Pinning on a Sick Day

I've been a sniffly, shivery, sleepy, surly sick person this week. Not exactly a pleasure to be around, even online. Cold medicines ought to add "may cause incoherent tweeting and typo-riddled blog posts" to their list of side effects. Blah. So today I'm in hibernation with a lap cat, a mug of tea, and the safely non-verbal inspiration of Pinterest. Pretty pictures may indeed cure what ails me.

Pinned Images by Dress, Design, & Decor, and Cooper Carras via The City Sage

I'm closing in on 1,000 pins, and gaining followers even more rapidly. In fact, I now a have a larger audience on Pinterest than on this blog, twitter, and facebook... combined. This is somehow both immensely flattering and discouraging. A part of me appreciates Pinterest as a resource, and as a wealth of ideas. I'm always happy to share an image that catches my eye, and thrilled when others repin. But another (grumpier) part of me wonders if my own creativity can ever have the same resonance. It could be the cough medicine talking, but it's something to think about as I enter a new year of blogging.

Christmas Wrap-Up

If you couldn't tell from our holiday card, I was slightly lacking in Christmas spirit this year. I went through the motions, to be sure: decorating the tree, drinking hot cocoa, horrifying the cats with loud accompaniment to Bing Crosby carols... but I couldn't help but miss the company of my family and friends. I had a blue Christmas- and maybe that influenced my gift-wrapping?

I've been using the black and white herringbone wrapping paper for everything lately- including the envelope liners for our wedding invitations! It's graphic, tweedy, and absolutely practical. It looked appropriately fun on the boys' stocking stuffers, paired with humorous gifts. For the girls, I went for maximum sparkle.

The glittered take-out boxes are filled with tinsel, foil-wrapped treats, and some accessories for the holiday party season. I added pieces of gold tape to cardstock to make palettes of colorful rhinestone earrings for my sisters-in-law. 

I love wrapping gifts *almost* as I love giving them, and I always try to add some creative sparkle. Of course, I love getting gifts too... I'll show off what I got next week!

Bedroom in Progress

There is a closed door in the WarLock house that hides a shameful secret. Adam's insane pyromaniac first wife? Far worse, I'm afraid. A bland, undecorated bedroom. Ahhhhh, the horror!

Not for much longer. Over the last few months, our embarrassing bedroom has undergone a slow transformation. First we swapped mismatched dressers for a pair with gorgeous Regency styling. Then I painted the dingy walls with Behr's soothing "Misty Morn" (a big step for a girl who's a bit color-shy).

I removed clunky shuttered closet doors and bent-up old window blinds and upgraded to simple bronze curtain rods. Menswear-patterned drapery panels accessorized with gold clip rings will add texture and give our low-ceilinged hovel the impression of height. I'm considering a coat of blue paint on the ceiling to add to this illusion.

There isn't much wall space to work with, but I'd like to frame and hang our print of a vintage skull illustration. My vanity will get a chic new mirror as soon as budget allows.

But first, we can't ignore the biggest thing in our tiny room: the bed. And this is where I need your input. Is this fabulous, or is Adam's first wife actually crazy?

We'll be using a gift card to purchase the stripe sheet set in feather gray from West Elm, which is both affordable and practical. I'd originally thought that I'd want to top the bed with a plain gray duvet, but then... I fell in love with the Heirloom Rose comforter cover and shams from Garnet Hill. I'm mad about the combination of stripes and oversized floral. The gender-neutral color palette prevents the roses and ruffles from getting overly romantic, and the mix of pattern and scale is so bold. 

Am I this bold? Can I commit to this look without being committed? I'm 99% sure that I can, but I want your opinions!

Pinterest Escapism

It seems like everyone I know is jetting out for a glamorous summer holiday on the coast of somewhere far away. Not I. Luckily I have Pinterest for a daily visual vacation. These pins popped up right next to each other last night- and it was like taking a trip to Mediterranean without having to calculate currency exchange rates. 

