favorite Ikea finds
We live about 90 minutes away from an Ikea, so I don’t go there often. Maybe once every three or four years. On Friday, my mom and I made the trek and spent the day “doing Ikea.” It really is like a theme park. Wear comfortable shoes, get your map, make your lists, so you […]
favorite things | antique flatware
I’m sometimes asked what I look for when I’m out shopping for things for my home or things to sell. The broad, non-specific answer is that I look for whatever speaks to me. Certain things just capture my attention. I like them. Why do you like what you like? You just do. One of the […]
the awl that quite possibly saved my life
Remember my struggles with the tufted sofa? I’m not usually paranoid about inanimate objects, but I felt like I needed to keep an eye on that one. It silently threatened to “do me in” with its seemingly bulletproof batting and ridiculous amount of tufts. I finally learned how to speak a language this sofa would […]
country living | behind the scenes
Several of you have already come upon a secret I’ve been keeping since June of last year. My home was featured in the March 2016 issue of Country Living. AHHHHHH! And, yes, lots of geeking out has taken place. Lots of high-pitched squeals and pinch-me moments and slowing down to soak it all in. It was the […]
Kim’s coastal bedroom | non-chippy milk paint
I love the look of paint that has been worn with time. Chips, flakes, rubbed areas that reveal the warm patina of the wood underneath. It just speaks to me. But, I know some people look at those pieces and wonder when you’re going to repaint or refinish them. It’s just not a look that […]
creating a chippy finish
One of the reasons I love milk paint is because it can chip and flake in a way that makes a freshly painted finish look authentically old. This chipping can be a bit random, though. I’ve tested out a lot of different products and techniques to consistently force chipping to happen and, while I’ve achieved some […]
ticking slipcover for an industrial stool
I had a full, productive day in the studio on Thursday and it was glorious. I worked on the tufted sofa and I made a slipcover out of some antique ticking for the white industrial stool I bought at the Raleigh Flea Market over Thanksgiving. I love how sweet and simple the skirt turned out. […]
money talk
I remember it vividly. Like it was yesterday. I was a teenager with my own checking account, which was awesome. What wasn’t awesome is that my dad had to drive me to the bank, because I had overdrawn the account. Like, a lot. He sent me to the desk by myself to tell the manager […]