by studiotullia | May 19, 2020 | HOME IMPROVEMENT, INTERIOR DESIGN, ONE ROOM CHALLENGE, STYLE TIPS FOR DIY, SUZANNE'S DESIGN PROJECTS
Well, here we are at WEEK 2 of the ORC project. In case you missed the first post, we are remodeling my 13 year old teenage daughter’s tiny bedroom. We think the best use of the space should include a loft bed. My husband, with her help, is in the throes of making this custom bed.
Here are some nice ones that help us to conceptualize how to best use the space.
This loft bed with built-in shelves under the ladder allows room for a desk and more storage space. I love the bookshelf under the bedrail.
POTTERY BARN always has quality furnishings, and its styled beautifully with their linens. The brass touches are nice.
This is also from POTTERY BARN which I included because we are considering painting the bed gray.
A truly mid century loft look by WEST ELM/POTTERY BARN. The yellow is beautiful with the warm wood tones. Love the dresser in there, too. I love how the desk fits right behind the ladder, which is simple and elegant.
This is the Harlan loft bed with desk ($500 range). This more basic loft bed is built with comfortable sleeping space and plenty of room underneath. It is available at several online stores including Wayfair and Overstock.
These two pieces above are both from IKEA. There are lots of nice options for storage bins, drawers, etc. They are a bargain around $100 each. And they would just fit, within an inch, below the loft bed we are making.
We already have a desk chair kind of like this that someone had just left on the street corner across from an office buiding. It looked brand new, so I grabbed it! Like I said, LAW OF ATTRACTION at work…
We are also considering a comfy chair if it will fit. This first one (above) is from URBAN OUTFITTERS and the second one (below) is from POTTERY BARN TEEN.
On sale for $199 at POTTERY BARN TEEN right now.
I am loving this vintage mid century modern light fixture that extends out, with little stars. $250 at HIPPO HARDWARE in Portland, OR, a great resource for vintage lighting and hardware. The place has soul.
This one from TARGET is also nice, and we love the color. About $100.
We are headed in this direction with grays, blues and white direction with pops of color in the art. We also want to mix in some color with the art.
We have been watching all of the AVENGER SUPER HERO MOVIES in order since the quarantine started. Usually one or two a week. It’s actually really fun to watch as a family. Thank goodness these Disney movies now have plenty of heroines as well as heroes. AVENGER HEROINES will be the prevailing theme in the art that she is considering for her room. I can think of worse role models, right?
1. Captain America: The First Avenger (1942-1943)
2. Captain Marvel (1995)
3. Iron Man (2010)
4. Iron Man 2 (2011)
5. The Incredible Hulk (2011)
6. Thor (2011)
7. The Avengers (2012)
8. Iron Man 3 (2012)
9. Thor: The Dark World (2013)
10. Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
11. Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
12. Guardians of the Galaxy 2 (2014)
13. Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
14. Ant-Man (2015)
15. Captain America: Civil War (2016)
16. Spider-Man: Homecoming (2016)
17. Doctor Strange (2016-2017)
18. Black Widow (2017)
19. Black Panther (2017)
20. Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
21. Ant-Man and the Wasp (2017)
22. Avengers: Infinity War (2017)
23. Avengers: Endgame (2018-2023)
24. Spider-Man: Far From Home (2023)
There are so many great sources on ETSY for everything from downloadable $5 pdfs you can print yourself, to pricier vintage movie posters and comic books.
Rosie the Riveter is not a MARVEL SUPER HERO but Charlotte is relating to this heroic image. She has even been dressing like her in a blue jumpsuit from TARGET and a bandanna around her head.
So this coming week, we are prepping the room for paint, sanding and continuing work on the bed, and playing around with how much art we need, where we will hang it, and what fits within our budget.
So, here is the link below to the ORC FEATURED DESIGNERS as well as the GUEST PARTICIPANTS if you just can’t get enough.
Thank you for reading along. Until next week….
#STAYSAFE, #STAYHOME , #STAYCALM&DESIGNON
by studiotullia | Apr 10, 2020 | DIY, STUDIO NEWS, STYLE TIPS FOR DIY, THE CREATIVE ENTREPRENEUR
This pandemic thing is starting to get REAL.
