More Budget Art Solutions, Photography As Art

Good morning,

I've been trying to find art for my medical office project, and need it on a budget as much as possible since I will be doing a large costly installation in the main hall way.  I came across a site Great Big Canvas  and found exactly what I needed and then some.

I wanted to let you know about it because for the size, price, and availability of images that are available you can find some great art here for any space.

Starting at only $29.99 for a poster print 16x16 and going up in size and price from there it is pretty amazing. You can get a canvas, a floating frame, a matted frame, wall decals or simply the art printed on photography paper or poster for the least expensive option.

Here are a few of my favorites

I am a big fan of using photography as art and have posted about this before. I tend to lean towards things that are real and "organic". I could see using one of these images above such as the amazing  geisha pictures as a large focal point, or you could use a series of 3 such as the spiral staircases shown directly above to make a really cool statement that people will stop and notice.

This site also lets you convert your images to black and white shown below.

The last idea for photography as art is converting your own photography to a canvas or framed art. I will definitely use this since I am working on a family photo booth session for each of us that I plan to put in our hall way. Take a look below at this adorable idea!

What ever your tastes are, if you are looking for a unique way to add art to your home that won't break the bank consider using photography. I'd love to hear your ideas for affordable art solutions in your own homes.

Sneak Peek, Orange, White, and Grey Teen Boys Room

Good morning,

Last week we finally installed the new Moooi Random light in one of the teen boy's bedrooms that I'm doing, and it was everything I hoped it would be. This room had to be cool, and I mean really cool. It is for a high school kid who moonlights as a DJ for parties and has made quite the name for himself.

For his room I chose to load it up with lots of crisp white and pops of tangerine orange, I then grounded it with grey. I mixed some modern and organic elements with a few designer pieces for a laid back vibe, but one that has an edge to it. The results are an orange, white and grey room packed with style!

Here is a sneak peek:

Since I started in this room with just the bed/desk combo which are a dark wood and seemingly traditional piece of furniture, not to mention two of the largest pieces in the room, and had to mix it with the bright orange modern sofa I really had to think outside the box. I added elements such as the Swan Chairs, the arc lamp and the Moooi Random light to create a funky loungy space for this teenage hang out, and cozied it up a bit with the Pebble Rug. I am so excited with how the room is looking, and will reveal the rest it soon~

Butler Tray Stand Turned Bar From West Elm

Good morning and Happy Friday!!! I will be having a mini vacation this weekend so you won't be seeing or hearing from me until next week.

Before I go I thought I would post about the new addition to our dining room. It's the Tall Butler Tray Stand from West Elm and I must admit, I'm smitten!

This little table sits on a chrome stand available in 2 heights with the small one being more of a floor table. You can mix and match the style using the large west elm trays that come in a variety of colors and finishes. It is such a versatile way to change up your displays and styles with  the changes in season, holidays and moods.

Long story short I bought the silver leaf tray with the tall tray stand I can't begin to tell you how much I LOVE this little splurge. Butler trays are a fantastic way to stage a quick bar for a party, and could just as easily be used just as an accent table or side table. Take a look at how mine looks in our dining room.

When hosting a party or simply having dinner how nice is it to have a little table close by to keep your bottles and glasses on for easy access? It's also the perfect place to put your food or trays to make more room on the table. In my case, it's just the perfect accent to fit beautifully in the corner of our dining room which I have wanted for quite some time. Dinner party anyone?  

Project Sneak Peek, Lighting Done Right

Good morning,

I wanted to show you some pictures I took yesterday of the lighting in my Modern Organic project which is turning out simply stunning. I specifically took them because of the dimmed lights and candles which are simply drool worthy!

I believe in dimmers where ever possible and have them throughout my house including the kitchen. I also believe that you should have a range of high and low lights to set the mood for what ever the occasion. Hanging lights mixed with lamps mixed with wall sconces mixed with can lights etc. should all be used in unison to highlight a room to its best. I'm devoted to candle light and personally have them in every single room of my home including bathrooms though they remain unlit in my children's rooms;). They are inexpensive and cast the absolute best mood lighting.

