{DIY} Custom Sized Headboard From Twin Bed

For some reason, my bedroom is consistently the last space in my home that I finish. I believe it is because I am so used to moving, that I try to get the areas in my home that I will be entertaining in completed first.     

Since I have been renting the same place, my loft, for a couple of years now and I plan on staying here for a bit. Now, I finally finished my bedroom, and oh boy, it is so important to have a "finished" and peaceful place to sleep, shut down and unwind in...Let's be real, in my home, a room is always a work in progress. I am loving the bold mix of modern with ultra traditional.                          

I scored this 100 year old, Louis XV, twin headboard in France for $100 right before leaving Germany, and finally had my master plan for this piece executed. Since I won't be having kiddos anytime in the near future and larger European bed sizes don't convert to our American bed sizes, I decided I would butcher this gorgeous thang and give it new life. I am typically not a fan of modifying antiques but knew this bed would get FAR more use and would be appreciated and honored more if I did cut it, than if it just sat in my garage, waiting for a kid to come along who wouldn't appreciate it's beauty as much as I would anyhow. Sorry (not sorry), future, unborn child.

I want to encourage you guys to not be limited by what/how you "should" be using an item for but to re-imagine or re-engineer how a piece can evolve and be used. I only have a full mattress at the moment and wanted this headboard to fit that but to also potentially fit up to a king sized bed in the future. In order to make that happen, us antique-loving, Europe living expats have been known to slice a twin footboard in half and mount each half to either side of the headboard. It makes for a ridiculously dramatic bed and at a stupid-cheap price. The best part about it, is it looks great with ANY size bed and is totally custom and unique looking. 

Thankfully, my footboard had a line down the middle, so it was an easy line to cut on. This is helpful for lazy folks. 

In order to make it as flush with the headboard as possible, I had the moulding on the back of the headboard's feet cut off vertically. 

By the way, do you ever wonder why fake antiques have all the little holes in them? It is trying to emulate the wood worm damage in real antiques as seen below, to make it look more authentic. Wood worm is not a good thing and will shred your gorgeous wood. This piece along with all my antiques were treated before bringing it back to the U.S.

 In order to attach your footboard halves to the headboard, you will flip your headboard over and mount each half to either side (from the back). This will make the centerpiece protrude a little bit more but it adds a dramatic effect. These were attached with long screws. 

 The finished product is stunning. I like the look of having the nightstands in front of the extra large headboard as it gives it a "hotel look". When I eventually get a king bed, I will mount the headboard higher on the wall and know it will look spectacular. This incredibly, inexpensive headboard is quite possibly one of my favorite pieces of furniture in my home. 

As you can see from my coffee bar armoire, I like to do unexpected things with my antiques and use them in ways that are totally different and unassuming. If you missed my Christmas decor (which you totally did because I was ultra late posting pics, because of a technical problem), click the image below!                                      

I want to thank Rachel and Ari from Ari and Faye Photography, for taking these beautiful images of my bed!

I am off to sip some coffee and get more work done. So tell me, dear friends...What pieces in your home can be reworked or reimagined??

My (Rental) Little Loft~Living and Dining Room Tour

After completely setting up my space for Fall, I realized I never shared the changes I had made in the space over the last two years without all the seasonal decor! So, I took it all down and set it up as I have it in it's neutral/non-seasonal state! I will be sharing all of my subtle autumn touches later this week! 

As I explained before, I converted a loft (above a home) into a little bachelorette pad for the Penster and myself. I have my own private bedroom, bath, living and dining-room, which includes a mini fridge and espresso bar. It is so perfect for me! I also have access to the main part of the home which has an additional living room and the kitchen that I have just remodeled. I will be sharing more photos of that space soon too! My loft is small and I have it pretty jam packed with a bunch of goodies that I brought back from Europe, along with some modern items to give it a bit more of a transitional look. It feels so very "me"...The style is a bit modern and clean with some vintage and eclectic charm thrown in. I feel so lucky to have this little space to relax, get inspired and create in!The pictures below are of the space before I added the wall to make it a private little apartment. These are from the day I moved in. Eventually, my landlord will be adding wood floors to this space. Here are the before pictures!

Here is my space now! On a side note, the pictures below are a combination of some that I took and some were taken by the ridiculously talented, Ari & Faye Photography. Those photos will be linked to their site. Check these talented gals out!!!

I added a mantle and some faux candles to give a cozy home-y feel and it sure does the trick! I light my faux fire every single day! It adds a ton of ambience and the flickering looks lovely dancing in the antiqued mirror behind them. I love having aged surfaces that my guests feel comfortable kicking their feet up on or placing their drinks on. It also makes the space feel a bit more laid back. 

I finally got a chesterfield that I have been wanting for years and moved the white sofa to where I had two gray wing backs. The lightness of the sofa and the height of its back really brightened up the space, opened the room up and has now allowed for more seating!

I have added contemporary side tables, ghost chairs, accessories and a lamp to help make the place more glam and to make the space more updated and hip, with the abundance of antiques that I have. The ghost chairs have that fantastic traditional form but the modern material is what makes them so streamlined. They are the perfect additions to a room full of antiques! They have the sheepskin on them for the Fall and Winter months!

Many people use gold and antlers in seasonal decor,  but I like to use metals and antlers year around. They add a luxe and organic touch to any space. 

My favorite part of my loft is my espresso-bar armoire and relaxing by my fireplace to some jazz music. This tutorial is awesome for small spaces, rentals, bed and breakfasts... Or just to add a touch of whimsy to your home!

I painted a charcoal focal wall to add interest and visual weight to that side of the room. The gray balances out the gray from the sofa on the opposite side of the room. 

