I heard from Kaitlin Andorfer who runs b.poetic and couldn’t resist writing about her handmade collection of girly things as they’re quite pretty! Kaitlin creates banners, headbands and belts, shoe clips, and unique pillowcases that are silk-screened (black on white) and can work in a variety of different decor styles – modern, romantic, eclectic… She shows them in a romantic bedroom but I can totally see them in a more streamlined modern room as well.

I love pieces like these pillowcases that are versatile like this, I’m still thinking of House Doctor and how they said their new collection is about, “mixing the elements rather than matching the elements”. They really hit the nail on the head with that statement, I think that’s what I’ve been trying to say for years but never quite sure how! I decorate in a very eclectic feminine style where styles of the pieces I have in my home do not match but are mixed — my last home had a Swedish credenza, a modern sofa, a round IKEA dining room table, Eames chairs, a Danish stool, a modern lacquered desk with clean lines, etc. I think personally the “key” to doing this whole mixing thing successfully is to not mix your woods (oak table, walnut chairs, mahogany credenza) — try to stick to one wood type or various woods with the same finish (medium, light, dark) and then if you want to add something more ornate, like carved chairs or a fancy carved dresser from India, you can as an accent piece in that particular room. But you wouldn’t necessary put several accent pieces in the same room unless you like a more flea market/no rules look. I personally believe that when it comes to accent pieces, it’s best when that piece is a different color or finish than the others in the room.

A space can be very vanilla if everything is the same (all white or all pickled wood or all oak), which is why catalogs tend to look very boring as they show rooms with furniture that is all the same. For some healthy tension, throwing in a very different piece in a color or finish that stands out from the others is a good way to break things up. For instance, say you have furniture with clean modern lines. Bring in an ornately carved dresser from India and paint it glossy black or turquoise or even bright yellow so that it really stands out. I think that is how, “Mixing the elements” can work successfully.

But back to b.poetic… I’ll take some pillowcases and a hair band, please! :)

(images: b.poetic)

18 Responses to “b.poetic”

1 Jacqueline commented:
January 7th, 2010 at 7:27 am

Oh my such gorgeous lovely things! I adore the shoe clip, pillowcovers and the hair band! Have a lovely merry happy day and love to you!
Jacqueline´s last blog ..some of my favorite things
2 Beth Perry commented:
January 7th, 2010 at 7:54 am

what awesomely lovely, beautiful inspiration!!!!!!!!!! (could I have ADDED more adjectives to that?! lol )
3 anetteshus.com commented:
January 7th, 2010 at 7:55 am

BEAUTIFUL! Love the photos!

Have a nice day!

Hugs
Anette
xx
anetteshus.com´s last blog ..HOUSE DOCTOR Everyday 2010
4 laura trevey commented:
January 7th, 2010 at 8:03 am

the pillowcases are so original! love the bees ~~
laura trevey´s last blog ..Pink Ladies, Original Watercolor Painting, 5 by 7, Chic Home Decor
5 Elisabeth commented:
January 7th, 2010 at 8:08 am

Thank you so much for making me discover b.poetic, they are well named !
Elisabeth´s last blog ..On the road
6 Mausumi commented:
January 7th, 2010 at 8:20 am

I really agree when it comes to not mixing wood! And you give some serious good advice there, with only having one accent piece (of furniture, I assume).

When I decorate, I tend to think along the same lines when it comes to placing smaller objects as well. One accent object in groups with other more subtle objects. In this way, the room as a whole will have one focus piece of furniture and one small object per group of things that will draw your attention. Sounds very technical, but it works for me!

Although, I must admit that the house doctor catalogue has many accent items together, and it works very good there too! :)
Mausumi´s last blog ..My mother’s store
7 Maryam in Marrakech commented:
January 7th, 2010 at 9:02 am

Her work is so sweet and feminine:-)

I regularly mix woods if they are all vintage or antique and think that it is fine to do so, esp if the space is reasonably airy. I personally wouldn’t paint an ornately carved piece if it were vintage b/c I find that it is the carving looks so much more textured when it is unpainted and the patina of old wood is often so gorgeous when left unpainted. But if the piece is new and ornately carved then that wouldn’t be an issue.

I am super sentimental when it comes to decorating and so I guess it is all about what the pieces mean to me — where I was when I bought them and what the experience was or who owned them — rather than if they are in the same color range. I don’t think that my place ends up looking like a flea market b/c I am still curating the look. But hopefully I will convince you to come have a look for yourself one day, Holly:-)
Maryam in Marrakech´s last blog ..Kabul: and a tale of venturing over to the other side
8 Tasha commented:
January 7th, 2010 at 9:45 am

I want those shoes!!
9 Kim commented:
January 7th, 2010 at 9:56 am

How lovely! I adore the shoes! And the pillowcases, of course!

:) Kim
Kim´s last blog ..
10 Melissa de la Fuente commented:
January 7th, 2010 at 10:01 am

ooh….gorgeous, those pillowcases are so adorable and sweet!
xo
Melis
Melissa de la Fuente´s last blog ..The little things: etsy
11 decor8 commented:
January 7th, 2010 at 10:22 am

Maryam – Hi!!! Do you mix different tones of woods though? I wonder how that looks in your space because I remember your office had more or less different woods but they were the same tone like I was saying in this post so it was very well executed and looked nice and not chaotic. I’ve seen your work, it’s gorgeous so you don’t have to convince me!!!
12 Diane P. commented:
January 7th, 2010 at 12:06 pm

i am in LOVE with those shoes — where can we get them? they would go so well with my wedding dress!
13 Pins + Paper commented:
January 7th, 2010 at 3:24 pm

I love all the soft, neutral tones :) Good tip about not mixing wood tones!

~ Kristen
Pins + Paper´s last blog ..Recent Press: Going Home to Roost
14 thedoodlegirl commented:
January 7th, 2010 at 4:41 pm

The “Just Married” banner! Fabulous!!
thedoodlegirl´s last blog ..Mixed Media Monday
15 Penny Patten commented:
January 7th, 2010 at 5:22 pm

Every thing is lovely!
Penny Patten´s last blog ..My Doves keeping each other warm
16 blue bicicletta commented:
January 7th, 2010 at 9:13 pm

gorgeous items! I love all of the white–I also love the shop name–it really makes me want to go look further.
blue bicicletta´s last blog ..Black Hole Continues
17 Anjuli A. commented:
January 7th, 2010 at 10:35 pm

Ooh, I love the idea of two pillowcases that are continuing the same image! The bees! Love.
Anjuli A.´s last blog ..Christmas Cookie Packages
18 CreativeButterflyXOX commented:
January 8th, 2010 at 1:12 am

Beautiful pillowcases.
CreativeButterflyXOX´s last blog ..My First Etsy Treasury!

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