DIY's For Your Kitchen Drawers

Every now and then I come accross some genius ideas for making life just a little bit easier..and i'm not talking about a late night watching the Home Shopping Network with the credit card in one hand and pint of ice cream in the other.  Quite the contraty actually.  These may be McGuyver type fixes for your home, simple to do, and totally DIY (aka. cheap)!  They won't waste valuable spending space on your Visa or thousands of calories in the middle of the night!  Here are some fantastic ways to use your kitchen drawers for something other than junk mail, gum, spare keys to who knows what, etc...

There is nothing wrong with a cute iron paper towell stand thing right next to your sink, in fact it's not the stand that's the problem actually, it's the paper towells in plain sight that are (this is not considered "Industrial Chic" - which I am a humongo fan of)!  So to resolve this eye sore of a problem, remove a drawer near the sink, slide in a dowell hung by small-ish and cheap curtain rod ends, and you have a supder convenient and best of a discrete place for the roll!

SouthernLiving.com

 This next one is sooooo great I am mad I can't claim it as my own idea!  But non the less, I am very glad for the smarty pants behind this one for finally resolving an annoyance i've quietly had for some time.  For some reason it bugs whenever I am chopping up tomatos for a salad, sauce, whatever, and the gut juice gets all over my hands and rolls around on the cutting board like an ameobia or something.  I am not really to be trusted with a knife anyway since 9 times out of 10 I slice a digit, however it's much riskier for me when my hands and the board are wet and slimey.  Behold the perfect solution...

thefarmgirls.typepad.com

Leave it to the organizational experts at Better Homes and Gardens to come up with a great idea for another drawer in your home..this one deals with the silverware.   On of the only methods in housework I am actually organized with is how I load the silverware into the dishwasher.  Each type of untensil has it's own section, making it much quicker to put away.  By adding this drawer into the process it gets even more efficient since I don't even have to turn my wrist to put them away flat!  Ahhh..the convenience :).  What will I do with the new found spare time at the end of the day now...

bhg.com

So there you have it..solutions for those pesky problems you won't even know were bothering you so bad until you fix them and all of a sudden you are more relaxed and happier than you ever thought possible! 

Sold! Refined Rustic Dresser. Wait List Details

The "Refined Rustic Dresser" was another HUGE hit, selling out in less than 12 hours!  Thank you to all those who responded by contacting us with your immediate interest.  We're sooooo flattered by the response to it, all you daaaarrrrlings are oh so very lovely!  Well, we've got some great 411 for anyone who wanted this piece or other past sell outs..we have several more dressers where these one came from!  The Refined Rustic style will be available AGAIN both in Colorado and Utah within the month of June.  For sure one in each state, but possibly more. 

So, here's the deal.. we compile a waiting list of interested people who would like furniture that sold out before they could get to it.  I mean all must be fair in love and design, right?  We think so :)  If a piece is gone before you get a chance to snag it up, you can choose if you would like to be added to the waiting list for another just like it.  Let's call in an "Encore" piece..if you will ;)  Being on the list will ensure a pre-sale phone call/text/e-mail/or facebook shoutout (you determine the contact method that you would like to receicve), and if you say you definitely want it we'll hold it for you for 24 hours (totally first class treatment since we never hold any item that goes on sale), and it also means you're super cool and you have bragging rights ;) Ha! Kidding!..but by all means, brag if you want to, we're cool with that too! 

So, how do you get a front row see to La Dolce Villa furniture?  We'll post (or tell you upon contact) if something has sold, you'll be disappointed :(, but have no fear my dear because we'll ask you at that point if you want to be on the list.  If you see us post on our blog or Facebook that your fave furniture just sold, contact Haley or I and let us know you would like to be wait listed.  This is the info we'll need from you for that:

 { Name }

{ Furniture piece(s) } 

{ Phone number and/or contact method (phone call/text/e-mail/or FB wall shout out) }

{ Shoe size... Just Kidding }

That's it!  Also, we're more than happy to customize any piece for you combining several details of furniture you've seen of ours, or maybe something totally different that would be beyond perfect for your place (hello cheetah patterned dresser)!  No extra cost for design consultation and only 50% down upon order of a custom piece.

Toodles!
*Amanda 

For Sale - Refined Rustic Dresser/Console -$220

Made of very solid wood, it's extemely heavy and sturdy. Dark wood stained top and framed in side panels gives this piece contemporary contrast and visual interest. All artwork is original.  A great statement piece and functional piece of art.

