MAPS AS ART: YEA OR NAY?

I frequently frame maps and use them as art.  For me, art doesn't always have to be an oil stretched on to canvas or a print matted, framed and hung on a wall.  I like to call it un art.  

Originally, this map was in my living room.  I moved it to the dining room after our kitchen renovation.

Originally this art was in the living room.  When we renovated the kitchen I moved it to the dining room. 

MAP OF ROME IN ITS NEW LOCATION

Of course I like the map because it's black and white.  

CLOSE UP OF THE MAP

The frame is pretty wonderful too.  It's vintage and I was so happy when I realized the map would fit in it.   Hoarding sometimes pays off.  I had it in waiting for years.

FRAME DETAIL

Here it is in its previous location.

MAP OF ROME IN MY LIVING ROOM

If you'd like to see the post when the map was in my living room, go here, or click on the image to be directed to the full post.

I've also written about un art before.  If you'd like to see that post, go here.

What do you use as un art?

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PAINTING INTERIOR DOORS AND WINDOWS BLACK

When I renovated my kitchen there were many decisions to be made.  I know this is going to sound silly, but the decision I agonized most about was whether to paint my window grids and doors black.  In retrospect I can say that there was nothing to decide.  Black was the only choice.  

WINDOW ABOVE THE KITCHEN SINK

ANOTHER WINDOW WITH LAYERED ART

BLACK FRENCH DOORS 

The back door got the same treatment.

BACK DOOR WITH NEW PAINT

Once I decided that I liked interior black doors, I quickly painted the door to the butler's pantry and the powder room too.

BUTLER'S PANTRY AND POWDER ROOM
 WITH BLACK DOORS

Have you painted your interior doors and windows something other than white?

If you missed my kitchen renovation, go here to see it.

ANIMAL PRINTS ARE NEUTRALS

As we begin a new year  I want to wish each and everyone of you a happy and healthy new year before I begin another year of blogging with my first post of 2021.

I've been blogging for a long time.  It's been a wonderful opportunity to make so many e-friends.  I've even met some of you in person.  You all have been my support and encouragement for all my projects.  I can't thank you all enough for being loyal followers and friends.  I don't think I would have completed even half of the projects in my home without you cheering me on.  Thank you. 

So, let's get started.  After putting all the holiday away, I realized just how many animal prints I use in my home.  I think it rivals all the black decor accents I repeat everywhere.  I'm sure you've heard that "animal prints are neutrals".  I can't agree with that phrase more.  So instead of sharing all that is black, I'm sharing all (well almost all) the animal prints that fill my home--and my closet.  I'm going to subtitle this post A BOMBARDMENT OF ANIMAL PRINTS.  

My absolute favorite pair of chairs have a leopard print.  I liked them so much that I used them as the header on my blog.

LEOPARD PRINT CHAIR IN MY FOYER

Of course I have another single chair that moves around the house because the soft leopard print works anywhere.  It's currently in the hallway, but previously resided next to my desk.

LEOPARD PRINT CHAIR NEXT TO MY DESK

The animal print continued in the kitchen renovation.  I added a goat fur runner to the dining room table.

GOAT FUR TABLE RUNNER

I have a leopard trinket tray beside the sink.  It holds my rings when I'm washing dishes and also is a place for my scrub pad.

LEOPARD TRINKET TRAY

There's a matching tray next to the cooktop.  I don't know about you, but when I'm cooking I assemble all the spices and ingredients before I begin to cook.  The tray makes it easy to have all together.

LEOPARD TRAY NEXT TO COOKTOP

My kitchen runner is what else but an animal print.

ANIMAL PRINT RUNNER

It doesn't stop there.  I filled a vintage jar with animal print flatware.

ANIMAL PRINT FLATWARE

 I even have animal print dishes.

ANIMAL PRINT DISHES

Check out my bar cart.  Yes, leopard barware.

MY BAR CART

I have zebra print runners in my sun room.

LAYERED ZEBRA RUG

I repeated the zebra print on the chair cushions on the chairs.

ZEBRA CHAIR CUSHIONS

I draped an animal print throw over my deconstructed chaise in my living room.

ANIMAL PRINT THROW ON MY DECONSTRUCTED CHAISE

It's not all leopard and zebra.  I have a "dalmatian" cachepot on my desk that holds my pens,

DALMATIAN CACHEPOT WITH PENS ON MY DESK

I even have animal print towels.

ANIMAL PRINT TOWELS IN THE BATHROOM LINEN CLOSET

Recently my low maintenance dog started wearing an animal print hat.

DOG WITH A NEW HAT IN THE MASTER BATH

It goes without saying that I have animal print pillows everywhere. 

 I'll spare you and just share this one.

ONE OF MANY ANIMAL PRINT PILLOWS

You can find animal prints on my bookshelf too.

BOOKS WITH ANIMAL PRINTS ON MY BOOKSHELF

It doesn't stop there.  I don't just dress my home in animal print.  I outfit myself in animal print too.

