Interior Design Sense

As a first time homeowner, the idea of filling your entire home with furniture (and filling it quickly) can be daunting and not to mention, expensive.  The case of my home is especially severe because a) I’m extremely impatient and want every room done yesterday (I’m still trying to comprehend the fact that I will live here for 5+ years and there is no deadline)  b) I am constantly changing my mind and switching out things so nothing stays in the same place longer than a month’s time.

{Zoey on the day we moved in…. thinking- “mom, how are we going to take this entirely pink painted house with gross peeling trim from drab to fab (and fill it with furniture) by next week?!”}

So where does this leave me?  Well, in Ben’s eyes it definitely doesn’t warrant buying all new super nice furniture for every room and honestly, I don’t think I could ever have a house of all new things. I love old things just way too much and especially giving pieces a whole new look through refinishing them. Lately, I have been doing a LOT of that.  Sometimes I paint the pieces myself and other times if it’s just too difficult, I hire someone to do it (ok, I admit, a lot of the time I  hire someone else to do it).  Remember the part where I said I was impatient?

Here are some of my recent before and after furniture projects and the info on the paint colors that I used-

BEFORE-

Antique secretary-

AFTER-

Antique Secretary-

Paint- Benjamin Moore- 689- Rhine River- Satin Finish

 {still needs to be accessorized!}

BEFORE-

Vintage Dorothy Draper-esque Nightstands-

AFTER-

Vintage Dorothy Draper-esque nightstands

Paint- Benjamin Moore White Dove with gold accents

(Need your opinion here dear readers! Do you think the gold is too orangey and should I go back to more of a soft/antique gold or do the outline of the drawers more of a yellow gold like the pulls?) Decisions, decisions!

BEFORE-Funky vintage sideboard with geometric detailing-

AFTER-Funky vintage sideboard with geometric detailing-

Paint- Home Depot- Behr- Custom Color Match

BEFORE-Fiberglass peacock chairs

AFTER-Fiberglass Peacock Chairs

Paint- Home Depot dark charcoal spray paint

{Excuse the flowers falling from the tree and our nice mess in the background }

BEFORE-Faux bamboo armoire (can’t seem to find the before photo so I borrowed this photo from Bazaar of Serendipity blog)

AFTER-Faux bamboo armoire

Paint- Sherwin Williams- Pure White

BEFORE-Faux bamboo dining chairs and table

AFTER-Faux bamboo dining chairs and table

Paint- Benjamin Moore- White Dove

So basically throughout the house I painted most of my furniture white and gray so they’d stand the test of time and then sprinkled in other pieces with more bold pops of color to add some excitement.

And stay tuned for the “afters” of these “befores”!

As a first time homeowner, the idea of filling your entire home with furniture (and filling it quickly) can be daunting and not to mention, expensive.  The case of my home is especially severe because a) I’m extremely impatient and want every room done yesterday (I’m still trying to comprehend the fact that I will live here for 5+ years and there is no deadline)  b) I am constantly changing my mind and switching out things so nothing stays in the same place longer than a month’s time.

{Zoey on the day we moved in…. thinking- “mom, how are we going to take this entirely pink painted house with gross peeling trim from drab to fab (and fill it with furniture) by next week?!”}

So where does this leave me?  Well, in Ben’s eyes it definitely doesn’t warrant buying all new super nice furniture for every room and honestly, I don’t think I could ever have a house of all new things. I love old things just way too much and especially giving pieces a whole new look through refinishing them. Lately, I have been doing a LOT of that.  Sometimes I paint the pieces myself and other times if it’s just too difficult, I hire someone to do it (ok, I admit, a lot of the time I  hire someone else to do it).  Remember the part where I said I was impatient?

Here are some of my recent before and after furniture projects and the info on the paint colors that I used-

BEFORE-

Antique secretary-

AFTER-

Antique Secretary-

Paint- Benjamin Moore- 689- Rhine River- Satin Finish

 {still needs to be accessorized!}

BEFORE-

Vintage Dorothy Draper-esque Nightstands-

AFTER-

Vintage Dorothy Draper-esque nightstands

Paint- Benjamin Moore White Dove with gold accents

(Need your opinion here dear readers! Do you think the gold is too orangey and should I go back to more of a soft/antique gold or do the outline of the drawers more of a yellow gold like the pulls?) Decisions, decisions!

