Guest Blogger: Crystal from The Weekend Homemaker

Hi, I'm Crystal, from The Weekend Homemaker, and I am delighted to be a guest blogger today at House of Turquoise (somebody pinch me!) Erin asked me to share my new home office and I'm really excited to give you the low down on how I turned a rarely used (and poorly decorated) dining room into a space that me and my husband use every day.

We're a family of four living in a smidge less than 2,000 square foot home, meaning space is at a premium. I calculated that in the last two years, our dining room was used maybe three times. In the meantime, my husband and I were taking turns sharing a desk. Hmmm, what's not right about that picture? We finally decided to give up the notion that we were formal dining room kinda people and make use of a great space.

I got busy selling our old dining chairs, desk, desk chair and some bookcases to build up a new office fund. Then, scouring Craigslist, Ikea, Overstock.com, Walmart, and even my own house, I was able to create a great work space for both me and my husband for only an extra $105 out of pocket (in addition to the $740 we made selling our old stuff).

There are so many things I like about this space, I can't choose just one. The curtain fabric was the first thing I bought. I originally had something else in mind but saw this fabric on Young House Love (http://www.younghouselove.com/2011/06/my-babies/) and really loved it.

I was even more thrilled when my go-to paint guy chose Benjamin Moore's Palladian Blue as the perfect complement. I can't tell you how much I love this color. The Palladian Blue paired with the crisp white trim really sets the mood for the space and is a great backdrop for the stark white desks and chairs.

I couldn't be happier with how this room turned out and that it is no longer wasted space. And of course my husband loves that we were able to do it for less than $105 (+ the proceeds from the sale of our old stuff).

Visit my blog, The Weekend Homemaker, to read more about how this space came together and to see my plans for the adjoining 'formal' living room.

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Lesli DeVito

Lesli DeVito of the blog My Old Country House and I are totally on the same wavelength. We are all about the turquoise and pink. Turquoise or pink in the form of a fab chevron print?? We'll take it! Recently Lesli reupholstered her old sofa in the the prettiest aqua zig zag fabric (for less than $7.50 a yard!) I LOOOOVE the results...it totally makes the space! I was sure that was enough joy for one room, but then Lesli scored (among other things) that yummy pink Missoni pouf ottoman from Target. (I copied her and bought 0ne in aqua after she said how amazing it is in real life.) Don't you absolutely adore her pink cabinet too??? That's insta-smile material! You guys definitely need to head to Lesli's blog...it's filled with so much inspiration you'll be followers in no time. Oh and talk about happy, let me introduce you to Lesli's awesome paintings! Love!!

Love turquoise? Visit my shopping blog Everything Turquoise...updated several times throughout the day! Check out Decor by Color for even more color-themed shopping!

You have read this article Living Room / Readers' Rooms / Turquoise and Pink with the title Readers' Rooms. You can bookmark this page URL http://roomdesign-interior.blogspot.com/2011/10/lesli-devito.html. Thanks!

Happy 4th of July!

Just when I didn't think I could love it any more!! Remember the week-long Dream Home Tour we took a couple of weeks ago?? Since those photos were taken, my reader Cristi and her husband Jeff put up shutters painted the same fab color as the door and the garage, Benjamin Moore's Wythe Blue. Doesn't it look amazing?! Another round of applause to the builder Morgan Hatfield of Hatfield Homes and Cristi's photography at Hiya Papaya! If you missed the tour, check out all five days starting here.

I'm delighted to be a guest blogger today at two fantastic blogs! The one-and-only Tobi Fairley asked me to put together an "All-American Design" themed post for her, in turquoise of course! Then visit me over at the creative haven DIY by Design where I'm sharing a few of my favorite readers' rooms. Come and say hello!

To all of my readers in America, Happy 4th of July!! I hope you have a wonderful, safe holiday weekend! See you on Tuesday!

You have read this article Outdoors / Painted Door / Painted Shutters / Readers' Rooms / Turquoise and Gray / Wythe Blue with the title Readers' Rooms. You can bookmark this page URL http://roomdesign-interior.blogspot.com/2011/07/happy-4th-of-july.html. Thanks!

Cassie of Hi Sugarplum!

