Categories Archive
As you may be noticing, I’m a project girl. I love taking old things and making them new, but in a simple way that won’t take up too much time. I recently did a little DIY project for my backyard with tons of color. I’ve really gotten into spray painting these days. It’s easy, mostly mess-free and gives you instant results. Just throw some cardboard under your object and get to sprayin’. How fun is this? I found a wire rack and 2 planters on the side of the shed during a summer clean up and instead of trashing them, recycled them. Here they are all purty and filled with flowers and plants. As you can tell, we’re not afraid of color at our house. I’m about to keep it real right now. I’m so not a green thumb. In fact, I’m such a brown thumb that my husband has dubbed me the cactus queen. I can keep cactus and orchids alive, but that’s about it. After painting the rack (yep, with my new favorite Home Depot purchase — spray paint) , I went to the nursery to get some plants and pots. Who knew they had such fun, colorful options? Not this grim plant reaper! Then it was on to my planter boxes. I did a quick cleaning, pulled out the spray paint and … Viola, a bright, sunny new planter! I hung them on the shed (which isn’t a shed at all, but the husband’s man cave) to add color and balance to the area. I took a chance planting perennials instead of...
I’ve been in the DIY mood lately and dig anything that has to do with paint. If feels good to do a project yourself, but I want to see speedy results. I lose patience if a project takes more than 2 days. I live in an Eichler that we’ve furnished with both old and new pieces, so this cabinet was sure to fit in. I got this 1940s cabinet from my Grandma’s house last year and immediately knew what I wanted to do to it. You guessed it — paint. You can find spray paint in so many fun colors that the possibilities are endless! I picked a bright lime green, called my dad for last minute spray painting tips and off I went. The inside was a bit rusty, but the body of the cabinet was in great shape and didn’t need much attention. I did minor sanding to smooth out a few rough patches and then got to work. I removed the handles so they’d stay their pretty chrome finish, but left the interior hooks in place. The truth is the screws were rusted over on the hooks and it would have taken more strength that I had to remove them. I did a coat of primer on the exterior to ensure a smooth surface. Dry time on spray paint is great, as you only need to wait an hour to do your next coat. It took 2 coats of spray paint (3.5 cans) and she was as good as new! I found cute polka dot shelf liner at Target and she was ready to...
Someone recently told me that often a woman’s home is decorated in the colors that she prefers to wear. I had to respectfully disagree. My home is in earthtones, comfy colors that don’t scream at me when I get home from the studio. My wardrobe, on the other hand is pretty much based on black and white mixed with bold colors. It looks good for work, everything matches everything else and I feel like with a simple outfit I can go nuts with accessories. Here’s what I’m into right this minute… I love this dress from White House Black Market, and it gets even better with a chunky necklace. Here’s a chair from Target that I wish I had in my office, I would change out the throw pillow color with the season or my hormonally induced moods (might need LOTS of pillows, what color expresses “I want to punch someone in the throat”?). And here’s an idea that I am so in love with that I think I’m going to scour some antique shops and flea markets for cool black and white prints or paintings and find some vintage frames to paint. Yay, a fun summer project! ...
Can appliances make you happy? If they last longer than a year, then the answer is yes (I will post about my dead vacuum cleaner later when I feel ranty). But they can also make you happy if they can be a fun pop of color in your kitchen. I personally am in love with this red KitchenAid mixer. And it’s not just because making cookie dough is my favorite thing. When not in use, some appliances either have to hang out on the kitchen counter or get hidden in the pantry or garage. If you have storage issues like me then there is not a lot of room to hide these things. If the mixer needs to stay out on the counter then it might as well be a fun color like red, green, or boysenberry right? Pick an accent color in your kitchen and get a cool toaster or mixer in that color. Please don’t buy that ceramic kitchen chicken wearing a sweater in that color (it’s not functional and I’m guessing really tacky). Retro kitchens are really popular and the style allows you to get really bold with the appliances. Instead of the stainless steel refrigerator, go for the bright orange or baby blue colors. How about a pink toaster? This one will totally get my daughter to help me make breakfast. I want this baby blue Big Chill refrigerator so bad, but it will cause me to remodel my entire house around the style. It even has a matching diswasher! I will keep these in mind if I ever get a beach...
If you haven’t had a chance to drop by Booth #404 at Surtex to witness the superfeet of Erin and Ilene, here is a small taste of what you would find. Meet our resident animal collections: Nerdiebumps, Cuddlebumps & Meeniebumps. Besides being cute and easy to get along with, they are a study of color and personality (everyone must multitask in this economy). I love how color and small details can change the feel and energy of these critters. Don’t be afraid, the Meeniebumps are just mad about the price of gas. We love all the “bumps” and their versatility, and the good news is they are all house...
Today I wanted to talk about one of my new favorite sites, www.houzz.com. For anyone that is remodeling, moving or just likes to update with the seasons this is a great place to peruse. You can search by room, style and even by city (just in case you want to snoop on your neighbors). It’s like going to a million open houses or house tours from your own living room. I have set up my own idea books for areas in my house that I want to work on. I want to one day tear out my kitchen and put in one of the beautiful all white kitchens that I have saved in my kitchen idea book. I am not sure white is the best option with 3 kids, a husband, 2 large dogs and a cat but hoseable cement cabinets seem cumbersome. Often times I just look for display ideas for coffee tables or family picture displays. You can also get more information on certain items by scrolling over the photos. When the green tags pop up, like in the image below, you can get more info for that item. It is a well designed and easy to use site and it is like crack for all of us visual people who can’t get enough of the pretty pictures. ...
This post was inspired by a recent damage-causing shopping spree (don’t tell my husband). It’s not my fault: the new fun jewelry was speaking to me. Gold, silver, pewter, and a pop of soft color are the latest trend. Don’t be afraid, I am not talking about your mom’s shiny bathroom fixtures. Muted gold and silver looks much better where jewelry is concerned and is much more flattering for every skin tone. (Even if you are a rapper and enjoy blinging your grill with silver and gold, you should really try the muted variety) Gold, silver and teal reminds me of the start of summer and the end of spring: cool nights and warm days. I love that color combination and I was wondering why I was so drawn to it. Turns out we have done a Feathers Royal pattern (above) from the Simon+Kabuki collection in this...
…and sunburns are painful…and red. This is the time of year that we start venturing to the beach with our glaring white skin and attempt to cover every inch in sunscreen. It never works, we can never get all the spots, and someone in my family ends up looking like they have hives in the shape of hands. Or really bad tattoos of clouds. The thing that I love about this time is that my red roses are in full bloom. This signals the beginning of good weather for me. Some people have a groundhog, I have my rosebush. I can’t wait until I can snip a few and put them in a huge vase in my entryway. I was happy to find out that red is Tuesday’s color which is very appropriate for today! When you think of red, what first comes to your mind? hmmm… Love– red roses, rosy red lips, red hearts, sexy red dress Aggression– seeing red, red in the face, fast red sports car, red power tie The good news is that unlike sunburns, red is a universally flattering color. “When in doubt, wear red.” Bill Blass I think it’s time for a little red...
Spring is here and I am happy to have things around me that feel like spring to me. I love having fresh flowers in vases, eating cool salads, and wearing flip flops (even without a tan). My house gets happy too with colorful throw pillows and rugs. I used to reserve this transition for December when I love to get ready to display the holiday joy by switching up the accent pillows, throw rugs, and decorations for the month. I thought why not update the décor of our home throughout the year? This doesn’t mean you need repaint your house and buy new furniture every three months too keep up with the changing seasons (unless you have a trust fund, disposable income or a money tree growing in your backyard). Simply, can refresh the look of your home if you change your accent pillows and rugs with the seasons. If you are afraid of commitment or have a limited budget the easiest thing to do is grab a few pillows with the colors you love or whatever feels like the season to you. The fun thing about throw pillows is that they are the quickest way to change the mood of the room. I hear this often that if you paint a bright color in a room you are stuck with specific colors. As the examples show, even if you have painted a bright blue wall in your living room, it can fit in with different color palettes to reflect the season. I think it feels really modern and fresh. The image shows four different ways you can decorate...
