Kitchen Art

I got the new Crate and Barrel catalog and one thing that caught my eye was a couple of their new dish towels.  I love textiles and some of these are almost too beautiful just to be used as dish towels.  Frame them for some great art for the kitchen!  You know me... "elevating the everyday" right?  Well... doesn't get much more everyday than this.  :) 

(Canning Dish Towel from Crate and Barrel $5.95)

I knew I'd find some great pieces on etsy too!  There are sooo many, here are just a handful of my favorites.

For my fellow Pride and Prejudice fans, aren't these cute?  From brookish.

Love the colors and graphics on this one.  From avrilloreti

A sweet reminder.  From:  indobay

A great punch of color and pattern.  From: leahduncan

Happy Monday everyone!

Rug as Wall Art

(via urbanoutfitters.com)

I saw this rug  here and read the reviews on it. Love the pattern but... "faded quickly", looks thin... could this work as art?  Stapled around canvas or hung over a rod?  Yes, I think so!  You know, hanging tapestries has been around for centuries.  It measures 3' x 5' and for $34, why not?  I love the look of oversized art. 

I could definitely see it framed too, but don't know if I could find an economical frame that size.   Or... you could cover it with plexiglass like here.

What you think?  Crazy?

A Give Away! Wall Decals!

Thanks for all the great feedback with our finished shoe cabinet.  I have to say, one of my favorite elements is the number decals that I got from Leen the Graphics Queen.  Decals are great way to personalize any space.  They are inexpensive, easy to use, provide instant graphic punch and, once you're ready for something new, you just peel them off!

I'm so excited to be able to offer a $25 gift certificate to spend with Leen the Graphics Queen.  Leen has a great etsy shop with hundreds of beautiful designs!  Leen was so great to work with!  I didn't see exactly what I wanted in her shop so she created custom graphics for the shoe cabinet.

Here are some of my favorites from her shop:

TO ENTER GIVE AWAY:

1.  Go to Leen's etsy shop and then leave a comment on this post

about how you would use her decals to personalize your space.

*The contest will close at midnight next Thursday, March 31st. 

*One entry person

One random winner will be selected and will be posted on Friday, April 1st.

(No Aprils Fools jokes here.  :)

Good luck and I can't wait to hear about your great ideas!

Why It Works - Taking Risks

Hello!  Happy Monday!  I came across this photo and was reminded that good design really means taking a risk.  This room may not seem edgey to many of you, but for me, an everyday decorator, I was was inspired by the boldness of the artwork and rug.  Any room that makes you say "wow", evokes that response because it has something unexpected.  I love how Candice Olson puts it, "good design is knowing the rules and knowing when to break them".



(via lonnymag.com)



WHY IT WORKS:

• Artwork.  Go BIG!  What sings to you?  Buy it big or blow it up.
• Rug.  Black and white works.  I can't take my eyes off the rug.  I like how they paired a graphic rug with a glass coffee table so that it doesn't take away from the pattern. 
• Mantle styling.  Here's a great inspiration for how to style a mantle.  A big, beautiful mirror and simple candle sticks.  Elegant and chic.

INSPIRATION:

• In a world full of beautiful patterns and colors, black and white STILL works!  White walls and black accents.  Easy to do.  Notice the touches of black are spread throughout the room to keep your eye moving around the whole space.
• Bold prints/photos in simple frames.  The RIBBA frame from IKEA is my go to wall frame.  They are affordable, simple and clean.  Large wall frames can get very pricey.
• When you go bold with one element, it works to keep everything else simple.  Notice there aren't many tschochkes to distract the eye.  In other words, EDIT.

IKEA FRIDAYS - Meet UNG DRILL

I was looking for artwork at IKEA, when I ran across UNG DRILL.  It was love at first sight!  What a great find!  This frame will provide instant graphic and designer punch to any room and looks like it would cost much more than $29.99!




This frame looks great just on its own, or it could be used a as a bulletin/message board with chalkboard paint, cork or fabric.  The possibilities are endless, especially if you want to get creative with spray paint.  Here's some great inspirational photos!  Check out the last photo with the mirror.  Beautiful!



(image from ikea.com)




(image from orangebeautiful.com)



(image from orangebeautiful.com)




(image from thekidsroomdecor.com)




(image from sunset.com)

 

Whew!  What a busy week!  Make the most of your weekend!

