The Design Boards

noreply@blogger.com (The Design Boards) — Fri, 29 Dec 2023 19:37:00 +0000

This domain name is for sale. Please email me at thedesignboards@gmail.com for information.

I've moved...

noreply@blogger.com (The Design Boards) — Mon, 10 Feb 2014 21:45:00 +0000

Blogs not houses! Please come join me on my new blog: Homestyled.com and be sure to update your bookmarks, etc. The content from this blog is not moving over - I'm starting fresh with a new year, a new site, and lots of new plans and ideas. See you in the new space!

Tips for traveling with children

noreply@blogger.com (The Design Boards) — Tue, 09 Jul 2013 01:09:00 +0000

via farmgirl in flipflops

We took our first family vacation recently and it was heavenly. I have to admit that the day to day has certainly become a lot more stressful since we added a little one to our family and I wasn't so sure a vacation would even be fun with a ten month old but I'm proud to report that it was amazing and far exceeded my expectations. It was relaxing and fun and really bonding for the three of us. There were a lot of things that we did to plan and prepare that I feel added to our fun and stress free time. I wanted to share what our family found the most helpful in navigating air and car travel with a little one in tow.

* Use backpacks for the plane. We have a diaper bag backpack that we switched to for the trip and it was perfect. At the last minute I switched out my carry on tote to another backpack and I'm so glad I did. Having your arms free is ideal when you have a little one and I love all the pockets to stay organized.

* Keep an empty Ziploc bag in your diaper bag in case you need a place to store dirty/soiled clothes. L spit up a couple of times and squirted a food packet all over herself and Mike on the plane so it was really nice to store the dirty clothes somewhere. It also makes sense to keep a couple of changes of clothes for the baby (and you if possible).

* Get one of these for airport travel. It is probably one of the best baby items I have purchased yet. We opted to forgo a stroller and just bring the car seat since we were going to be renting a car and doing quite a bit of car travel. This was amazing for toting L around the airport.

* Bring a baby carrier to avoid having to lug your stroller around. This might not work depending on your destination and your ability to carry your very heavy toddler around for hours at a time but for us, on this trip, it was perfect. We never missed having the stroller.

* Pack an oversized, heavy duty trash bag for putting over your gate checked stroller and/or car seat so it doesn't get destroyed in the cargo hold.

* Pack enough diapers and formula/food to get you through day one but buy everything else once you arrive at your destination. Pre-baby, Mike and I were carry on freaks. We could pack for two weeks to Europe in two carry on bags. Obviously little ones require so much more stuff. I originally planned on bringing a pack of diapers and formula but at the last minute just couldn't make it fit so we opted to bring enough for the first couple of days and purchased supplies as soon as we could get to a store. This might not always work for you if your child has sensitivities and relies on certain products. We use an organic formula that couldn't be found anywhere but luckily L had no issues switching to an alternative so just be aware that you might have to make exceptions. Another alternative is to ship these items to your destination so they are waiting when you arrive.

* Rent a house. Seriously, there isn't a better option when you are traveling with little ones. It enabled us to have all the amenities you would have at home like a full kitchen and laundry. It also allowed Mike and I to have time once the baby was asleep to watch movies, hot tub, play games, and relax on the porch instead of being forced to quietly move around a hotel room hoping not to wake a sleeping baby. Another alternative, although more expensive, is to reserve adjoining rooms in a hotel. Homeaway and Airbnb are some of my favorite sites for vacation home rentals

* Pack a small, soft cooler in your luggage for day trips. The house we rented had a cooler and ice packs available and I used them every day to pack food and supplies for L. When you are on vacation you tend to spend long amounts of time out and about so a cooler was perfect for keeping fresh food and juice chilled and we left the formula in it as well when we were away from the car for long periods of time so it wouldn't be exposed to extreme heat.

* Bring favorite items from home to help your little one adjust to a new space. We use an ipod with white noise for nighttime sleep and naps so we brought it along, as well as L's favorite lovey and even the sheet from her crib so it would smell like home. She adjusted quickly to her new sleeping arrangements because she had these comfort items.

* Try to arrange car travel around feedings and naps. We have an antsy car rider. She does well as long as she is occupied so we always tried to coordinate around naps and feedings. A bottle will keep L occupied for half an hour in the car!

* Be flexible. It's going to be different than it was pre-baby so knowing that going in will make it easier for you to adjust to changes on the go. I'm a control freak and try to keep L on a schedule at home, we obviously did things differently when on vacation and it worked out. I was also more relaxed because I was on vacation which helped me to go with the flow.

* Bring your baby monitor. I made an effort to fit this into our suitcase. Once we put the baby down I could be at ease if we were outside on the porch because I had the monitor handy. This obviously only pertains to situations where you are renting a house or staying with family or friends. There are also apps that will turn two iphones into a video monitor. I haven't tried any of them out but have heard good things about this one.

These ladies also share some great tips and tricks for traveling with little ones: A Cup of Jo, Writing Chapter Three, Oh Joy!, and Love Taza - Naomi is my travel hero, two kids (both under the age of two!) to Italy with only 2 carry ons.

Our favorite travel items have been this travel crib (it folds up into carry on size and is super easy to get in and out of its packaging), this backpack diaper bag, and as mentioned before, this car seat add-on.

