What To Do With That Vintage Dresser

It seems that most people have vintage furniture pass through their lives at one time or another. For some of us, its by choice, some by inheritance, and some because its all they can afford. Given my profound love of this kind of furniture, I sometimes get questions about how to use it in a more modern way.
Apartment Therapy has a very cool home tour today. The owners used vintage furniture throughout the house, but my favorite example is the dresser used in the living room. Its used as a one of a kind entertainment center. Given the small scale of the home, the dresser is a perfect fit. This idea can also be used for bedrooms or dorm rooms that don't have square footage to spare.

The bottom compartments are used for varying media units and remotes. What more could you ask for? I'm guessing some of you are still not feeling the love for vintage, so here is another great detail. Most vintage furniture is sturdier and better built than 90% of furniture made today. I have a dresser similar to this one and know what I'm talking about. My husband cringes a little every time I ask him to help me move it again, because its built like a tank! Its difficult to find new furniture of the same quality unless you are prepared to pay for very high end pieces.
So, when asked how to best use vintage furniture, its best to have an open mind. (Perhaps, a piece can be used for other than its original purpose) Also, mix it up. Don't be afraid to throw in one or two vintage pieces with your modern furniture. Be adventurous!!!

Can't Decide Which Eyelet Curtains To Use?

If you can't decide which colour or pattern of curtains to use why not take inspiration from interior designers who are using the fashionable mix of bold colours and patterns to create striking interiors which have non-matching curtains!

The idea may seem rather bizarre, however with careful planning and incorporation of the same fabrics for cushions and using a mismatch of textures and patterns stunning trendy designs can look very effective in many styles of homes.

Using white as the wall colour and natural wood flooring gives you the opportunity to mix and match the colours of your soft furnishings. To make this style look effective opt for colours which compliment each other and are within the same colour hue range, otherwise it may simply look odd and unbalanced.

Use the same two colours as accent pieces is also a great way to bring the room a sense of cohesion and trendy chic elegance. Choose colours which inject vibrancy for maximum effect, along with a variation in furniture from different style trends.

The wide variety of colours and patterns of ready made eyelet curtains enables anyone to try this funky style within their home, not forgetting that if the curtains come in pairs you automatically have a replacement replica pair to use whilst the others are being laundered! Alternatively you can use the image image if you have a room with windows at opposite ends of the room.

I admire designers and people who dare to be different simply by using a new way to make their living space stand out from the crowd!

Image: Belle Maison

Objets d'Art

This is a tribute to all those little things that make our homes special and unique. I found this stylish place on Flickr. If you are a photography nut be sure to link over to Nam N's site. Not only is he an amazing photographer but he also collects the coolest objects! Gorgeous!

I've Had A Bit Of A Revelation

Warning: Some May Consider This Post To Have Too Much Personal Information. Scoffers Look Away!
I sat down to do some blog surfing and ran across this video. It is a Swedish dance group's tribute to Michael Jackson. (Found here) Its just fantastic! Here's the funny part. As soon as the dancing began, I broke down into tears and could barely see the monitor through my fogged up glasses! So, what I think is that I have been in mourning. I don't think its a coincidence that since Michael Jackson's passing, I haven't had two creative thoughts to rub together!
I feel very silly admitting this. I mean I sound more like a 13 year old than a 33 year old. But its the truth. When someone as inspiring and magical as Michael passes away, its like the world becomes a little grayer. Some of you are probably wondering why a Texas girl who loves interior design would take this so hard. I mean I don't sing, dance, or anything along those lines. But it was his Passion! His insane talent and his determination to live in his own way. No matter what others thought. That is what inspired me as a little girl. To be completely unique without apologies.
Okay, if anyone is still reading, thanks for indulging me and my crazy feelings. I'm not sure what to do about all this, maybe I just need some time before color returns to my imagination.

Take A Deep Breath...Just Relax.

(Via Emma's Designblogg)

Close your eyes and breath deeply.
Veeery deeply.

I'm considering having myself put into a deep meditative state to overcome my creative funk.
Just let go of all cares and maybe my brain will do a hard reset. Aahhhh.
Don't know if it will work, but its worth a try, no?
I found two amazing bedrooms that would be just right for this process. I think they are perfect for weekend unwinding.

(Via Wayne Vincent Photography)
Hope all of you get to relax this weekend, too:)

You Can Never Have Enough Storage, Seating or Cheap Cushions!

