Our Faves! ~ Measuring in Style

Anthropologie always has interesting kitchenware, these two fun ways to measure are a great addition for function and style!

The Izmir Measuring Cups, inspired by Turkish ceramics are $32 for a set of four.


For a more feminine appeal, try measuring with these Florist Measuring Cups, a set will set you back $36.

Dandy Chandy Tuesday ~ Turkish Chandelier

Chrys & I are so ecstatic after our fun Sunday at the Capital Home Show! We met so many wonderful vendors, and saw some great home & design ideas.



One of the first areas we were drawn to (and for very good reason) was the Bizim Collection who had such a beautiful collection of Turkish candle chandeliers, as well as hand painted tiles, bowls, and rugs.


Visit their store in Alexandria, VA and you can choose your favorite hanging candle holders to make one large beautiful chandelier. Such a fantastic idea and such a unique beautiful design.

Thanks Mikail for sharing your beautiful products with P4D!

Design Tip of the Week (9.28.09): Hit the ROOF!

For the most part, roofs just don't get the notice they should. When you buy a house, its not on your list of creative projects. Usually a roof only gets done when it HAS to. But here are some reasons to reconsider just how much a a roof can change the look of your house. Its the hat your house wears so lets get a little creative!

A hands down, class act roof is COPPER. And what is fantastic about copper is that it looks way more amazing as it ages. The end result of the metal oxidizing due to the elements is called patina. Now if you don't have 20 years to wait for that patina look, don't worry...it can be aged a little faster through a little chemistry!

First a cheat sheet on copper and how it weathers {chart courtesy of Rutland Gutter Supply and Architectural Copper}


Here is a house with a copper roof which is still new as per its color. {Image courtesy of Design-Ties, who have a really fun blog post all about the many uses of copper in your home! Great job ladies!}


Here is an example of what copper roofing looks like when protective patina forms on it. {Image also provided by Rustland Gutter Supply and Architectural Copper.}


If your not into copper, here was a cool roof we ran into that was modern, fun and just a stand out from the crowd. The red roof plays nicely with the blue exterior color and white accents (which really makes the roof and the details of the house pop)> They also went with an interesting modern design for the front porch - notice the curved roof and the circular cut outs of the porches "railing".



Now get thinking about how you can hit your roof!

Friday Finds ~ Ottoman on the Move

We love these small, versatile, and chic Abaca Ottomans from Crate and Barrel that can easily be used as a small table or extra seating. This is a real bang for your buck type of home accent. It is completely functional, but also adds a little something to your look.

Art Smart ~ Magical Moments

{AN ORIGINAL PAINTING...she had a bit of a long neck}

I have spent a good hour going through corid's etsy shop and smiling at her work. Her illustration style is so magical & whimsical. Check out her hand-made ornaments as well-she has succeeded in making a spider look cute, a big feat in my book!

Take a look through her site, we PROMISE you will be enchanted.

DIY Tips & Tricks ~ Recycling your old records

Two ideas for salvaging your old vinyl records: make coasters or make some fun wall art. If you don't have any records, you can easily acquire them at the few and far between vintage record shops, your parent's basement, or a garage sale.

To make record coasters you have to heat the record to make it softer and then use a drill to cut out the circular center of the record where the label is. A fun idea would be using an entire 45 record (smaller and less work!). Once you have managed to remove the center, you will have to do a little sanding with a sheet of sand paper or a buffing block to smooth out the edges. Spray the label with a sealant so you preserve it. Then you can glue a piece of cork on the bottom so that you don't scratch the surface.

Just for a visual, or if your attempt to turn your records into coasters fails, check out Red Envelopes Recycled LP Coasters



A set of six will set you back less than $25 and each set is unique and fun.

Second option, very easy, frame the record or the record cover. Select covers to group based on a theme, a monchomatic color pattern, or a style of music you like. Urban Outfitters has plain black frames that you can purchase two for $20. They display a Hawaiian theme that is kitschy and fun.

Dandy Chandy Tuesday ~ Southern Charm

This Aurelia Chandelier from Currey & Co reminds me of something you would find in a House in the South in the 1920's ~ very classic and nature inspired.

Design Tip of the Week (9.21.09) ~ Heat up your bathroom

Create a spa-like feel to your bathroom with two different heating elements that will make you melt into coziness.

A towel warmer! Yes, think about a nice toasty warm towel to wrap yourself in on a cold day. I hate getting out of the shower because I do not like to be cold, at all...so this bathroom accessory didn't take too much to sell me on. Also, they are a great mechanism for trendy towel storage. They come in several different designs and you can get them from many different distributers (and different price points). Here are some examples from Amba. Keep in mind that you can find towel warmers that are less modern, they come in bronze and some have a wrought iron look.




Another great way to warm up the bathroom is with a heated floor. If you are planning on re-tiling anytime soon, consider this nice addition. Heating elements can be placed under tile, stone and hardwood flooring AND you can even heat the floor in your shower! You would have no idea if a floor had a heating element by look, only by touch. TIP: There are many different options out there, so do your homework.

Easy Fix Friday ~ From Circus to Fabulous!

