Art for Your Home

One thing I love about interior decorating is that there really are no rules. Sure there are guidelines to what colors look best together, effectively balancing scale, properly installing window treatments, etc. but when it comes down to it, it's your home! You can do WHATEVER you want! This is great, but also can be overwhelming considering how many options we have to choose from these days. I especially have difficulty with decision making when it comes to selecting art. Some of the questions I ask myself are:

1. What pieces really represent me? And why?
2. What will go well with the particular area I need to fill?
3. Do I want fine art? Photography? Original work or a print from a famous artist?
4. What colors will work well in the room?
5. How much can I/should I spend?

I was scouring websites like art.com and allposters.com looking for that 'perfect piece', like it was just going to jump out at me. Well, long story short, that didn't happen. I talked to my sister about it (she was an art major and has much more insight on this topic than I do) and she said it can take years to find that 'perfect piece'. I thought about it, and she's right, why rush into finding something that you will be looking at every day?! So I've decided to take the pressure off myself, enjoy the process, and just take my time looking for the right piece. Sofia (my sis) also gave me a great recommendation for finding inexpensive original art...Etsy.com! So, that will be my mission today...searching the artists on there. I love this idea, I can actually support an aspiring artist instead of just buying a poster.

Do you have any good ideas or resources for finding art for your home? I'd love to hear it!!

Photo credit

Black Walls=Bold Move

Hello friends!

The weekend is almost here and I am so excited because for me, weekends=project time. I don't have much time during the week to pursue my creative outlets with a full time job, but maybe one day that will change ;). Ever since I re-decorated my teeny-tiny bathroom, I haven't felt fully satisfied with it. It still feels generic (and I try to be anything but generic!). They always say dark colors make a room feel smaller, but sometimes a bold move in a small space is exactly what you need. In my collection of paint, I ran across the black high gloss can I bought to paint my dresser and it sparked the idea of painting the bathroom BLACK. Sounds crazy right? After a little research for inspiration, I've come to realize that black walls can be quite striking and elegant. It's also an excellent backdrop for art and accessories, punches of color, and metallic accents. Check out some of my inspiration photos below. What is your opinion on a black backdrop?? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below!

Everyone looks better in candlelight...

UPDATE: The winner has been selected and emailed. Thanks for those of you who participated! I will be doing a new giveaway each month so stay tuned...


Happy hump day!

Is this week dragging for you like it is for me?! I can't believe it's only Wednesday. Anyway, today I am announcing the giveaway prize. Drum roll please..........

One lucky winner will be receiving a Voluspa Cut Glass Jar candle from Anthropologie (one of my absolute favorite stores)

Believe it or not, a good scent goes a long way. It can boost your mood, stir up old memories, help you to relax, or simply make a space that much more inviting and pleasant.

You really can't go wrong with any of the Voluspa scents, but the winner will have their choice of...
1. Crane Flower (pictured): ripened grapefruit combines with geranium, lavender and nectar inspired by the Birds of Paradise flower
2. Goji Berry: cold-pressed tarocco blood orange blended with sun-dried goji berries
3. Santiago Huckleberry: sweet and spicy, with hints of vanilla pod and sugarcane (one of my all-time favs)
4. Baltic Amber: forest scents of sandalwood and cedar
5. French Cade: refreshing blend of French cade wood, lavender, verbena and mos
6. Bella Sucre: comfortingly sweet with demerara sugar, tiare flower and coconut milk
7. Eden and Pear: lemon vervaine, ancient galbanum and ripe hosui pear
8. Mokara: a floral mix of Mokara orchid, white lily and spring moss

Put your choice in the comments section below for a chance to win. Winner will be chosen on Monday 1/20. Good luck!

Coming Up....My First Giveaway!

Hello friends,

How was your weekend? Mine was fun and relaxing, and I even had some time to work on my gold leaf project (pictures when it's done!). Anyway, back to the topic at hand. I know a lot of you out there seem to be enjoying reading my posts (or at least some of them I hope!). Being creative is also about being collaborative, and I want to hear from YOU!

So, in order to provide some incentive for feedback, I've decided to post a giveaway at some point during this week. I've got a few things up my sleeve, but I won't let you know the prize until Thursday. The more comments on this post, the better the prize will be!!!

I'll leave you with some images of fabulous upholstery work...getting inspired for my first go at it!

Brass is Back

If you follow me on Pinterest you might have noticed my recent obsession with brass. Everything from drawer pulls to terrariums to sculptures--I love it! It has such a classic and vintage look, however when combined with more modern pieces and clean lines it can look quite beautiful.

One of my favorite places to see brass is in the bathroom:

Via The Hunted Interior

Found Object DIY

Happy 2014 everyone! I hope you all survived the holiday season and are looking forward to a fresh start this year (I know I am!). I have several projects I am working on right now, but almost none of them are complete yet so I gotta wait to share them with all of you (which also means I need to get busy!).

I did, however, complete a mini-DIY project the other day that you might enjoy. Some of my favorite projects come from found objects, such as this bust that I found on the street in my sister's neighborhood (Noe Valley). The craziest part is, I was just telling her how I wanted a bust for the etagere shelf I am working on and poof! People over there are getting rid of all kinds of great stuff! I found a lovely Ikea matted frame a few days before I found the bust.

Here it is in its original state: