Bohemian Italian Bedroom

a little shabby chic a little Italian bohemian

The other day I woke up with a great idea, at least I thought it was just brilliant.  Normally I’m a believer that morning ideas are good ones and often the late night bright ideas, in the morning light just don’t seem so hot.  Anyway creative people actually process their bright ideas during the night as they sleep so that our subconscious mind is working over time for us.  Isn’t that just lovely!

So my problem is I have a really ugly bed, I think it is even some famous Italian design.  I did not buy this bed.  But hey they do not do everything right over here let me tell you. 

penso e' bruto, I think it is hideous silly design

My bright idea was that I would cover my headboard with Italian lace embroidery and safety pin on and hanging all over from the headboard crystals with with sheer blue ribbon.

Alfredo (my darling) came over later, as I was obsessively working on this project.  I got some of the crystals on there and I must give him credit he didn’t say anything derogatory, he did make a face like let’s wait and see and then instead he took me out and away from my project for a prosecco in the warm evening air.  He did make the joke that the blue ribbons were a little like I had just had a baby boy.  In Italy when someone has a baby they attach a huge bow, blue or pink on the front door of the house to tell everyone what sex the baby is.  I love this tradition and sure enough when we went out for our walk we kept running into big blue bows everywhere!

bohemian italian mixed style

Later when we came home, the prosecco had cleared my mind and I could see it was not a wonderful idea, it did not look cool.  It just looked weird.  I was even able to show my girls how it is important to fail, in order to simplify the idea to the point where you like it.  

rumpled old bed linens and faded shabby chic design

Here's what I did do.  I covered the metal headboard with an old baby crib runner.

here's another before shot

Then I covered that with a cotton sheet.  Then I lay an embroidered lace work table cloth over the cotton sheet and fastened the the sides with 1 crystal and 1 blue ribbon.  

crystal and italian lace

It feels simple and pretty.  What do you think?  Could you live with a bed padded with an old baby crib runner?  

Cheers prosecco anyone?

Natalie

I'm linking with these link parties:
Miss Mustard Seed
French Country Cottage
Romantic Home
Between Naps on the Porch

Styling Empty Frames

candles, little bottles and pink flowers 

It is going to be a gorgeous day here in Umbria.  I’m silly about the weather and think about it way too much.  When I was young I wanted to be a meteorologist.  I’m really glad I changed my mind.   I have one friend who thinks what you wanted to be as a child does reflect who you become.  He says, "I should have known I would be gay when I was always rearranging my bedroom at 8 years old!"  He became a photographer.

I go crazy for the this pink and gold 

if only  I could have an armoire or dresser
 in the same chippy style

Today I want to do a post of showing how I love empty picture frames.  I have done this for years way before it was in style (hasn’t it always been in style?).  Well before people used to come into our home and say, “What’s going on?”  I would respond, “There you can see the future”.

old antique frame from from the 1700's
with little mirrors and chalk drawn on the wall

this is where we leave our keys

cool reflection

and reflecting the painting in front of it.

Plus I love the massiveness of empty walls and I believe in lots of good art and beautiful photographs. 

This gorgeous little gold frame I brought in Ecuador with the same friend who became a photographer.  He was such a jerk, when I said I didn't want to buy it because I would have to carry it all the way home.  He said, "You can enjoy it for the rest of your life, or regret it for the rest of your life".

gold frame and hand painted walls

painted olives bring peace

Sometimes I put this little photo I took of Elisa, she was so tiny then.

To me empty frames are just fun to play around with.

here's in my studio with a inner frame,
photo, plus wire, crystal and ripped velvet ball

that's me at 13.  I'm glad I didn't become a meteorologist
or a ballerina

Empty frames they may be temporary and on their way to becoming part of something more important.

