Shelter Magazine Review

Domino Magazine Relaunch

Color me blue and disappointed. In the relaunch issue, there was some great design. However, the old heart seemed to be missing. I am not sure if I can look objectively at the magazine now knowing that they are primarily a shopping site, because I could feel a catalog vibe and an emphasis on how you could replicate the look by buying this or that. What happened to championing individuality and one-of-a-kind looks?

The issue was similar to one of the original issues, it contained the same amount of content as before (page-wise), but it is now 3x the cost despite only publishing 4 times a year versus monthly. Mathematically, that means each issue should provide us with the content of three issues, right? No. However, they still make the same amount money in an ideal year on the newsstand.

There is one great and totally worth it thing gained from the web site; it seems that they will make some portions of the Domino article archives available again. I hope in time they will organize the access to them more efficiently. However, the magazine no longer seems as special to me. What a shame...

Fresh Style Magazine

Despite the lack of "shelter" magazines that appeal to me, I have found Fresh Style, out of Alabama. It is published 6 times a year, with a $6 retail price. It is a cool mix of the eclectic style that I love: a little country, old world, thrift, and vintage, with a dash of bright (but not basic) colors. But most of all it has an overall kitschy charm. The magazine consists of a variety of quick projects and great visual inspiration. In fact, its subtitle is 'simple ideas for creative living.'

I tend to read magazine mastheads* and did not recognize any of the editors or contributors from my former fave magazines such as ReadyMade, Blueprint, Budget Living or the like. Regardless, there is talent there.

*Likewise, movie and TV show credits. Test me!

SHELTER Sets: Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer

Relativity Media (2011) Jordana Beatty, Heather Graham Set Design: Cynthia Charette, Don Diers I have never seen this movie, but the images on the Set Decorators Society of America (SDSA) website captured my attention. The look of this film is the work of production designer Cynthia Charette and set decorator Don Diers. The designers took their inspiration from the Judy Moody books written by Megan McDonald and its black and white illustrations, drawn by Peter H. Reynolds. Image: Suzanne Tenner Adorable house, even more adorable to me if the door was orange and the shutters leaf green. Image: Ken Haber I could move right into this living room without changing much. I could even stand the wallpaper, but I would need a richer, spicier rug. That sofa is a dream; the color, the comfy shape, and well, come on - it's velvet! I like that the furnishings used were from a myriad of sources; Pottery Barn, Home Goods, LampsPlus Crate & Barrel, Target, CraigsList and even local thrift stores. Image: Ken Haber This pass-thru shows the eclecticism of the decor, with the whimsical and graphic grandfather clock and the folksy, hand-painted secretary desk on the other side of the entrance. Image: Ken Haber The kitchen is a room where I might make a few more changes. Love the floor, not the rug, Change out the table and chairs for a round wooden table and black Windsor chairs. I would also exchange the chandelier for a old-time surface mounted light fixture, remove the quaint wallpaper, and paint the walls a nice cake batter yellow. Image: Ken Haber Here is their imaginative take on a thrift/antique store. Check out that orphaned old teacup car and the seven foot tall legs! I want to go to there! Images: by Suzanne Tenner, Judy Moody Productions and Ken Haber. Set Decorators Society of America website

Something To Remember In The Future

This is a local story of a grass-free xeriscaped* yard. The owner removed the grass in his front yard and replaced it with plants that don't need to be mown (saves gas, electricity, man power) or watered by artificial means (city water through hoses or rain barrels). These plants (mostly sedums) can exist on natural rainfall, even in near-drought conditions. Richmond graphic artist Noah Scanlin posted on the continued progress of his front yard on his blog Another Limited Rebellion. Here are pictures of other xeriscaped lawns using rocks and drought-resistant plants:

   

Since I already know that I am lazy (and eco-conscious) this will be the #1 way I will landscape when I get that sweet cottage in the future. 

Images: landscapes-design.com, luxuryhousingtrends.com, landscaperm.com 

*xeriscape = Greek for xeros = dry, -scape = view or scene

Those Easy Quilts of Summer

Okay, looking through the archives of this blog it seems every year I talk about making a quilt. I now have so many saved tutorials and patterns that it is truly ridiculous.

But one day...one day it will happen.

In the mean time, here are a few I want to share with you. If you make any of them please let me know. Perhaps, I can complete a quilt through you.

The Purl Bee's Zig Zag quilt for a baby boy.

Still want to make this one.

And from the Crazy Mom Quilts blog, here is another great way to make a zig zag quilt without using ANY triangles.

