5 Inexpensive Ideas to Refresh Your Home & Life

Advice, Design, Design with plants, Furniture, Garden, Gardening, Interior Design, Painting, projects, Walls

I do not think I am alone when I say we all need a little refresh right now. I am low on event and floral design projects due to COVID-19, which means money is not flowing in, and I am home all the time. I have spent most of my time off in the garden. I have created five new gardens beds in my backyard. I used all seeds and split plants from my front yard and transplanted then to the back. My husband is a banker and loves that I have become thrifty…I will not tell him it is temporary. Today I am focusing on my interior for the first time in months. I needed a little refresh, and I thought I would share my inexpensive ideas. I hope you enjoy them!

Flowers always make my home look clean and cared for. I will go out to the garden after I clean my house and bring in some flowers!

Fresh paint is an incredible way to bring new life to your space. It will cost you $40+ a gallon, but it gives you a big bang for your buck!

I love container gardening; you can do this anywhere if you have a window you can have a garden. I love getting my hands dirty and watching seeds, seedlings, or plants thrive. You can spend just a few dollars to get huge rewards.

Flea Markets are great places to go right now, grab your mask and hand sanitizer, and get out hunting for that statement piece you have been longing to find.

This suggestion is my husband’s favorite because it costs nothing. Rearrange your rooms, try something new, bring a piece of furniture from one space into another. I am moving a chair from my guestroom down to my family room, and moving a sofa from one area to another…moving things motivates me to clean and declutter, and it refreshes the space.

Which of these ideas inspires you to create beauty? What could you do to refresh your home?

I would love to hear from you, please let me know by commenting or liking my post.

Thank you for stopping by as always I appreciate you visiting my site!

Best,

Celia

Come to Lisbon on our spring tour!

Design, Painting, Photography, Portugal, Shopping, Travel

Are you interested in a spring tour to Lisbon Portugal? Amazing place let us know! Great food, design and people!

Celia

Paint Color Trends 2017

Design, Interior design trends, Paint Trends, Painting

Saturated colors are back and trending in 2017.

We have been living in a neutral world for the last 8-10 years, but the tide has turned and bold colors all the rage. Although I still prefer a neutral pallet, I think this could be effective if used sparingly and with a bright white trim. I wonder if this shift reflects the design worlds reaction the 2016 election?

Here are some of my favorite bold colors.

Ralph Lauren Amalfi Blue

Benjamin Moore-Ebony King

Farrow and Ball-Drawing Room Blue

Ben Moore- Charlotte Slate

Clark and Kensington -Black Chiffon

Lastly…

Benjamin Moore-Color of the year-Shadow

Would you dare to use a bold color in your home? I am going to give it a try..stay tuned.

Thank you for stopping by.

Best,

Celia

Fifty Shades of Grey…My Top Ten Favorites

Dining Room, flooring, Interior Design, Lighting, Painting, urns

Here are my top ten favorite shades of grey!

1. Silver- lights. celiabedilia.com

2. Paints…Benjamin Moore has wonderful greys. This is from bhg.com

3. Love these floors. lizmarieblog.com

4. These grey kitchen cabinets are a fabulous. celiabedilia.com (photo Liz Donnelly)

5. Wonderful wing chairs in a soft grey. aplaceformyhome.com

6. Stainless steel tiles are a lovely. lizmarieblog.com

7. Weathered grey and smoke glass add gray to this space. bloglovin.com

8. These charcoal windows are striking. pinterest.com

9. These urns are a lovely shade of grey. celiabedilia.com (photo Liz Donnelly)

10. This rug is a very soft grey. dashandalbert.com

Although I think there are well over fifty shades of beautiful greys, the ones above are some of my favorites.

Do you have any favorites? One of my best friends hates grey, and can’t wait for it to stop being trendy…I think she will be waiting a long time!

Hope you are well. We have a ton of snow here in Maine…winter is very grey here! Hope you like this post let me know by liking or commenting. Stay warm!!!!

Best,

Celia

These are a few of my favorite Master Bedrooms

Bedroom, Decorating, Design, Family, Interior Design, Lighting, Master Bedroom, Painting, Photography

I am currently working on a Master Bedroom for a client. I have been caring for a relative who was critically ill, all my clients have been wonderful and understanding. This client has been waiting for ideas for a long time!

