

Emily is posting this hand made flower project each day this week.

There's a new type of flower craft everyday.

Just in time for

Mother's Day

(which is what Lucy made this for, but could resist giving them to me early)

p.s. - just to keep things fair

I have a 6 year old daughter too, Camille, who made the very same flowers, but in a different color.

And she has the will of an ox - so I won't be seein' those babies 'til

exactly Mother's Day.

So, do yourself a favor and 

check out Emily's blog.

She's a genius.

Pitch High

Inspired by Leah from The Inside Story's post on pitched ceilings, I would just like to say I agree wholeheartedly with her statement that a roof needs to be a certain pitch to look "right".

Sometimes I think that I fuss too much about such inconsequential things, but here I go again I'm afraid.

This photo of Ruthie Sommers' porch in the last issue of House Beautiful is a case in point. Great pitch, love the exposed trusses and the pale blue and white colour scheme.

When we moved the church hall to our house, the first thing I said to my husband was "that ceiling has to go". You see, the roof pitch is steep like most churches and it just had to be revealed.

After taking the ceiling down (which was a messy job) we took out some of the old trusses, after consulting an engineer at some expense. Then the boys put in some purpose built metal rods for added reinforcement. The whole ceiling now has to be insulated and re-lined with boards and painted - something my long-suffering Chilean painter Luis is no doubt looking forward to (NOT).

It's a very high ceiling and he could be up there for weeks!

Hopefully, eventually, it will start to look a bit like this: Love those wing back chairs, too.