inspired interiors :: anne's living room - round two

Ok, now that you've had a chance to take in my first go round with my initial options for Anne's living room, take a gander at round two. To recap, we begin with the elements of an existing mid-century modern grey case study couch and some vivid orange chairs. In this scheme I focused more on a subdued, natural palette rather than the previous pops of color. Let's break down these elements and see which is the best fit... 

Natural elegance

1>> This scheme begins with a wall of phenomenal wood shelves, whether they be built-ins or a vintage piece of furniture as shown in this photo, the impact is huge. An assortment of personal books, ceramics, flowers and found objects create a unique story. Again, similar to a gallery wall of art, this is a dynamic space that can change and transform as objects are added and deleted. An additional perk to these shelves is the warm natural wood tone they impart to the space and the bonus storage.

2>> The pillows chosen for this scheme are made of honest natural materials such as linen, unbleached cotton and hemp. The graphics are embroidered, sewn or beaded on to the surface conveying a sense of handcrafted elegance. Source: Jonathan Adler 

3>> This side table is a custom one-of-a-kind sculptural piece. The organic ovals are grouped to resemble smooth pebbles and visually, the wood stain coordinates with the shelves. The sky blue Alberta Table Lamp is a contemporary interpretation of a vintage glazed ceramic piece and both items are made locally in Portland. Every room benefits from elements with a great story, and these are sure to be conversation starters. Sources: Michael Arras on Etsy, Caravan Pacific

4>> Some times you have a space that requires a couple of rugs based on the layout, so I've proposed these two - either in different areas of the room or layered. Layering works best starting with a flat weave rug, which in this case is the Green Parish Kilim Rug and the higher tufted rug above. This lush wool rug is dramatic with nature's colors of lichen, avocado and meadow. By providing the flooring in a variety of green hues, the room is visually rooted in a virtual essence of a grassy meadow further establishing the natural spirit of the room. Source: Jonathan Adler, Y Living

5>> I couldn't resist including this pendant light with its stunning copper shade. The surface of this fixture will reflect all the natural sunlight within this living room with a warm metallic glow. Copper is a mineral found naturally in nature and, therefore, blends seamlessly with the other components within the space. Source: Tom Dixon

6>> Last but certainly not least, the coffee table. Since the bulk of our storage can be taken care of by the shelving, we have the opportunity to choose a lighter more ethereal item. The Roll Cocktail Table is a playful acrylic centerpiece with a modern fluidity. Although this may seem in contrast with the natural woods and materials in the room, there's no reason to stay steadfast with any one material, a room shouldn't take itself too seriously and it should always allow you to convey your personality, which is never one note! Source: Y Living

The paint colors I chose for this living room are crisp and warm, grounded by a beautiful pewter grey that I could see on the walls nearest that copper pendant.  This living room embodies the best qualities of the outdoors in its colors, layers and warmth. By establishing the colors of grass, wood, earth and sky in a fanciful way through interior components this living room is rooted in nature, but retains a timeless quality. 

So, here you have it - which redo speaks to you? What would you add or edit from these ideas? 

inspired interiors :: anne's living room - round one

Recently a friend of mine moved to a new place and asked me for a color recommendation for her new living room. Her prized mid-century modern grey case study couch and some fiery orange chairs were the only furniture pieces making the move, so I had a great start! I decided to take this opportunity to create two room options that incorporate different color palettes, as well as different elements making for two distinct styles to be inspired from. I can't wait to see which she chooses for her new home and I look forward to sharing these with you...

Pops of color!

1>> The first thing to do is ground the living room with a gallery wall of art. I had been to Anne's previous home and knew that she had a great collection of posters, prints and kid art that would make a stunning grouping in her new living room. Creating a wall of smaller pieces is usually a lot more manageable than investing in a large piece of art, and typically everyone has moderately sized art pieces that when grouped have a huge impact. The internet has endless resources on how to create a gallery wall: balancing shape, size, color, etc. The wonderful thing about it is that there is no other wall like it, it is yours uniquely and can be ever changing depending on your collection! Check out Etsy, 20x200 and Hatch Show Prints

