Have you visited the Domino galleries lately? Be sure to catch their latest guide to chests of drawers. I just love the image below, seeing a dresser in an entryway, decked out in a pretty color (like teal), adorned with beautiful things… Well it sort of makes me weak. Having all of those deep drawers is also very handy for storage. You can neatly tuck away slippers, mittens, and outdoor gear, to office supplies, tools, wrapping paper, and sheets of tissue paper.
You see, I’ve always wanted to have an entryway since becoming a bonafide adult, an entry like the ones in my family home as a child. Ever since abandoning the nest at 19, I’ve had either long narrow hallways to welcome me, or doors that opened directly into the living space. Never a halfway point between the outside world and the living space – never a neat little entryway to call my own. That welcoming space (only complete with fresh cut flowers, a little chair, and a dresser) is where greetings are exchanged and kisses on the cheeks are given to welcome or bid adieu. It’s the one space that I miss, and desire, the most.
After examining their chest of drawers gallery (and feeling the pang of nostalgia), I hopped on on over to the Dining Tables and Chairs gallery, another worthy feature to visit. I’m so pleased to see the mix up in chairs and tables becoming more mainstream, no longer do we need conform to ‘matchy matchy’ sets that are too imposing for a modern, relaxed lifestyle. We can mix wood tables with acrylic chairs, not because we cannot afford a matching set, but because we prefer the casual look. Isn’t it exciting to see decor taking a turn from the overly done to a bit haphazard?
(images from domino)
Jen Renninger wrote in about her illustrative work and I was aglow. What talent! As a freelance editorial illustrator and long time closet designer, Jen has been working on her own collection of pillows, prints, and home accessories to compliment her illustration business. I can’t wait to see her home collection because I love her style and color palette already. Her website will be up and running in a week or so (bookmark it), but here’s a sneak peak of some of her illustrative work, to whet your appetite for what is to come. This lady is one to watch.
(images from jen renninger)
I’ve wanted to write about this for awhile, but couldn’t figure out how to merge the topic with decorating and design… So I’ve decided to just post about it anyway because I think it’s a great resource to tap into. Especially with so many of you either working in the business world or owning your own business, I’m sure you can find topics that interest you. Anyway, Boston’s own MIT set up MIT OCW, a free and open educational resource for people all over the world who want to pull up a seat and learn. After extensive research on it (including conversations with those who have taken a few OCW courses), I can’t say enough to promote this avenue of learning. It’s great.
Sure, you won’t earn a degree from your studies via OCW, but you will learn about fascinating subjects from some of the best educators on this planet, which is never a bad thing. Whether it’s Anthropology you fancy, Linguistics and Philosophy, or Writing and Humanistic Studies, there is something that appeals to the curiousity of everyone. Some of their writing courses interest me, and Composing Your Life: Exploration of Self through Visual Arts and Writing looks interesting, too.
There are lots of great business courses, and courses on Architecture (including urban planning), and even special programs that may prove helpful to those of you interested in product development, like Prototypes to Products, a course that covers topics from prototyping techniques to materials selection, design-for-manufacturing, field-testing, and project management. There’s even a course on Pricing, a subject on the minds of so many business owners these days.
Visit MIT OCW for more information. But beware: There are lots of details to digest, so give yourself time to browse the site.
(image from mit ocw)
de Maria’s sent over their lighting today (thanks, Roos!) and I couldn’t stop looking through their website long enough to write a proper post about them. Wow. I’m smitten.
Based in Den Haag, Netherlands, de Maria’s creates lighting like I’ve never seen – and I love it. I’m tempted to say it merges fashion with interiors in a way like no other, it’s like seeing your favorite fashion image illuminated – over your dining room table! Check out their work for yourself right here, and make sure you email them if you are a buyer interested in carrying the line or a shopper looking to purchase one. You can reach either Roos Jooren or Diana Maria at info{at}deMarias{dot}nl. Their site is in Dutch, but like most Dutch, they speak English.
(images from de maria’s)
I have to thank decor8 reader Margot J. who sent me a copy of Canada’s newest gem, Chocolat, a shelter magazine that is, overall, really fantastic.
It’s a shopping magazine, much like Domino, but it has somewhat of a UK feel to it – it’s a little like Ideal Home meets Living Etc. maybe? Hmmm. Hard to describe. I love the title typefont and all the resources it lists inside, and the website is equally good with a few great DIY articles that are practical and do not involve power tools or a degree in fine arts.
I really enjoyed the online feature, Sticky Situations, all about using decals in creative ways, particularly since I’ve done this before and found it to be a terrific (and cheap!) shortcut to add personality to the home.
Content rich, packed with finds, and not a lot of advertisements only adds to the appeal. The layout and design isn’t as drool inducing as some of my favorite glossies, I think the product shots could be more enticing and the photos of space could look better (Domino and Living Etc are tough to live up to!), but being that this is only issue #2 and it appears to only be published quarterly, I think they’re off to a great start and hopefully will grow from here to become the Domino of Canada. I love all the links and design tips, and the 24 hour shopping guide to Calgary was an exceptional feature. I will definitely look for the Spring issue when I’m up in Montreal in a few months.
Thanks again Margot for the preview, It’s a lot of fun to look at and I really appreciate that you took the time to mail it to me! More on Chocolat here.
(images from chocolat)
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