5 Things

This weeks' 5 Things, I think I'm starting to run a little thin.

Don't forget to join the 5 Things Flickr Group.

Technology is great.

This was up on Decorno today and I had to share it with you.

Do you know what it is? It's a yard sale locator thru google maps and craigslist.

Amazing right? I know what I'm doing this weekend.

Testing one, testing...

Hello everyone! I am testing out a new toy!
My husband gifted me with an ipod touch and I am seeing what kind of mayhem I can cause with it!



I can blog from it and post picture, like this one of Lola, ok I will stop now...carry on.


-- Post From My iPod

Amy Butler

Now here's someone I wish had a blog, her and Jonathan Adler.

I'd love to read what they have to say and finds they share.

Short of that, Amy Butler has some great new products on her site. I a, seriously tempted to buy this quilt.

Kyoto Quilt $149.99 

It's 100% Organic and such a pretty shade of blue. I have a hard time finding quilts I really like and this one does the trick.

This Dinnerware is pretty nice as well. It would be great for summer, barbecues and picnics. Or even for those of us who like fancy plates every day.

Ginger and Parrot Tableware $19 

photos courtesey of amybutlerdesign.com

House Tour April Recap

4/6/09 Meg Blocker

Meg's home was a contestant on Apartment Therapy's Smallest, Coolest Contest this year. Check it out here.

4/13/09 Tamera 

4/20/09 Tobias & Hanne Scheel Mikkelsen 

Handmade Fridays

Did you know that today is Etsy Day ? The good folks at Etsy have declared that today is Etsy Day.

I'm pretty happy that it also happens to fall on Friday, Handmade Friday to be more specific.

Today's Etsy artist is Rachael Sudlow. Rachael's designs are elegant and beautiful. You can see them here at sudlow.etsy.com.

Have a great weekend weekend!

Even More Barbie...

To say that Barbie and Jonathan Adler are strange bedfellows is an understatement (in one HUGE way in particular).

Last month Jonathan Adler made news when he brought Barbie's Malibu Dream House into real life .

Now here's the goods:

Click to enlarge and see prices

Coming in September Jonathan Adler will release a line of Barbie themed accessories. They are limited edition and mostly pink.

I personally am not a Barbie fan but that vase and one of those hot pink trays might find their way to my house.

5 Things

Join the 5 Things flickr group and start feeling lighter!

Update: Giveaway

The little chair has a happy home!

Check out the chair's new digs over at C.E.RR's Blog here .

Making it Your Home

What turns walls and roofs into a home? When you move into a new place when does it start becoming the place you can't wait to get to?

We all have different ideas of what makes a home, to some it's where they're stuff is, others it's where they grew up, and for many it's where the heart is.
There are little things we all do to make our homes "homey", candles, soft sheets, nice towels, warm colors.

A lot of homes that frequent design blogs are austere and so minimallistic you have to wonder "where is there stuff?". I try to feature real homes here, places you can tell people live.

To me, home is where my husband is, it's where the cat is, where my bed is and the objects I love are.

What is home to you?

House Tour-Tobias & Hanne

Name: Tobias & Hanne Scheel Mikkelsen
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark.
Square Footage: 90 square meters (roughly 968 sq ft.)
Years Lived in: 5 years
Rent or own: own
Blog/Store: http://www.whatwedo.dk/
and the animals we made for the wall in our daughters room is on sale at http://www.zooperpets.com/
Describe your style: Playful, fun, graphic, mixed

What's your favorite free/found item?

Our poster in the kitchen. We found it on my grandfather's attic.

What's your favorite purchased item?

The Black Christian Dell Bauhaus Lamp on our desk

What has been your biggest obstacle in decorating/design?

The biggest obstacle has been to renovate the apartment from the bottom up - peeling of old wallpaper, repainting the walls, tearing down the wall between the kitchen and the entrance and installing a new kitchen.

 Is your design style organic or planned?

The direction is planned but the details are fitted in along the way!

What is your favorite spot in the house?

In the summer it's our balcony. and in the winter it's when the morning sun hits the kitchen. (The need for sun is a Nordic thing!!)

How has your style changed in the past 5 years?

From retro-teak look to the current

What is your favorite resource or store?

all kinds of interior design blogs- we rarely buy any magazines.

What is your biggest decorating/design pet peeve?

You mean the best trick? Don't buy cheap paint. It's too difficult to work with in the long run.

What has been your favorite design trend?

to mix new and old, expensive and cheap, design blogs vs. vintage designs

What is the biggest influence on your design/decorating style?

We suck it all in!

What in your home dictates how you design/decorate?

The limited space forces us to think creative - and it has to be child friendly for our daughter.

What is the simplest thing you have done that has made the biggest impact?

Painting our coffee-table yellow.

Happy Friday

I love this teal, love it! I plan to use the color as soon as I can. The pictures on the wall look great too but I think I'm not restrained enough to attempt a collage like that, I think it might require some serious editing skills, which I don't possess.

Have a great weekend, Tomorrow is record store day, go out and support your local record store!

Handmade Fridays

I actually own the bracelet in the picture, I love it and feel it's a good luck charm, good things always happen when I wear it.

