My daughter's new creative corner

Even during my absence, I have continued to take photos and mentally compose posts, some of which I'm planning to share with you. Today, I would like to show you a new space my four-year-old daughter and I carved out in her room for her to write, draw and dream.

It is here where I can often find her, drawing away. The other day, she and her six-year-old brother took turns sitting at her little desk as they collaborated on a small book they created about a little boy who goes to school. She drew the illustrations and he wrote the story to go with it.

I can honestly say that this lovely corner was my daughter's idea. A few weeks ago, I was all set to rearrange furniture in her room. When I last wrote, I told you that I would be redoing my kids' rooms to reflect the fact that they are older and their interests are changing. Essentially, we are moving away from the toddler stage and into the early school years. Of course, I consulted my kids regarding paint colors, artwork, etc. but thought I knew enough about their tastes and habits to do the major planning on my own. Wrong!

On the morning of the big day of moving furniture around, I handed my daughter the book "Children's Rooms Stockholm" (Jeu de Paume). I was hoping she would find something to inspire a new arrangement in her room and keep her busy as I began taking all the furniture out of her room. Instead, she came running up to me saying, "I like this!" she said, pointing to a picture of a girl's small desk. "Can I have this?"

Hmmm, how to explain that I hadn't planned on buying any new furniture? I was momentarily stumped, wondering if The Big Reorganization of My Daughter's Room had hit a snag. Thankfully, I found a simple solution. Some of you may remember reading here about the small Ikea table/desk that I painted and decoupaged after finding it for five dollars at a thrift store. I originally placed the table in my office as a space for my four-year-old daughter to use when we were both in there, which frankly turned out to be sporadic. Thanks to my daughter's inspired suggestion, this little table has now found a new home in a corner of her room.

After seeing my daughter's new space, my son decided it was time for him to get a new desk. Stay tuned ...

Bold grey interiors

Long ago, I wanted a black bedroom. It was more of a fashion statement than a design sensibility, reflecting the fact that I mostly wore black in those days (including black lipstick when my mom wasn't looking). This time, I'm craving dark grey rooms. I can practically hear my mom sighing, anticipating the onset of another "weird" phase in my life. But no, this time, it's because I think the color can make rooms look so stylish and cozy.

House and Home in Ireland

Can't you just picture having the best party in the room above? The dark grey walls are a perfect neutral for a hodgepodge of accessories. I'm so used to seeing all-white palettes with a punch of color here and there, but dark grey walls accentuated with just a few chosen accessories in bright colors are still unusual. Let's face it, it takes courage, or at least confidence, to go for such a bold combination.

The home above was designed by interior designer Abigail Ahern on a tight budget for her sister, detailed in a spread in the Irish interiors magazine House and Home earlier this year. The colors and style are consistent throughout the rest of the home:

If you crave a less eclectic look, take a look at a similar but more subdued color combination at a home that appeared in Country Living last month:

Country Living

The bedroom really called out to me for its elegant vibe, but I was completely smitten with the dressing room below. Isn't it divine? The rug design is actually painted on. Again, the designer created these looks on a budget, which proves once again that imagination reigns over a sky-is-the-limit budget.

Even the kitchen is a dramatic yet inviting gathering spot.

Do you think you could live in either of these homes? Or, for starters, how about having just one room or a wall in your home painted a moody gray?

If you like the grey look, be sure to check out designer Abigail Ahern's blog, where just yesterday she posted the latest photos of her own home, shot for Instyle in Turkey. The home bears a similar color combination as the one she created for her sister.

Vintage frames repurposed into jewelry holders

Oh, the infinite possibilities that exist with just a little imagination and some spray paint. For years, I needed a new, more visible way to display my jewelry, then the solution became quite clear a few weeks ago when I suddenly found myself with several vintage frames.

I am thrilled with the result because, for the price of less than five dollars, I now have new jewelry holders.

Remember those old frames that I wrote about a few weeks ago after I created a new reading nook for my kids? I had bought vintage artwork at thrift stores and switched the frames to more modern ones, leaving me with several unattractive frames.