I always think that you can never have enough storage space, seating or cushions as such I embrace the idea of combining these with open arms!

Window seat are always a great idea in older styled houses where there is sufficient depth on the window sill to enable you sit or lean comfortably against a cushion, if they have built in storage so much the better!

Making use of space in today's modern homes has to be on many people's agendas. With house prices still very high in most parts of the UK, finding a home to enable you get your foot on the first rung of the house buying ladder is becoming increasingly difficult. The houses or apartments you may be able to afford are going to be the smaller ones, irrespective of their age.

However, restoring an old Victorian terrace or choosing the type of design you want in a more modern house is all part and parcel of transforming you living space into a place you can call home. Putting your individualism into each room can be fun and does not have to cost a fortune or look tacky!

For first time DIYers a great project would be to make additional seating for when you have guests and incorporating much needed storage. A simple box style construction made from MDF or ply would be suitable substantial to take people's weight and the top can be simply painted and have lots of cheap cushions placed for comfort, or the more adventurous may like to add a padded bench cover. This can be achieved by buying a block of foam, most suppliers will cut it to size for you, and either making a fabric cover which can be put on and off, in much the same way as a pillow slip, or simply drape it over and tucked in underneath!

Be inspired and make the most of the space you have!

Image: Alkemie

Local Event: Harbenger Duo @ DWR

Attention!
Houston readers don't miss Harbenger Duo's furniture line at Design Within Reach, tonight.
I'm so excited to see this cool line and to meet Audrey!
P.S. if you're there stop me and say hi:)

Thinking 'Outside Of The Box' Can Produce Stunning Interior Designs

Interior design is all about finding styles of décor and furniture that you like and are comfortable living with! You may wish to emulate designs, themes and topics which you see in magazines and blog posts as these can give you brilliant inspirational ideas!

Thinking outside of the box is a great way to have a unique perspective on the type of style you want. Be brave and add quirky touches will not only make your home very personalised it can also give you a great sense of achievement and satisfaction.

Up-cycling or recycling is a design trend which is becoming more and more in-vogue and whilst I don't want to harp on about the recession, finding treasures from junk and salvage yards and adding a lick of paint or altering them to compliment your own design flair can be immensely satisfying!

Take a chest of draws; an object which can be used in any room for storing anything you like, not just clothes and look equally as trendy in a all styles of both traditional and modern homes. Leave looking a bit shabby and worn if you like the shabby chic interior styles, add tie backs of assorted colours and you have a practical and very trendy piece of furniture!

Painting old furniture has also seen a revival in the last couple of years, which again allows your imagination to work over-time! Stencilling maybe somewhat outdated, however you could try your hand at decoupage or simply paint the piece in a vibrant gloss colour to compliment the rest of your décor.

'Old Parisian' is another design style which is similar to shabby chic! Paint furniture white and then distress the edges to give it an old worn look, use in combination with soft blue and the results can be stunning!

Image: A Life's Design

On A Quest

Hello...hello?
Where has the inspiration gone lately? I woke up one morning with a creative block so thick that it has had me at a loss for anything to say. I'm not sure what's going on, its very frustrating! Maybe its too hot outside and my brain melted, or maybe its so overrun with ideas that it finally wore out.
To try and remedy this problem, I have set out on a quest. I want to find where inspiration comes from! What do creative people do to jumpstart their imaginations? Is inspiration a sort of mystical force that falls upon us, or does it come from working and being forced to make on the spot decisions? In other words, is inspiration a blessing from God, or does God expect us to do our homework and inspire ourselves? Maybe it comes from a place or a person that serves as a muse. I'm not really sure, these are the kinds of things I want to figure out...or at least try;)

For today, I thought I would start the journey with looking at a few things that inspire others. I hopped over to The Selby, because I love the unusual homes and objects it features. Selby is such a cool site for many reasons, but my favorite feature is the attention it pays to little details in each house. You know we all keep little objects around that would mean nothing to someone else, but mean the world to us.
I really love the office of George Gorrow. He is the creative director of an Australian fashion house called Ksubi. Random objects cleverly put together, give this space so much character. One detail I love is the collection of sunglasses. Gorrow designs sunglasses and so surrounds himself w/ this amazing collection. This brings up a reliable source of inspiration. Studying and admiring those who have gone before you. What were those talented people thinking? How did they come to the final product? As they say, you have to start with the basics. When I was a kid I never understood why I had to learn what others had done. I wanted to do my own thing, so why did it matter? Now, I understand that starting from the beginning gives me the tools I need to really build something new. (Learning the importance of tools is also a sign of having been married to an engineer for a while).
So this is my first quick stop on my journey. I hope its not one that is too aimless. I'm flying by the seat of my pants on this, so I hope all of you are interested in flying with me. BTW, any input about finding the source of inspiration would be greatly appreciated!
My rusty brain and I are off!