P4D reader Melissa in Alexandria, Virginia just bought a home earlier this year. Congrats Melissa! It's a lovely townhome and she loved everything about it but......


...THE CIRCUS BEDROOM! Cue the circus music and a monkey on a unicycle throwing peanuts! Yikes! She wrote us asking for our help & our help fast! Luckily the bedspread wasn't left behind when the seller moved, but the walls where. And don't get us wrong stripes can be done beautifully, but most striped rooms work best in one color tone or 2 at the most, otherwise it will come across a tad like you're under the big top.

Melissa stated she is drawn to the classicly elegant, yet contemporary look. So we gave her our best advice: try a nice white bedspread for the bed, a soothing blue on the wall, coordinating pillows, and white stripes that work as frame/moulding. The stripes even gives the appearance of a headboard framing the bed with....


...A WHITE CHANDELIER STICKER from blik! Cue the classical music and a glass of wine!

And that, our dear readers is how you turn a crazy circus bedroom into a classical soothing retreat! All with a little bit of advice and inspiration from us and a little elbow grease from you. We are bowing as you are reading, Thank-you Thank-you! Please hold the applause. ;)

Capitol Home Show NEXT WEEKEND!!!

OMG, Chrys & I are super excited! We have tickets to the Capitol Home Show that is going on next weekend:



Dulles Expo Center
4368 Chantilly Shopping Center
Chantilly, VA 20153
Phone: 703-378-0910

Friday, Sept 25: 10:00am - 9:00pm

Saturday, Sept 26: 10:00am - 9:00pm

Sunday, Sept 27: 10:00am - 6:00pm

YA! Special Appearances by:
*Summer Baltzer of HGTV's Design on a Dime and TLC's Unhinged

*Chef Lou Petrozza of FOX's Hell's Kitchen


Here are some of the shows highlights, including Green Zone And "1 Room, 3 Ways" where designer Jean Daniel Pilon creates 1 Room, 3 Ways with products and styles from Crate & Barrel.

We will definately report back about it the week after the event!!!

Interior DecBROrator ~ Design & Individualism

Today our guest Interior DecBROrator is Ryan (Jen's fiance and owner of mean-e), take it away Ryan!:

No matter if your designing for a small apartment, large home or just your living room, a true sign of good design is individualism. Whether or not this always translates to good taste is to be argued case by case, but for the most part a well-groomed space will have some degree of personal character. Think of it as the brush strokes from a painter, broad and loose or tight and mechanical ~ an artist can render the same image as someone else but the manner in which they execute can be the defining characteristic.

When it comes to creating a look and feel for a living space, I personally gravitate towards what's unconventional and what is a reflection of my personality. Everyone in my age group, married or single gets the same furniture catalogue's with a well thought, Madison Avenue scene gracing the cover spotlighting the up and coming wares for the season. For the most part we either glance through in a wanting fashion, imaging in vain how our home would do well to have that new bookend or table or both. But most of our realities in creating a new look for our home lies in what we can re-use or create, mixed with what we can afford.

So what's this really all mean to the budding home decorator? Don't forget how to be creative! Whether you've got paintbrushes sitting in a box under your bed, belt sanders and other rad tools in the garage ~ break them out try creating something before you buy it.


Just recently to my delight, I stumbled upon "Lost and Found: 15 years of, the 2DK L.A.B". This event is a retrospective gallery show of original works by local name writers and DC Urban Arts Academy students. Custom glass tabletops, skateboard decks used as canvases for paintings and even old records with illustrations were strewn about the exhibit. Almost immediately I'm thinking of how one piece would look great in my home and then it dawns on me...I'm creative. I'm an able person. What's my deal?


Good design isn't necessarily out for everyone to see; sometimes it's under a rock in your head waiting to be let out. If you've got the idea for something unique, you’re halfway there to seeing it in the physical. Start with something familiar if your creating from the ground up, or look at ways to refinish an object you've already have lying around your house.


Just put down the catalogue's every now and then, get out to an art show or vintage store, or get out the paintbrush ~ you may surprise yourself.

Dandy Chandy Tuesday ~ Sphere Chandelier

I can picture 3 of these Wine Sphere Chandeliers from Wildflower Organics in a row over an island countertop in a kitchen. Tres chic! :)

Design Tip of the Week (9.14.09): Everyone will want your digits!

Your address number is prominently displayed on the front of the house. People look at it on a regular basis, why not have something a little more interesting to look at? Here are some eye catching options to spruce up your curb appeal. Increase the impact of your front door by coordinating your address numbers with other elements like door hardware, color of the door, as well as light fixtures. Be creative and look for unique options and creative combinations.

Mix and match different color tiles and add accent tiles for an extra eye catching touch. Rocheford Handmade Tile has a great selection of number tiles and accent tiles. See below the cattail number tiles paired with the "long life" tile.


French Enamel Blue and White numbers, as seen here from Willow and Stone.

These would look great against a white, grey or light blue exterior color.

Use a vinyl decal. Etsy has these door number decals available in several colors.

