I’ve been a big fan of MrPS for awhile now but for some reason, forgot to share this store with you. So sorry! MrPS is Megan Price and Robert Shadbolt, illustrators based in England creating everything from collages to tea towels, offering them in their etsy store. I think their tea towels are fab, especially this one. When I see it, I think of that line in About a Boy from Lindsey’s Mom, “Duck? Are we having duck? Delicious?”. :)
(images from mrps)
I always preach that you can find inspiration anywhere, right? So I decided to take my camera to the local zoo (of all places) to study patterns and colors for inspiration and ideas. The India area of the Hannover Zoo was my favorite, the environment was quite transporting for a zoo with curry and incense in the air along with the laughter of children – it was fun to play pretend for a moment and imagine myself in Bombay.
The prints and patterns in the various buildings there sent my imagination into overdrive, it again reminded me of how badly I want to work with a client on a modern Indian design – pulling together a space around various tones of red (think pink and fuchsia), white, and pale turquoise with lots of gold accents and modern Indian patterns based on traditional motifs. Embroidery too, of course. But the look would be very clean, very exotic, and far from boring.
I also dream of hosting a summer party beneath a tent in my background, perhaps next summer. Wouldn’t it be fun to go a step further and jump into a commercial space with this idea, perhaps a store or day spa, maybe even a swanky lounge? Oh imagine that. Or a bedroom. Can’t you see it now? Here’s some examples with special thanks to House to Home.
Embroidered bed skirt, sumptuous silks, amazing florals!
Twinkle lights dancing behind a headboard? Oh yes!
Soft furnishings take center stage in this room design, you barely notice the furniture.(images from house to home)
Looking to be inspired today by some beautiful rooms? Visit House to Home for the ultimate room inspiration – what a terrific website this is from the UK. You have to visit! Best part, if you see something you like in these images, you can search the site for the photo and view some of the items used in the rooms – complete with links. It’s the best.
Great dog, amazing color scheme, dreamy sofa. The rug is the perfect accent.
Can’t go wrong with grey and a hint of blue, mustard, or violet. I’m especially loving the lamp in the bottom right corner. Click here to see a full view of this image, the shade is gorgeous and I really like the chairs slipcovered in a variety of patterns and colors.
Combing unexpected patterns can often lead to amazing results.Or you can stick to a white or grey color scheme for equally beautiful spaces.
Nothing beats stacking wood like this into an unused fireplace. This is especially great for the fireplaces that have been filled in and cannot be used. If your fireplace is not deep, you can take wood from the forest and saw logs into thick slices and stack them in a similar fashion to give the appearance of having a deep fireplace. If you’re creative, you can even draw them on white paper and loosely tape over the filled in space – pretty!
Emerald green looks really nice in this space, especially with the white table, there’s a nice balance here of light and dark. The art display is stunning! I also like the dining room image in bottom right corner, the simple shelving unit is arranged so nicely using magazine files for storage and patterned binders that coordinate.
A living room that reminds me of a Coastal cottage space, a vintage bench reused as a coffee table is a smart choice because it doubles as seating, and the patina gives it warmth and a sense of history. The floral pillows on the sofa blend nicely with the flowers, apple, book imagery, and vases on the bench. Very simple accents, high impact.
These rooms are relaxed and comfortable. More wood stacked in a fireplace.Comfy sofas, pretty stools, pastel-y hued walls. So feminine and zen-like.
This sofa is killer. The color is one I would have never guessed that I would love, but I do.It looks like tweed, doesn’t it? And the wallpaper is so mesmerizing.
Another relaxing space and though I’m not a leather chair lover,I could get used to this one next to a warm crackling fire in the winter.
And finally, this very folksy dining room with a green cabinet that you love the longer you look at it – it seems to have some history to it, maybe it once stood in a old drug store. I really like the curtains, painting, and the soft green hues – but I’d replace the chairs and chandelier immediately with something more modern with cleaner lines – everything is a bit too country for me.
(all images from house to home)
I can’t believe the many calendars that readers submitted to be included in the annual decor8 calendar round up (thank you!). I’m having a hard time deciding on just one, so I’ve decided to purchase 4 and place them in different areas of my home – the kitchen, over my desk, in my arts + crafts studio, and another to lean against the wall on the credenza in my living room (like the Rhythm calendar from Japan below).
