chic little me

urban chic

2012-01-24T15:11:00.000-08:00

It's hard to believe that Valentine's day is just around the corner! Being in the V-day spirit, I though that I would start early and think up some cool things from my favorite stores that would make an awesome Valentine's package (or rather things that I would love to get on a special - or even not so special day). Oh and let's keep it under $50, cause I'm cheap like that. The first one is from Urban Outfitters (sale items of course).

I'm pretty sure any lovely lady would love to have this ensemble. The heart necklace is adorable, and long enough to add some edginess to any outfit. The bust is awesome to hold all those pretty trinkets that are too beautiful to put away. The wallet is pure diva - you can't go wrong with a dash of faux fur and leather! As for the doggie, I've been needing a USB splitter for some time. My external hard drive, wireless keyboard, and mouse are always connected, so there must be other peeps out there like me! And finally, the rhinestone necklace is just plain classy. Any thoughts?

Heart Necklace .............$6.99
Grecian Goddess .........$14.99
Faux Fur Wallet .............$6.99
Dog USB Splitter ...........$6.99
Rhinestone Necklace ... $14.99

Total: $50.95! Okay, I went a little over my goal by 95 cents, but it would be a small price to pay to qualify for Urban Outfitter's free shipping.

ten dollar flowers

2012-01-19T14:00:00.000-08:00

So I have a new obsession. It's called the picking-up-cheap-fresh-flowers-from-Kroger-and-decorating- our-apartment-with-them obsession. About once or twice a month I stroll through Kroger looking for some discounted bouquets and spend a little time arranging them all pretty like. This time I picked up two $3 bunches, and one $4 bunch for a total of $10 spent. Yep, I'm cheap and crafty! Look how many I got!

I thought this time I wouldn't have enough vases to handle my bounty, but I realized that I had some empty vases on display in our Billy, which totally solved the problem.

And how many arrangements did I manage to get out of $10? Seventeen!

Yes 1-7! I was so delighted to be able to spread them around the house.

Here's couple in our coffee table slot and the side tables.

And here are a few close ups.

This one lives in our bedroom on my dresser.

This one went on the occasional table.

Our "Kartell" units.

Our tv stand.

The faux bar

Billy

The dining room table

So what do you say? Is that $10 well spent, or what? I can't wait to do something like this for a party!

better mornings

2012-01-18T15:04:00.000-08:00

I must admit, work as an IKEA interior designer has been pretty awesome thus far. Last week I got the opportunity to help out with a project that my co-worker, Activities Specialist, Michelle had been diligently working on before I joined the team. Our store was asked to create some cost-efficient solutions for giving your home a facelift for the new year, and the vignette Michelle designed was featured on CBS's Better Mornings Atlanta!

As you know, no other place on earth takes cost efficiency more serious than IKEA, so you know we rose to the occasion. I delighted to lend a helping hand with executing the build-up and breakdown of the design AND I got to check out the behind the scenes shenanigans!

The raw space was really cool. It had curved walls and of course, super bright lights. Michelle said that the challenge was creating the vignette within an 8x8 space, and not being able to place anything on the walls.

Here are some of the items being brought in and set up.

That's Michelle below in the trademark yellow.

Here's the finished space. I love fabric in the glass doors and the color pallet is something that is so unexpected, but it looks great - and of course screams IKEA. Besta media storage and the Ektorp sofa were the main players here, followed by Kassett organization boxes, an Isala coffee table, and a Lantliv plant stand, which is shown here as a side table.

So to recap what this vignette teaches us about giving your space a facelift:

Adding fabric behind glass doors can freshen up your storage
Adding or changing hardware can breathe new life into any unit
Storage boxes are great for controlling the clutter
Coordinating frames can take a sea of pictures and turn them into a gallery
Fabric sofas with washable, removable slipcovers gives you lots of options
If you don't have a slipcover, pillows allow you to change color schemes and add texture
Don't be afraid to re-purpose your existing pieces (Michelle turned this plant stand into a side table)

And because I couldn't resist myself, here are some cool shots of the camera guy doin' his thang.

And here I am with my coworkers Michelle who designed the vignette, and Deidre, our Local Marketing Specialist who was actually featured live on the show.

I was really grateful for the opportunity to help with a project outside of the store so early on in my position, and it was a pleasure to work with these ladies. Here's a link to the clip on CBS if you want to check it out!

life improvement - VOTE

2012-01-05T18:56:00.000-08:00

Remember IKEA's Life Improvement Project that I talked about here? Well, now is the time, People! Our project is one of three that was chosen to possibly represent our store. All we have to do is get great people like you to vote for it. I never ask for favors from my readers, but if you could do me a solid this one time I would really appreciate it! And if you can, make a daily thing of it, you know - when you wake up in the morning, vote. And when you see a friend, tell them to vote. And if you see your cousin, your sister, or your grandmother (who definitely knows how to text) tell them to vote too. Think about all the good that can come from it! Thanks so much for all your support!

good cheer

2011-12-31T15:30:00.000-08:00

I hope that everyone enjoyed their holiday season! I just wanted to share some tidbits from Christmas! This year, I decided to get a little creative with wrapping gifts.

Since I was still on my "use what you have" kick, I ending up using brown kraft paper, yarn, and ribbon. Here they are all nestled under the tree.

Christmas was an intimate setting. My mommy and I cooked for Brandon. Nothing special. Just candlelight, family, and food. Everything was pretty low-key, but lovely.

Hope you guys enjoyed yourselves as well, and Happy New Year!

Let's do it EVEN BIGGER this year!

on occasion

2011-12-19T06:36:00.000-08:00

Just recently I decided to give the inset in our dining area a little makeover. I'm sure that you remember the dining situation from our previous apartment. Well, to say the least, the PS cabinet was a little small for our current living dining area (and we no longer needed the storage because our kitchen is much bigger). So I decided to put the cabinet in the office, and switch it out with something a little more daring and proportional to the space. I measured the space at a whopping 79", so I thought, why not a Malm occasional table... in orange of course.

What can I say? I'm a sucker for a pop of color!

When my hubby took it out of the box, he asked with a puzzle face, "Baby, is this the right color?"

"Yes!" I said confidently. "It's actually supposed to be orange".

"Okay..." he replied.

I must admit, it was a tad bit hilarious. (You had to be there.) But he definitely trusts my pure awesomeness.

It was after 6pm when he put it together, so please excuse the dark pictures. I was determined to get a before and after photo. But don't worry, they get better below. As you can see, the table almost fills the space completely. It's also on tiny, little wheels, so it's easy to move around within a moment's notice.

Here's it all lit up. Pretty awesome, right?

I think as time goes on I'll switch up the art and accessories. I also finally found a home for our PS Karljohan stool, which has the coveted job of holding some of my favorite books.

The orange really gives a burst of energy to the space, and wouldn't you know it, Tangerine Tango is Pantone's Color of 2012. Just call me a little color forecaster!

room 82

2011-12-05T18:54:00.001-08:00

When I was 22, three months after I graduated from college, I became a kitchen planner for IKEA. Over the last two years I have wanted nothing more than to graduate from the kitchens department, and become an interior designer for the store. On December 5th, my dream finally became reality when I was offered the position. Words simply can not express how grateful I am for this opportunity!

My experience as a kitchen seller (the title and responsibilities changed over time to accommodate volume selling) has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life, as well as the most challenging. I've sold literally hundreds of kitchens, helped thousands of people, and somehow managed to stay sane the entire time. Working retail in and of itself is a hard job, but working retail at IKEA is a whole different ball game, one I played for 28 months. It did however have its wonderful moments. Selling kitchens gave me platform to help people change their lives, and frankly, what designer could ask for more?

Though I've gone through more than I could ever explain, all of the craziness has been totally worth it. God has blessed me with the most amazing group of individuals (our kitchen's team is the best, and we know it) and I've grown so much spiritually and emotionally. Brandeis, Michelle, Tavis, Ronney, Aisha, Octavia, Charlotte, Nadine, Conan, Kim, Kareemah, Shay, Cammy -you guys are the reason I can call this experience the best one I've ever had. Thank you for accepting me, teaching me, laughing with me, and being the best people I have ever had the pleasure of working with! Now it's time for a new challenge: collaborate with a new group of people, and create the solutions that inspire people to change their lives.

Below is the room revitalization plan that I put together for my second interview. Room 82 was a sad, but rather large room that featured one of our top-selling door styles, Adel White. It was totally in need of uplifting, so the interior design manager proposed the challenge of revitalizing the room to the last 3 potential candidates. I was told that my project plus my passion sealed the deal. :)

The first two pages shed light on my design intent

I then broke down each area of the room and recommended changes in products. Everything on the walls lacked balance, and over time this room had become a catch-all space for discontinued products and orphan pieces of furniture. "We can't put this anywhere else, how about Room 82?"

The buffet area looked so sad and the artwork felt totally disconnected from the piece below it. Also, the drawer unit was completely un-propped. Trust, customers will not spend $499 on a unit like this and leave it empty. It needed function.

The kids area was the worst of all. Again, I wanted to incorporate more balance and even a little bit of sophistication and flexibility. If children in this family are constantly creating artwork, then their masterpieces will accumulate rather quickly. I like the idea of being able to leisurely change them out.

The office area was something completely new to the space. This area was indicated in the work brief, but never implemented in the kitchen's design. I did sales research on the black sideboard to justify moving it out of the room altogether. It's actually our #2 best seller, so it wasn't going to be detrimental to take it out and make room for an office space. I wanted to incorporate a little nook where the parents could slide a chair over from the table and start working. A desk didn't feel right for the space, so I specified a work shelf with drawers.

The hardest part of this project was sifting through the thousands of products that we sell and finding the best ones that fit within the assigned style group and color scheme. Primary colors with a cream door style is a challenge.This collage gives the overall impression for revitalization.

And here's a bigger rendering.

I start my new job in January, and could not be more excited! Best of all, Monday-Friday 7am-3pm, so you should be seeing a lot more of me. I can't wait to be more creative at work, and have more awesome things to blog about. Moral of the story: God is so good, and ALWAYS works things out in his own time! New year, new job! Holla!

holly jolly

2011-12-05T18:52:00.001-08:00

I was so proud of myself this year. For the first time, I put the Christmas tree up right after Thanksgiving. Check it out!

This year we decided to place it right next to the tv. You know, for maximum exposure. Bedsides, that blank corner was definitely begging for more. Last year the tree was in the sunroom and we barely got to enjoy it.

Because the tree is black it has a pretty modern vibe, it coordinates nicely with our living room decor. I'm not really a fan of the traditional red and green Christmas, so colors like turquoise, lime green, hot pink, and purple are more of my style. Can't wait to finally start putting some gifts underneath it.

I also decided to hang our wreaths this year on either side of the sofa.

And our apartment complex had a holiday door decorating contest. Of course our door was our favorite.

I used green painter's tape and a bow that I purchased last year. It took me about an hour-and-a-half. Cheap chic, or what? Brandon and I decided not to spend any money on the contest because the prize was a $50 Target gift card, and if we spent any money it would just defeat the purpose of winning money. Ya know? The winner of the door decorating contest was a couple who wrapped their door, created a Christmas tree and presents with construction paper and a "Merry Christmas" header. Am I hating? Maybe just a little. (Shrugs) But shout out to the winners! Those are some pretty nice diamonds though... What about you guys? Any awesome holiday decor you wanna share? I love sharing! Send me some links!

poppy love

2011-12-05T18:47:00.001-08:00

When we moved into our place, I kept thinking about how tall and open everything was (which I love). But knew that I needed to work a little harder to make this apartment feel warm, welcoming, and fun. This wall in our kitchen is such a huge focal point, so I wanted to do it up right. Truth be told, I wanted to forgo hanging photos or ordinary kitchen art, and go with something that was a show stopper. Enter Slatthult wall stickers.

Before

After

A couple of my co-workers asked me how I was able to get the stems so long. I actually used a combination of about two packs. My lovely friend Brandeis did poppies in her half bathroom and had two flowers and an abundance of stems left over. I love that I was able to take advantage of the height. The flower coming out of the tile was Brandon's idea, and I must say that he always has this way of tweaking my ideas to make them even better. Oh, and because putting together something like this is always a trial and error sort of thing, I invite you to poke fun at me in the time lapse video. What? Rae does time lapse videos for her blog now? Yeah she does. Gotta step my game up.

Let me preface the video with this:
I had just gotten home from work.
Brandon was cooking me dinner (cue the awww...)
Next time I'll figure out how to add music. :)

And in case you were wondering about what else is going on in our kitchen, here's some more action.

The tile and countertop are awesome, but they too felt a little blah. The outlet plates were just screaming, so I softened the look with some art and photos. Did I mention that we have way more kitchen than we are accustomed to using?

It's coming along, guys. I'll be sharing more soon!

sweet november

2011-12-05T14:57:00.001-08:00

Sorry that I've been a little MIA! I've been grinding so hard that I've neglected my little blog, but I'm back in the saddle and ready to share some more cool stuff with you guys! Brandon and I hosted our first Thanksgiving with the help of my fabulous mommy, and it turned out pretty awesome! We cooked up a feast, and I decorated like a fiend. Call me crazy, but I HAD to buy some fresh flowers for our place. It all started with a bouquet of sunflowers and an assorted fall bunch from Kroger.

I bought little Ovantad vases to hold them, which actually turned out to be ultra cute.

Here is the the table (fully extended) before it was dressed for company.

Since I'm still on that "work with what you have" kick, I decided to use a runner that I bought in Target's 1 spot a long time ago. I also incorporated some bamboo place mats that were once used as Brandon's headboard that I designed in college (yeah, I was thrifty). Check out the texture through the acrylic chairs!

The disk tea light holders were also Brandon's from college. He was quite a mood-setter!

Here's the fam getting their grub on. It actually worked out great because all six of them were able to eat at the table, and Brandon, my mom, and I ate in the living room. Some might think that this was bad for conversation. But it's good to note that dinner was almost a completely silent affair. It's an old Southern belief that when it's quiet at the dinner table, the food is doing all the talking! Everything was delicious, if I do say so myself!

I also bought a set of PS candle holders. They're little ceramic links for an added touch of "decor swag".

The small vases with carnations are actually clear double shot glasses. Keepin' it classy!

I used my acrylic vase to make a little statement in our coffee table's nook.

The tv stand wasn't safe either! I topped it off with another shot glass, another Ovantad, and a glass gummy bear jar that Brandon got from the W Hotel. Recognize the mirror, Kelley? :)

All in all, it was so fun to sweeten up our little place, and I made a mental note that I MUST buy more vases. You can never have too many fresh flowers in your place. It makes your home feel special, and believe it or not, all of the assorted ones are still alive (rest in piece, sunflowers). They were all definitely worth the $14 trip to Kroger. Me thinks this will be an entertaining staple from now on. Oh, and thanks for stopping by! Hope your Thanksgiving was just as wonderful as mine! :)

Light collaboration pt. 2

2011-11-10T05:50:00.001-08:00

So my hubby was such a busy bee yesterday! I came home to a living room that's really shaping up!

Not only did he hang our tv, he also installed our hybrid light fixture!

Pretty awesome, huh? I loved the way it turned out.
Especially how you can see just a little sliver of the Knappa pendant from the side. Here's a close-up.

Yep, I'm the brainchild behind this masterpiece!

Some might wonder where I got the idea to stack our "Kartell" units. Enter inspiration photo.

How cute is that? Anyhoo, back to the living room.

Oh, and the awesome red lounge chair? Her name is Luna, I got her out of As-is.

She's corduroy, fabulous, and in pristine condition. Luna is now Brandon's favorite chair, which was a relief because she was totally another impulse buy (At $95, she was a steal). Wait, I think everything found in As-is is an impulse buy, but I digress...P.S. Luna's a much better alternative than the typical "Man chair", so we're both beyond happy. Hope our living room brought a smile your face. It totally made by Wednesday! :)

lack thereof

2011-11-07T11:33:00.000-08:00

One of the challenges I faced since moving to our new place is finding a perfect spot for all the miscellaneous things we had in our old place. While frantically unpacking and putting things away, I came up with what I consider a pretty awesome space-saving idea. Check out these side tables.

I bought these green side tables during the '09 college sale at Target, and I must say - they've been nomads from the very beginning. We used them in our sun room, living room, and in the office at one time to hold our printer. Because we no longer have room for them in our new place (we have a coffee table and end tables in our living room) I had to get creative about finding a space for them. Check out what I came up with.

Above are the night stands in our bedroom (Lack tables that I swore myself I'd get rid of). But how freakin' awesome is it that these little side tables are just small enough slide underneath?

The best part is that my hubby (who is notorious for bringing all sorts of electronics to bed) can slide the little side table out, giving him an extra surface in which to work. After realizing how incredibly easy it is to jazz up a Lack table, I have been thinking about keeping ours for a little while longer. Initially I thought they were a pretty inexpensive and temporary route to go as far as night stands were concerned, but I'm starting to realize the value of re-working what you have. Call it my attempt at up-cycling. So, we'll see that kind of magic I can conjure up with our little Lacks. I'm thinking of possibly skirting them, or even using little decorative corners like this (possibly in a nickel finish) to dress them up. The possibilities are literally endless, and I'm well overdue for a new diy adventure!

spongey

2011-11-06T18:24:00.000-08:00

As a blogger, I am constantly keeping up with other design blogs. Because after all, to be the best, it doesn't hurt to study the best. That's why I was soooo thrilled when I saw this sign while visiting West Elm two weeks ago.

For those of you who aren't familiar with Design*Sponge, let's just call it one of the most popular design blogs on Mother Earth. Seriously. The blog covers everything from interior and furniture design to awesome recipes and diy adventures. Anyhoo, I was totally excited to see that Grace Bonney was going to be here in Atlanta for a book signing. Her book, Design*Sponge at Home, has proved to be somewhat of a design bible for eager designers and bloggers like myself.

For those of you who want fresh ideas for your home, I would definitely pick up a copy. I got mine at Barnes and Noble, but if you can wait a few days, I would say order it on Amazon and it'll save you at least 10 bucks. But hey, I get "exclusive content" with my book, so who's complaining?

Here I am with Design*Sponge creator Grace Bonney for a quick pic.

Of course I had to invite my friend Jessica along for the ride. Here we are having a little too much fun at the smile booth for the event. Anyone who frequents West Elm also knows that it's nearly impossible to visit the store without being inspired by something! Here's my latest obsession - table settings.

Monochromatic

Woodsy

The reason for the season

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, I really want to spice things up a bit and dress the table. You know, try something a little different from the huge family get-together involving paper plates, disposable cutlery, and eating dinner in your lap (although that route does tend to be less fussy, more convenient, and filled with lots of loving family and friends). Maybe this year we might try something a little more intimate. I'm hoping that a combination of dinner, drinks, and decor swag will prove to be completely awesome in our "city chic" apartment (Shout out to Jess for the naming our place). Besides, we still have wedding place settings that we haven't even opened yet. How exciting is that? Okay, maybe I'm the only one excited about it, but still...

life improvement

2011-10-24T08:04:00.000-07:00

***Update: To vote for our project text LIFE66 to 62345. You can vote once a day until January 20th! Thanks for all of your support!

As a part of our big Life Improvement Project, IKEA has decided to give each store $10,000 to make a difference in their local community. The premise of the project is for co-workers to partner up, choose a worthy organization, figure out their needs, and show our steering committee what we would do with 10 grand. From the collected submissions, the store would then vote on which project they wanted to see the money go towards.

To be honest, I didn't think too much about joining the effort until my good friend Brandeis (a.k.a. our marketing, networking, project manager extraordinaire) who is all about saving the world, asked me to join her in developing a project to submit. And let me tell you, I am so glad that she did because not only is Brandeis a natural go-getter, she really wants to make this world a better place, and her positive energy is constantly rubbing off on everyone around her. I'm so glad that we decided to tackle this together.

The organization we decided on is called the Gateway Center, which is located in downtown Atlanta. Not only does this homeless shelter provide tangible resources to those in need, they also provide many invaluable services such as additional temporary and permanent housing solutions, mental health counseling, and job training.

A portion of our $10,000 went towards a children's area that was in total need of some sprucing up. Brandeis and I agreed that it could possibly help our chances of winning the project if we included a rendering of what one of the areas could really be.

Of course the Life Improvement Project also serves as a way to expose our community to the IKEA brand, so we specified all of our own products.

Here is the Children's area in it's current state. We definitely want to introduce new, clean products

and add a touch of whimsy to this lack-luster space.

I simply can not thank Brandeis enough for asking me to be apart of this project. It really helped me tap into some skills that I haven't used in a while (like CAD, 3-D modeling and hand rendering). I really felt like I was using what I learned in school to potentially make lives better. I mean, isn't that the point? Don't we all want to change the world? Interior Design is my passion, and this project made me remember how important it is to stay on my grind. Now we wait to see if our project gets chosen. Keep your fingers crossed! :)

***Update: To vote for our project text LIFE66 to 62345. You can vote once a day until January 20th! Thanks for all of your support!

light collaboration

2011-10-20T08:57:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had a crush on something for your home but you could never find a place for it? Well, I've always been in love with the Knappa pendant, but I really didn't know where I would hang it. There's just something about the shape that's so classy to me.

Insert the Jara shade that I had been meaning to take back (I bought it as a substitute for my Regolit lamp shade, but alas it was too heavy). I eventually decided to keep the shade and hang it in our living room because it's the only space in our apartment that came wired and capped. Then, while browsing after work the a few days ago I was greeted with this scene.

Suddenly, a light bulb went off in my head (no pun intended). What if I combined the shade and the pendant to make one light fixture, like a nod to a modern shaded chandelier?

So I tried it out! And I must say - they look as if they were MADE for each other. I can't wait to hang it (or rather, I can't wait for my hubby to hang it!) Because the Knappa comes with a plug-in light kit, I am now on the hunt for an inexpensive hardwired pendant kit so that it can be hung in our living room. I was thinking of something simple like this.

Of course I'm excited to show you how awesome everything turns out when it's all unwrapped and installed.. Stay tuned for the madness!

adding some pizazz

2011-10-09T18:34:00.000-07:00

One day before I had to go to work I decided that I would fix up the living room a little bit so that it would start to look a little more like home.

I started by adding a slipcover one of our existing pillows. It's a cutie pie cover that I picked up at CB2 a little while back for a couple of dollars. The pillow cover really added some oomph to the sofa. I'm loving the mix of all the different pillows (the sequined ones are my fav).

Side note, check out our coffee table! Yep, it's the slot coffee table from CB2, the one that I mourned here. Brandon and I stopped by CB2 the same day that we went to MODA, and lo-and-behold they were having a sample sale. Hiding underneath a blanket and a pouf was Slot, and I nearly flipped out! And the best part was that he was only $135 (originally $299). The best part was he was virtually untouched, so it practically looked brand new. I was delighted.

The next thing I did to the space was vacuum and lay down our two rugs from Urban Outfitters. I fluffed the seams so that it looks like one giant rug.

Then I started thinking, "What am I going to do with these ottomans?" It was my intention to place them in our walk-in closets, but when I got my Missoni pouf, that idea totally went out the window. I'm still up in the air about using one of them for Brandon's closet. He actually refers to the vinyl as plastic (in an I-don't-really-care-for-these-ottomans) sort of way, so I may come up with something a little cooler for his space. In any case I figured that they could always be used as extra seating if we entertained, but in the mean time I didn't want the ottomans just stacked up in the corner. So I placed one on either side of the sofa to hold lamps. Then a light bulb went off (in my head that is).

Because the ottomans are tufted (and therefore not level) I added the square mirrors that I used in my old bathroom. It just worked out that they happened to be right size. Plus I love the idea of light being reflected back up into the room when the lamps are on. Pretty good for a temporary solution eh?

After creating end tables, I placed our Dolce chairs on either side of the coffee table. I'm thinking that I'll need to hunt down some new pillows for the chairs that are comfy enough to stay put when people are sitting up against them. All in all, that's all I really had time for this particular Thursday morning, so it's pretty good for now. But believe me, I have lots more in store for this space, so stay tuned.

kitchen comparison

2011-10-07T06:57:00.000-07:00

Today I thought I would share some photos of our new place. We still have lots of Home Depot boxes and IKEA blue bags (yes, we work for competitors) everywhere, but I thought it would be fun to show you some tidbits, starting with the kitchen.

Here's a shot of our kitchen just as we started moving everything in (notice the CB2 bags on the floor).

Here is the frightening after. Besides the phenomenal finishes, the cabinet space is way more generous than our old place. Honestly I'm not sure if we'll even fill every cabinet.

This is the kitchen a few days in. I made just a touch of progress so that I could finally cook dinner for my boo (our first meal was chicken stir fry). Let's just say that I played the box shuffling game to make that meal happen. Since that episode, I've slowly but surely been putting things away.

P.S. How awesome is it that we have pantry?

And I absolutely love the freezer on the bottom. It makes getting ice a little more special. Oh, and check out the computer monitor on the floor. His name is Dell.

Funny story: No matter where he is, he's always facing down and away from everyone in the room - yes, like he's on punishment. Brandon, you should be ashamed...

