By britt on February 8, 2010

Yes, in my dream office there is no need for proper office chairs with, you know, lumbar support because they are ugly. There are also no cords and very little paper in my imaginary workspace. Fortunately, there are a couple realistic elements here. The paint color, for one. I love it when people give the specific names of paint colors in house tours (thanks, Laura!) and I think we’re going to give this one a try. We also do want some sort of wooden slab of a desk. Oh, and we did buy that little flip clock. The big Dinamac sign is great, isn’t it? We go into the store and visit it every once in a while. Maybe one day it will be on sale and then we can justify buying it.
Sources: “Dinamac” sign is from a local antique store; White Eames chair from DWR; Cord pendant light from Rejuvenation; White flip clock from uma, but we bought it at The Cross; wire baskets, vintage (shown from here); Pale green vintage industrial cabinet from Factory 20; Wood for desktop, reclaimed; Paint color called Deep Space by Benjamin Moore, seen in this tour.
Posted in inspiration, links |
By britt on February 5, 2010

The cataloging of my favorite interiors continues with the Ace Hotel. There are locations in Seattle, Portland, New York, and Palm Springs. Aren’t these photos just the perfect mix of modern, industrial and vintage?

I would love to figure out how to achieve this balance. In my opinion, modern furniture can quickly become lifeless on its own. It can feel a little cold. But too many vintage, worn-down items can make a space feel like a thrift store or something. Maybe the key is simplicity. The Ace Hotels seem to be very utilitarian.
Ryan and I really want to drive down to Portland soon (did you know it’s only a five hour drive from Vancouver?). I know what hotel I want to check into!
[Photos from Remodelista and Interior Design]
Posted in inspiration |
By britt on February 4, 2010

Amanda Johnson, of the blog Here’s Looking at Me, Kid describes herself as “just a 20 something paper loving, thrift hunting, picture taking, beauty finding, healthy living, simple yet complicating girl”. I would like to add insanely inspiring and talented to that list. I have never been into scrapbooking, but this girl takes it to the next level. Each page is a little piece of art and they look more like magazine layouts than the scrapbook pages I have ever seen.


She has put together a paper kit called “The Housewife” (shown below) that she sells in her paper shop.

Her house is adorable, too! Check out the AT house tour for yourself.

There’s a wealth of inspiration here. Thanks, Mandi!
Blog | Paper Shop | House Tour | Vintage Shop | Flickr
Posted in inspiration, links | Tagged paper, scrapbooking, vintage |
By britt on February 3, 2010

Ever since I came across this studio tour on Design Sponge, I have been so excited to create a new office space for Theory. I can’t get these photos (taken by the talented Lincoln Barbour) out of my head. There are more on Parliament’s site, including photos of the whole process.

We’re getting the keys for our new place a few days early so we’re going to paint it up. Do you think they would be upset if we painted some walls of this brand new apartment charcoal? I don’t think so either.
Also, we are so going to the salvage yard this weekend.
Posted in inspiration | Tagged black, charcoal, office, Parliament design, reclaimed wood |
By britt on February 2, 2010

How cute is this watch from Anthropologie? I also appreciate that these are pieced together from different vintage watches and not manufactured to just look vintage. The reviews are mixed, however. Some loved the unique watches that arrived in the mail, but others were really upset. To be fair, the disappointed customers are more likely to post a review (with photos) so it might not be an accurate gauge of the quality… but for $250 CAD, I’m not sure I want to take the chance.
It would make for a fun project, though, wouldn’t it? I would really love to find some vintage watches and put my own together. I wonder if it would be hard to do. Do you think it’s doable? How about you try it out and then get back to me…
Posted in inspiration, projects |
By britt on February 1, 2010
It is the first of February, and I have yet to step in snow. I looked outside and saw it once but it melted as it touched the ground and then quickly turned to rain. Despite all my good childhood memories of snow, I haven't really missed it. Ryan and I both really love the rain. Having to carry an umbrella seems like such a small sacrifice to be able to take long walks in the middle of the winter without freezing or slipping. People are just starting to arrive here for the Olympics - the WINTER Olympics - but it already feels like Spring.
[Image credits: Floral arrangement by Once Wed for D*S; clothes by Corey Lynn Calter via Oh Joy; dining room of Sandine Place on D*S; vintage vanity trays from High Street Market on Etsy]
Posted in life, links | Tagged floral |
By britt on January 29, 2010

If I had a cat or small dog, this is just the sort of bed it would have. I came across these at Modern Karibou. I especially love the one on the left. Gorgeous, but $449 CAD. If you’re interested in making your own version (and you actually own a small pet), you can buy thick (5mm) felt here.
Have a good weekend!
Posted in inspiration | Tagged cat bed, doggie bed, felt, inspiration, pet bed |
By britt on January 29, 2010


These double-walled beauties by Bodum are the best glasses ever. I will admit that I bought them purely based on the appearance (two walls? I’m in!), but we quickly realized how well designed they really are. We have the 8.5 oz. version (on the right) and use them all the time. Steaming hot coffee and tea doesn’t burn your hands off, which has been a problem with other handle-less mugs in the past. Similarly, if you like the occassional bourbon on the rocks, the ice takes much longer to melt because the heat from your hands doesn’t transfer as much. The smaller 2 oz. size is perfect for pulling espresso shots. You don’t need to preheat them, and you can clearly see the nice crema.
…Just a random little tidbit for you. In other news, I think the apartment search is over! And I have made my peace with the linear kitchen.
Posted in random |
By britt on January 28, 2010

These lights remind me of the trouble light-inspired pendants from Anthro that I posted about. But these little guys are made from vintage industrial whisks! Want. (Check out this tutorial, via Remodelista.) Ashley Ann came up with another light inspired by the trouble lights using a wire basket (thanks for the link, Sarah!).

A vintage bundt pan pendant light? Fantastic! I really like it, and not just for the novelty factor. Even if the pan had been created for the sole purpose of being a shade I would like it. The fact that it has been a carrier of cake does make it a little sweeter, though. Easily DIY-able, of course. Get yourself a lamp cord kit, thread it through the center and hang it low so you can see its fluted sides. (Images from Light Locations, via Decor8)
There is a very cheap lamp cord kit at Urban Outfitters, but it’s a swag-style light. You can find the hard-wired pendant kind at your hardware store (or here).
Posted in home, inspiration, tutorial | Tagged bundt pan, pendant light, reclaimed, recycled, vintage, whisk |
By britt on January 27, 2010

This pen and watercolor painting by Ryan (yes, my Ryan) is hanging in our office. It is based on a photo of a man who works at NASA, thus the name. Poignant, yes? I really like this fellow, though. I need to frame it. We used to have lots of art nights back in Nelson. I would sit for a long time staring at my blank canvas or paper and Ryan would dive right in with whatever tools he could get his hands on. He did an interesting piece with food coloring once.
Ryan, you really do inspire me. Let’s have another art night soon.
Posted in random |