my style

I have been a little consumed with home decorating blogs these days ... its really becoming a problem. The other night I came across a blog (through a blog through a blog ... you know how that goes) that had a "find your style" type of quiz. Its really fun - you should take it and tell me what your style is. My results were as follows:

YOU ARE A HOMECOMING QUEEN

Nothing - including budget - stops you from putting your
all into creating a dream home.
Your look is quintessentially feminine:
cool, pretty colors; layered patterns and textures; and flawless attention to every detail

You know ... I can't really argue with that assessment. It goes on to further break down your style by room, which is quite an interesting idea. In all fairness I did have to fudge on some of the questions since I don't currently live in on place (being a student kind of makes you a bit homeless) and they ask you questions like "what most reflects your current location and housing layout" and things like that that require me to project my future desires.

LIVING ROOM: You love to indulge the senses, pamper, and prettify
Sounds like me, I like lots of things ... out of control decoration with a lot going on

BEDROOM: Mix in max feel
Check and double check on this ... matchy matchy is not very personal ...
in fact I have been busy painting all sorts of fun random things for my apt. in Eugene!

DINNING ROOM: Your a maestro of minimalism, using carefully chosen ingredients
This the one that is odd ... minimalism in decorating style? hmmm ... yes with food

HOME OFFICE: Who says paying the bills can't be glamorous?
Glamorous is a great word for furniture

Like I said, I have been busy painting mix and matched items. The hard thing is that I realize all the fun things I buy and work on won't necessarily go together or work in the small apartment I will be sharing with a great girl next year. But I am starting to collect things for a house I hope to one day have (it will probably be small but a girl has got to dream, right?)

My collection includes the following (wish I would have taken before pictures ... but of course I did not):

two old window frames
one end of a horse head book end
an urn shaped lamp
one small and one big watercolor/ink drawing from Firenze)
a stone shield with a fleur de lis (the sign of Firenze) from Siena
a porcelain carp teapot without the lid
a wooden fleur de lis
an old shelf
a porcelain sea urchin bowl
multiple black and silver frames of various sizes

not to mention the stuff I have in Eugene already:

two white serving platters
one green serving platter
two small circular carved wood mirrors
one small rectangular carved wood mirror
three extra small gold carved wood frames
10 small square wooden mirrors
two silver geometric candlesticks

*** UPDATE ****

I wrote this before I moved back to Eugene ... and now that I have gotten hear and set up shop I have acquired a few things ... like a red retro "waterfall" style children's desk that I needed to remove a drawer (so that I could sit under it) and paint light blue and add glass drawer pulls too ... and a vintagy french country night stand ... they are both heaven! Pictures to come when I have internet (a week from today) installed at my house. Stay tuned!

survival mode has made me mute

I tend to gravitate towards news regarding socioeconomic and demographic subjects these days - topics that are really interesting to me. Culture, consumerism, citizenship, thoughts, actions, religion ... for those of you who read my blog (or at least used to read it before I went back to school and virtually barricaded myself in my room), you know these subjects intrigue me.

Although I am relatively young, I get a feeling that things use to be different. Now, I understand that nostalgia can be dangerous - there are some pretty ugly truths found in the past - but I still feel a sense of loss. Loss of values ... Loss of direction. Our culture no longer values things like saving, conserving, waiting, or sacrificing. I bring these up because they seem to plague my own behavior incessantly. I swear this rambling is going somewhere.

This is where the rambling is going: Another subject for another blog - "curbing my consumerism" or "sustainable living" (as in emotional, physical, spiritual, education, sustainability as well as the traditional sense of greening my life) - I will flesh these ideas out before the official start of the new year in order to take them on for better living in 2008.

I have been ill since Christmas Eve and coupled with the panic-feeling I have been living with since the beginning of Fall Term it has translated into a strange mood for me. I don't feel like blogging, sharing, reading, asking, or buying. I have been focused on picture hunting for my inspiration slideshow - think more design pictures like this, this, and this ... here are a few examples:

The transition of solid colors is pretty. The fun white chandelier looks great against the yellow.

Stripes and damask fabric (and my favorite free standing claw footed tub) = fabulous.

Check the square brick in the rounded fireplace ... love the contrast.

