Doin' what I do, part two

My apartment is my lab.  It's where I experiment with color and texture.  When I experiment with decor, I feel like I am setting up an installation piece.  Lately I've been conducting experiments in how far I can reduce objects.  One of my best friends said I am the opposite of a hoarder, in that I am constantly trying to simplify.  I liked that.  It is tricky, however, because I do love beautiful things.  But I also love open space.

I can't stop thinking about the freshness of the aqua and silver in the rooms I featured below.  I have a few things in my closet, so experimenting is as easy as looking at what I have and trying to do something new with it.  As you know, lamps are an obsession for me.  Like pottery.  With the last incarnation of my apartment, I find I am not happy with my moon lamp.  I love the purity of the shape, but I don't love its scale.  I want something with an intentionally over-scaled shade like the one in this beautiful room designed by Marie Burgos.  I am currently consulting with an artisan on Etsy regarding having a custom shade made (more on this later).  In the meantime, I wonder if I could make a shade.  As you know, I'm not a very good DIYer.  I get lots of ideas, but execution is a problem.  It's okay, though, because my lack of skill is teaching me a good lesson in letting go of perfectionism.

So I went to my closet and pulled some stuff out.  I love fabrics, and particularly love the gossamer quality of these curtains.  The blue curtain is a lovely ombre and has a particularly nice sheen to it.  Maybe I could wrap it around a lamp shade. 

Voila.  I just tied the curtain in place.  No sewing, ironing or glue.  The shade is too small, but for this experiment it's okay.  It lets me know that I want my over sized shade to be done in a beautiful silvery blue fabric.

 

The fabric casts the most beautiful blue reflection on the base of the lamp at night.  I tried to photograph it, but couldn't capture it.  Man, I wish I could paint my apartment white.  I'd paint everything if I could.  The walls, doors, floors and trim in white.  I would need about 64 gallons of paint and a whole lot more energy.

Thrift Thursday!

Do you ever find yourself hoarding money?  I do.  When I get fearful.  I really haven't been spending money lately.  Luckily, I like to keep my place simple and clutter free.  But sometimes you have to spend a little to keep the flow going.  Such was my justification when I went to a couple of garage sales recently.  I've been doing a little Spring cleaning lately, so there was definitely room for a couple of new vases.  And I like to support the neighbors, so I think of it as tithing.  Oh gosh, there I go trying to justify treating myself.  We all deserve a treat now and then.  Here's some of my new loot.

 A couple of vintage toys.  I believe the pig is German.  The girl is from the Avon It's a Small World collection.  I think they are adorable.  As you know, that's my thing.  Toys.  And - oh yeah - vases.

I spotted this horribly neglected and very dusty canvas, and at first thought it was a painting.  Turns out it's fabric.  There is label on the back which says "Cherry Blossom designed by Sue Titcher."  My intent was to add paint to the fabric.  I've always wanted to do that, kind of build up a pattern on fabric by adding texture.  However, it looks like I have a buyer for the print.

Red candle holder and two matte green vases from the McCoy Floraline collection.  I may have a buyer for the two pieces of McCoy.

I don't smoke, but I love the atomic shape of vintage ashtrays.  This one is especially interesting as it has a place to store a pack of cigarettes.  I will probably keep a cute lighter in the compartment, I love candles and my lighter never seems to be handy.  It has an interesting mark on the bottom.  It doesn't appear to be the maker, but rather signed by the owner, which I find charming.  All this loot cost $20.00 and I will probably make a profit on the print and the two vases.  Not bad.  What about you dear readers?  Have you found anything interesting at your local garage sales?

Houndstooth

Have you been following Apartment Therapy's Small Cool Contest?  I think it's great fun.  I love to see how people create a stylish and functional home in a small place.  This year one of my favorite entries featured a sofa covered in houndstooth fabric.

Kathryn's The Couch was the Catalyst.  Man, that sofa is to die for!  I love how she took a motif and ran with it.  Love the shag rug, the acrylic table and the red accents.

And fabulous wallpaper!  Kathryn has a business recovering chairs which can be found here.  You already know of my love of yellow pops.  I was so inspired by this place, I wanted to see how it would look with yellow accents instead of red.  I hope Kathryn doesn't mind.

Fab!  Clearly this home would work with whatever accent color she chooses.  I could see hot pink, turquoise or cobalt blue used as the accent color.  The red is totally hot, but if she tires of it, it would be easy to change.

I'm not much of a pattern person, but I do love houndstooth.   I have some houndstooth fabric I've been saving for a long time.  Maybe I should have a pillow made.  Here's the fabric wrapped around a pillow.  What do you think?  Good luck in the contest Katherine and thanks for being an inspiration!

So many ideas, so little time....

Dear readers, are our homes ever done?  If you are like me - and I know you are - you have a long list of things you'd like to do to your home.  Even if you are a renter.  I have a very long list, and a fat inspiration folder.  I'm kind of surprising myself how colorful my inspiration folder is for Spring.  I used to decorate in all white!  I know, hard to believe.  But now I am addicted to color.  Here's a couple of ideas I'd like to try in my apartment.

My apartment is a quirky attic apartment.  The living area is a strange L shape, with two alcoves.  I still miss my studio apartment, I love how open it felt.  I've been thinking of moving my bed to the living area and making it into a Moroccan-inspired daybed.  Then I'd  move my studio to the bedroom.  The benefit of this would be that I could shut the door on my painting mess.  Right now when I work on a painting, I do it on the living room floor.  It's a pain to pull the supplies from the closet, and a pain to put away.  Sometimes I get an idea and then don't even bother because I don't feel like the prep and clean up.

I love this idea for the day bed!  A fabric covered headboard that wraps around the corner.  I'd pile it high with pillows.  I know using too many pillows is breaking one of the popular design rules.  But I don't care!  I love them.  They are an easy way to add color and satisfy my urge for textiles.  I even love them piled on the floor, thanks to Tricia Guild.  Image via The Style Files.

I'm really unhappy with this part of my apartment.  I hate those mirror tiles!  I asked the landlord if I could take them down and he said no.  And don't even get me started on the yukky beige my walls are.  My whole apartment needs a coat of paint, but I don't think I'll be living here that long.

I saw this picture on Desire to Inspire and fell in love.  It's from a reader's home.  I love the black and white chevron-inspired pattern on the fabric.  I also adore the dresser sitting in front of it, flanked by pillows.  It's got a great Moroccan vibe to it.  I may do something like this.  Dressers are not just for bedrooms, they are great for storage.  Here's a couple of rugs I'd like to have for Spring.

I like this one for the awkward area I'm describing.  I love this rug!  It's kinda Bohemian, and kinda girly.  It's 3" x 5".  I'd like to order two and sew them together.  Every time I see a rug like this I think I should take up crocheting again.  I used to make purses when I was a teenager.

I like this one for the living area.  It also kinda scares me.  I may be going too OTT with color and pattern.  Of course, if I had this fab rug, I'd have to have an acrylic table.  Wouldn't want to hide this rug with a coffee table.  Images from Urban Outfitters.  What about you, dear readers?  What new things would you like to do to your home for Spring?