Interior Inspiration :: Leonard & Sheldon's Apartment

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With the premiere of the ninth season of The Big Bang Theory tonight (one of my favorite shows!), Sheldon and Leonard's apartment is my interior inspiration of the day. Their apartment is, hands down, one of my all-time favorite on-screen apartments. I mean, it's a pretty awesome space! Have you seen this really awesome floor plan of Leonard and Sheldon's apartment? The artist has renderings of other on-screen apartments as well (I really want Carrie Bradshaw's apartment, too). I always pictured Sheldon and Leonard's room next to each other since they're always talk to each other through the wall. But regardless, it's pretty cool floor plan. And a HUGE apartment.

I think it's all of the personal items items that draw me to Leonard and Sheldon's apartment. All of the  science books, action figures, and other super hero and science-y memorabilia -- it's homey and comfortable. I love checking out the things people have on display in their homes. It's probably mostly because I'm nosey, but I find what people put on display in their homes -- their most private space -- fascinating. It's like a visual anthropology. My photography professor in college was also fascinated by visual anthropology and loved it when students brought in photos of interiors for critiques. She also loved using the term "visual anthropology."

Anyway. Back to Sheldon and Leonard's apartment! It feels like a space that would be totally comfortable to hang out in, thanks to all the warm tones, big cushy sofa, and all those books. Books are just comforting and cozy. Here are some ways you can add a little Sheldon and Leonard style into your space!

1. Boudreau Leather Sofa, $2,299.95 - Totally ready for deep-couch-sitting. Just don't sit in Sheldon's spot.

2. 1921 USA Weber Costello Globe, $83 - For a touch of academia.

3. Library Style 24 Drawer Multimedia Cabinet in Oak, $233.99 - Get that library-vibe with lots of books and this sweet storage solution!

4. Gianna Recycled Yarn Kilim Indoor/Outdoor Rug, $649 for 8'x10' - Warm colors make a space feel cozy -- plus this rug is eco-friendly. Score!

5. EKTORP Chair in Risane natural, $399 - The perfect spot to watch a Batman marathon. Or Lord of the Rings. Or America's Next Top Model.

6. Celestron 127EQ PowerSeeker Telescope, $149.95 - Get your astrology on and find the constellations.

7. Westland Giftware Ceramic Batman Cookie Jar, $48.25 - "I'm Batman."

8. Viz-pro Double-sided Magnetic Mobile Whiteboard, $259 - You're going to need a good whiteboard for writing out all of those equations and formulas! 

9. Molecular Models 14-DNA2700C 17 Base Pair DNA Model Kit, Completely Assembled, $808.77 - No Big Bang Theory space is complete without a DNA model.

10. Tanner Round Coffee Table, $381 - Ready for a round of 3D chess? Or maybe some Klingon Boggle?

11. You're In My Spot (Sheldon's Pillow), $20 - An exact replica of Sheldon's pillow! I'm sure Sheldon would beg to differ, though; and Canvas Cushion Cover in Dark Orange, $6.99

You're welcome. :)

Interior Inspiration: Brooke Shields' Living Room

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Holy smokes -- it's almost fall and I haven't posted anything since...June! In all fairness, it was a crazy, busy summer involving a move to the other side of the east coast. But now that fall is (almost) here, it's time to get back to down to business. Fall always seems to usher in a sense of organization and routine. I guess it's that whole back-to-school thing, but back-to-school always starts while it's still technically summer. Anyway. Point is, it's time to get back to blogging and time to talk about my new blog series -- interior inspirations. 

