Kathryn Lemaster

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Archives for May 2013

Bench Project: Part 2

Picking up where we left off  in my previous post (Part 1)…

… while was waiting for my bench to dry, I worked on recovering the bench seat.

Step 1: Flip over and start pulling up the old fabric from the corners. Work your way around ripping up the fabric. Use scissors, pliers, or whatever tools needed to destroy any stubborn fabric refusing to surrender.

If there is another fabric layer discovered (like I’ve found on most of the treasures I pick up) simply repeat the stripping process until you uncover the actual “fluff” of the cushion. It should look something like the stripped cushion above.

Step 3: To add a little extra substance to your cushion, unroll a piece of quilting batting, lay the seat cushion and existing fluff face down on the batting, and cut out a piece of batting around with with about a 2 inch margin for wrapping around. Starting with the corners, wrap the batting tight around the edge and staple into place. Trim any excess batting.

Covered with a layer of batting, the seat should look something like this.

Step 4: Roll out your new fabric of choice, face down, over a flat clean surface. Place your batting covered seat cushion face down on the portion of the fabric you want to use. Depending on the pattern, you may want to hold in place and flip over to line up or center the pattern on the seat. (I chose a solid white linen I had extra yardage of from another project.) Cut out your fabric around the seat cushion, with a 3-4 inch margin to give you wiggle room to adjust the pattern placement. Trim off any excess fabric.

Step 5: Similar to step 3, pull tight, wrap the fabric around the edge, and staple in to place. Begin with a corner, follow with the corner diagonally across from it. Then the third corner, then the last corner diagonally across from it. Picture stretching an artist canvas – you want it pretty tight! Then fill in with as many staples as needed along the edges to hold tight and not pucker. It should now look something like the seat cushion above

Step 6: This was a total experiment. I wanted to do an insert border of grosgrain ribbon, without cutting, sewing, etc. I would have normally tried ironing it on with Stitch Witchery, but alas, all I had in my cabinet at the moment was Liquid Stitch. (Which was also a total experiment.) I laid out the ribbon where I wanted it, pulling tight, pinning, and pleating to turn corners as I went. Once it was all laid out, I went back and turned up the edges to squeeze the glue under. I removed the fabric pins after the glue had set but was not completely dry.

Step 7: Once the seat cushion and the bench base had both dried enough to handle, they were finally reunited!

I am quite happy with my new bench. Only thing I would have done differently would have been to try sewing or using Stitch Witchery to attach the ribbon to the top, as I was not completely happy with how the Liquid Stitch fabric glue dried. It was supposed to dry “invisible,” but I can still faintly see the glue lines through the ribbon even after it dried for over 24 hours. What can I say – that’s why an experiment is an experiment – they can’t all go swimmingly. It’s not that visible, but as a perfectionist I had to mention it. 😉

So there you have it folks, a $10 bench gets a makeover with for no more than the extra materials I already had on hand and a few hours spent in the spring weather on my back deck. Not too shabby!

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MORE TO LOVE:
Bench Project: Part 1
House of Turquoise Feature: Before & After Reveal of Rustic Modern Bath
Barstool Fix

Bench Project: Part 1

I hope you all had a special Memorial Day holiday! I surely did. Spent alot of time with friends and family and even extended the long weekend a day longer by following it all up with a surprise party for my parent’s 30th anniversary Tuesday night. Such fun!

But as you may have seen if you follow my Facebook, I began the weekend with a little “crafting” on my back deck. I wanted to jump into the beautiful weather as fast as possible while still doing something productive, so I tackled a few fixer-upper furniture projects I’ve been meaning to get to for a while.

I started with this sad little bench that I picked up for $10 at an estate sale a couple months ago.

It was the perfect little bonus piece I needed to fill an empty space in the kitchen to serve as extra pull-up seating, a surface for the purses that get tossed or a shield for the shoes that get kicked off.

It had potential… just needed a little TLC.

Step 1: Detach the top from the base, in this case by unscrewing the screw in each corner underneath the bench with a flat-head screwdriver.

Step 2: Prep the “splash zone” for painting. I layered plastic trash bags over my patio table.

Step 3a: Assemble the troops. Liquid sander and applicator (rag or paper towels), paint of choice (with corresponding paint tools) and disposable gloves for the splash-inclined like myself.

Step 3b: Station your trusty guard dog is at his post to keep an eye on things and keep you company. This step is not required, but recommended for a more enjoyable painting experience.

Step 4: “De-gloss” the piece with liquid sander. This is a quick and easy way to clean the item and break through an existing top coat finish. It basically makes the surface better for paint to adhere to without the mess and elbow grease of sanding with sand paper.

