December | 2011 | Kate Collins Interiors

Archive for December, 2011

Happy Holidays

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!! I hope this week is filled with giggles, snuggles and cheer!! Happy holidays from my home to yours…

Remember my post on November 9th about wanting to find a place to get away with my family for Christmas? Well, we pulled it off. I have the best family ever. We decided on November 8th we would take a vacation and by November 10th we had reserved an amazing house to rent outside of Cabo. A huge thanks goes out to my brother, Donald, who found the place and then organized everything from booking 14 plane tickets to reviewing the Christmas dinner menu. Another huge thanks goes out to my mom for giving us this trip. We are all just giddy for it and we can’t wait to go!! I can’t even begin to tell you how excited I am for this to be my view…

Pictures to come from our trip. Rooster fishing, sailing, dominoes, margaritas, trashy magazines, and hang out time awaits.

Wishing all of you a very merry and blessed time with your families and loved ones.

December 23, 2011 at 5:38 AM 7 comments

My Festive Tablescape

Hi All,

Happy almost Christmas! Don’t you think it’s about time I do some festive holiday posts? I mean it is the 22nd for crying out loud.

Last weekend, we had Graham’s family over for a celebration. It is my mother-in-law’s birthday on Christmas day and so we had a combo birthday/early Christmas lunch/dinner. I had a great time doing a festive table.

Here’s how it ended up…

I am kicking myself that I didn’t iron out the tablecloth. I had it folded for quite some time and I’ve never used it before. I’ve always planned to make it into pillows. But, that hasn’t happened so I wanted to use it as it was meant to be used. I thought I’d test it out and add on some layers to get a general sense of the look and then take it apart and iron the tablecloth. That didn’t happen. I tried out the look, like it the first go around and didn’t iron a thing – predictable.

I was very happy to have the chance to use our formal china, the new tablecloth I got at a flea market and the gold cutlery I found at my local resale shop. Everything I already had at home, except for the flowers. My tip is to layer on items that you wouldn’t think of putting on to the table. For example, the gold monk bells I used on the centerpiece are usually on display on our bookshelf. I love to bring a little life to the table plus I got to share the story of where I found them.

December 22, 2011 at 5:30 AM 5 comments

Overnight Babysit

Now that I’m in my thirties, I’m of the age where people trust me for an overnight babysit with their precious ones. It takes a lot of responsibility but as long as their well protected they do survive the night. Last night, I watched over this baby –

Isn’t she pretty?!

It’s an original piece by the artist,Patricia Thomas, and I’m holding it for a client. I picked it up yesterday and I’m dropping it off today. When I picked it up and had it in the back seat of the car, I drove about ten miles an hour. Then, when I brought it home, I put it in a corner of the home that we never walk by and had it completely protected from any sort of sunlight. Now, that I’ve had a Patricia Thomas piece overnight, I may be begging Graham that we take the plunge and own one of our own.

Here is another one of her works that was featured in House Beautiful.

I can’t wait to deliver this to my client, even though I’m majorly jealous. It will look stunning in her home. Patricia Thomas’ work is available at Slate Gallery.

December 21, 2011 at 5:32 AM 3 comments

Frances Reid Clothing

I’m breaking my temporary blogging silence (sorry for that – it’s been hectic), to present to you: Frances Reid Clothing. I promise you, this is the type of post where you will want to pull out your credit card right away, and I encourage it. My very talented sister-in-law has just opened up an online shop of the most adorable children’s clothing you will ever see. All items are impeccably made by Bridget herself. Wouldn’t you love to have a handmade clothing item for your little one?

The clothes are also made from the finest materials: 100% cotton, organic fabrics, Italian wool, Japanese linen, pinwale corduroy; buttons made from shell, nut, wood, vintage glass; and snaps and zippers which comply with CPSIA regulations. All the garments have professionally finished seams and the labels are custom embroidered on super-soft twill tape. The fabrics are pre-washed in cold water and eco-friendly, dye-free laundry detergent.

This little number I bought for a friend for her baby shower and it was very coveted. The little horses on it are just way too cute.

Okay, when I saw this herringbone cardigan, I just about died. Doesn’t the little man in your life need this?! I know that he does. Put some vans on him and perhaps some skinny jeans and your kid will be coolest.

Ummm….hello!!! Does this come in grown up sizes?!! How irresistible would your little girl be in this?! Maybe put her in white jeans and a pair of docksiders and a red patent headband on a breezy summer day. It would be so cute!!

Okay, these footsie pajamas are a must. I would design a whole room around them. Couldn’t you see it? Very Ralph Lauren.

I love everything at Frances Reid Clothing. There is so much more to see. Click on over to Bridget’s site here: www.francesreidclothing.com

December 20, 2011 at 5:34 AM 5 comments

Faking It

We have a pair of benches that came with our dining room table that we bought 4 years ago. I’ve split the benches up. One remains with the dining table and the other resides in our breakfast nook.

Last summer, I got these Pottery Barn bench cushions…

I bought them with every intention of eventually recovering them. Days, weeks and months past and I used them in their plain fabric. Yesterday, I thought to myself, “how about faking it?” For the dining room, I pulled out some army green velvet that I have and I wrapped it around the cushion and simply pinned it back. I followed the same steps you would for a simple upholster job of a seat cushion but instead of staples, I used pins.