I was thinking about talking about the endless shades of gray that are available right now, but then I looked out my window at a gorgeous blue sky and decided that I’m done with gray for awhile now that Mother Nature seems to be done PMSing all over California. If I was painting a room this week, it would be with Restoration Hardware’s Shore Paint collection. If I was planting flowers this weekend, I’d definitely include the Endless Summer Hydrangea… And the perfect home decoration for spring (and just in time for Easter parties) is the bird’s nest with robin’s eggs from Pottery Barn. I need 3 sets to put in different areas of my kitchen/family room and I’ll use all 3 on the buffet table at my Easter partay. I’m definitely getting the blues this week and it makes me very...
When I think of white on white, I remember when my kids tried to color with the white crayon on the white paper in their coloring books. When one of them old me the white crayon was broken because they couldn’t see it on the paper, I told them to embrace the texture that the crayon was creating on the paper (this is much better said with sweeping hand gestures). They would give me a constipated look and I would shake my head and go get the colored paper. My kids eventually realized white isn’t broken. White on white can be beautiful. It can be whatever you want it to be. It’s fresh, free, and understated. It is professional and casual. It’s beautiful to see it in floral arrangements, wedding dresses, wedding cakes, easter decorations, and dinnerware. Time to go get a white on white outfit for spring! Why do I seem to always have the urge to shop after talking about color? 🙂 Images courtesy of: Vera Wang, allmodern.com, La Table Du Chatelain, allposters.com, Flowers...
With the recent sadness of the past two weeks, I think spring should be more than ever a time for renewal, positive vibes, and forward thinking optimism. A spring cleaning for the soul if you will. The tree outside our office is doing it’s best blooming even when the sky looks crappy. I love welcoming spring colors and I like to welcome the season with a good long look at my closet. I believe that the clothes you put on can set the mood for the day. My spring closet observation usually starts when I need to find say, a certain blouse, and then I end up cleaning out my entire closet in a frenzy. It will be getting warmer soon (never mind the constant rain and 40 degree temperatures) so I need to purge my closet of the warm and cozy clothes and bring the spring outfits to the forefront. In case it feels like I am missing something (always) I like to consult my old faithful Pantone. They have a color forecast for spring 2011 that I love to check out. Here are the Top 10 Pantone colors for women’s fashion chosen by New York designers for spring 2011. There is a section on designers where they feature sketches and discuss spring designs, inspiration, and must have items for spring. Just looking at the designs makes me happy. Colors: Lavender, Honeysuckle and Peapod. Designers: Carlos Campos, Cynthia Steffie by Shaun Kearney, Erin Fetherston Surroundings are just as important as fashion. Even a bouquet of flowers can be positive and brighten up the house with the latest colors....
I’m starting to plan my daughters birthday party which makes me overly giddy about decorating around a theme. Theme parties, being the standard, can involve everything from invitaions to outfits. Seems pretty different from when we were kids. My mom was very crafty but the closest thing my birthday parties came to a theme was matching napkins and plates. For my daughters birthday, even though she has specific color schemes and ideas, I always want to see how much I can expand on the theme she chooses. Creative Hostess is a super cute site for kids parties and baby shower ideas. I think it has now become one of my go-to places. There is a whole section on inspiration that I love to comb through. Another section features Real Birthday Parties. I am absolutely in love with this Elephant Parade Circus theme and this cake from an Airplane Birthday Party. Simon+Kabuki cards above: Sophisticated Stems, Balloon Party, Bubbles Girl, Bubbles Boy, Party Boy, Princess...