Bar shelving

noreply@blogger.com (The Design Boards) — Sun, 07 Jul 2013 01:54:00 +0000

As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, we went to a salvage shop and bought some gorgeous oak planks to make shelving for above the bar in our dining room. After a lot of preparing and then deliberating, we decided not to use the oak planks. At the end of the day, they just really competed too much with the bar.

I'm not sure if I've ever mentioned the bar or the epic deal we got on it from a thrift store a few years ago. It's this amazing vintage piece that was priced for $190 at a nearby Salvation Army. It was well worth the price tag, absolutely gorgeous with inlaid wood. It did have some damage to the back but nothing that affected the integrity of the piece. I wanted it so badly when we spotted it but at the time we couldn't justify the price. A couple of weeks later it showed up at our local Salvation Army with no price tag. I asked the cashier how much they wanted for it, he looked over it and said, $15. Are you kidding?!? I could hardly contain my surprise and excitement and bought it on the spot.

Here's a quick (unstyled & maybe slightly out of focus) shot of the bar and the shelving we chose to go with. You can also see the finished walls with the gorgeous Hale Navy color (so happy with our color choice). Unfortunately, you can also spot the anchors from the previous placement of one of the shelves, oops! That's what happens when you are chasing a baby around and trying to instruct your husband on where you think the proper height of said shelf should be. Our painter will be coming back to patch that little mistake soon.

We went with a simple stainless steel shelf from Ikea. The bar is such an amazing piece and we didn't want anything competing with it. I'm still in love with the idea of reclaimed wooden shelving so we are going to head back to the salvage shop to find something bigger to hang on the other side of the dining room above our white credenza. We tested it with the planks we got and it looked amazing, a really nice offset to the modern look of the credenza. It instantly warmed the space up and looked so good on the dark navy walls. I think the stainless shelves are a great stand in for now. In my vintage and thrift shopping I'm hoping to come across a great vintage medical cabinet that we could hang to store glassware, etc. For now, these do the trick and look great, thanks Ikea for always coming through!

Photo: The Design Boards

Pardon our dust...

noreply@blogger.com (The Design Boards) — Wed, 03 Jul 2013 00:39:00 +0000

I'm making a few layout & design changes to the blog so things will look a little off for a day or so while I make adjustments so bear with me. Thanks!

Gift Ideas for New Parents

noreply@blogger.com (The Design Boards) — Tue, 02 Jul 2013 23:57:00 +0000

via Pinterest

Now that I've been a mom for 10 months (holy crap!), I feel qualified to discuss some mom-type things here on the blog! We have several friends who are expecting right now and that always makes me think back to my first weeks home with the new baby and all the lovely gifts we received. Here are some great gift ideas that go beyond cute outfits.

1. The baby gets so many new things it's also nice to shower the parents with a couple of special items. One of my closest friends knew how much I missed some of my favorite foods while I was pregnant (salami, sangria, good unpasteurized cheeses) so she made me a basket of all my favorite couldn't-have-while-I-was-pregnant foods. Just be conscious if your friend is breast feeding because that brings on an entirely new set of food no-no's.

2. Speaking of food, another amazing gift for new parents is a home cooked meal, or even take out from a nice restaurant (fast food doesn't count!) Mike's co-workers took turns bringing us meals for 4 weeks! It was such a wonderful gesture and it was so nice to not have to worry about what to cook for dinner and to get a home cooked meal...life was so hectic post-baby that we honestly didn't cook a meal in our kitchen for almost two months!

3. A basket of favorite magazines, movies, and snacks. New parents spend a lot of time in the house, especially breast feeding moms (I can vividly remember those 40+ minute nursing marathons at the beginning) so reading materials and fun things to watch are a much needed sanity escape!

4. Children's books are a definite must on my gift giving list. I like to give a collection of favorites with an inscription to the baby.

5. A Baby Brezza or other similar cooking tool for baby. Since L has started eating solids this has been an amazing gift....I can find so many uses for it after she's done with it too...it makes baby food making a cinch.

6. Your babysitting services. Being a new parent is such a wonderful and amazing experience, but it's also emotional, tiring, draining, and overwhelming to say the least....every parent needs a break at some point and while they might not take you up on your offer now, at some point they will want to hand over that little bundle of joy and enjoy a night out or even just a few hours of uninterrupted sleep.

A birthday list...

noreply@blogger.com (The Design Boards) — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 02:07:00 +0000

via Patterson Maker

My birthday came and went, quietly again, like last year. I guess that's what birthdays do as you get older. Of course, no birthday of mine is complete without a list of lofty goals and ambitions for the coming year.

I make a list every year and I feel like I tend to add things that are maybe just a tad bit unobtainable, maybe I'm too optimistic about the future and what I can realistically get done with my current schedule. Last year was a total fluke because I had no idea what life was going to be life after having a baby and seemed to think maternity leave would allow for all kinds of free time...ha! This year I have tried to set extremely realistic expectations for myself and have even come close to obtaining several items on the list already...yay!

