our ikea home | favourites from the flat packed giant

not all IKEA is awful. in fact, some of it is quite lovely.

I am a mega fan of the flat packed giant and have collected quite a few pieces from them over the years. we have bookcases, shelves and even our mattress are all thanks to IKEA. here are three of my current favs and how we’re using them at home:

RIBBA PICTURE LEDGE

we have 7 of these little guys throughout our living space, 2 by the entry way for our keys and pocket bricka-brack. and 5 more flipped upside-down for display. they are ideal for holding small plants, votives and, of course, picture frames.

VITTSJO SHELVING UNIT

(via The Every Girl & Hommemaker)

at a whopping 200 cm wide (each) our 2 Vittsjo book cases take up the whole wall in our dining area. these mammoth shelves are packed full of our books, art supplies and decoratives. their open metal and glass design helps them from feeling too imposing though, and lets the wall colour behind peak through.

RYSSBY 2014 STORAGE BENCH

storage + bench? i was sold! possibly one of my most impulsive IKEA furniture purchases, I found out this pine bench was on sale while shopping around and ran to get a cart to put it in. (heaven forbid someone buy the dozen that were in stock while I finished looking around). we use it to store cozy blankets for the winter, and as extra seating for dinner guests.

Interested in learning more about our IKEA adventures? Let me know!

– KM

coasters by you | diy home roundup

Feeling a little restless, I starting thinking about moving apartments to shake things up. Then maybe just upgrading my furniture, and then after realizing I haven’t the funds for either of those things, I looked into switching up some of my accessories when I came to the (tiny) realization that I’m missing a key accessory, coasters!

How could I have missed this accessory opportunity for so long? Silly me.

Looking to correct this horrendous (joking) wrong, I have been scouring the interwebs for the perfect coasters to make.

Here a some of my frontrunners:

1.  cement coasters with gold accents | a daily something
2. color theory coasters | for the makers
3. geometric leather coasters | design*sponge
4. marbled tile coasters | design*sponge
5. ombre leather coasters | almost makes perfect
6. it’s recession time cork coasters | my dubio

Have you ever made coasters for your home? What’s your favourite material to use? Did they hold-up over time? I’d love to know!

– KM

stainless steel desk fan for those hot summer days | at home snapshot

alright, this is a summer purchase that’s just too good not to share. … ta-da!

isn’t she a beaut?

this little desk fan was an impulse buy from Home Sense that I’m extremely pleased with. The fan is made by J. Hunt & Company and cost less than $40 at Home Sense.

ah, stayin’ cool in style feels good.

– KM

 

 

black & white finds | a few favs

recently I’ve noticed a few standout black & white images on my pinterest boards (amongst all of the summer florals). there’s something so refreshing about black & white, I just couldn’t resist gathering up a few favs to share.

1. white balance mug | a subtle reference to photography in a sweet original design from Click&Blossom.

2. oreo pudding pops | uh, YUM! I bet these pudding pops from No. 2 Pencil are scrumptious! and with just oreo pudding mix, milk and cookies, they’re easy to make.

 

3. street style in monochrome & leopard | sexy! and yet, so effortless. this outfit from Friend in Fashion is perfect black & white with a pop of something different.

4. terrace at the home of Muriel Bardinet |  wow! check out this house on Milk Decoration. I love the mix of smooth lines and antiques. (seriously, that kitchen. do want!)

5. more issues than vogue print |  too funny! this print from TheMotivatedType is cheeky and chic all at once.

– KM

 

simple earring display

need a super simply (yet stylish) way to hang your earrings? try this!

This little earring holder took only part of an evening and I’m so pleased to have found another use for this ridiculously bright pink shade. It’s a Martha Stewart craft paint and it had great coverage on this wood embroidery hoop.

I think I’d like to try making a batch of them. like little bubbles of colour ready to burst!

loving my Customized Tea Mug from David’s Tea

For the holidays, I received this beautiful Customized Tea Mug. It’s a workhorse of a cup and I love love the gorgeous peonies that have been drawn onto it.

I love Peonies!

I love peonies!

