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8.29.2013

I'm in the Bloglight!


Welcome to my guests from hometalk and the blogtalk group on facebook -
Thank you, Miriam Illions for featuring me and HOMEWARDfound today!
 hometalk is a FABulous community website where you can share, discuss, learn, and be AWED
by EVERYTHING having to do with creating & keeping houses. It's AMAZING!
I'm Deb and I'd like to welcome you to my blog!
 I'm a retail and home stylist, designer, and published writer.
[more on my 'Start Here' page]

Sweet Miriam Illions had this to say in the Blogtalk post:
"This week, the beautiful & graceful Deb Kennedy of HOMEward Found Decor is in the Bloglight!
Deb's story is inspiring and uplifting. She applies her creativity and fresh perspective 

not only to design & decor, but to all aspects of life. I am honored to feature you in the Bloglight today, Deb!"
[wow! she really makes me sound much better than I am!]

Miriam also asked a few questions to help you get to know me, 
so let's get right to those:

continue reading...

8.27.2013

Oh, Lighten Up!

Several years back, I happened upon a small thrift store's 'going out of business sale'.
And found these lamps sitting in the parking lot for $5 each:
Shown as found.
Dear Lord in Heaven.... someone thought this was a good idea....

You DO realize that the white parts in this 'before' image used to be BRASS, right?
So some manufacturer somewhere, sometime, actually gave the OK for these to be made and sold.
In the seventies, no doubt. ugh.

Then someone else took the time to tape the glass off and paint the brass parts white -
but left the hideous gold-orange glass with black felt pen-embellished raised scrollwork.
ACK!
And yet.... I see the possibilities even in the hideous ugliness:
If I could just neutralize the color and visual hot mess, these could actually be quite charming.
And so that's exactly what I did...

continue reading to see the amazing AFTER shot!

8.22.2013

DIY Gold!

I'm all about sharing 'Fast, Cheap & Easy'TM ideas 
that make use of the 'everyday stuff' you have on hand...
giving things a little boost or using them in a new way 
to help you attain Seasonal Style at Home.

Well, when I saw THIS idea on a friend's blog, it was just SO easy and SO perfect

for our seasonal transition from summer to fall
that I contacted him to ask if I could share it here on HOMEWARDfound...
and he said yes!

Michael of Inspired by Charm was inspired by Jan of Poppycock 
who pinned this fun idea for painting kids' magnetic letters with paint -  
and he re-created the idea using very trendy gold paint.
Now if that's not a case of 'making do' with STYLE, I don't know what is!

Head over to Inspired by Charm to see Michael's post 
and follow his tips for adding a little gleam to your fridge!




Click 'Read More' on the left to find out what ELSE Michael is up to!

8.19.2013

'as seen in BHG!'

 A few weeks ago, I received a very nice message from LuLu Tapp,
owner and photographer extraordinaire from DustyLu Interiors & Photography in Los Angeles.
She let me know that my little pumpkins were going to appear
in the feature on her lovely home
in the Better Homes & Gardens Halloween Tricks & Treats 2013!

After I picked myself up off the floor, I thanked her. Profusely!
And I've been on the lookout for the issue ever since.

Monday, she messaged me "Hey Deb!!! Its out its out!!! On newsstands now!!!Woot woot!"
At nearly the same time, a friend sent me the cover shot shown above,
then another friend sent me an interior image that includes my 2012 Harvest pumpkins:
This is one of Lulu's photos of her gorgeous home from the magazine... LOVE!

Being able to use the words 'As Seen in BHG' is just a dream come true -
I am so very thankful for the opportunity.
I originated this design, and have been making and selling them for many years,
and it's nice to finally be 'noticed' this way.

I saw a comment that Lulu made on Instagram and it made me do backflips:
"Better Homes and Gardens editor was flipping over the pumpkins and botanicals  -
I think she wanted to take them!!! Lolol"

Lulu discovered my original Sweet Sweater Pumpkins last fall, at Kymberley Fraser's store 'A Beautiful Mess'.
They looked like this in her display:

Thank you again, Kymberley, for your support!

8.18.2013

Thank You All...

I would like to express my most heartfelt thanks to you all
for the comforting, caring, loving messages posted on my last blog entry...
 you've touched my heart.