I am embarrassed to say that my collection of jewelry had been languishing in a plastic bag (!!!) on a shelf in my closet for several years. I've always enjoyed changing my jewelry on a daily basis, happily collecting mostly silver pieces throughout my travels and storing them in a small standing cabinet in my closet. Unfortunately, I put most of my jewelry away when my youngest started grabbing my earrings with all his might while I was wearing them. Ouch! To make matters worse, he began rummaging through my jewelry drawers, so I put my jewelry away in a plastic bag, expecting to find a solution. But then I became pregnant with my daughter and, before I knew it, four years had passed.

Then, I saw something while hanging out with a girlfriend at a Los Angeles boutique recently.

The jewelry display struck me for its simplicity. Now here was something that I could replicate easily, but the best part is that my jewelry would be out of reach of my kids yet visible so I could quickly choose at-a-glance what to wear even during harried mornings.

The stars must have aligned because right about that time I found a large bag of yarn at the thrift store on sale for 50 percent for a grand total of two dollars. I decided to paint the frames for a little more bling, especially since I already had the paint out while working on another project.

For a cleaner look, I also decided to use thumbtacks on the back rather than wrapping the yarn around the frame.

For now, I've only put my earrings on these jewelry holders, but may add different types of jewelry later.

I think my husband often wonders why I have a bunch of "junk" in the garage, but most everything has found a home inside after a little repurposing magic.

Closet organization makeover

Unbelievably, I am still in the process of decluttering and organizing our books. After spending countless hours sifting through hundreds of books, the painful truth has become evident: I must get rid of some books. I don't part easily with my little friends. Not at all, especially when I think of them so fondly. I've decided then that, first, I must stop referring to books as my friends and instead start referring to my inspiration files on organization.

In this case, I'm looking at one of my own reorganization projects so that I can remember the satisfied feeling that made the tedious work of sorting and organizing so worthwhile. I took the photo above of my daughter's closet just a couple days ago. The fact that it's still as well-organized as the day I first reorganized it more than a year ago is a testament to how well the closet system has been working for us.

Until having a daughter, I didn't realize how many little things girls have. Barrettes, ribbons, headbands, bracelets, necklaces and on and on. This closet system is great for storing and organizing all those little things and a few of the big things. For example, the baskets on the upper shelf hold extra bed linens, gifts for the kids and clothes they've outgrown that I'm collecting to donate or sell.

The lower shelves hold towels, a couple extra blankets and pillowcases. The slim drawer unit contains shoes I've bought on sale for my daughter to use in the future, or those that my niece has outgrown and given to us.

The photo above shows what the closet looked like before the organization, with enough blankets seemingly for a daycare center! As soon as my daughter reached nine months or so, we no longer used so many blankets and this hanging organizer stood mostly empty. I have since sold it at a garage sale.

The photo above shows my kids soon after I cleaned out and organized the closet. Most of her clothes hang on the clothes rod to the right of the main organizer ...

... except for her princess/ballerina tutu, which has its own special place to hang.

Honestly, I wish we could spend more time talking about closets although I realize it may not be the most "sexy" topic. But think about it, doesn't a well-organized closet make all the difference? I can find whatever I need at a moment's notice and I get such a little thrill whenever I open this closet.

I need to remember this feeling as I continue sorting through my kids' books and imagine how great it will be not having to trip over book piles everywhere. I'll let you know how it goes.

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

Sneak peek: A girl's bedroom in progress

Work continues on the girl's room I'm working on. You may remember that we're aiming for a look that is traditional yet modern, while keeping in mind the needs of an eight-year-old girl. Watching home decorating projects on HGTV sometimes makes me think that these type of projects can come together easily and quickly, but we all know real life is quite different. Especially when you don't have a staff of at least half a dozen specialists to help.

Patience being the name of the game, I have been sifting regularly through listings on Craigslist, checking out the offerings at my local Pottery Barn outlet and other stores, and mulling small crafting projects to personalize the room. So far, I've found a pretty desk for a very reasonable $100 on Craigslist. I was considering cheaper options, but I would most likely have had to refinish those. Instead, I decided on this Pottery Barn Kids desk because it was in nearly new condition, so it needed no work. It also came with a dirty white chair with a few layers of peeling white and blue paint, which I know some people would find appealing (the chippy paint, not the dirt!), but clearly would not do for this project.