BEFORE-Funky vintage sideboard with geometric detailing-

AFTER-Funky vintage sideboard with geometric detailing-

Paint- Home Depot- Behr- Custom Color Match

BEFORE-Fiberglass peacock chairs

AFTER-Fiberglass Peacock Chairs

Paint- Home Depot dark charcoal spray paint

{Excuse the flowers falling from the tree and our nice mess in the background }

BEFORE-Faux bamboo armoire (can’t seem to find the before photo so I borrowed this photo from Bazaar of Serendipity blog)

AFTER-Faux bamboo armoire

Paint- Sherwin Williams- Pure White

BEFORE-Faux bamboo dining chairs and table

AFTER-Faux bamboo dining chairs and table

Paint- Benjamin Moore- White Dove

So basically throughout the house I painted most of my furniture white and gray so they’d stand the test of time and then sprinkled in other pieces with more bold pops of color to add some excitement.

And stay tuned for the “afters” of these “befores”!

As a first time homeowner, the idea of filling your entire home with furniture (and filling it quickly) can be daunting and not to mention, expensive.  The case of my home is especially severe because a) I’m extremely impatient and want every room done yesterday (I’m still trying to comprehend the fact that I will live here for 5+ years and there is no deadline)  b) I am constantly changing my mind and switching out things so nothing stays in the same place longer than a month’s time.

{Zoey on the day we moved in…. thinking- “mom, how are we going to take this entirely pink painted house with gross peeling trim from drab to fab (and fill it with furniture) by next week?!”}

So where does this leave me?  Well, in Ben’s eyes it definitely doesn’t warrant buying all new super nice furniture for every room and honestly, I don’t think I could ever have a house of all new things. I love old things just way too much and especially giving pieces a whole new look through refinishing them. Lately, I have been doing a LOT of that.  Sometimes I paint the pieces myself and other times if it’s just too difficult, I hire someone to do it (ok, I admit, a lot of the time I  hire someone else to do it).  Remember the part where I said I was impatient?

Here are some of my recent before and after furniture projects and the info on the paint colors that I used-

BEFORE-

Antique secretary-

AFTER-

Antique Secretary-

Paint- Benjamin Moore- 689- Rhine River- Satin Finish

 {still needs to be accessorized!}

BEFORE-

Vintage Dorothy Draper-esque Nightstands-

AFTER-

Vintage Dorothy Draper-esque nightstands

Paint- Benjamin Moore White Dove with gold accents

(Need your opinion here dear readers! Do you think the gold is too orangey and should I go back to more of a soft/antique gold or do the outline of the drawers more of a yellow gold like the pulls?) Decisions, decisions!

BEFORE-Funky vintage sideboard with geometric detailing-

AFTER-Funky vintage sideboard with geometric detailing-

Paint- Home Depot- Behr- Custom Color Match

BEFORE-Fiberglass peacock chairs

AFTER-Fiberglass Peacock Chairs

Paint- Home Depot dark charcoal spray paint

{Excuse the flowers falling from the tree and our nice mess in the background }

BEFORE-Faux bamboo armoire (can’t seem to find the before photo so I borrowed this photo from Bazaar of Serendipity blog)

AFTER-Faux bamboo armoire

Paint- Sherwin Williams- Pure White

BEFORE-Faux bamboo dining chairs and table

AFTER-Faux bamboo dining chairs and table

Paint- Benjamin Moore- White Dove

So basically throughout the house I painted most of my furniture white and gray so they’d stand the test of time and then sprinkled in other pieces with more bold pops of color to add some excitement.

And stay tuned for the “afters” of these “befores”!

As a first time homeowner, the idea of filling your entire home with furniture (and filling it quickly) can be daunting and not to mention, expensive.  The case of my home is especially severe because a) I’m extremely impatient and want every room done yesterday (I’m still trying to comprehend the fact that I will live here for 5+ years and there is no deadline)  b) I am constantly changing my mind and switching out things so nothing stays in the same place longer than a month’s time.

