TheDesignFile

Black & gold - in honor of the Super Bowl champs

I had hoped that this morning I would feature some more blue products in honor of an Indianapolis Colts win in the Super Bowl.

But, if you watched the big game last night, you know that the New Orleans Saints won. And as much as I was rooting for the Colts, it was hard not to be excited for the teary-eyed Saints quarterback Drew Brees (a Purdue University grad - there's always an Indiana connection) as he held his little boy after the game.

So, in honor of the champs and all you Saints fans, I thought I'd quickly put together some black and gold decor. Now, I don't claim to be an expert in Saints colors, so give me a little leeway in my choices...

First, I love this Parlour sofa from CB2 and I think the vignette here is really well done.

The mirrors are fantastic and I love the coffee table, all from CB2 as well. The sofa is $999.

Here are some other items to decorate your home in black and gold -- without looking like a crazy football fan!

 

Top row, from left: Dwell Studio Orbit Duvet Set, $70, Target; Malibu Armless Slipper Chair, $259, Overstock; Flowie Twig Pillows, $68, Design Public

Bottom row, from left: Hand-knotted black and gold wool rug, $650, Overstock; 1956 Sunflower and Chocolate pillow, $60, Inhabit; Rialto Bulb Vase gold - tall, $17, Target

Congratulations to the Saints.

And to the Indianapolis Colts -- we're proud of you!

Sunday roundup: In honor of the Colts, all blue. ++Plus++ a linkup. Give us your best stuff!

Yes, yes. It's another post in honor of the Indianapolis Colts, who play the New Orleans Saints in today's Super Bowl.

I couldn't resist using this week's roundup to recommend posts about the color blue. However, in the LINK UP party below, you are not so restricted! Give us your favorite post of the past few weeks...

Back to my recommendations:

I start at the fabulous Odi et Amo blog, which had a post recently about blue kitchens. The kitchen I've included at right is from Snaidero-USA and isn't one featured on the Odi et Amo site -- but only because I never had time this week to secure permission to use one.

Writer Averill has some beautiful rooms -- some in Colts blue and others using different shades, ranging from a chambray to royal.

"The great thing about a blue kitchen is that, while it's a bit of a departure from the oft-used white, it's still fairly traditional," Averill writes. "Nobody is going to think you've gone completely off your rocker and there's a good chance that you'll still love it in a few years' time."

Other great posts:

• The always inspirational Design Dazzle has a great boys room with a Toy Story theme decorated with blue and orange. It's from HGTV Dream Home. See one of the photos at right.
• Julia over at Hooked on Houses shares her newest addition -- a turquoise Bombay chest from Arhaus that just pops in her pretty dining room.
• Of course, no roundup of blue rooms would be complete without a link to the House of Turquoise, a blog all about turquoise and various related shades including sky blue, ocean blue, robin's egg blue... you get the picture. You can really pick any of writer Erin's posts but I particularly liked the "Incredible Dream Home," which is truly, well, incredible.

I need to end with a big "GO COLTS!" cheer.

Oh, and of course, our MckLinky blog LINK UP!

I don't have a bunch of rules. Just click below to provide a link to a favorite recent post on your blog.

Remember, include a direct link to the post itself, not your blog's home page.  And spread the word. This is just my second blog link up and I'd love for it to become a party!

A worthy fundraiser with a great DIY idea

One of my favorite parts of the Indianapolis Home Show -- which is going on now at the Indiana State Fairgrounds -- was a fundraiser for The ReStore of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Indianapolis.

One hundred students from Broad Ripple (my husband's alma mater) and Crispus Attucks high schools painted 50 hollow core doors, which are now for sale as part of the Doorways to Dreams project.

The project showcases some talented students while benefiting The ReStore, a shop that sells new and gently used home improvement products at significant discounts.

The painting at right was done by Broad Ripple students Eric Thurman & Diana Flores. Beautiful!

Below are paintings by Justin Coelho of Broad Ripple (left), Broad Ripple art teacher Ms Tyte (center) and Eric Thurman & Diana Flores of Broad Ripple (right).

