The Square-Shaped Elephant in the Room

Alright. I'll try to put this as delicately as possible.

Brace yourselves.

The boyfriend wants a new TV.

As someone who doesn't watch much television (aside from the occasional episode of The Office), I would be perfectly fine getting rid of our current one altogether and just not replacing it. It's not very appealing to look at (a big huge cube of silver plastic) as we haven't jumped on the flatscreen bandwagon; and while a new TV would look much nicer, I would rather save the money for a down-payment on a house (every little bit helps, right?).

Anyway, I know I'm probably not going to win this one, so I've been trying to come up with ways to better camouflage the behemoth he has in mind.

I've thought about buying a cabinet to hide it in, but I didn't want a huge looming piece of furniture in our already small-ish living room (which triples as our entry area and my desk area - semi-enthusiastic hooray for multi-use spaces!).

I had been planning on putting a few prints up on the wall behind the TV, but it wasn't until I came across Kim Johnson's house tour on Apartment Therapy (via My Little-Way) and found this fabulous idea that I thought to cover the entire wall with larger prints to make the television blend in perfectly!


It looks as if it's one of the prints! Genius! I have a few unframed pieces already, waiting to go up, but I'd like to hold off until I have a few more so it doesn't look too patchy. The pieces in the picture have a primarily lighter palette; however, it might also look nice to incorporate darker colors and make the blank television screen blend in a little more, especially when our walls are a creamy white color.

Now all I need is your help! What are your favorite sources for art? Who are your favorite artists? To frame these (hopefully) soon-to-be acquired pieces, I recently came across this simple, inexpensive way to ("framelessly") frame your own pieces instead of spending your entire paycheck on custom framing.

*swoon*
Paige

Tumbleweed Homes

Tumbleweed Tiny Houses have been around for quite some time, but I can't help but share this fantastic company with you. Many of their homes are so small they can be towed by a car; and yet they're still completely comfortable and very well designed (read: adorable). I have always dreamed of someday owning a little country cottage - these are absolute perfection and would be at the top of my list. Check out their website. I promise you'll enjoy it thoroughly.


*swoon*
Paige

A room imitation of epic proportions

Last week I brought together pieces to recreate a designer look captured by photographer Andreas Johansson. This time, instead of an outfit, I will be recreating a room: actress Claire Forlani's living room - a beautiful merging of stereotypically masculine and feminine design.

Claire Forlani's living room, featured in Domino, October 2006

Personally, one of the main aspects of this room that really strikes me is not in the decoration, but in the architecture itself. The ridiculously high ceiling and ultra-large window fill the space with light, and allow for maximum air to circulate throughout the room. The dark chocolate beams give the space more character and create a nice contrast against the stark white walls.

I realize not everyone has the luxury of high ceilings and beautiful wooden beams; however, you can recreate the look simply (read: stylishly and inexpensively). Purchase some wide chocolate brown ribbon (nearly black, even) and encircle your space, attaching the ribbon to the walls approximately five inches below the ceiling. This has the same effect as contrasting molding or beams, and draws the eye up to give the illusion of a larger space.

Chocolate Wide Satin Ribbon from RedStamp.com

To echo the white ceiling, an inexpensive natural-colored Flokati rug like this one below will work perfectly. If you're willing to spend more on your Flokati, this article lists things to look for in a higher-quality rug.

Flokati rug via Pottery Barn

I hate to seem brief with the coffee table category, but this glass one from Treadway Gallery is a near perfect match! Not much more to say about this one!




Although the chairs in Forlani's living room are more of a mid-century modern design, the Abbott T-Cushion Armchair from Berhardt's Martha Stewart Collection will have to do. Even though it lacks the originals' slender wooden arms and frame (one of my absolute favorite aspects), it has a similar silhouette, and the same sort of low, comfy cushion design. (P.S. Has anyone else noticed how Martha's collections are always so perfect??)

Abbott T-Cushion Chair

Now, the sofas were the biggest challenge of recreating this look. I was able to find sofas with similar lines, but they didn't have the right button tufting. Or the right arms. Or the luxurious texture. Or, most importantly, that beautiful medium blue shade. As it turns out, the sofas were custom designed and manufactured by Forlani and her husband (how convenient). I've decided that, of all the variations I came across, the Hutton sofa from Room & Board (in Indigo, of course), is the best bet. It would also be much less expensive than a custom lounge (hey, not all of us can be celebrities)!


The John side tables from Indochine Decor are an absolutely perfect substitute! And I can guarantee they're less expensive than the actress' originals.


What could end up being a boring room is livened up by a somewhat random assortment of pillows. The array of patterns is brought together by a similar color palette of blues and grays. I scrounged around on Etsy (one of my favorite sites of all time for handmade goods) for some time and found these three, which I felt embodied the living room's variety of cushions. You can find these pillows by searching Etsy for their sellers, listed below each option.


Last but not least (besides your own personal tchotchkes and a delicate, pale pink bouquet on the coffee table), the lamps. They may be different in shape, but their height, color tones, and lampshades are very similar, pulling them together seamlessly. Combining the base of the multi-colored lamp below, and the shade of the classy black gourd lamp would create a perfect substitute. To be honest, I prefer the second lamp on its own; however, the first is simply more interesting and unexpected.

Charlie West

Porta Romana

And there you have it! I hope my creation inspires you throughout the rest of the week!

*swoon*
Paige

“Happiness often sneaks in through a door you didn't know you left open.” - John Barrymore

I still seem to be on this "home-of-my-own" kick from last week... Today I'm obsessing over painted front doors - not your typical white or brown (or dare I say BEIGE), but cheery entrances that stand out from the other houses on the block.

I spent nearly five months in northeastern India in 2007 and absolutely fell in love with all of the brightly painted buildings - pink, green, blue, purple... Strict studio art teachers would have probably shuddered at the hodgepodge of paint, the lack of proper color wheel relationships; however, the fact that everything was mismatched brought these otherwise dissimilar color pairings together. The colorful collage against the green, jungle-covered foothills brought a smile to my face every day.

It would be nice if more people in the Western world (specifically McMansion-wearied America) followed suit and painted their homes brighter colors. It seems home-owners are only brave enough to paint their front doors; however, I think it is a fantastic start for those intimidated by color. Even if the entire house isn't painted a brilliant tone, painting the lone front door - generally the focal point of a home - creates a fantastic contrast and truly makes the house stand out in the best of ways.

Hamilton Home Review

Pearl Bucknell

Jim Plumb

Ian Cameron

Domino

*swoon*
Paige

Home Sweet Home

I currently live in a rented apartment -- meaning NO painting, NO re-tiling the kitchen backsplash, and NO washer/dryer in unit. UGH. I do what I can by hanging beautiful art on the walls; however, doing so still doesn't distract me from my daydreams of owning a home of my own...

Etsy seller GabriellaFiabane

Etsy Seller JamesKeniston

Etsy Seller Kristin123

Etsy Seller ViridianArt

(And finally, my personal favorite) Richard Neutra

*swoon*
Paige