My Home Office Inspiration

I'm in the market for a new 'home office' for my living room.  The other day my husband informed me that he was really sick of our living room chairs and I that I needed to sell them.  For a man who has no opinions when it comes to... well, anything, this was definitely a shock!  Not that my chairs weren't cute (they were green and white houndstooth with black lacquered frames) he just knew they weren't 'me.'  So I placed them in the classifieds and they went to a cute young couple who just bought their first home.

Now I have a large area in front of a large picture window that is a blank canvas.  I've been toying around with the idea of adding a 'home office' area, as my apartment doesn't have a second bedroom or home office space.  After some tinkering around with some ideas, here is what I came up with so far:

I would swap out my green curtains for a pair of dove grey velvet panels, add a white Parson's desk, and a sleek lucite cantilever chair.  

(Clockwise from left)

1. Pottery Barn's Velvet Drape

2. Custom Abstract Painting from yours truly!!

3. West Elm's Lacquered Trinket Tray

4. Z Gallerie's Lotus Tealight Holder

5. West Elm's Cowhide Rug

6. Ikea's Tobias Rug

7. Bungalow 5's Parsons Console

8. Ikea's White Vases

Did you notice the abstract art?  It was my first attempt at being an artist.  I think it turned out pretty good, if I do say so myself.  It's all because of my adorable muse, Jack.

He was a great help sitting on my lap, sniffing the paint, and getting in the way of my elbow with each stroke.  How could you get mad at a face that sweet though?

So what do you think?  Should I purchase two more chairs that are more 'me' or does a home office in a living room fit the bill?

Can This Be Made Into A Room? Gucci Pre-Fall 2011

Gucci's Pre-Fall 2011 collection combined my current two loves- shades of grey and updated 1970's silhouettes.  The collection made me think 'can I make a room that's entirely void of color and still make it seem warm and interesting?'  It's a challenge I took on so let's see how it turned out.

{images via FRG}

The trick to designing monochrome (one color) or achromatic (no color, which grey is technically a neutral so it's not a color) rooms is varying shades and textures.  I started my room by finding the perfect modern sectional in a charcoal grey wool flannel (Room and Board).  To ground the room, I would add a large and luxe flokati rug in a lighter shade of grey (Teak, Wicker, and More).  On top of this, I'd place a sleek and streamlined cocktail table in chrome with a grey quartz top (Room and Board).  The polished look of the cocktail juxtaposes nicely against the heavy pile of the area rug.  Mixing opposite textures like this is what gives the room interest.

Now for the finishing touches.  I'd place multiples styles of pillows on the sectional for more added visual interest.   I wouldn't worry that some of the fabrics are warm (Etsy) while others are cool (West Elm) as mixing the diverse tones adds the variety an achromatic room so desperately needs!  I would dress any window in dove grey velvet curtains that puddle elegantly on the floor (Pottery Barn) and add a shiny starburst mirror (Arteriors) for some dashes of glamour.  The crowning moment in the room?  Jonathan Adler's Meurice chandelier (I new I'd find a room to use it in!).

So what do you think?  Could you live in a room completely void of color?

Design Lesson: How To Mat Art

My sweet husband made me a pair of these for Christmas: (ignore the protective cardboard covers)

It is so handy having a live-in custom framer!  He used this frame from our bedroom as inspiration:

and he's leaving me to choose the art and matting.  Smart boy!  One of the most common mistakes I see when it comes to framing is the use of too small of mat board.  A general rule of thumb is to have the matting twice the width of the frame.  If you have a chunky 3" frame have 6" of mat board surrounding your art.  But you don't have to stop there!  Check out this beauty:

The larger the mat board, the greater the emphasis on the art.  Isn't that what it's all about?  The one place I feel it's alright to break this rule, though, is when you have a gallery wall full of art.  Some can be heavily matted and others, not at all.  This is a great way to add variety to your collection.

"A piece of art cheaply framed or with wrong proportions and scale can detract enormously from the piece. I know it can be expensive, but if you’ve already invested in the art, you should finish it properly. It’s like buying a wonderful dress and wearing it with cheap, wrong shoes."  -Vincente Wolf

Yet again, another element I MUST have in my future home: a hallway chock-full of black and white photography. Tres chic!

The moral of the story?  Don't be timid or chintzy when it comes to matting your photos!  Be daring and make that artwork POP! 

Stay tuned for the finished product of my Christmas frames!  I'm off to find the perfect black and white prints...

{images via Canadian House and Home, Houzz, Pottery Barn and Vincente Wolf}

Look for Less: Urban Home

Are you like me and have champagne tastes on a root beer budget? Well we are not alone. Though I always stress "buy the best quality you can afford," sometimes the budget calls for some compromises (ok, EVERYONE'S budget calls for compromises, even the rich and famous, I've come to learn).  That's why I was so happy to come across this amazing source!  Check out these looks for less from Urban Home. 

 {Urban Home's Lauren Chair vs. Crate&Barrel's Colette Chair}

A savings of $350 a chair!

{Urban Home's Devonshire Day Bed vs. Crate&Barrel's Simone Daybed}

A savings of $620!

 {Urban Home's Entice Mist Ottoman vs. Global Views' Poof Ottoman}

A savings of $600!

{Urban Home's Entice Mist Sofa vs. Z Gallerie's Pauline Sofa}

A savings of $400! 

I would actually recommend the Z Gallerie version, if you could afford it.  Upholstery is not an area you want to cut corners.  But then again, if you have to, Urban's Home's version isn't too bad!  Just change those pillows. Please.

{Urban Home's Chesapeake Side Table vs. Pottery Barn's Stratton Bedside Table}
A savings of $110!

{ Urban Homes' Ray Table vs. West Elm's Parson's Table}
A savings of $200!

{Urban Home's Havana Bed vs. Restoration Hardware's Camden Arch Bed}

Choosing the bed on the the left would save you a wopping $1500!!!

Not to shabby, if I do say so myself.  There really are many more "copy cat" pieces at Urban Home, but instead of having an endless post, just know, if you like something on this site, there is probably a more expensive version out there and you are getting a steal!  

{storage inspiration: pretty jewelry display}

. . . isn't this the most loveliest way to display pretty gold necklaces and delicate silver earrings?

. . . have bits & pieces laying about on nearly every surface around the house -- a pair of glamorous & very sparkly earrings for cocktail parties on the bureau, a strand of pearls here and a pair of diamond studs there -- and would be so wonderful to keep things a little more organized, {especially on those mad-dash mornings}, while also turning favourite pieces from those we love into perfectly beautiful works of art . . .

{images: both via style at home, second also pottery barn}