I could spend a fortune on design books.  And design magazines.  But I don’t – I only buy ones that I *really* think I need.  And this is one of them.

It’s available on October 12th here.

Sooo…we have been doing a lot of switching things up here at Casa Christensen. Which meant I got to choose new paint and re-decorate things! And believe me, I’ve done a lot of re-painting, re-arranging and more re-painting and re-arranging. But I think I finally have things how I want them (for now), so I took the chance to clean up the room and take some photos! And the clean room didn’t last very long…you can put the photos in chronological order based on how many plastic balls are in the photos. How can you expect a toddler to resist a clean room with a basket full of plastic balls?

So to refresh your memory, this is Harper’s old/first room. I’m assuming she’ll have many different rooms throughout her first 18 years with an interior designer for a momma.

I’m sure many people thought it was just fine as it was (if you recall, it did win a contest over at Serena and Lily on Facebook! Their very first Show and Tell contest for September 2009!), but we decided to make this our room as it has a little bathroom.  So Harper’s room was moved to the bigger (longer and skinnier) room and we got the slightly smaller (more square with a smaller closet) and I couldn’t be happier with it all!  We love having our own bathroom, and we’ve solved the clothing storage problem so things are great!

And then her new room…

This is how the room used to look when we first moved in and it was ours.  I liked the orange as a color, but not in my room.  It just never worked.  But I finally feel like things are coming along!  Notice that some of Harper’s painted furniture is in here (side table – now green and the dresser – now with white drawer fronts and new hardware).

So on to the photos of Harper’s new room!  If you look close you’ll see some things are the same, and some things are different.  For instance, the window shades stayed in their original rooms (i.e. we kept the striped ones and Harper got our old brown ones) and I’m so glad it worked out color-wise.  We repainted both rooms, and all of the furniture that I previously painted white for her old room, I re-painted GREEN!  As for her new room color – this is how I chose it.  We already have gray, brown, green and white throughout our house so I started thinking about a new color for her room.  Hmm…what color have I not used?  Orange? Nope, done it already and want it gone!  Pink?  Nah…pink just wouldn’t go in our house.  Purple? Not feeling purple either.  Blue? YES – blue!  So I grabbed all of my blue paint swatches and went through the stack to find one I liked.  If you know me, you know I am obsessed with gray right now so it’s only fitting that the blue I chose is somewhat related to gray.  I love the color – Comfort Gray 6205 by Sherwin Williams. It’s also in a flat finish, and I love how it looks.  Plus it will work if she has a little brother sometime in the future…I promise I’ll take the pom poms down by then!

(10 points to you if you know where this color is from blogland.  Yes, I order paint samples that I see from everywhere!)

I still have some touch-up painting to do (there is a lot of orange peeking out where the walls meet the ceiling) but I couldn’t wait and had to get some photos up.

I also want to re-stain the cedar chests to a darker reddish brown, to look more like the unpainted areas of the dresser.

If you’ll notice, I’m trying to add more black to the room (you know I like a little edginess – there was no black in Harper’s old room except for those lamps which is crazy for our house.  We love black accents.) and black and white accents.

I’m not really an advocate for TVs in a toddler’s room, but our new room has no cable outlet and we just haven’t switched it yet.  So it’s staying for now.

I stole art and shelves and lamps and fabric from all over the house to bring into her room.  Lucky girl.

My aunt painted that picture from a photo of Harper.  I love that she turned her into a little pixie.  And I’m glad I finally got to hang it (it was in the powder bath before but now it goes with her new room!).  Thanks, Aunt Vicky!

I love the new gold accents, in the frame (of a pencil drawing I did in high school – it used to be hanging in the living room) and in the lamp on the black bookcase.

I love the green I picked for the painted furniture.  It’s actually the color in my office – Old Salem Gray, Benjamin Moore HC-94 – so I just used leftover paint.  I knew Harper’s room needed another color and I just happened to have a sample of that green handy, so I put it up against the blue/gray and instantly knew it would look great on the furniture!  Love it.

What do you think of Harper’s new room?  Hopefully I can show ours soon…but I’m still working on art on the walls and it should be done!

