The Universe Has Spoken

And it has whispered thus:

Go on, go ahead and get a rug for your living room, and don't cheap out:  make it the right rug.

Don't you love it when the Universe is on your side?

Do you want me to tell you the whole story?  (It's okay if you don't.  My husband has spent the last 10 years trying--in vain--to train me to skip all the backstory and get to the point.)

Okay.  I'll tell you the short version first.  I bought a rug on overstock one late night in a panic of SELL OUT RISK: HIGH.  I knew it was probably not right but I went ahead and done did it anyway.

See?  Kind of sort of almost great.  But truly the stripes should not be variegated (but more even, like most of these) and the blue is off--too True Blue.  Too coastal.  I lived with it for a couple of days kind of squinting at it to make the color work because the price tag worked.  (I am a professional: do NOT try this at home!)  I even tried to pretend that I needed to boot the dining room rug in favor of this guy.  (Long story here.)

The truth is, I am not very good at saving up and patiently waiting for perfect.  I am much better at finding really good right NOW.  Plus, it's hard, structurally, to save up for a purchase like a 9x12 rug when you run your own deal and your income ebbs and flows accordingly.  My husband, bless him, said to me, as I rolled up the "really great deal" in really great despair: well, you'll just have to find some extra money to get the right rug.

Yes he did.

And the very next day I got a call about a freelance writing gig, and I spent the weekend before the fourth holiday single momming it while my husband was at a bachelor party out of town and writing 5 articles to the tune of almost the price of a new rug.  (Very excited about this new gig and hope to tell you more about it soon.)

(Oh, and that's a picture of "single momming it," in case this is not self-evident.  Yes, I carry my children on my back, crawling on my hands and knees when my husband is away.)

And then last week the phone rang and a major magazine that I subscribe to invited me to come to a paid focus group, for just about the amount I think I need to close the gap on new rug-hood.  And that's what we call "finding extra money" folks.

Now.  It is possible that the universe intended to hand me this money to pay the hospital bill for my 4 year old who was sent to the emergency room by an over excited Target Clinic employee.  Or it is possible that the universe wants me to pay to take down the near-dead tree in our front yard that could have caused major damage during the recent storms that brought down a ton of beautiful old trees.

But, as I make a collage and wait to see what is in the next envelope for my focus group homework while making out with a Coke Zero to keep myself up at night, I am accepting only one earmark for these dollars:  One new rug.

(making out with a Coke Zero.  Is it weird that I'm kind of palming it?  

In all honesty, these are the kinds of pictures my husband chooses to take of me.  Isn't he sweet?)

Thanks, Universe.

Now, what kind of rug shall it be?

Google Reader is no more....I don't want to lose you!

As of tomorrow, google reader goes away for good.  For those 134 of you who follow me that way, I hope you will continue to follow me through another reader.  I don't want to lose you!

Love Your Space on Bloglovin

Also look me up on Feedly.com (their server is currently down due to high traffic volume because of this change!)

Designsponge has a good post about the different interfaces, here.

If you don't plan to switch to a new reader, you can always follow me on twitter or facebook--I share all of my posts through those outlets, too.  Right now, I don't really share additional content in these venues, so I would recommend following whichever you use more regularly to keep up with the goings-on around here.

Love Your Space on Facebook
hpetersondesign on Twitter

While we're at it, you might as well follow me on pinterest.  I don't curate my boards, but I pin a lot of great stuff as reference and resource.  I just tarted pinning some of my projects, too, including some client photography and lots of design boards.

All of these changes or additions are super quick--I hope you'll take a moment to follow me one way or another.

Thanks so much!

Heather

Thinking about headboard fabric

I recently came across photos of the girls' room nearly finished in the old scheme, and found myself wondering why on earth I went and changed it all up.  (I mean, I know why--I wanted to move the orange rug out of the living room and it worked with the pink walls and some vintage fabric I had for curtains.)

But now, as the room sits pretty unfinished again, I am asking myself why.

As in: "why, why, WHY?!"

It would be nice if something was just finished.

So.  What's left to do?

- strip and stain the desk and chair (ugh!)
- possibly paint the dresser
- find bedframes (preferably for free) to raise up the beds.
- make or buy bedskirts (or buy and modify with some vintage trim I seem to be hoarding)
- add wall lights to give much-needed task lighting to the beds and desk
- make new bolster covers
- re-make the headboards

That's all.  (yes: sarcasm.)

Right now, fabric for the headboards is torturing me.  The room looks like this:

Those are swatches of this:

Thibault Rinca in Coral, available locally through A.J. Maison

Which I LOVE.  Except for this room I wish it was blush pink, with an orange border around the white pattern.

I was also in love with these, but don't think I can justify the price point.

Amy Karyn, available locally through Tapis Decor

So there I go, thinking out loud again, and showing you very messy and unfinished photos of a room that changes constantly.

If you want to continue to tune in to the messy rumblings of my brain, and currently read on google reader, please follow me on blog lovin'.  Google reader is going away as of Monday!  I'll post more details tomorrow on where else (and how) to keep following this blog. 

I hope you'll stick around!

Boys Room Fabric Options

When I was cleaning up my on-line work life over the weekend, I came across so very many things I never shared with you.  Which, I gotta say, is kind of a nice little bonus as a blogging momma still getting her summer legs!

Like how about some selections for a little boy's room?
(And this is perfect timing, as his sister just entered the world about two weeks ago.)

