Daily Delight: Moon Cradle

by Briana Mowrey in Design Inspiration, Furniture, Furniture Finds445785 Commentshttp%3A%2F%2Fblog.hgtv.com%2Fdesign%2F2012%2F01%2F06%2Fdaily-delight-moon-cradle%2FDaily+Delight%3A+Moon+Cradle2012-01-06+10%3A00%3A12Briana+Mowreyhttp%3A%2F%2Fblog.hgtv.com%2Fdesign%2F%3Fp%3D44578

I look at a lot of magazines and websites for these delights, and sometimes that leads to the most wonderful design déjà vu! Take this moon-shaped cradle from Creme Anglaise for example.

When I saw it, it immediately reminded me of a rustic take on this Limited Edition Piero Fornasetti Cradle I spied a few months ago. It’s made from recycled pallet wood, and is 100% handmade. Wouldn’t this be dreamy in a celestial-themed nursery? In fact, I think I know just the curtains that would go with it…

Briana is a writer and senior editor for HGTV.com. Her self-described design style is "mid-century modern magpie." She lives in a Brooklyn apartment with her boyfriend, their spoiled dachshund, Chauncey, and approximately one million old shelter magazines. She cannot wait until she is a home owner, and can wallpaper and/or tile just about every available surface.

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HGTV’s Color of the Month Inspires Celebrations – January 2012

Let’s all raise a glass to 2012, a year that’s full of promise! In honor of  the many parties we’ll attend this month and the heady feeling of endless possibilities a new year brings, we selected a color that’s fresh, effervescent and downright bubbly.

Wanna know what it is?

Pink Champagne!

1. Canadian House & Home   2. Plush Palate

“No longer relegated to baby nurseries, today’s Pink Champagne is a whisper of a color, fast becoming a new neutral. Rich when paired with black, camel, or metallics in particular — Pink Champagne is an unexpected and utterly lovely choice for the revelry of January.” —Marianne Canada, HGTV Home Studio

1.  apartment therapy  2. Gourmet

“I’ve never been much of a ‘girly-girl,’ but I’m so drawn to this refined shade. It’s sweet without being cloying and soft without being boring. It works equally well for walls and sofas as it does for lips and nails. I’ll raise my flute of pink champagne to that!” —Briana Mowrey, Senior Online Editor

1. This is Glamorous   2. Style Me Grasie

“To me, there’s nothing more beautiful than a soft, feminine shade of pink. Whether it’s in a luxurious bedroom or an elegant living room with chocolate accents, I could literally surround myself in a sea of gold and champagne pink in any room in the house. And to think that only years ago I swore off all-things pink!” – Kayla Kitts, Assistant Editor 

1. hgtv.com   2. Celerie Kemble, Kemble Interiors

“January is a time for celebration and rejuvenation, and champagne pink represents that very well. The soft pink tone brings a refreshing, cheerful touch to any space and can add elegance when paired with the right color.” —Farima Alavi, Assistant Editor

So, have we inspired you to ”think pink” and add a splash of the bubbly to your decor?

H. Camille Smith is a contributor to Design Happens.

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House Diaries: New House Resolutions

by Liz Gray in Design Inspiration, House Diaries4456119 Commentshttp%3A%2F%2Fblog.hgtv.com%2Fdesign%2F2012%2F01%2F05%2Fhouse-diaries-new-house-resolutions%2FHouse+Diaries%3A+New+House+Resolutions+2012-01-05+22%3A45%3A21Liz+Grayhttp%3A%2F%2Fblog.hgtv.com%2Fdesign%2F%3Fp%3D44561

It’s still sinking in: In 2011, I bought a house.  My first house. A beautiful, 1957 tri-level home with lots of windows, an open floor plan and an amazing walk-in closet. But, it’s also a dated home with contact paper-covered cabinets and faded orange carpeting, not to mention a room full of paneling. In other words: In 2012, I’m going to be busy.

Luckily, I have help. My boyfriend Josh shares my DIY spirit and love of all things mod. (We’re still figuring out how to get our hybrid corgie-bulldog-mystery puppy, Miles, to help us peel off wallpaper. Bacon grease? )

Josh and I at a 1960s-themed party. Guest starring: my bouffant 'do. Photo by Jennifer Harper

Miles at play. Sticks > wallpaper.

Each week, I’ll share our progress, from room-by-room moodboards to finished projects to dramatic before-and-afters. I hope you’ll follow along! To keep it all in perspective, I’m making a few more promises, resolution-style. I pledge to…

Make Progress Every Week… I’ll do something to better my house every week, big or small.

But Don’t Expect It to Happen Overnight. As any homeowner probably knows and I’m about to find out…it’s a marathon, not a track meet. ‘Nuff said.

