Blog Page 270

Beautiful and small: spaces to inspire small-space dwellers

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This kitchen is too cute! Lots of cabinetry, and a space-saving pegboard add storage space.  Checkout out the kitchen pegboard organizer I made.

I’ve always loved this idea:  Install a shelf in a window (preferably glass, to let the light through), and you can grow some herbs, or have extra display space.
2 above via Small Space Style

This kitchen is small, but functional and pretty.

If you live small, you’ve got to think vertically when it comes to storage.  No room for nightstands doesn’t mean you have to go without the convenience of a place to put a lamp a clock, and some accessories.  This shelf does the trick just fine.  Check out my small space solution to nightstands in my former Brooklyn apartment.

Clear and glass furniture don’t take up a lot of visual space since you can see through them.

Mirrors are an old and good trick for making a space seem larger.  I always place mirrors across from the main light source in a room, usually the window, so they reflect the light and also make the space brighter.

6 images above via BHG

A great book for all my girly girls out there

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The aptly titled “Hers,” by Jacqueline deMontravel is a treasure trove of inspiration and ideas to feminize your space, no matter what your style.   The book starts off with the “queen” of all feminine rooms, the bedroom.  The bedroom section was definitely may favorite, and helps you narrow down colors, details, fabrics, and layering.

I love this bedroom, and the balance between masculine and feminine. I’m also crazy about the delicate lace trimmed sheet paired with the chocolate brown coverlet. Perfect.

Like I said before, this book isn’t just about glitzy glam rooms.  It doesn’t matter what your style, you can still apply the suggested methods.

The bedroom section was my favorite, but the book also covers other rooms in other chapters, like home offices, outside spaces, creating your own personal space, accommodating guests, and accessorizing. 

If this book sounds like just the motivation you’ve been needing for your home, you can buy it online here.

An eclectic house tour filled with treasures from travels

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This UK home is brimming with personality. Most of the work, painting, etc., was done by the home owners, and most of the decor has special meaning.

It looks like all of their books, even the ones in the dining room, are arranged by spine color.

Her home office is probably my favorite.  Simple, but pretty.

Love the mantle!

via Heart Home Mag

Back to basics: Tips for room layout and choosing furniture and acessories

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Furnishing and organizing your home in the most appropriate way is challenging, but the reward is that it can be a great expression of yourself.  Some people don’t think interior design and architecture are such a big deal, until they see for themselves the impact that successful room decor, furnishings, and layouts can have on a house.

Serene and clean but not too sparse.

When it comes to furniture, it’s easy to fall back on what you see in the popular magazines, but take time to research and stake out pieces that really speak to you and are of good quality.  Don’t just buy furniture because you want to fill a room.  Taking your time to choose furniture will also ensure that you pick the best sizes and styles for the space you’re furnishing.

 
This kitchen is modern and minimal in style, but not sterile.

For many people, decor and accessories are an afterthought, or they fill it with gifts from others that aren’t really their style, or generic bits and bobs just to fill space.  However, if you completely forget about adding decor and accessories, your home runs the risk of looking to institutional.  Just like your furnishings, take time to collect a collection of accessories that have meaning to you, whether they be travel souvenirs, a vase that reminds you of one that your grandmother had, etc.

Functional and attractive

Two important aspects of design that are not addressed as often as the ones above are  the use of positive and negative space. Some people do not leave enough open/empty space in a room. Too much furniture, or furnishing too large for the room make a space feel tight and cluttered.  Leave enough open space – imaging the room being able to “breath” a bit.  If a space looks crammed, remove items one by one, step back and look at the space, and when it looks less cluttered, you know you’re on the right path. Also consider the flow of the room.  There should be clear paths around or to furnishings, and the purpose of the room should be apparent, whether the purpose be conversing, working, or watching TV.

Luxe in style with a successful bedroom layout.

Another set of people have the opposite problem.  They leave too much empty or “dead” space in their home.  If you’re nervous about making a mistake, start by collecting inspiration.  Rip out pages from magazines or bookmark images of rooms that you like.  Once you’ve collected a decent amount of images, review them and pick out any recurring furniture styles, accessories, colors, etc. that you see.  This will help you dictate your style.  Once you’ve narrowed down your aesthetic, try buying just one piece at a time, that way you won’t feel like you’re committing so quickly and definitely.

Stylized but realistic

Do you have any tips for a well-balanced room?

*disclosure: This post is sponsored by Minimalisti.com

Happy Friday and a fabulous and unique giveaway!

