I’m not exactly aware of how I first came across Martin Wattenberg’s Wind Map.  All I know is that it has led me over the past months down a delightful rabbit hole of exploration and visual pay offs.  Using a stream of near-term forecast data from the National Digital Forecast Database, the wind map visually represents the flow of air across the Continental United States at any time of day.  Created in collaboration with Fernanda Viégas, the visual motion is constantly changing and can range from calm to chaotic at any particular moment. I highly encourage you to go check out the map in action.

As I started to learn more about Martin Wattenberg, an artist and designer with a focus on representing cultural data in strikingly effective visual ways, it dawned on me that I was not a stranger to his work. Anyone who has ever looked up a name on the popular baby-name site, Name Voyager, has seen his work in action.  As each letter of the name is entered, the data map shifts to visually represent the popularity of any names over the past century that still meet the data field.  It is fascinating to watch the trends change as the data gets more precise.

Another striking piece was inspired the movement of color in life.  Based on a Flickr stream of photos of the Boston Common, their algorithmic software ”calculated the relative proportions of different colors seen in photos taken in each month of the year, and plotted them on a wheel.”1 This was then used in an infographic in the March 2009 issue of Boston Magazine.

Of course, his work doesn’t just stick to data.  The pieces below are from a collection called the Art of Reproduction, where different artwork was sourced from various sites on the web and fragments were taken from each one and then pieced back together to recreate the artwork in a more textural way.  A reminder that nothing on our screens is as great as the originals created to see in person.

Martin’s beautiful work is all available on his website and he even offers prints of various days in weather history for sale.  Below: Hurricaned Sandy, September 2012.
:: windmap and name voyager images from: Bewitched.com  Flickr Flow and Reproduction images from hint.fm::

She created a true handwritten wall! Using the phrase “I love you more than ever”, she literally painted the statement to cover the entire wall that her bed is on. She deployed a  cool trick to help with her hand – she taped lines 2 – 3 ft apart in order for the words to feel balances and in line. My fave part of her design, she shared that this wall is “perfect” for her and that is what it’s about. Creating something – anything – in your own home to make you feel fantastic! Well done, Elsie!

(Image via A Beautiful Mess)

… color block your kitchen?

A colorful kitchen makes dinner prep so much more enticing, doesn’t it? Suddenly, my all-white kitchen is feeling boring and drab – especially compared to the show-stopping cabinetry above. Get the look by pairing your favorite complementary hues like baby pink, sky blue and a pop of watermelon. Then, prep those cabinets and get to painting – and don’t forget to accessorize to the nines! (Sidenote: Who would’ve thought blue and pink could look so great together?)

Other color combinations to try? Eggplant and sunshine, kelly green and mustard or teal and red!

(You’re halfway to the paint store already, aren’t you?)

Image Credit: Easy Living

Looking for a little fun in the garden this Spring? These designer seed bombs are just the thing. A fun way to involve the kids, and of course the kid at heart. Blast these seeds out onto your garden patch and watch for a colorful display to unfold in the coming weeks. A new planting experience, and loads of fun. I enjoy the haphazard and abstract painterly approach to planting this way.

The seed bomb will break upon impact with the ground, and will further disintegrate with the rain. The red clay and worm castings in the seed bombs enrich the soil around the seeds, helping your flowers grow.

The bird-, bee- and butterfly-friendly flower mixture includes Annual Gaillardia, Baby Blue Eyes, Black-Eyed Susan, Calendula, Dwarf Cosmos, French Marigold, Lance-Leaved Coreopsis, Plains Coreopsis, Perennial Gaillardia, Perennial Lupine, Purple Coneflower, Red Poppy, and Sweet Alyssum. This colorful flower mix can be grown anywhere in the US. 

Images and excerpts sourced at:  http://poketo.com

Pretty much every single time I ever see an episode of HGTV’s House Hunters I am instantly frustrated by whatever newbie couple is looking for a house and hopelessly disappointed by the diminutive size of the bathroom space.  Usually, it’s about three times the size of our one and only full bathroom.  No really, I’m not bitter. Thankfully, for us bathroom space challenged, there are some really cute storage options to consider before you head out and get one of those over-the-toilet shelving systems.

Not to say that the space over the toilet isn’t valuable – as evidenced by this pretty little basket display for extra rolls of toilet paper and toiletries and such from Carmel over at Our Fifth House…

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…or these shallow, two-tone painted drawers.

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I especially like this innovative use of small, open shelves.  When kept free of too much visual clutter, they actually add to the serenity of the place while also adding a perfect place to store towels.

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The minimalist approach above is just one option – an entire wall of cube storage allows for coordinated boxes to stow away all of your bathroom essentials.

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And for the truly space challenged, the back of the door is always a great place to look for some free space.

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Lastly, I had to include this clever towel rack.  How many of us have a pedestal sink and no place to hang a hand towel?

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Do you suffer from small bathroom syndrome?  See anything inspiring?

Marilyn Monroe in her Beverly Hills abode.

Elvis Presley sitting at his Memphis, Tennessee, mansion Graceland  on a 15′ sofa, in the 1960′s.

Even the celebrities among us share in the common thread of homemaking. Architectural Digest this month shared a peek into some famous folks private spaces. I found it interesting to see the styles of decor, and the element of privacy and comfort we all need from time to time. The colors and styles of midcentury design is present across the board, but each space is uniquely personalized to reflect the individual style of the homeowner. I enjoyed this peek into the private spaces of these very public figures, and their reflection on ‘home’.

Asian art picked up on worldwide travels is tacked to a wall of actor John Wayne’s living room in the San Fernando Valley.

Joan Crawford and her fourth and final husband, Pepsi-Cola CEO Alfred N. Steele, relax on the plastic-covered sofas of their 18-room New York City duplex penthouse in the 1950s.

Images sourced at Architectural Digest

A Dutch firm – MVRVD – was commissioned to create a spectacular home, full of whimsy, color, and style. The muse – a barcode. Yes, a barcode that is consistently found on products. So here is the garage – can you imagine what the entire house looks like? Click here to find out.

(Image credit here)

Admittedly, I’m not the best at DIY projects. I get impatient and stop measuring and then all the sudden there’s a pile of shredded fabric and dripping paint all over the room. Yet this smart dresser transformation from Elisabeth Dunker seems like it might be doable – even for me, yes?

Elisabeth created the dresser for an exhibition at Tjoloholm, but I love the idea of adapting it for a quirky kid’s space. The details are pretty simple – black acrylic paint on a white dresser, all free-hand (because after all, ants are just a series of circles and lines, right?). I’m tempted to give it a go and am racking my brain for a lonely piece of furniture hanging around. Wouldn’t it look equally fun on an entryway bench or bookcase?

Here’s to quirky DIY projects and the hands that create them! Great job, Elisabeth!

Image Credit: Fine Little Day

Defining how your furniture and decor work for you can make your small space can certainly make it feel big and comfy. This image is a great example of how to do just this. A chair doesn’t have to be just that. Think of it as a functional item – it’s a chair or a side table or a step stool or storage opportunity. It’s all about creating a comfortable vibe that works for you. Do you reimagine your furniture and decor in new ways?

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I am a huge fan of displaying everyday objects in our living spaces. This creative, colorful and stunning presentation of colored pencils is Art. Organized in gradation of hue, the color blocking paired with the linear and repetitive nature of the material creates a unique and useful focal point for the room. Easy to make and install, and one less thing to store in the closet. An all around great idea.

Image sourced at Designspiration.