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Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Is There Anything I Won't do to Get the Job Done?

For years now I have wanted to do something with the space above my front door.  We have a two story entry and there is a ledge above the front door underneath a window.  When we first moved in I placed two artificial plants up there and called it a day.  It has been on my "to do" list forever, but it has always fallen to the bottom of the list as something else always seemed more important to do first.
You can see in this photo just how sad the space looks.  So what finally got the ball rolling on this project?  Well, a few weeks ago I replaced the drapes in my guest bedroom with new drapes I sewed.
That meant that the cream silk drapes from Pottery Barn, which were less than two years old, 
no longer had a home. This was the perfect opportunity for me to relocate those drapes to the space above the front door.  
For the past three weekends I have been wanting to start this project.  
I bought the rods, had the accessories...so now I just needed to find a few hours on the weekend to recruit my husband to get it done.  After the past three weekends came and went, we finally got started on Sunday.  My husband got out the big ladder and brought it into the entryway.  He climbed up the ladder and then looked down at me and said that he didn't think he could do this.  Excuse me?  Hubby say what?   "What do you mean you don't think you can do this?", I asked.  He said, "you know that heights aren't my favorite thing and once I get up here I probably will have to stand on a step stool in order to reach high enough to hang the drapes...I don't think I can do it".  Okay...deep breath...while I totally understood...there was no way I was not hanging those drapes right then and there.  
I said, "ok, get down...I'm going up".  

I do not have any real issues with heights so I figured how bad could it be.  First things first, I held up the drapes on the rod and had to be on my tippy toes in order to reach.  Well, the height wasn't the only issue...it was the fact that the depth of the ledge is only 27".  
That meant once I was up there I also had to have a step stool in order to reach high enough to install the brackets.  Then I would have to be super careful not to have the step stool too close to the edge, but I also couldn't have it too close to the window or else I couldn't get far enough away to gain the right leverage to drill the pilot holes and screw in the brackets.

Now in fairness to my husband, he stayed up on that ladder and held the step stool and handed me the tools and basically did everything he could to make sure I didn't end up falling.  Usually when we do projects like this he is the one doing the project and I am the assistant.  It was much harder, and funnier, having the roles reversed since the whole time I was up there I could never think of the word for whatever I needed next and kept referring to whatever I needed as the thingie.
The sun comes directly in the front window at this time, but I had to keep the shade open or else I didn't have anywhere to hold on.  Disclaimer - the photos aren't great of me up on the ledge.

Just because I was fifteen feet off the ground didn't change what I needed to do in order to hang the drapes correctly.  I still had to measure and level the brackets and make sure they hung at the same height on both sides.  A bit trickier at that height.
Here's another not so attractive photo...but it does show you what it took for me to hold onto the window and attempt to screw in the brackets.  I just had to laugh.

My parents stopped by around this time and my mom said I looked like Lucy in that episode from I Love Lucy when she is on the ledge of their apartment building.  Remember that episode?

While I was up there I also needed to hang the candle sconces I had purchased from Home Goods.
Then I fussed and primped the drapes until they puddled just right.
Now it was time to accessorize the ledge.  I carefully made my way down the ladder and my father climbed up.   I handed the accessories to my husband who was on the ladder and he handed them to my father.  I had to snap this photo of my father taking a call on his cell phone while he was up there.  
Here is the finished space.  I just love how it came out!  In creating this look I layered my pieces to give it that out of a magazine look.  It's not like I have to worry about anyone moving anything.

 The candle sconces are from Home Goods.  The birdcage I have had in my dining room for years.  The pillows were in the closet not being used.
The gate is another Home Goods find.  The gate is leaning on the window sill, however, my husband nailed two nails into the floor to stop the gate from slipping forward.  We also had to be careful that it leaned forward enough so that the remote controlled shade could pass behind it easily.  My husband added a piece of styrofoam (from the curtain rod box) to the back of the gate with double-sided tape and used it as a buffer from the molding.

