The Finds / Znaleziska

I can’t believe how many great products and designs I’ve seen on my last trip to Poland. The interior design market is changing there rapidly, and there aren’t that many new trends that you can’t find there now; even better – most of them are available at high street retailers, making great design available for many!

But before we go into the New, first let us talk about the Old. First, a find stil bought in the UK, but which I envisage to place in the yellow bedroom I was describing some time ago. For now to keep you in suspense – still in packaging, you will see the final effect when all is ready! This vintage glamour / shabby chic mirror frame cost peanuts and is absolutely amazing; I found it on iBootSale and picked up the next day. As it turned out, it was too big even for my mutant-huge suitcase, so had to ship with DHL. But it was worth it, the new owners are thrilled to have it!

Vintage glamour / shabby chic ornamental mirror frame

As we’re with vintage, when we visited my in-laws, I was in heaven. Here are some more finds. First, the sideboards, etc that my husband’s grandfather hand made some years ago (he was even taking carpenter order for those for local people, and funnily enough I saw a very similar one in some other garage when cycling through the village):

I’m planning to sand it, paint in a delicate pastel colour, add a few embellishments and generally keep it shabby chic / country. Whether for me or someone else – I don’t know yet!

Handmade vintage sideboard by my husband's grandfather

This is another beauty, with more bite to it and gorgeous handles… there is also a sideboard top in another shed but in much worse condition – still there is a chance 🙂

Handmade vintage sideboard by my husband's grandfather

Loads of those around as well… I’ve seen some very nice decors of country kitchens with stove door as a decoration on the wall:

Vintage stove door

…and finally our finds from a nearby house that is being refurbished – a vintage double shelf and an old radio which I am thinking about converting into a night stand. They were just being thrown away so hopefully they will get a second chance 🙂

Vintage find - old double shelf

Vintage find - old radio frame

And now last truly vintage items. Not obviously planning to do that, and with ideas ranging from ghost chairs to mismatched vintage, we bought 8 chairs 🙂 When we first got into this antique shop, we just came in to browse, and then we came across the two beauties:

…the raspberry-peach louis-style chairs,  eight

Raspberry Louis style glamour chair

…and the black and golden stylized chairs (19th c. Art Noveau style),  six

Black and golden 19th century Art Noveau style chairs

I couldn’t decide which ones are better. The raspberry ones worked well with my idea, and I even considered such chairs (with different upholstery); they are also much easier to fit with many styles; glamour, eclectic, shabby chic, etc. The black ones, though, were absolutely original and different to what you normally find, but would not suit our space as they would really require it to be much more upscale than we planned for.

But we couldn’t decide, as both sets were gorgeous. We also had to think through whether they really will work well, how much they will influence other design elements in the house, even what are we going to do with this number of chairs 🙂 At some point we wanted to get both sets, as the black ones were dirt cheap. Having slept over the night dreaming about them, we took a decision – we go again and we buy one set that will work best.

Raspberry Louis style glamour chair

At closer inspection, it turned out that the black chairs were very uncomfortable – what looked as well-formed foam was in fact a nicely shaped plank, or some other piece of wood, and the seats were darn hard. Also, the paint was peeling off at the teeniest touch, and someone actually painted (probably with  spray) over part of the fabric at the back. There were a few other elements we didn’t like either.

Generally unhappy about the quality, we turned to the raspberry set. Gosh, that was comfortable 🙂 Very soft, stable, and sturdy in construction; after being told the shop can pressure-clean them, and having got a super-discount, decision was taken and they are OURS! Of course they need re-upholstering and a new coat of finish (and maybe crystal buttons?), but after cleaning they can even serve as they are for the time-being (meaning: when they are in the shed waiting until we move back to Poland, but no one knows when!).

Raspberry Louis style glamour chair

Their versatility will allow me also to use one for a work desk, and another two can work very well with some retro or modern couch.