The photo above shows what it looked like before I spruced it up a bit. Lacking time to do a complete stripping job, I simply sanded the chair lightly to remove any gloss and loose paint, scrubbed it and waited for it to dry completely. I then took my time spraying the chair with primer, waited for that to dry and finally sprayed a couple layers of paint. Frankly, I would have preferred a less traditional chair, something with a little more pizzazz, but we decided to save money by keeping the chair for now. The desk area looks rather plain right now, but I'm thinking accessories will go a long way toward jazzing up the look.

First up, we have the lamp shown above. Again, it's rather plain and colorless, but I just couldn't pass it up since it was five dollars, marked way down from $200. Yup, you read right. The lamp originally retailed for $200 at Pottery Barn and was the sale of the day at the outlet the day I happened by. The base is wrapped in white leather-like material and the shade is metal, overall creating a nice, solid lamp that provides a modern contrast to the traditional desk chair. I'm thinking this lamp would look spectacular once I cover the shade with a beautiful print fabric. I considered painting it hot pink like the chair but I think that would be a missed opportunity to create some interest and would make desk area look too uniform.

We decided on the duvet cover shown on a model bed in the picture above. The pattern is somewhat hard to appreciate in this indoor lighting but is rather colorful and will add a dose of fun to the room. It is yet another Pottery Barn outlet find, though the $75 price tag hardly makes it a steal. On the plus side, it is organic cotton, so the price for a new full-size duvet is worth it for a piece that will help set the tone for the overall look.

Next up will be choosing a rug that completes the room. I did find a rug at the Pottery Barn outlet, pictured below, but I think I would prefer something less preppy and with a little more personality.

I've always loved the Dream Menagerie rug from Anthropologie, shown below, and think it could possibly work in this room. But the rug is rather pricey for this project at nearly $300. In my opinion, it's totally worth it, but I think I'd like to hold off on deciding until I investigate rug choices from other retailers.

I hadn't intended for this to be a show-and-tell from Pottery Barn, but I'm happy with the budget-conscious choices I've made so far. I should mention that there are a few things the girl's parents need to do still, among them is painting white the girl's wood-tone bed and painting the room a different color, quite possibly a bluish-gray to contrast with the hot hues of fuschia. Meanwhile, I will continue to look for a dresser and a bookcase, while also shopping for accessories and beginning to research artwork ideas.

I hope you've enjoyed this tiny peek. The process of decorating a room is slower than I'd like, but, in the end, I know that taking the time to consider each choice just makes the end result more worthwhile. I'll keep you posted as the project progresses.

Inspiration for decorating a girl's room

My latest project is decorating a little girl's room. She is eight years old, which presents terrific opportunities for decor because she still lives for her dolls, yet also has more sophisticated needs like curling up with a book someplace away from her younger brother.

Amie Weitzman

Let me tell you, I've had so much fun shopping the past few weeks. It's not like I have a blowout budget. I have an average Joe budget, but I like to take my time making some judicious picks from Craigslist, the sale room at Anthropologie, the Pottery Barn outlet near my home, discount shops, etc. before I hit the more expensive retailers. I have found that I'm even more careful with purchases when I'm spending somebody else's money, but that only makes the hunt more rewarding.

Robyn Karp Interiors via eye spy

I've also been exercising some restraint with the eclectic look that I so love. As it turns out, the little girl's parents are more traditional modern and not at all enamored of the weathered items that so attract me. But, as the photos I've picked here show, there are still ways to inject some fun and whimsy into the decor through inventive use of pattern, color, and artwork, among other things.

San Francisco Decorators Showcase via katiedid

One thing you will notice about the photos of girls' room that I've chosen as inspiration for this project is that they all feature different variations of pink and blue, which are the colors my "clients" chose. Looking at these rooms, I couldn't be more thrilled with the endless options for combining the two colors in a fresh and youthful way.

Amanda Nisbet via House Beautiful

I adore the patterned carpet in the room above designed by Amanda Nisbet for her daughter. I had saved this image on my computer when I first came across it, then happened upon the March 2008 issue of House Beautiful, which contained the original article, and found a fabulous quote from the designer that I wanted to share with you:

"... Even though I don't live an elegant lifestyle, I like to feel like I do," Amanda Nisbet told the magazine about her approach to designing her own New York apartment. I think that statement would speak to a lot of people who strive for a look similar to the designer's successful mix of elegance with comfort, which is the ambiance we're aiming for in this project.

Canadian House and Home

I've already found a feminine yet modern desk on Craiglist and was thinking of putting some utilitarian items around it like a bookcase and bulletin board, but I rather like the idea of placing a beautiful, showy mirror above the desk. It's unexpected and makes a grand statement.


Pottery Barn Kids

Or I could chuck that idea and instead use three mirrors, like the ones shown above, which I bought on sale from Pottery Barn Kids last year. These three mirrors look beautiful against this patterned wallpaper, but could look just as nice properly arranged against a solid color wall. Just not above the bed, since we Californians tend to fret about things potentially falling on our heads if an earthquake hits while we're sleeping.

Canadian House and Home

Speaking of pattern, I can't help but admire the fuschia-colored wallpaper in the room above. A gutsy move, wouldn't you say, to use such bold wallpaper? But gutsy moves often create showstopping rooms. Notice also the molding on the lower half of the wall. That architectural detail, along with the liberal use of white, helps balance the room against the busy pattern.

Polly Wreford via House of Turquoise

For those who aren't ready to make such bold moves, pattern in smaller doses is a surefire way to add some style, as the mirror above does.

VT Wonen

I highly doubt we'll choose a monochromatic look like the one above, but I do like the simplicity of the decor.

Cookie magazine

Ah, there we go. The photo above (one of the few I saved from the now defunct Cookie magazine) shows the kind of eclecticism I usually favor. For my project, perhaps I could hang some angel wings above the girl's bed for a whimsical touch?

A dozen lovely pink interiors

Because it's Valentine's Day weekend and because I love pink (the hotter the better), here's a collection of lovely pink images lurking on my laptop, gathered from magazines from various countries.


House Beautiful

Pale pink walls paired with soft grey seating makes for a quietly elegant room.



House Beautiful

Soft pink offers just a hint of color for a serene and restful bedroom.



House Beautiful

This is a little country for me, but I like yellow and pink in the same room. I think I would switch out the floral fabric on the armchairs with a darker, more dramatic color or even a bolder, more modern floral.



Marie Claire Maison

Oh, what a divine wall color! I don't think my husband would let me get away with painting any walls in our home this color but just look how much drama and personality it add sto this simple kitchen.



Marie Claire Idees

This is one of my favorite armoire make-overs, so imaginative and fun. I'd love to see what the inside looks like. From one of my favorite and inspiring magazines. Did you know there's a Flickr group for people to showcase their creations inspired by Marie Claire Idees? Check it out here.



Sköna Hem

This could be a nice pop of color and accessory for a feminine bedroom or workspace.



Living Etc.

How's this for a great reading nook? A fireplace, soft cushions, great lounger, bookcase, and nice artwork. It doesn't get much better than this!



Rice

Simple but great use of color. The above image is from an older Rice catalogue. The Danish company is always a terrific source of color and decor inspiration for me, pairing bright colors and fun, quirky accessories to create happy and welcoming vignettes. Looking at their latest collection of spring/summer 2010 products is bound to brighten even the most overcast of days. Check out the catalogue here.



Rice

What a divine bookcase! I don't know if I'd have the courage to paint such a large piece of furniture this color but this photo makes me so happy, perhaps something about all the vivid colors coming together.



A bold graphic expressing what many of us will be trying to convey with gifts and other meaningful gestures this weekend! It's from here, the Paul Smith collection so it's expensive but could inspire your own crafty project.



Desire to Inspire

Oh, where do I even begin to express my love for this image. I just adore all the art on the walls and how the owner matched the bedding and wall color for a seamless pool of hot pink. Steamy, I dare say!



Country Home

Yes, my friends, I even have a picture of a pink laundry room! This pink striped wallpaper offers a nice contrast to all the silver utilitarian items in the room because, of course, even this workhorse of a room deserves to be pretty.

Have a wonderful Valentine's Day weekend!