Plate Walls

Loving... plate walls. This wall in what we call the Fireplace Room is looking pretty darn lonely, and while I'd love to put some great art on it, that wall can't compete too heavily with the fireplace and mantle. Could the plate wall idea actually work?

Below, I've posted a couple of inspiration photos which I've pinned here.

My #1 all-time fave? I'm drooling over nearly everything in Joi's house. At first, it was their cane chairs, and now it's this fun and colorful plate wall. And look at those grey walls! The grey makes the yellow, turquoise, blue, and pink just pop.

Source - Nuestra Vida Dulce

Some of the other finalists.....

Source - Angela Hardison

Source - View Along the Way

Source - Flickr

Source - Sunset

Source - Design Sponge

You know, this wall (below) might just be cool after all.

That canvas art has since been sold off, leaving a different kind of empty "canvas" waiting to be filled!

Meanwhile, I'm on the search for plates from thrift stores and local shops like Relish and Elements in Bloomington. Check out what I've found so far - total camera phone picture.

How about you? Have you found any sources for good and fun plates? Do you have or want to have a plate wall?

New Bathroom!

Hallelujah! I've finally finished the FIRST room in the house! It is DONE!

Check out the upstairs bathroom before and afters.

BEFORE:
Beige walls, old Ikea shower curtain from college, not much else.

Here's another view:

I was obviously testing paint when I had the thought to take a before picture, so you're lucky!

I chose this color paint for the bathroom, a clean slate-blue-grey color... there's a lot more blue it in than this swatch lets on.

I couldn't decide if I wanted to keep it clean and "normal" looking, or add some fun color to it.
For Option A, "Normal," I would've chosen all white accessories, white flowers, white frames, white towels, etc.
For Option B - Fun, it was a tough choice between yellow and magenta/pink. From reading this earlier post, you obviously know that I am in love with yellows and greys together, but the magenta pop seemed like the natural thing to do.

But everybody appreciates a little personality, right?

Afters (sorry for the low light, there are no skylights or windows!):

Here's a close-up of the artwork, my favorite part. All it took was an image of a bird and branches, which I cut out on magenta cardstock. The grey zigzags were just created in Photoshop and printed out on white cardstock. I used one of my many many many brand spankin' new Ikea frames!

As a sidenote, I have an addiction that needs to be dealt with-- it's birds. I flippin' love birds. I can't help it.

Someday in the near future I'm going to become the bird lady, 'cause I've already started a collection. Don't believe me? This is only the beginning of a veeeery slippery slope:

It all began with this guy, a patio accessory from Lowe's a couple summers ago.

This chick's not alone, either. He has a red buddy named "Roundy."

...My two round birds were so silly, I even have a birdhouse mantle decoration to go with them. [cah-ray-zee!]

Then I graduated to the hard stuff, the glass bird paperweight from Pier 1. It was tempting not to buy the glass octopus they had too, but that would've just launched me into more seascape madness.

And obviously, the latest paper addition, bathroom birdies.

So those are my bird buddies. I'm expecting it'll only get worse from here - but admitting it is the first step to recovery...?!?!

ps- My friend Mandy just shared this website with me: www.putabirdonit.com. Put a bird on it, and call it art. Hilarious but true!

Psst --  3/5/2013 -- Bathroom update! If you liked the bird art, check out the latest bathroom artwork update. I shared it as a free printable! 

Color Envy

I started painting the green bedroom walls grey a few weeks ago and decided to abort mission after I realized how much I hate painting, especially a room that size. They're staying green! It was fun to imagine them as a dark grey while it lasted... someday I'll get the guts to paint the whole room. Someday (not today)! Yeah, I still have something up my sleeve, so it's not a lost cause. Think green and bright whites. More on this later.

As we sat awake at 1am with power flickering in and out during last week's tornado watch, I decided that the bathrooms deserve an overhaul. No more beige walls! So, this afternoon I went on an epic journey to find  things to make over both bathrooms, which were inspired by these two rooms below. After drooling over both of these for months, it's finally time to do something about it!

Exhibit A (via DecorPad):
I. Am. In. Love. With. This. Room.
The pink and pear-green accessories add a fun element to this entryway without being obnoxiously pink (I really don't like rooms looking super girly... I'm not the only one who lives in this house!) And the paper boxes! Who doesn't love storage?

And Exhibit B (via House Tweaking)
Yep, still digging the grey-yellow look. I have to have a grey room! ...In the upstairs full guest bathroom.

Drumroll please...

I'm really trying to avoid painting at all costs. I would rather run the painfully hilly IU Mini (Half) Marathon TWICE OVER before I paint my room. I think it's inevitable. I am getting to the point where I can't work around the green bedroom walls any longer. So what new color gets to grace our walls?  Drumroll please.....

It's grey! I'm thinking grey with a little yellow mixed in would be "us," and after spending some time at West Elm and Ikea this week (more on that later), I was inspired by my first West Elm store purchase, which currently resides in the black-walled master bath. You know I can't resist a good zig zag pattern. I bought the one on the left, which is a gold/yellow color. This photo does it no justice!

[Photo: West Elm]

Never, in a million years, did I expect to appreciate yellow. It's growing on me, and I can't fight it anymore...
And on a side note, grey is not just grey. Here's a screenshot from the Valspar website (gotta make sure to find the non-VOC paint):

Who knows the difference between "Quaking Bog" and "Steel"? Or "Garden Stone" and "Aspen Grey"?!?! Not this girl!! (Paint color selection might be hell on earth for the indecisive!) 

Here are a few inspiration photos to add to the scrapbook, which include grey, yellow, or both:

1. Not too overhwelming with yellows and greens. Like the use of white to keep things light.
This room also shows that a taupe/beige rug can work reasonably well with the grey without looking boring.
It doesn't look staged while looking complete and warm. Well done!

2. Possibly a little much on the neutral and whites, but a great chandelier.
This one's a little too hotel-esque and need more personality!

3. Living room. I'd go a little darker with the grey because the walls seem like a

 dirty white next to the yellow flower canvas. It just seems like there's something missing here...
I don't get that warm-fuzzy feeling!

4. Ikea. I loved this room before I even knew who designed it. (Is this even grey? Let's pretend it is.)
Picture ledges are an awesome idea, and the few darker pieces/frames with yellow
accent throw and rug seem just right. I'd have to do something about those curtains,
though... too bright! Get me some thermal curtains and we're good!

5. Kate Spade. A little eclectic, but clean. This shade of slate grey might be perfect!!
I also wish I could see more of the yellow  ottoman/bench at the foot of the bed-
I bet it's the perfect amount of preppy.

[photo: Kate Spade]

6. (Left) Grey entryway. I never thought I'd like the way the red and grey go together... and I would bet that the bench was DIY-ed! Beautiful shade of grey for this space.

6. (Right) I think I'm in love with the wall hanging above the bed. Plus, the geometric Greek key pattern had

me hooked at first sight. I'm not committed enough to buy chairs or lamps that are yellow yellow, but I like
where this designer's going. The mirrors behind the lamps are an interesting idea I'd like to try.

[Photo: Decor Pad]

 7. If there was a bathroom/bedroom I could live in, it'd be this one. That is one awesome chandelier in the bathroom! (never mind the barn door)
The barn door is also genius... I found myself referring to this photo for inspiration as I was trying to
put together the bedroom. I want that shade of grey! Heck, give me this whole room. 

[Photo: Decor Pad]

But wait-there's more! Have you seen my grey and yellow bedroom designed with Photoshop? See it here.