HAPPY Monday

images: desire to inspire, we heart it

pick me up wednesday

images courtesy: katie baum photography, we heart it

Beauty of Orange

Orange can be a tricky color, better to be used in smaller doses unless you are using a variation such as terra cotta, peach, or a more complex shade or tint. Psychological effects are similar to red however to a slightly reduced effect. (exciting, stimulating, cheerful, lively, energetic)

The sociological effect: orange is a declassifier. Think of the chain 7-11 or Big Lots... you think quick and cheap.

Orange used right can be beautiful, sophisticated, and can add that extra punch of excitement in a room. Think of the orange Hermes boxes that represent ultimate luxury. Orange put with chocolate brown can instantly look add a feeling of quality and luxury!

images courtesy: miss pickles press, ritzy bee, jeffrey bilhuber, decor pad, palmer weiss, suzanne kasler,we heart it, paloma 81

Lonny Elephant

The Lonny magazine is now live for January/February. One of my favorite articles is "Vintage Nouveau". Designer Hillary Thomas creatively outfitted a Pacific Palisades home with fun, timeless vintage objects. The coolest thing for me is, they did most of their shopping on Dixie Hwy in Palm Beach, right up the road from me! I have driven by the lined up shops, however, have not ventured in for myself yet.

I love this shot, the stark white walls against the dark wood floor. Perfect back drop for the built-in bookshelf filled with a collected assortment of books and objects. By the way, I also LOVE the table you see to the left. I am always on the lookout for one myself!

Take a close look at the items on the shelf and you might just spot a fun, quirky elephant! Want one for your own collected shelf?

I have 2 available in my shop at the current moment. Sold separately or as a pair, you choose.

See details HERE

HUE: Deep Teal and Blood Orange

photos via: we heart it, Canadian House and Home, Sara Gilbane, sfgirlbybay, kitschicagoan,martha stewart via ritzy bee

Eddie Ross: Secretary Makeover

Talented Eddie Ross has sold me on an idea I have been playing with for a while... making over a vintage secretary. I am currently helping my Mom with her home and my bedroom there needs some kind of bookshelf or cabinet. I need something that has height with display space preferably behind glass doors. My last visit I decided a secretary would be the perfect solution, also giving me a space to check my emails in the morning!

I love the overall look of this secretary. The shape and fretwork detail on the doors. The down fall is the dated looking mahogany finish. Since these cabinets were massed produced, they are not overly valuable and perfect to paint! As I mentioned above, go to craigslist and search for secretary. A few of these should pop up.

Step One: dismantle cabinet

Step Two: Lightly sand, you do not need to go over board

Step Three: Prime. Eddie Ross used Zinsser, which I also highly recommend

Step Four: Paint the color of your choice.

Eddie Ross replaced the glass with mirror for more private storage. This can be easily done for a low cost. Just take the original glass to a local mirror and glass shop found in your yellow pages, and they can cut mirror to the size you need.

On my project, I will keep the original clear glass because I desperately need display space for books and objects!

And here is the after! Voila.... how beautiful. He did a great job, which is to be expected from this incredibly talented do it yourselfer. I hope for mine to turn out this great!

The fun part... picking the paint color. Did you know Martha Stewart now has a line of paints at Home Depot? They look great, you should check them out if you have a fun project on your mind!

photos from eddie ross, martha stewart