I used to salivate in front of home magazines and blogs, now I only read decor magazines when I'm in a doctor's waiting room and zip through my deco blog RSS feed in five minutes without getting that little jolt of excitement once.
At first I though this might be low-grade depression. Now I suspect it has more to do with the recession.
Of course I have my own color preferences, but it's when i see an interior that is inventive rather than decorated that I get excited. For example, the rug in the stairwell above was made sewing Ikea rugs together. When an interior is decorated with more imagination than money, it feels like a more attainable dream.
I found the images on this post reading the beautiful blog So Lovely. Read So lovely for the story, and Living Etc. for more detail about the house and its owner Chrissie Probert-Jones, co-founder of Stitch designworks.
How cute is that wall?
By the way: I had a double take when I saw the bedroom below. Precisely the same floor plan as Lisa Whatmouth's bedroom I posted about here. Here is one:
.. and here is the other. Ain't it weird?
Now the architecture of this home is fabulous, but see how the decorating seem to involve more love than dough. A bit of Tricia Guild vibe with the wall paper, books presented in reverse, (sorry Google won't tell me what to call the opposite of the binding) Ikea shelving, bright expanses of fabric, an unframed painting, and the touch of blue that tricks you into thinking that this all came together by accident.
The little girl in me will always dream of a round bed. They have it at Ikea and I always look at it dazzled, then shake my head no and walk away.
Hope you're having a rollicking sunday and you're not just reading blogs like I am.
Oh thank you Corine. Yeah I just don't feel right about spending thousands on "things" right now.
xC
Posted by: So Lovely | January 11, 2009 at 04:56 PM
Well, yeah, we'll all be in withdrawal in this recession.
Posted by: Tatiana | January 11, 2009 at 06:34 PM
The whiteboard wall is perfect.
Posted by: Liberty Post Editor | January 11, 2009 at 09:11 PM
Oh and DIY is totally in vogue now. So..what are all the designers going to do?
Posted by: Liberty Post Editor | January 11, 2009 at 09:12 PM
Corine, this was an absolutely wonderful post on color!! I am a color fiend so this had a lot of inspiration for me. Thanks!
Karen O.
Posted by: Karen Olivia | January 11, 2009 at 09:46 PM
Great images Corine - i much prefer interiors designed from the heart. xv
Posted by: vicki archer | January 11, 2009 at 10:37 PM
J'ai du mal aussi avec les Elle Deco, et autre Ideat... Je cherche plus l'invention et le debrouille que le gout parfait avec des tonnes d'euros au budget !
Posted by: TheYoupiTouch | January 11, 2009 at 11:38 PM
génial! mon fils qui a vu ton post veut que j'achète des escaliers comme ça! ou plutot non "tu n'as qu'à les peindre" ben voyons, si les stroumphs s'y mettent.....
Posted by: miss sunrise | January 12, 2009 at 09:43 AM
WONDERFUL. I too fly thru the interior design mags now. It all looks the same most of the time but maybe that is b/c I look at so much of it. And , sadly, the mags are dropping like flys! Whever I go to home depot I buy up all those Better Home and Garden publications for DIY. I always find at least one brilliant idea. LUV all that respberry and pink! There is nothing like a bit of the complimentary shade to POW the room (here in blue with the darker pink) and PAINT that stairway if you do not want to sew all the rugs together.
Catherine
Posted by: Cat | January 12, 2009 at 11:23 AM
those photos made me so happy!
Posted by: Aran | January 12, 2009 at 02:48 PM
brilliant, as always.
kirtsy. duh. xoxo.
Posted by: karey m. | January 13, 2009 at 12:42 AM
Love how the colours pop from the white walls. Great post!
Posted by: Natalie | January 13, 2009 at 02:52 AM
I'm with you on this. I love to see creative and individual interiors. Great post.
Posted by: Di Overton | January 14, 2009 at 05:56 AM
More love than dough...what a perfect description of how I am decorating these days. (Okay, the idea of me decorating is hilarious, but you know what I mean. :p )
And I loathe deco mags nowadays. SO uninspired. I way prefer viewing personal style in the blogworld...so much more doable and liveable, and attractive, too.
Posted by: muralimanohar | January 15, 2009 at 02:09 PM
Hi Corine, after you found my blog, I looked up your, and I'm thrilled! I love the picture of the 'Times" wall!!What a lovely idea!! That's the lovely thing about Blogs: always something new to see or lean! Keep up the good work! You rock!
Posted by: Cindy | January 18, 2009 at 05:55 AM
love your blog.........so colorful!!!
Posted by: jessica | February 18, 2009 at 05:46 AM