Photo Friday

There's a few buildings right by my Target on La Brea and Romaine here in Los Angeles that are the canvases of some pretty talented street artists. Apparently this is where "Mr. Brainwash" will be holding a new exhibit this fall. I love this Beatles mural and was so bummed when someone spray painted the blue smilie faces over it.

To see more of the other murals on this building click here.

Weekend Thrifting

This weekend I went to Rehab Vintage and the Long Beach Flea Market. I got some awesome things. 

At Rehab Vintage I got the carafe with the wood ball. There is something about round stoppers that I just love, I'm not really sure why. I also have the Pyrex Carafe with the cork stopper. Something about those balls...Am I alone in this? Yes? No? Maybe?

I also grabbed some more Pyrex for my collection at the Long Beach Flea Market. I got all four pieces for twenty bucks. Gotta love a deal.

I heard tales of another flea market in Hollywood, it's apparently every weekend. So next Sunday I'll go check it out.

Winning!

Last week I won an auction and I have been patiently waiting for what felt like an eternity for my goods to show up and this morning they did!

If you've been keeping track I have the glass and the ice bucket to this set. In my numerous searches on the interwebs I've only found a plate (like these) and a pitcher on eBay (which got very expensive). There is NO info on these guys other than "Taste Setter Collection" and sadly this info just isn't enough. All that comes up is other designs by that company.

This is definitely one of those "White Whale" items that whenever I find them it makes me totally giddy. The fact that I don't know what else is in this collection; A sugar bowl? A large glass? salad bowls? Makes it fun when I come across them.

So keep your eyes peeled for it, let me know if you find a piece. I will happily pay you for it plus shipping.

The post in which I transform my chair.

Ever since I found my knock-off Eames lounger (and paid ten bucks for the stool) I've never been fully happy with it. I mean, I like it and it's comfortable but it's also vinyl and a knock-off.  I will most likely never own the real deal, I'm just not that fancy and having the knock-off around was a reminder of that, a small voice saying "you're just not that fancy"....what, your chairs don't talk to you?

I've been knocking around the idea of selling it but this economy isn't really a chair seller's market. So I thought about recovering it. I've seen a lot of re-covered loungers that are really unique and turn something so-so into a totally original piece. See here, here, here, here and here for proof. The chair was free and the ottoman was $10 so I didn't have a whole lot to lose. 

I had a thrifted Guatemalan Hammock laying around that I wasn't sure what to do with. I sized up the hammock and the chair and wouldn't you know it, It was enough fabric to do the chair, ottoman and the buttons. So I took a few hours on Saturday and totally transformed my chair.

Say whaaaaat?

Let's look at a side by side shall we?

 and a close up!

and with a cat!

It was really easy, I promise, if you've ever changed the fabric on a dining chair you can do this. I skipped the piping because it's just a can of worms I didn't want to open. The buttons were pretty easy and unless you look at the back of them, which means taking apart the chair, you wouldn't know they weren't professionally done. The stool was missing it's buttons but that was an easy fix. I just used some buttons I had and matched their size to the chair's.

I went from having a run of the mill knock-off to a totally original chair and the best part is I made it.

Music

Last year my Dad gifted me with his collection of 45s (see the original post here). They've been sitting around and I finally got around to converting them to mp3s. 

This was my setup. Turntable next to the computer (Bruce helping the whole time). We have a turntable that converts vinyl to mp3 and it's so ridiculously easy. Just drop the needle and hit record. It took a little over a weekend to do the collection of 149 songs. There are so many great artists. Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Peggy Lee, Nat King Cole, Big Bands, Crooners...

My Nana, Aunt Mimi and Grandpa Al at my Aunt's Debut in the 50s

The project is 99% complete. There is one more song that I need to record but it's on a 78. It's the theme song of a Tiki themed hotel in Miami that they vacationed at and I am having a hard time finding a 78 to mp3 converter.

I never knew my Grandfather and my Nana died when I was 16. This was an amazing way to connect with them. I can imagine them dancing and singing along. They've shown me artists I've never heard of and really enjoy. Music is amazing that way. I feel very lucky to be the caretaker of these songs. For Christmas I'll be putting these all on CDs for my Dad.