If you wonder how I find all of these calendars, I can’t take full credit because at least 1/4 are submissions from readers. I hope that you enjoyed Part One, now it’s time for the second and final collection of calendars designed by mostly independent artists. I tried to include a variety of styles to appeal to all of you. :)
Looking for something really unique? These calendars from Japan are fun and available online at Hara Museum. The Rhythm calendar is my favorite of the four because of the rough edges.
Lotta Jansdotter’s linen calendar will soon be available in grey or white, check her site throughout the month of November for updates, $24.
Concentric circle calendar handmade by Debi van Zyl. Amazing. Only 6 in stock, $25.
Unbound desktop animal calendar by Tracy Harris.
Silk-screened calendar by Estasketch, $15.
A collaboration between Eun-Ha Paek of Milky Elephant and Little Otsu,
the 2008 postcard calendar, $16.
Letterpress Umbrella calendar by The Sherwood Press, $15.
Jamieho Design’s gorgeous letterpressed desk calendar, $16.
Diana Fayt calendar, $30 (44 in stock).
Good on Paper’s Save the Date calendar, $20.
Satsuma Press calendar, only 73 in stock, $39.
Papered Together letterpressed desk calendar, $26.
Hand-glittered Seaside desk calendar by Seaside Designs, $30.
Snow & Graham’s wall calendar and desk calendar,
wall $24, desk $15.
Flora and fauna illustrated calendar by the Paper Princess, $13.
Wolfie and the Sneak calendar, $25.
Magnolia Moonlight wall calendar, $27.
Gallardo Works black desk calendar, $12.
Mulberry Muse desk calendar, $18.
Rounded corners and a wooden easel make this calendar unique from Just Another Day, $20.
Pistachio Press has teamed up with INK+WIT to collaborate on a limited edition letterpress calendar (only 200), available mid November. You can either cruise the INK+WIT website mid month, or hop on the Ink+Wit mailing list so you don’t miss your copy!And last but certainly not least, and I apologize that I don’t have a sneak peek for you, but the Port2Port Press calendar is another limited edition letterpressed calendar that is beautiful and sells out quickly each year. It goes on sale November 15th so watch the Port2Port website mid month.
Psst: Looking for planners? You have to check out Buy Olympia.
I can’t resist a good round up, so this year I’ve decided to pull together some of my favorite calendars for 2008 just like last year. I may have to add a part 2 to this in case a few slip my mind, so bear with me! Most of these calendars are available and ready to ship, others aren’t but the date in which they’ll be available is listed below. If you see something you like, because many are produced in limited quantities, don’t sleep on it because if you snooze you lose. Enjoy!
Hand-printed perpetual calendar on luggage tags, $35.
Happify calendars double as postcards, I adore these designs too.
Albertine Press calendars are printed on four shades of Pescia paper by Arturo Magnani, a soft, thick, luscious, Italian printmaking paper. They are hand tied at the top with a flat cotton ribbon and will be available in their Etsy Store in the middle of November for $45.
Joie Studio’s Blooming Letterpress desk calendar, which will be available for $15 starting November 11th. You can also reserve your copy by emailing her at shopATjoiestudioDOTcom.
Letterpress calendar by Green Chair Press, $18. A year of patterns and poetry, this desktop calendar has 12 unbound letterpressed cards displaying a pattern and haiku.
Posy Press calendars are flat-printed and then stitched onto vintage wallpaper using 3 wallpaper designs making a limited edition of 75 for each pattern, $7 each.
Linda & Harriett letterpressed calendar, $20.Adore the graphics, composition, and colors, really great work.
Cindy Jaswal’s calendar features her favorite images includingtwo of her latest drawings. Only 16 left! $30.
Screen/Gocco printed Botanical calendar by Anna Cote, $20.
The Ilee calendar combines letterpress, silkscreen, foil stamping,fine papers and handpainted accents. $20.
Cecily Ink desk calendar, bright and happy for only $14.
Camilla Engman calendar, $25.
Hidden Habitats calendar by Jill Bliss, $15.
The Promo Shop calendar, $16.…I’ll be back soon with Part Two of this round up!
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