Old Vegas

This dining room is inspired by old Las Vegas. Last week I did a "Christmas" room so this week I wanted to do something for New Year's. When I think New Year's celebration I think Las Vegas. My goal was to create the feeling of an era when women wore gowns to watch the Rat Pack perform at the Copa Room at The Sands in 1960.

First, I selected the crystal sphere lamp because it reminds me of the crystal ball that drops at midnight and also because it has a flashy old Vegas elegance. Then I worked around that element and chose items that had bling but a classy kind of bling. Because it's a Vegas room I am bound by law to include some sort of neon item. The 'Lounge' neon sign I chose inspired the room's turquoise, gold, black, and silver color palette. The gold ribbon chest reminds me of something I would see in a room at the Golden Nugget. The zebra print rug anchors the room and adds visual interest. The mirrored round table allows you to check your make-up before heading out to the dance floor. The plush chairs look decadent and expensive but are actually reasonably priced. The sunburst mirror and platinum dinnerware add to the circular patterns throughout the room. Champagne flutes are a must when toasting to the New Year and of course, if we're talking Vegas, they also have to be sparkly.

All in all I think I created a room that captures the over the top feeling of Vegas that still exists today without actually going over the top. Funny thing, it was only after creating this room that I realized there are similarities to the last dining room I did. Mainly the round table with a spherical lighting fixture. I promise my next dining room will look completely different.

Paint color is Spring Breeze by Benjamin Moore

Happy New Year!


Resources:

Neon Lounge sign ($1500) from Roadhouse Relics
Belvedere Hanging Lamp ($69.95) from ZGallerie
Ribbon-Front Mirrored Chest ($1999) from Neiman Marcus
Antique Sunburst Mirror ($279) from Ballard Designs
Mikasa "Platinum Links" 5-Piece Place Setting ($89.99) from Macy's
Alan Lee Conical drinkware ($85 for 2 flutes) from Horchow
Hand Tufted Zebra Rug (7'6 x 9'6) from Target
Venetian Dining Table ($899) from ZGallerie
Upholstered Dining Tufted Parsons Chair ($279) from Home Decorators Collection

The Twelve Days of Christmas

This nursery is inspired by the song "The Twelve Days of Christmas". I wanted to do something for the upcoming holiday but I didn't want to do a standard holiday themed room. So, I decided to create a room that takes elements from the well-known Christmas carol without using any Christmas decorations. There are times I played fast and loose with my interpretation of the song's lyrics but I think the end result turned out to be a sweet vintage nursery for a little girl.

On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

A Partridge in a Pear Tree: Partridge pillow in chair ($9.50) from Douglas Cuddle Toys. Also, Partridge Family print (8x10 - $14.99) from Art.com with White ornate frame ($11.99) from Bealls Florida

Two Turtle Doves: Glider upholstered in "Ophelia Dove" fabric ($939) from PoshTots.com

Three French Hens: "Louise the Hen" stuffed animal on dresser ($20.99) from Target

Four Calling Birds: Dresser/changing table with four birds on each drawer ($1399) from Wisteria.com

Five Golden Rings: Five Stacking Rings ($36) from Rosenberry Rooms

Six Geese A-Laying: Nests with eggs ($24) from Wisteria.com

Seven Swans A-Swimming: Cygnus hook (I picture little vintage dresses hanging from these with small pink hangers) ($14 ea.) from Anthropologie

Eight Maids A-Milking: Milk Glass Chandelier ($356) from Rosenberry Rooms

Nine Ladies Dancing: Ribbon Dance rug (5x8 - $249.91) from Lamps Plus

Ten Lords A-Leaping: Vintage crib sheet featuring Kings (Lords) leaping ($11) from Etsy

Eleven Pipers Piping: The Fairy Piper print ($19.99) from AllPosters.com with Ribba Frame ($9.99) from IKEA

Twelve Drummers Drumming: Elephant Beating Drum print ($19.99) from AllPosters.com with Ribba Frame ($9.99) from IKEA


The room is rounded out with the beautiful Olivia Crib in Vintage Pink ($799) from Pottery Barn Kids. Paint color is "Sunshine on the Bay" by Benjamin Moore

Merry Christmas!