So for the breakdown:

• Crib is from IKEA – it has the rail taken off so she sleeps in it as her toddler bed!
• Recliner is La-Z-Boy
• Window blinds are from Home Depot
• White curtains are a diamond matelasse, hand-me-down from a friend of mine
• Cedar chests were made in high school shop class (Glenn made one, the other was a gift for me)
• Black bookcase is from Tarjay (Target)
• Changing table is hand-me-down from a friend
• Black hanging shelf is hand-me-down from sister-in-law
• White and wood dresser is from thrift store
• Poms poms are Martha Stewart from Harper’s 1st Birthday Party
• Black lamps are from Fred Meyer
• Gold lamp is hand-me-down from ?? Glenn’s family I’m sure!
• H-A-R-P-E-R letters are from Land of Nod.
• Striped rug is from Tarjay.
• Harper’s bedding is Olivia by Dwell for Target
• Zig zag striped fabric is Summer Soiree by Paula Prass (Chevron in black)
• Black frames with black and white pictures are Ribba from IKEA

Thanks for stopping by and have a great week!

]]> http://lindsaychristensendesign.com/blog/2010/06/06/harpers-new-room/feed/ 2 http://lindsaychristensendesign.com/blog/2010/04/04/kitchen-dreaming/ http://lindsaychristensendesign.com/blog/2010/04/04/kitchen-dreaming/#comments Sun, 04 Apr 2010 20:31:41 +0000 Lindsay C http://lindsaychristensendesign.com/blog/?p=1262

I really, really, really want to change my kitchen.  It’s very small right now, but we have the space to expand it and fit our needs a lot better.  And we could really use the storage…and the dishwasher.    So I’ve been playing with CAD today to make sure Glenn and I are on the same page – because by just talking about it I find that we often have COMPLETELY different ideas.  And I’m very visual so this helps…

Here is my idea – new L-shaped countertop with a breakfast bar with cabinets above and below in the existing dining room (where the striped wall is if you’re familiar with my house).  This is at the top of the drawing.

Then we’ll bump back the laundry room wall (4 feet back) into the garage and add a wall of pantry/floor-to-ceiling storage, and we’ll move the fridge there.  This is at the bottom-right of the drawing.  See – not a crazy change, just expanding above and below.  Plus we’ll add some new flooring to the entire kitchen space to unify it.  I can’t wait!  Oh, and I want a new door to go out to the ‘South Alley’ – one that is almost completely glass because this is the only Southern facing wall in our house and that is where the most light comes in.  Bring on the sunshine!!

Someday my home (not my current home – my future dream home!) will have doors on barn-type slider tracks.  Like this…sigh…

Besides being visually attractive, they are very functional as to eliminate the space you need for a door swing.  Either way, I love it.

Via Design Sponge.

This house (below) is where my barn-door obsession began about 5 years ago – I saw it in the March 2005 issue of Western Interiors and I still have the issue.  I even used this house in a few projects in design school (with permission from the architect! .  Please follow the link to see it in full below – you won’t be sorry!

Via studio.bna (Audrey Hall photo)

Via Apartment Therapy.

Apparently they’re easy to install, you just need a kit.  Visit Remodelista for more info on where to find the fittings and supplies!

Have a great weekend, everyone! I’m excited to do my daycare playroom install tomorrow, so hopefully I’ll have those pictures up for you soon!!

xo, Lindsay

I have a problem.  I start a blog post, but don’t finish it.  I find 1 good inspiration image, then I get stuck.  My draft list is getting longer and longer on here.  I try to squeeze a post into the free moments that I have, but it’s not enough time.  I have a ton of photos on my camera that never make it to my computer.  And then I have 5 client projects I’m working on.  And calories that need to be burned.  Where was I going with this? 

So I’m going to stick in one or two (okay, 3!) images of a cool product that I’m actually considering for my own house…because I am so excited that the wall between my garage and my laundry room will soon be a distant memory, and it will be replaced with another set a few feet back.  And it will be the new home of my refrigerator and my new pantry.  Because putting food on the open shelf above my washing machine isn’t cutting it anymore!

Beadboard wallpaper. Oh yes…because who can stand to paint brand new wood?  Because I want it painted.  And who can afford to run it floor to ceiling, like my inspiration image.  I saw this image (below) and have saved it for my laundry room.  And I’m a bad blogger and don’t remember where I got it.  Sorry!  I think it’s Martha Stewart, but I’m not sure.  Please let me know if you know!

Cool glass containers should go above my washer and dryer.  Not food.    And I found the cool wallpaper while browsing the latest Land of Nod catalog.  They’re now offering wallpaper (I love the paintable textured options) and eco-friendly Mythic paint from their catalogs.  I’m sure I’ve seen it before, but I forget about things with so many options!

$30 for an 11 yard roll (20.5″ wide). And my mother-in-law can hang wallpaper.  And I am getting a tax refund.  And I’d like to spend it on my kitchen…what are you spending yours on?  Home related or other?  I am excited that our big kitchen plans might be coming to life sooner than expected!