Appreciate the Good… I’ll remember every day, even when I’m covered in bits of popcorn ceiling and shreds of tiny floral wallpaper, what made me want this place. Things like waking up to this every morning:

Sunrise from master bedroom

And Tolerate the Bad. There’s plenty of design wrongs to be righted in this house (more on that later) but I can live with all of them…for now.  It will build character, right?

Get Input From You. Yes, you! I’ll need your help along the way to tell me if my color palettes look totally crazy and help me choose which lamp is the right one.  Right off the bat: Any tips on getting rid of those last few boxes?

‘Till next week…

Liz Gray is a writer and senior editor for HGTV.com. She lives in a midcentury tri-level that’s stuck in the ‘70s…for now. When she’s not working on remodeling projects with her boyfriend and mystery breed puppy, Miles, you can find her buying impractical hats, baking homemade pies and drooling over Danish modern furniture.

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Freebie Fridays: Deep Woods Collection Bedding Set From Bambeco

by Liz Gray in Freebies41676890 Commentshttp%3A%2F%2Fblog.hgtv.com%2Fdesign%2F2012%2F01%2F06%2Ffreebie-fridays-deep-woods-collection-bedding-set-from-bambeco%2FFreebie+Fridays%3A+Deep+Woods+Collection+Bedding+Set+From+Bambeco2012-01-06+13%3A00%3A52Liz+Grayhttp%3A%2F%2Fblog.hgtv.com%2Fdesign%2F%3Fp%3D41676

Happy New Year, Freebie Fridays fans!  The new year is the perfect time for a fresh start: at the gym, at the dinner table and yes, with your decor. For today’s giveaway, one lucky fan will win the centerpiece to a brand new bedroom: a complete Coyuchi Deep Woods Collection Bedding Set from eco-friendly retailer Bambeco.

The ultra-soft percale sheets are made with organic cotton to keep you warm through the cold winter nights. The set looks sharp, too: the textured gray linen duvet cover (made from flax) boasts a stylish yellow stripe, while the sham is stitched with coordinating diamonds. Forget going to the gym at 6 a.m….your new resolution will be to sleep in.

The winner will get his or her choice of bedding set size: twin, full/queen or king. Leave a comment to be entered for a chance to win! This week’s question: What’s your resolution for 2012?

You may only comment once to be considered, and you don’t have to purchase anything to win; a purchase will not increase your chances of winning. Odds depend on total number of entries. Void where prohibited by law. Only open to legal residents of 50 U.S., D.C. or Puerto Rico, and you must be at least 18 years of age to win. All entries (comments) must be entered between 9:00 a.m. ET on January 6, 2012 and 12:00 p.m. ET on January 9, 2012. Subject to full official rules. By leaving a comment on the blog, you acknowledge your acceptance to the Official Rules. ARV of each prize: $528  to $652. Sponsor: Scripps Networks, LLC, d/b/a HGTV, 9721 Sherrill Boulevard, Knoxville, TN 37932.

Liz Gray is a writer and senior editor for HGTV.com. She lives in a midcentury tri-level that’s stuck in the ‘70s…for now. When she’s not working on remodeling projects with her boyfriend and mystery breed puppy, Miles, you can find her buying impractical hats, baking homemade pies and drooling over Danish modern furniture.

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Thrifting: How Eye Candy Can Make You a Better Thrifter

by Rashon Carraway in Design Inspiration443632 Commentshttp%3A%2F%2Fblog.hgtv.com%2Fdesign%2F2012%2F01%2F06%2Fthrifting-how-eye-candy-can-make-you-a-better-thrifter%2FThrifting%3A+How+Eye+Candy+Can+Make+You+a+Better+Thrifter2012-01-06+21%3A48%3A48Rashon+Carrawayhttp%3A%2F%2Fblog.hgtv.com%2Fdesign%2F%3Fp%3D44363

I’ve found so many exciting treasures in thrift stores and vintage shops. But knowing what constitutes a treasure takes time and experience. Over the years, I’ve honed my eye by browsing inspiring photos from my favorite design sites and blogs. I’ve created an internal database, so now when I see a piece in a store, it sparks a memory of a favorite vignette and gives me ideas for whether (and how) I can use a piece.

Take this sideboard from Haute Indoor Couture. This is a great inspiration piece — sideboards offer extra storage and serving space and can be painted to fit your color scheme. If you can score a dresser at a fair price, consider using it for the same purpose.

Dining chairs can really be expensive. However, some thrift stores have an amazing selection of well-priced chairs that you can easily transform.

This dining room, featured in House & Home, shows how a new color and a few remnants of fabric can turn old-and-dated into fresh-and-custom.

A door as a headboard? Absolutely. When you find a piece you love but aren’t sure what to do with, think about how you can repurpose it. (Here’s HGTV’s Guide to Repurposed Design for ideas on how to do this.)