My mother-in-law even suggested some fabrics for upholstery from her own collection:

Golden and cream upholstery for the chairs

OK! Enough of vintage, I will show you what I found in shops next time 🙂

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Az mi trudno uwierzyc ile przepieknych i oryginalnych produktow i projektow znalazlam w czasie mojego ostatniego pobytu w polsce. Rynek wnetrzarski i projektowania wnetrz naprawde jest teraz ciekawy, i niewiele zostalo jeszcze designow ktorych w Polsce nie mozna teraz znalezc. Co lepsze  – dostepne sa w zwyklych sklepach,  nie u drogich importerow, dzieki czemu dostep do nich ma w koncu wiele osob.

Ale zanim o nowosciach, troche o starociach.  Najpierw przepiekna stara rama, na skrzyzowaniu glamour i shabby chic, ktora planuje powiesic w zoltej sypialni o ktorej kiedys pisalam. Znalazlam ja za grosze na iBootSale i odebralam nastepnego dnia. Niestety okazala sie za duza nawet na moja gigantycznie zmutowana walize, wiec poleciala do Polski DHLem. Ale bylo warto – rama bardzo spodobala sie nowym wlascicielom!

Juz w Polsce najpierw odwiedzilismy tesciow. Moja radocha nie miala konca gdy zajrzalam do stodoly, obory, i innych skrytek. Znalazlam na przyklad dwa przepiekne kredensy / komody zrobione wlasnorecznie przez dziadka mojego meza (robil je tak dobrze ze nawet przyjmowal zamowienia od okolicznych mieszkancow, i faktycznie – rowerujac sobie przez wioske znalazlam w innym garazu bardzo podobny kredens!).

Z kremowa lub pastelowa farba i krysztalowymi galkami beda przepiekne 🙂 (choc ta mniejsza komoda sama z siebie ma piekne raczki wiec moze zostana). Jeszcze nie wiem czy znajda miejsce u mnie (w koncu 59m2 ma swoj limit!) czy jednak u kogos innego…

Mnostwo jest takze drzwiczek od starych piecow kaflowych, ktore pieknie moznaby wkomponowac w kuchnie wiejska.

…a na spacerze kilka domow dalej trwal remont, gdzie wsrod wyrzuconych smieci znalazlam piekna podwojna polke i rame starego radia (ktora byc moze stanie sie stolikiem nocnym). Cuda nad cudami 🙂

No i w koncu – ‘niechcacy’ kupilismy krzesla 🙂 no nie moglismy sie oprzec. Zastanawialismy sie nad dwoma zestawami – malinowo- brzoskwiniowymi Ludwikami, oraz czarno-zlotymi z przelomu XIX/XX wieku, w stylu secesyjnym. Przyznaje ze bardziej za serce w pierwszym momencie chwycily secesyjne, choc od razu wywietrzylam problem. Te krzesla mocno narzucaja swoj styl, ktory jest duzo bardziej elegancki niz planowalismy. Z kolei ludwiki jak to ludwiki – pasuja do wielu wnetrz (eklektyczne, glamour, shabby chic, i inne), wygladaja dobrze nawet z nowoczesnymi (szklo, plastik itd)…

…przespalismy sie z problemem, w pewnym momencie nawet uznajac ze moze kupimy oba zestawy. No ale przy drugim obejrzeniu okazalo sie ze jakosciowo te czarne nie sa najlepsze… i mocno niewygodne. Oczywiscie byloby to do zmiany ale juz nas tak nie zachwycaly jak dzien wczesniej. Malinowe (choc siedzenia bardziej w brzoskwinke wpadaja) ludwiczki za to jak najbardziej wygodne, i nawet sprzedawca dorzucil profesjonalne pranie zeby troche ich jeszcze pouzywac tak jak sa. No i je wzielismy 🙂

I tak przyda im sie nowa tapicerka z pelniejszym wypelnieniem, krysztalowe guziczki (moze) i nowy lakier, ale poniewaz na razie i tak stoja w schowku czekajac na lepsze czasy czyli nasz powrot do PL (kiedy? kiedy??…) to moga byc 🙂 Planuje jednego uzyc do biurka, i sa odpowiednio ozdobne by pasowac tez przy retro czy nowoczesnej kanapie. Kochana tesciowka odlozyla juz nawet material ktorego moglabym uzyc na obicie i inne dodatki, ale to juz zalezne bedzie od ostatecznej koncepcji. Juz sie nie moge doczekac!

