chevron fever

This metal box was another thing I rescued from the trash pile at my office. I loved it immediately, but thought it could use a little something extra . . . maybe on the lid. I've been crushing on chevron patterns for a while and even though I made this chevron rug a few months ago, my fever for the zigzags hasn't abated. My design mind is fickle though, so even though I'm loving every zig and zag in sight right now, I realize that in a few months I might be digging something new, so I didn't want to do anything too permanent to this box. So, out came the contact paper again. I printed myself out a zigzag stripe to use as a template, and then used scissors to cut out enough zigzags to cover the lid. Then I just peeled the backing, stuck them on using my template as a spacing guide, and trimmed off the excess after folding each end under the lid. It's so sweet I may even take it home and use it in my kitchen for recipes.

inbox update

I'm getting a new desk in my office. I love my old desk, it's huge and has beautiful drawers and three pull-out (pocketed) work surfaces. Having worked at this desk for five years, I'll be sad to give it up, but really I'm just trading with a neighboring co-worker so I'll still get to see it around the office. The new desk is lower, more ergonomically proportioned for my height and best of all, was made in 1960. This switch is the little extra push that I've been needing to add some style to my work space that reflects my design preferences a little better. So I've been doing little projects, picking up little items at the thrift store that compliment this new desk, and making new things out of old ones to create a space that I'm delighted to walk into every day. I'm the type of girl that works more happily and productively in a neat, clean, well-designed space.


I updated this wooden inbox that was destined for the trash at my office building, (it was only slightly stained on the inside bottom.) Using a gray prismacolor marker, I free-handed a simple line pattern on a sheet of white contact paper that was slightly larger than the interior dimensions of the box. Once it was covered, I let it air dry for a few minutes so it wouldn't be smudgy, then peeled off the contact paper backing and starting in the middle of the box, stuck it down and smoothed it toward the edges. I used my x-acto knife to trim off the excess, then covered the outside in plain white contact paper, using the same method. Some of the nice detailing of the box, like the dovetailed corners, are hidden, but so are the stains and scratches and it looks a little fresher. I pulled this file holder out of the same trash pile, and it doesn't need a thing, it isn't scratched or dented at all. I've seen this file rack in a few offices in scenes from Mad Men too, which makes it feel extra special. Just needs a little dusting off.

chevron rug

that comes in several colors. But after seeing several DIY versions on pinterest, I decided I could probably do the same. So here's my painted chevron rug:
Painted chevron rugs? Yes, please! I've been wanting one for awhile, there's currently one at urban outfittersI opted for a more subtle zigzag, hoping it would lend itself to the calm feeling of our bedroom. I picked up this little gray-striped tray at IKEA a few weeks ago, and as soon as I plopped the rug down beside the bed, I noticed they are nearly the exact same shade of gray, sweet!

There are plenty of DIY instructions for this rug, (here, here, here, oh and here!) that have great how-to's so I won't write out detailed instructions, but here are a few during shots.

I used this IKEA rug and plain old masking tape instead of painters tape, just because it was what I already had. I also cut out a template to work from because I was intimidated by all the measuring that others mentioned. I just laid the template down and taped underneath it.

The gray paint was some that I had leftover from when I painted the office, it's Glidden's Woodsmoke. I love the color, though it dried much darker then I thought it would on the
fabric rug. I had planned to remove the tape immediately after painting each row, but it went so quickly that I ended up removing it after I had painted all the rows. It took me about 45 minutes to tape out all the zig-zags, and a little over half-an-hour to paint the stripes.

I let it dry for 1 hour before moving it to the bedroom - the paint did not bleed through the rug like I thought it might so I wasn't worried any smidges of paint getting on the floors and I let it dry overnight before walking on it.
Seeing it underneath my feet when I hop out of bed has been making me smile everytime!