see so good: wall stickers, so fun!

if you would have asked me 5 years ago about wall stickers, i might have lectured you on the two most don’ts in design:

• don’t ever use wall stickers
• and don’t EVER, EVER put any kind of ANYTHING that looks like a sticker on a wall!

well, times have changed and wall decals certainly have come a long way and i’m actually loving the opportunities for embellishing walls with vinyl works of art.

there’s a couple of great places to buy wall decal art and I’m also throwing in wall murals into this mix, some of my favs are

• www.fermlivingshop.us – wonderful modern graphics and great installation ideas on their website
• www.lanakole.com – another site that has a very nice selection of graphics and design ideas
• www.whatisblik.com (blik studio) – has a ton of wall decalls and many are very bold and craaaaaahzy, they also do custom decals.  be sure to check out their portfolio and e-book for ideas
• www.eazywalls.us – is just murals, and you will find all types of ideas, the murals come in different sizes so you can be sure to cover the entire wall (which is what I recommend :-))

First let me say a couple of things about the do’s and don’t of wall decals before you go “sticker happy”…

1. little stickers on a wall are almost always a no-no, pretty much any type of stationary, scrapbooking stickers and child size stickers with cute little bunnies are a big design DON’T.
2. consider the entire room and wall(s) where you are going to place your new art, does it work together as an entire composition.  your walls are the canvas and the sticker(s) are the subject matter (image from www.fermlivingshop.us).
3. i’m all about go bold or go home, but a subtle tone on tone approach is also good.  going bold-you should have the graphic incorporate as much of the wall space as possible, even, oversized or bleeding images are much better that something that only takes up a small percentage of the wall, UNLESS, of course it is part of a grouping (example below from www.fermlivingshop.us)
4. layer decals of various sizes on top of each other to create a one-of-a-kind mural – check out this cute idea below from www.spearmintbaby.com



5. see more ideas below…

blik studio www.whiatisblik.com – chair mix’a lot

both decals above from www.lanakole.com

dandelion blowing seeds in the wind from www.eazywalls.com

red paint spiral wall mural by www.eazywallz.com

 

Urban Outfitters 3-D Wall Sticks Birds and Ferm Living timber wall sticker….

…happy stickering!

DIY for $100-bathroom design give away

Have you ever wished you could redo your bathroom, and then realize you just don’t have the budget to do what you really want to do?  Fear not my friend, I have come along to help you with your woes!  I am giving a away a free bathroom design for one lucky do-it-yourselfer, wanna know more? 

Photos Courtesy of Lonny Magazine –www.lonnymag.com and photographer for Lonny Magazine Patrick Cline.

Here’s the deets:

What’s in it for YOU?

• a FREE re-design of one of your bathrooms in your home (so think of your smallest bathroom and I’ll think big!)
• my commitment to stick to a $100 budget ($100 = cost of materials such as paint, accessories, it all depends on what makes the best design sense for YOUR bathroom)

What’s in it for ME?

• one more happier bathroom in the world that I hopefully get to promote once it’s all finished
• more “design to see” and s.e. design, inc. facebook followers :-)

