Mama Without Borders: October 2010

The loveseat that dreams are made of

as soon as i saw you

i knew

i wanted you

your luscious pink fabric

and plush cushions

tempting me

"come sit

and i'll tell you my secrets.

i'll tell you

about my adventures

and sweet embraces

i am

after all

the vintage loveseat

of your dreams."

yes, i know

except

for the $1,500 price tag

despite

being on Craiglist

10 creative workspaces to inspire you this week

Sometimes, I'm raring to go once the week starts. Other times, I need to spend a little more time with my morning tea to get going.

Today, I'm excited and ready to continue all the creative projects I put on hold over the weekend because I've just spent some time looking through a most inspiring Tumblr blog called, "workspaces."

Audrey Kawasaki via workspaces

1. The creative workspace of artist Audrey Kawasaki, featured on Apartment Therapy, was originally a post on her own blog, which features several fascinating photos of her creative process.

Somehow, looking at others' creative spaces and process is invigorating, practically propelling me off my chair to get to work (or to stay in my chair if I'm doing some creative writing).

workspaces

2. The sparse furnishings and accessories in the room above still convey a sense of style. Though I tend to have lots of things around me when I'm working, I know others prefer to have a less distracting work area. I wonder if the person working here lives here as well, or whether this is a working area conveniently outfitted with a place to rest.

workspaces

3. Another a clean slate, another stylish space. Sometimes, I wish I could pare down my writing room to just a few things like in the room above, but I find myself constantly reaching for a book or some other form of inspiration near me when I'm writing.

workspaces

4. The room above is more my style, with books and papers everywhere. Interestingly, this was part of a series of shots on workspaces that was described as a behind-the-scenes look at the offices of Martha Stewart Living. I guess I shouldn't be so shocked, but I always pictured everything related to Martha Stewart to be a picture-perfect ad for color-coded organization.

jeltje photography via workspaces

5. Something about the industrial look calls out to me, particularly in this sewing area, softened by a few textural objects here and there.

Tell Me Where This Is via workspaces

6. The photo above shows part of a studio belonging to painter Maj Kalfus, where vivid and colorful paintings serve as a beautiful backdrop while she's working.

good eggs via workspaces

7. When I'm actually working, my space truly looks like the one above, which belongs to chef and celebrity caterer Lulu Powers.

Sweet Home Style via workspaces

8. I admire the way someone in the photo above has carved out a tiny work area amid the bustle of a kitchen. It reminds me a little of where I blog.

workspaces

9. Sometimes the best spaces are those that like they were composed organically, bit by bit, as the owner found things to make the space hers or his as in the photo above.

workspaces

10. What a fabulous wall! Need I say more about the work area above?

If you liked the photos above, be sure to check out the workspaces Tumblr blog for more. I picked out some of my favorite interiors shots for this post, but there is so much more on the site, including tons of shots of famous and not-so-famous people.

I hope you have a productive week and you accomplish whatever work goals you have set out for yourself.

Storage ideas for magazine addicts

A minimalist, I am not. I've made my peace with that. I definitely crave my books, magazines and countless other bits and bobs all over my home to make me happy.

design sponge

That doesn't mean I like clutter. Quite the opposite, I've found that the best way for me to appreciate everything in my home is to be well organized and to curate my collections down to the very best.

Why then, do I have so much trouble culling down my magazines piles?

Check out the home above of stylist Annette Joseph, who uses rubber tubs recycled out of tires to store her magazines. Let me tell you, that tiny tub wouldn't hold even a small portion of all my magazines. My magazine piles look a bit more like those of stylist Irina Graewe, shown below.

design sponge

Heaps and heaps of magazines. I don't store mine in the hallway or else hubby, who rarely says anything about my decorating choices, would certainly have a word or two about a fire hazard. But I do have little piles everywhere. On my nightstand. In my closet. Inside a large antique chest I have in my living room (shown in the sidebar). In the garage. You know what I'm talking about, right? I know I'm not the only one. Look at these two homes below.

design sponge

ekenstam via desire to inspire

The photo below shows my feeble attempt to corral my pile of current magazines:

This side table in our family room holds at least 50 magazines in the little shelf. I naively thought I would be able to contain my magazine habit to this table. Then, someone on Freecycle gave me her entire five-year collection of Martha Stewart Living magazines. Right about that time, I noticed that my public library sells used magazines for 25 cents each. Let's not forget that we magazine addicts also tend to have numerous subscriptions. I won't even mention that, as a freelance writer, I need to keep certain magazines around for reference.

I do read several magazines almost on a daily basis, but I have finally started doing the sensible thing, which is clipping tear sheets of my favorite pages and filing them away. I am realizing that is going to take me forever, so I have started to fantasize about other ways to store my enormous collection of magazines.

Hus & Hem

I adore the clever way that the homeowners above have solved their dilemma for storage of magazines and books. The color coding heightens the visual excitement. This is definitely an idea for me to file away since I have wide hallways on my second floor.

Sunset

Here's more color coding on bookshelves, which provides a striking contrast to the all-white palette of the magazine holders on the lower shelves.

design sponge

Magazine holders seem like the obvious solution for someone with so many magazines. It creates a clean, uniform look, but there are plenty of other options if you're seeking something more unconventional.

Country Home

The photo above shows magazines housed inside a former chicken coop, creating a graphic and unusual display.

The photo above is one I took while doing a store tour last year (you can see it here). The magazines were for sale but this idea is one that can easily be incorporated into various styles of decor.

Sundance Catalog

I've been pining for this bookcase from the Sundance Catalog ever since I first saw it. The storage possibilities for magazines and more are endless, with so many different sized cubbies and slim drawers beneath.

Living Etc.

If you're looking for a quick solution, just stick all those magazines into a bookcase. Somehow, the piles don't look as unappealing.

Anitta Behrendt via desire to inspire

Or, just grab a basket or other container.

ReadyMade

If you're pretty handy with your tools, you could follow the instructions to make the magazine table, shown above, from Ikea magazine files. Go here for the instructions.

Speaking of magazine files, I fell for the magazine holder shown below, from Etsy seller paperdoll woodshop.

paperdoll woodshop

I'm also rather keen on the side table, shown below, making it possible to hold several neat little piles while making your magazines easily accessible. It's from Etsy seller flatpatterns.

flatpatterns

Whatever your preference, there are certainly plenty of options around. Though I'm not going to buy anything new for my magazines, it is heartening to know that, with a little imagination, I can house my magazines in a stylish way. Storage and organization has figured in my posts lately as I make my way through our home in a major decluttering effort before the holidays. This week, I'm focusing on our magazines and books. I'll show you the fruits of my organizing efforts in the weeks to come.

How do you prefer to store your reading material? Are you a magazine addict like me, or have you found a way to curb your magazine habit? Do share!

Vitra Design Museum, a tribute to Eames, Girard and other design icons

Today's post is prepared in collaboration with a good friend of mine, a U.S. journalist who is traveling throughout Europe for most of October on a fellowship.

Quite coincidentally for me, my friend's fellowship included a stop at the Vitra Design Museum in Germany. My friend, Elizabeth Aguilera, e-mailed me a photo today that she took while touring the site with other colleagues from the Marshall Memorial Fellowship. The photo was such delicious eye candy that I scurried to the computer to find out more about this cultural institution.