Lilac Silhouette

White + Wood

2011-12-05T12:22:00.000-08:00

How quirky and awesome is this apartment? Love!

Happy Holidays!

2011-11-30T14:48:00.000-08:00

As a rule, I wait until December 1st to break out the Christmas decorations...but my son and I brought the box in the from the garage yesterday and I'm tempted to get started a day early! Many of the homes in our neighborhood are already decked out - love this time of year!

{images from Pinterest}

dwellinggawker

2011-11-28T15:52:00.000-08:00

Some of my latest favs, found on dwellinggawker...

{images from dwellinggawker}

Wanted!

2011-11-28T15:41:00.000-08:00

A few things that I'm wanting for our home...

1. Ikea shoe cabinet 2. owl bookends 3. West Elm knotted felt pillow 4. Ikea couch 5. Ikea placemat 6. boyfriend initial pillow 7. Ikea Henny blanket

Bachelorette Pad

2011-11-28T14:26:00.000-08:00

Such a sweet and romantic apartment, the perfect bachelorette pad!

{images from Casa De Valentina via grace & ivy}

Warm and Cozy

2011-11-28T14:13:00.000-08:00

{images from Lonny}

Engagement Photos

2011-11-15T21:56:00.000-08:00

How adorable are these holiday engagement photos? LOVE!

{images from Rock 'N Roll Bride}

30 Day Photo Project Complete!

2011-10-03T09:37:00.000-07:00

So my husband and I each completed our 30 Day Photo Projects! It was really fun, we both took some great photos and I love that every picture reminds me of what I was doing on every single individual day of the month. Here are some of my pics:

{photos by Heather Hackett}

DIY Pillowcase Dress

2011-10-03T09:23:00.000-07:00

We've decided to make our kids at least several handmade gifts this Christmas, and I'm so pleased with how the pillowcase dresses I made for my daughter turned out! They are so adorable and so easy to make! I used an actual pillowcase and bias tape for the purple Amy Butler print dress, but got a bit adventurous for the apple print dress and used cut fabric and my own handmade bias tape. I followed the Prudent Baby tutorial for both dresses; find it here!

{photos/image by Heather Hackett}

Lonny: September 2011

2011-09-24T00:18:00.000-07:00

The latest from Lonny...

{images from Lonny}

2011-09-09T14:22:00.000-07:00

Are you on Pinterest? Of course I see it all over blogs now, but I've been hesitant to check it out because, well, it seems like something I'd become slightly obsessed with! I had some free time on my hands this morning, however, so I ventured on over and searched "moroccan tile." This first image basically confirmed my "you-will-become-obsessed-with-this" suspicisions...

{image from COCOCOZY}

And these images sent me right over to the "request an invitation" button. Sold! I can't wait to get started!

{images from Design Sponge and Full House}

30 Day Photo Project

2011-09-09T09:05:00.000-07:00

Inspired by this Matt Cutts TEDtalks, my husband and I decided to embark on a 30 Day Project. Specifically, a 30 Day Photo Project. It's been really fun, and I'd like to share some of my fav photos so far. We shoot with a Nikon D7000, but if you can believe it I actually look the below train photo with my iPhone! After some slight edits, the quality is really comparable to the photos taken with the Nikon. Never underestimate a photo opportunity when all you have is a cell phone in your pocket!

Travel Town

my desktop pencil cup

my sweet baby girl's little feet

{photos by Heather Hackett}

Free September Wallpaper!

2011-09-08T10:10:00.000-07:00

Better late than never! My husband showed me the gradient tool in Photoshop last night (oh, so that's what that is!), which I used to create a new desktop wallpaper for September. It just dawned on me that the color selection is not very autumn-ish, but we're still in the middle of a heat wave here in California, so the fall feels a long way off. You can click and drag this image to your desktop or grab it from my flickr account. Enjoy!

{image created by Heather Hackett}

DIY Wall Art

2011-08-22T10:12:00.000-07:00

After seeing this piece of DIY wall art using paint sample chips, I decided to create something similar using all the sample swatches I had on hand from our yet-to-be-completed (ok, yet-to-be started) bedroom/nursery makeover. It's a simple and easy project - cut triangles, arrange and glue to large sheet of paper, frame - but I have to admit that it was much more time consuming than I anticipated. Although perhaps that's because my three-year-old insisted on helping me cut and glue the triangles! It was worth the time, though - we love it!

{photo by Heather Hackett}

Looking for another paint swatch project? Check this out! Cutting out a million triangles not your thing? Use square paint swatches for a scissors-free, time-efficient project!

Interior Barn Doors

2011-08-06T09:10:00.000-07:00

An interior sliding barn door is definitely on my when-we-own-a-home list. A great DIY project, don't you think?

{images from Style Linx, Southern Living, Remodelista, & blending beautiful}

Scandinavian Apartment

2011-08-06T08:43:00.000-07:00

Adorable Scandinavian apartment...

{images from freshome}

Free Desktop Download - August Calendar!

2011-08-03T21:45:00.000-07:00

Soooo...I've been wanting to post a free download for some time now, and here it is! Your very own desktop wallpaper, complete with an August 2011 calendar. I'm super excited because I learned a new Photoshop skill (creating a repeating pattern) in order to design this particular image, and it looks fabulous on my iMac. Plus, I love having a calendar right in eye's view while working. The download size is 1920 x 1080, but I'll try to post other sizes to my flickr account if time allows! Enjoy!

{image created by Heather Hackett}

DIY Coffee Filter Flowers

2011-08-02T22:13:00.000-07:00

I saw these amazing DIY coffee filter flowers on Like a Bird (via craftgawker, of course), and I'm thinking about giving it a try! Maybe using a bunch to make some wall art. Aren't they beautiful?

{image from Like a Bird}

Books By Color

2011-07-30T00:11:00.000-07:00

We have a two-column Ikea Expedit bookshelf in our living room that was basically overflowing with books. Today I suggested to my three-year-old that we arrange the books by color, and he was excited to help. I almost backed out of the project a few minutes in because I usually like our books to be arranged by category (and by author within each category), but who was I kidding? Everything was a cluttered, dusty mess. We filled a donation bag for the library, cleaned and dusted the shelves and replaced only as many books that would fit, arranging them by color. You know what? I love it! It looks so lovely and organized. I feel so happy every time I walk by it (or stare at it adoringly)! I'll have to take and post some photos soon! Until then, enjoy this beautiful image from a past issue of Lonny!

