see so good: to the maxx

the other day i went to tj maxx on a whim and was completely bowled over by the home furnishings that were in the store that day.  i actually had never seen such a great variety of furniture options and prices in the well, ummmm, let’s just say decade that i had been shopping there.  it was like a treasure chest filled with all kinds of goodies - upholstery, wood pieces, fun accessories and even a yummy cowhide rug.  this was too good to be true and i needed to share my new found pot of gold.

so away i went, snapping my camera phone like a mad photographer, when an even better idea formed, why not pull a whole room together!  what a wonderfully happy idea, especially since i had reigned in a lovely sofa and wood pieces that rival high end retail furniture stores.  the fun began and i staged the scene with pillows,  a concept for a clock wall and a color palette of plum, taupe and black.  there was no stopping me…like a scene from Saturday Night Fever, the wheels were spinning out of control…and the next thing i knew…

The Trammps, Disco Inferno (video from www.youtube.com)

okay, okay i’m back, but really, why not compare what i had found at tj maxx with matching (or close to it) brand name items, it was pure shopping genius, not to mention a super fun challenge.  i hope you enjoy “to the maxx” and for those of you who have $$$ to spare, check out “maxxed out” for the retailer goods!

  all the above from tj maxx, prices of some items as follows:

1. sofa - $699.99
2. black leather chair - $199.99
3. various clocks - $19.99
4. wood chest – ?
5. metal stool - $59.99
6. wood chair - $199.99
7. wood chair – $199.99 + fabric from Designer’s Guild to recover the end chairs (see no. 7 below)
8. column lamp - $39.99
9. table lamp – ?
10. pillow - $24.99
11. pillow - $19.99
12. accessories – ?
13. accessories – ?
14. coffee table - ?

sources and links to the above items…

1. Kensington Sofa from Restoration Hardware
2. Neptune chair in black from Chiasso
3. various clocks from Restoration Hardware
4. Ettore Console from Anthropologie
5. French sewing stool from Restoration Hardware
6. Louis XVI End Chair from Wisteria
7. Culswick (Phipps-Rasberry) fabric to recover end chairs (no. 6) from Designer’s Guild
8. slender rustic table lamp from Wisteria
9. Off-White Cotton Linen Table Lamp Shade and Prema Punched Metal Table Lamp Base
10. Vintage French Linen Pillow covers from Restoration Hardware
11. Hand Blocked Paisley Pillow from West Elm
12. sculpture from Global Views
13. Buffalo Horn Ring on Stands from Z Gallerie
14. Printmaker’s sideboard from Restoration Hardware
15. Carved Wood Coffee Table from West Elm

see ya soon [X] [X]!!

i’m just seeing: “tie dye for” grooviness

i’ve been loving the milder form of tie-dye fashion seen in clothing and also hair styles.  and as we know, what happens in fashion follows in home wares, which is why i’m dyeing to share this very fun look (wink, wink)!  the hippie movement in the 60’s most certainly was inspired by the ancient tie-dye technique that has been a popular expression of design in many countries for centuries.  but within the past few years, the new trend is a dip-dye technique, chic and subtle, and ever so shady… what can i say, it’s the alter hippie in me that laaahhhoooves this new interpretation!   so hold on to your faded and dyed socks my friends, cuz there’s some juicy stuff to see below, but before you sneak a peek i gotta share this “how to” from Martha Stewart Living especially if you’ve got a box or two of RIT dye (check out their site for lots of fun projects) you’ve been itchin to use.

ombre (which means shaded or graduated in tone; French meaning shadow, shade; darkness, obscurity) options are a close cousin of the dip-dye look  and are characterized by two or three colors within a close range.  there’s another version of this trend i like to call graduated grooviness,  which is a mix of ombre, dip-dye and a cleaner striated-stripey version of tie-dye.  so as i was gathering all my design inspiration for this post, the items that blew me away and circling back to “tie-dye for” is the line of furniture produced by SCHOLTEN & BAIJINGS, 2005 PHOTOGRAPHY: INGA POWILLEIT, 2007, titled COLOUR PLAID 05 (c).  i mean where have i been?  i can hardly believe this amazing design had escaped me…

…until now and i’m sooo happy to share with you more styles just as luscious, so without further adieu, i give you

 

sources:

1.    John Lewis Gradient Outdoor furniture

2.    Colour Plaid 03 produced by Scholten and Baijings

3.    Trift by Judith Seng from BLTD (betterlivingthroughdesign.com)

4.    Unique Rugs by Esti Barnes from Captivatist

5.    Do-Lo-Rez Sofa by Moroso from yliving.com

6.    Ombre 18” pillow from Z Gallerie

7.    Woven Ombre Placemats from Anthropologie

8.    18” x 36” carpet tiles - “Vertical Edge” from the “On the Edge”     Series Contract Carpet from Shaw Contract Group

9.    Louisa Sette from Anthropologie

10. fade print table mat in cucumber by chilewich

happy seeing and have a groovy day {g}{g}!!!