a "quick" update

we have leased a wonderful house in the Upper Avenues of Salt Lake City and we are enjoying it so much. you can probably tell by this picture that the view is one of the best features of the house! 

I will post much more about the house and more photos, but I wanted you all to see the only room that is completely decorated and looks pretty darn good I think! 

I have had the sofa for a while, I got it from Thomasville, but the chairs are from Ikea and the table is from a consignment store (and I paid $50 for it!) I love the way it all comes together. 

as I said before, I wanted the room to be warm and inviting, but I didn't want it to compete with the view and I think it is all of those things! I do not plan to add window treatments, unless the sun gets so hot we can't be in there... it has already fried the plant you see there, I had to move it!

I will try to post more photos and ideas this week... there is just sooooo much going on!

p.s. Derya's house is looking great too, we both moved in to our new places the same day!

Fun Fun Days

My friend Derya and her husband Soner, have just bought an old home in downtown that was being restored and and they got to pick the final details! I'm so jealous because I'd love to be renovating a charming old home! Anyway, my jealousy is abated with the fact that I get to help her do her house and will get to sit back and enjoy it with her in the end! (the best part of being a designer!)

We have been shopping for lighting, cabinet knobs, window treatments and furniture! The house was built in the early 1900s and is an Arts and Crafts Bungalow, it's being restored very carefully because it's on the National Historical Registry. Derya's style is very eclectic and funky and this house is going to be AWESOME!

Derya on one of our shopping trips!

With all of the finishes and fixtures she  chose very carefully to fit the style and period of the home, but with the furnishings we are hitting all of the vintage shops and thrift stores and finding fun, wonderful pieces to make the house look like she does... fun, young, hip and did I say fun!?

(Sidenote) We found some wonderful chairs online and couldn't find a place to get them in the U.S.; then when we did find a place it was in Boston and the chair was $900, plus tax and shipping... a little out of budget for a single chair... and it's plastic! Let me introduce you all to "Pasha" chair by Pedrali... I think you'll love him as much as we do! Derya has discovered "chairgasm"!


Being from Turkey and loving an Eastern style, we tried to find things that went with the period and style of the house, and also brought in that Middle Eastern flair. We found hand painted knobs for the kitchen and paired them with oil rubbed bronze pulls. We found mercury glass, Moroccan styled pendant lights for the dining room and a table that was made from an old door from India! And interestingly enough... they all look right at home together and with the other more traditional details of a 100 year old house!

They move in to their house on Monday (same day Perry and I move to our new house) and then I'll share photos... for now, check out some of the things we found while shopping!  Then, once they're all settled in, I'll post photos of how it all turned out!

So, the title of this post is "Fun Fun Days", and that is what we've had shopping and selecting everything for the house, but those days are not over, we will have many more enjoying the spaces we had so much fun creating together!

We opted for a pair of these over the DR table

Great sofa, huh?!

Very similar table, no two are alike!

on lower cabinets and drawers

On upper cabinet doors! 

I love these chairs!

So, you all know that I love Mid-Century Modern and you know I love Ray and Charles Eames... but I'm suffering from such a strong infatuation with the "Shell Chair" that I see them everywhere and I even dream about them!

There are several cream colored ones at The Green Ant; the great shop across the block from my condo and I want them so badly I've even told Perry I'd not eat for a month to have them! (bonus to this scenario... I lose weight!)

Now, my friend Derya wonders why I'd pay so much for vintage, original ones, rather than purchase new ones, because they are still in production... it's the fiberglass! ...Eames chairs have been widely imitated, but originals are highly sought-after by collectors because they are considered breakthroughs in both design and technology...

from Apartment Therapy

from Apartment Therapy

from Apartment Therapy

And when I say I'm seeing them everywhere, it's not just in the vintage stores I visit... they seem to be in every blog I read, and every website I hit on... I found these shots on Apartment Therapy and I want to share them with you all! This article is actually about the coffee tables, but what room wouldn't be better with a great shell chair... (I'm sure you can determine which ones are the shell chairs in the shot, right?! hehe)

My "inspiration shot" from some can't-recall website (sorry)

If you are on my facebook, you know I've found an "inspiration shot" for my new living room... And you know that my color scheme is monochromatic in creams and whites, so just how perfect would these wonderful cream colored shell chairs with a chrome eiffel tower base be?! Well, I have a way of deciding the value of a purchase and that is this... "do I love it __(?)___  many dollars worth?" and the answer for this one is..... YES!!!!! 
so, on the new living room idea... I have a similar sofa to this one, but it has a little more gray undertones... in place of the two painted side chairs, I want to put the Eames shell chairs... the layout would be more like the photo above with the blue ones and my chairs would have that type of base... weigh in folks, let me know what you think! Seriously!

