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High & Low: Stylish Dog Beds

Mar 01, 2010

We just brought home our new puppy, Britta, so I thought I'd do a fun post on dog beds at every price point. And believe me, you can spend as much on a dog bed as you can on a people bed if you really want to. (I wouldn't recommend it.) Here, from low to high, are 9 fun, stylish—and sometimes just plain ridiculous—pooch perches. —

Diane

Personalized, Tough Dog Bed Covers by BowWowBeds on Etsy, $14-49

These marine-grade canvas covers have an industrial look that's as tough as it is chic. Replace a worn-out cover on an existing bed or fill with old pillows.

Cozy Donut Bed, $50

You'll love the chic color combo and modern lines. Your dog will love the comfy bolster sides.

Blue Blood St. Barths Dog Bed by Bobby Berk Home, $105-210

Bold and tropical with a touch of prep for good measure.

Crypton Doodle Dog Bed, $115-145

Crypton fabric is all but indestructible, yet it comes in beautiful prints and colors. The artsy Doodle Dog Bed is part of the William Wegman collection for Crypton.

Fantasy Furniture Fancy Sofa, $150.

Tired of fur on your sofa? Buy him his own!

Metropolitan Bed, $159-229

I love the simple structure of this bed, and the colors are luscious, too. It's a perfect choice for older dogs or those with joint problems since it has a 5-inch-thick memory foam mattress.

Le Roi Sofa Bed, $810

No baroque interior would be complete without one of these. Now would it, Fifi?

Wowo Pod Designer Dog Bed, $860

Despite the fact that I think it would be pretty irresponsible to spend this amount of money on a pet bed, I have to admit this is cool. Think of it as art.

Beverly Hills Luxury Dog Bed, $1,700

The name says it all, I guess. Check out the rest of the site if you dare.

Happy weekend! Need another set of eyes on a small project? Just a few ideas to get you started or some help focusing your plans? No dilemma is too small or too far away. Let me know how I can help: dk @ dwelement.com.

TAGS: dog cat pet beds furniture

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Inspiration: Andrew Wyeth's Color Palette

Feb 26, 2010

{Short & Sweet Friday}

The weekend is here! I can say that because I'm posting this way late in the day. And if you're still at work, I know you've already mentally checked out. I have a number of exciting projects happening now and well, the blog takes a back seat to clients.

Meanwhile, some dear friends of ours (Hi, Tim and Lisa!) are spending the day at the Greenville County Museum of Art in South Carolina, where a large body of Andrew Wyeth's work is on permanent display. "Andrew Wyeth: The Greenville Collection" includes thirty-five paintings from every major period of Wyeth's career. So I thought I'd provide a late-day visual rest from the digital haze with a few of Wyeth's interior paintings.

Using An Artist's Work as inspiration for a Home Color Palette

I've long been a fan of Wyeth's work, and his palette has influenced the color plan inside my house. He's a master of neutrals, creating a full, though restrained, spectrum without resorting to saturation. It allows intense color to be a sensory surprise when it makes its rare appearance. Greys, browns, and whites are the anchors of his palette. Variations are muted and beautiful. The effect may be too somber for some, but it feels right to me. And just like in Groundhog Day (second image below), when the sun shines through the windows there's no denying the warmth and depth of his color palette.

Using a favorite artist as inspiration for your home's color palette can create continuity and flow, and it makes color decisions that much easier. If you're having trouble finding a palette that feels right, don't look at your walls. Look at art. —Diane

Big Room by Andrew Wyeth

Groundhog Day by Andrew Wyeth

Her Room by Andrew Wyeth

Turtleneck by Andrew Wyeth

Wind from the Sea by Andrew Wyeth

TAGS: andrew wyeth artist interior room paintings color palette home space color scheme inspired by wyeth

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Juxtaposition: Sun + Snow

Feb 25, 2010

While the rest of the country measures record snowfalls (36 inches? pshaw!), we in Northern Michigan are enjoying a slightly milder version of the cold season. Yes, we still have lots of snow, but not as much as usual. And the sun has been showing its beautiful face a lot more than I remember in recent winters. To celebrate, I've put together a few things inspired by sun, snow, and the coming of spring. Few color combinations say "happy" better than yellow and white. —Diane

1. Trace Rug from CB2, $349. Tibetan forms in a contemporary color palette take on a modern, almost pixellated look in this lush wool rug.
2. Vintage Copco Enamel Bowl from Swoonshop on Etsy, $20. Every kitchen needs a jolt of color and a hint of well-worn vintage. Perfect.
3. Echo Chair from CB2, $80. This lacquered bent-ply beauty will freshen up a dull home office or create a sunshiney informal dining space.
4. Vintage Metal Flower Tray from TheBestThings on Etsy, $13.50. Even if you're still only dreaming of drinks on the patio, this 1.5-inch-deep tray can serve any number of wish-it-were-spring purposes.
5. Clouds on the Horizon Fine Art Photograph from JoyStClaire on Etsy, $14. A literal interpretation of sun and snow is never more beautiful than on the shores of Lake Michigan.
6. Vintage 70s Dresser from bamchicago on Ebay, $295 Buy-It-Now or make offer. Wake up to this happy yellow-and-white storage workhorse in a modern or eclectic bedroom.