The dough bowl on my dining room table is currently holding books from Paris that are close to 200 hundred years old. I love these and found them for a steal in France at a thrift shop. They are certainly some of my favorite things in this space! I will be filling this bowl with greenery and pumpkins this evening for my Falliday decor. 

I cleared my buffet of all my cocktail bar accessories so as to not distract from all the beautiful woodwork on that piece. I decided to use a lovely little cocktail cart I scored at Ross to display a fully stocked bar. I love mixing bargain pieces with beautiful and authentic antiques. The antiques seem to elevate the everything else in the room. It is a trick that seems to work EVERY TIME.

 Thank you for coming along on my living/dining room loft tour, and stay tuned for the bedroom, bathroom, kitchen and Fall tours... Oh yes and some stagings that I have done... Boy, I have A LOT of catching up to do on this blog!

Espresso Bar Armoire Part 3: Installing a Chandelier in an Armoire

As you know, I recently converted an armoire into a quaint, tucked away espresso bar. Click here to read parts one and two. This is part three...Installing a light fixture. If you are lazy and don't like overly involved projects, this is the project for you...

This "tutorial" is so insanely easy, I almost feel guilty writing an entire post that is dedicated to doing this, but alas I shall. There is something so enchanting about opening an armoire that is converted into a unique space that has a glistening little chandelier or awesome light that establishes the petite area as a place of importance or "retreat". The best part is, it is SOOOO incredibly simple to do.

Step One: Convert Your Chandelier Into a Plug-In Light (and of course, drink a yummy iced coffee while you do it!)

You are essentially turning your hanging light fixture into a lamp. There are tons of light kits that you can purchase (at any hardware store) and plenty of sites that give tutorials and instructions. I am no electrical expert, so please follow the directions on the light kit. I am not responsible for someone not doing this step correctly. If you can't figure it out, ask an electrician or purchase a "plug in" light fixture. These are available at a plethora of retailers, including Cost Plus World Market, Ikea, Pier One, and dozens more.

I kind of want to have a "laying" chandelier table lamp in my home... I may have to do another one like this. I love the look.

Step Two: Drill Your Hole

Using a 1-1/2" drill bit, drill a hole in an inconspicuous space in your armoire. I saved the little piece of wood to pop back in if I ever decided I didn't want to run electricity into my armoire anymore. I also drilled a hole in the same spot on my removable wallpaper backdrop so they line up. 

Step Three: Hang Your Light on a Hook

Yep... That easy. twist a hook into the ceiling of your armoire and hang your light.

Step Four: Plug Your Light in and Run it Through The Hole You Have Just Drilled

You can hide your cord by running it along the inside of your armoire or behind the replaceable back panel that I show you how to make, here.

Step Five: Stand Back and Look at Your Lovely Little Space in "Awe"!

A dazzling or unique small  light fixture is an unexpected touch that will add character, charm and dimension to your little space, whatever it may be.

Note: Do not leave your light on while doors of armoire are closed. You can purchase switches that allow you to click it on when you open your doors. Too much heat in a small space can cause a fire if left on. I am not responsible for any problems that may occur if this is executed incorrectly.

I am off to chug a ton of coffee and work on a remodel here in San Francisco! Let me know how this works for you! Ciao, friends!

Espresso Bar Armoire Part Two: Installing DIY Removable Wallpaper Backdrop

When you open your armoire, closet or drawers, does it's blandness get you down?? Do you feel like you are staring into a dark pit of "meh"?? (Don't worry, I am not about to start an advertisement for furniture anti-depressants...) I don't know about you all, but I like to feel a bit jolted and stoked when I open a cupboard door. My faux, fawn hide wallpaper is such a delightful eye treat every morning, I kinda wanna wallpaper or mural every cupboard and closet in my home. It adds the perfect amount of sass to the French armoire I brought home from Europe. 

This is part two to my espresso bar armoire redo, in case you were wondering what I am jabbering about. You can read about it and see some other "before" and "afters" by clicking here.

This is the stink-face I made when I opened my armoire before the redo...

In case you forgot what this armoire looked liked before I adorned it with a gorgeous wall-paper from Walls Republic, check out this photo below...

Madame Brun Armoire was a frumpy lady indeed!

I decided I wanted to wallpaper the back, but I surely didn't want to mess with the integrity of this gorgeous old piece... While this wallpaper is classic and timeless, I change my style on occasion and I didn't want to mess with the wood on the back panels. The best way to do this was to create a removable, pop-in back wall, that I could switch out or replace any time my heart desired. I also want to be able to get other wallpapers from the incredible selection at Walls Republic so I can swap out the backdrop for different purposes or entertaining occasions. I may want this to be a wine bar or hide-away Bier Garten at my next dinner party and can swap the backdrops in and out accordingly! I also wanted it to be able to slide into place and sit still without, nailing, drilling, gluing or screwing a back panel in my armoire. 

Lucky for me, my friendl Drew (a super awesome and talented construction project manager) came to the rescue and helped me figure out a way to accomplish this goal! What a wizard he is indeed! We created this template below, using old bags, and traced the top of the inside of the armoire. 

 We traced that pattern onto a piece of wood that was 4'x8' and 1/16" thick and cut it out with a jig-saw. 

We slid it in and made adjustments till if fit like a glove....

I mounted the wallpaper to the wood with spray adhesive and wrapped it around the back, so that the edges wouldn't lift. I popped it in, slid the shelf in and Bam! Shazaam! Kapow! I now had a gorgeous, wall-papered armoire! 

In case you forgot what it looked like before.....

.....and here it is now!

I am completely IN LOVE!

Next, I will be sharing with you how I installed my chandelier and where I hid all my cords to my espresso machine and light fixture! To read more on the transformation of this armoire, click here!

I want to thank Walls Republic for the fabulous paper and Drew for helping me make it happen! 

Stay tuned my friends!