The Lovely Mantel and the Ludicrous Slippers

Lately it’s felt so like fall around here. I swear, the first day back from Labor Day weekend to the usual grind the weather turned cooler, the leaves began to change, and it became time to pull out the Oogies.

Oh, you aren’t familiar with the Oogies? The Oogies (as they are affectionately known in our household—Denny’s name for them, not mine, by the way) are a pair of slippers given to me by my dear friend Amanda several Christmases ago. They’re basically the villain from one of my favorite movies (The Nightmare Before Christmas). Only, they eat your feet.

See?

Anyway, Oogies are a sure sign of cold weather a-brewing. So, armed with toasty Oogie feet and a cup of hot cider, I got to looking around the house, just itching to make it feel more fall-y. We already have a ceramic pumpkin on the dining table and Nightmare Before Christmas coasters out, so my sights drifted toward the mantel. The only problem is that our mantel is very shallow, which means that everything on it has to be less than four inches thick. So I immediately began rounding up some candles and miscellanea.

But something still was missing…Aha! Art. Art was missing. So, emboldened by my past decision to make custom art, I once again dove in and DIY-d it.

First, I collected this frame, which although featuring a cute doughnut-loving pooch, wasn’t getting much use.

I considered painting something, but in the end decided to round up some old calendars (I save every year, for some reason) to see if anything popped out at me in the way of Autumnal décor. And it turns out that it did, in this particular calendar…

Yes, I own a Wiccan calendar. Several, in fact. And before you get any ideas: No, I don’t fancy myself a witch. But I do fancy the artwork and beautiful essays on nature that come with each month, so I’ve bought several editions throughout the years.

In any case, I flipped through it and found a not-too-spooky, not-too-Halloweeny piece in (surprise) the month of October. I liked that it was just eerie enough for Halloween, but could endure through November, as well, without looking too much like the fall version of Christmas lights left on the porch until April.

In a few easy steps, I cut out the October picture, backed it with some metallic green scrapbooking paper, and popped it into the previously pooch-occupied frame. Voila!

Then, I spent the next hour (yes, a full hour) putting together this mantel.

It took an hour because I kept putting things up then taking them down...then putting them back up...then tweaking them by a centimeter or so. I got quite obsessive about it. Anyway, though, I’m quite pleased with the result, especially since it’s comprised entirely of things I had lying around the house (free = awesome). Oh! And I cut this fire art out of the Witches Calendar, too (December).

Everything looks really lovely when the candles are all lit and they’re all aglow.

See? Very cozy. My only complaint with the arrangement is that the mantel ledge is too shallow to fit a mirror on, too. I can just imagine how lovely it would be with twice the candlelight reflected back into the room. Uber-cozy. Oh, well. I’m already pestering Denny about making a mantel extension, so maybe by Christmas time we’ll be able to achieve my mirrored-candle dreams. Wow. I just re-read that sentence and, boy, does it seem silly. Some college students dream of solving world hunger, or finding the cure for cancer. Big, world-changing stuff. Me? I just want a mirror on my mantel. Doesn’t seem like much to ask for, does it? ;)

Moody Monday: Mission Accomplished!

Remember many moons ago, when I showed you this mood board that I made for my friend, Amanda? And remember how I told you that she was going to kindly consent to me invading her living room and turning the whole space on its head? Well, this was the weekend I got to put the whole scheme into action! (Yes, despite having a somewhat horrific cold, I hauled my sick self down to Oregon to play interior decorator—how could I resist?)

First of all, here are some pictures of what the place looked like prior to the mini-makeover.

Amanda sent me these pictures after she and I talked a little bit about what she wanted to get out of the room. At the time, she said that her main complaints were 1) the bland white walls, 2) having no place to stash her pets’ toys or her husband’s electronic miscellanea, 3) the lack of overhead lighting, and 4) she hadn’t yet hung anything on the walls.

So I got to thinking about possible solutions to these conundrums and ended up making this mood board…

Which, as of Saturday, resulted in this room transformation!

Sorry about the somewhat awkward lighting in the first picture—we didn’t finish the room until fairly late in the afternoon, at which time the whole place descended into semi-darkness.

We (by which I mean, myself, Amanda, and Kelly) all love the end result, and I’m pleased to say that I think we took care of all of the complaints that Amanda used to have about the space. To give you a little idea of exactly what we changed, I’ve written up a little transformation breakdown for you.

First of all, Amanda and Kelly got the go-ahead from their landlord to paint the walls. They chose “Wheat Bread (720C-3)” by Behr. It’s a very nice, subtle grey with warm undertones, and in certain lights it takes on an almost taupe-color. They decided to get the paint in a satin sheen, which really bounces the light around the room and keeps the space from feeling dark. I’m so very much in love with it that I might have to put it in my own house somewhere.

