The Room Journal: Inspiration

Showing posts with label Inspiration. Show all posts

Admiring Sally England

It was Sally England's macrame work that first got me hooked on this style of fiber art. When I first saw her work, it was the piece at the bottom of this post, and I didn't know what to call it. I remember I first called it a "net," because that's what it looked like, I hadn't heard the words "macrame wall hanging" used together yet. When I found her website, I was amazed at what I saw. She said she learned everything she knows by purchasing vintage macrame books at thrift stores and teaching herself the knots. It really inspired me to learn that this wasn't something she started in art school, and that she didn't have a long, extensive background in the fiber arts. Like me, she found something she loved and began reading and learning as much as she could about it. Now, her business has grown, and her work has become more and more impressive.

Yesterday, a friend of mine texted me some pictures of a few mid century pieces of furniture she found for sale. The prices were incredible, and she asked me if she should buy them, possibly for resale. I answered a quick "Yes!" Based on my experience searching for mid century modern pieces on Craigslist and in flea markets, I was pretty confident telling her it was a good investment. This elegant, distinct style is very popular right now, which is bad news for those of us who try to find it for cheap.

This home is a space I really wanted to share for a couple reasons. First, the owner of this home is Elizabeth McTague, a talented macrame artist who inspires me daily with her creativity. If you don't follow her on Instagram, you really should fix that.

Second, sharing this home gives me a chance to talk about that iconic furniture style that's getting harder and harder to score for a thrifty price.

Mkay, we've got plans for days now!

I've managed to turn my dreams for our glamper into a few specific sources and a to-do list. Just in case you missed it, we bought this 1999 travel trailer a few weeks ago, and we're planning to give it an interior makeover. The camper itself is in great shape, so it doesn't need any structural repairs, just a little style updating, because right now it looks like a room at a Motel 6.

{Source}

Since before we even bought our travel trailer, I've been collecting a list of blogs and tours for inspiration on how to redecorate a camper. Travel trailers present some unique decorating challenges. We can't let it get too heavy, some furniture is where it is for a reason, everything has to be secured for travel, and poking holes in the walls isn't such a good idea, just to name a few.

So today I want to share a few of the travel trailers that I'm looking to for inspiration, ideas, and advice. Many of these are from blogs that have a wealth of information we'll need as we redecorate and hit the road. Be sure to click through to the sources for "before" photos. You really won't believe your eyes when you see some of them.

This beautiful home appeared on my blog feed a few days ago, and I can't stop thinking about it. It's the perfect mix of my favorite styles.

Here's my problem: a look at my Pinterest boards would tell you that I am a minimalist who likes all white rooms and sparse decor. But a walk through my apartment would tell you that I like books and records and art and textiles and wood furniture and the cozy comfort of a more free-spirited, bohemian style. How can I reconcile these two tastes and stop feeling like a giant fraud?

This Swedish home is the answer.

My husband and I have recently discovered the Airstream subculture. We've caught that bug and now we can't help ourselves. Can you blame us?

We started talking about buying one, then we started looking. Now we're hooked. We're thinking a 1970's-80's 29' or 31' Airstream camper would probably be what we're looking for.

The one on the beach is Matthew McConaughey's Airstream, by the way.

The thing is, they're expensive. New ones are outrageous, somewhere around $60,000-$80,000 for what we want. Vintage ones older than about 1970 start getting very pricey, too. If they've been remodeled inside, the price jumps up quite a bit, so now we're tossing around the idea of getting one that needs a little TLC and fixing it up. We don't want to bite off more than we can chew. But maybe we could do this. Here are some interior inspiration photos we've been admiring:

Look at all that seating and storage!

I would definitely paint every surface in the thing white. Look how big that appears, even though it is really a very tiny space. :)

The lights on this one look cozy. And I could totally install flooring and paint cabinets.

I'm not crazy about this decor, but this guy has a ton of great information on his Airstream remodel. He, his wife, and his three kids all live in their Airstream full-time.

Rustic.

Another with tons of white. I would need everything to be very white and calm.

We've been looking at a few, but we're still not sure what the perfect deal would even look like. What do you think? Should I become the queen of Rand's double-wide Airstream?

All sources for these beautiful images can be found on my Pinterest board, Vintage Travel Trailers.

Furniture Friday // The Peacock Chair

Time for another Furniture Friday! This time I've got peacock chairs (aka fan chairs) on the brain, ever since I picked up this one at a flea market recently. I love that they aren't a classic piece of furniture. They're a statement piece for sure! When I search for images of them, they tend to be in really beautiful, bohemian styled rooms. Some even manage in really modern spaces. These chairs can do amazing things, I tell ya! Here are a few of my favorites.

Important to note: The peacock chair was Morticia Addams' chair of choice.

Hmm. My home clearly needs more textiles for draping.

All image sources can be found on my Pinterest board, Peacock Chairs.

