J.Crew Indigo Top becomes Footstool Upholstery

Maybe it was the sudden early-fall chill in the air this weekend, but it was the perfect few days to take on a few projects around our house. Aside from today's project, we got busy tackling bathroom tile demolition that I'll share more about soon!

Today, I wanted to share my first DIY in a very long time--an antique footstool brought back to life with, of all things, a J.Crew cotton top.

Finding Beauty in Utilitarian Materials

Lately I'm finding myself drawn more and more to the creative minds out there who see beauty and potential in the most humble utilitarian materials. Weird, right? For example, concrete, rope, and kraft paper are just few affordable materials that are readily available and waiting to be turned into one-of-a-kind accents for any home.

As the autumn approaches, I'm gathering ideas for projects I can tackle with a quick trip to any hardware or craft store. Perhaps you're feeling the itch to get creative this September too, so here's a rundown of my favorite easy-to-find utility materials that are begging to be reimagined!

Where Have You Gone, HGTV?

I’m about to open up a can of worms with this post, but let’s talk HGTV. Do you watch HGTV, readers? A post on Apartment Therapy on this very topic last week got me ruminating about the network: what I liked, what I didn’t like, and what I thought could be improved upon to appeal to new and former viewers alike.

What are your thoughts about HGTV? Let’s chat.

If The Heat Has Zapped Your Creativity...

The summer can be a funny time of year, can't it? I have to admit that my design inspiration is scant these days because my brain is occupied with thoughts of vacation, heatwaves, popsicles and the like. 

But just when I thought I'd have to wait for a change in season to get my project inspiration back, I present to you a roundup of some of the best ideas I've found lately. All of these projects can be done from the comfort of your air conditioning. Enjoy!

You can...

add a candy coating to your ho-hum hangers!

(via DesignLovefest)

pep up some napkins with bleached polka dots!

(via SayYestoHoboken)

concoct your own camp-inspired lanyard necklace!

(via Martha Stewart)

set yourself a summery picnic lunch!

(via One Lovely Day)

brighten up boring envelopes with unexpected liners!

(via Brooklyn Bride)

gild yourself some angel wings!

(via Honey+Fitz)

create celestial wrapping paper!

(via frolic!)

Have I restored some of your inspiration, friends?

For more creative ideas that I stumble upon, be sure to follow me on Pinterest and Twitter!

But Where are the Red Curtains?

In April, my husband Adam and I started watching the early '90's show "Twin Peaks" created by David Lynch. I think it's safe to say that Adam and I were obsessed, which resulted in the show dominating our television screen for the better part of the month. 

Though the show only lasted two seasons, "Twin Peaks" introduced me to the quirky, atmospheric style of David Lynch who certainly has a way with creating a sultry-but-ominous mood. So, imagine my curosity when I heard the filmmaker had created a signature suite in the Hotel Lutetia in Paris!

Naturally, I pictured the "David Lynch Signature Suite" looking like the 'Black Lodge' from "Twin Peaks":

Nope. There is nary a red curtain to be found.

Instead, the director's suite evokes the Art Deco style of his 2001 film "Mulhullond Drive".

(all via Architizer)

Hear the director talk more about the suite here:

(via YouTube)

So, tell me: does the signature "David Lynch Signature Suite" seem like a place you'd like to stay?
Do you like to see how artists like Lynch reimagine their visions through new ventures, like hotels?

And, if you know Lynch's style, do you think these accommodations complement his work in film and on tv?

TGIF, 2/10/12 Edition

Happy Friday, friends!

Is it just me, or are Fridays better when they are preceded by a Thursday night episode of "Parks and Rec," am I right? If you agree with me, then you'll be happy to hear that you too can buy a custom designed/hewed wooden creation from Ron Swanson (also known as actor Nick Offerman).

(via Offerman Wood Shop)

I have to credit my husband Adam for finding this little piece of decor-celebrity irony for me.

Now, if you aren't a massive fan of "Parks and Rec" (and, perhaps more generally of Amy Poehler, Nick Offerman, Aziz Ansari, or Chris Pratt), then I recommend you spend your weekend catching up on all of the hilarity.

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend!

What, no Lazy Boy in your house, Brooke Shields?

Ever seen those Lazy Boy commercials where Brooke Shields tries to pretend she has many pieces of the mid-range furniture brand in her home? Yeah, well, she wasn't being honest it seems. 

Her artfully decorated Manhattan townhouse appears in the latest issue of Architectural Digest and reveals spaces where the bulk of a recliner would definitely be at odds. Take a look at her real digs:

(via Architectural Digest)

Switch It Up

Before detailing the rearranging that I've recently done around my apartment, I wanted to take a moment to credit Beverly Hills 90210's own hitmaster David Silver for inspiring me to "switch it up".

(via Youtube)
After hearing the influential words of Dancin' Dave, I knew my kitchen could benefit from a "switch up".
Here was my kitchen before last week: not terrible, but I wanted a fresh look without spending lots of cash.
Why not rearrange a little bit?

And after a little "switch up",  my kitchen:

 I swapped the two Claire Nereim "Calendar" prints and the chalkboard because I thought there was an imbalance of black (table base, chairs, chalkboard, wine rack) in the previous arrangement. Now the chalkboard sits atop my grass green sideboard.

And, for the sake of symmetry, we're purchasing another 9-bottle Vintage View wine rack, like the one we already own.

 I moved my cheery green Dash & Albert rug from the main kitchen area to underneath the table.
The logic here: the rug grounds the table and keeps it from feeling like it's floating in space.

Oh, and I painted the frame of the chalkboard a nice glossy "Cup of Milk" from Martha Stewart's paint line for Home Depot.

Moving things around, keeping the arrangement of rooms dynamic, and switching things up allow spaces to grow and change along with us. And this little "switch up" cost me all of $0.