1. Work out and get into shape
- Getting there, almost all the baby weight is gone and now I'm working on getting my stomach flat again
2. Create a photobook of L's first year
- Hoping to have this complete for her birthday party
3. Take a trip with Mike sans baby
- Scheduled for the end of next month!
4. Pay down a good portion of our debt
5. Set up a short term and long term savings account
6. Go on a hike
- We are visiting Vermont soon and hoping to get in a couple of hikes with the baby!
7. Visit Morocco
- This is tentatively set for March
8. Plan a trip to Paris with my mom
9. Spend a couple of days hanging out in London
- Hoping to do this en route to Morocco in March
10. Create a cute holiday card this year
11. Implement my new business plan
12. Hang up all the artwork in the house
13. Create a family wall and hang more pictures of us
14. Bathroom renovation
15. Refinance our mortgage
- This is in the works now
16. Make plans to attend Brimfield
17. Invest in the stock market again
18. Stop eating out so much
19. Put more time and focus into the vintage shop
20. Finish the wall of cabinets in the kitchen
21. Make/sew something
22. Make a photo/coffee table book of our best travel photos
23. Start taking family videos
- We shot 3 this weekend!
24. Meditate at least once a week
25. Completely finish decorating a room
26. Make more time for myself
- I'm scheduling a day to myself sometime in the fall
27. Clean and organize garage and keep it that way
28. Work on an outdoor/backyard project
29. Drink more water
30. Have people over to the house and entertain more, spend more time with our friends.

Reclaimed wood shelving

noreply@blogger.com (The Design Boards) — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 18:08:00 +0000

I've become obsessed with a new (to me) design show on DIY Network called A Bryk at a Time. Have you heard of it? It features Danielle Bryk, a stay-at-home mom who is going back into the interior design business after spending the last 15 years at home with her kids. It's super cute and feels more like a reality show then a design show as it features her kids, her actor husband Greg and other various family and friends. It reminds me of the Novogratz family but with less kids.

I've been getting a bunch of ideas for my own house from things I've seen in the show. The one thing I'm obsessing over are these beautiful reclaimed wood shelves. I first spotted them in her kitchen, then I saw her make something similar for a client's bathroom. I've been looking for a shelving option for above our bar. If you can believe it, we still haven't unpacked everything from our renovation last year. This means that all of our bar ware is hanging out in boxes in our second bathroom when it should be hanging out on really beautiful reclaimed wood shelving, don't you think?

This weekend we went to an architectural salvage store and picked up some old oak planks from a Kentucky horse farm and we plan to build some shelves soon. We're sort of stuck on brackets right now. I really like the floating shelf look but that really limited us in terms of wood thickness. The hardware for a floating mount requires a certain thickness that we were having trouble finding when shopping for wood. I also believe that you are limited to how much weight a shelf can bear when it isn't supported by brackets. Not really an issue for glasses and bar ware but I didn't want it to be a concern down the road.

I really love this option. It's more ornate than most but it adds some interest to the shelves and I think you can get away with something like this when you are using a really beautiful aged piece of wood because it draws attention to the shelf and also gives it a more modern feeling.

I like these brackets for their simplicity. Their functional and don't draw a lot of attention to themselves allowing the shelving to really stand out. With our navy paint color, the brackets would probably blend right into the wall.

Here is the floating shelf option from Danielle Bryk's house. The picture really doesn't do it justice - it's absolutely beautiful. She has mounted some wine glass hanging racks to one side of the shelf which you can't see here.

These brackets actually look like a very simple track system that you might find in a closet. Not something I would ever gravitate towards for open shelving but I really like the way it looks here.

I actually love this bracket but Mike isn't a fan. I think it gives the shelves a modern, industrial look. These are probably totally out of the running but I thought I would share it anyway, you know, for posterity's sake.

So those are my choices. Anyone want to weigh in? I'll keep you posted on what we finally decide on. Ikea has a lot of great bracket options so I'll be checking in with them to see if anything stands out as a must have.

Choosing artwork for a child's room

noreply@blogger.com (The Design Boards) — Thu, 30 May 2013 19:09:00 +0000

As soon as we found out we were having a baby I started daydreaming about nursery decor. Mike and I knew from the start that we wanted to create an art collection for our little one and hopefully pass on our love of art to our future babe.

When curating a collection for little ones, think about what role you want the art to play in the room.
We wanted a collection that would complement the decor in the nursery and that the baby wouldn't outgrow. There are a lot of really sweet and playful options out there for children - alphabets and fairy tale images are cute but will they have staying power in a few years when your child no longer wants a "baby" room? We wanted to make an investment in pieces that would grow with L. My intention was to choose pieces that a 6 year old or a 16 year old could enjoy. With every piece we chose for her room, I thought to myself - would I hang this in my living room?

Here are some tips and guidelines for choosing artwork for a child's room.

Watercolors - Watercolor is a great medium for a children's room. The subject matter tends to be less serious, and there is an overall softness and sense of playfulness to watercolor.

Ampersand print by Michelle Tavares / Calamari Studios

Inspiring words or quotes - Looking at a quote every day for years can be a great source of motivation and inspiration for your child. As lovers of travel and adventure, we chose a print quoted with the words "Adventure Lives Outside your Tent" If you have some hand lettering skills you could even create your own inspiring words on canvas.

See the World Globe print by Kristen Vasgaard

Maps - We are avid map collectors and tend to pick up vintage maps on our travels. Maps are a great choice for a child's room. They tend to be bright and colorful and can be a great tool for invoking a sense of wonder and curiosity in your little one.

