Category Archives: Home Decor

West Elm – Where have you been all my life?!

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You guys!  I am in LOVE!

I think I am the last person on this planet to discover West Elm, but I am completely smitten… how did I not know about this gem beforehand?!
I kind of feel like this store is a culmination of everything simple, classic and chic with a contemporary edge. Don’t get me wrong – I veer towards classic/traditional through and through – but there is a total soft spot in my heart for the more edgy and modern… especially in accessories.  Over the weekend, Kris and I went couch hunting, and stopped into West Elm – and while none of the sofa’s were for us, Kris was literally ooh-ing and ahh-ing over everything in there.  It was SO freaking funny, since I’ve never once seen him get that excited about shopping.  Or home decor.  Ever.  
Soooooooo many good light fixtures and lamps
I mean, how good is this chandelier???

Or this faux tree branch lamp??  I mean, that is just cool!

  
And this hinge arm glass floor lamp kills me – and I need it.  Like now.

You know how I feel about a good stripe – these curtains are contemporary, but the linen also makes them classic and earthy… ahhhhhh (that’s the sound of angels singing)…

There are lots, and LOTS of abstract patterns on every textile from bedding to curtains to throw pillows – some more abstract than others (that ombre batik pillow trio) vs. the elongated honeycomb pillow… sooo good!

But you know I’m eyeing the abstract chevron pillows… black and white?? Yes please!!

 Remember these curtains from this post??  West Elm!!

And if you like shiny objects as much as I do…

You.

Are.

Welcome.

Mercury glass galore…

 … or perhaps these gold orbital “things” are up your alley… they are definitely up mine!  So cool propped on a bookshelf or coffee table…

I for one am in looovveee with these mirrored trays (with stand)… with the price of the coveted bar cart through the roof, these would make a pretty little bar in a corner of the living room… no?

And brass animals… so quirky but cool.
Perhaps another trip to West Elm is in my future… that glass floor lamp is calling to me…..

Orchid Terrarium

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Our living room was feeling a bit… cluttered – I have a shamefully bad habit of adding more and more accessories to our space without taking things away.  I feel like a decor pack-rat sometimes.  
The side tables in our living room were in need of simplification – the multiple picture frames, candles, books, vases, etc were too cluttered.  It all had to go.  What to put in their place?  Something simple, clean and pretty…. and what could be more simple or more pretty than an orchid??
I’ve always loved the look of a pretty terrarium, but do not have the expertise to know how to successfully plant one.   
Despite my brown thumb, I thought I might try my hand at a more simple version of a terrarium – I had a pretty glass apothecary jar, and it was crying out to be used, so on Saturday morning, I took a quick trip to the grocery store to pick up some breakfast goodies, and came home with a few small orchids.  
Bear with me as I scientifically explain how I created an orchid terrarium…

Step I: Take orchid plant out of it’s pot as carefully as you can

Step II: dump into apothecary jar

Step III: Admire pretty new “terrarium”

I know, you were hoping for something more special than that, but it was really that simple.

I’m going to get additional soil since there was not much in the pot, and I feel it needs a bit more now that it’s spread out over a larger surface area.  See how the roots look like they need a little more soil coverage? A quick trip to a nursery will fix that!

With the light near our windows, and the slightly mottled glass, this was VERY hard to photograph, but trust me when I say it’s SO pretty!

If you think about it, an apothocary jar (or cloche) is kind of the perfect environment for an orchid – they love lush, humid environments, and the lid on the apothecary jar keeps things nice and humid… it looks so pretty in our living room, but if this orchid ends up dying in a few weeks, it will still be totally worth it! It was only $7!!

Hope you had a great weekend!!
xo

50 Shades of Grey… Literally

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Let’s talk about paint colors… shall we?

Let me start this off by admitting that I had no idea how hard it would be to pick a shade of grey.  I mean, I thought I was going to be all clever with the title of this post, but I literally ended up evaluating just about 50 shades of grey… and that was after I had narrowed it down!!

I wanted something light and bright – no yellow undertones, but not too “cool” of a color either.  Just a perfect, clean, true grey.  To cut to the chase, I ended up with Grey Owl, by Benjamin Moore, but ending up with this decision was NOT an easy one…

Here’s where I started…


Yeah… lots of options… too many options…

Here’s where I narrowed it down to…

I decided to do a little Google image search, and found a few that I loved.  Sleigh Bells had been a front runner from the paint chip, but in the pictures it looked really steely and well… silvery.  Just. Like. A. Sligh Bell.  Duh.

