Friday, December 15, 2017

Easy Holiday Gift Wrapping Ideas

I really, really thought I would have finished my Christmas shopping and have had all my gifts wrapped by now, but I've been laying low (as much as I can) these last couple of weeks because I haven't been feeling so fantastic.

It's given me a good chance to work on small projects around here and focus on blog work.

Anyway, I don't shop for many, so I plan to finish up in these next couple of days and then get to wrapping.


Thursday, December 14, 2017

Easy Finger Knit Christmas Ornament

I cannot even believe how quickly Christmas is approaching! I know this time of year is a scramble to get those last minute gifts finished and to decorate the last little bits of our homes.

This week I created these super simple ornaments that give such a warm and cozy feel to your holiday décor.


Thursday, December 7, 2017

Simple Vintage Glam Christmas Mantel

Good morning, everyone!

Last week when I shared my Holiday Housewalk tour I didn't get to include as many pictures of our mantel as I would have liked. So, I took some additional photos this week and thought I would share.



Wednesday, December 6, 2017

Vintage Painted & Upholstered Bench

You may have noticed in our Holiday Housewalk tour or my Sukhi Rug post, that I changed up some of the seating in our living room. 

The All Modern chairs that you can see here have made their way into other parts of our home and this vintage bench has taken its place.

I'm really loving how it keeps the room visually open, especially during the holiday season when we have a tree in the space and are entertaining more often.


Monday, December 4, 2017

The Perfect Cozy Throw Blankets for Christmas

The holiday season can't go by without a cozy blanket gift guide!

Warm, comfy throws are pretty much what I live for during these chilly months in New England. Do you all agree? I have been known to keep the heat low just so I can wrap up in one of these lovely blankets.

(Source list below.)


Friday, December 1, 2017

Neutral, Handmade, Sukhi Rugs

This is a Sponsored Post

Good morning and happy Friday everyone!

This fall I was gifted the most gorgeous rug and I would love to share it with you all!

Full disclosure...I intend for this rug to be in our master bedroom...which I started in September-ish or so, and has been stalled for the last couple of months while I finished custom orders and worked on Christmas deadlines.

So, imagine this rug, so incredibly warm and cozy to step on, when you wake up in the morning, rather than staged in my living room.


Tuesday, November 28, 2017

Holiday Housewalk 2017

Merry Christmas everyone!

I am so thrilled to once again be sharing my home in the Holiday Housewalk! A giant thank you to Jennifer Rizzo for organizing this fantastic week long event. (To start the tour from the beginning head over to Jen's blog, here.) 

Sunday, November 26, 2017

Easy Cheese Board for Holiday Entertaining

Welcome everyone!

As we enter the holiday season, I wanted to share one of my very favorite things, whether we have company over or its just us...the cheese board. 

Honestly, sometimes we will have this for dinner rounded out with cut up veggies and deviled eggs and everyone loves it.


Tuesday, November 21, 2017

Rosemary and Sugared Cranberry Christmas Cake Hack

Hi friends!

One of my very favorite Christmas pictures on Pinterest is of a white cake with rosemary trees.

I was completely determined to use it as inspiration this year because it's absolutely stunning, but I honestly have zero ability to frost a cake.

So, while I made the sugared cranberries, I totally bought the cake and tailored it to what I wanted.  In my book, that is much, much better than the frustration and stress I feel when frosting.


Friday, October 20, 2017

Half Bath Inspiration

We currently are in the midst of renovating two areas in our home.

I literally spend hours planning and searching for inspiration and product and I thought I would share some of my inspiration (and a few things I've purchased) for our half bathroom.

The half bath was the original pantry in the house, and was converted to a bathroom at some point. It's very awkward, layout wise, as it  has two large windows and the exposed pipe for the heating system, but no actual heat.  (I'll be sure to share before pics soon.)

This room also serves as Figgy's bedroom, so it needs to accommodate his litter box, food and bed. He's always been obsessed with sleeping in his cat carrier, but I'm hoping we can get him something a bit smaller but still covered.

Anyway, here are some of my favorite things for a half bath reno...

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

Thursday, October 19, 2017

Mantel Update and one of my Best Thrift Score Finds Ever

Happy Thursday!

I've been trying to get these pictures up here for the last several days to share with you all.

Last week, I blogged a couple of times about Halloween projects and decorating (links at the end of this post), and several of you reached out to me asking when/why did I paint my mantel from black to white.

Let me explain mantel update five or six...sometimes it just takes a while to tweak something just perfectly, and since my home is where I can experiment with décor and design, it's not a big deal to me.




Thursday, October 12, 2017

Incorporating Furniture with Meaning into your Home

Welcome friends!

You all know that I love furniture, and as someone who refinishes and paints it professionally, there tends to be a revolving door of pieces coming through my home.

I will quite often bring a piece in and won't be able to part with it for a bit.  Because I have such a influx of furniture I never really become attached to pieces. In fact, when we moved to the farmhouse two years ago, I barely brought any furniture with me.

However, there is a desk and chair that gives me the I would never sell/You're stuck with me for life, vibe.