Images: Brian Ferry found via Pinterest, Blogged here found via Pinterest

Products: Necklace from Karma Loop via Pinterest, Bags from Beklina via Pinterest, Scarves from Method Home via Pinterest

Quite a departure from my usual style, but these cool colors could tempt even the palest little blogger out of her daytime pajamas and into something breezily bohemian. After all, that zig-zagged bag looks plenty big for a laptop, and I'm sure they have wifi by the pool.

Are you on Pinterest yet?

Girl Around Town: Side

What was it that lured me into Side, an up-cycled furniture boutique on Berkeley's San Pablo Avenue... could it have been a glimmer of aqua blue, or perhaps the enticing aroma of fresh paint? 

The Side business card bears the Sister Parish quote, "innovation is often the ability to reach into the past and bring back what is good, what is beautiful, what is useful, what is lasting." Apt, because that's precisely what owner Carolyn Pickell is doing. While so many contrive to make new furniture appear old, Side celebrates vintage furnishings made young. The tiny shop features an ever-changing assortment of meticulously refinished antiques wearing unexpected paint colors and clever detailing (even pinstripes!). Every surface is laden with treasures, natural curiosities mingling with gilded accessories.

Side has the eclectic aesthetic of a flea market- refined, edited, and styled flawlessly. It's a new Bay Area favorite!

Saturated in Blue

Last week I left the house with $5.00 in my pocket and the intention of treating myself to something caffeinated and sweet. I got as far as the flower stand, forgot all about Peet's, and came home with a bundle of vibrant blue anemones. The color woke me up in a way that coffee never could!

Indigo is an approachable bright for the color shy (like me!). With a neutral ground, a spark of brilliant blue instantly brightens- and that's just what my living room needs. My limited palette of black and white, soft greige and natural green was peaceful in the Winter months, but looks dull in the Spring light. As these rooms show, all it takes is a touch of blue to recharge and revive.

Image Source Unknown, Solar Stamp Knob from Anthropologie

Sara Ruffin Costello's Dining Room from Domino, via Design*Sponge

A little shock could bring my decor back to life- a stack of blue books, a new pillow, a collection cobalt glass, certainly another cluster of anemones! While I hesitate to drape my apartment in blue, I'm certainly bold enough to rock a blue frock...

Blue Dress, Paris by The Sartorialist
Detail from Marimekko Samovaari Surf Bedding Collection at Crate &Barrel

What colors are you craving this season?

Blue Mood

No, not sad- I'm quite happily immersing myself in all the colors of the Northwest, especially the chilly blue of the Puget Sound.

 I wake up in this gray and blue bedroom, just the shades of the waves outside my window. 

(Doesn't my Mother have lovely taste? I'm tempted to make this a permanent vacation...)

These pale periwinkle hydrangeas were begging to be photographed in downtown Edmonds.

So much prettiness, and it's so nice to be home.

I promise I won't let the blog get too quiet,

Elizabeth

Dare to Dream: Mastering the Bedroom

As confident as I am in my abilities in the kitchen and home office, I can't seem to make it work in the bedroom. Decorating, I mean. 

My bedroom, instead of being my sanctuary, is always the door I shut when I have company over. It's embarrassing! Overflowing laundry, rumply faded sheets, and a bed made of toothpicks (sorry Hemnes, but I'm starting to lose some sleep over your creaking).

Image Courtesy of Paul Joseph Hopper

I've been admiring this bedroom- isn't there something ethereal about the contrast between decadent bedding and bare walls? I can imagine drifting off to sleep under those layers of ruffles, and waking up refreshed in the glow of sunlight. Someday!

Do you have a room you've left until last?

Things You Never Knew You Were Looking For...

Some of you may wonder, "how does she do it? How does ShockTheBourgeois reach into the black depths of Craig's List and, week after week, find a gleaming gem??"

Truth is, there isn't much magic to it... just a little method.

