book review: At home with Color

At Home with Color is a new book written by Matthew and Grainne Dennison, with the most amazing photography by Chris Everard. What I love most about this book is that every room shown is perfectly layered and has so much soul. I love "colorful" rooms that are not so "cut and dry". For example, I'm not attracted to rooms where all the colors match exactly. This seems to be done a lot on makeover/decorating shows. I think rooms like that end up looking too theme-y/match-y match-y and lack a certain visual depth. I think the key is really to play with different shades and tints, via accessories or fabrics. Balance it all out with different textures...Another thing to think about when using color is giving your eyes "breathing" room, allowing the "star" colors you've chosen an opportunity to stand out. This can be achieved by adding in neutrals behind your key colors. I had to keep reminding myself that when I went about tackling my downstairs bedroom.All of the rooms shown in this book exemplify these philosophies. What's also interesting is that the authors divide the book by living space, and really push you to think about what emotional goal you're trying to achieve with each room, and how color can help you attain that. Overall, this book is filled with great sophisticated "eye candy"that I'm sure will provide continual inspiration no matter what your decor or color preferences may be. Click on the link below to get a copy today!

Serendipity

Ever randomly look at something you have had for ages, and really look at it, only to discover something you'd never noticed before? I've had this great lucite lamp that my friend Em gave me (ok, to be honest, she kinda stole it from her Dad- ok - well, I guess technically her Mother "granted permission", cuz I think she wanted to get rid of it...) anyways- love it- had it in my office for quite a few years... recently when I relocated my office last year, I brought it home and now it rests on one of my night stands. Well the other day, I was randomly looking at it and noticed that something was different about the base. Upon closer inspection, I realized that one of the lucite pegs was missing, but in its place was a weird white plastic piece, which upon closer inspection of that- turns out to be some sort of white plastic shampoo cap that has been glued on!! I started busting out laughing. Apparently Em's father must have glued it on to keep the lamp level, and used whatever he could find to prop it up. At least he matched the white. It must have been there forever, because the glue is kinda brown now. Em says that this is a very typical "filipino" thing to do. As hillarious as it is, I wouldn't touch it or change it at all. It actually makes me love the lamp even more. It's those unexpected good surprises that make your home unique and really something to cherish.

Blue Monday: the happy house

Oy vey! Monday is practically over and I'm just now posting for today. yikes! work is kinda crazy the beginning of this week so my posts may be kinda light... However, I did want to share this funny little box I got at an estate sale recently. It originally held some decorative votives, but I just couldn't resist the funny graphic on it. and it was blue. Not sure what i'm going to do with it... but I have a feeling it may find a new life simply displayed on a wall as artwork....

Sanna Annukka

I have to admit, I'm not really a follower of the group Keane, but I have recently been seeing their new album cover around and I am in love with the artwork. Apparently Keane collaborated with Finnish artist Sanna Annukka Smith. The style is influenced by Finnish folk art, (and I'm so obssessed with scandinavian folk art lately...) Here is an interview with Sanna that was on the Keane website. I'm sure with this album's great exposure, we'll hopefully be seeing a lot more of Sanna's work! I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for it!

Lauren Saunders and AT

A post I did for ApartmentTherapy (LA edition) is up today, and I thought I'd cross/blog/promote on this happy friday. For those of you that don't know, I've recently been fortunate to become a part of the great ApartementTherapy team as a contributing editor for their Los Angeles edition. There's lots of interesting things in store for the AT:LA site, so please do check it out if you get a chance. In the meantime- behold these GORGEOUS pillows (I know.. MORE pillows.. sorry, I'm an addict...) from CA local designer Lauren Saunders. I first met Lauren at the recent NY gift show and her pieces were so incredible, they stopped me dead in my tracks while walking the aisles. Plus, Lauren herself is such a genuinely nice and refreshing person to chat with. Each of these are made by hand and she uses lush and lovely textiles to create them. I love the modern organic designs that totally exemplify the coastal california-chic lifestyle I dream of aspiring to....

SODA at Ikea

Continuing my Blue Monday post this week, I also picked up this brilliant juicer set-thing. Part of their SODA series, I was first stuck by the clean and ultra modern white/translucent orange combo. (next to blue, orange is my next color downfall) Anyways- I'm also a sucker for packaging, and the way this kit is put together in this nifty white box was just irresistable. The kit contains two sizes of bottles with caps (for longer storage) and two removable spouts, plus a juicer/funnel adapter and all for $9.99- I suppose you could also use it for other liquids.. would even look great as a container for dishsoap!
***UPDATE: I just found it on the IKEA site!! and apparently comes in Lime green too! see here

Anonymous Beauty

I recently picked up this special "extra" issue of Casa Brutus, a japanese home design magazine, called "Anonymous Beauty in Japan." Don't you just love the title? Anonymous Beauty. I think I'm going to make a t-shirt that says that. Anyways- the issue is kinda old, I think it came out in August 2005. Inside, they have listed 31 brilliant pieces that are all derived from ancient craft practices, but are still totally modern and applicable for today and the future. I guess in Japan, the notion of a star "designer" is still kind of new, and until recently, almost all artistic expression was "confined to applied and industrial arts." With technology and consumer demand making most objects made using automation and high speed technology, the art of these old crafts, generally handed down by the old "master/pupil" trade is slowly being lost. It's nice to get a reminder to appreciate these precious works, which are so...happy mundane. Look for it if you have a japanese bookstore nearby, they might still have it as it was a special issue, or if anyone knows a source online- let us know!

Modulo Storage boxes

Plastic storage bins. Everyone has them. They're great. They keep everything in check, and also keep the critters out. As soon as you get them all neatly stacked, you realize you need to get something from the bottom one, and then you find out it's actually in the one right before the bottom one. AURGH!!!.. Well, FINALLY someone has come up with a better option. These Modulo storage containers are clear, but have doors that flip down so you can access what's inside without unstacking. Genius. Available at the Container store.

Blue Monday: napkins

happy blue napkins recently purchased from Ikea ($1.99)

caban

Oh you lucky Canadians! I am very jealous that we don't have Caban stores out here. For those of you unaware, Caban is owned by Club Monaco and is their home/housewares division. I've been on their mailing list for awhile, even though I have yet to ever set foot in one. I just enjoy looking at their clean, modern, and fresh aesthetic to each of their collections. Here's a sampling of some of their current lovely-ness... I'm curious, for any of you Canadian readers, what's their quality like and how it stacks up to other stores?

Bee-line midcentury

Lisa Tyrrell recently e-mailed to introduce me to her amazing studio, Bee-Line Mid Century, located in San Francisco, CA. In addition to selling exquisite mid-century finds, Lisa and her partner Ames Munden also design these spectacular mobiles, they call "Recyclobiles." These mobiles are created by using the left over lamp parts from their friend Robert who owns Meteor Lights, which they also share studio space with. The Recyclobiles have been featured of several design blogs in the past, but Lisa told me they are constantly evolving the line, and are currently working on a model that will include a light! (can't wait for that!!) The mobiles remind me of an updated version of the classic capiz chandeliers. They look so great by a window and I can also imagine how striking it would be to see a bunch of them above a stairwell. Oh- and their studio also carries some incredible local designed pottery!! Check it all out and enjoy some yummy eye candy at their site.(thanks Lisa!)

Stamp mugs

I know these have been featured on several websites recently, but sitting here drinking some tea and noticing the funny (and kinda pretty) ring imprint that has been left on my napkin, makes me wish i had a set of these mugs right now! The Stamp mugs are designed by Valeria Miglioi and Barnaby Bradford. I'm imagining what a beautiful table cloth you could have after your next tea party or get-together-for-coffee, especially if you used different colored teas, like in greens or reds... They've been available in the UK for awhile but you can get them stateside here.

