We are still working really hard to get our house spruced up for our home studio and I haven't had much time to post lately. Too many projects, too little time! We finally decided on the design we want for some of our landscaping and ordered all the supplies to be delivered. I'm no expert on doing this stuff, but I have experimented a bit with it in the past and I think I might be able to piece it together. Literally, I'll be piecing it together--like a ton of rock will soon be sitting in our driveway and I'll spend probably a couple of weekends digging and putting everything in its new proper place. In the meantime, I found a wealth of garden images I've been sighing over---too elaborate for my abilities and budget, but lovely aspirational outdoor spaces. Lots of pretty settings right here .

top photo by Jerry Harpur, bottom photo by John Glover

Couldn't help it!

I have been thinking about what to do with some of our furniture that doesn't work in our space but has to stick around anyway because we can't *quite* afford to replace it yet. Plain jane dining chairs from like 1973 with upholstered seats. (Thanks, Grandma-in-law!) I've been trolling craigslist and ebay for chairs that might work and told myself that I'll just keep my options open. The deal was, if I didn't soon find a pop-y little fabric I liked to put on the seats, then I'll just spend the money and but some real furniture. Well... I have found the fabric that I can work with--voila!

We have a lot of white but lots of strong colors in different rooms and these chairs need to be able to move from room to room--office, kitchen, living, and studio and this might work. Yay, Reprot Depot! Also, I bought some retro stripey material for a backdrop too because it's on sale 20% off through Sunday. Woot!

I'll post some pics of the chairs once I get them done. I've thought about painting the chairs a nice glossy white (which I might still do) but updating the fabric on them will be a big improvement.

Pretty close

These shelves are almost exactly what I've had in mind for my itty-bitty living room. Up and over the door with a small amount of covered storage. Shown on Apartment Therapy. I've seen this done in a number of homes, but not on this small and modest a scale. The dimensions of this doorway look super close to ours. We won't be able to do this for a little while, but now I at least have an idea in my head before I try to get estimates from someone. There's no way I'm going to try this myself.
photo from Sunset magazine via Apartment Therapy.

Landscaping

It's been too cold here the past few days to get anything done in the yard, but I did manage to take a few pictures in between appointments on Sunday. I planted the green one last year and I haven't a clue what it is. By the time it really gets going, maybe I'll figure it out. Of course, I've tried that strategy before only to discover it was just a weed that probably choked away what I had planted. Huh.

Snowscreen

If I had a loft or a wide open space, I couldn't stop myself from slapping some screens around to partition off areas. After thinking about the partitions in that last post, I am convinced that we could really use some cool screens to divide out our work space from our home space, maybe even to incorporate in our work. I really love what this photographer and designer has produced:

image from Mark Finzel.

Isn't this an interesting idea? I like the photograph he used, but more than that, I like that it allows light through it. The craziest part? The color changes depending on the type of light passing through it, whether it's natural or artificial. It is amazing to me how drastically the color is affected in a photograph by the lighting and the lengths you have to go to in order to "correct" the color before the shot is even taken. As a photographer/designer, this guy managed to put all that together.

Spring styling

I am amazed by what designers can do and the ways they approach a space and incorporate color and design into the function of a room. I mean, look at these glossy candy colored work tables used for a cooking studio in Japan:

image from Frame by Emmanuelle Moureaux

The design just fits perfectly for the 20-30 year old woman looking for a fun cooking class. I would have fun just picking the table color I would work on--Periwinkle!

The same firm also posted pictures of a beauty salon they did--the colors seems the same, but I really like the long partitions hanging down. With the rest of the room so white, those vertical pops of color are really nice.

image from Frame by Emmanuelle Moureaux
Our next big project around here is trying to put together a functional but presentable space for our home studio, so pictures like these really get me going with ideas for our workspace. The big challenge for us is trying to do it ourselves and on a very minimal budget. I'm planning on working on it next week, so I'll try to post some pictures and see if I can get some feedback.

Toss 'em around

I am a huge fan of throw pillows but the wee little couch we have now for the new living room can really only handle so much. I guess that's a good thing for me because otherwise I would spend too much on decking it out with fluffy modern goodness.
So...even though I don't have the look all together yet, I'm still looking ahead at pillows for the final touch. My tastes are all over the place though and I can't decide.
Like this secret agent pillow by Habitat Home (available here) Not really going to be paired with these more serious trees from eleventwentyfive at 2modernThere are tons more out there that I'm looking at but I'm leaning toward something a little modern and irreverent. I may spend some more time on Etsy and see if there's something to be found there. Oh sure, I guess I could make some myself, but then what would I do with all this time I spend online?