 

**Facebook Fans**  "Friend" us and we'll include a vintage inspired frame or chalkboard for FREE!

 



$220



 

Facebook Friday!!!!

<--------Click on our Facebook Badge-------

We are now on Facebook and want to be your BFF's!  'Friend' us on Facebook (we're under La Dolce Villa) and we'll hook you up with some FREE Printable Invites for you to use the next time you throw a summer soiree!  Also, we're giving you Recipes & Decoration Ideas for EACH party type as well!  Stay tuned for a preview of some of the fabulous food items you will get the hook up on.  It's a perfect party plan that's so chic and with all the freebies it's on the cheap!  All you have to do practically is put on a sassy outfit and some strappy sandles and wait for the "oohs and ahhs" to come rollin' in from your guests. 

Be the Hostess with the Mostest this summer!  We would love to see your pics from the event too, so post them to our wall on Facebook!

Must See TV!

 We are so excited about working on a set design project for a brand new show.  More on the show details to come, we're keeping it under wraps until the details are squared away.  But lets just say, the women stars of the show are hillarious and are just what TV needs (to counter all the bad/inaccurate representations of our gender out there on air). Here is  link to their blog so you can read some of their entertaining and insightful material:

http://wearethewholeshebang.blogspot.com/

Set design has always been a big interest of mine.  I feel like it's a great opportunity to let the creative juices spill out all over the place and put the most ingenuituve ideas to great use!  The design is one that needs to be especially pleasing on the eye, or actally lens of the camera.  Hopefully the camera adds 10lbs more of style, not that it would need it of course ;)  I put together 4 vision boards for the show creators to choose from (shown below).  Once the overall look has been selected, we'll bring it to life for all to see.  Stay tuned....



Eye Candy



Eclectic



Industrial Chic





Vintage Vignettes


Which one is your favorite?

Better with Age

Every farmhouse table needs it's chairs, but not just ANY chairs will do.  Enter the better-than-a-hay bale wood chairs.  Since these picture examples are of a furniture rehab I did for a client, this ladder back style chairs are not available for sale.  However, the paint style and table carving detail are of course (table shown in second set of photos).

All six seats have been realistically aged to perfection.  What you can expect is natural, non-peeling crackling in small random spots, a glaze that looks like it took years to accumulate but not dilapidated, wear that could only be worn in such a way by loving use, and longevity of this overall appeal that will outlast a lifetime.  Our love affair with the farmhouse table setting look is not secret, how we've perfected it in a way that nobody else has however is a closely guarded one.  




This table started out with a totally flat surface and in a honey wood color. 
All slats, grooves, etc. are hand carved.

 

One thing about these pieces I can't resist is the way they can fill any room with warmth, familiarity, and character (all characteristics I would love to exude).  Personally, I think the farmhouse table and/or chairs are best used in a non 'country kitchen' setting.  Let this 'knotty' girl and all of her fabulous farm-ie friends steal the show in a sophisticated setting.  Matching decor styles religiously throughout any space is so blaaaah boooring...*yawn*.  When decorating, think of the hypothetical question.. if you could invite any group of people (from anywhere in history and in the world) to a party, who would be on your list?  Would you want to make sure that everyone look and dress the same, think the same, and like all the same exact things?  Uh, no thanks!  You wouldn't because that would be very uninteresting, there would be no new inspiring conversation where you learn something fantastic you hadn't ever heard before walking in the front door.  You're the hostess of your home in more ways than one.  Invite an eclectic mix artful pieces into your home.  Give your eyes and every one's who enters your home, visually interesting places to land, not just one, but several throughout each space.   Here are some farmhouse table eye candy (part two I guess since I posted others a few days back)...

Do you have a table, ANY table that is made of wood that you are completely over and bored of?  Let us make "Reduniture" out of it for you (ie. re-finish, repair, and re-style).  It's the most affordable approach to a replacing a tired table, getting completely custom furniture, and the satisfaction of a room you love living in.

This humble little table has come a looooong way...

