Blog

About a week ago I gave you a little peek at the beginnings of our studio transformation. The painting has been completed and our comfy reading chairs for part of the room have arrived. Unfortunately, our sleeper sofa that was to go in the basement didn't fit so it had to be sent back. Now we must start over at square one in that department. However, I had my heart set on the chairs and after only a few days, I am so glad we decided to keep them. This space, while not yet close to being completely transformed, is already turning into a quiet, peaceful, and tranquil place. It feels cozy and since the room is in the back of our row house, the noises of the street are nearly nonexistent.


Much still needs to be done in terms of decor, and the actual studio side of the room isn't much more than my desk at this point. I'm looking forward to continuing the work on this room.

In addition to this transformation, another one has begun to take place. We picked up our cork flooring for our half bath on the first floor yesterday afternoon. Andrew couldn't wait and had to dive into the project immediately. Here is a glimpse of the bathroom before demolition began.


Those ugly black tiles are also gracing our backsplash in the kitchen-- another project that will eventually be in the works. We're planning on putting down the cork flooring and then doing a Frank Lloyd Wright-esque paneling of maple that extends just right about the height of the sink, similar to this.


As for now, we have a toilet and a sink sitting in our living room. You may or may not have seen my tweet about the construction currently taking place, but for a look at what's going on, check the photo out here.

After fulfilling my inspiration needs with an overdose of my fashion mags, my blogroll and some Pinterest, I started to get into some bright florals. It's kind of funny because I'm not one to be super girly, which is what I always think of when I think floral. However, some of the designs that popped out at me are far from girly and are more under the bold and vibrant category. And most are pretty gutsy to pull off. Here are my picks.

via Atlantic-Pacific

via Anthropologie

via Rifle Paper Co.

via A Beautiful Mess

via Society 6

via You Are My Fave

I especially love that last look. Just a hint of floral in the scarf with the stripes and texture. What design inspiration have you been loving lately?

I love wood block prints. I was first introduced to block prints by my grandmother, a woman that loves paper goods and knows best how to write a wonderful letter. She always has a stash of note cards stowed away for the many personal notes that she always writes. One such type of note cards were those by Gwen Frostic, a wood block artist from Michigan.

As a child, on our way home from our camping trips in Canada, we would stop in Benzonia, Michigan to see Gwen's shop and pick up some stationery, calendars, and books. Gwen, who is no longer living, would sometimes be hiding amongst the printing presses as they clicked and clacked to produce her lovely prints.

Her shop, still open for business, is amazing. It is nestled in a wildlife sanctuary and uses native materials in attempt to bring the outdoors inside. Gwen's prints are nature inspired and were often created by the plants and animals that surrounded her studio. She is truly a creative inspiration.

A glimpse at some of the items available on her website.




And a glimpse from my personal stash.





One thing that I love about the stationery that gives it an even more natural feel is the deckled edge. Many of Gwen's designs are so simple, but just perfect. And some are more complex and leave me in awe of her ability to have carved that with an end result in mind. One thing remains certain. Most likely throughout my lifetime, I will always have a stash of Gwen Frostic paper, just like my grandmother.

I'm a bit of a lover of architecture-- some of it inherited from my father and some (ok, maybe a lot) from Andrew. One of my most recent discoveries is a beautifully rustic and modern house located in Belgium by Bruno Erpicum. Roly, as it is named, is a small brick and stone structure that has been converted into a house in which the indoors and outdoors meet. A living room of glass is perhaps one of the most wondrous features and seems quite cozy on a wintry day despite displaying all for an outsider to see. The features of the interior boast rustic stone finishes with clean, modern lines-- a beautiful contrast.





Best yet? It's currently used as a bed and breakfast. Add that one as a place to stay next time I take a trip to Belgium. :)

I'm a sucker for good film. Combine artsy film with good music and I'm even happier. Here's one that I couldn't resist sharing with you-- Somebody That I Used to Know by Gotye. It really just seems to bring the raw emotion of the song alive in such a simple way. It sucked me right in.