Back to wallpaper

Wallpaper is on the move and in a big way! While our memories still register horrible floral patterns or contemporary abstract shapes when we think about wallpaper, the new stuff is far from that. Some great designers have taken the newest pattern trends and compositions and turned them into design-friendly wallpaper. Below are examples from Ferm-Living, Orla Kiely, Osborne & Little, and Walnut Wallpaper.

Salt-Water Sandals

While browsing the streets of Brooklyn this summer, I came across a shoe store that carried a unique selection of shoes. I found a particular sandal there that I have fallen in love with! Salt-Water Sandals make cute children's sandals and in one style they make adult sizes (which is perfect!) They are THE MOST comfortable sandals I have ever owned..and they come in a large selection of colors!

A simple Sunday

While others may like to spend their weekends relaxing, I enjoy being productive! Last Sunday I got out all of my block printing supplies and began to create some compositions. Although I am not quite finished yet, I wanted to share with you a few "action" shots.
My dog got in on the action!

More to come later...

Gazing through a typical chain-store fabric aisle, one day I decided to extend my search of fabric to the web. Much to my surprise, I found a great fabric store with amazing patterns. ReproDepot has a wonderful selection of fabric, from novelty to floral..they have a nice mix! Here are a few name brand fabric designers you can find on their site..Amy Butler, Denyse Schmidt and Joel Dewberry.



Above is also a "grab bag" for all of your quilting needs!

Orla Kiely, oh how I love thee.

With a philosophy of "good design" Orla Kiely is a company I have fallen in love with. Every season proves to be better than the last...even though I can't get enough of past season bags, accessories, clothing, etc..! Below are a few of the great bags! (Even luggage!)

The patterns and color combinations are what make this brand so pleasing! Although the products fall slightly on the expensive side, I was fortunate enough this summer to attend a sample sale while in New York. Look at the great bag I got at an extremely discounted price!
I forced myself to not put more pictures on the blog, so that you could explore the Orla Kiely goodies yourself on her website.

Blik

If you have not yet seen wall decals, it's time to find out what the fuss is all about. Wall decals are like stickers for your walls! They allow you to put designs, shapes, and colors on to the wall without having to paint. I currently have decals by my dining room table and I love them! I ordered 16 silver "dots" from a company named Blik. Blik offers a great range of wall decal products that are fun and even quirky! Check out a few below..

I'm a Sneakers kind of girl..

I'm your typical fashion-obsessed female. I enjoy exploring trends and styles while always maintaining my comfort level. That being said, you might understand my delight to know that "fashion" sneakers are "in"! I prefer happy dogs over hurting ones, so I have gained a little collection of name-brand sneakers. The colors, designs, and styles are pretty much endless and I just can't help myself when I see another neon-ish shoe staring back at me in the store. Here are a few of my favorites..
I love Nike's! They are a classical twist with vibrant new colors. The above shoes can be found at Urban Outfitters.
On the left are classic All-Stars. I'm a big fan, and although I have not broken in my pair (they hurt after awhile) I can't help but wear these timeless kicks. In the middle are "Asics" and finally on the end is a shoe by "BC Footwear." I have them in black and they are the perfect casual cold-weather shoe!

:: Images are those of Urban Outfitters ::
(except the top photo, those are my feet!)

Floor -> FLOR

Have you ever had the problem of getting a rug to fit perfectly in the right space? Thanks to Flor Tiles, all of your rug obstacles are gone! Consisting of modular carpet tiles, Flor is the practical solution to carpet/rugs. The square tiles come in a ray of colors and patterns that allow you to customize what you get.
Purchasing a normal area rug creates the problem of getting it in the car, right? Not with Flor! (Sorry, that was my last "promotional" spill)
I do, however, find them to be a unique solution to decorating and their practicality is obvious!

:: Images are those of Flor Tiles ::

I promise I can't draw.

