image via de Giulio kitchen design

Let’s be honest, open shelving is more for decoration than for storage. You can only “store” certain items in certain amounts attractively on an open shelf before it starts to look like a garage sale.

“You see how picky I am about my shoes and they only go on my feet.”

That being said, it’s important to be just as picky about your shelves as you are about what goes on them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sometimes I like to pretend wall shelves don’t exist, which is why I love the simplicity of invisible shelves. Available at Amazon.com; they are cheap and easy to install.

image via Andrew Pike

image via Elle Decor
photo credit Durston Saylor

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you need to hold more than books you may have to use a shelf that can actually be seen… sort of. The beauty of glass shelves is that just one level of cabinet lighting can filter down to light all the shelves. You could also mount a bunch of glass shelves in a random window you don’t ever plan on opening again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To make shelves visually “disappear” just paint them the same color as everything else. This principle applies to brackets as well; notice how the wooden shelf appears to float and the white brackets are barely noticeable against the white wall.

image via lookwhatmelissamade.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you want your shelves to make a statement, paint just the edge of the shelf for a subtle pop of color. If you can’t bring yourself to do this to your existing bookcase at home, have the good folks at Home Depot or Lowe’s cut you some new wooden shelves and paint those.

image via Theresa Meyer Interiors

image via interiordomaindesigns.com
photo credit Donna Griffith Photography

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The sexy red reveal on the inside of these shelves brings bold color into an otherwise neutral office space. The items being stored here prevent you from seeing the back wall of these shelves, so it was necessary to paint all the interior surfaces to achieve the desired effect. Ultra-coordinated back-painted shelves tie in perfectly with the dining chairs. The collection of white pottery really pops off the blue background; and you can achieve the same look at home with a single gallon of paint in the color of your choosing.

image via garrendennylane.com

Jennifer Eisenstadt design

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I like to use dirty words like “wallpaper” because it makes people uncomfortable. Done correctly, wallpaper backing a shelf can look amazing. Geometric prints are a great gender-neutral option, especially in a muted gray tone. Less is more when it comes to expensive and/or busy wallpapers; try papering the back of a glass-front cabinet or open shelving instead of going crazy on your walls. The faint of heart can give this project a try with a decorative contact paper.

image via Pearhouse Designs

Your shelves need to work in harmony with the items they house and the wall surface they adjoin. Don’t think of them as purely functional; a mere means to an end so you can display your fancy “Precious Moments” collection. That’s just plain shelf-ish.

@LindseyTdesign

Tags: closet, DIY, furniture, gray, neon, neutrals, paint, wallpaper

From the windows to the wall: Curtains that are more than just window dressing

design by Jan Showers
image via simplifiedbee.blogspot.com

I’m all about fabric, so the concept of a curtain wall is right up my alley. A curtain wall is exactly what it sounds like; an uninterrupted expanse of hanging fabric. The best part about using a curtain wall as a design element in your home is that it’s an easy, budget-friendly project.

design by Jean Allsopp
image via cococozy.com

Curtain walls cover a multitude of sins; from odd wall anomalies to random unnecessary windows. A curtain wall adds texture and softness without feeling overtly feminine; and as such can be a good compromise for couples seeking design solutions.

design by Bruce Bierman
image via newyorksocialdiary.com

Curtain walls can also conceal an entire wall of closet doors, or a wall of electronics.

A curtain wall is a cute accent for a kid’s room as well, and adds interest and texture to the wall.

design by Lindsey Taylor
image via Nicole Taylor Photography

Older homes or homes that have been renovated may have irregular walls or inconvenient ductwork that can be concealed by adding a curtain wall. This silk curtain provides a luxurious backdrop for the bed, but it also camouflages a 5” jog in the wall.

Encourage your guests to ignore the man behind the curtain!

Jazz it up with some fabric, because there’s no place like home…

@LindseyTdesign

when I get home i’m going to install a fancy curtain wall just like the wizard!

Tags: DIY, fabric orgy, kids rooms, master bedroom

Small outdoor spaces: A Moroccan-inspired reading nook

image via studio5.ksl.com

I love Moroccan-inspired spaces. Softly draped fabric and romantic lighting are the perfect combination to create a cozy outdoor lounge area for reading and relaxing. Not everyone has a large deck space or yard to create the oasis of their dreams, so I have designed this space for those of you with a concrete slab or yard space measuring about 10’ x 10’.