{image from Lonny}

Paulova Ceramics

2011-07-28T08:50:00.000-07:00

Wow, how amazing are these handmade ceramic cork-top jars by Paulova Ceramics? Love them! I'm keeping the coffee jar in mind as a possible Christmas gift for my husband!

{images from paulova}

Kitchen Cabinets

2011-07-28T08:37:00.000-07:00

I love white, so of course I think the below kitchen is absolutely beautiful...

{image from decor pad}

And we have white cabinets in our kitchen, but I think one day I'd like to have black or maybe dark wood cabinets. They just seem so much easier to keep clean (and by that I mean they hide spills and little fingerprints better, making wiping them down every day less necessary) and are equally beautiful!

{image from Canadian House & Home}

{image from Ikea}

Romance

2011-07-25T09:34:00.000-07:00

Such a pretty and romantic room...

{image from Rue}

Baby Shoes

2011-07-21T11:23:00.000-07:00

My daughter's baby shoes. Sigh. So sweet!

{photo by Heather Hackett}

Wood Wall

2011-07-21T11:20:00.000-07:00

How much do you love this renter-friendly wood wall? Check out the before here!

{image from Design Sponge}

Monogram Keychain

2011-07-20T09:00:00.000-07:00

My keyring was getting sort of ridiculous. Five rings all looped together for just four keys and the car remote. And it looked exactly like my husband's cluttered keyring, so we were constantly taking (and misplacing!) each other's keys. I finally got around to ordering a monogrammed keychain from the Etsy shop jeeta, and I love it!

{photo by Heather Hackett}

DIY Butterfly Mobile

2011-07-19T10:00:00.000-07:00

I was inspired to make a butterfly mobile to hang above my daughter's changing table* after seeing something similar in the nursery at a friend's home. I had already made a tree branch mobile before she was born, but I loved how sweet and graceful those butterflies looked...so I replaced it with a DIY butterfly mobile, and I love it even more than the tree branch!

{photo by Heather Hackett}

I had a difficult time shooting the mobile straight on (I really need to learn how to use our camera), so I photographed it from underneath, which worked much better. Plus, I like the idea of the photo being from my daughter's perspective. I didn't take photos of my progress (just getting it done was a small miracle - life with a baby and a toddler!), but it's constructed very simply:

materials needed

wood dowel (either two equally sized dowels or one large dowel cut in half)

string

paperstock

needle

color printer

paint and brush

hot glue (optional)

tutorial

1. Print out butterflies on cardstock and cut out (I found mine on the internet). I put a lavender cardstock backing on each of my butterflies, but they can also be left as is.

2. Paint dowels white (or color of your choice) and let dry. Crisscross dowels (creating 45 degree angles) and secure. I wound thread around the intersection and secured with hot glue.

3. Tie string on each dowel end and gather the four strings in the middle and knot. The length of thread will depend on how low you want the mobile to hang.

4. Thread a piece of string through each butterfly using a needle and knot on each side of the butterfly. Attach the other end of the string on the dowel and knot. Continue to hang butterflies from the dowels at varying lengths.

5. Hang mobile from ceiling. I used a thumbtack (placed through the knot created from the four hanging strings) since the mobile is so light.

I already had all the materials at home (yeah - free project!), but this could easily be done for less than $15.

*Please note: I would NOT recommend placing this mobile over a crib due to the risk of one or more of the strings accidentally falling into the crib, however unlikely that may be.

Gawker

2011-07-18T17:36:00.000-07:00

In an effort to keep my life as gadget-free as possible, I try not to spend too much time on my iPhone. That sort of went out the window last week when I discovered that craftgawker and dwellinggawker have free iPhone apps that are just as awesome as the websites themselves! I love being able to catch a bit of inspiration while I'm doing something like waiting in line at the grocery store!

{images from craftgawker}

1. Mama Tita wine glass decor 2. homemade tea bags 3. Caramelo tissue garland 4. side French braid

{designtripper}

{Live & Enliven}

{style at home}
{images via dwellinggawker}

Navy and Turquoise

2011-07-14T23:58:00.000-07:00

Loving all the white, navy and turquoise in the latest edition of Lonny...

{images from Lonny Magazine}

A Little Project

2011-06-24T18:05:00.000-07:00

Our sweet baby girl arrived in early May (we are all so happy!), and now that she's seven weeks old we're settled into more of a routine (it's all so much easier the second time around!), so I hope to be back posting from time to time. I really wanted to do something creative this past week, and here it is! I replaced the fireplace screen with a large art canvas that I painted myself. Well, with a little help from my three-year-old! The background color is Olympic zero VOC in Mountaintop. The birds (inspired by Blik wall decals) were simple: I created a stencil by hand with cardstock and an X-Acto knife and painted away!

{photo by Heather Hackett}

Living in California we rarely use our fireplace, so it won't be too much of a hassle to replace the screen on the one or two occasions during the year that we need it. I'm also planning a little above-the-mantle-makeover, so I'll post photos of the whole wall once it's complete!

Baby

2011-05-01T19:51:00.000-07:00

{photo by Heather Hackett}

Our little one hasn't arrived just yet (any day now!), but I wanted to pop in and say that posting will likely be very light for the next month or so. I hope you'll check back every once in a while to see what's new on Lilac Silhouette! Thanks so much for reading!

Ranunculus

2011-05-01T19:41:00.000-07:00

{photo by Heather Hackett}

It's ranunculus season! They are my favorite, favorite flowers, and I bought a beautiful bunch the other day. I took this photo with my iPhone and used Instagram for the polaroid effect. So pretty!

