by studiotullia | Jan 21, 2024 | CURRENT PROMOTIONS, DIY, INTERIOR DESIGN, NEWS FROM THE STUDIO, SUZANNE'S DESIGN PROJECTS
Goodbye, 2023.
I’m ready to dust off ’23 and move on to ’24. You?
Our strength was tested again in 2023, was it not? And I’m not talking about remodeling a kitchen. It’s all the other crazy stuff that just keeps happening. Humans are a resilient bunch, but there’s a lot. We have all had more than our fair share of challenges these past few years. I don’t want to bore you with my own personal journey, but I will share some insights, lessons, and new outlooks for 2024.
But first, I want to share a few HIGHLIGHTS that have brought me joy this past year.
FAVORITE BOOK for CREATIVES
This book teaches you to honor the artist within as a sacred gift and teaches you the discipline and rewards of writing 3 pages each morning (for three + months).
FAVORITE ART EXHIBIT
Elefant Medium – by PDX CONTEMPORARY ART A solo exhibition of new work by artist JEFFRY MITCHELL.
I am so happy that I can now walk to this gallery from work, and go to a beautiful well-lit space with amazing art!
“Elephant (Medium) is one of a family of fonts and is a reworking of a traditional English extra bold serif style…The elephant has been a beloved subject matter for Jeffry Mitchell’s artwork for four decades. The exhibition focused on the way that graphic design and interior spaces create space, fields that make us feel. As well as the way that subject matter and materials, like elephants and flowers, clay and wood, afford joy, generosity, and enthusiasm. Elefant Medium features furniture made from wood and ceramic, housewares, lamps, and drawings and prints displayed in wonderfully elaborate, handcrafted wooden and porcelain frames. The work and the transformative benevolence of craft create the field, the flow, the space, and the possibility of ecstasy.” – Variable West
MOST BEAUTIFUL BOOK
Oprah interviewed author, Abraham Verghese about his work for 6 episodes on her podcast Oprah’s Super Soul. I just loved their exchange, discussion of characters, and the dedication required to write such a book. I’m still not done with this epic book. It is beautifully written, by a doctor who has witnessed a lot over the years, and he shares the rich cultural senses, exotic spices and storied traditions of India.
FAVORITE DESIGN PROJECT
If you want to re-connect with your teenager, do a deep dive into their interests and build a bedroom they love. This one was way more than we could complete during an 8 WK ONE ROOM CHALLENGE, but it got the ball rolling and we are close to the finish line. I will have an update for you soon. We had to gut a 1940’s kitchen and build a new bedroom. We are installing the wooden floor this weekend. Heating vent and lighting needs to be installed, some paint touch-ups, and we can move in! Stay tuned. We are getting close to completion!
FAVORITE DESIGN CRUSH
BEATA HEUMAN, from London
Design by Beata Heuman
Design by Beata Heuman
Design by Beata Heuman
Design by Beata Heuman
Design by Beata Heuman
This will be my next DESIGN BOOK purchase:
FAVORITE LOVE STORY
My 60 year old brother and his wife were married, on December 29th. Each bringing two grown children from previous marriages. A true love story, of a dozen plus years’ courtship, with families formally united. Know that love can happen at any age, and at any time. And a grand wedding it was, in one of my favorite cities in the world. SAN FRANCISCO. It was ambitious, beautiful, and loaded with tributes and meaning. And a damn good party. A perfect send off for the New Year!
HEALTH
As one ages, so do your parents; the challenges that present themselves can be heartbreaking and frustrating at times…as this Baby Boom generation ages and retires, living longer and not always with a great retirement plan, families must navigate crisis, financial hardship and challenges as they present themselves. There are a lot of great doctors, nurses and amazing organizations like Meals on Wheels and The Council on Aging that are there to help. And retirement homes are popping up like crazy. And I’m not even going to mention COVID and how that keeps coming back in new variants.
WORK
JOBS are iffy these days.
After a rough couple years, a job outside the home was necessary for our finances and my marriage. When a seasoned entrepreneur goes back to a full time job with a manager and a boss, its an adjustment. I almost walked out at least 3 times. You see things differently and are used to honoring your authenticity and own wishes. You have to accommodate to someone else’s brand, vision and desires. Oy.