Anyhoo, just in case you guys were wondering what kind of major upgrade this kitchen has been for my hubby and me, just check out our old kitchen. Tile-inspired wall-paper, silver mist appliances, laminate countertops (not that laminate can't be nice, ours just wasn't in the best condition), and 24" wall cabinets - okay I'm being generous, 22" wall cabinets, and no, the shelves were NOT adjustable.

And the free-standing range on the opposite of our opening instead of a slide-in range was just blasphemous! Notice our attempt to cover it with old wine bottles.Oh, do I love life's little design challenges. I swear I spent the life of our lease trying to figure out why the range wasn't against the wall and the plumbing wasn't floated for sink. But hey, I sell kitchens for a living, so I may be a touch harder on this little kitchen than most people I know.

All in all, I can say that God is good. He has given us the means to move from an eighties apartment in the woods to a "deluxe apartment in the sky (movin' on up...)" We feel so blessed! My dream has always been to live and work in a big city, and I was finally able to cross that off of my 43 things. So what do you think?

P.S. If you haven't started a 43 things list, maybe you should too. :)

me and my missoni

2011-10-03T19:55:00.000-07:00

I have to admit, I was pretty bummed when I waltzed into Target the same afternoon that Missoni hit the shelves. I looked upon the empty shelves in horror thinking, "Really? It's all gone? All of it?"

As my hubby said, this person who owns this room must have gotten there first.

Yeah, it sucked. I guess I should have realized how big of a deal it was when I inadvertently logged on to Target's website early that morning to check out something random. I say "something random" because for the life of me I can't remember what it was. All I remember was that their website was down... so far down that a screen with the little Target doggie appeared and said, " We're a little busy right now, but I'll try to get you in as soon as possible".

I swear that's what he said; like he was a bouncer or something.(Hey, he might be a she, so let me not pass judgment.) Then I went to Apartment Therapy's website and saw a post explaining that Target's website was down because Missoni had just dropped it like it was hot. True story. Well, I ad-libbed a bit, but you get the idea.

Anyhoo, I leisurely made my way out to the Target in Atlantic Station - how dumb of me to go to the one in the middle of the city - but long story short, everything was pretty much gone. A Target employee sprinkling a Missoni display with the leftovers caught my horrified expression and told me that they opened at 8am and that by 8:05am everything was gone. He then told me that I could try back later because they MIGHT be getting more merchandise. Key word being "might" (obviously). So I left without taking anything home with me. Call me selective.

Flash forward a week later. I was browsing Target's website and amidst all of the "currently out of stock" Missoni stuff, I found something amazing. Insert the coolest ottoman ever.

At $99, it was saying "Buy me... buy me before I'm gone."

I ignored the impulse and lived a few more days without it. After about 3 days I checked Target's website and it was still there. I knew that I could wait no longer, so I told my hubby that I wanted it, in nonchalant sort of way, so as not to sound too desperate.

His response, "Buy it."

So of course I did. Like an obedient little wife should. With a discount and free shipping, I ended up spending $101.77. Not bad for a zig-zag pentagonal pouf. Where did I plan to put it? In my new walk-in closet of course!

Flash forward to a week later. While visiting Brandon's Auntie, I had got a hold of the Target in Hiram - which was virtually untouched. I snagged 2 boxes, a cosmetics bag which I plan to rock as a clutch (call me a rebel) and a shower curtain. BTW, eBay sellers are selling the same pouf for upwards of $250, and the shower curtain for as much as $100. Really eBay? Okay, whatever.

Check out that loot!

Did I mention that's it's going to look pretty awesome in my new closet? This is just a test to make sure that you're paying attention. In other news... our new place is the jam! Fill you in on the next post! :)

rags to riches

2011-09-16T05:36:00.000-07:00

On average, I would say that I make an online visit to Urban Outfitters about once a week. I'm always looking for super cool, hipster stuff to buy for our apartment. But truth be told, I always see awesome stuff, but lack the cash flow to shop like a hipster. Sure I've bought little trinkets and such (socks, hair accessories, etc.) but I've never found a deal in their apartment section worthy of spending MY deceased presidents. Then out of nowhere, while browsing the sale section, my impulse buy instinct kicked in ... in the form of a rug.

Not that I was actually looking for a funky little rug, I just figured it would be awesome to have a high-pile rug over the low-pile carpet in our next place. But I WAS a little hesitant. I knew that there was nothing I could really do with a 3x5 rug - at least not for our seating area. Then I thought to myself, "Self, what about putting two rugs together? It's a rag rug, so wouldn't the seam be virtually invisible?" After completing this conversation with myself (all in my head, I assure you) I took a leap of confidence and snagged two 3x5 rugs for our future living room. Dollars spent? The rugs were on sale for $14.99 ($13.49 each with a 10% off coupon code) + $10 standard shipping for a total of $39.20. Not that 5x6 rugs are super common, but you know me, I'll make it work.

When it arrived, I couldn't wait to check out my bounty.

Would you have ever known there was seam there if I didn't expose the secret?

Here's a wider shot. It's actually pretty big, and quite possibly the comfiest rug I've ever laid on. As a matter of fact, I'm sure Chris Cottrell wouldn't mind spending a night on it. Would you believe that I got the rugs delivered the very next day and I only paid for standard shipping? Yeah, the world is just full of amazement. Oh, and is that a coffee table in the background??? More on that later! :)

Here's a close-up of the rug. The colors are way more vibrant than I could've ever pictured. I think it's going to serve as a pretty nice inspiration for the color scheme of our new place. Wouldn't you agree? How about you? Have you recently made an impulse buy for your current or future place? I'd love to hear about it, and thanks for stopping by! :)

making room

2011-08-31T11:43:00.000-07:00

It's quite an understatement to say I've been putting a little thought into how I want to arrange our new apartment. I've been looking for new furniture, pinning endless possibilities on Pinterest, and of course sketching. Here's a sneak peak at the floor plan that I've been playing around with.

What I find most interesting about this move is that we will already have most of our furniture, whereas with our first place, we were committing to a space without owning anything. This layout is just a rough sketch, but it really helped me think logically about places for the things that we already own. Here's a breakdown:

Just like our first place, we will be having two bedrooms and two baths. One bedroom will be used as an office. Also, I've always heard that having separate bathrooms can only help a marriage, and I must admit - so far, so good.
Brandon will also have a walk-in closet this time around instead of closet with by-folding doors. Perhaps this will solve our 95% messy office situation. :)
I'm thinking that we may end up extending our dining table if we have the space. We've never used the leaf because our current space worked so well with a circular dining table. Perhaps this place warrants the oval look.
The floor plan depicts a bar off the kitchen, but to my knowledge it's just 2 or 3 inch overhang (at least it was in the model) so that's why there are no bar stools.
Speaking of dining table, I have also been thinking about how I can spice up that dining nook. I'm thinking of an occasional table over the P.S. Cabinet with matching lamps, or perhaps placing some seating in the nook, and scooting the dining table up to create a cute banquette-type situation.
We don't actually own a chaise lounge (it's always been a dream of mine) but I think it would be extra cute, especially since my boo likes to sit so close to the television when he plays video games. My only concern is that the seat height clears the remote sensor.
Our bedroom is a touch smaller than the one that we currently have, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we won't feel claustrophobic around our dressers. I actually moved our full-length mirror to the hallway near the office to make room. I'm a little sad about it, but I'm sure it'll work out.
As far as the kitchen runner, bar cart, stacked Kartell units, coffee table, and patio furniture go, consider those as future posts! :)

waterdream pt. 2

2011-08-30T06:05:00.000-07:00

I told you that I would be back to talk about the awesome advertising campaign for MODA's Waterdream bathroom exhibit. Well, what screams bathrooms more than a rubber ducky?

Picture a sea of rubber duckies dispersed all over the city. Seeing as though we don't live in Atlanta, I had no idea that this was going on. When I left the museum, I saw all these ducks on the ground. Brandon then told me that they are strategically placed all over to entice the community to check out the exhibit. And that's not all. Check out the message.

It reads:

If you're going to take me,

at least come see

WaterDream at MODA

on 16th & Peachtree Ave.

& POST A PHOTO OF ME in your bathroom -

Facebook.com/MuseumofDesignAtlanta

Tweet my whereabouts @

#MODAtl

(P.S. my name is Mo'Duck)

I love it! Here are the photos that I took of Mo' Duck in our bathrooms.

How you like me now?

Pretty awesome advertising, huh? I'm a sucker for cute, interactive stuff. Now I'm off to post our photos!

P.S. Am I the only one who thinks that the plural of ducks should be duckies? Just a thought. :)

Sea of ducks picture from here.

waterdream

2011-08-29T06:44:00.000-07:00

For those of you who don't know, I have the best hubby ever. How so? Well, on my rare Saturday off last week, he took me on a design adventure. Where do you ask? Well, to MODA of course. For those of you who may not be familiar with MODA, it's the Museum of Design Atlanta in Midtown, and needless to say, it was amazing! Their special exhibit was Waterdream: The Art of Bathroom Design. Surprised that I was able to take pictures? Yeah, me too!

Long story short, 4 designers were asked to create their version of a dream bathroom for the exhibit, which focused on custom bathroom fixtures. Here's a sneak peak into what I loved about each of them.

Jean-Marie Massaud melded the four elements - water, air, fire, and earth.

I loved his sketches, and the 3-curve bathtub was nothing short of dreamy.

Patricia Uriquola's idea was to reference a time when we all had to fetch our water to take a bath. She played up the idea of integrated handles, and letting the user choose when to face themselves in the morning.

Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec had the brilliant idea of letting the user decide how he or she wants to use their fixtures. Think moving utensils around on a plate.

And for all you Philippe Starck lovers, here's my hubby sitting on one of his awesomely looking, yet freakishly uncomfortable toilet. I love a good toilet shot. Don't you? But I won't spoil the rest. You really need to check it out. Oh, and tune into part 2 of this post - MODA's brilliant marketing scheme for the exhibit. P.S. It's REALLY cute.

bar "tending"

2011-08-26T08:01:00.000-07:00

Call me crazy, but I have been completely obsessed with bar carts. Don't get me wrong, I'm totally not an alchie, but me and the hubs do like to partake in an adult beverage every now and then. I thought that instead of our liquor bottles randomly sitting in the kitchen - Brandon's current spot for his rum is on a tray that sits atop the microwave - a cute bar cart would be well... cute. Here are some pretty hot contenders for the job.

First, you know how budget conscious I am, so let's start out with something easily obtainable.

Bygel Utility Cart - $29.99

Cute, basic, and dare I say, utilitarian? I had been scoping out the arrival of this little baby for months. Honestly, it's a blank canvas, so dressing it up with some personality would totally be the name of the game. It also helps that the Bygel family has cute little accessories like this that you can hang on the side (see the clips above). Here's the same little cart dressed as bathroom storage.

I like the wicker basket idea. I could see them filled with bottles of wine and such, and the drawer would be great for wine and bottle paraphernalia. A great mix of open and concealed storage I would say. The only drawback - this little cart needs extra pizazz - a.k.a. effort. Might I be the one to make it happen? We shall definitely see.

On to the next possibility -
Say hello to the Strind side table $69.99

It's a little more classy with its glass tops - note the classier price tag, but with the addition of colorful bottles and decanters, it would be instantly chic. IKEA also had this one styled for the bathroom, but all I could see was visions of liquor bottles dancing in my head.

Now beautiful is that, I mean really? Like, I said, not much has to be done to give it that chic factor. It also comes in black glass.The only drawback for this option is the height. At just below 25", storing things for making drinks would be fine, but actually making drinks where you store them, not so fine. Perhaps in a closet for displaying pretty things? Me thinks I'll keep my options open. Target also sells one that is similar in shape but bigger.

Meet Rosita $151.99

She's cute, she's classy, and while she's a little more than I want to spend, she's perfect in terms of height and and chic factor. I'm also a fan of the chrome casters. Not to mention the rings keep your bottles from sliding off while you're rolling it about. But you know that I love color, so I had to also consider this one -

Allow me to introduce you to Ernest $149.00

Leave it to CB2 to put some color in your face. I really love this one. The turquoise is awesome, and the clear glass keeps him light. He definitely has more character than the others. Here he is all suited up.

Pretty adorable, huh? I've always wanted a turquoise piece of furniture. But am I really ready to drop a buck fifty on this little cutie? Hmmm... Check out my last option.

Last, but not least, meet Formosa $49.95

Yes, as you may have noticed, she IS different from all the rest, but handy nonetheless. I like the color of course, but I especially love that she can be folded up if she ever gets in the way. The only downside - no second tier in which to store goodies. Here she is in action.