After getting accepted into a rather prestigious design school, luckily passing all of my classes (thank goodness!), and actually graduating with a design degree (and minor!) one might assume that I can draw. Well sorry to disappoint... but I was not graced with such a natural talent. Any and all sketching that I do is a learned skill from art classes OR from forcing myself to put the pen on the paper.
So you might be surprised when I tell you that some of my favorite keepsakes are my sketchbooks! The great thing about the classes I took in college, is that I learned that sketching/writing thoughts was more than illustration. Sketching takes any form that you want it to be.
I've decided to share some pages of my sketchbooks with you in hopes that you might be inspired to begin documenting the world around you. I am a big fan of tape, as you will see. I love to keep artifacts and tape them down in my sketchbook. I like to think of my book as a visual library of references!
Above are images from my most recent sketchbook. Magazines are a great source of inspiration, I cut out things way too often...leaving the magazines with large holes!I had the chance to take a fibers studio and the images are above from the sketchbook I kept while in the class. Last year I worked for a wedding stationery company and gained an interest in wedding invitations. I began keeping a sketchbook of invitation ideas that I found intriguing.

The most satisfying part about keeping a sketchbook is opening it up awhile after you have finished it and revisiting your work. It's a nice therapy and one I recommend you start right away!

....Coasting....

It's the small things that can make ALL of the difference! That's why I have fallen in love with my next find: letterpress coasters! What a small yet delicate detail that can really add to a room. Here are a few suppliers I have found on Etsy that have done a great job with quality and color.


Above..these are found on Letteria's

These two images are from PaperedTogether's

The three above are from Sarah Ridgley Letterpress.

Who doesn't love a little wit?! These are from Spark Stationery.

:: Images are those of Letteria, Papered Together, Sarah Ridgley Letterpress, and Spark Stationery ::

Holly Aiken

Before graduating college and moving on to some type of "real world," I had the chance to work at Holly Aiken's studio/store, "Stitch". Located on North Street in downtown Raleigh, it was a great place to spend my weekends while earning an extra buck. On top of being a fabulous boss, Holly is a great handbag designer who graduated from NC State University's College of Design. Her bags are composed of vinyl and black webbing trim. What makes her bags so great is that they are extremely durable and stylish at the same time. Her color combinations appeal to all levels of the spectrum!

This bag is called "Piper"

Here is the "Turbo Jr" (my personal favorite style) with the poppy design.

This is the "Taxi"

Finally, the "Fogg". Be sure to check out the other styles, designs, and colors!
:: Images are those of www.hollyaiken.com ::

If you haven't done so, I highly recommend..

...visiting "Father & Son" in downtown Raleigh, NC (West Hargett Street). This old, downtown building is filled from top to bottom with vintage S T U F F. What looks like a lovely, single-story business from street-level, becomes nearly 4 floors of amazing finds. From furniture to clothing, records, and knick knacks...it has become one of my favorite places to explore. If distance poses an obstacle for you in getting to "Father & Son," you can check out their sister website that is frequently updated with new items. Swankarama allows you to browse through their amazing pieces and use paypal/ebay to purchase (perfect!). Check out a few things they have below..





:: Images are those of Swankarama ::

Another Glimpse..

Here are a few more apartment pics for your viewing pleasure..

Nightstand Improvements!

When decorating a room, I believe it is the small details that can really make it/break it. So you shouldn't be surprised to know that the nightstands have been given the most attention in my bedroom. When I put my nice round (and extremely white) nightstand into my new bedroom it had zero appeal...
It just blended in with the white walls! So with my crafting skills, I picked up a roll of Martha Stewart wrapping paper from Michael's craft store and worked a little magic. After tracing the circle glass top on the backside of the paper and exercising my fine cutting skills, I was now ready to jazz up my nightstand! Ta-da!


Despite unflattering cords, I consider it to be a successful renovation. Now all I need is to find a more attractive alarm clock and a couple of quaint decorations!
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Before moving into our new apartment my boyfriend also rolled up his sleeves and used his excellent spray-painting abilities to transform an old metal nightstand into a completely new piece of furniture! With the help of an Urban Outfitters lampshade, it turned out pretty nice :)
So I guess all that is left for the bedroom is to find a decoration or two for those massive white walls...to be continued..

: :Check it out : :
-Martha Stewart Crafts at Michael's - http://papercrafts.michaels.com
-Urban Outfitters - http://www.urbanoutfitters.com

What's old, soon becomes new again!

