Tag: interior design

Media Unit “Maybes”

Yesterday, I showed you what our TV setup looks like (below, left). Yikes; it truly is a cord-tastrophe. In our old place, the setup wasn’t that much better, but at least it provided some storage and allowed us to use our big honkin’ speakers (below, right)…

Here’s what happened. As we moved in last September, the desk we had been using for the TV went to the office to hold our computer, and the sofa table got plunked down “temporarily” with the TV on it, and remained that way ever since. Please tell me the same thing has happened to you…?

Since the size was right, we kept it throughout the winter months, shopped around a bit in the spring, but kept putting buying an entertainment center on the back burner. For the past few months, we have been thinking about (and finally deciding to pursue) moving, so at this point it doesn’t even make sense to buy one until we are in the new space.

So! Assuming we both quickly secure gainful employment, we should be getting a new media unit sometime before the end of this year. I’m really putting a priority on it since it’s such an important part of the living room (that, and the sofa table has been sold so we won’t have it as a crutch anymore).

Here’s what we’re looking for:

  • Attractiveness
  • Ability to stand the test of time
  • Eclectic appearance
  • Hidden storage
  • Height negotiable

Here’s numero uno: 

We almost bought the IKEA PS in Dallas last September when we bought our dresser, wardrobe and kitchen carts. Although we got to the store early, it wasn’t early enough and all the units they had on site had already been snatched up. I have always loved the locker look, and it would be a good counterpoint to some of our natural textiles. The price is right ($100) and we like its quirkiness and concealed storage. This is definitely still in the running.

Numero dos:

I love the look of this World Market apothecary unit. It’s got the look of an apothecary or librarian’s card catalog, without the annoyance of a bunch of tiny little drawers that aren’t all that useful. So, on the one hand it’s kind of a cop out (there are just two doors that open up with the façade of an apothecary chest) but on the other hand it’s a nod to a classic look. Not a steal at $359.99, it’s still pretty cool.

Numero tres:

I thought West Elm could do no wrong, but I was not blown away by their media unit selection. This Industrial Metal TV Cart ($399) stood out to me though, because I love the strong look of metal and glass working together in perfect harmony. My reservations are that it’s a little too high (31″) and too skinny (30″). As you can see above I lean toward the low, extended models. I am however diggin’ those wheels. This is a good option if space is at a premium and I need to find something with a smaller footprint.

Numero cuatro:

Crate & Barrel had the best selection, by far. Of all the online shops I visited, their options were most diverse, attractive, and yes, expensive. Anyway, the item you see above is actually three pieces of the “ascend” system used together ($249 + $349 + $399). This system has a ton of options and the Crate & Barrel website has lots of pictures for ideas. I love our crisp, white dresser in the bedroom so much I would love to use another crisp white piece of furniture in another space.

Bonus 1:

Wal-Mart really surprised me today. While I was there grabbing some essentials, this unit from the Better Homes and Gardens line grabbed me. The price ($179) makes it a great option for someone on a limited budget who doesn’t want to sacrifice style… but admittedly, the finishes did feel a bit cheap. Still though, for only $179 it is a good option!

Bonus 2:

Isn’t this World Market Easel unit cool? I don’t think it goes with my style, but I think it has the potential to be something really special. I’d love to see an example of this used in someone’s house… I also think it would be awesome in a learning environment!

Weigh in: which is your favorite? What do you do as far as your TV and DVD storage is concerned? 

Like my product selection process? Click here for some coffee table candidates. 

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Loving the Living Room

Well, slowly but surely, I’m continuing to make my way around the house for my room tours. Just in time to move.

The living room, while the most energy-inefficient room in the house (several degrees above/below the other rooms, depending on the season) is my favorite room in the house. It’s gotta be because of the IKEA curtains I had my heart set on for quite some time.

Here’s a little secret: with four windows, curtains can add up very fast. These IKEA beauties weren’t cheap at $60 per set (I mean, that’s not a ton but more than curtains at Target would be). Since the windows were so small anyway, I thought a whole panel would look a bit strange on each side of the window. Things would get really heavy really fast. Do you see where I am going with this? I cut each panel up the center and hemmed them, thereby making 8 panels from 4. Making that first big irreversible cut was so hard to bring myself to do! I’am really happy now, though. The bamboo blinds came with the house and I hated them until we got the curtains up, and now I love them. Isn’t life funny?

When we first toured the house we were to move into, I had visions of making everything white to look like whitewashed adobe walls you’d see in interiors of the southwest. So, that’s what we did! I feel that it helps the walls seem cooler and with the numerous but relatively small windows the room has, I needed light to bounce around as much as possible. So, with several coats of white on the walls, I was determined to infuse color into the room using textiles, art, and furniture, and prove to myself (a color addict) that a white room can be colorful!

The mantel proved more challenging than I originally thought it would be, since it’s pretty shallow. I know it looks deep in the next picture, but trust me there isn’t really room to layer objects (like Emily Henderson’s recent video recommends).  Behind that large frame is a little cut-out, with a bumpy, non-functioning outlet in the bottom of it that makes it impossible to use as a showcase for doodads… yep, so we just covered it up. I like the height that the frame gives to the all-white fireplace, and it was a good opportunity to showcase some wedding pictures as well.

These photos are from the time I shot my home tour (in March?) but not much has changed. I have done some rearranging here and there, and I finally painted the inside of the fireplace in with flat black, and we sort-of-but-not-really finished the dresser by the front door. Another post for another time, that.

Sources:

  • Blue couch, free. My, my, my. This blue couch has been passed down through several dorm rooms, to Lisa (my old roommate) and now to us.
  • Gray couch, free, reupholstery, $130. Last summer we drove to St Louis for our anniversary and then made a hop on over to the town where my dad grew up in Illinois (and where my grandma still lives) to pick up this bonafide family heirloom. The cushions (original to the 60s or 70s) were pretty rotted out so we got brand new cushions in a cool gray microsuede we picked up at Hancock Fabrics on clearance.
  • Coffee Table, Goodwill. Refreshed from a pretty sorry state.
  • Sofa table (holding the TV & Playstation), handed down to me when a neighbor passed away [not shown].
  • Side chair, free, plus materials for my first reupholstery project.
  • Side table (gray), got used when our alma mater had a garage sale. Side table (wood), is actually a drum!
  • Entryway dresser, Goodwill–repainted using house paint (the same color as the guest room). Only two of the drawers were usable so I transformed the bottom section into a shoe catchall!
  • Rugs, both natural fiber from World Market. The circle one from 2005 and the jute one from last fall.

When my in-laws recently decided to list the house for sale, I was pleased that the realtor agreed to just use the photos I’d taken of each room for my house tour on the listing. My first foray into real estate photography! If I want to get serious, I’ve gotta get a wider-angle lens, but I told him to pass my name along to any other agents in the office if they liked my photos! 

For a whole house tour, click here, and for other room details, you can check out the guestroom, bedroom, and bathroom!

Take a Tour: The Compound

Some friends of ours are house-sitting the most awesome place this summer. It was with LOTS of envy that I snapped just a few pictures of what we call “the compound” due to it’s isolated nature and thick concrete walls!

I have come a complete 180° design-wise from where I was a couple of years ago. I have been converted into a believer in white walls. The white walls here really let the wood cabinets be the star, and they totally complement the southwest style of the home. The owner imported many touches from Mexico, like colorful hanging lanterns and a stamped-tin mirror in the bathroom.

I dream of someday having huge plants like this in my bohemian abode… and how incredible is that rug under the dining table?

Of course, not every wall in here was white…

What I wouldn’t give for a shelf like this taking up the whole wall!

Our friends who live here eat an extremely healthy diet and are an inspiration to me. Of course, I had pizza for dinner yesterday and a hamburger for dinner today, so I have a long ways to go. Still, I aspire to eat more “weird” vegetables and salads! It’s amazing how a salad can fill you up and make you feel great when you make sure to include protein (nuts, cheese, etc) and use garden fresh lettuce like this…

Do you have a rad place that you’d like me to invade with my camera? Please tell me it’s in central Kansas. I’m working on some beginner interior photography skills and I would LOVE to come shoot your home! E-mail me!