Featured by One Kings Lane!

By Chelsea


Hi friends! I've got some exciting news to end the week! Now, some of you have been following this blog for a couple years, others of you may have just stumbled on it recently. Regardless of how you found Chelsea's Garage or how long you've been checking in, it means a lot to me that you do - which is why I get so excited to share fun news with you! You are kindred spirits who enjoy creativity and have inspired me greatly.

It's such a pleasure to share with you that One Kings Lane featured the statement chair I wrote about in this post in their Home Decor article, DIY - Sitting in Style, which went live on their site this past Wednesday! Their design team selected me along with five other super creative DIY-ers, giving me the top honor!

When OKL reached out inviting me to write about my favorite statement chair to help them promote their new Home Decor Resource, I never imagined they would feature my project on their site! To have my little blog recognized by such an inspirational company as One Kings Lane is astounding to me, and I couldn't be more grateful to them for the encouragement they've expressed to the work I'm doing.

The featured chair:

This news sure warmed up the frigid week and I'm already looking forward to another possible project with One Kings Lane coming up this Spring! 

I see 40s and 50s in the forecast for this weekend, so unless someone wants to claim this piece, (which I introduced in this post) as a custom order now....I'll be starting on it in French Linen, (by Annie Sloan Chalk Paint). :) Can't wait to show you once it's finished! Nevermind - piece has been claimed! Stay tuned for it's awesome transformation - it'll knock your socks off!

Have a great weekend!

~Chelsea

It's the little things {My favorite detail in our living room!}

By Chelsea


Hey guys! I know you are probably sick and tired of seeing posts on our living room at this point in the week, (full photo post of the transformation here in case you missed it), but this one is my favorite! There's a small detail in the living room that I doubt anyone has noticed from the photos, but it's a detail that makes all the difference to me as I live in and around the space.

See it?

Probably not! I barely can unless I'm looking right at it.

Look closely at the bottom edge around the chairs.

Pom-pom trim!

I just can't seem to leave well enough alone sometimes. And there have absolutely been times when I've realized that and undone something I've done. But this time it was an added touch that really feels good and right.

Here are the chairs before, (IKEA Ektorp Jennylund chairs)

There was nothing at all wrong with these chairs before. Nothing. But being as our main floor is a big open floor plan with the living room and dining room spilling into one another, the backs of these chairs are staring you in the face when you're at the dining table. And since these two armchairs are mostly floating off of the carpet, I wanted to add something a little interesting to them.

I found this .5" white pom-pom trim here

My first step was figuring out where I wanted to attach it - the outside of the slipcover, or the inside. I used push-pins to get a visual for how both options would look:

Inside won! I love how the little white pom-poms peek out from underneath, like another layer of the chair.

I cut about 7-9" strips of trim to make it easier to attach underneath the chair, (since I was gluing with Liquid Stitch, not sewing).

Then I made a 7-9" length of glue with my tube of Liquid Stitch, just hitting the backside edge of the slipcover.

And finally, gently lay the strip of pre-cut trim over the line of glue.

I didn't remove the slipcovers for this project. I just gently flipped the bottom edge up, one side at a time around the chair.

Finished product! 

(hello lil' dust bunny)

So like I said; it's a little thing! But to me, a totally worth it little thing.

Now those factory made Ikea slipcovers are uniquely ours!

Thank you for reading!

~Chelsea

Out of the box {A new answer to art}

By Chelsea



Hi friends! Thank you for letting me share our 'new' living room with you yesterday! As I mentioned, I refreshed the wall above our church pew with some newly inspired art.

Honestly, after I rolled out the bold Ikea Lappljung Ruta rug I was stumped what to do for art. The book-page wreath hanging above our couch made the cut, (tutorial here), but we've got lots of blank wall space above our church pew that needed something. We had some really pretty soft flower canvas prints hanging on that wall previously, but once we moved the rug in, they just didn't measure up. They looked way too timid with the new bold rug. I spent a bit of time looking at some different options; mirrors, clocks, bolder art prints, etc. The other thing I had to consider was that on the other side of the wall, in our dining room, we've got a gallery wall. 

I didn't want to have two large gallery walls less than a few feet apart competing with each other...but when it came down to 'what do I really want to look at and see?', the truth was I wanted something personal like a gallery wall with family pictures and fond memories.

After seeing this image while Google image searching, I knew exactly what I wanted to do!

Pinned from lesleymyrick.com

My version

I collected a few family photos and mementos from some favorite trips. To 'beef up' some of the family pictures, (most of which are 3x5 and 4x6), I just glued the photos onto pages of scrapbook paper. 

