Design Pearls

A Child's Art History Lesson

Well, I'm trying to get back to blogging after Spring Break.  It's hard!!  We had a staycation - slept late (8 AM is late!), played at the park, hunted for geocaches, laughed a lot, and fought a lot (brothers - go figure).  I also signed the boys up for an art class - we needed a little structure in our day.  The class focus was on Kandinsky circles.  You may be familiar with Kandinsky, but if not - here he is...

 

This fellow was a Russian artist in the late 1800s/early 1900s.  

Early work -

Munich-Schwabing with the Church of St. Ursula, 1908

 Later work -

Points, 1920

I'm sure you've seen these before -

Farbstudie Quadrate, c.1913

I tried to give my boys a short art history lesson before we went.  I got as far as - 

1) His name was Kandinsky 

2) He was from Russia

 3) This is some of his work.   

The interest and attention waned after that, but I did manage to have them walk through the house and pick out a piece of our art that reminded them of Kandinsky's work.   

They picked this piece because of the use of color and the repetition of circles (ok, maybe they were coached a little...)

Here they are creating their own Kandinsky circles...

Signing their art...

The framed finished product...

They had a great time, learned a little about art (hopefully), and I got two little masterpieces to hang in our home.  I tried to emphasize that although they were "inspired" by Kandinsky, their work didn't have to be (in fact, shouldn't be) an exact replica of his painting.  Make it original and make it yours.  

....just what I strive for in my designs.

A New (Old) Way to Hang Your Art

Ever noticed the way the art is hung in the gorgeous rooms of Downton Abbey? I have to admit that I'm a huge Downton fan...seriously, I think I was born in the wrong time period.

Have you noticed how each piece is hung by cording to a rail at the top of the wall?  During that time period (early 1900's, although the castle featured in the film was built before that), the walls were made of plaster.  Plaster is a nightmare to hammer or drill in to - it crumbles and cracks easily.  So, instead of hanging art directly on the wall, they used a picture rail molding.  

Like this...

Drawing Room at Highclere Castle (a.k.a. Downton Abbey)

Or this...

Dining Room at Highclere Castle

It runs along the top of the wall (usually underneath the crown molding) and is curved at the top edge so that it can support a special hook.  Wire cording was used to suspend the painting from this hook.  This way, damaging the plaster walls was avoided.

Example of picture rail molding

We moved into our 1911 home last summer, and all of our walls are plaster.  Most all of the rooms have a picture rail  molding.  You can see it here...along with some of our gloriously cracked plaster!

I've decided to use the picture rail as it was intended.  After all, it pays homage to the history of the home, and I think it looks beautiful.  Not to mention, it helps save our plaster!  I found a picture rail hook  and cording at House of Antique Hardware.  They are a great source of reproduction antique and vintage hardware.

picture rail hook and cording wire

I used the cording exactly like picture wire...

The result...

So if you live on an older home or just want to recreate a vintage look, using a picture rail molding might a good option for you...

Do you have unique or different ways of hanging wall art?  Tricks to make it easier?  If so, I'd love to hear about them!  

Inspired by Running

In anticipation of running the Little Rock Half-Marathon tomorrow...

These tables were handcrafted by Korean designer, Chul an Kwak.  The table legs are so dynamic that it looks as if it could run out of the house at any minute!!  He was inspired by galloping horses.  I like to think I look like this when I run.  (don't laugh)

A girl has to have her Newtons.  I just started running in them about a year ago and I love them!

Cell Structure Algae by Anna Maria Horner

More Newtons (these are just like mine).

Harriet's Kitchen Sugar by Amy Butler

Both of these fabrics are a cotton/vinyl laminate so they can be easily wiped off.  So if you have kids, these are a definite find!!

Happy Running!

Design Pearls

Real Life Budget Decorating: From Start to Finish

In previous posts, I have discussed several tips on how to decorate on a budget.  Recently, I’ve had the opportunity to put these principles into practice in my boys’ room.  Their room is a real life example of how budget decorating can be successful. 

         Since moving into our 102 year-old home in Historic Hillcrest, the amount of work to be done has been somewhat daunting. 


