Double Parlor | Making it Lovely

Design Services

Vintage Mirror from South Loop Loft, Arteriors Brass Grasshopper, Chairish Vintage Portrait, Bellacor Visual Comfort Tiny Terri Brass Lamp, Joss & Main Dresser | Making it Lovely, One Room Challenge

Sources & Paint Colors

Making it Lovely's Victorian House

Tour Our 1891 Victorian

Blog

A Retro Dining Room Gets a Smart Upgrade

This post is sponsored by GLAS.

Friends of ours have been making changes to their Chicago Tudor over the past couple of years. It’s looking good, but they’re working on some of the mechanicals and upgrading to a smart thermostat was on their to-do list.

GLAS is new on the market, but it’s by Johnson Controls, the company that invented the room thermostat back in the late 1800s. They tapped into their experience in designing thermostats for industrial use and created GLAS to be beautiful and functional for both homes and commercial applications (retails stores, office buildings, and the like). It works with most heating and cooling systems and was designed to adapt to a wide range of installations, so chances are good that it will work for you, too. It was quick and easy to add to my friends’ house!

They have great style and they’re drawn to mid-century-modern pieces. (Isn’t their vintage dining set fantastic?) GLAS has a simple design with clean lines, and the translucent OLED touchscreen display lets the wall color behind show through so it blends in. The thermostat is in their dining room, mixing in with the art they’ve hung as a gallery wall.

You can interact with GLAS’ touchscreen directly, control it by voice (works with Microsoft Cortana^®, Amazon Alexa, or Google Assistant), or through its app. The thermostat also monitors air quality, showing you information for both outside the home and in. My friends each added the app to their phones, and one of the features they were most interested in was the ability to turn down their heating while they’re away. GLAS can even automatically adjust its settings and detect when a home is occupied or empty! They’re happy to add some energy-efficiency to the house and we were joking that it feels super fancy, but it really does.

To learn more about GLAS, visit glas.johnsoncontrols.com.

November 20, 2018
Making DIY Plywood Countertops

There are a few options when it comes to wooden counters. Let me just say right now that I’m not sure I picked the best one (given a do-over I would make the counter with solid wood), but it was among the least expensive and not a bad choice. This was my reasoning…

Butcher Block

Butcher block is a great choice in a kitchen, but it does say “kitchen” to me and felt like an odd choice for a laundry room. (I’m sure that is my own weird reaction.) I didn’t want the striated effect, and I don’t always care for the way it looks when stained as opposed to oiled. Of course now that I have plywood counters that I also don’t love the look of stained, this was a foolish reason to rule out butcher block, but at least I saved a lot of money in comparison?

Faux-Wood Laminate

I’m not a laminate snob — it can be a great choice and was something I had considered — but I’m not into the fake wood options.

Reclaimed Wood

Ideal! Lovely and with history and character! It felt beyond my woodworking abilities though, for pretty much the same reasons I avoided wooden boards.

Wooden Boards/Planks

Turning boards into counters seemed daunting. I don’t regret using plywood because I haven’t done a whole lot of woodworking projects and I learned a lot, but I wish I had the confidence I’ve now gained because this would have been prettier.

I would have needed a biscuit joiner, biscuits, and plenty of 36” long clamps. Maybe a planer, too? Lowe’s is sponsoring the laundry room reveal and they would have provided any tools and materials I needed, but I approached this project as I would have on my own, keeping in mind a budget and a level of appropriate finishes for a 125-year-old basement laundry room. It’s way nicer than before, but I can’t make the room into something it isn’t architecturally and I didn’t want to hoard a bunch of specialized tools I might never use again just because I could. Still, I have minor regrets. This would have been far nicer.

Plywood

Winner, winner! I figured it would be easy to work with since it’s already a large, flat pane, and plywood is inexpensive. I don’t love the end result, but I don’t hate it either. If you’re considering this option, I hope it’s helpful to read a positive but not glowing experience with it.

Plywood comes in a variety of wood species, thicknesses, and grades. I chose pine over oak or maple because while it is softer (and susceptible to gouges and scratches), it takes a mid-tone stain nicely and doesn’t blacken with water exposure. I was planning to stain and seal my counters, but with wet laundry and a big sink both having the potential to ruin them, I’d rather see wear with age than black spots.