In response to Amanda’s complaint that there was no overhead light in the room, we decided to add some large paper lanterns in the corner, where it was needed the most. I suggested the white lantern and Amanda (in a stroke of genius) also picked up the small orange one. The two of them together creates a sense of movement and the pop of orange is both warm and fun!

Before now, Amanda and Kelly had no accent pillows on either the couch or the loveseat, so I took it upon myself to sew up a few. The two for the sofa are 18” square pillows made from bright indoor-outdoor quality fabrics, so they should hold up to playful pups and lazy kitties. The second one is made out of sturdy, natural-tone canvas, although I wouldn’t recommend using it in any pillow fights, because the silhouetted dog and the beaded trim on the front are both done by hand—my hand, actually! I hate to brag, but I’m darn proud of that pillow, especially since I’ve never done either technique before.

We also addressed Amanda’s desire for more storage. I was able to round up some matching baskets at Joann’s that fit her coffee table perfectly. We put one on top to hold remotes and other electronic stuff, as well as two in the cubbies below to stash other things, like extra books and PlayStation controllers. The candle was one they already had on hand and it fit perfectly with the new color scheme.

Sadly, the rug came out rather crimped when we unrolled it, but you can see that once it flattens out a bit it’s going to look fabulous. The colors in the rug mesh well with the blonde wood floors and the warm grey walls, and the striped border creates an anchoring effect that holds the space together well. It’s also an indoor-outdoor rug (which will hold up better against the dogs), but it’s still very soft and made of some pretty fine fibers, so it’s not too rough to walk on barefooted.

Lastly, Amanda wanted to hang up some large, statement pieces on the wall and, after much deliberation, she and Kelly decided that instead of something abstract they really enjoyed the vintage look of this wall decal from Target. To give it a sturdy background and make it feel more like its own piece of art, I mounted the decal onto some stretched canvas. At first, we were all a little concerned about how much white-space there was around the maps, but once we got it hung up on the wall, the white really popped against the grey walls and we were all happy with the effect.

There were a lot of changes on the other side of the room, as well, including making over the mantle and installing a command center.

This handsome guy (lovingly named “Frank” by Amanda) is actually made of cardboard and is both whimsical and hip (deer heads are really trendy right now). We mounted him within a large picture frame with a bright orange and yellow backdrop, which I painted.

One of my favorite parts of this room is the large orange vessel that I picked up at Ross. I added some of my own dried grasses in it and topped the whole thing off with some twinkle-light-wrapped willow twigs, which can  be turned on and off. The end result adds a bit of mood-lighting to the room and balances out the small wooden chest on the other side of the mantle.

For the command center, Amanda moved the out of place chair, relocated a small bookshelf from behind the couch, and organized the whole thing with some baskets, an OSU mailbox, and a letter organizer. She also hung up a whiteboard just over top of it. Now, they have a place to sort their mail, drop their keys, and leave each other little messages and reminders throughout the week.

By the end of the day, both Amanda and I were so excited about the end result that we could barely tear ourselves away from it (even though we hadn’t eaten all day and were STARVING by this time). The whole effect is warm and sophisticated, as well as being practical and durable. I can’t believe my first attempt at a room make-over went so well. Thank you so much, Amanda and Kelly, for letting me be a part of your experience and for letting me share the results on this blog! :) Now, if only I could get one of my own rooms to look half as awesome!

Up Top

Alright, so I know that the fact that I have not finished painting my kitchen cabinets has probably brought great dishonor on my family, but…well, no excuses. It should have been done a long time ago, and now I’m looking at an extremely busy week and possibly an extremely busy next week and it just looks like those puppies are going to have to wait a little while longer.

But that doesn’t stop me from imagining how they’re going to look eventually (someday…maybe…hopefully). It also doesn’t stop Denny from worrying that the whole place will look goofy and unfinished (haha—like it doesn’t now?). I know he has some doubts about this look (and maybe you do, too), but I’ve gone ahead and scrounged up some examples of just how spiffy open kitchen cabinets can look.

Here’s a wide-angle perspective that shows how open cabinetry can add to the kitchen as a whole. Although our kitchen will end up having quite a bit more color in it, I like this overall look. One thing that I find really interesting is that, in order to bounce even more light around the room, these homeowners have put mirrors in the back of some of their cabinets. It’s hard to see the mirrors specifically, but it’s easy to see the bright open effect that it creates.

