Dick Tracy, meet Audrey Hepburn...

Who can resist the lull and lure of things Français? Not I, not I...

I try in vain to identify my personal "style." I am drawn to old tools, adore vintage typewriters, seem to be addicted to iron garden finials and lust after shoes that could possibly create lifetime ligament damage. If I needed to categorize the design aesthetic of my home, I would have to say it as an unlikely pairing of 1940s private eye and French cottage chic. Leather club chairs cozy up to white gauze drapes, the iron and wood bookcase is home to the adorably petite bunny statuette and a pharmacy desk lamp illuminates the zebra-striped princess chair. (I do have to give the hubs points for picking out such a great took-you-ten-years-but-you-finally-finished graduation gift.)

Due to this dichotomy in my nature, I didn't insist on matching bedside tables when giving the master bedroom an overhaul. (Frankly, I figured I had already pushed my luck by refusing to compromise on the orange poppy emblazoned comforter.)

Within minutes of hitting a local antique district, I found the perfect table with delicate cabriole legs and a cottage white finish. "What do you mean you found something already? I just went to park the car!" was my astounded husband's response. Hey, I'm talented, what can I say?

 

Found @ Vandel Antiques

 

The back corner of our yard was not immune to my Francophone attention. We assume the previous homeowners had made some ill attempt at a flower bed that merely left a mass of river stone pebbles and weeds. (More about those river stones in a future post - I just love recycling yard materials for bigger and better uses.) My "Honey, I have an idea" light had gone off and I thought it to be the ideal spot to create a lovely enclosed patio with a bistro flair.

Hubs making his cameo

Many tool rentals, a pallet of flagstones, and copious amounts of Advil later, we had the beginnings of our intimate Parisian patio. My long-homeless bee stepping stone finally found a permanent place as the focal point amongst the flagstones. We planted creeping thyme between the pavers to add interest and contrasting color. The bistro-styled chairs were a divine find at World Market.



 

This post is linked to

 See my post as well as many more lovely patio and porch projects at Funky Junk Interiors.

Also, you can check my Etsy store out for some garden bistro accents.

Given our talk of things red, '40s and fabulous (ok, the fabulous part was implied, but still...) these gorgeous, retro heels are pair of my favorites. Matched with a pencil skirt and a cardie, just call me Audrey!

Seychelles Asterisk

Au revoir!

Don't mind if I do!

Somewhere along the path to figuring out "who I was," I figured out who I was not. I wasn't someone that would blindly follow the crowd, a trend, or a norm. (Unless, of course, Norm has a cute tush - then I'm all about the following.) I came to acknowledge the independent spirit that resided within me and be glad for the ability to resist the lure of the majority, to swim against the tide, to take the road less traveled. My hubris was grand, thinking myself immune to the sway of persuasion. Then arrived the Pottery Barn catalog.

TA DAHHH, mass marketing works! Who knew?

I salivate every time a new catalog arrives. What bevy of trouble awaits within its trendy contents? What crowd will I have to elbow through to score the most adorable (ever!) salt and pepper shakers? What new project will it inspire? Welllll...ones like this, for starters. I loved the look of these grouped mirrors but didn't want to forgo the fun of making my own statement (see the whole 'hubris' thing, above). Besides - it was an excuse to go antiquing! "Oh honeyyy... I have an idea!"

Three shops later (one at The Barn, mentioned in a previous post) and after at least an hour-and-a-half of playing "memory" with the mirror arrangements on the floor, I proudly revealed a display of five unique mirrors to fill what had been an abysmally blank space on our bedroom wall.

No time to go antiquing? You can start your mirror hunt on this Etsy treasury.

 

Speaking of paths, (we weren't, really, but I needed to segue somehow) our YEAR 1 "grand garden plan" called for a path to connect the newly created flagstone patio to the newly cut passthrough in the (not new) patio wall.

Alas, my poor, project-phobia'd husband had the enviable task of leveling the dirt. We then used the leftover patio flagstones to create a woodland type path that bordered the (also new) raised flower beds. Adding dark brown mulch created a striking contrast to the Colorado Red pavers.

To continue this whole 'path' theme, (damn those composition professors - "carry your theme through...blah,blah,blah...") heels just wouldn't be quite the appropriate choice for strolling along them. What does that mean, you ask? Ballerina flats, of course!