Coventry Grey really appealed to me as well, but it looked a bit darker than I’d been thinking, and since the dining room doesn’t get a TON of natural light, it would have been a bit too risky…

Smoke Embers and Nimbus were a little on the “beige” side of the spectrum, and so I was really looking at White Whisp and Grey Owl.

White whisp was too white, and I really wanted the freshly painted trim to pop, so I ended up choosing Grey Owl.  As if it were fate, just before heading out for my paint, I read a blog post by Emily Henderson of Style by Emily Henderson, where she mentioned that Grey Owl is her go-to grey paint.

Sooo… I would pretty much follow Miss Henderson off a cliff (if you have not read her blog, DO – she is my hero and I love LOOVVVEEEE everything she designs), and so I took it as a sign that “Grey Owl” was the one for me.  For easy reference at Benjamin Moore, it can be found on paint chip 2137.

Here’s how it looks after two coats of fresh paint – I had them mix up primer and paint in one, and two coats covered beautifully.

It’s light enough that it doesn’t make this small room feel smaller, and it doesn’t make it feel gloomy, even on foggy days (which we’ve had an abundance of since I painted the walls).

The trim still pops, and the color doesn’t feel disjointed from the rest of the apartment (which does not have another “colored” wall in it).  I am SO HAPPY with Grey Owl – I would paint every wall in our house this color, if I had the energy in me…

This is a great before picture – I don’t have a ton of pictures of this room, just because it’s so dang small and hard to photograph.  Even though the walls have been painted, you can see that the layout was just not working (and we’ve lived with this layout for almost two years! Dah!)
The rug is WAY TOO SMALL for the room, the table blocks the pass-through from the living room to the hall… it just had to change.  But look at that paint… one step closer!!
More updates to come… stay tuned….

Dining Room Progress…

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Happy Monday all!  Last week, I’d talked about how I’d painted the trim in our dining room, and that from there my plans for this little space spiraled a bit out of control…

We’ll let’s take a look at a few before’s and afters from just the trim…

BEFORE:

AFTER:


Nothing earth shattering, but a DEFINITE improvement.  The trim and the ceiling had been the same color, so that really puts into context how much brighter the room felt once the trim got painted out.  Queue: sigh of relief.

This weekend, I made some SERIOUS headway on the other updates I’d wanted to make… remember this inspiration board I put together??

Well, I am VERY excited to say that the dining room is looking VERY close to this already – dare I say it, I will be finishing up our newly revamped space this week.  I’m going to hold out for a final room reveal, but I wanted to at least share a few sneak peeks at how it’s evolving…

Ooh la la… look at those pale grey walls staring back at me….  and with the white trim…  I die.

…. and what is this??  A nubby, natural, gloriously textured jute rug??  Love at first sight….

Yes.  Yes I did.  Please say hi to my new BFF – she is soft and a very pale blonde, and I absolutely adore her!
This is just the smallest glimpse of the changes this room is seeing… I cannot wait to show you all the rest of the progress later this week!
Have a happy Monday
xo

Blue and White Ginger Jar Amazingness

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What is it about blue and white ginger jars that are so awesome??  They are a little bit asian-inspired, a little bit traditional, and for whatever reason they are absolutely stunning in every single space.

Sculptural.  Check.

Classic.  Check.

Beautiful.  Double check.

My mom has some beautiful planters in a similar pattern, and her dishes – the Blue Danube pattern – have always been a favorite of mine as well.  Something about the royal blue and crisp white, combined with the ornate details (whether it’s floral, or a whole Japanese garden scene), makes them so lovely, and elegant.

Isn’t this just gorgeous filled with those ruffly full peonies???

They of course look right at home in traditional spaces – flanking an antiqued console (below), or displayed in a large collection like this formal dining room (above).

But they also look lovely in more contemporary spaces – it looks just as natural and pretty next to a piece of abstract art, and a coral lacquer box…

I’ve read about people finding these lovely vases and lamps at thrift stores, but while I’ve had my eyes peeled for a long time, I have yet to stumble upon one myself.
A collection of blue and white ginger jars is on my “one day” wish-list, but for now, I’ll probably just continue to admire them from afar.

Spooky Decor??

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What is something that sounds like it would be spooky but it’s actually something you sit on…

Any guesses??

. . .

. . .

. . .

No… you give up???

. . .

A ghost chair!!

Oh man… who doesn’t love an lame awesome riddle??

