My OCD, Part III

I've been invited to submit pictures and words about my home to a really cool website.  Stay tuned for more details.  As you know, I like to change around things in my apartment, so I thought I'd remind you of its previous look.

I may be moving soon.  It might be temporary, but for now it's still my home.  And home is where I experiment with color.  To see versions 1-14 click here.

One sofa, three ways

Here's a freelance project I've been working on.  My client is a bachelor, who graduated from college 10 years ago.  Since then, like most Americans, he's been concentrating on his career, and working a ton.  He hardly has any time for anything else.  He has a nice house, but all he has is the futon he had when he graduated, an ugly/comfy easy chair and, of course, a large screen TV.  No style at all.  That's what he wants me to help him with.  He recently started dating so would like to fix his living room up a little.  He wants something simple, modern and masculine, but also something that a lady would feel comfortable in.  Two requirements:  one wall should house the ugly/comfy chair, and the other the massive TV.  He'd like suggestions for the rest of the room.  He has lovely dark wood floors.  His walls are beige, but we are thinking of painting them a lovely dove gray.  He was adamant that he did not want a leather sofa, which is okay by me.  We shopped for sofas together, and we agreed on the piazza velvet storm sofa from CB2.  We both love the low scale.  I tried to talk him into buying two of them, I love the look of two sofas creating a conversation area, and then we could get rid of the easy chair.  That's a no go, the recliner is staying. Oh well, I had try.

Seating is settled.  Now for accessories.  He wants it stylish, but simple.  Once the basics, like seating are done, I use the formula 3P + L to decorate a room.  That is, add the three Ps:  a painting, a pillow and a piece of pottery, then add to that a funky lamp.  With 3P + L your accessories are all taken care of.  All that's left to be added is a rug and an unexpected coffee table.  Doing a room from scratch is as easy as this:  something comfy to sit on, 3P + L, coffee table, rug, and you are done!  Here are three mood boards I have prepared using this easy formula.  I've relied heavily on Etsy for the accessories.  Etsy is fastly becoming my favorite go-to resource.

Sources:  lamp - lavintagefurnishings;  vase - StudioOneStudio;  painting - Brian Elston;  pillow - Behirah;  twiggy side table, city slicker red table and tie die rug from CB2.

Here's a couple of ideas I love:  hanging multiples of the same piece of art and the palette coffee table.  Sources:  lamp - gspots;  vintage ashtray - linea72;  prints by Robert Comire;  beautiful silk pillow by pyxeestyx;  white shag rug from Chiasso;  example of palette table via Bodie and Fou, I'll need to have a local artisan make one of these.  Luckily, I picked up a couple of business cards at Wall Eye's Art of Artisans exhibit described below.

My client's new girlfriend loves silver.  He said I could prepare an edgy, feminine mood board featuring silver.  I'm sure he'll reject this one, but it was fun and I kinda dig it.  Sources:  silver leaf side table from Urban Outfitters, this piece provides some great storage for those pesky remotes;  yellow vase from DemARTinDesign;  art from erasoul;  yellow silk pillow from Mi Casa Bella; big dipper arc lamp from CB2;  white shag rug from Chiasso;  Nate Berkus silver pouf from HSN.  It sure was fun - and a stretch - to contempate a masculine room.  I'll be sure to keep you posted on this project.

Weekend Art Work

It was another busy weekend creating art.  Such is the life of an extreme freelancer.  It's all good.  Art makes me happy.

Untitled, 2011, 16" x 20", acrylic on canvas.  I was bad, I know I was supposed to leave those acrylics alone.  But they are so damn seductive.  I did a simple - but not easy - color blocking work.  I'm really loving blue.

Detritus Robot, 16" x 20", cut paper.  The idea for this work came about as I was cleaning up the yard.  Again.  The litter in the neighborhood keeps getting worse and worse.  Beer bottles, wine bottles, fast food wrappers, cigarette wrappers everwhere!  I wished I had a robot to clean up the mess.  And here she is.  I think she'd make a great vinyl toy.

I wish I were a video artist.  I'd make a video of her.  I can see her movements, her head kind of moves back and forth like a metronome.  She makes a ticking noise when she moves.  I started working on a graphic novel about the adventures of this robot happily cleaning up the ghetto.  I know, I'm a bit crazy.  And it's not like I don't have two million other projects to work on.  And, yes, I'm an insomniac.  Want more crazy characters?  Here's a fun flickr group devoted to this topic (link).