Did I mention that it also comes in white? How lovely is that? The price is also right, so it might just be a contender. With all that being considered, the next thing I need to do is figure out where we'll put a bar cart in our new place. I'm really excited about decorating our new place and I can't wait to see what will fit where. What about you? Do you have a favorite bar cart? Which one should I get? Leave me a comment! :)

movin' on up...

2011-08-16T09:42:00.000-07:00

That's right, after almost a year in our first little married-eighties apartment, it's time to look forward. My hubby and I are moving to the city and I couldn't be happier! For some reason or another, I've always wanted to live "in" instead of "around" Atlanta - call me the country girl with the big city dreams!

As for our new apartment, let's just call it a total upgrade. Here are some details that have me all excited.

We'll be living on the third floor - with elevators!
Virtually brand-spankin' new compared to our current place, so you know what that means - awesome finishes! Can't wait to use our new bathrooms, and they'll be so much easier to keep clean!
Beautiful kitchen with stainless steel appliances, double kitchen sink, granite countertops. (I feel like a realtor whenever I say that).
Nine foot ceilings - the closest to "loft living" that we'll be able to get right now.
We didn't have to sacrifice a huge amount of space. Don't get me wrong, we are downsizing a little - no more sun room - but seeing as though we never got much use out of that space we're pretty much okay with it. We're trading the sun room for a balcony, which should be pretty interesting to decorate seeing as though I've never done one before.
Location, location, location!

Here's a sneak peak of the kitchen!

Can't wait to cook meals for me and my hubby!

And because I'll never forgive myself if I don't, I will definitely make sure that I take lots of pictures of our current place before we move out next month. Hey, I'm even planning a video tour - to capture the memories. And you know I'll share it all right here! I just need to get my ducks in a row, clean up, and start filming. :)

frame-y pt.duex

2011-08-07T09:26:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not, hanging artwork has been the hardest thing for me since we've been here. Because I've never had the authority to hang artwork in other places I've lived, I've been trying to take my time and do what feels right. It's been taking a while, but I'm slowly, but surely getting there. Remember these? Well, I finally placed our initials inside of them from our wedding.

Oh, and see those green wall flowers to the left of the "B"? I may be spraying them gold next week, and FINALLY finishing our picture collage.

Check out the room.

Sorry for the darkish picture. Notice the chair with the zig-zag fabric that is currently holding MORE frames that need to be hung - go figure! More to come, stay tuned.

I can seat clearly now

2011-07-18T11:51:00.000-07:00

Not sure if you knew this or not, but I have a real crush on acrylic furniture. Besides slobbering over the Adair coffee table on Overstock (by the way, I still haven't taken the leap on it yet), I managed to satisfy my acrylic craving by adding some new dining chairs to the mix. How much? Just $104 for the pair. The result? I'm pretty much in love with them. Now to be clear (ha, made a funny) I wasn't always scouring Target's website for these chairs. I pretty much stumbled upon them after search for a chic alternative to this chair:

Yeah, meet Tobias. And because Tobias was $99.99 (now on New Lower Price for $79.99) I just couldn't justify paying that much for dining chairs - even with my employee discount. So I scoured the net, hoping that I would come across something priced a little bit better (yes, less expensive than IKEA), and I found it. Yes, the chairs differ from the cantilevered design of the Tobias, but the "acrylic chair" aspect was the most important attribute to me. They also fit my budget and were very similar in shape to the yellow dining chairs that we grabbed from CB2. Check it out. Here they are, right at home.

I love the barely-there aspect of the acrylic. The material is nice and thick, but the chair itself is light and dare I say - architecturally honest! It's such a magical material. In the photo below you can barely even tell that there is a chair behind those candlesticks. How awesome is that, I mean really? I've also been thinking that I may purchase a second set so that we have enough seating for six when the table is extended. The yellow chairs would be so dynamic at the head of the table! Anyway, there you go, people! I'm lovin' it!

How about you? :)

looks like money

2011-07-12T07:18:00.000-07:00

It's not a secret that great design doesn't have to cost a lot of money. I stumbled upon this photo via Apartment Therapy and and fell in love with the look of identical shelving units flanking both sides of the sofa. Long story short, I couldn't deny it's chicness, but the units also looked pretty expensive. I racked my brain for a minute trying to figure out what I could use to duplicate this effect, then I remembered good ole' Hyllis, and everything came together. The shelving unit is only $15, and with a little spray paint added to its industrial look, it would be pretty easy to make Hyllis look like money.

Above are a few things that we've accumulated and things that I was hoping to purchase. I found out yesterday that the slot coffee table that I was hoping to buy (that was on sale for $199) is now gone. Yeah, I'm pretty bummed about it. Me and the hubby were just not able to sync up to check it out at the store. But I think it may mean that the Adair coffee table was really meant to be after all. Or maybe I'll find something cooler. You never know.

Before you go - check out two Hyllis projects that I've been admiring here and here. Check you later!

cheap chic - art

2011-07-11T07:33:00.000-07:00

Don't you just hate it when you find something really cute for the walls in your place, and the price tag is a little out of reach (or way out of reach)? So do I. A little while back, I was feeling the same way when I came across this art from CB2.

YES! I mean, who doesn't love a nice, affirmative statement? It's simple, bold, and modern. Just what I wanted for... well, to be honest, I didn't really know where I was going to put it, but I knew that I wanted it to come home with me. Then I saw that the price tag for just 3 letters was well over a $100 (on sale)! You know me, I just couldn't stand for that. So being the thrifty chick that I am, I took my booty right over to Hobby Lobby to make some magic happen.

Smaller that the original, but still awesome, I bought three 3-D cardboard letters for $2.48 each. Then I got the paint out and went to town. I used red acrylic paint that I picked up for about $5 which came with all 3 primary colors plus black and white.

Altogether it took about 3 coats, and flipping the 3-D letters over between drying put the project at somewhere around the hour mark for completion.

In the end, I had this - which turned out to be amazingly similar to the CB2 original in shape and color.

Right now it's chillin' on top of my Hallaryd artwork until I figure out the best place for it. Total project cost: Less than $15.00! So needless to say, I'm pretty happy with it. P.S. Check out my almost finished chair. It'll have it's own post as soon as I get a top coat on it! Guess what color it'll be! Maybe I'll surprise you. Stay tuned!

see, what happened was...

2011-07-07T09:39:00.000-07:00

As you may recall, our sunroom was actually coming along rather nice. Here's a trip down memory lane.

First it was home to a myriad of flat-packed boxes.

Then I found the steal of the century - a $99 brand-spankin' new Cooper sofa (originally $799) from West Elm. I also found some cheap pillows, and unrolled a charming, little rug.

Then, I thought hey - why not take the side tables from the living room, and create a coffee table of sorts for a nice pop of color. So it transformed into this:

I also saved a pair of Linus chairs from As-is (notice the tag still on in this shot) for $18 each - originally $39.99. I covered one with our faux lamb skin for some variation.

So yeah, it was looking a little like this. Still some ways to go, but a big improvement from September of last year. But now, our sun room looks like this:

A complete H.A.M.! And why does our sunroom like this? Well, Klamby DIED!!! And when I say die, I mean the bottom cushions disconnected from the frame, and the only thing that was keeping the cushion up was the bottom lining covering up the sinuous springs (from that description, it's not far-fetched that I work at a home furnishings store). I'll admit, the sofa was cheap - and apparently cheaply made (surprise, surprise- IKEA free-range) therefore I can't blame it for giving out. We only used it for lounging and watching tv. And no, we didn't use it for any hanky panky, so I guess it did all it could do until it could do no more. Naturally, the smartest thing to do was to move Cooper out of the sun room and into the living room. Klamby took it's place... upside down. Why? Because my husband swears he's going to fix it. Seriously, that was almost a month ago (insert skepticism here). But here's Cooper taking Klamby's place.

Yep, a little drowned out with the white cover and white end tables - we agreed to add the cover because we didn't want to risk discoloring the actual sofa with jeans, food, etc. Now it begs the question, what is a girl to do with all this white? I gotta work it out. Especially because I was going to choose a coffee table based on the black color of the Klamby. May he rest (or temporarily rest in piece). But it's not too much of a bummer. We do plan on moving in September, and we have yet to find a place in the city that's big enough for two sofas. And so another adventure begins!

a sweet treat

2011-06-12T19:34:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to share a little something that I got from work yesterday. My co-worker gathered a bunch of pink carnations from an event that was going on and surprised me with them during my lunch. It really made my day! Here's what I did with them when I got home.

I immediately took out my acrylic block vase and separated each carnation into it's own little vile. Instead of the dining room table, I selected a spot on the sideboard for a nice change of scenery.

Then, call me fancy-schamcy, but I decided to light the tea lights that already had a home on the sideboard.

The colors were glorious.

Then I took the three remaining stems and gave them a home on the ledge between the kitchen and dining room. The flower bunch came with the most electric green moss I had ever seen. I was so smitten!

All in all, after a very long day at work, this was a very sweet ending. Thanks, Marie!

happy corner

2011-06-11T07:28:00.000-07:00

I swear I've been thinking about my blog all week. I wish I had the time and strength to post every day but alas, a girls gotta sell kitchens (at ridiculous times during the week). Today I wanted to share a cute, little project that I did on my day off to dazzle up the forgotten corner of our bedroom. I knew we needed some artwork, so I did myself a favor and raided my parents attic for some free frames last time I was home.

Here's the box I smuggled back from Leesburg. Notice the nice, thick layers of dust.

Check out the dark frames. I managed to find 6 matching ones with awesome pictures of cheetahs, elephants, and zebras inside, and when I say awesome, I do mean awesome. The photos were nifty because I used as templates for hanging.

Side note, check out the chair. It once belonged to my grandmother, and I feel so blessed that I was able to give it a new home. Can't stand to see a mid century chair go to waste! Here's a better photo of it.

It's actually in really good condition, but I plan on re-staining the arms later down the road. When I wiped it down (with soap and water) the arms started to reveal the wood grain. It was pretty amazing.

Check out that gradation on the arms! P.S. gotta love that mustard/avocado upholstery. It's pretty lovely. I did however decide to put a faux lambskin over the back so that the chair didn't get completely lost in front of our burlap curtains. But back to the frames. Here they are in all their glory.

Not bad for a neglected corner.

Check it out. The mat for the frames is just the original cardboard backing that kept the African pictures in place. All the art is just quotes and such that make me happy. Here's a closeup.

In case you're wondering, it's true.

similar, soft, and soothing

2011-05-24T11:32:00.000-07:00

After going back and forth, I've finally decided what to put on either side of the Cooper sofa in the sunroom. Taking a cue from all the miscellaneous items on the floor, I figured the best thing I could do was incorporate some much needed storage. Check these out!

Aren't these just cutie-pie pieces? The bookcase provides much needed storage for the overflow of design books that I've accumulated, while the locker will serve as closed storage for the not-so-cute stuff that I have like notebooks, paper, and boxes of samples. I chose one of each because they're both similar in scale. Plus, because they're in white, they won't take up too much visual space. I have to admit though, I've been trying really hard to push myself lately. I used to be very hip to the idea of purchasing stuff in matching pairs, but I'm learning everyday that it's much more interesting to switch things up and buy similar scale pieces that have their own personality.

Along with new storage, I've finally decided what to use for the window coverings. I want to keep it soft and soothing, so I chose a light gray sheer. It's sold by the yard, so I'm going to make curtain panels. And when I said "make" I mean it. I've bought so much fabric, and I have yet to sit down and figure out how my sewing machine work! I will though. I've promised myself. :)

Here are some sketches of what I'm thinking it's going to look like:

Yeah, I pulled out the markers. What have you been up to? ;)

here's our hallway

2011-05-09T05:51:00.000-07:00

Big thanks to my awesome hubby for fixing my scanner! Now I can finally share some of the quick sketches from my sketchbook. Here's the latest my concoction for our hallway.

As you can see, our ceiling drops down to about 7 feet as you enter the hallway off of our dining area. I must admit, it isn't the most ideal piece of architectural detail, but nonetheless, I knew that I had to embrace it. My recipe called for for a few items that I had been gathering: an IKEA abstract Hallaryd painting, grass bunches and glass drop vases from CB2, as well as some UMBRA wall flowers.

Here's how it turned out:

Not too shabby, huh? Best of all, I love that there's something a little extra to look at on my way to our bedroom. :)

with a few extra bucks

2011-05-08T10:59:00.000-07:00

Did you know that you could build a whole room around Target's online products? I mean, they have some really chic stuff. With a few extra bucks, here's how I would would do.

First, every room needs it's a statement piece, and this would be mine. How freakin' awesome it this chair? I love the pattern and the tapered leg.

Then I would through in a settee. So stately, isn't it? Just the right touch of elegance.

Then to shake things up, I'd flank the settee with a loveseat. Same leg, different shape. Sexy little thing!