World Map Banner by English Muffin Design / Land of Nod

Handmade art by parents or family and friends - What's more special than a few pieces of art that you've made yourself? If you're a photographer, frame some of your favorite pieces to hang over the crib. We have a mild obsession with England so we painted a Union Jack on a small canvas to sit on a shelf in Linden's room. As a fun weekend project right before the baby was born, we also created silhouettes of ourselves (and the dog!) using photoshop.

The Cho Family portrait by Rifle Paper Co. / Oh Joy!

Animals - If you're trying to keep with an animal theme, of course there are lots of nursery themed animal prints available, but try to choose something with a more sophisticated flair that your little one can grow into.

Giraffe print by Berkley Illustration

Abstracts - Abstracts are a fun option for children. Options can be bright and bold and you can easily find something that pulls from the color palette in the room.

Abstract Organic Shapes print by Ammiki

Photography - Photography is one of my favorite mediums. I especially like it for a child's room because you can easily choose a subject matter that is relevant to and has meaning to your family.

Sheep print by The Animal Print Shop

In general you should probably avoid extremely expensive or priceless works of art and anything on canvas that isn't protected behind glass. Kids are messy and at some point one of said messes will end up on the wall, potentially ruining a treasured piece of art. I also suggest keeping your art budget small, don't go overboard on any one piece because one day that child of yours is going to haven an opinion of their own and it might not be the same as yours (remember when you were 16!) so either love the art enough to hang elsewhere in the house, or be ok with getting rid of it. Parting ways with a $50 print will be a lot easier than parting with a $5000 work of art, this logic works well with the mess part too.

Stay tuned for a nursery tour where I will be sharing the artwork we chose for L's room.

Sorry for the quietness

noreply@blogger.com (The Design Boards) — Wed, 29 May 2013 01:02:00 +0000

Wow, sorry it's been so quiet in this space for a little while. We sort of hit a brick wall after we painted our dining room and haven't been doing much creatively or otherwise. As I look back on my last posts they almost exactly coincide with when our little one became mobile...game.changer. Seriously. When parents tell you things like that, you think yeah right but it's no joke...she's into everything!

Of course, we're starting to get the itch again (to decorate, not to have more kids) and I'm buzzing with house projects, honey-do lists, and tons of inspiration and ideas. We're still recovering from the financial shock of last year's renovation projects so everything we have in mind is budget (and kid) friendly. If you can believe it, the nursery never did get finished and while it is awfully cute, it still needs a few last minute touches - before L is able to start telling me what she wants in there!

Here's my current project list:

* finish wall of cabinets/desk area in kitchen

* curtains for dining room

* find cabinet/storage solution for glassware over our bar

* find a shelving option for dining room above credenza

* blackout shades/curtains for L's room

* finish organizing L's closet

* find shelving for L's room

* new pillows & bedding for our bed

* refinish chair & mirror in our bedroom

* style our new nightstands

* curtains for our room

* finish painting bookcase in living room / add backing / style

* make coffee table book of our travel photos for the living room

* artwork - framing projects, L's room, dining room, family photos

* buy white frames for family photos to hang throughout the house

* clean & organize garage

* work on backyard & patio

We are still a bit of a way off from our kitchen renovation but I'm collecting tons of inspiration. I can't wait to rip out our upper cabinets and create beautiful open shelving like this...

Fabric options & dining room updates

noreply@blogger.com (The Design Boards) — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 20:49:00 +0000

I pulled a few John Robshaw fabric samples from his line with Duralee (and a couple for L's room - I'm already thinking about how I want to make it more girly!) I'm thinking of taking some simple, ready made curtains and adding a band around them in one of his darker, indigo fabrics. I'm also considering making some cushions for our Bertoia chairs. I love the look of them but they aren't the most comfortable chairs to sit in and I'm not a fan of the pads that come with the chairs. I do like the simplicity of them and would definitely mimic the style, I just think it would be better in a different fabric other than vinyl. I want them to blend into the chairs and not stand out so I like one of these white options.

Oh, and I found a settee I love from Ballard Designs. It's kinda pricey so I'm saving my pennies because it is perfect and exactly what I had in mind. It's also customizable in one of their fabrics or my own. It would look pretty amazing in one of the lighter fabrics, don't you think?
I snapped a quick before picture of the dining room with my phone. The paint is on now and it looks amazing. I can't wait to show you. I am so in love with our decision to use the navy blue. It is definitely dark but in a good way. I can't wait to throw a dinner party now. I'll share a few sneak peeks of the color soon but there is still a lot to put together in the room like art, accessories, etc.

Sources: Fabric 1 / Fabric 2 / Fabric 3 / Fabric 4 / Fabric 5

My Dining Room makeover

noreply@blogger.com (The Design Boards) — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 18:53:00 +0000

We are in the process of giving our dining room a little face lift. If you've been reading for a while, you might recall that it has looked like this for the better part of three years. Ok, it hasn't exactly looked that bad but after Mike removed the cheap 70's wall paneling, we tried covering those liquid glue squiggly lines with every kind of paint you can imagine but it bled through...EVERY.TIME. Our painter at some point suggested using an oil based primer so we gave in and let him have his way with the walls.