This is wallpaper on a fridge - love it.

I have also been doing lots of thinking ... thinking about self-improvement/reinvention/renovation/upgrade (whatever you want to call it) and how that can make me feel better. I have been hibernating, mostly trying to get better, but I think my sickness has just been a fortuitous event because I don't really want to be in the world right now ... what I mean is that I am evaluating and planning and not wanting to participate in real life just yet. It also helps (or doesn't depending on your point of view) that I have a dead-line for this behavior ... I have to jump back into life when I go back up to Oregon. Less than a week from today ... I need to start anew with me and with school. That is where the 2008 resolutions come in. More to be explored.

some ideas for the future

i don't necessarily like the exact execution of these ideas (color, location, texture) but I like the concepts ... gets the creativity going. These are all photos from domino magazine's design challenge:

This one is actually from a woman in utah - way to go peeps
(i don't know if she is actually a peep, but chances are good)!
I like the cut-outs all though the key is a bit much for me and
the color scheme is not my bag. But I like that I could use this
idea in a rented apt. I love swirly organic stuff.

I like the painting in this picture ... not the colors tho.

This is a super cool idea, although I would have no idea
what image I would actually paint on my wall. Its so dramatic tho!

my shelter from the storm ... in paisley

I thought that you might be wondering what my little room in Eugene looks like ... I tried to make it a nice place to cocoon myself in, you know - in anticipation of all that studying and all that rain. Its not much, but its my shelter from the storm. I have more things to add ... oh and keeping it clean is always a battle.

Enter my room - I put some cute Anthropology frames I bought a year or so ago
on some cute blue and green cards I got - so they would stand out ... I think it worked!

Up-close shot of the frames ... I love them! They are so very baroque (hehehe)

This was my first idea of a "wall hanging" - I wanted a picture wall like I had in DC ...
plus Kelly gave me three great photos of Europe in frames and I wanted to hang them!
I tried something, but it looked awful on my wall.

Instead ... I tried:
This is the far right hand corner of my little room.
It was bare, so I made a collage of green, blue, beige and some paisley/leafy cards I found.
I think it softens the room a bit and I like the way it turned out.

So my closet doors are TERRIBLE, AWFUL, HORRIBLE ...
so I applied some IKEA mirrors to them.

Don't mind the mess ... but this is my cute little bookshelf that
my loving mother put together for me.
A few baskets with green paisley inserts hold all the ugly stuff
and some of my books get to be displayed!
I have IKEA plants and vases of course ...
plus I made little "place mats" for my plants out of
those blue and green cards I used on my wall too.

Again, don't look at my mess ... look at my tree! I love it (IKEA again)!
This is my getting ready station (since there are
3 girls in this apartment with only 1 bathrrom ... I
have a few mirrors to make sure the make-up gets put on properly
(make-up?! who am I kidding ... I am a graduate student - hahahahaha)
PS - the top part folds down like a secretary's desk and I hide my printer
and school supplies in it - its soo NEAT!

the happiest place on earth - vintage

Kelly and I went to Disneyland the other day. It is always magical ... wouldn't expect anything less of the Magic Kingdom. On our way in under the bridge and onto Main Street, I always love to look at the posters they have up for the different lands and movies. Very retro, very vintage. I LOVE IT. Then, on the way out we stopped in some shops and I came across a bunch that you could purchase. Now, I couldn't justify buying any of them since I don't have a place for them (aka: a home), but I found them online to share ... love, love, love these posters.

Don't even know why this is tomorrowland ... but I want it.

Perfect for a little boys room!

Love the colors and the shapes in this one!

For a little boy again.


I love the drama of this one ... and the yellow background.

I think that the Haunted Mansion is the place
I would want to work if I worked at Disneyland ... I love the old Victorian house!


And last, but not least ... how can you not LOVE Small World?
Its old school - yes ... a little politically incorrect - yes ...
but it means well and has a great message.
Sad to say its in Fantasyland ... never really understood that one ...
however, we must remember that it was built before the internet.
I think the idea that the world is small is no longer a fantasy ...
ladies and gentleman, we have arrived (the world is now officially small!)

things I like today

I was thinking that I see a lot of things I like online - pictures of houses and home decorations mostly - and I often save them onto my computer. Then it came to me ... blogging about it can help me to keep track of it all. So, this again is for me.

