Monday, January 25, 2010

klismos

Thought I'd give a little love to a classic - the Klismos chair, an ancient Greek style that dates back to 500 BCE!






LOVE the nailhead trim and lucite legs!

Sunday, January 24, 2010

office/guest room makeover

a while back, I posted about our office makeover. besides a few odds and ends it is pretty much complete. today as we tried to take pictures we realized we really need a wide angle lens and eternally better lighting (you can see why below).

before:

after:




the makeover was relatively cheap. as renters our ability to alter is somewhat limited. my husband works from home and wanted a space that helped to keep him focused on his computer screen and also kept him inspired. we painted the walls seed brown with white trim from benjamin moore to keep the room vibrant but dark enough for his computer screen to hold his attention. ikea supplied much of the rest of the room: the futon, bedding, red file cabinet and white bookshelf with glass doors (not shown) all came from ikea. the chicago poster and two graphic prints above the keyboard came from the renegade craft fair. the mosaic above the futon is a collection of photos our friends put together from our wedding day. it is easily one of our most prized possessions, the gathering of thumbprint photos so perfectly captures the day.

I was thinking something softer, like the hanging light below from zgallerie, might be nice to brighten and soften up the masculinity of the walls. although, it might be too glam.

I wish we had better lighting (damn you endless days of rain).

pebble tile

What do folks think of pebble tile? I like the concept and think it probably feels delicious on the feet. But it looks hard to clean. Too much grout, ya know? The material likely works best in certain areas, like shower walls or shower floors. Anyways, I think it's pretty.





natural pebble tile


island stone


Maybe stacked pebble tiles are the way to go....


source


mission tile west


Friday, January 22, 2010

potato sack to va-va-voom

last night on project runway the designers were challenged to turn a potato sack into a cocktail party outfit. while I am a big fan of burlap, I was doubtful that these designer could do much with the skin-toned, dry and scratchy material. I was wrong.

I was especially fond of this challenge for two reasons, one: the models and designers had to wear wellies in mud; and two: my design aesthetic leans towards a rustic chic (even though I hate the word chic). I love appreciating and even celebrating in the more natural, rustic aspects of life juxtaposed with a somewhat softer prettiness.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

lost

I am gaga over the show lost. the final season premieres on february 2nd. my husband just sent me a link to an artist mattson, (via @smashingmag), who initially sat down to create an invite to his season premiere party but was so inspired he came up with 8 different posters. I've posted some of my favorite - this guy is good.

haiti


looking for a way to help? I have just learned of wyclef jean's organization yele haiti. the organization was created in 2005, by the haitian-born and brooklyn-raised musician, to restore hope and pride to the haitian people through education, music, media and sports programs. if you are looking for a way to donate or assist in any way with relief efforts, visit the yele haiti website.

mme sarkozy

as of late I've been listening to a bit of carla bruni, the first lady of france. her song quelqu'un m'a dit, is on repeat on my recently added playlist. she has a beautiful voice. and, I must add, a gorgeous, classic style - of course, we all would be as glamorous if we were rich in france too.







spring for some new clothes

Mama needs some new clothes. After pregnancy and the first 9 months of motherhood, I'm coming out of my fog and realizing....my wardrobe is a disaster of epic proportions. Problem is, I'm cheap. And work in an industry (marine science) where you get funny looks if you wear a belt to work. "Got a meeting today or somethin'?"