We also got crazy and told him we wanted navy blue walls. This has been a decision I've been contemplating for months but ever since the words flew out of my mouth, I've been in sheer panic mode. I've asked Mike like a hundred times if we are making the right decision (he thinks we are). I've told everyone I know about my plans seeking some kind of desperate paint color approval, I even showed our pest control tech my inspiration pics....clearly I'm panicked!

While he performs his paint magic and turns my dining room into what might be the best or worst design move I've ever made, I've been busy putting together all kinds of design ideas in my head.

My plans for the space:
1. Go super dark with the walls to showcase our art and furniture
2. Place a large neutral rug under the dining table and layer a smaller colorful kilim on top
3. Add a comfy upholstered settee to the dining room table to bring a bit of softness and coziness to the space
4. Set up a defined bar area that is stocked and ready for entertaining
5. Add curtains to the space to add texture and contrast.

Many of the elements we already have - a mid century dining room table, 4 Bertoia chairs, the white credenza (which matches our kitchen cabinets), the West Elm Bentwood pendant (which is amazing, btw). I really just need to pull everything together with fabric, rugs, accessories, etc.

The only major purchase I want to make is for a settee. I'm still trying to find the 'perfect' one. Laura just did a great post on settee options and there are a couple that I like there but I would have to reupholster - which is fine but an added expense. Inspired by this photo, I also love the idea of bringing in a little bit of this mustard color somehow...lots to think about still. You can check out my pinboard for more inspiration and I will be posting before pics soon so you can see how the space is laid out.

Sources: 1. L-Beam wall shelf via West Elm / 2. Bentwood pendant via West Elm / 3. Hale Navy via Benjamin Moore / 4. Teak dining room table (similar to ours) via 1st Dibs / 5. Fabrics - Medallion indigo by John Robshaw for Duralee & Ethnic Kilim by John Robshaw for Duralee via Inside Fabric; Mustard linen via AVISA Organics / 6. Hand printed dotted dinnerware via West Elm / 7. Loveseat via Lee Industries / 8. Bertoia side chair via Design Within Reach / 9. Fiddle leaf fig via Plant Interscapes / 10. Rugs - Metallic suede & hemp rug via Serena & Lily; Turkish Kilim rug via Landry & Arcari / 11. Besta credenza via Ikea

Valentine's Day Finds

noreply@blogger.com (The Design Boards) — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 14:41:00 +0000

Valentine's Day is a holiday I usually tend to skip over...Mike and I don't do much more than cook a nice meal at home with a bottle of wine and I think it's one of those holidays that's just a bit over commercialized. Blame it on the new babe, but this year I'm kind of getting into it. I imagine in future years I will even go as far as decorating the house a bit but this year I just created a roundup with some of my favorite finds from around the web.

I'm curious, is this a holiday you tend to skip over as well or do you make a big to-do about it?

Sources: 1. Heartfelt Garland via Terrain / 2. Heart mugs via West Elm / 3. Hello Heart by Darling Clementine via Blissful B / 4. Mini Valentine Packages via In Honor of Design / 5. Love ring via Fabulous Wire / 6. Heart Hole Punch via Lark / 7. Growing Hearts Pillow Cover via Classic by Nature / 8. Waterwave Throw via Beyond Half / 9. Helena Cutout Bra via Journelle / 10. 'Come to Bed' Nail Lacquer via Butter London / 11. Pucker Up Lipstick via Nordstrom / 12. Martha Stewart's Valentine's Sorbet Sandwiches via Blissful B / 13. Veuve Cliquot Champagne via InStyle / 14. Simplicity Flute via Cb2 / 15. Lace Insert Drape Dress via Miss Selfridge

Why I love West Elm

noreply@blogger.com (The Design Boards) — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 16:56:00 +0000

I can remember years ago, in my college days, when West Elm first arrived on the scene. Its catalog arriving on a semi frequent basis, filled with things college students love - small, space-appropriate, boxy and modern furniture at reasonable prices.

Over the years their look and product base has changed and today, the company has become a source to be reckoned with. Pairing up with designers and artisans from around the world, West Elm brings an eclectic and unique mix of thoughtfully produced goods that wouldn't have been accessible to the masses before. Because of the wide range of goods you can easily fill your home with several pieces and still not be left feeling like you decorated from a big box store. Instead, you will find yourself with a beautifully curated space designed with intention rather than a stale mix of generic goods.

West Elm manages to impress me every time, they consistently offer great prices, they are on top of trends. They work with and support artisans, bloggers, and etsy sellers. They are my constant go-to for great accessories and furniture. I love getting their catalog in the mail, not only to peruse their new products but also to drool over all the gorgeous styling and design inspiration. Glancing through the pages of the catalog, everything feels incredibly accessible, not overly done or pretentious.

I was recently watching an episode of Million Dollar Decorators where Jeffrey Alan Marks or JAM as he so affectionately refers to himself as, was asked to produce a fully decorated Nantucket beach home in 8 weeks, sourced entirely from catalogs. As to be expected, he initially gaffed at the request. A designer of his caliber is used to sourcing one of a kind and showroom pieces not to mention custom built furniture and lighting. They show a scene where he enters none other than a West Elm store and manages to procure what looks to be more than 50% of the home's pieces. He comments on a blue striped rug as "genius" claiming that he has a similar one in his own home, and it cost $8,000. They later show a scene where he and his partner Ross are going over their choices for the Nantucket house and you catch a glimpse of said $8,000 rug - you can't tell the difference. Clearly, West Elm knows what they are doing.