IKEA Karlso gazebo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IKEA has created an affordable gazebo that is easy to assemble. Opaque curtains on all sides give a sense of privacy and can hide an undesirable view. I would further embellish the gazebo with additional drapery panels like these available at Jamali Garden. If you add rod pocket panels instead of grommet panels be sure that they will fit the diameter of the gazebo poles.

IKEA Platta decking

Koko cozy via All Modern

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IKEA’s wooden decking solution is the least expensive version out there, and provides a good base for furniture. If you want to turn up the volume add a vibrant outdoor area rug like this one from All Modern.

Pottery Barn

Z Gallerie

Frontgate

Romantic lighting is key for a late-night cocktail in your Kasbah. Mercury glass orbs give a soft glow and can be plugged into an outlet. Beautiful and slightly more expensive cut glass “crystals” are solar powered. Low-tech lanterns with real or battery operated candles can also add a pop of color. Z Gallerie has several colors available, but you can always paint your own.

Valencia occasional deep bench

Jepara dining chair

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Low-slung seating with comfy cushions creates a cozy space for kicking back with a good book. This deep bench from World Market is long enough to lounge on and deep enough to pile on the pillows. For a more budget friendly option you can build your own seating; use ready-made palates as a base or build a custom size frame from scratch. Add a couple of carved dark wood outdoor dining chairs for additional seating (on sale now at Pier 1).

via West Elm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A multitude of pillows is a must. Choose weather resistant outdoor pillows from places like these World Market and Frontgate. Store them inside a handy bench/coffee table when not in use.

via Jamali Garden

image via thenester.com

via World Market

 

Accessorize your multi-purpose table with a brass tray to hold snacks or drinks on a hot afternoon. Colorful urns of fragrant flowers soften the space and delight the senses. Again, it’s easy to customize a planter to your color palette with a little paint.

image via ladolcevita.com

Moroccan doesn’t have to be this colorful. You can take all of these pieces in a neutral direction for a more serene look depending on your taste.

Gollum loves his rustic/neutral tented outdoor space

Small outdoor spaces can also be big on style, so don’t let that precious square footage go to waste. A beautiful outdoor space will encourage you to spend a little more time outside enjoying the sound of trees and the softness of the wind.

@LindseyTdesign

 

Tags: accessories, DIY, furniture, moroccan design, outdoor

All hands on my deck- modern beach house

Marriott Resort Waikoloa Beach

I fantasize about the day when I will be able to double my back deck space. Right now I only have room for a dining area, but I can’t wait to add a sleek and comfy seating area.

Crate and Barrel Regatta Console

A multi-use console is essential for outdoor entertaining, and I love this one from Crate and Barrel. The top slides open to reveal a basin to chill beverages, and the bottom shelf is handy for storing extra supplies so you don’t have to keep running inside for more forks. Acrylic barware and sturdy metal serving trays are great at standing up to the elements.

via Restoration Hardware

Outdoor parties can last late into the night, so think about investing in a patio heater designed to fit under your umbrella.

I have a black thumb, so I can’t handle high maintenance plants. My greenery of choice is succulents because they actually thrive on neglect. Succulents can look great in a small vessel like this demijohn glass dish, or framed and growing vertically like a piece of living art. If you are skilled with gardening you can make your own, or purchase a kit here.

The new lounge area will need to be a shady spot, and I love the modern look of a sun shade! It’s a subtle hint of nautical without involving a tacky anchor.

Crate and Barrel makes a sexy modern sectional I would accent with this cool blue-gray outdoor area rug.

Ballard Designs Delray easy care pillow in Azure

Restoration Hardware pillow in Verte

Restoration Hardware pillow in Fog

All weather pillows bring softness to an outdoor space and add a pop of color. The pillows shown are from Ballard Designs and Restoration Hardware, but Marshalls and Homegoods usually have great options that are less expensive.

16″ Kiri wood vase via Jamali Garden

Z Gallerie Meredith Lantern

Accents would include modern kiri wood vases and lanterns.

