DwellStudio Tabletop

I have always loved DwellStudio (and the less expensive DwellStudio for Target), but unfortunately I'm just not at a point in my life where I can go out and splurge on beautiful bed linens (I wish!).

Luckily, DwellStudio is coming out with a new line of tabletop & kitchen items to brighten your space for a little less cash (although they're still pretty pricey for placemats!).


Gorgeous pieces, aren't they?

*swoon*
Paige

Photographs via DwellStudio

Ooh, shiny!

I have always loved Venetian mirrors, especially extremely intricate ones paired with ultra-clean interiors. Unfortunately, Venetian mirrors are generally thousands of dollars, so I may just have to settle for this pair of shoes:




Shoes? you ask? Well, the moment I saw the pair above, it reminded me of an unusual Venetian mirror I had seen in a photograph on Flickr. The "etching" (stitches, really), and their reflectivity are obvious similarities; but the unexpected red accent on the underside of the high heel echoes the red coloring on the mirror below perfectly:


I love when fashion and interiors collide!

*swoon*
Paige

Shoes via My Theresa; Venetian mirror photograph via Vitor P.'s photostream

Chic for Cheap - Pillows

Have you wanted to keep your sofa or bed updated with cute pillows, but know that your wallet just wouldn't be able to handle another shopping spree? Take a look at these affordable look-alikes!

Thomas Paul via Anthropologie, $88 (left);
or the alternative, JMCCreations via Etsy, $45 (right)

Thomas Paul via Burke Decor, $100 (left);
or the alternative, milkandcookiesCanada via Etsy, $20 (right)

Jonathan Adler, $98 (left);
or the alternative, Dwell Studio for Target, $19.99 (right)

Sure, they're all a bit different, but if you're looking for a bargain, I'd say they definitely work. I'll be doing the same with blankets and duvet sets later this week, so make sure to come back!

*swoon*
Paige

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

Fieldtrip!

Head on over to one of my most favorite blogs, coco+kelley, and check out my guest blogger post from late yesterday afternoon!

My mission: to recreate a designer deskscape look with cheap, yet chic, items...

Thank you, Cassandra, for giving me the opportunity to contribute to your fabulous blog!


*swoon*
Paige

P.S. I hope you enjoy it! I'm a little nervous... the butterflies are going nuts in my stomach.

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

What do you wear between the seasons?

My original plan for this post was to come up with a thrifty version of this designer look by photographer Andreas Johansson. I thought it was a perfectly comfy, somewhat tousled look; exactly what you might find me wearing on a day when you can't quite tell if it's winter or spring.

As I said above, my intent was to be chic on the cheap... but some of my choices ended up being a little more expensive than I had originally planned. I can't help it! They're just so pretty! Oh well, a girl can dream.

Below you will find the pieces you need to recreate this look on your own. Just hang up some gauzy white curtains and you can hold your own photoshoot!

*swoon*
Paige

Beige - Boring or Beautiful?

I always promised myself never to turn into my mother and wear BEIGE all the time. How BORING.

But I think it might be happening...

I just can't seem to stay away from cream-colored ANYTHING, especially when its accompanied by some kind of beautiful texture.

These beautiful dresses are from the Australian brand, Morrison, which I just recently learned about from Mrs. French. Have I been hiding under a rock?! *swoon*

This pillow's three-dimensional design is amazing; however, I'm not sure if I like the fact that it's made out of leather. It's just not your typical cozy cotton.

Although not as textural, I love the clean lines of this creamy Drexel Heritage sofa. And the carved legs are to-die-for!

And this Jonathan Adler-esque lamp from Plantation has such a wonderful sculptural quality you don't normally find in lighting.

Am I crazy for being so obsessed with "boring beige?"

Um, and guess what? I'm wearing a beige peacoat as I write this... Yup, definitely turning into my mother.

*swoon*
Paige