To buy one of these doors, contact tgraves@indyhabitat.org.

This project also offers a great DIY idea.

A hollow core door is an interior door made that has a frame faced with a thin plywood or composite wood. It is, obviously, hollow, which makes it light and cheap -- about $25 to $35 at your home improvement store, depending on the size and quality.

That makes it a cheap "canvas" for a painting that can really set the tone of a room. And although the Indianapolis students all created vertical paintings, they would make for a fantastic horizontal painting, something to hang over a sofa or headboard.

And the best part is that if you mess up your painting, you can can just cover the door with primer and start over!

Meanwhile, check out this video of the Indianapolis students working on their doors.

And don't forget to come back tomorrow for a blog LINK UP! Give us your favorite recent post...

Home tour: The Manning home in New Orleans

As you can probably tell, we've been on a bit of a Super Bowl kick here at The Design File. After all, our hometown Colts and quarterback Peyton Manning are playing in the game Sunday against the New Orleans Saints, quarterbacked by none other than Purdue University grad Drew Brees.

So I couldn't resist sharing this gallery of photos from the childhood home of Manning (and of course his brother, New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning) in NOLA.

Manning's parents -- former Saints great Archie Manning and Olivia -- still live in the gorgeous home, which is decorated in a chic, comfortable style. Thanks to IndyStar.com for providing the gallery, which was created and shot by the folks at the Times Picayune.

(Don't be discouraged if it takes a little while to load. It's worth the wait!)

Manning Family Home in New Orleans - More The Indianapolis Star Galleries

View this gallery at The Indianapolis Star: Manning Family Home in New Orleans

Home tour: A rustic retreat in the Indy Home Show!

A highlight of the annual Indianapolis Home Show is the fully-constructed, decorated and landscaped Centerpiece Home built entirely inside the Exposition Hall. This year's house was done by Davis Building Group and it was really a treat.

The 2,650-square-foot, two-story, three-bedroom design comes from Davis' new “Symphony Collection.”

The decor was done by Cheryl Seltenright from The Inside Job, located in Noblesville, and I thought it was striking and beautiful. It was sort of rustic, farmhouse chic, similar to the look that Pottery Barn is now showing but even more gorgeous.

One highlight was the reclaimed wood provided by Indiana's own J.L. Stader Artisans, which salvages wood from old barns and other structures beyond repair. The company's handiwork is seen throughout the house, including the reclaimed elm flooring in the front hall, the 20-foot hand-hewn barn beams on the living room ceiling and the kitchen island made from barn wood siding from central Ohio.

JL Stader also created custom paneling using weathered oak timbers from a barn in Huntingburg, Indiana. It was installed in the centerpiece home's sitting room, shown at right.

Another thing I really liked about the house was that the decor was practical. I can't count the number of times I've walked into some kind of show home to find no dressers in the bedrooms or TVs in the living room. I want to see a beautiful home that's still livable.

That's where Cheryl really excelled. All the rooms were practical but still chic and fun. Check out the living room at right. There a nice sized TV above a stone fireplace. Yea!

I don't mean to imply the decorating wasn't divine. I loved the darker, rich colors on the walls, the painted furnishings and the higher-end floors. The barn-style decor may have been slightly over the top for my tastes, but it is after all a show house.

And I loved the Cheryl's use of numbers and letters as decorations -- you know those interchangeable plastic ones that are used on fast-food signs (at least I think that's what they were). It's such a great idea and you'll see them scattered throughout the photos below.

So here's the tour:

Etsy pick: Chic baby bedding to dress up a nursery

I don't have kids of my own but I still adore shopping for nursery decor. That's why I was so drawn to the Holly Chic shop on Etsy, which sells handmade modern baby bedding and accessories.

These fabrics are just fabulous.

Holly Chic is based in New Zealand but will ship wherever you live.