And it worked…

I also made a box detailing with fuchsia velvet grosgrain ribbon that I had lying around. I didn’t have enough of it so it’s not the ideal size box. I just pinned that on as well. The ribbon would not stay on if you sat on it but the velvet actually has; I tested it out.

On to the breakfast room. I’ve had a 1/2 yard of Schumacher’s Fuzz fabric that I got from The Designer’s Attic. I’ve been waiting for the perfect opportunity to use it and I figured why not try it out…

What do you think of the faking it look? I wouldn’t advise this if you have kids since the pins could fall out. But for me and Graham, it’ll work just fine. And if it doesn’t, no sweat off my back. The project took one entire Ellen show, with some stops to look up at the screen. Plus, if I get bored of the fabrics, I can just switch them out.

PS I know that the breakfast nook just took giant step into crazy town with the color explosion. For now I’m enjoying the whacked out look; but, I’ll probably change out the pillows to black.

December 15, 2011 at 9:23 AM 5 comments

Shedding Light on Your Martini

One thing I’ve been wanting in our new dining room is a bar. We have the perfect spot to set up a bar cart; I just need to go buy some booze. While I’m searching the aisles of Bev Mo, looking for good looking (who cares how it tastes) bottles of liquor, I thought I would share some inspiration shots. I like the idea of having a table lamp on a bar cart…

Do you think lighting is a bright idea or would you rather drink in the dark?

December 14, 2011 at 5:22 AM 1 comment

Bergere Chairs: Before and After

**If you’re new to my blog and coming from Elements of Style, welcome! I’m thrilled to have you here with me today. If you get a chance, take a look around; you can click here and here to see other projects I’ve done.

I found a great pair of antique bergere chairs on Craigslist for a client. We loved the style and look of the chairs but the dated fabric had to go.

Before:

And the After:

I’m so happy with how it all came out. The chairs look even better in person (sorry for my terrible I-phone taking skills). We went with a printed cotton on the back in a fun pattern and then a velvet on the front. Not only is the velvet extremely soft to the touch, it’s also durable for little ones. That’s how we wanted it. Party on the back and kid friendly on the front. The rest of the room is really coming together and I can’t wait to show you the finished product!

These pillows are in the mail for each chair…

Dwell Studio Metallic Pillow

(Today, Bumble Cafe is featured over at Elements of Style – one of my all time bloggers and designers!! Needless to say, I’m pinching myself.)

December 13, 2011 at 5:09 AM 13 comments

New Drapes Reveal

Christmas came early for me! Well, actually it had nothing to do with the holiday and everything to do with my wonderful client. You see, I’ve had this gorgeous vintage fabric from the 60s’s WAITING to be made into drapes for our sun room. But with each passing month, the fabric sat and collected dust and I never got around to getting them made.

We are getting custom drapes made for my client and I found a new workroom with fantastic rates but I didn’t want my client’s drapes to be the guinea pig. So, in went my vintage fabric and out came beautiful drapes. I couldn’t be more pleased with the quality.

I went with a pinch pleat and white grosgrain banding to give it a more tailored look.

I also love how the drapes tie in with my orange Oomph side table…

I got a simple brass drapery rod and rings from Pottery Barn. BUT, I’m waiting for the day when my dear husband has time to raise the rod up. I’ll have the drapes lightly gracing the floor and they’ll be hanging above the window. This is a great designer tip – always hang your drapes higher and wider then your window to make the window appear larger. Here’s a cute little visual…

After pictures to come, once I convince Graham to move the rod from where the previous renters had it. The “projects” for him to do around the house never end.

December 12, 2011 at 5:42 AM 8 comments

Going Back to the Old School

When I saw this image on Look Linger Love of an adorable mom with her daughter:

it planted an outfit seed in my mind. I don’t have a shift dress as adorable as hers but I do have two shift dresses from Theory that I wear a lot with little jackets or sweaters. It had never dawned on me to put a button down on underneath the dress. I guess it is because I wore a jumper with a polo shirt underneath it in grade school as our uniform and so I tend to stay away from that look.

The other day, I decided to take it back to old school and once again put a shirt underneath my dress…

What do you think of the look? Would you ever take it back to the old school? How do you like Graham’s sock and sweatpant in the photo? I don’t really know how fashion bloggers convince their husbands to take photo shoots of them outside. This was taken with my I-phone during the commercial break of a sports game – keeping it real.

I did wear the sweater coat for most the day because without it, I felt like I was right smack dab back in the 5th grade.

Still as awkward as I was in 5th grade in front of the camera. I thought that the necklace made it a less juvinial though.

When I was walking out on Sacramento street in the outfit, this old man looked at me and said, “Nice squash bottom.” I let out an awkward, slightly frightened giggle and thought to myself what on earth is that man talking about and looked down at my dress to see if I somehow spilt squash on it. I also knew he wasn’t talking about my physical bottom because he only saw me from face on and my bottom is anything but squashed (wish it were). When I got home, I googled squash bottom to find out that’s the proper name of the necklace. Ha. You learn something new everyday. In my searches, I found I got a steal of a deal when I bought my vintage squash bottom for $15. Here is a very similar one from Free People going for $1,198 Yikes!

December 9, 2011 at 5:30 AM 9 comments

Santa Baby

Everywhere I turn, I wish I may, I wish I might, I wish Santa could come and give me pressies tonight!! I can’t stop longing for things. It’s an epidemic. The month of December is cruel like that. So here we go, Santa, here’s what I’m hoping is under the tree…