Best of MI...Ruthie Sommers...

Good morning!! Happy Fourth of July to all of you!  I have the day off and will be lounging.  I am watching Wimbledon right now and can't wait for the women's single and men's single finals this weekend.  I used to do a regular column called 'The Green Scene' and decided to run this with one of my favorite designers - Ruthie Sommers.  I highlighted her ability to recycle furniture that she sold in her now-defunct store in Hollywood.  Her design is timeless and looks just as great as it did in June 2010 when I did this post.  Do you like her designs?  Any favorites here? 

One reason I think Ruthie Sommers' design aesthetic is so popular is that she recycles and reuses furniture that she use to sell in her now-closed store in Hollywood,Chapman Radcliffe Home, and in her clients' homes too...here is a house in Hollywood she designed...

Notice the bedside table, which looks like a piece you would see in any consignment shop or Goodwill store repainted to look glamorous!...

 This room has an antique desk in the corner...looks lovely...

The kitchen has several recycled items...the chandelier is vintage, the Saarinen table by Knoll is a classic and the vintage chairs are reupholstered in candy colors...yummy...

This chair looks like it came from a consignment shop, redone with new upholstery...the sconces on the wall are vintage too...

Ruthie made this home more personal with items already owned and used...not brand new...it is a great way for the client to save money and own something unique...you can use organic fabrics too that don't cost a lot (more on that later)...I'll be back on Friday with the Fabulous Fabrics series - see you then!

Visit Ruthie Sommers website: http://www.ruthiesommers.com/

(original images for Traditional Home by Grey Crawford)

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Gotta have these...5 tips for a kitchen facelift!

Time to give your kitchen a face lift instead of an all out reno? Well, you can do a few things to make it look pretty again. Here, I will share 5 great tips to give that kitchen a face lift as well as popular products that we are selling over and over again in the showroom. Not only are they functional and pretty, they will give you the look you want in your space.

Kohler has a great faucet in Vibrant Stainless that has a pause button and two different sprays. The single hole on your counter will give you more room, a less cluttered appearance and its easy to keep clean.  This is a great choice if your appliances are all stainless.

I know I have featured the Bellera before, but what a great faucet and 

its under $300!

Kohler Bellera

For the sink: this is a really beautiful and functional undermount sink that is a standard 33x22 size for your cooking and cleaning needs - it has a pretty 'v' detail on the bottom and looks like a commercial sink without the price tag:

For about $600 this can be yours - it is available smaller and

as a drop-in -

Kohler Vault

For a great looking counter that you don't need to do anything with, such as treat it with sealant, look no further than Ceasarstone Quartz - I chose a pretty neutral that is also recycled material to help keep your living environment clean and toxic-free:

Oyster 9601 - a gorgeous neutral to go with light or dark cabinets -

Ceasarstone Quartz

Need an island but don't have the space or money for a large size? Check out Ikea's Bekvam mobile cart - I had this and it was really useful. You can stain or paint it any color to match your decor and at less than $60.00 its a steal!

Great for storage, moving around and extra space for cutting or cleaning veggies -

Ikea Bekvam Cart

Last but not least, the paint color to give the kitchen some added 'oomph' right? I like Benjamin Moore's VOC-free Aura collection. Tons of colors to choose from so you can go light or dark. I chose a pastel green and to keep the environment clean, this paint is non-toxic so its safe and won't harm you or your kids:

Benjamin Moore Parkside Dunes 568

Benjamin Moore

I hope this gives you some inspiration for the kitchen project you've been thinking about doing but didn't want to spend a fortune. You can do one of the tips, two or all five!! You don't have to do all of them. 

Have a great Sunday! What is your favorite go-to tip for fixing the kitchen? Paint? new faucet? sink?


If you need help decorating your kitchen or bath or just need a face lift with a mood board, please contact me!! I can help - email me at monacointeriors76@yahoo.com. ;-))


(images courtesy kohler, ikea, ceasarstone and benjamin moore)

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Before + after window in the cottage...

