Headboad + Window

As I was doing a little inspiration scouting for a client's bedroom project, One image kept popping up. The bed placed directly in front of a window. I wonder if this is just for styling purposes or if this is really how the rooms were designed.




What's your opinion. Would you place your headboard directly in front of a window? Do you like this look? Please comment, I would love to hear from you!

(images from House Beautiful, House to Home and Point Click Home)

NOT an Inflight Recliner

There's been a lot of talk in the last week about pilots and well, sleeping. Of course being someone who remembers every piece of furniture that has crossed her eyes I thought what a perfect time to share with you Design Within Reach's Flight Recliner. Now I am not saying they did or didn't but what a present this would make! I am a big fan of recliners that don't scream lean back on me, this one does the trick and it's available in multiple stocked fabrics even nicer. So sit back enjoy but please not operating anything more than the remote!






(image from Design Within Reach)

How to Thursday -indulge in the gray trend

We have been seeing lots of gray in our favorite shelter magazines and you might want to know how to add this in your home without spending a ton of money. Accent pillows are the answer whether in the Living or Bedroom. Whatever style your room is you will find many options out there. Below are just a few of my favorites. All but one (I couldn't resist) are under $100 so go ahead enjoy the gray!!

Shine and Metallic from Pillow Decor and Treacle Toffee



Animal Whimsy with Thomas Paul and CB2


Fun geometric shapes from Aimee Wilder and Jonathan Adler



Add a bit of 3D interest with Etsy's Miss Mosh and Oromono

Nature Inspired pillows from Etsy's Kain Kain Shop and Mod Diva

A Surface View

In the previous post I mentioned the fantastic wall decor featured over the bed. Here is the source, it's from Surface View. Their "interior graphics" are reproductions from images found at the Victoria & Albert Museum, Marvel Comics, the Royal Photographic Collection and Nic Miller just to name a few. Each image can be recreated as Blinds, Prints on Canvas and Murals. I especially love the silhouette of a person standing next to the size of each print/mural. A priceless visual tool!

Below are a few of my favorite images and some actual applications!

This piece is titled "Belgian Veil" from the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
A lace image we saw here above the bed.

One of the things I absolutely love about this company is their flexibility! Each image has multiple sizes and styles which makes it easy to use in many room schemes. Very consumer friendly!

(images from Surface View)

Find It - Calm Bedroom + Laser Cut Rug

I Love the clean look of this room I found over at Living Etc! It feels so restful and the white floors are quite refreshing. Add a laser cut rug like the one below from Brocade Home and you create just a bit of interest. 5 x 8 is $499. Check out the next post for more info on that amazing piece of wall decor. No need for a bed frame here!



(images from Living Etc via House to Home and Brocade Home)

Diary Entry - The affordable headboard

You can find me over at Stylefeeder today blogging on an affordable headboard idea! I submitted this post back in September and was so excited last night to finally see a real application in this photo over at Turquoise. It is a perfect example on how to use these headboards, I just love the contrast! Vanessa has an incredible eye and ck out the perfectly placed Anthropologie Ikat bowl on the nightstand. A stylish place for change or last minute jewelry you forget to take off.




(image vis Turquoise Blog, Anthropologie)

The Tessalight

I came across this photo over at Desire to Inspire by the talented photographer Martin Cederblad. Than I recalled the fabulous Tessalight by Christine Price Hamilton. I am not sure if this is the same light but I would love to see it in this room! Imagine the glowing patterns this light would create on the bedroom ceiling?! Check out Christine's website to see the work see creates with just an X-Acto knife, thick paper and wooden beads. Just lovely!




(images from Desire to Inspire, Daily Candy and Christine Price Hamilton)

Lighting Up Vermont

Take a peak into this cozy Vermont Retreat. Doesn't it look the perfect place to enjoy a fall getaway? This is the home of the unbelievably talented lighting designer Craig Roberts. As you peruse each room notice his use of subtle lighting. It makes such an impact!

There is nothing like the warmth of wide pine floorboards

Notice the perfectly placed bookshelves nestled under the windows. The lights are placed inside the shelves to create a simple glow and quietly highlight its contents.

By working with the architectural details of the room a cozy nook is created!

The indirect lighting in the soffits, calls the eye to wander to the height of the ceiling and beautiful bead board.