Two of my cabinets end against uneven stone foundation walls. I used a compass to scribe the edges onto a piece of cardboard, then cut the edge with a razor and tested the fit. Once I was happy with that step, I used the cardboard as a template, traced it onto my plywood, and then cut those edges with a jigsaw.

I used two sheets of plywood (a nice 3/4″ thick pine for the top and a lower grade 1/2″ for the bottom) to make a strong counter for the sink cabinet. After cutting the top sheet to size, I dry fit it into place before centering and tracing the sink template.

I don’t use our table saw very often (and whoops, I didn’t clear the cobwebs on the base), but the blade we had in it would have chewed up the plywood. I picked up an inexpensive new 10” blade with 60 teeth that cuts plywood cleanly. I picked up a jigsaw blade with more teeth (12) for the same reason and it left fairly smooth edges.

I used a different technique for the other two counters. I didn’t need a full second sheet of plywood for more strength, I just wanted to raise the counters up a little to make room for trim pieces while leaving clearance for drawers to open. I added 1/2″ thick pine boards around the perimeter of each counter. Each piece was glued, clamped, and then screwed into place.

Plywood edges are ugly, so I added simple 1-1/2″ pine trim around each counter. They were glued, clamped, and held in place with finish nails. I used a nail set to countersink the nails and then fill them with stainable wood filler, but here’s another lesson learned: get pine wood filler if you’re working with pine because I didn’t and the filled holes took stain differently.

I filled nail holes and any imperfections, then sanded the counters with 200-grit sandpaper. I wiped the surface clean with tack cloth and applied wood conditioner, followed by two coats of Ipswich Pine stain. I finished with three coats of polyurethane applied with a natural bristle brush, lightly roughed up with 320-grit sandpaper between coats, and buffed with 0000 steel wool after fully drying.

The photo below on the left is from when I applied the second coat of poly (still wet), and on the right is the finished counter. I chose a satin finish, which I’m happy with.

They were dry to the touch after sitting overnight, but I left them alone for three days before putting anything on top. They’re attached to the counters with simple metal L brackets and wood screws.

The pine trim took stain differently than the pine plywood. You can see the filled-in nail holes. The counters are smooth, but not a perfectly glassy finish, and the wood grain is nothing special. I don’t want to seem so down on them, but I don’t want to encourage anyone to do this and think it’s going to be the most! amazing! project! ever! They’re good, utilitarian counters for a good, utilitarian space, and they’re cheap. I give them a B+.

November 8, 2018
I Almost Love the Library’s Vintage Floor Lamps

I’d been wanting a pair of swing-arm lamps to flank the black and white striped sofa in the library. The room needed more lighting on that end, and something with a little height.

I knew exactly which ones I wanted: Visual Comfort’s Dorchester Swing-Arm Floor Lamps. The whole Dorchester line is perfect down to every little detail! Aged brass, black tapered shades, cutely oversized ball finials, and the classic candlestick. Perfect. The lamps would have been about $1500 for the pair though, and while they are well-made and beautifully designed, that was a lot more than I was looking to spend. (Honestly, the kids knocked over the floor lamp that used to be in the library and I had visions of the same thing happening to far more expensive ones. The kids aren’t usually destructive, but they like to play behind the sofa like it’s a secret fort and accidents happen.)

I looked for less expensive alternatives. The problem is that I get picky about the details. I couldn’t find anything for under $100 that I wanted to buy. The lamps I did like enough to consider were in the $250-400 (each) range, and they would have needed different shades on top of that.

I searched for vintage lamps, too. I found a lot of great single lamps, but a pair was harder. A few months went by before I found what I was looking for on FB Marketplace… or close enough. All of that self-professed pickiness? I suppose I can overlook some pretty major differences if the price is right. $50 for the pair meant I could overlook a lot.

I can rattle off all the things I don’t love about them. The shades show some wear, I’m not crazy about the finials, and the candlesticks are more yellow than I’d like. The swirly bit is not my thing, nor is the octagonal base. That brass is some bright ‘80s brass. And functionally, I wanted a swing-arm.

But they do what I need them to do in the room. The overall effect is nice, adding height to the room and the extra lighting we needed. They already came with black tapered shades, and that black does add a necessary punctuation mark against a backdrop of pastel pink. The brass and candlestick elements are there even if not done exactly to my liking. And they’re unique! (Ha, that sounds like such a put-down. They’re so… unique.)

Would the other lamps look better? Yes. Does the difference bother me enough to swap them out? Nope.

October 26, 2018
Honor Roll
I’m in that change-of-seasons mood where I want to clean and organize everything. I also have the kind of cold that lingers and isn’t serious enough to do much about, but that annoys and makes me want to stay in my pjs all day and not move. The two are not super compatible but I shall push through! #brave
- I’m cheering the return of maximalism. And what’s the over/under on how long @theoldhousebeautiful will be able to stay up? (House Beautiful, we all loved you so much before you went clickbait.)
- I found out that aircraft graveyards are a thing. Fascinating!
- I also started wondering why there are so many mattress stores. Turns out, I wasn’t the only one curious! This was a satisfying answer, and this podcast on the topic is great too.
- The kids needed some new shoes, and Target has some really cute options right now. My little guy is way into the dinosaur spikes on the back of these, and these faux-leather high-tops make my kid look kind of hipster-cute. The lower version with red laces are awesome too. We weren’t as into the girls’ shoes, but did pick up these subtly shiny low boots.
- So into the eye motifs in Jonathan Adler’s more affordable line for Amazon.
- Pups and pup-owner perfectly paired portraits.
- “Nicecore” is the trend we need right now.
  Last time I posted about my adorable little ACPC campsite in my Instagram Stories, people thought I was either joking or hacked. Um, whoops. Big Animal Crossing fan here, guys.
IMAGES: All highlighted by @theoldhousebeautiful on Instagram from original features by House Beautiful
• Pink Home of Katie Ukrop, Designed by Suellen Gregory
• Colorful Living Room with Chinoiserie Wallpaper, Designed by Ashley Whittaker
• Home Library Designed by Jeannette Whitson, Photographed by Simon Watson
• Martyn Lawrence Bullard’s Kitchen of the Year 2018
October 19, 2018
The Grid of Framed Tarot Card Art

I wrote about wanting to add a mirror above the fireplace and a grid of frames above the red console back in (checks notes)… January!? Does it take that long to make a little change? Well, yep. I’m not rushing to fill a space, I’m refining. Taking my time to get things just right.

I loved the peacock mirror that used to hang above the red table. (I’m holding on to it, even though I have no idea where else it might work.) Once I added a larger Louis-Philippe style mirror above the fireplace though, the art above the table had to change.

The square Wyeth print that I hung temporarily in its place is great, but not the right size and scale for that spot. I knew I wanted something else, but I didn’t want to hurry the process for the sake of filling the wall — I needed to find the right art.

Behold, the “Eros: The Garden of Love” Oversize Limited Edition Major Arcana Suite, by Uusi. I found the right art!

I’m not a believer in the metaphysics of Tarot (or astrology, or anything supernatural), but like all good Goths, I learned how to read Tarot cards in high school. I still find them fascinating, but I think this particular deck is simply beautiful. Uusi has other styles too, but these are oversized and nicely suited to framing.

I typically hang art 56” high on center. I arranged the frames in a Photoshop mocku to be sure I liked the placement, and also to check that it worked well with the height of the fireplace and mirror.

Yay, good! Measure, level, and go.

I ordered black lacquer picture frames from Williams-Sonoma Home. They had mats sized for 5×7 photos but the cards are each 4×7, so I had custom mats cut by a local frame shop. The frames were on sale, so even with new mats (about $10 each), it was less expensive than going fully custom.

I like that you need to get close to really see what’s framed in there. From farther back, it’s just a pleasing grid with colors that kind of go with the rest of the room. Secret saucy sorcery!

October 16, 2018
Making it Yours 16C: Pink Elroy Chairs
You’ve fallen in love with something that’s a detour from your usual style. Is it a fleeting fancy? Will you love it long-term? And how do you make it work with the rest of your stuff without starting over? These are the questions I’ve had in mind as I worked on this edition of Making it Yours, and it’s time for the final look!