Found "treasures"

part of an old light fixture

OK, so I love when I find something unusual and it turns out to be something that I love! I was in the Habitat for Humanity ReStore last week and found this great frame from an old lighting fixture for just $3. The globe was broken so I just opted to take the ring and not the fixture part, but my idea was to make it a mirror frame. I had seen some little round mirrors at Tai Pan Trading in Sandy, UT, but when I went back to get the mirror I was sure would fit... it didn't!

I'm glad it didn't because I like it better for what I found while exploring... I like the idea of multi-functional items so I got a few different options. Now, the best idea we (Derya & I) had there was to take photos of each option in the store, then we could choose which one we like best!

a terra cotta pot - $16.99

A clear glass vase - $12.99

Clear candle plate - $.98

Dessert plate - $.97

I love the way it looks with the terra cotta pot, it makes a great base and elevates the pot just a bit! There are so many different pots, urns and vases that are somewhat rustic and the frame gives it an elegant feel.

The simple clear candle plate was so inexpensive, but with the frame... terrific! This could hold up to an eight inch candle or several candles clustered, where can you get a great candle holder for just four bucks? No where!

Next, for about the same price as the candle plate is the small dessert plate.. and how cute would this be with a cute little cake or cookies at a party? There were also some great domed covers that would add a lovely touch to this pairing. The best part is that it's not an old light fixture anymore, it's a great cake stand/dessert tray!

Now, my favorite and the one I have now sitting on my kitchen counter is the glass vase! I love the simple cylinder and the frame is just like icing on a cake! I have it now with candles in it, but I will fill it with Christmas ornaments, decorative orbs, vase fillers and a candle and, of course, flowers!

So, let's say this is not exactly your style? This would also be great painted white or off white and sanded off a bit on the edges for a great shabby chic look, or paint it black for a dramatic look in more contemporary settings.

This one is made of cast iron (antique I think), and it's very heavy, but newer lights are made of brushed nickel or other materials that might work with your decor... keep your eyes open and if you find another idea to do with old light fixture parts... please share! I'm excited and inspired and will definitely be looking for more old lights and making more cool accessories with them!

Updates on some old posts...

If you've followed for a while you know there are some posts that need a little follow up, so here goes...

* I was looking for a great website to find all sorts of cabinet and furniture hardware and promised to share with you, well here it is... knobsandhardware.com ... they have a great selection and the prices are pretty reasonable! I think you'll find anything you could need there, including inspiration even if you aren't in the market for new hardware!

* My parents' house is coming along nicely, not as fast as progress was going before, but it is all in the dry and weather tight enough to make it through the winter and that was the big "push" when I was there. I will post photos as soon as I get some, I've got to depend on my parents to send photos and they are busy working on the house, not taking pictures!

* Amber's master bedroom is in progress still, with the holidays and other home improvement projects she had on her plate, the final details are taking a while coming together, she has promised she'll send photos as soon as it is all in place... hurry Amber, we're all as anxious as you are to see it come to fruition!

* Volunteers needed for house tours... I've got one and will be working on getting photos and completing an interview with her about the home she and her husband built themselves, how they decided on style and design and what, if anything, they'd do differently if they had it to do over... watch for this upcoming! AND! if you're interested in sharing your home with us, your design successes and not-so-successful attempts, then please contact me, I'd love to not only share your home with everyone, but give you some advice or ideas to improve your space!

I think this just about catches up the loose ends I left over from 2010. If there is anything else I left you hanging on, please send me a note or post a comment! I want to hear from everyone who reads my blog, sometimes it's like I'm talking to myself here! :)

..... gotta get to my real work now.... have a great day!

Things I Love!

Today I thought I'd share photos of things I love and great things I've found lately...

The Green Ant - a great Mid-Century Modern/vintage store across the block from my condo... they have wonderful pieces and a fantastic owner who I enjoyed meeting as much as finding the store!