Youthful and Sophisticated...talk about a combo that is tough to pull off! Not if you're the DIY genius Cassie of Hi Sugarplum, who recently revealed one heck of a makeover on her blog. I absolutely adore this room, everything about it, and I'm sure her young daughter is overjoyed with her new "big girl" space. She has her own art center and little hidden nook in the closet. What child wouldn't love that?! The wall color (Waterscape by Sherwin Williams) is the perfect background for all the fun color and prints going on. The Parisian themed bedding (Nicole Miller's Fifi Collection) is pretty much the cutest thing ever! What I love most about this room though is that Cassie did a fantastic job chronicling all the DIY projects the room entailed. The fabulous drapes and monogrammed pelmet, the painted bed and highboy, the no-sew pillows, even faux crown molding, and lots of the accessories are all results of Cassie's hard work. You can see tons of photos and read all about each project on Hi Sugarplum!....so much inspiration I could burst!!

I really want to thank you guys sooooo much for the super-sweet comments you left about our wedding photos...it almost felt like our wedding day all over again!! All weekend long they kept rolling in and each one made me so happy!! You guys are the best! :)

You have read this article Kids' Room / Readers' Rooms / Turquoise and Red with the title Readers' Rooms. You can bookmark this page URL http://roomdesign-interior.blogspot.com/2011/06/cassie-of-hi-sugarplum.html. Thanks!

Day Four: Dream Home Tour

Did I say this tour was going to take a super fun turn or what?! You can tell Cristi and her designer Lindy Allen of Four Chairs Furniture had a blast decorating the adorable playroom upstairs. Cristi refers to it as the "keiki" room (keiki is how you say kids in Hawaiian) because it has a Hawaii feel to it (surf board shelves, sea turtles, surf pillows, etc). Some of you eagle-eye readers might even recognize the nursery. I actually featured the little guy's room from their old house last year here. Glad to see the gorgeous turquoise crib is still taking center stage!

And the nursery bathroom! Get this...the claw foot tub actually came from the farm Cristi grew up on. Her parents used it out in the pasture to put the salt licks for the cows in. Seriously! Now it's refinished, looks gorgeous, and she will be bathing her children in it! LOVE. IT. The beautiful tile here was all done by Greg's Tile Creations...the touch of yellow is so fun!

There's not a ton of turquoise floating around in it, but I just had to include Cristi's oasis: her office/craft room. The builder Hatfield Homes outdid themselves here! I can't even imagine what a treat it would work from this room, high above the trees with all that light flowing in and the soaring ceiling! Love that black and white wallpaper (Thibaut's Blossom from Natural Resource) mixed with all the fresh greens. The colorful curtain fabric and basket liners are all way too cute!!

But wait...there's more!!! We're moving on downstairs now...you guys have to see this basement. It's a lot different than the main floor, but oh-so-fun!

Cristi and Jeff's basement is ready for a par-tay! I swear I'd give up Diet Coke for that theater room! Jeff wanted the second row of seats to be higher than the first - so you can see the screen if you're sitting in the back. But he also wanted a "stage" that was moveable so if they're having a party down there, they can just move it out of the way. Brilliant! That turquoise pool table is pretty darn brilliant too. As is the retro kitchenette! Seriously, Cristi, do you want me to move in?! I'm such a die-hard fan of Elmira Stove Works...I don't get to see their turquoise appliances nearly enough! Sooo perfect here. They are an excellent fit with the cabinets done by Benjamin Blackwelder. So fun!!!

Phew, that was a lot of photos! Believe it or not, I still have a slew left for tomorrow. The master bedroom and bathroom are straight out of magazine, so be prepared for some major drool! Once again, a HUGE thank you to homeowner Cristi and Jessi Safsten of Hiya Papaya for all these amazing images! And Cristi, thank you for being so generous with all of your sources! We truly appreciate it!

Edit: Here is source info as requested!

• Paint color in the playroom (first room) is Benjamin Moore's Spirit in the Sky
• Paint color in the yellow nursery bathroom is also Benjamin Moore's Spirit in the Sky
• Paintings on the wall in pictures 1 and 3 came from Four Chairs Furniture
• Rug in the playroom came from Four Chairs Furniture
• Photograph in pool table room is from from claireyhairey.etsy.com
• Glass door knobs are from Emtek
• Orange bedding in playroom is from Pine Cone Hill
• Tree painting in playroom is from Oopsy Daisy
  
• If there are things that you don't find on the 4-chairs website, you can just click on their "contact us" link and ask Lindy directly about the specific item. She will either know where to get it or will order one for you. She's great!

Check out Day One, Day Two, and Day Three!


Love turquoise? Visit my shopping blog Everything Turquoise...updated several times throughout the day! Check out Decor by Color for even more color-themed shopping!

You have read this article Basement / bathroom / Kids' Room / kitchen / Readers' Rooms / Turquoise and Red / Turquoise and Yellow with the title Readers' Rooms. You can bookmark this page URL http://roomdesign-interior.blogspot.com/2011/06/day-four-dream-home-tour.html. Thanks!