Ok getting serious again, these chairs are just so cool… I mean how could they not be when they have a name like “ghost chair”.

These chairs have been featured in every decor publication from Elle Decor to Traditional Home, which means that pretty much everyone has jumped on the ghost chair bandwagon.  Super trendy?? Yes.  Are they classic pieces that your grandchildren will fight over??  Pretty sure the answer to that is “no”, but considering you can find them for ~$150 each, it’s not a huge investment for a statement piece that you’ll absolutely love for at least a few years.

Let’s be honest, I’ve spent more on shoes I’ve never worn because they pinch my feet… so in the scheme of things, one or two of these oh-so-pretty-chairs would be just a blip on the radar or at least that’s the story I’m going to sell to Kris.

Some people have gone all out, and decked out entire dining rooms with them – traditional meets modern… me likey…

While others opt to integrate them in small understated doses… and the fur draped over this one??? OMG I’m dying!!

Used in a home office full of danish inspired pieces…

… Or in a glammed up breakfast room, complete with sputnik-ish light installation, glass pedestal table, and white galore.

I happen to love the juxtoposition of the rustic dining table, and natural decor with these lucite beauties…

And again here with the rustic unfinished wood of the desk.

So very cool!  I’m thinking that when we move, I may treat myself to one of these – either for our desk, or perhaps as a cool accent chair in the living room…

What do you think?  Would you ever own one?  Do you think they are awesome or awful?  How comfortable do you think they are??

Industrial Shelving

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Industrial… rustic… found… restored… upcycled… these are all SUPER common words thrown around in design magazines, shows, and blogs… and a spreading trend supported by hugely popular retailers like West Elm and Restoration Hardware. I’m not a fan of everything “industrial”, but used with restraint, these pieces add a lot of character, and help balance out a room, keeping it from looking to perfect and shiny.

As I think about our pending move, and as we get rid of our “early twenties single furniture” and fill our house with things that reflect BOTH of our tastes and personalities, I’d love to find a few ways to incorporate some pieces with a bit more of an industrial feeling to them.  These photos provide ample inspiration for the look I’m going for… clean and classic, with a bit of industrial chic…

As trends come and go, I think I’d most want to test this trend through a piece that isn’t a staple to our house.  Some sort of shelving unit seems like a safe bet, because it will be large enough to make a statement, but we won’t feel TOO tied to it the same way we would with an “investment piece” like a bed or dining room table.

I did a little digging to see what I could find online, and it turns out that there are a TON of cool shelving units that are very reasonable.  My best sources??  Home Depot, Lowes, and Ikea.  These aren’t even all the shelving units I found either – just my favorites…

1  , 2
 3  ,  4
5  ,  6

These shelving units, range in price from $15 (yes… $15!!!!) to $130.

The most expensive was the wooden Ivar Unit (#4) from Ikea at $128 (luckily for me, this is my least favorite of the bunch), and the least expensive shelf was $6 from Ikea… and it cost just $15.

I literally cannot get over it!  I am dying to see what it looks like in person – is it rickity?  Does it look cheap or totally awesome?? It’s only 10″ deep, so it wouldn’t stick out too far into a room, and I think it would look kind of cool to line up four of them along a wall for open storage.  I also like that there is A LOT of space between each shelf – nearly 20″ if I’m doing my math correct, so things wouldn’t feel cramped.

I mocked it up really quick… kind of awesome, right??

… and it would only be $60 for 4 of these shelving units!  I also like #3 a lot, and those are just $30 each from Home Depot!

Another mock up… more cramped, but also a lot more storage??  Also… it looks a more sturdy with the X’s on the back for support… no?

#2 would look cool in a kitchen, holding colorful mixing bowls, pretty new pots, and cook books… along with large glass jars of flower, sugar, oatmeal, and other bulk foods.

#1 is also at the top of my favorites… and while the frame looks really sturdy, I think the black might be too dark considering I’m trying to stay away from too much more black in our house…

On the “less industrial end” I am IN LOVE with #5 – the Vittsjo shelving unit, and with a quick coat of gold spray paint, it could soon be just like one of these…

Not at all industrial, but still a shelving look that I’m obsessed with… ALTHOUGH I’m not hating the black at all… it might also look amazing with a rubbed bronze finish??