..And she lived happily ever after :)

Imagination is Everything

Albert Einstein said "Logic will take you from A to B, but Imagination will take you Everywhere". I recently read that an imagination can often be as important as math, science, or reading..in an article written by Jaime L. Hebert (link to the full article is posted below).  It makes perfect sense now that math and science were the classes I ditched in school, because I always wanted to go and be everywhere else but there!  Luckily, I had an imagination that could come up with THE MOST creative excuse to tell my mom when my friends and I would run in to her at the mall or pass her on Main Street the middle of the afternoon when we should have been in class.  I think childhood imaginative play must have cultivated this to some extent since I spent my afternoons in a world of lavender unicorns, or being the conductor of a symphony of the tallest irises in my front yard, and changing my outfit nothing short of 10 times in one day at the age of three (but still whining that the current ensemble "didn't match and the pattern was all wrong"..bless my mom's heart for dealing with that).  Oh, and I can't forget my younger sister's haircut where we buzzed off her bangs so she would look like the virgin Mary who didn't have any bangs (unfortunately we didn't realize that her look was accomplished from growing them all the way out...) 

Can't beat this imaginative play!

This relates to decorating in one very important way, play often starts in a child's own space..their bedroom.  There are endless possibilities that you can do in your kid's room where you can allow your own imagination to run wild in the planning of it.  Later this will have the same effect on your child and benefit them for their lifetime.  Don't allow any design 'rules' to limit the options here, really anything goes.  I don't really believe in design rules anyway, in any room...that's stiff and boring.  So go ahead and take that piece of furniture that looks so standard and blah and give it a look that is something you once saw in a storybook or a scene in a dream.  Don't stop there, take the drama to the wall, the ceiling, and maybe even the door.  Let this be an ongoing decorative process, one that you add to and alter through the years as your child grows.  The evolution of a room over time is a thing of beauty.  I like to consider it a living scrapbook.



Chandelier and KaiaEve Pettiskirt are available at LaylaGrayce.com

Haley and I recently finished this armoire which the client once used to house her (now antiquated) television..you know the kind that isn't flat, it's got all that junk in the trunk).  I painted an imaginative scene that isn't too juvenile, with whimsical tree, birds, and birdcage.  We decided to make this a piece which could begin as a changing table in the nursery, later it will hold poofy and glitter-drenched dress ups and plastic heels, then in the tween and teen years the inside can be plastered with zitty faced photos of pre-pubescent boy crushes, then once the girl turns back to normalcy, so will the armoire where it will once again be a wardrobe.

**This Armoire is currently On Sale at Consign and Design in Farmington, UT. $399**
(Please see "Little Black Book" section at the top of the page for store Info.)

 Article Reference: Suite101: Imagination in Kids is Important: Why Children Need Imagination to Help Them Get Ahead Socially and Mentally in Today's Technology Based World | Suite101.com http://www.suite101.com/content/imagination-in-kids-is-important-a5166#ixzz1MdjrfYTX

Bon Voyage...In your Backyard

With the April showers FINALLY coming to an end..all be it a few weeks late.. we are so very ready for the May flowers!  More importantly, it's time for outdoor entertaining again! 

As far as I know, there is no 'rule', or at least one that I would abide by, that you can't use your indoor furniture out of doors.  In fact, I think it's very refreshing to change your space up when the weather does.  With that being said, lets talk about your table.. this is a piece of furniture that is definitely versatile throughout your entire living space, and you should take advantage of that!  Feel like you are living the luxe life everyday throughout spring and summer by dining al fresco for all your home meals. 



From Left: ApartmentTherapy, MarthaMoments, MegMcGhee



To accomplish the full effect of this ambiance you need a table that is more champagne and caviar ..and less ketchup and mustard.... In non-figurative terms, your table should be made of real, natural wood, one that's solid, a  distinctive design, and maybe even a conversation piece in and of itself.  It should almost make you afraid to put it outside for fear of what the elements, neighbor kids, or stray cats will do to it.  Have no fear, we've got that covered...really well actually, with an obsessive amount of non-toxic, non-yellowing, polycrylic.  Outside of the durability we've achieved with this protection process, the best part is that we've made it look like it's not under layers and layers of that stuff!  There is no glossy finish, thick coating look, or plasticy feel, in fact you can't see that it has this much protection on it!

 I don't like to limit my options of what to do with anything, be it furniture or empty toilet paper rolls (more to come on that at a different point in time), which is why we at La Dolce Villa finish our furniture well, so you can take it indoors or out, have poker night on it, tap dancing toddlers, or feed a group of vikings at it!  But in between these events you will have a table that looks gorgeous and unique, is a work of art, and the envy of the neighborhood!





