Keeping it Classic!

One of my girlfriends is expecting very soon and she asked me to help her paint this changing table a crisp clean white...classic so she can use it for the next baby!

Check it out...

see how easy it is to turn something from old and drape to new and fab! Love paint! 

Holiday Wrap Up!

Hey Hey Notebook Readers! 

Wow we have been busy busy busy...I think everyone feels that way after the holiday season. 

Check out what Boy and I did along the way...

hung with my girls Lacy and Mary Randolph!

checked out this bike collection

picked up a fun new project painting a mural of tools on the side of this building in Kensington! 

sat very close to see the Irish Tenors

went to a cooking class hosted by my sisters mother-in-law who graduated from Le Corton Bleu

rehabbed this arbor for my mother-in-law for Christmas with Boy...it was BIG hit! 

cheered Boy on duck hunting...look at this blue bill beauty!

the men hanging in their gear! 

thrifted this awesome new shelf for the studio...

Now I am back in the studio...gearing up for 2014! Are you ready people? 

Happy Holidays!

The Notebook and McNamara Design wish you and your family a very happy holiday season! We will be back next Monday! Remember to enjoy this time with family and friends...so turn off the computer and be with your loved ones. 

Tis' the season! 

Check out Tastefully Jammed!

So pumped to share this...SwatchRoom, another badass studio in DC featured our studio today on their blog! You must check it out and follow them!

 

Head over and check out what Maggie O'Neill and her team are doing!

Happy Friday...Before and After!

Hey Notebook Readers! Hope everyone is having a great week! I have been busy working away here at the studio...check out this before and after. The client just loved our coral theme running throughout the studio so she asked us to paint her table the same color. Just love it!

just so much better then the faux black and green marbling effect

So don't chuck your old pieces...give them a new life! Can't wait for the client to see this one! 

Happy Friday People!!! Enjoy your weekend!  

SO pretty!

I mean look at these decorations! Just to die for! They are in a house I am working on and its just perfection in the most possibly fun way! 

I hope I'm this cool of a Mom! 

Just so fun...I hope that makes your day today like it did mine! 

Happy almost Friday! 

Tack it Up!

Hey People! Hope all is well this Wednesday! I just completed this cool felt message board for a winter house in Aspen. It's a great DIY!

What do you need?

Piece of Plywood

Spray Adhesive

Cork

Exacto Knife

Batting or Darcon

Staple Gun 

Fabric of choice

I got a large roll of cork that comes in a sheet because the message board will be 32" x 52" I had the plywood cut down at the hardware store. Remember most hardware/big box stores will make cuts for you, first one free, then they charge. 

Measure out the roll of cork to the plywood and then cut

I use the side of the plywood as a guide...remember to do it in the garage and not on your carpet or hardwood...the exacto knife will damage the surface. 

After cutting the cork use spray adhesive to attach it to the plywood. I use 3M

once applied wrap the batting around the plywood and cork board using the staple gun to secure. Once complete repeat with the fabric of choice! I used gray felt and added a turquoise welting 

Check it out! Oh I added a funky metallic zipper up the center! Great design by O'Neill Studios! More pics to come once its installed! 

Changing Up the Chairs!

This time of year I think it is important to have your house together(mine is slowly making its way there)! This before and after share is for a client in Potomac, MD that had these chairs flanking her fireplace and wanted them fresh for the holiday season! Check it out!

great bones but needed to be freshened up!

wrap batting around the existing seat and use a staple gun to secure

then do apply the fabric using the same technique

Looking new! And with a fresh coat of paint on them they will be a great touch in her living room!

Weekend Wrap Up!

Over the weekend Boy and I headed to Phillie for the Army/Navy game! We stayed at my best friends house which was adorably decorated for the holidays, but even more cuter were her twin girls! Such a fun, cold, snowy, family filled weekend! 

the girls and I relaxing!

We had a huge group...here are Austin and Erin keeping warm with cold ones before the start of the game! 

Here is my sister and her husband Chris! 

Boy and I! 

Claire, my bestie, and I with a view of the city behind us! 

Patrick overlooking the Navy cheering section

Group shot! 

USA! What a patriotic game...fly overs from both F16 and the helicopters! We will be back next year! 

Happy Monday People! PS the holidays are right around the corner...and I have't purchased one gift yet! AHHH...at least we are getting our tree today !

Friday Finds...Designsea!

I'm happy to share a local artists Etsy shop today! From jewlery to furniture to home decor...this store owner exhibits her talents throughout every product! Definitely head over to Designsea at Etsy! Here are a couple of her pieces! 

LOVE these bracelets made out of guitar string!!!

I need to get one of these for our living room to store blankets in! I use an open basket now but this would be a great storage solution! 

And this is a MUST for me! I have my jewelry EVERYWHERE...this is such an attractive organizer! Just love it! 

SO head over to Designsea!!!

Nutcrackers Complete!

Happy Holidays People! Today I am excited to share a before and after of the nutcrackers I have been working on for a client. They brought me into the holiday season! 

as you can see they were really damaged! I filled in all the problem areas with wood filler then sanded them all down to be painted! 

Here they are all beautified for the holiday season!!! I deliver them tomorrow and I hope my client enjoys them as much as I have! 

Picking the right Color!

Good Morning! Today I am sharing a solution to a problem a client of mine was having trying to pick the right color to paint a dresser for her home. 

Here is her rug sample that she wanted it to go with...I then pulled color samples that range from light to dark to get a read on what she liked...but knowing the lighter version would best compliment her decor. 

here is the piece, which she got online from Wayfair! What a good looking piece! It came distressed, which my client did not like. She wanted the color to be fluid throughout. After looking at all the colors matching the piece color to the center detail color of the rug was the way to go! Trying to match it to the gold color in the detail would have been too dark and completing with the rug. 

Happy Color Picking People! If you have a piece or a color story you would like to share I'd love to hear it! Email me at mcnamaradesign@gmail.com!

Baby to Bar use!

Hey Notebook Readers! Hope everyone is having a good week! We are hunkered down here in DC with the snow. Boy is at work and I'm working from home today. I'm so happy to share the before and afters of this project...check it out!

This once was a baby changing table turned bar. With a little elbow grease and paint it has a new life now in the studio! 

here is the bar before...the front of the wicker was very damaged but I just took a saw to the damage area to remove it

after sanding down the areas that were removed it was ready for a new paint job!

Just love it! It serves as a perfect bar in our conference room...so remember before you throw something away because it is slightly damaged remember you can always give it a facelift!

Have a great day people! 

Friday Finds...Before and Afters!

Speaking of that coral color being used throughout the studio...check out this before and after. I found this chair on the street the day of my little sisters wedding...yes I know it sounds crazy but I couldn't pass it up! What a fun funky back and it has great bones. 

here it is before after pulling the seat cushion off and prepping it for paint

Check it out! Love the finished product! The gray herringbone fabric on the seat cushion makes it! As you can see we added the coral to the detail of these doors that are hiding our HVAC system. Just four doors from a local big box store, screwed together with hinges to make a great divider under $100.   

Happy Friday People!