Archive for December, 2008
Oh-Eight Inspiration
It is almost unbelievable that another year has come and gone. And what a biggie it was. An election. A stimulus check. A recession. A Britney Spears comeback. And the sniffle-inducing loss of a few of our favorite publications (Cottage Living and O At Home to name a few). But they didn’t slip away without leaving us with some pretty amazing inspiration- so we’re honoring a few of our favorite rooms of two thousand and eight and crossing our fingers that oh-nine brings the same abundance of swoonworthy spaces.
Words cannot describe the love that we have for this Cottage Living kitchen. And we adore that every single idea is completely budget friendly. The easy DIY bright red window trim, the wall mounted sconces that add architecture and interest, our favorite bamboo blinds, and even a rustic-industrial restaurant rack turned table (loaded with practical open storage). And of course we love the clam-shell-as-fruit-bowl as we have one of those in our kitchen too. So many ideas, so little time.
We also fell head over heels for this living room (Cottage Living again… oh those were the days). We’re huge open living fans so we loved that this couple worked matching desks right into their living area and the symmetry (created by the identical light fixtures, track doors and grid-like bookcases) seriously floats our boat.
We also love this soft and inviting color palette, which can easily be introduced into your home on the cheap. Some faded yellow pillows, a sky blue spray painted desk chair or two, and deep chocolate doors will look amazing in any room with an abundance of white and neutral tones. And if you’re feeling brave, a side table with a coat of coral paint will take things to a whole new level.
Sometimes outdoor rooms can be just as titillating as indoor ones. We love this simple and sweet backyard that can easily be mimicked in a small space and on a serious budget (from MyHomeIdeas). A nice grassy yard beyond a modest slate or concrete paver patio (both budget friendly materials you can snag at Home Depot or Lowe’s) looks abundant and lush with a textured border of shrubs.
Although a fountain on the far wall might be a bit of a splurge, the idea of creating a focal point to draw the eye out across the yard will really create an expansive feeling- even if you plop down a cheap-o fire pit and two adirandak chairs instead. Even a gorgeous red maple (only about $50 at Lowe’s or Home Depot, where they’re guaranteed for a year) planted on the far wall of the yard will create a gorgeous point of interest for decades to come.
And who could forget this fabulous house featured earlier this year on Apartment Therapy? Goodness knows we love us some soft beachy blue, and those walls in the back room are perfection. We’re also totally digging the idea of adding some soft tangerine accents- such a fresh color combination that we’d love to see more of in 2009. Makes my mouth water for a clementine. Yummy.
So here’s to more unbelievably fabulous inspiration rooms in 2009. We’ll leave you with this elegant New Year’s “toasting table” from MyHomeIdeas. We love the lavender and green scheme (silver is fabulous but adding a few other colors is refreshing and fun) and the idea that guests can grab a glass of bubbly (and a sparkly hat!) as soon as they step in the door is sheer genius. If only we had a vestibule like this- we’d have a chunky pedestal table in ten seconds flat.
Happy New Year everyone!
Reader Redesign: Bedroom Bliss On A Budget
When Erin sent us her fabulous master bedroom before & after pics we couldn’t wait to share ‘em with you guys. Here’s her letter:
We were looking to redo our master bedroom to make it more comfy and cozy. First we removed the carpets and put in our furniture and blinds and left it alone for a while… not really knowing where to go from there. Then, I feel in LOVE with the coral slipper chair you found from Target and decided to design the room around that. Hope you enjoy the pictures, we love just laying in bed and reading now. We’re still looking to add a few thinsg to the wall but just love the simple look of it even without the added art. Enjoy! – Erin
What a difference some paint and a few furniture items can make! And those wood floors look fantastic… can you believe someone would cover them up with maroon carpeting? We’re so excited that a steal of a slipper chair from Target could aid in such a fantastic transformation. Thanks so much for sending those pics our way, Erin. And have fun relaxing in that fabulous master bedroom of yours!
We’re In Therapy (And We Need Your Vote!)
Ok, so who left the back door open over at Apartment Therapy? Somehow we managed to sneak our way into the final 8 nominations for The Homies (their award for the best home blog of 2008). Seriously unexpected and totally amazing.
What an honor to see ourselves listed among some of the biggest names in home blogging. We owe a huge thank you, er, homie-style fist pound to everyone who took the time to name drop us on last week’s nomination post. And another to the editors at Apartment Therapy for thinking we’re worthy. Heck, let’s make it a group hug.
And while being nominated is enough to make our 2009 before it even starts, we’d be crazy not to politely* ask for your endorsement. So CLICK HERE and take a moment to rock the vote. The polls close next Tuesday (1/6) at 8pm EST. ‘Til then, play on playas…
*This is the kind of “polite” that involves lots of groveling and brown-nosing. Did we mention you look stunning today, by the way?
How Do You Do?
We did it. We combed our archives to cobble together a little collection of our most popular how-to posts on one convenient place (the “how-to” tab right under the header). We’ve arranged everything by category, so whether you’re looking for help unclogging a drain, upholstering a headboard, getting rid of carpet dents, replacing door hardware, switching out your thermostat, painting your kitchen cabinets, or hosting a yard sale we’ve gotcha covered. And oh so much more…
Of course we’ll keep right on updating it as we churn out more tuorials so feel free to drop in on our new page whenever the urge to swankify strikes. Happy hammering/hanging/painting/staining/upholstering/wiring/caulking/crafting/decorating/renovating!
Blayne’s Design Dilemma: Solved
When Blayne came to us a month ago for an elegant and subtly exotic bedroom makeover with a hint of Moroccan flair, we had no idea she’d get everything together so quickly! Here’s her letter:
Well, my room is done and it looks amazing! Even better than I expected. I followed your design plan pretty much to a T (although I found similar chocolate curtains at JC Penney for half the price and I used a slightly different medium brown color behind the bed on the accent wall). Half of the pictures on the walls are actually the same art I had in the room before, I just cut them down and put them in new frames. I love your idea of using the 8 frames on the facing walls and I was able to put a lot of different pictures in them but they still have a cohesive look because they’re all in the same frame. My husband and I are both just thrilled with how it came out! So are you two ready to swankify my living room and kitchen next? Thank you so much for your help! – Blayne
Here’s the split personality before:
The mood board we whipped up four weeks ago (click here for the details):
And of course the gorgeous and inviting after pics:
Lovely, no? We would totally stay at Casa Blayne, and we’re so happy she sent us such a fast and fabulous update. What do you guys think?
Update: We sadly can no longer find the time to take on client commissioned mood boards (we now whip up general inspiration boards instead) but if we ever reinstate them we’ll make a big announcement!