House Tour-Candace

Name: Candace Danylewich
Location: Hemnesberget, Norway
Square Footage: 150 sq metres (1614 sq.ft)
Years Lived in: 3
Rent or own: own
Describe your style: Nordic-charm, Scandinavian, retro-modern mix
Blog/Website/Twitter: http://www.corrosiveheart.org/smak

What's your favorite free/found item?
We've been so lucky that almost all of our "mid-century" furniture has been free! The one item I happened to find in my collection that I can't do without is my secretary desk. It hides everything well, looks great, and it doubles as a fantastic workspace for my writing and various other projects.

What's your favorite purchased item?
Without a doubt the best purchase and investment we've made was our wonderful kitchen. While it might not be the biggest kitchen, it functions so well and makes my job as a full-time mom and a food-enthusiast such a pleasure. Being able to design it from scratch and install it made us appreciate it even more. Seeing it come together was a great feeling. Because I'm a part-time food writer my kitchen is my biggest workspace. Having designed it for my storage needs and actual working space has been such an asset.

What has been your biggest obstacle in decorating/design?
A serious lack of time! With two small toddlers in the house it can definitely be a struggle. We've actually accumulated so much in just three years but haven't had much time to bring it out or find a place for it.


Is your design style organic or planned?
Definitely organic. Sure I can plan where some art might hang, but all the rest comes into place with time and opportunity.

What is your favorite spot in the house?
Our bedroom is our refuge. Although it's not the biggest room it definitely gives us a place to relax and find calm. Since our move to this house it's been through several changes, but now that it's finished it's perfect. The colours are calming, the artwork reflects our interests and cultures, and all the rest ties in so well.

How has your style changed in the past 5 years?
I'm happy to admit that today I can call my style my own. I used to really follow the trends but now it's all about mixing ideas and items we've purchased or inherited over the years. We've also really cut back onto what we think we need. Less is definitely more and we try to keep it simple as possible. Some items have been donated/returned, and some older items have been repurposed.

What is your favorite resource or store?
I subscribe to various design blogs and constantly collect interior magazines from Scandinavia for ideas. Many times I'll see an item I like from the US or the UK and a few months later they'll arrive in Denmark or Sweden. Without these resources I'd never be able to purchase those small items I've had my eye on.

What is your biggest decorating/design pet peeve?
Mid-century modern overkill clutter! I've always had a love for older furniture and antiques, but the idea of calling anything and everything "Danish" or "Mid-century" is too much. Finding one great item and featuring it well says alot. Introducing too many items for the sake of showing off each find really loses focus and distracts one from the real beauty and design of a piece.

What has been your favorite design trend?
The mix of old and new. My husband and I are always on the hunt for antiques and really appreciate the character and quality of older items from decades ago.


What is the biggest influence on your design/decorating style?
Mood and function. Often enough when the seasons change and we're feeling more chipper than usual, new fabrics and artwork will come out and I'll spend an entire weekend re-decorating. I also tend to re-evaluate if the items I have have a purpose or real function. If they're not something I'll use or have a place for, they'll go back into the attic!

What in your home dictates how you design/decorate?
Mood, season, and functionality. I tend to switch things up every so often and the seasons really reflect in my design. During the summers I will go into our garden and cut as many of my favourite flowers as I can and decorate around the house. We also have two small children that have non-stop energy. The idea of having several chairs lying around just for the sake of decoration just won't work. We keep it simple and try to avoid unnecessary clutter.


What is the simplest thing you have done that has made the biggest impact?
I wanted to say renovating the kitchen (my workspace), but the simplest decision we made was to re-wallpaper our bedroom. The rest of the house has wooden panelling (very Norwegian) but our bedroom is somewhat more unique. It makes our bedroom more of a sanctuary rather than just a room to sleep. The element of nature in its pattern (Treebomb from Ferm Living) makes this a room of interest and really brings the artwork together.

all photos courtesy of homeowner. If you would like to have your home featured please send me an email or submit pictures of your home to the flickr group.