Design

Our Styled Credenza: Industrial-chic Meets Dia de los Muertos.

September 27, 2012

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We’re back, as promised, to share all of the final details that went into above and on our DIYed fauxdenza. Styling is always so fun.  Especially when it is a surface that can be styled and re-styled with changing seasons.  Last night, we got the base of the styling done.  The lamps installed (more on that in a minute) and our gallery hung. We also plopped our big, 20 pound wood ball from Indonesia…okay, HomeGoods, on there and called it a night.  Oooo, a rare night shot.

 

In the morning, I still loved the industrial simplicity of the styling–we really try to keep things clutter-free around here–but I thought the left side could use a little somethin’ somethin’.

And that “somethin'” turned out to be petite roses from our front yard, a short stack of magazines and books, and a skull. The roses and skull next to each other give off a bit of a dia de los muertos vibe.  Which I dig.  Would it be completely inappropriate to keep Skully around all year?

 
Before we get into more detailed shots of the credenza (because goodness, dark walls + huge window means I struggle taking a good wideshot of the room), we need to back track so I can tell you about Chris’s work on those lamps and the virtual absence of cords or wires. My hero.
 
First, he drilled a huge hole on either side on the console directly behind the lamps.  This, alone, was enough to give me a heart attack.  But this, and the hole he drilled in the very bottom of the cabinets, made it possible for us to run each lamp’s cord directly down without having to deal with their cords visibly wrapping around the outside of our new pretty console.
 

Underneath the cabinets, he ran 2 six-foot extension cords (one from the outlet to underneath the first lamp and the other from underneath the first lamp over to the second) and then he secured the plugs artistically like so:

Ha!  No one can see this, thank goodness.  He did use heavy duty staples to carry the extension cord to the second lamp.

 
And along the baseboard in the corner of the living room.
 
 
So, we’re left with a stream-lined look with our lamps–which are pretty slick themselves.  We found them at HomeGoods for $50 a pop marked down from $99 each.  The height was right and the lamp shade tied in so well with our jute rug, we knew they had to be ours.  Plus the lamp base was quirky enough to belong in our house which pretty much sealed the deal.
 

The big, wooden ball next to it is also a HomeGoods find.  It is massive and weighs around 20 pounds. It was $30, and luckily Chris was even more excited about it than I was.

 
The eight frames above hold prints that actually hung here before but in frames from the dollar store.  We decided it was time to upgrade.  These slim, black frames with big white mats are all from Target (the same line as the one in our bedroom) and the prints are mine.  I did them in my print making class in college.  I love the look of repetition (although each one is numbered) and the same look could be easily achieved using a print you love hung multiple times.
 
 

As for what is hanging out below, I mentioned the mini roses are from our garden.  As much as I abhor our big rose bushes, the mini ones are very, very sweet.  I plopped them in a small juice glass and called it good.  I stacked Skully ($5 at Target. My secret is out.) on top of two great books and a stack of National Geographics (we have a ton of those) turned around so there is just a hint of their signature yellow exposed.

This view of him makes me laugh.  Say, “Cheese!” He’s so friendly.

 
 
 
I am sure this credenza, styled in a hundred different ways for different seasons, will be a regular feature on the blog.  I kind of like to think of it as my new toy.  Although, so does Greta.  But that might have more to do what is inside the cabinets.
 
P.S. Wondering when/how this credenza popped up? See Part 1 of the fauxdenza here, and part 2 here.

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What do you think?

  1. Liz says:

    Hi Julia! I’ve been looking over your post on the Credenza setup and I was wondering what size are your black frames? Thank so much!

  2. erica says:

    It turned out so nice!! I love the pink flowers with the dark wall and the frames are perfect! Good work!

  3. erica says:

    It turned out so nice!! I love the pink flowers with the dark wall and the frames are perfect! Good work!

  4. Gretchen Holcombe says:

    nice! I have the same Target skull :)

  5. Anne-Marie says:

    That skull spray painted a rich gold would be totally appropriate year round.

  6. Victoria Bradley-Morris says:

    I’m obsessed with this. I love the industrial look of the lamps, paired with the earthiness of the wooden ball. You’ve got femininity with the roses, and edge with the skull. Finally, we’re big readers in our house, and the site of stacked books and magazines is the most romantic touch. *I* think :)

  7. Renee says:

    Here’s some girls’ bedrooms on Remodelaholic… Just sharing since you were contemplating the same recently: http://www.remodelaholic.com/2012/09/home-sweet-home-budget-girls-bedrooms/

  8. Erin {Home Everyday} says:

    This looks awesome. Those lamps are so unique! Don’t you just love Home Goods? I cannot wait to see how you style this space as seasons change and holidays come and go. Nice work!

  9. Oh my goodness! I completely forgot about that!

  10. Must be a coincidence! “Good to Great” is Chris’s, recommended by his brother and “The Alchemist” has been one of my favorites forever, it seems. Great books!

  11. Rebecca says:

    Ha! We read the same books. I have Good to Great sitting on a antique piece in my foyer…too funny. Looks good!

  12. Rebecca says:

    Ha! We read the same books. I have Good to Great sitting on a antique piece in my foyer…too funny. Looks good!

  13. Rebecca says:

    Ha! We read the same books. I have Good to Great sitting on a antique piece in my foyer…too funny. Looks good!

  14. I love it! Out of curiosity: my husband noticed the books on the table are the same as the required reading for one of his business classes here at BYU-Idaho. Coincidence, or did one of you take that class?

  15. Tiana Pellew says:

    This looks so good! I love the frames.

  16. Patty says:

    Didn’t Skully teach us Scripture Mastery one summer?

  17. It looks fabulous! I love absolutely everything about it, like seriously!

  18. Megan@JustForMeAndYou2 says:

    I think you should keep the skull year around! It’s funky and fun! The frames look incredible. You guys do good work over there.

  19. I love the friendly skull!! Friendly skulls make me smile. My skully is favorite part of halloween decor. I don’t like the ones that look scowly – happy ones like this guy are where it’s at ;)

  20. Meagan S says:

    It looks great – but I don’t love the skull…its fine for halloween I guess, but I just dont like skulls – I’ve never understood that trend. But thats just personal. But otherwise I think it looks gorgeous. I didn’t comment yesterday, but that dark wood on the top and sides really makes it. I love it.

  21. Oh, yes. We talked about that in this post:

    https://www.chrislovesjulia.com/2012/07/okay-maybe-wall-isnt-coming-down.html

    We still can’t wait to overhaul the kitchen, but that wall will be staying in place.

  22. Allison says:

    I take it the wall will for sure remain through the kitchen demo then?

  23. I love it! I love skulls. And I’m a big fan of the Dia de los Muertos look. You did good! I can’t believe those lamps were so cheap. Home Goods is my fave!

  24. Julia F says:

    beautiful! and the flowers are a nice touch

  25. Okay, so I bought the skull for Halloween decor–but I just love him! Hahaha. I’m sure he won’t stay there year-round, but he might stick around longer than the other Halloween stuff does.

  26. Kate says:

    Looks awesome! Just the right amount of styling. And the lamps are really fun, loving the industrial vibe these days.

  27. meaganbriggs3 says:

    Love times a MILLION. Those lamps. Perfect. The frames!? So chic. The skull!?!? Is he permanent or just for October??? Lol. No but I’m serious. Hahaha.

    That picture at night is roooomantic!!!!

  28. Good point! They are usually only on for an hour or two in the evenings, but I hadn’t even thought about that. Thanks, Karen!

  29. Karen says:

    Looks so great!! I love the way it turned out.

    I know at our house we had a lamp by the thermostat and it made the mechanical system think it was wayyyy hotter in our house then it really was (I guess having the lamp near the sensor). It might be a good idea to put LED bulbs in them to cut down on the temperature or just leave them off most of the time.

  30. LOVE it! I was seriously so impressed by your first picture that I skipped to the bottom to comment before reading the rest of the post haha Off to read it and be jealous of your wooden ball! :)

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