Beautiful, As Well As Chic Ready Made Curtains

For me ready made curtains really are the next best thing to sliced bread! They are so easy to hang and are available in incredible colour ways, designs, patterned and plain fabrics as well as being available in different sizes and weights of fabrics to suit each room of your house.

Used on their own they are effectively beautiful, team with a roller or Venetian blind and you have an instant window dressing which also offer privacy from prying eyes both day and night!

Selecting the style of window dressing is a fundamental part of achieving an overall sense of balance and cohesion to a room, irrespective of its size. If you are looking to add height to a room opt for curtains with a vertical pattern or stripe as these will automatically drawn the eye upwards.

Use light or neutral colours if you want a small room to appear larger and rich dark colours if your are after a more sensual or warm and cosy look.

The design trends of the year are focusing on using natural material with clean lines in modern and contemporary styled homes. Plain neutral colours with wide stripes or bands of contrasting materials such as faux suede or faux leather, across the top third of full length curtains offer a very chic and stylish look, more especially if they have eyelet headings as these can be simply hung on stylish curtains poles of either natural wood or in-vogue polished metal effects.

Be inspired by designs such as Harvard curtains which offer a trendy and non-fussy look to add a splash of colour to your window dressing or alternatively use sheer fabrics such a voile, silk or organza for a simply stunning window treatment.

Image: Charm Hill Interiors Blogspot

Feeling Blue

The color blue is on my mind lately. As many of you know, I've been obsessed with orange and green for a while now, but I find my eye jumping to all things blue. The top picture is from the portfolio of Eric Cohler. I LOVE this guy! The painted molding to coordinate with the wallpaper is such a great detail.

Strong color doesn't have to be used on a large scale like an entire room. It can be used in small doses.
Frank Roop has a great eye for adding just the right amount of blue. (Found here)

(Sarah Richardson)

My dream would be to live in a bright blue house like this. I guess I want to be just like Frida Kahlo:)
I'm curious to know. What color are all of you smitten with, lately?

Boost Your Morale With The Colours Of Summer

The colours of summer are a great way to boost your morale and inject vibrant colours into your living space. Interior designers are going against the 'grain' and using clashes of colour with great effect!

Bright and airy rooms cannot help but make you smile and feel happy! As many people are feeling gloomy due to being made redundant or struggling to make ends meet, having vibrancy within your home is a great tonic to lift your mood and inspire you to try new ventures.

Whether that be a complete change in career or the decision to start your own business. Keep positive and there are many ways you can make the most of hidden talents you never even knew you had!

I'm not implying that everyone should become interiors designers, far from it, but whilst you have time on your hands it is the ideal opportunity to get round to finishing all of those niggling little decorating touches you never quite got round to completing!

You could simply move your furniture round to give a completely new and refreshed look to you home, add cheap cushions and throws in beautiful colours which bring touches of different colours into your home. Think of stripes which may in some ways remind you of circuses, seaside fun and gorgeous colours of natural flowers which are prolific in many gardens at this time of the year and have these as easy to hang tab top curtains or in a rug.

Open the windows and let the smell of the rain or freshly mown lawns fill your home with natural cleanliness may be just the pick up you need!

Image: Belle Masion23

The Perfect View

This week I'm dreaming about a Mid-century home that is like a tree house for grown-ups and a tribute to the work of A. Quincy Jones.
It looks like it is made mostly of glass, but set in the beautiful environment of Santa Monica; who can question it?

I ADORE these beautiful shiny floors. I realize they have to be waxed, but it would be worth it.

Times, Trends And People's Perceptions Have Changed – Thank Goodness!

Times are difficult for many people, from all walks of life and in a variety of different ways as the credit crunch is making life pretty bleak for some, whilst others are struggling to hang to their jobs or working in places they would rather not be.

