The Cobbler

You would think that a designer would have a spectacular home.  Some do have awesome, well designed, showcase homes.  I, on the otherhand, do not.  I'm kind of like that joke about the Cobbler whose children go to school without any shoes. 

I'm the designer whose house is definitely 'cobbled' together.  I had less than three weeks to buy a house, furnish the entire house and do it all with hardly any money.  My entire savings went towards the down payment.  There are very few things I enjoy about this house but it doesn't appear we are getting out of here anytime soon so we are trying to make the best of it and turn it into a place we call, HOME.

The space planning for starters, leaves a lot to be desired.  I don't like homes that don't adequately house all the tasks that take place.  For instance, we have no place for an office so my bedroom became the computer, catch all place.  No wonder I couldn't sleep at night.  The last thing I see before closing my eyes are bills to be paid and they are also the first thing I see when I wake up.  No matter how hard I tried to keep it clean, it always felt cluttered.

 Not only that, when Shelbie would bring clients over to look at photos she had taken of them, they used my room as their meeting place.  The same would happen when I had people that I needed computer access to show them projects as well.  It just wasn't professional.

 This is another problem in my home.  I own no bookshelves so this closet became my book storage.  Nice eh?  I was so disgusted by the organization of this, I tried to avoid it, hence all my great books were left to collect dust.

I started by taking all the books out of the little closet to see what I had.  I spent an entire afternoon, ripping and tearing, tossing and keeping. 

I bet your anxious to see what I did next.  Well, check back and see the final results of my bedroom 'mini' make over.  I am just about done...well it won't be done for awhile but I will reveal the improvements, next post. 

I'm back

Well, it's been awhile.  I took a little break from the design blog...in case you didn't notice.  I have been thinking about it all summer.  I have decided that the format I had planned on wasn't working for me.  In fact, it was causing me a bit of stress.  I don't want to just abandon the plan so I am going to revamp.

I will be posting a couple times a week and still highlight some of my favorite websites, home improvement projects and little tips and hints you can do around your own home.  I have done some fun projects around my house lately and will start posting some of those projects for you to see and try yourself. 

I am going to pick up with the series on color psychology I started before my hiatus because I think it is so interesting and I hope you too find it fascinating.  So, stay tuned and don't forget to leave me feedback...that's what makes a blog interesting, the interfacing and connecting you can do with people all over the world.

It's Friday!

This week has flown by and it's time to feature my favorite Interior Design/Decorating blogs that I found this week.

I was really impressed to see what Juliette is doing over at Crafty Girl.  She is a graduate in finance that decided to chase her dream of becoming an interior designer.  She is still in school but has a lot of great ideas on interiors and comes from the perspective of a student which is cool because the things a student learns is very practical and they do some interesting projects.  Juliette seems to have a great eye, especially for color.  I'm sure you will enjoy her fun blog.

Check out Laurie at Tip Junkie.  I love her blog because she offers so much advice on organization, party planning, DIY and a host of other things.  I have gleaned a few ideas myself from her.  Give yourself lots of time to feast on her offering of delightful things.

That's it!  Have a great weekend...see ya Monday.  Next week, we continue our study in color...don't miss out.

The 'Grey Area'

Let's focus today on the color GREY.  Look around and you will see grey as a very popular color, even in the spring and summer and especially in the fashion world.  I have noticed lately that grey is often paired with the brightness of yellow.  Here's the low down on the color grey.

Grey is considered a neutral color.  It is somewhere between black and white.  It is a color of separation or 'no-man's land' if you will.  When you consider where this country has been politically over the past 3 years, it's no wonder people are turning to the color grey.  We have been all worked up with health care issues, education reform and some major wars and contentions with other countries.  You either hate what is going on your you worked yourself up with the same kind of frenzy politicians have been in lately.  Whichever way you go, everyone needs a break from the stress and tension- hence the color grey.

A person who choose grey wants to be uninvolved and uncommitted so they can be shielded, isolated and insulated from further contention and problems. Whether this un-involvement happens on a global level or a personal level, it's all the same. 

Grey can also represent intellect.  The brain is often referred to as 'grey matter'.  Grey is also associated with Wall Street.  All those business men in grey suits full of wisdom, knowledge and a variety of viewpoints. It is timeless, solid and practical.  It wouldn't really work if Wall Street was known for the color pink or purple, no one would take this country seriously.  Instead we evoke a feeling of solid presence to the rest of the world. 

It is a conservative color and very popular right now which is interesting since we have seen our country's Presidency make some pretty bold moves and we are now moving into a period of time when a potential new President is entering the playing field.  It seems, because the color grey is so popular, that people are looking for more solid, conservative leadership who is more willing and able to make compromises with practical and solid views. 

All these principles hold true in your own personal life.  Do you crave the color Grey?  Consider what is going on in your life, your body will always crave the color it needs in order to find balance.  Always.  So don't discount the fact that you may be drawn to certain colors, your body is telling you something important.

