Living Room Inspiration

This photo is from a new to me blog called Pure Style, which my sister introduced me to after she saw it featured in a recent Better Homes and Gardens magazine. What I love about this room is the mantle. If you look closely, you will see there is no fireplace. It is just the mantle of a fireplace, which you can easily find at flea markets and antique stores. It does a spectacular job of bringing a focal point into a room that would not have one otherwise. Genius! The rest of her home tour is really good too. Click here for the details and some before and afters of a great home makeover.

Polaroid Display

I have been trying to figure out what I was going to do with the little stack of polaroids I've acquired since I bought my camera. I have also been hoarding several boxes of film in my fridge (because it's so expensive!) Now, I have a plan.

via you are my fave

Entry Inspiration

I'm telling ya, being a renter is killing me slowly. Well, I should clarify, being a renter in an old house with textured walls, ugly golden yellow paint and very little natural light is killing me slowly. Really, it is. So, since it might be awhile before I have an entry of my own (sigh) in the meantime I'm loving this inspiration from Green Little Notebook.Painted dresser. Over sized mirror. Framed art with an orange mat. Fresh Flowers. I love it all.

Holy House Makeover

I am a total sucker for before and after pics when it comes to home renovation projects. I just discovered this site, young house love, which documents a newlywed couple and the total renovation of their first little home. It's amazing! Go here for before and after shots room by room and a comprehensive list of all their sources. Also, my friend Vanessa has a serious knack for home re-dos. Go here and scroll down a little to see some of the before and after shots of her home.

Flock Print

For the past year or so I've been seeing this modern bird print all over the web. Most recently on this Flickr stream, (which is full of all manner of thrifted home decor goodness, btw.) If I had an extra 35 bucks lying around, I'd definitely snatch one up for myself.

Lonny

I subscribe to Gwenyth Paltrow's free lifestyle e-newsletter, Goop. If you don't get it, you can sign up here. She gives some pretty good advice on everything from travel to fashion, recipes to parenting. Anyway, in her most recent newsletter, she turned me on to a new on-line magazine called Lonny. Apparently it was created by a couple of Domino magazine alumni. (R.I.P. Domino.) I just clicked through it's pages and it is chock-full of great home decor inspiration. Have a moment of silence for Domino and then go check it out for yourself!

Chair

Speaking of the flea market, I snagged this great chair a couple of weekends ago. I only paid $4 for it! Not sure if it's an original Eames but I like it's weathered look and coincidentally, it matches my globes perfectly.

Flea Market Style

I spotted this book on a recent trip to Anthropologie and decided to check it out from the library. I highly recommend. Lots of good suggestions for decorating on a flea market budget!

Bedroom Update

I'm in the midst of updating the look of our bedroom. Slowly but surely it is coming along. I just ordered these white lanterns, mostly because I like them but also because I'm planning to use them for party decoration. However, when they came in the mail today, I just couldn't not hang them up immediately so they have found a new home above my bed. For now anway. Also, remember the throw quilt I started awhile back? Well, it still isn't finished but I'm beginning to see a light at the end of the tunnel! Once the quilt is finished, the next thing on my list is to paint our sad Craigslist dressers a fun, bold hue and add some new hardware. Decorating a rental is a little tricky so I'm trying to contain myself and not let myself get into anything too crazy. (Remember my ceiling scraping project? Nuff said.) Although, right now I have a dining room that is begging me to strip it's wallpaper. Seriously. Begging me. I'll see if I can hold out. I'll keep you updated on my progress. For now, here are a few images from my bedroom:

(Sorry, couldn't resist a couple of Polaroids as well!)

Living Room Inspiration

Ever since I read the Domino: The Book of Decorating, I have been collecting home decor images and tucking them neatly away for inspiration. It has also been a good exercise for me because I think I have a little bit of A.D.D. when it comes to decorating; I seem to like a little bit of everything and my house ends up looking like a random garage sale. Anyway, stashing pictures is helping me pin point my decorating style because I'm beginning to see a pattern among all the images. I seem to be drawn to clean, modern spaces with a splash of vintage/bohemian flare. The image above is one of the most recent additions to the aforementioned inspiration folder. There is something about those white Ikea shelves adorned with all those brilliant globes that makes my heart go pitter-patter.

(Via Lovely Design)

Photo Wall Inspiration

I'm thinking about tackling number 27 (create a family photo wall) on my 28 Things list. I think I want an eclectic wall like the one above with a variety of frame sizes and colors. I also like the idea of adding some art in among the pictures. Thoughts?

(via Real Simple, Oct. 2008.)

Home Tour

I just enjoyed the home tour of the gal behind Hula Seventy (a great blog with lots of great pictures, by the way). You can check out the tour here. Also, I've decided that I want to become a collector. Of what? I'm not sure. Glass jars, vintage cake stands, letters (as seen above), aprons, children's books, pitchers and/or plates, perhaps. My globes are a start but I've noticed that people who refer to themselves as "collectors" tend to have really cozy, eclectic houses that are built over time and tell a more interesting story than "Yeah, I got this on sale at Target."

(Photographs via Hula Seventy.)

Add This to the List...

of rooms I wish were in my house. What do I especially love about this space?
1. Those white pendant lights. (Does anyone know where I can find something similar?)
2. That huge chalkboard wall. I have spent countless hours trying to figure out a way to make a project that involves chalkboard paint work in my current space. I have not figured it out yet, but when I do, watch out!

{Via Say Yes to Hoboken from Domino)

Suzy Jack

I'm enjoying this calendar by Suzy Jack that also doubles as a pretty wall display.

{Via Laura Loves}

Brilliant

I think this frame wallpaper is brilliant.

{By Graham and Brown via Simple Lovely.}

Plate Wall

My sister-in-law Autumn turned the plate wall idea I blogged about here into a reality in her own kitchen and it looks fantastic! Love this idea. Autumn, thanks for sharing!

(Update: The plate wall I originally blogged about belongs to San Francisco based artist and collector Lisa Congdon. You can see pictures of this and her other amazing collections which were featured on SF Girl By the Bay, here.)

A Match Made in Heaven

I'm thinking this bedroom and I were meant to be.

{Via Real Simple Magazine, Oct. 2008}

Sewing Nook

I love this little sewing nook. It's actually just a closet with the bi-fold doors removed, pretty shelving and some vintage wall paper lining the back wall. Genius!

{Via Lovely Design)

Oooooo, I likey

Okay, I know I said I'd spread out these posts but I just can't get this dining room out of my head -so I'm putting it here on my blog. This picture makes me want to hang white paper lanterns all over my house and find a wall to paint golden yellow ASAP.

{Courtesy of Cookie Magazine's Nesting Blog. Which, by the way, is quite lovely and potentially addictive.}

Calendars

Call me old fashioned but I have yet to transfer to an electronic calendar/planner system. I still prefer my old paper wall calendar with all my important dates and appointments scribbled on it. To appease Jared, I did try (briefly) to keep my calendar on the computer in Outlook but I just didn't like it as well. However, what I am liking is this striking Stendig wall calendar I first saw on the Cookie Nesting Blog. I wouldn't scribble all my appointments on it but it would make for a nice decoration. (Available for purchase here.)

I'm also enjoying this little letterpress desk calendar from Paper Source.