DIY Nursery Wall Art

2011-04-21T18:01:00.000-07:00

Now that my due date is just a few weeks away, I've been putting the finishing touches on the little nursery nook in our master bedroom. I still have some final touches and organizing to do, but I wanted to share the wall art that I made for zero dollars! I used materials that I already had at home: frames from my frame collection, fabric and white cardstock. I scanned fabric swatches and printed them on the cardstock to make the patterned animals (which I drew by hand and cut out). The elephant is plain white cardstock on a background of actual fabric (a soft brown corduroy). They look really adorable, and I'm so excited that I was able to make them without spending any money!

{photo by Heather Hackett}

PS - Sorry for the iphone photo! My husband was out and about with the camera, but I'll take better photos of the completed project and post soon!

Tradhome

2011-04-16T10:03:00.000-07:00

Have you read Tradhome, the latest collaboration between Lonny Mag and Traditional Home? It's really beautiful!

{images from Tradhome}

Slipcover Fabric

2011-04-16T09:41:00.000-07:00

I have a few nursing pillows that need new slipcovers and decided that it's silly to spend $25 per slipcover when I can easily make some myself. I found some cute (but not cutesy) new fabrics at our local Jo-Ann yesterday and got to work. It wasn't as easy as my novice sewing self anticipated (those pillows have lots of curves!), but I have one cover made so far. I'll post photos when I finish the other two!

{photo by Heather Hackett}

Let the Light In

2011-04-10T09:13:00.000-07:00

Bright, beautiful rooms flooded with natural light...

{images from Milk}

LA Bungalow

2011-04-08T16:56:00.000-07:00

Gorgeous 600 square foot LA bungalow...

{images from Apartment Therapy}

Birthdays

2011-04-04T09:11:00.000-07:00

{image from Apartment Therapy}

Hi, everyone! Well, it's a big week! Today is my birthday (yeah!), on Wednesday my little boy turns three...and on Friday my maternity leave officially begins! I am so excited to finish up work at my day job and focus on spending time with my family and getting ready for our new arrival. Hopefully I'll have some photos of our current projects to share in the coming weeks!

PS - How adorable are these cupcake wrappers from Paper Orchid?!

A Few Favs

2011-03-29T08:56:00.000-07:00

Some of my favorite images bookmarked while blog browsing over the weekend...

DIY Pajama Pants

2011-03-22T10:01:00.001-07:00

You guys. I had the worst craft fail ever the other day. It was so bad that it's still giving me a good laugh! I was thinking about how much time I spent in pajama/lounge pants after my son was born, and with another baby on the way I decided that I wanted to find some really great pajama pants, like these from Anthropologie...

{images from Anthropologie}

But then I was looking at all the unused fabric I have and thought, "How hard can it be to sew some pajama pants?" I thought I could whip up a few pair no problem. Now, I do have the In Stitches pattern for lounge pants, but I've never used a pattern before and didn't think I needed to in this case (actually, it was more like I had no idea how to use a pattern). I was so wrong! My pants turned out so badly - I took one look in the mirror and laughed for a good while! So...I'm going to try again today, and attempt to use a pattern this time. Wish me luck!

March/April Lonny Magazine

2011-03-11T13:11:00.000-08:00

Just finished flipping through the latest Lonny! Amazing rooms, as usual!

{images from Lonny Magazine}

Baby Mobile Sneak Peak

2011-03-05T15:48:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited! My son and I completed our DIY baby mobile, and it's really adorable! It's not hanging yet (we need to pick up some fishing line for a "suspended in air" effect), so I just have a few sneak peak photos to share for now. When we actually get the baby's nook going in our bedroom, I'll share photos of the finished project!

{photos by Heather Hackett}

Modern Baby Mobiles

2011-03-04T09:57:00.000-08:00

I've been looking for a modern baby mobile to hang above the changing table (now that I've found the perfect fabric for changing pad covers!), and while I love all of these options, most of them are on the expensive side. So of course I've decided to make my own! The project is in the works as I type, and I hope to be able to share photos early next week. It's been a fun project, especially since my toddler has been able to help me with it!

1. stainless steel mobile 2. Birds of a Feather mobile 3. Schmidt Design Mora mobile 4. Schmidt Design Centric mobile

Lazy Day

2011-03-04T09:27:00.000-08:00

{photo from My Polaroid Blog}

This is how I'm feeling today: sort of lazy and floaty and not wanting to do the millions of things I have to get done before the weekend!

You May Have Noticed...

2011-02-18T23:17:00.000-08:00

You may have noticed some changes on the blog as of late, so here's the scoop! Basically, I wanted to make things a lot simpler so I could focus more on posting and less on blog maintenance. I eliminated a lot of lists, links, etc., and it felt really good to clean things up. I also - gasp! - deleted my Twitter account. While I enjoyed reading tweets from my favorite bloggers and designers, I never really posted myself and I'm trying to spend less time online and more time doing some of the things I love that sometimes get lost in the shuffle. I did hesitate for a brief second before hitting the "delete account" button, but in the end it was nice to cut another tie with the cyber universe. And one last exciting change: this blog can now be found at lilacsilhouette.com, if the blogspot address is just too long for you (it was for me, but either address will bring you here to Lilac Silhouette). So enough writing...how about these rooms??? One day I'd love to have an entire wall full of books in our home...

{images from Livingetc}

The Dining Room

2011-02-01T13:48:00.000-08:00

Soooo...I never posted photos of our dining room after I completed its little makeover a few months ago. It's still a work in progress, but it's nice to have an actual table (thanks, craigslist!) that we can sit around and a bit of decor going on. I'd really like to replace the two chairs at the table ends eventually, but they're ok for now. I'm most pleased with the lamp! I had seen it at Ikea, and then it disappeared for a while. I was seriously considering spending a ridiculous amount of money for a more expensive version, and then decided to try Ikea one more time. They had ONE left in stock. Of course I bought it (Samtid, $40) and despite online reviews declaring it flimsy, we've found it to be perfectly sturdy. And it fits in the space nicely (that corner of the room is quite small).

I also really love the nine-drawer side table I found on clearance ($99)! It's the perfect storage space for linens, bibs, wipes, etc. The lotus fountain was a gift that I had gotten for my husband for his office. He never really used it, so it found a new home in the dining room. I have it on all the time - it's so soothing!

