Product Love

Pretty lamps from Remains Lighting

 

 

 

 

Such great materials, scale and shapes.

A New Year, A New Job and A New Blog Plan

I realize I am tardy, but Happy New Year!  If you follow me on Instagram, you know I was gifted a technology upgrade at Christmas.  It is taking me a bit longer than expected to figure out the idiosyncrasies of blogging on an iPad.  Honestly, I probably will still mostly post old school, from my clunky old laptop.

In other news, starting next week I will be once again working in Interior Design.  I am so excited for the opportunity.  I can’t really anticipate what that will do to my professional or blogging life, so hold on.  It will either drain my creativity or multiply it, we’ll all have to wait and see.

Lastly, I have a new plan for the blog for the new year.  I am horrible about following through with weekly features, but am going to give it a try again.  Monday will be “Make Something Monday”.   I am not much of a DIYer or crafter, but really feel like little inexpensive crafts are a great outlet.  My plan is to make something this coming Monday evening, but likely not post the results until next Monday.  That takes into account that I am not home much during daylight hours these days.  Summer, when their is more time to photograph in the evenings will be much easier on the blogging schedule.  I will, of course, continue with Craigslist posts and finally, another new weekly feature.  I don’t have a name for it yet. I will introduce you to a hypothetical (or perhaps eventually real) person, couple or family.  Then I will show you hypothetical rooms I have designed for them.  I will post the client on Friday and then post the design through out the following week.  I would love to have submissions about how you would design for the clients as well, so by introducing them on Friday, you have a few days to design before the rooms are featured the following week.  Here is our first “Client”

An outdoorsy girl who is fashionable but still looks like she has spent some time on snowshoes, perhaps even knows how to use a chainsaw or an ax.

I will be designing a living room and bedroom for this no nonsense gal.  Not too feminine, not too masculine.  Feel free to post and link your interpretation of how she would live.  My design boards will not be complete, concise or perfect, just a collection of ideas that convey the concept.  Honestly, this is a project for my professional development suggested by the podcast the Accidental Creative.  I listen to episodes while I commute and find them exceptionally inspiring and centering.  One episode encouraged you to create every day, it doesn’t have to be something elaborate or perfect, just create for the sake of creating (paraphrasing and perhaps getting it a little bit wrong).  I am just posting it here publicly to hold myself accountable.  In a change from other design boards, I will be posting my resources, so if you see something you like, you will know where to find it.  I generally post design boards for real clients and don’t share information for something that I have been paid to create specifically for their needs and aesthetic.  Since these are hypothetical (and imperfect) projects, I am happy to share the resources.

See you next week!

Pre Christmas Craigslist

I’m giving up for this year.  Craigslist again.  I have some tentative new inspiration for the new year.  Right now, this is what you get:

Listed as “warm silver”, this might be the coolest finish.  Hard to say – $425

Table – $290

6 chairs – $1000

Big ol rug – $300

Pair of nice tufted chairs – $600

Super amazing lovely retro sofa – $175

These don’t look particularly comfortable, but would be great in an entry way. Just a spot to drop your purse or sit for a second to put on your shoes – $60 for the pair.

Versatile dining table with some drama – $500

 

Always a sucker for campaign furniture – $75

 

Happy Holidays!  See you after the new year!

Craigslist…Ugh

I’m not sure why I can’t find time these days to do anything but Craigslist posts these days, but anyway….

$100

$820

$50

$275

Totally use this as a jewelry armoire – $600

$450

$80

$500

$325

$45

$145

$75 each

$300

$30

$360

$250

$800 

$250

Quick Craigslist Post

A quick little round up of Chicago Craigslist finds.

Fun little chair – $40

I love this stool – $40

Eames Bikini Chairs – $200 each

Hard to tell how cool this table is when it the top is babyproofed – $400

Great looking cabinet – $500

Chandelier -$199

Barbara Barry Chair – $600

Pretty little marble table – $65

This chair would be great at a vanity table – $175

Fabulous barstools – $50 each

Things I’m Liking These Days

Sweet Paul Magazine– Though this magazine and blog have been around for a while, I found the last few issues particularly inspiring.