It's also beautifully crafted and elegant. You can get yours here: mpaperarts.etsy.com

My Etsy Shop

I designed a made a new bag for my etsy shop. I'm really proud of it and there's a lot of great details (I think).

Check it out here.


This has been a light week for me post wise, it's been pretty busy around here. Next week I'll have some great stuff to share!

Look!

To your right, I've changed up the colors on the sidebars? What do you think?


I'm trying to make the blog look cleaner and simpler.

5 Things

Join the 5 Things flickr group and start feeling lighter!

Giveaway Winner

and the winners are...




 

sunnygirlsf & Unfiltered Meghan

Thanks to everyone who commented, I will keep you all updated on when and what the next giveaway will be!

House Tour Follow Up

You may remember Constança from her January House Tour. Now she's in a Ikea 

magazine!

Check it out on her Blog here!

House Tour-Tamera

Name: Tamera

Location: Oakland, CA

Square Footage: about 600??

Years Lived in: 7 months

Rent or own: Rent

Describe your style: Technicolor Psychedelic Witchery

Blog/Website: http://www.verhext.com/

What's your favorite free/found item?
That's a hard one, I have so many!! Probably my wooden garment rack, it's amazing and holds so much.


What's your favorite purchased item?
The Sanna Annukka print in the kitchen.

What has been your biggest obstacle in decorating/design?

In this place - very very low light, cream walls that I am not allowed to paint, and tile floors.

Is your design style organic or planned?

Organic. I drag things home & find places for them.

What is your favorite spot in the house?

The kitchen, I think. it's brighter. I spend a lot of time in bed in the winter, too. & on my back stoop, sitting in the sun drinking tea and chatting with the neighborhood cats.

How has your style changed in the past 5 years?

Not really.

 

What is your favorite resource or store?

The universe. I usually try to put out what I need and it will come along. I've gotten dressers, my desks, my garment rack, a 1920s trunk -- it's pretty amazing. Failing divine design intervention, I am a big fan of Thrift Town in SF.

What is your biggest decorating/design pet peeve?

I don't think I have one? No, wait. I can't stand living in places with mirrored closet doors. Or carpet. I literally cannot live in a (rented) apartment with wall to wall carpet. It makes me ill and feels dirty, always. Maybe it would be ok if I put the carpet in myself.

What has been your favorite design trend?

Hmmm. I really like words as art, so probably a direction toward that? And anything ornate & black & glossy.

What is the biggest influence on your design/decorating style?

Growing up in Vermont.

What in your home dictates how you design/decorate?

Lighting. I like really bright airy homes, but my last 2 places have been super dark so I tend to bring in a lot more color to brighten it. Some day I'll own my own place and have big windows.

What is the simplest thing you have done that has made the biggest impact?

Mismatching super bright rugs!

Happy Friday!

I don't know if I could ever do open shelving, I'm far to cluttered to pull it off, but man does it look good!

Have a great weekend! Don't forget today is the last day to enter the Giveaway and the winners will be picked Tuesday.

Handmade Friday

Who doesn't love a good pillow? Even my cat appreciates a well stuffed and made pillow. Today's Handmade gem Pink Baby Mouse's 'Cone Dog' pillow.

It's bright and fun and funny. Check them out here.

Hanging Decor

I originally saw these in a Pottery Barn catalog a few months ago and immediately tried to find out what they were but to no avail and while going through another catalog this weekend I found out.

They are "Moon Chimes" and are like a wind chime but way more charming and beautiful. In the same catalog they had hanging Temple Bells.

Which are equally as charming, now I just need a porch. Both the Moon Chimes and the Temple Bell Garland are available at Viva Terra. I did find the Moon Chimes on Etsy but they are slightly more expensive, but I love to support Etsy artists whenever I can.

5 Things

Two week worth of stuff, The book was a guilty pleasure, sometimes I read so many serious books in a row I just need some candy to clear the palette. The knives have never been sharp no matter how hard I try they would never stay sharp.


Join the 5 Things flickr group and start feeling lighter!

Good, Better, Best

I was thumbing through the newest West Elm catalog and I saw some dining chairs. These chairs are so similar to Mid-Century dining chairs and I'm sure it's no mistake.

Mid-Century is all over now, it's no wonder why, it's simple, clean lines and beautiful woods. A great benefit to all the vintage love is that people are seeking the originals which is great it cuts down on consumption of mass produced pieces (*ahem* West Elm).

That brings me to today's post, after finding the West Elm chairs I sought out other alternatives including vintage.

Good:

Ikea Stockholm $99

Better:

West Elm Oval Back $159

Best:

Mid-Century Desk Chair $80 

Giveaway!

Ok, here it is!

Simon and Schuster have generously donated two copies of  a great book to give to you!

While we are all still mourning the loss of Domino, I still have yet to look through the last issue (denial much?), we still have the gorgeous book to drool over. Now two readers will receive a copy!

You want one, I know you do, comment below to get your copy! 

**Deadline to enter Friday, Winners will be announced Tuesday the 14th**

Small & Cool

Apartment Therapy's Smallest Coolest 2009 Contest is underway.

