Inspiration Makeover: The Portrait Chair By: Caitlin Kelch

As our Instagram feeds can attest to, we sometimes see an image that moves us and stays in our heads a little longer than most. Taking advantage of those special moments that completely capture our imaginations is something we’re trying to practice on a more regular basis. When Grace clipped and shared a lovely image from Martha Stewart Weddings (above left), it didn’t just end there. A few days later I happened to find what I refer to as a portrait chair at a thrift store for a reasonable six dollars. (If anyone knows the correct name of that type of chair, please share in the comments! We’d love to know its provenance.)

I imagined this six-dollar chair transformed with some sort of treatment that was reminiscent of the antique chair in the portrait. Instead of walking away with yet another creative idea in my head, I bought the chair and immediately headed to The Home Depot to grab some paint to realize my vision. See the whole hour-and-a-half project in the slideshow above and download the DIY instructions here!

via Design*Sponge http://ift.tt/1OKUicL From Caitlin Kelch

MINE: Vintage Clothing, Trim & a Million Digital Photographs By: Caitlin Kelch

While I’m only about one third of the way through my basement re-organization project, I can safely say it’s been one heck of a creative endeavor! This isn’t just your ordinary basement clean-up, and this is beyond purge. This is more like an excavation process, using tools and tiny brushes to dust off memories and then placing them in the most appropriate exhibit. I’m finding myself writing up an archive summary in my mind about the who, when and where’s of each piece taking up space. Ambitious, I know.

If you have been following the project, you’ll know I let go of my hundreds of color chips and they now reside at the local art studio for kids who want to make art. And you also know that I’ve kept my aluminum molds, which allow me to daydream about my grandparents’ fancy nights out like I did when I was seven. My latest dive took me to my vast collection of vintage clothing which I rocked back in the day, but sadly, have spent a decade or more trapped in mismatched plastic bins and discarded comforter bags. This collection has many sub-sections, like too-cutesy 1960s nighties and Gidget-style bikinis.

Since it’s summer, I tried to keep it seasonal and tackle the summer sets. Who wants to handle wool and faux fur in the heat of July? As I was laying each piece out, I realized I was (and had been back at the time of purchase) creating characters with personalities different than my own. As an introverted only child, these were my wild and social imaginary friends with whom any social awkwardness was completely unnecessary.

My re-org project was put on the back burner for a bit while I played dress-up and crafted with my long-lost girl gang. It was like the slumber party scene in Grease.

I decided to invite my BFFs upstairs and be my roommates once again, where my daughter could experience her mother’s wackiness and love of pink and polyester. And, believe it or not, she actually loved what we made for her room.

Here’s to girl power!

Click through the slideshow to see how we transformed long-lost pieces into décor we now enjoy every day. —Caitlin

Thanks so much to Shutterfly for inspiring creative ways to capture memories and create pieces that can move into our everyday lives and literally turn home décor into autobiography! Who knew I could rest my head on a pillow of happy memories?

 

via Design*Sponge http://ift.tt/1Ucoy3X From Caitlin Kelch

The Big Picture: The Rise of Statement Art By: Caitlin Kelch

When it comes to adding wall art to one’s space, there are a few schools of thought. We’ve watched the rise of the collection approach — which provides the cohesive interest of a salon wall — and now we’re seeing the return of statement art that boldly sets the tone of the room in a single, large piece. The singular, oversize approach is on the rise perhaps as a way to calm the mind and provide an aesthetic refuge from the image overload stream that our digital lives have become. Whether it’s an inspirational piece like a colorful map or a painterly floral, a single piece in a communal space like a living room or dining room can have the effect of focusing everything within the space, from the conversations that take place within to the arrangement of the furniture.

