Re-blog from January 2011

I decided to re-blog this post from about a year ago.  I love this post, and I didn't want to lose it even if I was deleting my previous blog.  Enjoy!
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from:  January 2011


So my current living room leaves much to be desired...  Granite, I am still in college, but hey a girl can dream right?  Right now I have been in love with grays and yellows.  I dunno what it is but I just can't get my mind off of that color combination.  Unfortunately I am not taking a design studio course this semester, so I don't really have that outlet to create and design.  Therefore I hope to do a lot of conceptual planning and designing (that hopefully I can include into my design portfolio).


So back to the gray and yellow and my dream room.  The wall art to my left is from Modern Dose and I just love it.  I think it would look great along side this couch from CB2 and also this great chair with ottoman from Design Within Reach which is always a mainstay when I go looking for furniture.  I love to pick pieces that are neutral so that if you're not IN LOVE with the same accent color you chose to begin with, then you can easily go out and buy a few throw pillows and other accessories to give your space a different look.  This way you don't limit yourself with the furniture you decide to purchase.





Now for the fun part, finding the perfect accessories for my "yellow look".  I found these great throw pillows at CB2 as well.  The difference in textures of the pillows are great.  It gives the eye a bit to play with, instead of using all flat colored pillows.  I also enjoy bringing in hints of natural colors that you would see, for example, in some floral arrangements that you may have throughout the year.  I'm all for doing onochromatic schemes, but using splashes of complimentary colors really livens up the space.  Now for a great rug to tie together the sofa and the two mid century modern chairs.  I found this great one at CB2.   It's a fun pattern that brings everything together.














Now for some side tables, a coffee table, and a sofa table to display all of your personal items and decorations.  One thing I love to do is use a buffet or credenza as a sofa table.  It gives you a little bit more depth (so more storage inside) and allows for more trinkets and displays on top.  I found this gorgeous one on Lunar Lounge Design's Etsy Shop.  Using vintage pieces intermixed with new pieces is a great way to play with different styles. Next I found these side tables from Hudson Furniture Inc. which are reclaimed wood logs.  These gorgeous raw wood pieces really make the room feel warm and inviting.  For the coffee table I would like to bring another wood element, but something a bit more contemporary.


When I pick paint, I usually go with one of two brands, Benjamin Moore or Pittsburgh Paints.  Being an interior design student I tend to be a bit more conscious and sensitive to the fact that we should be using green products.  That's why in a lot of my designs I use re-purposed furniture and elements that can or have been recycled.  So, most paint companies have green paint lines, but I just really like all of the research and background information those two companies provide.  For the main paint color on the walls I chose to use Benjamin Moore (which I recommend you use Natura® Zero-VOC Paint) color Chantilly Lace for your trim, color Ice Cube Silver for your walls, and color Concord Ivory for your ceiling.  I really like using a neutral color on the walls, and then adding a pop of color on the ceilings.  It's unexpected, because most homeowners don't think to paint their ceilings a different color other than white, but it's just another "wall" for you to use color on so use it!  Benjamin Moore's website has great tools and ideas to get you inspired for your own home.


Now for some flooring, which I have chose to use natural cork flooring.  Cork is a great product because it is rapidly renewable, has great acoustical properties, and is water impermeable.  It has the look of a hard surface floor, but has a softer feel.  I love using this product just about anywhere I possibly can, and it really is very versatile.  I found this product at Duro-Desgin.com which has many colors to choose from, but I really like the natural look of the cork.



Moving on we get to the curtains, which I found at Anthropology.  I love this bold pattern in yellow on white.  Simple yet striking pattern to bounce off the gorgeous light gray wall color.  The tree pattern ties in all of the natural and wood elements I have brought into the room.  I just love these curtains!













And finally we have some cute and fun accessories.  The yellow bird candle holder, white lotus candle holder, teal blue and metal wall art, black vases, yellow rubber box vase, and silver connected vase are all from CB2.  These pieces are all different in their lines, which creates interest in each piece.  Although the pieces vary in style and shapes they really reinforce the color pallet and bring the space together as a whole.  I really like how the teal blue wall art piece makes some of the yellow aspects really pop.  The vases from CB2 are really fun and different.  The black vases bring a lot of different size variations in and of themselves.  The yellow vase is fun, and brings in more straight lines that we have in our furniture.  Lastly we have our connected silver vases.  I love these types of vases, because it really makes each flower a focal point.  This piece would be great on that mid century sofa table.

