Blue Dining

Is there an unsaid rule that dining rooms have to be neutral and boring? I originally posted about my dining room in December (http://morgandesigninc.blogspot.com/2010/12/dining-dilemma.html ) and have been thinking about it since.


A few weeks ago I fell in love with the following photos, but was unsure where to use that look in my house.


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What about in my dining room!! Just a feature wall of this awesome colour, and it could really pop the whole half of the house. I like what Sarah Richardson did here:




Now I will have to talk hubby into it, and we'll see how that goes. While I was looking for blue dining room photos, look what else I found!! Not in my house, but you have to love this amazing space.
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Orange You Glad I Didn't Say Banana?

Snow!! You know how when most people get one of those rare ‘snow days’, usually the whole towns walks to the park to all sled down the hill together in some wintertime camaraderie. Well (without any snickers from the peanut gallery please) I’m not most people. Instead, I curled up with some coffee, French toast, my favorite old movie (To Kill a Mocking Bird) and proceeded to ‘relax’. This of course didn’t last long – suddenly I realized *GASP* I have nothing orange in my living room!! This would never do.

Since I could not go out to buy orange spray paint (you know how I love my spray paint!) I devised a plan to add a small punch of the juicy colour, cost free.

I grabbed a few old cardboard jewelry boxes, and some great scrapbooking paper.

The I narrowed down the scrapbooking papers to a sparkly orange and a cute patterned blue.

Then I proceeded to glue the paper to the boxes as I wrapped them, inbetween sips of coffee.

And, voila!! Cute little boxes to decorate my little table (which you might remember from here: http://morgandesigninc.blogspot.com/2010/11/oh-how-i-love-you-usedvictoriacom.html )

Also, look how great those framed stamps look on the wall. (Original post: http://morgandesigninc.blogspot.com/2011/02/sweet-stamps.html )

Cheers!!

As many of you know, once I get an idea in my head, I will insist on making it happen. Remember that stupid chrome reindeer I am still on the hunt for? Jennie has almost unfriended me over it, even though I think she secretly enjoys watching me hunt for it like a frantic wolverine in the Christmas section of HomeSense.

That being said, I've been thinking a lot lately about the perfect bar. Now don't get me wrong here, I actually rarely drink. Honest. But when I do, it is usually one of those 'oh look, she's baking a cake again' or 'hide your opened beers, the 'beer-naber' is at it again' moments. But this post is less about the last time Krista and I insisted on visiting the park at 2am, and more about why I thought personalized glasses would be so chic.

Somehow I got the idea to have a set of 4 monogrammed glasses, but could not seem to find any that I liked that were even close to what I consider reasonably priced. So, I did the next best thing.
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I went out to my nearest big box store (coughcoughwalmartcough) and purchased a set of glasses for $4.99 - then I took them to a friend that does engraving (whom I assumed must owe me a favour). I figured out what I wanted, and added a nice thick boarder to surround the 'M'

And voila! Cheers all!!

Sweet Stamps

The truth is, I love old things. And besides this being a joke about my husband being no spring chicken, it is also true for all things design. It's not that I don't see how fantastic modern design can be in all sleek and sexy-as-red-lipstick charm, I just am both too creative and industrious (AKA cheap) to let a sparkily package distract me from the ol' whimsey of all things classic.

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China, 1976

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While cleaning out our spare bedroom this weekend, I came across my collection of old stamps from Grade 2 (really? Does it really surprise you that I collected stamps at age 7?)

Hong Kong, 1973

Australia, 1956 - am I the only one that finds these cool??

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I took a peek at them - and quickly realized that they were much older than I thought - early 70's for most. There were ones from China, Polska (Poland), New Zealand, and Australia. Super neat - I couldn't bring myself to stuff them back inside that folder to never been seen again.

Instead, I choose to mat them making sure to use acid free glue (I just used scrapbooking glue) and framed them with dark wooden frames I had laying around (am I the only person that keeps a surplus of frames in their house?)

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What do you think?

Antique Furniture Love

Okay, well, used furniture that is. I am a huge promoter of using preloved furniture and accessories in a room. First, it gives a new room some much needed grounding by using a few items that already have a bit of soul. Second, it is a form of recycling, and all my friends know that I am a peace sign toting, granola muncher at heart. Third, as most importantly- older furniture is built better and usually sold cheaper than today's models.

I always feel a few older pieces in a room adds character and some whimsy. Plus, there are very few things on this planet that I'm unwilling to spray paint.

The Perfect Kitchen

Rarely do I post about just one photos (ever?), but I just have too much to say about this one photo to cram anymore loveliness into this post. I can never seem to find rooms that have everything I love all bundled up into one beautiful little package - but alas, here it is!

It makes me want to cook. Well, not really - if this was my kitchen I would spend the better half of a Saturday afternoon intending to bake, but find myself just staring deep its eyes (er, counters?)

I love so much about it: the cool grey painted cupboards, the marble counter tops (mmm marble), the white farm sink, the cool lighting, and best of all, those amazing open cupboards.

Could you picture making your morning tea here?