Step 5: PAINT!  (Prime first if needed. I didn’t in this case as I planned on two coats of thick paint, so the first coat was like my primer.) I used a high-gloss oil base paint from Sherwin Williams (color: SW 6938 Synergy) as it was a color I had on hand and had used elsewhere in the kitchen. Oil base is harder to work with and takes longer to dry… but it sure is pretty. For easier clean-up and faster dry-time, I’d recommend latex paint or even spray paint if they have the color you need.

Step 6: Wait. Follow the dry-time instructions for whichever paint you use. I let the first coat dry overnight, and put a second coat on the next day.

Meanwhile… I tackled recovering the bench seat. Which I will cover in a Part 2 post tomorrow! 🙂

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MORE TO LOVE:
Bench Project: Part 2
House of Turquoise Feature: Before & After Reveal of Rustic Modern Bath
Barstool Fix

Saturday Special: Before & After Reveal

Today I’m very excited to share with a fun before and after post! This guest bedroom revamp was part of a larger project for one my amazing clients. I’ll share more from their project soon, but today let’s just start off in the first guest bedroom.

Ready? Here we go…

BEFORE:

Exciting, huh? 🙂 To start off,  the furniture plan needed editing to optimize the function of the space. After that, the goal was to bring in a more transitional look while still incorporating some of the original antique pieces. Other important goals were being budget-friendly and catering to their personal taste by incorporating some southwestern inspired “flair.” Here was the end result:

AFTER:

The color scheme was inspired by the client’s own original artwork, the still-life triptych of pears. The bedside tables were original but placement was swapped to make the vanity more accessible. The bed was originally in the guest room across the hall, but this headboard handcrafted out of antique ceiling tin by the clients belonged perfectly in this room.

 Finally new textiles, lighting, and other accessories added much needed texture and color, bringing it all to life!

Special thanks to the fabulous Karen E. Segrave of KES Photo and her amazing husband Michael McCall of Backfocus Productions for the wonderful “after” photography (be sure and check out their websites!) Thanks also to my fun and adventurous clients. You are always a joy to work with!

Have a space like the “before” in this post and have higher hopes for what it could be? Contact me to find out how I could help!

Have a wonderful weekend! 🙂

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MORE TO LOVE:
Guest Room/Office Before & After Reveal
Heights Remodel Project Featured in At Home in Arkansas Magazine!
“Heirloom Revival” Guest Room & Bath Reveal on House of Turquoise!

Souvenir

We made it to Dallas this past weekend to visit family, friends, and some favorite stores. It was a fantastic trip, mainly because of the people we saw, but also because of places we got to go.

Our lunch destination with friends after church took us to the Knox-Henderson area, which was just packed with wonderful stores. Among them being none other than the fun and funky Jonathan Adler!

Jonathan Adler

I have admired the shiny pretty things this brand has to offer for years via the web, but this weekend was my very first time to actually step foot in a store. Yep, it was an exciting moment. So of course I had to purchase something to remember the trip by.

Jonathan Adler Lighting

So after being torn between the $1,250 Mini Sputnik Chandelier and the $2,200 Giant Sputnik Chandelier (in my dreams…) I decided on a humble $18 coffee mug. Normally I would not spend $18 on a coffee mug, but after staring at the larger price tags hanging all over the store, 18 bucks started to look like a good deal for a drinking vessel.

Blue Carnaby Talitha Mug

So here is my beautiful little blue baby, the Blue Carnaby Talitha Mug, modeling a fresh pour of French Roast.

Close up

I love the bold graphics and of course love the navy and turquoise color combo.

Mug Shot

I’m quite thrilled with my first JA purchase and look forward to adding to my collection in the not-so-near future. Gotta start saving for my Sputnik light. 🙂

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MORE TO LOVE:
Ikea Love
Spring Inspired Color
Painting Party

Buttons

So remember in my Barstool Fix post a couple days ago when I said I’d tell you how I made buttons for them? Well that’s what I’m going to share with you today.

Picking up where we left off…

2QRko8uzD9YuJE5R1vIN_FyqbyvHDXWD73m0XLAH4-cSo I had these lovely recovered barstools. I wanted to add a touch of pizzazz with a single button in the center. After attempting to various methods of recover the existing button (not worth it), I consulted my sewing savvy friend Rachel. She recommended this button making kit available at Hobby Lobby:

This kit is super simple and comes with everything you need to make a button except the fabric. I chose an aqua gros grain ribbon.

