Simple Style

I recently read - and studied - Simple Style: Creating Relaxed Interiors for the Contemporay Home by Julia Bird. I adore her books. They are so fresh and inspiring. I felt like I needed to absorb this book just to embrace it. Oh, and then I did! I cleared and cleared, had a garage sale, and now have a white canvas to work with. Pictures on that another day ; ) Unlike a lot of home style books I have read lately, there are few pictures of family homes/living. Julia, however, captures a few of these in Simple Style which is so great: illustrating that living with children need not equal homes of colorful chaos, with too many toys (Which children don't need anyway. Simplicity works wonders on children's calmness too!)



This is what inspired me, from photographer of Simple Style Hotze Eisma:


More photos from Simple Style can also be found here

craigslist find - would you buy it?

I found this small dresser on craigslist last night, and have made an appointment to pick it up tonight. Close up, it looks quite scratched and needs hardwear. Its $50. Would you buy this piece? I'm hoping it'll fit on a short wall, where little else will fit, to hold a reading lamp - while reading on the couch. I'm not shy about painting furniture either! Even when its antique, such as this one. Hmm, given it will be in the same living/dining space as the aforementioned painted cabinet, and behind the diningtable and chairs.

You may recognized the table and chairs as Ikea, and you may notice the opened Expedit box, in the place where the craigslist piece would go. Yes, on the weekend, I made yet another trip to Ikea, this time for the new, smaller, Expedit, in white of course.
Well, it looked really bad in this spot, and very boxy. Just imagine inserting this piece into the picture above, adjacent to the couch, and placing a reading lamp on it. Nope! It did not give a modern looked like I hoped. Oh well, here's to my craigslist find. Hopefully it'll still be waiting for me at our 7pm appointment this evening. I'll keep you posted. . .

I wonder what color to paint it. I was thinking grey, but it would not really match the table. Decisions, decisions. What would you paint it?

Bazaar Style - book review

If you need a little eclectic infusion into your home, or throughout, here's a really great find, sure to inspire: Bazaar Style. Not only does it capture the essence of beautifully re-purposing objects, textiles and furniture (eg. with a coat of white paint), it defies (magazine) style trends, mixing furniture and fabrics across time. Its also ecological and economical. Arguably, bazaar style takes time to develop. It takes years to collect treasures, furniture and fabrics, authors Selina Lake and Joanna Simmons assert. More poigantly, they argue that the trend of 'pairing down, putting away and use of pale colors is a blip' in the history of Western decor: It seems that people have always craved color in their homes; since Medival times, people have painted walls (beginning with lime wash) and put up wall paper since the mid-1800s, especially with the development of richer dyes. While the pictures in Bazaar Style are lush, often teaming with charm, the text describes how to layer color and pattern, encouraging boldness, offering streams of ideas, to personalize each room in the home. Throughout the book, care is given to the function of items and rooms, helping to plan rooms, place furniture, focal points, displays, the feeling captured by one's decor scheme.

Have you read this book yet? Its a must read, full of many fresh, colorful ideas, and happens to feature a lot of pink, a color I have fallen for since having a little girl. Here, take a peek inside. More of Selina Lake's sumptuous pictures can be seen here.

Living with Toys - Inviting and Calming Playspaces

images courtesy pablohoney
Often in decor literature, there is a dearth of childrens' playspaces. There is an overemphasis on decorating childrens' rooms. In my experience, young children don't play much in their rooms, no matter how beautifully decorated, but around where their parents work in the home. Here are some lovely playspaces sourced from flickr. Photos of these playspaces promote warmth and gentle development. Don't you feel like playing here? If nothing else, these play areas show how style need not always be compromised by toys.

This play kitchen has been fashioned so simply and elegantly, suggesting a mirad of ways in which parents can create toys within their home, incorporating their own beautiful furniture.
image courtesy fashnock


image courtesy of fashnock
More inviting play spaces.

image courtesy farmergopi

image courtesy fashnock

Creating a calm play space can be a challenge, especially since so many toys are given to children these days, that they and their parents feel over run with toys. Editing your children(s)' toy collection may seem daunting, and some fear that their child will miss certain toys. In my experience, some toys might have been mistakenly given up too soon, and a gentle conversation about that can suffice. Nonetheless, the fewer toys, the more they are played with. There is less to pick up too!

Many parents have been moving towards more natural play items made from wood and wool and these alone are beautiful toys to behold. Quality crafted and often from wood, natural toys inspire creativity and make pleasant and beautiful displays; I enjoy placing my children's toys on the shelves, whereas when we has plastic when my son was little, I was much more inclined to throw into a box, out of sight. One of my favourite toy sites is Three Sisters Toys and she has some lovely photos of some very inviting, calm, creative play areas. Many parents are also finding a great deal of inspiration from Amanda Blake Soul's. Creative Family is an inspiring book for beautiful crafting and toy making with children. Amanda's home is beautiful and very inviting for children to create and play in a peaceful, loving environment. Her children are very blessed.

And to add one more photo for today, here is the playspace in our home. My dad made the kids these playstands based on these plans, and these, and this one. Between the playstands along the slidingdoor is a small fridge and stove. Lately, they have been playing restaurant in here, and from time to time my son move the stands around to create different playspaces.

Decor Ideas using Antiques Vintage Items and Repurposed Furniture and Accessories

Here are some inspiring finds of the day using retro and vintage finds, creating a personalized, eclectic style.


images courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens

Feature apartment

Courtesy of Nifty loves crafting.

A few more display ideas to add for today! The simplicity of each arrangement make for a stunning display.

Clutterfree work space

New desk, originally uploaded by skarpetka86.

Such a cheery workspace! Its colors, organization behind glass doors, and lack of clutter simply invite creativity and productivity.