achromatic ACCESSORIES

The last several weeks I've been talking about color palettes for winter.  The easiest way to change the color palette and feel of your room is with accessories.  To make your space feel a bit more like winter, shop for achromatic decor: black, white, or grey.  Remember to choose pieces with different textures so your design doesn't fall flat.  

Here's some great decorative accessories I found at Z Gallerie:

1. Daschund Bookends: I'm not an animal lover, but these bookends are just so classic.  I like the sophistication of the matte black finish.

2.  Sequoia Vase: I love the modern mix of metal in a wood grain impression

3. Trophy Bowl: The glossy white makes this traditional object more modern

4. Ceramic Filigree Jar: The perforations in this jar will cast shadows, with a touch of Moroccan style

5. Vegas Table Lamp: The mix of the black shade with metal base is a great transitional look

6. Scoppio Sphere on a Stand: These great sculpture pieces remind me of sputnik or sunburst motifs in mid-century modern design.  The spikes have great texture poking out from the center core.


Visit my other posts to catch up about the color theory behind this palette:
color study- WINTER: Part 2
color study- WINTER: Part 1


Which pieces would you choose to put in your home for an achromatic look for winter?



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SOURCES

All images: ZGallerie.com

a matching SET?

When I went to IKEA a few weeks ago to see their new Sektion kitchens, I couldn't help but peak into the 'As Is' section on my way out.  Real quick- just for a minute... (famous last words...)

Seriously? I just bought the exact same cabinet on Craigslist a few weeks ago!  It is a Besta cabinet with gloss white doors.  But the one I previously purchased had a glass top and metal legs, but those must be add-ons.  This floor model was marked half off, how can I pass this up?

(Stairs are in the upper-left corner of the floor plan)

Instantly I could envision it right next to our existing Besta cabinet.  This would be so great!  I called my husband at home, and ran the idea by him.  He liked it, so he grabbed the measure tape.  He said the cabinet would fit, but there would only be about 18" at the base of the stairs.  No.....seriously? My rush of energy fell to the floor.

Well, what if we use it somewhere else?  It would just be so nice to have a matching set- even for in the future when we move some day.  We definitely need more storage, so what if we use it as a console behind the sofa?  Plus, that would prevent the sofa back being the first thing you see when a person walks in.

Or what if we place it in the dining space and use it as a buffet?  We could store our wedding china inside and free up space in the hallway closet upstairs, which would be help.  Plus, that would be so convenient if we host a nice dinner.

With two options to choose from, we decided it was a good deal to take advantage of.  My husband met me at IKEA with my laptop so I could make these floor plans you see above.  I'm not going to lie, a few people stared my way- so funny...  In the meantime, my husband went to find the coordinating glass panel top, and found the discontinued metal legs in the 'As Is' section, of course!  Two hours later, just before closing, we finally loaded it in the car and took it home.

(FYI- I'm still sourcing for the coffee table and floor lamp)

Once we got it home and shifted the sofa and dining set, it fits right in.  Not only does it provide extra storage and disguise the back of the sofa when you enter inside, but I can accessorize- Yay!  The glossy surfaces bounce more light around the room which is great.  

You may think it's weird, or against a design rule to have the same cabinet serving two different areas with two different functions, but it totally works in this case.  I can 'missmatch' the placement because it is a simple and clean design.  It is not a statement piece, it just supports the design aesthetic. It functions as a media console in the front of the room, and functions as a sofa console in our entry.  Especially in a small space, repetition will make your space feel larger and more cohesive.

I like the flexibility to use this cabinet for different purposes.  Maybe they will be side by side in our next place, or maybe they will flank a book case- only time will tell.

PS....in the end, our floor model with the accessories was about the same price we negotiated it for on Craiglist, so 'missmatch' your sources too!

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SOURCES

Photography: my HUSBAND

Floor Plans: by ME

color study - WINTER: Part 2

Part 1 of my winter color study used cool colors as my base.  But I was thinking that winter is the perfect season to talk about an achromatic color scheme- Brr!

Black and white are complete opposites and display high contrast.  This dynamic duo looks very high fashion, sleek, architectural, bold, and eye-catching!

Fashion Fever on Bloglovin

Nat-a-tat-tat

 Bulgari

Eenig Wonen

Dust Jacket

Desire to Inspire

Delicious Pillows on Etsy

However, sometimes black and white can feel a bit cold, or harsh- have you noticed?  Grey is the perfect neutral in this achromatic scheme.  Playing with a variety of textures and finishes will also soften this harsh palette.  The proportion of colors used can also tone this down: 70/30, or even 90/10.

Apartment Therapy

Wonenmetlef.nl

Garnet Hill

Visit my 'opposites ATTRACT' board on Pinterest to see more ideas how to use an achromatic scheme in your home.

So, for everyday living in my home, I would prefer the softer achromatic palette with lots of white or grey in comparison to a 50/50 of black and white.  Actually, my bedroom in Chicago was grey and white with a touch of black.  

What about you?  High contrast or a bit softer for a winter color palette in your home?