I love stuff – textiles, furniture, art so that part has been fun. Working with designers and architects in a swanky trade-only showroom selling textiles and furniture did require me to polish up my wardrobe. And my style. I had kind of forgotten how to dress. A lot has changed about the design profession with so much commerce now done online, but there are always new young talents coming along, and so many older designers who still work, while flirting with retirement. The to-the-trade design world is mostly comprised of women clientele, who are eccentric by nature, with varied projects and new challenges that always keeps things interesting.
FAVORITE FABRIC
LEE JOFA’s TREE of LIFE, reintroduced from their archives. In wallpaper and fabric. This 1840’s pattern was brought back with new color ways for their 200th anniversary. The vertical pattern repeat is more than 36″. Hand blocked on heavy weight linen and so beautiful.
Although I am loving how these SCHUMACHER wallpapers and textiles are styled:
FAVORITE MAGAZINE
FREDERIC MAGAZINE, by Schumacher
Frederic Magazine
OUR CUSTOMERS
THANK YOU!
I am forever grateful for your great sense of style and your business!
My business has managed to stay afloat this past year, with many exciting new things on the horizon.
I cant wait to share what’s coming in 2024.
A LITTLE ADVICE…
We are having a great sale right now on many ready-to-ship items.
UP TO 25% OFF
Decorative pillows by STUDIO TULLIA
So, let’s raise a glass to 2024! Thanks for following along. Have a wonderful week.
XOXO,
SUZANNE
by studiotullia | Nov 19, 2023 | HOUSE TOUR: Traditional Spanish Style House near Pto. Vallarta
We are at WEEK 8 and whooped.
Finally got the walls dry-walled, sanded, and primed.
All the trim has been sanded and cleaned.
We are painting the walls and trim this week.
We did pick up this amazing chair for my daughter from KRAVET.
I will post again when we are done painting. Hoping to wrap things up in the next week or two.
This was an ambitious project to do as a family. We have all worked hard and are proud of how far we have come.
We did not finish in 8 wks, but I know this would have dragged on for months if we hadn’t joined this challenge.
Be sure to check out all the:
Thanks as always for following along. I hope everyone has a wonderful THANKSGIVING.
XOXO,
SUZANNE
by studiotullia | Nov 5, 2023 | DIY, HOME IMPROVEMENT, INTERIOR DESIGN, ONE ROOM CHALLENGE, recycle, retro, reuse, that 70's show
Hello All!
Sometimes we must celebrate the smaller wins, right?
Like this lovely crocheted blanket. A handmade throw to toss around and a nice blanket for the edge of the bed. Found on EBay. We liked the colors and the graphic nature of it.
My daughter is a collector of comic books, avengers posters, Star Wars memorabilia, etc. She plans to plaster the rooms with posters and stack comic books on rows of shelving, etc. The challenge will be to create a cohesive, curated look. At least for some decent ORC final photos before it goes the ways of a teenager.
By the way, the vendor below is a great source for posters and old comic books.
You get the idea, right?
Action figures and other collectibles… 
And of course, don’t forget to check out the talented ORC designers!
See you all next week!
XOXO,
Suzanne
by studiotullia | Oct 15, 2023 | HOME IMPROVEMENT, INTERIOR DESIGN, ONE ROOM CHALLENGE, SUZANNE'S DESIGN PROJECTS
Hello my fellow Design Enthusiasts!
Here we are at Week 3 of the ONE ROOM CHALLENGE,
We are still deep into repairing WALLS! Lots and lots of mudding, sanding and building up of layers.
It is a laborious stage of the project and in the end, what will most transform this funky ol’ kitchen.
We are also trying to narrow down our paint color, and feeling pretty happy with
BENJAMIN MOORE – MEDITERRANEAN BREEZE
Here is Charlotte and her Dad working on the walls.
We’ve been envisioning fresh sky blue walls to keep us motivated.
FLOORING
We are also working on selection of laminate wood flooring, from HOME DEPOT.
We will replace the dated laminate floor with a wood look:
WET BAR
The nod to what was once a kitchen will now be a WETBAR and we know we want hexagonal tiles and floating shelves.
HEXAGONAL TILE PATTERNS
The question is what pattern?
Thanks for following along and be sure to check out the other ORC participants!
XOXO,
SUZANNE
by studiotullia | Feb 13, 2022 | DESIGN & STYLING, DIY, INTERIOR DESIGN, STUDIO NEWS, STYLE TIPS FOR DIY
For over a dozen years, STUDIO TULLIA has been making and shipping pillows all over the world.
