vintage – Page 2 – Melodrama

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree! 2016

Published on December 21, 2016December 21, 2016 by Krys1 Comment

Ok, real talk, I honestly feel like this month has gone by really quickly. TOO quickly. The holidays are almost over and it makes me sad! I want more time!

Anyway, if you know me at all you know I take my Christmas trees very seriously. Every year we get natural tree and usually have it flocked in white, but for some reason this year was particularly difficult. It took visiting five different tree lots to find the perfect one, but we finally found *the one* and I love it. When you know you just know. You know?

Without further ado, here is this year’s tree!

It’s chockablock full of candy colored ornaments, gold garland, tons of tinsel, and my trusty DIY tree skirt.

It’s the perfect tree to display my vintage ornament collection. I especially love vintage Shiny Brites and threaded bulbs. Speaking of, The Christopher Radko Company has resurrected the Shiny Brite brand and has been producing ornaments based on classic Shiny Brite designs. I got some this year to fill out the tree and they’re gorgeous!

I also got a finial from them to top it all off.

I want to keep it up all year round!

I’ll try to post a Christmas home tour, but until then you can see what’s going on over on Instagram.

Vintage Bergere Chair Makeover Using Chalk Paint®

Easy Chair Makeover with Chalk Paint® and Faux Fur

Published on October 5, 2016October 5, 2016 by Krys6 Comments

Confession: I’m a little bit of a chair hoarder. If I see a vintage chair at a flea market and it’s under $20 I usually end up coming home with it. The reason is because accent chairs are SO easy to salvage with minimal cost and effort, and also a good way to change up a corner in a room without going to too much trouble. Besides, who couldn’t use more stylish seating right?

I got this bergere chair for $15 at my local flea market and thought it would be the perfect vessel for the magic of Chalk Paint® by Annie Sloan. There are a few reasons I like using Chalk Paint®. Firstly, it goes on beautifully and dries quickly with minimal brush strokes. Secondly, you can easily change the finish and look with Chalk Paint® Waxes. And finally, cleanup is a breeze! Soapy water is all you need for any spills and to clean brushes. For all of these reasons I highly recommend trying this method if you’re new to furniture painting.

For this project I wanted something whimsical with gentle color so went with the color Antoinette, which is a soft pink-lilac.

I gave the chair a good wipe down with soapy water and then just used a regular, old paint brush to cover the chair with two coats of paint.

See how lovely and even it dries?

Next I applied a coat of Chalk Paint® Wax to seal and add a nice finish the paint. I wanted to bring out the carvings and details in this piece so I used White Chalk Paint® Wax.

I used a Wax Brush to apply a coat of wax to the entire painted surface.Make sure you get in all the nooks and crannies to bring out the details.

Then use a soft cloth to remove any excess wax and buff out the finish.

Did you know you can paint fabric with Chalk Paint® as well? I thought about painting the seat with Pure White, but changed my mind and went with a luxe faux fur instead. Quick tip: If you want to easily or temporarily change the upholstery on a chair like this, just use a throw and tuck it into the sides for a quick cover.

Voila! An easy painted makeover! If you want to try Chalk Paint® for yourself (and you most definitely should) you can find Annie Sloan Stockists here.

I’m in love!

This project was sponsored by UNFOLDED but all opinions and ideas are my own. Promise.

Home Decor: New Lamps, New Mirrors, New Living Room Look

Published on June 19, 2015June 19, 2015 by Krys3 Comments

If you’ve been following along on Instagram, you’ll know I’m always changing things around in my apartment. I get bored, what can I say?

My husband was traveling for work this week, so I was left alone to my own devices. That really means I had to distract myself from the fact that when he’s away I become a lonely hermit womanchild. I usually take up various projects around the house and Netflix binge until my eyes blur.

I started a few little projects this time. Mostly rearranging and switching out pictures and the sort. I also started stenciling the dining area/entry way (more on that later).

Then finally on the last day I saw a light at the end of my lonely woman tunnel. I emerged from my hermit crab shell and put on actual human clothes and took myself out for a little retail therapy where I found lamps and mirrors on clearance. The lamps and shades are from Target and the mirrors are from Ross. After I bought them I promptly returned home and turned back into a crab person.

Anywayyyyy here’s what it looked like before:

I traded out the DIY gold brushed art for round mirrors, traded the IKEA lamps for mint ones with caned shades from Target, and used my vintage milk glass vases to hold palm clippings for a whole new look. TADA!

