Living Room: What’s Next?

May 10, 2013 by champaigntoast

After living with our new rug for a little while, I’ve finally narrowed down some of the finishing touches I’d love to make to the room. Two are pretty major, and the rest are sweet changes that can change with my mood and the seasons. The best part? I haven’t ever tried these before, so there’s plenty of adventure on the agenda to finish up this room!

First up? A dramatic statement on the wall behind the television. I’ve been in love with the idea of stamping walls for months, ever since I first stumbled upon this room featured on Design Sponge. There’s currently nothing on that wall besides the tv and stand. I’m hesitant to hang art around the screen, but I think this wall effect will be the perfect feature for an otherwise dull wall.

The bees are perfect for their space, but I’d like to find something a little more fitting for our living room. I definitely want to stick with the beautiful gold ink though – it will tie in with some of our other gold pieces in the room and provide a subtle shine on that wall.

Adam and I are also really excited to fill a major need in the room. you might have noticed that there’s not exactly space for end tables in the room – what with our huge grey sectional. To make up for the lack of lamp/cup/plant storage, we are going to build a console table for behind the sofa. We are in love with an really industrial feeling for the piece (think pipes and weathered wood) and want to create something with the feel of this piece from Ballard Designs.

The clean lines, metal details and slim profile really capture what we’d like to create.

I’m also looking to bring in a few smaller finishing touches for the space. I’ve been talking about making a terrarium for ages, and have a few friends interested in the activity as well, so we’re going to scoop up some sweet plants to finally bring that idea to fruition. I love Meagan’s take on the idea (check out her adorable blog Feathers and Freckles, she has great style and makes the best projects!) but think I’ll use one of the creatures from Crash Gem’s Forest Friend‘s collection to complete my terrarium.

Finally, I want to craft a few of these simple keepsake boxes (From Martha Stewart Living) for my travel treasures.

Painted bright colors, and positioned on our large bookcases, they are a pretty and practical solution for some of the papers I’ve still got laying around from my semester abroad (3 years ago – oops!).

Of course, I’ll keep you posted as I work on these projects (even if they end up going terribly, terribly wrong). Do you have any plans for finishing up a space, big or small?

Good Things: Spring has Sprung

May 8, 2013 by champaigntoast

The last few weeks have been quite an emotional roller coaster. We’ve had some beautiful weather in between all the thunderstorms and I’ve been spending a lot of time with good friends, my favorite four-legged companions, and my amazing husband (who is finishing his first year of grad school this week!). I suffered a pretty big professional disappointment last week, but I’m focusing on the positive and hoping to move forward with more zeal and purpose than ever before. These are a few of the things that have been balancing out the bad lately.

I ran my first race ever a few weeks ago – a 5K that is part of the Illinois Marathon. I didn’t run the entire thing and my time wasn’t stellar by any real runner standards, but I did it and I had a blast! I can’t wait until my next race (scheduled for this fall). Spoiler – it’s going to be quite colorful.
Torbin and I have been taking full advantage of the weather by hitting up the dog park a lot. That face? That is the face of a joyful pug.
Taking a little extra time to do my nails and wearing tons of polka dots to celebrate the very belated arrival of Spring.
A (few) new plants for the apartment. The jade isn’t cat/dog safe, so it sits outside our front door. We also picked up a beautiful purple variegated climbing fine in a hanging basket at the first farmers market of the season this weekend – slowly filling the apartment with green.
A (Greek) Easter celebration with my boss and coworkers. The food was phenomenal (authentic Greek cuisine complete with two whole roasted lambs), there was unlimited wine, and good company. This little bunny cookie was (almost) too cute to eat.

Wardrobe Staples: A Pledge

May 6, 2013 by champaigntoast

I have a problem, a shopping problem, and I need help. Sure, I don’t even own a credit card and I never pay retail – but that doesn’t stop be from bringing home piece after piece of cheap fast-fashion clothing to fill my (tiny) half-closet and empty my wallet.

I love clothing. I love putting together outfits using trendy new pieces. I get a rush from scouting out a great find and bringing home a bargain. Sometimes, it feels so good, I think it must be wrong. And then I think about it, and in many ways, it is. How many times have I brought something home because it was “Only $5″ and “Pretty cute”? How many of those pieces make it past one or two closet purges? How many do I really love? When I get right down to it, I really like a lot of the clothing in my closet, but I only love a few all-stars. These are the pieces I reach for when packing a weekend bag or putting together 30×30 remix set.

