5.19.2008
elevating the mundane
My sister once gave me a decorating book entitled Creating a Beautiful Home by Alexandra Stoddard. It's perhaps a bit outdated now, but at the time, one of the principles of the book that I retained, was to take the least attractive corner of your home, and make it into your favorite spot. In other words, elevate the mundane.
This reminded my of one of Lynne's old homes. It was on the second story of a little old house in Connecticut. The house was plain and modest. It did not have granite countertops or ecological bamboo cupboards, or eleven-foot-high ceilings. It was very simple. But to this day, that home remains one of my favorite places. It changed my perception of what is beautiful in a home and of what I desired to have. Small can by cozy, not suffocating. Handmade curtains, hand-drawn sketches and anything that imbues a space with the charm and personality of its owners is best.
Lynne's kitchen was my favorite corner. It was a bit of a closet, measuring about 6' by 4', making a "u" shape with the kitchen sink set in the center of the "u" and a little window framed above, overlooking a pretty flowering tree in the backyard. The walls on each side of the galley were lined with open shelves on top, and cupboards on bottom. It seems that one was missing a door, over which Lynne had simply mounted a cheerful curtain on a rod. She had dishes, spices, cooking utensils seated on the shelves, along with a few tiny framed photos of her and her beau, their son, and other family and friends. As the kitchen was tiny, you could easily reach anything on nearly any shelf or cupboard without moving your feet from your spot in front of the sink. I loved to stand in front of that sink and look out the window and wash the dishes by hand. I felt so cozy and comfortable and old-fashioned.
So here's my attempt to elevate a simple little corner of my house. I scanned a pretty fabric into the computer and doctored it on Photoshop. I then printed the pattern on regular sized paper and glued the sheets together. After this, I laminated them and glued them on the stairs with Modgepodge. If you look closely when walking up these stairs, you might see a few familiar faces hidden amidst the damask. A simple way to bring a smile, as I walk up and down these stairs, one hundred times a day.
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155 comments:
Oh, I love it!!
What a great idea, executed beautifully!
Oh, my heavens!! That is awesome!
And what a great design principle. I'll have to try that make-your-least-favorite-spot-into-your-favorite thing. The wheels are turning already...
I really love this! The pictures of family hidden in are great. I have many of these "spots" in my home, this has given my a few ideas already. Thanks!
That's a great idea! I love the little faces, too.
LOVE IT!! This turned out soo beautiful. I love the picture of the girls on the bottom step. Your entire house is charming!!
ps when did you have time to do this with your big trip to France??
melissa!!! this is the BEST idea!!!! i totally want to try this. and i love the grammy and grandpas hidden in the designs. so, so charming.
sigh, i miss that little connecticut flat, with it's flaky lead paint but oh so pretty floors and nooks. that made my day to read your remembrance of it! xx
What a lovely idea, and such a wonderful staircase!
Delightful!
I love that idea. So clever!
What a fun idea!
This is the best idea I've seen lately! So cute and pretty and fun! Now if I only had some stairs in my house! How about open shelves...that might work.
Thank you for a cherry of an idea!
Becky
Absolutely Brilliant! I love it.
That looks truly wonderful! Great job! Making a mental note for the day i live in a home with stairs..
what a very clever idea. -kb
I think that idea is just gorgeous!
So lovely!
This is great! I love it! The pictures are like a little suprise. Now if only I had stairs so I could copy you!
Now that's thinking! What a great principle to elevate the mundane. That inspired me.
oh that's so completely awesome + pretty + witty. you have my wheels turning with other spots i can stick all of that wallpaper i just purchased.
Yes. Inspiring.
This looks AMAZING!! It makes me want to rip the carpet off our staircase (before my husband gets home). What a mission. Maybe I should start on the other less desirable corners of my home first.
This is so brave and it looks awesome! Reminds me of our first home(a narrow Baltimore rowhouse) that had a little rose painted on the center of each stair riser.
Such a charming idea! I love how intimate it makes one's home :)
wow, amazing! i was just looking at the inside of my kitchen cupboards this morning, trying to figure out how to help them, since i look at them so often...
Love it! I wish I had stairs to do this with!
That is a wonderful idea! It would have been fantastic enough just to have the paper on the stairs but that you printed the paper yourself and then added the personal photos -- beautiful! Thanks for sharing.
This is so fantastic! I love that you did it all from scratch.
Your stairs are so original and pretty! I love this idea! Thank you for sharing.
~Emily in Norway
I've seen wallpaper on steps before but not hiding photos in it!! I have always loved Alexandra Stoddard's books also. She decorates to make herself happy! What better motivation?! I think your steps would make me smile every day too!
Excellent idea! What I might enjoy most about this post, though, is the description of that little house. Makes me miss my own little houses of the past. They really ARE cozy, and for living I much prefer them over the large, open spaces houses are built with these days.
i love this
Very clever idea. I love the little pictures that are hidden.
That is so clever. and very cool.
Oh Melissa! This is my favorite thing you've done. I absolutely love it!
I love your description of Lynn's old house...it sound's like my dream house! Cozy, comfortable, lived-in and loved, not big but not too small.
I'd like to look for the book you mentioned. One book that has inspired me is Sarah Susanka's The Not So Big House. I love her philosophy on home-building and home-making! Because I want a home, not a museum or a trophy-house.
Oh! And I love your idea with the stairs!! That's going in my idea book for my dream house, to be sure!
This is such a wonderful idea - I adore the little faces in the damask. And with your vivid description of Lynn's old house, I almost don't miss seeing pictures of it! We're still trying to create the home that we dream of, but it takes a lot of trying different things, before you find out what works for you. We have many years to go. So thanks for the inspiration! :)
That is awesome. It looks great. And the hidden photos--such a creative idea!
Oh my goodness!
You are world-wide celebrities!
Congratulations on all the pub.
I heart this idea.
I have been wondering what to do with my stair risers.
They have left-over carpet adhesive gunked all over them.
This would be the perfect solution.
Thank you both for all of the fantastic inspirations!
love the idea very much, it looks great. and the little people on the stairs.. ( very Lynch to me..Mullholland drive..)
this idea is wonderful
and the addition of the faces so fun!
thanks for sharing
What an absolutely lovely idea! Elevating the mundane... what a great phrase!
I don't have stairs in my house, but I wish I did! What a fabulous idea! I just found this blog from sew mama sew and am really enjoying it : )
i love that! i wish i didn't have carpet on my stairs so i could do something like this.
love your blog!
I can't wait to see these in person! You are the most amazingly creative person I know. Not to mention prolific! That creation would probably have taken me a month! I love that every time I see your home it is transformed and even more beautiful! Thanks for all the inspiration!
This is so fantastic.
And I agree with you, a great house doesn't have to be expensive, grand, or fancy. Our tiny little 1000 sq.ft. nest is so cozy, so charming, I wouldn't trade it for the world. But the stairs could use some "spiffying". Thanks for the great idea!
OMG i love this!!!!!!!
oh this is sooooo beautiful and fun and creative...
I wonder if I could convince my husband..
fantastic idea! i don't have stairs, but i might 'hide' some photos in the cupboards - peeking out behind the mugs and bowls! i am new to your blog - the dresses are gorgeous - thank you for sharing ...
Simply beautiful!
I'm currently struggling with a small house. I mean, I've seen in and lived in smaller, but still - ever ungrateful this seems cramped.
This post echoes so much of where I'm at right now; appreciating the home and not the house and you are so right. With effort even the mundane can be elevated and loved. Love the stairs. Totally blew me away.
I'm having a "Home Appreciation Day" on Monday by sheer co-incidence - wanna play??
wow.. lynne (and melissa).. reunited just in time to see how totally awesome you've been for the last so many years!
Qué idea más divertida e ingeniosa!!! me ha gsutado tanto que te he posteado en mi blog http://x4durosdesing.blogspot.com/2008/06/una-pizca-de-humor-para-las-escaleras.html
Thanks for the idea
regards from Madrid.
I absolutely love this!!! It is so creative!! Looks geat!!
Wow.. I looked at it again!! I can't believe that is printed on regular paper and not wallpaper!! Great job!!
I WANT to do this! I have a staircase with white risers. They are forever getting scuffed from shoes. My question is: Will modgepodge allow for removal of the paper in the future?
Thanks!
the stairs are lovely, but I'm taken by the painting. Who is it by?
This is so neat! I have never seen anyone do this with paper before, and I have just stuck paper on my kitchen walls, and then I see this post! Beautiful!
This is just so inventive, but also so well-executed! And the wheels in my head are also turning - what is my least favourite spot and how do I beautify it?
Hey there! I came over your beautiful blog while doing some research for my next article and was really fascinated by the idea about the stairs. I would really like to make a small article on the norwegian home and interiorsite www.hjem.no and link to your blog, and was wondering if I could use the photos you have on your stairwell. This is of course not for commercial use! Appreciate your help!
Thanks!
Mod podge huh?
Whoever would of "thunk it" lol
Thanks for an inspirational blog!
I like this blog post thanks a lot for sharing this post.
.....Alex
Interesting Article. Hoping that you will continue posting an article having a useful information. Thanks a lot!
LOVE IT!! This turned out soo beautiful. I love the picture of the girls on the bottom step. Your entire house is charming!!
Wow... awesome idea. I will save this pics and apply this idea when i will buy new apartment... If you have more design like this.. please update it soon... Thanks you very much for this beautiful post.
That was so brilliantly decorated one. Hats off dear. I will really try to put the same fashion of stair case in my house.
Hi, great article. The way you explained it is really awesome and makes every one to read till the end. keep posting..
It looks very nice i like it so much keep posting such a nice post. Thanks a lot for this nice post.
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I really love this! The pictures of family hidden in are great. I have many of these "spots" in my home, this has given my a few ideas already. Thanks!
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