I had to have these lamps. They remind me of vintage jadeite. I thought the caned yellow lampshades added something special too. I decided on black mirrors because I feel like it grounds the TV. Otherwise it just looks like a big black rectangle on the wall. Overall I think this all goes with the rest of the room a lot better.

Lamps: Target

Lamp Shades: Target

Vases: Vintage, Etsy

Mirrors: Ross

Dresser: Vintage, Craigslist

Bar Cart: Target

Make sure you’re following along on Instagram to see more.

DIY: Tropical Retro Inspired Decoupage Easter Eggs

Published on March 26, 2015August 4, 2015 by Krys11 Comments

I’ve always loved decorating Easter eggs, and just because I’m a grown up doesn’t mean I can’t continue to partake in the fun. Every year I grab my Easter candy and a carton of eggs and get down to it. There are so many great ways to decorate Easter eggs. There’s the stinky vinegar dye, watercoloring, markers, glitter, the list goes on. Personally my favorite is decoupage. This method allows you to get really creative eggs, with very little effort.

I’m always inspired by mid-century themes, so of course I went with that vibe for my Easter eggs.

Here’s what you need: Decoupage medium, craft paint, images to cut out, and of course eggs. Stock photo sites and magazines are a great place to find images to cut out.

Paint or dye your eggs first, if you want. Then all you have to do is cut out your little images and use the decoupage medium to adhere them to your egg. Then apply another layer of decoupage medium over the top of it, let it dry, and that’s it!

You can have a lot of fun with your designs by layering images to create your own motif or scene.

On one, I painted the egg to create the look of an umbrella and grass. Then I used cutouts of patio furniture and from vintage bathing suit patterns to create a summery scene. On another I layered cutouts of flamingos and leaves.

Or you can just make a random pattern of images around the egg. Like palms, pineapples, sunglasses, and beach umbrellas.

I loveeee how these turned out. I don’t want to throw them away! I should have blown the yolks out and not boiled them. Oh well, next time.

I’d probably keep them out all year long if I could, but I’m sure the rotten smell and salmonella aren’t worth it. Boo.

I hope all of you have a stupendous Easter, and I hope Easter Bunny brings you enough candy to make you sick. That’s the best part of Easter.

If you would like to download the images I used, click below. For personal use only, please.

Home Decor: Colorful Vintage Illustration Gallery Wall // DIY Gallery Wall Tips

Published on March 5, 2015August 4, 2015 by Krys8 Comments

I’m always changing things up in this small, little apartment of mine. I was craving a little more color on my living room walls, so I planned on ditching the large abstract canvas and doing a gallery wall instead.

I’d been thinking about doing a gallery wall for awhile but art, even prints in the quantity I needed, were turning out to be too expensive for my project’s budget. I’m a big fan of vintage illustrations like the kind you’d find in The Saturday Evening Post, so when I came across a bunch from the 1950s, I ran to get frames immediately. Ok, more like power walked.

Gallery walls can be scary! Whether you’re doing a random pattern or lining them up strategically, putting that first hole in the wall is scary business when you’re not sure if you’re going to like how it’s all laid out once it’s up there. I hate patching nail holes more than anything, and I don’t even know where the touchup paint is, so I had to get this right the first time.

One of my favorite tips for creating gallery walls is to cut pieces of paper to the size and shape of your wall decor. Mark where all of the nails should go, and tape the paper pieces up on the wall to get a better idea of where everything will go. I rearranged my pieces at least 4 times until I got a spacing I was happy with. Measuring is fine, but I like to actually see everything up on the wall before I start making holes. Once I was happy with it, all I needed to do was hammer the nails into the pre-marked paper.

I hung every picture up and used a level to make sure they were all straight and in line, because when one is out of place everything looks wacky. That’s something I’ll probably have to go back and do every once in awhile but it’s SO WORTH IT. If you have a problem with your pictures staying straight, try using a little piece of gum tack on the back corners of the frame.

The illustrations add a lot of fun color and fun vintage character into the room. I’m definitely happy with it.

Checking In: A Glam Getaway At Viceroy Palm Springs

Published on August 26, 2014August 4, 2015 by Krys1 Comment

One of the things I love most about Palm Springs is the vintage feel and Viceroy Palm Springs is a perfect place to experience the Hollywood Regency vibe of the area’s glory days. The hotel was designed by Kelly Wearstler, one of my favorite designers.

This spanish style property opened in 1933 as a bungalow retreat, but in 2001 hotelier Brad Korzen (Kelly Wearstler’s husband) turned it into the Viceroy we know today.

