Saturday, April 30, 2011

The Elusive Picture Shelf

We stumbled across this find at IKEA a few months ago: the RIBBA picture ledge. It's a thin shelf with a front lip that can hold one or many pictures. The shelf will require you to make 3 holes in the wall, and is a great product for renters especially. The picture ledge comes in 3 colors (white, birch, and black-brown) and 2 sizes in each color (45 1/4" and 21 5/8"). The ledge isn't exclusive to IKEA- most modern home decor stores are carrying their own variation.


After plugging about 30 nail holes into our last rental unit with a photo collage (*ahem*  to which I might have been the culprit of doing...), this seemed like a better option. And, for those neurotic/ artistic types out there- you can change your photo grouping as often as you want! We were originally going to hang it above our bed, but decided to plop it in the living room instead, as it would allow us to switch up the visual feel as often as we wanted to. The ledge currently resides over Hazel's toy box, and contains some of our favorite photo and art pieces that we've done.



(right to left: a photo of us, Hazel's feet, and bells in Thailand- taken by Jackie/
a bowl of daises and a heart with flowers done by myself)
 
P.S. Hazel's room update is 72% completed.
Our bathroom update is 34% completed.
And both are looking mighty fine!

Office To Go: Yes I Can!

There is nothing quite like a home office. Mine currently consists of either the dining room table or in bed with my netbook in the evening (that's the condo dream, correct?)- but I look back with fondness on our spare bedroom office that we shared in our townhouse. A home office can be a beacon of inspiration for the soul, and a place where your creativity can flow. There's an endless debate that circulates about whether or not an office should reside in the bedroom (as thoughts of work can conflict with a good night's rest), but from my experience, I'm of the opinion of using whatever space is most accessible.

When it comes to the office, a certain movie quote comes to mind from Sarah Jessica Parker's character on the Sex and the City Movie (*please don't chastise me for using more than one reference from the movie on this blog!):

"If I find the right desk, the writing will come!"

The desk truly is both the anchor and starting point for any office. In many office spaces, it's the only piece of furniture, and therefore, needs to count! Below, I've pieced together some necessary elements for a home office. The pinnacle of the room is the red desk. I've had some mixed feelings about red lately. I found myself telling a coworker today that "I'm not really into red this year... 2012 will be my red year". Even though it's not really lining up with my personal tastes as of late, I think that red is powerful (especially when it's lacquered!) and is the boldest of all the colors- and when it's done right, it can be even bolder than a hot pink or a neon yellow! I also find great value in the little details of the office- those trinkets that perform function and bring an element of fun: porcupine-shaded paper clip holders, clear magazine holders, candy colored cubes that tell time. And of course, the popping YES wall-mounted letters adds some in-your-face motivation and humor to the work space. This is an office that is both modern and professional. Inspirational and practical.

Wall Color:

Night Horizon 2134-10


Desk 51:



Chair Chair:



Coop Tower:



Cocò Table Lamp:



Modu-licious #4:




Kanto Magazine Rack:



Uten.silo:



YES Letters:



Format Desk Accessories:



Juice Box:



Desktop Chalkboard:



Digital Clock Cube:





Dozi Paper Clip Holder:

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Dining Room to go- Au Naturel

One of my earliest IKEA memories was strolling through the showrooms, and stopping at this display area that was slathered with natural materials: various wood grains, jute rugs, coarse canvas artwork, and white washed walls. It was unlike anything I had ever witnessed- eye candy for the soul! Rooms that feature natural resources and materials really can connect your interior living spaces to the outside world. But I had often felt that the white washed walls of that particular showroom made the space feel unlivable.

This is my spin on "the natural resource" style room with a smorgasbord of textural components. While the blue backdrop is a cool tone, it presents a certain warmth, and an invitation to come and dine. It's immensely difficult for me to stick to the neutral pallette. I really wanted to add a punch of yellow or green just for a pop of color, but I think the restraint is worth it.

Wall Color:

Blue Heron CC-840


Trim Color:


Wedding Veil 2125-70



Darjeeling Dining Table:



Reed Chair:



Metal-Leg Dining Console:




Round Coco Mirror:




Ubiquity Lamp:


Platium Relief Gourd Vase:

(don't let the bright blue background throw you off!)


Blanket Stitch Jute Rug:




Woven Abaca Pendant:




David Stark Canvas Runner:




David Stark Rope Bowl:



Tall Recycled Glass Vase:





David Stark Canvas Flowers:



Jason Polan Botanical Desert Plates:




Dimpled Drinkware:

Color Of The Week: Lizard Green

I know this color isn't for everybody. And I know St. Patrick's day was over a month ago. But sometimes, you've got to be brave and embrace some green!
Lizard Green 2030-10

My inspiration for this week's color comes from a kitchen design site I recently stumbled upon called Viola Park. One of their distinguishing features is a lone green cabinet frame in the midst of other neutral cabinets. It's bold, shocking, and something I can't take my eyes off of!





Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Need a Boost?

Being green... I'm a pretty big fan of the concept. I think it's important to save the environment and pursue eco-friendly options. But, it can seem like so much work as everything in your life becomes compartmentalized while you try to recycle and compost. It's so much easier to just throw everything into one common waste bin, but I think of my daughter's future, and hope that small eco-friendly changes will be enough to give her a better world to grow up in.


So, for all the eco-friendly slackers out there- myself included- here's a site to check out: BoostHome Products.




From BoostHome you can purcahses Boost Boxes- which include simple, easy to use products that can help you conserve energy in your home. The upgrades are basic, and boxes are themed according to areas of the home (ex toilet, shower, doors and windows), or you can build your own box.



The box will literally pay for itself in savings in your wallet and for the environment- for example: the Toilet Boost box runs at $29.99- but will save you over 10,000 gallons of water every year! And, it only takes an hour or less to install the items in the box, and there are no tools required- genius!

We've been putting off purchasing CFL light bulbs over the past few years, based on the high mercury content in the bulbs. But, the Kids Room Boost Box comes with CFLs that, if shattered, have a protective casing that will prevent mercury from escaping.

I'm not sure if I'm in the market for a Boost Box just yet, but the concept is great, and maybe we can all make a difference- one small change at a time.

Living Room to Go: Orange's Blues.

I hate orange and blue together. In theory, I know that they go well... but I generally fail to see it. In junior high, I had a friend who would wear orange and blue simultaneously almost every day. And I have this memory of me telling him that his clothing color choices were ugly and didn't go well. Anyway, in an effort to better challenge myself, I've put together this living room concept with orange and blue taking center stage (and a bit of chartreuse may make an appearance).

Wall Color:

Decorator's White CC-20

Trim Color:

Kendall Charcoal HC-166

Door Color:

Citron 2024-30 (in high gloss, of course!)

Kent Sofa:

Mediterranean Pillows:



Slot Coffee Table:

Platinum Bird Bowl:






Orange Lacquer Cube Side Table:





Beta Table Lamp:




Industrial Bulb Pendant:


Richard Nixon Throw:



Sumba Ikat Chair:



BESTĂ… media combination with sliding doors:


Herringbone Spine Bookcase:



Squares Rug:



Holga Magnolia print:




Seaspray Vase:




Wall Abacus:




Quittin' Time Clock: