Monday, February 17, 2014

Laundry List

If I'm honest, when it comes to laundry, I'd really rather 
be doing something else.  Anything.
It's not that it's hard.  It's not that it's stressful.  So, what is it then?
I think it's just that my laundry room is boring.
There's nothing exciting or artistic in that little room at the end of the hall.
Nothing inspiring me on to new heights in the laundry life of my family.
Ok, I know.  Dramatic.  But I think I may be on to something...at least for me.

 So how can I make all this sorting, spraying, washing, hanging, folding
and ironing more exciting?  More inspiring?  More meaningful?  (again, with the drama)
Or at least a little easier on the eyes?

My laundry room, Minneapolis, MN
Above is my little laundry room. It measures 7x8 and is a pass-through from the garage.  
(Living in Minnesota means this is also the muddy, snowy boot removal room 
for about half the year.)  There is one small set of cabinets, 
two shelves that span the length of the room, and sadly, no window.
Adequate?  Yes.  Interesting?  Not so much.  I've got my stylist eyes peeled for ideas...


MJ Designs & houzz.com
This one actually looks a lot like my laundry room.  Similar flooring and layout.  
Floor to ceiling cabinets hide all the supplies, and the 
can lighting makes it nice and bright.
Simple and functional.  This would work fine.


Oakwood Homes & houzz.com
This one's also similar to mine in size and layout.  The shelving is kept open with
 big baskets and black cabinetry for storage of supplies.  Nothing too fancy, but nice.



Jodi Foster Design and Planning & houzz.com
  This one's pretty.  It's a pass through like my laundry room, 
but feels upscale and polished.
Lots of cabinetry in a painted finish feels clean and organized,
and substantial hardware makes the room seem more integrated
with what I imagine the rest of the house to look like.
It doesn't feel like the forgotten room where all the dirty clothes go.  
It looks like it would smell nice, too, you know?



Borroso Homes & houzz.com
 Oooo, slick.  Polished marble floors and beautiful light at the other end of the room.
Very crisp.  I won't be changing the flooring in my room 
and I can't achieve the natural light, but this one has a nice feel.  
I love the continuous, black countertop, sleek cabinetry and double bars for hanging.  
I'll keep this one in mind.



Clean Design Partners & houzz.com
I'm throwing this one in just to show what fabulous-ness you can achieve even if
you only have a laundry closet to work with.  The mirrored backsplash is
nothing short of glam.  The cabinets flanking the clothing bar is a genius use
of the small space.  Question:  Can a laundry closet be sexy?  Obviously.



Dwellings Inc. & houzz.com
Mmmm hmmm.  Love this one.  It has a custom, built-in feel, but modern,
open and airy.  And can we just talk about the wall color for a minute?  Dramatic dark
grey?  Fits me to a tee!  So, this is it...my inspiration photo.  Again, I can't achieve
the wonderful natural light in this room, and I'll certainly have to rework
the cabinetry for my room, but I'm hooked.  I'm home.  This room has a combination
of many of the elements I liked in the rooms above.  

So, one of these days in the near future when I have the laundry room 
of my dreams (see pictured above), I'll blog about the joys of spin cycles, 
organic fabric softeners and steam ironing with fancy linen sprays.  
For now, I'll get my measuring tape out, envision the glory to come...
and hunt down all the missing socks that somehow disappear
with every load of laundry in my little, plain-jane room at the end of the hall.

Stay tuned!

- Amy





Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Artvante Garde

Artvante Garde

What do I like to do on a rainy day?  Well, first things first.  Coffee.
And not some manly, black liquid staring back at me
from the lip of a plain, ceramic mug.
I'm talking something foamy and sweet with some wonderful design on top.
And in a to-go cup, too, with a fancy sleeve.  I'm taking mine on the road.
Where, you ask?  Well, the nearest art gallery, silly.
Of course, they might not allow me to have my coffee while I browse,
but I will most likely have enjoyed the heck out of it before I get there anyway.

Art galleries are one of my favorite places to go for inspiration.
I love all kinds of art and all kinds of art galleries.  I just can't get enough.
Over the years, working with clients in styling up their homes
has often brought up questions like,
"I'm stumped. What should I do over my sofa?" and "Is there a right way to hang my art?"
It seems that art placement is an intimidating and overwhelming task to many people.
So, from art gallery to your living room, here are some thoughts...

Mayberryfineart.com & houzz.com
When people think of hanging their art, they often think of how pieces are 
displayed in a gallery.  Gallery Style art installation allows pieces 
to breathe and to be enjoyed in and of themselves, 
without being crowded or distracted by other pieces.
If you have the wall space and the lighting for Gallery Style, it's wonderful...
and more power to you, because most of us have to think on a different, 
more "every day" scale.

remodelista.com & houzz.com
It's pretty common, also, to think of art placement in a traditional way.  
Like the single piece displayed over the mantle or in the dining room.  
That's a lovely default, and again, a great way to give that one piece a place to shine. 
But sometimes, the piece isn't quite big enough or doesn't feel right in the room.  
Well, good news.  
Happily, centered and single is not the only way to display that art you love so much...

settingforfour.com and houzz.com
Salon Style.  A term I learned years ago from an artist I admire very much, 
opened up the possibilities of interior art installation for me.  
It's a broad term and maybe a bit technical, so I prefer to think of it 
and to describe it to my clients in terms of having the freedom 
to think in "collections" or "arrangements" with their art.
Above is a lovely collection.  Obviously the commonality is in the blues.  
Very restful.  Very collected.  It makes me feel like I'm getting 
a sense of the people who live here.  I like that.

courtesy of Abigail Ahern & houzz.com
The collection above spans almost the entire living room wall.
Every one is different: framed, unframed, photographed, painted, sketched.
The thing that ties them together is portraiture.  I love this.  
Again, I get a sense of the artistic people who must occupy this space.

bhg.com & houzz.com
Salon Style can be done with a serene, thematic approach, 
evoking a peaceful, ordered feeling...

Artadvisecollect.com & featured in ElleDecor magazine & houzz.com
or you can pull out the stops and go wonderfully crazy.  


Either way, and whether you go a little more formal with a 
Gallery Style installation or a relaxed Salon Style collection, be sure 
to let your art tell the story of you, your interests, your passions, your life.  
Allow it to be an inspiration, and an interesting jumping off place for
conversation, relationship and the deeper things in life.

...and don't forget the coffee.  You know how I take mine.

- Amy