"I started Holly Chic has I've always had a love of fabrics and was frustrated by the lack of modern baby bedding available in New Zealand," shop owner Keri says on her Etsy site. "I also have a huge aversion to licensed kids products like Bob the Builder and Dora so wanted to offer something more funky and hip to other kiwi mums."

She has certainly succeeded.

Just see a selection of her products at right. They are certain to inspire any little one!

From left to right, top to bottom:

• Summer Breeze Dot crib bedding, fitted sheet and quilt, $130
• Morning Glory Red reversible crib quilt, $90
• Lotus Wallflower Blue changing pad, $30
• Floral Pop crib bedding, fitted sheet & quilt, $130
• Morning Glory Pink crib bedding, fitted sheet & quilt, $130
• Blue Poka Dot bassinet sheet, $20

Holly Chic offers much more so make sure to check out the site to see the full selection!

This First Friday promises new adventures

It's the first week of February, which means it's time for the First Friday Art Tour, a monthly event featuring over 25 downtown Indianapolis art venues.

Lots of cities have these events, but here in Indianapolis, the galleries and studios aren't all concentrated in one area. They are spread over several cultural districts downtown. So I like to use the events to check out new areas I've never visited.

This month will be no exception. I'm planning to spend Friday night with friends at the Circle City Industrial Complex, located on the far north end of the Massachusetts Avenue cultural district. I've been to Mass Ave, one of the city's most popular areas, but never to this 500,000 square foot complex, a former warehouse turned art space.

In particular, I'm planning to check out wUG LAKU’S STUDIO & gARAGE, which includes two galleries and a working artists' area. It's at 1125 Brookside Ave, C-7.

Artist Kate Oberreich will open her show Undertow at the space with a reception from  6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday. The show runs through Feb. 27. You can see Kate's paintings "Washed Away" at top and "Habitat Restoration II" at right.

You can see even more of Kate's work at her website and read about her preparations for the show on her blog.

Also on Friday at the Circle City Industrial Complex you can visit the grand opening of Flame Art Studios, which features metal, glass and fine silver. The studio also offers private and group instruction in our various “hot” mediums, including welding for women (and some men), metalsmithing and jewelry fabrication from metals, lampwork bead making, wireworking, etching, and other related classes and workshops.

There are a number of other studio open houses in the complex as well.

Other First Friday events:

The Indiana Design Center ramps up

There are some exciting things going on up at the Indiana Design Center in the Indianapolis suburb of Carmel, where city officials have joined with private investors to create a one-stop shop for all things interior design.

New tenants are moving into the gorgeous, brick building that was completed last year and J. Baker Interiors has opened its doors.

Then I was thrilled to see that the Design Center has started its own blog! Indiana Design promised in its first post on Dec. 29 to "bring you design news and showcase exceptional design work, especially that which is relevant to Indiana."

"Additionally, we’ll provide frequent updates about our tenants, building progress, Carmel Arts & Design District and events," the blog says.

It was from the blog that I learned The Design Center has finalized a lease with Indianapolis-based design firm Outré, which makes headboards, ottomans, chairs and other furnishings. See the firm's Ellie sofa.

"For those who like to shop local, it doesn’t get any better than this," Indiana Design says on the blog. "Outré is family owned and operated and offers products only made in Indiana. Yes, only made in Indiana. Outré takes great pride in each piece as all furniture leaves with its very own name."

The Lauren chair is shown at left.

If you're in the Indianapolis area, you should definitely take a drive up to see the Indiana Design Center and visit the entire Carmel Arts & Design District, where you'll find some tremendous art galleries and design studios as well as fantastic restaurants and events.

We have a Red Letter Words giveaway winner

Congratulations to Laura of the fantastic ChambanaMoms.com web site who won our Red Letter Words giveaway.

She posted a comment on last week's giveaway post and tweeted about it as well. It was her entry for the tweet that made her a winner.

Laura picked the "I am my beloveds" print. It's a great choice and I hope she'll send me a photo once she's hung it up!

Thanks to Dee at Red Letter Words for such a fantastic giveaway. Make sure you visit the Red Letter Words website to check out all the fantastic things she has to offer.