And who wouldn't love brightly-colored bar stools? The color is modern, but the shape and the cane rush seat takes it back a few years... makes it cozy.

These pieces are so adorable. Maybe next apartment...

new baby, new master

2011-04-21T20:24:00.000-07:00

So my Aunt and Uncle on my boo's side have entrusted me with the awesome task of helping them revamp their master bedroom. It just so happens that they are expecting their second child in the fall, so what better way to mentally prepare than with a nice, relaxing bedroom as treat? Naturally, I was more than excited to be asked to flex my interior design muscle! After a short browsing trip to some local hotspots (Homegoods, Target, etc.) I was able to get a grasp of what Sheryl and Drexel wanted - well mostly what Sheryl wanted, but I wanted to keep in mind that this design had to be as gender neutral as possible. Here are some of the things that we found for inspiration.

Sheryl was immediately drawn to orange and turquoise.Of course they are absolutely delightful together - not to mention that they are complementary colors.

She loved the warmth and color combination of this piece...

And the texture of this piece.

She was also really diggin' this pillow. Cute, I know. So I went home and really thought about it. I figured that if I could find a jumping off point that at least incorporated the color scheme that she wanted, then everything else could play off of it. Then I found this on the Target website.

Peaceful, soothing, and a great balance of masculine and feminine. Here's how I made it work.

Notice how I used the orange as the pop of color. Everything is completely accessible, and 100% budget friendly. Like the Greek key-inspired chest of drawers? Well that's a rast hack from the coolest diy chick I've ever seen - Bri! Check out her ridiculously awesome blog here (P.S. you ain't ready). I was definitely inspired by her color combination with the orange lamps, so when I saw it, it made me even more confident that the orange would play friendly with the soothing blue and green of the comforter. Everything else is a sprinkle of finds from IKEA, Target, Walmart, and CB2. I can't wait to see how it all comes together. Wish me luck!

sew awesome

2011-04-14T20:46:00.000-07:00

I've been searching high and low for a table to accommodate the new sewing machine that I got for Christmas. Truth be told, I haven't sewed a stitch on it because I was waiting to create the nice, little sewing nook that I had always envisioned of the corner of the sun room. Of course I could've just picked up something from work, but lately I've been craving something unique that I can truly make my own. Lo and behold while I was sifting through stuff at Goodwill, I came across a charming flip top sewing table and a snazzy vintage chair.

Of course a pile of my crafting supplies were in the way, so I had to scoot them over to make room for my new find. Look! My sewing machine is finally out of the plastic! :) I got the table for $15.91 and the chair for $10.91, for a grand total of $28.70 with tax.

Besides an avacado mid century modern chair that I acquired from my grandmother (it's still chillin at my parent's house, but I have a nice place for it when it makes its way up here) these are the first vintage pieces I've ever owned. Of course both pieces need work, but I'm totally willing to put in some elbow grease. P.S. I can't wait to recover the seat of the chair with something bold and sweet!

Before I can start my sewing projects I have to figure out a crafty way to cover the hole from the old sewing machine that used to be attached to the table. The sooner I can figure out this conundrum, the sooner I can get to sewing.

Instead of re-staining the pieces, I would love to paint them fun colors in a high gloss finish. Initially I was thinking a different color for the table, chair, and my bookcase (which isn't actually vintage, but fairly new). I really didn't like the finish on the bookcase from the get go, but I've held on to it knowing that I could always paint it in the future. I was thinking three different colors for all three pieces. I wanted turquoise, orange, and yellow. Then I found this image...

And it pretty much confirmed my idea. Next order of business is to learn about the best paint and materials to get the job done. Any suggestions? Let me know! :)

frame-y

2011-04-04T13:02:00.000-07:00

Finally brought home the Ung drill frames. They're so ornate and cool.

They sat in the corner of the sunroom before I figured out what to do with them.

Finally I decided that the blank spots on either side of the living room could really use a boost. I'm not sure what I'm going to put in the frames yet - maybe some fabric or some doodles (P.S. Brandon and I LOVE to doodle).

Consider the wheels inside my head turning...

cheap chic - side tables

2011-04-01T10:10:00.000-07:00

So I figured I would start a new type of post and if I get some interest, maybe I'll make into a series. I thought that since I'm always looking for a cheap thrill, I would pick a category, a dollar amount and go with it - finding "cheap chic" things for those of us who really appreciate a small price tag. Today, I'll be focusing on side tables under $35 because I'm currently on the look out for side tables in our bedroom (goodbye lack tables) and the sunroom. All of today's cheap chic are currently on clearance on Walmart.com.

I think these nesting tables are adorable, and a little reminiscent of Elieen Gray, no? The fact that they come as a pair for only $28.00 in black, and $32.00 in white is only icing on the cake.

These little babies remind me of the Hemnes side table that I couldn't get my hands on before it was discontinued (sad face). Good thing Wally World has something comparable. For $25, this little baby in white or black is so charming! What can I say? You know I'm a sucker for sexy legs. Also, let me add that these scalloped end tables have a 5-star rating. Pretty impressive, huh?

Or perhaps your space needs a little pop of color! These bright end tables could be the center of attention for any room. They even have a little slide out drawer to store your little goodies. $30 for the pair? Not bad.

Cute, simple coffee table? I'm throwing this one in just for kicks! This Metro X coffee table is only $29.98. I was thinking this might look pretty swell in the sunroom. Perhaps painted gray or burnt orange? The wheels in my head are turning...

The side table version is adorable too. They come in either white, purple, or orange. I wouldn't use them in the same room with the coffee table because it would read a little matchy matchy for my blood, but alone, X marks the spot, plus they're only $30 for the pair. I actually like the thought of white ones on either side of our bed. Hmmmm...

Last, certainly but not least is the multifunctional tray table. Magazine rack or table? You decide. I just like it. And it's only $15. Excuse me, we knew that Walmart was cheap, but when in the world did it become so chic? Go ahead and get one - oh yeah, and use that free site to store shipping while you're at it.

Do you like the idea of "cheap chic" posts, or have an idea of a cheap chic item I should look for next? Leave me a comment below! :)

filling in the blanks

2011-03-23T10:18:00.000-07:00

Today, I decided to be productive and finally hang up some things that have been accumulating dust in our living room. From day one this landing space and pass through to the kitchen has been begging for some art and accessories.

This is where we "land" when we come into the apartment. The red compartments hold take out menus, mail, and our keys. It's also a little clock and wipe board where we write love messages and quips. I scored it during my internship when a nearby loft store was closing it's doors. It was free, and you know I'm all about free!

Adjacent to out landing area is the pass through bar to the kitchen. This space felt so blank, so naturally I decided to punch it up a little bit with some art and accessories.

Better, huh?

The letter clusters are my favorite. We scored them from BB&B! Thank goodness they came with a template for hanging. Otherwise I would have made holes all over the place.

I was a little hesitant about putting up my Rotera lanterns in our place simply because they were red, but with the message center nearby with it's red compartments, they look more at home. The black orb was a score for a few dollars at Pier 1.

Now I just need to hunt down some bar stools! :)

pretty edges pt. II

2011-03-17T09:54:00.000-07:00

So remember when I said that I wanted to add some color behind the Homegoods mirror that I purchased?

Well, I bought a yard (I got lucky with the end of the roll, so I ended up with some extra) for $6.99 . Gorgeous dandelion print, huh?

For my plan of attack, I cut down the fabric so that it would be a little easier to work with. Then I centered the mirror. Truth be told, I wanted to hang it with the fabric overlap, but then I convinced myself not to take the easy way out. ;)

When I found the perfect position, I flipped the fabric and mirror over to get my trace on!

Cutting it out took a little while, but I was diligent. I made sure to cut inside the lines a bit so that I wouldn't risk the possibility of having the fabric overlap the edges of the mirror.

When I was done, the fabric looked a little doily-like. Awesome huh?

Next I turned the fabric face side down to the mirror's back and cut a small slit where the mirror's hanger was located. To adhere the fabric to the back of the mirror, I took very small bits of white sticky tack and pressed them to the back of the mirror near the edges (throwback sticky tack from college to be exact). Finally, I ended up with something like this:

And I absolutely love it.

Best part is, as we change styles, I can take the fabric off, retrace another piece, and re-hang the mirror. What do you think? I'm completely smitten.

sunroom sprinkles

2011-03-15T11:03:00.000-07:00

It's an understatement to say that the sunroom is a work in progress. Lately I've been taking measures to make it more cute and inviting. I just can't give up on it. I know that it has enormous potential to be absolutely adorable.

Every room needs a color scheme inspiration, so I looked no further than the only pop of color that we currently have in the space - a $4.98 pillow investment from Target. The colors are pretty sophisticated - goldenrod, raspberry, tangerine, gray, white and chocolate (which totally reads black if I didn't divulge the secret) and of course white. I love it. I can't wait to sprinkle the colors around the room.

Check out my jade plant. Brandon moved her into the sunroom because she's been living on the bar since the weekend of our wedding. Her name is Jade - yes, I named her after what she is. Don't hate. I've had her since my freshman year of college. We've been roomies ever since.

See those rugs leaning in the corner? Well after much consideration, I decided to take one back to the store (it wasn't right for me to hold on to it for so long without loving it) and the other rug surprisingly stayed in the sunroom. I was delighted to unroll such a treat. It goes so well with our little pillow.

Naturally it didn't want to stay unrolled. With some sweet coercion and a few design textbooks, I won the war.

Gosh, who knew the sofa and the rug would be nearly the same size? I normally like a little overlappage (yeah, I made that word up, but it's part of my charm). Nonetheless at only $19.99, it makes such a huge impact. The scale of the pattern is perfect. It only took me 6 months to unroll such a nice surprise. You like? Next I'll be tackling the windows. Wish me luck.

signage

2011-03-14T07:45:00.000-07:00

I got these adorable wall vases a little while back from cb2. I'll admit, I've always been a sucker for the man and woman bathroom signage. I'll let you guess which one's me and which one's the hubbster.

So natually I went searching around to find something that was cute and petite enough to fit inside. My first thought was bright silk tulips or daisies, but to be honest, I knew that I would get bored with them and long for something more authentic. Finally, I stumbled upon this idea!

Bamboo is so easy to care for and I've lived with a bamboo plant for the last 6 years of my life - whew! Has it been that long since 11th grade? Anywhoo, I found these at work and I knew that they would be perfect! Best of all, as they thrive they'll change shape and create more interest. I have them resting in a large vase for now while I decide on the best place to hang them in our bedroom. Wish me luck! P.S. I'll let you guess which bamboo is me and which one is Brandon! :)

pretty edges

2011-03-08T07:38:00.000-08:00

So you know that I can't stay out of Homegoods. I simply can't leave that place without taking something with me! This time was no exception. Here's what I found...

The PERFECT mirror, but I couldn't decide on the color. And it PLAGUED me! All in all, I made the executive design decision that included taking the white mirror home. Why, you may ask? Well, since I knew that I wanted to use it in our bedroom, I wanted it to stand out amongst all of our dark furniture. Believe it or not, I've been looking for a scalloped edge mirror for a while (with a Moroccan vibe) so this one was totally right to take home. Look at how awesome it is with our comforter!

So exactly where do I plan on hanging it? Well, perfect you should ask, because I have just the place-

Right between our two windows. I also have some additional plans before hanging it up. It involves adding some color to the frame's cut outs. I promise it'll be cute! Wish me luck.

bright, but oh so right

2011-03-03T10:58:00.000-08:00

The weather's getting warmer, the sleeves are getting shorter, and everyone's looking for ways to freshen up their space. It's finally spring time, and I couldn't be happier! Everyone knows that I own a lime green VW New Beetle, and since the switch, lime has slowly been evolving into my favorite color. It's so punchy and fun. Here are some spring-inspired items that I'm really pining over!

When I saw these Bernhard leather dining chairs the other day and nearly flipped my lid. Are these not the colors of our place? Eggplant and lime are so fresh together (remember my orchid inspired color scheme) and these are no exception. If I could, I would mix them up for our dining table, but alas at $139 each I might be waiting a long time for these jewels!

I mean really, how adorable are these PS Vago lounge chairs! They would be perfect for our future rooftop deck (more on that dream later). And at only $24.99 a piece, you really can't break the bank with these babies. Completely a cost effective solution to saving for Panton chairs in the future! I could see them as a set of four with a nice fire pit in the center. Now how cute would that be?

How about an in-your-face Lucite tray? They'd be great for the coffee table or even breakfast in bed. Catch these over at Plasticland for about $18.00 a pop!

So I totally almost came home with this mobile during my last excursion to cb2, but alas - I chickened out. I couldn't quite figure out where to put it. I still might swing by and pick it up if I can conjure up the right place for it - I'm mean come on, it's less than $30, and it's such a statement piece!