We need…

New king bed
Paint for the walls
New bedding
Window treatments
Bedside tables
Large Rug
Maybe an upholstered chair if there is room
Lamps

Here are the bedrooms I am getting my inspiration from…

http://www.celiabedila.com

I love this room! The view is amazing, and so is the fun rug and soothing colors and textures.

http://www.postcardfromparis.com

I like the idea of doing a nickel-gap board (wood) focal wall behind the bed…I do not know if my clients will go for it.

http://www.marycook.com

I also like this idea of using trim to create panels behind the bed.

http://www.houseoflinteriors.com

We could use a bold/strong wall color in the room if we used neutrals everywhere else, like they have in this room.

http://www.margaretdonaldsoninteriors.com

I love the trim in this room but, it was the rug that I thought might appeal to my clients!

http://www.amystudebakerdesign.com

This room is very appealing to me. The floral screens, the oversized bedside tables, and the crisp window treatments, work together to form a beautiful and restful space.

http://www.jglassandassociates.com

This is just a classic straight forward clean bedroom design!

http://www.lindaburkhardt.com

I think the black accents are interesting in this space, they really pop.

What does your dream bedroom look like? I love a spa-like feel, a place where I can get away from it all. My bedroom is my go to place to relax.

I hope you like these bedrooms, let me know your thoughts by commenting and liking the post. If you are not following my blog…please do so by clicking the follow button.

Thank you for stopping by,

Best, Celia

My Paint Pallette for Fall 2013

Decorating, Design, Interior Design, Painting, Photography, projects

Celia Bedilia Designs

Paint Picks for Fall 2013

These are the colors I am drawn to this fall! Hope you like them.

What are your favorite colors this fall? Do you have any rooms to paint?

Let me know your thoughts on this post, by liking it, or commenting. Also as always, if you have not already signed up to follow this blog, please do so by clicking the follow button.

Thank you for stopping by~

Best, Celia

The Making of a Master Bedroom

Art, Bedroom, Decorating, Design, Interior Design, Master Bedroom, Painting, Photography

Master Bedroom Musts

Photos: Liz Donnelly

Soft seating: I think every bedroom needs a comfortable place to sit. As you can see black lab Coco Chanel likes the chair and ottoman in this bedroom.
A fantastic bed frame and mattress, mattresses last 25 years so buy a good one.
Desk: I like having a desk in the bedroom, here we have a small writing desk that we painted glossy white. Above the desk we have a book shelf made of books, a vision board, and some photos.
TV: yes I know we are supposed to keep them out of the bedroom but, let’s be honest it is nice to relax in bed and watch TV.
Fireplace: a fireplace is not a must but it is nice to have, especially during Maine winters.
Art: please do not forget to dress your walls. You do not have to spend a lot of money. Go to art shows or galleries and start collecting.
Windows-you do not need big heavy drapes, these linen curtain panels are inexpensive but effective.
Paint is very important to a well designed bedroom. I like soothing colors in a bedroom, this does not mean pastels they can be saturated colors but they need to make you feel calm.
I also like to have fresh flowers in a bedroom, in fact I might need to go to the florist today!
Bedside tables-bedside tables with storage for books, and all the other stuff you want close by but do not want to see.

Where we shopped for these items…

Bed –https://celiabedilia.com/shop-celia-bedilia-designs/
Chair and ottoman http://www.potterybarn.com/products/buchanan-swivel-armchair/?cm_src=AutoSchRel
Desk–http://www.officemax.com/office-furniture/desks-laptop-stands/product-prod3800837?cm_mmc=CJ-_-TheFind.com-_-OfficeMax+Product+Catalog-_-1609763&affcode=CJ&CA_6C15C=520011670000304966
Linen Desk Chair–http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Safavieh-Marseille-Beige-Linen-Nailhead-Dining-Chairs-Set-of-2/6625035/product.html?cid=202290&kid=9553000357392&track=pspla&kw={keyword}&adtype=pla
Book shelf made of books–http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HB0P8cJUdXo
Art–http://www.bridgegalleryportland.com/Rhonda%20Gary.html
Paint: Benjamin Moore – Quiet Moments http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/quietmoments
Curtain Panels–http://www.restorationhardware.com/catalog/product/product.jsp?productId=prod190091
Quilt-Home Remedies – http://www.mainefabrics.com/
Decorative Glass Jars-Dwellings, Falmouth, ME 207-781-3711
Bedside tables http://www.restorationhardware.com/catalog/category/products.jsp?link=StJames&categoryId=cat2320024

Well, I hope you liked seeing what went into this master bedroom. If you are considering a master makeover feel free to ask me questions!

