Grand Plans and Gentle Hiccups
Photoshopping the room into what I hope it will look like helps to keep me motivated.
Now, remember the design I showed you all a few weeks back for the stenciling in the sewing parlor? Well, also remember the great computer freeze up of Jan 2025? Yeah...I lost about 75% of my photoshop files for that design process and the color tests etcetera. So it was back to fixing up the design all over again. Which resulted in me not loving the original as much as I did the first time, it happens when you have to start over. So the beetles are gone. I know, I KNOW! But I just needed a bit more negative space visually for my brain balances. There will be other beetles in this room I assure you!
I tested a green shade called 'guacamole', but found it actually a little /too/ dark, which, for me, is wild. I want this room to read GREEN, not just dark, so I ended up going with the color 'avocado' instead. Which weirdly...is lighter than the color 'guacamole'. Sadly, I think this means the color naming folks at Benjamin Moore HQ have never eaten guacamole, becuase the inside of an avocado is lighter in color than the outside, but I digress.
I'm going with (color matched with BM) Farrow & Ball's 'arsenic' for the ceiling, naturally. Eventually the ceiling will be getting Ombre-ified to dark blue in the center, painted with a sort of greenhouse window pane effect and have tiny gold stars and insects added. For now, so I can get going on some sewing videos again, the ceiling will remain arsenic alone for a bit. The ceiling design is inspired by this one Art Nouveau restaurant in Paris I have seen over the years and admired, and this epic dome ceiling from a castle in Cardiff. We want the greenhouse/underwater effect from the Paris place, with more the colors of the Cardiff castle ✨
Now, I started cutting some clear stencil material on my Cameo 4 craft cutter machine to make sure this was all going to even be possible. All was well. I cut some of the TCH bee logo stencils I'll need for the sewing parlor walls. Excellent.
So I went to go pick up paint, and stopped at Michaels to get some extra blades for the machine just in case. Then once I got home I realized the guy at the paint store forgot to pack my arsenic ceiling paint in with the rest...and the paint store closed in 4 minutes. So I did not get to start painting the ceiling that night. Then as I was cutting out stencils, the cutter started getting a bit gummed up with material as bits came unstuck from the mat while it was cutting. So okay, I'll get a new mat, go to bed for now. Next morning, I go pick up my paint, I go to buy a new mat, I get home to keep cutting stencils...and the Cameo 4 machine is no longer responding. No software update or amount of turning on and off again brings it back.
So even though it had been cutting stencils no problem, now the machine was unresponsive. Luckily my mom offered to upgrade me to the Cameo 5 just to keep me going, and honestly I think she was worried I might actually break down into actual hysterics with another silly setback. So off into Albany I went to the bigger Michaels, and fancy new Cameo 5 craft cutter in hand I drove back resolute. I might mention during all this errand running round that it was like 10 degrees and icy out as well, but more importantly, nothing was actually getting done either grr!
So, files: remade, design: updated, paint: acquired, stencils: being cut. I have started testing the design on a spare piece of plywood. First I'm painting a wide 28" wide strip of 'guacamole' ombre into 'onyx' black. Then I'll stencil the full border design in white over that to lay a foundation for my other colors to pop atop such a dark base. Then I will use smaller stencils for each color to fill the design in properly.
But firstly tonight I am determined to paint the ceiling 'arsenic' and the trim 'onyx', and to finish cutting the remaining stencils. Oh and at some point I need to finish organizing the closet/dressing room so I can put together a video on that re-model! My mom is coming to visit starting on Thursday, so that we can hang the 1890's mantle in the sewing parlor, and move the large furniture pieces in, because all of that needs at least 2 people it's so heavy! That means I need to have just that back wall of the room painted/stenciled, done, pronto, and the rest I can finish at an easier pace.
Thank you for your lovely comments and support! It's keeping me going, and I think this sewing parlor is going to be worth the wait ❤️
Comments (50)
WOW… just WOW!!! Absolutely breathtaking!!
Your designs are breathtaking! Definitely inspiring me to step up my own spaces, which have been stagnant for way too long. Hope the setbacks are behind you and the rest of your projects go much more smoothly
Just beautiful !!! And good on you that you did not give up with all the frustrations, (why does this stuff always happen?)
Oh Bianca, there is apparently a rather wonderful antique store in downtown Syracuse… if you fancy a day trip one day. I am in Norway now, but born in CNY/Fingerlakes area and went to school in Syracuse once upon a time…. there is a kind of market near the train station too - open air in summers. Mileage may vary. But enjoy!!
This home is going to be...epic.
This home is going to be...epic.
The best bit of all this, is that you will have a place that is wholly and uniquely YOURS. Like you, i am a Maximalist! No Ikea same ole, same ole for me! I have odd stuff and things that 'don't match, but still go' . No one has a house like mine 😊😊
I’ve been playing with the idea of making my office very moody and dark and your inspiration pictures have my brain running. Thanks for sharing your process, home owner ship is a roller coaster. You’re doing great!
It's going to look so beautiful!
it really looks wonderful! looking forward to the grand reveal. (also for a $$$ cameo craft cutter??? i would expect it to last longer.... obviously not the top of your list but i'd ask for my money back tbh)
Absolutely stunning. I wish I had a 10th of your creativity, and I consider myself pretty creative. Those COLORS tho...so yummy!