My first interior inspo is Brooke Shields' living room (as seen in Better Homes and Gardens). The September issue of BHG featured a whole house tour, but I particularly love the living room. Between the buttery yellow walls, the hot pink bergere chairs and the cushy white sofa, the room is so happy, warm and inviting. I can imagine sitting in one of those chairs, sipping tea, and chatting away with Brooke ('cause we're totally on a first-name basis). The whole look is happy, bright and comfortable, thanks to the pops of color, warm tones, and comfy, cushy seating. Here's a collection of pieces inspired by Brooke's living room:

1. Sunset by Veronica Ventress, $31.20 for 22"x22" // I love using Society6 as a source for artwork. This photograph has equally stunning shades of magenta and orange.
2. Numi Ring candleholders, $4.95 and Krylon Metallic Gold spray paint // Get a little crafty to re-create the candleholders on Brooke's fireplace mantle.
3. Kaintiba Cotton Throw Pillow in Tangelo, $39.99 and Bright and Fresh Cotton Throw Pillow in Pink, $98.99 // Love the bright colors in these pillows -- they are sure to brighten up any space!
4. Cameron Square Arm Upholstered Sofa in Warm White canvas, $1,229 // A classic sofa with a washable slipcover. It's a win-win situation.
5. Milk Vases, Bright Orange, $135 for a set of three // The pop of orange in this trio of vases adds a really fun touch.
6. Santa Monica Coffee Table, Antique Gold, $922 // The use of acrylic in this coffee table uses less visual spaces and creates an airy look.
7. Hemsworth Area Rug in Navy and Ivory, $499 for 8'x10' // It's Brooke's rug reversed! As much as I love a white rug, I know it's going to get dirty in about .002 seconds. Enter this gorgeous rug that still has the same pattern and colors, only reversed. And thus, less likely to look dirty in .002 seconds.
8. Baxton Studio Napoleon Traditional French Arm Chair, $320 and Kaufman Lush Velveteen Hot Pink fabric, $14.98/yard // Brooke inherited the chairs from her mother and recovered them with a hot pink fabric and painted the body white. Here's a similar style chair from Wayfair that you can infuse with that energetic pink color!

Mint and Gold Coffee Table

Remember that coffee table project I posted a couple of weeks ago? Here it is in the beginning stages:

And in progress:

And, voila! The finished product!

I decided to go with a very light mint green because a) I've been really wanting to paint something mint green lately and b) I already had a can of light mint green paint. The paint was actually a reject paint from True Value, so I got it for around $3 (score!). I love checking out the reject paints -- you never know what you'll find! I also used reject paint from True Value for this project that I did a couple of summers ago.

Anyway, the fact that I already had this paint was the driving factor behind the re-design of this coffee table. I also decided that I wanted to try out the dipped-leg look that's so popular. And, I already had gold spray paint, so BAM! Another decision made! And I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out. Not bad, eh? Now it just needs somewhere to live!

pink + red

I have to admit, I really love the color pink. I do. I used to have this bright pink desk chair that was amazing. Sadly, during a maybe-I-don't-like-pink-so-much phase, I tried spray painting it white. Didn't work. The chair was plastic, and I followed the proper procedure for spray painting plastic. I sanded the chair with a fine grit sandpaper, cleaned it up, and bought spray paint that was specifically for plastic. Unfortunately, the spray paint peeled and got all funky. Not the desired result. I haven't tried spray painting anything plastic since then -- it was a traumatizing experience.

Anyhow, I am no longer in a maybe-I-don't-like-pink-so-much phase. I love pink. It's just so happy and cheerful. And paired with red, the two colors are just so vibrant and lively. So, because tomorrow is Valentine's Day, here are some ways to add some cheer and loveliness with pink and red!

1. I absolutely adore these dusty pink pants from Piperlime. They are the perfect shade of pink; not too in your face, but still pink. And, if you're not too fond of the $230 price tag, Old Navy carries a similar pair of pants. The light pink color isn't quite as nice in my opinion, but my bank account much prefers the $12.97 price tag.

2. Mornings would be a bit easier with this cheerful, bright pink alarm clock. Okay, well I'd probably still hit the snooze button a few times.

3. This colorful Marimekko pillow adds an instant pop of color and lots of pep to any space.

4. How cute are these coasters? Best of all, it's a do-it-yourself project! Love. It.

5. I love all the peaches, corals, and pinks in this springy poppy print. It's pink without being overly pink if you're a pink-doubter.

