I’m halfway done updating my laundry room. I swapped out the old window shade for woven wood and also the old round chrome pulls for matte brass (the same I used in this kitchen remodel). Soon I’ll be building some new wood shelves, repainting, and redoing the floor too. The newest upgrade is this matte black and brass pendant light fixture, I love it. This 15” wide Hinkley pendant adds a more modern vibe to the space where an older traditional chandelier used to hang.
I’ve replaced a lot of the light fixtures in my home with brass, but in this space I just love the touch of black. Just like hardware, black finishes add necessary contrast. I love the openness and modern shape of this pendant with its concentric frame in a rounded rectangular shapes instead of more frequently seen circles or oval shapes in orb fixtures. The brass candle tubes are a nice accent too! The 15” version I chose for my laundry room, it retails for $249 but I picked it up on sale a month ago for $199, so I’m really pleased with that. If you like this style, note it’s also available in three other shapes, including the elongated which I think is perfect for a dining space or the skinnier versions which would look great in a bedroom or office, right? Black pendant lights make a striking statement, especially in light and bright spaces, they’re the perfect punctuation mark.
Note how twin pendants are suspended in these dining rooms, a chic way to drop smaller scale lighting over a rectangular table.
I always keep my eye out for good looking affordable light fixtures. You know me, I’m budget conscious, so here’s a grouping of cool and classy black pendants all under $300, with the exception of one so technically, under $400.
elisio / savoy laporte / dainolite jessika / nuevo rebecca / black geo from https://centsationalstyle.com/2018/04/black-pendant-lighting/
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Joanna from Vintage Venues shares the recipe to these yummy vanilla cupcakes that are perfect for any occasion! Finish off with sprinkles and even a cute unicorn topper for an adorable unicorn party! IngredientsFor the cake mix:
For the vanilla frosting:
MethodCake mix:
Vanilla frosting:
The post Recipe: Vanilla Cupcakes appeared first on Party Pieces Blog & Inspiration. from https://blog.partypieces.co.uk/recipes/cakes-baking/recipe-vanilla-cupcakes/ This week’s real party is brought to us from Joanna at Vintage Venues. Unicorns are all the trend, so we can’t wait to show you how Joanna threw a whimsical unicorn party! Hi, my name is Joanna and I am wedding & events styling business Vintage Venues. I’ve always enjoyed embracing my creativity and love of all things vintage and took the plunge around 7 years ago to turn my hobby into a business based in Ayrshire, Scotland. I love the opportunities my business gives me to turn ideas into treasured memories, whether for an engagement, wedding, baby shower or birthday – often with the same client! Current trends play a huge part on how I choose to style each event but my client will often have a particular theme in mind for their special occasion. This makes each event unique and I never tire of seeing the finished result in helping to make someone’s day memorable. Would love for you to follow me on Instagram and Facebook. I first met Lily’s mum Laura a few years ago when she booked me to style her wedding; we are long term clients of each other, Laura being my hairstylist. At a recent appointment Laura asked me to style Lily’s 7th Birthday Party so I asked what Lily would like as her theme and she immediately answered “Unicorns!!” We all know of course that Unicorns are real and so I set about looking for the perfect Unicorn party-ware. I was thrilled to find that Party Pieces had an extensive range of Ginger Ray items featuring unicorns that was pretty and chic and so we based the theme of the party on using these items. The iridescent unicorn tassel garland was hung in the hallway with a little welcome blackboard to welcome Lily’s guests together with one of our little blackboards, I also hung a couple of unicorn head plates here as wall decorations.
The rest of the unicorn head plates were perfect on the party table together with complimenting items such as the Happy Birthday bunting and Sparkle & Swirl Unicorn heads from the Unicorn Sparkle range. I love the way that you can use items from different ranges at Party Pieces that all co-ordinate and work well together creating a unique look for any event. No party is complete without party bags and I ordered these pale pink bags and personalised them by attaching some cute little unicorn stickers that I had left over from making the cupcake toppers. The party was a huge hit with Lily and all her little friends – they especially loved making memories by looking fabulous using the Unicorn Sparkle Photobooth Props – thanks again to Party Pieces for providing these fabulous items. For the vanilla cupcake recipe, check it out here! The post Real Party: Unicorn Party appeared first on Party Pieces Blog & Inspiration. from https://blog.partypieces.co.uk/real-parties/real-party-unicorn-party/ Hello and happy Sunday! Thank you all for your comments on the recent post about France and dreams of living abroad, I loved reading about your personal experiences and stories! I spent yesterday out at the coast in Bodega at the annual fisherman’s festival, eating seafood and enjoying the sunshine, it was a great time! Today I’m doing a little touch up painting around my house and getting ready for my trip to Austin, Texas next weekend. If anyone has any tips on what to do or what to eat or what to see while I’m in Austin, please share! Favorite links from the past week below!
