SWAP MEET!

Swap meet Blu Dot style - offer up a bid and the piece of furniture you would like to swap it for and wait to see if your approved.  They are accepting bids of all kinds!  For more information click here.

Knit Obsession

How cool are these stools from Claire Anne O'Brien?!  LOVE that yellow chunky knit stool.

What a great play on scale and texture!  These would make for a great statement piece in any room.  

Emily McCall's Place

I can't resist reposting Emily McCall's great space that was on the Etsy blog the other day.  Enjoy!

That Barcelona chair with the distressed leather makes me swoon!  The original post can be found here - they also show you how to shop etsy to get the look.

Block Shelf

What's in a name?  Everything when it perfectly describes your product.  I just couldn't resist posting this fantastic shelf from Green Furniture Sweden.

Great in a kids room, love it as a room devider as shown above, and I cannot get over those great rope ties at the top!  I am also really into that leaf lamp they have paired with it which is also available on their website.

Daily Design Inspiration

I love the use of antique letterpress letters as wall art!  I feel a little DIY coming on...

Pouf

Poufs are all the rage - a small comfy ottoman mainly made up of cushion adds extra seating and style to a space without breaking the bank.



These poufs can be found at Linteloo, a designer furniture retailer from the Netherlands

This pouf is also from Linteloo - I like the modern take on the Moroccan pouf

Moroccan inspired pouf from Furbish

She has them in tons of colors to suit any interior.

Here is one that you will be seeing this Spring at a Target store near you for under $100!

and I have saved my favorite for last...

I just love these colorful poufs from desinger Hella Jongerius which can be found at Hive Modern.  Fun fact, the third pouf with the woman on it is inspired by the 1670 painting The Lacemaker by Dutch master Vermeer van Delft.

Dining in Style

Right now I am loving the look of the rustic natural edge table with the high contrast of a modern chair.

I want something like this...

With something like this...

Or this...

That would make my dining room so happy! 

Edison Lights the Way, Again.

Edison's original designs have made a comeback!  Dust off those old filament light bulbs, or you can trot on down to your local Home Depot and pick up a few.

From Anthropologie

Different types of Edison bulbs on the market

From 9design

From Pottery Barn

From Roost

From Niche Modern

Now don't be afraid to bare those bulbs and show of some good old fashioned design.

Plum Fever

Design Within Reach has it, do you?

A Thousand Words

Well, not exactly... but there are enough words to conjure a pretty strong image.  These canvases are hand painted by a local Minnesota artist Locality who can be found on Etsy.

 

A custom welcome home sign for your new baby - this would be a great edition to any nursery!

Laura Belle Hanley, the artist behind Locality, will even create a one of a kind custom piece with 20-25 of your own words!  A great gift to commemorate that special occasion, and would look great above your sofa.

Rustic Meets Modern

Their is definitely a trend right now for mixing rustic and modern, rough and refined, natural and high design.  These are impeccably melded in this old barn turned modern home that was originally posted on The Style Files.

I just love Seattle based Architects Shed's use of materials.  Letting the natural wood of the old barn speak for itself accenting it with a minimal, bright color palette and expansive windows.  The original post that inspired this can be seen here on The Style Files site.

Honey Pots!

If you are a honey lover then these are the pots for you:

How cute are those?!  The Mielito Honey Pot can be found at A+R Store which is plump full of other well designed objects from around the world.

Daily Design Inspiration

I love these ceramic animal busts - they make this corner something special.  You can find something similar here

Get the Look for Less

Online discount site Hautelook.com offers consumers a way to get the it look for less.  Offering a variety of brand name clothing, housewares and furniture and even hotel accomodations Hautelook brings customers the lifestyle they desire at a discount.  The furniture offerings are a pretty good mix of contemporary and transitional pieces (mostly reproductions of designer pieces) at a really great price.

These are just a selection of what they have available now, but the brands they offer are always changing, so their is always something new to tempt you!

Great Lakes

Minneapolis based paper artist Marnie Karger of Crafterall is making amazing cut paper topographical style images of some very familiar lakes.

Lake Superior

Great Lakes

Lake Minnetonka

Wouldn't these look great matted and framed?  Crafterall has a multitude of other lakes, topographical landscapes, and fun cards that can all be seen on her Etsy page.  

Daily Design Inspiration

In honor of the 12-16 inches of snow that are falling outside my window as I type - a lovely living room with a cozy roaring fire.

Design in the Palm of Your Hand

iPhone apps an interior designer can't live without:

iHandy Level App for iPhone

Benjamin Moore
Sherwin WIlliams
AutoCAD WS  - Pull up drawings/plans,
Home Interior Layout Designer - Layouts and drawing for on the spot designing
Kravet/Lee Jofa - furniture and fabrics
Square - Run a credit card through your phone
iHandy Level - for an on the spot level to hang those pictures with
MacBox Units iPhone App - For the international designer, converts measurements + a built in ruler
Mark on Call - Created by an interior designer has tons of helpful features, including shopping lists, measurement tools, layout planners, etc
I.D. Wood - is a pocket guide to woods, including information about durability, sustainability, and color
Home Sizer - Calculates square footage and construction costs
3rd Whale - Helps you shop green.
Evernote - All-purpose organizational app, a great replacement for your giant design binders.
Craigsphone - Craigslist's mobile version for the iPhone

Now you can design like crazy from anywhere, anytime!

The Toro

With their hip, irreverent advertising and fantastic designs Minneapolis based Blu Dot has become a modern furniture force to be reckoned with!

Ads taken from Blu Dot website



I just love their Toro Lounge chair in Day - great lines and the leather looks so buttery and delicious, I could sit in it for days!