0 rachel's living room makeover

Rachel Stewart, a talented artist & jewelry maker, recently made over her living room and did an awesome job! I love what she did with the lighting and the color throughout the room.


:::BEFORE:::


The room looked great before the makeover, but every once in a while we all want a little change! Rachel did a great job of using the main elements in her room (furniture, rug, and key accessories...) and creating a totally different look.

:::AFTER:::

These lamps really create a lounge like feel in the room and the graphic pillows pop off her sofa, unlike the solid colored ones she had before.



Rachel's mix of African inspired accessories with modern graphic pattern really speaks to her love of both! I happen to know from reading her blog that she's a huge comic book fan and hip-hop junkie - and these kinds of prints fit her two passions perfectly! When decorating, don't be afraid to include what YOU like, even if it doesn't "go" with you home. If you would wear it on your body, you shouldn't feel like it doesn't belong in your living room.


Lastly, Rachel created an beautiful original piece of art to complement her new room. Although Rachel is a professional, I encourage anybody to try creating something original for your space while decorating. It doesn't get more YOU than something made with your own hands.


Thanks to Rachel for letting me share her space on SBP. If you have a space that you've made over, I'd love to feature it here! Email me at hello(at)nikimcneill.com. And if you have a space you want to make over but are lost about where to start, I'd be happy to offer my design services through SingleBubblePop Design Studio!

2 artist spotlight: shepard fairey

Shepard Fairley rose to national fame when his President Obama portrait became a hit during the 2008 presidential election. You also may know his work with OBEY; including the prints seen above. Many of his prints have been translated to t-shirts, which are sold in various retailers nationwide. The body of work he's created over his 20+ year career is pretty phenomenal! I encourage you to check out his gallery on the OBEY site. Until now, I 'd never seen footage of this amazing artist in action. This weekend I stumbled upon a video of him doing his thing and it's truly inspiring to watch him work. Check it out!



Seeing all the work that goes into other artist's work always inspires me to put more into mine. I hope this gave you inspiration to create too on this Monday morning!

7 drawing on the walls

Ever get in trouble for scribbling on the walls with a crayon or marker? Well this guy makes a living doing it.









See More Tim Goodman here on his super cool blog.

3 blue & green

Super cute jewelry pieces in blue, green & white from Lori's Shoes. Can you believe these are all under $25?





Perfect for dressing up summer tees & dresses! ;)

2 kelle in elle

Kelly Rowland has quickly become my "friend in my head". She just seems like that down to earth but super glam friend that's always fun to be around. Check her out in this gorgeous photoshoot in Elle Magazine.







Found on Concrete Loop

5 american high style

While at the Brooklyn Museum, I had the pleasure of checking out the American High Style exhibit featuring gorgeous vintage fashions from American designers. This collection showcases the amazing talent of designers that may not be as well known as some of their international contemporaries. Althought some were born abroad, their influence on American design is what makes them noteworthy.Tell me if you recognize any of these designers; they were all new to me!


"Evening Ensemble" by Norman Norell


More pieces from Norman Norell


A stunning gown by Charles James - the detailing was so intricate on this one!


Here is a preliminary sketch of his design.



Charles James was known for being a "sculptor" of dresses; these are indicative of his style! Don't they remind you of building architecture?


The evening jacket on the right, designed by Elsa Schiparelli, reminds me of my favorite coat!


A close up of two gowns by Micol Fontana


More Micol Fontana pieces; these all are from the mid 50s!

There was so much more to see and I couldn't get pictures of it all because there were quite a few people enjoying the exhibit. There are some great photos of other dresses featured on the Brooklyn Museum website; be sure to have a look! And of course, if you're in the BK - go see for yourself!



Photos by Niki McNeill; courtesy of the Brooklyn Museum

3 k. wiley at the brooklyn museum

While in NYC, I made sure to check out the Brooklyn Museum. It was filled with a great collection of art from all over the world and I was thrilled to see one of my favorite artists; Kehinde Wiley. For those unfamiliar with his work, Kehinde fuses the practice of traditional Renaissance portraiture with Hip Hop culture. He's exhibited his larger than life all of the US & abroad, and has a permanent exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum. I love his work so much, I did my final paper in my History of Renaissance art class on him!



You may recognize this scene as it mirrors a famous portrait of Napoleon....


...this was inspired by the Sistine Chapel...


...and these paintings allude to archetypes found in religious art!





Although I believe these pieces are some of his earlier work, they give a great representation of his style. His work is definitely something to see in person because all his paintings are larger than life! To find an exhibit near you, please check out his website. And if you're ever in Brooklyn, do NOT pass up the chance to visit the Brooklyn Museum! There is more to come from my visit there... stay tuned!

BTW - Back when I used to do a "Link of the Day", I posted a link to an article about one of Kehinde's 2008 exhibits. Check it out here, and see what readers had to say about it! Very interesting.

Photos by Niki McNeill courtesy of the Brooklyn Museum

3 NYC recap coming soon!

I had a ball in NYC and my boyfriend took a ton of great pictures of the city. This week, I'll be posting about art, fashion and design inspired by my trip! In the meantime, here are a few photos to tease you.

Look for NYC themed posts starting tomorrow! Now excuse me while I go unpack...

1 new! lonny mag

image via table tonic

The latest issue of Lonny Magazine is now live online! This is quickly becoming my favorite home decor magazine, and it's just in time for the weekend. Click the cover above and enjoy! ;)

5 bachelor pad basement details

These are the key elements to the space I designed for the bachelor pad basement. My objective was to make the space feel modern, comfortable and not like a basement! I wanted to make sure there was plenty of seating without making the space feel cluttered. The products I used can be found at Target, Overstock.com, West Elm, Room & Board and the AphroChic Shop. If you love the AphroChic Haze Mimosa Pillow, be sure to enter the giveaway on Hello Splendor and you might just win one! For more information on Rachel Stewart's art, please check out her website.

If you or someone you know is interested in having a room designed, please contact me! I'd love to work with you. Email hello(at)nikimcneill(dot)com

6 bachelor pad basement design

A friend of mine has a gorgeous town home with a completely empty basement. He is a bachelor and has great taste, but with a job that requires him to travel, he hasn't had a lot of time to put together his large basement. We've talked about me designing the space for him and this is what I came up with. I happen to know that he loves the color red, and I wanted to feature the artwork of Rachel Stewart and throw in an AphroChic pillow!





Stay tuned for more details on the elements of the room, including where to buy, later this afternoon!