Sources: 1. Fretwork Wall Mirror / 2. Bentwood Pendants / 3. Marbleized Serving Bowls / 4. Izola Soap Dishes / 5. Ceramic Woven Vases / 6. Copper Hand Strainer / 7. Rose Gold Flatware / 8. Pad Printed Ikat Bowls / 9. Bazaar Pouf

Stylish & Functional Household Essentials

noreply@blogger.com (The Design Boards) — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 19:43:00 +0000

It seems that many of the common household necessities we all keep on hand are just so...unattractive. Things like sewing kits, pencil sharpeners, and others of the like are a 'must have' but also a 'must keep hidden' because of their boring, ugly and utilitarian nature.

First spotting this gorgeous, dare I even say sexy looking fire extinguisher on Pinterest a while back had me thinking that there must be other beauties out there like it - other common household goods that we all tend to keep stashed away in a junk drawer or storage closet but that had been made beautiful by like minded, style obsessed people.

So I started searching - looking around my house for inspiration and finding that there were so many things that I consider a necessity and that had been made pretty - pretty enough to keep out on display, all the time if I had to. Things like this French press, which to give credit, aren't bad to look at on their own but wrap it in gold and it's suddenly a stunning conversation piece on the kitchen counter. Extension cords are another cringe worthy necessity - bright orange, tangled contraptions usually come to mind but these cloth covered beauties might even be better than the bedside lamp they are connected to.

I'm curious, do you have any household items that you can't live without but must keep hidden in the confines of a cabinet or closet because they are just too ugly to look at or have you found a beautiful counterpart to it like the ones below?

Sources: 1. Reclaimed Apothecary Matchstick Bottle via Terrain / 2. Merchant & Mills Sewing Notions Kit via Kaufmann Mercantile / 3. Matte White Fire Extinguisher by Brandslackaren via Pinterest / 4. Small First Aid Kit via Best Made Company / 5. Bodum Eileen French Press via Wayfair / 6. Leather Bound Desk Dictionary via Graphic Image / 7. Acrylic Stapler via Design Darling / 8. Dux Adjustable Brass Pencil Sharpener via Kaufmann Mercantile / 9. Scissors via Brook Farm General Store / 10. Red Bakers Twine via Brook Farm General Store / 11. Blackwing 602 Writing Pencils via Kaufmann Mercantile /12. Cloth Extension Cords via Best Made Company

Happy 2013!

noreply@blogger.com (The Design Boards) — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 01:53:00 +0000

Happy New Year! How is 2013 treating you so far? I know there has been major radio silence around here for months but they really mean it when they say having a baby is hard work! I won't say that I am completely adjusted to life with baby but I'm getting there and I'm starting to find more time for myself which means more time to do things I am passionate about again - like blogging.

Every year I create a list of lofty goals and resolutions that seem reachable because I can put them off for some date in the future and what really ends up happening is I forget about them or ignore them. This year I thought I'd do something a little different and create a monthly goal list - a small list of totally obtainable things I want to accomplish before the month is over.

Yoga classes, daily walks and weights
Start blogging again
Ask painter about finishing paint and trim work in dining room
Create a photobook using Artifact Uprising
Use the Fuji Instax
Finish decorating Linden's room
Give my wardrobe a makeover
Get quotes on having the concrete patio poured
Choose pillows for living room
Begin 365 day photo project - take a picture everyday of our family life
Cook more at home, especially on the weekends
Begin designing and budgeting our guest bathroom reno

What's on your list of new year resolutions?

Photo: Zü via Pinterest

Our little one has arrived...

noreply@blogger.com (The Design Boards) — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 23:44:00 +0000

We welcomed little Linden in to the world on Mike's birthday! She is perfect in every way and we are so very much in love with her. I admit this has been the hardest job I've ever done, being a mother, but we are all adjusting to one another and starting to get the hang of things.

Ikea Hacks

noreply@blogger.com (The Design Boards) — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 13:03:00 +0000

I've become obsessed with IKEA hacks lately. We are working on our own hack with an Expedit bookcase as I type this. If you remember, we've been wanting to install a small set of bookshelves in our living room along an empty wall. Originally we planned on having them custom built but now with the baby arriving in just a few weeks and free cash going to other home reno projects, we just didn't have enough time or money to source this so in came some quick internet research and a great hack for extending the Expedit without the thick frame elements being side by side. We plan on painting it and trimming it out so it looks like a custom, built-in piece for a lot cheaper. Here are a few great hacks I came across in my search...

I love this light fixture hack inspired by Tom Dixon's pendant lighting collection. I wish this would work in my dining room because I would totally consider it as an option but I think I am looking for something with a more light and airy feel.

The Centsational Girl has some truly great hacks in her archives but this bookshelf is one of my favorites. She gave the black metal Vittsjo bookcases a great cottage feel by spray painting the shelves white and adding wooden shelves in place of the glass. The final result is amazing and provides tons of storage. I'm going to keep this one in the back of my mind for a future project I'm working on.

