olympic inspiration

I have always been an Olympics junkie (hey, I was born the day of "Miracle" when the US beat Russia in hockey), but this time around it isn't just the games and athletes that have caught my attention, it's also what they are wearing. Hands down my favorite uniform these Vancouver 2010 games belongs to our very own U.S. Olympic Snowboarding Team. Designed by Burton, the goal was to create a look that truly expressed the individuality of snowboarding and America while creating a functional uniform that would allow the athletes to perform to their fullest potential (it did with 5 medals under their belt so far). In the end they created a modern, yet red, white and blue patriotic plaid jacket and a pair of vintage denim inspired snowboarding pants.

photo courtesy of highsnobiety.com

I was wondering, if this look is so successful for the Olympic snowboarders, can it be as successful in the home? After digging through the internet for quite some time I think the answer is 'YES!' if you just find the right pieces. Here are some of my favorite plaid and denim inspired home furnishings.

Plaid Credenza by Thomas Wold (a San Francisco designer!)

Pop Tartan by Flor (available in 3 colorways)

Diesel Collection by Moroso with Diesel (stonewashed wood, who knew?)

Favorite Jeans by Flor (also available in 2 sizes of rug kits)

Not into the plaid and denim look but still feeling patriotic? You can always just deck out your room in good old Red, White and Blue. Be cautious though as there is "successful patriotic" and "it's just missing the flag and eagle patriotic" (in my opinion that is).

"Successful Patriotic"
photo courtesy of Halcyon House Design

"It's Just Missing the Flag and Eagle Patriotic"
photo courtesy of Pottery Barn

Do you have a favorite Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games uniform? Does it inspire you?

summer's arrived...at IKEA that is

Winter Olympics time or not, IKEA's ready for summer (and what Swede wouldn't be with their February average of 25 degrees Fahrenheit?), so head out and get it before it's gone. This year's range is full of graphic black, white and bold pops of color, smart small space solutions, large comfy pieces for bigger backyards, and even UV protective umbrellas.

Here are a few pieces I wouldn't mind having around for sunny days and warm nights that won't empty out my bank account.

BLANKÖ Chair (also in white)

AMMERÖ Chair

AMMERÖ Lounge chair with cushion

SOLIG Solar-powered table lamp

SOLIG Solar-powered lighting

KARLSÖ Umbrella, hanging

Not only are those juicy red strawberries exciting my summer appetite but so are all the brilliant colors the BLANKÖ series comes in. Time to hop in my car and head over to IKEA for a taste of summer in February.

Check out the Summer 2010 Canadian press kit here for all the collections.

it's a gray area

My dad and past design colleagues have always teased me for being so in love with gray and any color "with gray in it." Gray always seems to get a bum rap but I find it to be a soft, unique and calming neutral that allows any color to become both vibrant and sophisticated when paired with it. Here are a few wonderful spaces that have embraced the brilliance of gray.

You also can't go wrong bringing in strong graphic punches of black and white as gray is simply a result of the two coming together in the first place.

One of my favorite color pairings is that of gray and yellow. I love how the cheery yellow pops softly off the neutral gray creating an elegant, sophisticated combination.

photos courtesy of flickr.com

How does gray make you feel? What's your favorite color combo with gray?

for the birds

I'm one of those people who isn't a fan of real birds (they creep me out a bit) but love them as a design element. Here are a few feathered friends I wouldn't mind having in my home.

I recently purchased these three 8 x 10 bird prints I found at The Mincing Mockingbird and on Etsy. Who wouldn't want a little, colorful feathered friend around that doesn't need feeding and doesn't make a peep?

Funk up your furnishings with a handmade pillow sewn from IKEA's ANNAMOA fabric yardage. You certainly can't beat the price of $7.99 a yard.

The Flensted swallow mobile at Velocity Art & Design is a wonderful way to really make your bird themed decor take flight. And at $29.50 this simple mobile is a perfect way to modernize a nursery or any room for the matter.

Wire home accessories and furnishings are just as popular birds and CB2 is taking full advantage of that with their blackbird. This bird's ready to roost inside or outside your home thanks to its weather-resistant epoxy finish.

You can cozy up with some of your feathered friends with West Elm's Birds Nest duvet cover and shams. The large graphic, monochromatic print keeps the look modern chic not granny chic.


If birds aren't exactly your thing but you love their cages check out the Bamboo Birdcage at West Elm. With those clean lines and natural finish it's a perfect addition to a modern space.

What feathered finds have you fallen for recently?

that's what you call a budget?

A few days ago I read the article Furnishing with style on a budget on sfgate.com by Anh-Mihn Le. Having to be quite budget conscious myself I was excited to read the article, that was until I discovered the budget was $4,500. The story covers Theresa Gonzalez, a woman with a creative professional background who has finally moved on from furnished sublets into her own unfurnished 500 square-foot apartment in Pacific Heights (helps explains how an apartment budget could be $4,500). Being a visual person I was quickly drawn to the photos accompanying the story and away from the fact that my budget falls far below Theresa's and I'm glad that happened.

Along with before and after photos are cost breakdowns for each of the main rooms. Since I was drawn to a few of the pieces she had selected I drawn to reading the breakdowns. I soon discovered that overall she'd done a wonderful job on what actually was a pretty decent budget, having splurged in a few places, specifically on textiles, that anyone else on a tighter budget could easy make changes to. Here are the breakdowns for each of the main rooms as well as some good after photos.

living room budget breakdown

living room after

In the living room the biggest but most worthy splurge was her Roosevelt sofa from Therapy for $1380. I'm all for spending a little more on a quality sofa so you aren't busting your budget by having to replace it within the next 6 to 12 months. The rest of her furnishings were actually quite reasonably priced and she made the wise decision to attempt to recover her $7 Salvation Army armchair herself instead of forking out $900 just for the reupholstering labor. The few spots that someone could really save a bit more on the budget was on the fabrics selected for the window treatments and floor pillows, toss pillows and the Adler lamp. Looking for other options? My suggestions are: a) more affordable fabrics from discount fabric stores, b) keeping your eyes peeled for unique pillows from stores such as IKEA, TJ Maxx or Marshalls, and c) thrift store table lamp with a fresh coat of white spray paint to update it.

bedroom budget breakdown

bedroom after

I think the bedroom was a bit of a budget buster too in terms of textiles as well. Almost half the budget was spent of textiles and bedding. Looking to save some money, don't spend $300 on a duvet cover and Euro shams. Trust me, I'd love a George Nelson saucer lamp, but when you are working on a budget I'm sure you can find something a bit more affordable than $329 that gives a similar feeling. I do love the fact that she customized her IKEA dresser find with some unique knobs from Anthropolgie.

kitchen budget breakdown

kitchen after

Lucky for her, Theresa was allowed to wallpaper a wall in her kitchen and even luckier she already had the Orla Kiely paper laying around from a previous project. She kept it nice and simple with some new cabinet handles, white shelving and cutlery holders, all from IKEA (I love the ASKER series!) . So overall she was able to make a big difference on $51 in her tiny, white kitchen.

bathroom budget breakdown

bathroom after

In her bathroom her biggest budget-friendly impact was made with the wall color. She added visually pleasing storage and shelving (again IKEA... I believe the article is incorrect saying that it is EBKY TONY since that shelf requires a bracket, therefore I believe it is the LACK floating shelf).

Overall, I do think that she created a cozy, cohesive space on what could be a bit more wallet-friendly budget with a few tweaks here and there. What are your favorite spots for budget-mindful find?

all photos courtesy of sfgate.com