Irish? Not Irish? Hate green? Love green? Forget to wear green on St. Patrick’s Day? Ever try to convince co-workers you are wearing green underwear so you don’t get pinched? You must be careful, apparently St. Patrick’s Day may be the only day you can discuss the color of your underwear with co-workers without getting in trouble, or pinched as the case may be. Here are some creative ways to wear green on March 17th without looking like a leprechaun (unless you want to). A touch of green is all you need or you can accessorize to your hearts content! Here are some ideas to get started. Think earrings, rings, hair clips, pins, glasses, nail polish, hats, belts, purses, umbrellas, bracelets, and even removable tattoos*. Clockwise from bottom left to right: Hot Topic Kiss Me I’m Irish temporary tattoo, jellybug Green Turquoise Hybrid Byzantine Chain, Nordstrom Green Makowski Tote, iLuck Neon Bracelet, Green Nail Polish, Emerald-cut Birthstone Cocktail Ring. *depends on where you work *real tattoos for the...
I love to clear clutter and be organized. The joke around my house is you need to guard your drink glass because mommy will take it and wash it before you are done with it. Or mommy will recycle the newspaper before anyone gets a chance to read it. Every once in a while I go through my house and find the furniture, clothes, or miscellaneous items that are not being used and donate them or give them away. If the item can be used or re-purposed in a different way, then it gets to stay. In my garage (where said items sit in limbo) was this semi-ugly unpainted vanity that was waiting for it’s fate. I was hugely pregnant with my first baby and due any moment. We were shopping around for a changing table and choking on the high prices. I decided that this old vanity was the perfect hight for a changing table and the drawers could be used for storage. We took off the mirror and painted it the colors of the nursery, sage green and light blue. (In before photo). It worked well in both of my kids nurseries. When we decided to redecorate their nurseries to be kid rooms, the changing table was in the way and ended up in garage limbo-land again. My daughter wanted a desk or a vanity for her new big girl room. Enter the old vanity turned changing table. We painted it pink and white to match her new room, put the mirror back on and turned it back into a vanity. I used the leftover paint we had...
Today is Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday (or huesday as we like to call it). Time to eat, drink, and be colorful. Can’t make it to New Orleans? You can still celebrate in spirit by just adding lots of spice and color to your life. Break out the colorful beads and decorate with these cute lanterns in an array of colors that can be re-used for just about any holiday. I am going to re-purpose the pink one in my daughters room. If you are cooking, it’s a great time to sample the food that surrounds the tradition. Which brings me to a confession. Although I love to eat, I don’t love to cook. Baking is a different story. I can make chocolate chip cookie dough with my eyes closed, but cooking is not my thing. If something I make is a bit on the well-done side (burned) I jokingly try to pass it off as Cajun style: Cajun toast, Cajun hard boiled eggs (tip: don’t leave eggs boiling while watching a riveting soap opera). No offense Louisiana, Cajun food is one of my favorites. Since Cajun food is a part of the Mardi Gras tradition, today would be the best possible day for me to cook something, right? Hmmm. Maybe not. My husband and I love spicy food. I have my limits but he can handle serious levels of spicy. He also is a great cook, which is lucky for me. Tobasco has some great recipes for Seafood Gumbo and Jambalaya. Those words just sound fun don’t they? Cool off the spice with a Pat O’Brien Hurricane. This...
Today we are not going to talk about how you can relieve your PMS by taking a walk in field of daisies. Or which PMS relief drugs will make you feel as though you are a daisy, swaying in the mid-day breeze (if anyone finds that one, let me know). Instead we bring you color! Let’s look at how PMS (Pantone Matching System) pairs with good old Mother Nature and inspires fresh color palettes. For those who don’t know, PMS is a standardized color reproduction system widely used by graphic designers and print houses. This system allows you to specify colors by indicating the Pantone name or number. By standardizing the colors, different manufacturers in different locations can all refer to the Pantone system to make sure colors match without direct contact with one another. Sweet. We created a collection of patterns called “The Shore.” Inspired by sand and sea, this color palette has the feeling of fresh sea air and heat of the sun. Those cute little pinchy lobsters make me smile. Another collection we have called “Juicy Blossoms” is inspired by the feeling you have when you are in a garden. I love the way this small palette can be expanded into so many happy patterns. This is what it feels like to sit on a bench in a garden, surrounded by beautiful flowers, and taking in the fragrance and enjoying the quiet. Let’s go make some...
