Friday, March 18th, 2011
Spring is hinting at a return of all things bring and cheerful. But until I see a week of 50 degree days I know not to get too hopeful. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t have spring fever and start craving bright, sunny, and upbeat spaces that look filled with sunshine and warm air. Here are few favorites to help you through this transition season.
The light floors, walls and ceiling open up this living room and allow the bright colors room to breathe. The open chandelier isn’t visually heavy so it doesn’t weigh down the space.
Spring and summer I start bringing bright colors and patterns back into my wardrobe in more frequent rotation. The same is true with interiors. Why not go for it with a mobile of paper lanterns? This works over a couch in a living room with high ceilings too. Add a fun border or wallpaper to add pattern to a otherwise simple room. Notice that the crib and couch both have black frames and white bedding/ cushions? The pops of colors come from the lights, curtains, border and throw pillows. The one olive green side table is a fun addition.
The green backsplash is the perfect fresh cut grass color to remind me of the grass finally breaking through the melting snow piles to reclaim their turf (literally). So cheerful!
A few well placed accessories transform a home office nook into a springy destination. And the daffodils on the windowsill? What better representation of spring is there? I love buying the bunches of fresh daffodils during the American Cancer Society annual fundraising drive.
This is the way I want summer to feel. Sitting on a big veranda, lounging amongst the cushions, surrounded by greenery with interesting leaves, and a little cafe table where I can have a morning cup of iced tea and a scone. Oh gosh, I’m so ready for it… maybe this wasn’t a good idea.
But if I’m going to torture myself, let’s go for the full fantasy.
This shingled beach house says Cape Cod or the Hamptons in the height of summer to me. You can even see a bicycle leaning against the wall on the left, ready for me to peddle into town for a lobster roll from the best fresh seafood shack.
Or perhaps you’d prefer to escape to your rustic cabin with modern details. A modern sink and faucet are juxtapositioned against the raw wood planks and vintage mirror for an unfussy minimal aesthetic that doesn’t take itself too seriously.
In the end, the best part of summer is really the ability to hang out with friends outside, and the long nights which seem to never end and no one wants to go home. Get ready, because before we know it the warm weather will truly be here to stay!
What are you looking forward to in Spring? How about summertime?
Photo credits: 1 – Living Room by David Jimenez. 2 – Nursery source unknown. 3 – Kitchen by Eve Robinson. 4 – Home office by i-can’t-remember-her-name. 5 – Porch by Suzanne Rheinstein. 6 – Beach house source unknown. 7 – Bathroom source unknown. 8 – Backyard source unknown.
Tags: beach house, grass, green, home office, interior design, Kitchen, living room, nursery, paper lanterns, porch, spring, summer, wood planks
Posted in Design & Home Living Tips, Inspiration Boards | No Comments »
Wednesday, February 2nd, 2011
Earlier this year I helped Mercury Mosaics with a client who needed to rebuild their shower due to water damage in the wall behind their tile. Wanting to keep the style consistent with the rest of the bathroom in this old home, but looking to add personality and color at the same time, we came up with a gorgeous final solution. I’m so excited to finally be able to share photos of the final installed project!
If you haven’t discovered Mercury Mosaics yet, you are in for a treat! They are a local Minneapolis company, woman-owned and operated (well, there are a few guys on staff), and every project is custom made by hand to order.
This project is a great example of that custom work. The shower walls and the half wall/bench both have a beautiful band of bubble mosaics in the Klimt Blend and the floor features Honeycombs in several colors pulled from the outside section of the mosaic.
Attention to detail? Oh yeah, we had that covered. Notice that even the bubbles at the front edge of the mosaic of the short wall/bench were given a bullnose treatment so that the seams where the top and front met would be as clean as possible. They even custom made a cove molding piece for the outside base of the shower to tie into the existing baseboard in the bathroom.
There’s a lot of color in their pattern, but all that white subway tile gives the eye plenty of rest and allows them to focus in on the fabulous details throughout the mosaics.
Isn’t this beautiful? If you would like to know more about Mercury Mosaics or using handmade tile for your next project, please feel free to contact me or Mercury Mosaics directly. We can help give your space a stunning update of your own, whether you prefer an expanse of white or the riot of bubbles.
