Wintery Grays

Today is a beautiful gray day in Northeast Ohio.  The kind that invites you to slow down and cozy up.  I adore color, but I can't help noticing romantic neutrals lately.  As you know, gray is one my new favorite colors.  So soothing and mysterious.  I love it used in a neutral scheme.  The romantic neutrals are all about texture and shape, mixing in some rustic/organic and industrial/functional pieces.  I hope you enjoy these photos from my inspiration file.

 Love that lantern!  This would be a cute outdoor space.

 Love the painted brick and the repetitive shapes.

Love the hanging light!  Also love the display of white bottles.  May need to steal that idea.  Above three images Emma Thomas via Desire to Inspire.

I know this picture has been circulating, but I couldn't help but include it.  Such a gorgeous room!  Love that rug, the slip cover and the hanging light.  Love the palette coffee table.  Love the enlarged photo and over sized lamp.  A cozy, funky room that still manages to look simple and uncluttered.  A fine achievement.  Image via The Style Files.

Sometimes a piece is beautiful because of its pure functionality.  I need that over sized hook and one of these clothes hangers.  Image Bodie and Fou.

Beautiful slip covers lend cozy informality to this room.  Love the large organic art.  Styling by Marianne Evennou.

I hope this coffee table was made from a tree that was already felled, and not chopped down for this purpose.  If so, it's gorgeous.    Love the slip cover.  Looks like a cozy place to curl up with a puppy for a nap.  Styling by Olsson & Jensen.

Just because it's winter doesn't mean your outdoor space can't be beautiful.  I love this space!  Especially the large Buddha head.  Kathleen's Carriage House via Apartment Therapy.

Old News

I know this post is woefully late, but did you watch Design Star All Stars?  It was great fun, and even though it was only four episodes, it eased the pain of the Design Star season ending.  I was happy to see some of the designers for a second time.  Although I must say that I disagreed with the judge's decision to crown Leslie as champion.  I think Hilari Younger was a clear stand out throughout the competition.  Hilari exhibited constant growth both in her designs and behind the camera.  I imagine we will see more of her, and I'm sure she'll get her own TV show soon.  If not on HGTV, then someone will scoop her up for sure.  Her personality is so likable and her style glamorous.  For the finale, the designers had to design a room, including sleeping space, in a home made of repurposed shipping crates.  I am endlessly fascinated by alternative, green and sustainable housing solutions so I love this challenge!  Here is Hilari's design.

This is Hilari's glamorous interpretation of mid century modern.  I love it!  I especially love the book case.  It divides the space, but still gives the look of being open.  There's a few little tweaks I'd make.  I love the color, but may have opted for only an accent wall in this color since it's so strong.  Also notice the floor area to the right of the sofa.  What is that basket and plant doing there?  They both have to go.  This is something I see on HGTV a lot and it drives me crazy!  You need room to walk, especially in a small space.  I'd also lose the vases on the coffee table, I like a coffee table unencumbered.   Plus that table is so gorgeous I think it should stand on its own without competition from those vases.  But all in all a gorgeous room. 

What is that diagonal rug doing there?  Definitely needs edited out.

Love the bookcases and love the pillows!  I'm not usually one for mixing patterns, but I love the way Hilari has done it here.  Here is the outside of Hilari's container.

Fabulous!  She is the only one who actually expanded the living space by thoughtfully designing a comfortable place to sit outside.  For that alone she should have taken the win. See another of Hilari's fab designs here.  Leslie took home the prize.  I love Leslie's personality, but not her style so much.  However, I have to give Leslie props for the hanging lamp she chose for the first challenge.  

Gorgeous!  One of my favorite parts about Design Star is the lamps!  See previous post with more fab lamps here and here. I probably should have done a post devoted to the fab lamps seen on Design Star.  

