If you can’t get enough ikat in your life, you should definitely run over to Anthropologie and check out what they have to offer, especially in the furniture category. Do you think it would be too much to have just one room where everything was ikat? I don’t.
I’ve finally reached a conclusion of sorts with the house decorating project. You’re obviously never finished with this kind of thing but at this point there’s nothing really nagging me (at least upstairs) and I feel I can let my mind wander to other projects for the time being.
So, for sharing purposes, here are the before and afters!
This is the beginning of the before and after house pictures! I’d like to get everything totally perfect before I show you guys, so we’re starting with the basement. I’ve got a roomate moving in this weekend so I will get some pictures up after she gets her stuff all in there but I did get a good picture of what the basement just looks like by itself.
Behold, the before:
And the after!
The wood paneling was terrible, and the blue carpet…ugh. The worst part is, it went partway up the walls so we had to tear out all of that and put in baseboards instead. It’s pretty hard to see that in the before picture but trust me, the baseboards made a HUGE difference. Make sure to look for the mountain scene paint-by-numbers in the first picture, as they will be making a reappearance in the house! So, new carpet, painted the paneling, and a different basement emerged. I can’t wait to see what it looks like with someone living down there!
There was this great import store in Tucson called Designer’s Craft that I used to love to go to. What I found particularly amazing were all of these massive, intricate wooden doors.
Can you imagine having one of these in your house? You’d be the talk of the neighborhood! I could also see it being a really excellent garden gate, with vines crawling up along the sides.
I thought the exciting thing about buying a house was going to be filling it with great furniture, but I didn’t quite take into account how expensive it was going to be. Looks like we’re going to be doing it a little bit at a time.
I would like to put this on my wishlist however:
Not only does it appear to be a fabulously gigantic steamer trunk, but it’s a great way to hide desk-related mess (which I’ve got in spades) when anyone comes over. Voila!
Find it at Restoration Hardware.
I love the look of this renovated San Francisco apartment. The architectural details, the eclectic decor, and the simple color palette make this a winner in my book.
To see more pictures, click here.
My lovely friend Amy was kind enough to host us at her DC abode last week for dinner. It was cold, rainy and windy and after some time trying to make it across the city in such a storm, we were glad to go inside. What I wasn’t expecting was how fantastic the house was. It was a little Sherlock-Holmes, a little Victorian Lady, a little Drag Queen, and a lot of fun. Bold wall colors and lots of fun little discoveries awaited us at every turn. As I left my camera at home, Amy was kind enough to send me some pictures of the place. And now I’d like to share them with you!
On a great block of old brick row-houses sits this gem. You’d never know from the outside how decidedly non-traditional it is. Parlours in the front let in the light and block the city noises from the rooms behind them. Creative lighting solutions and large fireplace mantels set the mood. On hand is the resident puppy, Nylah, who looks scary from the outset but is indeed the friendliest dog on earth. The chalkboard paint in the panels of the kitchen door is a great place for a grocery list or a note to the roomies.
Another thing I really like about the house is all of the gothic accessories. A suit of armor guarding the stairwell? Of course! Gargoyles scattered over every surface? Well, I thought every house had them! They’re offset nicely by all of the dark wood framing out the doorways and stairwells. Who says traditional has to be boring? Check out the fabulous Ms. Amy herself – look at those legs!!
The back servant stairs were pretty terrifying (as Amy said, they had about the proportion of a Mayan temple) but the idea of a hidden staircase was pretty exciting. My absolute favorite thing was the gargoyle sitting in the gorgeous tile fireplace. There was a glorious “poopatorium” that was painted a pretty navy/black color, proving that it is possible to pull off super dark walls. And the best part of all, hidden behind gorgeous wardrobe doors – THE BAR. Needless to say, we had a great time.
Thanks to Amy and the boys for letting us into their home and letting us eat drink and be merry. And then for sending follow-up pictures. You guys rock.
When I was at F.’s parent’s house last weekend his mom was complaining about her cave-like dining room. Of course, this set me scheming. Within a few hours I had her convinced that if we started at that very moment I could have the room painted and re-done by noon the next day, a timeline that I only missed by about 30 minutes (and I convinced her of this at 11pm the night before). The room had some really great things going for it – big windows, tall ceilings, hardwood floors and great architectural features. The bad thing? All those vertical planes just bounced sound around, giving it a cold and boomy feel.