A cute tray

I love blogging, and I love hearing from my readers.  It makes my day when someone asks for my design advice.  Recently, a blogger friend asked me if I thought the color scheme of orange, hot pink, turquoise and black could work in a bathroom.  To which I replied, "Of course."  Here's the truth - any colors you want to work together will.  There's no such thing as colors that don't go together. Just look at nature, it's a cornucopia of colors.

I bought this cute tray at Target, and it perfectly illustrates the point.  This would look darling in a bathroom.  Trays are a great way to corral clutter.  I could see it holding a bunch of beautiful perfume bottles.  The bottles should be clear so they don't obstruct the pretty pattern.  Or I could see it hanging on a wall.

Here it is in my kitchen.  Isn't that the ugliest counter you've ever seen?  Rentals.  I'd rip that sucker out if I owned this place.  Back to the cute new tray.  I was surprised to see that I now have a collection of trays.  How did that happen?

Art of Artisans

Funny how the cosmos works.  Just when I was bemoaning the lack of local artisans, Wall Eye Gallery presents an exhibit called The Art of Artisans.  Saturday I went to check it out.  The show featured  regional artisans and craftsman.  According to Wall Eye's website, the event was created to promote excellence in design and craft as well as to fuel the public’s appreciation and interest in art and fine workmanship.  The show was amazing.  Here's a few photos I took.  Right in line with the organic and upcycled art I've been writing about lately.

Credenza by Michael McMillin.  I've been obsessing about a credenza.  I think I need one of these for my pottery collection.  Love those hair pin legs.

 Freddy Hill.

  

Not sure who made this fab light.  But I'll find out and I will update when I do.

PJ Doran.

 

One of my favorites was the Mouse Desk by Jason Radcliffe of Forty Four Steel.  Its perfect geometric proportions are reminiscent of one of my favorites - the Parsons Table.  The Mouse Desk is functional as well as beautiful.  The entire front of the desk pulls out to become a large drawer.  Perfect for those of us who abhor clutter.  You can hide your notebooks, pens, bills and a whole lot of post it notes in there.  I think I need one of these for my office.

Robert Knauer.

This is only a preview.  There's lots more at Wall Eye.  The show is by appointment until September 4.  I highly recommend it.  You'll never want to purchase mass produced furniture again.  Sadly, this is Wall Eye's second to last show.  Their next show - entitled Playing House (September 23 - October 14) - will be their last.  I'm really going to miss them.

New Sponsor

The editors of Creative Influences would like to introduce to our new sponsor, Khalima Lights.  Khalima means beautiful, and these hand-crafted lights are just that.  Khalima is a husband and wife team who strive to make well crafted, functional art.  They specialize in custom lighting design and fabrication, and they offer the unique opportunity to work directly with the coppersmiths from design stage to completion in creating your custom copper lanterns, candle holders, or jewelery.  Special requests are no problem.

Khalima also feels compelled to make the world a more peaceful and respectful place for all human beings. With that in mind, Khalima is in the early stages of partnering with a project called "Red Light Rescue."  Red Light Rescue saves young girls from prostitution slavery rings in Asia by providing education, rehabilitation, and counseling in addition to every other basic need such as food, shelter, and clothing. Khalima believes that  all people deserve a life of dignity, respect, and opportunity.  A portion of each sale will go to supporting these girls and this mission.

Khalima's website is here, and their Etsy shop is here.

my canvas

My living room in black and white.  Think I've been reading too may vintage decor books lately.

jonesin' to paint

Dear readers, I may have to give up my first love - acrylic.  I may be allergic to it.  Today I am missing it like crazy.  I am itching to pick up a paint brush.  For now my camera will have to be my paint brush. 

Images by Peggy.

cool blue

Blue.  I love it.  All shades of it.  Baby blue.  Turquoise.  And especially periwinkle.  Blue is fresh and clean, but it's also cool, romantic and mysterious.

These are the colors I want in my home right now.  Here's some blue inspiration.

Thomas Hawk.

Dystopos.

James Lestor.

John Du Jardin.  I love orange with blue.

Romany WG.

 Chair seen at local vintage store.  Image by Peggy.  Should've bought this one.

Above two images by Peggy from my previous apartment.  For more mysterious, romantic blue inspiration, see my flickr gallery entitled blue rooms.

feeling blue

I'm loving blue right now.  I adore collections of blue glass and ceramics.

Dee Adams.

Siri vases by Roost.

 Beautiful watercolor by Karen Faulkner.