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washi tape HANGER

I hope you saw my washi tape DIY project for Valentine's Day- heart day DIY.  You really should!

So, I have a few clear plastic bins holding my crafts supplies.  Then I have a sandwich baggie with my washi tape rolls inside.  Easy to see, but is it really the best way to organize it?

Check out this idea I found on Pinterest:

I think this is a great way to organize your tape and have it be easily accessible.  Plus, it's instant decor!



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SOURCES

Image: Sem Moldura

heart day DIY

Oh wow, it's almost Heart Day... Already?!

I started to think about how to incorporate a little Valentine's Day decor without looking like decorations for a party.  What about a piece of art?  I want it for the holiday, but also okay to have out all year long if I wanted to.  

Here's my idea to re-purpose your regular artwork for Heart Day:

This is a set of artwork I made for my Chicago apartment, but it's not really fitting my new Portland style.  Time for a makeover!

I took out my art supply boxes and rummaged around until I found my washi tape dispenser.  I cleaned off the scraps, and found my color palette: orchid, lilac, yellow, and spring green

Here's what you will need:  A piece of artwork to re-purpose, washi tape, scissors, and templates for your design (I printed these out from a basic document)

First cut out my heart template and traced it onto a piece of white card stock.  Then cut a polygon shape around the heart.

Turn the heart outline downward so you can cut the shape out easily afterwards.  Start sticking down strips of washi tape in random directions.  Rotate through your colors in order so it looks balanced.

Then stick down a lot more pieces until all of the white paper is covered.  Feel free to eyeball it with your template to make sure.

Next, carefully peel up the edges of the tape, and turn the white paper right side up to see the heart outline. It's a bit stiff to cut through, so just go slow.

Wow, it looks so beautiful! LOVE!

I mounted it onto white card stock with washi tape, of course, and set it back into the black frame.  Repeat these same steps with the "X O" templates.

Here is my washi tape Heart Day decor DIY.  I love how it turned out! (I just wish I had a better photograph to share with you....)  The colors are beautiful in person.  I kept it colorful with some neon colors and bright white, nothing too typical of Valentine's day.  This set of artwork probably takes about an hour to craft.

I hope you'll try my 'missmatch' Heart Day diy project.  You probably already have the supplies at home.  And if you made it through elementary school art class, you can definitely make this for your sweethearts!


happy HEART DAY!!




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SOURCES

Photography: by ME
Supplies: previously owned

color study - WINTER: Part 1

I'm sitting at home on my new sofa with my slippers on, this cold winter night.  This seems like the perfect time to take a look at a new kind of color palette inspired by winter.

Winter is the time for puffy snow jackets, boots and scarves to keep us warm and cozy.  Cool colors with white remind me of frozen lakes and snowflakes falling to the ground.  When it's so cold and rainy, it's fun to sit around the fireplace or light a favorite candle and get toasty.  

Of course, I always come back to the color wheel to find new ways to use color.  It is especially useful when trying something outside the box.  These are some alternative colors for winter:

-----     -----     -----     -----     -----

-----     -----     -----     -----     -----

Purple and yellow can be a bit much, unless you're a Laker's fan, don't you think?  Toning down these colors to be more muted and sophisticated really transforms this pairing.  Think about purple velvets and gold or bronze accents...it's very royal when you think about it.

These 'missmatch' color palettes for winter are out of the ordinary, but beautiful with the right proportions.  Do you prefer the complementary or split-complementary palette?

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SOURCES

Color wheel: Toadfool

sektion at IKEA

I ventured out to IKEA Monday to see the debut of the new Sektion kitchen system.  Lucky for me it's only 15 minutes away, because I just learned that Portland has the only location in the state of Oregon!

One of my best friends is a designer on the visual team, and told me about the big renovation going on at IKEA stores.  Before heading out, I did a search on the new collection and found a post by Apartment Therapy with a behind-the-scenes look. They say that Sektion is more modular and easier to create kitchen layouts, features soft-close drawers, maximizes interiors drawer space, and has a wall track system for all of you DIYers out there!

Here's a look at the new displays:

Modern and white:

Country chic in grey:

Traditional retro in black and white:

Bold with sunshine yellow:

Variety of cabinet fronts:

It was definitely a busier day at the kitchen design center.  All of the displays looked really great, and I'm so glad I got a first look!

Is anyone looking to re-do their kitchen?  Which style would be your inspiration?

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SOURCES

Photography: by ME

watercolor for your DEVICES

I know my last post was also on watercolor, but it's still on my mind!

I was searching on Pinterest for watercolor desktop wallpaper and found a beautiful pin of watercolor wallpapers for a desktop, phone, or pad.  And best of all, it's a free download!


Check out these sherbert watercolors at 'Something Peach' blog:

I just downloaded this one to try out on my desktop, I like the brush strokes and bright colors:

If you need some more watercolor in your life, which I'm sure you do, I hope you'll visit 'Something Peach' blog to view more of her free downloads and read some of her posts.  I'll definitely stop by to view some of her DIYs.

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SOURCES

Wallpaper designs: Something Peach