Archive for March, 2011
Wednesday, March 30th, 2011
I’m all about bold vibrant colors in the home. I love seeing quirky patterns, saturated paint colors and vintage items used throughout the home to achieve a real lived in and cheery space. There may be, however, some merit in the recent trend of neutral color schemes in the bedroom. The theory is that it creates light, a sense of space, and an overwhelming calmness in the room. Sometimes, if done right, it also adds oodles of romance, which is ALWAYS good when we’re talking about bedrooms.
I’ve collected some images of neutral color scheme bedrooms that really showcase the versatility of using these colors, not the limitations of using them. Behold, and be inspired!
Copyright © 2013 Home Instincts – All Rights Reserved
Tags: gray bedroom, neutral bedroom, neutral color scheme, white bedroom
Posted in Bedroom | No Comments »
Monday, March 28th, 2011
Lighting is the new patterned wallpaper. By just changing some fixtures you can add a boatload of pizazz to a space, often with minimal effort and money. Everything from metal colanders to glass jars to vintage doilies can be used to form some pretty “electric” lighting pendants.
{ click on the images below to view more information }
One of my favorite remodel/renovation blogs, RetroRenovation.com, recently featured several upcycled pendant options that are quirky, super fun and would really be a stunning focal point to a room.
The green jello mold pendants are AMAZING! I love the quirky 70′s vibe and simple graphic shape they have. The homey simplicity of these mason jar chandeliers, coupled with the modern way they’re hung is just divine.
The bright shining orb of doilies pendant is such a huge statement. I love the transparency of the texture, the size of the pendant and the obvious painstaking care in creating it. Again, homey yet modern.
Add a splash of graphic color and a bit of a pop art feel with an upcycled tin pendant. You could use vintage OR new containers, and still get that fun bright feeling. Try an old Christmas tin, or vintage oil can… the options are endless.
Copyright © 2013 Home Instincts – All Rights Reserved
Tags: doily pendant, interesting lighting pendant, jello mold pendant, mason jar pendant, recycled pendant, upcycled pendant, vintage cracker tin
Posted in Design, Home Decor | No Comments »
Friday, March 25th, 2011
On this blog, and many home decor and remodeling blogs, the focus is on modern, clean, cute and pretty. We like our straight lines, uncluttered corners and dust-free surfaces. But there IS some charm in the old, in the dusty and in the cluttered. Antiques, keepsakes, mucky long-forgotten but then found items… these hold character and in them can encompass the little stories that make up our lives.
Like the life of Phil Mortillaro, the shop owner of Greenwich Safe & Lock in Greenwich Village. Mortillaro was aching to change up the exterior facade of his building to make it a bit more interesting than the nearby shops, and finally in 2010 he did. He covered the facade in thousands upon thousands of keys in every shape and every color you could imagine. Designed and installed entirely by Mortillaro, the artistic textured facade design curves into the door and inhabits space inside the tiny shop as well. There is even a chair made entirely of keys… and it’s beautiful.
The artistry, the craftsmanship, the design.. the sheer idea of it all is genius. It’s obvious that this is the work of someone passionate about his life’s work, and that in and of itself is extremely inspiring.
{ via WebUrbanist.com }
Copyright © 2013 Home Instincts – All Rights Reserved
Tags: folk art, Greenwich Safe and Lock, greenwich village folk art, key folk art, web urbanist
Posted in Design | No Comments »
Wednesday, March 23rd, 2011
Sometimes I see something, whether it be on a blog, in a store, on a retail web store or in real life, that just has great design. It makes sense, it’s functional, it’s pretty, it’s simple and it deserves to be noticed. This is a collection of a few design-related products that I’ve seen lately that really stands to me as having great design.
{ click the image to go to related article }
"Pylon" bench by Marcus Abrahamsson & Kristoffer Fagerström
DIY Stenciled Floors at Design Sponge
Saddle Bag Chair by Merkeled
Geometric Cutting Board by Fine
Discarded Metal Objects by Eco-Artist Tammy Roe
So2 Coat Rack by Smart Wood House
Copyright © 2013 Home Instincts – All Rights Reserved
Tags: geometric cutting board, merkeled, metal objects, pylon bench, saddle bag chair, So2 coat rack, stenciled floors, tammy roe, wood bench
Posted in Design, Home Decor | No Comments »
Monday, March 21st, 2011
Janell Beals recently blogged about contemporary architecture in Texas over at Houzz.com, and more specifically the role of limestone as an architectural material. Limestone comes from south Texas, so it’s not unusual to see it used in a variety of ways, including sidewalks, homes and large buildings. As a Texas native, and recently moved back from my northwestern foray in Seattle, I appreciate the cool pale look of limestone and the benefits it brings with use.
The Great Pyramid in Giza, Egypt is made of limestone and Romans and Greeks used it almost exclusively for many buildings in ancient times. It can be polished to look smooth and shiny, or left rough and raw for a more rustic finish. It’s easy to cut and carve and exists in a variety of finishes, including white, buff, gray and variegated. Limestone is a great local south Texas resource that has been utilized since the beginning of our statehood to build our homes, walkways, offices and other buildings.
The use of limestone, along with native drought-efficient plants and an easy-going hill country style, make for a most inviting aesthetic. Twisted gnarly trees, rusty metal signs, cool covered breezeways, metal roofs, rough wood beamed ceilings… THIS is the rustic and beautiful style of Texas.
Copyright © 2013 Home Instincts – All Rights Reserved
Tags: limestone, texas architecture, texas limestone
Posted in Design, Home Decor | No Comments »
Friday, March 18th, 2011
There are more sink options out there than there has ever been, and the bevy of choices make it that much harder to settle on the right one! Porcelain, stainless steel and the ever-increasingly popular copper and granite composites materials are fantastic choices for a sink “remodel”, but one uber-durable option is making waves in the sink world.
Fire clay sinks can withstand firing temperatures more than twice that which is used for cast-iron competitors, and are coated with a glaze and fired at blazing temperatures to meld those two surfaces together, creating a highly durable and beautiful material. They’re resistant to acid, alkali, scratches and impactful blows and just last FOREVER. Sometimes even longer than the house itself! They’re resilient, often handcrafted and just stunningly beautiful.
There are some cons to using a fire clay sink though, and price is at the top of that list. Fire clay sinks are expensive, sometimes skyrocketing into well over a thousand dollars. You also have to support it well, especially near the front if it has an apron style sink overhang. Choosing the right faucet can be bit of a challenge as well, as fire clay sinks only allow wall or counter-mounted, which are also pricier than regular sink-mounted faucets.
Great for modern, farmhouse-style or charming bungalows, fire clay sinks are a high price, and high style, sink option. They can stand the test of time and look beautiful doing it! Below are some reputable fire clay sink retailers:
Copyright © 2013 Home Instincts – All Rights Reserved
Tags: clay sink, durable sink, fire clay sinks, kitchen sink, modern sink, sink materials, sink option
Posted in Design, Kitchen, Sinks | No Comments »
Wednesday, March 16th, 2011
Kimberly Seldon is a busy lady. She’s the host of HGTV’s “Design for Living with Kimberley Seldon”, an author, award-winning designer, and now magazine maven. Her much anticipated online design and lifestyle magazine, “Dabble”, just launched.
Chock full of fascinating artist profiles, home tours, design trends, DIY ideas and travel tips, it’s got a little something for everyone. I’m looking forward to delving into this new gorgeous online design magazine and devouring every beautiful bit!
Copyright © 2013 Home Instincts – All Rights Reserved
Tags: Dabble Magazine, design magazine, design resource, KimberlySeldon
Posted in Design | No Comments »
Monday, March 14th, 2011
To get a clean and put together look in your home, many designers and homeowners choose to go the shades of gray route. It’s crisp, modern, graphically striking and can really be dressed up with a splash of saturated color. Major props go to the masters of color who can take several brash colors and patterns, however, and put them together to create both a pleasing and tidy look.
Houzz.com touched on this subject in one of their idea book posts, and really got me thinking about how we approach design in a space. Maybe it’s not all about starting with a neutral canvas. Maybe it’s more about combing a jumble of designs and styles gracefully, while creating an inviting homey atmosphere that really shows your “true colors”.
Copyright © 2013 Home Instincts – All Rights Reserved
Tags: bold color, Danielle Thompson, eclectic home design, Houzz, Houzz.com, Rachel Denbow, The Selby
Posted in Design, Home Decor | No Comments »
Thursday, March 10th, 2011
When you think of great places in a home to showcase artwork, you probably wouldn’t think of the bathroom. But why not? You spend a decent amount of time in your bathroom (some more than others) and almost all guests in your house go into and use that room as well. Why NOT utilize some of your favorite prints or art pieces there?
When I see home tours, or go to the homes of my friends and family, I just love seeing the placement of art in the bathroom, and how it adds to the ambiance of the room. I’ve found some great examples of the what a little creativity in decorating your bathroom could really add a lot of cheer and homeyness to the space.
via Apartment Therapy
via Apartment Therapy
via Flickr
via Flickr
Copyright © 2013 Home Instincts – All Rights Reserved
Tags: art in the bathroom, bathroom artwork, modern bathroom
Posted in Bathroom, Home Decor | No Comments »
Tuesday, March 8th, 2011
Kitchen remodels and spiffy-ups usually consist of new cabinet hardware or perhaps a new counter surface or a fancy faucet. If you’re looking for a bit bolder of a statement, a cozy addition to your cold cooking space, look no further than the much-dreaded and recently re-hyped WALLPAPER!
Wallpaper isn’t all gaudy florals, fruit baskets and chintzy 70s geometric patterns anymore. It can be classy, colorful, modern and a true feast for the eyes. Jenny of Little Green Notebook recently talked about wallpaper in kitchens too… and she found some dynamite examples of how beautiful it can really look.
{via Little Green Notebook}
{via Little Green Notebook}
{via Flickr}
A great many retailers today are taking the cue from designers and homeowners and whipping out some fabulous designs in delectable color schemes. Below I’ve listed a few websites that sell some pretty great wallpaper options, but there are many more. Peruse Flickr or have your hand at a Google search and see the unending options.
Now, go get bold with some wallpaper!
Copyright © 2013 Home Instincts – All Rights Reserved
Tags: modern kitchen design, modern wallpaper, retro wallpaper, wallpaper
Posted in Home Decor, Kitchen | No Comments »
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