I'm disappointed to report that my DIY chevron rug didn't hold up to it's first washing as well as I'd hoped. The fusible interfacing (which claimed to be washable/dryable) completely fell apart in the washer. Otherwise, it came out looking fresh and clean. I just had to remove the crumbling pieces of interfacing from between the fabric and canvas backing. Next time (I'm thinking of making another one for our living room) I'll skip the interfacing and simply sew the fabric and canvas together.

{photos by Heather Hackett}

Just a little close-up of our table flowers! My husband keeps upgrading cameras on me (he's now using a Nikon D7000), and I'm still trying to figure out how to use the thing. He claims that since I have good vision I should be able to shoot in manual...but I haven't taken a clear shot yet, so I'm sticking with automatic. I think this is my best shot yet!

Fabric Search

2011-01-29T10:31:00.000-08:00

Now that the weather is warming up here in LA, it's unlikely that we'll use our fireplace again until, well, next Christmas morning. I've been looking to swap out the fireplace screen with a cool piece of art, and I think I found the perfect piece at World Market (see top left square), currently on sale for $103.20. Still sort of debating if I want to spend that much, especially since I have a large artist's canvas that I can cover with fabric. I found something that looks really similar to the wall art (bottom left), but it's not exactly the right colors. I'm debating amongst the other swatches, and I think I'm leaning towards the Dwell Studio fabric (bottom middle - didn't even know they had a fabric line!). I only need a yard, maybe a yard and a half, and at $15.98/yard it's definitely a much more budget-friendly alternative!

Bedroom + Nursery

2011-01-21T20:27:00.000-08:00

The latest addition to our family will be camping out with us for a while, so we're going to convert a nook of our bedroom into a nursery. We don't have much going on in our bedroom since we bought a new bed a few months ago and cleared out some furniture, so it should be easy to add some neutral decor and modern baby items. I had made the above mood board for my own reference, but I'll work on tracking down links for the pictured items and add it to this post soon!

Lonny Jan/Feb 2011

2011-01-15T14:56:00.000-08:00

Fav images from the latest issue of Lonny...

{images from Lonny Magazine}

Under Construction!

2011-01-12T10:39:00.000-08:00

Hi, everyone! Happy belated 2011! Just a quick post here to say that I'm doing some formatting updates and cleaning up the blog today. I still have some more work to finish up by the end of the day (including resizing the posting column and right sidebar, so things may look funny for a bit), but most of the blog should be functional until then. Here are a few images that I had bookmarked for posting this week; I know I'm sort of just throwing them all together, but I hope you enjoy them nonetheless!

{images from Style At Home}

Baby Planning...

2010-12-28T12:17:00.000-08:00

{photo by kjerstis lykke via A Cup of Joe}

As with our first, we didn't find out the gender of our little bundle arriving in the spring! Now that we've committed to the element of surprise, I'm starting to think about gender neutral nursery ideas even though I won't really get started on anything for another few months. This amazing room will definitely be getting filed away!

DIY watercolors

2010-12-24T08:54:00.000-08:00

I woke up early this morning to complete one last Christmas gift for my 2 1/2 year old son: watercolors! I had seen a DIY watercolor recipe in Whole Living some time ago and saved it, but you can find the same recipe all over the internet. It's really easy, non-toxic and the colors turned out beautifully!

{photo by Heather Hackett}

You'll need:

- baking soda

- cornstarch

- white vinegar

- light corn syrup (or simply boil one cup sugar and 1/2 cup water until clear, which is what I did)

- food coloring

Combine 3 tablespoons each of the baking soda, cornstarch and vinegar and add 1 1/2 teaspoons of the corn syrup/sugar substitute. Allow the fizzing to subside and mix completely. Pour the mixture into whatever you'd like to use to hold your paints. I bought a $2 paint tray at Michaels, but you can also use a plastic egg carton. Add the food coloring to create your desired palette and leave out to harden for three hours. Make sure you add the food coloring relatively quickly; the mixture actually starts to solidify almost right away.

I'm off to pick up some items for Christmas breakfast tomorrow and then I plan on relaxing and enjoying the rest of the day with my family. Merry Christmas to all!

Holiday Decor Is Up!

2010-12-11T12:12:00.000-08:00

Some holiday images from around our home...

{photos by Heather Hackett}

Sofa Slipcover

2010-11-30T10:17:00.000-08:00

{photo by Heather Hackett}

Months ago I bought 20 yards of heavy weight home decor fabric on super sale at a local fabric store for $45 and have been sloooowly working on a slipcover for our Ikea varnamo couch. I finally finished it, and I'm glad I opted for the slipcover rather than buying a new sofa. I really want to slipcover the loveseat as well, but I think I need some time to recover from this project before tackling another large sewing project!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-25T09:38:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving! Wishing you all a wonderful holiday celebration with loved family and friends! We're planning a low-key Thanksgiving dinner with visiting family, and I hope to sneak in some knitting. I learned yesterday (in about 10 minutes thanks to a You Tube video!) and am about six rows into my first project, an organic cotton scarf!

My son and I are also going to display the toilet paper roll turkeys we made yesterday!

{photos by Heather Hackett}

Thank you all so much for reading Lilac Silhouette! I'm so grateful for all the sweet comments and e-mails I receive! Happy Thanksgiving!

DIY Chevron Rug

2010-11-16T12:51:00.000-08:00

So remember that dining room makeover I was planning ages ago? Well, I'm finally getting around to it. Yeah! My husband basically nixed plan one and plan two, so we compromised on a few things and I have some new ideas brewing. First up was an area rug. I was this close to ordering the Nate Berkus Dhurrie Rug from HSN (had it in my cart and everything) and decided to internet browse one last time just to make sure I couldn't find something under budget. I stumbled across a DIY Chevron rug on High-Heeled Foot in the Door and was sold! I didn't follow the High-Heeled Foot in the Door tutorial exactly, but you can view it here. My version is very similar, though...