I found some other great accessories at one of my favorite websites, Etsy.  If I were to say that I was obsessed with this site, that would be an understatement!  I love that all of the items on there are either
handmade, vintage, or supplies that you would need to create your own creations.  So from Magalerie's Etsy Shop I found this great
"Keep Calm Carry On" wall art.  This british "anti-scare" message from WWII has become a pop art phenomena in recent years, and I love Magalerie's take on it with the white frame and the white letters on a wood background.  I also found this group of paper cut map art from StudioKMO's Etsy Shop that I just adore.  It's so simple, but so

















striking as a group of four.  This fine art photograph from Amelia Kay Photography's Etsy Shop to the right, and also to the left from Marca La Grenouille's Etsy Shop.  These two pieces tie into our color scheme, and also bring in that natural element that we have ongoing in the room.  Floral photography is always nice to have as wall art.  The next two photos are from Pretty Petal Studio's Etsy Shop on the right, and Ben the Butterfly Guy's Etsy Shop on the left.  Just gorgeous stuff!













And now for a few more final touches that I found from West Elm.  A Dandelion Pillow Cover, Yellow Dotted Pillow Cover, Pure White Ceramic Vases, Honey Comb Inspired Vase, and a Picture Frame Ledge.  These pieces are simple and stunning when bought together.  I love how everything has a natural feel to it, which is a huge part of how I design.  I want to respect nature and bring it indoors.

If I were to design my own living room this would have to be a very close match to what I would actually buy.  I love how the modern lines in the furniture play off of the more whimsical and natural elements I chose for the accessories.








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So I plan on doing another 'actual' new post later today, but I wanted to get this posted so I can delete my previous blog site.   No promises, but I will try!

Best,
Megan

My secret lover...

Well what I'm really talking about is my love for music; another thing that has been more prevalent in my life now that I have a bit more free time.  Music has always been very close to my heart.  Growing up I have vivid memories riding around with my dad listening to Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, The Rolling Stones, etc.  My dad is the source for many of my hobbies you could say, and we definitely share a passion for music.  He got me interested in vinyl records at a young age and now my collection keeps growing and growing.  So I thought that I would share some of my obsessions lately...

First off we have a band from Irvine, California called Young the Giant.  Their single Cough Syrup can be heard on Sirus AltNation, but I prefer this song much more of the same album.  This video is an acoustic live version which is really great!  It's called 'Apartment'

Next up we have Washed Out.  I have heard a few of their songs, and didn't even realize it was them.  This past weekend when watching Portlandia I was reminded of how great this song really is!  Very mellow and chill.  

This band has become a new favorite, and you just gotta love a female vocalist.  The Joy Formidable's song Whirring is a great up-beat song. 

So if indie bands can be called "well known" this band would be the perfect definition of that.  Fleet Foxes has that perfect mix of great vocals, lots of instruments, and a touch of folk to their music.  Love, love, love them. This song isn't new by any means, but I find myself listening to it a lot lately.

Of Monsters and Men has been playing on my local station here in Columbia, and I can't get enough of this song.  Gotta love that accordion!  :-P

If I were to have any secret lovers, this band takes the cake!  I have been totally obsessed with them since my Junior year in high school!  The Black Keys just came out with a new album entitled El Camino, and their first single on this album is 'Lonely Boy'.  Although this album was produced by Dangermouse (and you can definitely tell the difference between this album and their previous 'Brothers'), it still rings true to their original sound and style.  Gotta love these bluesy boys. (p.s. if you don't know the band, this guy is not Dan Auerbach or Patrick Carney in the video.)

I don't know what it is about this band, and particularly this song, but its soooo addicting!  The Cults just make me smile with this one.  The rest of the album is pretty good too!

So this one has been on my recently played for several months now.  I just don't get tired of Grizzly Bear.  I just love the melodic nature of this track.  Music video is a bit weird, but hey.

Monsters of Folk is another band that I have been listening to for quite a while, and just haven't ever gotten tired of this song.  They're not that well known, so I thought I'd share!

This next one is a hit of miss with people.  Some people can't stand his voice, but I love this album and his voice.  It's not for everyone.  Although Bon Iver's most popular song is probably Skinny Love, this song is also one of my favorites.

Obsessed with this song!!!  So basically if there is clapping or whistling in a song, you can almost be sure I will LOVE it.  lol  Heart it Races by Dr. Dog is just such a great song!

Iron & Wine has been around for a while, and I have always been a fan.  I guess I really dig the lo-fi stuff, cause I find myself listening to him a lot.  This is one of my favorites from him (and I just recently got this on vinyl)  His voice just makes me melt.  

