Some favorite rooms

Today I'd like to share some of my favorite rooms from my inspiration files. Nothing makes me swoon more than a beautiful room.

This one is not as modern as my taste usually leans. What does it for me is the white fireplace, blue art glass, white furry rug and that fab painting. If anyone knows the artist of this painting, please contact me. I would definitely edit out those shelves if it were up to me. I hate seeing the windows blocked like that. But overall, a great color scheme. Image Desire to Inspire.

Oh how jealous I am of this open kitchen! Also love the use of a standing lamp in lieu of a chandelier. Beth's family house tour via Apartment Therapy.

Rene's Bright and Sunny Artistic Home via Apartment Therapy. Love the pottery and the recessed shelving! Rene is a fascinating artist, her beautiful paintings are displayed throughout her home.

Using a sectional in a loft or a small place is so much more cohesive than a sofa and chairs. Check out the upper left-hand corner. Love the collection of lamps as art as well as the low scale shelf. Image Design Sponge.

Saarinen tables mixed with a Turkish vibe. Too cool. Love, love, love the pillows and the window. Image The Style Files.

I adore ethnic style, and this is a very fine example of it. This room also conforms to many of my decorating rules (written about below). Dig that disco ball. Unexpected light, check. Pillows, check. Large painting, check. Non-traditional coffee table, check. Love the Moroccan tray. Image Elle Decor.

Swoon. All white always does it for me. Love white floors and the white fireplace. Love the juxtaposition of the modern light and the more ornate candelabra. I think this is the most beautiful reading corner I've ever seen. I would love to snuggle in that chair with a good book and a cup of tea. Only thing is, I'd never come out. Image Desire to Inspire.

I just can't get enough of all white floors. When I buy my prefab ranch, I will have an open kitchen and all white floors. I adore the pop of yellow and orange against the all white background. I would love to hang a curtain like this to hide my kitchen. Image Living in Andyland.

I love this soft color scheme. Sage and lilac. I could live in this room. The Finn Juhl sofa is my favorite sofa of all times. Image Domino (now defunct).

I also keep a file of rooms I'd like to show my sister-in-law. This room makes me think of her. Her taste is a bit more traditional than mine. This chic room just screams effortless sophistication. It's formal and casual at the same time. Image Desire to Inspire.

This is another room for my sister-in-law's inspiration file. The bedroom she shares with my brother is currently decorated in brown and blue. I swear we were the first to think of it! Anyway, if she tires of that color scheme, she could easily update to brown and turquoise. And dig those wall recesses! She and I share the pottery sickness, she has plenty of pretty pieces she could display. Image The Style Files.

My OCD

Dear readers, my best friend tells me my apartment makes him dizzy because I always change it. He tells me that I must have OCD. Let's face it, you have to have OCD to be a blogger, and we each have our own form of OCD. He is the kind of person who can put something down, and there it stays forever. I almost envy this (except that the item in question never gets dusted). My apartment is my lab. I change it a lot. The changes are simple, usually just moving the pillows or vases, or changing the sheets on the sofa. A change can be motivated by a new painting, or by the desire to experiment with color. Here are some of the room's different looks. All done with next to no money. I am sure Nirvana can be achieved by the perfect arrangement. Once I've achieved that, I'll stop moving the shit around.

April 2007

9/8/07

1/27/08

4/14/08

11/23/08

12/20/08

1/19/09

2/13/09

2/15/09

9/23/09

10/20/09

11/5/09

12/9/09

1/4/10

1/6/10

My Apartment - for today

Here is the current incarnation of my apartment with my pillows and pottery rearranged. I've been thinking about blue and orange a lot lately. As you know, any color scheme I contemplate will have large amounts of white and pink. Please see posts below for the influences.

Who knows how long it will stay this way. I am already contemplating how I might add gray to my decor. Stay tuned.