Materials needed:

- one heavy weight canvas 6x9 drop cloth

- 3 yards fabric

- fusible interfacing

- 3 1/2 yards rug fringe

- 5x8 rug grip

We actually already had a drop cloth, so I ordered fabric from Fabric Guru (Premier Prints Zig Zag Village in Natural/Blue - got a great deal!), picked up the interfacing and fringe from my local fabric store and stopped by Target for the rug grip. First, I washed and ironed the drop cloth and fabric. I decided to use interfacing rather than fabric spray glue since I'm pregnant and didn't want to be exposed to aerosol glue fumes. I was sort of afraid of the interfacing, but it was so easy!

Once I had bonded the canvas and fabric, I sewed all four sides and added the fringe to each end. I searched and searched for affordable rug fringe online and didn't find too many options, so I just decided to use drapery fringe. It's shorter in length than actual rug fringe, but it really worked perfectly!

I decided to simply lay the rug on top of the rug grip rather than sew the rug grip on, and it's holding the rug in place really well. I did not treat the top of the fabric with a stain guard (again, trying to avoid chemicals and fumes), but since I didn't sew the rug grip on, I have the option of throwing the whole thing in the washing machine. And we have a no-shoes-in-the-house policy, so I'm not too worried about stains from foot traffic.

Here's the total cost breakdown:

- fabric (including delivery) $21.67

- fringe $19.18

- interfacing $10.42

- rug grip $32.91

total cost: $84.18 (versus $250, which was our original budgeted amount)

So what did I do with the extra cash? Splurged on West Elm curtains! In my defense, they are awesome and they were on sale. I'll post more photos as soon as the rest of the room is finished!

Hanging Beds

2010-11-14T08:55:00.000-08:00

I saw this photo on ohdeedoh and had to post because those beds are too amazing!

{ohdeedoh}

Under the Weather

2010-11-05T16:36:00.000-07:00

{flickr: simply hue}

My apologies for falling of the blogosphere without warning! I know it's been nearly two months since my last post, but I've been sidelined with some medical issues and haven't been able to work or blog since mid-September. No worries - I'm hoping to be back in action by the end of the month and posting regularly again by early December. Of course, I'll try to pop in on occasion before then if I feel up to it. As always, thanks for reading and please visit again soon!

Pink!

2010-09-26T18:29:00.000-07:00

{image from Livingetc}

Any room with this much pink is pretty awesome in my book, and I really like how the black leather sofa and wood furniture work together ... but what is that vase on the left side of the room?

Kitchens

2010-09-03T08:53:00.000-07:00

Kitchens don't get much love here on Lilac Silhouette because, well, I'm not much of a cook and it's probably my least favorite room in general. But I'm trying to change, and what better way to nourish my love for kitchens than to make ours over? I'd love to do some baking over the holidays, especially now that my son is old enough to sort of help me, so I think that sometime in October I'll try to spice up our kitchen a little bit. I have to admit that the below kitchens are getting me sort of psyched up for the project!

{images from Livingetc}

{images from Canadian House & Home}

CB2 Pencil Cup

2010-09-01T19:46:00.000-07:00

{photo by Heather Hackett for Lilac Silhouette}

Love my CB2 pencil cup that I bought on sale for $2.95!

Fired Earth

2010-08-31T15:45:00.000-07:00

{image from Fired Earth}

The National Trust paint collection from Fired Earth has a gorgeous color palette, and I adore how it's displayed in this photo! I almost want to hang it in my kitchen!

Amy Butler Wallpaper

2010-08-28T12:33:00.000-07:00

I think I'm way out of the loop on this one, but I just read in the August issue of Livingetc that Amy Butler has a wallpaper line sold by Graham & Brown. Of course it's gorgeous! I'll be keeping this in mind when I have my own private work studio to decorate!

{image from Apartment Therapy}

{images from Graham & Brown}

DIY Mousepad

2010-08-28T09:16:00.000-07:00

Hello, everyone! I finally have a new computer (thank goodness for insurance!), so I hope to be back posting regularly again now! I made the switch from a laptop to a desktop, which means that of course I needed a really awesome mousepad. I was going to buy the adorable one below from shim + sons, but then I remembered the two yards of untouched Fredrika fabric I had bought from Ikea a few weeks ago and decided to make my own...

{image from shim + sons}

There are a ton of tutorials for this project online, and I originally planned to be all professional and use fused interfacing, but then I decided to just glue it on with fabric glue. It was so easy, and it looks so cute on my desk!

{images by Heather Hackett for Lilac Silhouette}

When It Rains...

2010-08-12T10:33:00.000-07:00

My goodness. When it rains, it really does pour. My plan was to continue posting this week while on vacation, but my husband and son both got sick and my dad was taken to the hospital after a biking accident. All three of them are on the mend, but I need a vacation from my vacation! I did manage to sneak out for a few minutes to photograph the hydrangeas in the front yard this morning, and I'm determined to take some more photos before we leave the Cape tomorrow!

Travel Time

2010-08-03T09:10:00.000-07:00

{image from the2buds}

We're off to the Cape tomorrow for ten days of family time, relaxation and hopefully lots and lots of free babysitting! We'll be staying at my in-laws' summer home in South Yarmouth and while our son is looking forward to seeing his aunts, uncles, cousins and both sets of grandparents, my hubby and I are looking forward to some alone time for ourselves! Of course, we're excited to see everyone as well, but when you live 3,000 miles away from your closest relative, built in childcare is a huge deal! I have some posts planned for my time away, so please keep visiting!

Domino Files

2010-07-27T09:54:00.000-07:00

I spent a little bit of time flipping through my Domino flickr set this past weekend for some inspiration, and there are just so many amazing images. Even though I'm sure many of these have appeared on countless blogs, I couldn't help but share!

{images from Domino}

Cape Cod

2010-07-26T23:37:00.000-07:00

{created with Polyvore}

We're heading out for our annual summer trip to the Cape next week and I'm gearing up for some simple and chic summer fashion!

Dream Under This!

2010-07-21T13:38:00.000-07:00

{images from Urban Outfitters}

My husband definitely wouldn't be thrilled if I put something this girly on our bed, but I really want this duvet cover in gray. Almost enough to make me ask for separate bedrooms...

King!