Out of gratitude to our uber-stylish customers, we thought it would be fun to create and share these three “no rules” PILLOW STYLE GUIDES!
These easy to print style guides are useful when considering what type/size/grouping to use in various home decor scenarios!
We have quite a few ready-to-ship pillow covers on sale right now.
They are available on my Etsy store – check it out!
by studiotullia | May 13, 2021 | DESIGN TRENDS, INTERIOR DESIGN, NEWS FROM THE STUDIO, STUDIO NEWS
This lovely floral called INISFREE in Sunset (by Kravet) features peonies in blush, pink and light blue. The touch of aqua, tan and navy blue make it modern and easy to pair with other classic colors.
I wanted you to see the full scale and nuances of this floral. If you are interested in curtains in this pattern, let me know. I am unveiling my curtain program soon.
This fun print JALISA on a linen/cotton ground is so versatile and comes in driftwood and copen blue.
The peonies are starting to bloom.
The softest rosewater cotton velvet is a new addition for 2021.
A lovely soft print called SPRIG on cotton/linen reminds me of a Fortuny print. Available in Blush, Graphite, Chambray, Jade and Indigo (not shown). This is a wonderful fabric for curtains, too.
Behind the scenes is maybe a bare-footed lady, balancing on a chair over the kitchen table.
Our cherry tree in Spring.
This is a fun houndstooth chenille we added to the mix that can be used year round and would be so fun on an upholstered chair.
Let’s indulge in a little light pink, peach and blue, shall we?
The pink textured wallpaper below adds a warm, rich back drop to the designer touches by MADRE everywhere from the sconces, to the custom banquette, tufted ottoman with trim, textiles and rug make this is a welcoming and richly appointed room .
And then there is MELANIE TURNER, with her new book…such beautiful color .
This softer palette below by MELANIE TURNER reminds me of Jordan almonds.
You can always count on JAMIE DRAKE to go bold as he did here:
Design by Drake/Anderson.
This is Josef Frank’s Citrus Garden in a
new colorway, Lime, for Schumacher:
Loving these new toile converse high tops. .
A MARGAUX/SCHUMACHER FAB COLLAB.
Henry in our ancient cherry tree on a recent Spring morning.
by studiotullia | Mar 14, 2019 | DESIGN TRENDS, INTERIOR DESIGN
PORTLAND: DESIGNER MAX HUMPHREY & PDX STYLE
SPOTLIGHT ON THE NORTHWEST:
INTERIOR DESIGNER MAX HUMPHREY
I wanted to share the work of Portland local MAX HUMPHREY. His contemporary style is whimsical, vibrant and regional in the sense that I recognize Portland’s STYLE, inevitably influenced by our unique local resources and small businesses. I have always been drawn to the space featured below: the use of red, graphic art, refreshed vintage and retro accessories. It is well balanced in an assymetrical way and just fun.
Portland loves bohemian touches which you find in his use of colorful middle eastern rugs and textiles. There are some great resources here for Turkish kilims, rugs, and poufs at places like WILD SHAMAN and KUSH RUGS .
.Given our close proximity to the Columbia River Gorge and the Cascade Mountains, the forest/outdoor/woodland themes are also prominent in the use of vintage art, topography maps, army cots, wood stoves, etc. Great vintage finds can be found at URBANITE and MONTICELLO MARKETPLACE.
Eclectic mix of fabrics and colors. No rules as far as styles. He stages a lot of his room shots with whimsical props like bicycles, leopard shoes and kids’ sneakers as well as spirits, vintage objects, lots of books and potted plants.
Crafts have always been strong in Portland, as evidenced by the volume of vintage crafts at estate sales, and it is making its way into retail outlets like THE CRAFT BAR, ASSEMBLY and COLLAGE, just in my little corner of SE Portland. The winters are long in the Northwest.
I enjoy the rich mix of texture and colors in his choice of textiles, retro lamps, the plants, the Pendleton plaids, and vintage, mid century and more contemporary cleaned lined pieces.
Some of the images shown here are also on the CITY HOME website, featuring their products. I’m going to guess many of these items come from places like
CITY HOME furnishings, LEGACY MODERN, PENDLETON, and CARGO
I’m going to a conference in a couple weeks (https://www.altitudesummit.com/) and wanted to have some fresh business cards and marketing materials.