Photo source: Mercury Mosaics, photography by Melissa Mobley Copon.
Tags: Bubbles, handmade tile, honeycomb, Mercury Mosaics, Minneapolis, shower, subway tile, white
Posted in Color Pulse, Design & Home Living Tips | 1 Comment »
Monday, December 6th, 2010
I wanted to share with you two additional holiday decorations I’ve been lusting after.
For the past few years I have been thinking about purchasing a nativity set of my own. Unfortunately, I haven’t seen any that fit my personal aesthetic, and since this is an item I plan to use for the rest of my life I don’t want to compromise. That is until I was doing some (very early for me) Christmas shopping at Bibelot in October using my Chinook Book coupon (formerly known as The Blue Sky Guide) before it expired for the year. There it was on the shelf:
White. Crisp. Modern. Origami inspired so it references my husband’s heritage (didn’t think I’d fit THAT into a Nativity set!)
Yes, please!!! Despite the coupon in my hand, I resisted so I could make sure I would still love it days later. Thank goodness the new issue of the Chinook book came out right away so I could snatch up the set before they ran out AND use my new 20% off coupon. Best part? The same set sells for $60 more than Bibelot’s retail price at Gump’s.
The other item I’ve been waiting to buy is a tree skirt. Same rationale. Same selection issues.
But Real Simple featured this tree skirt in their December issue and a grin spread across my face. Thank you Garnet Hill.
I used to make throw pillows out of felt with felt appliques, so this feels familiar to me. Grown-up, modern and clean with a bit of fun. If the flowers were colored I wouldn’t want it. Interesting to think about those kinds of details. At $198 I can’t give in and buy it this year. But if there are any on sale post-holidays I might give in. Or it will become a future DIY project. Though I think making and attaching all those flowers might drive me crazy.
What are the holiday decor items you are still trying to find?
Tags: Christmas, nativity set, tree skirt
Posted in Design & Home Living Tips | No Comments »
Wednesday, December 1st, 2010
Can you believe how time flies? Summer ends, I try to transition into fall, and then suddenly snow is flying, sidewalks are covered in ice and it’s time to think up creative gift ideas for every person on your holiday shopping list. Yikes!
Well thanks to West Elm‘s Festive Edition holiday catalog I’m brimming with ideas for fun gifts my loved ones might not have indulged in buying for themselves, but will put a grin on their faces nonetheless.
I don’t know about you, but I can never manage to spend the month of December shopping for other people without falling in love with a few things for myself. Fortunately, at these prices I won’t feel guilty buying myself a fun accessory to dress up my own house for the holidays!
With all the green and red overload in stores throughout December, I’ve chosen to give myself a color break and decorate my own house in silver and blues for the holidays. It feels fresh but still has that wintery, sparkly, cheerful vibe that’s perfect by candlelight. How do I break up the silver and blue palette? Why will white accessories, of course. And since white is a neutral my accessories will still work perfectly with a different color scheme in the future. Should I add a white nutcracker to the collection this year?
The holiday season seems to be filled with parties, and if you don’t have your bar cart stocked yet with the essential tools, this is a perfect time to build a collection. The Sheesham-Wood Cocktail Collection could just as easily fit in on the set of The Graduate or in a swanky downtown bachelor pad.
I love a good geometric pattern and I love simple animal shapes. So those cocktail plates with four of my favorite animals (of course I’m partial to any collection with a Fox) are right up my alley! Crate and Barrel has a similar small square white plate in two sizes and you could easily mix and match them together.
While you are stocking your bar cart, you better be planning to serve your guests some food! Cheese is an absolutely essential at my parties. If I don’t serve at least 3 really good and interesting cheeses my friends threaten to leave (they don’t really, but they rely on my excellent cheese choices.) I like the idea of having a nice glass dome to protect the cheese over the course of the evening.
I’ve told you about our mushroom theme before, right? My husband and I like to go foraging for wild mushrooms during the summer. I find the textures, colors and variety of species in the woods inspiring. So I documented the wide variety of mushrooms we’ve spotted on our expeditions, printed out the photos, and created our own wall of photos in our living room that tells a unique story about our lives. It never fails to start a conversation with a new guest to our home. Knowing our love of mushrooms, one of my best friends just surprised me with a set of the mushroom plates above! They are gorgeous in person and have an uneven edge that makes them stand apart from your average dessert plate. It’s a great way to have your party tools reflect your personality.
