How to Use a Vintage Printer Tray for Jewelry Display

The first picture from the photo shoot which was held at my house back in April has been published in Better Homes and Gardens 100 Ideas Real Rooms.

It features Regional Editor and Producer for Meredith Publications, Donna Talley’s fun and clever idea for using a vintage printer tray to display jewelry.

 Better Homes and Gardens 100 Ideas Real Rooms / Photographer - John Bessler

Stylist - Donna Talley, Regional Editor and Producer for Meredith Publications

Vintage printer trays like the one used for this project can easily be found online at sites like Etsy and Ebay, as well as at flea markets.  They come in a variety of shapes and sizes so there is sure to be one which will meet your needs.

Donna graciously shared her step by step instructions so that you too can create a display for your favorite baubles.

1) Decide which jewelry you would like to display and then create a spot for each piece. It's okay if some of the printer's tray spaces are tiny - they can be removed with a quick couple of whacks with a small hammer. Take a photo of the jewelry in the spaces you would like them to go into so you'll remember what goes where.

2) Once all the designated slats are removed, lightly sand the tray and wipe with a damp cloth to remove all dust.

3) Spray tray with two coats of desired color, letting dry between coats.

 Better Homes and Gardens 100 Ideas Real Rooms / Photographer - John Bessler

Stylist - Donna Talley, Regional Editor and Producer for Meredith Publications

4) To line the little cubbies, I selected a book of craft paper from A.C. Moore. The one I used is called "The Linen Closet Stack" - these are beautiful papers that look like fabrics - linen, damask, etc. I measured each cubby and then measured the paper and attached with clear glue. Mix up the paper patterns to create a pretty effect from afar. Try to select papers that won't compete with the jewelry - the paper should complement, not compete with, the baubles!

5) To hang the jewelry, I used screw-in gold hooks in various sizes. Using a wire cutter and a hot glue gun, I clipped off the screw end of each of the hooks (it's impossible to screw into those really small cubbies!) I attached the screw-less hooks with a dab of hot glue. Press in place for a few seconds and let dry completely before hanging jewelry.

 Better Homes and Gardens 100 Ideas Real Rooms / Photographer - John Bessler

Stylist - Donna Talley, Regional Editor and Producer for Meredith Publications

6) Finally, to finish off the piece, I attached a pair of picture hangers on each end of the back and threaded a large wire ribbon through the back and added a bow at the top.

So pretty and simple!  My favorite take away from this project is using jewelry as art.  I have my jewelry stored in a box and love the idea of displaying it not only for easy access but as a pretty “picture” as well.

Thank you Donna for sharing!  There are more great ideas to come from the photo shoot.  I will be sure to let you know when they are published.

Adding a Little Green

I am not sure if it is the lack of snow this winter which has me thinking about spring or my constant need to rearrange (probably a little of both!), but last week I found the top of my family room built-ins to be looking a bit sparse. I decided some new plants were in order and headed to Lowes to see what I could find.

I ended up coming home with three succulents, a small ivy plant (1/2 price on clearance) and a funny looking plant which reminded me of un-mowed grass.

The succulents and a sprig of the ivy found homes in a white ironstone bowl and the “grass plant” was simply placed in a container I normally use in the summer outside.

I grabbed a few other plants from other parts of the house and within twenty minutes I was quite pleased with the new arrangement.

I now have a little bit of spring inside to tide me over until it finally arrives outside!

Are you thinking about spring too? Have you added any spring touches to your home?

Dining Room Redo – The Details

Thank you all for the nice comments about my dining room.  I have to say this was the first time I have ever been apprehensive about a blog post.  I truly was nervous!  So many of you loved the chairs next to the buffet in their original orange velvet, I was not sure what the reaction was going to be when I revealed I had recovered them in gray.  So needless to say I am thrilled so many of you left such encouraging and wonderful comments.  Now on to the details!

If you have been a long time follower, you probably know this room is a collection of furnishings which has evolved over time.  The buffet and six chairs (which I painted white and recovered in blue velvet for this redo) where bought from the Salvation Army.  Along with a table which is now in the basement, I paid $150 for all 9 pieces. The large cabinet is an antique store find. It is made of two pieces and I was told it was taken from a local real estate office.  I could not believe my luck when I found it a couple of years ago as it is the perfect fit for the wall on which it resides.

The table is made by Henredon and is a Craigslist purchase.  The chairs which matched this table are now around the kitchen table.  I used a vintage grainsack with blue stripes for a runner to add more texture to the room as well as lighten up the table. An ivy topiary from Lowes adds a much needed bit of green.

The mirror above the buffet is by Uttermost and the pair of alabaster lamps is an Ebay purchase.  Above the duo of vintage 1950’s chairs hang a pair of paintings by Jennifer Lanne.  Jennifer’s work has been featured in Country Living magazine as well as several other publications.  I have several of her paintings scattered about my house, as she is a favorite local artist of mine.

While most of the items in the room are older, there are a few newer pieces as well.  The rug is by Madeline Weinrib and the gray silk curtains I made from fabric purchased at Calico Corners.  The clock between the windows is new but is a bargain floor model from Ethan Allen which I painted.

