This week’s Flickr Fave from tiffanycsteinke is just such a nice balance of color and white and of modern and retro. Plus I love pets in shots:

As I went back to the Fresh New Spaces Group to retrieve a link to Tiffany’s photostream, I accidentally clicked on another thumbnail, thinking it was the same room. Tiffany, meet fellow flickr member and Fresh New Spaces contributor Romero Castellano! I think your living rooms should be dating each other

One of the most inspiring books on my shelf is Mid-Century Modern by Bradley Quinn. Though I picked it up a few years ago (2004, about the time this blog began to come together), I pull it down again and again to admire the textiles, furniture, accessories and even the wood paneling. It’s just a perfect tome – this is one every modern library should have. Here is just a little schmear of proof:

Sultry Panton S-Chairs-OOHLALA!

A Killer Sputnick Light Fixture Adds a KAPOW!

This is such a great mix: The wide pine boards on the floor are so 1800′s New England, the room seems to have Georgian/Deco traditional detailing, the Persian rug is straight out of some Yale professor’s office, the light fixture and chairs are totally mid-c-modern and the biomorphic Paul Frankltable is totally stepping out into bravura modern – YOWZAH!

all photographs from Mid-Century Modern. Top photo by Verne Fotografie, second by unknown , third by Ray Main/Mainstream

Petunia Pickle Bottom co-founders DeNai and Braden share an incredible tour of their home and design style. Keep an eye out for the school map of the United States, the oversized Chinese ceremonial mask and the mushroom collection. Without question, I could live here and feel well traveled, educated and at peace. Beautiful job, guys! If you want to learn more about PPB, check out our designer interview. Enjoy!

Maybe it’s the fact that in my professional life vibrant color and pattern are my signature style at Petunia Pickle Bottom that make my personal life at home a monochromatic world.  My rule of thumb when putting together a room usually begins with one object.  I am a fan of flea markets or something with a little history.  So when I begin to style a room, it is usually a unique found object that sparks my imagination.

Our home was built in the 1920’s and still has a considerable amount of the original details.  Our family room is where we like to hang out by the fireplace, read books to the kids on our comfy couches, take a nap or set up train tracks to circumnavigate the room.  When I first saw this room, I was struck by the 8’ window and high exposed beam ceiling. It was light and bright so I chose colors that would naturally illuminate.

The focal point I designed around was the natural wood Roost buck head flanked by archival school charts (lobster and bird) that stem from my father’s days as a college biology professor. My recent obsession with mushrooms covers the fireplace mantle.

Friends joke our kids will have nightmares from the oversized Chinese ceremonial mask that hangs in our dining room. Found at an antique store in historic downtown Ventura, she’s become part of the family. We think it was used in the movies or carried in a Chinese parade.

The red lips of the mask were the perfect color to pair the walls, a vintage red wood telephone booth door filled with glass, and our custom table crafted by my husband.

My 3-year-old son Sutton’s room was recently converted to a “big boy” bedroom.  Years ago I found a stunning oversized school map of the United States (chalk printed so you can write on it) that I knew would be perfect for a child’s bedroom. We held onto over the years and it served as the perfect centerpiece for the “Traveler’s odyssey” theme for my son’s room.

Complete with a flying ship, globes, suitcase, guitar, army blanket, old books, and Read the rest of this entry »

Through our Fresh New Spaces Group today I found flickr member Liz and Mabel’s steal of a mid-century sleeper sofa, found on craigslist for $65:

By the way, love the outfit, the pooch, and that aqua mini-gourd lamp too!

I absolutely love this lady’s smashing style! After perusing the Liz and Mabel flickr sets I found Mabel’s House blog, and I am absolutely smitten with her trips, photography, entertaining and fresh writing. Also, this woman has got a real eye for transforming forgotten furniture pieces with colorful paint. For example, I love this big blue mirror project:

I love the pops of turquoise all over this home. Here’s one more, check out the rest here:

I was just reviewing some of my “faves” on flickr and came across this fabulous image that Java188 posted. It’s an old Formica ad from a 1960 issue of Better Homes and Gardens:

The thing I wonder is, if you took away the striped flooring, the curtains, and that wallcovering (is it grasscloth? I cannot quite tell), would this be a charming and modern kitchen worthy of a spread in Dwell? I kind of think so! I’d definitely hang on to those crazy Swingtown bar stools and that Gehry-for-Tiffany-esque vase on the right side of the photo. Looking even more closely, the blue open shelves hold some tchotchkes that would probably inspire Jonathan Adler today, as would that pear shaped light fixture. I think livin’ could still be easy in this kitchen. Am I onto something or am I nuts? What do you think?

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