After you get your place styled and party ready for the holidays, it is time to find presents for everyone on your holiday list. I like these office themed gifts, which could easily translate to the home office. I’ve been thinking about downsizing from my big stereo components to a small radio like these, and the iPod connection makes them perfect for the modern lifestyle. How much fun would crunching numbers be with a orange calculator you can clip to your project binder?
More animal silhouettes – this time as minimal black bookends. Simple bookends are hard to find – they are so often gaudy or so large you can’t fit more than a couple of books on the shelf with them. I also recommend the wood boxes with laquered lids. I used a pair of them on the desk in the Showcase House bedroom and in my own office. They keep all the little bits and bobbles contained and out of sight so nicely. The small square one is the perfect hiding place for all those business cards I get that have yet to be entered in the computer. What would you hide in there?
I hope that has you inspired for your own holiday needs. Be sure to check out the rest of the decor and gift ideas on West Elm’s website as this was just a sampling of all their great products. Happy hunting!
Tags: animal, bar cart, entertaining, gifts, holiday, party, plates, West Elm
Posted in Design & Home Living Tips | No Comments »
Friday, November 19th, 2010
Well it’s been a busy couple of weeks with no signs of slowing down, but I feel guilty leaving you hanging too long without a fresh dose of design. So I am hard at work on a post on the latest trends in the interior design world fresh from the color trend forecasting group and the High Point Furniture Market in High Point, North Carolina.
In the meantime, here is a reminder for the weekend to act like a kid and have fun in your space! Even if you don’t have children, a well designed home allows kids of all ages to play (even if they are 64 with grandchildren on their knees… Vera, Chuck and Dave. Sorry, The Beatles just pop into one’s head without notice sometimes. That one was for my parents.)
Seriously, why isn’t every home built with a staircase like this?! Sliding down the stairs on your butt or on a pillowcase for better traction is nice and all, but a true slide? That’s love.
You don’t need a New York City loft in order to build your kids a maze, though it doesn’t hurt. What about the long unfinished basement you’ve been wanting to turn into a playroom? This could be fun for the whole family and with little play areas inside the maze, kids can tuck themselves away from others for some privacy (a room of one’s own, in a sense).
When designing a backyard, some people think in linear terms: benches are for sitting, and steps are for walking. Pish-posh. Think like a kid – every surface is ripe for usage. A bench becomes a table and steps become seating.
This is how landscape architects think when they create public spaces. They know that people like to have options and to make the space their own. For example, in Bryant Park in New York City, the lawn is full of lightweight chairs that people can move to suit their mood. Being able to move the chair where they want it gives them a sense of ownership. Do the same for your family and guests – create flexible spaces and seating options so they can play in their own way. [For more on this topic check out William H. Whyte's studies of people's movements in and through public spaces. Fascinating!]
Ok, so you’re grown up now, no longer living the Joey and Chandler bachelor lifestyle with a foosball table where a dining room table should go. But just think: if you buy one for your kids you have an excuse to play it whenever you want and now it’s called bonding time with your kids instead of goofing off. Pretty cool, huh?
Not to mention, adding a punching bag to help release all that pre-teen angst is a pretty good idea while you’re at it.
And if all else fails, kick off your yellow rain boots and jump on the bed until you feel better. (I think she’s jumping on her brother’s bed, by the way! If you jump on someone else’s bed you don’t have to worry that you’re ruining your own bed, and worrying would take some of the fun out of the jumping.)
I hope this has inspired you to cut loose this weekend and have some good old fashioned fun.
Tags: backyard, bed, kids, maze, play, playroom, slide, staircase
Posted in Design & Home Living Tips | No Comments »
Wednesday, September 8th, 2010
Labor Day has passed us by, everyone has made their last pilgrimage to the cabin before school starts, and now all that’s left before us is crisp fall breezes and the exciting prospect of shutting down the cabin for the winter. Okay, not so exciting for most.
But now is the perfect time to brainstorm how you are going to refresh that cabin next spring to make it an even more inviting space to spend every weekend (and maybe a few fridays too, if you can sneak out without the boss noticing). Now I don’t have a family cabin (how un-Minnesotan, right?) but we periodically rent out a place for a week to escape the city and soak in views of pine trees, water and lots of sky. And the sad truth is that most cabins I’ve seen are a place where ugly furniture goes to die. I think it’s time to change all that.
I propose the following cabin as an excellent case study (the name of the resort will be withheld to protect the design challenged.)
Yes, I realize that southwestern plaid sleeper sofa adds room for extra guests, but you do realize the cushions lost their filling about 5 years ago and I’m sitting on the springs?
And can someone please explain why the recliner that always leans back (with no one sitting in it) has a log under it? It seemed to weighs 300 lbs, so it is no small feat to rotate it to look at the lake instead of the fireplace. Very functional, wouldn’t you say?
The big farm table is great for craft projects during the day (note the glue gun above if you doubt me), and big or small family meals in the evening. But while those chairs might be sturdy, I honestly think they’re ugly. (There, I was blunt and just said it.)
I won’t even mentioned that “carpeting.”
So, with this beautifully furnished cabin as a retreat, whether for a week or every weekend in the summer, you are definitely going to want to spend all your time outside. But imagine if you took these good bones and gave them an update with a budget. I know most people can’t afford to buy nice furniture for a second home or rental property. But uncomfortable and ugly is good for no one’s soul (especially when you are trying to relax!) So with that in mind, I gave this place an imaginary IKEA makeover.
So here’s the basics:
1. New sofa – available with or without sleeper sofa. Pick a darker neutral color that won’t show wear and tear. When the fabric starts getting worn, you can order a new slipcover in a wide variety of fabrics from Bemz. Check them out if you haven’t already!
2. New armchair – if you have to stick with a big recliner, at least get one that swivels! You still get the pop-up leg rest with this model, and in leather it wipes clean after sticky marshmallow hands.
3. Additional armchair(s) – if you’re fine with skipping the big recliner, these two smaller scale chairs still offer lots of comfort and flexibility. Especially since they are light enough to move around the room if necessary. People like their own seat, so I think having more small chairs is preferrable to one large chair, especially if they are all comfortable.
4. Dining room chairs – the big farm table works for me, and with new chairs in a simple, classic silhouette in looks fresh again. I like the contrast of the dark black-brown finish, but the grey-brown finish is nice too. You could even mix and match the two finishes!
5. Accessories – don’t forget plenty of soft throw pillows for the couch and floor. Add other accessories that pull from all the beautiful natural materials outside the cabin door. Turquoise duck head bookends do NOT count. Instead, use a couple of large beautiful rocks from the shoreline as bookends. If they aren’t flat on the bottom, glue them to blocks of wood to make them stable. Or pile up lots of small rocks into a fun formation on a wooden block (see glue gun) to use as art or bookends. The possibilities are endless!
6. Outside seating – at the lake it’s all about the view. And flimsy plastic chairs just don’t cut it. You want to be able to relax and take in the view for more than 15 minutes without a backache. A rocking chair, a cup of coffee, or a stick to widdle sounds pretty ideal to me. The Adirondack chair is a classic all over the country. I like this version with an adjustable back and a fold out leg rest. Don’t you dare buy just one! But be sure the seat is high enough to see over any railings, otherwise you’ll be frustrated every time you sit down.
Okay, that’s my take on the quick and economical update to the family cabin. Almost everything was sourced from IKEA, except the accessories, porch furniture, and existing table. The rocking chair is from Fleet Farm (what a bargain!) and a plain Adirondack chair is available from them for $40 as well. The fancy version is from www.adirondackchairs.com.
What do you think of this makeover? What else would you change or what would you do differently? A rental has different needs than a family cabin, but the idea of updating on a budget works for both.
Do you need tips on updating your cabin or other space? I’m curious what challenges other cabins present.
_
Tags: Adirondack chair, Bemz, cabin, chair, dining room, IKEA, leather, pillows, recliner, slipcover, sofa
Posted in Design & Home Living Tips, Inspiration Boards | No Comments »
Colleen Fox Slack | email: colleen@colleenfoxinteriors.com | phone: 612.868.0348
Copyright © Fox Interiors. All Rights Reserved.
Proudly powered by WordPress | Designed and implemented by Inizio Creative.