I bet you can’t guess what I like about this example…Alright, you probably can. It’s the collection of books on the top shelf above the sinks. It seems like a lot of open cabinets end up filled with white ceramics and nothing else, but I plan on incorporating a little more color into mine, starting with some shelves full of books.

Again, the colors in this example are very subdued/non-existent and there seems to be an awful lot of white ceramic going on, but I like the fact that a collection of specialty plates are propped up in the top shelf and I also like the potted plant above the cabinets. Since we have a lot of open space above our cabinets, I hope to eventually place some greenery above ours, as well.

This one ties with the bookshelf-example for my favorite out of the bunch. Again, the reason is probably very obvious: it’s a “cappuccino corner.” Oh, yeah. That’s what I’m talking about (she says in her Gru voice). This picture has me ditching the idea of making the dining room nook (which I’ve apparently never taken a picture of—sorry, guys) into an entertainment bar, like this one:

Instead, I’m now thinking that a cappuccino bar is definitely the way to go. First of all, we don’t drink much hard liquor, and second, I’m thinking that since we do drink copious amounts of coffee, it would definitely be a better use of space. I’m all about it. Okay, okay, though. All coffee-mongering aside, it is lovely, is it not? Warm grey cabinetry, different shades of cups and mugs, a collection of teapots…le sigh. It’s very inspiring for both the someday coffee nook and for our eventual cabinet styling.

Oh, and one more thing…

Happy Birthday, Mommy!!!!!!!!! Yes, it’s my lovely mother’s birthday. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to make it down for the day-of, but we did get to spend last weekend together doing all the fun and relaxing things that we normally do when we hang out, like catching up on Project Runway, eating ‘Bache to our hearts’/stomachs’ content, and swapping design and decorating inspiration.

Speaking of decorating, this week may be a little sparse as far as DIY projects go, just so you’re prepared. I’m probably going to be spending quite a bit of time working on projects for Amanda’s upcoming renovation and, while I promise to give you a full breakdown after we get it all put together, that means I probably won’t have too much time for my own stuff. So, please don’t boycott me if I do a few more lame-o posts, ok? I solemnly swear that next week I will be up to all kinds of good.

Photo Credits:

First Kitchen from the Lettered Cottage

Second Kitchen from TheKitchen.com

Third Kitchen from Perfectly Imperfect

Cappuccino Corner from Martha Stewart

Bar Cart from Livejournal via Pinterest

Puppy from FunnyPuppySite.com

Better Put On Your Shades, 'Cause It's About To Get BRIGHT

To begin with, I know I’ve been a terrible blogger of late, so you don’t need to point it out to me. First there was Friday’s mush-brain incident and then yesterday, which I have dubbed “The Day That Everything Conspired To Prevent Ashley From Posting On Her Blog” Day. Hmm. That’s kind of long, but you get the picture. Yesterday was not conducive to blogging. At all.

However, it wasn’t without its good points. For example, I finally did what I’ve been talking about doing for close to a year now: I bought a new laptop. Yes! I, Ashley, am the proud new owner of…well…it’s small. And shiny. Lightweight. It’s not a Mac (I’m a PC person, through and through). And…it…did I mention that it’s shiny? Okay, okay, so I’m not the most computer-literate person on the planet (I’m pretty sure that there are hedgehogs out there who are more technology-savvy than myself), but the nice retired-professor-turned-computer-salesman (whose name was Mafti and who referred to me as “Ashley of the Green Buildings”) assured me that it was a good computer capable of doing far more than I wanted from it. It was also an excellent deal. So, I was sold. And then I bought. And now blogging from home (and on the go!) is going to be about a million times easier. Yay me and yay you.

So, having said that, now onto the stuff that I intended to post yesterday but was unable to.

Ever since we first decided to buy our house, I’ve been dreaming about one room in particular: my art studio. I’ve always wanted a space of my absolute-very-own, in which I could keep all my arts and crafts supplies, where I can leave a project halfway finished for the night, where I can go as crazy as I want with the décor. You see, ever since I moved in with Denny (wow, which will be six years ago this coming January), I’ve had to make do with a significantly smaller amount of personal space than I had been used to. Ever since I was very small, I’d had a room of my own and, from middle school onward, I’d always had absolute control over the space. Lime green walls? Sure. Want to cover it up with midnight blue? Why not? Oh, you want to write all your favorite quotes on the wall in silver paint? That sounds neat. You’re turning your closet into an entertainment center? K. (By the way, thanks for that, Mom!) It was really hard to go from that amount of freedom to the limitations that go hand-in-hand with rented spaces where you can’t hang too much art, you have no control over the paint, and your work space consists of either a dining room table which you also have to share with a homework-laden engineering student (and which, remember, you have to eat off of as well) or the floor.

