Urban Farmhouse is in Frisco Style this month!

Lots going on to share at the Farmhouse this month, but with things going at such a fast pace lately, I don’t have much time to blog! Promise to share more after the Easter holiday.

For now, here’s a fun little write up that just came out in the April Edition of Frisco Style Magazine.

 

Hope the bunny is good to you this weekend!

The Orb Chandelier…How I Love Thee!

If you know me well, you know that I love great design and anything that makes a “statement” in a room. Well the Orb Chandelier certainly does just that!

They look beautiful enveloping a crystal or an iron chandelier.

Restoration Hardware

They work in a living room…

By Spinnaker Development

They work in a bedroom…

By Atlanta Homes Magazine

They work in a kitchen nook…

By Shirley Meisels

I need one to work for me. What doesn’t work for me however, is the $400-$2,000 and up price tag of this spherical design gem.

So, being the cheap skate that I am (and proud of it!)…I have decided to take on yet another design project.

Stay tuned as I plan to attempt my version of the “Mystical Orb Chandelier” for under $100! (I sure hope I can actually accomplish it!)

Have a Beautiful & Balanced Week!

Kristen

March Madness

Whew….its starting to get busy this month at Urban Farmhouse! I remember when this little business was just a way to make some mad money here and there for this stay-at-home Mama. Its really rewarding to see where its taken me over the last couple of years.

This is what’s been going on in the workshop just in the last week…

The McGowan’s are a fantastic couple with a growing family. I’ve had the pleasure of working with Heather and Sean on some other fun projects in the past.

You might remember the Modern Driftwood Dresser I did for her son’s bedroom last fall.

I also recreated a finish on some barstools that had been discontinued in the color she was wanting, taking them from an espresso stain to a fun antiqued olive green.

 

This time around they were working with my high school friend and designer, Emily Hewett, to do a total transformation of their master bedroom. (Emily and I go back as far as Indian Princesses in first grade, don’t cha know!)

So instead of buying all new furniture for the room, we used what they had and decided to go a little “glam”! Here’s a “Before” and “After” of their armoire.

 

Giving the piece a weathered silver finish, really changed the entire feel. The pictures really don’t do it justice. Layers coming through in different metallic shades and texture give it such character now.

 

They also had a dresser with a large matching mirror attached. They removed the mirror and brought the dresser into this decade by going with a grayish blue and cream antiqued finish.

 

It still amazes me how paint can totally change the weight of a piece of furniture, making it appear lighter.

 

She was originally planning on two mirrored nightstands, but she had this side chest already, so I suggested a gray weathered finish.

 

One, it breaks up the matchy matchiness (Yes, I know matchy matchiness isn’t a real word) of the room, and two it marries the blue and cream dresser and the weathered metallic armoire. The goal is to have a cohesive feel without a matched set, right?

If you’re looking to transform a room, give me a shout at FarmStyleStudio@gmail.com

Happy Spring!

Thrifty Design for a Couple’s Dining Room

So you may not know that just because a girl can wield a paint brush, doesn’t necessarily mean that’s where her talents end. (WOW, that could be taken out of context.)


Let’s try that again…what I’m trying to say is, that just because I’m known for refinishing furniture, doesn’t mean that’s ALL I’m doing these days at Urban Farmhouse.


Lately my business has taken a shift and I’ve started creating rooms around my furniture for clients.


Take Kerri and Tim Rovi for example. They scored a great deal on this solid wood 65” round dining table at a local thrift.





They knew they wanted me to refinish it, but after learning a little more about their style at a design consultation at their new home, I came up with a custom plan for the couple.


While on the tour of their house, I spotted this amazing bouquet on display in the corner of their guestroom. Isn’t it great? Its made out of vintage brooches and was Kerri’s bridal bouquet. It sparked the inspiration for my design boards.


 

I knew that blue had to be incorporated into the design after seeing it emerge throughout their home in just about every room. Kerri, like me, tends to lean towards blending vintage with modern elements and likes a calming color palette.


The dining room needed to be sophisticated and a little bit glamorous but in keeping with a young and somewhat relaxed feel.





The fun part about the plan I come up with for my clients, is that it usually centers around furniture pieces I go out searching for. Then the transformation begins! The result is a one-of-a-kind, budget-friendly room that was designed especially for you.


In the case of the Rovi’s, I had so much fun that I came up with three similar boards for them to choose from.





All three boards centered around their table and the need for a china hutch to display some special heirloom pieces.








I’m happy to report that they loved the boards, saying:


“These are AMAZING! We’re still mulling over 1 and 2, can’t decide if we like the white hutch or the white table but I’m leaning towards two because I LOVE that chandelier with the white table. Thank you so much for all of your hard work on this, you’ve hit it on the nail!”


