Living Simply: Use What You Have

I live in a very small place. It's not my first. In fact, I learned how to live small and simply by living in a studio apartment. I came to love that apartment. I wouldn't hesitate to move to a studio again. Now don't get me wrong, I love beautiful things, just not too many. I'm very careful what I bring into my home. Nothing could have prepared me for how many times I had to move over the last several years. I learned the value of traveling light.

Now when I buy something, I always consider whether it is something I would move, if I had to move again.  Great mindset when you are on a small fixed budget.  Simplicity makes me happy.

As you know, I've been decorating my little beach cottage, on the super cheap. I am using what I have.  The few new things I've bought come from the dollar store and the Goodwill.

Also, as you know, I've been using a lot of blue in my decor.  But, my first love will always be pink. So I decided to paint this vase pink.

 BEFORE

I got this beautiful porcelain vase at the Goodwill for $1.50.

AFTER

I used paint from Pat Catan's in a chalk finish. I always prefer pottery in matte finishes, so it worked perfectly. I love it!

I love this paint so much, I want to get more cheap vases and paint them too!

So what to do think, dear readers?  Should I paint these vases pink?

These are my favorites. The only reason I'm hesitating is they are vintage Haeger in a lava finish, which I love.

Loft Love

I am so in love with this loft! It's staying in my inspiration folder, and just might be the inspiration for my new apartment (wherever that may be).  I love everything about it!  I love the white floors.  Love the low scale sectional and coffee table.  I always love a round shaped coffee table, but they are often hard to find in my budget.  I love that this table is large and obviates the need for end tables, adding to the uncluttered look.  I also think it is genius to use the large standing lamp in place of hanging lamps.  A small amount of pretty accessories gain prominence by also being kept to low scale.  I love the vases displayed on the floor. Art is so impactful when there are fewer, larger pieces.  Also love a bit of vintage romance added in with the candelabra.  Ahhh, this room is perfect!  I can't stop looking at it.

There's only one thing I'd add.  That's right, you guessed it.  A hot pink pillow, because I believe every room should have at least one pop of hot pink.

Image source unknown, please contact me if you know the designer of this fabulous loft.

New Stuff

I wasn't supposed to be thrifting...but there I was in a thrift shop.  Abbey Ann's to be precise.  I almost didn't stay, the smell of cigarette smoke was suffocating.  Then I saw it.  The most fabulous lamp. I couldn't stop staring at it.  I knew it would be coming home with me, I was smitten.  And I knew I would deconstruct it, turning it into a vase.  Here it is in my home.  I love it!  Love its size, shape, and most of all its matte finish!

Remember my all time favorite vase that I broke long ago (see previous post here)?  This vase reminds me of it, even though the shapes are different.  I've never seen that vase again (except one time on a Danish blog), but if I ever run across it in a vintage shop I will snag it!

In the meantime, my new vase looks gorgeous.  I rearranged my little bookcase again and I'm really happy with it.  It just might be perfect.  All the pieces are matte finish.  Matte finishes make the collection look a little more upscale, less mass produced.  A few of the pieces are vintage.

I know I've already shown you my new opalescent bowl, from Sweet Lorain in Cleveland.  Please humor me, I must show you again.  Isn't it gorgeous?  Catches the sunlight so beautifully.

I'm a little embarrassed that I've been on a buying spree lately. In my defense, I do everything on the cheap, and it's about to stop!  My apartment is near perfect.  My pottery collection started to bother me.  I wanted a less mass produced look, and I wanted more vintage pieces.  I craved simple shapes, matte finishes and more sophistication.  And - oh yeah - I wanted more pink!  I just can't live without pink!

I believe these vases are all vintage Haeger.  They came from the following Etsy shops:   Queen Cotton Fabrics,  Cherry Berry Vintage and Happy Day Antiques.  Each shop owner wrapped these beauties very carefully so they arrived in perfect condition!  I so appreciate that.  I love ordering from Etsy, so much easier than Ebay. You can interact with the buyer and everything ships so quickly! I guess because there is no middle man.  And sometimes you get a cute little thank you note from the shop owner.  Such a nice touch.

The little painting is new, and reflects my love of the color scheme gray, brown and pink.  I custom mixed the brown, and I must admit it is the perfect brown.  Kind of like chocolate ice cream.  Oh gosh, I wish I could paint my apartment!

I almost forgot - I got these perfect salt and pepper shakers at Abbey Anne for $1.50!  I gotta thing for shapes.

