Amy's Awesome Anthropologie Abode

Sorry I've been away awhile but I can't wait to show you what I've been working on.
It shall be called "Amy's Awesome Anthropologie Abode...." but Amy has requested I not photograph it until it's all put back together. Humph, Amy. Ye know not how impatient I am. Well here's the inspiration anyway:

Laila bedding from Anthropologie. It's way cooler in person. There's a limey green diamond print in the back ground and the whole thing looks very Ethnic/Art Deco.

Tomorrow I start the stenciling behind the bed. I will be using the harlequin trellis stencil from Cutting Edge Stencils, in black on a gray wall.
I have already painted the walls Sherwin Williams Mega Greige and the tray ceiling SW Freshwater and the crown mould is SW Tricorn Black. ( I really can't wait to show ya'll!)

Here's the stencil pattern that will look so amazing in black!


My second oldest daughter is graduating from 8th grade on Friday ( in a dress my parents would have NEVER allowed) and we are having 30 (plus or minus) 8th graders over to the house, which for some reason has had me working on two paintings for the dining room for the last few nights. I inspired myself with THESE paintings for the aforementioned Amy. These are in her library and remain unnamed. One of my friends suggested "Cluster Pucks" which cracks me right up. Anyway, I am making a version for myself in hot pink, aqua, red, yellow, white, lime and black.
Just a reminder, I am now teaching my Abstract art techniques, click here for info.



Last week, I treated Amy's library to the Sherwin Williams Quartzstone finish in the Cardboard colorway, with a glitter glaze applied over the whole thing. ( Glitter is not showing in the photo, but I use Lowe's Granite Glitter additive in gold and silver, 1 packet each, mixed in with a gallon of glaze. Apply by rubbing on vertically with a big car washing sponge.) One thing about the Quartzstone finish....I have yet to have one match the color swatch, just so you know, don't leave the store without having them tweak it! We had to add a ton of Maroon tint to get ours to be the right color.



The week before that, I created this wall finish in her dining room. I will be sharing this recipe with my followers when I get a moment- Become a follower and get free recipes too!

I'm having fun in Amy's house, Amy is awesome!

Fun at the Renaissance in Schaumburg

Hey hey! I'm back from my fun little getaway to Chicago. The real reason for this trip was to buy a chandalier at IKEA, but I also got to spend a little time with my BFF since first grade, have an awesome dinner with my honey as well as a Sunday morning workout and brunch for Mother's Day. We stayed at the Renaissance in Schaumburg and it is just gorgeous. Here are some of my favorite lobby shots.

Above, you can see these crazy mesh canopies that are hanging from the ceiling over several seating areas. I want to know who sells these ideas, because my clients are frequently scared of funkylicisiousness. I need some pointers in selling funk.



I'll take one to go, please!


That is one funky chimney!

Ceiling in the Sam and Harry's restaurant. I think this is really cool, but it kind of reminds me of arteries.


I love the idea of this. Some other people loved it to, cause some of these were missing off the wall. People suck.
I love these little metal blooms that were planted between two back to back sofas. If only I had a soldering iron, I'd make one of these!

Me and my honey snuggling on a big yellow chaise. There was someone sleeping on another couch, so why not, right?

Mike snapped this shot of me in a purple egg chair....no that photo is not edited, it's just that I'm having so much fun, I'm actually glowing!! (okay I'm totally joking, it's edited all to heck!)

Color to re-consider : toothpaste green

There's a color that keeps jumping out at me....it reminds me of old fashioned Aim toothpaste. It's fresher than turquoise,greener than 'tiffany box', and way cooler than sage. It's got a definite vintage vibe. I'm diggin' it.

When looking at my Ben Moore fandeck, it's somewhere in the 589-599 series, like "Spring Fresh-591" or "Brookdale Gardens-599"

What do y'all think? "Good"? or "Uh-no".





This is a little greener than Aim toothpaste, but I still like it. Maybe this would be considered 'pistachio'.

the chair is spot on. Not sure I love the wall color with the chair though.