Have a great week!!

-Lindsay

File this post under “Things That Catch My Eye So I’m Going To Share It/Save It Here.”  As usual, I just couldn’t help myself.

Because I could totally live here.  Exactly how it is.  Black paint, cement walls and floors (if they’re heated, of course), giant windows, an amazing patio space, giant beds, built in bunks, a view to die for.  We even love that it’s underground.  It is located in a little odd place – I’d rather be out all alone in the middle of nowhere, but my husband and I completely agree – we could move into this house just how it is and live perfectly happy.  How about you?

Is that a heated outdoor tub I spy? (Above.)

The living room furniture even looks somewhat comfortable, which is a necessity in my house.  But where is the TV?

I had to double check for a bathroom picture, just to make sure I liked it all, but it did not disappoint.

If not to live in then to vacation in…right?

I’d love to see a floor plan…

What do you think?  Are you attracted to the slightly quirky, modern aesthetic of this Swiss Mountain House, or does this look do nothing for you?  What style of design would you categorize yourself as your favorite?

{Images courtesy of Trendir via SeARCH and Christian Muller Architects via Gizmodo, via Abitare}

Check out this lovely set of photos from the Southern California home of Kristan Cunningham (yes, the host of HTGV’s Design on a Dime!).  Most of the walls in their rental are white, but they’ve painted most of the ceilings a dark charcoal gray.  And their ceilings really don’t look that high, which is a nice example of how dark ceilings really don’t make a room look and feel smaller (like most people believe) but they push the walls out and make the room look and feel larger.

I also love the lighter gray trim, and the dark lower cabinets with matching pulls.

They added the wainscoting backsplash as well.

They removed a few upper cabinets to the left of the kitchen window and added open shelves there – perfect touch!

I love the black accents and black, white, gray and brown/wood color scheme.

How great is that ceiling? And that painting? And those orange Eames Molded Plastic Armchairs!

Even the stacked books on the mantel are coordinated!

I’m grateful for my new vinyl windows, but there’s something about painted window grids.  And cute little owls.

Probably my favorite shot from the whole house.  I love the doilies and the ticking stripe bolster.  But just wait…

LOVE that closet paint job!

And the bathroom cabinet got the same treatment as in the kitchen.

Turquoise front door.  Enough said!  PS – Turquoise has been named Pantone’s 2010 Color of the Year…just in case you didn’t know. 

Enough eye candy for you today?  Me neither…I could always use some more! If you’d like to read about Kristan’s house, budget and DIY tips, you can read the entire article here at the LA Times. Enjoy!

What are your thoughts on Kristan’s French-with-an-edge Venice California house?  How about that ceiling color?  A little masculine with a little quirk? Just my style! Leave your thoughts here!

I have missed Domino Magazine (so, so much like a lot of us – how did this happen??!!) and now there is Lonny, a new online magazine that is trying really hard to fill that void.  With former Domino staffers brought in as contributors, along with many talented designers, decorators, bloggers, photographers and design industry professionals, I think that they will succeed.  I really hate that my favorite type of magazine – shelter and home decorating mags – are the first to go in these trying times, so maybe something like Lonny will bring this particular magazine industry back to life!

Lonny officially launched yesterday, and being that I’m home sick – guess what I was doing!  Looking over Lonny – and that made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.  And inspired.  And happy.  My little laptop struggled a little bit, but one restart later (and closing down my 10 other tabs that were open) and it worked just fine.  Lonny is beautiful, and a great read.  But there are some pros and cons – and so here is my first assessment of Lonny!

One thing I do miss, which is a given, is actually flipping through those glossy pages and holding the magazine in my hands, bookmarking my favorite pages to reference (with those Domino stickers!!), but there are a lot of pluses to looking at Lonny online:  1) You can print or share the pages that you like very easily.  2) You can click on products that you like and it will take you straight to that webpage to shop! Or if you’re like me, window shop.  3)  You can search for keywords and all of the results are right in front of you.  4)  You can view the entire magazine on one page, and then click to zoom in on the specific page you want.  It takes a bit of getting used to, but I really think that an online magazine is the wave of the future and a lot of others will follow suit very soon.

