Portland based Schoolhouse Electric recently launched a new line of home wares to pair with their already great collection of lighting. Here are a few of my favorite pieces.
Beckman Chair | Topographic Map | Blackline Stonewear Pitcher | Graduate Lamp | Higgins Mirror | Langley Ottoman
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Credits: Clockwise from top left. A-Frame. Graham and Brown Turquoise Wallpaper and yellow chair. Living Room. Turquoise Wallpaper and grey sofa. Blanca Gomez Paris Print. Ok, so maybe this color can’t play as neutral but it does blend well in small doses and when mixed with warm tones like wood and brass. It’s even nice in large doses too, if you ask me.
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When I posted photos of my aging brass beauty I found a few weeks ago, I received a few comments about this here coffee table. To be honest, I’ve had it so long, I almost forgot it was a project I did. 10 years ago, almost exactly, and that makes me feel old, I designed and built this beast of a table. Aside from the welding, someone else did that for me, thank goodness, it’s all my handiwork, with the help of my wood shop instructor. So it’s 75% of my handiwork, but who is counting? Not me.
It’s made from, and I cringe a little, 36″x36″ of solid ribbon stripe mahogany and stainless steel. Add in the planter and like I said, it’s a beast. The concept was a positive negative balance of form and material. Super simple on first appearance, but also functional because it holds magazines, books, a small garden and what ever else happens to get plopped down when walking in the front door. Or, if your green thumb is lacking, it also makes a pretty darn good remote, coaster and crumb tray, because it’s definitely been that too.
What’s a succulent garden without a tiny green Buddha?
Photos: the K.I.D. Collective
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I did it. I bought the lamp. It’s not as arc-y and dramatic as I remember but still a great scale. And the price, $55, can’t be beat for a lamp that actually works. Here it is, in all it’s shiny glory.
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New Years Resolution #2… sketch more. I spend so much time doing things on the computer I forget I like to draw. I don’t want to forget, I want to be better. Especially at these quick 15-20 minute little sketches. The only way I’ve found to get better is by practice. It also doesn’t hurt telling you and throwing this sketch up on the internet. We all know the internet can be a brutally honest judge. If anything, doing this will push me to keep with the resolution.
Which brings me to this sketch. I saw this lamp over the weekend. I couldn’t tell immediately if it was going to be a good fit, if I would love it. It’s flashy and could be very wrong for my little place. And by wrong, I mean porn star, cocaine induced Charlie Sheen haze with a touch of 70′s kind of wrong. Bad points, it’s polished, some of the polish has worn off and it’s taller than me. Like I said, showy for my little place. Good points, it’s inexpensive ($79), it pivots (nice for reading, entertaining and tv watching) and has a small base, mind out of the gutter please, which is unusual for most arc lamps.
Unlike Charlie, I don’t buy on a whim, I don’t have that kind of money. I want to love the piece but in a dingy, dark vintage store, I couldn’t decide. I asked the shop keeper to call the owner and ask if he would take $50. Then I left, without the lamp. Half an hour later he called saying he would accept $55 and gave me the following day to decide, nice guy. So I came home, did a quick sketch of how I thought it might look because even at $55, I still wasn’t sold. What do you think of it?
sketchbook | intelligentsia – silverlake
sketchbook | fireplace redo
sketchbook | farmhouse modern kitchen
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A few months back I showed you some photos of this wall and these pillows. And since I moved the Christmas tree out, this spot has felt so empty. So I started with moving the book shelf into the corner, to the left of the sideboard, the spot where the tree lived for a few weeks. It felt good. Then, just recently I moved the chair over. That felt even better. I even rearranged a couple of pieces on the wall that the book shelf blocked. Of course when it came time to take a few photos (meaning we only get so much sunlight here in Portland), Winston decided it was the best time to show me his dead cow impersonation.
I like how the navy velvet mid century chair pairs with a wool navajo blanket. In my mind velvet and navajo wouldn’t make sense together, but it works. When I think about it, they are opposites, and you know I like that.
I still have a few things to frame so this wall will expand, eventually. I like that too. Yes, I do play Boggle.
Blue Velvet (the blue chair) used to live to the right of the sofa. Now I need a club chair or something similarly loungey. Blue Velvet was OK where it used to reside, but it not big enough to fully lounge in. I want something to curl up and watch a movie or read a book in.
Another shot of the empty spot. I think leather would look nice here. A worn camel color is what I have in mind with maybe some nailheads. Or what about a bold pattern? Hopefully Craigslist agrees.
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The mid century lines and the geometric fabric of the Berr Armchair tie together the two opposites. The Jielde Signal, a 1950′s industrial floor lamp is tall and slim and takes from the chair’s mid century detailing. The Moroccan Pouf is low and heavy and is inspired by the kilim. The lamp is quite the opposite from the pouf but it feels balanced because they pull from the chair. Don’t you think?
Product Images: Anthropologie, Horne and Serena and Lily.
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There’s no denying we have a TV. Although the photo above doesn’t show said Samsung, it’s there. It’s waiting patiently, waiting to be watched. Only we canceled cable and now only watch movies and sometimes we’ll hook the laptop up to the TV and stream some stuff yet the TV still resides front and center. Our house is a modest 650 SF and it’s the first thing anyone sees upon entering. The first impression inside my home is my TV, that is really what bugs me. So I’m trying to disguise it a little with this salon style wall. More to come…
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Suffice it to say you now know I’m not talking about dust bunnies and lost change behind the sofa. Because sometimes, all you need is a great sofa and some bright cushions. Case in point, the above creation.
Photo: Virginia MacDonald via Bluepool Road
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One of my life long friends, Mindy, recently came to me with a decorating dilemma. What should happen on the wall behind the sofa? She mentioned wanting a more mature style but her playful side always shines through. I say, don’t try to hide something so charming and fun. Take that playful side and run with it. It’s what’s going to make your home feel like your own and not some catalog. I think homes should be an extension of your personality. That’s when they feel the best.
Big striped pillows and an even bigger piece of art the width of the sofa by Daniel Hertzell add a lot of interest to an otherwise plain white wall. If original artwork is out of the budget, enlarge a photo and have it mounted to foam core or search for up and coming artists via etsy.
Have a bunch of family photos you haven’t had time to put in the album? A gallery wall of black and white photos is a great way to display the family heirlooms. Even though the frames are different styles, sizes and proportions they are tied together because they are black. Add in two matching black lamps and you have an instant vignette. Black spray paint and masking tape are your friend here. You can use the spray paint to paint the lamps and frames you already own. Then use the masking tape to tape off your layout before you hang anything. This will take a little more time but you’ll be sure to get the montage right the first time. And not need to patch any holes.
Forgo the frames and pin photos directly to the wall with insect pins. This is a simple and inexpensive alternative for an ever growing collection of family memorabilia.
So you have a little cash and you own your home? Sometimes a patterned wallpaper with a bold sofa are the perfect fix.
Or maybe you have something to hide? Panels of fabric create texture to divide space or cover up an eye sore. Tip, make sure the fabric extends from floor to ceiling.
Vintage furniture and thrift store artwork finds make an interesting and quirky combo. Get visual tips for hanging thrifted portraits from the Brick House, she’s really the best at this.
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