Picture Frame Layouts

Does nailing a HOLE in the wall give you a panic attack? Sometimes we leave our walls BLANK because we FEAR putting our pictures and art in the WRONG place. So today lets look over some pictures of what other people have done to get our creative juices flowing.

I love this idea of covering an entire wall with picture frames. Notice that they go really high to really low. There is no rhyme or reason to the way they are hung but it is BEAUTIFUL! Source

Layering frames along a deep shelf is very pleasing to the eye

Find a point of reference and build off of it. In the above picture they picked a center horizontal line and built off of it.

Have some unique frames, don't be afraid of letting the frame be the artwork.

Here are some Quick Tips for hanging things on the wall:

• Want a little "wiggle room" to get it just right...try using Command Picture Hanging Strips
• Try cutting pieces of paper the exact size of your frames, then you can tape them up on the wall and rearrange them until you get it the way you like it. Next, you can just nail through the paper and pull the paper off once the nail is in.
• If you have a roll of butcher paper you can do a similar system. Lay out the butcher paper on the floor, rearrange the frames on the butcher paper, once you have it the way you want it trace the picture frames. Finally tape the butcher paper on the wall and put the nails in and pull down the paper.

Design tips:

• Some people think that ALL the picture frames need to match...this is a MYTH. Don't be afraid of having lots of different colors and/or styles of frames. But if you are a little worried about stepping out of the box, try getting different styles of frames and painting them the same color. You will have a unified look with some added character.
• Frames do not have to be hung in a straight line or an organized fashion. Mix it up! You will get more compliments for trying something new. A lot of us fear change and look to others who are doing something different and want to be like them. Lets be the people that others look up to.
  

My first grade teacher taught me something that has helped me in my life, "you can NEVER mess up art." I LOVE this saying because it applies to my life in so many ways. Art (or even the picture frames on your wall) are subjective! As long as you like the way something looks GO WITH IT!

Bet you didn't think someone could get so philosophical talking about picture frames ;) I hope you got some good tips.

Peace OUT!
Cyndi

Instead...

Hey all. Late start on MLK holiday. We are lazing about eating lots of overnight waffles. Yes, you could say we are waffling about eating waffles. What are you up to?

You remember the plate wall I had planned for my odd kitchen wall? I decided against it. You see, it all goes back to my refrigerator. I have a thing against putting anything on my fridge. I feel a little bit anxious if there is stuff all over it. I don't feel comfortable looking at the faces of friends and loved ones as I reach for my milk jug. I don't know why, but it just makes me feel serene to keep the outer fridge bare (and the inner fridge full).   But that means I don't have a random dumping ground for fun things I actually do want to see - like the mugs of my friends and family, as well as cards and little things that inspire me. I've had an IKEA magnet board sitting in my closet for a few months and I decided to finally put it to use. So here she is, my version of an inspiration board in my very own kitchen. My kitchen table is basically my desk, so it totally works. 

I've always loved looking at other people's inspiration boards for, well, inspiration. Here are some I really dig. Someday I'll have a little white desk and a yellow chair and then I'm thinking I'll buy another board like the one I've got and put them side by side.

I'm hoping my board will get me to print out more of my pictures. It'd be awesome to have some old ones or Polaroids to add to the mix.

image sources 1. houzz 2. Mary Ruffle 3. Oh Happy Day 4. NieNie Dialogues 5. Stephmodo 6. SF Girl By the Bay

Mobiles for Boy Nursery

I've been thinking a lot about baby boy nursery stuff. He'll be sharing a room with his older sister for a couple years so decorating is going to be tricky. I don't really plan to go completely unisex with the design. I'll keep up several of her pink things and add several blue things for him. The rest may evolve around yellows and greens. Or not. 

Here are a few boy mobiles I'm digging lately. I plan to make one, whatever it may be, and I'm using these for inspiration:

Black and white monsters.

My daughter has a pink paper crane mobile. I love this white one!

Globes are always cool.

I actually like this white mobile, too, even though it's snowflakes (via  Kootut murut). Love the branches.

Wooden fish. Yes and yes.

Not sure what these are but I'm going to say boats. Felt boats. Easy to replicate.

This nursery was by a former Design Star contestant. You can't really see the mobile too well but it's a top favorite. Very minimalistic which I can't get enough of.

Another minimal modern one via OhDeeDoh. 

This beautiful boat mobile from Cup of Jo is an all time favorite. Not DIY, but would be worth buying, I think.

*Martha

Client Project

We just finished up a design for one of our clients and wanted to share it with all of you! This client is in the middle of building a brand new home and convinced her husband that they needed to buy everything NEW! (my kind of lady) The space we designed is her Great Room...so her living room, kitchen, and dining room. She wanted a comfortable space that feels lived in. She hates when a room looks like it is just to look at (which I TOTALLY agree! Make your room a place you want to be, a place that tells something about who you are, a place that is a collection of items that make your life better or tell a story about who you are). So CHECK OUT the Design Inspiration Boards (click on them to enlarge):


For me when I design things can sometimes feel stuck until I find that ONE item that brings the design together. Sometimes it is a fabric, a painting, a chair, just one item of INSPIRATION! For this project it was this rug...once I found that everything flowed so much better and we finally pulled it all together.

We also did a 3D Space Plan for her. We used the program SketchUp. It is a FREE program from Google and pretty fun and unique program...try it out!




We would love to hear your thoughts, and hope it inspires some of you as well.

