Transform Pot Lights into Pedants!

I had my heart set on industrial pendant lights for our kitchen. After researching online for a bit I realized that it is actually incredibly easy to use existing pot lights, or recessed lighting, as the electrical source for the pendant lights.

I bought something similar to this can converter on Amazon for about $40
http://www.amazon.com/Converter-Recessed-Light-Conversion-Cans/dp/B000SW5LJK

Kitchen before:

Kitchen After:

Much better, right?!

Two-Day Hallway Transformation

I mentioned in a post a few months ago that I was planning on giving our bland hallway some accessories. My husband went on a two-day work trip and I decided that this was the perfect time to surprise him with a complete overhaul.

Timeline: 2 days
Budget: $300

Before:

The color was an awkward shade of kaki/brown that felt too "normal" for my husband and I. The lights were from the 80's and were more like prisms on the wall than actual hallway lights.

My budget was tight, so I had to get crafty. Sherwin Williams 30% off sale...check. Michaels for a bazillion picture frames, all on clearance...check. Photo paper for printing my own photos...check. Amazon Prime for 2 lights for under $175...check (and 1 day delivery!). Scrap wood for console table...check

The rest of the decor was taken from out basement, where I have what seems like an endless amount of rugs, lamps, and home accessories.

A lot of sweat in a short time period, but well worth the result!

After:

Remembering 1963

Today marks the 50th anniversary of the death of JFK.

While we take a little time to remember that sad day, we can't help but observe the cars, fashion, and home furnishings of the time.

Because I was not born until the 80's, I need to take to google (and the random Mad Men shows that I watched) to really get a feel for what homes looked like during the 60's.

Here is the picture in my head:

If you love this era...check out a few ways to introduce the mid-century modern look into your home:

via redeggdesigngroup.com

via diaryofarenovation.com

via creativeinfluences.blogpot.com

via designshuffle.com

via blog.asmarainc.com

Once a Lonely Rocking Chair - Now Rocking a New Life!

This old dusty and musty rocking chair was found on the curb of a thrift store a few months ago. I could not resist purchasing because it has great bones and the wicker wings make it pretty unique. After removing all of the yucky reddish-brown fabric and old batting, I saw that this chair was made in San Juan, Puerto Rico! I mean, this chair has traveled a great distance from PR to Connecticut just so that I could give it a new life!

                                                                     Before Here:

After removing the old material and sanding the chair, I primed and painted it a bright white color. To break up the white color I sanded to make the paint chipped and worn in areas. You guys will soon realize this about me, but I am a big fan of "shabby-chic". 

Anyway, I had some great kelly green and white fabric in stock that reminds me of a giraffe print, and thought that this would really make the chair such a cute addition to an animal theme nursery. Well don't you know that I had a client purchase this chair for just that thing! Her sister has a bun in the oven, and she too thought that this would go perfect in the baby's room. 

Check Out the After!

New Beach House - Duck, NC

My parents closed on a beach house in Duck, NC back in October and my family is SO EXCITED! We have been traveling down there for years and staying with friends, but Gary and Audrey have just taken it up a notch! This is the first of our second homes, and there really is nothing like it. I mean, a whole 'nother house to decorate? C'MON!!!

I traveled down to the house with my mom and Dad at the end of October to take inventory and get the juices flowing for just how we want to dress the place up.

My husband and my fur kids (seen below) will be traveling down with me for the Thanksgiving holiday, and I am trying to squeeze as many house warming gifts into the car as possible! I would like to mention that I am a serial over-packer, so things could get interesting. I am spending the next week thrifting and woodworking and will post the final gifts once we return from the holiday. Don't want them to peek before I hand the goods over!

Check out my cheat sheet for potential beach house gifts

via pearlsandcowboyboots.com

Gallery Wall Obsession

My husband and I just moved into a new house, and most of the walls are BARE. Nothing makes a home feel more lived in than family photos, professional paintings (or the ones that you splatter together yourself), and worldly artifacts. I LOVE the walls that change with the seasons, but if I am honest with myself... I will never get to changing them on time!

I am working on putting together a gallery wall along the stairs and the upstairs hallway. Look for pictures soon!

To tide you over until then, check out a few of my favorites:

via Better Homes and Gardens

                      Eclectic Living Room by New York Interior Designers & Decorators ABCD Design LLC

via shelterness.com

                                                    via ofthingspast.blogspot.com                                                                                                                

                                                                    via HGTV.com

                                                                  via lizmarieblog.com

Let me INTRODUCE myself!

My name is Jessica Danieli, and I have been curious about the workings of home furnishings ever since my head got wedged into the back of my childhood rocking chair. "How did this happen"? "How do I take this apart to get out"? "Help me"!  Well, I am happy to report that I am now free of the chair (thanks to my dad for breaking out the saw), but the passion for furniture is still stuck (no pun intended) in my head!

I grew up in Virginia, where most of my time was spent making "presents" for my large family. Those that were special to me seemed to receive a never ending supply of keychain holders, stained glass windows, handmade clay bead bracelets, stickers turned into magnets, and and loads of paintings.  While I loved math and science, I could not get enough of anything creative that involved working with my hands. 

Over the years not much has changed. I graduated from college with a degree in Design and Merchandising from Virginia Tech (go Hokies!) and moved up to New York City to start my high profile design career. One thing led to another and I accepted a job at one of the world's largest hedge funds (weird how the world works). In between the long hours at work, I managed to get married and move to the suburbs of Connecticut with my AMAZING husband. Because we moved from NYC with no furniture to our name, we had a house FULL of hand-me-downs from family and friends. There is just something about previously owned furniture - it has such a story to tell!  I spent all of my free time refinishing, taking apart, and reinventing the furniture to be totally unique. It became a running joke with friends and family that our house transformed every time they came over. I became an expert at rearranging furniture to utilize the space and started helping friends not only decorate their own houses with my pieces, but helping them stage their houses for sale. 

At the beginning of this year I decided that it was time to leave my career in finance to get back into doing what I truly love. My mind is spinning all day long with ideas for how to use a cheese grater, what to make with an old wooden stump, and what color to paint an old snare drum. I am where I am supposed to be! 

Thank you for visiting my site, and I hope you leave feeling inspired!

Shoot me a note with your thoughts! - TheRustedRocker@gmail.com