Outdoor Spaces

Today I am obsessing about outdoor spaces.  I have a tiny balcony off my living room, and am so fortunate that there are several trees outside my balcony. I love the little space, but am in a quandary about how to decorate it.  I appreciate the natural light I get, and want to make the patio an extension of my living room.  It's such a luxury opening the glass doors and getting a nice breeze.

Whatever I do will have to be on the cheap.  The only thing I'm sure about is I'd like a large Buddha head and some over size white ceramic vases.  Not sure what to do about a table and chairs, so will be searching the Goodwill and flea markets.   I'd love to hang lights and fabric, but that might not be realistic.  I'm not very good at DIY.  And, then of course, there's the issue of choosing plants that I won't kill.  Maybe succulents?  Here are some gorgeous spaces from my inspiration file.

One can dream, right?  This gorgeous gazebo from Bali has me drooling.  Budi & Andrew's Global Oasis via Apartment Therapy.

On a closer look, maybe I could incorporate a few of the elements.  This corner is particularly striking.  I could hang a bamboo blind, a swatch of gossamer fabric and a lantern.  Hmm.

Love the idea of a painted rug on the floor.  Beautiful colors.

Also love this idea of painting the concrete.  I like that they've played up the color of the concrete rather than masking it.  Above two spaces designed by Brian Patrick Flynn for HGTV.

Photo by Peggy

Here's is my brother and sister-in-law's outdoor deck.  She updated the look this summer with the fab solar lantern and gorgeous pillows.  I am proud of the space too, because I helped her pick out the pillows.  Hmm, I've noticed a pattern here.  Seems the outdoor spaces I featured here all have prominent touches of orange!  Guess I need to incorporate some orange in my scheme.

A Wrap Up

Hello dear readers!  I hope you are enjoying your summer.  Sorry for being a bad blogger.  I know I've been obsessing for weeks about the color blue, and I'd like to wrap that obsession up.  For now.  I'd love to bring more blue into my place.  If you are a long time reader of my blog, you know that I first considered blue when I saw this cover of Domino.

I miss Domino magazine!  This was my favorite cover.  I love the royal blue sofa with the pink and lavender pillows and her lovely orange dress.  If you'd like to add a little blue to your place, it's easiest to do it with accessories.

This quilted slip cover gives a nice pop of dark blue in this room.  And dig those canvases above the sofa.  I may need to steal that idea.  Image Mauricio Arruda.

These lovely dipped vases would look great in the above room.  Michelle Williams Ceramics.

Feel more turquoise?  Here's a beautiful vase I'd love to have for my collection.  Clear Mountain Craft.

Need a little bling with your blue?  How about this gorgeous pillow.  I seem to be a sucker for anything shiny lately.  Comfy Heaven.  I guess you've noticed Etsy is my go-to place for fab accessories.

And don't forget the outdoors!  I love the use of blue and white in this gorgeous outdoor space.  Above two images Ikea.

Found objects and an awkward outdoor space

I found this painted board and industrial spindle in the basement of my home.  My landlord said I could have them, he was just going to throw them away.  So, I dragged these heavy bitches up three flights of stairs.  Not sure what I'm going to do with them.  Sometimes as an artist, I have a tendency to be a pack rat.  Because I'm in love with simplicity, I try to fight this urge.  Things are constantly in flux.  Maybe that's how things are supposed to be.  Dynamic.  Sorry, I digress. 

Here they are in my strange alcove with the mirror tiles that I hate.  I thought I'd play with a little styling.

Another attempt at styling.  I think my vase filled with light bulbs kinda fits here.  I worry that I'm regressing to dorm style decor.  'Course I never lived in a dorm styled place since I put myself through college while working full time.  So maybe it's okay to digress.  I'm not sure what I'm going to do with these.

Here they are on my deck.  The deck was part of the reason that I fell in love with this place.  But I haven't done anything with it.  Unfortunately, the crazy ecology prof at CSU was correct when he taught us about global warming 20 years ago.  It's been too hot to use the deck, and there is no privacy.  I was kinda thrilled that the green board provides a little bit of privacy from the neighbors.  They're messy and loud and let their toddlers play with the lawn mower.  Beer cans everywhere.  Hope they are not reading this, but I'm not lying!

