SHARING ONE SPACE FOR MULTIPLE ACTIVITIES?
NEED SOME SEPARATION?
So a girlfriend of mine has a little son who she shares a master bedroom with ... Her problem is that her ... their bedroom is very blurry as to who's space is who's place. I gave her the same advise i gave myself when i lived in a tiny tiny (375sqft) efficiency .. HEY i was in the best hood in Austin.. and I was single, well most of the time... Aannywaaays ... it was small and when you walked in all you were missing of the place was the bathroom.
To the left you see the sleeping area is all mixed in with the living space ... the curtains separate the two ... separation is good ... you dont always want to stare at your fridge while you're trying to go to bed ... you dont always want your bed in plain sight when you have ... friends over. Close those curtains and wha'la. Problem solved.
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This same advise is totally transferable to a baby / parent space issue with in one main space.
With the curtain divider walls you can treat the space you have created as its own room. Place furniture along the curtains as if they were walls... only these walls can be used as display boards for any art work your little one makes .. just get some safety pins and pin'em up on their side for a little added "personal art" to make it feel even more like their own room.
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This scenario might also help with the inevitable time when the little one has to move to their own room ... at bed time treat the curtains as actual walls and doors, keep them close and you out of sight .. you can still hear them for any troubles but they cant see you, hopefully making the move down the hall a little less traumatizing ..
Wanna try using curtain room walls at home?
THE HARDWARE YOU WILL NEED: I am sure that you can use all kinds of hardware. What i found to be most logical and user friendly were the tension wire ceiling / wall mount drapery hardware from Ikea:
they are called DIGNITET - they are $14.00, if you are going to make corners with your curtain walls you will need the corner pieces ... they are about $6.
You can either install them from wall to wall as in the photo i found above, or you can install them to the ceiling; either way be sure and use screw bolts (those little plastic or metal guide mounts that you put in the wall and then drill the screw into that). Directions come with the hardware and its pretty easy, you could do it yourself or get some hot guy you like to come over and save the space dividing day ... lol!
CURTAIN PANELS: Really easy and there are a couple of options. You can go the super easy rout and go buy fabric panels of your choice use some curtain clips and get'em on up there (be sure and measure the distance from ceiling to floor so you know how long your panels need to be and also measure the the width of the space your curtains are going to be blocking off so you know how many panels you will need for full coverage ... the staff at any fabric store will cut the fabric to what ever measurements you need for you). OR you can sew your wall panels ... google a pattern for flat curtain panels if you want to do this ... might i suggest that if you're going to go to this trouble you should consider a decorative curtain liner for the inside of the room you are creating ... will help with silhouetting and adds a little extra touch of aesthetic detail. Or you can go buy some pre-made panels at the store, tab or tie top will move better across any hardware you choose, and again check your measurements ... you dont want your divider panels any higher off the ground than a few inches.
Have fun with this little project... it will make a difference you will like .. use the panels to add some color, texture, and pattern.
SEND ME PICTURES IF YOU DO OR HAVE DONE THIS!
Have a super wonderful day... and please everyone have a SAFE and HAPPY NEW YEAR!
A New Year's message from Bevie:
If you drink, CALL A CAB!
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| NOW I AM OFF TO ATTEND TO THIS MESS BEFORE JR GETS BACK AND REALIZES THAT I HAVE DONE NOTHING BUT PLAY ON MY BLOG ALL AFTERNOON ... I NEVER PRETENDED THAT I WASNT A PROCRASTINATOR ... |
ADD SOME COLOR: Do you have a room that could use a little something? COLOR is what you probably need! Painting is the cheapest way to turn any "problem room"
Take the entry parlor of the Inn for example... 
Add just a little bit of color, and Whaa-la! Hello there crown moulding, you're looking lovely up there today...
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This little entry way now feels much more inviting and finished. Job well done... AND, i made this difference at the cost of the paint only ... we used existing furniture, art and mirrors!
Yes, i did just give myself a little wink and a nod ...
and now im laughing ...
USING ART:
Some of JR's band art. i love it. Try experimenting with different colored matting. Add your own sense of style and creativity to the art you enjoy, its yours. So own it! We chose black w/ a pewter frame, clean and modern was the goal.
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This is one of my oils. i have always loved how this piece is a bright chameleon. It goes with nothing, and there fore it goes with everything. Try leaning large art along the wall on the floor, that way your decor is from the ground up. Don't limit yourself to eye level aesthetics only, this is a very cozy look and can be incorporated with any decor style. |
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This is another one of my oils, and this was the easiest piece to hang. It fits perfectly here, the scale is just as big as the arm chair in front of it witch creates ownership of the nook. It also brings color and life to that end of the room It was either a big colorful pillow or a big colorful art piece... i already had the art so it was a no brain'er.  |
KNICK KNACKS?
Learn to love shadow boxing!
**Note: The pictures used in this post are just examples. They are not my actual work**
Best friend of:
The Hoarder / Nick Knacker / Collector / Pack Rat / whatever it is that you like to call yourself to feel better about all of your accumulated junk sentimental mementos...
The above being a joke of course, we all have things that we just can't part with, and its totally fine, there is a little Pack Rat in us all ... Anyways, there is a reason why we want to hold onto certain things: They are precious to us and we don't want to forget how the moment our saved mementos made us feel, a completely sweet notion.
The Problem?
These sweet mementos are pretty much sweet nothings sitting stuffed in boxes in the attic, or in piles neatly, or un-neatly stacked an extra room.
The Solution:
Shadow box your mementos that mean so much to you and put them on display! Not only for you to enjoy but also to add a little personal character to your home. You can literally sprinkle your home and / or office with shadow boxes, they are pretty much appropriate in any decor style or theme you have going ...
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Maybe you have one of your mother or grandmother's old coin purses or handkerchiefs? Beautiful addition to any small area that needs a little something of interest. Maybe you have several? Make a collage wall with them, give them mix and matched frames and / or matting backgrounds that will compliment each piece individually. Have fun with it... you are creating art!
Maybe you went to the beach and your honey or your kiddo/s pick up about 1500 sea-shell pieces?
They wouldn't happen to be sitting in a jar under the sink would they?
Not only are these little shell pieces a great source of decor creativity, but also a great little weekend art project with the kids or someone special.
Extra added bonus: It will double as a happy trip down Memory Ln. for all to enjoy.
- The above shadow box can be found at your neighborhood hobby store ... go scoop one up.
- Dig your shells, rocks, what ever it is you have collected out from under the sink and set them aside.
- Cover a cookie sheet with tin foil for protection and then
- Get heavy duty paper-towels (i love Viva) and soak them in bleach and spread one layer directly onto the foil covered cookie sheet.
- Grab your collection and spread them evenly onto the bleach soaked paper-towels and then
- Cover them with another bleach soaked layer of paper-towels and then set them aside to dry out.
You may need to add more bleach a few times, but eventually they will whiten and look all store bought and clean.
Once they are all ready, arrange your collection throughout your shadow box to your liking and, hot glue them in place, and ... Whaa-la! You now have your very own shadow box'ed collection fit to be displayed, not stored under the sink.
Extra Tip: Add a small pearl to your mother-of-pearl clam shell 1/2's, just adds a little something extra.
Now all you have to do is find the perfect place to show off your new art.
(NOTE: The above project is totally do'able with any other shell-sized collection you might have).