Here’s how it works…

1. if you’re reading this from my blog right now, click the “Follow” button so I know who you are (you will be instructed to put in your email at that time) AND…
2. click the SUBSCRIBE TO DESIGN-TO-SEE Posts button (and follow the instruction to subscribe) so you will know who the winner is when I make the announcement next Friday, March 25th, 2011
3. if you are not already a fan of my s.e. design facebook, please click this link s.e. design, inc. fan and then click the “like” or “fan” box
4. okay now for the good stuff – I will gather all the names from my blog and s.e. design, inc. facebook page and put them in a very large basket, do a quick little drum roll with my hands and draw a name which I will send out a personal message via facebook and announce on my blog.  Make sure you do both no. 1 and 2 above, cuz I will be making my list, and checkin it twice, gonna make sure who’s naughty and nice (o.k. wrong song for this time of year).
5. one more little detail, if you tell your friends and they sign up, tell me and I will throw your name in the basket for each additional person you recommend.
6. once I have identified the lucky winner and we both do a little happy dance celebration, he /she will provide me with photos of each of the walls in their bathroom, floor and ceiling, etc; measurements of all walls and necessary elements; and will fill out a brief questionnaire about their likes and dislikes for the transformation.
7. my turn – I will then send the winner (and post this to my blog) all the ideas on paper including a sketch of the most prominent wall, a list of items to purchase (remember I’m sticking to my $100 limit!) and a list of things to do.
8. here’s the catch, you should be prepared to clean, paint, hang pictures or shelves, switch out a light, install vinyl floor tiles or whatever an able-bodied person can handle.  If you are completely unsure of your abilities enlist someone to help you!  I want you to LOVE the transformation and since I’m not going to be there to supervise or pitch in, the success of the outcome is one part how well you follow my instructions and how neatly the work is done.
9. Let’s get this party started!!!

11 to see: black & white*** beaut-ees

1. Ikea GUNVOR Fabric.  For the money, this fabric has the most bold-bang for the buck.  You can use it to upholster a headboard, a pair of bergere or wing chairs, make pillows, a bedspread, or drapes, the list is endless. 
2. Urban Outfitters Medallion Wall Mural.  How cool is this mural, like a magical snowflake taken from Masaru Emoto’s Water Crystal images.  Cover a whole wall and see the crystal clear persuasion.
3. CB2”s FLOR™ Side by Side™ floor tile.  I’m clearly a stripe-a-holic, but truly, this carpet square wonder can perform a stripe-miracle in almost any room.
4. Urban Outfitters Russian Folk Tale Tapestry.  Attach a rod pocket to hang from a simple drapery rod or layer over a floor puddling black bedspread made of a thick linen or lightweight wool and your room will feel like a ethereal sanctuary.
5. Anthropologie Ebony Lace Wallpaper.  Wall paper is the new paint these days, you can’t deny the transforming effects.  So wherever you may choose to use this black lacey beauty, just remember it’s not just for the bedroom anymore!
6. CB2 alpha carbon floor lamp.  I think this floor lamp may just be the next gotta-have-it room-essential, whether your decor is traditional, transitional or modern, it works.
7. West Elm’s Ikat Woven Basket Collection.  A tisket, a tasket, what a beautiful basket!  When it comes to baskets I have finally been able to hone my selection skills, this is how it goes:  something unique about the design + functionality = a basket triumph.
8. Anthropologie Rigid Pleats Lamp.  On a kitchen counter, in a bathroom, on a desk, nightstand, bookcase, this is so suuuuper cuuuute!
9. Wisteria Wooden Upholstered Sofa with Bridal Rug.  The anchor piece for this post, for $1,599.00 I was blown away.  You might find something like this from another retailer for 4x the price.  It’s true perfection of texture, contrast and uniqueness, this bridal rug sofa has me saying “I do” all over again!
10. West Elm Modern Windsor Chaise.  When I saw this modern interpretation hit the West Elm presses, I was sooooooo happy!  Finally they reached far out of the mainstream furniture boxy-box they were in and presented a classic icon statement!  And if you are wondering what to do with this ultra hip windsor winner, well there’s so many places it can go it makes my head spin right round like a record, baby, right round like a record, baby:  in an entry, bedroom, living room, office, dining room, large master bath, Open up your lovin' arms, Watch out, here I come! (lyrics by Dead or Alive - You Spin Me Round)
11. CB2’s nest chair.  I’m chirping over this number…an outdoor chair I would also use inside:  a pair in a breakfast nook, a side chair in a guest room or a bathroom or in a living room.  An outdoor style that can transform any space into hotel chic.  Pair with solid pieces of furniture with clean simple lines, such as a thick wood or parsons table and tree stump side tables, add glass cylinder candle votives, Cabo Azul here I am….