After tracking down some great industrial shelving options, and seeing how inexpensive they all are, the little wheels in my head have started turning…

Perhaps you’ll be seeing more on this topic soon…

White Vanity – Inspiration to Reality

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Perhaps it’s the warm weather we’ve been having, or the fact that it stays light out until almost 9pm now (longest day of the year is this Friday!) but I have been finding myself drawn to light, bright, spaces that don’t use much color.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m a big fan of color – wearing it… decorating with it… but this vanity space is so pretty, I couldn’t resist trying to find pieces to re-create it.
Mirror, Parsons Desk, Ghost Chair, Vase, Jute Rug
Places like Target, Overstock, and Ikea are great for simple pieces like these – I love that Ikea has come up with their own take on the Lucite chair (I also wrote about it here)… zGallerie is fabulous for large funky accessories, and RugsUSA is always a favorite source of mine.  This Jute rug is 65% off right now, and is just $79 for the 5’x8′ size.  Can you seriously beat that price??
Actually this entire setup could be re-created for less than $500 – all together, this look costs $450, and the mirror alone is $200.  If you shopped HomeGoods, you could probably find a mirror of this size for ~$50, taking this look down to$350 or so…
Happy shopping!

Federal Style and a History Lesson

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It started with this picture from Blue Label Bungalow…

This room is a bit more traditional and masculine then I would choose for my own home, but there is one piece in particular that caught my eye in this space… can you guess what it is??  (No not the lamps, although I DO love those too…)

Maybe these other pictures will give you a hint…

Still don’t know??  Here’s a few more hints…
No Source
Yeah, I know it’s totally obvious… I was just totally indulging my obsession with the ornate, old time-y Federal Mirrors that I seem to keep noticing EVERYWHERE. In college I double majored in Sociology and History… BUT… I am a complete novice when it comes to spotting and identifying period pieces.  All I know is that these mirrors are cool, and I want to know more about them…
I dug up a little info on their origin – The Dumbarton House talks about where these mirrors originated:
Our nation’s early years, when the Federalist Party led the American government between 1790 and 1828, generally defines the Federal period. During this time, a strong sense of nationalism was born and many government leaders, like Thomas Jefferson, looked to the classical past of Greece and Italy for inspiration in forging the identity of the new American democratic Republic.

Thanks Thomas Jefferson… and I guess Greece… because these mirrors are FAB!!  What makes these mirrors “Federal” style are the concave mirror (which is cool on it’s own), the eagle embellishment (so “Americana”) and a brass frame (with an awesome antique patina).

What I do NOT love about these mirrors are the price tag on them… for a legitimate Federal mirror, you’ll be paying in the thousands… easily.  Dang it!
However Google saves the day again, and after a few random searches, I learned that these were all the rage in the 1950’s, and a company called Syroco became famous for their molding technique where they were able to churn out exact replicas of these “eagle mirrors”.  I’ve also learned that they can be called “Bullseye Mirrors” as well… which helps when searching eBay and Etsy for replicas.
Seems like all the mirrors in the larger size I want will run between $60 and $150 which compared with thousands, is a steal!
I’m imagining this over our bed (like the first photo here) or even in an entry way – although a convex  mirror is not ideal for the last minute hair fixing before running out the door…
What do you think about these beauties?? Are you as into them as I am?

Re-purposing a Card Catalog

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The public library is no longer the only place for the card catalog as is evidenced by the many MANY stylish spaces that use these pieces.

I feel that the apothecary table (made popular by Pottery Barn, and then made REALLY popular by that episode of Friends) was the beginning of making these types of pieces with many little drawers popular for home decor.  If you don’t get my reference to Friends, you HAVE to watch this clip…

While the card catalog isn’t super functional for someone looking for serious storage (let’s be honest, you aren’t going to store linens, plates, or anything much larger than an index card in these bad boys) they bring a lot of character to a space, and for smaller things (art supplies, kitchen utensils, crafting materials, etc) they could prove as functional as they are lovely!

They look great in a hallway… as is evidenced by this photo…
And here, the card catalog brings a “cool factor” to this otherwise traditional kitchen…
Here, a smaller natural wood finished card catalog serves as small buffet tucked into a corner of this simple dining room…
And it fits in quite well with a rustic / urban living room – aren’t all those brass handles fabulous??
And while it clearly works well in urban spaces, it works equally as well in a country-chic bedroom…
A quick Craigslist search just now proved that these are not easy to come by.  Not a single listing matched what I was looking for…

Wouldn’t it be kind of cool to try to mimic the look of one of these cool card catalogs on a double-doored cabinet, using small drawer front facades, and loads of brass pulls?

Ooh, I’m having some good ideas!!!