So, needless to say, I’ve got a lot of pent-up impulses, which I plan on taking out in my soon-to-be studio. Up until now, my main focus has been to get the house in order. My life has been dominated by trying to find places for everything and by the ever-present need for cleaning-cleaning-cleaning. But now that things are settling down (ever so slightly) and that I have some projects I’m doing for Amanda’s upcoming living room renovation, I need to start making my studio space less of a throw-in-all-the-stuff-that-doesn’t-have-a-home-yet space, and more…well, studio-ish. There’s a lot of work to be done to make it fully functional, but here are some plans that I have for the aesthetics, just for fun. :)

Uh. Yeah. That’s my inner-spoiled-9-year-old coming out. But although these pictures may lead you to believe that the whole room will be pink-pink-PINK, my eventual plan is for it to be more “Rainbow Brite” than “Barbie.”

See? Way different. However, these pictures do serve as loose inspiration for the following reasons…(and just so you don’t have to keep scrolling back and forth, here’s the mood board again)

1. This room has several elements that I’m totally in love with. First of all, the bright walls (although a little too “blush-and-bashful” for my taste) inspire me to man-up and experiment with a bright color in my own room. Of course, my first instinct is to paint everything a deep midnight-blue, but since I want the studio to be well-lit, something a little lighter (and therefore brighter) will probably end up being a better choice.

2. This shelving unit from Ikea is a must-have for me. I’m tired of all my art supplies being crammed into boxes under the bed (and, before that, in Safeway bags in the closet—these made the boxes feel like an absolute luxury, sadly enough). I want to be able to walk over to my wall of shelves and pluck up anything I need, from bottles of Mod Podge to sock monster stuffing to oil pastels. I want it all in plain sight.

3. Also a must-have is something to protect the floor, since it’s carpeted up there, just like the rest of the house. I’ve decided that this graphic, black and white rug from Ikea will do the trick. I like it because it’s the coolest neutral ever. Think, you could have any color décor and it’d never look bad with anything. Very handy in a studio which is sure to change with my every whim and want. ;)

4. This door gives me the shivers (in a good way). It’s such a fun, bold statement and such a surprise. You’d never know from the outside, but once inside, it’d be like a fun secret for whoever walked in. Is it kind of weird and unnecessary? Sure, but I dare you to try and talk me out of it.

5. At first, I considered just hanging all of my own artwork in the studio. But then I got to thinking and it makes more sense to me that I should start out by hanging some art (not of my own making) that inspires me and gets my creative juices flowing. Random, vibrant colors are really catching my eye lately, so I found this bright floral print from Ikea as an example of what I want to start out with.

6. + 7. For the last few years, I’ve always been hampered by dim lighting and dark conditions when trying to work. So my goal in this new space is to keep the place feeling as light and airy as possible. Some sheer curtains (maybe bordered, but not inhibited, by some more solid drapes on each side) will provide a smidge of privacy without detracting from the natural light from outside. And this adjustable floor lamp can help by creating even more light for fine detail work.

8. Lastly, ever since I moved in with Denny and began pinning things up on the old corkboard he’s had since he was a kid, I’ve found out that I love having a place to tack up whatever I feel like looking at for the time being. And I like this particular take on the traditional cork message board, especially. It’s actually tons of cheap Ikea trivets (which I already use in the kitchen, by the way) hung on a wall. There’s a distinct possibility that I will have one wall almost entirely devoted to these repurposed trivets (and which will no doubt be covered in papers 3 inches deep by the end of the year).

So, now that you know I’m a closet Rainbow-Brite-loving-sock-monster-making-spastic-craft-junkie, do you think less of me? Is the bright pink door totally going against everything you’ve ever thought you knew about me? Or maybe you’re a RBLSMMSCJ just waiting to come out of the closet, too? It’s okay. You can tell me. I won’t judge if you won’t.

Product Breakdown:

Inspiration Studio

Expedit from Ikea - $199

Stockholm Rand 6'x10' Rug from Ikea - $199

Pink Door Inspiration (source unknown)

Pjatteryd Art from Ikea - $50

Curtain Inspiration

Luxe Floor Lamp from CB2 - $199

Cork Trivets from Ikea - $3 for three

Rainbow Brite

Barbie Dreamhouse from Amazon - $140

Moody Tuesday: Global Clutter

Holy cow, did we get a LOT done around the house this weekend. We replaced vapor barrier in the crawl space, removed offensive plants from the backyard and side driveway, we hung curtains, picked up special-order upholstery fabric, bought towels and sheets…Sheesh! The list goes on and on. So this week (not counting today) you can look forward to lots of really-real posts about really-real things we’ve actually accomplished. “Why not today?” you ask. Well, because I’ve got about a hundred photos to sort through and edit, so today you’re just going to have to put up with an inspiration board instead. ;)

Since we missed out on Moody Monday this week, here is a Moody Tuesday board for your viewing pleasure. May I introduce…the Front Living Room (also called the “Upper Living Room,” also called the “Library,” also called the “Sitting Room,” also called “Where Homer Lives”).