Well folks, it’s been a crazy few weeks. How’s everyone holding up? How was your holiday weekend? My twins turned 13 on Easter Sunday so we tried to make it special for them, although the gathering was very small, family only, no hugs, etc. We were able to forget for a couple of hours that things are still really strange.
Know what I mean? Major changes are happening so quickly not only in our households, but throughout the nation, and the whole world. Every day we all wake up and can’t believe this is our new reality.
SCHOOL CLOSINGS & HOARDING
As soon as Portland Public Schools announced schools would close, everything got crazy. Sounds like that was the case pretty much everywhere.
People started stockpiling groceries and hoarding all paper and sanitizing products. I went to Trader Joe’s around that time and there was literally NOTHING left on the shelves. I was in shock. Like I couldn’t remember my pin number, shock. And all I could find was a couple of sad red peppers and a bin of cookies. Soon after, people started cooking comfort food and baking like crazy; and next thing, there’s no flour or baking supplies to be found. WHAAAAT?
Over the weeks, as we learn more about this disease and the daily losses gain momentum, we are all growing more and more cautious, concerned and let’s admit it, afraid. The whole social distancing thing, lines to get into stores, business closures, anxiety around those particularly vulnerable, the economic fallout of all this; it’s a lot to absorb.
ONLINE COURSES & ECOMMERCE
Thank God the schools are starting to deliver online education. The kids have one subject in the morning, and one subject in the afternoon each day, as they rotate through the days with different teachers. That’s a lot easier than trying to navigate 6 lessons a day. This new reality will require a few hours minimum on my part, to keep them on track. And then there are the additional meals, snacks, dishes.
I have been growing concerned about my kids having too much idle time. They are finding online chat groups, FaceTime and group games, but spending a lot of time in their rooms, and on their devices more than I care to admit. I overheard one of their friends saying she felt it was easier to be in school then it was to stay home, and they all agreed. When they do return, I think they will have a new appreciation for what school provides. People are having to think outside the box, adapt to the new rules. We will all be changed by this for sure.
The craft and sewing community has been asked by many different medical entities and companies to start making fabric masks. PROVIDENCE alone is requesting 100 million homemade masks and I know Governor Andrew Cuomo of NYC is offering up all kinds of financial incentives for the fashion industry to start producing supplies for medical professionals, as they anticipate an increasing demand for quite some time.
I started to make a few masks last week and posted some images on Instagram. Since then, I have been asked to make masks by several friends, family, and neighbors.
Last week Etsy Admin put out a request for anyone who was capable, to start making masks, due to the unprecedented demand. As soon as I started to list them on Etsy, they would sell. I couldn’t keep up. Almost overnight, I along with 20,000 other artisans, were selling masks online. ETSY CEO , Steve Silverman, told NBC,” Our sellers are able to produce hundreds of thousands of masks a day.”
And, all of a sudden there was no elastic to be found in any local stores that were open as people scrambled to make masks. So I’ve been waiting with bated breath for my mailman everyday since ordering elastic online…
I started to make ties instead of using elastic and those are selling rapidly, too. Who knew my daughter had such a knack for styling mannequins and wigs. She even talked me into ordering more!
The CDC and many states are now recommending that you wear a homemade mask as an extra precaution when you go outside in public. Every time I go to the store I see more and more people wearing masks.
I have recruited my daughter and son to help me cut out prototypes and press them. We have turned our dining room into a temporary sewing factory.
We’ve been having fun coming up with various fabric combos. Any broadcloth, pretty tightly woven fabric works: light weight Pendleton wool, cotton, linen, and flannel fabric masks are available. Everything is pre-washed so that it can be rewashed and reused.
People are scrambling to find elastic everywhere; pulling it from their clothes, fitted sheets, dismantling bungee cords or using alternatives like hairbands, rubber bands, and cutup pieces of T-shirts, etc.
I’m trying to select broadcloth fabric for my two layered tasks. There has to be a balance between getting enough coverage to feel protected without feeling like you’re suffocating. You need enough of a gap in the mask in front of your mouth that you feel comfortable.
If you would like to try your hand at your own mask, I have several links to tutorials on my Pinterest board.