After some deliberation they have decided to go with Board #1.
I’ve already found their china hutch and 6 dining chairs that we plan to reupholster in a vibrant peacock blue.


The Chairs Before Their Makeover & Inspiration for the “After”
 


I know what you’re thinking, but have a little faith in me! After the refinish, the chairs will get their centers and seats upholstered in the pretty peacock fabric.


        The China Hutch “Before” and “After" Inspiration


The hutch will house Kerri’s grandmother’s china, so it had to be see-through glass. I think that the piece I was able to find for them is a pretty close match and once refinished, should look more modern and clean-lined in the room.



Stay tuned for a glamorous dining room makeover for a very fun couple! (I’m so inspired by the chairs, that I’m trying to find a place for some peacock blue in my own home.)


If you are in need of a room makeover, send me an email at FarmStyleStudio@gmail.com


Happy Spring Break!!!
Kristen

Take Me Home Please…

Well since my chair obsession of 2012, I’ve acquired quite a few “potential” beauties that are just waiting to have forever homes. Check out my inventory before they fly outta here…

Brace yourselves….this one is BY FAR one of the rarest finds I’ve ever come across. I literally sprinted across a parking lot, stumbling over furniture under foot to sit in her and claim my prize. Yes, I DO get THAT excited over furniture, people.

Can’t you just see her brought into the 21st century with some bold graphic florals and a new paint job? Possibly, if not exactly like below?

       What I am now….                     My Hidden Potential….

 

via Etsy

What about this one? I know she looks like a horrible 1970’s motel chair now….but take a look at the big plans in store for her transformation….

Sad little thrift chair now…         Wow Factor Waiting to Happen…

                

                                                                                                                    via Angelo Home

 

I don’t have to tell you how much I LOVE an oversized, sink-down-and-get-comfy wing back chair. But just in case you’ve forgotten…I have this little gal waiting for a modern makeover.

Country Gone Wrong…                   Dallas Done Right….                            

   

                                                                                                                via Décor Pad

Just in case you STILL don’t believe me…check out my newest addition to my bedroom makeover.

                    Before                                  After

     

I wanted to get that “pop” of color the room was craving in a fun purple damask. The back of the chair is covered in a minky gray velvet. Now I just need a fun accent pillow and voila…bedroom complete!

 

Take your pic from the chairs above and we’ll come up with a plan for the refinish and reupholster to make it a one-of-a-kind knock-out! Email me at FarmStyleStudio@gmail.com

DIY Showoff Feature of the Week Winner!

Super excited to announce that my little chairs were featured as the winner of the DIY Showoff Feature of the week!

Read more about it:

DIY Chair Makeover – before and after x 2

Thank you, Roeshel! If you haven’t checked out her blog, you need to! She has some great DIY projects to browse through!

Champagne Taste on a Beer Budget

Does this apply to you? Well it applies to me! How else would anyone end up junkin’ for beat up furniture at garage sales or thrifts?
I often say that design wouldn’t be a challenge without a budget. What fun would it be to walk into a high end store and say “I’ll take it!” without even so much as glancing at the price tag? (Okay, let’s be honest, it would be fun.)
But I don’t think it would be nearly as interesting or satisfying to me if there wasn’t a bit of a challenge in it.
As I look over my portfolio and the learning curve since I started doing this out of my garage in 2009, I have to say…I really am proud of what I’ve been able to accomplish with cast-away furniture and accessories.
It makes me realize that design is less about a number and more about how to maneuver around road blocks and see the potential in everyday objects.
I had someone tell me the other day that Urban Farmhouse is “trending” with regard to some of the pieces I’ve done. That really struck a cord with me and reassured me that I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be with my career choice.
With that said, let me show you what I’ve been up to this weekend…
My good friend and decorator, Gamze Andrews, has such a beautiful home that it was an extra bonus to be able to photograph them there. (This also made me realize how my paint-infested garage does NOT do my pieces justice for that wow factor!)
But what good would these beautiful pictures do without a shocking “Before” image? It adds to the drama, right?
Remember these guys? Yes, they were hanging around my garage for quite some time until I could figure out what direction to go with for her house. I just knew they had star potential deep down!

and now prepare to be amazed…
AFTER

She’s kind of my “pimp chair” but I LOVE her!
 
…the second cane back was originally supposed to be in the same fabric but at the last minute I had a change of heart and decided to go for a smoky blue to play against the deep brown tones in the room.

Doesn’t she look lovely with that faux fur in rich chocolate brown draped over her in the study?
 



Sigh, I think I want to build a room around these chairs…no, really, I do, or better yet, a HOUSE!
These pretty ladies are already taken, BUT I always find similar chairs so email me at FarmStyleStudio@gmail.com if you are interested in a custom chair like this one. She won’t cost it, but she’ll look like a million dollars!