Here are some awesome examples of grey:

Trending Today

Even though I don't consider myself to be a 'trendy' person, I can't help but think about the trends we are seeing this year in fashion and home decor.  Here are some of the trends that are big this year in style and color. 

Everything Old is New Again...have you ever seen so much going on in the world of antiques and re purposing?  A lot of this trend comes from the economic climate we have found ourselves in the last several months.  With so much unemployment and crippling economies people just can't afford the things they use to so they find a way to make what they already have fit their needs.  Whether you are turning a t shirt into a cardigan or a wooden pallet into a table, re purposing is where it's at.  It's time to get back to the basics, the simple things in life.  We are more conscious of our environment which may also have something to do with this fun way of life.

Looking For Order...?  That is the order of the day!  Clutter is not cool and so yesterday!  Today is about less...less is more.  We can see this trend reflected in the surge of 'tiny homes'.  Many people are living on less income and looking for ways to live in less and with less.  It's a great way to live...you should try it!

Escape The Rat Race...Has the chaos of the last few years and a sinking economy got you down?  It has everyone down which might explain the underlying feeling of escape that seems to pulse through the nation. Not everyone can escape to far away lands which is why the color trends offer an insulating, dreamy, romantic flavor to the day.  Warm greys and blues are popular with splashes of yellow in all shades indicating a time of change.  All of the colors are softer, deepened tones of their primaries.

Whether you are part of the trends or stick to what works for you, it's interesting to see how politics, climate, economy, health care and a host of other things factor into the creature comforts of life.  Color is one of the most interesting factors in our life yet most people are unaware of the role it plays.  Join me tomorrow when I will begin discussing the psychology of color.  You won't want to miss it...What is that orange saying about you?

Plates

 Remember your grandma's collection of china plates, tea cups and saucers?  It use to be that getting fine china was the thing. 

It's coming back only this time, to be displayed as a home accessory not stuck in an old wooden china closet.  I love this picture of a colorful plate collection and decided to start my own but there's one problem with that.  No money to spend on fine china.  Well, problem solved!  Below is a tutorial for creating your own, on the cheap, collection of plates. 

I started with a trip to some yard sales and thrift stores.  I didn't have any luck finding old plates at the yard sales but scored big with the thrift store.  They had stacks of old wooden bowls and plates.  I chose some shallow wooden bowls to start my collection.  After finding the bowls, I selected some co ordinating scrapbook paper and got to work.  This project took about an hour and cost me $3.75.  The bowls were only $.50 each.

In addition to your plates and paper, you will also need some Modge Podge, sponge brushes and an exacto knife.  I chose the gloss rather than matt but either is fine.

On the wrong side of the paper, trace a circle about 1" larger than the size of your plates or bowls

Make one inch slits along the perimeter of the circles if you are doing bowls so it fits the form better.  If you are doing plates, the slits are not really necessary.

Begin spreading the modge podge on the inside on your bowl.  I poured a small amount in the bowl just because it was quicker and easier.

Take your circle and wet it under tap water until it begins to feel more pliable, almost soggy.  Be careful because at this stage, it will rip easily.  This helps form it to the curve of the bowl or plate.  Even if you do end up with a tear, don't worry, the glue will fix that.

Carefully lay it in the bowl and press down gently.  Make sure you smooth it down to remove all air bubbles. 

The edges should overhang slightly.  Once this layer is dry, add another layer of Modge Podge to the paper surface.  Repeat this step again once dry.  Some wrinkles in modge podging are normal and to be expected.  It's part of the beauty in this style.

Finally, with an exacto knife and sharp blade, cut off the excess paper around the rim of the bowl to give it a finished look.

I love the way they turned out!  I will post more pictures of this project after I get the hardware to hang them in my kitchen. 

This was alot of fun and so easy!  This is a great accessory for your dining room, kitchen or any wall that needs to be brightened up.  I plan on adding a variety of sizes and shapes to create a unique and intriguing look in my very dull kitchen.

Friday Features

For today's features, I have found an eclectic group of websites to check out.  For starters, are you a do-it-yourselfer? How About Orange is a great site with tons of craft and diy tutorials.  Some of their home craft offerings are very unique and easy to do.  If you are looking for something fun to create this weekend, check it out. 

As I mentioned in previous posts, this is the day of re-purposing and redesigning things in order to better adjust to our changing needs.  I was excited to stumble upon the Ikea Hackers.  They take the basic and simple furniture and accessory pieces sold at Ikea and repurpose them into something else.  It's amazing to see the creativity that this site generates.  It will make you say, "Why didn't I think of that?"

Finally, homeinteriorszone.com is a sensible website where you can find some informative articles, tips and the newest trends in the interior design world.  They have a big section on 'How to' plus all the hottest looks trending in interiors.

Have a great weekend,  Catch up with me Monday when I will share another easy home craft idea.