Wall Mount Task Lamp || 2018 Flip List Item No.6

I did it again.  I took apart three light fixtures just to Frankenstein one.  This would be the fourth lamp I've built or rehabbed which means I may have a problem.

DIY Brass Chandelier

Geometric Lamp Copycat

Little Orphan Lampie

It started (like it always does) with a handful of parts that piqued my interest at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore. I wanted to replace the angular brass shade with the matte black one but couldn’t figure out to attach it so that it could adjust in any direction I needed.  So I brought the parts home to my workshop and added build a wall-mounted task tamp to my Furniture Flip Bucket List. 

But then I found this interesting lunar landing light fixture with four articulating brass shades.  

So I promptly harvested one to complete my fully adjustable assembly:

My new lamp swivels

The shade articulates

And the brass pole can go up or down while staying mounted to the wood block on the wall.

Oh yes and I have a new dresser to share too ;)  

When I shared the original dresser on my Instagram stories, I had asked you about color for this piece.

Admittedly, some of you baulked when I whispered I may be thinking orange for this one.  But I stuck with my vision and found the perfect mid-century inspired orangey-red for this one.

Even though I painted the entire body, I kept the tapered legs in the original finish.

I kept the original brass hardware too.

The extra warm tone to this piece made it especially fun to style with a pop of turquoise and some delicious terracotta.

I'm liking this color so much that I'm not listing it to sell in the warehouse just yet.  But in the meantime, at least I can cross off another flip list item.

Five down, Two to go.  Catch up on the 2018 Furniture Flip Bucket List:

Reader Design: Hannah's Stunning Home Reno

If there was a home that personified that term "a picture is worth a thousand words," it's Hannah's. This total renovation project in Dallas, Texas isn't the first one for Hannah and her husband Chayce, who recently started a renovation business called Blank Slate Renovations. They got their start early - in fact, Chayce flipped his first home when he was a senior in high school! Life took them from Texas to England and back again, and in the process of moving around, they had a sort of awakening:

“More and more, we’re becoming convinced that we were all made with special talents and unique gifts. True joy and lasting fulfillment aren’t far behind when you couple these with your profession—I think some of the best products come from these individuals. It’s almost like you become the truest and most natural version of yourself, and the products you create are just an extensions of who you are. Our goal for Blank Slate Reno is that we wouldn’t even be able to call it work, but that it would be more like play.”

The home was completely opened up and updated with mid-century and Scandinavian elements, plenty of interesting architectural elements, and some bright colors to keep things interesting. 

“For this particular project, my favorite piece in the entire house was an original midcentury fireplace (that we bought from our friend Craig off his List…;) that we placed in the living room and paired with a fun pink cement tile. We also experimented with a few new elements such as wallpapering, and wall panelling that turned out fab!”

The experimentation has certainly paid off, even if it took some time.

“Five years ago, I didn’t really have a specific aesthetic style, and when we first got married...I’m too embarrassed to even talk about it. Over the past four years of being more thoughtful and intentional about my look, the more my style has developed and evolved into what it is today. At the moment, Scandinavian minimalism particularly intrigues me. I love how blending neutral palettes, organic materials, natural lighting and live plants blurs the lines between the outdoors and indoors.”

But even as styles and tastes change, the goal remains the same, whether you're designing for yourself or for a client:

“My goal for most spaces is to create something simple and beautiful, while at the same time maintaining functionality and relaxation. Natural lighting, green plants and cozy nooks are key!”

Hannah, we can't wait to see where you take Blank Slate Renos next; and thank you for letting us in to your home! 

Follow Hannah along on Instagram at @blankslatereno.

Reader Design: Oksana's Charming Home

A home is nothing if not a place of love, and love is clear in Oksana's home in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The family home, which Oksana shares with her husband and their baby girl, is full of European charm in the middle of the South.

Oksana fell in love with interior design in July of 2015, when she and her husband bought a 1930 bungalow that was previously abandoned for 20 years. Since then, the couple has worked to bring the house back to life, tackling DIY projects like nobody's business and documenting the fun renovation adventures on their blog, Foxy Oxie. 

From Oksana:

“I wouldn’t say I have a particular style, but I am drawn to an aesthetic of clean lines and geometric elements juxtaposed against more traditional silhouettes. The key, for me, is balance. I want our home to feel sophisticated but also real and honest and truly reflective of our everyday life, especially now that we have a young daughter and another little one on the way. I find that playing up opposing styles – feminine and masculine, soft and edgy, modern and traditional – is a great way to showcase personality in design.

I am a compulsive redecorator by nature, and my style is ever-evolving. But I always, always gravitate towards a neutral color palette with lots of texture. Every now and then I’ll add in a pop of color – the latest being a moody teal – but it never lasts.

More important to me than a specific style, however, is the overall feel of our home – and that’s something that is based on individual design intuition and varies greatly from person to person. ”

“You’ll find a lot of European design influence in our home – from our Italian cantilever dining chairs to the French-inspired dining table to our Chesterfield-style sofa. ”

“I know first-hand the transformation nature of a well-designed room. Our surroundings have the power to instantly lift our spirits, increase productivity and improve our quality of life. Beyond the aesthetics, I strive to make our home feel relaxed – and a big part of that is maintaining a clutter-free environment. You have to give rooms breathing space. For example, I am one of those rare individuals whose countertops are (almost) always empty. Decluttering sprees are a regular occurrence in our home. And as much as I love arranging pretty vignettes, I am not a fan of displaying decorative tchotchkes for the sake of filling a space. ”

Instead of knick-knacks, Oksana gravitates toward more permanent fixtures.

“I am very particular about our light fixtures and am always willing to splurge for just the right one. Lighting is truly the jewelry of a room, and just like a well-designed piece of jewelry can instantly elevate a rather simple outfit, light fixtures have the same effect on a room. ”

Every room is full of love, yet simple; graphic and bold, but timeless. Perhaps it's the combination of Oksana's career as a graphic designer and her family life as a wife and mother that brings balance to bear. Regardless of the reason, it sure has created a beautiful home!

Oksana, thank you for the tour today! 

Follow Oksana and her family along on Instagram at @foxyoxie.