Rarely do we have guests over but with all the Thanksgiving entertaining posts in full force, a little part of me is dying for a dinner party. (I think I want to design centerpieces more than anything.) Cooking for a group was something I had always fantasized about and thought I would be doing a lot of when I moved but we never even made getting a dining set a priority and we don’t have enough seating in the livingroom. (What do we do with our money?!) I have been collecting chair ideas for some time now. Some for the living room and some that would be suitable around a simple dining table. Let’s not even talk about prices on the high end stuff. I’m just digging the designs. I believe it was design personality Nate Berkus who said on Oprah that he didn’t have a sofa for a year or two until he found the perfect one. Totally feeling him on that – don’t settle for less than the vision you have in your head. A deal will come along eventually. Only problem is, I’m not even looking that hard.
This “Copenhagen” chair designed by Alvaro Uribe is made of fiberglass. I like the splash of color it would bring to our neutral living room. Yes to a red chair!
The classic 1958 design Cherner armchair
I’ve posted these before - Bistro chairs – low seating has always been appealing.
Kenneth Cobonpue’s Noodle chair
Target’s chair selection had a lot of modern pieces like this, a 4 chair set influenced by an Eames wire chair.
Also from Target (and now out of stock online), I saw these in person and wish I had swiped them up. A serious deal, at 2 for about $60, stackable and good to have around in a pinch.
I love acrylic chairs! Of course it would be ideal to have the Philippe Starck Ghost chairs but these from Target and Ikea would do just fine!
Last but not least, this Wishbone rocking chair by Toby Howes takes the frump out!
Technique and the process of making something is more fascinating to me than the end result most of the time, especially when it’s something that appears as if I could do it myself.
A while ago, I bookmarked these tables by Martin Dieterle (via Design Milk) and I have been pondering how I could get this done – lots of dowls cut just right, only paint what will be seen, glue glue glue in batches over time, sand the top and voila!
Then, I saw this umbrella stand by Loris&Livia that coudn’t be more easy. This one is made from blue aluminum tubes and some sort of strap but, the same could be done with PVC piping or other metal pipes and a belt. I don’t have some massive collection of umbrellas but if you do, or have lots of guests over, or if you have a business, why not give this a shot?
With limited closet space and cold weather arriving, I have been thinking about dressers and chests of drawers. I have a ton of warm clothing I still need to bring over to the apartment and I have no place to put it all. My father makes reproduction Chippendale furniture and made me a huge dresser when I was little. It’s beautiful but really not my style and I have been reluctant to haul that monstrous mahogany piece over. Yesterday on Design Milk, I fell in love with this chest by SylvanSF. Their website is a dead end, difficult to look at individual pieces and prices are nowhere to be found. Each piece is a limited edition and everything is made from unique materials like horn, bone, leathers, and exotic veneers. Obviously, I could never afford any of it but, I just thought I’d share this gorgeous chest. The size is perfect and so is the pattern.
This chest is so decadent and despite the fact that it’s gold, it’s muted and warm and would blend in any decor without being garrish.
My bf is a huge lover of squids and whales and kind of oohed and ahhed when I showed him this chest.
The shapes are simple and with a some patience I think someone could diy something similar to any of these pieces for their home. There are tons of metalic paints and antiquing finishes/techniques out there. There are also continuous walpaper stencils in abbundance on the interwebs and I know I’ve seen some geometrics. Maybe you could find an intricate wall decal and simply cut accross it carefully and apply it to a set of drawers you already have.
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- Love laser cutting and this “hive bench” by Arktura is powder coated steel and uses mathematical algorithms to create the intricate patterns. The same designer, Chris Kabatsi also did this “vortex table” made from carbon fiber. Science + design =wow
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- High cholesterol. It runs in my family and they have blessed me with it as well. Two weeks ago, I went for my annual physical and received a newish blood test that doesn’t assess the typical cholesterol numbers but instead looks for the carriers of the bad cholesterol, the carriers that take it to your arteries and clogs them up. This is a measurement of LDL-P and mine were off the charts! Other than being terrified , I have had to seriously reassess everything that I put in my body. It looks like this self-proclaimed “meataterian” is going to have to gear more towards veganism.
- Everyone losing their mind over Alexander McQueen’s Paris S2010RTW runway show. Yes, it was accessible for anyone to view via webcast but does this warrant all the praise and hype? The prints on the dresses were absolutely stunning but the shapes were nothing to write home about and, I mean… seriously… the shoes?! Are you kidding me? I am not feeling this. (pics via)
these look like elephants to me
Alien vs. Predator anyone?
- My laptop has been sent off to get repaired which means I will have limited access to work on posts, check my reader, or tweet for a while. While I kinda welcome the break, I don’t want to lose momentum or miss anything fun!
- Football. Sick of hearing about it.
My mom has a ton of books taking up a wall in her house. I wanted to share with you some pictures from a 1965 interior design book called Decoration USA. I love how a lot of the design elements and furniture styles are still relevant today. At least we have steered away from saturating the entirety of a room with a singular bright color. I spared you those eye-burning pictures.
Click the picture for a larger version.
Yay! Large scale abstract art dominating a room!
one room 2 ways
I wish all the pictures were in color. They sure loved their woven rattan in the 60s. This photo was showcasing the fireplace pit. We still see those dining chairs used today.
good grief
Not a laptop in sight in any of the desk shots – kind of refreshing!
love these chairs!
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- Having a cold and being taken care of by someone who loves me. Seriously nice.
- I want a Brent Comber alder wood table.
- And these chubby little chairs! (When the website doesn’t have a price listed, you know you’re in trouble.)
- Camille of childhood flames has the most perfectly ideal wardrobe. Look at this simplistic masterpiece!
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- Summer colds. Oh my god they are the worst!
- 100 things your kids may never know about.
- Not seeing the boy all weekend. Not looking forward to this one bit.
- A nice visual about The Great Pacific Garbage Patch
- This cold has destroyed my skin. It’s dry and tight and just yucky. No amount of treatment is making it better. My skin guru friend M.J. has recommended AmLactin. I think I need to check this stuff out. She would know. Her skin is perfect.
- To grow my bangs out or not? I’m getting a little tired of maintaining the blunt straight line. Maybe something wispy and side swept?
- Maymont Park is now charging $3 admission to their nature center and the otters were asleep!
LOVE LOVE LOVE this sideboard by Ferruccio Laviani for Emmemobili !!! (via Design Milk)
- large sisal rug for the living room
- large flokati rug for the bedroom (since baby polar bear is not an option)
- the Ikea PS cabinet in red
- domed cake stand (there will always be dessert)
- big gaudy mirror (we’re vain)