We painted the walls a warm, brick red that was contemporary while keeping the traditional feel of the house. 2 big windows provided plenty of natural light, something we didn’t want to compromise on. Instead, we hung tall silk curtains that just brushed the floors wide enough around the window frames so that they covered the walls on just either side, providing the illusion of bigger windows. The original lace curtains hang inside the frames providing a bit of privacy while letting the light through. The curtains broke up all of the even planes, allowing sounds to be absorbed.
A few other small fixes were all that the room required. Moving the dining room table to the center of the room helped it take up the space a bit better, and moving some other furniture pieces around helped the whole arrangement make sense. Since the furniture isn’t very tall and the walls are, providing layers of height (lamps, big pictures, plants, etc.) helps to create the illusion of height. We made sure to pick a wall color that worked with the accessories already in the room (rug, table runners) so we wouldn’t have to change much.
Here are a few things that I learned during this project. If you’re lucky enough to have molding and chair-rails, make the original investment and paint all the trim with an oil-based paint. This makes removing spills and spatters from the wall color super easy and that way you’ll be able to change the wall color at will without having to repaint the trim. And don’t bother taping too carefully – an angled brush and a steady hand is all that you’ll need. And if your walls aren’t as tall as these, hang the curtains as high as possible to give the illusion of height. Most of all, it’s best to work with what you’ve got so one small change pulls the whole thing together, instead of feeling like you’ve got to go out and buy everything new.
It’s the best description I’ve got for the Jeffers Design Group’s work. I love how sophisticated yet playful their work is, and it has a retro sensibility without being campy or themed.
If you’re looking for inspiring ways to incorporate vintage pieces into your design, I highly recommend perusing their portfolio. Or, if you have my dream life, you can just hire them to design your house for you! Find out more at their website.
As I wander around Savannah, I’m struck by several things. First of all, the Spanish moss is inescapable. It drapes itself over every tree and bush in sight. I’m sure that it is considered a nuisance to some people but it adds such a softness and charm. I also love how this whole area has such a style. Gorgeous neoclassical architecture combines with European streets and a distinct laid-back southern style. I got to thinking about how to translate what I was seeing into a room, and here’s what I came up with.
1. This wallpaper is modern without being too edgy. I love the pattern and the color – it’s a nice representation of all of the tropical-looking plants growing around here.
2. The color and lightness of these curtains are a reference to the Spanish moss draped everywhere. They let in lots of light without letting in the glances of passers-by.
3. I love the look of historical paintings paired with modern design. This painting by Marc Dennis is actually a modern piece but it has all of the color and texture and depth of something much older.
4. Though many of the houses here are from the Victorian era, you still see lots of design that has survived from the early 20th century. I love the look of Tiffany Lamps and this one seems right at home in these historic parlours.
5. As an aspiring gardener, I’m amazed by how much stuff grows down here. It doesn’t ever get too cold so the growing season is practically year-round. I imagine that you would have to work hard to have a black thumb in Savannah. One of my favorite flowers is the hydrangea. I also like the way that many antiques are placed almost at random here – it’s like stumbling into a forgotten secret garden.
6. I’ve been lusting after this couch for months now. I think that it would work in a number of design scenarios, and this is one of them. It’s historic-looking, it’s masculine, and it reminds me of tobacco, which practically ruled the south for decades. I also think it would balance out the botanical wallpaper and the soft curtains nicely.
That’s all for this mini design challenge. Real estate is amazingly cheap down here (at least compared to CO) so I’m fighting temptation to create a lovely Southern parlor of my own.
Well, we didn’t get the house, yet again. We keep getting edged out by buyers with the exact same offer, only in cash. Who are these people, and where did they get all of this money? Sigh. Oh well. Back to looking at pictures – I’ll have the house put together before we even buy it.
I know it’s a car ad, but check out those stairs!
Sometimes I love red and sometimes I just think it’s overdone, but it looks really good in this house. I like all of the vaguely ethnic details.
A little fuzzy but you get the point – STORAGE!
I’ll take three of these, please. I like the wood garage, the cultured stone, and the modern lines that are reminiscent of Frank Lloyd Wright. I bet it’s even more gorgeous in the summertime.
I like this modern take on a library. Mine would have more books, of course.
Another fuzzy one. I don’t know if I know any writers that are this organized, but I like it. Good use of old furniture and lovely-looking organization.
I am on a serious hunt for an old card catalog. I think it would complete my collection of old furniture. I’d love to see what the full photograph in the background looks like.
There is nothing to not like about this one. Reading and forts? It’s like a grown-up version of my childhood.
I think that I kind of want some pin-striped wallpaper.
Oh, how I heart this kitchen. A little bit old, a little bit modern, it just seems like a comfortable place to make a meal.