Of course I could go on for days, but I'll end with this cutie. This cb2 media cart is screams unisex to me and it would make an awesome coffee table or a spot for the tv. Completely industrial chic for only $149 and in my favorite new color. :)

two by two

2011-02-23T09:03:00.000-08:00

While out with my mommy in-law on Saturday (yes, I was off on a Saturday...) I picked up some extra pillows for our Cooper Sofa in the sunroom.

Pillows one, two, and five in case you were wondering ... for less than $7 each. I've been hanging on to the other two quite a while. I bought them for around 4 bucks months before we moved. What can I say? I just can't resist a cheap chic pillow. I also bought some shades for two small acrylic lamps that I had been holding on to for a long time.

I was a little skeptical at first because I wasn't sure if I liked the shades, that's why hey're still sporting the plastic, but they're growing on me. The lamps are so tiny, and I kept thinking about "finding the perfect shade" - thanks to my decorative accessories class. You might wonder what they're sitting on. Brace yourself, 'cause you ain't ready!

Yep. It's true. But it's not just any box, it's the bike that my job gave us for Christmas. Yeah, my job gave us bikes for Christmas and mine is still in the box behind our sofa, politely posing as a glorified sofa table. I suppose I could cover it with some yards of fabric though. Do not hate.

So now for the reason for the title of my post. I rearranged our chairs one day after work, and I realized that there is an overwhelming amount of pairs in our apartment. It's like every piece of furniture needs a mate or something. Very Weird.

Again, please do not hate. I'm working on my pair addiction. There has got to be a support group or something. The candle holders is just ridic! But to my credit they are different shapes of rock.

Anyhoo, that's all for now. The first step is admitting the problem. I know that 3's 5's and 7's are much more lovely in a space, and I intend on working it out. Promise.

W digs

2011-02-10T08:59:00.000-08:00

So a few weekends ago my sweetie surprised me with a night at the W hotel in Buckhead. Needless to say, I was way more excited about the design than the luxury of staying away for the night. He knows that I love boutique hotels, and I've always love to experience the feeling of a uniquely designed space. Check out these photos!

The vanity was petite, yet so classic.

The toilet and shower area was so luxe. Don't worry, there was a sliding door for privacy. I am a HUGE fan of subway tile. Later we found that the little towel had the word "step" imprinted to prevent a "slip, fall, and bust your head open" type of situation because the tile was so slippery. Way to recover from a potential design disaster. Well played designer friend, well played.

This huge orange lamp was so delightful, and I loved the punch of color as soon as you walked in. A little secret - the inside of the chest of drawers were painted an aqua blue! :)

I loved the upholstered headboard! Another cool feature that I forgot to photograph was the ceiling. The dark headboard trim was actually mimicked on the on the ceiling which gave it more of the canopy feeling. Trust me, it was ultra cool.

Love the orange desk and the modern glam chair. Not to mention the broadloom was so much more exciting than the typical brocade and damask that one would usually encounter in a hotel space. I would have loved to devise a cord management solution here since there were so many other great ideas for cords throughout the room, but hey, it was nonetheless beautiful.

The dining area was my favorite. I loved the patterned chairs and the hanging pendant. The cord for the light was cleverly concealed within the chain, which was then tucked neatly into the box for the air conditioner.

Ha! You can kind of see the trim of the headboard on the ceiling from the mirror behind the tv. The cords for the television were concealed behind the television and ran through the thick baseboard below. I also can't get enough of thick frames.

Here's B raiding integrated fridge and mini bar. Everything was so modern and chic. It is my dream to design modern hospitality spaces, and Brandon always seems to do something ultra sweet to feed my starving design reality. He's the best! Can't wait for another fine hospitality experience! Thanks, Boo!

clean, clear, and under control

2011-02-09T09:28:00.000-08:00

Allow me to introduce you to our future coffee table.

I've been watching this table on Overstock for months, and it's finally time to take the plunge. I love acrylic, and I love curves, so naturally this is the best of both worlds. And look, it even has a little insert for magazines! I can't wait until it's safe and sound in our living room. Karim Rashid may not be too ecstatic that I have a crush on his design at a lower price, but nonetheless I appreciate the overall creativity and innovation that went into designing this masterpiece.

table for four

2011-02-08T09:17:00.000-08:00

Thanks to the wonderful folks at cb2, Brandon and I finally got a pair of dining chairs! You'll never guess what color though!

Oh yeah, baby - goldenrod! Why you might ask? Well, I was well over the lack of color in our dining area, and we just couldn't pass up a sweet deal - only $32.00 each!

And they were totally made for us because they were definitely the last two. Some might wonder what we'll do with two yellow chairs instead getting four. Well, design is all about risk, and I for one am totally excited about mixing dining chairs as the opportunity presents itself. Also because we got them on the cheap, we could always use them for extra seating somewhere else down the road. Best of all, B likes them just as much as I do and we can finally seat four around the table without having to get our rolling office chairs.

I still think that everything looks so sweet and crisp, just like I like it, and best of all - we're building our home with pieces we love.

And for those of you who were following "the great storage debate", you can see the sideboard we chose.

I actually like the key opening much more than I initially thought I would. It's adorable. Eventually we would like to get a second one and push them together to form one long credenza. Much like this -

Anyhoo. I'm pretty pleased for now. Next on the agenda is figuring out what kind of art I want on the focal wall. Here is what we have across from the room near the hallway.

The angled wall is cool. The green picks up the living room, and of course marries the yellow from the dining chairs. Below are the pieces we have yet to hang on the wall - still looking for the perfect places, but we'll get there. Once we find a home for them, I would love to hack a small console table to attach to the wall under the art. Uh oh, there goes my creative wheels turning again...

master progress

2011-02-01T11:22:00.000-08:00

So naturally we are still in the process of dressing up the bedroom ,and with every step I'm getting closer and closer to the Sunny and Chic I had imagined. We recently changed the bedding, and I'm loving the color scheme. Before I show you, remember the whirly hanging lights that we installed above the bed? I've been asked a few times how they look when lit. Here's a peek. P.S. the cute little birdies came from CB2 (they are actually candle holders) but when I came in on day they were on the headboard smooching - that clever hubby of mine!

Of course above this is with the flash, so here's a shot in the dark.

Kinda hard to see, but you get the idea. It's a very cute and unexpected element - not to mention what some people have called quite romantic... Anyhoo, we finally changed the bedding, and here is what things are looking like now-a-days.

To be honest, I hadn't intended on keeping the turquoise lamps in the bedroom, but I think they do wonders for breaking up the almost monochromatic color scheme, so for now I actually really like them. When my mommy was visiting, she helped me hang the burlap drapes, but now they're almost looking a little drab, so I may revisit another solution. As for the birch lack tables, they are totally going as soon as I can figure out what alternative I would like. Here is what I picked out initially.

Glass Accent Table 25"

These beauties from Target are $89.99, but after some measurements I realized that they would be too tall for the bed. But I love the mirror side table look, so now this is what I'm contemplating:

Mirror F-table 18"x18"

This one is also from Target and at $99.99 it may just work. It's definitely a better height (only 1/4" taller than the lack tables. Of course I have to consider an option from work, but right now, all I can come up with are these:

Klubbo Nesting Tables

I think they would look cute nesting on either side, but I am considering the fact that I want contrast and black brown on black brown is almost overkill. Plus, even though they are less expensive (at only $79.99 for the set) I might as well save up a little more and splurge. Like what you see or have some suggestions, hit me up!

mini makeover

2011-01-26T09:10:00.000-08:00

First, here's what we're working with. For those college friends of mine, yes, this is definitely a throwback from my last year of school. Yeah the chocolate, pink and green was cool at one time (believe me, I really made it look cute, but it was way too dark for my current space and I was patiently waiting for the means in which to change it up. This is just a mini make over, so get ready.

It all started when I saw this Dwell Studio Peony Shower Curtain. It was so fresh (and so clean clean) that I had to make it the inspiration for the master bath. Note, that the gray will be the bridge between the bathroom and the bedroom (which will be gray and yellow).

When my mommy came to visit we took a trip back to Target to get some bathroom accessories. I thought that I would mix it up and not buy from all the same collection - it just keeps it more interesting and lets the pieces stand more on their own. In short, it makes them more memorable. Note, I've been coveting this antique soap pump for months.

I love to mix pattern. Scale is always the main component. I have a large scale print on the curtain, a smaller geometric on the rug for the bathing area, and a tighter weave for the rug in the vanity area. They all vary in texture (visual and tactile) but they complement one another in color.

One of the significant design challenges I faced was that I didn't have an outlet for a night light in my bathroom (the vanity area is separate from the toilet and bathtub area. What I decided to do was go into my box o' tricks and pull out some lanterns that I had been saving (you would not believe how many I've accumulated over the years). The small green one (courtesy of the dollar tree) came with a little light bulb and all I needed was 2 AAA batteries to make it work as a little night light. I really wanted a gray lantern, so I painted this white one with some silver acrylic paint that I had handy (come to think of it, I'll probably do a second coat for more even coverage).

The pattern of the rugs actually went together quite nicely.

Eventually I added some mirrors behind the throne, but I'm itching to cover the hanging hardware.

That will be my next project.

And of course here's all my little goodies.

What a dramatic difference! For a rental, I'd say that's pretty good. It sure does make me a little happier! Shower anyone?

love nest progress

2011-01-23T11:44:00.000-08:00

So sorry for the lack of updates lately. I've been trying my best to get back into the swing of things, but I'm hoping that I can start making daily updates really soon. In the mean time, I'll leave you with a few (ill lit) shots of our living room. It's actually coming along pretty well. I definitely have more plans for the near future, but for me and my thrifty budget, things must come together slowly but surely. Check it out.

Here is our infamous Klamby sofa (which is actually quite comfy for lounging) along with a faux throw I got from the workplace, Target lamp ($13 with shade), a frame left over from the wedding (fab photos from Brianna Goodwin), and our Kartell-esque side tables from Homegoods.

Hubby's shoes... for a lived-in look. lol!

I'm still in the process of choosing photos for the frames on the wall.

I have yet to build up the never to cut the sheers (they came with hemming tape, but so far I've been chicken). This view gives a little sneak peak into the sunroom - notice our westelm steal in the background. I'm still in the process of trying to figure out what kind of sheers I want to use in that space, but hopefully I get it together soon. There you go, a small sneak peak our peacock/orchid - inspired love nest.

light it up

2011-01-12T15:09:00.000-08:00

So normally on my days off I like to work on stuff in our apartment (i.e. rearranging things, putting things away, hanging stuff up). Today, I wanted to focus on a nice, little update for the bedroom that I've been putting off for a while. The bedroom is still a work in progress, but I wanted to start small and knock out some of the little things. Remember this piece?

Why, it's the whirly hanging candle light from cb2. At $3.95 each, we can all afford to add a little sparkle!

So here is the before shot.

Five candle holders plus a roll of trilene, scissors, ceiling hooks, and a hammer, and you get this...

wait for it...

There we go! I suppose it took about 45 minutes to do this. Making the knots for the fishing line while making sure that everything hung at the same height was a tad bit challenging. Brandon hung the hooks ('cause I'm a little shorty) and I did the measuring / cutting / hanging.

For those of you who are wondering about fires, I am actually going to end up purchasing some "smart tea lights" from cb2 which have battery operated LEDs. They look like this -

The next thing on the agenda is to change our comforter and sheets (the new comforter is on standby in the closet). I've already hung new curtains (which turned out pretty good by the way, so I must share). I'll also be conjuring up a new idea for night stands - in case you were wondering, the Lack tables were only a temporary solution. So, more to come people, stand by!

hanging in there

2011-01-07T08:49:00.000-08:00

So I wanted something that would make a nice statement over our sofa. I decided to go with an inexpensive option and hang a collage of frames that I scored from Target.

First I arranged them on the floor, then I numbered the plastic coating so that I knew which frame came next in the sequence.

\

What I didn't know was that this whole "hanging while keeping the correct spacing thing" was much more difficult than I had originally anticipated, so naturally I had to change the layout once I got it up on the wall.

So it ended up looking more like this. Notice the common horizontal line, which I dig. I also picked up some lime magnetic flowers from Target, which ended up working quite nicely in the negative spaces.

When my boo got home, he suggested that I add the little frame on the far right (which I happily agreed since I had two left over from changing the original layout). Now all I have to do is fill the frames with some memories. I was thinking about doing all the photos in a sepia tone for a classic look. Whatcha think?

mr. cooper

2010-12-18T11:27:00.000-08:00

So yesterday I was browsing west elm and I did a double take when I saw this sign:

I was like, "Whoa!" That's an amazing markdown! What exactly was on sale?

