Thursday, January 28, 2010

3 bare naked walls

My friends Lauren and Tonii both asked me about inexpensive wall art ideas, so here are some of my tips for creating an interesting space out of a blah wall!

Remember, when you are adding things to your wall, think about how they work with the rest of the room. Are you creating a reading nook or a focal point to anchor the room? Does your room need color or texture or both? No matter what your design needs and budget, you can create something with a little bit of cash and maybe a little more effort! I'm a huge fan of upcycling, so all of these ideas involve reusing, instead of buying brand new products.

Idea #1: Empty sculptural frames. This is a great way to add architectural detail without create permanent changes to your space. Frames can be found everywhere from Goodwill to TJ Maxx for very little! Add a little spray paint to make the uniform, and you have an impactful wall. The photo above is a great example, but you can do this with color too!


Idea #2: Display your collections! Remember in elementary when you used to make collages? Get creative with the things you already have. The key is to remember elements of design, like rhythm and symmetry. When I was in college, I used 16 vinyl records to create a "headboard" behind my bed; it added an illusion of structure, color from the labels in the centers, as well as a little sparkle to the room with the shiny vinyl! Also, when displaying your collectibles, make sure you use a proper mount, or try shadow boxes, to insure your pretty things don't fall off the wall.


Idea #3: Vintage magazine covers. Not a fan of tons of personal photos? Vintage magazine covers have a great graphic quality and totally brighten up a space. They look great in gallery frames (like the Ikea Ribba frame) and the cover headlines add an element of nostalgia in the way that photos do, but in a less intimate way.


For more about how I can help you design your space, visit my website!


Wednesday, January 27, 2010

6 office s p a c e

I am in desperate need of an office space! I don't even have a a desk right now and I do all my "work" from my couch... on my tiny netbook. When I'm working on artwork, I do it on our dining room table... with poor lighting, and not a lot of room to spread out. After getting my new tablet, it's become so clear that I definitely need a defined, comfortable and *beautiful* work space. Here are some images from aroun the web that are inspiring me right now.

I like the idea of stacking frames of art within arms reach...
It makes the artwork more accessible!
The vintage desk with all those drawers would keep me organized too...

LOVE the chalkboard calendar in this one... and I actually have a vintage-looking black phone like the on the desk :)

Tiffany Blue is one of my favorite colors and added an upholstered chair with the nail head trim just makes this little office nook so elegant!

For some reason, I'm always attracted to the color orange...
I think think it sparks productivity and creativity in me. And how cute is the little white ceramic puppy??

images via design sponge, elements of style and get togetha

P.S. - can you believe January is almost over? I feel like this month flew by....




Tuesday, January 26, 2010

1 coco (in progress)

Here's a sneak peek at the Coco Chanel piece I'm working on right now.
I should be finishing this tonight so I'll post the final product by the end of the week! :)




0 sharpen your wits


Wednesday, January 20, 2010

0 guest cottage design

Today I thought I'd share a design plan I did last year for a (hypothetical) guest cottage. This project was fun because I had little restrictions on what I could do to the space. Looking at this design plan actually makes me miss school a little bit.... :-/





For more on what I do as a designer, click here!

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

2 james hopkins photography




"Love Seat"

Found on Set Your Style and JamesHopkinsworks.com

Monday, January 11, 2010

0 artist spotlight: natalie perkins

Awesome illustrator/artist Natalie Perkins has an amazing website full of her work. I love everything about it from the hand lettering to the complex paisley patterns she creates! Here are some of my favorites.






Happy Monday folks!


Thursday, January 7, 2010

1 pin installations from ran hwang

These awe inspiring installations were created by artist Ran Hwang using ordinary sewing pins.








images via my modern met
thanks kelli! ;)

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

0 viet-my bui

A couple of weeks ago I fell in love with a blog written by illustrator Viet My Bui. She does amazing work and includes some great interior design, art and even food inspiration shots on her blog. Her "What I Wore" sketches of herself are adorable and really reflect her style in a cool way. I love to see her "Work In Progress" gifs; it's like gettin a glimpse into her process!
Maybe I'll do some "WIP" shots for SBP once I get my tablet....?




Check out her blog here!



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