With a modern nod toward minimalism, homeowners are finding expansive ways to adopt some of the less-is-more tenets of minimalism with the adventurous and colorful imagery they’re consuming on their screens every day. These bold wall pieces can transform a wall and a space in ways that a micro approach generally can’t. There’s no up-close examination, no wondering what the frame holds — there’s simply a wash of emotion that sets the tone for how one perceives the room and what happens within it. In oversize art’s uncomplicated simplicity, it’s a comfort to feel like we’re not missing anything — it’s all laid out before us and we can simply enjoy the room and people within it! —Caitlin

Checkout the slideshow above for some of our favorite spaces outfitted with a single piece of art!

 

 

 

This post is brought to you by Minted. The Minted Art Marketplace features limited edition art by independent artists. Large format prints are now available framed in sizes up to 44″ x 60.

via Design*Sponge http://ift.tt/1IKrYZE From Caitlin Kelch

MINE: Vintage Trim & Notions By: Caitlin Kelch

This past week I’ve been tackling some familiar boxes in my basement re-organization project. They’re actually not even boxes. They are all sizes of clear, zippered bags that held comforters, pillowcases and the like from friends and family that I solicited over the years for my massive trim and ribbon collection. And yes, you could find me around the Christmas tree sorting the recyclables and stuffing zippered plastic bags in my loot bag.

With all of trim and notions, one would think I was a master seamstress who could be found adding delicate lace trim to Cinderella-like gowns and preppy grosgrain to customize whiter-than-white Keds. This is not the case. I do have a few sewing machines, one in actual working order, but I rarely use it. The others I’ve taken apart to see how exactly the machines work.

Going through my bags upon bags of ribbons, zippers, trim and beyond, with my sewing machines staring me down in the background, it occurred to me that I’m not a maker – I’m a conceptor – although I’m pretty sure that’s not really a thing since I haven’t heard about a new Conceptor movement or read any “I See Finished Things In My Brain” headlines.

To me, it’s like a strange superpower that’s often difficult to explain to others. My sewing machine shows me how the beautiful dress is made and holds together. My trim directs me to the many moods and characters that the dress can become. When I line the elements up next to each other, they become an elegant equation with so liberating variables. I see decision trees and outcomes frolicking in ruffles and rick rack.

So much more importantly, I see me. I see how I think and what motivates me into action. I see that I am at my best when I have all of the ingredients laid out before me and my visions of how they can work together to become one fantastic whole. I smile at how seemingly incongruous elements can become intimate allies showing off each other in ways not possible if simply tacked onto a bottom hem as a standalone. I see stories rife with conflicts but a happy endings where everyone gets at least a little piece of what they need to be their best.

For all my lofty thoughts though, I’m still living above a basements filled with of equations, of elements and of parts.

I’m keeping the clear bags and my calendar is marked with an two hours each week to spend time fashioning the pieces together on a smooth piece of ironed fabric from that collection of mine.

It’s time for me to make the whole and the fantastic.

via Design*Sponge http://ift.tt/1MIhRSJ From Caitlin Kelch

Before & After: An Awkward Corner Comes To Life + Pattern DIY By: Caitlin Kelch

About a month ago, Grace invited our team to share our spaces on Design*Sponge so our readers could get to know our team a bit better. While I was excited, the prospect of sharing my home made me kind of queasy. I thought of all the home décor faux pas I was probably guilty of, and the fact that my refrigerator is older than my nine-year-old daughter. Since I work on the business team at Design*Sponge, I am constantly asked by clients if my home is featured on the site. I always chuckle nervously and say that my home is “going through some transitions” and maybe some day it will be featured. I knew I needed help in the home department, so I decided to step out of my comfort zone and consult an expert — Grace Bonney.

Grace has always had a great eye for striking patterns and color, so I asked her to please, please help me save a sad little corner in my kitchen that was being bullied by my teenage fridge. We’d been looking at patterns from the 3M Scotch Blue and Patternbank collaboration and thought my awkward corner would benefit from a strong pattern that would make the space inviting to visit and would encourage productive use. Grace is pretty smart. I never would have thought of that solution!