I almost fell over! I immediately asked an associate for the details and he told me that this was just the floor sample and that there was one NIB for the same price (this acronym actually just became part of my vocabulary recently, but that's a story for later). New in Box for $99? I could barely breathe! I immediately sent Brandon a photo, to which he replied, "That's cute." So guess what guys? We got a new sofa! I took home a slip cover for it yesterday, and he's picking up the sofa today! Not sure where we're gonna put it yet, but who can pass up a deal like that?

Welcome home, Mr. Cooper. Very nice to meet you...

toasty toes

2010-12-18T10:36:00.000-08:00

I came across these boots on Lulus.com the other day and I just HAD to share. I'd totally be happy with either pair (or all, if someone's feeling generous!)

They're all so unique and I'm sure that they would be a show stoppers all over town.

(To be completed with a new pair of skinny jeans!)

daybed daydreams

2010-12-16T07:55:00.000-08:00

So it's finally time to start turning my attention towards our beloved sunroom. Up until now, it's been primarily used for things that we've slowly been putting away. Now that we're almost done with the dining room (posting a picture of the new storage soon) I can finally think about how I would like the space to function. I was thinking that turning it into a restful place would be ideal. Then I thought, hey, why not a lounge area?

For the most amazing sunroom I've seen, check out Young House Love here.

How with that being said it looks that the most obvious place to start would be choosing the right daybed. After turning the net upside down, I was finally able to find some modern daybeds that really tickle my fancy.

West Elm Overlapping Squares Daybed - White

West Elm Overlapping Squares Daybed - Chocolate

Of course West Elm holds the top spot in the chic, modern daybed department. You'll see the overlapping square series almost everywhere. My only gripe, is that they are a little more than I would like to spend. The frame by itself is only $449, but when you start to add on a mattress, bolsters, sheets, it gets a little pricey.

West Elm 2x2 Daybed - Chocolate

The 2x2 isn't bad either. At only $229 it's definitely affordable, but it's nearly impractical if you don't buy the bolsters (they are an additional $99 for a set of two). Also, I worry if they would actually stay in place or just roll onto the floor whenever you try to lay on them. Plus, let's not forget that the mattress is additional.

Astoria Metal Daybed - Champagne

The Astoria is actually kind of cute. I especially like the circles. It also has a pop-up trundle option (which would be great if we have more than one buddy that would need to crash) and did I mention it also comes with a mattress? All for $639 with free shipping.

Miami Metal Daybed - Coffee

This daybed is awesome because I dig the lattice-like detail. It's also a little higher for back support. The Miami is $599 including trundle and mattress. Of course it has free shipping. Did I mention that I like free shipping?

Hillsdale Chloe Metal Daybed - Black Metal

This last one is perhaps my favorite because I like the simple, modern detail and I love the price. The Chloe is $360 with the free mattress and $469.15 for the trundle option with the free mattress. I might be settling in on a decision pretty soon. I just need to run it by the hubby.

Oh, and let me not forget to post pics of the sunroom (right now we have it closed off from the living room like a nice little cocoon) as well as the current state of affairs in the living room. And as always, don't forget to tell me your thoughts! I'd love some feedback! :)

wild cherry

2010-12-15T10:38:00.000-08:00

Totally excited to share this with you! Today our new LG high efficiency front load washer and dryer set was delivered! Up until a few days ago we had been renting a set while we figured out the perfect pair for us. Originally the price for the washer was $899 and the dryer was $1099. We bought them online on Thanksgiving day for $499 each! Plus free shipping! Oh joy indeed! Did I mention that they are wild cherry?

We figured we'd save the pedestals for when we buy our first home (or we can always stack them). I've always wanted a red washer and dryer, but I could never justify spending the money for so many bells and whistles to do laundry. And thus concluded the story of the cute, little married couple with the beautiful new appliances! :)

tubby

2010-12-14T09:12:00.000-08:00

Just something to lift my spirits! I've been holding on to these photos for a while. I've always wanted a cool, vintage tub. Not sure how comfortable it would be as a sofa, but these are so darling that I just had to share!

This one is adorable. I love a rich lime green and a flokati rug!

How sweet are these? I love the upholstery and the colors are so happy. Check out the matching lamp!

This one is extra snazzy. You know I love a good red and aqua combo!

These chairs actually make me hungry for eggs, pancakes, and sausage. :)

And this... how divine is this bathroom? I love a sweet vintage tub. The ruffle shower curtain is so lovely and soft. I would be so stoked if I could actually fit a Mongstad into my bathroom. Maybe one day! But until then, can't a girl dream?

posted up

2010-12-10T17:02:00.000-08:00

I totally forgot to give my boo props for the amazing job he did turning our tv into the coolest thing I've seen in a rental. Ladies and Jets - our Framsta and Besta Jagra hibrid!

Home to all of our gaming and cable needs, our creation turned out pretty awesome. Brandon put it up over Halloween weekend and I came home to a nice, little surprise. He also placed some led lights into the glass panels for a nice little glow during the night, but sadly the batteries died prematurely (thanks Walmart). Hopefully we can replace them soon!

Oh, and I just had to share this one... lol!

the great storage debate pt. trois

2010-12-09T09:31:00.000-08:00

I've never really thought of myself as a "china cabinet" sort of girl. The formality always appeared rather stuffy (i.e. having your "good stuff" behind glass and never using it unless you have "company"). I mean, I like the idea of storage - God knows we need it with of smaller than average kitchen wall cabinets - but I wanted to twist the idea up a bit by using our Billy and making everything easily accessible.

All of our cool wine, martini, and shot glasses are displayed on the top and the doors at the bottom conceal our light-weight dried foods like pasta and crackers. I love the look because it's laid-back, but you still get the glitz when the light shines on the glassware. I'm pretty happy with it.

As for our sideboard, we've finally made a decision! I can't wait to put it together!

See you on the other side!

stepping outside of the box

2010-12-06T16:22:00.000-08:00

The older I get, the more the quintessential girly-girl inside of me begins to arise. As a little girl, I was completely into handbags (mostly for their color coordination and utility) but the older I get, the more I find myself being infatuated by shoes. More specifically, the designer in me has become increasingly interested in how they can be stored. I did happen to get the walk-in closet in our bedroom all to myself, but alas cute shoes are hidden in boxes or casually lying on the floor. Hey, I know I'm not the only one with the dream of the perfect "Sex and the City" closet! Here are some cool shoe storage options that really have me wanting a closet makeover!

This one's more about presentation than idea, but I can say that it reminds me of a cool store display - Urban Outfitters even! Who wouldn't love to show off their assortment of colorful heels?

Now how awesome is this? It's called the Sole Mate which is a product created by Shannon Scovell. Reminiscent of a spider's web, shoes rest nice and snug against the wall until your next ground adventure together!

How about ornate moulding painted a funky color to showcase your favorite heels? This option looks so classy and I love the texure!

How awesome/appropriate is this? It's called the footprint by Charlotte Tangye. Just mount to the wall! Flip flops never looked so cute!

Feeling lucky? I totally threw this one in just for fun! It's called the shoe wheel and it's developed by Rakku. It even comes in smaller sizes for children shoes What a funny way to teach the tikes the colors of the rainbow!

making a happy holiday

2010-12-05T09:12:00.000-08:00

It's our first Christmas as husband and wife and I couldn't be more excited! We went Christmas tree shopping and decided on a black pre-lit tree from Target! Now I know you're thinking, Rae, that sounds a little crazy, but you know us, we like to break the mold on a regular basis. Staying the with color scheme of the apartment - jewel tones, we wanted something chic and unexpected! Here's a peek!

Please ignore the bookcase (settling in is such a slow and painful process).

But here is the tree in our sunroom (perhaps the last room in our apartment to get some love).

Check out our ornaments. I swear I was like a kid in a candy store.

I managed to find a perfect box of assorted ornaments for only $15.

We need to get an extension cord, but I think it turned out pretty good, if I do say so myself!

We got the star from Target and the tree skirt from Walmart, but it call came together so well.

It's amazing how different things appear without my crazy flash!

I hope you guys like it! I have some more holiday decorating treats coming up, so stay tuned!

the great storage debate pt. duex

2010-12-04T09:12:00.000-08:00

So I promised everyone some photos of our dining room! Here's what we have so far.

From left to right, meet our Billy Jader bookcase, our Bjursta dining table (not extended at the moment), our tufted white vinyl cubes - oh, and our trusty Bekvam step stool. Notice the track lighting... sooo not dining appropriate!

In steps my infatuation with the PS Maskros!

My baby surprised me by having it already installed by the time I got home from work!

Here's a photo without the flash. How amazing is that? It casts such an awesome dandelion glow all over the room. Dinners will be so sweet! But alas, I still have the blank wall in the back just begging for a sideboard and some artwork (I'm thinking a collage of mirrors for a nice reflection of light back into the living room). Then we can purchase some dining chairs and start inviting our friends over! :)

have a seat

2010-11-29T09:38:00.000-08:00

Let's just keep it short and sweet today... here are the new chairs that we got a few ago weeks from Target.

It's called the Dolce lounge chair, and it's downright adorable. We got two for an amazing price (with the help of a sale, a percentage off coupon, my working advantage website, and a wedding gift card). All that came to $135 for 2! Here they are in our living room.

Right now they're sitting in front of the opening to our sun room. We love them because they're low (so they don't impede the view) and they are quite comfortable! Check out our jewel tone pillows! Teal, purple, and lime are definitely here to stay! It's all coming together little by little. Let me know what you think!

the great storage debate

2010-11-18T09:03:00.000-08:00

So Brandon and I have come to the conclusion that the only way we are going to be able to put away all of our wedding gifts is by purchasing a sideboard for our dining room. Of course knowing me, I always check out potentials at work before I begin searching all over ( I mean how could I not, I spend more time in the blue box than I do in our humble abode, but I digress...) Anyhoo, there are lots of neat options, all modern of course, but I can't help but be baffled on which one we should go with. Keep in mind that our table is black brown, so I can't decide if I want strict cohesion or contrast. Here are the top choices:

PS Locker

I can't help it, but there is something so sweet about it. At only $99, the price is one of the most attractive things about it, and I totally dig the nod to high school. I also comes in toolbox red. The only drag is that you have to keep the keys in to open it. But I guess that's a small drag, not necessarily a huge one.

Bjursta Sideboard

This is the next option, which is actually made within the same series as my table. To tell the truth, I was actually trying to avoid the matchy-matchy thing, but this one does have cute, little drawers for napkin rings and things. At $249, it doesn't have the most cupboard storage of the bunch, but it's got nice masculine lines. Did I mention that this is Brandon's favorite? Oh I didn't? This is Brandon's favorite.

Trollsta Sideboard

It's soooo leggy! I swear that I've coveted this sideboard for at least a year, and scalloped detail is so adorable. The only downside to this option? It's $349 (which is the most expensive) but it's also massive! At 72", it's the also the longest of the bunch, which I fear may actually dwarf my table. :(

Trollsta Cabinet

I just can't help myself. Cabriole legs are so sexy. At $249, I love this cabinet because it's pretty modern with a twist. Also, I can see myself attaching inverted wine glass racks to the inside for an instant bar. The only downfall - it's tall. Much taller than a traditional sideboard (perhaps that has a lot to do with the fact that it is made to be a tv cabinet). What can I say, I like to think outside of the box (okay, the low rectangle).

Torsby Sideboard

And finally, I simply can't escape the allure of high-gloss white. This sideboard it pretty awesome, and I LOVE the sliding doors! At $299, it's an investment that would be well worth it. It's modern, shiny, and the proportions are ideal. I guess I only question this decision because it's white. I saw a similar one at cb2 (twice the cost of course) but this one is really speaking to me. My fear is that if I go with the Torsby and white chairs, that the space would be screaming for some color.

So what do you think about it? I'll be posting my dining area soon so that you can get a feel for what's going on. Stay tuned.

jewels

2010-10-25T22:37:00.000-07:00

So lately I've been thinking about the color scheme for our living and dining room. I've been collecting things here and there, but I keep going a back to my inspiration of jewel tones. For some reason or another, I'm really diggin aquas, greens, and purples - something that I've never been into before.( Side note, I believe that purple is long overdue for a comeback). Here are some inspirational images that get me in the mood.

Who doesn't love a good peacock color story? These jewel tones are really amazing! Hopefully I'll start shopping and sharing with you soon. Before I go, here are some of the pillows that I bought at Target almost a year ago. I can't wait to start putting everything together!

Stay tuned :)

light my fire

2010-10-11T11:57:00.000-07:00

I'm changing out the boring builder's grade brass light fixtures in our apartment for something with more glam!

