Tag: home decor

This is a small thing, but it bugs me that doormats are either super boring, Home-Depot blah or cutesy, pithy places to wipe your feet. Can’t they make something that is fitting for the entryway to your house but is still OK to wipe your feet on? I have managed to find one or two good designs from Pure Modern, but maybe you have a suggestion for me?

This is what I’ve found so far: the White on Black Mod Modern Doormat made of coconut fiber (shown above). It is 100% natural (it’s coconut) stenciled with eco-friendly, permanent, fade-resistant dyes. Densely woven with 3/4″ thickness and comes is one size: 18 x 30 “. You can buy it for $34 from the Pure Modern website.

Not bad.

Doesn’t this bathroom towel bar just make you want to renovate your bathroom? I think so…somehow it just feels so clean and spa-like. Certainly my bathroom does NOT feel clean and spa like. Wouldn’t it be great if adding a simple towel rack would do the trick?

Anyway, if you’re a Design Within Reach nut, then you have to check out their bath sale right now. DWR is offering great stuff at 70% off or more.

I, personally, think Design Within Reach should be re-named Design Almost Within Reach (have you sen their prices?), but that’s just me. This sale makes their prices a tad more palatable.

Now, Pottery Barn needs no help from me to hawk their goods and services, but I heard about their decorating series and thought it deserved a mention. Pottery Barn has started a new decorating service at select Pottery Barn stores where you can learn the ins and outs of making a cozy nest for your little one from their stylists.

You know, those stylists who make the rooms look so usable AND adorable in the catalogs? Well, they are the teachers for the decorating classes. Pretty cool, huh? I think so. I mean, I love looking at the Pottery Barn Kids catalogs even if I would personally choose about less than a third of the things they fill a room with. The photos give me ideas – good ideas – on how I can arrange my kids’ rooms.

I think we’ll head to the one near us. How bout you? If you do go and learn anything cool, I’d be all ears!

photo credit: Pottery Barn

Wallpaper usually means “stuffy” to me, or at the very least it looks like the wall is trying too hard. But I saw these wallpaper selections at Trove and it sparked the photographer in me. These almost look like wall murals or large pieces of art on the wall. So mysterious.

My favorite is the flock of flying birds (yes, that’s wallpaper you’re looking at up there). I think I tried to take a photo like that way back when and failed miserably. Birds aren’t that easy to photograph, I’ll have you know. Luckily you don’t have to know – you can simply get something cool from Trove. I’m drawn to the wonder in this wallpaper.

They have this window film product that I’m interested in, too, only I don’t know how or if I would ever use it. I guess I just like the idea of it – making your windows into little art light boxes. Again, I’m drawn to the birds…must be something in the air (heh). Trove does recommend their window film for shower glass and that is a pretty nifty idea. Certainly a lot more clean lined than a shower curtain, don’t you think?

Anyway, for a different take on wall coverings, check out Trove. And, if you do actually buy something from them I’d be really interested in what you picked and where you used it…to live vicarious through you!

Now that it’s back yard BBQ time – the 4th of July IS right around the corner – I was thinking about lounging in the back yard, soaking in the sun and relaxing. There is nothing quite like sitting back listening to the leaves rustle. And, I figure, if I would like to do that, maybe my little one would learn a thing or two about relaxing out there too.

I found this Adirondack chair for kids from Land of Nod that I’m coveting for just this purpose. And woo hoo, it’s on sale!

I never used to understand the allure of child-sized furniture. Probably because, until now, I haven’t had children. Now, I totally get it – for us as parents AND for the wee ones. Can’t you just taste the lemonade? And look at those bubbles!

Sadly we don’t have a back yard that is good for lounging (it’s tiny and shared, boo hoo) but if we did, I’d sit out there as much as possible. Right now we just go out and pick the lemons and leave the lounging for inside. Not nearly as fun, but it gets the job done.

How many times when you were growing up did you yearn for a stage – a real stage – on which to perform your daring interpretation of Grease, Spider Man, or insert favorite kid’s TV show here? My sister and I had this whole routine down: she was Olivia Newton-John (of course she was, she was the older sister with flowing blond hair) and I was John Travolta (I, the easily bossed around little sister who would play any role as long as big sis would pay attention to me…sad, isn’t it?!?).