On the other side I used a little table I had in a closet along with two topiaries that used to be on my mantle.  The ball made of sticks is also from Home Goods.
As an added bonus, having this area decorated has also made my beautiful chandelier look even more beautiful now that it has this as it's backdrop.
The gate picks up on the color of the medallion from the chandelier.
The end result was so worth the risk of bodily injury. Lol
What do you think?  Do you love it as much as I do?
By the way...for anyone keeping track...this officially means I met all of my home goals I set for 2011.  Woo Hoo!!  
Just in time for the holidays.


Don't forget to stop back tonight at 8pm EST for my Fall into Fall link party. 

-Judy

40 comments:

Ruthie said...

Wow what a beautiful job! Such a nice balance of decorating ... it's not overpowering nor sparse anymore either. My favorite part is the gate & medallion flow ; )

Carol-Anne said...

Wow. That's quite the serious devotion to getting the job done! I'm afraid of heights too, so I feel your husband's pain!

Gina said...

Oh Judy, that's amazing! I never could have done it, I would have had a panic attack. :D

I have to show this to my sister-in-law who is also always hanging from her ledge, changing it up with the seasons.

Kathy @ Creative Home Expressions said...

It looks gorgeous, Judy! What a great idea to use the drapes up there! I'm afraid of heights, too, so I can sympathize with your hubby. My hubby moves around like a monkey and scares the heck out of me, especially when he would have to go up on our roof. He'd be like your Dad, just sitting there as if he wasn't so high up! Love the accessories you used, too. It really looks so good!

Unknown said...

Love this post. Read every word and cracked up at your dad casually sitting up there taking a phone call!!!

My first thought in the beginning was WOW, look at that chandelier!! It is spectacular.

It looks wonderful. Now all you have to do is climb up there from time to time to dust!!! lol

Elegant. Wonderful.

Debbiedoos said...

Girl you are crazy good! That looks awesome Judy. I have a stencil giveaway going on now, would love for you to get in on it.

Anonymous said...

It's absolutely adorable but honestly my hands sweat the whole time I read this post :) Y'all are a brave bunch of family - but it was definitely worth it, just gorgeous, especially with the chandy. Great job!

Anonymous said...

I just bumped into your site from the blog hop and I think, you are simply inspirational !!!!! I love what you did with that area. Its simply super-duper- fantastically-brilliantly-AWESOME !!!!!! And to think that you did ALL THAT all by yourself. GIRL !!! Your GREAT !!
Naush

Colleen said...

We have that same sort of ledge above our door. It's brutal! I laughed when I saw your post as my husband won't go up there and had issues changing the lightbulbs in the chandelier. I'm the one who gets up on the ladder and dusts that area!!

Wendy@Once upon a rose haven said...

Wow! It looks beautiful! Great job and congratulations!
Hugs,
~Wendy

Layn @ reignalayn.blogspot.com said...

WOW!!! Congrats! It looks awesome. Great arrangement job up there too. Very nice. LOVE your chandelier!!!!

Allyson Pecilunas said...

Judy, it looks absolutely amazing!! I was just watching Donna decorates Dallas and she decorated someones ledge like this and yours looks FABULOUS! Great job girl!

Rooms by Ann said...

I love what you did it, looks great.I just found your blog and it's a keeper.

Ange said...

Love the new curtains in the guest room! Also your pictures made me smile of you up high doing your thing. Looks beautiful, love it!

At The Picket Fence said...

OH MY GOODNESS!! Judy you are beyond impressive my friend!! You were right about about our hubby's and their fear of heights. LOL! We gals know how to the job done, though right? It look so incredibly gorgeous and hanging those drapes up there was stroke of genius. Seriously cracked up at the photo of your dad on the phone! Everything looks just beautiful and you should be so proud of yourself! :-)
Vanessa

patti west said...

WOW!!!! You are one brave woman! That's awesome that you were able to get up there and hang the drapes, etc. This ledge looks like another room in your home. Congrats on creating such a beautiful space!

Traci said...

It looks great & I'm glad you didn't hurt yourself!

Gwen @ The Bold Abode said...

Ha! Luuuuucy??? What hav yooo done, now??? Hee-haw-larious!