the art farmer

One of my favorite pieces of artwork in my house is a small silkscreened stretch canvas piece I found in a thrift shop awhile ago. It's just of a simple line art depiction of a small hill of grass. Total 70's modern vibe, and has the signature "marüshka" on it. I don't know much about who Marüshka is/was, and I've only seen a few pieces randomly, but have always been curious to see more. Well, enter The Art Farmer! The Art Farmer is a company that sells prestretched, ready to mount silk screened canvas art. They carry a wide range of styles to suit any decor. They also carry a collection of prints from "Maroöshka"- (which i'm assuming is the same as the "Marüshka" I have) I first met the kind folks at The Art Farmer at the NYIGF this past January, and they just sent over some pics of their latest collection. This is really a great way to add a quick dash of color and personality to any wall. Check out even more at their site. They have TONS of designs! Here are a few of my favs:
some from the Maroöshka collection:they have this great collection of black and white etchingsthese bold typographic setand I love this happy sun that reminds me of Alexander Girard.

decor8

Super big thanks to Holly over at decor8 for featuring Happy Mundane as her "blog of the week"! Welcome to any new readers to my humble blog- please feel free to peruse the archives (on the right) to see other happy mundane-ness- (thanks Holly!)

dermond peterson

Susan Peterson, one half of Dermond Peterson, was so kind to have sent me these amazing pics of her most recent collections. I couldn't wait to share some of them with you! For those unaware, Dermond Peterson is a small artisan/manufacturing company out of good ol' Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Every single piece from their collection is block printed by hand using environmentally sensitive, water-based inks that are free of solvents or other pollutants. The designs are somewhat simplistic, yet striking and extremely sophisticated. I remember the first time I held one of their pillows, I immediately felt the quality of the fine cotton linen fabric and was in awe of the organic richness of the prints themselves. For her latest collection, Dermond Peterson have used the ocean as inspiration. My favorite is this fish print they call "Dory"- There's something kind of raw and powerful about it that reminds me almost of a fossil of some prehistoric fish- but the vibrant colors offered bring a modern edge and bit of whimsy as well. Check out all of their amazing catalog on their website. You can also contact them for a location near you that carries them. Sorry, I'm drooling again as I look at these- Don't you agree???! (thanks susan!)

magazine o-rama- O at Home

This month in magazine world is chock full of amazing and inspiring images! As seen in the latest Summer '06 O at Home, I love this page that features Leslie Steven's cottage bedroom. What I'm particularily attracted to is the "Coral Reef" bedding by Garnet Hill. I just LOVE the simple collage-like fish graphics and bold and fun colors!! The combination of the green bedspread, with the hot pink side table, mixed in with the yellow lamp and balanced with the white vase and white sheet accents is just... fearless! Just goes to show how you can don't have to be set into a simple two or three color scheme- done in moderation, you can use them all! Its neat to see how the sheet set really sets the tone and ties it all together. You can get the set here.

blue monday: pottery

One of my favorite things to do while visiting Palm Springs, is of course, vintage shopping. One of the best places to do that in P.S. is at Antiques 111. Currently they have two locations, one in Palm Springs, and one further down Highway 111, in Cathedral City. The Cathedral City location has more little tchotchkes, and therefore, is more dangerous to a weak weak weak vintage collector as myself. This being said, you can understand that I was defenseless against this amazing turquoise vase/pitcher. Not exactly sure where I'm going to put it, but who worries about little details like practicality when one is blinded by beauty.

pigeons

I realize there are a lot of people that don't like pigeons, but sometimes if you really look at them, they can be kind of pretty.... sometimes... These shots were taken while at a shopping center in Hawaii last year. I'm off to a quick to trip to Palm Springs. Have a great weekend!

I.E.R.Moodboard

Earlier this week, I posted about how I was obsessed with this Isaac Mizrahi pillow and felt it would be a great starting point for a room... if only I had an extra one. So... I've been playing a little throughout the week, and created an "Imaginary Extra Room" (I.E.R.) moodboard, using the pillow as a starting point. I had fun virtual shopping for things I'd put together and with a little photoshop magic, this is where I am so far.... I realize its kind of bare, and still needs a lot more...(but this is imaginary, so I'm not going to sweat the details!) I opted to start by "painting" the lower half of the walls with a golden yellow. The couch is from Crate and Barrel, and the orange accent pillow and vases are from Jonathan Adler. I thought it would be fun to mix it up by trying a rolling ottoman/cube that was in canvas and has a cool cargo pocket, that's actually from the "kids" section at Target. I can't remember where I found the wood block rug, but I saw one similar at West Elm. In hindsight, having a wood block rug could be a little weird on a wood floor.... so... that may need to go... The sideboad and painting are from Ebay, and the floor lamp is from West Elm. What would you add into this I.E.R? Let me know in the comments or shoot me an e-mail and I can add them in. Sky's the limit!