This project makes me a little sad because these fabulous little wooden storage boxes are no longer available in the US. I have one that I bought years ago and it provides wonderful storage. If you can get your hands on one of these boxes when traveling overseas it would be worth it for this project alone. I have always been on the lookout for a card catalog but they can be so pricey when you come across them, or too big, and most of them require modification because of the large open slot in the middle. The Painted Hive came up with a genius, and cheap, way of making her own with the Ikea Moppe boxes. At first glance, you can't even tell their not old!

This is probably one of my favorite Ikea hacks yet. I am a huge fan of the color dip trend popping up everywhere lately and this console/entry table in coral (one of my favorite colors of the season) is a beautiful take on the trend. You would never guess this was an Ikea piece. I only wish my entryway was large enough to house a table like this. The Sweet Beast did such a great job at making over this simple wooden Ikea sideboard which sadly after searching online, seems like is no longer available.

I hope this has inspired you to come up with your own Ikea Hack, I know it has definitely made me look at the new Ikea catalog with a whole new set of eyes! I'm racking my brain for all the ways I could make over their furniture. Have you done your own Ikea hack or come across any great hacks lately? I would love to see them!

Putting together the nursery

noreply@blogger.com (The Design Boards) — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 14:17:00 +0000

3 weeks and the countdown begins! I cannot believe I am just a few short weeks away from my due date. We are in a frenzy finishing up last minute projects all around the house and while it's totally fulfilling my nesting habits as of late, I am sooo ready to have things quiet down for a bit so we can settle into being a little family of 3.

The nursery is our major focus right now. All the big pieces are in place and we are just putting final touches on everything and finishing out the room with artwork and accessories. Our painter is almost finished - the chalkboard wall went up this weekend and the yellow stripes on the ceiling should be done sometime this week. Here's a little sneak peek...

It was a little daunting seeing that black chalkboard wall go up but the more we go in the room, the more we love it. The room gets a lot of light and all of the furniture is white so it's a great contrast and I know one day the baby is going to love drawing all over that wall! This pic shows off the new floors as well. Here are a few of the things we've collected so far, a couple of which you can see in the photo above...

Sources: 1. Flensted Elephant Party Mobile via 2Modern / 2. Sparrow Crib via Ouef / 3. Molded White Rocker via EZMod Furniture / 4. Yellow Braided Pouf via Land of Nod / 5. Adventure Lives Outside Your Tent Print via Lyla and Blu / 6. Sheepskin Rug via Oliver's Farm

Shopping for Pendant Lighting

noreply@blogger.com (The Design Boards) — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 12:50:00 +0000

There are so many little projects going on in my house right now that sometimes my head spins when I start to think about everything on our to do list. Just to name a few - we are in the process of picking out things for the nursery, installing base boards and trim, reconfiguring a wall of cabinets in our kitchen and designing a buffet/credenza with coordinating cabinets in our dining room, we are desperately in need of rugs in every room of our house since we removed all the carpets, we are picking out throw pillows, choosing curtains for the dining room, designing a moving island for our kitchen...and the list goes on. Of course the nesting mother-to-be in me would like all of it to be done before the baby arrives but that is neither financially feasible or realistic. Plus Mike will kill me if I add one more thing to his summer-to-do-list.

One of the items on my list is to pick out a dining room light fixture. Our dining room has a flat roof with no attic space above so the possibility of can lights is out and we currently have this horrible 70's style, stained glass, dome light/fan thing going on now, reminiscent of something you would find over a pool table in a badly designed pub and it just has to go. Here's the thing, I am baaaaad at making decisions - and so is Mike. Once we do finally decide on something, we often change our mind about it once we have it. I think it's the downfall of being passionate about interior design and having so much access to great design blogs and sites like Pinterest. I am constantly seeing things I like and thinking to myself - would that look better than what I have now?!

Here are the three options I am currently contemplating:

Industrial style pendants. I definitely like the idea of hanging two together like in this arrangement, with some kind of rope cord, similar to this. These are simple (and cheap) and add a lot to the room without being a focal point. I love how simple the decor is but what a huge style impact the overall room has. Green folding chairs with just the right amount of wear and tear, paired with a wooden dining table and funky vintage accessories against shiny white floors gives the room tons of personality and a sense of playfulness.

Source: In my House via Pinterest

Linen Drum Pendants. I have always loved the simplicity of a linen drum pendant. It's really such a timeless lighting choice. West Elm has some great options. In the past they've had more colors to choose from but I really do love this natural linen look. We are considering going with a dark grayish blue or navy color in the dining room and I love the contrast of the natural linen against the dark colors - very dramatic...

Source: West Elm

Oversized and unique pendants. I love this light fixture. It would be super easy to make - it looks like it's a giant Japanese paper lantern paired with a cord light and mounted to the wall - easy and inexpensive. This room has some amazing architectural elements like the medallion on the ceiling and the crown molding which is a great contrast to the more modern paper lantern. This room is a great mix of high end and low end pieces. The paper lantern light fixture and Ikea lamp are inexpensive but look great paired with the vintage chairs and antique wooden cabinet, and that white couch looks sooo cozy!