But now, as a parent myself, I seldom think of the need for an actual stage. Why would I? I am old and decrepit, sleep-deprived and no fun! And yet, that was the first thing I was drawn to when I saw this brilliant re-design of a tired old room into a kid’s paradise at a decorator show house.

Real quick – what is a decorator show house? Well, it’s a house (usually a big mansion) that the owners “give over” to local interior designers for one month. The designers choose a room and then decorate their little hearts out, hoping to showcase their talents. “Lookie-loos” (aka the public) pay good money to then walk around this open house, gawking at how luscious everything is. My husband and I love to do this if for no other reason than to see how the other half lives.

This past weekend we saw the most recent show house in northern California and fell in love with the kid’s playroom. The design team created, out of a plain rectangular room with too many doors, a play space worthy of envy. They installed an undulating stage that was 3 steps high, complete with a back stage area and a chalkboard back wall for drawing the scenery. It wasn’t big so much as it was functional. I think the stage was close to 4′ x 10′ or with curves. Not hard to do – just hard to think of doing.

Then – and this was the best part – they turned a large closet into a secret room by making the door into a swinging bookcase. When the bookcase was closed it was a plain jane bookcase. But, when you swung it open it became the entrance to this hideaway that had a nook configured like a ramp to curl up and read on (or, if you’re a teenager, text and surf) next to a slightly less curvey and more slanted spot. Each ramp was covered in a thick shag rug, as were the walls – kinda like a padded cell. I wonder if these guys actually appreciated the visual pun of that? In any case, the designers created the ultimate kid’s hideaway out of a simple closet – a brilliantly simple idea executed to perfection.

The rest of the room was then completed with a large cork board on which to hang artwork (much better than the fridge) and a corner with an indestructible table. They used flying bird lamps above the table – very cute! What about storage, you ask? The toys all had homes on the floor (yes, the floor, but it looked perfect). Yet, you could tell that whoever used that room wouldn’t NEED toys – just their imagination.

The thing that resonated with me the most was that the room made one feel special, like anyone could be young in that space, that your imagination was the vehicle to great heights and all one need do is unleash it. I hope I can create a playroom like that for my girls!

Now that’s what I call plastic lawn furniture! This set from Room and Board, called the Emmet, is made from 100% recycled plastic. Talk about making the grass greener (ha ha). Such a clean lined take on the classic Adirondack chair that embodies the feel of summer, don’t you think?

Way back when we used to have a house on a lake, we had two Adirondack chairs on our deck and each time I looked out at the water, those chairs seemed to be beckoning to me to sit down and relax. God I miss those times.

Anyway, we don’t have any type of lawn (or deck) now, so this picture will have to suffice for us. Maybe you’ll be lucky enough to sit back and take in the sun in one of these?

Now that spring is here, the flowers are in bloom, and most importantly my little girl is old enough to hold a paintbrush, I’m lusting after this art table from Imagine Childhood.

Yeah, yeah, a table has nothing to do with spring, I know. It’s just that we’ve been spending some time outdoors now, picking little flowers, watching bugs wobble over the dirt, and hearing birds happily chirping. It’s inspiring me to teach our daughter about making things.

The Imagine Childhood art table includes two tear-off paper cutters, a handy storage tray in natural wood and a paper roll holder. The surface of the table is actually a white marker board art surface for those times when paper just isn’t called for.

Oh, and for those eco-minded of you out there, the table is made from sustainably harvested northern hardwood maple. Non toxic finish. High quality paper roll is 16.5″ wide and 100′ long. That’s a lot of paper.

We have this chalkboard (stickers, actually that make a chalkboard) that Sophie just loves to scribble on then wipe away. I figure that, with unlimited paper at her disposal, she could really delve into her inner artist.

Plus, since the roll of paper is right there, I won’t have to be constantly handing her new sheets of paper or making sure that her pen stays on the paper. With this table, it looks like the entire surface is covered with paper.

Anyway, with Spring in full bloom, what better time to break out of one’s old shell and start something new?