Don Freedman Weaving Inspiration

I've been feeling a bit frustrated with the world of weaving lately. When I first discovered fiber art a few years ago, via The Brick House, it was weird and uncommon. I liked that it was weird as much as I liked the weavings themselves. Now, weavings have become very popular, but not as art. Now they're more of a DIY, where everyone churns out the same crap over and over. I love DIY, but not when it comes to art. Art should be inspired, not created according to a step by step tutorial. Ugh.

Anyway, I haven't been weaving as much lately, because every time I sit down at my loom, I end up feeling like I was just making the same thing everyone else is. Not cool.

I need some fresh inspiration. I want to be different. As my weaving idol Maryanne Moodie says, we need to weave weird. Always be learning new techniques and pushing ourselves to create something different. I want to stand out from the crowd, you know? As I've been searching for fresh ideas, I remembered this amazing post by Morgan Satterfield from years ago. Unfortunately, Morgan has quit blogging, but you should still visit her blog, start at the beginning, and read everything she's ever written. You'll be a way happier person when you're done.

I discovered weaving from Morgan's blog, and her blog was where I first learned of Don Freedman. He was a fiber artist in the 1970's who created an incredibly unique look. His work has been imitated plenty of times, but his signature style is easily recognizable. I've been studying his weavings lately, looking for some new techniques I can learn and incorporate in my own weavings.

Here are some examples of his work. Not all of these are Don Freedman originals, but his style is pretty distinct. I couldn't stand to not include all the images I could find, so there are quite a few here. I want to learn how to do this stuff!

Mmm. I'm seeing poms, short rya, negative space, wacky colors, and funky edges. Also lots of loops. Loops are hard. I need to get better at loops.

Pretty amazing stuff, and so unlike all the copycat crap I'm seeing lately. I'm going to give some of these techniques a try, and see if I can develop something all my own. Someday, I want someone to blog about Layne Eckhardt's signature style. :)

All sources can be found here on my Pinterest board, To Weave or Knot.

Fresh Color Couples from Chairish

Hello, friends! It feels like summer is winding down, and I hate to say it, but I'm thrilled. Sweltering heat is not my cup of tea. We were all living in an oven for a month or so here in Missouri, but the temperatures have finally dropped and the cool breezes have returned. Also returning: my desire to do something other than sit on my sofa and watch Forensic Files. I think I feel a project coming on!

Now that I'm out of my late-summer slump, let's talk about color. The talented folks at Chairish, an online vintage furniture marketplace, recently shared some really inspiring color combinations with me, and I'm excited to share them with you!

I'm the first to admit, color can feel tricky. It's powerful stuff, and it can have a major impact on the mood of a room. Personally, I tend to shy away from color on my walls and trim, instead opting for bright white and gray walls that leave me free to swap colorful items in and out without too much commitment.

Those light, bright walls give me the perfect foundation for my favorite color combinations. And thanks to Chairish, that list of beautiful color combinations has expanded. They've just introduced some fresh color pairings that I love! Take a look at some of these creative approaches to color coupling:

These beautiful colors definitely got the wheels in my head turning with project ideas. I can honestly say I would be happy to have any of these combinations in my home, but there were two pairs that immediately stole my heart: Peacock + Dove and Caramel + Brass. Both read as calm and classic, without being uptight or boring.

So just for fun, I decided to play around with my two favorites, using furniture from Chairish's own collection. If there's one thing I'm good at, it's dreaming about furniture I want to buy. And have you visited their site yet? Oh my. So much good stuff to obsess over.

Anyway, here are a few of my favorites for a room featuring the Peacock + Dove combo:

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7

When I think of dove, I think of a cool, gray shade of white that looks so peaceful and calming paired with a crisp shade of blue. Those cool colors provide a beautiful balance in a room filled with warm wood tones, like mine. And seriously, those side chairs. Owning a pair of chairs like those is on my life list, you guys. I'm obsessed.

And for those of us who can't get enough leather and brass in our lives, the Caramel + Brass pairing is perfect. I like to stick to the seventies as much as possible, and this swanky combination fits the bill. Here are my top picks for this combo:

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7

Someday, Safari chair. YOU WILL BE MINE.

So there you have it. Color scouting simplified! So tell me, which of Chairish's color couples would you have in your home? What colors are you drawn to right now? Please share! And be sure to check out the Chairish blog for more colorful inspiration.

Thank you so much to the lovely people at Chairish for inviting me to chat about color! I can't get enough of this stuff.

Vintage Fibers

Of all my creative pursuits, weaving and managing my Etsy shop are by far my favorites.

My personal style is still evolving, though. I've tried lots of different stitches and approaches, and it's obvious in my shop that I'm still experimenting. So far, however, my favorite style is still the chunky, 70's look that I fell in love with in the first place.

I love the neutral colors, rya, circles, loops, and major chunkiness. I think that's the direction my weaving is headed. Here are some tapestries I've come across that inspire my inner hippie: