School Tools

Over the weekend, I sorted through some old boxes of stuff that I brought home from my parents garage. All kinds of old skool stuff that dated back to my elementary school days up through early college. Going through it all was sometimes scary, but often fun and nostalgic. One of the things I came across was this "School Tools" booklet of stencils that I had when I was in 4th grade or so. It's funny to see what stencils I used the most- but also just love the simple graphics and bright bold colors. It's also funny to see what they considered important tools for kids (how many of you actually used a "french curve"?)

Sanna Annukka at TopShop

Gorgeous t-shirt designs that Sanna Annukka did for TopShop!

Citrus Ice Cube Trays

Another thing I saw at C&B this weekend were these Citrus Ice Cube Trays. I'm thinking you could fill them with lemonade to add a little fun and flavor to some ice tea the next time you're entertaining outside. Available at Crate & Barrel.

glass beverage bottles

I stopped by Crate and Barrel over the weekend to see what's new in store. One of the things that caught my eye were these glass bottles. I'm sure you've seen similar in blogs before, and now Crate and Barrel have their own versions. I like their suggestion of using it as a "spa touch" for a nightstand, and could also be fun at a dinner party. Although, you'd probably need a really long bottle brush to clean it? Regardless, they are quite beautiful. Available at Crate & Barrel.

TGIF video break : Fujiya & Miyagi Collarbone

(thanks Mikey)

Wallpaper April 2009

Great cover for the April 2009 issue of Wallpaper- such an unexpected color combo that somehow reminds me of a modern take on a Pucci print. The yellow sort of throws me- but I think I kind of like it-

Nathan Abels

Nathan Abels sent me this great image of a print he did recently. I love the geometric modern composition but love it even more after he explained that it was actually the rooftops of two condo buildings! Nathan worked as a part-time aeriel survey photographer, and this image is based on a photo he took in Denver! I wonder what my home would look like from above. The print is available here. I checked out more of his work and his subject matters are so Happy Mundane! Here are a few more. Definitely check out more of his amazing work at his website. (all images by Nate Abels)

D.2.S. part 3

Since the big stuff is done now (paint and floors), now comes the fun part- I've been slowly getting rid of the furniture pieces that were left in the space. But two things have to stay- the couch and the mattress (because nobody wanted to actually move them and then find a way to get rid of them!) The big issue with the couch is that it has this pattern on it. It's not a horribly offensive pattern- it's subtle and neutral, but it is a little dated. So the question is: how can I make it work- how will it go with the new color of the cabinets?- should I just slip cover it and start fresh?
After some thought, I felt like there had to be a way to make the pattern work (since it really wasn't that bad,) and try to figure out a way to pull in the new cabinet color as well. Plus I just have never had good luck with slip covers (they never seem to fit right and I can't seem to find the colors I want), and of course, not using one would also save on unnecessary spending of money. My solution for these things is usually to find a "starting point" piece. One thing that either has all the colors needed, or something that sets the tone and then everything falls into place after this one piece is placed in the room. Strangely for me, this piece usually ends up being a pillow! This case was no exception. I went to various stores in the area looking for ideas and finally went to Kohls. I found this orange pillow from their Apt. 9 collection ("Helix" Oblong pillow and it was on sale!). It totally gave me the "a ha!" moment. I felt the orange-y red would work well with the cabinets, and also the shape and print works well with the couch. It also gave me inspiration for something to cover the mattress in the bedroom. I then found a nice comforter set (on clearance too! woo hoo!) that came with a bedskirt and some shams, which would help bring in the colors into the next room. Here's a shot of how it flows from one room to the next. Oh, and I also bought some cheap curtains from IKEA, which helped camoflage the weird placed window in the bedroom. Finally I found a nice piece of artwork and another accent pillow from Homegoods, and I feel like i'm pretty close to being done. Here's some shots of how the colors are working from one room to the next so far. I've been bringing Pepé with me on these trips to the condo, and let me just say, he has been absolutely no help whatsoever.I guess the final steps now are to find some lighting to replace some of the fixtures and finish cleaning up some other details... stay tuned...