Think that toddlers and fireplaces don’t mix? Well, you’re right. But, if you still want to have a fireplace and don’t want to put up with smoke, odor or soot, then check out these amazing wall-mounted fireplaces by designer Vauni.

This is a fireplace you can hang on your wall like art. It burns alcohol so it doesn’t let off that pesky smoke or soot. However, it is fire. Real fire so do keep all hands and feet away.

Still, pretty cool, no?

[via Trendhunter]

Crate and Barrel 2 (known as CB2) has this amazingly cool coffee table that, unfortunately, might maim or otherwise permanently damage kiddos, so it won’t be going in our house any time soon.

But, that said, isn’t it cool? Formed cement.

BTW, how do you say c-e-m-e-n-t? I once was asked, by this very snarky fellow, what kind of mint? Apparently, I say see-mint instead of sa-ment. Guess that’s a Southern thing, too.

When you get home, open the door, pick up the mail, where do you drop all of your things? In our house, that place (on top of something called a pie safe in the hallway) is such a mess. I mean, a big, paper-covered, key-tangled, loose change mess.

When the pile gets so high it topples over, then I clean it. Or rather, it cleans itself by toppling over.

So, I’ve been looking for a desk organizer that can fit in our (kind of) modern home and looks neat but not too “office-y”. Lo and behold, I found it.

Check out this desk organizer by Kaiju Studios. The i/o (for in and out) organizer consists of modular ceramic and walnut elements which can be “plugged-in” to a sectioned felt and walnut base for customization. With its natural, warm materials that are ecologically responsible it is a nice break from the many metal and plastic desktop accessories out there.

The bad news: it’s not in production. Can’t get it. Anywhere.

The hunt continues.

Ahh, what’s a pie safe, you ask. It’s just that – a safe like cube (that is roughly 3 ft in all dimensions) with glass sides and vents. It’s where housewives (back in olden times) would put pies to cool but be “safe” from critters of both the two foot and four foot varieties. It came to us by way of Mom. And, no, it has never, in my lifetime, held pies.

Have a kids room that needs a little oomph? You might want to look for some fun tips from Robert and Courtney Novogratz, the authors of a new design book, Downtown Chic: Designing Your Dream Home: From Wreck to Ravishing.

For the girls room, they mixed their pinks and purples and used furniture that is functional but looks really great, too. The room is a little grown up but still has plenty of little girly touches. The chairs (they used two large lounge chairs) are from a garage sale that they had reupholstered in a bold pink print…always a great idea to get good furniture on the cheap, as long as you pick fabric that won’t break the bank.

I do wish they would have talked a little more about why they chose the bold prints they did, what their rationale behind mixing such seemingly different prints and colors together was, and what their inspiration behind the Balinese beds was. Just to give a reader more “meat” to chew on when contemplating his or her own re-do. Also, no mention of bed bugs (from garage sale furniture) and in New York I know that is a HUGE problem – though maybe it’s just too gross to mention?

For the boys room (there are 4 in one room!) they used vintage pieces with over-sized contemporary art to add flourishes. Otherwise there was minimal furniture with lots of room for playing, studying and sleeping. The less furniture, the better they say. It’s true, too. Kids don’t need a lot of stuff, they need room to play and let their imaginations run wild.

I love what they did with the bathroom. They took a cheap tub and put a Corian enclosure around it to make it look more sleek. With the bright pops of color in the rug and on the wall (or ceiling), the bathroom is clean, crisp and fun. Love the idea of the non-functioning light above the tub as a decoration – cool touch. Oh, and they used brightly colored Plexiglas in an old 6 paneled door to create a very cool effect.

I found myself enjoying this chapter of the book so much I wanted more. I could have used either more tips, more stories of how their kids interact with the rooms or something…this section seemed light on info, though to be fair it was heavy on photos that were fun to look at.

Thanks to the generous folks at Rizzoli International Publications for sending the book my way.

I found this lamp via one of my favorite blogs, DesignSponge. The lamp, made by BUDesigns, which if you can’t tell, is the designer’s take on a cheese grater, would look super cool just about anywhere, but especially in a kitchen.

I love the pattern the little grater openings make on the wall and yet, somehow, the whole lamp is pretty simple. Love it!