I am trying to make some little changes here in my little home and thought I would share one with you. First, I need a little more privacy, so I bought a 72" matchstick blind for $15.00 - I have to be a big bargain hunter these days...I love the look and although its not a 'black-out' blind, it adds some great texture and a little privacy to the room:


Windows before:

Please excuse the air con but I need it!

I just have some sweet little valances on the windows;

I painted this room last year with a warm white from

Sherwin Williams -the walls had been a pale blue -

Window After:

The reason I love these blinds is that they don't require any 

work other than slamming a nail in the wall with a

hammer, which is about all I can do...notice my

kitty Scooter checking the new look out!

I leave them up about halfway all the time and they look great.

Do you love adding texture to a room? Have you tried these matchstick

blinds in your home? 

(images by me)

Have a very happy Friday! ;-))

Please contact me for decorating assistance or if you would like to place a small

ad on my blog for a great rate and great exposure...monacointeriors76@yahoo.com.

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That 70's look...

Just a couple of pix of my home...specifically my bathroom with the 70's shower curtain and mirror purchased at Target on sale for $5! The mirror is a perfect match for the curtain don' you think? I also moved my IKEA chair back to the living room under a Gray Harwell painting (Amalfi print) I purchased from Anne Harwell at Annechovie. I love the new corner now as it was messy and unattractive with bad 'Feng Shui' and just needed a clear out.  Do you have corners and places with lots of stuff that needs to get cleaned? Do it! You'll feel better!!

The mirror with the curtain in the reflection...

That 70's curtain!

I have orange and purple towels to match...

IKEA chair with Gray Harwell painting above and my repainted yellow table I did last year...for more information about Gray Harwell and Anne's paintings go here - I own several prints from Anne and just love her work.

Hope you all have a great week!! I will be taking a break next weekend and getting a change of scenery for a much needed respite for the holiday. I really can't wait to get away...what are your plans for the 4th of July?

(images by Sarah for Monaco Interiors)

Need help decorating your home? Please contact me for more information about my design services and VirtualDecor at monacointeriors76@yahoo.com.

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New wall treatment...!

Yesterday, as I had "Nights in Rodanthe" playing on the TV with Richard Gere and Diane Lane, I decided to get cracking on my new wall treatment from "Urban Walls."  Because I rent my house, I can't put up wallpaper but wanted to make one wall in my bedroom a focal point. So, here is my project in steps:

First, I dusted the wall; excuse the mess in the pictures, I had emptied out a drawer in my bedside table, which is another project in progress that I will show you another day...

Clean wall to the right of the bed...

And clean wall to the left of the bed...

I cut out all the shapes (24 of the large and 36 small, I think) so I could prep them with tape on the wall...

I pretty much randomly decided where they would go. I didn't have as many of the larger shapes, so I decided to put the smaller shapes all over in between - if that makes sense, but you will see...

Here is the right wall with the shapes taped on temporarily.

Another shot of the temporary shapes taped to the walls...

So, during the movie I removed the backing carefully, stuck it on the wall, and then gently pulled the top piece off after smoothing with a credit card...

Voila!! the finished product! Once the backing is removed, the dark turquoise blue really stands out against the pale wall (which is not white, but more of a creamy white) -

I LOVE the way it looks! like wallpaper!

Fuzzy shot...

I decided to put the "Keep Calm" poster back and love the way it looks surrounded by the 'stars' -

I have more work to do in here...I need new lamps and I'm in the process of painting some furniture that will remain in the room. I also need a new comforter and new curtains - IKEA has the curtains I am lusting after...but, it may be a week or two before I can get there - by the way, I liked the movie and love how my wall looks!! Best of all, these can come off the wall with no damage whatsoever. I found 'Urban Walls' on Etsy through Jen's blog, Made by Girl.  I hope everyone had a great Easter weekend!!

(images by Sarah for Monaco Interiors)

Do you need help making your home look fantastic?? Contact me at monacointeriors76@yahoo.com to discuss what you need done. Whether you live in the Boston area or in another country, my VirtualDecor services can help.

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Spaah on Sunday...with a twist...

