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Craving: Cairns

Aug 26, 2009

Cairns were first used by the ancient Celts to mark burial sites and important places. I often see them on walks along Lake Michigan, carefully balanced and ready to topple as soon as the waves rise. And lately I'm seeing a lot of them in home decor. A pile of rocks is a beautiful thing.

Stone Cairn Lamp from VivaTerra

A calculated stack of white stones adds a sense of order and calm to a room. $279.

Riverstone Cairns from Northwoods at Home

Don't have the patience to stack your own? These come with pre-drilled holes and a metal rod. $14-20.

Trail Marker, Rock Cairn photo by Elisa Cicinelli at art.com

If space is at a premium, hang a photo on the wall. This 25"x31" print makes a statement. $40 unframed.

Blown Glass Cairn Ceiling Pendant by Tracy Glover

Rocks too rustic for your taste? Try a refined take on stone cairns materialized in fine blown glass. This gorgeous pendant fixture is a functional work of art. $679

Tarma Designs Cairn Necklace from REI

Rather take it with you? You can wear a cairn around your neck when it's made from negative space. Better yet, it's crafted from recycled stainless steel with a recycled polyester cord and button toggle closure. And it's only $25.

What are you craving? Tell me and I might hunt down a bunch of ways you can squelch it. —Diane

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Inspired Question: Exterior Paint Colors

Aug 25, 2009

Since my house has been featured in a couple of magazines (Fine Homebuilding's Houses, Spring 2009 and Northern Home & Cottage, Sept. 2007, dowload articles here), I've received a lot of questions about the colors I chose for the exterior. Last night, this question popped up in my in-box (Thanks, Jamey!):

"What were the exterior colors used on the house and garage in the latest issue of Fine Homebuilding? Also, what material was used for the board and batten? Nice job!" —Jamey, Lincoln, Massachusetts
 

The house is clad in fiber-cement siding, which is a very durable composite material made from sand, cement, and cellulose fibers. Some popular manufacturers are James Hardie and Certainteed. The battens (vertical strips that cover seams in the boards) on the lower portion of the house and the garage are natural cedar. The colors were mixed by the manufacturer, so I can't provide exact formulas, but I've come very close using a Sherwin-Williams fandeck.

Get the Farmhouse Modern look with paint:

• Lower half of the house: Iron Ore, SW-7069
• Upper half of house: Universal Khaki, SW-6150
• Dormers and garage: Flower Pot, SW-6334
• Trim and garage doors: Black Bean, 6006

Keys to achieving the style on your own home:

• Find natural architectural divisions and paint them contrasting shades.
• Use the red accent sparingly on the house. But if your garage is detached, cover it in red for a nod to traditional barns.
• Use the darkest shade on the bottom of the house to avoid a top-heavy look.
• The darker color scheme works best with dark shingles. A bit of metal roofing conjures agricultural structures but also adds a modern, utilitarian touch.

Have a design dilemma?

That's what I call an Inspired Question, and if you submit one with a photo it may be answered here on Room for Inspiration. You'll also be entered in a monthly drawing to win a $50 IRD gift certificate. Just ask me! I can help. —Diane

Photo is by the talented Brian Confer. See more of his work here.

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Look for Less: Solid/Pattern Upholstery

Aug 24, 2009

Check out this easy-to-replicate look that I noticed amongst the new furniture offerings at Neiman Marcus. These chairs will run you $2,000-3,000+ including shipping, but what's to stop you from reviving an old favorite at the upholstery shop? With two fabrics instead of one, the decision's that much easier!

Get the look:

• Choose a large-scale pattern and a coordinating solid.
• Take advantage of interesting shapes on the chair, like the curvy arm-fronts on the Papillon chair at right.
• Use delicate patterned silks or brocades that can''t withstand the wear and tear on "contact" parts of the chair.
• Splurge on a couple yards of a designer pattern and cover the rest with a workhorse solid.
• Showcase it! Place the chair where it can be seen 360, not wedged into a corner. —Diane

Zoomable inspiration images here:
Papillon chair at Neiman Marcus
Ivory Crewel & Leather Chair at Neiman Marcus

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Style Steal: Modernist Pendant Lamp from Sundance Catalog

Aug 23, 2009

Style Steal: An item with a level of quality, design, and beauty that belies its low price. 

Here's my latest purchase. I'd eyed this pendant lamp as a possibility for my underlit sewing space months ago. Now it hangs there, in all its vintage-industrial-mod glory, to illuminate French seams and overlock stitches. The thing has spawned a redesign scheme for the whole room now. I want to cover the faux louvers on my armoire with sheet metal and hang some industrial-looking shelving with reclaimed locker baskets from the salvage place. Dirty it up a bit, make it a little more Garment District.

So what makes this light a Style Steal?

• A heavy porcelain shade that feels just like old lightning-rod insulators.
• A black, cotton-covered cord like the ones you find on old irons and hand mixers. Hang it and plug it in— no hard-wiring. The cord running along the ceiling adds to its charm.
• A chunky steel ceiling cap (not visible in the photo and thus a sweet surprise when I opened the box).
• Bright, direct light for gettin' serious work done.
• A $40 price tag. On sale from $125. Get it while it lasts at Sundance Catalog.
  —Diane

Let me design a room for you around one thing you love. eDecor is 30% off for one more week! Order an eDecor Plan now.

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Outdoors In: Clip your hostas.

Aug 22, 2009

We've had a lush (okay, rainy) summer in Northern Michigan. What we've missed in warm days at the beach we've gained in effortlessly beautiful green gardens. When the floral showstoppers have, well, stopped, reach for the greens. Hosta leaves are especially striking when arranged in a vase or a low bowl. And feathery ferns make a nice foil. I like the quiet but unexpected statement on the living room coffee table or in the entryway. —Diane

how about THAT vase?

Pewabic Pottery is made in good ol' Detroit. The studio was founded in 1903 during the start of the Arts & Crafts movement in America. The designs are timeless, still made with the same artistry and luminescent glazes as they were more than 100 years ago. The vase shown in the photo is the Iris Vase in Pewabic Blue, $250, available here. Also find beautiful tiles, trivets, dinnerware, ornaments, and address numbers in their online shop, pewabicstore.org.

Photo via Creative Commons License from flickr user hypergenesb.

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