Style Editor: Vanessa Colyer Tay - Part 2

Last month I had the pleasure of asking Inside Out's, Vanessa Colyer Tay a few questions about being a Style Editor. Check out her answers here. She was so kind to send over some of her favorite images and also included some fun commentary for each shot:

"Taking inspiration from the streets, don't you just love the classic wingback form illustrated with edgy graph work, making something new out of something old, yet it's timeless.
"The New York map on the wall is a floor mat, way too cool to walk on!"

"The Timorous Beasties Sheer, what can I say- if you have it flaunt it! Isn't it amazing?"

"Black White and Bold is definitely a favourite palette."

"I love solidity in front of pattern. The clover chair here pops out as a feature instead of keeping to the cliché of "white is boring." "I'm a sucker for old fashioned toys and games, see the dominoes doubling as a coaster, adding a playful touch to the table, you like?""The Australian patriot in me has a thing for the ocean on sundown and fresh breezy air, this really was a joy to shoot. There were kayakers rowing past with puppies in the front seat, then they would pass by on the return trip with groceries. What a lovely way to do the shopping!""I did these Dwell Studio shots for their Australian market. If you haven't felt this range up close, I suggest you do- absolutely divine! Doing this shoot made me want kids, there are soooo many great kids pieces out there. Mind you, I have used a few of the Dwell baby cushions for grown ups, you're never too old."

Thanks again Vanessa for sharing these! (photos by Sam McAdam, Tim Robinson, and Craig Wall. All images provided by Vanessa Colyer Tay)

minimal

The latest minimal graphic fabulousness from PSB and design guru Farrow.

D.2.S. part 2

Wanted to give an update to my D2s- the painting and new flooring are done! What a difference! Wood laminate flooring used throughout the space. For the paint, we ended up painting all the walls a very neutral light tan (Dunn Edwards "Sandcastle" DEC740). The kitchen cabinets were an interesting story. To save time and energy, we went with just painting them, as opposed to refinishing. Since we were going to hire painters to do the walls, we figured they might as well do the cabinets as well, all in one shot. Originally, I had thought to paint them white, but then realized that since the appliances are "almond"- that would make them look even dingier. I decided that it would be better to go darker instead. Due to some random circumstances, my mom made the arrangements with the painter. I had told her to just choose a dark "chocolate brown", but somehow things got a little lost in translation. They ended up with "Cherry Cola"- which is a bit redder. When I finally got a chance to see the finished actual color in person- it turned out to be a different color all together than the swatch I saw. I have no idea what the end color was, but it was not Cherry Cola. However, I actually liked the mistake color better. Although it wasn't what I had originally envisioned, the new color looks more like cherrywood, and it really warms up the space. Since the walls were painted a light tan/beige, as HM reader Ali pointed out in her comment, it offset the almond, and neutralized everything. Next up was dealing with the couch and figuring out how to tie everything together. Stay tuned this week for the next part...

booooooom!

I've been spending all morning Booooooom-ing. Check it out if you haven't already!

bamboo pebbles

oooooh.. me likey! Bamboo pebbles! Available here.

wait... really?

I saw this fun quiz over at How about Orange- It's from Sproost, and it's "Find your decorating style." Now I thought I knew myself pretty well, but after taking the quiz, I was surprised to find that instead of what I thought would be a majority in the vintage modern or contemporary catagory, turns out I'm "rustic revival" and even a little "cottage chic"? Which is interesting because I have to admit that I've been finding myself more attracted to rustic designs as of late- After you take the quiz, they give you some product suggestions that match your results- and they are right- I love them all.

Of course the Gemini in me thought that I should take the test again, just to see- and interestingly enough- the second time they showed different images than the first one and my results were more with what I had assumed would have been the first time. And again, I love their suggestions as well. The "cottage" part still throws me off a little- but I guess, maybe I just need to admit to myself and embrace my inner cozy cottage-y-ness- what does it all mean? I don't know... (that I'm a schizo when it comes to design style?) Try it out here- would love to hear how your results match up to what you thought they'd be. (via How About Orange)

Stick Lighter by Tsubota Pearl

Modern, minimal, and awesome. Stick lighter by Tsubota Pearl- Available here.

DIY phonebook desk organizer

very clever idea! see how here- (via Chrisjob at Curbly)

funny shower caps

These shower caps made me laugh this morning- they'd be a fun gift to leave in the bathroom if you are having overnight guests. My favorite is the shark and the cat. Available here.