P.S. Maskros (the new, smaller version) for the dining room

Kristaller for the bedroom

Knappa for the sun room

Lock (times two) for the living room (so as not to compete with my Regolit floor lamp)

Total: $139.95 - a lot of light for a little money!

Don't worry, you'll definitely get a sneak peek once they're installed! :)

newlywed newness

2010-10-08T12:46:00.000-07:00

So for our wedding my mommy gifted Brandon and me one of the lovely Dwell Studio comforters that I've been coveting. Yellow is definitely a departure for me. I am known for living drenched in color, but since my college days are over and I now have a loving hubby, I wanted to dream up a room that was lovely, relaxing, glamorous, and grown-up. Here's how I plan to trick it out!

Clockwise from the left:

1. Target sunburst mirror
2. Hopen 6-drawer dresser
3. CB2 Whirly Hanging candle holders
4. Z-Gallery Jett bed (which we absolutely love sleeping in!)
5. Kristaller chandelier
6. Skirma shades and Januari lamp base
7. Target glass accent table (times two)
8. Mongstad floor mirror
9. Target Clyborn Loft arm chair in houndstooth
10.Target Tripod floor lamp with drum shade
11. Hopen 8-drawer dresser
12. Target Peony pillow
13. Boscov's burlap drapery panels
14. Gislev rug
15. Dwell Studio Andalusia comforter set

We already have most of the main furniture pieces. I can't wait to make it into our little sanctuary!!!!

it happened!

2010-10-05T21:06:00.000-07:00

So as some of you might know, I jumped the broom almost two weeks ago! I feel so blessed to be married to my best friend! It was so memorable, quirky, unbelievable, and joyful - I cried more happy tears than I ever have in my entire life. Whoo! A very amazingly-talented young woman by the name of Brianna Goodwin (of Brianna Renee Goodwin Photography) captured our big day and more than exceeded my greatest expectations! Allow me to share them with you. These are entitled "Cook Peek".

I can't wait to see more! Stay tuned!!!

at the moment...

2010-09-15T17:53:00.000-07:00

We just moved into our very own first place! With the wedding just next week, we haven't been able to put our apartment together yet, but I'm sooo excited about the possibilities! At the moment, here are some lovely images that are inspiring me!

Large artwork

Cozy neutrals dipped in color

A pair of chic lounge chairs (with awesome pillows)

Lime greens (and leafy greens)

They call me mellow yellow...

And black and white - because they NEVER goes out of style!

urban delight

2010-09-02T09:30:00.000-07:00

RecentlyI went dreaming through Urban Outfitters furniture section. Their stuff is so awesome, and I know that it would like fab in almost any setting. Here are some of my faves.

This table reminded me of an underwear display a retail store. Secretly I've always wanted a walk-in closet with one of these in the center displaying layers of my cute undies. Hey, a girl can dream, right?

I just couldn't shield myself from this Ikat slipper chair. How delightful are the colors?

I thought that this coffee table was pretty industrial chic,

especially because you can fold it up and take it with you.

I'm pretty much in love with this color. For some reason I keep thinking about George Jetson

whenever I see it. Double points for folding up to reveal storage for your blankies.

This tufted bench just screams glamor. This would be adorable as an alternate for a coffee table.

I would add a mirrored tray for holding drinks!

For some reason or another, I've always wanted a modern settee.

It would be great for lounging with my ipod and a magazine.

A mid century rocker, yes please. Pair with a colorful throw pillow and call it posh.

Why do I love this quirky little coffee table? Maybe because it's an oldie but goodie.

Repaint the top a funky color and I think it would be a show-stopper.

Okay, let's talk about how badly I want this paisley accent chair, or on second thought, let's not.

I'd get too emotional. Like what you see? Mosey on over to the website! :)

dining with dar

2010-08-29T20:16:00.000-07:00

So after my frantic dining chair search, I have finally come across a chair that I know would feel right at home with our round Bjursta. Check it out. It should look a tad bit familiar.

Yes, and I am not afraid to admit that this is a classic reproduction of the classic Charles and Ray Eames Dar chair. These puppies are sold as a set of 2 on Overstock for only $166.79! Of course I was a little skeptical (I mean who sells reproductions for this cheap?) but my fears were immediately eased when I read all of the amazingly positive comments. The product has been given 5 stars, and though it's not the real deal, don't you think that everyone is entitled to their own little "design within reach"? I'm totally excited about them (of course I cleared them with the future hubby and he thinks they would look great) so I'm ordering them within the next few weeks. Combine the price with the $2.95 shipping (gosh I love Overstock) and boys and girls, I believe that we have a winner!

A few days ago I was browsing through my inspiration folder and found a picture of a rectangular Bjursta with similar chairs. I mean seriously, how could you not love the look? I can't wait to see what our new chairs look like with our new circular table. Gosh, everything's soooo new. God is so good. :)

a happy mistake

2010-08-26T11:19:00.000-07:00

So you might remember when I initially showed you the photo of my bridesmaids' dress. It went a little something like this...

Well needless to say, in April I found out that this dress was nowhere NEAR the hot pink color that I had been picturing in my head. It actually turned out to be plum after some of my girls ordered it. Trust me, I nearly had a heart attack. But, seeing as though it was still so early, I was able to correct the problem by choosing another dress and ordering it for myself to confirm my choice.

Not only do I love the color more (it's dead on), but the cut of the dress with the ruching on the tummy not only flatters the body but looks so sweet and sexy. When the dress came in I was, well, tickled pink. The shoes my girls will be wearing are chocolate satin heels. I'm super de duper excited about how awesome everything will look. Especially with the surprise pop of color for the jewelry!

As for the guys, they will be wearing chocolate pinstripe tuxes with hot pink vests and ties.

Here's B during the tux preview!

Yeah, he was feeling pretty handsome! Brandon will be wearing a white paisley vest and tie underneath his tux (he didn't let me see it because he wanted it to be a surprise). I'm so excited about the bow ties. They make an event feel so much more formal and special.

As for our dads, they'll be wearing chocolate paisley vests and ties. I love it!

Time is winding down! I'll keep you posted!

sweet suite

2010-08-19T09:07:00.000-07:00

So Brandon and I finally got our invitations out on Monday and I feel like a HUGE weight has been lifted off of my shoulders! Yesterday I got a text pic from a friend sending me a picture of my wedding invitation suite, and you know what, something that simple made me so happy! It was exactly the kind of picture that I've envied on other wedding sites that I frequent. To finally have my invites out and receiving compliments from others really made me feel great. It's so awesome to see my dreams coming true!

In case you haven't seen it yet, here's our save the date.

And here's the invitation suite I created complete with RSVP card and map with hotel information. The suite was sent in a kraft brown 9x4 envelope. I am sooo happy to finally share it with everyone. Thanks for the pic, Jess! I really needed that small pick me up to let me know I'm going in the right direction!

kitchy

2010-08-11T19:02:00.000-07:00

Because I work in the world of kitchens, I can't help but appreciate unique kitchen ideas when I see them. These images have been in my blog folder for a while now, so I thought to myself, "Why not share them with [you]?" Here are some cool trends that I'm currently loving.

I think open shelves are so cool and stream-lined. I really love them because they're honest and open. What better way than to force yourself to keep organized? Also, I can't help but feel a sense of rest with all of the horizontal lines. I definitely wouldn't mind living like this. In my world, Nexus blk-brn and lack floating shelves.

How about the lighting under the base cabinets? I'm diggin' it. I also love how the cabinetry is installed between two walls instead of being exposed on either side, the integrated look is forever in. And how about that custom banquette? Amazing. In my world, Abstrakt white, and Dioder lighting strips.

The red is a show stopper, and I can't help but be amazed by a whole wall of pantry cabinets (perhaps there's an integrated fridge?) The gray island takes the red fire and cools it down considerably. The thickness of the countertop is substantial and definitely makes a statement. In my world, Abstrakt red and gray could make this dream come true.

This rental is so stunning! I love how the cabinets are still very 80's but the addition of a nice rug, a beautiful print (how fitting), and an amazing chandelier this kitchen looks completely transformed and glamorous. Can we just talk about the chalkboard paint for a minute? How beautiful! In my world, Applad white and maybe some Nexus Yellow Brown decor strip.

So I don't know if these are drawers with glass inserts, or they are horizontal cabinets installed below the countertop (maybe the doors would be to heavy to hold up the doors if installed upside down, but hey, it's just a thought). In any case, I think it makes the kitchen very light and airy. In my world, Adel white or Stat white would definitely do the trick.

I just had to show you the wall stickers. If I had flat kitchen doors in my future kitchen I would definitely rock this. I know these aren't our kitchen accessories on the wall, but Grundtal, Asker, Bygel, and Kroken can turn any small space into chic storage. Also, I'm currently having a moment with apple green - so please excuse me. Who really knows how long it'll last? Stay tuned.

staples

2010-08-09T21:35:00.000-07:00

Brandon and I have finally found a place to begin our life post-marriage and I can not be more excited! We'll be moving into a 2 bed, 2 bath, with a sun room. Awesome, right? So with the move in date just over a month from now I figured that there's no time like the present to start choosing the staples that will collaborate to form our humble abode. What better place for me to start than at my favorite furniture store where it would be absolutely criminal if I did not take advantage of my resources. Here's what we're working with.

I am so in love with this Flyn Beata curtain panel set. I always like to start a room with some inspiration and I think that this is it. The colors are beautiful and I would love to pull some colors from this panel to splash around the apartment (of course sparingly because I'm over my college kaleidoscope of color phase). What do you say? I think it's a great place to start.

If you've been with me since the beginning, you probably remember my coveted Sater (klamby) sofa. It's so completely comfortable and great for cuddling (we've already tried it out). And plus, as my very first sofa, I really don't think I could have done better for a 100 dollars! It's a great staple and I can't wait to give it a proper home. Imagine filling it with colorful pillows and luscious textures.

And seriously, how awesome is this Regolit light fixture? I can see it behind my sofa just illuminating all of our adorable throw pillows. Our apartment is wired and capped off for overhead light fixtures (we were told that our maintenance person can wire whatever fixtures we choose), but for the living room, I think that this overhead floor lamp will really set the mood.

Just so you know, I've been a total nut going back and forth between prospective dining tables. This Bjursta table had my heart in the end. I'm a sucker when it comes to round tables, but my main concern was how we were going to accommodate more friends and family when he had people over. Good thing this baby extends!

Yep, at a moment's notice, we can seat up to six people, which is pretty awesome for an apartment. So I'm pretty happy with it, and when I showed it to Brandon we agreed that indeed it was pretty awesome. Now I just need to pick some chairs (which is also proving to be harder than I initially thought).

Because our second bedroom will be used as an office, I thought it would be cool to create an individual workspace for each of us. With Brandon's vision of "a study" and I figured we would could at least ground the room with some Expedit workstations while I decide exactly what constitutes a "unisex study". We may end up going with a small loveseat sofa bed for the occasional overnight crasher, but other than that, it's all about post-college book storage, possible design projects, blogging, and I.T. teleworking (okay, and youtube watching...)

And for our newlywed bedroom, we chose the Jett Bed from Z Gallerie! I've been keeping an eye on this bed for a while now, and at such a nice price, how could I you not love it? It's a platform bed with a slatted bed base, and the cut outs keep it nice and airy. I figured we could work up to the other awesome beds they have when we buy our dream house, but for now, I'm so excited about beginning our lives with this one. P.S. I can't WAIT to dress it up and call it our sanctuary! What do you think? Stay tuned! More to come.

stuck on me

2010-07-19T10:58:00.000-07:00

So I've settled into the reality that our future place will more than likely come equip with white or beige walls that I will not be able paint. But there's always a way to decorate the walls with color without messing with your landlord's fresh paint job. How about some removable wall stickers? It's a really cool trend, and when done right (and not cheesy like "live, laugh, love" ) it can transcend any painted wall imaginable. Check out these from everyone's favorite handmade site, Etsy.

These dandelions are so sweet. It definitely adds a much needed pop of color and gives the chair more impact. I also like how it's playing off the collage of pictures. (seller: Art Condutor)

I'm in love with tree branches and there are lots to choose from! This is one of my favorites. (seller: Artwall Project)

Everyone deserves a little humor in the bathroom? How cool is this? No one will ever have an excuse. (seller:Decal Monograms)

How stunning is this? Not sure where I would put it, although it could be quite stunning in an entryway. (seller: Pop Wall)

This one's probably my fav. Birds on a telephone wires just gives me that comfy, lazy feeling. (seller: Surface Inspired)

Talk about making an impact! This could definitely be an awesome way to punch up a reading nook. (seller: Urban Walls)

Just one more graphic for ya'. Who's up for origami? (seller: Pop Wall)
Now go forth and be inspired... your walls are waiting.