One of A Kind!

I love art! Not prints and the stuff you see everywhere, but true, one-of-a-kind, says-something-about-the-artist kind of art.  I am constantly looking for unique pieces, stuff you won't find at your neighbor's house, and if I can work with an artist to personalize it...even better!

So while I was endlessly and unsuccessfully searching the internet yesterday for a unique media console for our family room I came across an amazing artist! I was so drawn to his artwork that I spent at least an hour (while I should have been cooking dinner for my kids) looking at his endless pieces of art, all unique, all one-of-a-kind. I was so inspired by his talent I emailed him and asked him to call me so we could discuss a possible project. Within 15 minutes we were on the phone discussing his work and my desire for one of his personalized, amazing creation!

The artist is Rick Cheadle. He is based out of Detroit, Michigan, near my old stomping ground, and he is truly talented. He typically paints on furniture, table tops, birdhouses, sculptures, clocks, mobile, logos, t-shirts and more! He paints with vivid color and eye-tricking techniques.  One of the things I love about his work is that he paints thousands of tiny circles together to make one larger, unified object.

It has now been less that 18 hours and we have a plan in the works. I have commissioned Rick to paint a piece that I will showcase above our fireplace.  He is creating a "Family Tree" for us with strong roots and branches, and vivid, happy colors. Additionally, I have asked Rick to incorporate the first letter of each of our names into the design (J,A,C, B, and B) to signify the importance of each member of our family and how they play a part in our family.  I also asked him to add a peacock for a bit of whimsy and a nod to my grandmother.

I am so excited about this project that when I talk about it, I get a little giggle in my voice!  I can't wait to see it! And the added bonus to the whole thing is he is FAST! He is starting it today and I should have it by the end of next week.  I will post a picture as soon as I get it! So keep your eyes peeled!

Design Trends 2011 - Trend #11 Change It Up!

I have a dear friend, who every time I go to her house (which is once a week) she has moved everything around! Other than a few accessories that she changes out every-so-often, for the most part the items in her house are the same…just moved around! And I am not just talking about a couple of accessories; I am talking about furniture, art, lamps, even place settings in the hutch! She knows how to re-vamp her house without spending ANY money!

The key to being able to change it up and really see the is to keep you base pieces (ie: sofa, dining table, main dishes, etc.), the pieces you are only going to purchase every 10+ years, keep them neutral and timeless.  And let the smaller investments like lamps, picture frames, chargers, and linens be for colorful, playful and trendy.  Also buy a couple of statement pieces like a funky shaped Bombay chest or a mirrored buffet.

This week when I went to my friend’s house she had her dining table set with leopard print glass chargers, white plates and blue and gold napkins. She accented the room with a leopard-shaded lamp and a piece of art that tied all the colors together.  In her music room she leaned an iron piece of art (that is usually in her master bedroom) up against the wall and hung various framed picture of her loved ones.

So I challenge you! Once a quarter change it up! Move your furniture around, move your accessories, even rehang some art. You will be amazed how much it changes the feel of your home.  Pieces that didn’t show up before are now standing out and making a statement!

Penne, I adore you and you truly are an inspiration!

Design Trends 2011 - Trend #10 Things Are Definitely Looking Up



Domed Copper Ceiling with
 Embellishments and Chandelier





Faux Copper Leaf Ceiling

Design is casting the eyes upward. The ceiling will be embellished and noticed more as the "fifth wall," and may be painted or architecturally enhanced to play more of a focal point in a space.  You will begin to see metallic ceilings done with either paint or vintage-inspired ceiling tiles.  Adding to the lighting trend (Trend #9) a large, eye-catching chandelier will be paired with ceiling a medallion to add weight to the fixture and heighten its beauty.  Textured architectural embellishments such as 3-deminsional stencils will add excitement to an otherwise normal ceiling.

So keep your eyes open, and upward, for some awe-inspiring designs overhead!

3-D Stencil on a trey ceiling







Design Trends 2011 - Trend #9 Lighting



Pottery Barn Fixture



Lighting is one of the most essential aspects in home decorating and yet it tends to get ignored more than any other single element in an interior decorating scheme. Lighting can give the illusion of space and depth and comfort and emphasis. It draws the eye and can also be used to distract it. Lighting, when done correctly, can make a so-so room look phenomenal.

The importance of the right kind of lighting in your house cannot be overstated. What is the first thing you do when you get home in the evening? Switch on the lights, right? And what if you want to set the mood? Don’t you head towards dimming the lights? Having the right lights can proverbially make or break a home. Use the right lights to highlight your favorite piece of art or downplay a paint inconsistency that only your eye can see.