And to end this post, a song that myself and someone very close to me ;) loves right now is from Gotye.  The lyrics just give me chills; in a good way.  

Such a beautiful yellow and white pattern.  The floral
is not so overpowering either it will really look nice
among other patterns.

Now that that is out of my system (for a while) I wanted to share with you some AMAZING fabric I found while looking at etsy last night.  Pretty sure I'm going to get a yard of this to reupholster that cane back chair I mentioned yesterday.  This little beauty is only $10.95 per yard, so I think I'm going to snatch it up.  It will look so great on my chair once it is painted white.  I love that it has that vintage look too, which I think will play nicely with the bold graphic patterns I already have going on.  eeee!  I'm as giddy as a school girl.  :-P  So with that I must be going to work now.  Hope you have a wonderful day!  

This is the closest picture I found on google images as to
what my cane back chair looks like.  This one has more
detail on the legs though.

I'm convinced that without bad design, the world would be a far less stimulating place; we would have nothing to marvel over and nothing to be nostalgic about. - Carrie Phillips

Best,

Megan

Hello World, its 2012, and I'm on a MISSION!

Why hello there.  My name is Megan, and I am a recent graduate of the University of Missouri's Architectural Studies department.  I have always wanted to keep a blog, and in the past it has somehow seemed to slip through the cracks.  Now that I am out of school, and not nearly as busy as I was when taking design classes, I hope to write at least 5 times a week.  I want this blog to be partially about what is going on in my life, and partially about my biggest passion; DESIGN!

I am getting ready to move back to Kansas City, with my dad (gulp).  I am also getting ready to start a new internship in downtown Kansas City, Missouri, so I will be talking about my experiences while I'm there.  Although this internship is not exactly the interior design path I see myself in, I feel like it will be a great experience for me.  As I continue to look for a full time job, I will keep you guys updated in my search.  Another thing I love to do is pull together things that really excite me at the moment.  Right now I am trying to get things together to re-do my own bedroom.

My bedroom style and color pallet has been the same for over 3 years now.  And as an interior designer, that can be really BORING!  Plus my style has changed a lot since then, so now I am trying to really incorporate what I have, and bring in new pieces that will really reflect who I am as a person and a designer.  So I guess I will start off with what I have now.  My bed is just a plain old full size bed on a frame, pretty boring, and my bed spread is cream with black and a hint of metallic colors.  So when putting together my room I got lots of black, white/cream, and metallic accessories and what not.  The styling of this bedspread was also very girly, and hinted to a more french provincial style (in my eyes).  So I have a very detailed and embellished dresser that is black with silver pulls.  I got a few cane back chairs, and reupholstered them with black and white fabric, and even painted my bookshelf black with cream on the inside of the shelves.  It was great for a while, but I am so sick of all of this now, and I want COLOR!  I know this may be a little crazy, but I was a little scared of committing on a color for a while (i'm a designer for goodness sake, i know!  lol).  I'll blame it on the way I was raised in my parents house (which I'm sure I'll get into later).  So I have always been one to love all colors, and never really had a favorite color as a young adult.  Then I started to discover my love for gray and yellow.  Thus, an inspiration was born.

Am I right in saying that these are just AMAZING!  :D
I love them so very much!

So as I began to look for things that I would love to have in my room, many things came and went because I was either unsure about them or they just were outside of my budget.  One of the first pieces that I really fell in love with was the ADORABLE yellow rosette pillows from Target.  Anyone who knows me, will tell you that I am addicted to Target!  lol  So after months of eyeing this, but just talking myself out of buying it I just set it aside in my mind.  By the time I realized that I would be pretty disappointed with out purchasing a few of these beauties, I thought they were completely out of stock.  I couldn't find them on their website, and my local Target was out of them.  One weekend when I was in Kansas City staying with my boyfriend Grant, we went to Target to pick up a few things and I found them!  So I snatched up two of them right then and there (regardless of Grant thinking I was a little nuts over them).

Love chevrons!  and they're
so popular right now!

This was a great price for this
Dwell pattern!

The next few items I purchased were a few more pillow covers I found on etsy and just fell in love with.  They were from skoope's etsy shop which has a ton of great pillow covers and other accessories for your home.  She was really great with getting my order to me in a timely manner as well.  I will definitely use her again when working on my living room (once I get my own place).  So since I already had an idea on what I wanted my bed spread to be, I started looking for not only yellow and white pillow covers, but also some gray and white pillow covers.  These are the two pairs I decided on purchasing (shown to the left and right).  Not only did I really like the patterns that she had available in her shop, but the quality and the price was what really made me go with purchasing from her.  I highly suggest her! :)

I got the 5'x7' rug, and it fits perfectly next to my bed!