The 'B', for our last name, was a very easy project that took all of 10 minutes one afternoon! I wrote out a large 'B' on a thin piece of cardboard, cut it out, and wrapped it in a long strip of white scrap fabric that I had, (it was actually a piece of trim that I had pulled off a curtain which I re-purposed).

After my 'B' was done, I spread out the pictures and mementos on the floor and arranged everything how I wanted it to look on the wall, (I measured the space above the church pew to figure out how long my strung-up collage needed to be, then just placed the hooks on either end that far apart on the floor).

I screwed my hooks into the wall after marking the space with measuring tape and a pencil, then tied a line of twine between the two hooks.

Finished product!

The hooks and decorative clothes pins, (bought in a pack of 5), are from World Market. The hooks were $1 each, and the 5-pack of clothes pins were $3. Now we've got the perfect piece of sentimental art over the church pew for a whopping $5, (well, free thanks to the WM gift card I got for Christmas. Thanks, Casey!!!)

What I love about this look is that it's personal, casual, and easily swap-able! I have so much fun decorating our home but don't believe in taking the decorating too seriously, and I think this answer to 'art' above our church pew speaks of that. 

Thank you so much for coming by!

~Chelsea

New rug, new living room

By Chelsea

"LappljungRuta! LappljungRuta! LappljungRuta!"

This is either:

A. What Swedish soccer fans chant at big games

B. The decided name if we were to ever have a 4th kid

C. The rug we just picked up at Ikea!

If you answered C you win! Half points if you answered A since I don't really know what Swedish soccer fans chant. I guess it could be Lappljung Ruta...?

Anyways... This black and white Ikea rug really grounds our living room now. The soft, neutral Persian rug we had before was very pretty, but with all white/off white furniture, the space was too light. Nothing was tying the space together. Aside from the aesthetic side of things, I have really defined my style much more specifically over the last year. When defining my particular furniture refinishing and home decorating style I have used the words 'edgy' and 'eclectic' over and over again. Now I think the living room is finally lookin' like what I've been talkin' about!

The cute two-door cabinet has had several transformations - first I painted it white and didn't care for it. Then I painted it a custom grey which worked out really well for over a year. But as the room started to come together I noticed that the gray I made had too much purple in it.

(Before)

So I painted it a verrry light Duck Egg blue, (1 part Duck Egg + 8 parts Old White, both by Annie Sloan Chalk Paint). Lovin the super light Duck Egg distressed down to the soft grey. Once again, it's a perfect piece for this room, (and has been a helpful storage place for the kids' puzzles and craft supplies)!

The sweet bud vase was a last minute $1 purchase from Target in their dollar section. They got me!

One of Cate's gifts to her bridesmaids in the wedding were these little clear glass ornaments which she filled with moss. I think this sweet promise of Spring and new life is worth keeping out all year long!

Plush duck egg blue velvet pillows, (20x20), were a lucky find at Ikea for $5! And that wasn't even a clearance price, (they had several other colors when we were there just a week ago)!

My answer to fresh art above our old church pew. More on this creation later this week!

Just to recap, here is the living room before the switch up:

 And now!

Coming up this week!

-Casual, strung up art and an easy monogram tutorial

-How to customize those factory made Ikea slipcovers, (a small touch that may be my favorite element of our 'new' living room)

-Q&A - if you have ANY questions about anything in our living room, please feel free to comment below or email me at chelseasgarage@gmail.com! I'll post the questions, (anonymously), and my best shot at answering them at the end of the week.

Thank you for stopping by!

~Chelsea

A short Wedding story {Caleb & Cate}

By Chelsea
All photos by Jillian Michelle Photography

Last weekend family and friends from all over gathered for a special celebration; the wedding of my younger brother, Caleb, and his beautiful girl, Cate. Here is a brief summary of the day, complete with the stunning photos taken by Jillian Michelle:

Boy meets Girl.

They dig each other.

So they invite some friends...

...who turn out to be models.

(I'm the blond sitting in the chair closest to Cate, the bride. 

The dark-haired stud on the far right is all mine)

And get married.

The stunning ceremony and reception were held at the Old Silk Mill in Fredericksburg, VA

Congratulations Caleb and Cate! 

Crazy about you both, especially together.

These photos were just a few of my favorites by Jillian Michelle Photography. Amazing, right?!! If you feel so inclined, I am sure it would mean a lot if you dropped a comment on her site so she can feel the love. 

Thanks for stopping by!

~Chelsea

P.S. It was a sweet moment for this Momma when I got to walk down the aisle with my two little boys.
(Photo courtesy of a family friend)