Finally there is the pair of now gray French chairs with the ikat pillows which I made by repurposing the old fabric on the dining room chairs. In regards to my decision to recover the chairs, in the end it just came down to the fact that the orange was just not me.   It truly was a struggle to decide what to do – leave them alone or recover – but in the end I am so happy with how the room looks now so it was the right choice for me.

Thanks for following this transformation.  I would like to say this room is finished but as you know I have a hard time leaving things alone.  I am sure a little while from now I will be adding or replacing something. For now, however, I am just going to enjoy the room the way it is!

Centsational Girl - the Red Door Home December Blog of the Month

If you love blogs which feature just about everything house related, you will absolutely adore Centsational Girl – the RDH December blog of the month.

Centsational Girl is written by Kate – a former lawyer turned decorator and DIYer extraordinaire. 

Her work has appeared in numerous publications including Better Homes and Gardens and Holiday with Mathew Mead.

In fact, her talents are so numerous she has also appeared on the Nate Berkus show on more than one occasion.

Some of my favorite topics which Kate covers include decorating, home improvements, holiday decorating, crafts, furniture makeovers, and recipes.

Kate’s photography skills are something I aspire too and her knowledge of all things "home" seems endless. Not too long ago she added several contributors to Centsational Girl who help scout the blog world for great ideas.

Every Sunday, Centsational Girl features these posts in a series called "The Best of The Blogosphere." TBOTB series is a one stop place to catch up on fantastic ideas you might have otherwise missed. I so enjoy this series!

To see more of Kate’s great ideas, you can visit Centsational Girl HERE. Be sure to leave a comment letting her know you stopped by!

New to Me Hallway Mirror

Thank you so very much for all the nice comments about our new puppy, Abby.  She has been such a delight and has already become an important part of our family.  It is hard for me to believe over two weeks have passed since I last shared news from the house with the red door.  I don’t think I have ever gone this long without posting something since I started this blog over two years ago.  It is not for lack of things to write about but rather just plain busyness.

Anyway, I wanted to finally reveal what I meant to buy when I purchased the blue glass lamp for the master bedroom way back in April.  You may recall I had come across an item of interest on Craig’s List and ended up purchasing the lamp and the item.  What was the item?

It was a large Eastlake mirror.

Originally I was looking for something big to fill up the wall space at the bottom of the basement stairs (from the above pictures you can tell it did not end up there) and thought a large mirror would be just the thing. I have always loved the look of an oversized mirror leaning against the wall and this seemed like the perfect spot.

After a while, however, I realized it was just not big enough for the space.  It looked good but didn’t have the impact I had wanted.  I began looking for an alternative location and was so pleased to see it fit perfectly at the entrance to the basement stairwell.

No surprise in that I decided to paint it white – Annie Sloan’s old white to be exact.  I still have not figured out if I should distress the edges or leave it as is.  I keep waffling between the two.  I would love to know what you think!

Thanks again for your patience!  I am going to try to get caught up soon.

Decorating with Shells – An Oyster Shell Ball Tutorial

One of my favorite activities when I visit the beach is shell hunting. For years I have been slowly adding to my collection and using my treasures in my home.

They are scattered about in almost every room and serve as a reminder of the many fun vacations my family has enjoyed over the years.

This summer I decided to collect shells which I had previously ignored – oyster shells.

I have seen lots of different decorative uses for these shells and decided to try my hand at creating a simple shell ball.

It was an easy process requiring only shells, hot glue and a Styrofoam ball.

I began my project by grouping the shells by size.  By using shells of nearly the same size, I figured I would increase my odds of ending up with something round.

Beginning in the middle of the Styrofoam ball, I simply applied hot glue and stuck/pressed the shell into to Styrofoam through the glue before it hardened.  I worked in a single row around the circumference of the ball before beginning the next row.

The entire project took about twenty minutes and when I was finished I had a decorative reminder of another great summer of fun!

Do you use shells as decorative accessories in your home?  If so I would love to know how you display your beach finds.

When Painting is not an Option

Whether you are a long time follower or new to Red Door Home, you have most likely figured out I am not shy when it comes to wielding a can of spray paint.  I have painted lamps, tables, chairs, mirrors, stools, light fixtures and much more.

So it may come as a little bit of a surprise to know there are times when I believe painting is not always the best answer to making over a piece of furniture.  Case in point is the display cabinet shown below in my kitchen.

Womens Day Budget Decorating – Photographer,  Michael Partenio

Stylist – Donna Talley, Regional Producer and Editor for Meredith Publications

 While I love the lines of the cabinet, I could do without the large expanse of oak wood.  (You may have noticed a theme here in my kitchen eating area.)  Since painting is not an option, several ideas on how to “fix” this cabinet have come to mind.

via Restoration Hardware

I thought about sanding and waxing the wood – similar to the Restoration Hardware furniture shown above.  A second idea which I playerd around with - and just did not work - was adding fabric or paper to the back of the cabinet like the photo shown below.

via Martha Stewart

In the end, however, the best option for me was simply to change out the contents of the cabinet.

By relocating my blue and white transferware to the dining room and replacing it with my collection of white ironstone mixed with a few pieces of silver and mercury glass, the cabinet immediately felt lighter and brighter.

Big changes without any expense – the best kind of makeover!