Peace Out,
Cyndi

6 Things to Do Every Day

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I'm still feeling that New Year's organization fire. It feels good! My goal is to work on one of these per day. So far it's been slow going, but I am undeterred. Organization is always a process so as long as I work on it consistently, there will be progress. Here's the list I made on January 1st:


* Coat closet
* Craft supplies
* My bedroom closet {done}
* Nightstand drawer
* Christmas stuff {done}
* Nursery closet {almost done}
* Kitchen junk drawer
* Garage 


Alright, so that's the big list. Now for the daily stuff. I'm always wondering what I should be doing daily to keep the organization process going. I found this list, and I think it's totally doable. I've been doing the sweeping one for awhile now, and it has made a huge difference. 


6 Things to Do Every Day (click here for a printable version)


Make the Bed
Tidiness begets tidiness. A crisply made bed makes the whole room seem more orderly, which makes it less likely that you’ll let other things -- such as clothes and papers -- pile up around it.


Manage Clutter
Whenever you leave a room, take a quick look around for anything that isn’t where it should be. Pick it up and put it where it belongs. Insist that everyone in the household do the same.


Sort the Mail
Take a few minutes to open, read, and sort mail as soon as you bring it inside. Keep a trash bin near your sorting area for junk mail. Drop other mail into one of four in-boxes: personal correspondence, bills, catalogs, and filing.


Clean as You Cook
Instead of filling the sink with pots and dishes, wash them or put them in the dishwasher as you prepare a meal.


Wipe Up Spills While They’re Fresh
Whether it’s tomato sauce on the cooktop or makeup on the bathroom counter, almost anything is faster and easier to remove if you attend to it immediately.


Sweep the Kitchen Floor
Every evening, once you’ve finished washing up after dinner, sweep the floor. This will keep tough-to-clean dirt and grime from building up, which will make the weekly mopping much quicker.


Any tips that help you keep chaos at bay?


*Martha

NEW design

What do you think of our new blog design?
We owe it to Jacquelinne from A Simple Wonderful Designs.

Jacquelinne and I go way back to our college years. We studied Interior Design together at LDS Business College. She is a PHENOMENAL designer! She is a wife and mother now and recently launched her business of creating custom blogs and logo's. It was perfect timing for us! We contacted her and she helped us create and AWESOME logo, and EVERYTHING that you see on our blog...the background, navigation bar, signature, etc. If you are looking for a custom blog design I would CONTACT her! Her prices are VERY reasonable and she will give you a finished product you LOVE!

Thank you Jacquelinne for your help!

Peace out,
Cyndi

Plate Wall

I've been itching to change some things around my house. The New Year will do that to you. It's got to be on the cheap, though. December was a little too fun for us so I need to scale back on spending. So here's my idea for one of my dining room walls: slowly collect plates from thrift stores and the sale cabinets of Anthropologie and make a little plate wall. Here's some great inspiration for getting my juices flowing.

White, white, white. So pristine. So organized.

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This hodge podge display fits me better. I don't like too much matchy matchy, and I also have no patience for perfectly situating most of my wall hangings. And while we're in this room, take a look at that bird cage! Cool!

An idea for pairing plates with a mirror. I think I'd take a different route and do smaller, different shaped mirrors interspersed throughout the plates.

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This white and blue display is like WOW. I love it, especially with all those wingback chairs. Makes me feel fancy.

Um. Mugs? And plates. Interesting...

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Pretty idea for a bathroom.

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Black plates! Where can I get me some of those?

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I like that chalkboard in the mix.

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This display rules because of those sweet little black and white photos tacked on at random.

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Are you itching to make some home decor changes? What's on your radar? 

2011 Calendars

Happy New Year! How were your holidays? We hope you have had some time to regroup after all the crazy, happy, family-togetherness-wonderfulness and take it easy before "real life" starts again. For my family that day was yesterday. It's always a harsh one. But it was made sweeter by the fact that we found out that we are having a BOY come this May. I've already asked Cyndi what to expect ... and so far I think I'm excited. If ya'll have any insight on what it's like to have a little boy, do tell. I don't know how it's possible to love another child as much as I adore my daughter, but people tell me it's possible. 

Anyway, January is here. And I can't get organized unless I have new calendars and planners, so that sent me searching the ol' web. Here are some of my favies that I've used or seen or been inspired by or whathaveyou.

A Little Hut has some darling little calendars that you can download for mega cheap ($5 - 6) and print on card stock from your own printer. I've used the one on the right before and it's the perfect kitchen calendar for quick reference.

Cavallini calendars always excite me. Especially because when you're done you could use any of their pages as framed art in your house. Bonus!

Kate Spade always brings color and whimsy to the world, and I'd imagine seeing her calendar everyday would just make me want to skip.

Sarah Pinto's day planners have been my standby for several years now. I can't go a day without having it practically attached to my arm. And when I close it up for the night, the cover is just the happiest little happy thing. It's like, "Open me up! Let's plan!" 

These planners are just fantastic to the max.

If you're into making your own family photo calendars, Minted can pretty much rock your world in that category. Not the cheapest route, but you could easily make framed art out of these, too! 

And have mercy! Look at these mini calendars to download and print. SO many possibilities here. And for $3! I'm thinking of buying it right now and stringing it across my fireplace this instant. Wait, is it Christmas again? I don't know. But I love them.

And if you've got a cute desk that you want to make even cuter ... here's a cute desktop calendar. Cute!

Here's another beautiful (and eco-friendly) option!

Happy planning for an excellent year!

*Martha