My apartment - processing

Below I described my rules for decorating. One other rule should be mentioned in regard to collections. There is no need to display your whole collection at once. After you have rearranged a room, you should edit about 25% of the items you've placed. This can be difficult, sometimes one of your favorite pieces may go in the closet. But in the long run this is beneficial. It's great fun to rediscover a piece and you can actually save money by shopping in your closet. Also, don't forget the importance of negative space. This is a subject of an upcoming post.

I've been obsessing about blue and orange, so I think I will rearrange my apartment using those colors. The first step is to go to the closet and assess the 3Ps (pottery, pillows and paintings, described below).

Orange and blue pottery and glass pieces.

Orange and blue pillows.

Orange and blue painting. I've shown this painting several times. It's one of my favorites.

Another orange and blue painting. For some reason I don't like this one. I will probably redo it. Often when I don't like a painting, I keep layering on the paint. Other times I chop it up. With this painting I made the decision to do the latter.

Here it is chopped up. I like it! I put the pieces in cheap frames from Pat Catan's that I had in my closet. I love these simple white frames.

Next, I'll show you the current incarnation of my apartment.

Color Obsession - Blue and Orange

Dear readers, you already know that I obsess about color. For the past few days I have been obsessing about blue and orange. Here's how it starts. In playing with my paint brushes, I get fixated on a color scheme. Then, I see those colors everywhere! Like I am connected to the whole world. It's awesome.

For example, I was driving down the street minding my own business, happily obsessing about orange and blue while singing to the radio. I almost shit when I noticed this window and had to pull over. Fortunately, I carry my camera everywhere with me. Look at those pillows - orange, blue and yellow - fab! Look at that art glass - orange, blue and green - fab! I would love to have that shelf for my pottery collection. Here is some orange and blue inspiration for you. Hope you enjoy! Image by Peggy.

I especially love orange with turquoise. I've shown this image before, I can't help but show it again. I love it! Love how the flower pops against the turquoise background. This would look great rasterized. (Turns out I've been using the wrong terminology. I've been using the term rasterbated for images enlarged with Rasterbator. The correct term is rasterized.) Image BGLewandowski.

Image from photographe magnifique Sean Turbidy.

Dee Adams.

Love those turquoise walls! supershoppertoo

A photo of my apartment from 2007. A lot has changed. The modern chair was broken so I gave it to a friend who lovingly repaired it. It pleases me that the chair was rescued, but I miss it dearly! I replaced that dingy rug and painted my ottoman. This color scheme looks great. Sometimes I wonder why I change my apartment around. Does that ever happen to you? You rearrange and look back wistfully at previous arrangements? Still, it's great fun cataloging the changes.

Peggy's Rules for Decorating - Starting from Scratch

Dear readers, I'm addicted to decorating blogs and magazines. Like anyone, I love looking at expensively decorated, luxurious rooms. But it's not rocket science decorating a room when you have plenty of money. It's the rooms of real people that fascinate me. Especially those with who must come up with resourceful solutions because they lack money or space. Sometimes I have to chuckle when I see an article in a magazine and they refer to a "small" budget. Apparently, I am the cheapest person in America. I don't think $20,000 or even $2,000 is a small budget.

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The truth is there are many Americans who have little money. In America we believe that poverty is a reason for shame. But this is not a post about poverty, this is a post about creativity. God did not bless me with money, but fortunately he did bless me with creativity. And I am not alone. I believe everyone is creative! No matter how humble your abode - maybe it's just a college dorm room or a small studio apartment - there are a few simple things you can do to make it your own.

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How do you decorate a room with no budget? With accessories. Accessories give a room character. I'd like to share an example of starting a room from scratch. For this example we will start with the living room, let's assume you are getting your first place. Since you are just starting out, maybe you don't know what your style is yet. So don't go crazy buying stuff. It's better to start slowly. An empty room is so full of potential. Let it be empty for a while. Learn to enjoy space. Believe me, one day you will wake up and wonder where all the stuff came from, so enjoy your unencumbered space for now. However, no matter where you live, it should be where you feel at home. It should be beautiful and have character. It should make you happy. Here's where to begin.

