HJ and I have had this sad IKEA Malm headboard for the past 3 or so years. It was only $25.00 on Clearance, because they discontinued the finish (not surprised, it’s soooo boring…)

I had always planned on doing something else with it, but just couldn’t decide what I would like best. So a few weeks ago, HJ and I went to the fabric store and bought 2 layers of batting and a textured linen fabric, for less than $50 bucks. Score! 🙂

Here’s how we did the transformation:

1. We read a ton of other blogs that did it before 🙂

2. We measured and added about 5 inches to the sides and top so we would have enough fabric and batting to wrap around the sides to staple

3. We knew we wanted to do a nailhead trim, and several blogs said that the shank of the nailhead wouldn’t pass through thick batting. So, we cut the first layer of batting 1″ smaller all around the top and sides to give padding to the center only. Then, we spray-mounted it in place. We did this step in our well-ventilated storage space in our apartment building, so we wouldn’t ruin our floors or furniture

4. Then we wrapped the second layer of batting all the way around and stapled it to the back. We started in the center and worked our way out, as suggested in a few blogs. We also trimmed around the mounting hardware

5. Next, we just kinda guessed when we did the corners…basically, we cut the extra fabric off and left enough for there to be fluff around the edge

6. Before we wrapped the fabric, I made sure to give it a good ironing

7. We laid the headboard finished side up, so that we could make sure the fabric lines were straight. We stapled a few staples in the center of each side and top so that the fabric would be secure when we flipped the headboard over to finish stapling. See the nice “tufting” that was created on the back of the headboard with the staples? I really love that effect and wish that we could do it on the front, except that we don’t have anything to hide the staples…hmmm…?

8. HJ folded the corners nice and crisp so that I would have nothing to obsess about 🙂

9. The fabric and batting didn’t come in a width that was going to cover the entire headboard, but that was OK, because we knew it wasn’t going to be visible. So we just stapled the fabric and batting to the front, no problem!

10. Ideally, this is where we would have used our new rubber mallet to hammer in the nailhead trim, but we just ordered it today from here

We got too excited to see the *almost* final result, so we put it back into place and will put the finishing touches on it as soon as our trim arrives in the mail!

And the before again, just for fun:

Once everything is finished, we will be mounting the headboard pretty high off the ground so that it will be really dramatic! Right now it is just sitting on the floor. I will do another updated post once we get the trim attached and I am also planning on doing another before and after post of the entire bedroom, since this is pretty much the last room we’re tackling 🙂 What do you think so far?

**See an update on this post here!**

Here is our home all decked out for Christmas! Hope it makes you feel as cozy as it does for us! This is also the first time you are seeing the Living Room/Dining Room/Kitchen all finished. So, I’ll show you some Before and Afters 🙂

Hallway Before:

Hallway After:

Kitchen Before:

Kitchen After:

Dining Room Before:

Dining Room After:

Living Room Before:

Living Room After:

And some more just for fun!

We are  I am beginning to decorate for Christmas around here. So, to prolong some of my seasonal decor, I am repurposing some of my fall items.A few months ago, I paired a petite manzanita branch I bought at HomeGoods for $12.99 (much to Hunky J’s confusion “Why do you need to buy a branch when you can get them outside for free?!”) with an ominous black crow found at Michael’s for about $2.00.

But to answer your question, Darling, it’s because this one is aptly sized for vignettes, perfectly smooth, so we won’t have creepy bugs hiding in peeling bark, neutral enough so I can use it for all seasons, AND, because I saw it at HomeGoods, wanted it badly, but restrained, went back 2 weeks later and found it nestled in between a fake fern and a seashell encrusted picture frame 🙂

I decided that I would relocate Manzi to another shelf in our kitchen, where she could make friends with a sweet little cardinal bird I got when HJ and I were in Peddler’s Village with our friends last month.

So cute! He just clips right on, and he was only $4.99! As a side note, the shop where we got him had a beautiful bare tree with lots of different sized cardinals and owls made of twine and bark perched on its leafless branches 🙂 So pretty and wintry, you could leave it up the whole season long!

To confirm the awesomeness of my simple winter vignette, I came across this photo on Pinterest!

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And that’s why the I’m the MAN-zanita branch 🙂

We FINALLY got some work done in the hallway! Here is a before picture of the hallway leading into our home:

And here is the Progress:

and one more, just because 🙂

The long blue wall opposite Owlie will soon have a picture ledge with lots of family photos. Stay tuned, hopefully HJ will do this for me this weekend, ya know, as an anniversary present!

When we first started looking for a large TV, we both agreed that a 37″ would be the best for our living room, since the couch is pretty close to the entertainment center. We found a great deal, so Hunky J lovingly took it upon himself to pick it up from the store. I was super excited when I saw the box in the back of the car! But upon closer inspection, I realized that  there must have been a mixup at the store…it was a 42″ TV!

OK, I knew there wasn’t a mixup. HJ just couldn’t help himself when he saw that we could get a bigger TV for less money than the 37″. I couldn’t be mad, he was scoring us a sweet deal! (Since then, I must admit, I could have even gone for a bigger screen)

Anyway, the problem that ensued was having a TV that suddenly became the focal point 😦

I don’t even have any before photos, because it looked so cumbersome.

Our solution was to hang a shelf above the TV, but low, so that it looked like a whole entertainment center, instead of a GIANT TV. Take a look at these:

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So here is a quick Photoshopped of ours Before:

And After:

Much better!

Wanna see my long list I talked about here?

1. Hang mirror in hall
2. Hang frames in bedroom
3. Make Master headboard
4. Buy all new slim hangers for my closet
5. Get a bathmat for Master shower
6. Buy 2 new pillows for Master bed
7. Get shams for Master bed pillows
8. Find solution for hiding Master bath linen closet
9. Find bench/perch for Master shower
10. Find storage solution for Master shower bottles
11. Hang frame in Master bath
12. Make guest headboard
13. Buy bedskirt for guest bed
14. Fix up gold side table
15. Photo for corner chair in Living Room
16. Buy new neutral fall/winter curtains
17. Get hamper for Master bath
18. Buy photo ledge for main hall
19. Buy frames for main hall
20. Hang shelf above the TV
21. Buy comforter for bed
22. Buy chair for corner in Living Room

Some of these I haven’t even blogged about! Shame on me! But I really want to concentrate on that last one. Number 22. We have a little corner spot to the left in our Living Room that needed some love. Don’t mind the old picture. I have SO much to catch up on with apartment updates, since I have been concentrating on fashion for a while…)

I was envisioning something like this one from Restoration Hardware’s Nailhead Collection for $399.00

But then I found this one at HomeGoods:

LOVE.AT.FIRST.SIGHT and it was on clearance for $200.00 🙂 With some extra maneuvering, I was able to have my mom pick this up for me and drop it off! Thanks, Mom! #smallroundcar

Already smug with my find, I came across this baby a few days later in a boutique, while I was out shopping for work:

Let’s get a better look at that price, shall we?

Hmmm, well, Little Boutique on Main, try comparing to The Huntress’ latest steal! I can’t help it! I am a bargain hunter through and through. This only proved that my skills are better than ever 🙂

So here she is in her autumnal attire:

She still needs a friendly table mate and some artwork (See #s 14 and 15…) But, I love everything about her! The textured linen fabric, bronze nailhead finishing, elegant wings that are structured and square, but with feminine curves and slopes. I think if I were a chair, I would be her!

As a side note-I do, in fact, wash my sheets! We only have this one nice navy and white polka-dotted Ralph Lauren set, so wash and reuse! I splurged a little ($50.00) but they are so cute! They are from TJ Maxx.

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