6. I am so in love with this red polka dot dress from Forever21.

7. Snuggle up with this red and pink Ikat throw and watch Under the Tuscan Sun. Or 300. Whatever floats your boat.

And because I love pink so much, here's a few more items that I couldn't leave out!

1. I need these faux suede pumps. So. Cute.

2. This pink and red houndstooth patterned mouse pad is just fantastic!

3. I absolutely love pretty much anything Kate Spade -- and this pink and red bow patterned clutch is just so adorable.

4. Plaster these happy pink heart stickers over everything for Valentine's Day! Okay, well maybe not everything.


Now, go forth and spread the love with red and pink!

before + after: buffet turned bedroom storage

One of my favorite things ever is to pick up old pieces of furniture from thrift stores or salvage places and fix them up. I love it. If I could, I would do it all the time. Unfortunately, I would probably run out of space real fast. There's something so satisfying about taking an ugly piece of furniture and completely turning it around. 

This summer, I decided that I needed some storage in my bedroom. Since I moved back to my parents' house, I now have like double the stuff. The stuff that I accumulated while living in Savannah PLUS all the stuff that had been sitting in my room. So, I needed some serious storage.

So, the search began. I looked at antique places. I looked at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore. I went to the Brimfield Antiques Show (stuff was way overpriced if you ask me. But I did get a really cool old-fashioned picnic basket for half price! I'm not sure what to do with it yet, but it's cute!) Finally, after what felt like eons of searching, I found the piece at a second-hand furniture place in Holbrook. It wasn't pretty, as you can see. The hardware had to go. It was actually already falling off. And I wasn't crazy about the wood tone. But, the amount of storage was perfect. And it was a really solid piece. Dovetail joints, solid wood back, drawers slid without protest, and the cabinets opened nicely. Check, check, check and check!

So, I trucked back home and got to work! I hit up True Value for some paint and scored with a reject can of paint for $4. I was looking for a really dark charcoal and when I showed the paint sample to the paint lady. she told me that someone had returned a can of paint that was similar to the paint sample I had picked out. Bingo! $4 for a can of paint? Yes, please! I believe the color was California Paint's Dark Engine in a matte finish. PLUS, this paint was a paint AND primer in one. YES. Score.

I have to say, I love the look of the matte finish, however, it scratches really easily. If you decide to use a matte finish on a piece of furniture, use it on something that won't see a ton of use. So far, the scratches on this piece of furniture aren't too bad. I can deal with it because I just love the matte finish so much.

I decided to only paint the exterior because a) I'm lazy, and b) I really like the contrast of the warm wood tone with the painted black. Why not save yourself some work? The interior was in really good shape and only needed to be wiped down and vacuumed (there were a few spiders that decided this buffet would make an excellent home). So I figured, why not leave it as is?

And, as you saw, this piece seriously needed some new hardware. Anthropologie to the rescue! I absolutely adore their knobs and hardware and have been dying to use them somehow for years. I knew straight away that I was definitely using some Anthropologie knobs for the doors, but I wasn't sure what I was going to do about the upper drawers. I looked at Home Depot for handles since I really didn't feel like filling in the holes and drilling new ones. But nothing really spoke to me at Home Depot. Plus, the distance between the existing holes in the drawers was weird. None of the standard handle sizes fit. And the handles in the weird middle part there were smaller than the other two. Enter wood filler, sandpaper, a drill, and some more paint. 

Then came the new knobs. The upper drawers have the white ceramic melon knobs and the lower cabinet doors have the caricature knob. Omigosh, how I love these knobs. I love, love, love the hand-painted detail on the caricature knob. So pretty! And, while we're talking about Anthropologie knobs, I'm itching to use these gorgeous knobs on some future project. Or these.

Check out all that storage.

And please ignore all the dust on my floor.

Thanks.