I love every detail of this cottage bungalow kitchen renovation. Cassandra’s kitchen remodel was also beautifully done. Nate and Jeremiah’s tips for stretching your decorating dollar. Thanks Cristin for sharing this beach house tour! More images here. Carmel explains in detail how liketoknow.it works. 7 bad habits wealthy people don’t have. Do you always feel tired? 14 reasons why.
from https://centsationalstyle.com/2018/04/weekend-reading-154/ Have you ever visited another place in the world and left a piece of your heart there? That’s exactly how I feel about the south of France. I felt so at home during my ten day solo adventure last year. The region felt so familiar to me it was almost as if I had lived there before. Déjà vu! I felt an air of familiarity everywhere I went, especially in the Provence region. Perhaps it’s because their terroir is very similar to my home in California’s wine country, or because the language is easiest for me to understand having studied it in school. Or perhaps it’s because of my heritage. My grandfather was French and he would sing the loveliest French songs to me when I was little. Last fall I traveled solo on a ten day adventure through the south of France, I visited the wine region of Bordeaux, colorful Aix-en-Provence, quaint seaside Cassis, the ancient hilltop towns, and scenic Nice & Monaco (which I have yet to write about). Today’s trip is to charming Avignon, a one day adventure I took while staying in Aix-en-Provence. I’m familiar with the French language, I speak enough of it to order a meal or ask for directions but the imperfections in my pronunciation immediately identify me as a foreigner. Despite that, I had the most amazing experience while I was there and found most of the French people to be incredibly kind and welcoming. Once, I met a horribly grumpy old Frenchman on a train once who bickered with me and claimed I was sitting in his seat (he was wrong) but I graciously moved over a row just to smooth his ruffled feathers. (Every society has its share of grouchy people.) Other than that one altercation, I’ve always had pleasant experiences with the French. Train travel through France couldn’t be easier. You buy a ticket at a kiosk or in advance online and off you go. On this day trip , I hopped on a train from Aix-en-Provence to Avignon and arrived in less than an hour.
I’m a street eats kind of traveler whenever I’m somewhere where I have a lot to see, it’s cheaper and quicker to eat on the go and work it off by walking around town a few miles.
Avignon is an ancient walled city and so walkable, you can see all of it in a day. You’ll want to see the top sites and that include the Palais des Popes (Pope’s Palace). It’s a magnificent structure and if you climb the steps, you’ll see views of the city beyond and Rhone river below.
My home base during my stay was colorful Aix-en-Provence, however I noticed during on my long walk around town that Avignon’s architecture was more neutral. Every now and then I’d see pops of color on the storefronts, signs, or shutters, but for the most part the architecture is a lovely pale clay hue.
A highlight of my walk was Les Halles, it’s one of the most popular places in Avignon. The exterior has an amazing three story living wall of greenery, so lush and beautiful!
Les Halles is a giant market of produce, flowers, meats, seafood, all local goods. Inside is the market where locals do their shopping. Imagine shopping here every night for your dinner, wouldn’t that be amazing?
I was charmed by the groups of men playing cards inside Les Halles, it was a club where they met each day. I had to stop and watch them for a few minutes, it was clear to me they were enjoying their coffee and their game. How true is it that the simplest things in life that bring happiness, it’s not wealth or fame, but pleasure found in the company of good friends. :)
Avignon like any town in France has its share of shops and cafes where you can pause for a snack (hello crepes!) or for lunch, dinner, coffee, or a drink.