Gustav Klimt

This living room is inspired by the paintings of Gustav Klimt and, in turn, is also inspired by the Art Nouveau period. I created this room per the request of reader legerdemain but I also happen to like the aesthetic of that time period. The first aspect of the room I selected was the artwork. I knew I was going to include Klimt paintings so I selected two peices and worked around their colors and images. The first piece I chose was "Nuda Veritas (Naked Truth)". I think it's an unconventional Klimt work because it lacks color but at the same time is very much in line with his aesthetic because it features a woman. I really wanted to use different Klimt works than what everyone is used to seeing. I based the room's main color scheme off the the second painting called "Music". Much like the painting the room features golds and turquoise with a hint of purple.

In designing this room I discovered that Art Nouveau is not an easily accessible movement for which to find decorative items. Because of this, the Gustav Klimt room is probably the most expensive room I have put together to date. The furniture played a big role in racking up the bill. The pricey, but beautiful, couch and chair are reminiscent of the era but also have a modern twist to them. The walnut armoire is an antique from 1890 with an Art Nouveau influence and is also very beautiful yet pricey. The copper side table and glass top coffee table have the curves of the Art Nouveau period but also incorporate modern lines and materials.

The french wool gold rug anchors the room and goes well with the style and colors of Klimt's paintings. The pillow in the chair brings the gold up to the furniture. The chandelier, while not Art Nouveau per se, reminds me of one of Klimt's most famous paintings "The Kiss" . The cascading gold squares on the fixture look like the gold squares on the blanket wrapped around the lovers in the painting. The Dancing Maiden sculpture and Lady of the Lake Wall mirror are in homage to Klimt's favorite subject, the female form. An Art Nouveau room wouldn't be complete without the appearance of stained glass. I chose a nice understated floral green window panel so I wouldn't overwhelm the room with a large pattern. I think the curtains bring more violet into the room without being in-your-face purple. Finally I included the clock because I thought its shape added interest.

Paint color is Peace and Happiness from Benjamin Moore.


Resources:
Nuda Veritas (Naked Truth) Print (framed- $119.99) from allposters.com
Music by Gustav Klimt (framed- $248.95) from Bellacor
Turquoise Leather Chair ($2399) from Horchow
Annie Selke Home Sofa ($3339) from Horchow
c.1890 French Louis XV Walnut Armoire ($9,850) from 1st dibs
Tristan side table ($299) from Crate and Barrel
Eva Zeisel Coffee Table ($1500) from DWR
Louverne Rug (7'6" x 9'6" - $1199) from Ballard Designs
Gold Suzani Pillow ($175) from Jayson Home and Garden
Lady of the Lake Wall Mirror ($29.95) from Design Toscano
Dancing Maiden Sculpture ($39.95) from Lamps Plus
Stained Glass Tiffany Window ($162) from Lighting Direct
Avignon Curtains ($248 a panel) from Anthropologie
Metro Clock ($109.99) from Target
Gold Capiz Hanging Lamp ($349) from ZGallerie

Arizona Diamondbacks Baseball

This family room is inspired by the baseball team the Arizona Diamondbacks. My husband asked me to make a "man cave" so I complied and used his favorite baseball team as the inspiration. The team's colors are Sedona red, black and Sonoran sand (tan) so I incorporated that color palette throughout the room. I didn't want to go the typical "man cave" route and make it overly masculine but I didn't want to over-feminize it either. I picture this room to also be used as a day-to-day TV room for a family with kids.

I know technology is a key element so of course I had to include a TV and a media stand that holds up to a 42" flat screen TV. It's also important for the furniture to be comfortable and be able to accommodate several people for game days. The slipcovered chaise sectional and red side chair serve those functions well. They have clean lines but look like you could sink right into them. I chose the white ottoman/table because there needed to be something you could put your feet up on plus I thought it looked like home base. I included the accent table because it reminds me of a baseball bat. And the striped rug is reminiscent of pinstripe uniforms.