{Zoey on the day we moved in…. thinking- “mom, how are we going to take this entirely pink painted house with gross peeling trim from drab to fab (and fill it with furniture) by next week?!”}

So where does this leave me?  Well, in Ben’s eyes it definitely doesn’t warrant buying all new super nice furniture for every room and honestly, I don’t think I could ever have a house of all new things. I love old things just way too much and especially giving pieces a whole new look through refinishing them. Lately, I have been doing a LOT of that.  Sometimes I paint the pieces myself and other times if it’s just too difficult, I hire someone to do it (ok, I admit, a lot of the time I  hire someone else to do it).  Remember the part where I said I was impatient?

Here are some of my recent before and after furniture projects and the info on the paint colors that I used-

BEFORE-

Antique secretary-

AFTER-

Antique Secretary-

Paint- Benjamin Moore- 689- Rhine River- Satin Finish

 {still needs to be accessorized!}

BEFORE-

Vintage Dorothy Draper-esque Nightstands-

AFTER-

Vintage Dorothy Draper-esque nightstands

Paint- Benjamin Moore White Dove with gold accents

(Need your opinion here dear readers! Do you think the gold is too orangey and should I go back to more of a soft/antique gold or do the outline of the drawers more of a yellow gold like the pulls?) Decisions, decisions!

BEFORE-Funky vintage sideboard with geometric detailing-

AFTER-Funky vintage sideboard with geometric detailing-

Paint- Home Depot- Behr- Custom Color Match

BEFORE-Fiberglass peacock chairs

AFTER-Fiberglass Peacock Chairs

Paint- Home Depot dark charcoal spray paint

{Excuse the flowers falling from the tree and our nice mess in the background }

BEFORE-Faux bamboo armoire (can’t seem to find the before photo so I borrowed this photo from Bazaar of Serendipity blog)

AFTER-Faux bamboo armoire

Paint- Sherwin Williams- Pure White

BEFORE-Faux bamboo dining chairs and table

AFTER-Faux bamboo dining chairs and table

Paint- Benjamin Moore- White Dove

So basically throughout the house I painted most of my furniture white and gray so they’d stand the test of time and then sprinkled in other pieces with more bold pops of color to add some excitement.

And stay tuned for the “afters” of these “befores”!

As a first time homeowner, the idea of filling your entire home with furniture (and filling it quickly) can be daunting and not to mention, expensive.  The case of my home is especially severe because a) I’m extremely impatient and want every room done yesterday (I’m still trying to comprehend the fact that I will live here for 5+ years and there is no deadline)  b) I am constantly changing my mind and switching out things so nothing stays in the same place longer than a month’s time.

{Zoey on the day we moved in…. thinking- “mom, how are we going to take this entirely pink painted house with gross peeling trim from drab to fab (and fill it with furniture) by next week?!”}

So where does this leave me?  Well, in Ben’s eyes it definitely doesn’t warrant buying all new super nice furniture for every room and honestly, I don’t think I could ever have a house of all new things. I love old things just way too much and especially giving pieces a whole new look through refinishing them. Lately, I have been doing a LOT of that.  Sometimes I paint the pieces myself and other times if it’s just too difficult, I hire someone to do it (ok, I admit, a lot of the time I  hire someone else to do it).  Remember the part where I said I was impatient?

Here are some of my recent before and after furniture projects and the info on the paint colors that I used-

BEFORE-

Antique secretary-

AFTER-

Antique Secretary-

Paint- Benjamin Moore- 689- Rhine River- Satin Finish

 {still needs to be accessorized!}

BEFORE-

Vintage Dorothy Draper-esque Nightstands-

AFTER-

Vintage Dorothy Draper-esque nightstands

Paint- Benjamin Moore White Dove with gold accents

(Need your opinion here dear readers! Do you think the gold is too orangey and should I go back to more of a soft/antique gold or do the outline of the drawers more of a yellow gold like the pulls?) Decisions, decisions!

BEFORE-Funky vintage sideboard with geometric detailing-

AFTER-Funky vintage sideboard with geometric detailing-

Paint- Home Depot- Behr- Custom Color Match

BEFORE-Fiberglass peacock chairs

AFTER-Fiberglass Peacock Chairs

Paint- Home Depot dark charcoal spray paint

{Excuse the flowers falling from the tree and our nice mess in the background }

BEFORE-Faux bamboo armoire (can’t seem to find the before photo so I borrowed this photo from Bazaar of Serendipity blog)

AFTER-Faux bamboo armoire

Paint- Sherwin Williams- Pure White

BEFORE-Faux bamboo dining chairs and table

AFTER-Faux bamboo dining chairs and table

Paint- Benjamin Moore- White Dove

So basically throughout the house I painted most of my furniture white and gray so they’d stand the test of time and then sprinkled in other pieces with more bold pops of color to add some excitement.