We were both drawn to the Striking Linework pattern, so we decided to create our version with a cool blue to tame the golds and avocado greens in my 1970s linoleum floors. With such detailed linework in our pattern, it was important that the tape we used maintained a tight seal, was easy to remove and created sharp lines. We had both worked with Scotch Blue tape before so we were confident we had the right materials, and the tapes in different widths made our design much easier to execute. After only a few hours of easy DIY time and a half a roll of Scotch Blue painter’s tape, we transformed not only the corner space, but my entire kitchen.

Thanks to Grace for helping me tackle an eyesore with a bright, easy-to-do solution and to our sponsor, 3M+ Patternbank, for the amazing pattern inspiration! —Caitlin

Materials

• ScotchBlue™ Painter’s Tape Delicate Surfaces with Advanced Edge-Lock™ Paint Line Protector
• 2″ Trim Paint Brush
• Trim Paint Roller
• Trim Paint Tray
• Lightweight Knife (for thin strips)
• Metal Edge Ruler
• Interior Paint, Eggshell Finish

We used 3M’s helpful Guide to Taping to guide our project.

*This post is brought to you in collaboration with our sponsor, 3M. Thanks for supporting our sponsors that help us produce original content like this!

 

via Design*Sponge http://ift.tt/1er4Cet From Caitlin Kelch

MINE: Aluminum Mold Collection By: Caitlin Kelch

A few weeks ago, I committed myself to thoughtfully go through mountains of boxes in my basement to clear out the spirits of the past and create some breathing room for myself. You may recall my massive paint chip collection, which ended up in the hands of kids at a local craft camp. Even though it was a minor purge, the relief I felt was pretty major. The next box I tackled was a small, dusty one with no label and some pretty sticky spiderwebs. I wasn’t off to a pleasant start.

I shook the box. No clues there. It was light, so I knew it was packed with photos from the 80s or my rock collection. When I opened it, I was met with some shiny and some dull metal pieces that took me a moment to place as my aluminum mold collection. Please know upfront that I have never made a Jell-O mold, but I have enjoyed many from the deft hands of my Grandmother, Margie. This is why I have them.

I grew up drawing my fair share of flowers and princesses, but what I was really dedicated to was menu-making. I designed diner menus, snack shack menus, and ice cream shop menus, but my favorite ones to work on were fancy menus — the kind for restaurants my grandparents frequented on Saturday nights. The necessity of a decorative swirl or swoosh on these particular menus thrilled me. The fact that I needed “special paper,” stationery from my mom’s desk drawer, made me giddy.

Looking back, creating the fancy restaurant menus was a tactile version of a child’s process of imagination, a reasonable excuse for peeking into those glamorous places where my grandparents were royalty. These menus confirmed Margie and Myron’s larger-than-life status didn’t exist just in my head or in my biased opinion of them. They were, indeed, the king and queen I knew them to be.

I imagined they dined on culinary delicacies served from silver trays by white-gloved waiters, who smiled when my Grandfather said “More, please.” They sat on polished, wooden captain chairs that were too heavy for my petite Grandmother to handle by herself. They expertly managed the many glasses placed before them and they never lost track of which to drink from and when. They knew everything there was to know and they were kind and generous and always left a huge tip.

When dessert was presented on a garland-trimmed rolling trolley, they always chose a colorful gelatin with ripe berries floating in the middle and fresh whipping cream on top because it was flavorful and beautiful but also light. They’d had such a fine, four-course meal that there was no room for heavy puddings or rich cakes.

When I gaze at my aluminum molds, I see these fantasies before me as if I were seven years old again, waiting for my grandparents’ return in my pink nightgown, trying hard to keep my eyes open. I smell Margie’s perfume as she carries me off to bed. I see Myron’s silhouette in the doorway as he turns off the light. I feel the softness of the blanket that I still have today and I remember the kind king and queen who always let me have Jell-O for breakfast after their sophisticated Saturday night.

This is a box I will keep forever. —Caitlin

 

 

 

 

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