My assistant and I have switched out the pillows on this countless times, but alas, I actually put this version in the MOO cart today and bought it! Hoping to give prospective customers a sense of the offerings available via STUDIO TULLIA. I am always on the hunt for one of a kind, vintage textiles as well as an evolving assortment of designer textiles. I love to help curate specific looks and collections, whatever your project.
We also freshened up my business card. The logo we already had, but I wanted something new for Spring. We used a remnant fabric that I had and incorporated that into the design.
The fabric is called “Bavier” au “Esprit de France” design by Greeff. Greef was bought out by SCHUMACHER awhile back and still reproduces a lot of their patterns. I found a bolt of this in my grandmother’s basement when I was a design student. It belonged to my great uncle who was also a designer in NYC in the 40’s and 50’s. He was an inspiration to me even though I never met him. My grandmother shared his journals, letters and fabrics with me, which I still treasure. I reupholstered a large wing chair in this fabric like 20 years ago in what is now my son’s favorite chair. It is pretty worn to shreds, but I am glad it was loved and enjoyed for so many years in our home.
LEGACY MODERN POP-UP at URBANITE
If you live in Portland you might know about URBANITE, a warehouse and curated designers’ collective, always chock full of interesting finds.
One of my partners, LEGACY MODERN, has a pop-up shop there right now. Go check it out if you haven’t been before. Owner Mike Albino has a great eye for quality Danish Mid Century Modern and Industrial Furniture. He also supports the talents of many local artists as you’ll see in the ceramics, glassware, lighting, prints, paintings and STUDIO TULLIA soft goods!
LATEST PRODUCTS FROM STUDIO TULLIA
My neighbor is an antiques dealer and she has great estate sales very Summer. I got this there and I believe it was intended to be a very lovely hand towel. I pieced some cotton to the sides to make it into a very large euro sham. I am a sucker for embroidery work, and this is a fine example. You know many hours went into this.
(PLEASE NOTE: This above piece is SOLD, going to a fine home in Portland)
I always have random pieces left over when I use Josef Frank’s CITRUS GARDEN from Schumacher. I use it to make all kinds of things including random sized accent pillows, which have become quite popular.
I was thrilled to come across this fabric below by SISTER PARISH DESIGN. I was drawn to it at the MILL END STORE in Portland and was so thrilled to read in the selvage that it was from Sister Parish.
Per the website…Resembling an American quilt, Campobello is a print that symbolizes Sister Parish’s love for American Craft and most specifically quilting. Parish Hadley worked with quilters from Selma Alabama in the late 1960s to develop patchwork quilted yard goods and also collaborated with the Freedom Quilting Bee from 1967 to 1969, bringing old-fashioned quilts to high end publications. The primitive tree border along the side enhances the sophistication of Campobello.
Eleanor & Franklin Roosevelt were married at Mr. & Mrs. Henry Parish’s house in New York City. Campobello was their country house in Canada.
Here is the grand dame herself. I love this quote from her as it very much resonates with my approach to design:
“Some think a decorator should change a house… I try to give permanence to a house to bring out the experiences, the memories, the feelings that make it a home.”
Here is a picture of her great granddaughter below, Eliza Crater, who is the creative director of the Sister Parish Studio and has carried on the family tradition with her own personal style, along with her mother. I can see the resemblance for sure. She is shown here in their family home, where her grandmother now lives, which once was Sister Parish’s. And look what’s on the walls!
by studiotullia | Nov 7, 2018 | DIY, INTERIOR DESIGN
At last we have made it to Week 6! I’m excited to share some pictures with you below. When you have a chance, there is a plethora of fabulous ORC Rooms by Guest Participants and Featured Designers (click on the two boxes below to get there). Now that I am done with this dining room, I plan to spend some time there myself…
So, here goes. This dining room has proven to be a great challenge. The sun was spotty today in Portland so I did my best to capture the natural light in the room.
SKY MURAL
There is one accent wall where (with the help of my daughter and husband),I have painted a decorative sky painting.
My dear friend and floral designer Joann Andriese helped me to go for the large scale branches which I trimmed from my backyard. I reupholstered our existing dining chairs in Miles Redd Tumbling Blocks by Schumacher.
The chalkboard was created using a Portland flea market find (the carved frame), that I placed a chalkboard inside. I am not sure what it was before, but it seemed to have been built into a wall and was apparently salvaged and sold at an auction, per antique dealer, LOOKS & BOOKS, from Milwaukee, OR. The carving looked old world and reminded me of Italy. My daughter has been wanting a chalkboard for awhile. It has to cure for a couple more days when I initially posted this.