2010-07-17T00:22:00.000-07:00

{image from door sixteen via sfgirlbybay}

Oh my goodness, I am so excited! We have a new bed, it's a king, and it's awesome! Of course now I have to re-think the entire room. Our bedroom is on the smaller side, so the bed is sort of taking over the room right now. A few pieces of furniture may have to get moved out, but I'm really loving the simple look above. Actually, I sort of want to copy this entire room!

A Few Little Projects...

2010-07-13T16:24:00.000-07:00

I've gotten a bit sidetracked from the dining room because I'm waiting for our local eco building supply store to re-stock the low VOC topcoat I need to finish the furniture off. In the meantime, I've picked up a few little things (wall clock for $9.99 from Home Goods and drawer knobs for $6.99 each from Anthropologie) for somewhere in the house...

And taken on a little DIY project. Remember that CB2 car pillow? Well, I found two sheets of transfer paper while cleaning out my project storage area, so I went ahead and made my own version. The images are free stock from the internet, and I made the pillow covers from white duck cloth I already owned, so the total cost was zero dollars. Yeah! They look pretty great, and my husband and son loooove them! They're going to find a nice home on the couch as soon I finish the new slipcover!

{photos by Heather Hackett}

Ikea Family Live

2010-07-09T21:01:00.000-07:00

Have you checked out Ikea Family Live? I read about it on Making It Lovely a few weeks ago, and it's pretty awesome. Real homes, real families, so much inspiration and many, many fabulous spaces! I especially love spotting all the Ikea hacks!

{images from Ikea Family Live}

Dining Room, Take Three

2010-07-09T16:28:00.000-07:00

{image from Real Living blog}

I totally screwed up the dining room. Seriously. I returned everything and am starting all over. I don't know where it all went wrong. Wait, actually, I do. I painted our table and an old dresser (to serve as a sideboard) a dark chocolate brown, and I didn't love the color. Nothing else in the room was working, and I finally admitted that the two-shades-too-light furniture was just going to bug me forever. So I emptied out the room, bought a new quart of darker paint and slapped two coats on the table and dresser and it's so much better. Two shades really does make a difference, and it now looks exactly as I envisioned. I was just scrolling through the Real Living blog and saw a very similar table project. In fact, that is almost our exact table! Now if only I can make the rest of the room look as hip as that after photo. Oh, and a final side note: my husband just told me last night that he wants to move the stereo and speakers into the dining room. And ideas on how to hide them without muffling or distorting the sound? We have a large window that makes the entire room visible to the street, so I don't want them out on display. Maybe a small cabinet? A screen? Off the scour the net for ideas...

CB2

2010-07-03T15:52:00.000-07:00

Our wedding registry was at Crate&Barrel and on occasion I order from The Land of Nod, but I never shop at CB2 because we don't have a store near us...until now! I just got a catalog in the mail yesterday as a promotion for the new Santa Monica store. It's still a little bit of a trek, but it's one that I will make because I love how awesome and family-friendly all of these rooms look! And I even have a little wish list going...

{images from CB2}

1. beep beep pillow $29.95 2. circuit office accessories $4.95 - $19.95 3. fo rmat floor magazine holder $44.95 4. crane grellow desk lamp $99.95

The Dining Room, Take Two

2010-07-02T20:07:00.000-07:00

{image created by Heather Hackett}

So our dining room isn't exactly turning out as I'd originally envisioned, and I have a random assortment of items that I'm trying to work with. Here is my revised plan:

1. Fabric purchased for curtains. Check.
2. Walls painted: Olympic Zero-VOC in Subtle Blue. Check.
3. Ikea floor lamp
4. Striped lamp shade purchased for DIY ceiling light project. Check.
5. Old dining room table painted dark brown. Check.
6. Room Essentials chair in Maple
7. Find the wall art version of this CB2 pillow
8. White shag rug purchased. Check.
9. White accent pieces
10. Small dresser relocated from bathroom and painted dark brown. Check.

I think it's going to be better than the original plan! Now if I can only find the time to finish!

Aloha!

2010-06-28T19:59:00.000-07:00

{image from Vintage Roulette}

Many, many apologies for disappearing without notice! I've actually been in Hawaii for the past week for a wedding, and shortly before we left my laptop was sadly stolen. It's all ok, but I did lose quite a bit - well, all - of my blogging contacts and materials that are not actually on the blog itself. It's going to take me a little bit to get back on my blogging feet, but I hope to start posting again once we are back in LA. The good news is that Hawaii has been absolutely wonderful and I have many beautiful pictures to share! Until then, much aloha!

Dining Room Update

2010-06-16T12:00:00.000-07:00

So the dining room is coming along slowly but surely. I took on the hardest project first - painting the furniture - and everything is done. Sort of. I have four chairs left to do. I'd really like to repaint them, but I'm sick of painting and am thinking about just replacing them. I'm still way under budget (thanks to scoring a brand new area rug for $25!!!) and will probably stop by Ikea on Friday if I don't find anything on craigslist. In the meantime, I'm really wishing the room already looked like this...

{image from Canadian House & Home}

Latest Lonny

2010-06-16T07:00:00.000-07:00

From the latest issue of Lonny...

{images from Lonny}

It's Nate Berkus Day!

2010-06-14T00:51:00.000-07:00

{images from Oprah}

A series of random links - or better yet, a serious twist of fate - landed my browser on the hilarious design faux pas website moggit over the weekend. It was there that I had a few good tear-inducing laughs and found out about Nate Berkus Day. Today, 132 (and counting!) of us bloggers are honoring design genius, soon-to-be-talk-show-host and total sweetheart Nate Berkus. My very favorite thing about Nate is that his simple and practical design advice always yields elegant and gorgeous results. He believes that your home should be a reflection of you, and I think that's one of the most important things you can keep in mind when designing and decorating a space. So, without further adieu: Nate, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways...

{images from Oprah, Elle Decor and HSN}

A very special thanks to Joy and Janet over at moggit for including me in this awesome project! Happy Nate Berkus Day! I'm thinking this should be a regular holiday!
PS - The Nate Berkus Show premieres September 13th! I can't wait!!!

