Cape May magazine

April 16, 2015April 16, 2015 | circadee

The spring edition of Cape May magazine is now available. Aside from featuring everything we love about this town, the regional magazine also offers a regular decorating column called Interior Motives. Earlier this season, I was asked to contribute to the current column’s theme of refreshing the bathroom.

Bathrooms? I can talk bathrooms!

I met with the editor and we discussed redecorating the bathroom for the upcoming season using new paint, fixtures and accessories. Naturally I didn’t stray far from the themes of repurposing and styling with vintage. The cottage bathroom that we completed last year in our home was mentioned in the article (as well as one we’re currently working on using that pretty brass fixture).

Here’s how that cottage bathroom looks today with the addition of sconce lighting that we recently added over the sink. For months I was on the hunt for just the right vanity light fixture. Then, at the flea market, I came across a pair of gooseneck, task lamps. Thinking outside of the box, it was clear to me that these lights could be the finishing touch that we needed in this bathroom. Insert light bulb pun here.

Ryan worked his magic dismantling and reconfiguring these task lights into sconces. He took off the switches and exterior cord and hardwired them to work on the light switch. We also sprayed them glossy heat-resistant white.

And voila, a custom vanity light for our bathroom. I like how the lights have a gallery vibe to them as if they’re illuminating the heirloom mirror like a piece of fine art. If you’re curious, you can see how we constructed the vanity out of a dresser here.

The magazine article also references ways to use Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint in the bathroom. We talked about using tough coat as a protective top coat to preserve wood surfaces around water and humidity such as the mirror.

Check out the magazine next time you’re in Cape May. You can always purchase online too.

yes, that’s a light

March 18, 2015March 18, 2015 | circadee

Last week I shared some updates regarding vintage in the kitchen. We didn’t stop at the furniture and accessories but took it to the lighting too.

The funnel-like object over the dining table started the recycled lighting movement in the kitchen. This piece has been lighting our meals for over a year now. I still love its quirk and charm. And we still have no idea as to what it could have possibly been in a former life. We assume it belonged on a farm but have no idea. The mystery continues. I love to hear guesses.

Ryan installed a new light where one didn’t exist. This is essentially a foyer area where the door opens into the room. We needed lighting to define the space. We found this galvanized piece at an antique store and both instantly thought “light”. I know, it’s as if a light went off! Anyway, it appears to be the top of a cupola and that’s exactly how it was found. Ryan wired it to serve as a pendant in this space.

Across the room, we replaced the light above the sink. I love this beautiful rusty structure. This is a wind turbine/air vent that more than likely came from a barn or commercial building. It is large and in charge. Light peeks out of all of the openings casting pretty shadows on the ceiling at night.

Just for fun, the before pictures…

BEFORE

There are still a number of updates and DIY projects to go in this room like making use of the pesky space above the cabinets and replacing the hood. In the meantime, we’re enjoying the vintage aspects so much more than the dated builder grade choices. It is fun to push the envelope. Why not?

More out of the ordinary kitchen projects:

upcycled lighting

April 25, 2014April 25, 2014 | circadee

Hey guys! I’m still in the spirit of Earth Day/Week here so I’d like to share how we turned this galvanized piece of junk into a one of a kind chandelier in our dining nook. And of course, I do mean junque.

The question still remains: What the heck is it?

We really don’t know but it seems like some sort of farm machinery. Someone suggested that it may be for cotton picking. I have no idea. Do you? It’s probably for manure…

It was not originally a funnel. Ryan cut the hole to replicate a funnel so we could wire the light fixture through.

This light transformation was easier than you might think because we had all of the parts already. Do you remember the kitchen from when we first moved in? Check out that 80’s light fixture.

Look a little closer because the innards for it are what made up our new light.

We carefully took it apart saving all of the pieces. A few tweaks were made to the innards – new light sleeves plus I sprayed the old shiny brass antique white and hemp oiled the wood.

Ryan wired the light using our new-to-us “shade” with all of the old light’s parts. We also switched out the gold chain for a reasonably rusty galvanized chain to complete the look.