The mountain views make a picturesque backdrop and the property is walking distance from downtown’s shops and restaurants, making it the prime spot to experience what Palm Springs has to offer. But once you’re there, it’s hard to want to leave.

The grounds are classically decorated with black, white, and pops of vibrant lemon yellow.

The boutique style resort has 67 rooms, suites, and villas nestled around three pools and manicured courtyards. The pools are open 24 hours, which I LOVE. Major bonus points from me. Night swimming in Palm Springs is like no other. Pool floaties are included and are perfect for both soaking up the sun and star gazing. Or even keeping you afloat when you’ve had too much to drink.

When we pulled up we were greeted by the very friendly valet and escorted to the front desk. We arrived at the hotel a bit early so we had to wait for our room to be ready. That was a mistake on such a hot day, especially with dogs, but the hotel offered us sparkling wine and water, and directed us to the areas where we could lounge and wait. They even brought out water for our pups in a cute bowl.

The property offers a full-service spa and exceptional dining at Citron. I did not partake in any spa services but I did partake in some tasty crab cakes at Citron while we waited for our room.

Citron has an indoor dining room, a bar, and an outdoor seating area.

White tufted leather booths and bergére chairs with mirrored and yellow striped walls make this a really glamorous yet fun space. The pet-friendly outdoor area overlooks the main pool for prime people watching.

Once we arrived to our room we were not disappointed! A nice and helpful staff member carried our bags and showed us to our one bedroom Dorrington Villa located in the fountain courtyard. I loved this area of the resort. It was so quiet and secluded. I wish I could live there. For a second I considered becoming a squatter, but quickly realized that would probably be a bad idea.

The spanish tile roofs and vibrantly colored front doors made me so happy. The villas are set apart from the main hotel and are private with no shared walls between them. These villas are the real stars of this Viceroy.

Let’s go on a little tour.

Love at first sight. Look at that door with its amazing color, knocker, and KICKPLATE. I can’t resist a door with a knocker and kickplate. I wanted to hug it. The front patio area had two chairs, a table, and a privacy curtain.

And then I fell even more in love. The room opens up to a bright, open living room. It’s a perfect blend of classic vintage and modern. The black, white, and yellow color scheme obviously continues in here. The gas fireplace is perfectly framed by ceramic ginger jars, crystal sconces, and modern abstract art. The glass filler inside of the fireplace is so much better than faux logs.

These yellow chairs are the only pop of bright color in the room. The mirrored handles on the cabinet and the mirror-topped octagonal table add a nice reflectiveness and shine to the space. That along with the symmetrical furniture placement is very indicative of Hollywood Regency style.

On the other side there is a black and white gingham sleeper sofa. Behind that is the dining room.

I love the wallpapering in this room. It continues up across the ceiling and seemingly makes the room feel larger. Oh look, more white leather on the curved back dining chairs. Attached to the dining room is the full kitchen. It’s a standard vintage galley kitchen but has every thing you need if you choose to cook and dine in. The painted tile floor continues throughout the entire villa. I love the idea of painting over an existing terra cotta floor.

There’s a stove, microwave, and a goodie stocked refrigerator. The doors were removed from the upper cabinets and mirrors were inserted in the backs. I think that makes the space feel more open.

Not only does the villa have a patio area up front, it also has a completely private one in the back.

Back inside, opposite the dining and living area, there is a bedroom and bathroom. The bathroom has two entrances, one through the vanity area off of the living room, and one through the bedroom.

I adore a vanity area. The window above the mirror gives off a nice natural light for applying makeup and there’s enough drawer and cabinet space to store all your goodies. This bathroom is so classic and beautiful. I love that there’s a window. I love the arched shower. I love it all. It has everything you need. A stylish pedestal sink, a great light fixture, and a bath deep enough for a good soak. The shower also had the most amazing water pressure. All bath products are by Neil George.

The bedroom is serene in all white. I thought the king sized bed was plush and comfortable. The hanging lamps are a nice touch. By the way all of the lights are on dimmers, which is almost unheard of in hotel rooms, but something I definitely appreciate. The white curtains have a stylish Greek key design and wrap around the entire room. Another unique design element I love is the placement of the medallion above the bed. There is also an armoir and television inside of the room. There is no dresser but there’s a large closet with stylish bamboo luggage racks. There are also slippers and robes!

