Home Reno - Front Terrace

I'm back :D

Remember when I promised you something on THIS PREVIOUS POST ?
So here's the built-in wall cabinet turned into seating cabinet/ bench..

Not bad, eh?

Looking at the size it's more on the day bed side, but we use it as a bench. 

The cabinet was reinforced with extra wooden structure so it could function well as a seating. The doors painted white and the body varnished.. and I got a 'new' bench which is also a roomy storage for shoes etc.

I didn't put seat cushion for practicality reason, but as you can see in the photo some throw pillows are enough to make the bench looks more inviting.

If you notice the checkered floor tiles, it's actually started from an accident where some of the (then) installed plain white tiles were flawed.. So I made a design decision to alternate the plain white tiles with ornate ones. We (I and hubby) search high and low for the ornate tiles, and finally found these ornate blue-white tiles that I think are perfect! :) 

Wishlist - Au Naturel

The following are some things that are on my wishlist right now. Actually it's a pretty long list, but I thought I'd share just a glimpse to save you from boredom.

The items here are random, but you might notice that they are somewhat have a thing in common. Natural. Raw. Rustic.

 Image source: http://www.missionstonetile.com/

I was torn between having a glossy light colored floor or a dark rustic one. Since my house is quite small and I'd like to make it look more spacious by maximizing light colored surface, I compromised by having the dark floor only in small areas. As for the bronze metallic tile like in the above picture, I was lucky to find similar tile at the nearest Mitra 10 store.. Yay! Those tiles will be covering the master bedroom floor, for the intimate rustic-glam look I'm after.

 Image source: http://www.zalora.co.id/

I'm not in the pink of health these last few weeks, so it's only normal if I took more time (trying) to rest and relax. I hope this detoxifying natural clay mask will help me in doing so. Instant spa, just a click away ;)

 Image source: http://bagatellebali.com/

My Pinterest is full of furniture references that are made of natural reclaimed materials and has raw-industrial feel to it, but they are all made abroad, far from Indonesia where I reside. So I was overjoyed to find the above coffee table is available in Bali! But then I'm thinking about the shipping fee and have a 2nd thought.. hopefully I could find something similar here in Jakarta.

 Image source: http://rusticahardware.com/

I'm picturing this rustic sliding door as the master bathroom door. Hopefully the contractor could find all the right materials and make it come true.

There you go, my wishlist :) 
So what's yours?

Featured on 'Green Issues by Agy'

Agy from 'Green Issues by Agy' has been so kind to feature my blog HERE.
Thanks Agy :)
Her blog is about green craft, recycling and upcycling/ refashioning which I happen like doing. I haven't done any refashions again for quite some time now, thanks to the load of inaku projects :D


But hey, do you know that I also use fabric scraps to make inaku stuff?

This flower brooch for instance.

And the key wallets!

I also use the fabric scraps to make some parts of the passport wallet.


How's that for a green craft ;)

House Tour: Tree House!

I was one of those kids who imagined of having a tree house.
Just when I thought I'm over with that, I saw this tree house for adults!

Source: http://www.wandawega.com/

a bath to remember

Taken from my trip to Jadul Village, here I share the details that I love from one corner of the open air bath.

Jadul Village

After visiting the craft bazaar - as hubby couldn't stand the traffic jam in Bandung on weekend - we went to Sapu Lidi Restaurant for a late lunch, and spend the rest of the weekend at Jadul Village Resort in Lembang.

I will share here about the latter. The name Jadul itself is short for JAman DUlu, freely translated into old times. Actually I wasn't expect too much at first, since it looked rather bland from the parking area. But how I was wrong. Upon entering the open lobby, there greeted me various antique ethnic decor. The lobby itself is a Joglo house, so are all the villas there which all adapted Java vernacular architecture.

We stayed in Gebyok Villa, and was very pleased with the ethnic feel combined with modern vanities.

The open air bath was a feast for the senses!

As I explore more of the premises I became even more overwhelmed with the intricate details. There are many elements that are being reused, like old wooden train track which used for pathways and old doors for the powder rooms. They give strong eclectic characters with a rustic feel.


Overall, I can say that staying in Jadul Village was a very pleasant experience.. now if only they could do something to the parking area so it doesn't look bland.

House Tour: My Dream Cottage

I was browsing Apartment Therapy as usual when stumbled on this.
Oh how I would love to live there...

This is exactly what I want my dining room to be, outdoor, with string lighting and greenery around.

Indoor swing! Minus the fireplace (it's already summery hot here all year long) and the dogs (I'm more of a cat person) :D

Open hanging display of pots and pans. A very simple storing idea. Yet still doubtful about the dust and visual noise that will occurred.

Outdoor theater! Oh my..


You can see the full post and pictures here.. go ahead and drool with me. 

sugary!

Look what I've received today..

Packed neatly in a sturdy wooden package, it's SHOO! All natural sugar wax.
Yay! So excited to try on my super sensitive skin (^o^)

Refashion: Fairy Top

I just made another refashion and was in a quite good mood to make the tutorial :D

I use my old stretchy shirt and sheer square scarf. Of course you'll also need scissors, needle and matching thread.

Fold the scarf in two with the backside longer than the front. Then cut a part of the scarf in its mid part to match the width of the shirt. Then attach that part to the shirt - mine is right below the bust line, but you're free to attached it at the waist line or else. Since my sewing machine is still in the box then I just hand sewn them together.


And that's pretty much it. I hope it's clear, if not just ask me anytime!

Please share if you make this kind of refashion, will you ;)

Fabric Wall Art: an upcycling project

I've been wanting to make a fabric panel wall art but haven't found (read: too lazy to look for) the right supplies yet. You know, the one where you stretch a fabric on wood frame (the one for stretching canvas) then fasten it with a staple gun.

So recently I've made my own version of the wall art for the boys' bedroom, after done unpacking almost half of our stuff from the boxes. I made adjustments on the supplies by using leftovers and existing everyday materials.

My formula is:
styrofoam + fabric + tacks + double tape = wall art

How to:
Stretch the fabric on the styrofoam, fasten with tacks and stick to the wall with double tape.

How easy is that! Don't forget to let me now if you make similar wall art like this :)

Refashion: Fabric Flower Brooch

I got this maxi dress on sale a while ago. Though I like it so much but I seldom wear it because it's too long for me.. it's not the dress, it's super-petite-me. I should've shortened the length long time ago but instead I've finished doing it just now, thanks to my bad habit of procrastinating.

So here it is, the not-so-new dress which now fits me perfectly.
Notice anyting different? :)

Spot on! I've made a fabric flower brooch from the leftover fabric strip. How? It's easy! Just ruffled, tied and attached to the pin, there you have it. Not bad for an upcycling craft.

Inspiration: Cozy Nooks

I was browsing Apartment Therapy when I stumbled upon this gorgeous House Tour. If you haven't notice, I've a soft spot for green design - even my final year project was about Green Architecture.

But I'm not going to bore you with some architectural terms now. I just want to share the cozy nooks in the house, which are perfect for lounging around, reading, take a short nap or just gazing outside the window.

Like this sleeping porch, located right next to the master bedroom facing the backyard. It's a fun and cozy twist to the ordinary chair-and-table or bench usually seen in porch or terrace.

Or the dreamy reading nook inside the kid's bedroom. I would've read for hours there!

And do you notice the bay window seating in the living room below? Lovely!

And then there's this unexpected nook above the staircase. It may not save for small kids, but it looks oh so cozy.

If you want to see more, you could see the full article here.

Vote For My Kitchen!

The Kitchn is having this Small Cool Kitchen Contest 2010. I've submitted my kitchen in Jakarta, Indonesia (which painstakingly designed by my self *ahem*) and turns out it's got into the selections! Yay!

CLICK HERE to see the full post, and if you like what you see, please vote by simply click at the thumbs up. You may need to register, yet it's free and easy :)

Simple Pincushion

Some of my friends have just discover their muse in sewing. So I've made them simple cute pincushions from my fabric scraps.

I sure hope they like and could put these cuties into good use :)

(not so) New Laundry Bag

I had this foldable laundry bag with stand from IKEA with me for almost 4 years and I wasn't surprise when it broke down last week. I guess it's normal for the plastic bag not to withstand the test of time.

While I could easily get a new one at the store with a low cost, I see that the stand is actually still in good condition with no visible wear and tear sign. Then I recall that I still have enough vynil sheets to be made into a new laundry bag!

So here it is, my (not so) new laundry bag..

Hopefully with the vynil bag it'll be more durable than before :)

a handwoven fabric tour

During my short getaway to Bali last month I got the chance to visit a relative there who happen to be a manufacturer of hand woven fabrics from natural fibers such as pineapple and silk.

Too bad I didn't get to see the process in the workshop since it's closed due to a national holiday, but I did get some photos of the workshop. The photo on your left is where the cocoon of the silk moth unravelled to get the silk fiber, while the the photo on your right shows where they make threads from the silk fibers. But I didn't take photos of the hand weaving machines there *duh!*

Not only the fabrics are beautiful, but there are some of them which already got awards from international fabric competitions. Like the fabric displayed below (with a white paper note on it) is the one that got two awards in The ASEAN Silk Fabric and Fashion Design Competition 2009: Top Award from H.M. Queen Sirikit of Thailand & 1st Royal Thropy Award from Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperative. The dye used comes from natural origin such us plants.

Among the beautiful fabrics there I fell for this gorgeous white handwoven silk fabric. The texture and pattern from the skilled craftmanship just blew me away! Only then I learned that it's not for sale.. oh well. Yet I got a pretty blue-grey hand woven silk shawl as a gift, which quickly convert my disappointment into happiness ^_^

Frames/ Jars

I'm sure you've been into situation where you have too many glass jars inside your kitchen cabinet (or your mum's), and the first thing you can think about is throw them away a.s.a.p!

But what d'u know.. you can actually put them into good use (and not for that extra spices you bought in discounted bulk).

Yes, the jars are still being re-used for storing something, but you'll never guess this.. you can use them as frames!



I've found this great (and very simple) idea at Photojojo and can't figure out why didn't I think of that. And not only jars, you can use bottles too.. hmm I gotta tell this to my coke-bottle-collector friend

Tutorial: Sweater Cushion Cover

As this post title suggests, this time I'm gonna try to share a tutorial on how to make a cushion cover out of a sweater. An old one, if I may add.. and it's a fun way to be earth friendly too :)

Well, you don't need a tutorial actually, since it's pretty easy to make..

First, dig into your wardrobe for that old sweater (the ones with turtle neck line work best). I found mine, a furry purple sweater that I haven't wear for ages..


Then turn it inside out, laid it flat n cut away as in above pic.

Next, sew close the freshly cut openings (neckline and armholes). You'll have a nice square shape now, with only one side open to insert the inner cushion. Then I just add some ribbon on that side for closure, which double as a pretty accent as well.


And you're done!
Oh wait.. put in the inner cushion into the new cover, tied close all the ribbons and NOW you're done :)

Dining Accessories

Check out our new collections of dining accessories in Feathers For Nest. Consist of Placemat Set, Coaster Set and Napkin Set, with each piece unique for it is handmade.