A couple of lighter versions follow, one with a tinge of gray. If you are thinking of painting a whole room in this color, you might want to consider graying it up a smidge. When I was in college, the former occupant of my bedroom had painted it a color most accurately described as 'the bottom of a swimming pool. In Miami. In 1945." It hurt my eyes to be in there. A touch of gray would have upped my GPA, that's for sure.

Gigantic, Over the Top Artwork

I'm still a little devastated that Manila Luzon didn't win RuPaul's Drag Race. I'm mad at Ru. (We are on a first name basis). Raja is funny and all, but still kind of looks like a man in drag. Manila IS a woman. Look people. THAT'S A DUDE up there. And if you didn't watch the show, believe me when I tell you, when you see Manila NOT in drag...he looks like a dude. So that's over the top artistry there.
So sometimes I am a loss for inspiration. There are only so many blog posts I can write about black and white stripes. So I just googled up my favorite Manila look and VOILA...inspiration! ( who doesn't love a Big Bird inspired ensemble anyway?)

You might be saying...'what is she selling with this?' Well GIGANTIC artworks that fill up the room, of course!!!! I am lovin' this idea and coinkidinkally....that's something I do for a living.
What a way to make a statement: Gigantic canvas. Bold Color. Abstract Funkiness.
It's the dot on the exclamation point.


Yellow on Gray with a hint of 'honeysuckle'? Hm....seems familiar. Me likey!!!




This is a great example of one of my favorite designery rules which is to paint the walls behind an artwork the LEAST predominate color in the artwork. Here it's that amazing saffron yellow. ( I am totally not getting those chairs with kickstands. I would so be tripping over them constantly.)


(I always get my way with those black and white stripes) I am so inspired by this painting, I wanna just go copy it. It looks like a robber to me, which makes me laugh.


I am not in love with this painting, something about it makes me a little uncomfortable. But I like the concept of a colorful painting in an otherwise colorless room.





This painting is killin' it! Killin' two pigs with one bird. Personality AND a headboard! Sweet!


Photo credits: aw the heck with it. They're all from tumblr and pintrest. So who the heck knows? Except the Manila pic is from RuPaul's (FIXED) DragRace and I'm fairly certain the original source for the kickstand chair room is Kelly Wearstler.

Scherenschnitte Style

Silhouettes via colormekatie.blogspot.com


In the early 80s, my mom joined one of those 'crafty' book clubs, and we received a book of Scherenschnitte patterns and a pair of tiny curved scissors. I took a particular liking to this art form, and many a totem pole- of- farm -animal- silhouette- was cut and framed in oak with a country blue matte! I even made a future birth announcement for my future child.

From wikipedia: " Scherenschnitte which means "scissor cuts" in German, is the art of paper cutting design. The art work often has symmetry within the design, and common forms include silhouettes, valentines, and love letters. The art tradition was founded in Switzerland and Germany in the 16th century, and was brought to Colonial America in the 18th century by immigrants who settled primarily in Pennsylvania."

Today I stumbled upon the website Famille Summerbelle and fell in love on the spot! Check out their Paris, London and New York City maps. Wow!
I started looking around on the intertubes for more Scherenschnitte and I discovered the absolute heights that some artist have taken this form.

Like Su Blackwell, and this Scherenschnitte dress.

And this map of San Francisco by etsy artist :Studiokmo

And of course, Tord Boontje



Then there are things that remind me of Scherenschnitte.
I've blogged about this Marimekko fabric before. Kanteleen pattern via marimekko.com


This wall finish ( yes that's a wall finish) by Modello Designs, incorporates silhouettes that are over stenciled with floral designs for a fanciful and whimsical look. Modello Designs is so kind as to provide the directions for this finish here. (Advanced skill level required)

I covet a collection of silhouettes simply framed and arranged for maximum impact.
via decorista

The piece de resistance girls' bedroom via House Beautiful Magazine.