My only concerns with the hotel and its rooms is that with the use of so much white, special attention needs to be paid to housekeeping and maintenance. There is inevitably going to be more visible wear and tear on light colored walls and upholstery. The furnishings are due for a good steam cleaning and leather reconditioning. The rooms and the hotel were clean, yes, but in need of a little TLC.

Also, be aware that summer heat pushes bugs indoors, especially with the drought California is currently experiencing. I was alarmed to find a big bug crawl out of the fireplace one evening, though I’m sure the hotel does their best with pest control. They even leave a bedside note to warn you and ask you to give them a ring should you find any “unwanted guests” in your room.

Besides those concerns I loved staying here. At 470 square feet this villa is actually smaller than my current apartment, but because of the layout it felt much larger. If I could find an apartment or home similar to this I would probably live in it forever.

All in all we loved it and will stay there again. And soon I hope!

Special thanks to Viceroy Palm Springs for a lovely stay.

Viceroy Palm Springs
415 S Belardo Rd
Palm Springs, CA 92262
(760) 320-4117

Checking In: A Technicolor Weekend at The Saguaro Palm Springs

Published on July 29, 2014August 4, 2015 by KrysLeave a comment

You would think after our summer road trip we’d want to take a little break from hotel life for awhile, right? Oh, no. Not us. We almost immediately got the urge for another adventure so we headed out to our beloved Palm Springs. Oh, Palm Springs. How I love your style. If you know me, you know I have a love for all things vintage, and Palm Springs is the best place to catch the vintage vibe. Whenever I look for a hotel I always look for three things: great design, great dining, and pet-friendliness. But when it comes to Palm Springs, a great POOL is a must. Summer temps soar into the 100’s so there is no point to being outside unless there is a pool and drinks. This time we stayed at The Saguaro Palm Springs – a Joie de Vivre hotel. It was my first time staying here but I’ve had it on my mind for awhile, and it has everything on my list of requirements. It was originally built in 1965 and had former lives as a Ramada and a Holiday Inn, but it’s never been as cute as this! The Saguaro opened in early 2012 and has taken on a new life in vibrant technicolor. The rainbow colored palette is the work of Peter Stamberg and Paul Aferiat, of New York-based Stamberg Aferiat Architecture. Each hue is inspired by indigenous flowers of the Colorado Desert and carried throughout the property. And the color continues inside where it’s met with handcrafted Mexican furniture. An interesting contrast that makes sense when you consider the southwestern inspiration. I loved the use of cacti and vintage brownie cameras as decor, further bringing the desert and vintage elements together. It works. The front desk stands out with its bold orange and yellow floral walls. The front desk staff was very helpful and accommodating to us. Great first impression. We were directed to our room on the color coded map and were happy to find self parking was ample and a breeze. Our king suite was spacious, and of course, colorful! The rooms are minimally decorated with only a few coffee table books and retro photography on the wall. The living area had a comfortable pull out sofa, little dining area, dresser, flat screen TV, and a walk out balcony. Oh and a refrigerator to store your drinks and stuff. Very convenient. The bathroom was ORANGE, spacious, and had a good shower. I hate when showers just have that weird, stupid mist that sprays at you and you can’t rinse your hair well, so you have to stick it under the bath faucet…sorry I’m ranting. This shower had none of that! It was delightful. The toiletries by Lather smelled gooooood. Lavender Lime lotion, bamboo lemongrass body wash, yuzu bergamot conditioner, and mint thyme shampoo. I was about to be like “heyyyy, can I have like 27 of each to take home?”, but then I just figured I should just buy them like a regular person. The bathroom has everything you need. My only “meh” is that the tile didn’t do it for me, aesthetically speaking. Hopefully it’s just left over from the Holiday Inn days. Anyway, enough about tile. LOOK ROBES! Hooded ones. The bedroom portion had a work desk, a table, and another wall-mounted TV. And a bed. Duh. Oh man, that bed was super comfy. I hadn’t slept that well in days. A lot of people are picky about room noise, but the room was quiet to me (except when the DJ was pumping jams on Saturday afternoon). It might be because I live in an apartment building on one of the busiest streets in Los Angeles, but I honestly didn’t notice any noise coming from other rooms. Bonus points for having lamps with electrical outlets on the base. I hate having to find a place to plug my phone and laptop in. Extra bonus points for the washable slipcovers on the sofas. That’s a good idea considering the dog friendly policy. WAIT. Let me talk about their super friendly dog policy real quick. No pet fee and they don’t stick you in the crappy rooms. They even included bowls and cute dog things. Mango and Pandie loved watching people at the pool and their hair colors fit right in. Now for the pool. The pool is important. If you don’t have a pool in Palm Springs, what is even the point? The Saguaro has one of the best and it’s open until midnight. There are two hot tubs, if you feel the need to soak. There is also a pool bar that has light snacks and drinks. Helllooooo. But wait, that reminds me. The middle portion of the pool goes to 9ft deep. Normally, I’m excited if any pool goes to even 6 ft deep, but in this case it’s kind of a funny problem. Every weekend they host a pool party (12pm-6pm) with a DJ and the drinks are flowing. Everyone ends up crowding into the shallow areas because they can’t stand and party it up while trying to keep their head above water in the deep end. Just make sure you snag a pool floaty if you can’t snag a spot in the shallow end. Oh, and one more minor observation: while it’s cool they have a DJ (because what pool is a party without one), they really need a better playlist. I enjoy the occasional ironic 90’s jam as much as anyone, but there really needs to be a better mix if they want to attract the crowd I think they do. The property also has a spa, bocci ball court, and daily yoga that I can appreciate but did not partake in. And FREE BIKE RENTALS! Jvee got stung by a bee and it was 106 degrees so we had to cut it short (typical luck), but taking these for a ride around the neighborhood is a blast. Rentals are for two hours at a time. There are two restaurants at the hotel, Tinto and El Jefe by Iron Chef Jose Garces. Tinto was closed during our stay but we had dinner at El Jefe where our server was very sweet and attentive. We ordered the vegetarian queso fundido as our appetizer. I had the fish tacos and loved them. Some of the best cabbage on a fish taco I’ve ever had. Jvee had the carne asada tacos because they were out of the cabrito that he had his heart set on. He enjoyed them. I liked the taco presentation. Very cute. However, I wish the food came out in the right order. My tacos came out, then the queso appetizer, then Jvee’s carne asada tacos. But it all tasted good in the end. You better get THE MARGARITAS. These aren’t watered down chain restaurant margs. I caught a little buzz off of one and the flavor was tops. I recommend the charred pineapple, even though I kind of wished it came with a charred pineapple garnish. Everywhere you look there’s color and it makes you happy! And the views! Maybe it’s the colors. Maybe it’s the tequila. I don’t know, but I’m definitely going back. I highly recommend you take a little visit to The Saguaro, too. And don’t forget to dress the part. Bye until next time.