Light fixtures, if used in the right way, can transform the entire look of your home and it is definitely less expensive than a new coat of paint or even the husband-dreaded word, ‘remodel’!



Ikea Fixture



This year lighting is either going to make a statement or disappear.  You will see a lot of bold and art-like fixtures or out-of-sight recessed lighting.  When you are selecting lighting think about what you need it for, task lighting, ambient lighting, focal lighting or decorative lighting. Then decide it you want to make a statement or if you want it to disappear.  Finally, think about the reflections and shadows it will cask on your surroundings.

Remember, make a statement, have fun with it, and give them something to talk about!

Design Trends 2011 - Trend #8 Upcycling

“Upcycling is the process of converting waste materials or useless products into new materials or products of better quality or a higher environmental value.” - Wikipedia

Upcycled house goods will be even bigger in 2011, according to those at Etsy, the online marketplace for handcrafted materials. Look for plastic bags turned into bowls, wine bottles into mini lamps, wine bottle corks into cork boards , vintage silk scarfs into pillows, neckties into throw blankets, old barn wood used to make furniture and as the canvas for artwork, 1980s speakers into a sofa table and bike parts into clocks. A turquoise mini file box made with vintage record album covers by FreeStyle Gifts of San Francisco ($38, www.etsy.com/shop/FreestyleGifts) could be used for coupons, recipes and the larger sizes could be used for kid’s artwork storage.

We are seeing more recycled-content building and remodeling materials such as countertops and backsplashes, and reclaimed wood floors (Trend #4).

I am proud to say that we as a whole are really becoming more environmentally conscience. With all the vintage style, upcycling, and recycling, “going green” is more than just a short-lived fad!

Design Trends 2011 - Trend #7 Coming to a Wall Near You!

Can you believe it? After all those countless hours we have all spent peeling duck borders and fruit wallpaper from the walls of our kitchens and baths, wallpaper is actually making a comeback! In 2010, we saw one wall accents and recessed niches hung with graphic designed wallpaper the latest trend for 2011 is to wallpaper two, three and even four walls in a room. Fewer accent walls and more fully papered rooms are cropping up in homes and magazine spreads as of late, along with a handful of "mini trends" in wallpaper design. While we started to see some of these trends at the end of 2010, experts bet they'll pick up even more steam in the months to come.

Paintable Wallpaper-It's the perfect hybrid between painting a wall and wallpapering it, and for the non-committal decorators among us. Big box stores like Target and Home Depot, carry over thirty designs including Martha Stewart's collection.

Tone-on-Tone & Metallic -If 2010 was the year of large scale patterns, a wide range of colors and quirky, highly individualized designs, then 2011 is definitely dialing it back a bit. Think subtly bold designs, such as the textured, paintable ones mentioned earlier, as well as tone-on-tone patterns and shiny metallic (see Trend #6!!).

Fabric and Wallpaper Combos-This is a trend is popping up in all the interior design magazines issues of the New Year. Interior designer Windsor Smith used Bennison's Roses wallpaper and then covered the home's dining chairs in an identical fabric, in a feature for House Beautiful magazine, above. Interiors magazine's January 2011 issue features the same technique by designers Silvia Oliveira and Daniela Martins who matched window treatments with wallpaper in a bedroom they outfitted in Brazil.

So while the trends of statements walls of 2011 are still holding strong, wallpapering the entire room is making a comeback.  So keep your eyes peeled for the wallpaper that fits your style!

Design Trends 2011 - Trend #6 Sparkle and Shine

First let me say, "Happy Birthday Lauri and I love you!" Today is my sister's birthday!

Now back to design...

Lately, I've really been embracing the trend of adding just a little touch of something metallic. A pillow here, a candle there...it gives me a happy feeling inside, like I am fantasy! I have an obsession with mercury glass and now that I have started searching for it, I am seeing it in everywhere, light fixtures, frames, candlesticks and dishes (which of course if faux mercury)!

Remember that old "foil" wallpaper from your grandmother's house? The stuff you may have helped rip off the walls when she redecorated? I do! Well it is BACK! Maybe not all over and definitely not the same colors, but yes metallic and in smaller spaces, in niches or on one statement making wall. The designs are better, the colors are current and you will be seeing it everywhere!

This decor used to be reserved for holiday decorating, but now we're spotting shiny metallics and even sequins year-round, in nearly everything from throw pillows and serving ware to tile and wallpaper. It's a nod to Hollywood Regency and sophistication. You only need a hint of metallic to make a bold, glitz-and-glam statement, so be careful not to overdo it!