There is something about bookshelves that just make a place seem so alive. I like these because they can be taken down and put back up in every configuation – the weight of the books holds them in place.
The outside here seems a little austere, but I love the colors and the combo of wood and brick.
I wonder what it would be like to live in one of these modern beauties. Would it be ok on the inside, or would you just feel like you were living in a gallery?
OK I think I’ve got it all out of my system for now. Any more pictures without a house to apply them to and I’m going to start getting depressed. Let’s get back to it then!
Here’s some more photos that I’m drooling over for if/when we get a house!
I like how open and modern and yet organic this space is. Great accessories.
Gotta break this one out again. I just love that wall color. Most people will paint a room dark and then think it’s too much, but you have to count on the fact that there are things living in the room, not just walls. The white bed linens balance it all out.
Not a huge fan of the colors, but that’s organization that can’t be beat.
I call this Colorado-Craftsman style. I like the cultured stone and the big roofline.
Simple and rustic. Simply lovely.
I would love to just make a wall that looks like this. I’m a big fan of the color and the texture.
I think this would be a great way to rehab an attic space without having to spend too much money on construction. What a cozy spot to curl up with a pot of tea and read a book.
That’s all for today, I’ll have more inspiring images for you tomorrow.
We might be buying a house soon (fingers crossed!) so I’ve been stocking up on loads on inspirational photographs so that when the time comes, I’ll know exactly what color I want to paint the living room. Here’s some of my recent favorites – since I’ve just downloaded them I can’t give credit but if you know where any of these come from, please let me know and I’ll credit away!!
I think that I like the colors in the room the best. Plus the fact that none of the furniture matches.
Hello, windows. The bedding is great, and so is the view. I like the austere interior grays juxtaposed with the blues and browns outside.
I love this wall color. And all of the old,mismatched, beat-up furniture. I’ll admit, this fits what I’ve got right now the best. I’m a furniture eclectic.
Oh, how I long for wood floors. And architectural interest. And big vaguely ethnic rugs.
This one is gorgeously mid-century and modern at the same time. I like the simplicity and the cultured stone walls. And the cowskin rug. I’ll take two, please.
I think this one is from the same house. Simple, elegant, modern and neutral. A bit boring perhaps, but it sure looks good.
Hello, giant kitchen. Definitely not something I’m going to find in our price range, but just gorgeous anyway. I think this kitchen is bigger than our prospective house. Oh well.
That’s all for now – don’t want to overwhelm! I’ll be posting some new pictures soon – in the meantime, what do you think? Do you like my inspirations? Would you be doing something else?n, m
One thing I’m really looking forward to if we ever buy a house is the opportunity to put in some built-in bookshelves. I love the way that floor to ceiling books look – throw in a great rug, a comfy chair and some nice lamps and I’m sure I would never leave. There’s something about it that’s just so cozy.
1. This is about the coolest thing I’ve ever seen. A secret back set of stairs that leads to a hidden sleeping loft, and the stairway is actually just a giant bookshelf. I’ll take two, please. via Apartment Therapy.
2. This one is gorgeous and modern. I like the paneled glass doors up top where you can hid less savory things and the generously-sized shelves on the bottom for all those art books and records. via Anora Home.
3. Everything looks better when it’s organized by color. I am really impressed by the amount of OCD present to make this happen. Color coordination aside, I love that it is just a room of books with a big couch to snuggle up on and read. via Fresh Home.
4. Another sleek and modern number, with the added bonus of a FIREPLACE! Safety considerations aside, the fireplace is now added to my library requirements. via Adelto.
5. A pet peeve of mine is cabinets and shelves that don’t reach all of the way to the ceiling. I know that most kitchens nowadays are like that, but what are you supposed to do with that extra 2 feet of space above your cabinets? Beats me. I love the height of these shelves – I think I may need something like that to house all my tomes. via nestfaesthete.
6. A simple set of bookshelves fill in all that wasted space against a window nicely. These were custom built to fit on that wall – genius. via Apartment Therapy.
I love masculine interior design. I love the dark colors and the prevalence of wood and leather and the clean, strong lines. There’s something about it that I find really appealing and timeless. I’ve never been one for Laura Ashley-esque florals and thankfully, I think f. realizes and appreciates this. I’m totally enamored with this gentlemanly Manhattan pad designed by Ron Marvin. All of the touches speak to a manly sophistication that isn’t afraid to accessorize. It could be over the top, but Marvin somehow never crosses that line.
On another note, make sure to check out Lonny Mag (where all of these images are from). It fills a gap left by the folding of many design magazines with aplomb.