Just down a sweet flowered lined path sits the "summer house". A smaller structure with escapism written all over it. I just adore this and wonder if the small cottage is all one needs. With its screened in porch, working fireplace and enough windows to enjoy the view...well that just sounds like perfection to me!

(images from Design New England)

Trimming it in Black

I just came across this photo and before I throw in my designer 2 cents...I wonder, what are your thoughts on Black molding?? Please share!


(image from Boston Magazine Home edition)

Quick Share - Side Board

This side board is fantastic, its amazing what a bit of apron detail can do to a piece. This is the Trollsta Side Board from IKEA, it's $349. I am searching for a piece for a bedroom for extra storage and to place a tv on, this could be a great option!


(images from IKEA)

What a week!

Happy Weekend! This was one of those great weeks which started with a family wedding, my birthday and a few great client meetings. Sometimes you just need to sit back and be grateful for all the inspiration and happiness which is in the everyday. I also wanted to say a BIG BIG thanks to all my fabulous guest bloggers and to everyone who showed them love with comments. It was such a delight to take a few days off. I hope the "Moving IN" series gave you all some great affordable tips for your own homes.

If you have not skipped over to their blogs here are their links again! Plush Palate, Coco+Kelley, SabbeSPOT, Verdigris Vie.
Enjoy the weekend
Jul

(image from NikkiLyn)

Knowing your secret numbers

You realize how well someone knows you when they call out your secret fascinations. This happened to me recently when a good friend announced my love of typography and well...its true. The next day I came across these FANTASTIC chairs over at Metropolitan Home and just had to laugh, yes I love my letters and numbers!



The Numbers Collection from EurotrendUSA is the perfect accent to any room. The chairs are available in over 100 colors, amazing!! Now to decide what number and where in the house to use it, I have a feeling it will be a great conversation piece.

Look what I spy!!

I love when I blog about a product and than randomly run across a photo of it in an actual room. Remember a while back I was scouting ceiling fixtures? Well I just found this photo over at My Home Ideas where they used the pendant version of the School House Electric Fixture! Than I spotted the photo below at Making It Lovely using the Ballard Design Chase Light, isn't it fantastic!?

Moving In with Verdigris Vie

** Sorry I had a bit of a technical glitch yesterday! Let's finish up the "Moving In" serious with the fantastic Vitania over at Verdigris Vie. First, don't you just love that name for a blog?! I am not sure when I "met" Vitania but she has been an incredible supporter of CreateGirl since I started a year ago. She always leaves the most uplifting comments! When you visit her blog you will immediately be inspired by the gorgeous photos she posts and wonderful commentary. I saved her post for last as she has lived in her house for a few years but with 2 small children these are her 3 "saving grace" tips!**

Thank you so much Julie for inviting me to post on your incredible blog, it is such an honour. I have such great respect for you as a designer and a blogger, and I appreciate greatly all the wonderful work you put forth.

Moving into a new home is incredibly exciting and emotional. Whether it's your first home, or you're upsizing or downsizing, the process of redesigning a living environment can be a delight and a distress. The opportunity to start fresh in a space that better reflects your lifestyle is usually offset by the disappearing funds, and the realization that you will never have another free weekend again. Here are 3 things that helped me through the rough waters.

Paint it! - This is the one thing you don't want to hold off on. Attack it before or as soon as you move in! Nothing is worse than staring at drab walls, or a colour you don't like. If it's too overwhelming, have a designer come over for a colour consultation. It's worth every penny. You'll have set the foundation for your design palette, and future buying decisions will come easier.

Focus on a good one - You don't have to buy all your furniture at once. Pick a great piece to focus on, and take your time building your collection of furnishings. Finding local artisans and craftspeople to create the perfect dining table , server or armoire can be a very affordable choice. Buying quality always saves you in the long run, and is less wasteful . CreateGirl can give you 100 + ways to fill the space around it.

Plant life -Using Plants, floral arrangements even branches and twigs, will make your new home comforting, bright and inviting. Living plants actually help clean the air of your home. Their natural beauty adds life and energy to static spaces. Best of all, you can add pops of colour, volume and height to your home with ease seasonally.