Yup, there's not much we girls won't do to have a purty home! (Except clean it...over here..)

Anyway, it's so purty, you could put a couch up there and stay... take some popcorn and Diet Coke and have a relaxin time...

Gorgeous!

kathie said...

Such a fun transformation of the space! I love it & I'll bet you love it every time you look up :)

Marty@A Stroll Thru Life said...

Judy, that is just fabulous. I would never in a million years thought of adding the drapes and then the accoesories like that. Gorgeous. I love it. Your pictures and the story gave me a giggle. My DH is afraid of heights too, so I am always the one on the ladder and he's the one holding it. So funny. Your entry is awesome and I LOVE that chandy. Hugs, Marty

Ivy and Elephants said...

Wow! What a fabulous job! I love that you were brave enough to get up there!
It is absolutely magazine worthy!
Love it!
Patti

Judy said...

WOW! It's absolutely gorgeous!! I love how it turned out. Just like out of a decorating magazine. Kudos to a great job!

Just Jaime said...

Great job, it looks amazing!

KimMalk said...

It looks great, Judy. Not only did you do all the hanging and primping you did it 15 ft. up, enough to give anyone a case of the "willies".

La Vie Quotidienne said...

Good for you! EXcellent job. It looks so pretty and adds a wonderful visual effect to the space.

Jean @ Flower Hill said...

So pretty! Love the drapes up there! I'm always shuffling things around the house too. Drives my husband nuts.

Junk in the Trunk Trio said...

Love that chandelier! And I agree the decorating makes it shine brighter.

Unknown said...

Absolutely Gorgeous!!

Anita Diaz said...

This is just beautiful! I love your chandelier and everything you used on the ledge looks wonderful!!

Crystal said...

This looks gorgeous, Judy!!! You did a wonderful job! I love that gate! Everything is wonderful! Thanks so much for sharing! Have a wonderful weekend! :)
Crystal
Homemaker in Heels

Kaitlin Saenz said...

Looks Great! I'm hosting a Fabulous Fall party over at Not So Simple Housewife and I'd love for you to link this up! We are celebrating Fall and giving me and everybody else some great inspiration. We are looking for crafts, decor, food, and more! I'd love for you to add this and any other fall posts you may have!

Kaitlin-The Not So SImple Housewife
http://notsosimplehousewife.blogspot.com/2011/10/fabulous-fall-link-party.html

Be Colorful Coastal said...

Love your projects and I wanted to stop by and let you know that I appreciate you linking this one up to Motivated Monday at BeColorful and tell you that I featured your post this week. Thanks again,
Pam

Jennifer said...

Beautiful! Love how your hard work turned out!
Thanks for sharing at Show & Share!

Anonymous said...

FAB-U-LOUS!!!!! That is just simply beautiful...I could have helped, but only by standing on the floor passing you things!!

I'm your 1300th follower!!!!

Kristin @ My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia said...

OMG lucy this is gorgeous!!! I love how you decorated it, a little scary I would say but so worth it! Just stunning!
XO
Kristin

Jen said...

What a beautiful space! I have a similar space above my front door. That space is currently empty - thanks for a few ideas :)

Becca Bertotti said...

WOW !! This looks incredible, Judy !! What an amazing before and after, which I'm sure you're asking yourself "why didn't I do this sooner?!" aren't you? It truly looks fabulous, and I admire that you're not afraid of heights ... I wouldn't have been able to do that at ALLL!

Youaretalkingtoomuch.com said...

So impressed! It reminds me of a diorama. You know....a shadow box. I used to love those as a child! Such a wonderful place to accent those pieces in a museum like way! Love it! Great job! Found you through At The Picket Fence mention on Facebook! Good job! Love, Me www.youaretalkingtoomuch.com

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Ana said...

Aha! What an eye-pleasing project. I appreciate your thinking of doing something above the front door. The finishing job made the door so so lovely. I also amazed with the outer view of the house. Love your elegant and luxurious project. Just to help the home addict from Aurora, here's to get new replacement windows in Aurora. Hope some readers find it interesting.

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