 

Voila. The perfect piece for storage!

organization + indecision

So, as you can see, I decided to change the name of my blog. Nope, I changed it back! I wasn't too sure about The Letter Box -- I liked it, but I wasn't feeling it. I am a very indecisive person. I had like three other names for this blog before I came up with The Letter Box. And now I'm changing it again. Who knows -- maybe I'll go back to the Letter Box. I felt that I needed something a bit more cohesive with my portfolio and other social/interwebs media. (mediums?) I needed some streamlining. And every time I look at my portfolio website (named k. louise photography), I always think mmmmkay louise. Like, mmmkay? Get it? I know, I'm weird. Thus, mmkay louise. Nope, now my blog is back to the Letter Box! We'll see if it sticks. It's hard coming up with a name and branding and stuff that all goes together! Anyhow. This is step one of doing some streamlining and organization. I need some serious organization. My life needs some organization. Seriously. Here are some tips that you can use to get your stuff in line and organized.

1. Some ideas from Better Homes and Gardens for strategic organization and storage. Oh, I could use some of these. I wish my desk area looked like the one in the picture. Currently, I have piles of paper. Not the best organizational strategy.

2. LOVE this idea of using washi tape to make a calendar more organized and pretty!

3. Real Simple's Ultimate Bathroom Organizer guide. I'm sure I've got some products sitting around that are, oh, about five years old.

4. Some inspirational, organized closets from Apartment Therapy. It's so beautiful and...organized!

Ahh. Now I feel inspired to get ORGANIZED. I think it's time for a Staples shopping spree, no?

pantone color of the year

So I'm sure you've all heard by now that Pantone named Emerald as the color of 2013. It's an...interesting choice. Whenever I think of emerald green, I think of the '80s. Although I suppose the '80s was more hunter green than emerald green. Anyway. I'm actually starting to really like emerald green. It can be very fun, vibrant, fresh, and alive. Green in general is a very lively color -- an instant dose of energy! Here are some ways you can add some emerald-ness into your life!

1. A beautiful printed flare dress (yes, it has pockets! Score!) Gap - $59.95

2. Geo-modern chevron dangle earrings. Forever21 - $4.80

3. This handy-dandy crossbody bag to stash all your must-haves. Target - $19.99

4. Gorgeous suede high heel pumps. How fantastic would these look with a little black dress? Or some beige trousers? The perfect pop of color! Piperlime - $129

5. A dark green velvet chaise that's perfect for curling up on and reading Sense and Sensibility. Or The Hobbit. Or Confessions of a Shopaholic. Or whatever you happen to be reading. Urban Outfitters - $649

6. A dark and moody nail polish -- so much drama! You could paint your nails on your velvet chaise! Just don't spill anything, like I always do. On second thought, I would not recommend painting nails on the velvet chaise. Sephora - $14

7. How about these adorable green gingham cupcake liners? The perfect addition to your baking arsenal. Sur La Table - $4.95

8. Another perfect addition to your arsenal -- this green KitchenAid mixer. Bake up a storm with this baby; make some delicious cupcakes to fill those adorable liners! Or muffins. Either one. Or both. Macy's - $349.99

9. Add a burst of cheer and color to your home with this witty emerald green print. Amanda Catherine Designs on Etsy - $15

some of my favorite [ikea] things

One thing that pretty much everyone who knows me knows that I LOVE Ikea. Love, love, love it. If I could, I would fill and decorate my entire house with Ikea things. Of course, I don't have a house right now. Or even an apartment. But my imaginary house and apartment are completely decked out in all things Ikea. A girl can dream, right? Last weekend, I went to Ikea and seriously had to restrain myself from buying the entire store. A gray and white dish set was just calling my name -- and it was on, like, SUPER sale. However, I already have a lot of dishes. And they are all currently sitting in boxes in my parents' basement. So it wouldn't do much good to buy more dishes. It was a challenge, not placing those dishes in the cart and blissfully skipping off to the check out. Well, more like not placing the dishes in the cart and then not getting lost in the maze that is the Ikea marketplace and convincing myself that I need a silverware drawer organizer (which I also already have) or a new throw for the end of my bed. Oh, Ikea. Here are some Ikea things that I'm really digging:

1. I love these Blomster candle holders. Okay, so I don't have a dining room right now, but I think these would look really fantastic on a dining table. Or a mantle. They're so graceful and modern -- everything you could ever want in a candle holder. 