(images from top to bottom: Canadian House and Home, House of Turquise, Pheobe Howard, Canadian House and Home)

Moving In with Coco+Kelley

**Please Welcome the incredibly talented Cassandra from Coco+Kelley as our Monday Guest Blogger! I have been following Cassie for about 2 yrs & have found like me she is an Italian, Red Sox loving girl!! Her mix of glamorous fashion and interiors is just beautiful, I find myself daydreaming when I am over at her blog! Pop on over and say hello, I promise you will be inspired!**

Trust me when I say I've done my fair share of moving. The process of getting it all there? Horrible. Packing for days, having to throw out pieces you just won't have room for, and living out of boxes. Ugh. But the best part? When you're in a new space, with a clean slate, and all the possibilities in the world...

The last apartment I lived in was in LA - and let's just say that you don't get much for what you pay there - but even this junky old place felt like home by the time I was done with it! The trick? Thrifting, getting creative, and holding out for the good stuff. For example...




The bedroom I had was teeeeensy. The walls in the space were all beige as was the carpet (of course) and there was a huge ugly heater that was just left of center over my bed. There was no way I was investing in any pieces for this room since I knew I'd have a bigger space someday, so the name of the game here was Ikea. I purchased fabrics to hang from the ceiling to the floor behind the bed as a 'headboard' and to cover the heater. The other fabric I tossed on the bed as a coverlett. The colors in the room were inspired by my Anthropologie pillow (my one little splurge) and the bedding was all WalMart and Ikea as well. The bedside table was my favorite Ikea find though - from the office furniture section! The drawers looked lacquered and the handles were acrylic. So chic!



One of my favorite little corners of the apartment was the 'bar area'. This bar was an investment for sure. A gorgeous MidCentury piece. These are much easier to come by in LA, and finding something similar on Craigslist would probably have happened eventually, but the black acrylic top is what sold me! Every single other piece on the bar is a thrift store purchase! And the framed 'artwork' was actually a fashion editorial that I ripped out of a German magazine and framed.

The high-low mix is really what I do to make a space not feel 100% store bought and cheap cheap cheap, and this little vignette is a great example. The luxe Mongolian lamb pillow? $80. The chair? Ikea (again). Contrasting textures and styles? Priceless! Oh, and the artwork (such a cheap way to spice up any space!) is covering yet another heater. Who needs that much heat in LA, anyway??

While moving can be a pain, moving in should be a joy! Don't rush the design process, and don't feel like you have to spend a ton of money to get what you want either. Filling in the gaps with thrift store purchases or Ikea pieces is a good way to save a bit, but be sure to mix in a few investment pieces along the way!

Moving In with SabbeSPOT

**Hi All! Please Welcome Stephanie, she is also a new friend who just moved to Boston. Her blog, SabbeSPOT is full of crafty secrets and every time she talks about making something she inspires me to run to the closet and dust off my own sewing machine. Though to be honest I have nothing to show for it just yet, with the colder months lets keep our fingers crossed for some progress! Enjoy Stephanie's post!**


Hello, let me start with a little background. We tremendously downsized when recently moving from our 1400 sf house in Memphis, TN to our teeny tiny 700 s.f. apartment in Boston's South End. My key to design happiness was moving things around, and around, and around until it finally felt right. Unlike our larger house, that we were constantly trying to fill out, a small apartment is like a puzzle. You have to be more creative. And I LOVE being creative.

I am a huge interior recycler. I had a friend email me a couple of months ago about a blog post I did on the craft nook I carved out in our bedroom. She was amazed the dining room table from our college days was living on.

Our dining room is another great example of my re-purposed interior

1. The art is an Ansel Adams calendar I had matted and framed.

2. The rug is by Interface FLOR. If you haven't discovered carpet tiles, you must check out their site. My dining room was larger in my last house. So I just deleted a row of tiles and ta-da, the same rug fits in a much smaller space.

3. The table and chairs were a consignment store finds. I painted them black and recovered the chairs.


4. The fireplace art is a damask fabric that I stapled over a piece of plywood.

5. We had some pots that we used for outdoor plants at our last house. Our new apartment does not have enough natural light to keep plants alive. I bought a bag of Moss from JoAnn's, wadded up balls of newspaper, and spray glued the moss on top.




6. We received a lot of serving platters when we got married. When I'm not hosting a dinner party I use them as decoration. They are too pretty to keep in a cabinet.

So my entire dining room may have originally cost me $200, but as far as my for my new home in Boston...it was basically free.