Here is a shot of the built-in which was painted a pale aqua paint to compliment the sky wall. It is full of various heirloom and contemporary dishes as well as crystal, vintage paintings and vases, an old clock and books.The chandelier is from FEISS. The plant from PORTLAND NURSERY.
Here is a more panoramic shot and you can see that I have panels flanking the bay window. They are custom made out of linen blend fabric called BUTE in Ivory from Cowtan and Tout, which is super wide and so gorgeous. The two pleats on the leading edge are striped cotton called ULLAKARIN from IKEA. The woven jute rug is also from IKEA.
This heirloom rocking chair I had reupholstered when I had twins out of a leopard velvet (like Jamil Natural). It was my great grandfather’s. The blanket is from salvaged PENDLETON.
I’ve been playing around with table placement so here you can see that I moved the table and chairs so they are horizontal to the bay window. It works both ways.
The abstract artwork is from TARGET. The heirloom loveseat was also my great grandparents that I had reupholstered in striped ticking.
Here’s a close up of the vintage dinner plates I found at an estate sale. The runner is also from IKEA.
The little lumbar pillow is FANTASY FOREST by SCHUMACHER , made by STUDIO TULLIA.
A detail of the curtains, also made by STUDIO TULLIA.
Here’s another shot of my kids’ favorite spot along with fabric Sonora by SCHUMACHER and a custom faux snow leopard throw which is also a favorite in the house.
The kids aren’t the only ones who like this spot.
If you look above the door there is another found painting that was framed locally by I’VE BEEN FRAMED, my go to local art store and framer. They frame most of my found art and prints as well as family art, photographs, etc.
Here is a detail shot of the rug and chairs.
And accessories.
And a shot of the table with candles lit earlier in the day when I had no sun.
I thought this brass napkin holder and napkins from IKEA were fun to add to the mix.
Here are a few before shots just so you can appreciate how far we have come from the original orange dining room.
Here the kids are priming the chalkboard for the first time with white chalk after it cured for three days.
The kids have been having fun writing menus and such on the chalkboard:
So, that is a wrap. The sources with links are listed at the end of this post.
I could not have pulled this off without my highly skilled husband, Shiloh. I am so grateful for all his electrical, construction and installation work.
Thanks so much for following along!
SOURCES
BENJAMIN MOORE – chalkboard paint
COWTAN & TOUT – Bute in Ivory for curtains
FEISS LIGHTING – Chandelier
IKEA – Lonholt jute rug
IKEA – black linen and Goddag woven table runners
IKEA – Tillstallning brass napkin holder & napkins
IKEA – Ullakarian Striped Fabric on lead edge of curtain panels
I’VE BEEN FRAMED – frames for vintage paintings
MILLER – gray paint by Joanna Gaines
METRO PAINT – Mountain Snow for custom paint mixing and base coats
PENDLETON WOOLEN MILLS – salvaged Pendleton wool for throw
PORTLAND FLEA – antique carved frame
PORTLAND NURSERY – houseplant
SCHUMACHER -Miles Redd Tumbling Blocks on Chairs
SCHUMACHER – Sonora white fringe fabric on pillow
SCHUMACHER – Fantasy Forest on accent pillow
STUDIO TULLIA – throw pillows
WS HOME – black candlesticks
by studiotullia | Oct 10, 2018 | DIY, INTERIOR DESIGN
Here we are at week two and I am excited to have settled on the color palette at least for the walls. We are gaining momentum on this project. For some reason, the ORC makes it all come together…
(Click on images above and below to see all the other designers’ projects)
PAINT
This week as been about getting the base colors for the room where I want them. I settled on A PIECE OF CAKE by Magnolia Home for the walls which is a light gray that looks taupe until it dries. It is a silvery gray. My husband thought it was the same color as the dry wall tiles he was installing on the ceilings. I have to admit he has a point, so this color required some serious convincing on my part.
It looks almost white during the day but as you can see below it is darker than the white wall on the left. For Portland winters I think it will stay light enough. We’ve already had some rainy gray days and it feels a lot better in the dining room already than the dark orange we lived with for years.