Since I started HOMEWARDfound, 
I've made a concerted effort to NOT share personal information here
[because, frankly, my life has been a Lifetime Movie for the last two years
and I wanted this blog to be a happy place]
but losing my best friend was just the straw that broke the proverbial camel's back.
I had to take a break - and not pretend that everything was ok.

Thank you for understanding, and offering your sweet condolences.
They have been so helpful over the past week.


The sunset roses in the photos here are the last few that didn't fit into the arrangement
that I made for my best friend's memorial service on Friday.
They are sitting beside me now, on my desk, 
reminding me of her fiery red hair - and even more fiery spirit. 
The truck is a miniature replica of the one my grandfather drove.
Those are two of the people dearest to me, whom I have lost.
This little reminder of their presence in my life and my heart comforts me as I grieve,
as have your words and prayers...

That's my 'decorating tip' for today:
Surround yourself with things that are meaningful to you,
 that represent happy memories and special people.

8.11.2013

Easy Burlap & Canvas Wall Art

I change things a LOT in my home... so I like easy solutions and quick projects.
This wall art project is one that I whipped up in just an hour,
and it made a huge difference on a blank wall behind a sofa...

I needed wall art in neutral tones to add interest to this small tv room, 
and used fabric remnants to match the canvas and burlap pillows on the sofa.
Then I had to find 'frames'.... but instead, I came across some old 'cork boards' in a closet.
Only, they weren't really cork boards...

continue reading to find out what they were!

8.09.2013

Transitional Palette: Driftwood

This time of the year, the waning summer leading into fall, brings a change -
The patriotic hues of midsummer aren't quite right now -
yet it's just not time for the deep oranges and golds of fall.

It's a perfect time to take a fresh look at your home, and let it reflect the changing seasons in a subtle way.

The photo above is one I took on a beach in Washington state several years back,
and it's a perfect example of how nature brings together a perfect color palette:
A gathering of driftwood on an island beach explores the range of tan, gray, and cream tones. 
Behind them, if you look carefully, you'll see deep green trees and tawny gold field grasses
that add contrast and texture.

From warm to cool, light to dark, that's a balanced palette.
Warm:
amber, tan, cream   +   Cool: gray, green
Light:
cream, tan, amber, light gray   + Dark: green, dark gray
Photography of items within the palette like this old wood boat [or the driftwood up above]
extends the color scheme when used as framed art.
Pale sage green walls and light tan carpeting set the stage 
for rooms filled with white, creamy white, and tan accents & furniture. 
Golden / Amber wood and fabric tones are a natural fit.

[note: I actually disliked that green wall color. I wanted tan walls.
But the house - which we leased - was for sale, and I wasn't about to make it look better than it already did so that someone else would buy it before WE could. 
It didn't matter. It sold anyway. They wanted my furniture with the deal :/ 
Apparently I still made it look too good!]
Silver metallics reflect the gray end of the 'driftwood' palette spectrum. 
Sparkling clear glass imitates water, 
and the addition of canvas or sheet music in ivory warms up the combination.
[the canvas-covered dresser from my last post would look perfect in this setting]

The following images are great examples of a transitional neutral palette,
featuring displays that I created for the booths that my former business had at Vintage shows...
RETREAT at BarnHouse Marketplace . Battle Ground, WA . July, 2011
[and if you came here from the HOMEWARDfound facebook page,
the table that I showed a sneak peek of is in that shot...
oh, look, it's ALSO in the photo below!]
RETREAT at Retreat Vintage Market . Camano Island, WA . June, 2011
RETREAT 'Taj Ma Tent' at BarnHouse Marketplace . Battle Ground, WA . July, 2009

The aesthetic of that business was all neutral tones, texture, and seasonal focus
built on re-imagining and re-using salvaged materials in furniture & decor.

Now, I realize that my displays are MUCH more theatrical than the average home decor is...
but they offer some great examples of using a neutral palette and seasonal texture.
You can see the 'driftwood' palette in play in all of them.

And with the addition of more warm colors - golds, browns, oranges - in September,
this look transitions perfectly into fall!

8.06.2013

Dresser ReStyle - with Canvas!

 While HOMEWARDfound is generally about seasonal decor ideas,
sometimes I like to pop in 'Fast, Cheap & Easy' TM ideas for furniture, too...
totally do-able projects for you, some from my previous business [RETREAT].