No! To tyle tego vintage. W nastepnym poscie przechodzimy do nowosci jakie znalazlam 🙂

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Color without the paint / Kolor bez malowania

Here are some interesting blogs and posts about using color in interiors without paint. I love it cause it’s simply my latest flick – the white walls, that is. This is especially useful also for those renting out their flats and houses, as you usually cannot paint the walls.

Bo concept for 2010 by AphroChic

Decanters from Designalogue

…and now to my favorite… the living room by Lizzie Chambers. I love, love, LOVE! Why?

• First – Barcelona chair and ottoman, can any space look wrong with it?? The table is also on my wish list for a long time now.
• Second – soo my palette. All white with accents of bold color.
• Third – the place is tiny! And yet cosy, and comfortable. This layout would actually work perfect with my tiny living room, the long wall substituted for my balcony wall… yes, yes, I can see that!

To see more of her spaces, see her portfolio.

Living room by Lizzie Chambers, found on MadeByGirl

(click on each image for further ideas)

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Kontynuujac moje ostatnie zakochanie w bialych scianach, przedstawiam kilka blogow i postow o wnetrzach w ktorych kolor jest wprowadzany bez uzycia farby. Jest to doskonale rozwiazanie rowniez dla tych ktorzy swoje mieszkanie wynajmuja, gdyz wiadomo – takich scian czesto malowac nie mozna.

Jako ostatnie przestawiam moje ulubione wnetrze zaprojektowane przez Lizzie Chambers – jest idealne pod kilkoma wzgledami:

• Fotel i podnozek Barcelona. Czy jakiekolwiek wnetrze moze zle wygladac gdy takie cudo w nim stoi 🙂 Stolik kawowy tez od dawna jest na mojej liscie zakupow.
• Biale sciany + akcenty koloru to, jak juz wspominalam, moj wymarzony schemat (przynajmniej na jakis czas).
• No i to jest bardzo male wnetrze! A mimo to wyglada na bardzo przyjemne i wygodne. Ten uklad jest praktycznie idealny do mojego mini saloniku (przy czym glowna sciana u mnie stanowic bedzie sciane balkonowa).

Po wiecej pomyslow, kliknij w kazde zdjecie.

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Free color palette generator / Darmowy generator palety kolorystycznej

Another useful and free software:

HA! How super-cool! This free color palette generator shows you all colors that constitute any image you upload to it – so that if any image inspires you, you know exactly what these colors are and you can use them in decorating 🙂

See sample:

Color palette generator sample

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Od razu po znalezieniu przybieglam podzielic sie nowoscia – znalazlam darmowy generator palety kolorystycznej – z dowolnego zdjecia! Po prostu wrzuc obrazek (albo wpisz jego URL) a program automatycznie wygeneruje palete, ktora mozesz wykorzystac do dekoracji wlasnego wnetrza 🙂

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First draft of the pink bedroom / Pierwsza probka rozowej sypialni

Three posts ago I let you know that I am about to design a bedroom for a 20-year old, with one constant: pink walls with purple accent. I know also what pieces of furniture Alex has and needs to keep and what else she’d like to see.

Important note: This is an attic room. This software does not support slanted walls, though, therefore I only had to assume it in my calculations… the slanted wall is the one on the left of the rendering (where the bed is), not shown. Try to imagine that if it did show, it would finish around 10-20cm from the window.This is why I have not put any wardrobe etc there – as there simply is no space 🙂

Here is the first sample of what I am thinking of:

Alex's bedroom with Fornasetti wallpaper

In this version, I tried to downplay the pinky aspect of the room by glueing the Fornasetti – themed wallpaper on the wall opposite entrance to the room. This way the first impression is of a striking design, and the pink is very much in the background. Since the wallpaper has such muting tremendous effect, I allowed myself to bring pink out again with a few accessories.

I have chosen white as the classic color that goes well with pink; this, paired with crystal wardrobe knobs and stylized chaise strenghtens the room’s femininity.

Here are the potentially contentious items:

• white furniture; the set at hand is light wood, so either needs repaining (recommended) or can stay as is, but this will downplay the room from the delicate glamour to a more contemporary look. Handles ideally would be changed to crystal in this version too.
• chaise longue; more expensive than an armchair and also blocks direct access to the window. However, it complements the look beautifully and gives it a relaxed and luxury feel. Will try to use an armchair in the next one, though.

All comments welcome.

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Trzy posty temu napisalam ze zaczynam wlasnie prace nad projektem sypialni 20-latki. Pokoj ma rozowe sciany z fioletowym akcentem pod skosem. Wiem juz tez jakie meble sa dostepne, i co ma sie w pokoju znalezc.

Uwaga: jest to pokoj na poddaszu, ale niestety program ktorego teraz uzywam, MyDeco, nie pozwala na skosy. W efekcie musialam ten skos widziec po prostu w glowie, ale juz mowie – skosna powinna byc sciana po ‘lewej’ ktorej nie widac na zdjeciu (ta przy ktorej stoi lozko). Gdyby ta sciana tam byla, skos konczylby sie 10-20cm przy oknie, czyli nie da tam sie nic wysokiego postac (w razie gdybyscie sie zastanawiali).

U gory znajduje sie pierwsza probka. W tej wersji staralam sie zminimalizowac wplyw rozu na pokoj, przykrywajac sciane tuz naprzeciw wejscia wzorzysta szara tapeta z wzorem Fornasetti – dzieki temu, ta sciana przyciaga wzrok tuz od wejscia, odsuwajac roz na drugi plan. Tapeta ta jest w tym zadaniu tak efektywna, ze pozwolilam sobie znow wyciagnac rozowy na wierzch dzieki akcentom, jak poduszki.

Pokoj dopelniony jest bialym; dzieki temu, a takze krysztalowym galkom w szafie i stylizowanym szezlongu, pokoj pozostaje bardzo kobiecy.

A teraz punkty potencjalnie sporne:

• biale meble – w tej chwili meble Oli sa jasno drewniane. Proponuje przemalowanie ich na bialo dla uzyskania odpowiedniego efektu, jednak moga pozostac tez takie jakie sa – wtedy niestety stracimy troche ‘glamour’ na rzecz prostszego wnetrza. Krysztalowe galki dalej na liscie zakupow!
• szezlong – wady: drozszy oraz troszke blokuje dostep do okna. Jednakze jest tak stylowy i wygodny i dopasowany do ogolnego wystroju, wprowadzajac element luksusu, ze naprawde szkoda byloby z niego rezygnowac. Jednak uzyje takze foteli do innych probek.

Komentarze wszelkiego rodzaju mile widziane.

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Living white / Mieszkac na bialo

“I’ve noticed that you prefer white recently” wrote my Mum through IM a few days ago. Do I? I guess I do. Although I’m ashamed to admit it, it took me some time to acknowledge white as a color. I’ve always loved bold colors (even though my red bedroom was giving me headaches during my uni years). With time, however, perhaps the more interiors I’ve seen, the more I’ve learned how colors dramatically influence how we perceive everything around us.

1. White is a great background to both statement pieces of art, and bold color accents. If you want to display a treasured painting, a gorgeous chair or any other item – what better background than white?? (unless the item is white 🙂 )
2. White works for everyone. It makes interiors seem timeless, elegant, fresh. It’s exactly why we call it the blank canvas – everyone can imagine themselves in the space, even if to decide what other colors to use. It’s easy on our imagination, bluntly speaking.
3. White works with every style. Normally we’d think – minimalist. But think also – modern; think shabby chic; French country, Scandinavian, etc, etc. Even think retro! (as a background to graphic designs)
4. But most importantly, white = space. They are almost synonyms.  It will always create this feeling of spaciuosness, so desired in small places.

