Style Sparks

Who has bookcase styling on the brain?  This girl!  Sadly I'm still working on the painting of my new bookcase, so I'll have to wait a few more days.  Until the paint is dry and ready for styling, there's no harm in drooling over other well-styled surfaces from around the web. *sidenote* If you LOVE these as much as I do and want to pin them, please please click through to the source and pin from there.  Thanks!!

I can't talk about well-styled shelves without using an example from Emily Henderson.  That girl is seriously on another level.  The variety of blue tones mixed with simple neutrals keeps this eclectic collection from feeling busy.

Better Homes and Gardens is never short on styling inspiration.  It's one of the few home magazines that I actually do read- their featured spaces are always so well done, but still look livable.  I love this collection of white ceramics and colorful antique books.

Hello color!  Maybe a bit bright for my space, but the color blocking on these shelves really speaks to me.

Where this image came from is a mystery- I have pinned it twice from 2 different tumblr accounts, so I'd love to give credit where it's due!  Firstly, I love anything in this color.  Add fun antique pieces and I'm weak in the knees.

In reality, my shelves will probably end up looking closer to this well-styled bookcase from Coco+Kelley.  It's eclectic, colorful, and really speaks about who lives there.

Which shelf style speaks to you most?

Inspired By

Between shoveling, moving buckets of concrete into a bagster, and rolling Drylok (paint as thick as frosting) on the basement walls, my arms are sure to look like Popeye's soon.  I'm not sure it's a look I'll be able to pull off, but it sure beats paying extra for a gym membership!  Even though I'm been physically hard at work getting this flip ready to list this weekend, my brain has been collecting inspiration and planning ideas for the next flip and for our own house! Here are some of my favorite inspirations from around the web that I've pinned recently.

This sweet table styled for valentines day by Carrie over at Dream Green DIY hits the right balance.  It's sweet and girly with a bit of vintage flare to keep it grounded.  I see those salt and pepper shakers everywhere... this table's making me think about picking them up next time they cross my path.

Every time I look at Dina from Honey and Fitz's bedroom I fall in love all over again with the reading lights.

If you've read my blog for more than a week, you may have figured out that I've been fixated on gold lately.  It's no wonder that I'm enamored by this bathroom from Cuckoo 4 Design.  Gold... dots AND stripes... and still neutral enough to accessorize.... why, yes please!

Since I REALLY need to get going on my basement work space if I plan to accomplish it for my 30 before 30 list, creative work spaces have been catching my eye.  This one from Be True Image Design is such a cute, family friendly space.

Last but certainly not least- you rarely see high chairs make an appearance in professionally styled and photographed dining rooms, but with a high chair like this, why not??  I don't think I can find a single thing with Jessica and Scott's eating nook (featured on Apartment Therapy) that I would change.  The mix of patterns and the light really bewitch me.

What's been inspiring you lately?

Revamping

I know I'm definitely in the right career field.  No doubt.  Why so sure?  Even in the midst of flipping a house and painting and the daily messes out at Frankie, I'm still planning design changes around my own house.  It's a sickness, really.  I come home from Frankie totally pooped, melt into the couch, and look around at what I want to change. I've left my living room alone for the past year and a half, although I've never been 100% pleased with it. Here's where it stands today:

Things just didn't mesh as I had hoped and the stark contrast of Clifford the giant red chair vs. the turquoise stripe wall is starting to grate on me.  With an idea in my head, I dug my (very very dusty) sketch pad out of the basement and decided to try putting my plans on paper.  I am not an artist and only usually sketch for a specific purpose (like my chair art), so please forgive the rather skewed perspectives.

Years ago I had the idea for a corner built-in bookcase, but put the idea aside thinking that it wasn't worth the effort.  Well, I'm still thinking about it 2+ years later, so in my book, that calls for another consideration.  Being a little more comfortable with building things and tools now, I feel like it's a totally accomplishable project that will completely make the room.  (plus I've found tutorials online that help to make it less intimidating)  Architectural interest, here I come!

Furniture-wise.....  Mr. couch must go.  He's a fine couch.  Just fine. and rather comfy ....but he's out of scale with the room, a little style-less, and I've been craving a different sofa for 3.5 years (we've had this one for 4.5... maybe I'll vent more another day).  Something like this sofa would totally do the trick.  Classic and stylish (and less lumpy), but still very versatile.  *swoon*

The red chair will get switched with our antique one that's currently in hubby's office which will get reupholstered with a more neutral pattern.

If this fabric wasn't $80 a yard ON SALE it would be a frontrunner.

The coffee tables will remain, but get an undisclosed make-over in the very near future.  They're gonna be sexy, let me tell you.  And the end tables which are some of the only remaining furniture from my "bachelorette pad" will get replaced with craigslisted or thrifted pieces similar to these which have been tempting me on Craigslist

The paint and rug will remain the same, the plate wall will remain, and the tv wall will be untouched, so it's not a TOTAL do-over, but I'm super duper excited!  We probably won't be buying a couch for a few months and I'll spare my building-buddy (Handy dad) and wait until the weather warms up a bit to do the bookcase, so I have plenty of time to obsess and plan (oh, and finish a fliphouse).

Are you planning any room do-overs or modifications?  or have you built any bookshelves?  tips are invited!