2>> With the neutral grey charcoal couch as my backdrop, I chose a series of colorful pillows to tie in the colors from the art. Pillows are the workhorse of the room, they not only provide comfort but color, texture and pattern. They are the easiest accessory to change throughout the year to convey your mood, the season, color trends, etc.. Sources: Crate & Barrel, west elm

3>> A well-used room needs plants to clean the air, add drama and assure that nature connection so necessary during our rainy Portland winters. These fantastic pots add some height, brilliant glossy color and channel some mid-century style. Source: sprout home

4>> Lighting is taken care of by two varieties of turquoise lamps, a table lamp and a floor lamp. These fixtures have very different styles, but the color and their playful lines coordinate with the rest of the room's casual vibe. Sources: Furbish Studio, Louis Poulsen

5>> This side table does double duty as additional seating and lends a sculptural quality to the room. The open weave of the antiqued bronze wire allows it to appear light while serving it's purpose. The Heath ceramic vases with those cute yellow flowers called Billy Balls, add color and whimsy in a small grouping. Billy Balls are wonderful for drying because they look practically the same fresh or dried. These can come in different colors and by layering them in your space you are visually continuing the color theme around the room. Sources: Crate & Barrel, Heath

6>> Taking cues off the existing orange chairs and basic color theory 101, I chose a blue rug which is opposite orange on the color wheel and therefore creates color harmony. This thick tufted lagoon colored rug would be luxurious under foot and the rich saturated color works well with the grey texture of the couch. Source: west elm

7>> I chose this coffee table because of it's retro lines and I liked how the red would look playing off of the existing orange chairs.  The wood box top allows for plenty of hidden storage and adds warmth to the center of the main seating area. Source: blu dot

The neutral grey paint palette that I chose to go in this living room might seem gloomy, but paired with plenty of natural light and bright accents - it creates a cozy and intimate space that is perfectly suited for a young family's fresh living room redo.

Stay tuned for the next option. In the mean time, what are your thoughts? I look forward to hearing your comments! 

This week has been absolutely gorgeous, thanks to some quintessential fall weather and stunning leaf colors. Leaf peepers assemble!! (Sorry, I'm super stoked about Anchorman 2 hitting theatres soon.....)

For a bit, it looked like the winter rain had started and autumn had been skipped, but that was just a little miscommunication - it's all good! So, the sweaters, the tights, the boots - there all in full force here in Portland. Might as well get cozy and enjoy this week's best links...

1. This amazing oil painting is courtesy of artist Emma Cowney. She employs a technique termed "refractionism", which animates the color hit by light by separating the components into color blocks. It's similar in concept to stained glass, where colors are separated by a thick line of solder. I love how these trees just glow, just like they have been this week! Check out her other paintings, they are just as fabulous. 

2. Wondering wether I can pull these temporary Halloween tattoos off as office casual? I mean, it's got to be better than meeting with clients sporting a 2 foot tall pink beehive wig?

3. When you're tired of trolling for your gently used mid-century furniture on Craigslist, check out Fleapop. An online flea market where people buy and sell furniture through their virtual boutiques. All styles of decor seem to be represented & the prices are reasonable. 

4. Enjoy reading how designer Patricia Urquiola came up with the design for the new Hosu seat for Coalesce, I can't deny that I think it would make this online task a little more comfortable! 

5. Looking to stay inspired by taking this list seriously, courtesy of GOOD. Ha! I just realized something on that list goes against my "if this desk is a wreck, there's some creativity going on here" approach I spoke about in this post...

the backstory >> peeking in on creatives

Anyone who knows me knows that I'm a sucker for the backstory, there's got to be more than what meets the eye here and I usually spend a ridiculous amount of time trying to get to the bottom of things. I think I'm usually 75% right about the "more than meets the eye thing", though - more like "better than it appears", really. So, with this fascination for the backstory I'm always a fan of blogs that let me peek into a creative's work space, seeing how their process is manifested and what they surround themselves with to keep them consistently inspired. I'll be honest, I'm a bit skeptical about a neat and tidy office or studio, I adhere to the messier it is the more creativity is being channeled. Although props for serious organization with buckets and bins and color coded this and that....