What can I say, it's good to switch it up. Yeah, I switch it up-up-up.*
*you must watch the 90210 clip to get this reference

Living Like a Rock Star

Who would have thought that this home, filled with trinkets from a worldly and a well-traveled life,

 (via xoJane)

would belong to Courtney Love?

As a fan of Courtney Love and Hole from way, way back (I was so very dark in 8th grade), it feels strange but satisfying peering into Love's NYC townhouse.

How do you picture your rock idols living?

A Sucker for Holiday Films

Do you have a favorite holiday movie, readers?

You may think the subject of today's post is a bit of a diversion from my normal design focus, but I've come to realize that much of what I visualize about the season comes from cinema. Usually I'm a not a schmaltzy person, but there's something about a great Christmas movie that really gets to me.

I hope you'll find a little holiday inspiration from some of my favorite seasonal films.

Up first: "Meet Me in St. Louis" (1944).

Were you ever curious about the name of this blog? 

Well, it came from this Vincent Minelli movie starring Judy Garland as a love-struck teen whose family is preparing to depart from their beloved home in St. Louis. Another special bit of trivia: the yuletide classic "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" appears for the first time in this movie!

I doubt that I ever believed in Santa Claus but, nevertheless, I have a soft spot in my heart for "Miracle on 34th Street" (1947).

 Natalie Wood plays a little girl, wise beyond her years, who befriends "Kris Kringle" and believes in him when no one else will.

"Elf" (2003) is the one modern Christmas movie that I know I'll be watching with my children in the future.

Because smiling's my favorite.

...And there is one movie that is new to me this year, but I'm looking forward to seeing it this weekend (hallelujah for Netflix!): "Christmas in Connecticut" (1945)

Let's see: Barbara Stanwyck, Chrismastime, and a Connecticut setting? I'm in.

The biggest Scrooge among us would get into the holiday spirit with these films, but certainly there are more.

What are the holiday films that shape your vision of quintessential Christmas?

3-2-1 Contact [Paper]

*kudos to you if you remember the geeky PBS show 3-2-1 Contact*

Do you ever start an internet search looking for something that would make you really embarrassed to share with others? No, I'm not talking about weird physical deformities or the home address of your favorite "Glee" cast member (you should be embarrassed about that). I'm talking about really embarrassing stuff...like contact paper.

I spent nearly 2 hours yesterday searching for snakeskin contact paper, and let's just say it's not how I intended to spent my afternoon. Here's how it all started [cue the standard 'dream montage' music from your favorite sitcom]: 

I was minding my own business checking out Jenny's latest post, when I saw a "you might also like" post about this blogger's dining room. What caught my eye was this bar which was geniusly covered in contact paper.

(via Johns Journal)

Who knew contact paper could be so chic!?!
During my search, I turned up this fabulous snakeskin table that's daring to be recreated with some contact paper:

(via Shelter)

or how about trying your hand at this snakeskin coffee table with some contact paper?

(Ann Coyle's snakeskin coffee table via Stylebeat)

If you don't believe that a search for contact paper was worth 2 hours of my time, let me prove my point with this photo:

(Snakeskin contact paper via Classic Wallcoverings)

Ain't it gorgeous? I just wish it was cheaper...
Now my mind is reeling with pieces to be swathed in contact paper, such as

(the Preston Media Console from West Elm)

or how about these pieces that I already own:

What do you think: can contact paper (especially in a faux snakeskin) be chic?
Would you try a contact paper project?

Paint the [Bed] Red

If you were me, would you paint your standard, white Edland bed a la Lulu's drawing...

(via Lulu DK's blog Trail of Inspiration)

...or would you leave it white?

Opinions, as always, are cheerfully welcomed and acknowledged with lots of across-the-internet kisses.

The Pomegranate as a Design Element

I like pomegranates a lot. 

They are tasty and healthy, and very rarely do I introduce foods into my diet that are both healthy and tasty. But more than just a 'superfood,' pomegranates are also a recurrent element in design across ages and cultures. Did you know that? No, you didn't? Well, sit yourself right down for a lesson on the pomegranate.

The pomegranate is a fruit native to Asia and, as a result, it figures prominently in many Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and Asian cultures. In Greek mythology, the pomegranate was used by Hades to trick Persephone to remain in the underworld as his wife after he kidnapped her from her mother, Demeter, goddess of the harvest. The symbolism of the pomegranate extends to the early Christian and Jewish religion as well, with the fruit representing fertility and 'the promised land'. Additionally, Old Testament Hebrew priests wore robes decorated with embroidered pomegranates along the hem (that I remember from Sunday School!). In Hinduism, pomegranates likewise represent fertility and prosperity.

With such a rich meaning in the culture and religion of many people across the world, it is not surprising that the pomegranate is integrated into design repeatedly. The organic shape is one that appears often in suzanis.

The saturated color in this antique piece, from Ebay, makes it for me:

(via Ebay)

How about a pretty and affordable pomegranate printed fabric?

(via Fashion Fabrics Club)

Here's a subtle use of the fruit on a vintage tray:

(via Etsy)

This handmade vase that mimics the pomegranate:

(via Etsy)

Of course, Martha Stewart and her team crafted a clever seating card project out of pomegranates:

(via Martha Stewart)

...though, given the market price of pomegranates, I hope guests would be allowed to take these home after the wedding.

And, if you are financially inclined, you can find many high-end pieces that utilize the pomegranate, such as this pair of sconces on 1st Dibs:

(via 1st Dibs)

or this iron bar cart, perfect for enjoying drinks on your Palm Beach veranda:

(via 1st Dibs)

So, what say you: do you see the beauty in the pomegranate or just its sheer yumminess?