So, the design for the Front Living Room (which will be referred to as the FLR, for the remainder of this post) really started out as an accident. It all began when we first bought the yellow couch (which my Mother lovingly-slash-mockingly calls “Homer”). I bought Homer for two basic reasons: A) we had no furniture at all for the FLR, and B) he was only $20. Now, I have to admit, I wasn’t all that stoked about Homer when he first moved in with us. I mean, he was cheap and he did enable me to use the front section of our house, but I always had plans to move him somewhere less public after we got some “real” furniture. However, the more I see of him the more I think he’s…well, he’s kind of cute. Maybe not baby-panda-cute, but at least three-legged-pug-cute. You know, kind of ugly and kind of adorable and definitely one of a kind? Yeah, like that. So, over the course of the last few weeks, I’ve gradually grown to feel that Homer is here to stay (now I just need to convince Denny to feel the same way).

The next bit of serendipity was the temporary placement of one of my favorite paintings in the bookshelf that also currently (and temporarily) lives in the FLR.

This piece was a gift from my Grandma when Denny and I got married. It’s by a favorite artist of mine and it’s a stunning, richly-colored original that definitely deserves a place of honor in our home. Well, at first I was skeptical about pairing it with Homer, but the more I look at the two of them together, the more I think they give off kind of an eclectic, hip vibe.

Keeping that in mind, my search for inspiration began. And then, I found this little picture…

And this color palette…

The rest, as they say, is history.

There’s so much to love about this inspiration room. First, it features Homer’s more attractive and classy cousin, Chesterfield. Second, it has such a fun, layered, global feel. Like each piece was collected from your own travels. Although none of the pieces really match all that well, it has a charming kind of mismatchiness (like that word? I invented it just now). Keeping that kind of free-spirit, hodgepodge frame of mind wasn’t easy, but I think I succeeded with this little mood board that I recently made up.

1. Here’s the painting that led the way. It was how I first thought that maybe blue would be a nice pairing for my old goldenrod couch.

2. Speaking of which, here is a very similar couch to remind you of what Homer looks like and to give you a base color for…

3. …these pillows, which I plan to layer artfully on Homer’s golden expanse. I’m really excited about getting creative with pillows, adding all kinds of unexpected patterns and themes to create a very stylish, “collected” look.

4. Next, here’s the basic type of chair that I want to add to the room. I don’t want anything too bulky or cushy, but just something kind of clean and modern, which won’t compete with Homer but isn’t a complete wallflower either. I’d like to add two of these chairs across from Homer, creating a nice little conversation area. These, too, will be layered with coordinating (yet mismatched) pillows, giving the room a sense of cohesion.

5. See? I told you: I, too, have fallen prey to the lure of industrial casters. This coffee table is a DIY piece made out of weathered wood, so it can be built to any size and shape you want (or, I should say, any size and shape you’re capable of making in your garage). I’d like I nice large, square table. Something that you could throw a board game on and huddle around on poufs on the floor with, since I’m pretty sure this room won’t have a TV in it.

6. I chose this particular rug for a couple of different reasons. First, it’s a nice dark (but not muddy) color. Also, although it claims to have “art dots,” I kind of think it looks like a super chic version of a leopard print, which adds that touch of global-exotic that this room needs.

7. Also adding to the somewhat exotic feel of the room are these natural-tone roman shades for the massive front window. They’re the perfect solution to the on-display, aquarium-feel that we’re currently living with.

8. Lastly, I was surfing around trying to find a unique bookshelf when I decided to see what Target had to offer. I was amazed to find that they had a whole selection of interesting bookcases that look remarkably “designer.” This was the one that I fell hard for. And the best part? It’s only $80. I am so buying this little guy. I think it’ll be the perfect spot to prop up my inspiration art, along with some other little mementos (and, of course, books) that will finish off my eclectic, global-inspired living room.

Product Breakdown:

Color palette from Design-Seeds

Inspiration Room from Anthropologie

JM Art Studio Original – SOLD

Homer look-alike by Omnia Furniture from Cymax - $1750

Assorted Pillows from West Elm

Poang chair from Ikea - $99 each

Caster table from HGTV.com - Tutorial

Modern Art Dots in Charcoal Grey and Caspian from Shades of Light - $3,800

Natural Roman Shade by Levolor from Lowe's - $52 and up

Northfield Modular Bookcase in Espresso from Target - $80

To Fluff or Not to Fluff

When you spend as much time looking at home decorating stuff as I do, you start to realize that some truly weird stuff is going on in the world of décor. Like, all of a sudden ikat is super cool, the chicest color combo on the planet is apparently grey and yellow, and industrial casters are da-BOMB.