And yet, surprisingly, white seems to be used more in big spaces rather than small flats. I’ve realized it when looking through my inspirations collections to choose images for today’s post. All the post-industrial, ex-school buldings, lofts, barn conversions and quite a number of old big mansions boast the white interiors. So why not small flats? (And yes I know I admit my kitchen is green and my bathroom orange! I’m not saying everything needs to be white 🙂 )

Anyway here are some not-so-big-or-expensive places that I hope will inspire everyone to the gorgeous white…

• …workspaces at home

Desire to Inspire - White workspace

Design Sponge - customized workspace

• …calm and relaxing bedrooms

Kikette's white bedroom

Decor pad's glamour bedroom with mirrored end tables

Melanie Acevedo's simple and light bedroom

Charlie's design diary's simple white bedroom

• …and chic and spacious living rooms

Styleroom's white living room

I like design's living room

Steven Shadley's gallery-style living room from Katiedid

Freshhome's minimalist living room with fireplace

So? I’m sure you have at least one white room. Will you look at it differently now?

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“Widze, ze ostatnio preferujesz biel“, Mama napisala do mnie na GG kilka dni temu. Coz, chyba ma racje. To prawda, dlugo mi zajelo zanim uznalam bialy za kolor. Zawsze uwielbialam mocne kolory, mimo ze ze moja czerwona sypialnia z czasow studenckich przyprawiala mnie kiedys o bol glowy. Ale z czasem, ogladajac coraz wiecej wnetrz, nauczylam sie jak wielki wplyw maja na nas kolory wszystkiego co nas otacza.

1. Bialy to doskonale tlo zarowno dla wyrazistych dziel sztuki, jak i mocnych akcentow kolorystycznych. Jezeli chcesz wyeksponowac ulubiony obraz czy wyjatkowy fotel – nie ma lepszego tla (no chyba ze obiekt tez jest bialy 🙂 )
2. Bialy pasuje wszystkim i do wszystkiego. Sprawia ze wnetrza staja sie ponadczasowe, eleganckie i swieze. Wlasnie dlatego mowimy – biala karta, czyste tlo, poczatek; kazdy moze sie w takim wnetrzu ‘zobaczyc’, nawet po to by zdecydowac na jakie kolory ten bialy wymienic. Jest to kolor przyjazny wyobrazji, ze tak powiem.
3. Bialy pasuje do kazdego stylu. Pierwsze skojarzenie – minimalizm. Ale takze nowoczesny, shabby chic, francuski, skandynawski, itd, itp.. nawet retro, jako kontrastowa podstawa do mocnych wzorow.
4. Co najwazniejsze,  biel = przestrzen. To prawieze synonimy. Biel zawsze doda poczucia przestronnosci, tak potrzebnej w malych wnetrzach.

A jednak, co zadziwiajace, wydaje sie ze biel jest duzo czesniej uzywana w wielkich przestrzeniach niz malych. Zwrocilam na to uwage przegladajac moje kolekcje inspiracji, gdy wybieralam zdjecia na dzis. Wszystkie te post-industrialne, po-szkolne obiekty, lofty, i inne wielkie budynki wrecz chlubia sie biela i przestrzenia. Czemu wiec nie male mieszkania? (Tak, wiem, moja kuchnia jest zielona a mini-lazienka pomaranczowa, nigdzie nie powiedzialam ze wszystko musi byc biale ale jednak…)

Tak czy inaczej, powyzej przedstawiam kilka wnetrz ktore mam nadzieje ze Was zainspiruja – domowe biura, sypialnie i salony. Prawie kazdy z nas ma choc jeden bialy pokoj – czy spojrzysz teraz na niego inaczej?

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Coastal living, czyli inspiracje morzem

Ah… coast! Ah…  sea, ocean, lakes and rivers! But how many of us can have a view like that?

Harmony And Home Beach house dining room

With such exterior, it really does not take much to create a wow factor inside the house, as the outside is the main decoration.

However, even if you don’t live by the beach (and you probably don’t), there is anyway nothing to stop you from replicating that coastal look, bringing the feelings of ambience, relaxation, comfort and serenity. I have chosen a few images of beautiful interiors which you can achieve without this amazing view or huge windows. Get inspired with soothing cool color palette, clean spaces and comfortable lounge seating.