Wednesday, October 11, 2017

Budget Friendly White, Black & Gold Halloween Table

Welcome everyone!

Yesterday, I shared a super simple white chocolate dipped apple treat and a little glimpse of my Halloween dining table. I'm back today to break down the table step by step and answer a couple of questions.


Tuesday, October 10, 2017

White Chocolate Dipped Apples

Happy October!

If you are anything like me, you love everything fall. Although its been unseasonably warm here in New England these last several weeks, I've been bringing in touches of the season into our home.

Today, I want to share a really easy twist on a candy apple (which is a staple around here this time of year)!


Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Living Room Reveal & Neutral Autumn Decor

Hi everyone!

Since 99.9% of our living room is complete, I thought I would share the almost finished space with you all.

Monday, September 18, 2017

Design Inpiration: Animal Prints

There are some things I think I will always love until the end of time...white and gray marble, gold and brass, creepy old paintings and animal prints.


Friday, September 8, 2017

Furniture Friday: Step by Step Bare Wood Antique Dresser

Happy Friday!

For this week's Furniture Friday I wanted to share something that I did for our own home.

I had been looking for a while for a piece that would be the right scale for our living room and provide much needed storage.




Sunday, September 3, 2017

Estate Sale Casting!

Hi friends!

I'm just passing the word along on this amazing opportunity to be part of a show on a favorite network.


Friday, September 1, 2017

Furniture Friday

Welcome!

I really wish that I could share more here on a regular basis, but at this phase it has just been so difficult. I spend most of my days in the workshop and, by evening, even with the best intentions, I'm just too exhausted to blog.

But, I would like to share more round up posts of some of my favorite furniture that I have finished in the past week (or since this is a first in the series, the last few weeks).  



Tuesday, August 29, 2017

Fun New Art Idea with ColorFoldz

This is a sponsored post.


Welcome friends! I just wanted to hop on really quickly and share a new art product that I just had the opportunity to test out.

It's called Colorfoldz and is part coloring book/part stencil. Perfect for children (and adults who want to unplug and relax).

They have several different themes to choose from (some with three folds and others with five).

Monday, July 24, 2017

Modern Farmhouse Living Room Progress

Hi everyone!

I thought I would take a little time on this chilly and wet Monday morning to update you all on our living room progress.

After I posted rug options (here) I ended up ordering the winner (based on all the comments I received on social media), which also happened to be my favorite.



Friday, July 21, 2017

Garden Treasures with Modge Podge

This is a sponsored post.


Welcome, friends!

I had such a great time working on this project for The Fab Furniture Flippin’ Contest! This month's theme is Garden Treasures and is sponsored by Modge Podge.


Monday, July 17, 2017

Defining Your Style & A Source for Online Consigned Furniture


This post is a partnership with Nakturnal


Happy Monday!

I wanted to share with you all a great resource for purchasing used furniture online. It's something I have been looking into more and more as I try to get this old house of ours decorated.  You all know that I love going out and exploring and hunting for new pieces, and this is great for the painting and refinishing part of Number Fifty-Three, but sometimes I want a certain piece for my home now, without the months it sometimes takes to source it locally.

Here are some tips and my favorite site for inspiration...

1. Define your style by looking online, in magazines and in books to see what you are drawn to.

Source

Monday, July 10, 2017

Modern with Antique Dining Room & Future Updates

Welcome to our antique with modern inspired dining room!

I shared a quick picture on social media last week, and, while I still have more to do I wanted to document the progress I've made.


Wednesday, June 28, 2017

Farmhouse Boxwood Topiary

This is a sponsored post.

Hi friends!

I just wanted to share a new little update to our living room with you all. Recently, CommercialSilk.com reached out to me and provided me with the opportunity to add some faux plants to our home.

Since I love boxwood, I was immediately drawn to these topiaries.


Sunday, June 11, 2017

My Favorite Mantels Painted in Dark Tones

Welcome friends!

I'm loving the contrast of black with whites and creams lately. When we first installed our antique fireplace I was certain that I wanted to paint it white to match the trim, but when it was finally in place, I completely switched gears to painting it dark. It isn't a total departure from what we have going on in the house (doors and other accents have been painted black), but I think it made it really stand out and be a focal point in our space.

Here are some fantastic inspiration pictures that show how gorgeous a dark mantel can truly be...


Friday, May 5, 2017

Vintage Sideboard with O'verlays

Welcome, friends!

I've done so many great furniture pieces so far this spring (hoping to post a roundup of them soon), but this one certainly tops the list!


Tuesday, March 21, 2017

Black Shiplap in the Living Room

Just about a year ago we did a cedar accent wall in our living room. (You can read that post here). I thought it was important to add character to this space since it is basically a box with no mantel and a front door right onto the porch.

Have I mentioned that I struggle with this room. Just nothing I do seems to satisfy what I'm really trying to achieve. Anyway, I went against my better judgement and initially stained the boards in a variety of colors. It ended up being too rustic and country and busy for me.
   So, recently I painted it Benjamin Moore's Mopboard Black. This really rings true to my style. I have to say I was a bit nervous because there would be no going back, but I think it works exceptionally well with the flow of the home (based on the rooms we've already completed).