Now, let’s not get hasty – this isn’t a call to keep me from shopping all together or forever. Instead, I’m putting my shopping problem out there on the internet because I’m looking to shift my priorities. For the duration of 2013, I’m going to stop shopping for trendy, fast-fashion, cheap clothing and start focusing on my wardrobe staples.

Black Skinnies (acquired for a song – $18 down from $90 from Kohl’s – a great fitting pair in waxed denim). Tortoise Sunnies (Warby Parker). Nude Pumps (Nine West). Classic Watch (Fossil). Maxi Skirt (Target). White Button Down (J.Crew Factory), Nude Lipstick (tarte). Weekender Bag (Everlane). Chambray Shirt (J.Crew). Perfume (Lush). Neutral Moccasins (Minnetonka).

What are wardrobe staples? Well that depends who you are, what you do, and what you like. There are several great lists floating around that outline a young woman’s “wardrobe staples” (Matchbook Magazine had a fantastic list and Jessica over at My Here & Now Life is trying to dedicate her shopping funds to building her wardrobe with classic pieces). While I think many of the pieces are key (great blazer, white button down, well-fitting jeans), not all of them fit my lifestyle and wardrobe goals. Plus, I already have several pieces that I consider key (my wool blazer, silk dress, and gingham shirt spring to mind).

For the next 7 months, I’ll focus on tracking down the 11 pieces pictured at thrift shops and through sales – purchasing as high quality as I can afford while avoiding fast fashion all together. They may not be the exact item pictured, but they’ll fill the same role in my closet (i.e. any chambray shirt I love could sub in for the J.Crew model pictured, a solid maxi might win out over stripes). If it’s not on the list, it’s not in the budget and it’s not coming home with me.

To self-restraint and building a wardrobe of well loved treasures – skål!

Friday Furbs: Our Little Weirdo

April 19, 2013 by champaigntoast

Adam and I often joke that we have a weird little introverted pug.

He’d rather wander aimlessly around the trees snub nose to the grass and examine dandelions than play fetch or chase other dogs. He’s more alien that canine, to be sure. Don’t get me wrong – Torbin is well socialized. It’s not that he doesn’t like other dogs (on the contrary, he’ll happily snortle up to them, as though he’s the official welcoming committee at the dog park), its just that he likes to do his own thing. He’s unique, an original.

This pug lives life to the beat of his own drum, and we absolutely love him for it.

Serving up Style

April 17, 2013 by champaigntoast

Sorry, I’m been super punny lately. After acquiring our new rug, I’ve been anxious to knock a few more to-dos off my living room list. My coffee table tray was a quick and easy update that didn’t cost me a thing.

You probably don’t recall what the tray used to look like – it kind of faded into the dark wood of the coffee table (and you were too busy looking at that bangin’ new rug to notice it anyway.

I picked up the old backless frame at a yard sale a couple years ago for a cool dime and then (gross alert) did absolutely nothing to it. I didn’t even windex the glass to get some very old marker off of it.

Well, after a few years of use (first on my dresser, then on my coffee table), it’s time had finally come. First, I (finally) wiped it down with a wet paper towel, removed and windexed the glass, and set my frame on a bit of old newspaper. Then, I sanded down all the nooks and crannies with a sanding block and then painted 3-4 thin, even coats of white acrylic craft paint until I achieved opacity. Finally, I did a little free-handed detailing with a gold acrylic paint.

Then came the fun part – decorating with my new frame-turned-tay! After a little ~~pinteresting~~ research, I found a consensus on coffee table decor. Your coffee table should feature 4 key components:

– Something alive (a plant! flowers!)
– Something tall
– Something unique/interesting (a conversation piece)
– A stack of books (no, seriously)

The result?

An inexpensive wheat grass plant in an ikea planter (safe for the cats and the pug), hits two marks: it provides height for the table and brings life to the other objects. The white ceramic cat makes it super easy to water the wheat grass sothatmaybeIwon’tkillthisoneprettyplease?, the saucer and tea bag rest are pretty pops of pink with candles to add light and sparkle.

Instead of books, I have a few to-be-read magazines stacked under a thrifted silk and metal box that ~~holds~~ hides our remotes. My favorite piece is the little metal lamp. My father bought it in Istanbul and he delivered it to me when he returned from a year-long world tour on an aircraft carrier.

I love how the bright white of the frame pops off the dark table and ties into the latticework of the rug – so much better than the drab before.

Oh, and one more shiny new addition to the space? That amazing gold-toned floor lamp. We hit up an estate sale and a church yard sale last Saturday and (wait for it), brought home that modern beauty for four big ones. The wiring actually looks pretty good, but just to be safe, we don’t keep it plugged in when we are not home and I’m planning to purchase a rewiring kit ASAP.

I’m loving the living room more and more each day (excepting sparking, smoking surge protectors, yeah – that happened). Bright whites, pattern mixing, and gold tones – oh my!

Happy Birthday!

April 14, 2013 by champaigntoast

You guys, Champaign Toast is one year old! I can’t believe I set off on this blogging adventure just one year ago. So. much. has. changed. in those twelve short months and it’s been a blast documenting my 25×25 progress and all the other things that have deserved a champagne toast.

I’m so grateful for all the people that have made the our new life here so wonderful and the transition so much easier than I thought it would be. Last week, we had the opportunity to enjoy a rare sunny day outside to celebrate my friend’s birthday. Between the puppies, the cake batter ice cream cake (!), and the tequila mint limeades, it was an afternoon not to be forgotten.

Here’s to you Christine – to 27 being even better than 26, to growing up not getting old - skål!

Good Things: On the Horizon

April 5, 2013 by champaigntoast

A few good things to look forward to in the coming weeks and months.

Image via

1. Less than a month until my first race. I’ve been prepping for it using the Couch to 5K program so the treadmill and I have become not-so-fast friends over the last few weeks. Hoping for beautiful spring weather and great company.

via.

2. Fresh food at the Farmers Market. I love savory soups, stews, bakes and fries as much as the next girl, but lately I’ve been craving light, fresh meals with lots of local produce. Can’t wait for our local market to open up so I can fill the apartment with tasty veggies and beautiful fresh flowers.

By Long Bach Nguyen

3. So. Many. Trips! Headed to the Blue Ridge Mountains and Chicago next month and then an epic two weeks on the Pacific coast this summer. making sure all to read up on packing light without sacrificing style.

Via Apartment Therapy

4. Switching out my wardrobe. Each season, I pack away all of my off-season clothing to make room in my closet for weather-appropriate attire. I’m more than ready to switch out my bulky sweaters, tights, and boots for light sundresses and sandals. As I unpack my bins of clothing each season, it’s like I’ve gotten a whole new wardrobe without spending a dime. I take the afternoon to try on long-forgotten dresses and re-imagine my clothing for the new year.

Layer on the pattern

April 3, 2013 by champaigntoast

I’ve been loving pattern mixing in my wardrobe for years now, but was so afraid of taking the plunge in our living spaces. I’d watched all of my favorite bloggers and magazines throw patterns together to achieve gorgeous rooms, but worried I’d end up with a house that looked like an old cat lady lived there. I’d hear the rules – vary scale of the patterns, keep a central theme using color, neutrals mix easier than bright colors – they were all the same for putting together a great pattern-mixing outfit, but still, I waited and lived with bland, mono-pattern rooms full of solid colors.

Until a post by Young House Love (really, who else?) gave me the push I needed. They decorated their daughter’s big girl room with a huge array of patterns and colors, and yet it worked. The blues, pinks, reds, greys – they all looked amazing together, even though there are more than 15 patterns/colors/textures in the room. I’d seen (and loved) the room in previous posts, but it wasn’t until they took tiny instagram-esque snaps of each pattern and displayed them in a grid that I really saw how they related.

As I think about the final steps for our living room and consider adding just one or two more pieces (a beautiful painted tray for the coffee table or some wall art for the tv wall), I wanted to follow their lead and make a grid of my own – to see where the room is now and where it could go.

LRTextures_033013

Just look at those geometric patterns (the rug and the box on the coffee table) playing nicely with the florals! The cool tones of the turquoise and greys frolicking with burnt orange and pink! I think I’m getting the hang of this and can’t wait to add another layer to the mix.

The difference a rug can make

April 1, 2013 by champaigntoast

So I’ve finally got an apartment update for you – get ready, it’s a big one – as in 8 ft x 10 ft big. I bought a rug and I am in love!

But before we get to the big reveal, let’s take a little walk down memory lane.

We started with a glossy, pea green, empty box (hey – I didn’t say memory lane would be pretty.