DIY Faux Sheepskin

2010-06-09T10:18:00.000-07:00

{photo by Heather Hackett}

I had bought a yard of soft, fuzzy sheepskin-like fabric on sale for $12 some time ago and wasn't sure what to do with it until I read the DIY faux sheepskin post over at Young House Love back in February. Well, I've finally gotten around to taking on this two minute project and now have faux sheepskins on my desk chair (Ikea's Snille swivel chair) and the ottoman in my office area, which I re-slipcovered with white duck cloth (arm chair to be tackled next). The photo doesn't do it justice, but it looks pretty good and it's sooo cozy to sit on!

Corners

2010-06-05T10:00:00.000-07:00

These hip little corners caught my eye while I was browsing through the Apartment Therapy LA flickr group. I wonder if that vase is actual glass or a re-purposed water bottle...

{flickr: cashewhoneycakes}

Another iPhone Shot

2010-06-04T21:31:00.000-07:00

{photo by Heather Hackett}

Another photo taken with and edited on my iPhone...

House Plant

2010-06-04T01:01:00.000-07:00

{Susanna Vento via emmas designblogg}

A green thumb I have not, but I'd finally like to learn how to keep some house plants alive. Sadly, the only plant that's ever thrived under my care is a single pot of mother-in-law's tongue on our back porch. I water it once every few months, otherwise ignore it, and it's doing beautifully! I think it's the perfect starter plant for me! I was so excited to see this photo on emmas designblogg, not only because it's insanely gorgeous, but because there is a thriving mother-in-law's tongue plant in the background and it looks awesome in that modern white planter!

Dining Room Mood Board

2010-05-26T10:08:00.000-07:00

I threw together a simple little mood board for our dining room last night featuring items from all of the usual suspects (Ikea, World Market and Target), and I feel like I know where to start now. I was a bit surprised when I calculated the total cost of the above items - $1,635.50! I'm working with a budget of $200, so it looks like I should begin by painting/renovating our existing furniture and obsessively checking Craigslist!

1. World Market Jute Ikat curtain panel in Aqua, $34.99 ($69.99 for two) 2. Olympic Zero VOC Paint in Subtle Blue, $15.48 per gallon 3. Target Capiz Sunburst wall mirror, $79.99 4. World Market Swing Arm floor lamp in Dark Bronze, $109.99 5. Ikea Bjursta sideboard, $249 6. Ikea Erland chair, $59.99 ($239.96 for four) 7. Ikea Bjursta table, $299 8. Ikea Farm vase, $2.99 9. World Market Flokati Wool rug in Tan, $569

Blossoms

2010-05-25T20:00:00.000-07:00

{photo by Heather Hackett}

Loving the Photoshop app on my iPhone. I can't believe I can take and edit photos like this on my phone!

Plum Pretty Sugar

2010-05-25T17:38:00.000-07:00

If you're in the mood for something girly and pretty, you must check out Charlotte Mill's Etsy shop Plum Pretty Sugar, featuring the work of photographer Marisa Holmes! While I do love all of the gorgeous robes and dresses, I have to say that that duvet cover is so beautiful. Actually, the entire room is amazing! Check out Plum Pretty Sugar here and Marisa's blog here!

{images by Marisa Holmes for Plum Pretty Sugar}

To Rug or Not to Rug

2010-05-19T19:32:00.000-07:00

Our bare little dining room is up next on my list, and I'm debating about whether or not to put a rug under the table and chairs. I think a rug would look nice in the space, but quite a bit of food ends up on the floor under my toddler's chair. I scoured the web for pics on both sides of the debate, and it seems that the kid-friendliest rooms are rug-free. I'm still sort of leaning towards a rug, though...

{emmas designblogg}

{sfgirlbybay}

{remaining images from Livingetc}

His and Hers

2010-05-14T13:53:00.000-07:00

{image from The Brick House}

Since my husband and I have drastically different tastes in home decor, I'm always on the lookout for decor ideas we could both get on board with. Yeah, I think this pretty much fits the bill.

9 By Design

2010-04-27T18:28:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine recently told me that I have to start watching 9 By Design. After reading about it online, I totally agree; however, we sadly don't get Bravo. That might have to change, however, because I've been obsessively watching video clips on the internet and I am hooked!

{images from Bravo}

Ikea Hack + Bedroom Makeover

2010-04-27T17:47:00.000-07:00

Don't pass out, but our bedroom is finally done! I know I took a before photo, but I can't seem to find it on my computer anywhere. Simply picture this: a mattress on the floor. No seriously, that was it. But now, feast your eyes on this:

I had never decorated with yellow before, but I let my hubby pick the color palette (he conceded the Liberty of London lampshade) and he chose yellow/brown/beige/black (yeah, I know). We dragged our bed frame out of the garage and constructed a super easy headboard with wood and fabric, then I took over the details...

I made pillow covers from the above fabrics (Jo-Ann), installed Ikea's Kvart wall lamps, found a gold accent blanket at Target and pulled off a pretty impressive Ikea hack. Before I detail my little DIY project, I should mention that the Ryan Kapp print is a placeholder. I saw it on sfgirlbybay and will be ordering an actual print, but I wanted to see how it would look on the wall first. Now, the bedside tables (no longer sold at Ikea, but similar to this). I basically put doors on them so our toddler couldn't pull everything off the shelves, and it was actually really simple...

I bought some pre-sized and cut wood, painted it (Olympic Zero VOC paint in Gold Buttercup) and attached it with simple hinges and child-proof latches.

{photos by Heather Hackett}

The yellow is lovely, but quite bright, so I'm thinking about eventually painting some sort of design on the front. The paint is totally amazing. We usually use Fresh Aire, but I saw the Olympic paint at Lowe's and decided to give it a try. It's much cheaper than Fresh Aire, and it literally had NO smell. So, there it is! Oh, total cost came in under $100!

Black or White?

2010-04-14T14:50:00.000-07:00

Amazing rooms from the latest issue of Lonny! Lots of either black or bright white walls. I prefer white myself, but I do love charcoal gray and have always been tempted to use it in our bedroom. I can't imagine painting over it, though! Too much work!

{images from Lonny Magazine}

Patterns

2010-04-13T18:29:00.000-07:00

{flickr: meeralee}

I'm not sure which I love more: the adorable apron or the awesome fabric on that futon cover...

