Patterned mosaic tile

I am so in love with this photo from Trend, an Italian company that makes mosaic tile with patterns that look like wallpaper.

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.