Hand Chair from mid 1960s *

The Marshmallow Sofa *

Swan Chair by Arne Jacobsen 1959 *

The Wiggle Chair *        




The great things about this type of furniture is that it is not only a piece of furniture it is art and most of them are still being produced today!

I, personally, am a huge fan of Mid-Century furniture, accessories and architecture. My favorite chair is an Eames Lounge Chair which has been in production since the 1940s by Herman Miller. This chair is not cheap, it's like investing in a good used car, but the up side is... this chair holds it's value. I saw one at The Green Ant for $3200! Actually increased in value since it was purchased! And, they are sooo comfortable!

The Wiggle Chair by Frank Gehry is now being produced by Vitra. Again, not cheap, but these are investment pieces and a part of history as well. Most of my favorite Mid-Century designers are architects as well, and so I'm equally as taken with their building designs.

If you have followed me for a little while, you know that I had planned a trip to see Frank Lloyd Wright buildings in Wisconsin in November. Because of bad weather I had to forego that plan for now, but will be going back to NC in May for a reunion and hope to be able to make that part of the trip then.

If you are a Mid-Century (M-C) fan like I am, then I recommend you check out these publications/books...


    


Even if you aren't a big fan of M-C fan like I am, find your style and then research the origins of that style and who the main "players" were in the design of your style. Once you know what you like and who you like, you'll find it easier to pick furnishings and accessories for your spaces!

*these photos were taken at the Kirkland Museum in Denver, Colorado, but similar pieces are at The Green Ant. 

Feeling Less than Inspired

So, I'd been feeling a little "uninspired" lately! So,  I've been going out almost every day and exploring my new city with my new friend Derya Aksoy. We've visited tons of great vintage shops and antique stores, thrift stores and consignment shops and we've seen tons of cool things! But I'm feeling sad because I have such a small space and no where to do crafty things, or to store great finds and I want so badly to be creative.

Derya is a jewelry designer and makes gorgeous one-of-a-kind pieces. She's just moved to SLC as well, (her husband and Perry work for the same company) and is having a bit of a struggle while living in temporary digs, like me. So, we've been on the hunt for creative outlets!

Turkish Coffee Set

We've had some wonderful adventures around town finding our favorite coffee shops, our favorite places to shop and eat. One of those places is The Copper Onion which is not only our favorite restaurant so far, but also has the best coffee. And that started...

...a sort of  "coffee pilgrimage". There we discovered Caffe Ibis a Utah coffee company and we LOVE it! We bought french coffee presses at Ikea and watched a youtube.com video of how to make the coffee so we could enjoy it at home!

Derya has introduced me to Turkish Coffee and a friend of hers from Turkey sent me a coffee set! Now, I'm not saying this is going to replace other coffees for me, it is quite strong, but I did love "reading" the coffee grounds afterward! Talk about creativity!

I've done some fairly creative things with "photography" (which doesn't take a lot of room in the condo, but is eating up the memory in my computer; gotta get an external hard drive!) Derya also introduced me to picnik.com, which is a photo editing website and it is so simple, anyone can create great photos! I'm working on a website to display my photography, will post again when it is complete, I never realized how many photos I take!

"recycled" necklace

One of the most fun things I've done is work with Derya on a necklace that I wore on Christmas Eve. We made it from an old necklace, a brooch, and plastic trash bags!

This, along with visiting a few vintage clothing stores and seeing the beautiful vintage ladies hats has given me a new idea. I am going to attempt to create lampshades with a "vintage milliner" feel.

I had to find a way to combine the inspirations I've seen into the passion for decor that I already possess. I haven't started the lampshade projects yet, but have purchased a few old lamps and shades from thrift shops to begin with. My goal is to make these projects from mostly reclaimed or vintage materials, so I'm gathering bits and pieces together and will definitely share more when I get something completed!

So, with these projects I've got a pretty busy next couple of weeks, and will be out and about looking for materials, ideas and inspiration. While this is not really about interior design, it is about living in your surroundings... sometimes what we encounter while out of our homes, can greatly impact how we feel in our homes... and as is my philosophy about interior design... the spaces where you spend your time should feed and rejuvenate your soul! (even if they are not inside your home.)

Happy New Year!