Every "man cave" needs pool table so I chose one that also is a little more stylized than your average pool table. The pendant light above it looks like a more modern sleeker version of the fixtures that hang over pool tables in pubs. And the old baseball photographs are also more stylish than your typical sports posters. The Diamondbacks art glass clock is there because I think the room needed at least one item from the team plus it nicely integrates into the rest of the decor Finally, the baseball playing gnome is funny to me so I had to include that.

Paint color is yellow clover by Benjamin Moore.

Resources:

Newkirk media stand w/ back panel ($798) from West Elm
Slipcovered Chaise Sofa ($2,579) from Pottery Barn
Paloma Chair ($1,999) from Room & Board
Soho Tufted Square Ottoman ($269) from Home Decorators Collection
Remy Wooden Accent Table ($99) from Grandin Road
Monty Red Woven Cotton rug (9x12 - $385) from Dash & Albert Rug Company
Solid Hardwood Pool Table ($2,311.99) from Overstock.com
Tacoma Collection Pendant Light ($718.91) from Lamps Plus
Boy Running Scoreboard print (framed - $164.99) from Art.com
The Baseball Game print (framed - $119.99) from Art.com
Arizona Diamondbacks Art-Glass Clock ($32.99) from Shop MLB.com
Baseball Gnome ($19.99) from Target

It Was a Short Summer, Charlie Brown

This little boy's (or girl's) bedroom is inspired by the Peanuts TV special It Was a Short Summer, Charlie Brown. My son will be turning two shortly (time flies!) so I'm currently in the process of planning his big boy room. I like kid's rooms that are rooted in nature and I like classic Charlie Brown specials so I thought it would be neat if I combined the two.

The television special is about the Peanuts gang unwillingly attending summer camp after Lucy signs them up. My biggest challenge was not making the room filled with licensed characters but still capturing the essence of Charlie Brown and summer camp. My son is currently obsessed with tents so the first thing I selected was the Great Plains Teepee. I seem to recall making teepees back when I went to summer camp. I love the rug made to look like wood and the pillow made to look like a campfire. I think they're my favorite elements in the room. The sun jar on the dresser has a light inside that is powered by the sun, it reminds me of a jar used to catch fireflies. The little moose in the log car is adorable and comes in a set of 6 various racing forest critters. The owl pillow perched on the bed's foot board also adds to the overall summer camp woodland creature vibe.

Some of the room's aspects are obvious and not-so-obvious nods to the Charlie Brown special. The wooden camp sign is there because, of course, it takes place at camp. The show features a canoe race between the boys and the girls hence the decorative canoe paddle. The fun orange ride-on dog sculpture is in honor of Snoopy. I chose a yellow dresser to represent Charlie Brown's well-known yellow shirt. The little red wagon wall shelf is in homage to the unseen Little Red-Haired Girl. Then, of course, I had to include an actual Charlie Brown in the room. I did this with a bobble-head placed on top of the shelf. I also added a framed print of Snoopy fishing over the bed.


I wanted to keep the bedding neutral so I went with a basic white percale duvet and sham. Sure white bedding can be impractical in a kid's room but it really makes the campfire pillow pop! I also went neutral (and natural) with the unstained maple bed and driftwood floor lamp. Lastly the vintage camping print nicely incorporates all of the colors in the room. I will say that creating this room really made me want to design a summer camp theme room for my son now too.

Paint color is the appropriately titled Grassy Fields from Benjamin Moore.

Resources:

Dexton 6' Great Plains Teepee ($99) from Amazon.com
Handwoven Wood Grain Rug (5x8 - $179) from Land of Nod
Campfire Pillow ($24.95) from GAMA-GO
SUN JAR ($40.00) from Uncommon Goods
Derby Critters set of 6 ($39) from Wisteria
Dwell Studio Stuffed Owl ($36) from Modern Nursery
Vintage Style Camp Wood Sign ($14.99) from Deborah McClain
Wooden Paddle Brown ($21.99) from Decor and Gift Shopping
Puppy by Magis Me Too Collection ($129) from Unica Home
Hemnes dresser ($199) from IKEA
Wagon Shelf ($58.99) from Pottery Barn Kids
Classic Peanuts: Charlie Brown Bobblehead ($12.99) from Amazon.com
Holiday Tents, Camping Adventures Print (framed $114.99) from AllPosters.com
Caught A Big One Framed Panel Print ($44.99) from Cafepress
Percale duvet cover and sham ($99 & $29) from Room and Board
Calvin Twin Bed ($899) from Room and Board
Bleu Nature Tropique Lamp ($287.98) from Green-Furniture.com

Trading Spaces $2000 Challenge

This bedroom is inspired by the TV show Trading Spaces, specifically the challenge of decorating an entire room for only $2000. My favorite type of design shows involve a strict budget so, with this room I assigned myself two specific parameters: 1. The entire room had to cost $2000 or less (including paint) and 2. Each item had to come from a different store (otherwise I could have easily decorated an entire room from Target). I'll admit there are some instances here and there where rule number 2 was stretched a bit. I have two of the same side tables from Walmart and I have two different, but similar, tree prints from Etsy. Also, my own bedroom has two windows so I counted two curtains from Urban Outfitters in the total (one large curtain would swath across each window). And the glass vases are both from Crate and Barrel.

When I assigned myself this challenge I imagined host Paige Davis handing me the cash and saying, "design a room you would want for yourself!" So, that's what I did. This is the bedroom I would design for myself if all I had to start with was a queen sized mattress, sheets, pillows, two thousand dollars and nothing else. The main problem with designing a room from scratch using only brand new items is the lack of personality that is usually achieved with thrifted or inherited items.

If pressed I would probably describe my design aesthetic as contemporary with a bit of vintage and quirkiness thrown in. I tried to incorporate the vintage and quirky elements with the squirrel portrait and slightly wacky throw pillow. I love the portrait because it's a painted squirrel on one piece of wood carved to look like an ornate frame. I think everyone should have at least one whimsical item in their bedroom. The pink and green pillow goes completely off the color scheme grid and therefore adds a touch of interest to the room.

And now for cost breakdown:

Pastoral Portrait in Western Gray from ModCloth = $27.99
Hypno Pillow from CB2 = $14.95
Round Side Table from Walmart = $59.88 x 2 = $119.76
Sycamore 2 Photography Print from Etsy = $8.00
Sycamore 1 Photography Print from Etsy = $8.00
DAX Solid Wood Frame, 5x7, Black from Kmart = $9.29 x 2 = $18.58
DwellStudio Bloom Bedding from Target = $79.99
Grid Tufted Headboard from West Elm = $369.99
Damask Grey Wool Rug 5 x 8 from Overstock.com = $179.99
Gramercy Chair Black Stripe Linen from Ballard Designs = $395
Stacy Garcia Countess Stripe Giclee Pendant Chandelier from Lamps Plus = $199.99
Flocked Medallion Curtain from Urban Outfitters = $48 x 2 = $96
Matilda Vase from Crate and Barrel = $29.95
Cali Vase from Crate and Barrel = $6.95

Hemnes Mirror chest from IKEA = $299
Cast Iron Fluted Iron curtain rods from Restoration Hardware = $59 x 2 = $118
Behr Paint in Ionic Sky = $23

Grand Total = 1995.14

Everything Must Go!

This living room is inspired by The Weakerthans song Everything Must Go! The Weakerthans are my favorite band so it is only fitting that my first song inspired room would be in honor of them.

The song's opening line is: Garage Sale. Saturday.I need to pay My heart's outstanding bills.

I wanted to make everything in the room appear as if it could have been purchased at a garage sale. The coffee table is reminiscent of furniture at office surplus stores. I picture it once placed in a strip mall doctor's office. While the coffee table is from Walmart and inexpensive, the retro side table is a bit pricey but looks as if it once lived in the Brady Bunch home. The mid-century rocking chair would also be at home at the Brady's.

The next lines are: A cracked-up compass and a pocket watch, Some plastic daffodils. The cutlery and coffee cups I stole from all-night restaurants. A sense of wonder only slightly used
a year or two to haunt you in the dark.

The owner of this room is a collector of unique items. In order to display these artifacts they would of course need some sort of curio cabinet. Most curio cabinets I found were in the traditional style with glass doors. This one is more of a bookcase that could work as interesting display shelves. These shelves would house things like a vintage a compass and diner coffee cups. I love the antique cutlery print I found for this room and want one for my dining room. The pocket watch posed a problem because, as a rule, pocket watches aren't very decorative. I found numerous wall clocks that looked like pocket watches but they were too formal for this room. Instead I used a retro wall clock that is similar to the face of a pocket watch. The plastic daffodils also posed a problem. Plastic daffodils aren't so great looking so I chose a vintage daffodil print instead. I hope I succeeded in capturing a sense of wonder in this room but I don't want it to haunt anyone in the dark, especially not for a year or two.

Next line: For a phone call from far away with a 'Hi, how are you today?' and a sign recovery comes to the broken ones. A wage-slave forty-hour work week weighs a thousand kilograms.
So bend your knees comes with a free fake smile for all your dumb demands.

This line mentions a phone call so I selected a beautiful bright orange retro telephone to brighten up the room. I think the Fugitive Recovery sign adds a bit of strange whimsy and is fitting for the room. I found it on a law enforcement supply site. As you can probably tell from the 'kilograms" reference, The Weakerthans are not from the US but from Canada. So, in homage to their heritage, I included an embroidered Canada pillow and a rusty moose wall hook.

Last line: The cordless razor that my father bought when I turned 17, a puke-green sofa, and the outline to a complicated dream of dignity. For a laugh too loud and too long. For a place where awkward belongs, and a sign recovery comes to the broken ones. For the broken ones.
"Or Best Offer."

I wouldn't exactly call the sofa "puke green" but it is a certain shade of green that reminds me of sofas in rumpus rooms circa 1964. I think the rug's busy pattern borders on awkward but, like everything else in the room, just barely fits in ("where awkward belongs").

Paint color is Benjamin Moore "Old Pickup Blue"

Resources:

Star Oak finish coffee table ($148.99) from Walmart
Rolly Side Table ($380) from Design Within Reach
Mid-century Rocker Chair ($288) from Urban Outfitters
Muir Cabinet-Chocolate ($349.99) from Target
Monogrammed Mugs ($6 each) from Anthropologie
Compass by Match of Italy ($57) from Unica Home
Retro White Wall Clock ($29.99) from Target
Daffodils and Tulips Print ($7.99) from Art.com
Traditional Cutlery Print ($79.99 - framed) Allposters.com
Vintage Rotary Phone ($198) from Anthropologie
Thomas Paul Flora Rug 8x11 ($1464) from Design Public
Fugitive Recovery Aluminum Sign ($12.95) from NIC
Hand Embroidered Canada Pillow ($196) from Uncommon Goods
Canterbury Sofa in Moss ($1699) from Crate and Barrel
Moose Alley Wall Hook ($15.99) from Mod Cloth
Bauhaus Arc Floor Lamp ($199) from CB2

Franny and Zooey

This bathroom is inspired by the JD Salinger book Franny and Zooey. My friend Jen asked me to design a room based on her favorite book and I accepted the challenge. I chose a bathroom because an important scene in the book takes place in a bathroom. Zooey Glass reads a long letter from his brother while sitting in the bath until his mother, Bessie, barges in and engages him in a conversation. The book takes place in 1955 and the Glass family lives in an old apartment in New York so it made sense to include an antique clawfoot tub in the room. Since Zooey sits in it for so long I chose the slipper shape so one can sit in it with comfort and ease.

The main premise behind the book involves the recitation of the "Jesus Prayer" so of course I had to incorporate some sort of religious artifact into the room. I didn't want to go overboard so I included a lovely black and white print of Mary praying with baby Jesus.

The Glass family is extremely verbose and intelligent so I thought the SAT words shower curtain would be a humorous addition. Also, Salinger describes the Glass living room to be jam-packed with books so why stop there? Why not add piles of books to the bathroom too? You can actually buy vintage books online to create "the feel and gravitas of a man of letters and means". I picture these books to be stacked on an old steamer trunk inside and out so I included a, perhaps impractical and extremely overpriced, but altogether beautiful Faulkner Table Trunk. Okay, so who has over three grand to spend on a table made to look like a vintage trunk? Not me but I absolutely loved it and had to include it anyway. Rusty vintage fishing weights are being used a bookends.