Let me know what you think, I love your comments and likes. Thank you for stopping by, if you are not already following my blog please click the follow button and sign up.

Enjoy Fall…winter is coming.

Best, Celia

Budgeting for a small bathroom

Bathroom, BEFORE AND AFTER, DEALS, Decorating, Design, Interior Design, Lighting, Painting, Photography, projects, Remodel, Shopping

Over spending is easy, even in small spaces. In this kids bathroom, we had a budget of $8k. We did not go to fancy tile stores, or buy pricey plumbing fixtures, and we still went way over budget.

We purchased our tile, tub, sinks and faucets from Lowes. We used Celia Bedilia vanities and terrazzo vanity tops. We thought we were doing a great job sticking to our budget $4,775.95, for all those items. But then came the labor, and all other building materials…before long we were over budget!

www.celiabedilia.com photo: Liz Donnelly — http://www.celiabedilia.com
photo: Liz Donnelly

The details that make this bathroom crisp and clean, but did not blow the budget: Bead-board, sea-glass tile shower-box inserts, glass subway tile trim, wood plank floor tile, and all the white accents.

KIDS BATH4 — http://www.celiabedilia.com
Photo: Liz Donnelly

I have done many bathrooms, but I still amazed at the cost of doing a renovation. I have included the actual numbers for this bathroom below.

I hope that this will help those of you who are contemplating renovations, understand where your money will go!

Budget $8k – Actual Cost $13,065.95

Labor (tile, framing, demo etc.) $2,800.00
Plumbing (whirlpool tub, 2 vanities, toilet) $1,300.00
Electric (rewire switches, new sconces and whirlpool tub) $900.00
Painting – (bead-board, trim, doors and walls) $1,730.00
Sheet Rocking $360.00
Building supplies (doors, dura-rock, etc) $1,200.00
Countertop Fabrication $500.00
Tile (floor –wood look tile, subway tile, and glass tile)$1,000.00
Whirlpool tub & Drain $870.95
(2) Sinks $65 $130.00
Faucets (2 vanities, and shower-tub) $375.00
Toilet $200.00
(2) Vanities $600/each $1,200.00
(2) Terrazzo Counters $250/each $ 500.00

I hope you have enjoyed this post. Are you planning any renovations? Let’s us help you!

Thank you for reading our blog, without you we are nothing! If you like this post, let us know by liking the post, if you have any comments or questions…ask us! As always, if you are not already following our blog, join our family by clicking the follow button!

Enjoy your weekend, I am off to Washington, DC to see two new projects…you will hear about them soon!

Best, Celia

Making the Most of Small Bathroom Spaces (celiabedilia.com)
Achieving a new bathroom look on the cheap (savingmoneynow.com)
5 Tips To Help You Renovate Your Bathroom (daydaily.com)

Blogs I Love and Why…

BLOGS, Coastal Maine, Decorating, Design, Entertaining, Family, Floral, Flowers, Interior Design, Organizing, Painting, Photography, projects, Shopping, Vintage

Celia Bedilia’s list of blogs I love and why!

During the month of March, I am taking an online class on blogging from Decor8 called Blogging Your Way (BYW). I did not know much about the e-course before signing up for it. I have really enjoyed it, and I highly recommend it to anyone who is trying to take their blog to the next level. It is chalk full of very helpful content.

This week we were asked to make a list of 10 blogs we love, and explain why we loved them.

I thought I would share my list with you!

1.Apartment Therapy | Saving the world, one room at a time

www.apartmenttherapy.com

I like this blog because it is full of inventive & obtainable ideas. They are blogging about real people and affordable solutions. They really involve the reader in their blog, and as a reader this makes you feel like you are a part of something. I love their mission statement and have included it below.

MISSION: Helping people make their homes more beautiful, organized and healthy by connecting them to a wealth of resources, ideas and community online.

2. Real Simple- Life Made Easier http://simplystated.realsimple.com

Life Made Easier- (great motto)

I love this blog! It is informative, easy to follow and not fussy. I find the categories interesting too (see below).

Main Categories

3. The Good Old Dayz – www.thegoodolddayz.wordpress.com

This is a French blog, I love the photos and the vintage vibe. I think the entire site is very well put together from the logo to the fonts, it all reads as vintage, and that is their message!