Another design from the Purl Bee blog is this unique Sunny Tied quilt. I love how it is constructed.

What Do You Think I Should Do?

The 54" width of the fabric.

I've had this fabric, "Brunei" by Lee Behren, for over seven years as drapery rolls wrapped in plastic in my closet. I have at least six yards. In fact, I went back later and bought more so I'm not really sure how much I have now. I really loved this fabric and did make two pillows out of it; however, the motivation to make this into a coverlet/quilt like the one below passed years ago.


Detail of fabric middle.

A photo shoot in Living Room* magazine of an Anthropologie comforter.

You see how the Anthropologie coverlet has a distinct color change down the middle just the same as my fabric? I remember feeling that it was a sign and "meant to be". And it was at the time, too bad I took too long to stitch it up. Now I'm not so much into a lot of pink in my bedroom. So I'm trying to think up some way to make this fabric work by combining it with more orange and green fabrics. Perhaps a big border of another patterned fabric? Intersperse strips within the design or create a patchwork like the examples below?

Comforters from The Company Store.

However, that would mean buying more fabric and I already have enough for two coverlets! Can somebody help me with this?! Suggestions are welcome!

It's lovely though, isn't it?

*A great magazines that was canceled after only three issues.

Ford Wheeler's Clown-tastic Bathroom

I can appreciate the kitsch but I'm a bit clown-phobic so I won't be emulating this look anytime soon. Still you should check out the slideshow of the rest of production designer (Rachel Getting Married) Wheeler's energy and item-packed home here at the New York Times Style Magazine.

Image: Alix Browne for the New York Times

Adorable House Tour, Somewhere Else

Go check this place out Pam's Southern Charm on the PieWacket blog! I love it and it only has a little bit to do with the fact that I grew up with a set of Danish furniture (sofa and two chairs) that almost match hers but more like the ones below (they're just a little more angular.)

  Just like these!

Unfortunately, my sofa succumbed to termites when I left it with my roommates over the summer. Who knows where it is now? I still have the chairs though and my dad is storing them until I have room for them. Oh, and about PieWacket, well, you should be reading it anyway. The photography is A-Mazing! Definitely look at her archives and especially view her Lost & Found tag. Believe me, you'll love it.

While You Wait...

for real content, look at the pretty-pretty:

 
Tom Leighton

Image: Part of Tom Leighton's portfolio, image first seen on Desire to Inspire here.

Do You Have Clutter To Clear?

In 2008, I wrote about a article in the 2007 April issue of Real Simple magazine*. I just found out that the article's author, Gail Blanke, has now released an entire book on the subject, Throw out Fifty Things: Clear the Clutter, Find your Life.

Even though I was greatly influenced by the article and definitely believe in the benefits she described, I still have quite a way to go in clearing out my clutter. There is definitely a reason that I can't seem to let it go. So I can't wait until the library gets their copy in so I can read this. For those of you with healthier paychecks, please go and buy a copy.

* For some reason, they've removed it from their website.

Glamour Shots

I love the combination of this curry yellow color and the blue. I've had these pictures scanned for months but it wasn't until I pasted them in this page that I realized they each had this combo. As you know, I love painted furniture. I just feel it brings so much character to a room.



I love the bench seat of the sofa, no need to fluff and wrangle cushions when you get up.



The touches of red are great. Lately, I was thinking my apartment needs more touches of the yellow and purple thrown around.

Images: Glamour magazine, July 2008

The 1950s As Lived In The 80s

Images from my scrapbooks:

Songwriter/artist Allee Willis' cool, pink North Hollywood home, a Streamline Moderne-styled abode designed in 1937 by William Kesling. It was featured in two different magazines that I had during the 80s. Her new place and her new Museum of Kitsch were just featured in the LA Times and linked to on Shelteriffic so I decided to get my pages out, scan them and try to clean up the images a bit so I could show them here and on Flickr. I hope you enjoy.

Yum!

In this picture and the next, her own motorized painting/sculpture designs.

The wire boomerang bar!


Kidney bean table and Memphis-like chairs she designed.

Isn't that bed amazing?!

I once had a chance to buy two pink sofas like hers when I was just out of the dorms. Hot pink nubby barkcloth loveliness! They were at a yard sale; I can't remember the price but I can just imagine how cheap that price would seem now!

Ooh, look! More recent photos from the December 1999 issue of Channels magazine.

(Image: Splash Magazines Worldwide)

The back of her bright pink William Kesling house.