When I'm looking for something specific, I don't waste time wading through the mire of really, really gross furniture, but I also don't limit my search to the point where I'm missing things in the periphery. The key is thinking like a decor thesaurus. If I want an armoire, I'll search for that. I'll also run a search for a wardrobe, a chifferobe, a chiffonier, a closet, and a cabinet. I never limit my searches by price or location- because the seller of that $1,000 sofa could be so %*@#ing sick of it that they'll sell it to me for $150 and drop it off at my doorstep. You never know.

Of course, when I'm not looking for something specific, and I have, say, 15 minutes with no immediate obligations... woohoo, the rules are out the door! Using stream of consciousness search terms is like writing Dada poetry: sometimes you get gibberish, sometimes you get enlightened. (Uh-oh, is my English major showing?)

I pulled three random adjectives out a hat, and voila- poetry.

...Blue...

Feeling all kinds of blue: a sweet vintage floral framed in gold bamboo ($60.00), or an antique Romanian sideboard that I am totally dying to possess (but can't afford for $575.00).

...$40...

For the $40.00 burning a hole in your pocket: a vibrantly green mantle (that would kick ass in my bedroom with a new coat of gray paint... hmmm), an empty antique mirror, or a chartreuse bistro table.

...Industrial...

Perfect for that factory loft vibe: a rusty metal stool ($80.00), a stainless display cabinet circa 1969 ($1,675.00), or a pair of sculptural oxen yokes ($66.00- $74.00).

Recipe for a Cheerful Bedroom

Adam and I briefly entertained the idea of moving (again).  Our list of grievances with our current apartment had grown enough that we thought there had to be something better out there.  We thought, "wouldn't it be pleasant to live in an apartment building, free from the nosy neighbor and the poor plumbing/heating/walls/carpet/you-name-it of this old house?"

We discovered that dropping an additional $400 per month would certainly get us privacy, water pressure, and, woo-hoo: an exercise facility... but we'd also lose the charm that our little bungalow has to offer.  In fact, in some cases, we would even lose (*gasp*) WINDOWS.  

I imagine that many renters are faced with the challenge of bringing life into their dreary shoebox bedrooms.  So, here's how I'd battle the bland (for under $1,000):

1 An Art-Deco Waterfall Nightstand is a classic that blends antiques and contemporary furnishings.  Who could resist those curves, especially at $40?

9 + 2 An $129 Almost-Matching Armoire maintains stylistic consistency in a small room, and provides much-needed storage for those of us with pitifully small closets.  A Fun, Swirly Knob for $6.95 is icing on the cake.

3 This $80 Blue Glass Lamp is glowing with personality.

4 + 12 A Huge Mirror with a gleaming gold frame will make your room feel ten times bigger and brighter for a mere $125.  Add a $20 Ikea Lack Shelf to create a vanity station if you don't have room for a desk.

5 A bold Ikat Throw Pillow is a great way to establish a color scheme and nod to a design trend... without breaking the bank at $24.95.

6 Luxurious & Shimmery Silk Drapes work even if you don't have a window.  Place them around your mirror to mimic a window, or use them to cover up a dreadful sliding door closet.  Impressively rich for $40, eh?

7 This Furry Rug should be the first thing your feet touch in the morning.  $75.  Ahhhhhh.

8 $40 for possibly the Cutest Vanity Stool ever?

10 A $5 Blue Glass Dish is a perfect catch-all for jewelry and change- and it matches that amazing lamp.

11 I'm a Craig's List devotee, but not for linens.  I love how these Pottery Barn Sheets ($89 for the set) mimic the gold circles of the armoire knob and vanity stool- and they're basic enough to mix and match.  

13 Invest $260 in a Brass Bed Frame- it's a better bet than Ikea for a comparable price.  Metallic and linear, it's a great counterpoint to the curves of the waterfall nightstand and armoire.

How does it all come together? How's this:

P.S. Erm, let's try to ignore the general shoddiness of this illustration.  Design sketch + Glass of water + OH-MY-GAWD = Well, we all learn from our mistakes.

Curious about this project?  Learn more in my Mission Statement...