So now this got me up to about the end of November, and these were the only pieces I had so far.  I really had my eye on a duvet from west elm.  But I just couldn't afford it at the time.  So classes kept going, and I got through finals week and graduation, and then was able to go home for a little while for the holidays.  I went into a Crate & Barrel store, and saw one of their rugs was being deeply discounted for Christmas shoppers.  I mentioned it to Grant as something I'd like for Christmas and low and behold he actually ended up getting it for me!  Yay!  I was a very happy girl friend!  So now this little beauty will now reside next to my bed.  All I need to do with it now is put a rug pad underneath it, so it doesn't slip around on my hardwood floor.  I have also found a product that comes in a tape-like roll, that is for stabilizing rugs on hardwood floors.  I have used it before and it works great!  I'm pretty sure I got it at Target, and I'll probably end up using it with this rug.

Mine has triangles also incorporated in the design.  It's a
little worn, but I absolutely love it!

Since I was home for Christmas, that meant I had to bunk up on the couch (since we had my grandma staying with us this year).  My mom pulled out a few quilts for me to use, and one of them just happened to be yellow and white.  As soon as I saw it I was in love!  I asked her if it would be alright for me to use, and she said yes!  I found out that it was one that my great grandmother had made a long time ago, which made the quilt even more dear to me!  I had been looking around for a quilt as well, and all of them that I was interested in were a lot more money than what I wanted to spend.  Quilts are great to have at the end of your bed as an accent, and that extra blanket you can pull up over you on a cold night.  I don't have an actual picture of it for you guys to see, but this one is very similar to it.

the $7.50 lamp steal I got at
Target!  I ended up giving one
to my sister for her new apartment.

I should also mention that many of my accessories are easily paint-able, so I know that a lot of the little vases, lanterns, etc. I can paint white, gray, yellow, or whatever I decide.  That's one thing that I always try to keep in mind, especially when shopping at salvation army, flea markets, or antique shops (which I do all the time!  I find great stuff for great prices!).  I always check out the clearance section in Target too,  in the past few months I snagged 2 lamps for $7.50 that were originally $30!  Another lamp I got for $9 that was originally $25, and a vase for $6 that was originally $18 (which was an ugly pale purple, and I painted it with a nickel type finish).  I still really need to find a new dresser, since I have decided to donate my current one to the salvation army.  It is great, but the style and color is totally wrong for me now.  Also the drawers don't function as well as they should; I'm pretty sure the drawer fronts are new to the piece and they always fall when you pull them out all the way.  I'm sure someone will enjoy it, and I am glad I can donate it to someone for a low price that really needs it.  I have decided to keep my book shelf, even though it has some scroll detail on it, I just can't part with it.  I am going to re-paint it however, just not sure what color yet.  I think all white would be really pretty.  My vanity is retro, and just needs to be refinished, so maybe this will be my all yellow statement piece of furniture.  Still haven't decided on the color of that yet either, but I know it will be moving with me to Kansas City.  Probably will be getting rid of one of my cane back chairs, and keeping the other that has arms.  I will need to get some new fabric for it though, and probably paint it all white as well.  I have this great mid-century style walnut chair as well which I would love to reupholster, but I think that will probably reside in my living room for now.

I just love this stripe, and its totally my style.
Bold, Graphic, Simple

So now what I have been hinting at for this whole post; my duvet cover!  This duvet has been something I have been eyeing for at least 4 months on west elm.  This particular one comes in three different colors, and initially I thought I would go for the yellow one, but after getting a yellow rug and the yellow pillows and quilt, I knew the gray one would be perfect!  So today actually I just sent in my order for the gray striped duvet, and I can't wait to get it on my bed!  :)  As you can tell I am very excited not only to move back to the city, but to get my room all organized and exactly the way I want it.


There are a few other items I want to get such as this etched letter from Urban Outfitters (the M of course!), and a pillow from there as well (in the yellow).  My side table need some painting as well, because currently it is black.  I really wish I had a bedside table that had some storage to hide away things instead of keeping everything on top of it.  So if I come across a cute bedside table on the cheap that may be something I add.  For now I'm happy with the table I have, its funky and retro and different.

So this post is waaaay longer than I had expected.  Once I start talking about design I tend to ramble on though!  Hopefully these posts keep coming to me, and you will have plenty to read about!  As for now, I will leave you with this.

Design is where science and art break even.  - Robin Mathew

Best,
Megan