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 I have a super exciting giveaway for you guys today!  This awesome, unique, reclaimed way to display art, inspiration, photos, kids’ drawings, notes – you name it – from Magnetic Grain.

Such a great and easy way to display artwork if you like to frequently update your walls.

The winner will receive 2 pairs of 12″ Snap Hangs, and can choose from black, walnut or alder (light natural wood).

A little bit about Magnetic Grain:  “Magnetic Grain is a designer and manufacturer of inventive products for the home. We focus on all things wood – sustainable & salvaged, magnetic & modular, fun & functional. All Magnetic Grain products are designed by Trevor Elliott, the founder & creator behind Magnetic Grain and the finished pieces are truly handmade, small craft production. Our products are manufactured in our local wood shop in Ventura, Ca. and finished by a local artisan. In this way, we can ensure the quality and integrity of each piece in our product”

You can read more about Magnetic Grain and see their product range on their website.  Here are a few more of their beautiful products:

Magnetic tile art.

I really like their re|Surface table.  You can rearrange and flip around the magnetic slats.

Grow frame

Stac modular cubes.

Pretty cool, right?

To enter the giveaway for Snap Hang, you must Like Magnetic Grain on Facebook.  Click here to like them.  Then, come back to this post and leave a comment that you’d like to enter the drawing.  To comment on this post (scroll to the bottom of this post and right above “Labels” you will see a number followed by the word “comments.” Click on the word “Comments.” Or, you will see a link, “Post a Comment,” which you click on to comment.  Or, you can email me at ashley [at] decorologyblog [dot] com confirming that you liked Magnetic Grain on Facebook, and that you’d like to be entered for the giveaway.

The contest closes next Friday, Jan. 13th at 6 PM EST.  I will announce the lucky winner, chosen by random draw, the following Monday.  Good luck and have a great weekend!

A charming Edwardian-vintage

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This South London home is challenging the idea of quintessential British design by mixing eclectic, modern, classic, and vintage furnishings and finds.

This might just be my favorite room so far this year.  So beautiful.

I’m always drawn to simple white bathrooms

check out the bins built in to the back of the chairs…

via Heart Home Magazine

Home Office Furniture – A worthwhile investment

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A doubled edged sword, working from home has both advantages and disadvantages; some people are able to manage it, whilst others find it difficult to get into a work mentality what with all the distractions and temptations that come with having all the home comforts just a door away. Of course, for some people there may not be a choice due to disability or family obligation and working from home is the only option.

If do you happen to be working from home the furniture that you have in there is going to have an effect on many aspects of your productivity, morale and attitude. By having functional, attractive and good quality furniture you can make sure that your work output is not affected by disorganisation or by being uncomfortable.

I personally like my home office furniture in white. It keeps the space looking clean and bright.

One of the most important things to consider with your home office furniture is comfort and back support, especially if you are sitting in front of a computer for prolonged periods of time; a low quality chair will do nothing but leave you with back pain, and over time may affect your overall posture. Investing in an ergonomic and quality chair when putting together a home workspace should be a top priority.

I think open “cubby” shelving such as this are great for storing office files, binders, and magazines in an easily accessible way. I plan on getting a similar piece in white and placing it horizontally, so it acts as a table surface, and storage. 

The second most important thing to keep in the back of your mind is how you can augment and improve your productivity levels; your computer desks and workstations should not be there just to prop up your computer and your files, it is the centrepiece of your work and needs to allow you to reach all of your important tools, peripherals and documents within easy and convenient reach. Having to scoot around in your office on a chair can get tiresome and often lead to breaking concentration and affecting those all-important productivity levels. A cleverly designed desk can go a long way, giving you the nooks and crannies in which to store the things you need.

This desk is great if you don’t have a separate room for your home office, because at the end of the day you can close the cabinets and drawers and be left with a pretty piece of furniture, without having to look at your office tools.

Comfort and productivity aside, aesthetics are the final element in this holy trifecta; having attractive office furniture can have a positive psychological effect and can go a long way into improving the quality of your work. Attractive, modern furniture can really give a room a professional atmosphere. Additionally, ensure that there is a window in your home office; natural light can have a wonderful effect on how you work, and also gives you something to glance at, other than a computer screen which can alleviate eyestrain.

Below are a few more examples of the impact that furniture can have on your home office:

A pretty file cabinet in white wood is much more inspiring than a traditional metal one.
 2 above via Ballard

 A mix of different style furnishings keep the space functional but also personal.
via High Gloss

via Lifework

Different people have different needs to be at their most efficient.  Even if you’re a minimalist – lighting and a desk with enough space for your materials is a must.

