Go big or go home

Dear readers, you already know I am in love with Antonio Ballatore (see previous posts here).   Antonio's motto is "Go big or go home."  Dig it.  Here is a writers' loft that he designed, where Antonio - ahem - put his money where his mouth is.

Seriously though, I love it!  I love the colors, and I love the mural.  I've never been a big wall paper person, but Antonio has me wanting a mural.  I'd love to do a mural of fashion illustration.

I could live here

I could easily live in this gorgeous loft!  Naturally, I love the hot pink.  I love the look of monochrome, and love how the fixtures, heater covers, trim and window sills are all the same color.  I probably would have taken this one step further and used a hot pink sofa and painted the cabinet hot pink.  Still, a really fabulous space, once again proving that pink can be used in a modern way.  Image Oh So Darling via My Mod Style.

OTT Pink, Two

I had many Barbie dolls when I was a kid.  My favorite was a 50s style Barbie Doll.  She was the epitome of elegance and had the best wardrobe.  As a teenager it seemed to me I needed to rid myself of childish things and I gave away my collection.  I still regret it.  I reminisced about my Barbies the other day as I watched My Six Loves (1963), an old Debbie Reynolds movie.  I gasped when I saw Debbie in this absolutely fab pink outfit.  She looked just like my coveted Barbie!  And my Barbie even had that outfit!

The outfit completely stunned me.  She looks amazing.  But can you imagine putting on all those clothes these days?  For me it's usually t-shirt, jeans and flip flops.

The poor dear fainted from exhaustion.  I'd probably faint if I wore that much fabric too.  But I've never seen anyone look better fainting.  I know what you must be wondering, as I am I.  What shoes does she have on?

Maybe something like this?  I want these shoes.  I adore how the wedge heal and platform toe are covered by the fabric.  I don't remember where I got this shoe.  My bad.  Kate Spade maybe?  Please contact me if you know the source.

Here is a cute dressing area, I see could Debbie sitting here.  Image Graham and Green.  If you love old Hollywood glamor and how it translates in design, check out sfgirlbybay's new feature Separated at Birth.  It's totally fun!

Over the top pink

The changes to my decorating style are scaring me a little.  I seem to be drawn more and more to over the top, girly decor.  One thing that remains consistent is my love of pink.  Any room I decorate must have a large amount of pink.  Here are some over the top pink rooms from around the web.  Hope you enjoy!

Love this pink table!  Image vtwonen.

Just for fun, I couldn't live here.  But it does show that a pink sofa looks great with lilac walls.  Desire to Inspire.

Adrian Briscoe.  I really dig those hanging lamps!  This is a great idea if your bedroom is too small for nightstands (as mine is).  I need that rug!  I've seen the fun pattern on the headboard many times.  I'd guess it is an Amy Butler fabric, but don't know for sure.  Please contact me if you know the designer of this fabric.

These hot pink club chairs were used on Emily Henderson's show.  They didn't make the cut, but man I am digging them.  I'd like to have them in my place.

Sun drenched, II

Still waiting for the sun to shine.  Spring fever big time.  Some pretty happy, sunny images.  Enjoy!

I love Johnny Miller's photography of bottles with the sun shining through them.  I could sit and meditate on these shapes and colors for hours.

Cute image.  Beautiful colors.  Image from Urban Outfitters' Around the World Photographers series.

How cool are these yellow tires?  I need a bicycle.  Can't wait until it's warm enough to ride one.  Image from the Spring CB2 catalog.  How fun would it be to work as a stylist for a catalog?  Seems to me that's a dream job.

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?

Upcycled Furniture

I love upcycled furniture.  I have found many pieces of fine furniture that have been abandoned on the side of the road.  Take it home, give it a little love and a little paint and it has a new life.  It's a fun way to have a unique piece on the cheap.  Apparently the idea is catching on.  Crown Paints and Graham and Green recently held a competition.  Students from the Royal College of Arts were asked to use Crown Paints to upcycle a piece of furniture.  Coming in second place (although in my opinion she should have been first) is Laura Amstein's beautiful sideboard.

I love it!  Part sideboard, part lovely organic painting.  I love how it's only partially painted, paying homage to its original wood.  I'd love to have this piece.  I think my pottery collection would look fab on it.

Just playing around here (I know, I'm obsessed).  Here's the piece imagined with a few vases from Ikea and one from Anthropologie.  Congratulations Laura!  Beautiful work.  The piece will be available at Graham and Green this Spring.  See their blog for more details.  Since I don't live in the UK, I'll be keeping my eye on the curb for a credenza.

The influence of a bud vase or feeling blue

I've been spending a lot of time on Etsy (procrastinating).  As you know, my dear readers, I've been obsessing about all things pink lately.  I can't get enough.  Then I saw it.  A sweet little bud vase in a minimal shape.

In cobalt blue.  That did it.  Now I can't stop thinking about blue.  I adore cobalt blue, and I also love periwinkle and turquoise.  Image Blue Room Pottery.

I love this room painted in cobalt blue.  That white sofa really pops.  Even though the wall color is  electrifying, the room appears calm.  Calm is achieved by keeping all the accents in the same color and  balancing them with large amounts of white.  Image Chris Everard.

 

I love this headboard and lamp!  Also Chris Everard.

 I love these club chairs from CB2.

Beautiful ceramic collection from The End of History.

 I love these lamps!  Image via Alice in Designland.

A room by my favorite designer, Benjamin Noriega-Ortiz.  Benjamin always demonstrates how restful monochrome can be.  Dreamy.  Love the shape and color of those sofas.  Guess I'll be adding blue in my Spring decor.

The art of display, two

Here's a couple of cute examples of display, that I just had to share.

I love a cohesive collection like this.  One element in a variety of shapes.  These carved wooden trees are adorable, and I love the industrial looking shelf.  Stephen and Jessica's artfully arranged home and studio via Apartment Therapy.

I love using empty frames in vignettes, but how about this idea?   A great use for broken frames!  Love it.  I could see this in an installation piece.  This is Stephanie's bedroom via Desire to Inspire.

I think this is a cute idea for displaying watercolors.  For a casual, carefree look use simple tape instead of frames.  Tape comes in fun colors now too.  My favorite is, of course, the hot pink.  Image ATLITW.

The art of display

I've been obsessing about how to display my pottery collection in my new apartment. I adore collections of interesting objects, they are like jewelry for a room.  The act of collecting is interesting, but is perhaps secondary to display.  Display is an art.  Without great display, a collection becomes clutter.  Clutter just won't do.  It's important to let your collection of beautiful things breathe.  Beautiful objects should not compete with each other, so negative space is important.  It's also important to manage your collection.  Not all items need to be displayed at once.  Keep some in the closet so you can rotate items.  And be sure to donate or give away a piece each time you buy a new piece.  Here are some beautiful display ideas from my inspiration file.  Hope you enjoy!

This beautiful built-in was built by Spencer Anderson of Design on a Dime.  It's a great idea to go vertical with your collection in a small place.  Going vertical gives great visual impact while using a small foot print.  I love how this bookcase separates the kitchen and dining area.  The glass panels are a nice touch, as they let light pass through the two rooms.  I need Spencer to come to my home and build some custom bookcases for my pottery collection!

The Expedit bookcase by Ikea is reasonably priced and a popular option.  I love it used in an industrial loft like this, and also in studio apartments.  It's a great option for dividing space and housing a beautiful collection.  I love this space!  Really digging those orange walls.  Image via HGTV.

Did you watch Season 5 of Design Star?  Sorry for the poor quality of the image, this is from my computer screen.  This bookcase was conceived by Michael, designed by Tom and built by Cortland.  A wonderful collaborative effort.  I absolutely adore it.

I've always loved recesses in walls.  But where that's not possible, how about these wonderful boxes?  Love the variety of sizes.  The bright yellow paint really makes the white pottery pop.  Image via Purple Area.

I love all the boxy bookcases I'm seeing lately.  Image via Muuto.

This one is my favorite!  I love that the boxes are different sizes and colors.  I adore how the bookcase is held together by big binder clips.  You can change the shape on a whim.  I want this bookcase, badly.  Now I just have to travel to Sweden to get it.  Or maybe I can just make a version of this.  It looks easy to build, if you can build that is, which I can't.  I should learn.  I love a girl who can wield a power tool. Image via Ikea.

Here's another configuration of the box bookcase from Ikea.  These boxes are open and in all white.  I have a feeling these box bookcases are going to replace the Expedit as the most popular form of room divider.  Image via Purple Area.