Below is pretty much what you need to paint. Blue tape and paper, spackling paste for patching walls, putty knife, sandpaper, brushes, rollers, paint cup, paint tray and liners, drop cloth, paint, a bucket of water and a rag.
I recommend buying the small color sample cans until you figure out what looks right. The space and natural light at your home is often radically different than in the paint store.
I chose SUMMER SKY by Metro Paint mixed with their MOUNTAIN SNOW until it was a very light sky blue for the Ceiling.
And for the built in bookcase I chose:
RALPH LAUREN OCULUA BLUE RL1747
and
METRO PAINT MOUNTAIN SNOW $13/gallon! Recycled paint
You don’t need a lot of the teal blue relative to the white. I came up with something close to this color:
ACCENT WALL/SKY MURAL
I have been obsessed with sky and cloud formations all Summer in anticipation of painting the mural on the accent wall. Something like this sky wall by NEWALL is my goal:
I love the colors and swallows in this wallpaper by John Derian.
Here are just a few of the lovely skies captured this Summer – can you believe how brilliant blue the sky can be?
Gearhart Beach on the Oregon Coast:
Astoria, OR at my Father in Law’s Studio – my husband and kids are canoeing.
I had this vintage painting below framed over the Summer. It also captures the color palette I am after for this room. I chose a gray washed, simple, more modern frame than the original ornate gold one. What a difference!
Thanks for following along. See you next week.
by studiotullia | Mar 17, 2017 | INTERIOR DESIGN, STUDIO NEWS
These richly patterned textiles in nostalgic hues, once owned by an upholsterer on the Oregon coast, were left untouched for decades. Now they are being given new life in a curated collection of decorative pillows called The Astoria Collection.
I stumbled upon an extraordinary estate sale (one of my favorite pastimes) this past Summer. The estate was the business and home of Ray’s Upholstery in Astoria, Oregon. (Astoria is a charming coastal town and also the oldest settlement on the Pacific coast).
Apparently Ray’s was one of the few upholstery shops in the area for decades. As you can see from the pictures, the exterior of his shop was less than extraordinary.
The contents, however, were quite the opposite. Upon entering his shop, which was like a time capsule into the past, I found shelves and walls stacked with hundreds of bolts of fabric.
The textiles were largely Mid century and included heavy duty, upholstery grade velvets and complex wovens. There were some amazing bolts of Naugahyde used for marine upholstery which I opted to leave for someone else.
As a rule, I only purchase natural fiber textiles from the past so I was able to rule out a good portion of them. Natural fibers endure the test of time much better than man-made polyester type textiles which tend to become brittle and less durable overtime.
What struck me the most was the intensity of the colors and patterns which were strikingly bold. Not what I have would have imagined in a coastal town four or five decades ago. However as I’ve had some time to ponder this collection I realize it’s innate connection to the brilliant colors and patterns found in nature.
Some of the patterned velvets have a very craftsman-like, botanical quality to them. There’s no better place than the coast and rich ancient growth forests surrounding the historic town of Astoria to appreciate the immense beauty and color found in nature. I also realize that the Oregon coast is full of historical homes, with grand, ornate, elaborate wooden architecture, featuring bold paint choices, stained glass, paneled libraries, etc. The winters are long, gray and damp and these fabrics are a welcome comfort.
I have chosen to combine natural cottons and linens with these heavy weight textiles in an effort to freshen up the storied collection. I also decided to use heavy duty gold zippers which work nicely with these fabrics and offer a touch of glamour.
I hope you enjoy the Astoria Collection as much as I have. I love the idea of bringing Ray’s Upholstery to life again. Mid Century Design has certainly been having a Renaissance as the timelessness of its sleek lines and nods to nature with acid greens, mustards, oranges and funky patterns and textures still apply to today’s modern interiors. What’s particularly fun about this collection is that it is authentic Mid Century and somehow embodies that nostalgic, layered, storied essence that only comes with true objects from the past.
For now I’m offering ready made 20 and 22 inch squares and a couple of lumbar sizes. Of course I am always open to custom sizes as long as supplies last.
And of course I always offer 10% off with the purchase of two or more of my soft goods. Please use coupon code TAKE10 at my website https://awelllivedhouse.com/ and coupon code TAKE10THX at https://www.etsy.com/shop/STUDIOTULLIAPILLOWS.
by studiotullia | Nov 3, 2016 | DIY, INTERIOR DESIGN
I finally got the orange walls covered with three coats of MOUNTAIN SNOW white paint from METRO PAINT. Now everything is looking very white.