The walls are a light blue and he has an excellent mid-century bedroom set (his father's from childhood!), but needed, well, everything else.  I put together three choices for rug/bedding/curtains/lamp, with the intention of bringing in strong color and playful elements without getting too far afield from the traditional nature of the house.

Solid rug and simple border curtains let 50s inspired rocketship bedding take center stage

New England coastal rug and traditional buffalo check bedding both get taken up a notch with electric color; woodland curtains bring the whimsy.

Grounded neutrals--brown and white--leave room for a whimsical mix of polka dots, stripes, and polka-dotted stripes.  And who doesn't love an owl lamp?

Might be a while on the "afters" with that new baby around.  congrats to mom, dad, and big brother!

Inlaid Table a bunch of ways

I was pinning and tagging this weekend, cleaning some things up around here, when I noticed on some old posts that people said they really liked my series, One thing/two design styles.  So I thought I would bring it on back.

The idea for the series was to take an item that seems set in its ways and show how you could push it into a different realm.  The first one was quilts, two ways, where I showed a minimal and maximal version, but neither went "country," as quilts are wont to do.  (I also played around with crewel work, lantern chandeliers, zebra ottomans, floral bedspreads, and zebra rugs, though that wasn't officially part of the series.)

Today?  Inlaid tables.  I've always wanted a mother-of-pearl inlaid piece, though I am most partial to chests or chairs.  To me, the obvious way to use them is that sort of collected Anglo-Indian vibe.  Like so.

Lots going on there, but keeping most of the fabrics in solids and the pattern around the edges of the rug let the table star.  Classic English-y upholstery shapes and side tables and some "blue and whites" keep it from getting too wild.

You can also start with that bohemian vibe and add an edge with some black leather, mouille-style wall sconces, geometric lighting, and mid-century wood pieces.  Yes you can.

And how about a little more glamorous?  The overdyed rug and deep-seated teal sofa take this table all the way to hollywood, and gold tables and woven leather lamps never hurt when you're bringing on the bling.

And then there is the complete departure: coastal/beachy casual.

With blue for a little contrast and the texture of worn leather, driftwood, bamboo blinds, and a gilded tree stump table lamp, it's another win.

What do you think:  any favorites?  Number two is reaaaalllly doing it for me right now, but of course I've got dhurries on the brain.  And I've always wanted a Donald Baechler artwork.

Also.  Any item in your home (or on your wish list) that's stuck in its ways that I can help liberate?  Brutalist light fixture?  Spool bed?  Chinese cabinet?  Leave me a comment in the notes and I'll see what I can do.

Committing a Cardinal Sin

Folks, I think I'm going to do it.

I think I'm going to install the one thing that every home show ever tells you to remove:  the good old ceiling fan.

Tom Scheerer via Pure Style Home

Here's the deal: my kids can't sleep.  With a big, open main floor and a small upper level, the bedrooms up there don't seem to have a chance at staying cool.  All the hot air rises right up to their room, and even with the air conditioning on, it just never really cools down.  And kids who don't fall asleep until 10pm are tired and crabby indeed.

Here's the problem.  Choosing a ceiling fan is a bit like choosing a car.  When you inherit one, you accept it happily for its good solid functionality, without thinking too much about what it looks like (like the fans in our townhouse in Brooklyn and our rental in Boulder; also like the Ford Taurus and Buik Century we are grateful to have but never would have chosen ourselves.)  When you are picking one out yourself, you discover that you really don't like the looks of any of the options out there.

We need ceiling huggers (basically flush mounts), with light kits and a blade span around 44".  I'm thinking white and contemporary.  We have nickel hardware through out the house, but an all-silver fan would be too cold and stark in the bedrooms.

Also they can't be too expensive.  Do you know how many options that leaves?  Just two.

1.  The Minka Aire Concept II 44" flushmount, around $264 from various sources

(Or this variation, the Minka Aire traditional flush ceiling fan, around the same price.)

2.  The 44" Encore Possini Euro White Hugger Ceiling Fan, about $199 from Lamps Plus.

There are some super budget-friendly options, but this one is too cottagey

Home Depot, around $64

And this one is pretty ugly.

Lowes, $64

I like to think that these fans will be a long-term investment and that it makes sense to go with the higher-quality ones that also happen to be more style-appropriate to our house.  But at the same time, I tend to be cheap about the boring stuff.

If you want to see some beautiful spaces with ceiling fans, check out Lauren Liess's post on the use of fans in Tom Scheerer's work.  Makes me feel like there is hope!

Source Alert: Colored Cord Kits

There are so many great pendant options these days, including fun DIYs, that require a cord kit.

Loving these cords from colorcord.com, in just about every color under the sun.  At just $20, you could buy a couple and swap 'em out with the seasons (if you're handy with electrical work, that is.)

And just to get you inpired, here are some fun lighting DIYs from around the blogosphere.

Dodecahedron at View Along The Way

Copper Geometric Pendant fixture at Design-Milk

via Say Yes to Hoboken

Jute-wrapped, via Hand Made Home

Faceted pendant (that's folded paper!!) via the 3 Rs Blog

Wood veneer woven lamp on Poppy Talk

Lace Doily lamp on Dos Family (with colored cord kit!)

Um, I am feeling like the least creative person ever all of a sudden!

Have you created some whiz-bang amazing light fixture from scratch?

Do tell.