THE SHIRE

MKE KIDS' BEDS

This is for Kelli...I FINALLY got the gosh darn computer to upload photos onto my blog.  There is an album to the left to see more.

The top mattresses and curtains are actually installed, just not in the photo.

Click on the photo above to see it bigger...these characatures (sp?) were done at Busch Gardens.

MKE condo photos

Finally some photos of the MKE condo.  We still haven't put in any art, but it has a decent start.  I have another bull's head to put below the one on the wall.

There should be a link to the photo album on the left side.

mke living room drapes

 
Only $11/yd...they are polyester, but I think they look pretty good.

MKE condo update: Kids' bedroom

The beds are almost done.  The condo has only two bedrooms and we have three kids, so I had built-in bunkbeds put in the second bedroom.  Each bunk has it's own adjustable light and bookshelf with curtains so that each bed can be closed up and if one kid is reading, he will not disturb the other kids in the room (that's the theory, anyway).  The following photo was taken from the dining area as you enter into the bedroom.  I love the brick, but the yellow has been a challenge for me to work with.  I don't have the guard rail on the top bunks yet, so I didn't put the beds and curtains up there yet.

  
I would have preferred that the bed curtains were about 5" longer, but I got the dimension from the carpenter and I should have waited until the beds were done.  I had no idea that 8 months later the beds would still not be finished...ugh.

What do you think of the orange ball fringe?

 

I sewed the pillows myself and it was the first time I did piping.  Velvet is not the easiest material to sew with.  The bolsters were easy enough, but the piping on the square pillow was a bear.  All the pillow fabrics are Duralee Thomas Paul.

 

The following photo shows the drapes with an orange stripe that was added to tie in little bits of orange.  I wanted chartruese to be the main color, but I didn't love it next to the yellow brick.  Somehow the drapes ended up about 3" too short as well.  But, they are done and they are hung. 
 

 

 

Misc. pics

 

 

Scar kicking back in the MKE condo.
 
oh no...my kids NEVER jump on the sofa!
 

Kids' MKE fabrics and an eye catching rug

Lately everything catching my eye is from Australia.  Here is a rug from www.loomrugs.com.au and there is page after page of amazing rugs.  I've sent a request for prices and we will see what the shipping is like.

 
The kids' room is getting the beds built and should be installed this weekend.  I have the fabrics for the drapes, but the seemstress can not start on them until well into September. 

 
The fun fabrics from Thomas Paul are on the way. 

 

 

I'm trimming pillows and drapes with small hits of orange, so I would love to find a rug with orange and grey.  It seems that everything is on backorder (including the light fixtures that were ordered in May) and it has been a very slow process.  Turns out that it is a good thing everything has been so slow because I have had the time to look at more sources and the place is going in a different direction than I invisioned. 

 

MKE condo

For my friends who like design...I fell in love with Schumacher fabrics, but the final prices came in and I can not swing it.  Here is the print I wanted from Schumacher for the living room (the zig zag just didn't hang as well as I imagined):

However, it would cost about $1,000 per window just for the fabric and then the expense of the lining and the labor to make it.  There are two windows in the living room and if we didn't have little kids or it was our only place then I would because I absolutely love that fabric.  So, I had to dig in and found this replacement:

I am really hoping it is okay because I bought the fabric without looking at a sample first.  It is polyester and I may regret it, but at $11/yard compared to $105/yd I will take the chance. 

Then there is the master bedroom.  I love, love, love this image:

 
I wanted to make the drapes from the floral (Schumacher for $105/yd) and the geometric is Kravets for $40/yd.  Have I mentioned that the ceilings are really high and the drapes will be about 140"?  Yes, that is about 9 to 10 yards per window for the fabric alone.  I got a couple of yards of the Kravets in the "haze" color (it is a taupe color and I just liked it best in the room).  It is the softest, nicest linen fabric in the whole world.  I figure I can make a few pillows for the bed.  I found this fabric to replace the floral:

 
It is called Little River Lagoon.  It is not as pretty as the Schumacher Hot House Flowers and I do wish it had a bit more white, but it is 40% of the price, Shiloh likes the cranky bird, the taupe geometric will work with it, and I already have a couple of Asian bird scrolls to go in the room.  So, we have a bird theme in the master bedroom - but that is good feng shui so I'm going with it.  Some of the fabrics wont be here until October, but I will have plenty of pillows to sew until then.

I have to throw this image in because I adore the print (Schumacher, of course) and the orange trim....oooooh la la:

It comes in a chartruese and if I could afford it I would make drapes, put it on the walls, and just go crazy with it.  Sarah Richardson sits on a chair with this print on it in one of her episodes.

I am on the look out for a print like the horses in this image:

I need either a copy of that image or a place to print out large-scale images of my own.  Let me know if you have a resource.

new direction

I don't think I'm using any of those fabrics afterall...I am going to stick with a color pallet that I really love which is different levels of grey and hits of chartruese.  How about this fabric from Schumacher for the drapes in the living room?

 

MKE Condo fabric selection

I'm not sure which direction to go with fabric for the master bedroom.  I'm really drawn to this:  The big lavendar flower with bugs is calling my name, but is it too youthful?  The giant berry colored print isn't an exact match, but I like it.  I might even put it in the living room.

 
 
 
I do think the scale is big enough for the room.  

Then there is this fabric (below).

  
  
 

Here's the berry print in the living room.

 

 

Anyway...tell me what you think.   

MKE Condo

 

Located in the Third Ward of Milwaukee...the floors are in, the cabinets are supposed to be put in next week and it looks like we will close the end of May.  This is the living room.  The door on the right side of the photo is the original tin door that led to the stairwell (now it is the kids' room).

 

You can see the "ghost" left from the stairs.  This is going to be seriously gorgeous!

 

The kitchen.