…bring light and subtlety to your bedroom:

The Heart of the Sea Home bedroom

Harmony and Home bedroom

Visual Vamp bedroom

A Room Somewhere bedroom

…interesting twist to your hall:

Harmony and Home hall

…add a theme to your living room to liven it up:

Decor Medley boat room

One of the reappearing elements of coastal design is the wood panelling. Some of us actually have it in older homes we buy (and actually my parents did in the place they sold just last year), so why not paint it white with this gorgeous effect?

Marley and Lockyer living room

…how about a funny and inspiring kid’s bedroom?

Betib's kid's room

…the most obvious place – the bathroom:

M jak mieszkanie bathroom

Room Envy bathroom

… and don’t be afraid to accessorize!

A Life's Design coastal accessories

The Heart of the Sea Home accessories

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Na dzis proponuje styl morski. Co prawda nie kazdy moze pozwolic sobie na widok taki jak na pierwszym zdjeciu, jednak nie stoi to na przeszkodzie by ten styl wprowadzic i do naszych domow. Charakteryzuje sie on lekkoscia, delikatnoscia, swiezoscia chlodnych kolorow, a takze wprowadza nastrojowy i zrelaksowany klimat. Styl ten mozna osiagnac nie tylko dzieki chlodnemu schematowi kolorystycznemu (blekit, biel, zielen), ale takze poprzez roznorodne akcesoria, kluczowe dla tego stylu, czyli nawiazujace do wody i natury.

Ten wdzieczny styl mozna zastosowac praktycznie w kazdym pomieszczeniu – sypialni, salonie, holu, czy pokoju dzieciecym. Najnaturalniejszym miejscem jest oczywiscie lazienka.

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‘My Deco’ free interior design software / Darmowy program do projektowania wnetrz

I have started playing with a really cool  and free interior design software – My deco. It allows for creation of a moodboard – either from uploaded images, or from the existing galleries, or even from websites by installing a plugin allowing to copy any image you see in the Internet to your gallery. Then you can share your moodboard with others.

However, what’s really great is the Design a 3D room interior design software. Not only has it a gallery of real items, so that you create more realistic spaces; you even are given all the information on the shop, price and can actually buy the item straight from the program. While you probably won’t do it too often, the advantage it gives is that the price list of the whole room is generated when the room is ready.

Finally, the absolute best is the free rendering this program offers! You have to wait a few hours, sometimes even a day or two (probably due to demand), but the result is really realistic for free software! And you don’t need to know anything about that – rendering is automatic.

And now to…

My FIRST project!

…just as well I found it as I needed to quickly design a bedroom. Some details: walls of these energetic 40-something year-olds’ bedroom are already of creamy yellow color, so color scheme and accessories needed to be chosen around that. I prepared two versions to match the homeowners’ personalities:

• a glamour – style inspired version with stylized mirrors and lamps, and ornamental wallpaper;
• and a more contemporary one, with simpler shapes and striped wallpaper.

Naturally these are still drafts to be consulted for a more final look.

Please remember that I just started using it and am only getting to know the program’s possibilities; I thought, however, that I’ll share with you those first samples, mixing both styles (as it is yet unclear which one will be preferred).

Before the rendering, in the editing mode, you can get images like this:

Bedroom visualisation - draft

After the rendering, you get images like this:

Bedroom visualization render 1 - mixed influences with wall sticker

Bedroom visualization render 2 - contemporary with a touch of retro

Bedroom visualization render 3 - glamour inspired

Bedroom visualization render 4 - glamour inspired

Bedroom visualization render 5 - family photos

I will gladly read what you think about those drafts. Perhaps you have some complementing furnishings in mind? Or even a totally different idea in mind?
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Znalazlam również wczoraj bardzo przyjemny i darmowy program do projektowania i stylizacji wnetrz My deco. Mozna w nim na przyklad stworzyc moodboards – dosłownie ‘tablice nastrojów’. Zadaniem takiej tablicy jest zebranie inspiracji do danego pomieszczenia; skrawki materialow, zdjecia, kolory, podlogi, ale takze inspiracje w szerszym znaczeniu – np. zdjecie z ulubionych wakacji, do ktorego chcielibyscie by pokoj nawiazywal.  Stworzyc te tablice w programie mozna albo z gotowych elementow, albo wrzucic swoje zdjecia, lub tez nawet skopiowac dowolne zdjecie z internetu dzieki malemu pluginowi ktory mozna zainstalowac w przegladarce.