Source: Amber Interior Design via Pinterest

Bon jour!

noreply@blogger.com (The Design Boards) — Sun, 22 Jul 2012 15:06:00 +0000

Bon jour! We've been back from France for a few weeks, still getting settled in to the house after all the changes that were made while we were away - more on that later.

The trip was amazing. It was just what I needed to de-stress from all the house renovations. Here are some shots we snapped via Instagram (@ thedesignboards if you want to follow me). We spent a few hours in London on route to France and just happened upon the changing of the guards - very cool to see! We took the ferry from England to France and spent several days driving through Normandy and Brittany, eating too many crepes and galettes and enjoying the beaches and beautiful villages. We even happened to find a brocante in one of the towns we were staying in. I picked up some vintage French linens and a vintage absinthe saucer.

I'm glad to be home but there is still so much to be done here. We are only partially unpacked from the floor install. Mike has been installing baseboards and we've been getting the nursery painted and ready for furniture and decor. There will be a lot to share with you over the next few weeks so stay tuned - only 5 weeks and counting until my due date.

Renovation Updates

noreply@blogger.com (The Design Boards) — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 13:08:00 +0000

We are knee deep into renovation projects right now. We've started packing up the entire house and putting everything in to storage while we prepare for the flooring to be installed. This week we will begin making the cutout for the patio door which will be installed on Monday and the existing carpet and tile is slowly being torn out room by room as we shift furniture around and make adjustments to our living situation.

The process is stressful and only made worse by the fact that being 7 months pregnant, I can't lift anything heavy, so I've been packing boxes and then kind of shuffling them across the floor with my foot after they are filled - comical for those around me I'm sure. I also get out of breath easily and have to take frequent breaks, plus the up and down movements are killing my lower back. On the plus side, this is fulfilling some major nesting tendencies that have occurred as of late. Honestly though, I'm really looking forward to the whole thing being over in a few weeks so I can start preparing the nursery. Once we return from our trip my main focus will be getting the baby's room ready. I have a lot of ideas floating around in my head and can't wait to share them with you.

British Pub Style

noreply@blogger.com (The Design Boards) — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 12:33:00 +0000

Mike and I are escaping our house renovations and sneaking away to France for a 'babymoon' of sorts while the floors are being installed in a couple of weeks. I love traveling to Europe because I am always so inspired by their cozy but chic, nearly effortless design aesthetic. Last year when we were in England I was totally enamored by the style of the beautiful pubs we visited. Here in the states, the thought of a pub conjures an image of a dark bar with bad lighting, no windows, and the smells of stale alcohol and bad fried food. Real British pubs are nothing like that, they are cozy and intimate places to meet with family and friends while sipping on a good beer and enjoying locally produced food.

The Drapers Arms, London, England

The Snooty Fox, Tetbury, England

The White Hart Inn, Winchcombe, England

The White Hart Inn, Stow on the Wold, England

The Drapers Arms, London, England

If you like the idea of bringing a little British pub style into your own home, I've put together this design board of bits and pieces that are reminiscent of the cozy, local gathering spots I visited while in England last summer.

Sources: 1. 5-Jar Chandelier via West Elm / 2. Reclaimed Wood Chalkboard via Terrain / 3. Recycled Glass Jugs via West Elm / 4. Absinthe Saucers via Seld / 5. Linen Napkin via Terrain / 6. Scaled Leather Bottle Opener via Jayson Home / 7. Finnish Dart Set via Kiosk / 8. Taft Chair Via Jayson Home / 9. Farmhouse Table via Joseph Spinale Primitive Furniture / 10. Sheepskin via Ikea

A Birthday List

noreply@blogger.com (The Design Boards) — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 15:37:00 +0000

I turned 31 a few weeks ago. I usually always write myself a little goal list of things to accomplish by my next birthday but this year it completely slipped my mind. With baby brain in full force and the desire for my birthday to go under the radar this year - not because I don't want to face the truth that I'm getting older but because we are so deep in to house projects - I truly forgot to do it. Being a total list girl, as soon as it occurred to me that I hadn't written one, I immediately started working on it.

Summer Must Haves

noreply@blogger.com (The Design Boards) — Wed, 30 May 2012 12:20:00 +0000

I always crave a bit more color in my life once summer arrives, don't you? I like to switch out my regular purse for a cute and colorful summer tote, perfect for impromptu visits to the beach and weekend road trips. I like to add a pop of color to my manicures and pedicures with a bright and cheerful summer pastel like this one from Nars. And I like to pile on lots of colorful accessories to my otherwise netural wardrobe like these amazing wooden bangles or this super cute bohemian scarf.

What are some of your summer must haves this year? Do you tend to crave more color around this time of year? For more of my favorite colorful accessories for summer, check out my current ideabook on houzz.

Sources: 1. Olallie Teardrop Pendant Necklace via Rare Device / 2. Native Lurex Tassle Scarf via Topshop / 3. Set of Skinny Bangles - Azealia via Voz Clothing and Art / 4. Nars Nail Polish in Kutki via Liberty London / 5. Sequin Straw Tote via Target / 6. North African Towels via Kira-cph / 7. Inka Books via inkyco. / 8. Wide Beaded Bracelet via Leif / 9. La Sardina & Flash Beach Edition via Lomography Shop