Thursday, April 14, 2011

urban plains teams up with cabbages & roses!



Once upon a time...a long, loooong ago I mentioned in a post that I had somehow talked my friend, Andrea into helping me redesign my guest bedroom. Andrea came up with a fantastic moniker for what we were about to embark on...the 'Urban Plains Project'. A little of me, a little of her...and we were hoping to have the result be a whole lot of beautiful! Does anyone remember that? It has been a while since we talked about it, but we have good reasons for our delay, I promise!

Because of that blog post, Andrea and I have been given the most amazing opportunity to work with Cabbages & Roses, and each make over a space in our home! We could not be more excited to work with Christina's lovely fabrics, and are beyond thrilled to bring a little of the English countryside into our rooms!

I decided my guest bedroom would indeed be my room of choice. I could think of no better place for such soft, beautiful fabrics and I am so happy with the lovely selection they have sent for me to use in my space!


When my husband and I purchased this house a few years ago, I admit it was not the house of our dreams. I never pictured myself in a 1950s era ranch style home. I am a girl whos style is more farmhouse, with a squeaky screen door and lovely old windows with their original wavy glass. I like falling asleep to the sound of the country...and waking up to birds chirping and a breeze making my curtains billow. But living in this house was an opportunity we could not pass up. this house was right next door to my sister. I can look out my office window right and see her working in her flower garden. I love that. I love cranking open the window and having that 5 minute conversation about nothing. I knew I could always return to my roots and move back to a farm, but when would I ever again have the opportunity to build the memories that living next door to one of my favorite peeople in the world. So I had to make it happen. And I am turning this rancher into the cottage of my 'current' dream.


And Cabbages and Roses is helping me make that happen...




So just how do I plan to make a guest bedroom in a 1950s ranch style home into the English Country cottage of my dreams??

Here are a few little snippets of my room "before"...and a preview of my plan.



This is the view standing at the door, as you would walk in. This is your standard 12x12 bedroom, totally lacking in architectural interest and style. But, I plan on fixing that with some unique things I will be adding to the room.

Remember that barn I took down piece-by-piece last fall?? Well, I am using some of the oak boards from the interior to cover the headboard wall! I am so excited to show you how it turns out! That wood, along with new mouldings, a crystal chandi and C&R 'new penny pink' fabric on the windows should give this old room a bit of panache!




This is the wall to the left of the doorway when you walk in the room. I plan on using this beautiful old piece of driftwood on the wall with rusty hooks I salvaged from a workshop space. They will hold a couple of totes made from C&R fabrics.




The headboard wall will be covered in the salvaged wood, but the headboard for the bed is a repurposed piece with a wood frame and a fabric insert in the center. It will be made beautiful with a little 'hatley cerise linen' fabric.




For the other side of the room, I have plans for a antique chest of drawers painted a pale gray. It should be beautiful with the 'new penny pink' drapes hanging next to it.

Oh, and I cannot forget...I have beautiful, new closet doors on the way, too! Out with the 1950s plain birch sliding doors...I am bringing a little farmhouse feel to this space with a new set of swinging double doors.



So there you have it, girls.

One plan, two girls, and an amazing opportunity to make our space beautiful!

Andrea and I are going to be working hard the next few weeks, so stay tuned! Cabbages and Roses will be bringing the English countryside to our homes, and we can't wait to share it with you!

 We will have a full reveal of our spaces during the first week of May!