And, of course, thanks to everyone who entered. I hope you'll come back to visit.

Home tour: Mid-century classic in Sarasota

The Cooney House is one of Florida's most famous Sarasota School of Architecture homes. Designed by Seibert Architects 1967, the house has been published internationally and continues to win architectural awards for its simple, classic modern Sarasota design.

It is currently featured in 'Sarasota's 10 Most Beautiful Homes' (Sarasota Magazine).

Martie Lieberman, a Florida real estate agent who lists some amazing mid-century homes, has this house on the market for lease.

"The Cooney House has four bedrooms, three baths and is nestled into St Armands Circle, a charming, sophisticated resort island just off the coast of downtown Sarasota," Martie says. "It is a short stroll from Lido Beach, unique shops, fine restaurants, galleries and nightlife on 'The Circle.'"

It's available for $2,500 per month and actually comes unfurnished, except for those two white sofas, which are original to the home!

These great photos are taken by Matt McCourtney.

 

 

Sunday roundup: Game art, wallpapers & more

I was introduced through Twitter last week to Infarrantly Creative, a fun blog that features crafts and other projects and is written by Beckie, a mom who lives in the Indianapolis suburb closest to my city home. (Thanks to Laura at ChambanaMoms.com for the intro!)

I was particularly struck by Beckie's "Game Board Storage Art" project, which is just what it sounds like.

Beckie framed some of her family's favorite board games to serve as art in the game room and then stored the game pieces in a recess in the back. Brilliant!

You can find complete instruction's at the Infarrantly Creative post. But if you don't have all tools or skills to try it Beckie's way, try this same project with some pre-made frames.

Here are some other great links to check out:

• Another fellow Hoosier blog, Atomic Indy, has a great preview of this month's 20th Century Cincinnati mid-century furnishings show.
• The beautiful Colour Me Happy blog had a wonderful post about what she calls happy colors. "The colours we are decorating with in 2010 are from a fresher and cleaner palette, which are happy colours!" designer Maria Killam says in the post.
• One of my favorite blogs, Splendid Willow, has a post showcasing some phenomenal wallpaper selections, including beautiful options from the Swedish store Tapetorama. The post includes the geometric Alhambra Quasi Nero paper at right.

Make sure to join us next Sunday for a blog linkup!

Elle Decor: Classically chic style

The March issue of Elle Decor magazine will be available on newsstands Feb. 9 but I've got a sneak peek for you right here.

It looks to be a great issue. First, I've been obsessing lately over art walls and so I was excited to see the one on the cover.

This beautiful blue room comes from the Chicago home of former “Oprah Winfrey Show” executive producer Ellen Rakieten (shown at left) and was designed by her friends Nate Berkus and Anne Coyle.

Rakieten is now the producer (with Jerry Seinfeld) of the new show “The Marriage Ref.”

The magazine will also include:

Giveaway: Last days for Red Letter Words entries

You've got until noon Monday to enter to win a piece of art from Red Letter Words, an amazing shop that sells beautiful, fun and inspirational art.

The winner gets his or her choice of any 12x12 gallery wrap or cafe mount -- either from artist Dee's Etsy shop or from her online store.

Get all the details -- including how you can get up to three entries -- by clicking here or on the photo at right. And don't delay. The deadline is just days away!

Tour a historic home -- before the makeover!

The unveiling of the 49th annual Decorators' Show House and Gardens in Indianapolis isn't until April 24. But this weekend you can get a glimpse of the house before the big makeover.

St. Margaret's Hospital Guild is opening up the historic Booth Tarkington home -- this year's show house -- for a preview. For $5 you can tour the space from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. this Saturday and Sunday.

Trust me. It's worth a trip. It will just make the reveal this spring that much more special.

In the meantime, see this peek of the Tarkington house, compliments of The Indianapolis Star:

Tarkington Show Home 2010 - More The Indianapolis Star Galleries

View this gallery at The Indianapolis Star: Tarkington Show Home 2010