And stay tuned for the “afters” of these “befores”!

As a first time homeowner, the idea of filling your entire home with furniture (and filling it quickly) can be daunting and not to mention, expensive.  The case of my home is especially severe because a) I’m extremely impatient and want every room done yesterday (I’m still trying to comprehend the fact that I will live here for 5+ years and there is no deadline)  b) I am constantly changing my mind and switching out things so nothing stays in the same place longer than a month’s time.

{Zoey on the day we moved in…. thinking- “mom, how are we going to take this entirely pink painted house with gross peeling trim from drab to fab (and fill it with furniture) by next week?!”}

So where does this leave me?  Well, in Ben’s eyes it definitely doesn’t warrant buying all new super nice furniture for every room and honestly, I don’t think I could ever have a house of all new things. I love old things just way too much and especially giving pieces a whole new look through refinishing them. Lately, I have been doing a LOT of that.  Sometimes I paint the pieces myself and other times if it’s just too difficult, I hire someone to do it (ok, I admit, a lot of the time I  hire someone else to do it).  Remember the part where I said I was impatient?

Here are some of my recent before and after furniture projects and the info on the paint colors that I used-

BEFORE-

Antique secretary-

AFTER-

Antique Secretary-

Paint- Benjamin Moore- 689- Rhine River- Satin Finish

 {still needs to be accessorized!}

BEFORE-

Vintage Dorothy Draper-esque Nightstands-

AFTER-

Vintage Dorothy Draper-esque nightstands

Paint- Benjamin Moore White Dove with gold accents

(Need your opinion here dear readers! Do you think the gold is too orangey and should I go back to more of a soft/antique gold or do the outline of the drawers more of a yellow gold like the pulls?) Decisions, decisions!

BEFORE-Funky vintage sideboard with geometric detailing-

AFTER-Funky vintage sideboard with geometric detailing-

Paint- Home Depot- Behr- Custom Color Match

BEFORE-Fiberglass peacock chairs

AFTER-Fiberglass Peacock Chairs

Paint- Home Depot dark charcoal spray paint

{Excuse the flowers falling from the tree and our nice mess in the background }

BEFORE-Faux bamboo armoire (can’t seem to find the before photo so I borrowed this photo from Bazaar of Serendipity blog)

AFTER-Faux bamboo armoire

Paint- Sherwin Williams- Pure White

BEFORE-Faux bamboo dining chairs and table

AFTER-Faux bamboo dining chairs and table

Paint- Benjamin Moore- White Dove

So basically throughout the house I painted most of my furniture white and gray so they’d stand the test of time and then sprinkled in other pieces with more bold pops of color to add some excitement.

And stay tuned for the “afters” of these “befores”!

Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner’s Upper East Side NYC apartment is featured in the latest issue of ELLE DECOR magazine. It’s a stunning 10 room apartment located on Park Avenue. Ivanka worked closely with her interior designer to achieve a beautiful but functional home for her family.

The den features a Christian Liaigre sectional sofa and walls painted in Benjamin Moore’s Galveston Gray.

The mural in the entry foyer was hand painted by Bob George Studio.

The dining room features a Lindsey Adelman light fixture and Mies van der Rohe chairs.

The fun, vibrant lacquered blue desk in the den was custom designed by Trump’s designer.

The master bedroom features a custom designed headboard and side tables, with vintage 1940′s French stools at the foot of the bed.

The charming nursery includes an armchair and dresser from Restoration Hardware and the ceiling is wallpapered in a pattern from Sandberg.

To view the full spread, pick up the October issue of ELLE DECOR which hits newsstands this week!

As a first time homeowner, the idea of filling your entire home with furniture (and filling it quickly) can be daunting and not to mention, expensive.  The case of my home is especially severe because a) I’m extremely impatient and want every room done yesterday (I’m still trying to comprehend the fact that I will live here for 5+ years and there is no deadline)  b) I am constantly changing my mind and switching out things so nothing stays in the same place longer than a month’s time.

