Chiclectic Design – Page 3 – Adventures of my wildly eclectic interiors experiments

May 21, 2020May 29, 2020

One Room Challenge | SP 2020 | Week 3

Cane Webbing Radiator Cover DIY

Well, this week was loads of fun! While I was waiting for the stair runner samples to arrive (Covid-related postal delays, I’m guessing), the fabulous cane webbing I ordered from Naturtrend DID come in, though. So, I decided to tackle the Facebook Marketplace radiator cover project this week. Just look at this beautiful AFTER shot!

Here’s the BEFORE view…

I got it for £5 from Facebook Marketplace

Anyway, this project required me to don my Covid mask and venture out to my local hardware stores (Screwfix and B&Q) to get:

My favorite Zinsser primer (you know the one … the Zinsser All-Purpose Oil Base, White-Tintable, Cover Stain, Interior & Exterior, Primer-Sealer, Stain Killer that works with both oil and acrylic paints …that one).
Valspar acrylic-base wood paint in Blue Dusk (a heavenly, warm-toned, inky, dark tealish-blue).

While I was there, I looked for some more Dulux Light + Space matt ceiling paint in First Frost (because wouldn’t ya know it, the 2.5L can we used for the entryway and the guest bedroom ran out before Big P could finish painting the stairway/hallway ceiling).

And of course, B&Q doesn’t carry that line right now/(anymore?), so I’ve just ordered it from Homebase, which states the order will be delivered within 30 days. Here’s hoping it arrives BEFORE ORC reveal day! Bahahahahaha!

Here’s me social distancing at B&Q, but what’s up with that chin?! LOL

In the meantime...

The stair runner samples from Stair Runners Direct arrived later in the week and I got a chance to play with ALL of them during my lunch break. It didn’t take me long to decide on the saucy Salvador Sisal Stripe Stair Runner, because, look at those vivacious pinks, oranges, yellows, and reds!

Big P dubbed this situation pre-school finger painting hour. Whatevs! (**eye roll**)

And BOOM!!! It works FANTABULOUSLY with the wallpaper in the guest bedroom, too! (It’ll be in the hallway right outside this room, so that was an important factor in the decision-making process).

Right, I’m off to paint my stairway walls in a mural-ish way this weekend. WISH ME LUCK!!

Meanwhile, go check out all the One Room Challenge Featured Designers here and Guest Participants (like me) here!

May 14, 2020May 22, 2020

One Room Challenge | SP 2020 | Week 2

ORC Stairway & Hallway Revamp

From looking at this entryway photo above, I bet you didn’t think there’d be a burning eye sore just to the right of it, did you?! Well, the image below puts that idea swiftly to rest, doesn’t it?

And just so you understand the true gravity of the situation, looky up yonder.

The stairway of shame!

Anywho, this week I’ve tackled some pretty major stuff. #notsomuch

But I did, however…

Spackle a million nail holes from my previous, maximalist gallery wall and sand down the walls
Scrape off oodles and oodles and oodles of caulk between the wall and baseboards
Select and order samples of these stunning stripey stair runners, which should arrive in the next couple of days

Meanwhile, I found out that my local hardware store is starting to provide post-lockdown paint mixing services again, so I don’t have to continue trying to conjure up my own paint colors for the wall! (Believe me, I’d hug those wonderful bastards if I could!)

So, tomorrow morning at 7:30, I’m heading down there, mask and hand sanitizer on, and hopefully won’t have to stand in the 2-meters-apart queue for too long before the diuretic effect of my morning coffee kicks in — or my social-distancing stress level rises. Wish me luck!!

But at least I’ll be able to check this off the list:

Select paint pot samples for the stairway and 2nd floor hall walls

In the meantime, a big THANK YOU to Linda Weinstein, the creator/owner of the ORC who started all of this fabulousness, and BETTER HOMES & GARDENS, ORC’s official media partner, for the support and holding us accountable!

You can get more info about the ONE ROOM CHALLENGE, all Featured Designers, and hundreds of Guest Participants (including me) by clicking here.

May 7, 2020May 14, 2020

One Room Challenge | SP 2020 | Week 1

ORC Stairway & Hallway Revamp

*All of this crap is either currently hidden behind the sofa, taking up space beside my desk, or obstructing access to the BBQ out in the garage*.

You see this stairway gallery wall here? Fun and sassy, right? Well, IT EXISTS NO MORE, because I had to take EVERY. LAST. ONE. of these frames down the day before Christmas Eve (yes, you read that right!) when we couldn’t get the humongous new sofa bed/sleeper sofa up the stairs in one piece. (But that’s a decor-debacle story for another time).

Anyway, all this stuff has been sitting behind the living room sofa–and beside my office desk and out in the garage–for the last 5 months. Needless to say, the Spring 2020 One Room Challenge is just the KICK in the PANTS I need to get this shiz sorted out.

*It’s been 6 years and she still calls me Carol! The name’s Sandra, damnit! It’s Sandra!*

(Below is the sad, sad, sad image of what this space looks like now. I’m not crying, you’re crying!)

*This is the current view going up the stairs as you leave the freshly revamped entryway*.

But first… What is THE ONE ROOM CHALLENGE, you ask?

Currently in its 17th season, the ORC is only THE BEST place for interiors-related inspiration, ideas, and encouragement! As a widely anticipated biannual event–every April and October–each round, 20 design influencers are selected as Featured Designers to transform a space.

Also, anyone with a blog or Instagram account can join the challenge as a Guest Participant (me) by linking their own room transformations up during the 6 weeks. This time, because of The Rona, it’s actually 8 weeks, which should give me plenty of time, right? Uhhhh, sure, yeah, let’s go with that. Each Thursday, we report back to the powers that be, flooding the internet and social media with with the latest and greatest news, updates, and quarantine-related trials and tribulations of our room transformations.

So, here’s the transformation plan:

Paint mural on wall
Paint ceilings (stairway and hallway)
Rip out stair carpeting
Paint stairs, base boards/skirting boards, and railing
Install stair runner
Paint 2nd floor hallway
DIY radiator cover revamp (i.e., sand down, repaint, install cane webbing)
Reinstall gallery wall
Take photos to document this fabulousness!
Have a margarita!

So, thank you to Linda Weinstein, the creator/owner of the ORC who started all of this fabulousness, and BETTER HOMES & GARDENS, ORC’s official media partner, for the support and holding us accountable!

You can get more info about the ONE ROOM CHALLENGE, all Featured Designers, and a record-level 200+ Guest Participants (including me) by clicking here.