These pink Elroy chairs are the cutest. They’re also super trendy. If you fell hard for chevron, only to grow tired of it after seeing it everywhere, or loved boho and macramé until all of a sudden you didn’t, you might be (understandably) shy about jumping on board with the current crop of 80s-influenced pieces.

You shouldn’t paint your walls white because Instagram wants you to, just like you shouldn’t choose a dark color because I want you to! Our homes are personal, and the decisions to decorate and furnish them should be too. So yes, there is a strong trend showing up in this pair of pink chairs we’re looking at, but if you love them (and extrapolate this to whatever it is that you love), I want to show how they can work with the things you already own and continue to work years from now as your needs and tastes change. This third look imagines the chairs making their way to a spare room being used as an occasional home office and guest room.

We’ve already seen the coffee table, lamp, and planter in use. We reuse pieces around our homes in real life, so I do in my MiY series as well. I also imagine what this person would be drawn to over time, and you can see that in some of the choices below.

She had tassels in the first room, and I’ve brought back tassels in another form here. The brass side table would have worked a third time, but instead I brought in a small indigo velvet stool to pull up to the secretary desk. And speaking of the desk, I wouldn’t pair it with the dresser from earlier looks in the same room, but to go somewhere else in the house you could see that they would appeal to the same person.
1. Ray Selenite Pendant Lamp, CB2
  I’m into lights with gemstones. Selenite (in case you aren’t familiar) is a form of gypsum that looks a lot like quartz, though sometimes cloudier or more pearly. It’s also very soft, and I’m assuming the store is delicately packaging this light accordingly? (You can scratch it with your nails. Sometimes nerdy teenage interests translate into useful knowledge!)
2. Vintage Batik King and Jester, Maude Woods
  They are a delight. A delight, I tell you!
3. Darby Green Handwoven Pillow, Crate & Barrel
  The room needed a little texture, and I like a mix of color saturation (here, muted walls and inside of the secretary, bolder in the pillows)
4. Peter Dunham Textiles Fig Leaf Pillow, Hollywood at Home
  This is double-sided and coming from the ‘official’ store, but there are sellers on Etsy making more affordable versions backed with a solid color.
5. Switch Coffee Table, Crate & Barrel
  Maybe I should have switched the top and bottom, just to show that you can? You can.
6. Tasseled Door Decoration, Anthropologie
  I think I need this little cutie in my life.
7. Promenade + Brighton Throw, Schoolhouse Electric
  I didn’t include bedding for the sofa when it’s functioning as a bed, but I pictured all white, plus the throw pillows and this blanket for color/pattern.
8. Christine Secretary Desk, Ballard Designs
  I love this so much; I wish I had a project that it would be a good fit for! I chose this independently of the wall color, but how happy an accident that they work together.
9. Arc Gray Large Planter, Unison
  Interesting planters are always such a nice detail.
10. Serena Teal Blue Vase, CB2
  So round, so cute.
11. Totem Table Lamp (Large), West Elm
  The stacked shapes speak to the curves in the chairs and elsewhere.
12. Ball Green Paint, Farrow & Ball
  Leans neutral, a muddy celadon color.
13. Block Party Framed Art, Target (Project 62)
  Target has been killing it with these canvas prints lately! Great style, size, and price.
14. Piper Stool (Indigo Velvet), One Kings Lane
  Comes in so many colors, and the little brass banding detail is smart.
15. Pink Elroy Left and Right Arm Chairs, Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams
  The chairs we’ve been basing all three of these looks around, of course. Love ’em.
16. Lucent Rug (Teal Blue), West Elm
  Yummy, yummy color. Beware though, viscose is for low-traffic rooms (which this is).
17. Oneira Sofa Bed (Tidal Blue), Article
  I imagined this as an office/occasional guest room, and a sofa bed is great for that situation. Beyond that though, I actually prefer the skirted look to ground a sofa in contrast to the curvy and airy geometry of the chairs.
Making it Yours 16: Pink Elroy Chairs

All three together. Which was your favorite of the bunch? Could you see incorporating these chairs into your own home?
October 11, 2018