wallpaper download

i love the simple, great looking frames that are available at stores like west elm, pottery barn, ikea, target and michaels. most of these frames come with mats that are cut to fit standard size prints. but what if you have a piece of art/print/object that doesn't fit the norm?
here are a few ideas to help you solve that dilemma:

custom framing

custom framing can cost a small fortune but is worth the occasional splurge.



custom mats

 even though i am a big believer in custom framing, there are MANY times when the money in my budget or clients budget needs to be spent elsewhere.
one of my favorite tricks is to use an inexpensive, store bought frame (ikea ribba frames are a favorite of mine!), and have a mat custom cut to fit my art.


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no mat

one very simple solution is to place the art work directly on a piece of canson paper (available in the art section of any craft paper) or mat board. this works best when there is minimal contrast between the art and the background.


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trim to fit your frame

have a inexpensive poster or print that doesn't fit any frame? consider cutting it! the trimmed piece will seem transformed with its new shape that you will most likely just find more appealing that the original! (can you tell i have bison on the brain? the print in the background here is the same one is used in grady's bathroom.)


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floating your art between two pieces of glass helps the eye to focus on the art, and any uneven space between the art and the edge of the frame becomes less obvious. this is a budget friendly option, as it requires no mat or paper to mount the art on.

 
the MAIN thing that has been happening is dry wall!


besides the framing, nothing makes a bigger difference in a house under construction more than dry wall. this is when you can really get a sense of the size, shape and feel of each room.


here is a peek at a little special project in the master bedroom that i will be sharing more about later.


dry wall can be hung in cold weather, but in order to finish it, the house needs to have heat.
YES!
HEAT!
the heat was turned on in the house, which has completely changed the way the house feels...LITERALLY. it really feels like a HOUSE. we aren't all bundled up shivering as we walk though it. we can linger and talk and look out the windows, and really feel what it will be like to LIVE there. it's really exciting!


after the dry wall is hung, the corner bead is installed. then, a paper tape is laid over the seams and then mud is troweled on in thin sheets, and finally sanded smooth.
most new houses in the west have rounded corner bead, and textured ceilings, but we opted for square corner bead and smooth ceilings.

a look at the stairs over the last 10 days:

pre dry wall.

after the dry wall is up.


the last two weeks were also filled with meetings with the cabinet fabricator to layout the cabinet plans, trying to finalize carpet, selecting a color for the exterior of the house, a stain color for the front and back doors, and narrowing down choices for tile. it has been fun and exhausting!

this is an especially effective way to reduce noise between a home theater and the rest of the house, as well bedrooms that back up to living spaces, or a home office.

more excitement---- the sheet rock was stocked in the house, and the installers started hanging!
this week is going to exciting! the sheet rock will be going up, and the gas line will get installed
which means the house will have heat!

loved it. we also saw les miserables, and i loved it as well. but honestly, i am a total nerd about the lord of the rings, so i have to say i liked the hobbit more!

thanks for your patience! the selection process has been kicked into HIGH gear, and so i have a lot of posts coming up about what i am doing in the house!