SEPTEMBER Primed4Design{er} of the Month ~ Textures, Color & Culture!

Good morning everyone! We are super excited to share with you our SEPTEMBER Primed4Design{er} of the Month Selva!

Selva and Javier's home in Alexandria, Virginia is a reflection of Selva's wonderfully eclectic decor taste, as well as a true love of history and art from her home country, Colombia!


Let's start off in the kitchen with one of my favorite things...wine! What a fun wine rack to store your wine if you do not have a wine cellar.





Now let's head over to the conversation piece, the mirrored buffet from Horchow! How beautiful is that mirrored buffet?! Not to mention the centerpiece of the buffet ~ A 1908 Baroque style sculpture Madonna inspired by the famous "Virgen de Quito" (Quito's Madonna), also known as "the dancer" sculpted by Bernardo de Legarda in 1734, which now decorates the main altar at the Church of St. Francisco. This madonna represents a turning point of the Quito School of Art (one of the most renowned of the Americas) because it shows a figure with great movement (practically dancing) as a contrast with the traditional static madonnas produced during the 18th century. Absolutely stunning.

It's this mix of styling that really works throughout Selva's home. Also note the very elegant stools, rug and pottery. The bowls that you see at the top are from a series collection of warriors ancient Pre-Columbian Footed Bowls from Colombia, Narino culture, Tuza, ca. 1200 - 1500 A.D.





Check out the corner of the room, on the two triangular pedestals are Quimbaya Standing Female & Male Figures (Pre-Colombian Pottery). Have you noticed how everything ~ the pottery, the furniture, the walls and the artwork all go so well together? When you use earth tones and textures and mix and match, artwork can really stand out.





Behind the couch are 2 beautiful signed lithographs by David Manzur. David Manzur Londoño formally started out his artistic career in the 1950´s following what were the strong tendencies and influences in Colombia and the world at this time: Abstract art (either based on the abstract expressionists or geometrical abstraction coming from the influence of fellow Latino Torres-Garcia) and developed his work based on constructivism before finding his forte in the world of renaissance-style drawing in which he excels completely.

In the second photo on the couch is Selva & Javier's beloved Chepe the Shepard...Hola Chepe! We couldn't resist posting him. :)





As you turn to your right you will see three bold and beautiful paintings on a black wall! Yeah we said it! The wall is painted black! And do you know why it works so well? Because of the bright colors and large scale of the 3 beautiful paintings done by Diego Sanchez (Selva's brother-in-law!). Sanchez’s thick application of opaque paint suggests an accumulation of time, as in his images of ancient subjects such as the Roman Coliseum, where his built-up surfaces emphasize the distance between past and present. But the artist’s brilliant color palette and integration of grids and flat geometries separate his images from history with a postmodern edge.




On the orange wall is a hanging tapestry/3-dimensional textile sculpture made by Colombian textile artist, Norma de Bonilla. Her tapestries are constructed of linen and cotton elements, drenched in gold and silver leaf. So fun to look at, and so interesting in color and texture.




The walls are textured (Selva did them herself! Go Selva!) and the dining room feels so inviting and warm with all of the earth tones and textures throughout.







Last but not least...the coolest bathroom ever! I love the simple black and blue color scheme with the white walls. look closely at the beautiful granite bowl sink and counters...the granite is sparkly!!! Love it. It's so simple and such a great surprise when you go into the bathroom.

For more photos check out the full slideshow here. Thank-you Selva and Javier for sharing your home with us! It is full of warmth and inspiration.

Art Smart ~ Well Traveled Art

{Brooklyn Dreamers by shyama}

Just lovin' these collages on 2" thick woodblocks featuring travel scenes & vintage illustrations from shyama's etsy shop. They look great all together on the wall or sitting upright on a desk. Just makes me want to pack my bags! :)

Our Faves! ~ Country Charm

I don't even know where to begin picking out items I LOVE from the online store madison belle.

Brooke, the owner of madison belle says this on the homepage:
"madison belle was created for those who adore decorating, entertaining, gift giving, and creating.

Our shop carries everything from soaps, candles, picture frames, and vases...to aprons, colanders, dishware, teapots, and more.

Think of us as your local small town boutique...but easily accessible on the web!"


{refreshing lemonade! decanter}
I want to sit outside and sip lemonade from this beautifully country lemonade decanter.




{aragon platter}
Then I want to grab a fresh baked cookie from my french country serving platter.




{blue pedestal compote dish}
I gaze up to the center of the table to my antique blue pedestal compote dish filled with yellow lemons & I think...yellow and blue are so striking together.

Then I go get more lemonade and fall asleep in a hammock outside. Ahh, the country!

If you love all things country; if you love all things french country; if you love all things antique and unique, madison belle is your store!

Dandy Chandy Tuesday ~ Mini Antoinette

What an elegant mini chandelier from thelightshop! The weathered silver finish with the crystals is very opulent yet modern at the same time. Mini chandy's are a simple and inexpensive way to give some style to a hallway, bathroom, or bedroom. I'm seeing this mini chandy in a bathroom over a clawfoot tub. Hey, nothing wrong with dreaming! :)