This dresser was found on the curb, for free, back in 2009.
With lines like the ones on those drawers, I couldn't pass her up!

The case was solid, but the veneer on top and on the drawers was just wrecked.
No amount of putty and paint was going to make her presentable...
she went beyond needing mere 'makeup' into the realm of 'plastic surgery'!

While I was sanding her down, I had a brainstorm...

The dropcloth that she was sitting on in the prep room had some great texture.
I looked at the drawers, and then at the dropcloth, and that light bulb went on:
I would cover the entire dresser with a new canvas dropcloth!

Dropcloths are a great way to get a LOT of fabric for a ridiculously low price
and they come in many sizes and weights. 
I used the heaviest weight for this project, which covered up all of the 'blemishes' in her complexion.

continue reading to see what i did!

8.03.2013

I Have a Sink-ing Feeling About This...

Here at HOMEWARDfound, my goal is to provide you with as many ORIGINAL ideas 
and as much seasonal inspiration as I possibly can. I'll go to [almost] any lengths to do that.
Heck, I'll even throw in the kitchen sink!

 In my 35+ years of designing and styling home decor and retail displays, I've come up with some whopper ideas.
But THIS one is one of my faves - and it was a mistakeuh huh. a total fluke. great story, too.
But you don't want the story, you want PICTURES!
BRILLIANT IDEA, right?!!!!! thank you. thank you very much.

[it's really not brilliant... scroll down to the end of the post and read the story]
Perfect in your store or show displays. Or garden. or... while GLAMPING!

My friend Marybeth ended up with that sink for her sweet shop poppyseeds,
and did exactly the same thing with it.
[That shot on the left above was taken at her store in Washington in June!]
She also did something similar with another sink she has:
Can you say CLEVER?!
Long before Marybeth took my sink to her store, 
and before I sat it on that cart, I used it on top of a pedestal:
The top of the wood pedestal was hollow, so the sink fit right on top perfectly.
The addition of a bucket full of herbs was a charming touch, outside the entrance to my farm store.
I later added lots more buckets of blooming flowers & herbs...
Here's a shot of the whole storefront while it was being worked on:
That was a huge (tall, deep) garage, turned into a store on my farm on an island.
The barn door on the left and the double doors on the right replaced the regular garage door,
for a much more welcoming entry. The awning up above was found for $10 bucks at ReStore -
and it was a perfect fit down to the last inch. Some things are meant to be!

I miss it, and wish I was still there on my farm with my store and my show...
but then, some things are NOT meant to be
It was all dismantled when we moved out. The barn door now lives at a neighbors' house.
It looks like a garage again. (BOR-ing)

I've used some other sinks in displays, as well...
 *The sink on the left is a double-bowl + countertop unit that topped a bank of vintage metal cabinets.
I filled one sink with white holiday ornaments (that looked like soap bubbles!)
and it held white milk glass & ceramic dishes in our booth at the Farm Chicks show in 2010.

* The sink on the right is sitting on two wood sawhorses (out of the photo),
and holds the same holiday ornaments and clear glass dessert plates & cups
at the snack bar area of our Petite Retreat Summer Market in 2010.

What do I always say?
Don't think literally about the stuff you have. Move it around.
See it differently. Use it in a way it's NOT supposed to be used!

Sinks aren't just for kitchens and baths...
They are great in store & booth displays, and even in the garden!
I would NOT, however, recommend using toilets for those purposes. [wink]

ok, NOW here's the story of my sink:
I was at a vintage show, unloading the trailer, setting up the booth with furnishings and accessories
and I needed to move the vintage enamel sink from the trailer across the parking area and to the booth.
And I was tired. I didn't want to carry it. (those things are HEAVY) so....
I plopped that sink on the top of a folding wire cart that I had stuffed with burlap fabric in the trailer,
and then I rolled the sink over to where I wanted it - which was in a chair.

But when I looked at the cart, and saw the sink sitting there, and realized that it was TOTALLY secure 
because the sink's apron was wrapped around the top edge of the cart
and that it was awfully darned easy to maneuver it around like that, 
well, the proverbial LIGHT BULB went on over my head:

Leave. the. sink. on. the. cart, Deb!

I grabbed the burlap and wrapped the outside of the cart with it
- and that, as they say, was that.
BRILLIANT IDEA. from outta' nowhere. Gotta' love it!