WILL MASKS BECOME JUST ANOTHER ACCESSORY LIKE A SCARF OR PIN?
According to a recent article in THE GUARDIAN:
Masks have long been a regular feature of daily life in east Asia, for fashion and for health purposes, and are sometimes considered a sign of the wearer’s social responsibility.
“Whether it will take off as a fashion trend here in the US depends on whether stigma around wearing a mask can be changed,” says Christine Wu, a fashion anthropologist and former lecturer at the Parsons School of Design.
According to a recent article in the LA TIMES:
Major fashion brands are stepping in to help gather or make these much-needed supplies. LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton announced Saturday that it would obtain 40 million medical-grade face masks from a Chinese industrial supplier to distribute to French health authorities. Italian brand Prada shared Monday that it’s producing a run of 80,000 overalls and 110,000 face masks at one of its factories for Italian medical personnel.
I have to believe that some good will come out of all this. We are being catapulted into the future with all our video conferences and zoom meetings. And being forced to radically change and rethink our lifestyles. This situation has forced almost everyone to slow down, spend time with their families, plan out meals, take a look around at their homes, and contemplate what is most important. How lucky those of us are that are healthy, have a place to live and can keep food on the table.
Our family went to MT TABOR, a nearby city park, the previous Sunday, and it felt almost normal to have others all around, hanging out, and enjoying the sunshine and fresh air. It was so important for us to get out, throw a frisbee around, laugh, and forget about this crisis for a little while.
Wishing everyone the strength and good fortune as we navigate through this unknown, difficult time. I truly am so sorry for the people who are ill, or know someone who is suffering. Or for those who have lost their jobs or livelihood. I’m concerned for the doctors, nurses, therapists, various medical specialists, all the people sanitizing, cleaning, doing security, etc.on the front lines fighting this thing, as well as all the employees of grocery stores, pet stores, nurseries, drug stores, etc. There’s tension in the air, but there is also great compassion and kindness on display everywhere.
Hang tight everyone. Wash your hands, wear your masks, care for yourself and your loved ones. This will end, we will get through this, as other generations have gotten through various hardships: wars, famine, plagues. Who knows, this “slowing down” just might save our planet. Until then, stay home, stay safe, hold onto what’s dear, and BREATHE.
#WE ARE IN THIS TOGETHER
Sending out love and warm wishes to everyone.
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 12, 2017 | DIY, INTERIOR DESIGN
And be sure to check out the FEATURED DESIGNERS via CALLING IT HOME’s website:
This week I’ve been trying to settle on the textiles, rug and lighting so I can got those ordered and in the works. I put together this mood board:
LIGHTING
I have this antique chandelier:
and I am trying to modernize it/freshen it up so I have found a few options…
This is fun, from SASSY SHADES on ETSY:
and I am in love with these, from SHANDELL’S:
I am also looking at SCONCES for above the bed which are really needed for night time reading. Here are a few I’m considering. These are all from LAMPS PLUS except for the one that is second from last, which is from TARGET.
I am leaning toward the third pair down as I like the brass and gold combination and it will offer a little contrast.
The look is pretty good for the price of $99/pair. The last one I would take in a heartbeat but it is a little over budget.
TEXTILES
This was one of my inspiration shots (room by Ana Rosa):
I put together these fabrics that I found at THE MILL END STORE in SE PDX. I like the Japanese toile that has a vintage quality to it and I am adding stripes and ikat.
I am going to use these fabrics for my duvet cover and euro shams:
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
I have some triple pleated BELGIAN LINEN SHADES from WS HOME for this room. I am going to add a decorative inner edge to liven up the curtains and tie in with the blues in the room.
This is what I will add – a few pleats on each inner side.
It is really nice to step into a soft, plush rug in the morning so I am thinking maybe something like this SAFAVIEH CALIFORNIA SHAG runner from LOWE’s for $83.
PAINT COLORS
I am planning to paint the trim a fresh white. 
I was originally planning to paint the dresser indigo blue but I am also playing around with caliente red also.
Only because I can’t get this entry by @maxwhumphrey out of my mind.
And LIGHT GRAY PAINT for the two DOORS
That’s where I am for now. I would love to hear your comments. I have some fun art ideas in the works to share with you next time. Thanks for stopping by.
by studiotullia | Nov 10, 2016 | DIY, INTERIOR DESIGN
At last! The FINAL REVEAL of my UPSTAIRS HALLWAY & STAIRS. I am so exhausted from the final last two days of pushing myself; painting the final coats on the walls, doors and dresser. Three coats seems to be the magic number for best coverage.
Just a little reminder that for years, the UPSTAIRS HALLWAY & STAIRS was a tangerine orange with some random furniture pieces and very basic lighting.
Here is a BEFORE SHOT:
Are you ready?
Here is the AFTER SHOT:
And here are a few more:
I wanted this to be a functional space for my nine year old twins. Charlotte’s room is too small for a dresser and she really needed a place besides the guest room across the hall for her clothes. 
I painted an heirloom dresser WHALE GRAY by BENJAMIN MOORE. The wool rug is a MOROCCAN RUG from WEST ELM that I added for warmth and color. The wall to wall carpet couldn’t be installed during this time frame. The STAR LIGHT is from POTTERY BARN and the Lamp in a Mid Century vintage find. The shade and baskets are NATE BERKUS for TARGET.
The horizontal reproduction beach painting was from ROSS and it served as my color inspiration for the room. Of course I’d love a beach photograph by GRAY MALIN but for now, this is what we’re working with.
The kids could use a mirror for getting dressed and I found this one at TARGET for $40. The antique bench was a GOODWILL find, with a cane seat and back. It was too folksy for the space with a carved heart in the back so I modernized it with the custom seat cushion and lumbar pillow in white and gray linen, custom made by STUDIO TULLIA. They are filled with down blend and super comfy.
The elongated arm was what I really liked about the antique bench besides the scale being perfect for the kids,
The flower oil painting above the guest room door is by ELIZABETH SEE, an Oregon artist.
SO, moving onto the GALLERY WALL in the STAIRWAY…here is another BEFORE SHOT (with our dog, Pumpkin):
And here is the AFTER:
Salon style GALLERY WALL of family photographs; mostly black and white photographs with some art thrown into the mix. I used black frames, white frames and a few vintage gold frames. I am still working on the wall with several more to go above these. It takes time to select pictures, frames and mattes. That was quite a project in itself. The limited edition print is by Italian artist, BAU and was from CR FINE ARTS, LTD.
I painted the ugly brown stairs white with gray treads along with the railing at the top of the stairs.
Here is the view from the bottom of the stairs. I found this basket made for stairs that is perfect for books, toys and other odds and ends that need to go back upstairs.
So, that is it. I will add some more pictures to this post later, however I am working on this remotely from Astoria, where we are staying for the weekend.
So check out the rest of the ORC GUEST PARTICIPANTS’ rooms HERE
And the ORC DESIGNERS, invited by the ORC Sponsor, CALLING IT HOME, who finished their rooms yesterday are HERE:
Here are all the sources I can think of for now:
WHITE WALLS – Mountain Snow by METRO PAINTS
WHITE SEMI GLOSS on trim and stairs – MILLER PAINT
GRAY DOORS – OWL GRAY by BENJAMIN MOORE
GRAY TRIM on Railing & Stair Treads – WHALE GRAY by BENJAMIN MOORE
GLASS PENDANT – SCHOOL HOUSE ELECTRIC
MOROCCAN RUNNER – WEST ELM
BEACH PAINTING – ROSS
FLORAL OIL PAINTING – ELIZABETH SEE
ROUND MIRROR – TARGET
CUSTOM CUSHIONS on Antique Bench – STUDIO TULLIA
LAMP SHADE & BASKETS – NATE BERKUS for TARGET
BENCH, DRESSER, & LAMP – vintage finds
FRAMES on Gallery Wall from POTTERY BARN, IKEA, AARON BROTHERS, and a few vintage ones.
I hope you liked it! It feels much moire inviting and functional now. LIke we have gained an extra room.
Thanks so much for following along! Have a great weekend.
