SHELTER Sets: Pushing Daisies

Check out my new favorite show that hasn't even aired yet. These are stills from the new ABC show Pushing Daisies, starting in October. The main character, a pie maker, possesses a special power that causes chaos in his personal life. It is romantic, funny, and that dangerous to the networks word, quirky. It has so many things I like that I am almost too scared to watch it. Shows like this have a habit of not making it, especially the ones that I like. The main writer and executive producer is Bryan Fuller of Heroes, Dead Like Me, and my beloved but canceled Wonderfalls. However, I am not going to tell you the plot, you should read this great review of the pilot on the Televisionary blog for information or read the official Pushing Daisies blog, The Pie Maker.

What I want to show you is the incredible retro-flavored set design. Wow!



Check out the character Olive's apartment. Played by Kristen Chenoweth, Olive is a girl who always gets her man, who in this show falls for a guy that she can't get. She is all girl and her space communicates that with pale pink walls, dainty figurines, and muted pastels. The girl has everything; furniture, walls, even her pajamas outfitted in floral prints.



However, I see a veering from the stereotypical "girly" character that is usually implied by this kind of decor. She does not have a fluffy little dog that could fit in her purse; instead, she has a golden retriever.

Though her apartment and its overt femininity did bring to mind another set meant to convey the specific personality of its female resident, the office of Dolores Umbridge in the latest Harry Potter.



The lead character of Pushing Daisies makes and sells pies at a little old shop called the... (wait for it)...Pie Hole.





Of course, the production designer went all out for the main set; therefore, the restaurant was designed to resemble a deep-dish pie, complete with pie tin, while also invoking old pre-fab stainless steel diners.

Quirky, no?

Do you see what great potential there is to fall in love with this show? If you were a fan of the canceled Wonderfalls, then you are halfway there.


Pictures from The Pie Maker and the Leaky Cauldron.

The reality of my desk

Hey, my office space made it to Apartment Therapy-Chicago today!



In a fit of honesty, I'm going to show you what my desk looked like the moment I saw the post on my computer:

 

Now that's reality folks!

The rugs of Ballard Designs

Avondale in Black, Green, Chocolate and Red, 5'7" x 7'7" size is $90!

I received another new Ballard Designs catalog this week. It is strange that I love Ballard because their overall style isn't really my style at all. It is more their small things than the big picture that attracts me. Their accessories and decorative items are incredible and sometimes amazingly affordable.

This week this rug jumped out at me for its great neutral color, strong design, and practicality. This is an indoor/outdoor rug and Ballard does great indoor/outdoor rugs! They don't just give you a few plain sisal rugs, but numerous different patterns and at least with this style, real value. This style was loomed to look like sisal although it is actually polypropylene. This means it is not only mildew resistant but you can wash it with simple soap and water. In addition, if you use it outdoors you can just rinse it off with a garden hose.

Therefore, they are also an ideal type of floor covering if you are a pet owner.

Besides being mildew resistant, rugs made of polypropylene (also called olefin) are non-allergenic. So as an allergy sufferer, even though it is a man-made product, I support its use in rugs. Believe me, the shedding of a real sisal rug is beyond horrible and something I never want to experience again. Oh, and at this point, I can't afford 100% natural wool rugs which is the alternative for for allergy sufferers.

Some of their other polypropylene rugs:


Capetown Stripe in Green, Black, Red, or Chocolate, 5'7" x 7'7" is $90


Milas in Aqua or Terracotta, 4'9" x 7'4" is $119


Wyndham in Sand/Black and seven other color combos, 5'3" x 7'7" is $149

More Martha at Macy's

I stopped by Macy’s yesterday to torture myself looking at shoes. Since I was there, decided to check out the new Martha Stewart Collection. My particular Macy’s seemed to be taking it slow, only half of the department was set up and hand written signs were stating where certain kitchen tools would go.

Some of the basic kitchen utensils like spatulas and slotted spoons were there but I wonder just how different are these from the ones she has at K-Mart? Maybe they have prettier handles?