A little bookcase, a story of OCD and coming full circle

I have a little bookcase.  I've had it for years.  Bought it on the cheap at a thrift store.  This little bookcase has been many colors.  When I first bought it, it was a dull beige.  I gave it a coat of white paint, and a new life. It's a versatile little bookcase, the legs can be taken off, put on straight up and down, or at an angle.  It's been many colors.  Some of the colors predate the digital age, so pics are not available.  It's been royal blue, chartreuse, pink, and gray.  Now it's white again.  Here's its current look:

NOW

It took me a long time to arrange the pottery.  I wanted the display to be perfect.  Simple shapes, and matte finishes. I still believe that Nirvana can be achieved by achieving the perfect look and then living with it. I'm going to try living with this arrangement, appreciating its beauty and letting go of the desire to change it. I'm going to try.  For the moment, laying on my sofa and contemplating the shapes and colors makes me very happy.

THEN

Here are a few of its previous incarnations. Sometimes I still dream of owning a shop.

It started out white.

Then I made a drastic change to high gloss hot pink.  This color still makes me swoon.  I painted a canvas to match.  A great solution if you are unable to paint your rental space.

These pictures are from my studio apartment in Cleveland.  I loved that little apartment.

I've had to sell pottery during some of my periods of unemployment.  I'm grateful I was able to do that, but I miss this pink dish and the blue vase.  Ah well, c'est la vie.

For a while the bookcase was gray.  These pictures are from my attic apartment in Cleveland.  I miss Cleveland.

I love this gray color.  It was a perfect Behr custom mix.  The skilled technician matched a pillow I took to the store.  Sometimes I wish it were still gray.

Then I went for a flat bubblegum pink.

These colors still shock me, but I do love them.

In my little apartment in Akron, the bookcase still wore the bubble gum pink for a time, but it was clear it needed a new identity.

I love painting cheap vases from the Goodwill, but have had to take a break from painting.

I started getting restless.  The bookcase needed a new identity.  I thought about using it in the kitchen, and took the legs off.

I thought about using it to display some cute teapots.  The painting would have had to go.  I still like this idea, but scrapped it.

I decided to return to white.  I love color, but in an identity crisis, I always return to white.  I loved dipped legs, so experimented with making the legs hot pink.  I've never really been one for embellishments, and prefer things simple.

So white it is!  It could use some sanding, and another coat.  But the high gloss white (Behr of course) looks great to me.  At this point, only half the battle is complete. Now to accessorize. I like this look, but it wasn't quite right.

This was a fun experiment with some super cheapo pieces from the Goodwill, but I dismantled it as soon as I photographed it.  It's not simple enough for my taste.

What if I add a cute little faceted black lamp I have in the closet?  Yuk.  That's what.

So here's its current look.  I love it!  I bought the beautiful pink dish from JunkHouse. It really set the tone for the display.  After I got that piece, my collection sort of upscaled.  I was no longer interested in anything that looks mass produced, or too new. The matte finishes make me swoon!  I've been really working hard on my apartment, stay tuned for a full reveal.

Here's the details of this display, if interested:  

First row, left to right:  white stoneware vase from Z Gallerie's, physical store in Westlake before they closed.  Haven't been as happy with their internet business.  Painting one of my own.  Vintage pink atomic dish from JunkHouse.

Second row, left to right:  vintage aqua dish purchased at Sweet Lorain in Cleveland, Buddha cup by Donna Karan and the bulbous vase is from TJ Maxx believe it or not!  It's a stunning vase, perfect execution, perfect matte finish.  I only saw one, and I've never seen another like it, it must be a replica.  But every now and then you can find something mass produced that doesn't look mass produced. 

Third row, left to right:  bowl from ASA Selection, it's one of my favorite pieces of all time.  This bowl sings when you run your finger around the lip.  Haeger vintage candy dish.  Vintage California pottery purchased at Sweet Lorain in Cleveland, beautiful matte finish, beautiful legs. 

Vignettes around my apartment

Good day dear readers!  It's a beautiful day in Akron, Ohio.  It's gentle, gray and misty.  Quiet.  The kind of day where you take things slow and enjoy the smell of a pumpkin spice latte.  As you know, I've been working hard at making my humble, little apartment into an efficient and beautiful work/live space.  And, I am addicted to photography.  So today's post features a bunch of lovely vignettes around my apartment - at least they are lovely to me!  I love styling and rearranging.  All in an effort to achieve Nirvana.  Once the perfect balance between beauty and simplicity is achieved, I will stop (I hope).  For now I am in love with my apartment.

My little outdoor space has become an extension of my living room.  The three ceramic vases were made in Vietnam and purchased at the Goodwill for a song.  Lighted faux branches were from Big Lots.  Also, for a song.  But you know me, I'm cheap.

Remember my little installation of broken and ugly vases?  (See previous post here.)  Since I've been embracing imperfection, I've been embracing broken vases.  And why not?  I adore little orphaned pieces and get them on the cheap, so why not honor them when they are broken?

Here is a new vase that I got at Home Goods.  I love gray.  Especially with pink.  The vintage pink bowl - probably my current favorite - is from Etsy seller JunkHouse.

A little sake bottle and vintage Japanese tea cups in my kitchen.  The cups were a gift from my uncle.  This little corner sort of explains my color scheme.

I often make vignettes, and then dismantle them as soon as they are photographed.  I am fascinated by the idea of impermanence, like the Tibetan Monk Healing Mandalas.  (Styling my apartment makes me so happy, it's certainly healing for me. Fixing up your place is the perfect remedy for a broken heart.)  I am also fascinated by rendering the impermanent permanent by photographing it.  Meta-photography, if you will.

You already know I can't stop making shit.  And that includes jewelry.  Yep.  That's right.  I am now a jewelry designer too.  I am creating edgy pieces from detritus.  This piece is actually a bracelet, but I love it so much I have it sitting on a plate displayed as sculpture.  Everything looks like sculpture to me.

My spiked hat is hanging with my favorite purse and scarves.  I love its edginess.  A reminder to me to be the warrior with the iron fist in a velvet glove.

New little lamp from Family Dollar!  I almost shit when I saw it!  The shade is made of wallpaper like foil and is perfect for fall.  Only $5.00.  Yep.  You read that right.  $5.00.  Venturing into the hood sure can be fruitful.  Also displayed on the table is part of my rock collection.  Everyone brings me rocks when they travel, especially my sister-in-law.  This little collection includes rocks from Aruba, Alaska, Hawaii, Cleveland and Akron.

Isn't this the sweetest little Buddha statute?  Got him for $3.00 at CitiTrends.  I like that my home is edgy and a bit of homage to the hood.

All images by Peggy

I Love....Ombre!

I'm itching to paint my little bookcase (again).  I've been considering using an ombre technique.  I know you've already seen this everywhere - but ombre is a technique where tones of colors are graduated from light to dark.  Sometimes the different shades are well defined color blocks, sometimes they bleed into each other.  I'd love to experiment with this technique using spray paint on a canvas.  Here are some lovely examples.

Beautiful ombre sofa!  Beautiful room.  Image from Designers Guild.  They are masters at creating soft, airy rooms with gorgeous color.

Look at this fabulous ombre wallpaper!  Looks so great with those curtains.  Designers Guild via Apartment Therapy.  Designers Guild are also masters at using textiles and textures.

Gorgeous sofa with horizontal ombre treatment.  Love it.  Image via Boston Bethany.

Love these closet doors!  I just might do a wall like this in my apartment.  The Inglenook Decor.

I love this dresser!  Does anyone know where this image is from?  Please let me know.

I am completely obsessed with the Kora Vase by Studio Pepe.  I need this!

The fabulous Gwen Stefani wore one of the most beautiful wedding dresses I've ever seen!  In a pink ombre.

Vase Obsession

I love beautiful objects, just not too many.  As you know, I am obsessed with vases.  My favorite is ceramic, but I also love glass.  I love their simple forms and their tactile nature.  Loving simple living, and loving collecting vases is a delicate balance.  I panic when I think I have too much stuff.  Yet, I love to hunt for gems at the Goodwill.  My rule is one (or more) vases must be donated before bringing something new home.  Here are a few new vases I bought on the cheap from Goodwill.

I am in love with the simplicity of these beauties!  I am especially in love with the white one.  It reminds me of the concrete bowls I have been craving (see post below).  It has just the right amount of organic edge and I love the pop of silver.  These vases were both made in Vietnam and I got them for the incredible price of $3.00 each!  Just think, if it hadn't been for the lift on the trade embargo, we never would have experienced Vietnamese pottery (see previous post here).  President Obama recently made a historic journey to Southern Asia, including a stop in Burma, where he met feminist icon Aung San Suu Ki.  Perhaps there will no longer be a need for economic sanctions against Burma and we will be able to experience the beauty of their ceramic traditions.  Hope so!  Sorry, I digress.

I think of pottery as sculpture, and started experimenting with placing vases on top of each other.  Something I haven't done before.

The Influence

I think it would be cool to make a table or lamp out of vases.  For more cool sculptures, or assemblages as she calls them, see Hilda's work at art design kitsch.

So I piled vases on top of each other.  With a piece of glass on top it might make a cool table in an industrial/urban setting.  But it looks too much like a missile for my taste, so I disassembled it (like we should all missles, oops there I go again).

Here are some vases piled in my kitchen.  I kinda like them.  Not sure why, but I love orange and gray together.

Here is another new vessel.  Not sure if it used to be a light, but it is made of glass and is the most amazing color.  I got this one for only $1.00!

Here it is on my end table.  I love a pop of yellow! During the day it catches the sun in the most intriguing way.

The vase in the middle is new and was also $1.00!  I needed a piece with some height and I adore its matte finish. Simple vases with matte finishes are hard to find.  Periwinkle is another of my favorite colors.  I am amazed how much color I am using in my apartment!  So there you have it.  I spent my day doing one of my favorite things:  arranging pottery.  And it only cost me $8.00!  I really should own a pottery store and/or take a pottery class.