I have boots.

MY FAVORITE RAIN BOOTS

I wear these leopard print ballet flats with everything.  I'm ready to get my second pair.

MY FAVORITE  COMFY SHOES

I wore these shoes to my daughter's wedding.

MY DRESS-UP ANIMAL PRINT SHOES

You know that I have animal print jewelry that I keep in animal print trinket trays.

ANIMAL PRINT JEWELRY AND TRINKET TRAYS

I have many animal print slacks, skirts, and tops.  One of my favorite outfits though is this dress that I top with my jeans jacket.

ANIMAL PRINT DRESS

Oh my, I think I may have just done an animal print overload.

Happy New Year.

FYI, if an image or word is highlighted, that means there's a post related to the image.  Just click on the image or words and you can see that post.  If you view the posts you'll notice that things move around quite a bit.

YEA OR NAY? BRASS SHELVES IN THE KITCHEN

 When my kitchen was in the planning stages, one of the features I was considering was open brass shelving.  I wanted to add them to either side of my hood.  There just wasn't enough space to do it and I had to give up on them.  Even though I didn't get a chance to add them to my kitchen, I still think they're pretty wonderful and thought you'd enjoy looking at my Pinterest inspirations.

I like the fact that there are a pair of open shelves and they match the height of the upper cabinets.

SOURCE

How wonderful are the open shelves with that marble peeking out from behind.

SOURCE

These shelves are resting on the counter and mounted to the wall.  Love the pendant light above.

SOURCE

Placing the shelves on either side of the hood is my favorite location for the shelves.  This was what I wanted for my dream kitchen.  Ohhhh those pendant lights floating in front of them.

SOURCE

I like using the shelves for a bar too.   Hmm.  Maybe I could add them in the pantry.

SOURCE

These look very modern.  The way they're suspended is really unique.

SOURCE

These shelves are suspended over an expanse of windows.  I'm not sure if I like it or not.                   What do you think?

SOURCE

I like that the brass bar stools repeat the design of the shelves.  What do you think about the marble and subway tile backsplash combination?

SOURCE

This next image is from a restaurant.  I love the size.

SOURCE

I still haven't given up on brass shelves.  

Do you like the look?  Have you added open shelves to your home?

For more ideas, visit my Pinterest page, My Kitchen Open Shelving.

MY KITCHEN RENOVATION REVEAL

After talking about renovating my kitchen for many years, I can now say that I did it!  I couldn't be happier with the result, and I couldn't have done it without help from my design guru friend, Monica, @monicagarrettinteriors.   She made my ideas work, offered suggestions that only someone who's done this before would think of, and sourced my wish list. 

I'm really excited to share my new kitchen.  I knew I wanted to remove the wall between the kitchen and the dining room and create one long galley kitchen.  

MY NEW GALLEY KITCHEN

 This next image includes the dining room opening into the kitchen.  I kept my original table and chairs, but removed the single pendant light and replaced it with a pair of oversized beaded wood lantern pendants.  

DINING ROOM TABLE AND CHAIRS WITH NEW LIGHTING

If you're looking into the room from our family room, this is the view.  Did you notice that I painted the windows and french doors to the sun room black?  The black paint ties the room together.  Everyone who follows my blog knows how much I love to use black in my home.

VIEW FROM THE FAMILY ROOM

The other dramatic change that we made to the space was removing the cooktop countertop that jutted out from the wall and divided the room in half.  I've written about the countertop and my knotty pine kitchen before.  To see the BEFORE now, click on the highlighted words.  Or, wait and there's also a link at the end of this post.  You'll see that we gutted the entire kitchen.  The floor was all that remained.  We moved the cooktop and hood against the wall.  The hood was on my wish list and was my splurge.  I love it.

MY BLACK AND BRASS HOOD

I wanted a marble countertop and backsplash, but gave in to my practical side and chose a porcelain marble look alike for easier maintenance.

MY PORCELAIN COUNTERTOP AND BACKSPLASH

Also on my wish list was a floor to ceiling pantry.  You can see it on the opposite wall.

FLOOR TO CEILING PANTRY

The pantry is a combination of drawers and doors and is perfect.

MY PANTRY:  A COMBO OF DRAWERS AND DOORS

I also wanted an appliance garage.  It's between the oven/microwave and the refrigerator.

APPLIANCE GARAGE

I can't even begin to tell you how much I love and how much use I've gotten from these double islands.  They almost make me love cooking.  Those legs!!!!!

MY DOUBLE KITCHEN ISLANDS

If you're considering updating your home, please contact Monica.

You'll love her style and appreciate her design expertise.  

Click on the highlighted words to be directed to her site.

Monica Garrett Interiors

 

Interior Design Studio + Online Furniture Boutique | Full Service Interior Design& Staging 

 

To see my latest post about the choices I made that worked, go here.

If you'd like to see my BEFORE kitchen, go here.  

Or click on the image to be directed to the BEFORE post.

BEFORE

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