These are wall decorations ... king and queen crown motifs ...
we know I like this for some reason I can't quite explain.

Stack o'luggage ... I like the different colors of the leathers and
the different depths of each piece.
PS Annie, I promise I had saved this picture before
you posted ... I am not copying you!

Its a bit difficult to see the details here, but the fireplace molding is
what I love love love. All the other details are just so so for me
(I also like large white urn and the sofa, just not in that color ... velvet and carved wood - yes!)

This chandelier is only $140! Can you believe it?!
Change the color of the shades and it can go in any room.

I LOVE paisley. It is on my bed right now.
And so I love this wall paper ... just NOT here. Too busy and crazy.
But it could work somewhere else.

The Claudia bed from pottery barn has been on my list for a few years. I can't quite justify buying it since I have been moving every year for the past three years. It is hard to see here and the country style is not exactly what I have in mind ... but I LOVE the finials ... they are vintage inspired glass door knobs! So fun.

I also enjoy the whole carved wood headboard. Love carved wood.


I totally dig the upholstered headboard as well. This shiny color is fun and really bold. Not sure I would actually use this in a room of my own - but it does get the ideas going.

I heart claw-footed tubs ... they are so dramatic and beautiful!
(But I hate this tile pattern in the back)

This cluttered picture was chosen because of the various chairs used. The white chair in the back - fabulous! The brown leather chairs to the left also great.

*most pictures from domino.com

This One's For Me (sorry if its a yawn to you)

I dedicate this post to myself ... my future home owning self. Now I know that home ownership is a long way off, but its always good to have goals. Goals that entail determining what type of furniture you would like to one day buy. Now you know that I definitely have my priorities straight in life. Anyway -

I have this thing for upholstered furniture. I love the fabrics and styles they can come in - there is so much room to make these pieces your own! I also love the antique brass upholstery tacks on the sides! The details are awesome. I really like this chair, but its white silk (so not practical) and it might not be that comfortable (no arms ... hmm):

In which case I could also go for something like these chairs below (there is a matching couch as well). These are French Art Deco but you can find something similar from Pottery Barn - alas, both options are much too expensive for me.
Or these chairs would work ... I love the tanned brown leather.

Oh - this chair is HEAVEN (why are all these chairs light fabrics ??) I LOVE the quilted look and how low it is to the ground. So pretty.

Or how about a dark wood dinning room table (with turned legs of course - my favorite) surrounded by six of these babies (re-upholstered in some delightful fabric). I hate when dinning chairs are uncomfortable and these would be so nice!

And don't even get me started on looking for chandeliers ... I don't just want one in my dinning room - I want one in my Master bedroom OR my Master bathroom (not both - just one depending on my house one day) as well! In fact, I would consider forgoing the dinning room chandelier for one in my Master suite. Silly - this I know. But a girl has got to dream big while she is still single and before she has a man in her life to crush all her dreams of a frilly and romantic bedroom!

Pineapple Welcome

Capitol Hill
Washington, DC

Beacon Hill
Boston, Massachusetts

I always knew that the pineapple was a symbol of welcome and I found two great colonial examples of how early America influenced that. I love it! I would love to find an antique brass door ornament like these above and put it on my house one day! Check out what I learned:

"Today the pineapple is known as a universal symbol of hospitality and welcome. It suggests to all a sign of friendliness, warmth, cheer, and graciousness.

Since the 17th century, the pineapple has been a favorite fruit of the wealthy. In colonial America, families would set fresh pineapple on their tables when visitors joined them, and it would be served as a special dessert. This was the utmost symbol of welcome. Often, when visitors stayed the night, they would be given the bedroom with pineapples carved in the bedposts or headboard."

"It is hardly surprising that this communal symbol of friendship and hospitality also became a favorite motif of architects, artisans and craftsmen throughout the colonies. hey sculpted pineapples into door lintels; stenciled pineapples on walls and canvas mats; wove pineapples into tablecloths, napkins, carpets and draperies; and cast pineapples into metal hot plates. There were whole pineapples carved of wood; pineapples executed in the finest china kilns; pineapples painted onto the backs of chairs and tops of chests."