Inspiration Board Round 1

Dear Hannah,

Here is my inspiration board. It is way smaller than yours. What do you see? I see a rainbow and that is not helpful.

















Help!

Love,
Ellen

Pictures of the New House: Before

Dear Hannah,

I've been the worst blog-friend! Sorry it has taken me sooooo long to post. I've been a little busy and my computer has been slow as grits. (not sure if that is an actual southern expression, but it seems to fit) Here are a few pictures of the new house.

Master Bedroom





Master Bathroom (which has since been completely remodeled - yay!)



Yes, with this layout you could wash your hands while taking a piss. You also had to do a funky dance move to get to the shower. Turns out we had to remodel this room because the walls were completely saturated and rotted! I can't wait to download my pictures of the new bathroom!

Guest Bedroom (where you will sleep when you visit!)



Den/Library/Man Cave




The Hall - I've never had a hall!



The colors that are already there and not offensive (except for the Auburn Orange - we're a crimson family - roll tide), but they do weird things in different lighting. During the day, we like them, but at night the taupe turns to mauve and gray turns to green. I love the cool, calm palate that is still color rich.

Thank you for all the advice in your posts lately. I'm taking it all to heart.

love,
Ellen

Visual confirmation

Dear Ellen,

I came across this quote today in the brand-new just-launched Rue Magazine (online only).

http://www.ruemag.com/

"Since we are designers, every item we buy has to fit into the moodboard of our lives." -Jamie Laubhan-Oliver

Yes! Exactly! Or, as someone said, "Have nothing you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful." I think this is both easy and hard today. Back when you only had one milk jug to hang on one wood pail, everyone's style was 'rustic chic. ' :) But now there are so many different styles, and some objects that look created without any visual considerations whatsoever. It can create a lot of visual chaos. I think sometimes non-visual folks think aesthetes are trying to be jerks, when really we are trying to create peace and harmony to keep ourselves sane. I view everything that comes into my home as a potential intruder, sent here to ruin my carefully achieved visual order. It may seem ruthless, but when you consider all my rat-piles, it is vitally necessary!

mOrE modern Nostalgia

Dear Ellen, you may recognize some of these images! Hope SOME of this helps. :) Happy decorating!

Modern nOsTalGIa!! Mad Men-esque

Dear Ellen,

I have gathered some images that for some reason or another make me think of modern nostalgia. You kind of have to use your imagination on some of them, because my understand of modern nostalgia involves the juxtaposition of the old and the new or the display/repurposing of old things in new ways. So, you will have to just follow the stream-of-consciousness....:)

Left: J.Crew

Warm and Cool

Left, Real Simple, Right, Blueprint
Domino, Below: J.Crew





Above, Domino, Bon Appetit
Above, Martha Stewart Living