Now (before you jump down my throat) let me just say that I, too, think all of this stuff is neat-o. But I also think that part of the neat-factor can be attributed to the sheer amount of examples that we see of them these days. When I first saw grey and yellow paired, I thought whoever had done so had lost their ever-lovin’ mind. But now that there's so much of that combination splashed across the pages of DIY magazine and filling up the galleries at HGTV.com, I’m much more into it. I mean, look at my bathroom inspiration. Kind of trendy, truth be told.

However, there is one trend that continues to baffle me, no matter how much of it I see. And this trend is…the awkward case of the collapsed pillow. Not sure what I mean? Let me show you some examples.

See? Every single pillow looks like it’s collapsed in on itself. The tops have flat-out caved in. I don’t know who started this, but I find it completely ludicrous. Why is it suddenly hip to have sad, squashed pillows? Is it meant to imply that the pillows are so fluffy and soft they can barely hold themselves up? “I have the most delicate pillows EVAR!” This is the only (somewhat-kind-of-not-even-remotely) logical conclusion I can imagine, because to me, it just looks like there’s a pillow-hating ninja on the loose. Or maybe it’s a whole fleet (or whatever you call a group) of ninjas, because it sure seems to be an epidemic.

It’s happening in L.A.—CHOP!

It’s happening in New York—CHOP!

It’s happening in Richmond and Boulder and Chicago—CHOPCHOPCHOP!!!

The only place this sneaky little guy is NOT welcome, apparently, is in one particular house in the Seattle area. Call me old fashioned, but I like my pillows plush and my house ninja-free.

What do you think? Are you a closet chopper? A proud fluffer? Are your pillows almost always squished anyway because small animals keep trodding on them? Maybe you live a pillow-free existance? Whatever your deal, I wish you a wonderful, long, and chopless (unless you like that kind of thing) weekend! See you on Monday!

PS: The 21 House Flickr account has been updated and now includes even more pictures of halfway completed projects! :) Lots of love, A

Pillows from:

7th House on the Left

Heartbeatoz

The Berry

Original ninja clip-art from:

Original Ninja (Customized by the Lovely Me)

Oh, Deer!

Last week I had mentioned that in addition to doing mood boards for the rest of my rooms, I hoped that I would eventually get a chance to whip up a little something for others. Well, I’m pleased to say that day has come much sooner than expected!

A few weeks ago, I went to visit my friend Amanda’s new abode (does nearly a year still count as new—I know, I’m a terrible friend for not visiting MUCH sooner). During that time, she made a comment, while giving me the grand tour, that she really should eventually get around to hanging up some art or something in the living room and maybe painting the walls. I, of course, jumped right on board and (practically jumping up and down with excitement) squealed, “Ooooooh! Let me help! We could do this and THIS and that and OMG-it-would-be-awesome to put up so-and-so!”

Ok. Maybe I wasn’t quite that bad, but it did get me thinking. I began doing a little bit of research with her particular style in mind and all of a sudden I was pinning pillows and baskets and cardboard deer to a board set up specifically for her. So, I went ahead and called her up and asked her if she still wanted help working on a design for her living room and she (lovely girl) said yes, she’d like that!

Now, in addition to trying to figure out what the heck to do with my own house, I’m also having a blast (getting distracted and) figuring out what to do with her house. :) Lucky for me, though, she puts up with it and is even kind enough to plan on letting me invade her home in a couple of weekends in order to play interior decorator.

Here’s what I’ve come up with while cruising the net, all the while keeping in mind Amanda’s earthy-funky-hip-low-maintenance-doggy-parent M.O.

I originally had in mind a soothing green scheme for Amanda’s living room, but as her husband said immediately upon hearing that idea: “I will not have the EVIL color in OUR HOUSE!” (For those who don’t know, Kelly is a HUGE OSU fan, which of course makes him an enemy to The-University-Which-Shall-Not-Be-Named, whose mascot rhymes with a bad word. You know which one I’m talking about…)

So I immediately began thinking about different color schemes and it didn’t take a whole lot of brains to decide that orange might be a better choice for these two Beaver-Believers.  This is the room that I found the most inspiring:

I ran it by Amanda and she agrees that it’s quite the quirky little beauty. She’s even a fan of the grey walls (so much that she and Kelly ran out immediately to buy grey paint samples—they’re going to get it all done before I show up to help with the finishing touches)! So, having got the go-ahead, I made up this mood board for my wonderful friend and her green-hating husband.

