A little bird just informed me that there are only 3 days left in June.
I simply refuse to believe it. (Birds are notorious prevaricators.)

To quote Abraham Lincoln:  "Sayin' it don't make it so."  

Hmmm. . . .unfortunately, in this case Abe was wrong, the bird
was right, so let's get busy and wrap up the week with the
Fabulous Friday Before & After Show:

At the Parks

You know that I go all Lady Gaga over dresser projects and this

is one of my favorites.  The bead board and baskets are brilliant.

Sorry that these B&A photos are reversed but you get the idea:

Suzanne DuFault Inspiration

When a dresser has such beautiful lines (or

curves!) it's easier to get beautiful results.

Upcycle That

A lovely but rather dull Queen Anne desk needed a little updating

and a simple paint job did the trick.  The proof is in the pudding!(?)
Painting the drawer pulls matte silver is the detail that really tops off
the cake.  (Apparently, I'm channeling my grandmother today.)

  Before                                                                      After

DIY Inspired

Aren't these painted Dollar Tree vases darling?  The

key to the glossy look?  They're painted on the inside!

                        Before                                                           After

                   

Art Is Beauty

So elegant in its simplicity, this cabinet was sanded and lightly
painted, a decal was applied and it's ready for service in the kitchen.


This next project involves a perky little 1960s cabinet:

  Before                                                                  After

Trevi Vintage Designs
Look at those sassy gold legs and
the turquoise door pulls.  So cute!


These next three projects that were recently featured at Apartment Therapy:

The paint treatment on this desk is great but, personally,
I would have polished the drawer pulls and left them brassy.

Apartment Therapy
You know my passion for all things Mid-Century Modern
but I have admit that the results of this makeover are wonderful.


This next transformation is quite deceiving:


A Delightful Design
Creating a curved ceiling is very difficult.  At first glance the walls look as if
they're made of cinder blocks but they're actually trimmed out in horizontal
paneling.  I really like the effect but it sort of looks like an underground
tunnel beneath the White House.


Looking for a project that can be completed in a couple of hours?

Crafty Nest
This looks like a completely different lamp just
by painting the shade and stenciling on a design.

I hope you liked today's post.  Get out there and enjoy
this last weekend in June.  See you  next month!

A room can be ladylike without lace,
ruffles, and angels.

I call it Deceptively Feminine.

I like the concept.
I like it a lot.

eclectic revisited

What softens this room?  The glass top coffee

table?  The flowers?  The light fixture?

Fresh Home Decor
The light wood of the furniture compliments the tone of this bedroom.

Grange de Charme

There's absolutely nothing stark about this living

room even though there is very little color.

Decor to Adore

The pop of the yellow settee and the mirrored

coffee table hint at a very feminine touch.

Decorology

At first glance I thought this photo was in black and white

until I looked closer and noticed the browns and beiges.  I

absolutely love this dining room.  And that ceiling - oh, momma.

Atlanta Homes

Another mirrored coffee table and the art work soften what could

easily have been a more masculine scheme.  Those weathered doors . . . sigh.

Atlanta Homes

Words are not necessary, are they?

Home Bunch

Spacious, subtle, calming, balanced - everything

a woman could ask for in a bedroom.

The Heart Book

Pale blush walls and the lightest of turquoise are a soothing

combination - love the unexpected leopard print seat cover.

Shoot Factory

The window treatments and the chandelier tame
this room into a much less mannish retreat.

Modern Domicile

Who says modern eclecticism can't be feminine?  Not me!

New England Home

That single tureen of white star fish says,
"Yes, we girls are at the beach."

In My New Home

No frills are needed when a room is dominated
by such a magnificent mirror.

Deco Rare
Not the same room but definitely the
same mirror.  It's still magnificent.

Shoot Factory

Oh, those toile chairs.  Yes, please.

Martha Stewart

Upholstered chairs are a welcomed
addition to any bedroom.

Houzz

Without the mirror, the paisley window panels and the tiger print
chair, what would you have?  A rather masculine office, I think. 

Feminine With Edge

European Bohemian?  Whatever the style, it works.

Little Shabby History

Distressed whites and silver coupled with faded
vintage quilts are feminine and romantic
without being frilly and too sweet.

Cheryl Sawyers 

Caitlin McCafferty

Definitely Jane Austen-worthy.  So romantic

and womanly and not a rose in sight.

Well, here you have it - a post filled with incredibly
beautiful and ladylike rooms without the benefit of
overly effeminate accoutrement.

The Grammarist states that Gender is increasingly used to refer to a person's maleness or femaleness. Today I'm asking,


"Does Gender play an important part in your decorating scheme?  Do you think 'male or female' when considering an acquisition for your home?"

Matterless                    

Definitely mannish but I love the pewter walls, rustic table, and

black and white art.   Would you feel at home in this room?

    

Passion Decor

I've never really thought about it before but I'd say

that a nautical theme leans toward the masculine.

Home and Design

Gender specific?  I think more Gender Compromise.

The Decorista

Quite manly but incredibly interesting, isn't it?

Beta Plus

Belgium designer Esther Gutmer is known for her deceivingly

simple contemporary decor with an element of international flavor.

Definitely man-cave material.

Just The Design

The polished concrete floor conveys an

industrial bent in this uncluttered room.

Donna Watson Art

Tins in tins with painted butterflies is a captivating piece of art.

Rust and metal don't necessarily communicate a masculine touch. 

Niemozliwe!

My father collected arrowheads, antique guns,

and vintage tools.  He would have loved this set.

               

Shoot Factory

Though feminine pastels were used liberally in retro

mid-century decor, it definitely had a masculine appeal.

Big Sky Starlet

An interesting arrangement of portraits and

sketches of men makes a charming presentation.

The Poetry of Material Things

This room is such a beautiful contradiction

of  elements but it works seamlessly.

Plink

Is it sexist to say that animal skulls are a little mannish?

If you're comfortable in your surroundings, that's all

that's really important.  Male?  Female?  Who cares?