Sunday, September 13, 2009

$74.95 Bathroom Makeover (Tax not incl.)


My friend Amy was making a Home Goods run (she's a good friend of mine, so of course she knows to go to the mecca for on the cheap finds!) and she asked me come with to help her spruce up her bathroom inexpensively. A quick cosmetic fix is a great idea when you're low on money and/or time, or if you rent.

Her goal: To completely change her bathroom with a few simple items. She hated her shower curtain, her bathmat, and her bathroom mirror and wanted those replaced; and she wanted something decorative to hold her toilet paper in. Easy! Knowing exactly what she wanted made the search fast and simple.

Check out the before:








Here's what we found at Home Goods:



Shaggy bathmat: $16.99. I originally wanted a mat in the blue family to compliment the vase, but we couldn't find one that was the right size and color. The neutral color was actually a perfect runner-up. It ties in the blue vase and the chocolate brown shower curtain with out overpowering either color. The shagginess of the rug is a perfect compliment bringing texture and affect into the bathroom.

Blue/brown vase: $19.99. This will serve as the container for toilet paper. This vase is actually a lot more blue and more eye catching in person, and perfect to hold toilet paper in. This item looks decorative while simultaneously acting as functional a functional piece; and its the perfect pop of color for the space.

You never have to use pieces exactly in the manner they designated for. Changing it up gives a room more interest.



Shower curtain: $12.99. The chocolate brown shower curtain will give the bathroom added sophistication and will provide a more contemporary flare. It's the largest piece in the bathroom and will therefore have the largest impact. The bold color and slight sheen will define the entire space.



Mirror: $19.99. This will go over the sink. It will also give an updated, contemporary look to the bathroom. The simple detail on the frame keeps it modern and clean.

Curtain hooks: $4.99. Silver, shiny and sophisticated. Small details like curtain hooks matter. The contemporary shower curtain needed contemporary accessories to make the look complete.

Can't wait to see the finished product. I'll keep you posted!


The W Hotel- Dining Over the City


Recently, I went to POV's Roof Terrace at the W Hotel to check out the decor. I'm disappointed to say that I was, well, disappointed. The view over downtown DC was nice, but not enough to make up for the unmoving surroundings.

I'll have to check out POV's restaurant inside before I make a final judgement. The website's pictures make it look pretty lavish:



The food is tapas style, and what I ordered was pretty good. I tried the grilled tuna burger with shiso and yuzu pickles, and the spiced chicken somosas with cilantro. Not bad...

The cocktails, however, were way too expensive for such an unimpressive attempt to impress. I had the St. Germaine Cocktail with Sauvignon Blanc, soda, and lemon peel. It was boring and poorly mixed. My dining partner and friend had the Zombie, which was waaay to sweet.

Check out the pictures below for a glimpse of the rooftop decor.













I didn't get an opportunity to fully explore the decor inside the hotel, but I did capture a couple of lighting pieces for you.




Nice!

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Catch You on the Flip Side


Ok, people- I'm on hiatus until next week. Happy Labor Day!

Over the weekend, I'm gonna attempt to find something similar to this spot to be laborless in...


Design Inc. via Decor Pad