This is my favorite feature of theirs, I contemplated entering again this year but it seems every year there are more and more pros and uber-rich architects entering and they blow normal people like me out of the water.'

Check out this year's entries here and view my 2008 submission here.

House Tour-Meg

Name: Meg Blocker
Location: New York, NY
Square Footage: 350 square feet, give or take.
Years Lived in: Three
Rent or own: Rent
Describe your style: Preppy, cozy modern

What's your favorite free/found item?
Oh, this is a tough one! I have a few hand-me-downs from family members that I absolutely love - the family photos that cover the bathroom walls, my buddha statue, my desk, my kitchen table.

My favorite, I think, is the one I've had longest. It's a trestle-style bench that my grandfather built when he was a teenager. I've had it since college, and I've used it differently in each apartment - right now, it sits at the end of my bed, and it's where I get dressed each morning. It's not the most sophisticated piece ever, but it has a gorgeous patina and tons of sentimental value.

What's your favorite purchased item?
Well, I love my bed (mostly because I love to sleep, I think), but my favorite is, oddly enough, my TV stand. It's really a side table, but I spotted it at a Crate & Barrel sale and thought it would be perfect for my space. I just cut a little hole in the back for all the cords and set things up. It's pretty, has a nice mid-century vibe, and fits all my electronics perfectly - and kinda hides them a bit. Plus, the little drawer is great for storing DVDs and my Wii controllers.

What has been your biggest obstacle in decorating/design?
Renting is always a challenge, since there's only so much they let you change. But the biggest challenge has definitely been space. Living in 350 square feet has curbed my packrat tendencies, but it's made it really hard to buy furniture that's comfortable but not huge. One lesson I've learned is that large pieces can be really overwhelming in a small space, so when I moved into this apartment, I ditched my full-size sofa and went for an armchair and loveseat instead. It's a bit harder to lounge lazily, but I like the sense of space the smaller pieces allow.

The other frustrating thing about a small space is how little room there is to do projects. It's hard for me to refinish a piece of furniture or paint a wall, since any project basically takes over the entire apartment. I think I'd be more of a flea market junkie if I had a workshop.

Is your design style organic or planned?
Organic, for sure. I like to buy one or two things, live with them for a while, move them around, and then layer on top of that. A good example is the art wall behind the loveseat - I didn't buy all the pieces at once, but collected them over a period of six months or so. Once I had a set that I liked, I started hanging them, rearranging as I went. I'm really happy with the result.

What is your favorite spot in the house?
The kitchen is a close second, but my favorite spot is my little reading nook. I'm an absolute nut for books, and that chair is perfect for reading - the high arms make it really easy to curl up for hours. I also love the graphic pop of the striped blanket, curvy black lamp, and the spines of all those books - so colorful!

How has your style changed in the past 5 years?
I'd say it's become more modern and less Pottery Barn traditional. I still have plenty of antiques and hand-me-down pieces, but they all have the same clean lines and warm feel that I look for in my new things. I used to go in a bit more for floral prints, but now gravitate toward stripes and anything Marimekko. One thing that's stayed the same is my love of color - I'd love to have one of those rooms you see on decor8 that are all white and light pink and floaty, but I don't think I could ever surrender my bright colors.

What is your favorite resource or store?
Right now, I'm little bit in love with CB2 for their glassware, Urban Outfitters for their affordable seating, my mother's attic for her trove of roughed-up antiques - but my true obsession is with Etsy. You have to spend a little time searching, but once you've found some good sellers, it's basically like visiting a really well-curated flea market crossed with an affordable art gallery. My love for Etsy knows no bounds.

What is your biggest decorating/design pet peeve?
Overstuffed furniture that overwhelms the space it's in; it just makes things look messy.

What has been your favorite design trend?
Probably the resurgence of mid-century modern. I love the combination of warm wood, clean lines and pop-y colors, and the pieces mix so well with different styles. You can buy one or two without locking your home into the era.

What is the biggest influence on your design/decorating style?
It's hard to pinpoint any one influence, but, over the last couple of years, Domino Magazine and the design blogosphere have definitely taken the lead. The ability to see into so many different homes has been unbelievable - and seeing real, accessible interiors has been ten times more inspiring for me than reading Architectural Digest ever was.

What in your home dictates how you design/decorate?
Well, one thing I won't compromise are my books - I love them, I've read each and every one of them, and I staunchly refuse to trim my collection. Therefore, I'll never, ever be able to be truly minimalist, so I've just gone with it and embraced the texture and color they add to the apartment. The other thing I have to have is a setup that allows for dinner parties. I love to cook for my friends, so I have to have a table that seats at least six - and somewhere to put it.

What is the simplest thing you have done that has made the biggest impact?
When I moved into this apartment I decided that I was sick of looking at all my stuff (DVDs, clothes, kitchen appliances, ugh) - I had to figure out a way to store my belongings without cluttering up my space. Ikea was my savior in this department - the Expedit bookcase and the two Billy shelving units (one holds my sweaters, and the one in the kitchen is a makeshift pantry) keep me organized and make things pretty. Works for me!

Meg's blog is queenietakesmanhattan.blogspot.com