Gianni Bini Matey Flats

Until next time, whatever path you find yourself upon, enjoy the journey!

Tired of the path analogy yet? Geesh, I know I am...   ;)  

From drab to fab!

Some purists will tell you to never paint good wood. Turns out, I'm not a purist ;)

The hubs and I have been together for six years and counting. It is a second marriage for both of us and, as a result, we each had some residual "baggage" that we had to fit into the same house. As any woman will agree, her baggage is cute and his just needs to go. Out went a dilapidated couch, in came a pair of leather club chairs. Given away was the mundane kitchen settee to be replaced by the fabu trestle table.  Donated was the outdated oak dresser and...hmmmm, hold on just a sec...

The dresser was solid and well made - nothing to sneer at these days. After years of use it was, however, scratched up and well..just plain ugly. With five kids between us, we had a lot of bedrooms to fill and two daughters that just love purple (something to do with both being born in February, I'm sure). At some point, I had come across an online article about "found on Craigslist" items that were transformed beyond recognition with a little imagination and some good paint. Eyeballing the drab duckling of a dresser, I called out to the hubs, "Honeyyy, I have an idea!"

With the help of an orbital sander (a Mother's Day gift - hey, don't judge me), black and lavender paint, and a mini foam roller the unfortunately ugly dresser went from drab to fab in just a weekend. New draw pulls engraved with the numbers 1, 2 and 3 were discovered at The Barn (a must see if you are ever in the Denver area) and were the perfect finishing touch for the project. It now resides in my daughter's Old Hollywood styled bedroom.

Detail of draw pull

Linked to REDOUX  - check out this post as well as many other fabulous rejuvenations:

Now that April is here and with nicer weather my project focus drifts toward the garden. About the same time last year, we decided that we would put in some raised gardening beds and try our hand at homegrown veggies.

The project was simple enough - create a square box of boards while keeping the marriage intact. It was a close call, especially after I had the hubs move a post for the fifth time to be sure it was plumb and square. (He now admits that my crazy attention to detail paid off even though he was thinking seriously at the time of braining me with the tape measure.)

It wasn't long after the beds were complete that even the tomato plants were partying in their new digs. (We still aren't sure how they managed to have wine delivered. Those young plants - they grow so fast.)

As we know, April showers bring May flowers.  Here in Colorado that means being prepared for showers, sprinkles, slush, cats-and-dogs deluges, and the oh-so-not-a-surprise blizzard. With this type of weather in mind, I decided that I needed a pair of rain boots. Not just any rain boots, mind you, but CUTE rain boots. Imagine my sheer delight at finding these darling gems:

1.4.3 Girl Polka Dot Rain Boots

Thanks for checking in! Until the next blog...

 

Welcome!

Welcome and thanks for checking out my blog!

The idea of starting a blog had been rattling around in my head (trust me, lots of space in there for rattling) for only a short time. I pondered on the concept of weaving my three primary hobbies together in one spot - gardening, refurbishing and, of course, shoe shopping. While still contemplating this unlikely trinity, I had a close friend mention that I should start a blog, as she had, on gardening. Funny how the universe talks to us, eh? Taking her cue, I began...

After several hours of painful navigation through the new realm of blogdom (and numerous bouts of high octave epithets) later, I have managed to birth my first post. For you blogger pros out there, please forgive my novice results.

For now, I would like to share a few of the "projects" that have kept me occupied (and my husband in perpetual angst regarding the likehood of having a retirement fund of more than $10).

Found this metal stool at a local antique store and, while charming in cottage white, felt it was not as "Pottery Barnesque" as I wanted for our family room...





The end result of a rather experimental approach to sunflowers...kudos to the hubby for his success (as well as the photo credit)...

Out of the blue, the hubs says, "Let's go see Wicked!" So, of course, a wicked pair of heels is a must need for such an event...

Joan & David Guzman Pumps

 I'll wrap up this post with a thank you (again) for taking an interest. I will be adding to the blog so please do visit often for more details on my adventures with hammers, hoes and heels! :) 

Please check out my Etsy shop, Refined Refaire, for some of my antiquing or rejuvenated finds for sale.