papel picado

In honor of friday's Cinco de Mayo, I thought I'd post about papel picado,which are those mexican paper cut-out flags. In Kate Spade's store windows, they strung up a bunch of them, and in this month's Martha, they showcase them as a "good thing" to use as party placemats. The combination of their lace-like intricacy and bold colors counjures up many other uses I'm sure... I could seem them decoupaged onto a glass vase or affixing them onto a window to use as a screen. Since most are made from tissue paper, be careful of getting them wet, because the colored ones will bleed and stain. You can get some online here. I especially like the "Day of the Dead" ones because they have happy skulls on them. Has anyone ever done anything with these?

Kate Spade in The OC

I stopped by Fashion Island last night and saw that the new Kate Spade store has just opened! This marks Kate Spade's first Southern California free standing retail store. It's always interesting to me when a big company decides to open a flagship store here in the OC as opposed to Los Angeles. I guess the affluence of this "west coast Riviera" is appealing, and perhaps the proximity to the beach doesn't hurt either. Anyways, I'm sure the Kate Spade store will do quite well in Newport Beach, as it was pretty busy when I took a look-see. What I love about her stores is the tchotchke things she puts in to further promote the lifestyle. Happy colors, eclectic and witty books and objects, and a perfect blend of preppy chic and contemporary lifestyle. Also on display was the Kate Spade dinnerware. I always love seeing her trademark kelly green china, although was hoping to see the kids line I saw in Elle Decor, but sadly it wasn't there yet. Speaking of kelly green china, I noticed that Crate&Barrel has a nice set in a similar colorway. Which one do you like better? By the way, the Kate Spade store is at Fashion Island, Newport Beach 949.219.0785

happy bird

I love this ceramic bird that Elaine found in the store window at Fresh- It's so happy!

garden roof

As I mentioned yesterday, over the weekend I attended the Spring Garden Show, at South Coast Plaza. The mall was filled with floral exhibitions on each floor and it was so nice to see that Spring has sprung! One of the displays that really caught my eye was this "garden roof" that was put together by the cool folks at Flower to the People and The Original Living Wreath. They made a faux rooftop where they planted a garden of succulents. I love the idea of using your often neglected roof space, and bringing in nature. It provides insulation as well as a valuable habitat for birds and butterflies in the urban environment. Plus, succulents are so easy to care for ( I know this because it's the only thing I haven't killed in my garden) so it's also pretty maintenance free. On Flower to the People's website, you can see a similar project they completed for a showcase in Beverly Hills.

mundane tea towels

BowieStyle over at Print and Pattern just tipped me off on these fun "mundane" tea towels- I love the one with the "under the sink" graphic and the yellow one with the kitchen utensils laid out. Also the one black and white saucer one too! oh too much fun and too many to choose from- They are from London based Unity-peg. see more there! (Thanks BowieStyle!)

Blue monday: mouthwash bottle found!

A couple of weeks ago, I was on a mission to find a more aesthetically pleasing, as well as more functional mouthwash container. I was all set on using a glass carafe that I found from Crate & Barrel. However, I realized that some of the same issues I had with the original mouthwash bottle, would still be there with the glass one. Then I found my answer. It was in a tiny picture in a japanese magazine. The clouds parted and the solution was clear: I needed a plastic squirt bottle! I realize it isn't as classy as the glass carafe, but I just loved the utilitarianism of it. Instead of still dealing with trying to pour a heavy liquid out of a bottle and into a cup, rinsing out the cup, having the excess water drip down the sides, yadda yadda yaddda- the squirt bottle option is far more convenient and functional. The only downside was trying to find one. Luckily, and randomly, I went to check out the Spring Flower show at South Coast Plaza. One of the exhibitors was selling the squirt bottles (intended for care of african violets) and it was exactly what I was searching for. It also works well with the other pharamceutical inspired tchotchkes I have going on in my bathroom... If anyone knows where to find the bottles online though, please let me know!