TheDesignFile

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

Soothing rooms all in blue

I've been feeling a little tense lately so I went on a hunt for some soothing rooms, spaces where -- if they were in my home -- I could really relax. During my quest, I settled on rooms in blue.

I think I picked the color in part after seeing this amazing room from Better Homes and Gardens (although it could have a little something to do with the Colts and the Super Bowl). There's something about those beautiful walls, luxurious curtains and the tone-on-tone palette that makes me feel relaxed.

I must admit, this room doesn't look like it has the most comfy sofa. So if it were mine, I might replace that pretty love seat with something a little more fit for lounging.

Still, I think I could make it work!

Here are some more of the beautiful, calming rooms I found:

The living room above is from HGTV's 2009 Dream Home. I could stretch out on that sofa and I love the big windows that let in so much natural light.

I really like the simplicity and the modern vibe of the space above by Mint Home Decor. The pale blue walls are a beautiful backdrop for the white and green. The pastels also soften up the modern furnishings.

This vibrant bedroom from Olympic paints offer a completely different shade of blue than the room above it. But the color reminds of the Caribbean so I still find it relaxing.

I love black furniture with blue walls (it's what I have in a guest bedroom) and so I was drawn to this pretty living room from BHG. The chandelier is gorgeous.

Finally, this HGTV bedroom is not quite my style but it looks like a retreat, the kind of room you might find in some upscale hotel. The linens and the king size bed look perfect for a weekend away!

So do you find blue soothing? If not, what color would you seek for the perfect room to relax?

Etsy pick: Knobs to dress up doors and drawers

Sometimes it's the tiniest thing that can add some panache to a space. That's why this week's Etsy pick is Lisa Everett Designs, home of some of the snazziest drawer knobs and pulls I've ever seen.

These hand-painted beauties come in a variety of amazing styles and colors, giving you lots of options for customizing your cabinets, dressers or other furnishings.

"All of my knobs have been hand-painted with professional quality acrylic paints," artist Lisa Everett writes on her site. "Several layers of a non-toxic sealer have been applied for many years of protection and a beautiful gloss finish."

Some knobs have even been accented with wood pieces and crystals. They are so special!

Most of the knobs are $7.50 or $8.50 each and some are sold in sets. The set of six blue and brown crystal-accented knobs at the top of the collage are priced at $51. The cobalt blue knob in the lower left is $7.50.

Lisa also makes beautiful pendants and will custom make necklaces or knobs to fit your needs.

Some of my favorite knobs are the ones created for kids rooms. Just check out the knobs below and then go to Lisa's shop to see what else she has to offer!

 

Nation's oldest home show begins Friday in Indy

The Indianapolis Home Show -- the nation's oldest and the Midwest's largest home show -- launches Friday with more than 900 exhibits, a centerpiece home, and countless home remodeling and decorating ideas.

The 88th annual show lasts through Feb. 7. It's located at the West Pavilion and the Exposition Hall at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.

This is one of my favorite annual events. There's really way too much going on at the show to list, although you can check out the show's stage schedule here.

But I still wanted to give you a few of the basics:

Centerpiece Home

Davis Building Group is building this year’s Centerpiece Home — a fully- constructed, decorated and landscaped house built entirely inside the Exposition Hall. The rendering is above.

The 2,650 square-foot home will show off "the most current and exciting trends in architecture and style," according to home show organizers.

Cheryl Seltenright from The Inside Job, located in Noblesville, will decorate the home, and landscaping for the Centerpiece Home will come courtesy of William H. Brown Landscaping.

Home decor trends for 2010

Thrift store finds, soft neutrals and comfy fabrics are in this year, says designer and Casa Moxie blogger Alycia Wicker

I'm so pleased that Casa Moxie's Alycia Wicker -- who has provided some tips to The Design File in the past -- was willing to author this guest post highlighting home decor trends for 2010.

Alycia advises that sometimes the best and most economical way to try out a trend is to do so with small touches.

"The benefit is that you never have to be chasing a trend and can still appear to be in the know," Alycia says.