Jeszcze ciekawsza czesc programu to Design a 3D room czyli ‘zaprojektuj pokoj w 3D’. Co ciekawe, program wykorzystuje prawdziwe elementy wyposazenia dostarczone przez firmy i sklepy, co dodaje realnosci programowi. Te przedmioty mozna tez zakupic bezposrednio z programu. Mimo ze to pewnie bedzie rzadkie, przydaje sie opcja automatycznej wyceny calego pokoju lacznie z dodatkami.

Jednak najlepszy aspekt Design a 3D room to darmowy rendering (symulacja obiektow). Dzieki temu, wnetrza wygladaja duzo bardziej realistycznie. Co prawda na rendering wlasnego projektu trzeba poczekac od kilku godzin do 1-2 dni, to i tak jestem zaskoczona ze ta opcja dostepna jest w darmowym programie. Na obrazkach powyzej mozna zobaczyc jaka jest roznica miedzy podgladem w trybie edycji, a rysunkiem zrenderowanym!

Skoro juz jestem przy obrazkach, to chetnie wspomne…

Moj PIERWSZY projekt!

Obrazki te przedstawiaja pierwsze wersje sypialni ktora musialam dosc szybko zaprojektowac, i cale szczescie natknelam sie na ten program! Sypialnia nalezaca do energicznych czterdziestoparolatkow jest juz pomalowana na zolto, wiec musialam stworzyc schemat kolorystyczny i dobrac dodatki pasujace do tego koloru. W tworzeniu zainspirowaly mnie dwie wersje stylistyczne, pasujace do charakterow mieszkancow:

• glamour – stylizowane lampy, lustra, zdobne tapety;
• klasyczny / wspolczesny – z nutka dodatkow retro.

Oczywiscie obrazki powyzej to pierwsze probki; po konsultacji powstanie spojniejsza i pelniejsza wersja.

Z przyjemnoscia dowiem sie co myslicie na temat tych pierwszych probek! A moze macie jakies pomysly na dodatki?

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DIY IKEA, or how to make the standard – unique

I can’t believe what some people are able to do with some of IKEA classics. If you’re up to it, try this out; some of the projects aren’t that difficult (more time-consuming and nerve-racking) but SO amazing! All of them have been found on the IKEA hacker blog.

• Malma mirrors made into wall art

From this:

IKEA Malma mirror

To this:

Malma mirrors made into wall art

• (Broken) Emmabo rocking chair into stylish deck lounge chair

From this:

(Broken) IKEA Emmabo chair

To this:

Stylish Emmabo deck chairs

• Now this is really simple but so stylish! Lack / Vika Fintorp chic entry way / hall table

From this:

IKEA Lack wall shelf

To this:

Chic and sexy entry way table

• How ’bout this really simple but prettily customized set of Malm tables aka TV bench?

From this:

IKEA malm bedside table

To this:

Malm twin TV bench with grass 🙂

• And one for the arty types out there: A heavenly wall art / tree mural done with scrappings of IKEA fabrics:

From this:

IKEA fabric scrappings

To this:

Tree mural made from IKEA fabrics

• Finally, the best in my opinion: Retro FIRA jewelry cabinet …AND… a shabby chic bedside table
  

From this:

IKEA Fira mini chest of drawers

To this…

Fira retro jewelry cabinet

To this!! The Absolutely Gorgeous shabby chic bedside or side table is a smashing HIT! Congratulatins on imagination and craftiness!