***Now here’s some good news, in my next post I’m switchin it up, stay tuned!!

see-be-do: ap·pre·SEE·a·tion

It’s my new word…appreSEEation,  I love how it rolls off my tongue, and even more, the deeper meaning of appreciation.  Lately the dots have been connecting like the starry sky that stretches out as far as the imagination, so good, so wonderful!  So the other night while reading  “you are here” by Thich Nhat Hanh I came across a section of the book that connected to me, he writes:

“Your eyes may be in good condition, but do you know it?

Breathing in, I am mindful that I have eyes that are still in good condition.

Breathing out, I smile to my eyes that are still in good condition.

In this practice you touch your eyes with your mindfulness, you have this simple insight:  your eyes are in good shape, and they still exist.  You only have to open them to make contact with the paradise of forms and colors, a true paradise.

….You should recognize that your eyes are there for you, and they are so very precious.  They are more precious than pearls.

Your heart is also there for you.  Your heart works night and day in order to maintain your well-being.  You take time to sleep and rest, but your heart works non-stop to supply all the cells in your body with blood.  Have you touched your heart with the energy of mindfulness?

Breathing in, I am mindful that my heart is working day and night for me.

Breathing out, I smile to my heart.

…When you touch your heart with the energy of mindfulness, you are already practicing love.”

What crazy good stuff, sooooo, here’s how I sum it up….

the ability to see beyond sight + mindfulness of your heart (focusing on your heart places you in love, you just can’t help it) = the power to be transformed in how we engage in the world, how we treat others, and how we see ourselves and truly embrace the uniqueness of personalities, cultures, design and so much more.   I’m talking true appreSEEation!

After reading the above passages from “you are here” I was struck with a higher appreciation for my heart and my eyes, …more precious than pearls… and reflecting about my past lack of appreciation boggled my mind.  Yes, I have written hundreds of lists about what I am grateful for and recognize the kindnesses bestowed upon me by others daily and I am constantly touched by the awe and beauty of the world, but I had not seen as clearly as I did that night.  I realized how lucky I was to be alive and even more miraculously still have my eyesight (although I was legally blind almost all life until I had Lasik surgery), after coming close to dying when I was an infant from a very bad eye infection.  How could I not have more appreciation for my gift of sight?  It’s even more amazing that my Hawaiian mother gave me the name of “Makanani” when I was born because she said I had beautiful eyes.  Heellllooooo, I finally could “see” this miracle, I was not blind, but it meant that connecting with my heart on a deeper level made the true difference!

Reflecting even further on my past week, I had an opportunity to attend a workshop on Emotional Intelligence presented by Six Seconds (www.6seconds.org).  It was an amazing experience and I learned many new strategies.  I am excited to share the “world changing message” I learned to all I come into contact with, and to promote the EQ (Emotional Quotient) Model for children in schools, a top essential for improved quality of life and academics. 

During my week’s experience at the workshop, many inquired “what are you doing here?”, not in a mean way, but several were curious why an Interior Designer was among teachers, scholars in psychology, leaders of non-profit groups and the like?   I honestly did not know how to answer the question, why was I there?  I started to feel consciously different from the other attendees for which I convinced myself that was okay.  Perhaps others felt they did not belong either, nonetheless, I persevered and convinced myself that I was going to finish the workshop and “see”.  And “see”  I did.  I saw that even though I was different, so was every individual who attended the workshop, so uniquely different, it made such beautiful sense to me, whoo hooo, how happy I was to be different!!!  I finally could appreSEEate how different was good, great and I was happy to be there.

This has been my experience with design, helping people to see differently, and now I see more deeply today than yesterday because of Thich Nhat Hanh and the EQ Workshop/6 Seconds participants (you know who you are).  What a beautiful principle, “appreSEEation”.