Check out these trends she says we should expect through 2010:

1. Being flashy is still out in 2010.

Now that cheap credit has come and gone, finding items to decorate or re-purpose from a thrift store or yard sale is now very cool. If you can find affordable items that need just a bit of TLC, you can be part of the shabby chic trend that has evolved. It no longer needs to look like the old shabby chic style, but more like you have collected items passed on to you from your grandmother. Vintage is in!

The BHG dining room at right features chairs rescued from a landfill.

2. It's easy being green.

Green products and living green are the new in thing. With green products and green activities on the fore fronts of every one’s mind, you can save money, help the environment and feel good about doing it. With the proliferation of green items in the market place and by recycling old items, doing something good for the planet has never been so easy!

3. Enjoy a touch of luxury at home.

Many homeowners are looking for fix-ups that are luxurious without breaking the bank. Now is the time to invest in that fancy shower head or splurge on the whirlpool tub. You can have your own spa retreat in your home. While you’re at it, glass tiles and light colors in the bathroom are the next big thing!

Check out this master bathroom from the 2008 HGTV Dream Home.

4. Softer and neutral colors comfort us.

We have made it through a rough patch and now we need some comforting. That’s where the color trend is coming in. Think pastels, but not like those from the 80s. Grays mixed with oranges, greens and violets is where it’s at.

5. So soft and comfy.

That will be the trend in fabrics. If it’s chenille or velvet, you’re likely to see it in a big way. We want to be comforted and these softer fabrics are the best west for us to feel cozy and comfortable.

Just remember, as with all trends, don’t go hog wild. You may end up with a home that looks like the Golden Girls were your design consultants if you’re not careful!

So try something stylish, like this Cary Gray Velvet Sofa from Overstock.

Thanks to Alycia from Casa Moxie for the great guest post. Make sure to check out her blog for other design ideas and information.

Giveaway: Inspirational art from Red Letter Words

Comments closed.

Last summer I started featuring Etsy stores every Wednesday and one of my favorites was Red Letter Words, where artist Dee sells some amazing inspirational wall pieces. You can see my original post here.

Now, Dee has offered to give away a piece of her art to one lucky reader of The Design File. I'm just thrilled!

The winner of this giveaway gets his or her choice of any Red Letter Words 12x12 print gallery wrap or cafe mount -- either from Dee's Etsy shop or from her online store.

She has some really amazing choices. You can see a few above and at right or follow the links to her stores to see all the great options.

Are you ready to sign up to win? You can get up to three entries!

Enter through noon Monday (Feb 1).

• First, you MUST comment on this post -- AND include which item from Red Letter Words or the Red Letter Words Etsy shop you'd want if you won. Don't worry about all the details. We'll work that out with the winner later.
• You get another entry if you sign up for The Design File email list. Look for the box in the upper right corner of the blog, enter your email and make sure and respond when you receive a confirmation email. If you already receive the email, leave a second comment to tell me so.
• Finally, post the following on Twitter and get yet another entry: I'm entered to win Red Letter Words wall art from @TheDesignFile! You can enter too at www.TheDesignFile.net.

Get your Red Letter Words discount code...

Can't wait to see if you win? I understand! So I'm excited that Dee is also giving a discount to all readers of The Design File!

For the next week you can take 20% off any order at Red Letter Words (not the Etsy site) by using promotional code df0110.

Thanks Dee for this great giveaway and discount code. And don't forget to enter to win...start shopping!

The results are in: The All-American country bedroom will be our next design inspiration!

Typically here at The Design File we focus on modern or contemporary interiors, but the readers have spoken and chosen what I'm calling an Americana-style bedroom to be the inspiration for our next Design Translation feature.

The room is from HGTV's 2009 Dream Home and the folks at the network have allowed me to use the photo her for our project. You can see the room at right.

If you've never participated in the Design Translation, here's how it works:

We start with an inspiration room -- in this case the Americana bedroom. Then over the next two to three months, we'll start a virtual remake of the room, replacing one piece of furniture or accessory each week until we're finished.

The goal is to recreate the feel and spirit of the room -- not necessarily a replica -- but do so on a budget. You can check out our previous two projects by looking at the Design Translation category on the blog.

I'll have more details soon.