I came across the artwork of Shann Spishak on Etsy and thought this was the perfect image for a lazy Sunday. Since claw foot tubs are my favorite, this beautiful painting conveys the relaxation and colors that are great for a day when we had to turn the clocks ahead. I just love the details, including the painting by Monet, the rug, the towels, the little vase with a flower and the glass of cognac. For more of Shann's work (which includes pillows) or to purchase this little mini-canvas, go here - you will love her paintings!

Have a great Sunday everyone!!

(original painting by Shann Spishak Art Studio on Etsy.com)

If you need help turning your bathroom into a sanctuary, I can assist with your space including floor, walls, paint, fabrics, fixtures and furniture. Please contact me at monacointeriors76@yahoo.com and we can discuss details.

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Sherwin Williams series...

I love color decks and samples of paint colors and thought these Sherwin Williams colors, in particular turquoise and orange, look beautiful together...and I love this combination. What are your favorite color combinations to work with?

The green is beautiful too in this series...do share your color combination favorites! Any plans today? I will be visiting a friend for lunch...hope you have a great day!

(images by Sarah for Monaco Interiors)

Need help decorating? Please contact me at monacointeriors76@yahoo.com and we can discuss what your plans are. No matter where you are in the world, I can assist with any project large or small.

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Annechovie commission...

This is a beautiful rendering of my family's lake house in New York that I commissioned Anne Harwell to paint for my father's 80th birthday - I contacted her a month before his birthday in late May, and even though she was moving and lost her grandfather, she was able to paint this from four different pictures I sent!  I am truly thankful to her and needless to say, my Dad just LOVED it!  The house has been in my family since about 1900 and it has NEVER been painted...so Anne's portrait is the first!! I found a nice walnut frame to match the colors of the house...thank you again Anne and don't hesitate to contact her for a house or pet portrait!!

PS: My Dad and other members of my family knew who Ernie Harwell was, as they are avid baseball fans, so that was an added bonus as well as her orange chair featured in "Its Complicated" !!

(image by Sarah for Monaco Interiors from original art by Anne Harwell)

Visit http://www.annechovie.blogspot.com/ to see more of Anne's work and visit her Etsy shop -

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Home painting projects...

While on vacation at my little cottage I did some painting and wanted to show you the before and afters...the back door, a window and an old stove all got some 'perking up' from me, with 'Amarillo' yellow paint from True Value...above is the door before...

And the door after...I painted it all white last summer...

The window before...oops, got a quick photo right after I started the painting...

The window after...I don't think I need curtains now...it looks better in person...these photos don't do it justice. There is a closet on the other side of the room that has yellow inserts I painted last summer so now the eye can 'rest' somewhere on this side of the room (see 'cottage sitting room' for the closet pic on my blog) -

Ok, I am on a major budget and have this hideous old stove...so, instead of removing it I put some contact paper on last summer which concealed the oven door or the 'big black hole' as I call it...

I wanted to pick up the yellow in the room, so I redid it using this paper and it does look better if a little 'Rube Goldberg-ish'...but it was a good way to cover the old thing...

This is a shot taken from a sitting position on the floor in front of the stove...!

So, that's it for my little project done in the air conditioning, as it was very hot a couple of weeks ago, as it still is. I have a chair to paint and need to get a couple of bureaus painted this summer too...when I do, I will share the before and afters. Hope you all are having a great weekend!!

(images by Sarah for Monaco Interiors)

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The Green Scene...Furniture Refurbishing...

One of my favorite ways to go 'green' is by painting a piece of furniture you already own, or buy at a consignment shop. I see lots of pieces that I think would look great with a fresh coat of white paint. Last summer, I spent quite a bit of time painting some pieces I already owned. This lovely little wicker shelf was a bland washed-out mix of beige and white, so I painted it a cool turquoise. I think I used a little mini-pot of Benjamin Moore paint (I can't remember the color, I'll have to check it out) -

The before pix are above; now it has pizzaz! do you have a piece of furniture you can breathe new life into with a new paint color?? what color would you paint it?

(images by Sarah for Monaco Interiors)

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Mirror - Before and After

These are in the wrong order but, the mirror was white and I painted it a gorgeous yellow and brought it to life...

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