As cheesy as it may sound, I can't help but love Pyrex. Not just ANY type of Pyrex, but vintage pattern Pyrex! It becomes one of those things where the hunt is as much fun as actually finding a new piece. Pyrex, which has been around since 1915, is the trusty brand of heat-resistant glass that takes the form of casserole dishes galore (and more!).

In the beginning...
One day while browsing through the racks of an antique store, I stumbled across a casserole dish that was a muddy green with a daisy pattern cascading across the front of it. As soon as I purchased the over-priced piece at $14, I was hooked. I transferred my search to Goodwill-type stores where the prices dropped significantly.

With the help of my boyfriend and his mother, we have been able to begin a nice collection of patterns and pieces. We joke that one day there will be no need for a wedding registry, there couldn't possibly be anything better than vintage Pyrex!
Here are two small casserole dishes, the green dish on the left (my first piece!) is the "Spring Blossom" pattern and on the right is the yellow "Butterfly Gold" pattern.Thanks to my Mom, she dug out these salt & pepper shakers from her basement...perfectly matching the "Butterfly Gold" pattern!
You may have seen these colorful pieces, I run into solid color Pyrex bowls/dishes often ... they come in all sizes and shapes (and in a range of colors).
I am hoping to add to this collection. This is a portion of the "Refrigerator Set."
So far, this is the largest dish I have. This pattern is referred to as "Snowflake Blue."
Corning & Pyrex are one in the same, so with luck I have found matching cups, saucers, and plates.

sugar & spice ... and everything nice!

When window displays are done right, there ain't nothing like 'em! While in New York this summer, I strolled by the Anthropologie store in Rockefeller Plaza and had to dig for the camera. What makes this window display so nice is that it isn't just one window of visual goodies, it's like 8 windows! (Not exactly sure how many windows it is, but a lot.) Hopefully the pictures can do justice to the visual merchandise creations. If you are ever in the area, be sure to stop by and check them out!

Making a lake of the East River and Hudson.

This summer goes down as one to remember. I had the opportunity to live in Manhattan for 9 weeks (Harlem to be exact) and work for Martha Stewart Living Magazine. What started off as an out of body experience, quickly transitioned into the time of my life. Despite the 10-6pm office life (more to come on that…) my fingertips were at the edge of city life culture. From Time Square to Union Square, I had the opportunity to experience the city from naive tourist to (eventually) knowledgeable resident. Below are a few festive photos I took.

This is a picture of our extended bay window. We lived in a 5-floor brownstone, with our studio sitting on top! Despite the hike, it was the perfect summer home.

Only in NYC can you find hydraulic cars strolling down 42nd street.
This sign is from a great old building for a sewing machine company. I loved the vintage look so I was forced to document it.I nearly passed this pixelated painting without even noticing it!
Another great sign I found in Brooklyn.
I couldn't take a free ferry ride to Staten Island without taking a pic of the boat, besides I enjoyed the hand painted letters!
Subway tiles! During an escalator ride down to the subway, the tunnel was filled with these great multi-colored tiles.

Oh to be young...

With a new town, a new job, and a new cottage all that I can possibly complain about is the lack of funds for decorating! We have tried our best to make our first home a place of urban comfort, but there a few loose ends we are still waiting on. However, home is definitely where the heart is, and our hearts are warm and fuzzy! I’ve taken a few snapshots to share, but keep in mind it is an ongoing project.

I can’t explain how ecstatic I am about having my very own studio space…(in my home!) When searching for apartments, one of the most important qualities we looked for was that the place have a second room that could serve the purpose of office/workspace. We had not anticipated turning the largest room in the house into that room, but why not?!
The bedroom is lacking a few details, but for now it serves its serene purpose.

The living room was one of our favorites to decorate. Although the architecture mimics the typical apartment style home (entrance, tv area, dining area smashed into one location), we have enjoyed playing with a combination of greens, oranges, blacks and purples. Check out the wall decals behind the pub table, love those!

Darling Dexter: Launch!

After drowning in an obsession of surfing creative blogs, I have finally decided to take on the task of constructing my own. It is my intentions to create a space that inspires, entertains, and delights all those who visit. Welcome to Darling Dexter!