    

 

Ikea Alina Bedspread – I was resistant to this one.  I had selected some bedding from Restoration Hardware or West Elm for our new bedroom.  My husband liked the weight and the price of this one.  My biggest pet peeve about bedding is that king sized duvets rarely fit modern king mattresses with all their added depth.  This one fits perfectly even though it is listed as a queen/king (which is normally a really bad thing).

Land’s End Sweaters – I have long had a preference for J Crew, but I find these sweaters, especially the cardigans, of as good or better quality.  Best news; you can always find a few colors on great sale.

While you are on their website, look around.  There are some other gems.

I haven’t tried their pants.  I am very leery that they might turn into mom jeans.  They are really trying to hip up their styling, they aren’t quite there yet, but I am the huge fan of their basics to work in with more stylish pieces.

This recipe.  I am constantly looking for great meatless entrees.  We are far from vegetarian, but there are some weeks where I lose the meat and potatoes battle.  Recipes like this one are my savior.

Craigslist This Week

A bunch of Craigslist fun:

$150 Chair

$300 Settee

Cool Curved Sofa ready for an upholsterer – $100

Console Table – $50

Fun ottoman – $450

Amazing dresser -$30

Coffee Table – $75

Adorable chair – $40

Barstools also ready for a makeover – $45

Another great chair – $125

Dining Set, I would split it up.  Chairs with a Parsons Table or the table with some Panton Chairs – $400

Another cool modern coffee table – $125

The pattern of this chair is perfection – $50

Sofa – $595

I can imagine a super fun girly room designed around this sofa. Greek key pillows….a little bit of zebra….a spectacular wallcovering.  Hmm, maybe you you will see my vision via another post this week.

$25 Bamboo Mirror

I love this chair – $65

The best coffee table yet – $??? not listed

What a great collection this week, huh?

 

Chicago Craigslist

I found some fun stuff this week.  I hope some of you in Chicago-land find something great for your home!

So cute in plaid, these chairs would be such a good start to a dining room – $79

A dresser waiting for a makeover – $75

If you need a little brass in your life, this console table at $40 is a great start.

A beautiful pair of linen chairs.  I could think of a ton of great rooms that would incorporate these chairs.  $200 each

Another nice chair – $575

A frame with an interesting shape. This would be great for a chalk board or a mirror frame. $40

Cool sofa, perhaps for a sunroom. $300

A very tempting light fixture – $150

An interesting collection of locks -$120 (I would hope that is negotiable)

Another cool chair – $50

Bamboo Mirror – $30

Don’t judge

So today, when I was in the city, I saw the most chic woman.  She had this hair:

and the aviators.

And jeans like this (anthropologie)

 

A Chanel-ish jacket something like this (via 100layercake.com)

with casual loafers like this

All styled together with the perfect amount of “I don’t give a shit”.  I thought it looked absolutely perfect. It also immediately sent me on a Chanel-esque jacket hunt.

jcrew – nope

bananarepublic – nope

talbots – nope

getting a little desperate here

I vaguely remember seeing some at Zara back in August – not on their website anymore

Ann Taylor….Ann Taylor loft….nope and nope

Time to dig a little deeper.  Here is where I ask you not to judge….Chicos… yep, they have a few that are Chanel in feel, but I just can’t do it. I am pretty sure Chicos is Portuguese for “I’m old, I’ve got my sensible shoes, my sensible haircut and I’ve given up.”

Nordstrom, Anthro, they have the tweedy look, but the fit is all wrong.

Ugh, here is where it gets ugly….Coldwater Creek.  They have a few, but in very limited sizes.

JC Penney

Kohls

Macys

found my perfect alternative

Here.

 

 

Monday Bay Area Craigslist

I have a friend who recently relocated to the Bay Area and is feeling completely uninspired about decorating their rental house. I thought some Craigslist finds might get her excited and I’d share them with you all, too.

Nice quality sofa, clearly a delusional seller at $2,100

I think I could make this lavender headboard work in a room – $280

Lots of great stuff at this moving sale including this credenza – $250

I’d buy this loveseat in a heartbeat if I was anywhere near California – $299

Side table – $88

Pretty bed for a 6 year olds bedroom- $140

Another nice addition to a little girl bedroom – $55

Console table – $100

Amazing bench – $350

Interesting coffee table – $60

The post doesn’t show the entire rug, but this would look amazing with the above coffee table – $400

Fun and frustrating at the same time to find great stuff in another city.  I have no chance of  buying it, but my wallet thanks me.