4. North Leads to Home http://northleadstohome.com/ (BYW)

I think Kiki (the blogger behind NLTH) brings a youthful exuberance to her blog. I have been in the design field in one facet or another for 20+ years, and I love her fresh take on design. I think her entire blog is set-up to show her personal style with the polka dots background to her photo (above).

5. The London Flower Lover http://thelondonflowerlover.wordpress.com/

The team at The London Flower Lover blog has a pasion for flowers. They have lovely pictures which they have added their email address to. After this weeks class, I have learned to put my website on my photos. They also use video and flash on their site without making if feel too professional…it still has a real feel to it.

6. Chronicle Books Blog http://www.chroniclebooks.com/blog

They have tons of categories so there is something for everyone. It is a very clean and simple site, I think that is important when you are selling goods. I like the fact that they have chronicle books employees write posts about their jobs (My sister is Design Director and wrote the post below). I been reading this blog for a long time and I am amazed at the quality of books they publish.

http://www.chroniclebooks.com/blog/2009/05/15/liz-anna%e2%80%99s-catalog-press-check/

7. Making it Lovely http://makingitlovely.com/

Nicole Balch the voice behind Making it Lovely is so hip and in-tuned to design.
She has a marvelous and casual tone throughout her blog.
The set-up of the blog brings you in and makes you want to read more, I even like the advertisers.

8. The Lettered Cottage http://theletteredcottage.net/

They have a great feature called “Pick My Presto” where people send in their design dilemmas and then Kevin & Layla (the brains behind the blog) virtually redesigns the rooms for them. Very clever (see an example above)
They also have a feature “Guest My Nest” where they travel and redesign cottages. It is very sweet and fun to read.
If you like shabby chic-cottage style you will like this blog.

9. Heather B Design http://www.heatherbdesign.com/blog/ (BYW)

FABULOUS BLOG, fellow Mainer, Heather Boissonneau is a very talented blogger.
I love the crisp feel to the blog, it is very visually pleasing. I am sure that people pin her posts all the time!
I think her content is interesting as well as very well displayed.
It is very clear to the reader who she is, and what she brings to the blogosphere.

10. Lolalina: http://www.lolalina.com/ (BYW)

Laure Gaskill is the genius behind this blog.
I love the way she has a lot going on and yet the site does not seem busy.Maybe this is because the linen background is very soothing.
I enjoy her writing style you feel like you know her after reading her posts.
I want to read more…isn’t that enough?

Although I thought I was done with homework (forever) I have found the assignments in the BYW e-course from Decor8 to be a very important component of the class.

I hope you have enjoyed this post. Let us know by liking it!

What blogs do you love? What makes them appealing to you? Share them with me and my readers and feel free to tell me about your blog and why you love writing it!

Thank you as always for supporting Celia Bedilia. If you are not a part of the Celia Bedilia Family…add your email address to our FOLLOW BLOG VIA EMAIL box and join the family.

Best, Celia

A well designed room comes from layering; colors, textures and patterns

Art, Decorating, Design, Family, Interior Design, Painting, Photography, projects, Remodel, Shopping, Vintage

Continue reading “A well designed room comes from layering; colors, textures and patterns” →

Designing a Room Entirely From Etsy

Art, DEALS, Decorating, Design, Interior Design, Painting, Photography, projects, Shopping, Vintage

I adore this chair from: The Weathered Cottage $475

The Painted Cottage $1,300 — http://www.celiabedilia.com

The Painted Cottage has this fabulous sofa for $1,300

Apple Cat Designs $50 — http://www.celiabedilia.com

Apple Cat Designs has this sweet little ottoman for $50

B Squared Inc $542
http://www.celiabedilia.com

B Squared Inc has this fantastic wine bottle sconce $542

Vertical Flora $55 — http://www.celiabedilia.com

Cool wall planter full of succulents $55 from Vertical Flora

Great pallet coffee table from: The Pallet Place $100

Snap Shot Vintage $210 — http://www.celiabedilia.com

Reclaimed wood is what makes this Snap Shot Vintage side table $210

I love these pillows from Mica Blue $38

Retro-cool lamp from Retro Bender $275

Curtain Panels with great graphics from Sew Modish $125/panel

Cool house sculptures from Shop $45 — http://www.celiabedilia.com

Wow it is art that glows! House sculptures from Shop are well worth the $45

J Shears- wonderful art! $900
http://www.celiabedilia.com

I decided I would try a little experiment, and decorate an entire room with items from Etsy.