Cheers,

Natalie

I'm linking with:

Between Naps on the Porch

The Shabby Creek Cottage

Savvy Southern Style

French Country Cottage

Romantic Home

Painting Baskets White

This is going to be a fun post because I’m “teaching” you to do something that has no technique and there is no talent involved.  It’s that just wonderful!  I love a quick change that makes a big impact. 

white baskets

So this week I got a new washing machine, oh man did we need one here for a long time, so I felt inspired to get things ship shape and I spent the weekend in my studio, and cooking and doing loads of laundry.  I still don’t have a dryer.  No one much has a dryer here (in Italy) and this pisses me off, but there are issues of energy costs, for me just costs, hook up connection, space bla bla bla.  When I die many, many years from now my sister who may out live me can write on my tombstone “she didn’t have a dryer”.  Anyway this new washing machine is such a dream that the clothes are almost dry when they are done.  It does sound a bit like an airplane is taking off.  The girls and I say, “take-off in 3 minutes”.

I want to say I’m just being silly and I realized that I have readers in for example Brazil and Tanzania and Serbia and you all might not have a dryer either, but you do have a computer and so here we all are together loving design and making things pretty.

before shot, I didn't ever like the shiny finish

I took my old big baskets and I painted them white (satin finish acylic) with a few drops of black universal tint mixed in to make it a tiny bit gray.  The basket that had a dark stain on it already, I left the darkness coming through a little, this gives it a nice Shabby Chic effect.  The basket that was natural I painted over completely white.

Here they are in our bathroom.

please note no dirty laundry an anomaly

How cool is our porthole window, with the glimpse of the arch of the bridge.

There you are, now go out and paint something that can make a big change fast.

Natalie

I'm Linking with:

French Country Cottage

Between Naps on the Porch

Romantic Home

What Color To Paint Your House

just gorgeous terra-cotta orange
the top is sponged more evidently

There is still time to paint your house.  If you just can’t muster up the money or energy to paint your house, you could paint a room or how about a jewelry box!   I know, I'm intentionally encouraging you. Paint something- make a change you will feel better, summer is almost over, at least in Italy.  The antonyms for encourage are to discourage, dispirit, depress and dishearten.  Now will you paint a jewelry box? 

cool blue gray with darker blue gray
shutters and office white trim

closer view same house

Here are some great color combinations.  I like how the Italians pick soft neutral accent colors for the trim or they choose rich dark colors.

I like pink when it is dirtied up and made more manly
soft pink with chocolate brown shutters

I've shown you this photo before dark taupe and
 classic pink and vanilla trim Man! I love this combination

brighter pink with blue gray shutters, very seaside

here taupe and sea-foam green with creamy white trim
taupe absorbs color.  I love to use it in interiors with hot color close by

It is fun to imagine these colors over a little wooden clapboard house, or a painted brick or even shingle, Spanish style stucco, just splendid.

this orange-red with cream trim, dark gray-blue shutters
this looks amazing because the color is saturated and rich

pale mint green with dark green (almost black) shutters, sophisticated

white on white classic and feels like home

and here is the classic italian ochre, bright white trim,
the shutters are the dark green (almost black) color
I described above

another shot

apricot with natural brick, the balconies are gray concrete stucco

to end with a KICK
even richer more saturated orange-red,
here with green-blue shutters,
cool note: there is sheet music painted on the tower.

If you have no muster (it's hot out there) for the above then just dream and plan.

Have a good Weekend.

Natalie

French Country Cottage
The Shabby Creek Cottage

What A Good Color Can Do

Hi Everyone I've been bad about writing my life is too crazy right now.  I have been doing some fun painting work so I will be posting some great examples soon.  Today I just want to do a quick post to show an example of what a great color can do to change a crappy piece of furniture into something lovely and useful.  I could kick myself for not getting a better before shot to show how un-special this cabinet is, you get the idea I think.

I love the color cornflower blue, it is a color people forget about.  But I don't, I have my girls room in this color and I love it for furniture.  Is it blue or is it violet - let's argue about it!

Here's the after shot.  It just pops, the color is so great and it makes the piece look clean-lined and simple.

yes it needs a new knob

is it blue or is it violet

Now I want to just for fun add a list of Nat's suggestions for a summer party - in feeling is what I'm going after.  Here's my list.

Make a cocktail
A cappuccino
Dance to something funky (even alone)
Get near water
Cook something spicy
Go on a roof top
Do something creative

Trust me, all of the above will make you happy.  Now if you have an courage you can add to my list in the comments below.  I know this is a design diary so most people don't comment and that's o.k.

Cheers,
Natalie
I'm linking with
Miss Mustard Seed
Between Naps on the Porch