The mug originally came from David’s Tea and their explanation of the mug is just too cute not to share. “So what makes this mug so perfect? Well, aside from being the perfect size and shape, it comes with a lid and a fine, stainless steel infuser that fits right into it. Plus it comes with a pen to create a unique, one-of-a-kind permanent design. Just draw whatever you want on the mug, heat it in the oven and enjoy…” etc.

Want your own? Check it out at online at David’s Tea or head to your local shop!

Simple tile coasters

Sometime the simplest projects are my favourites!

Supplies:

• Con-Tact cork shelf liner
• Scissors
• 4 Tiles (approximate 4″ x 4″) | I got mine at the Re-Store
• Metallic spray paint | I used a Rust-Oleum product in Soft Iron
• Spray clear coat

These coasters were very easy to make and only required a little time to spray the tiles, and stick on the self-adhesive cork.

Don’t they look lovely?

Notice the crinkled paint effect. This actually happened by accident from painting too thick of a layer.

The cork self liner will keep the tile bottoms from scratching the surface the coaster is protecting.

All tied up with a bow and ready to be gifted. <3

tickled by tingo – loving words

I’m no linguist. but I do love words.

I love how they can feel rolling around in your mouth. how phrases can tickle you.

I can’t quite remember what the word is to describe this pleasure, strangely enough. but that’s besides the point.

because of how they please me, I am the proud owner of The Meaning of Tingo (by Adam de Boinod). this perfectly pint sized book is chalked full of foreign words that English hasn’t adopted yet but probably should.

Here are a pair of my faves:

• wabi (Japanese) | a flawed detail that enhances the elegance of a whole work of art
• katzenjammer (German) | a very severe hangover (literally, the noise made by extremely miserable cats)

Want more right now? check out this article from mentalfloss. I hope you find it fantastic!

Decor Dribs & Drabs: IKEA PS Cabinet

Well it’s been a productive weekend folks! I finally got my hands on an IKEA PS Cabinet!

Frankly I’ve been drooling over these since they came out, and have been seeing them tucked into blogs for ages.

Photos from (clock-wise from top): doorsixteen, apartmenttherapy, and 79ideas.

So, without further a-do… TA-DA!

My Blue (for now) IKEA PS Cabinet

I know I know, she’s a little rough looking, but with a lick of paint when the weather warms, she’ll be a beaut.

Any color suggestions? I’m feeling something light, or possibly a daring jewel tone. Who knows!

Etsy Treasury: Radiant Orchid Inspiration

Let’s celebrate the new year with Pantone’s newest colour choice!

“Radiant Orchid blooms with confidence and magical warmth that intrigues the eye and sparks the imagination. It is an expressive, creative and embracing purple—one that draws you in with its beguiling charm. A captivating harmony of fuchsia, purple and pink undertones, Radiant Orchid emanates great joy, love and health.”  – from pantone.com

Etsy Treasury: Ode to the Ampersand

I love typography and no symbol seems to be as popular as the ampersand! It’s perfect for weddings, couple gifts, or a gift for your spouse. This treasury celebrates the ampersand in all its glory!

Etsy Treasury: Watercolors

Ta-da! A treasury devoted the the incredible art form that is watercolor painting. Oh, how I love those watery colors.

Etsy Treasury: Polymer clay

Check it out! An Etsy treasury devoted to the wonderfully diverse material that is Polymer Clay.

Warm wood. A note on refinishing glory!

This summer I undertook my first major refinishing project! For my birthday my parents bought me a small dry sink that had seen better days. It was coated with black paint, candle wax and the door was in pieces. With a lot of time (I like to work slowly, not one to rush), paint stripper, sand paper and wood oil she was transformed into a true beauty!

The photos I’ve included here highlight the wonderful nail holes that remain in the door from the cabinet’s previous owners. A lovely bit of character!

A little Etsy Gold

Like many of you, I suffer from a preoccupation with pretty things, nifty designs and the perfect diy. I can’t pretend to know when my fascination with design started, but I know Etsy was there in the early years.

So to honor my oldest online friend, here are a few favourited items from some incredibly talented people.