...Christmas Presents, Just In Time

I was excited to finish two Christmas presents for clients this Holiday Season!  They both happened to be for a child's room which I think is even more fun!  Everything has been delivered and we are packing the family truckster(with the dog of course).  We are heading to Grandma and Papa's for a white Christmas!

 

 

This is the before.  This is a 3rd generation secretary that the family is excited to keep and reuse.  Its an Ethan Allen piece of furniture and was solid and in good condition.  It just didn't fit the style for a 4 year old girls room.

 

 

It was painted in Paris Grey, trimmed in Emile with a pop of fun inside.  The old hardware was replaced with glass pulls.  Making it sweet, feminine and fun!

 

 

 

The 2nd piece is also being passed down to the next generation.  This time from Mommy to son.  It is a vintage R-Way nightstand.  It was very girly with the french curvy hardware that we are used to seeing on these kind of pieces.  Painting it red and changing the hardware completely changed the look.  Ready for a boy now!

 

 

 

 

 

 

East Street Design wishes you all a very Happy Holiday Season!  I hope its filled with lots of family, friends and laughter!  See you all next year!!

 

Merry-Merry,

Keri

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

...Motherhood - Girl Power

This post is totally out of my norm.  I am not telling you about my latest project.  But I just felt the need to go there.

 

 Today I had lunch with a group of local women entrepreneur's.  There was some pretty awesome "Girl Power" around the lunch table.  One of many things we talked about was how as Mothers we put so much pressure on ourselves to be like this.

 

 

or like this

 

 

Most of our spouses don't care if the house is clean or if dinner is made from scratch.  They could care less if we have the latest fashion in clothes or hair(nor would they notice).  Yet for some reason we measure ourselves against each other.  Convince ourselves that we are not doing this thing called Motherhood the right way.  We just can't juggle every thing all the time BUT everyone else can!!  I am the first to admit - I do it too.  We ALL do!

 

Sooo, lets just make the choice right now to stop.  Stop feeling like we always have to be anything less than perfect.  Working Moms and stay-at-home Moms all the same.  Lets make it the norm to admit to ourselves and each other that our days as a Mother are filled with highs and lows.  And some days can just suck... but it doesn't mean we do!  Our nation is filled with heartache right now.  We have been reminded that life is precious and there are many things we can't control.  But we can control what really matters.  We can make sure our children know without a doubt that we love them with all our heart!!  This is all that truly matters.

 

So surround yourself with your own lunch table of "Girl Power".  The kind that make you a better Mother, a better person.  The kind that allows you to admit your not alone and we all face our own kind of struggles and joy.  You'll be amazed how good it feels to say it out loud.  To tell the dirty little secret out loud.  Psst... we are NOT all perfect.  And that some days are just like this.

 

 

Or this

 

 

 

Maybe now more than ever, we need to join together.  We need to support each other, accept each other, love each other.  But.  Most.  Of.  All.  Hug our kids - tell them we love them.  Over and over again.

 

My heart aches for all the people that have been personally effected from the tradgedy at Sandy Hook Elementary.  I pray for peace and healing.

 

xoxo Keri      

 

 

 

 

 

Pictures via Pinterest

...Gray Is The Color But Grey Is The Colour

 

 

  Gone are the days that grey is associated with drear and dull in the design world.  It has quickly gained popularity as the new neutral.  I love the fact you can go cool or warm with your grey to achieve the look and mood you want for the room.

 

Use grey as an accent or to totally redesign the space.  Grey represents intellect, knowledge and wisdom.  Modern, farmhouse chic and every style in between takes on grey to turn your home into something fabulous!

 

Lucky for me, I am in LOVE with grey these days too.  My paint brush has been dipping into grey for the past few weeks.  My clients have good taste if I must say so myself!  

All of these pieces were done using The Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in either French Linen - described on Annie's website as, "a cool neutral khaki grey" or Paris Grey - described as, "a soft and slightly bluish grey mostly associated with French painted furniture" or Graphite - described as, "a soft black that becomes a beautiful black like slate". 

 

This piece is a vintage Lane writing desk.  Painted with Old White on top and French Linen on the bottom.  Giving it a true shabby, french country feel.

 

 

 

This was done in Paris Grey and heavily distressed to bring out all the imperfections this piece acquired over time.  It has a rustic farmhouse feel but the glass knobs add a touch of feminine for the girls room it was bought for. 

 

 

 

Large federal style sideboard done in French Linen.  The original hardware was painted and the piece distressed to perfection.

 

 

 

 

 

This was done in Graphite.  A very old, very adorable little side table given new life.

 

 

This was a federal style bedroom set that consisted of a dresser, vanity, mirror, bench and nightstand.  It was done in Paris Grey.  We salvaged the original hardware on the dresser but replaced the vanity with those glass knobs from Anthropologie that we all love.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hope you enjoyed!  Have a fabulous week!

 

Keri