Best,
Suzanne
![ONE ROOM CHALLENGE 2016 -WEEK 6 of CHARLOTTE’S ROOM FINAL REVEAL!]()
by studiotullia | May 13, 2016 | DESIGN TRENDS, HOME IMPROVEMENT, HOUSE TOUR: Traditional Spanish Style House near Pto. Vallarta, INTERIOR DESIGNERS THAT INSPIRE
Well, we managed to finish up just in time! Here are the results. We were lucky to have a bright sunny day for these last minute pictures, thanks to my amazing assistant, Amanda. Everything is smelling like roses and I am drinking a gin and tonic as I write this (it is after 5 pm West coast time, FYI).
FINAL REVEAL:
Below is a painting of our backyard fig tree that Charlotte and her friend Alex painted together last year. I floated it in one of IKEA’s shadow box frames.
As you can see we have a little woodland theme going on with the deers and bunny rabbit. I know the rose floral shade on the sconce and bed linens from IKEA are a departure from the neon splatter, but it was such a lovely pattern we bent the matchy matchy rules. Perhaps bold colors or solid colored linens would have worked better, but we wanted to make these work. They’re cozy and a little English or something. The framed deer art is hand cross stitched by a very patient Oregonian: a vintage find that was in perfect condition. The antique bed is an heirloom from my grandparents that my Mother stripped and refinished years ago.
The large splatter pillow was a trial run before the curtains and the hand drawn critter pillow Charlotte drew awhile back as a prototype for a school auction project. The cross pillow was from STUDIO TULLIA inventory and we liked it in the room.
You can see a little bit of the furry stool we created by covering an IKEA stool. It is the perfect little occasional stool for this tiny room and adds some much needed glamour.
I want to show you a close up of the white bunny painting by Oregonian artist ELIZABETH SEE because she is so talented.
We have come quite a ways in just a couple weeks. Here are a few before shots:
Getting that pink the right color took some work. Between BENJAMIN MOORE PAINT and METRO PAINT we got it done.
The IKEA curtains were perhaps the funnest part of this project and they really set the tone for the room.
This IKEA PS 2014 ceiling pendant is very cool in its design. The pull factor really is fun at night and gives you a diverse range of visual effects. Her twin brother Arthur is a little jealous when it comes to the light. Thank God they have lego building experience as they put this thing together all by themselves. Whereas that project might have put me right over the edge.
This is her bookshelf which I have staged for this shoot. The camellias ,roses and hydrangeas are from our garden. The amethyst cut crystal vase was her great grandmother’s and the other vase is a hand painted vintage vase as well. The flower etched globe light is from IKEA. And we all know that’s an AMERICAN DOLL in a wheelchair. The one thing in the catalog Arthur liked because it had wheels.
HARRY POTTER books without their covers aren’t so bad looking next to the collection of NANCY DREW books.
All of the pillows in this feature have been provided by my primary sponsor ~ STUDIO TULLIA! Vintage ones (like the cool beaded rose pillow above) as well as other vintage oddities are available through TULLIA MARKETPLACE, which is not fully off the ground, but should be by this Summer.
Here are a few more pictures of the flowers up close because they are just so pretty. The vase is by who else…IKEA. The little painting is by Charlotte.
A FEW MORE NOTES…
We decided last minute to switch out her side table form TARGET and it needed to be white. The finish was antique gold and it just fell flat in the corner. We almost painted the gold framed mirror, too, but decided it added some bling and was ok as is.
This room was a quite a challenge because in all honesty this room is a dog. The room is tiny, the ceiling is slanted, the windows and trim work are funky, and many more issues I don’t need to bore you with.
The good news is that this is the room she wants to be in and is a very happy girl. She could not fall asleep last night she was so excited. I hated to wake her up this morning. This room is her safe haven, compared to the larger guest room where she was temporarily staying during this project.
Sweet Dreams, my Sweet Charlotte.
I am excited to grab a cup of coffee tomorrow morning and indulge myself in the many final reveals as part of the ONE ROOM CHALLENGE, thanks to CALLING IT HOME.
This was a great challenge for me and 6 weeks was just about right. I am excited to do another room in the Fall.
Here is the link to twenty very talented designer bloggers’ final reveals HERE
And if that’s not enough, there are over 1,000 Guest Participant Final Reveals to view HERE:
Thanks so much for following along!
Best,
Suzanne