Monday, March 20, 2017

Aqua Dry Sink & Inspiration when Choosing Paint Colors

I just wanted to share one of my recent completed pieces with you all. Shades of aqua and turquoise are always my favorite and I picked a bright and cheery custom aqua for this vintage dry sink.

It might seem like an unusual color for such a country style piece, but I think it works so well (and I'll explain why I picked it in a second).


Friday, March 10, 2017

Update on my Propagated Fiddle Leaf Fig

Since its been nearly a year since my accidental propagation/replanting of my fiddle leaf fig, I thought I'd give you all an update. (You can read the original post here.)

I actually receive a couple of emails a month questioning if this actually worked, long term, and I'm very happy to say that it did!

As a quick recap, we moved and the plant didn't fair so well. Before I tossed it I clipped the one branch that still had life and stuck it in water. To my surprise it rooted itself and I planted it back in soil.

So, a few things...first of all, it's alive and thriving!

It actually just sprouted a new leaf this week.


Wednesday, March 8, 2017

Creating Art

I can't even believe this, but this spring it will be five years that I have been painting furniture. (Click here to see some of my favorites.)


Monday, February 27, 2017

Vintage Modern Jewelry with BregjesDesign

This is a sponsored post.

Hi friends! I recently got the prettiest necklace in the mail from BregjesDesign and I wanted to share it with you all. (If you love it as much as I do there is a coupon code for a discount at the end of this post that you are welcome to use.)


Wednesday, February 1, 2017

Simple Valentine Flour Sack Towel

Happy February, friends!

 I have a really simple Valentine craft that adds a little punch of fun and color to your winter kitchen décor.


Monday, January 30, 2017

Antiquing Road Trips: Blackstone Valley Massachusetts

This past weekend we decided we needed a little break. We headed off to one of our very favorite stores and I thought I would share our full day with you all as part of the Antiquing Road Trip series we have here.

Thursday, January 26, 2017

The Fab Furniture Flippin' Contest with HomeRight

This is a sponsored post.

Welcome friends!

I'm so excited to share my latest entry for The Fab Furniture Flippin’ Contest with you all! This month's theme is Spray it Pretty and is sponsored by HomeRight.

Wednesday, January 25, 2017

Wood Slice & Jewelry Bead Garland

I made a really fun project this week for our upstairs makeover that I wanted to share with you all. (I still have a few projects to check off my list, so reveal coming soon...although I have shared a picture of the DIY plaid wall on social media, recently.)


Anyway, the space is crazy narrow with zero room for furniture, so I'm relying on wall treatments and wall décor to give the space some personality.



Friday, January 20, 2017

5 Tips for Updating Your House on a Budget

I wanted to talk a little bit today about buying older houses that need updating when you really don't have a huge budget to do so.

Wednesday, January 18, 2017

Vintage Scrabble Letter Message Board

I've been loving all the message and sign boards I've been seeing on Instagram lately, and have wanted to do my own take on one.


Thursday, January 12, 2017

Winter Bakery Cart & Decorating to Avoid a Cluttered Look

I'm always in that constant struggle between I love stuff and I hate clutter. Do you feel that way too?

Literally, our antique bakery cart holds more of my decorative stuff than any other piece in our home.

Wednesday, January 11, 2017

Bits of Our Winter Living Room

January is my favorite. I actually really love packing up Christmas and getting a fresh start on my decorating.

This year, I left a lot of the textural elements out from Christmas that had a winter feel; think pillows and throws. The rest I kept very simple. I'm sure I'll add to it as the weeks progress, but for right now. I love the basic, neutral feel of the space.

As you can see, this space has more color than anywhere else in our home.


Tuesday, January 10, 2017

Thursday, January 5, 2017

Rustic, Modern, DIY Barn Quilt

Behind the scenes here at Number Fifty-Three we have been chatting about barn quilts for some time. While they aren't really popular here in the northeast, they are quite prevalent in the Midwest (where Darrell is actually from), and I did get to see some first hand when we went to Indiana last fall.


I've been wanting to add one to our home for some time now since we do have an old farmhouse, but wanted to make it my own; incorporating that modern and rustic combination that I love so much.


Wednesday, January 4, 2017

Budget Friendly, DIY, Kitchen Reno

Thank you to DecoArt and D. Lawless Hardware for sponsoring this post.

This is a handmade, DIY, on a budget kind of home. And, I hope that inspires you all. You don't need to have tons of money to update and refresh your space.

We did all the work ourselves in our kitchen reno (with the exception of installing the counters as that was included with purchase). It took forever, tackling little bits whenever we had time/money (and there are still a couple of projects to complete), but we are thrilled with where we are at.


 

Monday, January 2, 2017

DIY Dried Orange Slice Garland

Happy New Year, friends! I've been trying to focus and organize myself better and go back to creating my to-do lists again. #NewYearGoals With that said, I have a nice list of projects to share with you all this month. Lots of fun crafts, DIYs and frugal decorating tips. I hope you'll all visit often and share with your friends.