After walking the town, I had an hour to wait before catching an afternoon tour to the Pont du Gard so I had lunch on the main street at a cafe (quiche again!) and sat just watching a blend of people stroll by, some locals, some tourists, all exploring this town with so much history. That afternoon I climbed in a van with 8 people from different parts of the world and an English speaking guide drove us through Arles and then to see the famous Pont du Gard. This first century Roman aqueduct is huge and you can walk across it, the picture doesn’t quite capture how impressive it is. When you’re traveling solo, there are long periods of silence and it leaves a lot of time for contemplation. I remember thinking to myself, I could get used to living in the south of France, their relaxed pace of life, their daily trips to the market. I’ve noticed in my travel through Europe that most people live smaller and simpler than we do in the US. Their cars are smaller, and a lot of folks don’t own a car at all, they rely solely on bicycles or scooters or the well planned public transportation. Their homes are smaller too, they have far less stuff and square footage than we do. They’re happy in their simple lives, regularly meeting up friends down at the local cafe or pub. There is this graceful flow to their lives and I found myself wishing I could live in France for an extended period of time. I want to immerse myself in a culture different than the one I’m living in, knowing there will be awkward moments during my residency but embracing that feeling that whenever I’m outside my comfort zone, great things happen. Has this ever happened to you? Where you felt so at peace, so happy, so comfortable in a different part of the world, and you envisioned living your life there? How many of you have had this experience? Where do you dream of living abroad? I’d love to know. . from https://centsationalstyle.com/2018/04/avignon-and-dreams-of-living-abroad/ Everyone’s daydreamed about becoming mermaid at some point, right? We know we have! So when we met Tilly, we couldn’t help but get a little bit excited when she told us all about mermaids being her favourite and her wish for a birthday party with only her ‘bestest’ friends – because sorry, this is for mermaids only! The gorgeously girlie ‘Glitter Mermaid‘ range from Party Pieces is every little mermaid’s dream. With pinks, purples and shimmery scales, these party accessories add a touch of aquatic magic. We created custom cutlery tags to welcome Tilly’s best friends to her underwater world before tucking into a plenty of treats! Talking of treats, what’s a birthday party without cake? This delicious Gold Shimmer Chocolate Cake from Tesco pairs perfectly with these Let’s Be Mermaids Cake Toppers. Cute little mermaids AND chocolate cake!? YES PLEASE! Tables dressed with our handmade coral and Glitter Mermaid Tails Garland set the scene for our giggling mermaid girls, bringing added mermaid magic to the room. Tilly’s Mum had made a feast of food, with themed creations to keep everything perfect for the birthday girl. But whether it’s sugary seaweed or crabby croissants, if you’re planning your own mer-mazing party, there’s a whole heap of nibbles that you can get creative with to bring sea-style to the table! Tilly’s mermaids decorated their scales with these Mini Mermaid Tattoos – they make for a great activity for children to do themselves or party bag fillers. Balloons are great for any sea themed party as they create bubble-like movement, no matter what colour you choose! These foil Glitter Mermaid Helium Balloons add a shimmer and sparkle that’s party perfect. If you’re planning a party for your own little mermaid, enjoy a celebration that’s filled with mermaid kisses and starfish wishes! The post Real Party: Lets Be Mermaids appeared first on Party Pieces Blog & Inspiration. from https://blog.partypieces.co.uk/real-parties/real-party-lets-mermaids/ My yard sale was a success! I made $400 and sold half my stuff, so I’m doing it again in a few weeks in the hopes of getting rid of it all. I sold a few pieces of furniture I wasn’t loving anymore to make room ones that I can buy with my sale proceeds, ha! Yesterday, I bought two new chairs for my front porch to create a little chat set (sometimes called conversation sets). I walk a few miles each weekend with a good friend in the neighborhood, and when we’re done we always sit there on my porch for a few minutes to cool down. In good weather, I like to sit and wave hello to neighbors that pass by. Chat sets are so great for just those reasons. In my search I found so many great looking trios, I just had to share! Here are 20 nice looking and affordable chat sets for under $400!
gracie green (multiple colors)
powder coated bistro (multiple colors)
del ray (multiple colors)
cottage white (also turquoise)
paris blue armchairs (also red and black, $426)
marseilles (armchairs only)
What do you think? Those are some stylish sets for under $400 right? . from https://centsationalstyle.com/2018/04/outdoor-chat-sets-under-400/ Do you ever wake up totally inspired to tackle a million things? That’s me today, I woke up early, made a big pot of coffee, designed a new fabric pattern, and ran to the craft store to pick up supplies for an idea I had late last night. It’s going to be a productive weekend! Since it’s raining today, I’m all set to have a big yard sale tomorrow. Can’t wait for my garage to be totally clean, woo hoo! After my yard sale, I’m having a BBQ and my little nephews are coming over to play. I hope you all have an equally productive and enjoyable weekend! Favorite links…
I love all the updates in this transitional Texas home renovation. Such fun use of color and pattern in this home don’t you think? 20 forgotten areas that need your spring cleaning attention. Nice work Melaine on your outdoor patio makeover! How to boldly age in the Instagram era. This is a great way to think about money. 20 photogenic cities of the world. 12 hikes in Italy to add to your list. Effort in the face of rejection. Keys to health and longevity: always be moving.