Epic Snow on Christmas Day 2013

   My goal is to give the home a fresh, sophisticated look while keeping consistent with and honoring the history and character of the home.  Not much of our existing furniture worked with that goal, so I have essentially had to start from scratch.  Thus, in planning the overall design, I had to put my thrifty decorating principles into practice for certain rooms, and my boys’ room was a perfect candidate since kid’s tastes and preferences change frequently as they grow.  Since my seven-year old and five-year old were transitioning from two separate, very differently styled rooms, to sharing the same room, I was essentially starting from scratch.  My budget for the room was $1200.  Not necessarily an easy task…

          At first, I was at a loss creatively.  I knew I wanted to create a sense of adventure in their room, but I didn’t want it to be to “theme-y.”   In other words, I didn’t want others to walk into the room and immediately think, “Oh, what a cute adventure themed boy’s room!”  I didn’t want the theme to be that obvious, but rather I wanted the room to evoke a subtle sense of adventure and possibilities.   My plan developed further one day soon after we closed on the house.  The boys were playing in the backyard, and I noticed how big the crepe myrtle was in the corner of the yard, which their bedroom window happened to overlook. Each of the boys climbed into the tree, surrounded on every side by the large branches.  They marveled at the idea of being “inside the tree,” and the tree became my source of inspiration for paint colors and the jumping off point for the rest of my design.

         I chose Sherwin-Williams Balanced Beige (SW7037) for the wall color because it reminded me of the trunk of the old crepe myrtle.  For the ceiling, I opted for Leapfrog (SW6431) – a vibrant (but not too bright), leafy green, so that when the boys laid in their beds, it would be as if they were lying in the tree looking up at the canopy of leaves.

         I then faced the decision on how to allot my $1200 room budget.  Since kids’ tastes change as they grow, I decided not to splurge on things like wall décor, bedding, and window treatments.  That way, these things can be changed easily in a few years, if needed.  I chose to use a larger portion of my budget on furniture and an area rug because these are items that can be kept and used for a longer period of time. 

         It can be very difficult to find a room full of new furniture on a $1200 budget, so I turned to Craigslist.  I found two Drexel Heritage twin French provincial beds, a dresser and chest for $400.  They were in good condition except that all of the hardware had been spray-painted silver.  I removed the spray paint with soap and water and then used Rub n Buff antique gold to bring back the original look. 

  I chose an 8 x 10 jute rug from Pottery Barn ($359).  The rug was not only much less expensive than wool options, but it was also in line with the slightly rustic, adventurous feel of the room.

         After selecting the furniture and rug, I had $441 remaining for bedding, window treatments, drapery hardware, and wall art.  For bedding, I chose good quality sheets (always a must!), but saved on quilts and accent pillows.  I used a simple green quilts and shams from Target ($19.99 each) and accent pillows from Hobby Lobby that were on clearance ($4.99 each).

Although the windows have existing wood blinds that are suitable for privacy, I wanted to add curtains to soften the window lines and to make the room cozier.  Since the curtains were added for aesthetics only, it wasn’t necessary to make them fully functional (large enough to cover the entire window when closed).  This saved a significant amount on fabric.  I used osnaburg, a plain, coarse fabric that is very inexpensive ($3.99/yd) and lined each of the four panels with queen-sized sheets (halved).  I then enlisted the help of my good friend to sew them for me. 

         Drapery hardware can be quite expensive so I opted for a 1 ¼” unfinished closet rod from Home Depot (they will cut it to your desired length), and unfinished wood brackets, finials, and rings from Hobby Lobby.  I stained all the hardware dark walnut and finished them with a coat of polyurethane.

         At this point, I was down to just over $200 in my remaining budget.  While flipping through a local magazine, I found “the perfect” lamp for their bedside table - it had a distressed red wood base and a lampshade made of old Arkansas license plates.  The problem was the price tag - $80 for the shade only; $120 for the entire lamp.  Although I think this is a reasonable price, I still had other things to purchase for the room, so I recreated the look myself.  I found a red distressed lamp base at Garden Ridge for $30 and a white drum shade for $15.  I printed various Arkansas license plates onto white card stock (Google images for “Arkansas license plate”) and used Modge Podge to apply them to the shade. 