One thing Martha is definitely doing is trying to grab as much business as she can. Instead of offering just one type of item, she is offering many different styles for different customers. She has five different types of salt and pepper mills ($30-$40) and five distinctly different spice rack systems ($40-$60).

I thought this was very clever and attractive, a collapsible colander, available in blue, red, and lime green for $15.

Good news!

Even though they are still not shown on the Macy’s website (probably scared the website would be jammed) the turquoise and red cast iron pieces are in the store and are also available online through the Wedding Channel’s wedding registry. Best of all, they are on SALE! The 5 and 7-quart Dutch ovens are currently 50% off, from $119 to $59. This is true at the stores too, so you better run rather than walk!

Comparing them to my own Le Creuset, they seem like the real deal. (But what else would you expect from Martha?) The colors are so beautiful in real life that I might buy the red one in the 7-quart size to complement the 5-quart one I have as part of my hunter green Le Creuset group.

These melamine bowls ($30 for 6) are a great deal, but I really loved a miniature set of these that they had for $10. They were meant as prep bowls for those 3 tablespoons of allspice or coriander needed in recipes but I think they would be excellent for condiments at a buffet event. I also think a few would look great in my office holding paperclips and miniature rubberbands.

Martha is also selling cake and cookie mixes too. In cakes, she is selling chocolate, white, and lemon cake mixes for $12 each. However, I prefer the $10 sugar cookie mix because she is selling her decorative colored sugars and sprinkle sets to go with them ($14 now, but regularly $20 each). The sugars also can be used with her new 4-piece birthday cake stencil set for $15. I really should have bought that cookie mix when I was there.

Well, I guess I have to go back and check out the completed store setup, right?

Martha Stewart Colors - Why no lemon yellow?

Finally, the Martha Stewart Colors site is up and running!!*

Since May, Martha has had a new paint line at Lowe's that replaced her other paint lines at Sherwin-Williams and K-mart. These 350 colors are priced around $25 a gallon and are manufactured through Valspar like all of the other Lowe's brand paints.

However, those expecting the same calm and pale shades of the K-mart line will be disappointed. The shades available at Lowe's are more complex. I tried to find a match to the colors that I use in my home and found I could not find a simple yellow. All of the yellows had either a strong green or orange cast to them. These two examples are the closest I could find, one is a mustard shade, the other is like cake batter, and there isn't a lemon in the bunch.





The funny thing is that I went to look at Lowe's paints to check out Martha's choices but came out of there impressed with the colors in the Valspar Ultra Premium collection. The colors in the Brights group are gorgeous, clear, vibrant, and just plain beautiful!



There is a spring-like green, Greenway, in the Brights section that is very close to the Rust-Oleum color I wanted to use on the armoire. I might have to try a quart of it.

*I actually started this post in April when the paint first launched but had no official information or color images until now.

Goodbye Sweet Audrey

My heart goes out to Alicia* and Andy on the loss of their sweet angel Audrey yesterday.

* of the blog Posie Gets Cozy

SHELTER: A Study of a Small Space

Months ago, when I came across the home of fellow blog writer Chez Shoes, I was amazed because this lovely space looked very much like my imagined future cottage. She has done an incredible job with this space; though cozy, it seems very bright and airy. Please enjoy this tour in her own words.

"I live in a 400-square-foot studio (or single) apartment in Los Angeles. It’s one of three units in a converted bungalow, built in the 1920s. While my unit looks vintage, it’s actually new – it was built out of the basement and original laundry room just a couple years ago. I’m lucky to have the best of both worlds: vintage charm and modern plumbing!"

Would you consider yourself an artistic person? Is it something that you use in your career or daily life?

I’m not sure that I’d say I’m artistic, as much as creative. As a visual thinker and learner, I’m constantly inspired by what I see around me in my daily life. I work in the stock photography industry, and while not a photographer myself, the colors and images that I am surrounded by daily at work often inspire me in my home life.

What specific difficulties did you have when decorating your space?

Two come to mind. The biggest obstacle, living in a studio, was getting a clear separation of sleeping and living space within one room. Since the space is visually dominated by the bed, I’m still working on this one!