Shabby chic Fira bedside table

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Interior design books

Another three books joined my interior design-themed collection yesterday, courtesy of T.K. Maxx (read: for much less than RRP):

1. The Colour Book: Use the Healing Power of Colour to Transform Your Life – by Lori Reid

A psychological take on the power of color in interiors and how to harness it to your advantage. Also, nice intro about colors in general (colors of light vs. pigment colors, etc.) and 12 color cards for conducting a personality test. For the interested, it discusses the energy of color and its healing influence on chakras.

The Colour Book: Use the Healing Power of Colour to Transform Your Life - by Lori Reid

2. At Home With Art [Illustrated] – by Tiddy Rowan

One of my ambition is to make art a natural element of interiors. Whether paintings by famous artists, or vintage posters, art beautifies and adds soul to any space. We face numerous problems when dealing with art, though – what to choose? How much to spend? How to hang it to its best advantage? But most importantly – no one wants to live in a gallery. How then do you get to be at ease with art, and make it manifest your personal taste? I hope this book will touch upon those questions and thus enrich my knowledge of art in interiors.

At Home With Art (Illustrated) - by Tiddy Rowan

3. Home: A Practical Style Guide – by Kerryn Harper

Giving overview of 10 interior design styles and asking questions about your preferences, the book aims to establish which one suits you best. To be honest, having looked through almost all of it, I had to glance back on the inside cover to make sure this book was published in this century. To be honest, not all of the photos work with my taste (especially the French chic and Scandinavian – I personally would have seen those chapters differently), but hey, the book aims at giving an overview, and it does (do not think it covers all the possibilities, though – far from that). The narrative is better, though, and some comments / tips are certainly valuable.

Home: A Practical Style Guide - by Kerryn Harper

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…so what exactly can you do with ex-police station?

I am always inspired by buildings that get their second life thanks to some ingenious new owners. This was the case with this ex-police station, transformed into a place where art and everyday life merge into one. I found it on one of my favourite home design websites, Apartment Therapy.

Now that’s a truly ecclectic space..

Police Precinct Conversion, San Francisco

Back in 1996, the architect Bruce Tomb heard about a 1950s dragnet-style police precinct coming up for public auction in San Francisco. At the time, Bruce’s brother, the artist David Tomb, and his wife, Susan Sweet, were living in New York, but hoping to come back to the Bay Area to start a family. Together they bought the building at auction—Willie Brown’s signature is right there on the deed—and Bruce redesigned the police station, envisioning a kind of compound with live/work spaces for both brothers’ families. The result of the two-year renovation is a gorgeous, light-filled space unlike any home we have seen before.

via Apartment Therapy San Francisco | House Tour: David and Susan’s Police Precinct Conversion San Francisco.

Police Precinct Conversion, San Francisco

Now, I understand their choice of wall colors is not the usual one, but hey, it’s not a usual house! And the yellowish walls seem to bring even more liveliness, light and this elusive spring feeling into the apartment.

…and what other chair in the right corner but the lovely Barcelona! On the left hand side another design classic, the Eames lounge chair.

Police Precinct Conversion, San Francisco

The feeling of springy freshness is further enhanced with omnipresent oversized windows, letting in extra amount of light without taking away the privacy of the residents.

Also, check out the large-scale birds paintings by one of the home-owners, David Tomb. If you like them, here is his website.

Police Precinct Conversion, San Francisco

Moving further inside, the retro bedroom with a vast but suprisingly well-matching collection of painings. What makes them look so well together? Well, if you can’t (or don’t want to) color-coordinate, then theme-coordinate- most of those paintings are portraits. Also, even though the tea-green walls and poppy-red Marimekko cushions are at first sight a striking match, the cushions’ bold design invites cheeky solutions like that. Also, if it wasn’t for the contrasting accent, the room could seem rather dull. Well done!

Police Precinct Conversion, San Francisco

…and whoa! Look at this small conservatory garden – what a view from the bedroom!

Police Precinct Conversion, San Francisco

This house, or the concept for this house, is one of my dreams. Big space, full of art, lively and bold. One day!…

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