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First, start with something comfy to sit on. Go to the Goodwill, Salvation Army or second hand stores. Buy a cheap sofa, loveseat or recliner. Vintage stores are a great place to get cute, quality furniture. Here is my sofa, purchased at a vintage store several years ago for about $200. I am so happy with it, and the quality is better than most new sofas.

If you don't have the money for a sofa, get an air mattress. Next, get some cute sheets in a pretty color. These can be bought cheap at Target, or even the dollar store. While you are deciding which colors make you the happiest, you can change them on a whim. And you don't need to worry if your friends spill food or drinks, they are machine washable. It's best not to invest in expensive furniture when you are young, your job may transfer you to another city. You may decide to travel to Europe. It's best to travel light and be free. And over time your style will change.

Now that you've got a comfy place to plop down after a hard day's work, what's next? Just remember this easy equation:

3P + L

This is everything you need to know about creating a beautiful room from scratch, for very little money. The equation translates as follows. Remember go slow. Start with one of each:

Pottery, Paintings, Pillows, Lamps

Pottery. Explore the thrift stores. Have fun with the hunt. Nothing is better than scoring a beautiful piece on the cheap. It's also satisfying to love an orphan piece that someone decided to let go. Overlook imperfections if a piece is beautiful to you. Cracks or scratches are signs of previous life, and are romantic. If you get tired of the piece, you can donate it back. This is how objects are supposed to be, in constant motion (this is where the notion of Indian giver comes from - but this is a topic for another post).

Here's a good example, Anna from Door Sixteen scored this totally fabulous vase at the Goodwill for $2.99. It just takes an eye and persistence to find your own treasure. I prefer ceramic, but glass vases are lovely too.

Paintings. Peruse the internet for affordable paintings. Many artists have blogs and are struggling to support themselves with their art. Second hand stores often carry original work as well (see my post regarding a thrift store in Toledo, below). Or call your local art school to see when they are having a sale. It feels great to support local artists. Remember to go large. A large painting can be used to anchor each area of your apartment. Lots of little pictures grouped together looks cluttered.

A quick word about clutter. It's a no-no. If you keep your place uncluttered you will be admired by all your friends. The only drawback is you may have to turn away some of your friends - they will constantly want to hang out at your place because it will feel so peaceful. After a hectic day at the office, returning to a simple, clutter free place feels like heaven. And if you are anticipating a romantic rendezvous, nothing impresses like an uncluttered place.

I have a bias regarding framed posters. An original work is so much more sophisticated. Just because you don't have much money, doesn't mean you aren't interesting. If you cannot afford a painting, go to your local craft store and buy a large canvas. Paint it in a solid color, or several colors. If you can't decide what color to paint it, think of your favorite outfit. You know - the one that makes you feel your best and gets you the most compliments. Or throw paint on the canvas graffiti style. Don't worry if you are not an artist. Have fun, don't get caught up in perfection. This is a great way to experiment with color, this can help you discover what colors make you happiest. This is also a great solution if you are in a rental and not allowed to paint the walls. If you like photography, use the Rasterbator to blow up your favorite image. (Caution: Rasterbator is free, but I understand the required amount of toner ink can get very costly.)

Pillows. Etsy has lots of affordable pillows (see post below). Target also has a nice selection of pillows. I never buy pillows in second hand stores, it doesn't seem hygienic. Textiles add a luxurious feel to your place, but don't be lured into spending a lot of money. I have bought beautiful silk pillow covers from Thailand on Ebay, at extremely reasonable prices. The pillow insert can be bought at the craft store for a couple of dollars.

Lamps. Add an unexpected lamp. I suggest a standing lamp to start with until you decide what sort of tables you want. Also, standing lamps give a much more pleasing glow than overhead lighting. Second hand stores often carry cute lamps, but beware the lamp without a shade. It can end up being very costly. You can find a cute lamp for cheap, and rewiring is cheap. But lamp shades are hard to find in the correct size, and can be extremely expensive. One time I bought a lamp at a flea market for $2.00, the rewiring was $9.00 (total $11.00). I could not find the shade I wanted. I finally found one at a lamp shop for $55.00. I bought it because I was desperate and tired of the search. It was a gorgeous shade. But how silly. The shade was five times the cost of the lamp! Target has some nice lamps, as does CB2. CB2's lamps can get a little pricey, but they do go on sale.