Bake It Pretty

2010-04-05T16:39:00.000-07:00

{images from Bake It Pretty}

I'm a mess in the kitchen, but these baking cups are giving me the urge to whip up a dozen adorable cupcakes...

A Cozy Little Nook

2010-03-29T20:14:00.000-07:00

{image from Livingetc via The City Sage}

A perfectly cozy little blogging nook...

Wedding!

2010-03-27T20:26:00.000-07:00

{image from Style Me Pretty}

We're attending a wedding on Monday, and I'm so excited! A good friend and co-worker is re-marrying her ex-husband! March 29th was their original wedding anniversary, which is why the wedding is on a Monday. It's a sweet love story, and I can't wait for the big day. The above image is from Style Me Pretty, a gorgeous wedding blog that I've become sort of obsessed with reading lately.

And Once Again...Bedrooms!

2010-03-20T01:32:00.000-07:00

Oh, how I love bedrooms! I'm sure I post about bedrooms at least twice as much as any other room. Sadly, our bedroom has been suffering from a serious lack of decor for the past year, and last week I decided that an intervention was desperately needed. The budget was about zero dollars (no, seriously), but I've actually been able to come up with quite a bit more than I thought possible on such a tight budget. I still have a few remaining details to finish up, but I'm looking forward to sharing pics soon!

{images from Livingetc}

Lavender Living Room

2010-03-20T00:38:00.000-07:00

{image from emmas designblogg via Lerkenfeldt Photography}

If I could live in just one room for the rest of my life, I think it would be this one.

Wanted!

2010-03-12T19:34:00.000-08:00

Some springy, girly items on my wish list...
1. clutch purse, Tulip Couture 2. Lucky Brand Birna flat, Piperlime 3. peony ring, Hot Pink Chick 4. rose-is-a-rose headband, Anthropologie

Project Complete!

2010-03-05T17:27:00.000-08:00

Not only have I actually finished redecorating my son's room, but I'm finally getting around to posting some photos! The redo was done on a pretty tight budget with several really easy DIY projects, and I'll try to detail everything here. For a little history and photos of my son's nurseries in our old and new homes, go here and here. For a shot of his new ultra hip toddler room, see below!

The whole thing came about not because of my compulsive need to decorate, but because 1. my little guy is almost two and his life now revolves around construction vehicles, trucks, planes and motorcycles and 2. he had a little windfall that I decided to use for this project (why buy clothes or diapers when you can decorate?). My husband has this habit of leaving stacks of change in every possible place around the house you can image. It was really starting to get on my nerves, so for one year I confiscated all those little piles and dumped them in my son's piggy bank. The bank topped out at $160. Since it wasn't exactly enough to make a dent in his college tuition, we hopped in the car. Destination: Ikea. We had already bought the platform bed some time ago (as well as the sheet set and curtains - Vehicle by Dwell Studio for Target - which were on clearance at Target for $30 total last year. So glad I grabbed them!), but the room was in desperate need of a new dresser and a bookshelf. Oh, and I also made a headboard from an art canvas upholstered with a soft corduroy fabric that I dug out of my fabric bin and mounted it on the wall behind the bed. With all the furniture in place, I purchased some wall decor on Etsy (those awesome vehicle wall decals are from Six Under a Tree Studio) and whipped up some of my own...

I printed up stock photos of a fire truck and motorcycle (color-changed in Photoshop) on thick photo paper, then cut them out and mounted them on a white background. It's hard to see the layered effect in the photo, but they look great. I already had the frame and mats, so the project cost only $2.

I also really wanted to somehow cover up the wall cubby, which usually does not look quite this organized. I finally decided on a really simple bamboo shade with a renter-friendly mount. I had to cut the shade down quite a bit and I severely underestimated how long it would take to tie up the bottom, but it was totally worth it. I love how it turned out, and it can be simply lifted or rolled up for access to the shelves. The last two projects were hanging a pendant lamp and adding a curtain to the bookshelf, just for a more polished look. I bought the pendant lamp at Cost Plus World Market rather than Ikea because their cords have an inline on/off switch. As for the bookshelf, I just placed a $3 tension rod at the top and hung a linen curtain that I had saved from our old house.

And of course, a shot of the all-important changing area...

{photos by Heather Hackett}

One last-mention detail: the wall color is "Endless Rain" by Fresh Aire, which we didn't change. Yes, I was a bit sad to paint over the tree I had hand-painted on the wall, but I just love how the room turned out and so does my son!

DIY Area Rug

2010-03-02T18:41:00.000-08:00

So...I know I promised makeover pics this weekend, but instead I have a little teaser! Sorry, the real photos are coming soon, promise! On to the project at hand! I really wanted a 5x7 white shag rug for my son's room, and after searching ebay and craigslist for a few weeks and finding nothing (I know, how often does that happen?), I decided to plunk down a small fortune for a rug. That is, until I found two separate shag rugs at Marshal ls for $8.99 each and decided I could sew them together...

But then when I got home, I thought, "why go to all the trouble of sewing when I could just duct tape them together?" Genius idea! It took 30 seconds to run a strip of tape down the bag of the rugs...

and you cannot even tell the difference! It looks perfect, the quality of the rugs - excuse me, rug - is excellent and it cost less than $20. Let me also mention that Duck Tape is so awesome. I have a roll in white, and I have used it for everything from concealing cords along white baseboards to now creating interior decor textiles.

Sorry about the strange lighting in the photos (it was a dark, rainy afternoon when I took them), by the way. Check back tomorrow for pics of the full bedroom makeover!

Nursery To Toddler's Room

2010-02-26T09:39:00.000-08:00

{image from Apartment Therapy via Decor8}

I've been working on making over my little guy's bedroom the past two weeks, and I'm determined to finish it today. He's almost two, and now that he has definite likes and interests, I want to give him a room that reflects his own personality more than his nursery did. I hope to post before and after photos this weekend! In the meantime, how adorable is the above piece of artwork? I saw it on Apartment Therapy today (via Decor8's interview with Jan Eleni ) and love it so much! Each little rectangle is an individual piece of a child's artwork, all displayed together in one place. Amazing!