This bed becomes delightfully custom with nothing more than a coat of paint. But this isn’t your ordinary paint job; it was painted by an auto body shop. I had 4 Saarinen Knoll Tulip chairs professionally repainted a few years ago and the difference in quality is worth the price, especially for an investment piece.

What images have inspired your thrifting lately?

Rashon Carraway is a lifestyle coach who inspires people to live their best life through the art of thrifting. His work is documented on his blog Mr. Goodwill Hunting. From your wardrobe to your home, Rashon can help you find the best stuff...on a budget.

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Answer to “What the … ?” Lighting Up a Room

by Farima Alavi in Design Inspiration443652 Commentshttp%3A%2F%2Fblog.hgtv.com%2Fdesign%2F2012%2F01%2F05%2Fanswer-to-what-the-lighting-up-a-room%2FAnswer+to+%22What+the+...+%3F%22+Lighting+Up+a+Room2012-01-05+14%3A00%3A37Farima+Alavihttp%3A%2F%2Fblog.hgtv.com%2Fdesign%2F%3Fp%3D44365

We enjoyed reading everybody’s guesses; the most popular being a cobbler’s tool and fireplace tool. Tina was the first to get it correct: a floor lamp. Many HGTV Facebook fans also got it correct, including fan Jes Dixon who thought it resembled a “new age leg lamp”. I definitely see the resemblance.

Even though this 1950s 1stdibs floor lamp has a futuristic look, its combination of  wood and copper gives it a true French antique finish. The wood stand resembles a tree trunk, and the two lights in the almost 5-foot tall lamp reflect off the copper plates to create a soft light.

 

We’ll have a brand new item next week, so check back to give us your best guess!

Farima Alavi is a contributor to Design Happens.

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Exciting News: HGTV Debuts New Color Guide App

by Briana Mowrey in Announcements445513 Commentshttp%3A%2F%2Fblog.hgtv.com%2Fdesign%2F2012%2F01%2F05%2Fexciting-news-hgtv-debuts-new-color-guide-app%2FExciting+News%3A+HGTV+Debuts+New+Color+Guide+App2012-01-05+19%3A06%3A45Briana+Mowreyhttp%3A%2F%2Fblog.hgtv.com%2Fdesign%2F%3Fp%3D44551

Did Santa happen to bring you an iPad for Christmas? Then we’ve got another present for you! In addition to our HGTV to Go and HGTV Dream Home: Best of the Past iPad apps, today we’re releasing some all-new downloadable goodness: the HGTV Color Guide.

Learn pro decorating tips and browse over 150 colorful photos, including rooms from some of your favorite HGTV stars, like David Bromstad, Candice Olsen and Vern Yip.

The HGTV Color Guide also includes interactive articles filled with everything you need to know to transform your home, like the 7 Color Mistakes to Avoid and this Color Wheel Primer.

Best of all, just like the other apps in the HGTV family, it’s 100% free. Download it today and get inspired!

Briana is a writer and senior editor for HGTV.com. Her self-described design style is "mid-century modern magpie." She lives in a Brooklyn apartment with her boyfriend, their spoiled dachshund, Chauncey, and approximately one million old shelter magazines. She cannot wait until she is a home owner, and can wallpaper and/or tile just about every available surface.

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Daily Delight: Record Storage and Display Unit

by Briana Mowrey in Design Inspiration, Furniture, Furniture Finds, Products446064 Commentshttp%3A%2F%2Fblog.hgtv.com%2Fdesign%2F2012%2F01%2F07%2Fdaily-delight-record-storage-and-display-unit%2FDaily+Delight%3A+Record+Storage+and+Display+Unit2012-01-07+10%3A00%3A29Briana+Mowreyhttp%3A%2F%2Fblog.hgtv.com%2Fdesign%2F%3Fp%3D44606

Maybe it’s a natural reaction to working on the Internet, but I feel like I’m becoming more attached to older technology and physical objects. Don’t worry, I’m not going full Steampunk on you, but things like vinyl records have a quaint, retro appeal. I bought my boyfriend a little Crosley portable turntable for Christmas, and I’m surprised how much we use it now. We must have purchased at least 20 records already! The only downside is what to do with them when they’re not in use. That’s where this Volume Storage and Display Unit from Test Collective would come in handy.

I love that this piece is both decorative and practical. There’s ample room for the turntable on top, record storage underneath and those clever slots for showing off the really cool or arty covers. (I’d put our M83, St. Vincent and Al Green up there, for sure.)

How about you? Do you still own any vinyl? If so, what’s your favorite thing to listen to? Or your favorite album cover?

[Via: Dwell]

Briana is a writer and senior editor for HGTV.com. Her self-described design style is "mid-century modern magpie." She lives in a Brooklyn apartment with her boyfriend, their spoiled dachshund, Chauncey, and approximately one million old shelter magazines. She cannot wait until she is a home owner, and can wallpaper and/or tile just about every available surface.