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There you've got it! A cute room that you can call your own. With this handy equation, you have a strategy for those days when you need retail therapy. When you are shopping, you know that you are looking for pottery or pillows. This will cut down on impulse buys, you won't blow your money on unnecessary knick-knacks. That pink elephant bank at Urban Outfitters is darling, but you will grow tired of it quickly. This equation can be used in any room. Start with your large function piece (sofa, table or bed) and then add 3P + L. Here's a mood board from my inspiration files:

You get the idea. A quick word about coffee tables. Forget traditional coffee tables. They are boring. Get creative. Use an ottoman, a trunk, a rolling cart, a tray, an outdoor table. I once saw a room with crappy wood crates, painted beautifully used as coffee tables.

Over time you will accumulate more things, but if you keep this simple formula in mind, your home will not look cluttered. It also helps to vigilantly edit and purge. Make room for something new by getting rid of something old first. Here is another picture from my inspiration file. These homeowners have a lovely collection of pottery, some unusual lamps, a large painting and non-traditional coffee tables. I think they need a few more pillows (in a beautiful shade of gray), but that's just me. They've managed to create a space that is simple, uncluttered, warm and inviting. Image Metropolitan Home, Jan/Feb 2008.

I hope this has been helpful. Please contact me if you would like a consultation. I am available to consult on: where to start with your decorating strategy, using color, buying art, organizing and decluttering. Over the next several days I will explore how I use this formula in my own decorating and how I use color.

Starting the New Year Right

I spent a lot of time over the past few days painting. My painting suffers when I am stressed, so 2009 was not a prolific year for me. One of my resolutions for 2010 is to paint more. Even though my first love is acrylic, I may be switching from acrylic to watercolor. Watercolor is not as messy and the paper costs less - and takes up less room - than canvas. But my first love is acrylic. Over the last few days I experimented with acrylic. You may recognize some of these canvases as none of them are new. They've been sitting in the closet for a while and I have added more paint. It's hard sometimes to know when a canvas is complete. Sometimes I wish I had someone to pull me away from the canvas. I humbly offer my work from the past few days.

20" x 30", acrylic on canvas. Previous version here. Inspired by street art.

24" x 24", acrylic on canvas. Looks like a flag to me. I'm not sure if this is done, but I love the austere nature of it. Previous version here.

24" x 30", acrylic on canvas. Inspired by a vintage Indian rug seen in a movie. Previous version here. I love pink and turquoise together. Probably should have left this one alone. Oh well, I didn't have money for new canvases and at least I experimented with paint today. That always makes me happy. I need to be creative in order to live.

24" x 30", acrylic on canvas. Inspired by seaweed. Previous version here. Hmm. Maybe I should have left this one alone as well. See what I mean? I need someone to pull me from the canvas.

And here it is on my wall. Not sure if it will stay there, but I love experimenting with new pillow arrangements after painting. Here's to 2010, hopefully a year full of color!

New Accessories

Happy New Year, dear readers! I hope you had a wonderful holiday season and that 2010 is the best year of your life! I was snowed in today, so I perused a couple of my favorite online stores to see what was new. They didn't disappoint. I love shopping for accessories. Here's a peak at some of the fab new stuff available.

CB2 has some wonderful new vases, pillows and dig that knit pouf!

Beautiful new vases from Chiasso.

And look at this beautiful new bedding from Chiasso! I want it. As my readers know, I live in a small studio. Since the bed is out in the open, beautiful bedding is a necessity. And dig that headboard! Love the color scheme of this room, as you know I've been obsessed with pink and gray lately. This may be the new color scheme for my apartment. Stay tuned.