Monday Inspiration: Ikea Kitchens

It's time to start (seriously) thinking about a kitchen remodel--but, spending money always pains me. I'm thinking that Ikea might be the solution--nice cabinets at affordable prices...assembly required of course. Here's a great collection of real-life Ikea kitchens for inspiration.

Monday Inspiration: Steampunk

There's something glorious about steampunk--the elegant Victorian clutter coupled with the emergence of darker, industrial pieces just works. My leanings are decidedly mid century modern, but the hubby is looking into a steampunk office for himself--so I'm looking for ideas. Here's a den in the steampunk style--love the cluttered order of it.

Great Site: OlioBoard

Moodboard from bmoreguy

Here's another great site for pulling your ideas together. OlioBoard is a mood board tool that has a library of items from a variety of stores (from Ikea to West Elm), even including accent items like pillows and art. Just drag and drop and you're good to go!

DI-Wednesday: Discover Your Style

Style quizzes abound lately, and they can be a great way to find out exactly what your style is, if you find that like myself, you are drawn to any number of things that don't quite go together. According to the variety of quizzes, I am Modern Original, Vintage Modern, Metro and Country Classic. You can find these quizzes here, here, here and here.

Monday Inspiration: Retro Bathroom Remodel

Talk about inspiration! This great post from Retro Renovation shows a great bathroom remodel in keeping with the retro style of the house.

Great Site: Ikea Family Live

I often look at catalogues and wonder, 'how did they do that'? Everything is subtly matched and elegantly disheveled. That's why I love this site, Ikea Family Live. It shows us how real people (just like us) decorate and use their spaces, and makes me feel a little better about being a little disjointed from time to time.

DI-Wednesday: Photo Collections

This is a great idea for displaying your collections if you don't have a lot of space (or want to see them in every room!). Pull together a photo collage of your treasures--you can even use a photo editing software for added affect. Great, simple and inexpensive--the trifecta!

Monday Inspiration: Before and After

I'm loving the before and afters on My Domicile Style--it's always inspirational to see before and after pictures that have been accomplished by folks like me. Okay, folks with a bit more style than me.

Monday Inspiration: Dining in Color

This great combo from design*sponge is a cheery and fresh combination of vintage modern elements--the teak chairs and the white table, coupled with the tree stencils in the background, are a perfect vignette for dining.

Monday Inspiration: Vintage Cool

I just love the vintage flea-market feel of this "small cool" place in Hong Kong--a wonderful blend of finds makes the space feel like there's a story to tell.

Prints for the Francophile

Art is probably the simplest and least expensive way to change and spruce the homestead. Here is a great find for the Francophile: some wonderful vintage prints and collages you can print for yourself!

DI-Wednesday: Twig Pushpins

I just had to post these simple and clever DIY for twig pushpins--if you're taking care of spring pruning and have some leftover branches, why not use them to decorate and organize?

Monday Inspiration: Well-Curated Shelf

Nothing is quite like a well-curated shelf--something that combines items that makes one stop and observe, and wonder what the collector had in mind when they put it together.

Just For Fun: Eames House Blocks

These Eames House Blocks are pricey, but very cute--the perfect toy for baby and mama. I especially love the color blocks and the various shapes and patterns--you can never start too early when it comes to teaching proper decor.

DI-Wednesday: Pendant Lights

I love the nifty idea of turning a bowl (in my case, a thrift store find) into an eclectic pendant lamp. I imagine testing the drilling process on a few test bowls would be prudent, but after that, the sky's the limit!

Monday Inspiration: Mixing Flower Prints

Spring brings about a desire to see more flowers in the home, but flowery prints have always seemed too formal for me. That's why I love the way this arrangement blends different flower prints without being overly frilly--the secret is the simplicity of the flowers, balances with the scale and color of the leaves.

DI-Wednesday: Modern Beanbags

I've been looking for something modern and comfy that both I and the animals (cats and a dog) can use for rest and relaxation. Beanbag chairs are comfy, and with the square shape and modern fabric of these, no one can accuse you of 'basement chic'.

Monday Inspiration: Art off the Walls

This caught my eye because of the overall masculine comfort of this living room, but I also love the large scale painting leaning against the wall. I love to see art used in less than conventional ways--there's no reason to exclude a lovely painting like this just because you don't have the wall space!

Monday Inspiration: Home Cure

photo from Lillian Day

I'm finally working on the Apartment Therapy Cure this spring, after reading the book but never having the time or energy to get started. I'm going for the whole-house fix--getting things super-clean, and repairing all of those small, nagging things that are building up over time. If the opportunity presents itself, however, I would like to room-cure my office--right now it's a clutter or mismatched tables, chairs and shelves. Something like the setup above would be lovely--clean, with a definite flow around the desk and shelf...someday.

Monday Inspiration: Bold Bathroom

On occasion, you just have to look at the small spaces in your home and say "why not?" The bathroom is probably one of most-used spaces in the house, so why not have some fun with it? This great geometric wallpaper completes the space.