Needless to say that even in these incomplete stages of my project take a look at how the lighting is setting the tone.

I love how the lights cast shadows off the walls especially in the dining room. I'm dying for it already. I have special lighting in every room for this project that I will share with you soon.

I would love to hear how you set the mood in your own parties and homes through lighting so do comment and share~

Lamp Obsession, West Elm Glass Jug Lamp

Good morning,

I wanted to show and tell you about my new lamps that I absolutely LOVE! They are the Glass Jug Table Lamps from West Elm . I first discovered these lamps and used them in the living room of my Modern Organic project and soon became obsessed with them.

They are made of  mercury glass and are very impressive standing at 31.75" high. They really are amazing and instantly dress up anything they sit on. Since I have 2 really organic raw wood buffets in my entry way (courtesy of Color Splash) these give the perfect juxtaposition of rustic vs. glamerous. They come with a  hefy price tag of $149 each, but trust me when I say they're well worth every penny.

Take a look.

I'll show you the ones that I used in my Modern Organic project soon, but I'm sure you can already see why the fuss over these beauties. It's not every day that you find a versitle light that is large and in charge, and these babies are exactly that!

Project Sneak Peek: Comfortable Modern Family Room

Good morning,

I wanted to share with you the progress that is happening in the family room in my Modern Organic project. This is a busy family of 6 with 3 sons and a daughter so it was extremely important to create a comfortable family room for lounging and watching movies that can support family, kids and friends alike.

I needed to brighten and update this room which I did by replacing the brown leather lounge sofas with a vreamy leather sectional. I then and added extra seating with a white Barcelona day bed. I accessorized with lots of texture through mongolian lamb pillows and comfy pillows, I also added a large soft silk shag rug that works as an extra place to stretch out and lounge. This was a tricky room because the entire family was very attached to their brown sofas with built in recliners so if I was going to replace them it had to be equally as accommodating and comfortable. Take a look and the before and afters (in progress).

Before:

*note that my client's teenage boys had moved the sofas around for a movie night hence the odd placement. Usually these sofas were in the perimeter of the room.

After:

We are still missing many things in this room, such as sheer curtains that will be hung on tracks, the media center, and all the little extras. So far I am extremely pleased with this room and so is my client- all 6 of them;) What do you think so far?

Garage Addition: Master Bedroom Update

Good morning,

I wanted to share a few angles and changes in our master bedroom. For those of you not following along, we completed a 500SF garage addition giving us a new master bedroom, master bathroom, 2 walk in closets (one large and one small), and a small laundry room.

It has been a long process, and as it goes with most construction has had its ups and downs. Overall however, it is beautiful and has given us the extra space that we desperately needed with as minimal cost as possible.

-We have exposed polished concrete floors courtesy of my husband's company Concrete Connection.

-The night stands are the DIY Ikea RAST night stands that I posted about here .

- The hanging chandelier is the DIY gilded gold chandelier that I posted about here .

- The mirrors are the Quatrefoil mirrors from Lowe's which can be purchased here.

- The pillows are from Ikea and I had custom bands made of a faux croc fabric to give the all white bedding some character.

-The chaise is the Kivik chase from Ikea.

- The benches are from Target. I recovered them and painted the base gold. See the DIY tutorial that I posted  here.

- By our door are 3 of the best little star burst mirrors ever from Target for only $24.99 each.  

- From our bed is a beautiful seating area and a DIY painted mirror which I posted about here .

Let me know if you want to know about anything else in the room. 

As you can see, it is light bright and definitely feels like a bed room retreat. If you are in need of extra space yourself do consider your garage. Of coarse there are challenges with things like storage, but you can find other creative solutions for that. It is a great way to add extra space while trying to minimize costs and we are so glad we did it! I will show you pictures of the outside of the house and the concrete drive way soon.

What do you think?