With a little vision, a new sofa and a lot of grey paint, we ended up here:

Which is how the room remained for about six months. Don’t get me wrong, after our intense sofa hunt, we were happy with the room for several long months until (much to my surprise) Adam suggested that it might be nice to have a rug in the living room. Say what?! I have been trying to convince the boy that rugs are both beautiful and functional for years, so I was overjoyed at the suggestion and immediately began the hunt. But what caused this abrupt change of mind? Midwest winters + 80 year old homes + wood floors = cold feet!

After checking a few online sites (Urban Outfitters and RugsUSA among them), I had narrowed my options to a large geometric patterned, blue rug and prepared to save my pennies. But then one day while working behind the service desk at the targe, the stars aligned.

A beautiful lattice pattern, blue-green in color, 8 ft x 10 ft, $48. Yes, that’s right. $48. The rug was an online only item that retails for $279. A guest wasn’t happy with it (it didn’t match her living room) so she returned it and I snatched it up at the priced-to-move online only price. I shoved that bad boy in through the trunk of the Corolla and didn’t look back. Like I said – in love.

Well, a giant honking rug changes a room pretty instantly, and it became apparent that we needed to do some furniture rearranging to make the room work. A few hours later and we had a totally new room all thanks to a beautiful rug (the steal of the year?) and a little furniture shuffling.

Painted wood (Goodwill Online), gold glitter NC outline (DIY – post to come!), Bride and Groom (favorite wedding card), You’re a Fox (Rifle Paper Co.), Fox oil painting (Etsy), Sirens (add for French cosmetics from a 1919 issue of Life Magazine, estate sale)

Two of my favorite features in the room (apart from, you know, the amazing modern sofa and the gorgeous new rug) are the frame wall and the new pillows on the sofa. I especially love how the floral pillow is a near-perfect match to the painted wood art at the top of the frame wall. Considering we picked the art up at Goodwill Online and I made the pillow cover from fabric from a local second-hand store, it’s a pretty amazing coincidence!

I love the new furniture orientation and the way the colors and patterns are really coming together in the room. I’m about *this* close to calling it done (for now) but I’ve got a few more tweaks I’d love to add – the pink frosting and sprinkles atop the donut that is my living room (if I may). We’re planning to paint ALL of the drab tan trim throughout the apartment this summer to make it a crisp white and I”m thinking the light wood of the photo screen behind the sofa would also look great in white. Finally, we need one last piece of furniture – a very narrow industrial side table for the lamp next to the sofa.

I cannot really express how happy this room makes me now – the colors and patterns, the comfy couch, the great light, and all the movie nights and gatherings to come. Here’s to a home that (as Sherry and John of Young House Love say) makes me grin from ear to ear. Skål!

Chicago in Three Days

March 29, 2013 by champaigntoast

A long weekend with the family was just what I needed. Walking tours, delicious food (Chicago pizza and popcorn, anyone?) and too much coffee with the best company. It got even better when Adam was unfortunately stranded in Chicago with us by a snow storm (hopefully the last of the year) because he couldn’t get a train south.

We spent our first day in the city doing a Chicago History tour, which was fascinating, but not nearly as much site-seeing as we hoped (as in, hardly any at all) . We did see some truly breathtaking Tiffany glass (below) and we learned a whole lot about the Windy City.

The largest Tiffany glass dome in existence, located inside Chicago’s first public library – now a cultural center.

And the largest Tiffany glass ceiling, located in the Macy’s on State Street – it is the largest unbroken example of Tiffany glass in the world.
The Bean in Millennium Park – my dad didn’t even know this existed, which was astonishing!

Family portrait – reflected in the Bean.

We spent Sunday checking out Shedd Aquarium which I hadn’t seen before, and taking a second look at the Field Museum. There were so many children running around the Aquarium, but we still had a great time checking out the weird and wonderful sea creatures.

This river turtle (from Madagascar I believe?) had the strangest snub nose – he reminded me of a pug!

We rounded out the trip with an excursion to the Volo Car Mueseum, a little antiquing, a lot more walking and a very special dessert.

Lights outside the famous Drake Hotel.

A Sprinkles Cupcake ATM! They even had a gluten free red velvet cake for Mom. It was such an awesome concept that we had to take a few back to the hotel room.

Coffee in the mezzanine of our hotel – the Millennium Knickerbocker.

Fell in love with the color of the car from the 1940s. Unfortunately it was a little out of my price range for souvenirs…

Mesmerizing elevator in the Watertower Building.

The original water tower on the Magnificent Mile.

We had such a great time, I can’t wait to go back and to see my parents again, next time in Alaska!

champaign toast

Here's to the little things.