Tuscan Table/Chair Set ON SALE: $340 (sorry, this has sold since orig. posting)



 Get ready for your summer soirees this year that will be remembered for a lifetime. Gather around this table in your backyard suburban oasis, that makes you and the lucky ones you invite over feel like they are on vacay somewhere in Europe.  Somewhere where a guy name 'Jaques' is serving you endless amounts of artisan bread. For that, we've got the PERFECT bread recipe below, it's soooooooo incredibly easy (and super fast), and you can serve it straight from your oven.  If these things don't earn you the title of Hostess with the Mostess, then you need to get new friends!  ..Kidding of course ;) 

Quick and Easy Artisan BreadRecipe from "Artisan Bread in Five Minutes"
(makes about 4 medium loafs)

Ingredients:
3 cups of lukewarm water
1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast
1 1/2 tablespoons coarse salt
6 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Method:
1) Grab a very large mixing bowl, or a large container that you can cover. In it, mix the water, yeast, and salt. Just let that sit together for about 5 minutes. Then dump the flour all at once and stir with a wooden spoon. You don’t need to knead this, and you’re not looking to make it come together into a dough ball. You just want everything mixed well, with no streaks of flour left, and you’re done.

2) Leave it in your container, covered (but not airtight, or it’ll pop), for about 2 hours. When it has risen and then deflated a bit, your dough is done. It’s ready to be used or stored in the refrigerator.

To bake the Bread:1) Just grab a chunk of dough (they recommend a chunk about the size of a grapefruit, but you can use larger chunks). Dust your hands with flour to help prevent sticking, dust the dough with flour and gently pull the sides of the dough toward the bottom, rotating the dough, until you get a roundish shape with a smooth surface. It should only take you about a minute or less to do this. The dough won’t be entirely in the bottom, where it may look bunched up, but don’t worry about it.

2) Put the dough onto a baking sheet or tray that’s been dusted with cornmeal to prevent sticking, and let it rest for at least 40 minutes. No need to cover it. If the dough has been refrigerated, it helps to let it rest a little more, until it’s no longer chilled.

3) Twenty minutes before you are ready to bake, put a pizza stone or baking sheet in the middle rack of your oven, and put a broiler pan in the bottom rack. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Dust some flour on the top of your loaf, and make some slashes on the dough, about 1/4-inch deep. (Unfortunately I didn't slash deep enough which is my the end result looks flat)

4) After twenty minutes of preheating, it’s time to bake. (You can put the bread in after 20 minutes, even if your oven hasn’t reached 450 degrees yet.) Slide the loaf onto the baking stone or sheet, and then quickly pour 1 cup of hot tap water into the broiler pan. Then quickly shut the oven door to keep the steam inside.

5) Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until you get a nice brown crust. It tastes best when you let it cool completely. Don’t worry if your beautiful crust seems to soften a bit. It will harden again.

For the Visual Learner (like me) Here is a link to the Video demo from the chef:

http://www.amazon.com/Artisan-Bread-Five-Minutes-Revolutionizes/dp/0312362919

We admit it, we love a great DIY tutorial on anything that can really save us more than a buck, one that is something that we truly would like for our home (or for ourselves to wear), but most of all DOES NOT look like we made it ourselves!  This excludes anything that you would make with macrame, has a teddy bear on it, or says 'Live Laugh Love'...we're not judging anyone out there with anything of that nature in their home because your space is after all a reflection of who YOU are and everyone is great.  So, because our parents raised us right and we learned how to share, we're passing the tutorial goods on to you!  We've gathered up some of the best of the best DIY's available online or in books, that are available for sharing, and are not overplayed ideas that you are soooooo sick of seeing in every one's home and as such have lost all clever or cuteness about them.

Today's DIY is a springy one, (as in the season, not anything that bounces).  I admit, I am NOT a green thumb (but I am green with envy that Haley is)!  However, I do love pots and other garden accoutrement (this word has been randomly stuck in my head for days now, it's a fun one to say so I had to insert it somewhere...).  They are great re-purposed decor items when used indoors too. 

So when I stumbled upon this fantastically easy and expensive looking idea, I was ALMOST encouraged enough to start a full spring cleaning of my house so I could decorate for the new season from a fresh canvas.  I say 'almost' because I didn't end up cleaning, I skipped right to the dessert of the situation and made the pot..which later served as a cute catch-all for small clutter (so some cleaning did happen).  Anyway, this idea and tutorial is from  Suzonne Stirling of UrbanComfort.typepad.com and "B is for Baby" crafty book fame.  She has a great blog jam packed full of worthwhile reads, is a wonderful writer, and overall creative genius.  Project pics are posted below along with the direct link to the tutorial on her blog:

Direct link to tutorial on her blog:
http://urbancomfort.typepad.com/urban_nest/2011/04/decoupaging-with-lace.html

If your anything like me when you see a fun new idea, you will get totally obsessed with making these things and expand the idea beyond the original tutorial after the first couple hours making them.  Then you stay up all hours of the night making six for everyone you know as well as people you might meet one day..just in case they happen to need an eyelet wrapped vase, then you can be the hero of the day and present one to them that you have on the ready.   Then, just when you tire of this DIY we'll have another project  posted so the cycle can start all over again...  Is this just me????


DIY disclaimer: It is not chic, fabulous, or cool to rip-off someone else's design that they have worked hard at developing, obsessing and losing sleep over, and spent countless hours and money building the brand/idea to the success that is today and/or will be in the future...all so you can see it, make it, and sell it at a below market rate.  So please respect other people's thoughts and talents and do not open an online shop selling wares you've pirated. 

Vintage Inspired Chalkboards, Gift Certificates, and More..Oh My!

Our chalkboard giveaway and gift certificate raffle is still on going!  We've extended it for almost another full week...call us crazy, but we just love throwing a party where the guests get the gifts! 

If this is the first you have heard about this and are wondering how you can get in on the goods, click the link below to check out the details:

http://ladolcevilla.blogspot.com/2011/05/chalk-it-up-to-really-great-thing-free.html

We would never want a guest of OUR soiree to leave without a parting gift, so all other 'Followers' who don't qualify for the free Vintage inspired chalkboard will be entered into a raffle for several 20% off Gift Certificates to your's truly..La Dolce Villa!

*Please Note:   Every few days the qualifying winner incriment number will go up.  We started at every 5th follower, now were at every 15th.  So all followers who joined as the 1st person through the 30th person, fall within the every 5th category...everyone else at this point falls within the every 15th category.  YOU WILL BE NOTIFIED BY E-MAIL OR THROUGH YOUR BLOG IF YOU HAVE WON A CHALKBOARD.  Notifications will be sent out by the end of the week.  If you don't get notified of a win by Sunday, you will be entered into a drawing for a 20% off Gift Certificate to La Dolce Villa.

-Frames will be Mailed to you within 6-8 weeks-

Don't be left off our ever so exclusive guest list to the best daily blog bash around!  All you need to do is add your cute self as a blog 'follower'!

Outside or In..this table is a Win!

On saturday Haley posted (below) about our awesome bid winners of the black and red coffee table..well there are 2 more tables where that one came from!  For sake of giving furniture a personality, lets say the black table is the 'vixen'...which I guess makes it somewhat fitting that the winner..who prefers to be called "Squinney"... is posing on this table as though he's a centerfold!  We love the 'drama' of the pic, thanks for going all out for it..uh..."Squinney"..!  You really know how to work the camera :)

This next table would be the counterpart to the vixen coffee table, it's her sassy sister with a softer edge.  We're open to name ideas so please feel free to add a comment to this post if you've got one!



SOLD -  This Piece is $90



We don't mess around when it comes to looking good, so you can guarantee that we've taken care of every last detail on this piece! It's professionally finished, has several layers of commercial grade protectant on it (but is not super shiney or glossy), and can withstand the elements so go ahead and use it outside or inside!

We've designed this piece to look beachy and weathered by the wind, sand, and maybe a little bit of salty ocean water.  I painted the design with a pattern inspired by what is seen in Moroccan textiles and architecture.  This table looks amazing indoors, it does not have an obvious patio piece look to it.  When inside your home it looks like it belongs there and feels especially comfortable with white, gray, or khaki color couches.  If you slipcover your sofa it will only add to the beach feel of the room, plus it's very afforadable!  Speaking of affordability, if you've never considered purchasing anything other than books and small necesseties from Amazon.com, you should totally look at the deals they have on sofas!  No need to be worried about the shipping price either, it's WAY less than I expected.  Why pay thousands for a Pottery Barn sofa when you can get one of the same look and quality for...are you ready for the price shocker..$377 (+$59 for shipping)!!!  Or it can ship for FREE with Amazon's "Super Saver Shipping".  That gives you more than enough spare change for the super stylish "Chair and a half".  Love it! 