The vintage New York City subway sign is a nod to the location of the Glass apartment and also adds visual interest. During one part of the verbal exchange in the bathroom Mrs. Glass opens their rather large medicine cabinet and mentally ticks off its overflowing contents. So of course I had to include a medicine cabinet big enough to include apparently every toiletry and medicine in existence during the '50s.

Paint color is Benjamin Moore Pike's Peak Gray.


Resources:

Slipper Antique Bathtub ($4018.80) from SimplyBathtubs.com
Merola Tile Old World Hex With Dot tile ($4.75 sq ft) from Home Depot
Mary Reads a Prayer Book While Jesus Watches print ($184.99-framed) from allposters.com
Top 500 SAT Words Shower Curtain ($20) from Target
Vintage Leather Decorator Books ($10 each) from Harvest Book Company
Faulkner Table Trunk ($3,395) from Jayson Home and Garden
Fishing Weights ($99 for set of 4) from Restoration Hardware
Subway Sign Art ($795) from Restoration Hardware
Zenith Beveled Tri-View Medicine Cabinet ($149.88) from Amazon.com
Collection of Antique Rx Store Medicine Bottles - Set of 3 ($36) from Three Potato Four
Echo Large Art Deco Porcelain Wall light ($128) from Rejuvenation
Charcoal Damask Towels ($8-$36) from Anthropologie

Frank Lloyd Wright Zimmerman House

This room is inspired by the Frank Lloyd Wright Zimmerman House in Manchester, NH. I live a few miles from the house and I thought it would be nice to pay homage to a local landmark. The Zimmerman House is the only FLW structure that is open to the public in New England. The home was designed in Wright's Usonian style which is basically described here as one story houses with little ornamentation that utilized natural materials. I don't pretend to be very knowledgeable about architecture or Frank Lloyd Wright so I just wanted to capture the feeling of the house's interior, not so much the philosophy.

The house was built in 1950 so it is decked out in lots of oak and autumnal colors that were popular at the time. I didn't want to make a dated office so I tried to incorporate a little more vibrancy into the space. The house was filled with chunky hexagonal tables that were built into the walls, my nod to that element are the nesting hexagon tables. I also added a barrel chair that is a nod to the wooden armed barrel chairs in the home. If this were an actual room I would have two of those chairs and the tables in between them.

There are shelves and shelves of books and pottery throughout the house so of course I had to add those elements also. The shelves are another surprise find from Walmart. They are on the small side so I would probably stack four on top of one another. The pottery vases are in the arts and crafts style popular during FLW's era and seen throughout the Zimmerman house. I also added a swanky shag rug made up of Flor tiles. A nice modernized take on the old classic shag.

I wanted to add a few nods to Frank Lloyd Wright himself to I added a clock in the Unsonian Style and a framed stained glass panel based on a window in his Illinois studio.

I would say this room was more of a challenge than my previous ones. Mostly because anything in the FLW style these days is either going to be pricey or cheesy. As I try to do with all of my rooms, I didn't want to make achieving this look cost prohibitive. There are several re-issues and re-makes and original Frank Lloyd designs I could have used but what would be the fun in that? Nothing is more boring to me than a room full of high-end designer pieces.


Resources:

Paint color is Benjamin Moore Bronze Tone.
Wasabi Barrel Club Chair ($499.99) from Lamps Plus
Neu Home Structure Collection Wall Shelf ($19.88) from Walmart
Yellow Flowerhead Vase ($165) from Etsy
Green Contour Vase ($95) from Etsy
Frank Lloyd Wright Usonian Mantal Clock ($67.31) from CSNClocks.com
Studio Skylight Arts and Crafts Framed Tile ($160) from Shopwright.org
Newport Country Style Home Office Desk (379.99) from Overstock
2" Wood Blinds (around $148 a window) from Smith and Noble
302 Desk Phone ($49) from Home Decorators Collection
Mica Desk Lamp ($39.99) from Target
Wood Office Chair ($119.95) from Amazon.com
Short Shag Flor tiles in moon ($16.99 per tile) from Flor