1. As usual, I flitted over to Design-Seeds to find a color palette that would fit. There were a lot of palettes featuring orange, but many of them also included the bad-G-color in them, as well. This one I liked because it had multiple shades of orange and a couple of shades of grey (you know, the good-G-color).

2. One of the things that I like about Amanda’s living room (and her whole house, in fact) is that it has lovely hardwood floors. However, I thought that adding an area rug to the living room would not only break up the expanse of hardwood (um…), but also anchor all the furniture together, creating a cohesive look. I chose this subtly colored rug partially because it was a nice neutral with a pleasing pattern (not too bold and not too boring), but also because it’s indoor-outdoor quality, which I think will hold up better against the pitter-patter of (not-so) little feet (have I mentioned that Amanda has two dogs—one of which is possibly part Great Dane—as well two cats? They’re her adorably furry children.)

3. Now, you may have noticed that in the inspiration room, there’s a large, floor-to-ceiling, painted-white fireplace. Well, Amanda has one that is actually very similar to that and (call me crazy) I just love what they did to break up the expanse of white brick. The orange background and framed porcelain deer head is muy odd and oddly chic, but have you seen how much porcelain animal heads cost? Try something like $300 for one that’s about 12”x16” (is it super dorky that I know that off the top of my head?). Anyway, I know I can do better than that. I found this little guy online for under $30, and while they offer it in white, I think that traditional brown will look lovely with the other natural colors in the living room, not to mention the orange accents.

4. I couldn’t resist throwing in a little puppy fashion in the pillow department. It’s like a grown-up (and way less annoying) version of those tacky pillow pets.

5. I know it seems like a lot of brown, however I chose this camel color throw not only to provide warmth in the upcoming autumn months, but also because I think it will look outstanding thrown over the arm of Amanda and Kelly’s deep brown couch (part of the room that absolutely has to stay for the time being).

6. When I asked Amanda what she wished she had more or less of in her living room, she mentioned that there’s not any overhead light in that area and that they’re making do with a floor lamp that they’re not so crazy about right now. Well, I’m a huge fan of the giant paper lantern (as Denny will tell you—each of our apartments has had one and I have plans to hang some in our bedroom soonish). I think a couple of these in varying sizes, hung in the corner, will add light and charm to the room.

7. She also mentioned that they have a lot of electronic stuff (which I knew, seeing as I’ve met Kelly once or twice before—that was sarcasm btw) and quite the assortment of dog toys (likewise, having known Amanda for more than three seconds—try closer to…12 years? Holy crap!). However, they have hardly any storage for them, so I picked out a couple of natural baskets in varying sizes and shades, which ought to do the trick when it comes time to corral them all.

8. And, lastly, I suggested to Amanda that instead of the lonely chair they currently have sitting next to the fireplace (it’s a little out of the furniture cluster), she should create a “command center.” I don’t know if that’s an actual term or if I just created it, but it’s what I call that space where you toss your keys, sort your mail, and put things that you need to remember to grab before you run out the door to conquer the world. These custom-covered magazine holders can help facilitate an orderly command center and are pretty darn cute, as well.

Holy crap! Over a thousand words on anti-Duck sentiment, cardboard deer, and being a pushy friend with delusions of design grandeur! Please accept my apologies. I hope you’re not too burned out on the look though, because I have serious plans to report back in a few weeks with some before and after photos, as well as the secrets to our DIY look. And until then, here’s the…

Product Breakdown:

Inspiration room by Judith Balis from HGTV

Design-Seeds color palette

4x6 Indoor/Outdoor Concentric Diamond Rug in Khaki and White from Shades of Light - $134

Medium Buck Jr. in Brown from Cardboard Safari - $28

Scott Lifshutz Hound Pillow Cover from West Elm - $19

Fuzzy Camel Throw from Pier 1 - $36

Hanging Paper Lanterns from Pier 1 - $6 & $9

Waterhyacinth Baskets with Handles from Pier 1 $12 & $29

Magazine Holder Inspiration from Aparment Therapy

Eye-Candy

I have a confession to make.

I am an art-aholic. I have more prints, cards, photos, and originals than I have ever been able to find room for. I can barely walk into a store without picking something up. And, on top of all that, I have my own collection of works in progress. Dozens of pounds of yarn waiting to be crocheted, stacks of blank canvas, planks of wood I have plans for, gourds that need to be sanded and painted (yes, I said “gourds”)…the list goes on and on. My obsession was bad enough pre-internet (yes, I’ve been an art pack-rat for that long), but now that there’s Etsy and Pinterest to fuel my desire, well, let’s just say that my habit can get a little out of control at times.