For your viewing pleasure i've added some pics below of room settings that this table would totally want to be friends with.  I can definitely see the moroccan table smack dab in the middle of the green room, sort of snuggled up next to that dreamy setee (where I want to nap).  You don't have to have a beachy, moroccan, or well traveled design to your room decor to work this piece in.  Adding in the unexpected  to a room makes it interesting in there.  We're all about ecclectic decorating, and this table fits the bill.

kimgray.co.za






paperflowersonline.wordpress.com



 PS: Don't you just LOVE the unexpected ceiling decor in this last room!  So easy and HELLO soooo cheap!  Totally a sinch to make all or most of this.  All you need is some tissue paper in your room colors to make the pom pom balls Tutorial here (a la Martha Stewart): http://www.marthastewart.com/how-to/tissue-paper-pom-poms-how-to 

Then cut out some circles or any other shape, attach some string, and blammo!... you have an adorable confetti garland to toss about in the mix.  You can get other lanterns and such at a party supply store (or even the dollar store or dollar spot at target if you hit it up at just the right time).

Party Supplies is too much fun just to use on one or two occasions in a year.  Isn't Life a party anyway?  Celebrate everyday!









And the highest bidder is......

  A special thank you to Mr. and Mrs. Quinney for being the highest bidders on the La Dolce Villa Coffee Table at NDPA's Art Auction!  They were not going to let this table go.  They had a close eye on this table all night and made sure they were the last bidders of the evening....I secretly saw a semi-bidding war the last 2 minutes of silent auction.  Good news for us is they asked us to redo their current entertainment center to match the table. 

  Now back to the auction...The entire auction was a huge success with so many AMAZING pieces of art!  I know it took many "Mom" hours to have made it such a huge success.  So a huge THANK YOU to each and every one of them.  It was a great night for a great cause and we are so happy we were able to be part of it.  

From left to Right: Mrs.Quinney, 'Squinney', Haley @ the Art Auction

 

   Below is a picture of what it looked like before we put our magical hands on it and before you judge too harshly, listen to it's history.  The previous owner's father used to work in a very well-known (I don't drop names...for free at least) department store over 60 years ago.  The table used to be a display table and when the store decided to update all the furniture in the store, the employees had the chance to buy them.  The man purchased three of these tables and just threw them in his garage and used them to store paint and oil cans on.  His daughter decided to give them a better life.  The solid oak tables have two drawers (missing in the pic but we had it) which were hand carved and dove-tailed.  They definitely don't make furniture like this anymore.  It even withstood falling out of the back of my SUV!  Not this exact one though! 

Up for AUCTION!

The wonder people at La Dolce Villa were generous enough to donate a unique, 100% original indoor/outdoor coffee table to the best school in town, North Davis Preparatory Academy. Their annual Art Auction is one of two fundraisers and last year they raised $15,000!



For a "few" nickles and pennies ($25) you can get a great meal, support an amazing Spanish Academy and have a chance to get an original La Dolce Villa piece. All the money raised from the auction goes DIRECTLY to the school! If you are "that" last minute person you can try your luck and email Necia@aol.com for ticket availability. BTW...Did I mention this is for adults only?!!! What parent doesn't want a night with their significant other, dinner, entertainment, booze and all for a good cause? Keep it in mind!

NDPA Art Auction
Davis Conference Center
May 6, 2011
Dinner served at 6:00pm and auction ends at 8:00pm

Farmhouse Fête

'Farmhouse' and  fête are two words you wouldn't necessarily think of using together in the same sentence, beings that 'fête' is french for "an elaborate party"..(thanks Webster!), and we all know that a farmhouse is less than elaborate.  However, leave it to us to make a place where the chickens poop ..Chic!  Haley and I love the idea of taking a humble yet charming space or piece of furniture, such as a barn or a table you would find in it..and making it something worthy of an event for the most fabulous of guests!  So we went to work and came out with a table to swoon for, even if it is umongst some swine (which in my case are my three kids under the age of 5, at every meal time...)! 

Just like we as women often do double or tripple duty (or much more on some days), we think our furniture should to.  I mean, really..what's  a girl to do when you get sick of the furniture arrangement, but still love the piece?...just live with it where it's at, wishing you could use it somewhere else in a fun new way?!  Oh no, no, no, honey...we would never suggest you suffer in silence like that!  We've come up with a handful of ways to use our farmhouse chic table and look like a total genius!  Does it get any better than that?!

I introduce you to the farmhouse kitchen island:

We're completely aware that this wouldn't necessarily work or fit into any given kitchen, but if it does, don't you just love!  We're totally having a KJM...Kitchen Jealousy Moment..BTW, we're all about the acronyms,

(we blame text messaging).  For the rest of us that don't have this option, there's more :)  How about alternating the seating around the table.  Anything goes with this piece. so mix it up and be sure not to go matchy-matchy.  A wood bench (even if it's just from your backyard picnic table), on one side of the table with a couple pillows thrown on it, paired with some slipcovered wingback chairs at each end, and a couple random chairs for the other long side, will totally get you on the pages of the home style mags!  Or you can add some metal or lucite chairs to this rustic piece for a super modern-meets-the mountains look.

  

Truly the best part of this table trend is that this piece it totally durable and can take a beating from the most rambuncious kids and messy eaters...like these three hulligans of mine (Jett 5, Evyn & Hattie 2)

We understand that furniture needs to be low maintenance since we as women are high maitenance and we have better things to do than stress about furniture, clean it, fix it, then repeat!  So you know when you're getting a La Dolce Villa piece you're getting furniture that's been pampered to perfection along the way and protected to the gills!  Our tables have several layers of commercial grade clear coat on them so wiping them up is so easy you can give your toddler the task to do.  Also it's protected enough to withsrtand the elements, so go ahead..take it outside back to where it originally came from, and use it for your big summer soiree or even your everyday outdoor dining a la fresca! How Itallian villa would that be!  (Picture your neighbors peering through the slats in the fence, green with envy, wondering when they are going to get an invite)!

Bon Apetit!

Chalk it up to a REALLY great thing! Free Designer Chalkboards!

Follow Utah's First Fashion Forward  Home Furnishings and Design Blog... and you'll be part of the "Elite" crowd of with the Hautest Homes in town!  We'll let you in on..

and everything in between to

Refresh your Style

 and

Renew your Home

 Make your neighbors and friends jealous thinking that you hired a pricey professional
to make your home look like Elle Decor  (but you really just used us, the girls next door)!

We have recently launched LaDolceVilla.blogspot.com to share our passion of fashionable home furnishing and we would love to kick our blogging journey off with a big time bang!  So we've decided to GIVEAWAY vintage inspired chalkboards to every 15th 'follower' that joins!  So if you are follower #45, 60, 75, 90,.. and so on you will receive a ...

Each Frame is Different and Unique, so it'll be a surprise in the mail!

It really is that simple :)  We would hate to disappoint, so you're really going to freak out when you see how C-U-T-E your chalkboard is, and you can tell the gawkers you paid a fortune for it when you were on 'vacay' in the South of France...seceret is safe with us, we totally have your back.

And we don't like to let anyone leave a soiree of OURS without a party favor, so all other followers inbetween the 15s will be entered into a drawing for

a 20% off gift certificate?!  ...OMG!   

This is a total deal since our furniture is already embarassingly low-priced (but we want to be BFF's with all of you, so we'll hook you up). 

All we ask in return is a couple seconds of your precious time to do the following:

***Fine Print: (what the guy says at the end of a commercial REALLY fast!)***

*If you really want the A-list treatment, join our feed and get our cool blogpost sent right to your e-mail..  On a silver platter from Tiffany's of course ;)

*We do so solomly pinky swear to only call you upon winning any loot we're carelessly giving away and NOT in the middle of the night or before 10am! -We need our beauty sleep too!

 *If you tell everyone you know they are now forever indebted to you for sharing your wealth of 'in the know' knowledge with them, and you reserve the right to be credited as the provider of this previed information to anyone they tell about it,..since you are the original source and therefor the most popular with the best collection of shoes and shiniest hair..thankyouverymuch.

Can you Believe it? That's it!  For Real!