Here's the latest yellow-and-white addition to my house: an English Shepherd puppy! She has yet to meet me, but I'm already in love with this ray of sunshine. —Diane

TAGS: yellow white sun snow color combination moodboard

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The next big thing at Target: Liberty of London

Feb 23, 2010

Craving some color and a burst of pattern? Comin' right up, to everyone's favorite design-on-a-dime source: Target. Liberty of London, famous for their flamboyant printed cotton fabrics, is launching a line of home, fashion, and hardware products (even a really sweet-looking beach cruiser!) at Target on March 14. The news is all over Blogworld already, and I have no time for a real post today, so I'll just lead you to the most comprehensive display I've seen yet, over at Casa Sugar.

Here's a visual teaser, but click through to the full post for much more:

Ready for a whole new look in your space? Check out my eDecor Plans. Professional advice at a lower price. —Diane

TAGS: liberty of london for target launch casa sugar

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Before & After: Jamie's Perfect Palette

Feb 22, 2010

One of the services I offer is color consultation, either in your home or online, long distance. After finding my site from Southern California, Jamie wrote to me in a panic. She was having some insurance repairs done on her home, and the crew was suddenly ready to begin. She had to choose wall and ceiling colors for her foyer, living room, dining room, kitchen, and laundry room… immediately!

Here's the house, before. There had been some water damage, and the insurance fixes gave Jamie the perfect opportunity to inject the space with more personality.

Rounded openings and coved ceilings presented a challenge for color separation.

The stained glass in the foyer inspired its new wall color.

The kitchen has original cabinets and tile! That little stripe of blue-green tiles inspired a whole new look.

I took on the challenge. Jamie filled out my online questionnaire and sent me photos of the rooms and some of her favorite possessions. I noticed her spunky personality and love of art, music, and color. She wanted a bold, saturated look that would show off her art collection and vintage furniture— a dramatic space that was uniquely "Jamie." And of course, it all had to flow together to create a colorful, but not jarring, environment in her Wartime-era bungalow.

The work is now finished. Jamie has added her own touches on top of the new color palette, and her personality truly shines through. She was kind enough to send me photos of the finished space. (Thanks, Jamie… that's good for $25 off your next Dwelement Home Design service!)

AFTER!

The foyer sets the colorful scene with a shot of sunset orange called Emberglow.

The muted gold in the living room (Sherwin-Williams Sequin) complements the intense colors of Jamie's collection of Shag prints.

Sun fills the space, making a bold palette that much easier to pull off.

For contrast, an almost-black shade of green called Juniper was applied to the built-in fireplace surround and the insides of the built-in corner cabinets in the dining room.

Working from the accent stripe in the original tile, I chose three shades of blue-green for the kitchen. The deepest shade (Sherwin-Williams Rocky River) covers lower cabinets, the middle shade (Halcyon Green) is on the walls, and the lightest (Windowpane) is on the ceiling. My favorite shade of white, SW Alabaster, was used on trim and upper cabinetry. Jamie wanted a new shade for the island also, so I punched it up with Jalapeño, off the same swatch as the foyer color.

For an added fun surprise, Jamie requested a contrasting color for inside the cabinets. I chose SW Gleeful, a clear chartreuse. (Shown here before the paint was dry.)

The laundry room walls are the same color as the kitchen ceiling.

Here you can see the effect of the dark paint on the backs of the corner cabinets, and how the dining room shade (Sherwin-Williams Baguette) serves as an anchor in the middle of the whole color scheme.

See the whole color plan in detail! Download the eDecor Plan PDF below for a look at the detail that a Focus on Color consultation includes.

Jamie's Perfect Palette PDF

I loved this project! Seeing results and happy clients is so satisfying. Thanks for the opportunity, Jamie. —Diane

A little investment now can save you a lot of time and money spent on wrong decisions. Color consultations (online or in-home) are $75 for the first room, and $30 per additional room in the same house. You'll get a PDF showing the entire integrated color scheme that can be applied to walls, furnishings, and accessories. It includes special tips for achieving custom results like transitioning from one room to the next. Exact paint colors are specified, and for no extra charge, extra-large paint swatches can be mailed to your home to guarantee your satisfaction before you buy the paint. Need more info? Email me.

TAGS: online long-distance color consultation from photos california bungalow colors sherwin williams emberglow sequin jasper alabaster baguette halcyon green jalapeno window pane rocky river urbane bronze harmonious palette whole house color flow from room to next

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