Double your...pleasure? fun? closet space!!

When Tony and I moved in together I came to the realization that I had WAY too many clothes. (My wardrobe was easily five times the size of his). During my college and law school days, when money was tighter/non-existent, I felt guilty getting rid of clothes. So they stayed in my closet. Just taking up space.

I realized at that point in time that I even had some things hanging around from high school :) So I started to purge...

Despite the fact that I have been purging clothes from my closet for over two years now, I still need a good-sized closet space for all my clothing. Especially now that it is sweater season! Our new place was built in the 1920s and I guess flapper dresses didn't take up a lot of room because we have two miniature closets in each of the main floor bedrooms.

Our latest project was a pretty simple one and ended up doubling our space! We just lowered the existing bar enough that shirts could still hang and stay off the ground and added another at just the right distance above the lower bar. Voila! We doubled the closet space!

Now I just need to find a functional storage option for all those sweaters.... Suggestions are welcome!

Knobs

So I have this dresser that I "antiqued" and brought with me when I moved to Seattle. I have been thinking for a while about changing out the knobs. The knobs and handles that are on the dresser are the originals.

I was looking at anthropologie and I really like the twig drawer pulls but was having trouble finding a coordinating knob. I posted pics of the dresser and knobs I was thinking about.

Let me know your thoughts! Should I just leave the original pulls/knobs? Any suggestions for a place to find fun knobs and drawer pulls for a better deal?

Blinded!

The irony of this Sunday's events only struck me as I was sitting down to post these pictures....flashback to Sunday morning....I woke up a little later than I wanted to with a splitting headache. After a small breakfast I started picking up because today was the day we were finally getting blinds for our living room.

Our living room is the front room of the house and we have been exposed to the street since we moved in. Tony agreed to get some blinds from his dad (if you are in the market check out his website www.windowdesigninc.com). The blinds had arrived earlier this week and Tony's family was coming to see the new house and install the blinds. Yeah!

I was making my way through the weekly clutter pileup when I noticed an odd sensation in my left eye. Suddenly my vision became blurred, and slowly faded to black. I kept blinking thinking I might have stood up too quickly and was having a head rush. Eventually, I realized my vision didn't seem to be coming back and called for Tony (read panicked screaming here). Within a few minutes my vision did clear but I still hauled my butt to the ER just to be safe. Turns out the headaches I have been getting are migraines and it is common to have vision problems when a migraine hits.

When I returned home the blinds were soon installed and we all spent some time relaxing with the family (including Tony's new niece) by the fire and admiring the new blinds. Headache? What headache?

Surprise! Wood Floors

When we moved into the house the plan was to put in wood floors because we thought the original wood flooring was removed or destroyed at some point. After a visit from our friend Mike (who is very knowledgeable about all things wood) we realized that the wood floors are still there. Surprise!

The first room to to tackle was the "stage" room. Yes, it had a stage! After the stage demo, the real work began.

The previous owner had decided vinyl flooring was the way to go at some point. The design choice: vinyl adhesive tile in a black and white checkerboard pattern. This was glued directly onto the wood floor. This project is still in progress but I wanted to share some photos so far.

The Fireplace

So one of my favorite things about the new house is the fireplace. It is gas so I just flip a switch for instant coziness. The colors of the stone surround are beautiful, and it actually heats really well...I could continue, but on to my latest project...

I have been searching the web for a ridiculous amount of time for a mirror to grace the mantle of the fireplace. In the mean time, a small painting and plant have been strategically covering up the the power outlet and large hole left by the previous owner.

I was really surprised at the high cost of the new (and even used) mirrors that I was finding online and couldn't bring myself to fork over the $$. I am very glad I didn't because today I found a great large mirror for only $19.99 at the Goodwill store! So it isn't quite as big as I wanted, but it will do for now and once I find the perfect sized mirror this can be used in another room. A little window cleaner, some wood polish, a few fall-themed decorations...I am very happy with the results. Now what will I do with the money I've saved....stay tuned!