This is where we were last week:
And this is where we are this week:
I’ve finished most of the trim in a GLOSSY WHITE from MILLER PAINT and hung up this VINTAGE MIRROR.
I’ve installed this 28″ Round Mirror from TARGET. I wanted a bigger one, but for $49 I went with this one.
We had to stop and sand the glue and carpet remnants off the stairs and side molding before we painted anymore of the stairs.
The WEST ELM ASHIK WOOL RUNNER arrived and while I wasn’t so sure about it initially, I think I can make it work.
It looked like this on the website: 
And this is what it looks like in person. This is a close up of the rug. The palette is lighter and the fibers are more coarse than the original photo, with a lot of the salmony orange pink.
I started to panic and look for another rug, with this inspo photo of a space by ASHE + LEANDRO in mind:
This is what I came up with two different woven Indian rugs from a local store, CARGO
and
but in the end, I opted for the WEST ELM rug after all. The colors seemed too busy for the hallway and the size was not really right.
MY FOCUS this last week is all about CONTRAST in this WHITE HALLWAY and a NEW LIGHT FIXTURE to replace this existing one, which is nice, but too small:
So, here’s my final check list:
- Paint semi gloss CHARCOAL black paint on stair rail and tops of stairs
- Paint all four doors semi gloss SILVER GRAY
- Paint office door to my office semi gloss CHARCOAL
- Paint stoop at base of stairs white and apply the STENCIL from HEIRLOOM142 from Canada below for fun:
5. Hang all my NEWLY MATTED AND FRAMED PHOTOS in the stairwell.
(For you Portland locals) Seth at I’VE BEEN FRAMED, was a dream to work with; along with some pre-cut double mattes that I found, he matted and assembled “frame kits” for me that made it super easy and affordable. I went in there with ten or so frames and was worried how much that was going to cost. It cost me about $50!
6. Install the custom cushions and lumbar for the new antique bench I scored at GOODWILL for $40:
I thought about painting this bench but I have decided to leave the natural wood and cane work. I am making a seat cushion and lumbar pillow to give it a more modern look and hide the missing cane work until I can get it fixed. Overall its pretty sturdy though.
6. And lastly, there is the matter off the antique DRESSER, which I am planning to also paint MILK PAINT CHARCOAL. 
I’ve got my work cut out for me, which might have something to do with why I am getting so little sleep lately…I’m worried.
See you next week for the FINAL REVEAL.
Don’t forget to check in with the FEATURED DESIGNERS:
As well as the GUEST PARTICIPANTS:
:
See you soon! Thanks for following along.
Best,
Suzanne
by studiotullia | Oct 20, 2016 | DESIGN TRENDS, HOME IMPROVEMENT
Three things I have been juggling this past week:
- Pictures/Frames for the gallery wall
- Slipcover style for the ottoman
- A mirror for over the ottoman.
It really takes awhile to sort through old photos and then decide which ones to use. I decided to opt for artful pictures; strong images that stand on on their own. I also have a strategy for framing my pieces. In an effort to not get too busy, Ive limited the palette to white, black, occasionally gold/silver and a few unique vintage frames to mix things up. It takes time to build a gallery wall so I am not expecting to finish it completely in the next couple weeks, but at least I’ll be on my way. Here are a few examples of PICTURE WALLS I really like:
I like the simplicity of the black and white
I also like when there is some art thrown in along with some variation in sizes. 
Here are some of the PHOTOS I have gathered so far. Ive made a few trips to Goodwill and I have found frames from Aaron Brothers, IKEA, Pottery Barn as well as some higher quality custom frame shops! I am taking them to a framer to just have the mattes cut and assembled with nice hooks on the back.
The closest I have come to an style slip cover I want is this simple tuxedo style. The fabric is going to be a white or natural cotton fabric:
And I would like to put a mirror over the bench. 
So I am on the hunt for one locally; we’ll see what I can find.
So, don’t forget to check out the progress of the ORC PARTICIPANTS HERE:http://www.callingithome.com/blog/2016/10/one-room-challenge-fall-2016-week-3:
And the other GUEST PARTICIPANTS here: http://www.callingithome.com/blog/2016/10/one-room-challenge-guest-participants-week-3 
Have a wonderful Friday and enjoy your weekend.
Best,
Suzanne