The centerpiece of the seating area is the fire pit. I would lean towards one with a thick rim to rest glasses on, and a sturdy cover to transform it into a coffee table during the daylight hours. I’m going to go for a dark finish like gray or black to ground the space. Do I dare DIY a project like this?

Lounge seating area shopping spree: about $1954

Photoshop: priceless

A girl can dream…

@LindeyTdesign

Tags: beachy, DIY, entertaining, modern, outdoor

Under the Tuscan Deck: Outdoor Space Makeover #1

image via accentsofsalaso.com

For every extra minute of sunlight in the day there is another reason to spend it outside. If you have a neglected outdoor space now is the time to turn it into livable square footage you can enjoy with friends and family for months to come.

Inspiration Image via Martha Stewart

The Challenge

 

Starting with the ceiling, the under deck area can be refinished professionally by a company such as Buresh Home. A less expensive DIY solution can be achieved by draping sunbrella fabric to cover up the ceiling area. As the devil is in the details I would use decorative nails with a wrought iron finish for the install.

image via Buresh Home Solutions

 

 

 

 

 

 

The plain concrete slab doesn’t exactly say “Tuscany”. Avoid the expense of a real stone patio by staining the existing slab with a stone pattern at a cost of about $2 to $15 per foot. Check out this kit available on Amazon to go from slab to slate.

image via concreterescue.com

image via blog.gharexpert.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From the photo you can clearly see the neighbor’s house, so you may want to create a greater sense of privacy by installing rod-pocket curtains made of outdoor fabric. You can also use fabric panels to conceal the beams by installing them on the inside and outside of the ceiling and tying them together with a matching outdoor tassel. Tall iron trellises can also serve as a pretty privacy screen.

via Frontgate

via Frontgate

via Frontgate

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Drown out any ambient noise by installing a fountain that easily hooks up to a standard garden hose or one with a reservoir that will recirculate the water.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To get the look of a Tuscan inspired dining table try this inexpensive set from Martha Stewart via Home Depot. Set it with an outdoor tablecloth and napkin set incorporating rich golden tones.

Tommy Bahama via Frontgate

via Horchow

This console only has the look of aged limestone, so it’s safe to leave out year-round. Book-end it with these romantic sconces on sale at Pottery Barn.

via Pottery Barn

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Elegant beverage servers and antiqued bowls set the stage for cocktails and appetizers.

via Horchow

via Jamali Garden

Live your own Tuscan dream and get down to business fixing up your back patio. After you put down the power tools feel free to develop a serious drinking problem or mid-life crisis…or both!

Cheers

@LindseyTdesign

Tags: DIY, outdoor, outdoor fabric

The painted floor: Crime against humanity or misunderstood design element?

Maybe it’s the paint fumes talking, but I have a soft spot for painted floors. Like wallpaper, many people would rather submit to waterboarding than deliberately apply paint to their floor in the name of decoration. As a homeowner I understand this fear, but if a painted floor strikes your fancy, you might look at hiring a licensed and insured professional to bring your vision to life.

Dress up an elegant kitchen floor with a classic oversize checker pattern. Using a dark stain rather than an opaque pigment allows you to see the grain of the wood.

The large medallion pattern stenciled on this rustic looking floor brings an interesting graphic element to a floor that might otherwise look neglected.

image via pinterest

A painted area rug is easier to keep clean than a real one. The slick gray and white chevron pattern is repeated in the dining room, bringing visual continuity between the two modern monochromatic spaces.

via Miles Redd

Miles Redd painted this kitchen floor bright white, and added a border and nautical star detail in black to tie in with the cabinet color. The white floor plus the glossy cabinets and ceiling bounce plenty of light around the space.

image via unskinny boppy

 

I love painted stairs. It’s a small space that can make a big visual impact, especially if the staircase is one of the first things you see upon entering your home. Try an ombre effect going up the staircase, or paint each step a different color from your palette. If a traditional stair runner is too expensive, paint one! Use painters tape and a ruler to make sure your lines are straight.

image via paintedwoodfloors.com

The DIY route can be a bit scary, especially if you aren’t painting the whole floor a solid color. Painting a floor is more difficult than painting a wall because a hardwood floor is not designed to hold the paint, and regular foot traffic doesn’t help. Make sure you get a paint that is specifically formulated for use on floors and decks. Elle Décor posted an article that provides step by step instructions for painting a floor.