Being a semi-shy person growing up, I always tried to avoid making dramatic entrances and would rather scope out the situation first and kinda sneak in. Much to my dismay, as an adult I have not been so successful. My dramatic entrances involve these situtations: “OMG-shit I am late! again!”, or the embarrassing “sorry coffee patrons I have to pee really bad so I am going to drag my kid and his meltdown all the way through the store to the bathroom”, or the dreaded late walk of shame up the long stairs into the lecture room, during a test, whilst dropping and shattering my phone into a million pieces. Oh the drama! If anyone has a portable hole I can crawl in as necessary I will take it! So, as part of my midlife crisis I decided to embrace my inevitable attention getting drama and apply it to my surroundings. I recently bought a new house and I wanted to spruce up the boring entryway. It needed some, “drama” so to speak. Hello dramatic entrances! (without the added mortification). Adding bright wall color to an otherwise dull entryway was really daunting. I usually go for muted and neutral colors for rooms. My inspiration was to do something no one would expect of me. There were all these wonderful fun color choices, but what is more dramatic than red? I chose a dark terra cotta red to compliment the room next to it which is painted a light olive green color. If remodeling is out of the question, painting is the easiest, quickest way to make dull space feel new....
The PANTONE color of the year is Honeysuckle and I can’t be happier. Aside from being a happy color, it is saving me from having to re-paint my daughters room. I told her that her pink walls at least had to stay all the way through 2011 being the color of the year and all. PANTONE describes it as “Courageous. Confident. Vital. A brave new color, for a brave new world. Let the bold spirit of Honeysuckle infuse you, lift you and carry you through the year.” (Yeah, lets not get too carried away description people.) Bring on the pink! Look for Honeysuckle pink popping up everywhere in weddings, home decor, fashion, and cosmetics. This color flatters every skin tone when worn by both men and women. If you are planning a wedding, it could not be a better time to try this super excellent tool for color matching. I wish there was one of these when I was searching for the perfect color for my bridesmaids dresses back in the day. Now excuse me while I go buy some pink frosting to go with my pink cupcakes. What… I’m...
The middle of winter is when some of us start wishing for spring. Gray skies are not usually associated with warm bright feelings. I know, being a California girl means I can’t complain about my 50 degree day when some people in the country are experiencing a snowmageddon of epic proportions. So, to cure the winter doldrums, I say bring on the cool (pun intended) trend of pairing gray with pops of bright orange. The combination of gray alongside a juicy orange bring a modern and sophisticated feel to weddings, fashion, and home decor. This is my new favorite happy combo, it reminds me of the first spring flowers that emerge in the still cool weather. I can’t wait for spring, but for now this palette brings the perfect amount of “happy” to winter. Images: Le Creuset Deluxe Trivet: gifts.com, Ainsley Leather Chaise End Sofa: dfs.co.uk, Ventura Sunbrella® Sunset Modular Chair Cushions: crateandbarrel.com, Rebecca Minkoff Handbag: rebeccaminkoff.com, Crocus Ochre Woven Scarf: crumpetengland.com, Mystree Tiered Tank Top: buckle.com, Silver City Aviator Sunglasses: kirnazabete.com, OPI Nail Polish Y’all Come Back Now Ya Hear: opi.com, Three-Tone Platform Mary Jane: bergdorfgoodman.com, Jax Beanie: athleta.gap.com, Miu Miu Trench: net-a-porter.com, Kamik Rain Boot: endless.com, Zip Jersey Jacket:...
