Mirror (Mirror) On The Wall

Ever wonder why the saying goes mirror mirror and not just mirror on the wall? That is probably because a mirror perched a-top of another mirror just looks stunning!
Check out these inspiration images of layering your mirrors:

Love this shot from the newest Elle Decor.

Subtle and Pretty.  Great texture balance between the wood mantel,

large resin frame and sleek ornate gold frame.  Thumbs up.

With the whole wall being a mirror it makes the architectural panels and fantastic 

decor mirror really special!

Easy peasy.  This is one you can try in your own own with out major cost

and/or commitment.

Just stunning.  I love full wall mirrors in bathrooms but by placing a smaller mirror, set apart by the shape and antiqued border, you create an intimate space on a cold surface. 

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Don’t Be So Knobby

Want a quick and easy way to bring some detail and excitement to an old dresser or case good piece? Throw on some new knobs!

If you're in the Portland area, a fun rainy day excursion is to Hippo Hardware located on East Burnside. There are lots of funky old finds there in there that can transform a ho-hum dresser into a fun and exciting new piece for you!

If you aren't into searching through drawers with piles of hardware, there's lots of other options to give you that one-of-a-kind look. Heading to any hardware store you should be able to find some new knobs that can spruce up your old piece. Looking for a little funky and fun?

Check out these pulls from Anthropologie:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Published!

It happened, we’ve been published!  So very excited about this!  Take a peek and spread it about.

The reason why we do what we do?  We want you to Love Where You Live.  Thanks for letting us do just that.

 

{sorry if the letters are a tad blurry!  Link to follow as soon as we can!}

 

Mirror Mirror

Just a short little share of a gorgeous sunburst I stumbled across.  Love the new take from the traditional spiked sunburst and the material…Pin Shell.  Masculine, pretty, great lines and rich color.  I’m in.  Where would you put this beauty?

Disappearing Act

Well Happy New Year!

This past holiday season was doozy.  From party to party, to family to family to go go go and very rarely stopping!  On top of all the festivities we managed to pack in 2 installs and some fun work as well!  Images to come on those very soon…..

I wanted to get this year started off right with a post about an area that we all love, tend to congregate, share laughs and smiles, cheers and good food….the kitchen!  I get a lot of questions in painting phases about this room and one of my favorite tricks and tips is go either all white (like we have not proclaimed our love for that before!) with darker counters (read: soapstone, marble or a quartz solid) or what I love even more right now: White uppers and stained/painted bottoms.  It gives the illusion of no upper cabinets which is ultimately a way of saying: we have such a rad and big kitchen and no clutter that we don’t even need uppers.  I know for me personally I love the look but never could do with out the extra storage.  Enter: Disappearing Act.  By creating this illusion you can open your kitchen, make a edgy statement while still wrapping your look around tradition and give a big visual impact while being quiet.  I swear this is NOT an oxymoron…just take a look at these beauties that describe exactly what I am talking about….

 

Keep the base stained a dark chocolate, and white out the top.  Brave and bold?  Make a bigger statement by painting

the insides of the uppers a bright playful color OR even paint the backs of the glass a playful color.  Don’t have glass panels?  Retrofitting it easy.

Stunning.  I really enjoy this kitchen.  Darker grout, darker matte base, and a mix of open

and closed shelving just brings this to perfection.

Add a splash.  Of color that is.  These blue bases are a super fun but classy way to liven up the space.

Other big kudos go to the ceiling height cabinets that not only maximize the space but also emphasize the

architectural component of the wet bar area. 

Also digging how they are using the butcher blocks as another splash.  

Elegant?  Definitely.

The mix of ebony gloss cabinets and the white white walls is so beautiful.  I love how big the impact is but then with further inspection

the space is actually quite simple.  Well done.  Well done.

Animal Alert

A break in the madness of installs, consults and design meetings calls for some design relaxing. While doing so came across this beauty!  I am a bit animal-obsessed (can you say hair on hide, flokati, animal art, figurines and mounts?) but this one has my heart doing double time. 

On my Christmas wish list: Peacock. 

End of story.