from https://centsationalstyle.com/2018/04/weekend-reading-153/ My friends, I always have renovation on my mind, and my attention as turned to my master bathroom. The tile and cabinets are too traditional for my taste so I’m budgeting a remodel. It’s not likely to happen anytime soon but it’s on the horizon. One detail I’m nuts about in bathrooms is the mixture of metal finishes. While I chose all brass for my tiny powder room refresh last year, I did mix chrome and black in the flip house hall bathroom and also in its master bathroom (to be revealed). There’s no rule that you have to mix metal finishes in bathrooms (or kitchens), but when you consider the examples below, you’ll be thinking about it in your next bathroom makeover. For example, adding a touch of black to a collection of brass is a very good thing, so is mixing chrome and brass finishes. To follow are examples of successful pairings and the analytical breakdown demonstrating the principle that mixing metal sheens in the bathroom can (and IMHO should) be done. First, you can never go wrong with a medley of brass and black or nickel and black. Both work together beautifully. Notice the mixture of brass light fixtures and hardware with black mirrors. This is a no fail classic combination, regardless of the color of the vanity. One bathroom has brass faucets, the other has black ones that play off the black mirror. Both look amazing.
Reverse the two, now make the mirror brass and opt for black pulls, fixtures, and faucet. Equally amazing combo.
You can also mix the silver tones found in chome/nickel with the warmer tones in brass. These two need not compete, they actually can complement each other. This medley works really well when one finish is shiny (the faucets) and the other finished is brushed (the sconces).
Shiny nickel faucets and sconces + matte brass framed mirrors.
Again, shiny nickel faucets and matte brass hardware and sconces.
Copper and steel finishes together? Yep, no problem, notice the copper sconces are shiny the mirror’s frame is a brushed finish. Lovely.
Copper and black? Fabulous! It’s just as great a combination as brass and black.
Black hardware is perfect for light or white cabinets, but not a good choice for black ones since the finish would disappear. On black or dark vanities, metallic tones pop against the dark background, but consider even when choosing gold or silver tones for the hardware, adding a black sconce above to play off the black cabinetry.
If you’re committed to one finish with your mirrors and faucets, think about adding a different metal into the mix in just one spot. Like a piece of simple jewelry, the brass sconces in these bathrooms are the perfect polished detail. (Also note the brass strip in the shower, a nice touch).
via mattandkimrescue
Why be limited to just two finishes when you can be bold and go for three. Live it up! Notice how both of these bathrooms share nickel faucets and square brass mirrors, but the top bathroom has brass hardware and black finish sconces, whereas the bottom bathroom showcases black hardware and brass sconces. Nickel + brass + black, yes it works.
Again, same idea, you can mix three finishes but in this bathroom together with the chrome faucets live black mirrors and brass hardware.
And again, see how the brushed nickel bathtub and sink faucets do pair with brass hardware & sconces, and black mirrors and shower frame.
The lesson: don’t be afraid to mix your metal finishes in the bathroom; it makes the space more interesting and prevents the bathroom from feeling too matchy matchy. What about you? How have you successful mixed metal finishes in your bathroom? P.S. You may also like sleek single handle kitchen faucets and budget friendly brass lighting. from https://centsationalstyle.com/2018/04/mixing-metal-finishes-in-the-bathroom/ One of our favourite British traditions, street parties are set to be a big feature this summer. Whether you’re organising a huge bash for your street, or are planning something a little bit smaller for your nearest and dearest, we’ve pulled together our 5 favourite pieces to make sure that your celebrations are the talk of the town!
The post 5 Favourites: British Street Party appeared first on Party Pieces Blog & Inspiration. from https://blog.partypieces.co.uk/themes/celebrations/seasonal/5-favourites-british-street-party/ |
About MeHi I am Albin Adamski from Brynrefail, I am 32 years old. I always surf web for buying antiques for home decoration. Archives
April 2019
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