DIY: How I Stripped and Repainted This Vintage Dresser

Published on December 3, 2013August 4, 2015 by Krys10 Comments

I’m so happy this is done! I bought this vintage French style dresser years ago but finally took the weekend to finish it.

I couldn’t figure out if I wanted to do something funky and colorful or restore it to it’s original look. I decided to keep it simple and go with high gloss white with gold fixtures. It seemed like the previous owner tried to repaint it and did a crap job. The paint was peeling and bubbly. Yuck. I had to strip the old paint before repainting it so I could get a fresh smooth finish. Here’s how I did it all. First, you’ll need a dresser of course. You can find inexpensive dressers at thrift stores or Craigslist. That’s where I found this one for $20. Next, you’ll need the necessary tools.

Since I needed to strip the piece, I decided to go with heat over chemicals. I love stripping (and not just the naked kind). These inexpensive heat guns make the paint bubble and peel so you can easily scrape it off. I prefer this because I hate having to deal with chemical stripping. It’s messy and takes too long. Plus it’s kind of rad to torch things. Anyway, for the paint I wanted a durable high-gloss finish, so I went with Glidden’s Trim & Door paint. It’s an oil based paint which is a pain to clean up and it stinks but sometimes it’s just necessary. This paint has an anti-drip gel texture that goes on and dries super smooth and glossy with one coat.

Heat stripping is serious business, guys. You have to be really careful because there are the obvious hazards of burns, injury, fire, and loss of possessions. It’s easy though! Just heat the old paint until it bubbles and peels. Do it in a ventilated area or keep your windows and doors open so your fire alarm doesn’t scream at you like mine did. Oops. Then scrape it off and use a medium grit sandpaper to get the left over charring off and smooth it all out.

Heat stripping dresser — I sanded it after this

After painting it with one coat and letting it dry over night I needed to address the hardware. I wanted to keep it original but cleaning and polishing with Brasso just wasn’t cutting it for me.

I took the easy route and used a light coat of Rust-Oleum metallic spray paint on them. I lightly sprayed them to keep some of the vintage flaws for a more original, aged look.

All done!

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