See you on Monday!

Craft Fair Favorites

Well, here's my post about some of my favorites from the Craft Fair this past weekend.  It seems like these fairs are getting more and more popular, because boy, was it crowded!  Good thing I got there early, but it was not a place for strollers, let alone a jogging stroller!  Unfortunately, I couldn't meander around too long.

But it is always good to get inspired and see what cool ideas are brewing out there.  Here are a few that I saw!

First, Maluhia Designs had some adorable stuff!  She had all sorts of bags, wallets, pouches made with these ADORABLE fabrics!  I think my favorite were these dresses!  TOO CUTE!  Check out her site here.

I also loved these prints from Jill Bliss.  The colors and designs were gorgeous!  Obviously the pictures don't them just justice.  This is a GREAT source for beautiful and original artwork for any room!  I love that her prints are made to fit a 16 x 20" IKEA Ribba Frame too.  Visit her @ http://www.jillbliss.com/

Another great find was Moufelt!  They create some amazing stuff with felt!  They were so busy, I could only snag this one picture.  I particularly loved these runners and they had great trivets too!  These would look awesome on a table or I was thinking about framing them!  The runner would look great in a simple frame.  Imagine in it a dining room!  The trivets would be great framed as a set of 4 too!  This is the type of stuff that make people say, "Where did you get that?" Check them out @ http://www.moufelt.com/

I also loved the prints from Matthew Porter Art.  His monkey prints are very popular, but this year his bird prints really caught my eye!  I love how graphic they are!  Beautiful colors!  I can't choose just one!  Check him out @ http://www.matthewporterart.com/.

Before I left, I got a snack at Sweet Dahlia Baking!  YUMMY!!  I tried a couple of her goodies and they were all good!  My favorite was her Macadamia Nut Butterscotch Brownies.  LOVED IT!  Crunchy, sweet, and salty!  Check her out @  http://www.sweetdahlliabaking.blogspot.com/. 

And there you go!  :) 

A Craft Fair

I'm excited to be checking out this craft fair this weekend.  If you're in the Seattle area, this is a great one to check out!  I love how crafting has become a bit "cooler" in recent years... either that or I'm just getting older.  :P  Seriously though... you'll find really cool pieces of artwork, home decor, clothing, jewelery, food and all sorts of real cool stuff for your home.  All of it is handmade locally.  I love the idea of supporting local artists pursuing their passion!  And this is the kind of fair that has items all price points.  I really don't like going to art shows where everything is out of my price range.  No fun!  :P 

So...  if you have time this weekend, check it out.  Most of the artists there also have etsy sites, so next week I'll be sure to post some of my favorites!

WHY IT WORKS - Gallery Walls

I love how putting anything in a frame can make it special!  They make an even greater impact when you assemble the frames and make a gallery wall.  Take it one step further... I love it when the gallery is in a front hall or entrance.  What a great way to tell your story to anyone who enters your home!  It's what makes a house, a home.  These inspiration photos do just that. 

WHY IT WORKS: 

Lauren over at Pure Style Home created this beautiful entry in her home.  First of all, don't you love the color of her door?  Second, those frames sure make an impact when you enter.  Click here for details on how she created her entry. 

(image from purestylehome.com)

 
Next, this photo is of Nicole's entry from her blog, Meohmy.  These are all family photos that have been placed in simple IKEA frames.  I love how she arranged them and how she can continue to add to her gallery!  Click here to read more.



(images from meohmy.com)


Our 3rd inspiration photo comes from Paige over at paigeknudsen.blogspot.com.  Nicely done isn't it?  Paige did a great job of showing how she created this look.  Click here.

INSPIRATION:

• Something that all these photos have in common is their scale.  Go bold!  Too often, we see photo galleries composed of frames that are too small. 
• White mats!  They make anything look beautiful, polished and important. 
• Frames.  Good sources for inexpensive frames are IKEA, Target, and Aaron Brothers, especially when A.B. has their penny sale!

Creating a gallery wall does not mean spending a lot of money.  There is beauty all around you in books, nature, photographs, mementos...  Where do you find beauty and joy?

This is will be my next home improvement project!  Maybe yours too?  :)