{Zoey on the day we moved in…. thinking- “mom, how are we going to take this entirely pink painted house with gross peeling trim from drab to fab (and fill it with furniture) by next week?!”}

So where does this leave me?  Well, in Ben’s eyes it definitely doesn’t warrant buying all new super nice furniture for every room and honestly, I don’t think I could ever have a house of all new things. I love old things just way too much and especially giving pieces a whole new look through refinishing them. Lately, I have been doing a LOT of that.  Sometimes I paint the pieces myself and other times if it’s just too difficult, I hire someone to do it (ok, I admit, a lot of the time I  hire someone else to do it).  Remember the part where I said I was impatient?

Here are some of my recent before and after furniture projects and the info on the paint colors that I used-

BEFORE-

Antique secretary-

AFTER-

Antique Secretary-

Paint- Benjamin Moore- 689- Rhine River- Satin Finish

 {still needs to be accessorized!}

BEFORE-

Vintage Dorothy Draper-esque Nightstands-

AFTER-

Vintage Dorothy Draper-esque nightstands

Paint- Benjamin Moore White Dove with gold accents

(Need your opinion here dear readers! Do you think the gold is too orangey and should I go back to more of a soft/antique gold or do the outline of the drawers more of a yellow gold like the pulls?) Decisions, decisions!

BEFORE-Funky vintage sideboard with geometric detailing-

AFTER-Funky vintage sideboard with geometric detailing-

Paint- Home Depot- Behr- Custom Color Match

BEFORE-Fiberglass peacock chairs

AFTER-Fiberglass Peacock Chairs

Paint- Home Depot dark charcoal spray paint

{Excuse the flowers falling from the tree and our nice mess in the background }

BEFORE-Faux bamboo armoire (can’t seem to find the before photo so I borrowed this photo from Bazaar of Serendipity blog)

AFTER-Faux bamboo armoire

Paint- Sherwin Williams- Pure White

BEFORE-Faux bamboo dining chairs and table

AFTER-Faux bamboo dining chairs and table

Paint- Benjamin Moore- White Dove

So basically throughout the house I painted most of my furniture white and gray so they’d stand the test of time and then sprinkled in other pieces with more bold pops of color to add some excitement.

And stay tuned for the “afters” of these “befores”!

Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner’s Upper East Side NYC apartment is featured in the latest issue of ELLE DECOR magazine. It’s a stunning 10 room apartment located on Park Avenue. Ivanka worked closely with her interior designer to achieve a beautiful but functional home for her family.

The den features a Christian Liaigre sectional sofa and walls painted in Benjamin Moore’s Galveston Gray.

The mural in the entry foyer was hand painted by Bob George Studio.

The dining room features a Lindsey Adelman light fixture and Mies van der Rohe chairs.

The fun, vibrant lacquered blue desk in the den was custom designed by Trump’s designer.

The master bedroom features a custom designed headboard and side tables, with vintage 1940′s French stools at the foot of the bed.

The charming nursery includes an armchair and dresser from Restoration Hardware and the ceiling is wallpapered in a pattern from Sandberg.

To view the full spread, pick up the October issue of ELLE DECOR which hits newsstands this week!

Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner’s Upper East Side NYC apartment is featured in the latest issue of ELLE DECOR magazine. It’s a stunning 10 room apartment located on Park Avenue. Ivanka worked closely with her interior designer to achieve a beautiful but functional home for her family.

The den features a Christian Liaigre sectional sofa and walls painted in Benjamin Moore’s Galveston Gray.

The mural in the entry foyer was hand painted by Bob George Studio.

The dining room features a Lindsey Adelman light fixture and Mies van der Rohe chairs.

The fun, vibrant lacquered blue desk in the den was custom designed by Trump’s designer.

The master bedroom features a custom designed headboard and side tables, with vintage 1940′s French stools at the foot of the bed.

The charming nursery includes an armchair and dresser from Restoration Hardware and the ceiling is wallpapered in a pattern from Sandberg.

To view the full spread, pick up the October issue of ELLE DECOR which hits newsstands this week!