Images: Elyse Lewin from Cosmopolitan magazine 198?; David Glumb from Mademoiselle magazine, April 1983

Didn't Expect This, Did You?

Montesorri Baby's Room

But I saw this post on Sew Liberated and fell in love with this child's room arranged using Montessorian concepts and ideas. Isn't it amazing?

Image: Sew Liberated

This Is Where I Live In My Dreams

I just fell in love and I bet you will too.

Check out this post at Desire to Inspire.

Wisdom From Dr. Wende

Check out this comment from my last post about clutter, that just blew me away. This is even better than the Buddhist quote.

"If you're going to find out who you'll become, you need space in your life for who you are, rather than storing reminders of who you thought you were going to be."

Dr. Wende

Wow, Wende, just wow...

Affordable cottage in the NYT

700 square feet and bought for $95,000!!

I have to give it to The New York Times. When they catch my interest, they usually get it big time. You may have seen this first set of pictures on other blogs already because this place in the Catskills is beautiful. But what what struck me is how it truly was something I would be interested in. That price is incredible, it's almost impossible to find a house that cheap here in Richmond, though of course most people I know can't afford a weekend house, let alone a place two hours away from where they live and work during the week. However, I loved how they furnished the place with hand-me-downs, and purchases from Craigslist and to top it off also used it as the venue for their outdoor wedding! That's the way to get the most for your money!

I love the use of the green, which seems to change color subtly throughout the house. It's definitely cute and country but not too so. Check out that incredible stove, unfortunately it doesn't work though.


(Click to enlarge)

That gallery wall- designed hallway blows me away and reminds me of another that I featured on this blog before. The newspaper was supplied with a rundown of their decorating costs. Decorated for only $2,352! Other homeowners featured in the newspaper's regular features can't seem to even get a closet organized for that little amount of money.

This cottage reminded me a bit of this cottage I found in an old issue of Cottage Living, from the 80s, that I bought when I was in Fredericksburg. I love the cottage aesthetic, the airy feel, and the simplicity. The use of the darker green for the window blinds is perfect, it adds a dash of color that works as decoration 24/7 when the shades are up, whereas white curtains (the obvious choice) would add nothing to the room.

In this bedroom shot (one of my favorites!) the different shades of green with the rich yellows, the red side table, and the orange tones of the spool-turned bed really speak to me; a mix of harvest tones mixed with white gives the room a warm and cozy feel.

So, two clowns meet in Afghanistan ...

Every once in a while I check out the New York Times Real Estate section.

No, not to look at the expensive loft high rises that the city is famous for, but instead because I like to check out their Habitats columns. These stories usually focus on the middle class of New York; the artists, musicians, and store owners and the unique homes that they create for themselves.

Image: Ruby Washington/The New York Times

This past one I read though had a bonus; it was not only a story of a graphic and space-conscious apartment but also a love story. Please check out the lovely story of clowns Seth Bloom and Christina Gelsone here.

*Definitely don't miss the video interview (half-way down the screen page); that's what made my heart melt. What a story, what a job/mission, what a great couple. I wish them the best!

Also if someone has more detailed pictures of Christina's wedding dress created out of miniature white balloons I would love to see them! Now that's creative!

UPDATE: Christina, herself sent me this lovely wedding portrait. Too cool, right?

Talking Flowers and Bramble Vines

My first look at Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland (courtesy of USA Today)

I wrote about the fashion before, now I want them to bring on more behind-the-scenes photos of the set design. Wow.

Images: Disney Pictures

Vintage Store Gold

On Saturday, my friend Michelle and I took a road trip up Route 301 to Historic Fredericksburg to check out the shops on Caroline Avenue. We are extremely lucky that we are currently poor because we could have gotten ourselves into so much trouble!

The vintage/antique stores were the best I've seen in years. For some reason, the various wares that I personally am interested in were everywhere: vintage rocking chairs, Amberina glass, children's miniature sewing machines, vintage cameras, and unique floor lamps. Wow.

Here are just a few pictures of our finds:

Green Moon & Stars compote, $20.

Ceramic bookends for $20

Small crystal chandelier, $100

Children's miniature sewing machine, $24

The needle mechanism on this vintage Sew Mistress actually still worked.

This is just a sampling, but they had so many different varieties and brands of these old sewing manuals and cookbooks, sometimes, we saw complete sets.

Images: Downtown Fredericksburg.com

These pictures are from just a few of the stores we looked at, Blue Shark Antiques, Upstairs Downstairs Antiques, and Carroll's Timeless Treasures, all on Caroline Street. But there were many, many more.