How hilarious is this? via designvagabond.blogspot.com

I love when old things become hot again and silhouettes and scherenschnitte are on fire!
Case in point: cameo cookies! Yum~



via deliciousmagazine.co.uk

My house: The "Granny Chic" sunroom

The sunroom in my house has been the dining room for the last 8 years because it's actually closer to the kitchen than the dining room. I was looking for a change and got the idea to switch things around a little bit. In doing so, on a budget, I found out I have a little bit of a 'granny chic' thing going on. Not intentional, just a mish- mosh of the last 15 years of my life, and somehow in pulling things together from other rooms, this is what I came up with. What do you think?
I have some work to do, that chandalier is going to have to go. ( I really, really really want THIS ONE)

So honestly, I think the best rooms are the ones with items collected over the years. I call this an 'acquired look'. As much as I salivate over glossy magazine photos, oftentimes they lack life and believability. And so few of us can decorate that way anyway. Here's how I got this look:

I bought those crazy chartreuse velvet chairs at a flea market in Chicago several years ago for 80 bucks each. At the time, chartreuse was UNHEARD of so I basically stole them. They're antique.
This one is my Yorkie Oscar's favorite snorin' spot.
The rocking chair is a little scary to sit in, it's the original recliner I think, but it pretty much only reclines.

I got the black and white striped flat weave rug at BIG LOTS. Yes, BIG LOTS. For 9 bucks. Wonder how long until one of my little canine buddies barfs on it?

The black bench was on clearance at an unfinished furniture store that was going out of business. The pillows were just collected over the years. The most recent is the big foo- foo ball, from Pier 1, and the large black and white bolster was made by my mother and my daughter.
I hope to get a funky loveseat, but until then, this bench will have to do. I stole it from my front entryway, which is now looking a little sad. (Never fails)

The artwork above the fireplace is a unique mix of really- expensive- actual- authentic- art, and my daughter's first grade self portrait. The frame around the self portrait was found at a garage sale. If my house was burning down, I'd ditch the real art and keep the self portrait, just sayin'.


Another garage sale find is this Victorian table, which yes, I painted and distressed.Upon it, I have my collection of Shirley Kramer pottery (the robot head, etc..). Shirley is a local artist whose work I buy, one piece a year at our local art fair.
I also have a sweet collection given to me by my daughter Charlotte: heart shaped rocks that she has collected here and there and everywhere. It's God's little gift to her, as she finds them all the time!

I created this plate collage out of mostly mismatched odd bits I already had. The only thing I 'ran out and bought' was the green plate, which I got on clearance at TJs for 4 bucks. I highly recommend the plate hanging discs, over those awkward wire contraptions.


Every "Granny Chic" room needs a real Granny! That's my mom in her Senior portrait. She still looks just like this, minus the bouffant, lol! (sorry Mom).

I know you can't see this, it's too tiny, but there's a little frame I've carried around with me since 1989 and in it is a photo of a 19 year old me, and my "Gramma Fay". She tragically died 2 years ago and I miss her every day. She was just the coolest grandma and she is really the A #1 person in my life who encouraged me to be ME! Love you Gramma!

blush and gold

via jcrew

A new color combo that is really growing on me is blush pink and gold. Just when I got rid of every speck of gold in place of silver, gold is creepin' back in. This is how hoarders are made, people!!! The pendulum of style swings waaaayyy too quickly anymore.

Pink and blush is quiet and ethereal and pretty and sooo girly. Just perfect, which must explain why I found so many wedding photos labeled 'blush and gold'. In fact, it's been dubbed the #1 wedding color combination for 2011. Hurray! Black and red have been de-throned! (not that black and red are bad...it's just time for something fresh!)


wedding inspirations by illuminationsds.blogspot.com

Perfect for a bedroom, powder room or dressing room, every skin tone looks amazing against these shades.
Have I solved my ugly closet problem?? Hmmmm.......
Awards season showed us TONS of blush pink dresses. And the lovely Reese Witherspoon just got married in blush.


Interior Design is following suit.
inspiration board via colorlovers.com


unknown source, likely etsy I do, I do believe in pink.
I just want that print, anywhere in my house would be fine! How can you not be happy around the color pink?

Ye Olde World....love it in pink! via pink-box.com

via Aaron Ruell photograpy

I am just over the moon for that sparkley blush wall finish there. It gives me an idea of playing around with some foil and glitter glaze. Can't wait to try that out.



via zsazsabellagio.com How about a little pink Venetian Plaster and a warm glowing fire? If you want to up your romance factor, try a little pink and gold. I don't think your man will mind.