New stuff

I just got my new etsy print and had it framed. Check it out:


The "Red Squirrel" print is by Erin Zamrzla. She's got lots more stuff in her store at Etsy, erinzam. Thanks, Erin-- I love it!
I'm trying to figure out where to put it now. We had planned on getting stuff framed and on the walls this weekend but it didn't happen. I did finally get to the mess of the planting beds in the yard and managed to make some good progress. I spent about four hours digging up a brick path I put in four years ago. It needs to be redone because it settled weird and it's hard to walk on in heels. I regret it now though--my whole body is super sore.

Deck the halls

I am having some serious fabric cravings lately which is odd because I can't really sew. I've done some embroidery and some basic things, but I think the last time I really tried to make something was for a Halloween costume in 2000 that started with dreams of Arabian nights and ended in staples and tears. In that order.

I am ordering the fabric for my curtains in the living room ( I didn't post it here but it's very sunshiney) and I'll just have to fake my way through those. In the meantime, I'm also loving some of the other Springalicious fabrics I've seen.
Amy Butler's fabrics are always perfect and I'm a sucker for lotus blossoms:

These crazy dots would actually work well with the colors in the room, but it is just way too crazy to put anywhere in my itty bitty space.

Marimekko Melooni (what my name would be if I were a Finnish fabric!):
This one wouldn't match the room at all but I love it: Urban Paint by Numbers

Can I just make a bunch of little pillows and toss them about in the manner of a decorator?

Fabric at Reprot Depot .

The home is blooming

Just some photos in the new living room. It's just amazing what fresh flowers will do for a space. One single orchid branch. I need to put some prints, art, something on the walls.

I bought these a week ago and they're just now becoming more papery. They smell gorgeous--like sunshine! Whole Foods' flowers really last a bit longer, I think. I've never been disappointed.These were from the grocery store and started to droop their little heads soon after I bought them. To salvage them for a few more days, I cut them all short and stuck them in a little fat vase (from my Merri Mail presents)so they could prop each other for support. I like this look better than the first arrangement.

I would if I could

Ebay is a dangerous place to be if you: 1)Have no money and 2)Have no space.
Fortunately this lovely blushing chair is pickup only so I know going in it can never be:Unless there are any scheduled road trips to Pittsburgh PA? hmmm, anyone?

Gnome is the word

Must be because the weather is warming because these little guys are everywhere--including on my deck now (hee!).

Totally natural gnome habitat at Abby's home toured at Apartment Therapy:Excuse me but has anyone even thought about showering with a gnome? Well, now you can, wierdos. Soap from Unica Home for $7

Kiet's kamer, originally uploaded by esthermokka.

Flickr is ripe with the gnome fever, but I really liked this shot corner shot and its beautiful mural. Check out the wee little gnome enjoying the scenery!

On a related note, this mushroom kitchen timer is almost too cute to use:
Sprouting up at Fred Flare for $12

eta: I don't know how I missed this, but look at this Gnome Breakfast set at Delight.com!

Plant life, graphically

I must be getting Spring fever. It's a little too cold still to do much outside except clean and that's a bit ambitious right now. I've got the fresh flowers and a few houseplants, but I also really like the graphic botanicals right now--they seem so Spring!

I love the color in these coral plates by Thomas Paul. They're on sale here in a set of 4 for $28.50
Designer Marla Dawn has this little angled sugar and creamer set that are too nice for my house--we take it black anyway--but I like the dogwood blossoms she uses. (Available here for $39.60)
These Algues have been around for awhile and I still think they would be fun to snap together in a plant-y webbing all over our patio door. (Available here in a kit for $30)
Of course, this Bottna pattern by Marimekko has been all over in green, but I really like the graphic black and white too: Available in upholstery fabric here.

Oh hello Spring

I suppose you're expecting me to do some work around here now? I can't even make my own bed let alone yours. You'll just have to wait a couple more weeks.