So, in the spirit of all the works of art I have and the countless others that I wish I had, I thought I’d share with you some pieces that tickle my fancy, as well as how I would incorporate them into a room (if I had, ya know, a sixty room mansion instead of a modest-sized tri-level).

1. Ok, so I am by no means a cat-person, however, this utterly-cranky-looking feline caught my eye right away. You can just tell that this is HIS CHAIR and he will NOT BE MOVED. Basically, it cracked me up. And (as you can tell) I am not an art snob; I don’t think an image has to be particularly deep or serious to be considered art. As long as it invokes some sort of emotion in you and you like it (note those key words, please), I think that’s enough to qualify it as a piece of art.

As for where I would put something like this, I think it would look cute in a small lacquered frame (maybe in black or aqua) on an end table next to a reading chair. Although I’m not sure it’d be a particularly relaxing experience trying to read in the presence of those condemning yellow eyes, it would nonetheless be very fitting (and amusing…for me, at least). J

2. I couldn’t resist including these brightly colored prints done on vintage book pages (which I’m sure surprises no one). Maybe it’s a little boring of me, but I’m a sucker for anything that has rich tones (especially blue ones, as you’ll see) and includes so much as hint of the written word. I think these prints (which come in a set) would love lovely framed in basic black frames and hung in a bedroom, maybe in a line over the headboard.

3. Um…I’m sensing a theme here, aren’t you? Yeah, well, what can I say? Trees inspire me. It’s one of the main reasons I fell in love with our house (which is so covered in trees you can hardly see it from the road). This painting is a HUGE original that could pretty much stand alone in any room devoid of all other art. I think it makes that much of a statement. Hang it on any wall and…BAM! You’ve got instant style.

4. This print reminds me of the way the trees look on Mt. Hood, where it’s so cold that the limbs are permanently frosted, despite the sun shining on them. Although you could definitely display this year-round, I’m envisioning it framed in white and set on a mantle during the winter, maybe next to a hurricane glass filled with pinecones or some long white tapers.

1. This piece is also an original (and, at only $70, quite a steal). There’s something so sweet and yet a little eerie about it, which is right up my alley. You could hang it almost anywhere, I think, although I would probably put it somewhere I wanted to go to feel inspired and relaxed. Maybe in a home office or at a writing desk. It would be a pleasant reminder to take a quiet moment to enjoy the simple things in life, like a stolen kiss under a streetlight.

2. This funky photograph is so girly and random. It just makes me smile for some reason. Maybe it’s because I have a soft spot for chickens (particularly banties) or maybe it’s the vintage dress and turquoise hat (why doesn’t anyone wear fancy hats anymore?). In any case, I can so see it in a brightly colored, retro kitchen. Clean white cabinets, sunny yellow paint, vintage dishtowels (you know, the ones with little blue flowers on the ends and maybe a yellow scalloped trim?), and a black and white checkered floor. I think these two chicks would fit in just fine.

3. I would put this playful print in any female-oriented space. Just looking at it makes me want to break out the red lipstick, throw on some vintage bangles, and head out to find an adventure. Just the right attitude for…a vanity perhaps? Yes, a vintage vanity with a cushioned stool and lots and LOTS of fun jewelry on display.

4. Now, if I were to decorate a baby’s room (and, let’s just get one thing straight: I AM NOT, repeat AM NOT), I think something like this would be just sweet. I love the colors and the simplicity and how gentle that polar bear looks with the bird perched on its massive paw (kind of a new version of lion and the lamb?). I’d decorate the whole room in this kind of aurora borealis theme, with a white furry rug, blue walls, and tons of twinkle lights. How cute would that be?

And now (just in case you find that any of these have also caught your fancy), here is the ever-present,

Product Breakdown:

"Cat on mid century chair" 8x10 Pigment Print from Olive Dear - $30

"4 Trees" set of 4x6 prints from Cookstah.etsy.com - $8

"Intertwined" 54x24 Original Abstract Contemporary Landscape from Madart - $299

"Sunrise" 8.5x9 Abstract Fine Art Print from budanArt - $18

"Autumn Kiss" Hand-Cut 11x14 Silhouette Papercut from Papercut Art by Tina Tarnoff - $70

"Hens" Original Signed 8x10 Fine Art Photograph from Heather Evans Smith Photography - $30

"Entanglement" Open Edition 7.5x9.5 Print from Janet Hill Studio - $26

"Bear & Bird" 6x8 Print from Geninne’s Art Store - $30