Happy Guest: Dab It Yourself!

Hi everyone! I'm Dabito from Old Brand New and I'm thrilled to be filling in for Igor today. I just wanted to share some quick and dirty tips on painting planters, poufs and old paintings you already own to give your home an updated look without spending a fortune.

With planters, I like to use Rust-Oleum paint. I love the drip effect so I paint around it and dab a little extra paint in certain spots to allow the drip to happen.

For poufs, I use interior paint. I got the poufs from Ikea and you can use it to hang it on the wall, for sitting, or even stack a few to create a nightstand. 

And finally, for paintings, I've been going to thrift stores to find old paintings that are perfectly mounted and framed. And then I just paint over it an make it my own. 

I hope you find these tips inspiring. Have fun dabbing it yourself! Sweet thanks to Igor for having me over.

Photography by Dabito / Old Brand New

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Wall Painting Project With Farrow & Ball

A few weeks ago I was tweeting in desperation that I am getting my walls painted in my apartment. In the middle of it all I was really saying to myself: Why, oh why did I start all of this!? Everything was moved out of my apartment or shuffled around, I had to clean it and reorganize everything. But then, then came the moment: When I sat down and looked at my freshly painted walls. The sigh of relieve and happiness!

Everything started with the rough idea of painting my pitched roof walls in a shade of grey and maybe going for another feature wall in grey. Next I know I had two canisters of exquisite Farrow & Ball paint at home. Ok, ok, before that I got the colour chart and went through various shades of grey (not 50 though) until I came to a final decision: I wanted the velvety and dark 'Down Pipe' for my pitched walls and the smooth and light 'Plummet' for a feature wall in my living room. Plus, I decided to paint the arch between my living room and bedroom in 'Down Pipe'. 

The result is just the way I expected it. I wanted to create visual depth when you enter the apartment. Since my rooftop apartment is rather small and compact, you have a long view from the entrance door to the opposite end of the flat. That is where the pitched roofs are to be found and the arch in between. Thus, the eye beholds the dark grey ends framed by bright white walls and one mid-grey feature wall. All this is (or better will) be embellished with various colour accents for decoration. Moreover, I love the changing effects of the wall colour with the changing light situation - from brighter tones to velvety dark ones.

As you see with my pics, I am still in the middle of redoing my living room. The new sofa arrived, but I had no time whatsoever to embark on the final decoration project. I have a rough colour scheme in mind but way too many trips in my schedule to get it done. Thus, more home redo posts will follow later this autumn. 

What did I learn from this experience? I learned that coloured walls, even dark walls, are not necessarily a no-go for small apartments. Even in smaller places you can create a great visual effect and drama without creating a feeling of visual constriction. And I learned that it is smart to opt for high-quality paint as you want your walls to have the desired colour and last for as long as you wish. You can't go wrong with Farrow & Ball!

This post was kindly sponsored by Farrow & Ball. Thank you!

Photography by Igor Josifovic

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Happily Ever After: Artist Serena Olivieri

What happens if you put a charming Italian into the Spanish capital Madrid? I tell you what - creativity happens! Serena Olivieri is Italian, lives in Spain, is charming and super creative! I've followed Serena's  work through her blog and social media for quite a while and fell in love with her whimsical paintings and delicate watercolour illustrations. Patterns, colours and even textures come to a vibrant mix and you can sort of see the warmth and easiness of a south European mind as well as the vibrancy and delicacy of a female artist. 

What I admire about Serena's work is the way she is inspired by the world around her. Whether it's her mother's herbs on the balcony, an afternoon in the park, a bike ride in the city or a summer outfit - she transforms those moments into witty illustrations. 

I've selected a few of my favorite works of Serena Olivieri here. For more inspiration and colourful happiness make sure to visit her website.

Happy Friday, friends!

Photography via Serena Olivieri

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Happily Ever After: Art By Tush Tush

These days I am hooked on Etsy. It so happens that I have periods where I can't stop browsing Etsy and one click leads to the other and before I notice, hours have passed. Can you relate to this? Well, in one of my last browsing sessions I've stumbled upon a fabulous Etsy store called Tush Tush. It is the creative outpost of an Israeli artist who has recently moved to Canada and sells über-cute tiny drawings and paintings, mostly on canvas. Those kind of little art pieces that are ideal as accents for gallery walls. 

You can find a few original paintings made with acrylic paint as well as reasonably priced canvas prints. I am no art historian, but last December I visited the Edward Hopper exhibit in Paris and I must say, these works remind me a bit of the artful play of light and shadows that are distinctive for Hopper's oeuvre. 

My personal favorite is the guitar playing seaman (probably because of my soft spot for stripes and anything nautical). Which one do you like in particular? If you like to see more, click HERE to visit her Etsy shop. Happy Friday, friends!

Photography via Tush Tush / Etsy

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Ideas For A Happy Weekend

Here's a quick & happy post to celebrate my favorite day in the week - Saturday! It's the day when I boost with energy: I want to get up early and prepare a good breakfast, I want to stroll down the market and buy fresh blooms, veggies and fruits, I want to do some shopping, cook something nice, meet friends for a coffee and - if there is any time left in this fantasy - do something new in my home. How about this happy idea: painting a piece of furniture at home? I love the idea of painting some shelves or a pair of cabinet doors. Do you like some little weekend DIY in your home? Tell me all about it!

Photography by Sanna Lindberg

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