The other was decorating the wall above my bed. Since I have spent my entire life in earthquake country, I have a phobia of having anything hanging over my head! Just this weekend I solved this by hanging a picture wire over the bed, which I use to display lightweight things that pose no danger.

How comfortable are you in your living space?

Very. I moved into my apartment last December, when I was seriously thinking of leaving Los Angeles for good. While a move is still under consideration, I find my apartment to be so pleasing that I’m becoming a bit hesitant to do so.

Is your favorite color represented in your home somewhere?

That was part of the reason I fell for this place while I was apartment-hunting – the colors it was already painted were exactly what I would have chosen myself! The kitchen trim is red, which is my all-time favorite color. The bedroom and bathroom walls are painted a sunny yellow, which I have painted other spaces before and I love. I didn’t need to change a thing!

How would you describe your personal style?

Flea-market modern meets big-box store, with some handmade thrown in for good measure and a little bit of Japanese kawaii.

Do you think your décor style matches your personal style?

Absolutely – my home, like my wardrobe, is a mixture of vintage, handmade, and new, a mixture of purchased, found, and hand-me-downs from friends.

What was your biggest influence in choosing your current décor?

Prosaic though it may be, I’d have to say cost – but along with this goes my personal ethic of using what I have, recycling, and avoiding buying new whenever possible. By being forced to work within budgetary constraints, I think I’m also forced to be more creative than I would be if I had the money, say, to just go to Design Within Reach or Shabby Chic and buy new off the showroom floor.

Well, let's say that you receive $1,000 that you could only spend on your home, what would you do with the money?

I’d probably buy a vintage armoire that I could use to hide the TV in! And since I’d be buying used, there might be enough money left over to score a washer and dryer on Craigslist – then my life would be truly complete. :)

Have you done any of the décor yourself (DIY projects)? What did you do?

Living in a small space, organization is always important. I just made a wall organizer from Lotta Jansdotter’s Simple Sewing book, so that I can keep all the little necessities at hand next to my sewing table.

Since you sew, are there any other projects you have planned to make for your home?

Next up will be café curtains for my kitchen. I’ll be using the pattern in Amy Karol's Bend-the-Rules Sewing, my current favorite source of sewing inspiration.

What changes have you made that make you feel the most proud?

After realizing that my kitchen goes mostly unused, several weeks ago I decided to dedicate my kitchen table to being a full-time sewing space. Since doing so, I’ve had a lot more inspiration and motivation to make little things for the home – things like placemats, napkins, aprons, and those café curtains that I plan to do soon. When my sewing machine was tucked away on a shelf, I was much more of a procrastinator about projects, and far more willing to just go out and buy what I wanted or needed. Now, before buying I consider “Can I make that?” and usually the answer is “YES!”

Is there one item in your home that you love the most?
I have two, actually: my 1950s vintage rocker, scored at a thrift store as it was being unloaded from the delivery truck (“Hey, I’ll give you $20 for that chair!” and it went straight from the truck to my car). And my owl eyeglass holder.

What do you plan to do next in your space?

The aforementioned kitchen curtains, and I’d also like to seriously re-do my walk-in closet so that it is organized optimally. The latter will probably not be a DIY project, though – just a matter of finding the right storage system to install.

What kind of homes do you most admire or lust after?

I love small cottages, and trailers too. My dream home would be something from the Tumbleweed Tiny House Company with a large plot of land on which I could have a vegetable garden and an Airstream.

Have you seen any homes in movies that you would want to live in?
Oh, so many! The first that comes to mind is Amelie’s apartment, of course. But I also like the décor of Meg Ryan’s apartment in You’ve Got Mail, and Steve Buscemi’s apartment in Ghost World.

Amelie

Ghost World

How different is your grown-up style from the place in which you grew up?

Very different, but with some remaining influences. My parents’ tastes ran toward the antique side when I was a kid in the 1960s and 1970s, so things were much more traditional – I remember lots of dark wood, which I don’t especially care for. But my parents were also big thrifters and flea-marketers, so clearly I've been influenced by this.

Why I Love Better Homes & Garden

Color!



Color!



Color!