This will be absolutely stunning!! And good on you for knowing how to pace yourself! Don’t rush I’m sure we will all wait for you!
Love it!!! ❤️
Your idea looks absolutely gorgeous! I like this new design better too. Just a bit more negative space makes a big difference.
Absolutely love!!!
Your Mum is amazing. I love the paint choices.
Absolutely stunning. The design and the colors are fantastic!
I LOVE the colors and would really like to do something similar with my (living) room. But going full Arts&Crafts meets Art Nouveau in a modern buidling feels rather silly to me. Following your process with curiosity, though!
Good luck Bianca, it's really getting there now. Everything looks so gorgeous, will be beautiful once you've got it all finished xx
Magic my friend 🦋🦋🦋🦋
I am continuously in awe of your imagination and detail! What a beautiful room to listen to beautiful music. It's a stunning design and I hope it will come together as you dream it to be.💚 The upper gold trim reminds me of Frank Lloyd Wright and the Givenchy logo. I wish I could help in some way, hold a ladder, or shovel the walkway. Watch your step out there and yay for your Mom's love and support!
Absolutely GORGEOUS!!! I can’t wait to see it come together … it may SEEM ‘easy’ but this . is . work and you are killing it!!
I absolutely adore the design. Those are fabulous choices.
Absolutly beautiful. That is so stunning I can't wait to see it on the walls and ceiling. I hope things get a little easier along the way.
The render (and inspiration images) are beautiful, and I can't wait to see it in your videos someday. Here's hoping the road to actually implementing the vision goes a little more smoothly from here 😂. Agree that their understanding of guacamole sounds like a bad day in the culinary world.
Aaa I'm excited to see the stencilled walls!! Even if there weren't setbacks happening I would STILL be amazed at how quickly you get things done. I hope you're getting a decent amount of sleep!
Dang. That’s going to look amazing once you get it done. I bet it’ll make a super rad video as well!
Stunning!!! So glad it's coming together and you're back up and running.
I absolutely love the colours and the border design just stunning! And beeeees! Although I must admit, at first glance I thought the grid on the ceiling was those drop ceiling tiles and now all I can think is office ceiling (but that's just my brain - I'm sure it will look amazing). ❤️
Oh, Bianca, this will be so gorgeous! I adore the design. And I hope you will get luckier soon with everything. Fingers crossed!
Joyously following the progress and it is so exciting!
Hey, that’s a lot of crappy stuff to all happen. And your remodel/ repair stuff is a HUGE project. You didn’t invite Murphy, but he hates being left out. You know what you want and will get there sooner or later. Did I mention that you are way more moved in and decorated than I am and I’ve been “moved in” for two whole months and a bit?
Oh my god, i love that design! It wi be gorgeous and definitely worth it. Are there little carrots in the design?
Sooo pretty!!
You're really inspiring me to do something about my own sewing room 🙈 I always dreamed of doing it up as some kind of fairy forest of whimsy, but then the everyday takes over and after two years it's just... White 😬 fully functional but boring white walls and furniture. Now I'm itching to get painting and decorating!
What a great inspiration pictures you have to take from!🥰 I have no doubt, that all will look exquisite when it is done. And we will have a great time looking at it, when you start pouring videos out again, with all this gorgeousness in the background 🤩🤩🤩 I just wish, I could come over there and lend a helping hand in this.
That arsenic colour is amazing, wow. Also, WOW for the whole design. That will be gorgeous in it's inbetween and final stages ✨ I love it, you're doing great. It's amazing how much you've gotten done in such a short time. Your home tour video really showed how immense this task you've take on is. You're doing great ❤️
This is all so exciting! Also you are inspiring me to get on some of my own home decor projects!
This is going to look SO AMAZING
It will all be worth it. It is going to look amazing, Bianca.
Your plan is amazing, and that you can make it reality is awesome!! If this was a paint-by-number project, I would still mess it up. I really admire your talents and skills. This room will be awesome! 💚💙
Those colors are gorgeous and the design 😘❤️
Please tell me this means you’re getting that bug rug!!!
I'll be honest I feel like we all owe your mother a debt of gratitude for keeping you going because we love you tell Mom a big thanks ❤️❤️❤️
It's so much fun remodeling vicariously through you! I love doing this sort of stuff (although ours has been far simpler and not as beautiful as yours) but we need to pay off the last remodel on our Airbnb until we can work on our house again. Keep the posts coming!
That is going to be unique, stunning, and with every fricking, fracking extra step and minute of your time. ❤️
Just seeing you working like this and applying your vision to the different rooms is so inspiring for some reason, makes me want to make an effort to make my rental more me, I can't do anything permanent of course but it would be nice to reflect me a bit more. I can't wait to see the progress!
That is going to be glorious!! I cannot wait to see the updates. Slow and steady wins the race - as one house rehabber to another.
You are doing such an awesome job of moving forward even when it seems like everything is conspiring to drag you down. Keep showing this renovation it's not the boss of you! 💪🏻
It looks amazing, can’t wait to see it when it’s finished! You’ve got this! 💚