Another Shade of Grey

Monday, September 24, 2007

Royal Mess...

5 vintage skeleton keys from etsy seller royalmess for $8.00 right here.

Vintage Wall Art

Large vintage Marushka silk screen fabric tree print from ebay seller cottage on the hill. It is mounted on a wood frame and measures approx. 24 inches by 36 inches. Wow!

Amy writes:

Hello Jules,

First let me say that I am a huge fan of your blog, and while I pore over design blogs and magazines, I am woefully inept in my own abilities. My husband and I just finished laying laminate flooring in our basement, and as I try to think about how it's all going to pull together, I would love some of your "Reader Q&A" input. I've sketched out my thoughts and the pieces we have in a post on my blog, and any input you would like to offer would be greatly appreciated! Mostly, I would like to nail my wall color down and the general color palette for the space, I'm dreadfully paranoid about picking something that won't work.

Your Q&A posts usually are the finishing touches to a room, while this qould really be more like pushing me in the right direction right from the beginning :) Although finishing touch suggestions would be appreciated as well!

Thanks for your time, I hope you can help me!
Amy

Thanks so much for the kind words Amy. I feel your give me way too much credit, but I'll try and see if I can point you in a general direction. :)

Pictured below is an inspiration board Amy has put together. It shows some of the definites of her design that she has already chosen and some of the questions she is hoping to answer.

My suggestions are color based and quite simple.

First, I would place a privacy screen behind the sofa to delineate the play space from the living area. You could do this in the form of curtain panels hung from the ceiling or by painting a room divider screen in a shade similar to that shown in the picture below. I would accent the sofa with chocolate brown cushions for a popping contrast that would maintain the warmth.

Second, I would paint the walls a neutral khaki similar to the shade shown below. I feel the colors should be in the accents and the main color should be something light, considering it's a basement, but not bright, to maintain warmth.

And last, but not least, I would accentuate with some mid-centuryish art that is complimentary to the color scheme in a monochromatic way, yet is definitively noticeable, such as the Pistachio III print by Duplock. A simple abstract that could be easily interpreted into a DIY canvas art project of your own.

And that's it. Short and sweet. I'm sure you readers will have some fabulous suggestions for Amy as well. Please leave them in the comments below or visit her blog.

I really like...

this tree ring fabric from Martha Negley. It comes in 4 different colorways. Would make some awesome curtains. Enjoy!

Helen Durant

I came across the work of Helen Durant in the October issue of Traditional Home. Working with mixed media, Helen makes goats tres chic. Me like!

Friday, September 21, 2007

Accessorize, accessorize, accessorize

Great vintage necklace from ebay seller zimbalist just perfect for fall. Starting bid is $8.99 with one hour to go. Enjoy!

ELLEN BERGGREN ÖBERG

Some truly fabulous wallpaper patterns. Enjoy!

A Great Pair Of Vintage Retro Rehabilitated Owls

Made in 1970, each owl measures 9" high by 6" wide. They have been painted a modern white, which makes them a perfect retro wall accessory for today's modern decor. $15.00 for the pair right here. Enjoy!

20 x 200

I came across 20 x 200 via Design Milk. I love the concept. They offer artwork by such artists as Jennifer Sanchez (above) and Amy Ross (below). The concept is as follows: two new pieces a week, one a photo and one a work on paper. Each image is available in three sizes. The smallest size is reprinted in the largest batch (200) and sold for $20. Hence the name 20×200. They also offer medium-sized editions of 20 for $200, and large-sized editions of 2 for $2000 (for collectors). Each print comes with a certificate of authenticity numbered by the artist. I think this is such a great idea. Enjoy and keep an eye on 20 x 200.

Thursday, September 20, 2007

Vintage Tin Dish Set

Love the owl graphics. The teacup saucers have owls as well. From ebay seller handheartantique. Bidding ends in 7 hours. Enjoy!

Paint by numbers DIY...

I know that's a bit of a moronic phrase being that the concept behind paint by numbers is DIY, but you really can DIY your own paint by numbers. Color By Number 2.5 lets you to convert a photo to a paint-by-number pattern. Just scan the photo or load graphics file from disk, choose the brand of paints/crayons to be used and the program will convert your photo to a paint-by-number pattern optimized for the palette you have chosen. They offer a free trial and if you like, you can purchase the software for $19.95. Think of the possibilities.

And for those of you who like your DIY already done, ebay seller theoneandonlycountblah has this fantastic retro vintage horse in a frame for a current bid of $15.50 with a little over 4 hours to go. Enjoy!

Source it...

Yesterday Grace shared a fabulous sneak peak Meagan Goldberg's pink and black office. One of the things I loved, as did several others, was the blacksmith wall art above her desk. What a wowing statement against that pink wow. Meagan shared that her piece was from Ethan Allen. Their version is 49" wide by 37" high and retails for $299.00. However, I did some research and found some smaller, cheaper alternatives.

Ebay seller signshopnmore has the K & P Carr version measuring 26" x 24" for $80.00, while countrybuzzins has the 19 x 25 inch J. Murphy for $75.00. I would also suggest taking a look at the other signs these sellers have to offer. Some really great items. Enjoy!

It's a date...

If you live in the Oakland, California area be sure and drop by Mignonne this Saturday, September 22nd between 5 - 8 pm for a celebration of art, décor, home and garden at the closing reception for local artist Sheila Metcalf Tobin.

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

I never wear a watch...

so I have no idea why I'm obsessed with clocks lately, but so it is. Anyway, I came across this fabulous clock via Mrs. Beckie's blog. It's a fabulous Sapele Veneer Clock from etsy seller Ketchhaus. I loved it so much I bought one. They're $30.00 and measure 10 x 10. But you better hurry. There's only 1 left. Enjoy!

Urban Love

Fabulous photograph from Matthew Ramsey of Washington, DC via Gallery Plan B
.

Vintage Alarm Clock

and it works! Love the lines of this piece, especially the shape of the numbers. Starting bid is $7.99 with 8 hours to go. Enjoy!

These are a few of my favorite things

from Crate & Barrel's current collection. The Gabriel Chandelier, Jasper Sideboard, and Starburst Bowl. Enjoy!

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Julie Morstad

I totally just bought this print "Gluttony" from Julie Morstad over at Tiny Showcase. There was only a run of 100 so hurry to get your own.

Vintage Hand Colored Beetle Print

perfect for framing up for grabs on Ebay with 44 minutes left. Current price is $10.50. Enjoy!

Coffee Table Character

A unique piece for the coffee table or book shelf, this bull is a vintage ceramic bank. Bidding ends in 10 hours with a starting bid of $4.99. Enjoy!

Thomas McKnight

Limited edition hand pulled etching for sale on ebay. Image size is 15 1/2 x 17 1/2 while the paper size is 22 1/4 x 25 1/4. It is signed and numbered in pencil. Bidding ends in 11 hours with a current price of $75.00. Enjoy!