 

Oh and I promise to get back to some regular design love/sharing/inspiration/searching once my brain stops reeling from these past few weeks of installs!  (also promise lots of yummy pics to come!)

 

Design Trick and Tips: Fake Your Collected Gallery Wall

Need to fill some wall space?  Looking for a gallery wall and too impatient to slowly and collect a curated grouping?

Fake it!  Thanks to Rue Magazine for showing this great trick, which I have used many-a-time.  Shhhhh.  Actually one of my favorite ways to really beef up a gallery wall is with these beauties I purchased from Taschen years ago from Edward Lear called The Parrots (for a peek at the amazing prints from this amazing artist’s work in The Parrots LOOK HERE!). Next, once you have a few good pieces to fill the space (and the best about wildlife books is there is usually a lot of prints so you can switch them out when you want some change)…flip through a fashion mag and carefully tear out some great dramatic images and pop them in the frames.  Ikea actually has some great different simple frame sizes to use…don’t forget to mix in a vintage frame or two and colors and textures.

Here is Rue’s inspiration for such as well as my own home with the birds and a small gallery wall.  Moving into my new home office in a few weeks and cannot wait to incorporate my Gold Southern Sayings, photo my grandmother gave me of her first client at her shop and my birds.  ‘Twill be my new haven.

Also, one last thing…nervous about nailing?  Many ways to beat the nerves!  1) Tape if off. Tape off all the sizes of art you have to see how it all fits on the wall, then go for it!  2) Lay it out on the ground first  and my favorite 3) If it is light enough, use the 3M removable hooks!  They work amazing for light prints that you use the Ikea frames on, they work for the 3# hold and you don’t have to make any commitment! (all the images and even the clock on my gallery wall is hung with the 3M’s!)

 

My place:

Amazing art by Terry Day, Amma’s photo and some birds

A refresher on the rad art that will be going on my new gallery wall:

Framing this puppy (or slimy eel) out in white linen mat and thin brass frame.

I have these prints in “Hey ya’ll”, “Heavens To Betsy” and “Hold Your Horses”

All Wired Up

I have been seeing a lot of wire lately in furniture design.  Well, first let me clarify, thin metal shapes that become architectural and structural.  I really like this look for a few reasons.  I think that it adds something light to the room, which is fantastic for juxtaposing against a leather sofa, traditional English arm or a skirted sofa.  They add a shape to the the space apart from your typical round or rectangle.  They add an element- metal, this one is super important to me  because I feel that all rooms need that cold element in them, whether it be stone or metal, it just helps to anchor the room and add that splash of masculine and natural (and of course I am pushing for brass!).  And finally they add this aspect of modern.  I love the chairs from Casamidy below that are the tradish shape with the white wire...fresh and fun.  Take a peek at some of my favs for the love of wire....

Property Furniture

 

Property Furniture

Property Furniture

Casamidy

Casamidy

Casamidy

Lawson-Fenning

Lawson-Fenning

Lawson-Fenning

Dylan Design Co (via Design Sponge)

Eye Catching Designer: Time Clarke

Tim Clarke just know how to get it done.  Recently written up in Rue Magazine, he was featured for having a fresh take on “coastal modern”.  I am right there with Rue, he nails it. Speaking to my preppy side, I love his use of symmetry, stripes and traditional elements but there is always a breath of freshness in his interiors.  Take a peek below and tell me what you think.  Would you use these as an inspiration?

Coastal Modern

Rustic but fresh.  Love the once of glam with the chandelier.

Little nod to Mid Century adds another layer.

This sofa is killing me….LOVE the subtle baseball striping.

*sigh*

 

Miller House

This mix of patterns works…busy and strong but somehow not loud.  Quite a feat.

Love this delicate little corner.

Always a sucker for good layering!

Misc

Love this use of ottomans…because 3 is better than 2!

Albeit red is not my go to color this is super fun, eclectic and love the mixing of the chrome lamp.

Traditional yes, but I love the double cocktail tables (aka ottoman) and double chairs.

The fireplace tile is beautiful as well and of course…the grassweaves.