Floor and deck paints often come in a semi-gloss finish, but if you’re going to top the paint with polyurethane you should use a flat paint. The polyurethane will provide shine and it will adhere better to flat paint.

I make Miss Moneypenny stir my polyurethane while I make a martini..like a boss

When applying the polyurethane remember that you are not James Bond. That means stir, don’t shake, as shaking will cause unwanted bubbles to form in the gloss. Brush the polyurethane onto the floor starting from the far corner, and follow the lines of the floor planks. Allow it to dry overnight, then buff it with fine sandpaper to dull the shine. This allows the next coat of polyurethane to stick. Apply a second coat in the same manner as the first.

image via examiner.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have a little fun with your patio by hiring a local artist to custom paint a design. Artist Christian Kasperkovitz brightened up this floor with an eye-catching Moroccan pattern. If you’re a freehand sort of person try something like this graphic kitchen floor.

Bottom line: If you have a “rustic” looking floor and you can’t afford to do anything else with it, try painting it. Much like the ceiling, the floor is just another canvas that gets overlooked. Even if I have not convinced you that painting your floor is a viable design option, I hope I have at least made the case for not including painted floors in the next Geneva Convention.

@LindseyTdesign

Tags: DIY, flooring, moroccan design, paint

Nothing to Sneeze At: Decorating with Vases and Floral Arrangements

image via HGTV

Welcome to spring! For those of us with seasonal allergies this can be the most miserable time of the year, but i’m making the effort to man-up and highlight some vases for the evil pollen bombs that are currently suffocating me. Flowers finish a room, that’s gospel. Finding the right vase can be a challenge, though.

Opaque vases make an arrangement look neater by concealing the stems. A Match Pewter pitcher does just that, and is as classic as a bouquet of roses. Pottery Barn mercury glass vases lend a bit of shine to your tabletop while saving you a lot of dough.

Match Pewter

A vase with a small mouth is easy to work with because it creates a beautiful tight grouping of flowers without a lot of “arranging” work on your part. These colored glass vases from Belongings and Viva Terra are a great home accent with or without flowers.

Mars vase via Belongings

Tall arrangements can bring attention to the height of a room, so don’t shy away from making a grand statement in a dining room, foyer, or even on a coffee table. This time of year you can probably just clip some Forsythia from your neighbor’s yard and be all set (Thanks Paul!).

image via Elle Decor

Low arrangements can be clustered in multiples of varying heights, or kept modern and simple. Bud vases, votive holders, or teacups can be used to display clusters of delicate blossoms or larger single blooms. Use a small scale arrangement to brighten up a powder room or line up multiple arrangements to accentuate a shelf or fireplace mantle.

image via Yelp.com

A tall cylindrical vase elegantly holds bouquets of tulips, roses, and more. Look for one that is about 10” high. Textured glass vases from Villeroy and Boch or Crate and Barrel glam it up. A hand-thrown ceramic vase from Kim Westad’s “pebbles” collection brings classic black to the table without feeling too formal.

Pieces of Jewellery vase via Villeroy and Boch

Pebble vase in black via Kim Westad

Nothing beats a classic footed urn. If it’s good enough for Grandma’s ashes it’s good enough for the dinner table, right? Jamali Garden has a great selection, and Wisteria keeps it fresh with a glass version. It’s a great choice for a fuller flower like a hydrangea.

black resin urns via Jamali Garden

My favorite vase is one that can stand alone as a piece of art; one that looks good with or without flowers. The cut-diamond look of the modern jewel vase does exactly that. It’s perfectly versatile for a coffee table or shelf that may only get fresh flowers some of the time.

Jewel vase by BOOM via 2 Modern

Flowers may finish a room but I feel like they’re about to finish me! In the words of Sun-tzu, “keep your friends close, and keep your enemies closer”. Bring it, Gardenias. I’m ready.

@LindseyTdesign

Tags: accessories, Match Pewter, vases