Posts by Barbara Bussey
DIY Chicken Wire Noteboard
Way back, I took my maiden voyage into the world of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. Now, some of you would dive right in and paint your heart away, on a desk, dresser or hutch. Nope, not me. I started with a picture frame! Not one to move at break neck speed, in the land of…
Read MoreCome Into Our Living Room…
We’ve recently inherited a number of pieces that belonged to my parents and I have spent time finding just the right spot for each of them. It’s bitter-sweet…losing my parents, but it’s nice to keep things that they loved and that I grew up with, close by. When no one else wanted these large table…
Read MoreCraving A Farm Sink In The Big City
While I’m really not complaining about our dear kitchen sink, if I had my hand in on our kitchen’s design, early on, I would have asked for a farm sink. While our sink is tucked nicely into a corner, with views of our backyard, it would be impossible to slip in a farm sink without…
Read MoreOur House…Come On In!
As you might recall, my father passed away recently. Compared to my Mother’s passing, when I sobbed for what seemed like weeks, I’ve taken my Dad’s passing much better. I imagine it’s because he was 89 and had lived such a wonderful, long life. Who knows? My four siblings and I made a quick decision…
Read MoreGreat Restaurant Design
Half of the fun of dining out is enjoying the ambience of a place. They say we eat with our eyes and today, mine were feasting at Cafeteria, at 15th and L, here in Sacramento. I know it’s a crazy name for a nice restaurant, but what do I know?! Located 2 blocks from the…
Read MoreOur San Francisco Get-Away’s for Sale
Nearly seven years ago, Mr. Wonderful and I bought a great 2 bedroom condo, a block from the San Francisco Bay and walking distance to so many fun things. The condo’s was wearing all of its original 30+ year old finishes when we purchased it and we really had a great time bringing the interior design…
Read MoreKitchen Window-Seat Love
One of my favorite things about our home is our large, eat-in kitchen. It’s probably one of the things that really sold me on the home, nine years ago. I really enjoy the window seat…especially changing the pillows to fit each season. This was the very last bunch of hydrangeas I could gather from the…
Read MoreJeffrey Bilhuber’s New Book Out This Week
Jeffrey Bilhuber’s third design book, “American Style” , is due out this week. The new book showcases twelve of his interiors, and there’s a fun interview with him in House Beautiful this month. Two favorite quotes include: “When you hire me, you hire a decorator, not a resourcer.” (In response to a woman looking for…
Read MoreDate Night at Home
While I love eating out, isn’t it nice to just have a wonderful dinner at home with your sweetheart? Mr. W. And I had a busy, dirty weekend and it just felt great to shower, put on some sweet smells and set a beautiful table, while the hub’s grilled a mammoth New York steak, at…
Read More(Is “Word Verification” Really Necessary?) My Son’s Wedding Day
I’ve been part of the design Blogger’s community for about a year now and wonder why many bloggers require you to copy letters in a “Word Verification” system. It never fails that my laptop/iPad or phone gets great joy, correcting the meaningless letters I copy into the word verification box, causing me to have to…
Read MoreMy Mother’s Reclaimed Vanity Chair
Since my dear Dad passed away, my four sibs and I have taken our share of my parents “treasures”. One of the last things to be adopted was my Mom’s bathroom vanity chair. My mother, the eternal “beauty queen”, started each and every day in this chair, “putting on her face”. How could I let…
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