As such, finding peace and tranquillity at home is essential, irrespective of how old you are, whether you live on your own or have a partner. Homes are what you make them and whilst spare cash may be sparse there are some great ways you can add some great style to your home without it breaking the bank.

If you can't afford or simply opt to only have one curtain as your window dressing, you have different ways you can choose to let the light in, which is a great way to add quirky yet practical fun to your living space!

Sweep it back to the right or left of the window, depending on where the most light is coming from and how much heat you want to let the sun bring you and hold in place with tie backs or simply gather it together in the centre and hold in place with a length of ribbon or contrasting fabric.

You don't even have to have wall to wall carpeting any longer, as plain floors with rugs are more in-vogue than the latter, and where in the past those who couldn't afford fitted carpets where considered by some to be those less well off, roles have reversed and in today's world plain and simple is definitely hip and chic!

Image: Vintage + Chic

A Quick Stop For Inspiration

On our trip home, we decided to make a quick stop in Austin. I say quick because we weren't even there 24 hrs. That didn't stop me from photo stalking;) (Annie, I hope you like these. Ha!) I've been itching to see the Saint Cecilia Hotel, since I first heard about it. Designed by the developers of the San Jose, I knew it would have to be amazing...and it certainly was!!!
I know many bloggers have written about this place so I hope you all will indulge me. I'm just so excited about it! Also, please excuse Mr. Liam who had to walk through almost EVERY photo I took. Here's a tip: Don't take small boys when taking photos. They don't exactly know how to sit still.

I don't have many photos to share, because I didn't actually stay at the hotel, I was just passing by. Yes, I know...the definition of stalking. Honestly, there is so much inspiration that just a quick walk around supplies more than enough eye candy. One of my favorite details was the black and white tile in a chevron pattern. Oh you all know how much I love stripes!

Yeah, he knows how to pose!

My other favorite part. This hidden courtyard. The design of it isn't complicated, but its just perfection. It occurred to me how simple it would be to find a couple of simple outdoor benches and paint them bright white. This bench is one large L-shape piece but two benches placed caddy corner to one another can have the same effect. The pillows are simply made with black outdoor fabric.

The jewel-tones and the stark lines are so striking. St. Cecilia, hopefully next time I can see you from the inside.
Love ya!

Natural Colour Variations Are Mesmerising!

There is something mesmerising about this room, I'm not sure whether the aspects of symmetry or the juxtaposition of the way the objects have been arranged.

In a way this rooms creates both harmony and cohesion with the identical mirrored windows with the sheer voiles placed three quarters of the way up to the height of the tab top curtains, the positioning of the mirrors which in turn extends the length and symmetry of the room or the chairs which almost appear to be standing guard over the room, daring you to step beyond into the more personal space in front of the fire place.

It some ways it is confusing to look at, whilst in another it is aesthetically pleasing to the eye. What I do love are the natural colours used along with the subtle injections of green, another very natural colour.

A clever room design which one would feel somehow 'not quite at home with'!

Inspiring? Yes, definitely.

Suitable for all homes and people, definitely not!

It would be the ideal and in some ways quintessential country manor style home, which although many people may aspire to living in, as it depicts such a peaceful, tranquil setting, it reality it is not the 'average' person's home interior design style.

It has the personal touches in the choice of objects placed on the mantle piece and a tempting bowl of apples, which I would be 'scared' to take and eat and for the apples are not for eating, purely to add to the natural green into the room!

So why did I select this room?...because it fascinates me in a strange and wonderful way, which is the whole point of good interior designs, it makes you want to keep looking!

Image: Desire To Inspire

Lost In Time

Wow, I'm back! I've been gone for 9 days, visiting my family. We finally got home last night and I feel all out of sorts. Mark actually forgot which cabinet we keep our dishes in. I apologize for no posting, but I had spartan internet access, at best. In a funny way, I enjoyed being away from computers. I was able to forget about a lot of my concerns. Unfortunately, today I'm trying to catch up with the rest of the world. I found this house via Accidental Mysteries, and it reminded me of how I feel....lost in time.

This home was recently sold in St. Louis. The entire structure is a time capsule, all the way down to the matching pink bedside lamps. Go to the article here, to see how strategically placed carpet squares and a basement allowed this house to stay in such pristine condition. Its hilarious!