Tag: interior design

Define Me.

Most of you who read my blog have seen my house in person. (In fact, this is something I want to change in the new year… get more readers, especially strangers!)

Those of you who haven’t been here have been able to see photos on the blog.

While I’m postponing an interior house tour of the new place until I get a bright, sunny day, you’ve been able to see most of the rooms. And, you can always track back to the old apartment for this.

Please, pray tell, answer me this…

Using 5 words or less, diagnose my interior design style!

Caution: Graphic Content

Haha, just kidding . Don’t need to shield your children’s eyes, I am just talking about using bold pattern in the home.

I noticed that most of the things in my house that make me smile are graphically very striking and bold. A few examples:

Pillows from Urban Outfitters, Wal-Mart, Target, IKEA. I had a major crush on those yellow Dwell Studio for Target pillows for AGES (since I saw them on younghouselove.com) and they FINALLY went on clearance so I snatched the last two at our local Target!!

Diamond Jute rug from World Market

Chair covers I DIY’d with fabric from JoAnn’s

Duvet cover from IKEA

Towels from the Better Homes and Gardens line (I’m still in denial that I got them at Wal-Mart)

Vine curtains from IKEA (Noticing an IKEA trend?)

More to come, naturally, as tastes change and evolve. What’s on-trend today may look tired and old soon (although I’ve had the green IKEA pillows for a long time). I am trying hard to learn to be bold and creative when layering patterns. Unfortunately I can’t go pillow-crazy because Doug says it looks girly. Soon, hopefully I can do some outdoor pillows (we have dreams of an outdoor couch/lounge) and maybe go a little more crazy out there!!

Hotel Style at Home

Well, as you learned yesterday (via La Route Libre… my neglected travel blog), over the weekend we stayed at the Moonrise Hotel in Saint Louis. While booking it (and snagging the stay two nights, get one night free deal) I was fully aware that this would probably be the nicest hotel I would ever stay in. Unless I land a sweet job that sends me around the world for work.

Due to its contemporary and modern nature, all the furnishings were extremely up-to-date (although they could have toned down the faux bois veneer on drawers, lobby features, etc). The bed was seriously the most comfortable thing I have ever slept on. We considered strapping it to the top of the truck and heading for the hills.

The room made me think more about ways to make my home more “hotelly.” You can see my ruminations below. 

  • I have got to get my paws on a settee like the one in photo one. Is that what it’s called? Or a chaise? Either way, sitting on it to watch TV made me feel very cosmopolitan, indeed :)
  • The art above were quirky “photobooth” -esque shots of old timey people posing on a giant moon. There were two more of these in our room and more everywhere in the hotel. I thought they were cute and quirky, lending a fun and different aspect on the “moon” theme.

  • The mirror would be “easy” to DIY (I put easy in quotations because the theory is easy but in practice might be harder). Just cut a piece of MDF into a cute exaggerated frame and attach it to an existing frame–unify by painting the whole thing one color.

  • Statement pieces like this lamp made me swoon. If only stuff like this was more affordable.
Have you taken any decorating ideas from hotels? Or written down a list of what not to do–like the Moonrise’s carpet, maybe? Ick!