Start by cutting out the cardboard template on the back of the box. Double your piece of fabric over, align template with straight edge against fabric’s folded edge like so:

Cut the fabric to the shape of the template:

Unfold your cut fabric piece. Place your fabric circle over the rubber mold, with the right side of the fabric facing down into the mold, like so:

Place the shell of the button face down on top of your fabric circle:

Once you press the button shell into the mold, tuck the excess fabric edges inside the shell and hold in place with the button back, as shown below:

Now you’re almost done – simply place the pusher (thimble like device) over the back of your button:

Press the pusher until you hear/feel the back snap, locking the button back into place within the button shell rim. This creates a seal so that your fabric is pulled tight and can’t escape – mwhaha. When the button is complete, peel the mold back and stare in awe at your adorable little button:

In this application, I secured the button with heavy duty needle & thread straight through the center of the seat cushion, pulling tight from the bottom and stapling the thread into place.

And so there you have it folks, a pretty cute collection of inexpensive custom barstools.

And they all lived happily every after.

(Shout out to Rachel W for the button kit tip and Laura K for documenting the process on camera – y’all rock!)

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MORE TO LOVE:
Barstool Fix
Bench Project: Part 1
Bench Project: Part 2

YOU’RE INVITED TO KATHRYN’S E-PARTY!

Join the e-party below to get personal notes, news, decor advice and inspo from Kathryn and receive a FREE copy of Kathryn’s new e-book, “7 Steps to Design + Decorate like a Pro” as a party favor for joining!

YES, I’D LIKE A PARTY FAVOR!

My 35th birthday (a month + a half ago now, ha!) w My 35th birthday (a month + a half ago now, ha!) was full of all the things - beautiful, joyful, colorful, wonderful, delightful - and while it’s taken me until now to say so here in my little digital scrapbook of my favorite memories - I’m so grateFULL and still savoring it all! 🥲😍 (I only wish there wasn’t a 10 photo limit 😂 as this feels like a mere fraction of my favorite captures from what was about a full week of celebrations.)

From the perfect birthday off on a reading picnic with my love 🧺 📚 🥂 spa time with my mama 💅🏼 homemade ramen dinner with my fellas 🍜 to the sweetest gathering of friends and family at our sweet lil @hideawaycabinar cabin 🏕️ to the most luxurious feeling escape to my favorite boutique hotel ✨ I was thoroughly spoiled and enjoyed every moment of it all! 🥰 

Thank you @forrest_addison_roberts for making it all happen and so special. 🥹🙏🏼 And thank you to everyone who wished me a happy birthday and celebrated with us! 🤍

#octoberbirthday #birthdaymemories #fallismyfavorite #thatsdarling #verilymoment #postfortheaesthetic #travelgram #bradfordhouseokc #boutiquehotels #octoberlatergram #hotelinteriors #colormehappy
Kissing another year goodbye + greeting a new one Kissing another year goodbye + greeting a new one with gratitude last week as my 35th birthday arrived has had me scrolling through photos from over the past year. I want to snap a zoomed out picture of it all to hold close and keep savoring. It was such an blessing-filled year of new adventures, challenging growth, and memories I’ll forever cherish. Alas due to the 10 photo limit here and time still to sort, all I could settle on for now were these two captures by my love, of me surrounded by red rock glory in The Garden of the Gods on our end of summer adventure to Colorado. 🌄 

The mountains behind me, symbolic as this year has held unprecedented “mountains” never attempted before that one by one, I signed up to scale, all the while believing that you CAN have / do it all, just not all at the same time. 

I knew it would be cutting it close to write my first book draft by a publisher deadline shortly followed by another deadline from a marketing / tech team re the online design course. These mountains felt close and crowded in the midst of multiple all-year-long design projects, but not completely overlapping. It seemed with a careful rotation / distribution of energy it might be all possible. 

THEN the @hideawaycabinar project came about, too. It was without a doubt a “now” window God opened we lept through before it closed. For the last 1/3 of 34, it’s felt like go-time in uncharted territory in ways that’s stretched me beyond what I previous thought I could simultaneously do and be.

On paper I wouldn’t recommend this much at once. But in some wild way, it’s all been exactly what I’ve + we’ve needed to do for this season, I believe to prepare for the next. God has so graciously made ways like only He could for it to all finally be coming together. 

Convinced more than ever of limitlessness of the Source that fuels us, for “with man this would be impossible, but with God all things are possible.” And that where God calls, He provides and sustains. 💛

As we crest the tops of these various project mountains in the coming months, I’m still more inspired than tired, and absolutely cannot wait to share more from these current quests with you all soon! 🙏🏼
*UPDATE! And the winner is… @trena.corkern !! 🥳 Thank you all so much for participating and congratulations to our lucky winner!! We’ll see you there, Trena! 😄🙌🏼🏮*

It’s officially fall y’all! (I was thinking it was the 21st, but the fall equinox was infact at 1:50am this morning!! 🥳🍂)

I thought today would be a perfectly wonderful day to do a giveaway for a super fun event that I can’t wait to go to, coming to the Little Rock area NEXT WEEKEND! (Other dates and locations across the US, too!)

I can’t recall exactly how I first discovered these magical @waterlanternfestival events but ever since I knew they existed I’ve been dying to take the fellas to one and share our own magical “Tangled” moment of releasing lanterns over the water. ✨🥹 Not to mention food trucks, music and more!

I’m excited to be teaming up with the Water Lantern Festival to give away TWO FREE TICKETS, whether you can join us at the upcoming central Arkansas location on September 30th, or save them for a future date for the event location nearest you! 🥳 (See list of dates and locations on their website!

TO ENTER:
- like this post
- comment tagging someone you’d take with you to the event! (Up to three separate comments / tags!)
- make sure you’re following me here!
- for a bonus entry, share to your stories (and tag me so I know!)

Winner will be drawn early next week and announced here Tuesday morning! ☀️

#littlerockar #arkansaslife #giveawaytime #fallgiveaway #happyfallyall #waterlanternfestival2023 #atlastiseethelight #outdoorevents #familyfuntime #entertowin #comewithus #thatsdarling #festivallife #festivalfun
#latergram of our fancy feeling outfits for a dear #latergram of our fancy feeling outfits for a dear friend’s 1920’s setting dinner party a couple months ago. ✨ 

This summer has flown and it may take me till next summer to properly relish all of the memories we’ve made this one, but it’s been my favorite in a long while, being in this life here with you @forrest_addison_roberts . Love you to the moon and back, to infinity and beyond! 🚀 💫 ♾️ 😘

#summer2023 #memoriesinthemaking #latergram #thatsdarling #loveis #1920sfashion #balloonarch #balloondecorations #couplestyle #couplestyle #dinnerparty #blushandgold
#flashbackfriday to this budget friendly breakfast #flashbackfriday to this budget friendly breakfast room update in a client’s Air BnB makeover! 🤩🙌🏼 Swipe to see the before, and find on @weekendermanagement to stay here! ✨ 

•

#thatsdarling #kitchendecor #breakfastroom #diningroomdesign #kitchendesign #homeimprovement #interiorinspo #beforeandafterhomeedition #kitchengoals #homesweethome #theartofslowliving #thehappynow #flashesofdelight #diyhomedecor #verilymoment #pursuepretty #interiorstyled #interiordecor #airbnbhomes #airbnbdesign #airbnbdesigner #interiordesign #kjlartanddesign
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It is a delight to work with Kathryn LeMaster. She is a good listener who has been able to help us transition into a smaller home while still keeping the essence of our family intact.

- CINDI C.

My husband and I decided to update our house focusing on the kitchen and bathrooms. We were so impressed from the beginning with Kathryn! She was easy to work with and took our vision and made it all come together! She was extremely professional and we highly recommend her. Thanks Kathryn!! We couldn't be happier!!!

- LAURA D.

I have been doing business with Kathryn for several years, where she had played an integral role to enhance the quality and appeal of the visual impact of our furniture in TV commercial s. She independently picks products that perfectly match each commercial. She is also an absolute pleasure to work with. She is flexible when needed, and always has a positive disposition.

- LAWRENCE ZIGERELLI, PRESIDENT/CEO, FFO HOME

We asked Kathryn to create sets for a food shoot with multiple items. She created sets with for each dish and had them passed them off with the client who was out of town. She was extremely organized and methodical about how she purchased and approved each set. Not only was her work exceptional, her presence made the client feel at ease.

- DERO SANFORD, OWNER, THINKDERO

We highly recommend Kathryn. She listened to us as her clients and executed ideas based upon our design style. We had bought a new house and asked her to help us furnish, design, and style It. We appreciated her detailed drawings and ability to "show" us the vision and plan. She is quick to respond and allows for flexibility based upon timeline needs. Once deciding together on budget, she works toward that goal. She is a lot of fun to work with!

- CHRISTY H.

Kathryn assisted me in styling and accessorizing our new home. She nailed my design ideas and style based on the questionnaire and my comments. I was amazed at how she was able to match my style exactly! It would have taken me years to accomplish what she accomplished in one day. I would highly recommend her and look forward to working with her again in the future.

- BEVERLY R.

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