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Daily Delight: David Hicks Closet

by Briana Mowrey in Designers & Shops, Inspiring Spaces, Shopping444831 Commenthttp%3A%2F%2Fblog.hgtv.com%2Fdesign%2F2012%2F01%2F05%2Fdaily-delight-david-hicks-closet%2FDaily+Delight%3A+David+Hicks+Closet2012-01-05+10%3A00%3A23Briana+Mowreyhttp%3A%2F%2Fblog.hgtv.com%2Fdesign%2F%3Fp%3D44483

We’ve done a lot of work on our apartment recently, but one area that regrettably remains untouched are the closets. And they are a horror show. (When I say I have skeletons in my closet, I mean literally — the Martha Stewart skeletons that I use as Halloween decor keep falling out of my hall closet when I open it. And don’t get me started on the nightmare that’s barely containing my wardrobe.) So, when I spotted this “closet” in the Australian retail store Green With Envy, that is what I turned.

Designer David Hicks (not that David Hicks, this David Hicks) gave this dressing room area all the touches I’d dream of if I had a walk-in closet of my own: Art Deco lines, a sophisticated-yet-decidedly-feminine color scheme, a dramatic display rack of clothes and comfortable seating. Shopping usually feels like a bit of a chore to me, but I’d try on tons of togs if it meant spending time here.

Briana is a writer and senior editor for HGTV.com. Her self-described design style is "mid-century modern magpie." She lives in a Brooklyn apartment with her boyfriend, their spoiled dachshund, Chauncey, and approximately one million old shelter magazines. She cannot wait until she is a home owner, and can wallpaper and/or tile just about every available surface.

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HGTV Blogger of the Month: Elsie From A Beautiful Mess

by Kayla Kitts in Design Inspiration, Designers & Shops, Handmade446593 Commentshttp%3A%2F%2Fblog.hgtv.com%2Fdesign%2F2012%2F01%2F07%2Fhgtv-blogger-of-the-month-elsie-from-a-beautiful-mess%2FHGTV+Blogger+of+the+Month%3A+Elsie+From+A+Beautiful+Mess2012-01-07+21%3A00%3A14Kayla+Kittshttp%3A%2F%2Fblog.hgtv.com%2Fdesign%2F%3Fp%3D44659

It’s true. I have fashion, design and cooking obsessions. I’m sure many of you do, too. So whenever I need to get my daily fix of beautiful clothes, eclectic designs and scrumptious recipes, I head over to A Beautiful Mess. Elsie Larson created her five-year-old blog to “promote an inspired lifestyle through fashion, handmade and pretty things.” On top of being a blog editor, she’s also a designer and the co-founder of Red Velvet, a shop that specializes in vintage and independent designer fashion and accessories. (She is a thrifting queen; see her closet for yourself!)

I love to be inspired by other people’s handiwork on a daily basis, but there’s just a certain satisfaction I get from embarking on a handmade project of my own. If you head over to the projects page, Elsie and her team have compiled an endless amount of original tutorials. I’ve already added at least 10 to my winter to-do list, including some garland ideas for spring, vibrant paint chip art and painted leather bracelets that will be perfect for my summer wardrobe.

Elsie has definitely set her blog apart by integrating creative how-tos and fun tutorials into her weekly posts, as well as tours of her home and her own decorating ventures. She treats her blog as a learning space, and each topic, whether it’s photography, beauty, decorating or baking, teaches me something new every time I stop by. In the photography section, you can learn how to take better self-portraits, or see how Elsie displays photos in her home and steal the look for yourself.

And I want to steal the look. I can’t get enough of her vintage style. Just look at her living room, bedroom and kitchen:

When you’re not making fabric necklaces or glitter shoes, be sure to check out “10 Things I Love” every Sunday, which features Elsie’s current design and fashion obsessions. Isn’t that just the perfect way to end the weekend?

I find Elsie’s most recent online venture incredibly cool. Not sure how to sew a simple bow? (That would be me.) Or looking for information on developing your new blog? Elsie and her team have created several e-courses that are now up and running. Based on their experiences with running a business and a blog, they have compiled lessons they feel will be helpful for those looking into starting a small business, creating a blog, learning how to sew or styling a home, to name a few. You can check out the course introductions and sign up if you’re interested.

A Beautiful Mess is one of my favorite blogs for DIY and handmade project ideas. What is your go-to blog for DIY inspiration? Tell us in the comments!

Kayla is an assistant editor for HGTV.com. When she’s not scouring the internet for delicious design inspiration, she’s shopping for home decor, spending quality time with D'Artagnan, her adopted kitten, and finding any reason to be outside. Her favorite design style: eclectic with a vintage, retro vibe.

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