2. This pendant lamp is really pretty awesome. It's so futuristic and whimsical. If I had a living room, this would totally be in it. Or over a dining table. 

3. I am so into this gray Karlstad sofa. The lines of this sofa are so clean, simple and modern. And I've decided that when I have a living room, I want a gray couch and yellow accents. This couch as the perfect gray. Plus, it has a little bit of texture, which is perfect! Gray is such an awesome color -- I'm really into gray lately. The color pairing possibilities are endless! 

4. This pillow is so colorful and happy! The print has somewhat of a tropical feel to it, but not super tropical, like palm trees. A subtle tropical quality. And I just love that green. 

5. This little side table is so cute! I love the curved legs and the fact that there are two surfaces for things. This is an important quality in furniture.

6. I am so into rattan lately too. Hm, the tropical pillow, the rattan chairs -- is my subconscious trying to tell me something? Anyhow -- I love the natural color and quality of rattan and this chair is super comfy. It's big enough to curl up in -- also a highly important factor in furniture. 

7. These plates. Oh, how I love these plates! The pattern is so much fun and whimsical, and the light green color is just so pretty. These would look gorgeous on a dark, rustic wooden farm table or on a super sleek, modern white table. Versatile!

I'm planning on another Ikea trip tomorrow. We'll see if I can stop myself again from buying the whole store. I'm not making any promises!

Fireplace Mantels

I love old fireplace mantels. And I love fireplaces. I really hope to have a working fireplace whenever I buy a house. Or install one of those electric fireplaces. And add a really cool, old mantel. Like on the Antonio Treatment. You know, that one where that guy had a really small, bland living room that was being taken over by large ugly furniture?

Anyway.

I also really love mantels being using for other things besides fireplaces. I found this really cool mantel makeover on Design Sponge:

I love this makeover! Such a creative idea to turn a mantelpiece into a bookcase! And I love the bright yellow. So much fun!

Seeing this makeover inspired me to find more mantel projects. Within the same post on Design Sponge about the bookcase mantel was a link to another mantel project:

I love this idea of having a mantel around your TV.

And then, of course, are the mantel headboards.

From House of Turquoise.

From Apartment Therapy.

From Sunset.

And lastly, a living room makeover from Design Sponge with a fireplace transformation!

I love this living room re-do. And that fireplace looks so much better! Just goes to show how a little paint can go a long way.

Love that fireplace. The white paint makes the tiled (I think it's tile) detail on the inside really stand out. And looks so much better.

I love painting things white. They just make things look nice and crisp and clean.

I love fireplaces.

And mantels.

The end.

This Summer, I Want To...

Among various other things, one thing I for sure, most definitely don't want to miss this summer is the Brimfield Antique and Collectible Show.

I mean, look at all this fantastic stuff! It's a treasure trove of vintage items, pieces that are just waiting to be refurbished, renovated, and loved.

I love looking through salvaged items. You never know what you might find! This looks like an excellent opportunity to look through all sorts of things and find loads of inspiration.

For the Brimfield Antique and Collectible Show website, click here!

Images from Apartment Therapy, Orange Street Design Studio and Country Living.

Roadtrippin': City Guides

So, while I was link-clicking during my lunch break, I discovered these really neat city guides on the Design*Sponge blog. Each city guide breaks down the different must-see/must-go-to design stores, restaurants, museums, and other places of interest.

Boston

Boston's guide is broken down into the differents areas of Boston and surrounding areas: i.e., Back Bay, North End, Brookline, Cambridge, etc. Some more places and things to do were just added to my Boston bucket list!

Savannah

And this will be helpful once I've moved! That is, if I have the time to go check out all the neat things listed, what with being in grad school and all. Ha.

Atlanta

And this is just wishful thinking that I'll make it to Atlanta while down South. 4 hour drive. Yeeaaah.

Adelaide

I just want to go back to Australia.

Go check out the rest of the city guides here! It's an awesome combination of cities within the U.S. and cities abroad!

Now I want to travel abroad.

Or at least take a road trip.