*disclosure: This post is sponsored by Wooden Furniture Store.co.uk

No time like the beginning of a new year for a fresh start!

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First off, I hope everyone had an amazing holiday, and happy New Year!  Usually, I don’t get caught up in the New Year’s traditions like setting resolutions.  This year however, I am determined to get really, really, organized.  I’m usually an organized person, but the last half of 2011 I started to really fall behind on a lot of my filing, exercise routine, and many other things.  So, it sort of seemed like fate when, just a couple of weeks before New Years, I received three books from organizing guru Jennifer Ford Berry.  The books are “Organize Now!,” “Organize Now! Your Money, Business, & Career,” and “Organize Now! 12 Month Home & Activity Planner.”

There’s nothing quite as inspiring and exciting as a new organizing book that really speaks to you, and I think these definitely will.  The “Organize Now!”  and “Organize Now! Your Money, Business, & Career”  books literally break down the year into weeks, and assigns you tasks for each week that ultimately get your entire space in order.  I also like that, not only does she focus on the tangible things – like organizing your cupboards, entryway, social profiles, and email contact, but she also goes into a lot of depth and care to express the importance of taking time out for yourself, and streamlining your lifestyle to increase efficiency (therefore creating more time for yourself).

Table of contents in “Organize Now!”

I’ve already started the “Organize Now!” book.  The beginning is dedicated to the psychology of clutter, how it impacts us mentally and physically, and all the rewards one can reap by eradicating clutter.  Weeks 1- 4 are titled “Organize Yourself,” with week 1 being broken down further to “Organize your Mind & Life Vision.    Each week has a checklist of weekly goals (which helps keeps the ultimate goal of complete organization from being overwhelming), and a “Stay Organized” checklist that gives you tips to maintain your newly achieved organization goal of the week.  The “Stay Organized” checklist is broken down into what you should do once a month, every 3-6 months, and once a year.

Several pages are dedicated to the psychology of clutter.

Week 1’s “This Week’s Goal’s” checklist

I’ve also already filled out my first week of the “Organize Now! 12 Month Home & Activity Planner.”  It give ample room to jot down to-dos for each day.  The beginning of each month features a list for holidays, bill due dates, and monthly events.  Each month also starts out with a monthly “focus,” tips, and a space to list goals for the month.

The beginning of each month starts out with space to list the month’s events, due dates, and holidays.

Lots of space for jotting your to-do’s!

I haven’t started the “Organize Now! Your Money, Business, & Career,” book yet, but I hope to dive into it a bit tonight, as it undoubtedly covers the aspects of my life that need the most organizing.

“Organize Now! Your Money, Business, & Career” table of contents

The books can all be purchased on Amazon.
Organize Now!
Organize Now! Your Money, Business, and Career
Organize Now! 12 Month Home and Activity Planner
You can check out Jennifer Ford Berry’s website and blog here
Do you usually feel inspired to start new projects or regimens on New Years?  What are your goals and wishes for 2012? Can’t wait to hear about them!

*disclosure:  I received Organize Now!, Organize Now! Your Money, Business, and Career, and Organize Now! 12 Month Home and Activity Planner as a sample

Happy Holidays

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I’m heading over to my parents’ farm for the holidays tomorrow, so I’ll talk to you guys next week.  I wish everyone a wonderful, wonderful holiday – filled with loved ones and yummy treats!

via Country Living Mag

A fresh spin on Christmas decor…

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I was so excited when I saw photos of this home for the first time. It’s so fresh and coastal, but somehow still manages to be festive and feels like Christmas. The home is a barefoot style cottage in Florida.

The chair was a flea market find, now reupholstered in a modern coral print.

I didn’t know there were fireplaces in Florida…

Okay – I love this banquette. It’s custom made in faux-ostrich vinyl that’s super kid-friendly

Woolen stockings didn’t scream beach cottage, so the kids used buckets in lieu of stockings

If you can, use accents from your own backyard.  They don’t look like everyone else’s decorations, and they’re free. This owner took cuttings of pine from her own property. Don’t have property? Take a walk in a park and see if there are any fallen pine cones you can gather.

I adore how she did up her stairs with mercury glass candle holders and jumbo pine cones.

The bedroom color palette is so serene.

Does this home still feel holiday spirited to you?

via Southern Living December 2011