via handmade charlotte

My friend recently introduced me to the site work.place, which serves as a photographic documentary of sorts - focusing on artists, musicians, designers and craftspeople working in Portland. A stand out studio belongs to Kate Bingaman-Burt, which you may remember being a panelist in the Designing Woman event at PNCA. Knowing her illustrations and graphic style - it's no wonder her space is a color bomb that doesn't stop! This site is chock full of wonderful photographs and fabulous stories around the process of creating.

via work.placeSeveral other sites offer office and studio tours which are very helpful when researching for design or programming ideas. What's trending in lobby desks, conference rooms or breakout spaces? The site Office Snapshots has a long list of spaces catalogued based on industry type. If you were ever curious at the stylistic difference between a top notch lawyers office in Tel Aviv compared to Google's new offices in Tokyo, this is your go to site. 

via office snapshotShowcasing creatives is Etsy's main focus, and their blog features informative studio tours as well as interviews. The interviews are all based on a series of the same questions: such as does your studio reflect your personality, what inspires you in your studio, what prompted you to find a studio, or how often do you clean it? This is priceless information for those looking to move their business out of their home office and benefiting from real world advice. 

via Etsyvia EtsyThe site with the most interesting backstory (of it's founder Todd Selby) has got to be the photography site, The Selby. Todd Selby has collaborated with creative companies, artists, designers from all over the world but started with a myriad of random jobs and totally lucked into the photography gig, at least that's what I get from his bio page. Regardless,  the site doesn't get 100,000 views per day for nothing - The Selby immerses itself in the daily life of creatives and delivers a montage of what makes each of these people unique. It may be that this is the reality that the person being photographed wants to create, wants you to believe - who knows, but it makes for pretty pictures nonetheless ....

via The Selby

 via The Selbyvia The Selby

Designing Women -- A Panel Discussion

A great evening of honest dialogue and frank discussion on the topic of choosing a career in design, being a woman in the field and being an advocate for the next generation of creatives. The Pacific Northwest College of Art center commons was packed as 400+ people attended as part of Design Week Portland. The panelists included Second Story's Julie Beeler, illustrator & educator Kate Bingaman-Burt, Sara Huston of The Last Attempt at Greatness and architect Carrie Strickland of Works Partnership. 

The moderator began with questioning the panelists' reasons for choosing their individual career paths. Only Carrie Strickland, the architect of the group, had decided early on of her intended path although she quickly asserted that she didn't know anything about architecture except that her dad bitched about them daily as a union concrete finisher. It seemed that her only motivation for going into the field was this personal angst and even after gaining entry into architecture school and realizing it was nothing that she realized it to be, she powered through. In comparison with the other three creatives, she seemed the most conflicted with her path. The other artists acknowledged that it was important early on to have a solid understanding of what pursuing a career in the arts can afford you, they all acknowledged they were doing what they did based on a love for the craft.

These are the main points I took away from this discussion and that resonated with me:

1. "I spent my life avoiding difficult conversations. I've learned there's such a thing as positive confrontation."   Kate Bingaman-Burt made this comment stating that so much valuable time is spent avoiding things, but actually meeting things head-on can lead to positive experiences.

2. When asked about marketing and being asked to speak at panels and conferences, the comment Sara Huston made was that you create your own existence, cut your own path and really can't wait for others to make inroads for you. The fact that so many artists are under represented was judged to be laziness on the part of organizers who didn't take the time to reach out to new or emerging artists to participate in panels or conferences.

3. "Learn how to tell your story. Have a voice so you can make people understand what your art is about." Being clear and eloquent about your passion was extremely important for the panelists. The lack of confidence in being able to speak to groups about your product or service was seen as a main reason why creatives remained undervalued.

4. A point that really hit me was the fact that although these strong, creative women appeared to have their shit together - they all admitted to being completely frazzled before having to speak in front of a large group, or give presentations, or launch a new product. The fact is they embrace being a mess, seeming emotionally weak but channeling that as empowerment. Accepting yourself, being comfortable in the skin that you're in and realizing that both failures and successes create your singular story.

5. To finish it off, the main take away courtesy of Kate Bingaman-Burt: "Just go out there and kick ass, regardless of if you're a man or a woman." Of course!!

I would love to hear your input on these take aways. Also, you can check out this panel discussion as a pod cast available on the Museum of Contemporary Craft website.