Dear readers, do you have any suggestions for the spindle?  I'm thinking I might stencil some butterflies on it, or maybe graffiti.  Maybe do a modge podge or cover it in wall paper.  A flocked damask might make a great foil to its testosterone.  If I'm keeping them outside, though, it needs to be durable, I guess, although weathering can be kinda cool.

Remember these lanterns that I wrote about here?  I should've ordered these lanterns when they were still available from Z Gallerie.  I think they would look great in this space. 

Speaking of stenciled butterflies, how fab is this upcycled sofa from artist Kiran Chahal?  (I wrote about her oganic art below.)  I think it would look great in the space.  Good thing I'm winning the lottery tomorrow.

Outdoor Spaces

I admit it.  I haven't been motivated to do anything with my deck (one of the reasons I got this apartment).  Nothing.  Nada. Zilch.  I haven't even put a plant out there.  The poor thing is pathetic.  So today I did a little day dreaming, perusing the web for some inspiration.  First were the lovely fantasies that are only dreams.  It's fun to dream.

My favorite.  Love the white floor, love the built-ins.  My deck doesn't have a roof, or any protection from the sun.  What an elegant solution this is.  And this may surprise you - but I love the colors, lol.  What a lovely dream.  Image via Living Etc.

Another gorgeous fantasy.  Image via Domino.

I adore this zen garden.  I love the idea of a home where the outdoor and indoor merge.  Not sure where I got this image, probably Apartment Therapy.  Okay, now to get my head out of the clouds and look at some sensible solutions.

Below I mentioned that I love pallet coffee tables.  Here's a clever solution for outdoor furniture!  A pallet bed/bench.  Great idea.  Image Michael's Outdoor Banquette via Apartment Therapy.  Now in Ohio it's pretty hard to grow outdoor plants.  It's always either too hot or too cold.  What to do with plants when the weather gets bad?

I love this solution from Victoria of sfgirbybay.  A rolling cart for plants!  When the weather is bad, you can just wheel the plants inside!  I also love the idea of having two shelves so you can keep your watering can and potting supplies handy.  I'm going to watch the curb and garage sales for a bar cart.

 

Here's another solution, not quite as elegant or as expedient as the cart, which allows you to move just one thing.  Cute, though.  Would look good with the pallet bench, you could go for an industrial, urban vibe.  Designed by Brian Patrick Flynn via HGTV blog.  For now, I'll probably just start with some cute lanterns and the absolutely necessary citronella candles.

I like the shape, color and price of these from Z Gallerie.

outdoor space inspiration

Dear readers, as you know, one of the reasons I fell in love with my quirky new apartment is the deck off the kitchen. Such a luxury to have so much glorious sunshine pour into my kitchen. I'd love to decorate this space. I've never decorated an outdoor space, and the challenge is thrilling to me. I have so many ideas, like I'd love to grow an herb garden to help in my quest to eat more organically. But mostly, I think about design. I'd love to do a space that is retro-mod, with Asian and Moroccan elements.

I'd love to have one of the Bubble Club Sofas designed by Philippe Starck for Kartel. This is, of course, not in the budget.

I've always wanted a set of bullet planters, but again not in the budget. I need Target to produce a knock-off of these.

Here's something not too expensive, that would look cute. Vintage dining set at Flower Child, only $189.00.

I'd love to have a large Buddha statue. Image via Big Buddha Statute.com. Ha! That's really their name, honest. Awesome.

I'd love a whole set of Moroccan lanterns. Image via Z Gallerie.


Of course, I'd need a serving tray since I'd serve exotic teas to my honored guests. Image via Le Souk. I'd sit outside on my lovely deck, even in the snow.