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Decorating

All Things Home

master bathroom makeover | picks & finishes

If you’ve been following my Instagram stories, you’ve seen the beginning of our master bathroom makeover!  The demo, electrical, and plumbing work are done, so we are well underway. I would say that our bathroom is a pretty good example of a suburban master suite that is about 10-15 years old.  It’s big with a good layout, but it has basic finishes and fixtures.  I do think the jet/soaker tub and Corian counter were upgraded options, but the tile, fixtures, and fiberglass shower were all inexpensive, neutral choices.  When we bought the house, we learned that it was built before there was a buyer, so it makes sense that all of the finish choices were pretty basic. Before I go any further, let me say that this bathroom is the best bathroom we’ve ever had.  We have never had two sinks, a separate shower, and a deep, big bathtub.  I

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All Things Home

slipcover chaise reveal | tutorial & sources

Back in March, I took some unhurried decorative play in the master bedroom.  I just felt stuck in this room.  The bones were there, but I was having trouble finishing it off.  I couldn’t make up my mind on the smaller pieces of furniture, what to hang on the wall, or how to make it a polished, finished space.  During this time of experimenting, shuffling around furniture, and rethinking things, I decided that the ticking fabric on the chaise was limiting my options to some extent.  I liked how several fabrics I already owned worked with the , but not the ticking stripe.  An easy option was to make a slipcover for the chaise. I covered it in an antique linen sheet and it immediately confirmed that thought.  I like the ticking fabric and it’s still in like-new condition, so a slipcover is a perfect way to change the look

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All Things Home

Blue & White Wallpaper for the 1/2 Bath

Between January and March of 2019, we worked on giving our half bathroom a makeover.  We painted the walls in Stonington Gray (mixed at 50%), swapped out the boring mirror with a vintage one, changed out the light fixture and faucet, and added a chair rail and picture frame molding.  As a part of the foyer makeover, we also had the beautiful Montauk blue slate floors installed.  (You can find details and the source on those in THIS POST.)  I knew at the time, though, that I wanted to find a blue and white wallpaper that would take it over the top.  I just didn’t want to rush the selection. So, I stopped there.  Having the bathroom done to this point allowed me to wait until I found just the right paper or wall treatment.  I toyed with designing my own, with hand painting, and even block printing something, but

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All Things Home

slipcover chaise reveal | tutorial & sources

Back in March, I took some unhurried decorative play in the master bedroom.  I just felt stuck in this room.  The bones were there, but I was having trouble finishing it off.  I couldn’t make up my mind on the smaller pieces of furniture, what to hang on the wall, or how to make it a polished, finished space.  During this time of experimenting, shuffling around furniture, and rethinking things, I decided that the ticking fabric on the chaise was limiting my options to some extent.  I liked how several fabrics I already owned worked with the , but not the ticking stripe.  An easy option was to make a slipcover for the chaise. I covered it in an antique linen sheet and it immediately confirmed that thought.  I like the ticking fabric and it’s still in like-new condition, so a slipcover is a perfect way to change the look

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All Things Home

Tidying the Laundry Room & Bottling Cleaners

A few weeks ago, I was in a cleaning and organizing mood.  I am the sort of person who’s in that kind of mood pretty regularly, but this was on another level.  It started with getting all of my cleaning supplies sorted out and turned into reorganizing the laundry room shelves.  I keep cleaners, sponges, brushes, etc. all over the house, so that cleaning is easy.  Under the sink of each bathroom is a bottle of glass cleaner, toilet cleaner, a toilet brush, sponges, a couple of rolls of paper towels, all-purpose cleaners, scouring powder or paste, paper towels, a few clean microfiber dust cloths, and a small box of garbage bags.  (I share some of my favorite cleaners in THIS POST.)  In the master bathroom, I also have dishwasher tabs and a big bottle of white vinegar for cleaning the jet tub.  In a three-story house, this means I

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a slice of life

the first scratch in the hardwood floors

I think one of the reasons that I like old things is that they are already worn.  They wear scratches, dents, dings, chips, cracks, and crazing, and any new damage that is done to them will likely go unnoticed.  They are already imperfect and there is no pressure to keep them pristine.  Well, newly installed and freshly refinished hardwood floors do come with some amount of pressure to keep them scratch-free for as long as humanly possible. For me, that turned out to be less than 24 hours. I knew that these hardwood floors would scratch, because we have them on our stairs, in the dining room, my office, and 15-year-old floors in the kitchen and eating area.  All of them are scratched to some degree from the pets, from furniture scooting, from dropping things, from kids, from life.  I knew these floors, which are in the two most trafficked

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All Things Home

a new picture light & styling a buffet

A few of you noticed the new picture light hung above my Manet copy of Berte Morisot and I shared it on my Instagram stories last week.  I actually bought the picture light for the cow painting above my fireplace (Eulalie), but running the cord wasn’t going to work.  It’s a small shame that there isn’t an outlet on that wall for either a picture light, sconces, or a TV.  So, I decided to use the light over Berthe and it really is perfect. When shopping for picture lights, I learned that they can be very pricey!  I didn’t want to spend a lot, so I just kept an eye for one on and , and finally, one surfaced for $25.  It was the right size, style, and finish, so it was a win! Hanging the light started about an hour of decorative play…  bringing in plants from the deck,

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All Things Home

free wallpaper sample books & their uses

A couple of weeks ago, I drove over to the local paint store to pick up an order.  They are only serving customers curb-side, so I waited outside as they collected my paint cans.  As I was waiting, a pile of wallpaper sample books leaned up against the wall under a sign that read “free” caught my eye.  Hmmm…well, don’t mind if I do.  I figured the books would be filled with dated papers that would be of no interest, but I actually found two books with a lot of great patterns. One of them is filled with stripes.  I was particularly drawn to the grain sack stripes.  Aren’t they so cool? The second book is the real treasure, though.  It’s filled with grasscloth and paper weaves! I’m sure some of you can guess why I collected the books and put them in my van, but others might wonder what

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I’m Marian, a painter, writer, and lover of all things creative. From art and antiques to home projects and everyday life, I share my journey in hopes of inspiring you to embrace your own creativity and make beauty in the spaces you live.

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