It was such fun! I love all the things I picked out. The room is going to be beautiful. Gray and yellow are two colors trending in design, and it was not hard to find them on Etsy.

A room decorated from these vintage and handmade items, is so much more interesting, than buying the same items from a chain store. If you buy everything from Pottery Barn, your home looks like Pottery Barn. If you go to Etsy, you look like a seasoned collector.

I hope you enjoyed this post! Let us know by liking the post, or commenting.

If you are not yet following our blog…sign up!

Thank you for your support.

Stay tuned to our next post: Light Up Your Home and Life.

Best, Celia

Making the Most of Small Bathroom Spaces

Bathroom, Decorating, Design, Interior Design, Painting, Photography, Remodel

My tips for making the most of a small bathroom space.

Claim as much space as possible. I took half of a linen closet from my hall to make more space in my kid’s bathroom.
You can also add recessed storage or tall cabinets to make a space feel bigger.

Recessed storage is a must for small spaces.www.lowes.com — Recessed storage is a must for small spaces.
http://www.lowes.com
http://www.celiabedilia.com

This Old House shows how to make the most of a small bathroom with tall storage cabinets.
http://www.celiabedilia.com

Use a monochromatic theme. I like using neutrals, this does not have to be boring. Sea-glass colors are in style and very neutral, but not boring.
I love these Evit bubble glass tiles. They could be used as the back of recessed boxes in the shower; it just requires a little tile so you can use expensive tiles!

http://www.evit.com
http://www.celiabedilia.com

White bathrooms are clean and fresh. This one is from Fresh Home.
http://www.celiabedilia.com

Keep it simple. In small spaces you need to keep your design simple.
I have lots of clients who have been planning a bath renovation for years. Once they show me their dream wish list…I take those ideas and come up with a cohesive look. I usually simplify too.

This bathroom creatively uses an old cabinet and bright tile, but the fixtures are all white!. Great design from Fresh Home!!! — This bathroom creatively uses an old cabinet as the vanity and bright tile, but the fixtures are all white!. Great design from Fresh Home!!!
http://www.celiabedilia.com

Small bath with bold wall color...note everything else is white. — Small bath with bold wall color…note everything else is white.
http://www.celiabedilia.com

Take out hinged doors and replace them with pocket or barn doors. This will open up any space.

: Barn doors are great for bathrooms.
http://www.contentinacottage.blogspot.com
http://www.celiabedilia.com

Proper lighting will make your space feel bright and bigger.

Amazing Dogwood Sconce $1,600
http://www.celiabedilia.com

This would be cool in a powder room. Fioella Wall Sconce — This would be cool in a powder room.
Fioella Wall Sconce
http://www.celiabedilia.com

Use one large mirror rather than two smaller ones over a double vanity.
Consider mirror on the entire wall vanity wall.

One Mirror...two sinks.www.housebeautiful.com — One Mirror…two sinks.
http://www.housebeautiful.com
http://www.celiabedilia.com

One mirror makes this space look huge! www.houzz.com — One mirror makes this space look huge!
http://www.houzz.com
http://www.celiabedilia.com

Wall mounting major fixtures also adds visual space.
In Asia where space is a hot commodity, they hang the toilets and sinks. (It does not have to look institutional; if you use modern fixtures it will look great.)
You might also consider installing wall faucets rather than having them take space on the vanity.

http://www.fastcodesign.com
http://www.celiabedilia.com

I love this Bathroom designed by Mary Lou Kalmus — I love this Bathroom designed
by Mary Lou Kalmus
http://www.celiabedilia.com

Natural light is also important to small spaces.
Leave existing windows, or change the size but keep the light.
Use Mirrors to reflect the natural light.
If you can add skylights, do it!

Great window for a small space.www.gatheredhouse.com — Great window for a small space.
http://www.gatheredhouse.com
http://www.celiabedilia.com

Natural Light is the best kind. www.pinterest.com — Natural Light is the best kind.
http://www.pinterest.com
http://www.celiabedilia.com

House Beautiful...mirrored vanities chic and reflective. — House Beautiful…mirrored vanities chic and reflective.
http://www.celiabedilia.com

Hope you enjoyed this post, if you liked it please let us know by liking it!

Please let me know your thoughts by commenting, or asking questions about your design dilemmas.

If you are not part of the Celia Bedilia family sign up to follow our blog…and never miss a post.

Best, Celia

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Celia Bedilia Designs

Paint Picks for Fall 2013

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