It seems to have everything that I, along with others like me are interested in and missed about Domino; house tours, decorating tips, easy-to-copy/reinterpret styles, gardening how-to’s, budget style, eco-friendly products, and fashion/interior correlations and predictions.  I also like how Lonny showcases a huge variety of price points – from $7.99 IKEA side tables, to thrifted antiques, to a $1,200 dining chair (or how to turn a thrifted antique into one that looks like its $1,200) and how to mix them all together stylishly.  There are 4-5 tips in almost every article, for example, 5 tips when renovating, 4 Easy Pieces, 5 easy ways to live more sustainably, 5 tips on entertaining with style, 5 tips on DIY – I like it broken down like that – having “rules” to pull from.  And the “tips” sections are easy to spot in the index – they’re in pretty little scrolled boxes so you can skip around and find them quickly!

Lonny is also all about the bloggers.  They feature them in their articles, they have bloggers as contributors (Grace Bonney of Design*Sponge, along with Eddie Ross of Design Star), and they thank the bloggers for talking about Lonny and allowing it to “see the light of day.”  I think that’s pretty cool.  The end section is even called “Blogger Style.”  So calling all bloggers – here’s your big chance!  I’m interested to see what else they do with regard to bloggers in future issues.

And the final thing I love about Lonny: it’s free.  Well, it isn’t “final” but I can only talk about so much here!!  You go to their website to read it and that’s it!  I’m assuming that the clickable ads that are placed throughout the magazine are all that’s keeping it running, but I’m not going to question that for now.  I can’t wait until the next issue…does anyone know how often they’re going to be publishing?  I would LOVE it if it’s a monthly mag, but I don’t see that happening.  Let me know if you know more!

Have you clicked over and checked it out yet?  What do you think??

(images via Lonny Magazine)

I wanted to title this post “Harper’s Nursery,” but I really don’t feel like she is a baby with a nursery anymore.  It is turning into a little girl’s room.  She just turned 1 last Friday, and I can’t believe how fast she’s growing.  I guess it’s technically a nursery — she still needs her crib and changing table, but she is rapidly turning into a little girl right before our eyes.  She plays in her room, with her toys.  It is her very own room.  She is getting more and more independent every day, plus she’s mobile and has a hilarious little personality starting to shine through.  I think her birthday gave me the little motivation I needed to finish her room like I wanted it, and I finally got it all set up and photographed today.  Enjoy!!

If you’ve been reading, you’d know that I’ve been busy painting things for her room – including her changing table, a side/magazine table, a wall shelf, and her dresser. Here are some “before” photos, and you can see the finished product in her room photos!!

Here is the entire room from the doorway:

So as a refresher, here is what it looked like when we first moved in:

And here’s a shot of it that I took today (at almost the same angle):

Lots of new details!

So here’s the breakdown on Harper’s room:
Crib: IKEA
Crib bedding: Olivia by Dwell Studio for Target
Recliner: La-Z-Boy
Blinds: Home Depot
Rug: Target
Bookshelf: Way Basics
Dandelion Wall Decal: Etsy
Pom-poms: Michael’s by Martha Stewart
Changing table: Hand-me-down
Baskets: Wal-Mart
Dresser: Thrift Store
Side table: Hand-me-down
“H-A-R-P-E-R” Wallpaper Letters: Land of Nod
Lamp Set: Fred Meyer
Wall Shelf: Hand-me-down
LOVE Print: Oh Brooke

This is my new favorite room in the house! What do you think of Harper’s room??

I love, love, love this kitchen.  Well, more specifically I love the color scheme.  It reminds me of the gray that I have in my living room, and I’m tempted to carry the color into my kitchen. I’ve actually had a lot of positive comments about the bright color I have now, which made me take notice of the subtle colors I’m attracted to. I’m not sure about the semi-bright green (“Misted Fern” by BM) I have now but a girl can dream.  Always looking out for the better color, or side table, or rug, or ceramic garden stool.  Which brings me to this kitchen from House Beautiful.

I love the white cabinets, gray background, and black and green accents.  What do you think?  It might actually help me tie in the “I am too cheap to buy stainless steel appliances” white and black appliances that I have.    Don’t judge me.  It’s a starter home!  The only problem I have now is my stock blonde “wood” laminate countertops. They’re in good shape so they’re staying for now, but we are planning a kitchen remodel – SOMEDAY.  Our kitchen is way awkward with no storage, so it should be fun!  But I can always repaint!

On another note, I just helped a client choose countertops from a color selection of meganite.  Ever heard of it?  It’s an acylic solid surface.  She wanted black countertops, which would have looked great, but after seeing a friend’s dark acrylic countertops (which were full of scratches) she voted for my lighter selection, which should hide the scratches.  Soapstone would have been so beautiful…but so expensive!

I can’t wait to see her “after” pictures!  I’ll have to post them as soon as I get a picture.  Have a good week, everyone!

(images via House Beautiful and Meganite)