Ray Fenwick's Life of Mystery

Tiny Showcase just announced a new print by Ray Fenwick that recalls those old schoolhouse educational posters, without actually being based in truth. This Illustrated Guide to a Life of Mystery makes me think of Scooby Doo, Nancy Drew, and all those detective stories I loved watching as a kid. Love it!

Before and After Walls

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Originally uploaded by paintchipdiaries.

In between some more major projects, I snuck in some time to paint my entryway. I use low-VOC paint whenever I can, and since this was an extra small area, I splurged on Benjamin Moore's Aura line of paints ($20 per quart). Out of the eco-friendly paint options on the market, Aura has a wonderful sheen and ranks among my top two favorites to use - my other favorite being Yolo. Next up...the rest of the house!

Narrow bathtubs

I've been on a hunt recently for a well-designed, narrow bath tub for a remodel of a vintage bathroom. The standard bathtub width nowadays is 30", a symptom no doubt of America's new monster homes and growing waistlines. However earlier in the 20th century, everything was smaller, less supersized. The easy solution of course would be to buy a standard tub and end up with less floor space. But that won't do when we're starting out with a 24" tub in a small-enough-already bathroom. So here are a few of the less-than-30" tubs currently on the market, including this Antonio Lupi tub above with a built in bookcase, and Phillipe Starck designed Duravit tub.

Stenciled floors

I've been looking at inexpensive ways to transform old floors and came across these Mokko Stencils from Stencil Gallery. The photo shows it used on interior painted hardwood floors, however I would love to see it adapted to outdoor applications such as a porch or concrete patio. Read more at Apartment Therapy.

Vintage Marimekko

Mainstream retailers like Crate and Barrel made Marimekko popular in recent years, but this company has been around for much, much longer. Check out these vintage Marimekko glasses for sale at my etsy shop...

The perfect light fixture?

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Originally uploaded by paintchipdiaries.

Imagine this... a minimalist bedroom with a spectacular light fixture that casts shadows as if you're sleeping out in the open underneath the trees.
It's a simple concept I came up for my clients last summer and I thought I found the perfect ceiling light with this Hollywood one by Brand van Egmond. So I ordered it. That was NINE MONTHS ago! (I'll spare you the details of how the 2 month lead time ended up being 9!) I can't wait to get this light installed since the rest of the renovation for my client's home has long been complete. I guess it's a good reminder that even if you're undertaking a remodel with a professional, there are still unforseen delays that can occur with any custom building project.

Origami Tables

I love these new origami tables by mio. The wallpaper in the background is pretty cool too.

New Soul by Nael Naim

I'm usually not one to write about songs, but ever since Apple's Macbook Air came out, I've had Apple's TV commercial song in my head. Thanks to NPR, I now know who sings it. Nael Naim's video is a treat for any nature-loving, interior designer/artist. I just love the photographic mural in her music video. Her album will be released in the states next month. Watch the video here.

Window coverings are like marriage.

Selecting the right window coverings for my bedroom has been a dating vs. marriage experience. I've been searching for a long time and was seduced by a number of modern graphic contenders. If it wasn't for the exchange rate (about $2 USD = $1 UK), I surely would have gone with these gorgeous graphic shades by Love is Blind. Get them from Bodie and Fou:


I also considered these lovely Chilewich woodgrain roller shades and ruled them out because vinyl is just so toxically bad for the environment. Besides, I also didn't want to have to deal with any potential off-gassing smells in the room where I sleep. I also liked the idea behind Elina Aalto's city silhouette blackout shades, and ruled those out as well because of the vinyl-factor:


In the end, I decided to go with a much more classic solution that still has a clean look to it: Hunter Douglas Duettes with a top-down-bottom up option. While it didn't initially look as snazzy, these honeycombs offer a whole lot more flexibility when it comes to controlling light and with various choices for single, double, or triple-cell construction, will also reduce energy bills and offer some sound absorption. There's also an Architella version that's super energy-efficient. And there are some cord options like UltraGlide or LiteRise, which will either retract or eliminate dangling cords for households with children and pets. A number of places online sells these and I found the best prices for mine at Shades Shutters Blinds.

Not-So-Neutral Bathrooms

It's been awhile since my last post because fall is always so busy when it comes to building projects for my clients. Everyone makes a mad rush to complete construction before the rains start and then move in before the holiday entertaining begins. Here are a couple of recently completed modern bathrooms I designed:




I really believe in adding color and texture to utilitarian spaces like bath and powder rooms. It's a great way to add some indulgence into a room that everyone has to use.