          For wall art, I ordered a large poster of Middle Earth (from The Hobbit).  I trimmed off the white border and used Modge Podge to apply it to a large piece of plywood I had stained dark walnut. 

  On the opposite wall, I used pages from a vintage Razorback calendar I had picked up at Hog Heaven at the end of last year calendar for $1.99. It is made of good quality card stock and is a perfect 11 x 14 size for framing.  I framed selected prints in various frames I picked up at Hobby Lobby.  

Lastly, I used an original painting I bought during a recent mission trip to Haiti.  I liked the rustic, unfinished look of leaving it unframed (plus, framing would have been an additional expense!), so I hung it “as is” with jute twine from two drapery tiebacks I bought at Home Depot. 

As you can see from my budget breakdown, I met my goal of staying well within my budget.  But did I meet my goal regarding the look and feel of the room?  Does the room evoke that sense of adventure that I intended? Well, each person who walks in will be the judge of that. Most importantly, my boys love it.  As for me, when I walk in, I feel a sense of possibility for my boys…whether it be through sports, travel, music, or just reading a book, the possibility exists for them to grow and experience life in new and exciting ways. They especially love the Arkansas lamp, and so do I.  When they are grown and gone, I hope the memory of that lamp reminds them of their roots.  And if, as Gandalf asked Bilbo Baggins in the Hobbit, they should ever be posed the question, “May I interest you in an adventure?”  I hope that their answer will be, “Yes.”

The Design Dilemma: How to Overcome Indecision in Decorating

I have to admit that I was at a creative loss this weekend when trying to decide what to write about this week. My goal is to post every Monday and Thursday, and my OCD traits kicked in as Monday quickly approached with no inspiration. Alas, the inspiration finally came and it is Wednesday now. Oh, well.

 I was reflecting on previous clients and friends and it occurred to me that when it comes to design and decorating, there seem to be two different types of personalities.

1) those that are readily make decisions and are ready to put a plan into action

and

2) those that are more cautious, requiring more time to mull over options before committing

There is absolutely nothing wrong about either of these...they are different ways to go about the creative process, and I think it these differences make my work extra interesting and challenging.

That being said, I'm sure we have all (myself included!) had a time when we have been paralyzed with indecision regarding a design choice. I know I want to use a white, but which white?

I know I want a blues and yellows in my sofa fabric, but which fabric should I use?

This one?

Swavelle/Mill Creek Giorgio Atlantic Blue

This one?

Top Kapi Ikat Microfiber

This one?

Duralee Kalah Blue

Or maybe I should skip the navy altogether and go with yellow...

Arghhhhhh!!

Suburban Home Embroidered Rico Yellow

 Sometimes the more we think about it, the harder the decision becomes...
and then...
 we do...
 NOTHING.

We become paralyzed with fear that we are going to make the "wrong" choice!

Has this ever happened to you? When designing for myself, I must admit that it has happened to me!

Here are a few things you might try the next time you are overcome with indecision:

1. Step away from it.  Take a week and clear your mind. Completely put it out of your mind, and then come back to the decision later.

2.  Step away from Pinterest and design publications.  While resources like these can be helpful, there are limitations.  I know this may sound odd, but I truly believe that excessively looking for ideas and inspiration in this way has a way of stifling individual creativity!  In other words, if you are already overwhelmed with a design decision, looking a a gazillion additional options on Pinterest probably isn't going to help!

3.  Take advantage of checking out items on approval. Many places will let you take items home "on approval" for a short time period (usually 3 days or so).  This way, you can look at that lamp, rug, or chest in your space for a few days before deciding if its the one for you.

4. Ask a few friends. Your perspective can change when you stare at something too long. sometimes it just takes a fresh set of eyes to point out things you may not have thought of before.

5. Ask a designer! Designers offer many different types of services (It's not all like Million Dollar Decorators!) I frequently have clients who hire me for my opinion... For example, I had a client recently who consulted me for an hour to give on the spot advice on paint color for trim and kitchen cabinets.  So the next time you need help deciding which hardwood floor stain to use or which white to use on kitchen cabinets, consider a simple consult with a designer.

Have you had moments of design indecision in the past?  If so, I'd love to hear about them!  What helped you make a decision?