In my spare time

I had planned to free hand swirly florals on my bathroom ceiling. Now I see someone (textile designer Oorbee Roy)
has beaten me to it. Dang.
Spotted by Terramia who's blog is becoming like all my favorite magazines all rolled up into one.
Can you imagine having such a beautiful and bright room? I love that vanity. Correction: I covet that vanity.

Sneak Peek

It's usable, but I haven't exactly finished it so I'm only putting a few pics up of the living room I've been working on. If anyone has any suggestions, please holla!Here's our new bar. We did have all the bottles carefully tucked away in a cabinet we no longer have room for and now our debauchery is out for the world to see. The little stackable tables and trays were picked up at a vintage flea market in Westport. Top print is by my hubby and bottom two are cheap Eggleston postcards in cheap Target frames.
Look at this! I love this! I thought it was totally cute and only $8 at Target so I bought it and the hubby made me put it in the back. He wanted me to return it--what!? Look how comfy this little gnome is on our deck! (ignore the shovel!)

Shot of one corner. This is our best solution right now for shelves though I'm not entirely happy with how I've arranged them. Only art books are on these shelves--I think about half of them. What about that green, eh? It looks both rich and serene at the same time. Another of the shelves. Lots of old family items and wedding gifts on these shelves. I have kind of a thing for different bowls and vessels (what do I want to hold...?) and hubby has antique and vintage cameras. See that little old guy sitting on the shelf? When you flip a switch, he stands up and puffs on his cigar before plopping crankily back on his bench. Kind of creepy, really, but there he is. His name is Mr. McGregor. There's a painting by me and some photos by the hubby and driftwood from a vacation and blah blah blah. You get the picture.

I'm still sort of working on the rest of it (the opposite side of the boxy space) and want to figure out what to hang on the walls before I get pics up. Any suggestions?

My new craft rug

Okay, I haven't done this yet, but Holly at Decor8 posted this the other day and I'm going to try it. Take a fake grass mat, draw your design on the back, cut it out and ta-dah! New cool mat! Holly links to a Danish site with a downloadable pdf pattern but I'm going to try to freehand something and see how it comes out.


Holly's got some crazy Danish connections so she always has something new on her site. I love so many foreign language blogs but I'm obviously only there for the pretty pictures--thank goodness someone out there takes pity on me and my failing language skills!

Design within reach if you have a really long reach

Design Within Reach.

Sigh. You mock my pain.

I really really want to have this table and I cannot afford it. I have searched through KC craigslist regularly and it is not there. Don't even get me started on the futility of ebay. Someday, I may have it or stumble across it and by gum, then I'll feel like I've accomplished something. I may go a knock-off route...
Also, Design Within Reach, I feel compelled to tell you that though I think your little storage boxes (the MeBox!) are totally cute and all--please see exhibit A:
I have noted the fact that they are made from cardboard. I don't care how many little perforated circles you put on there, you are still trying to sell me a narcissistic paper box for $50. Oh, sorry, 6 for $50. I'm calling dibs on the boxes at the next paper delivery for the office! Who am I kidding--I already have a bunch--what do you think I'm using for storage now? ooohh--craft project!

Handmade goods

I've yet to add items to my etsy store, thanks to too many home and work projects up in the air right now, but I could spend a lot of time on the site searching through others' work (and I have).

I really love the colorful graphic designs of these pillows by Frazier and Wing:

Over the past year I've really become weirdly obsessed with pillows but these are a little out of my budget. I still love the color combinations though...

Ashley G always has pretty and affordable prints like this one.

I just recently came across Not Too Pink and the shop is full of birds and cupcakes! These are very affordable prints too.

Living with art

When I started reading this NYT article ( Cool and Collected)I was expecting to read about living with the art rather than feeling like you had a gallery or museum. I might have a vastly different idea on what a gallery home feels like because further down I read that the featured home is 7,000 square feet. This home is larger than most of the galleries I've been to around town. There are pictures to go along with the article online, which is great--I love this Koons mirror in the dining room

(is it the weekday dining room or the weekend one?) and there's another with a Cindy Sherman photograph.

I love the color of the "powder room" (we call it a bathroom! hyuck!) but it irks me when it's referred to as a "hidden space". You have too much space if you can still manage to hide a bathroom. Really, when my home plus the living spaces of six friends can fit inside this house, I think that the line between home and gallery has already been blurred and now you're just talking about style. Great style--I love the space--but at 7,000 square feet, hardly ingenious.