noir et blanc

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8 // 9 // 10

It's getting all dark and spooky out there.  All Hallow's Eve is fast approaching.  

I love all the dark and light contrast that this time of year has to offer.  Black crows and white pumpkins, dark nights, dark mornings, too, for that matter...  Every once in a while it's nice to take a break from all of that vivid Fall color and focus on the simplicity that noir et blanc, otherwise known as black and white, can bring to your life.

All of the above items are offered for sale, if you are so inclined.

Just click on the numbered links above for more information.

Cheers, Julie

something to try: top shot photography

Ah yes, it's 2013, and all of a sudden we are all photographers.  Our world makes it very easy to be one, too.  Social media has unapologetically taken over our lives and along with it, photography has become an integral part.  Cell phones insist on the inevitable constant companionship of a camera at all times.  Most of us therefore can't resist snapping a photo here and there throughout the day and sharing them with all of our friends, fans and followers.  It's not a bad thing.  But bad photography is.  Fortunately, there are many really fantastic photography examples out there to follow, which can teach us a lesson or two on what to do or not do.  The top shot is one such example of a photography "do" that I just happen to be in love with.

clockwise from top:  1 // 2 // 3 // 4

For me, a top shot photo garners instant respect for the photographer.  It not only shows off a level of mad creativity, but also that effort was put into getting that perfect angle and thus maximizing the impact of the subject matter.  I doubt any one of the above collections would be quite as interesting without a nice top shot.

top // bottom

Top shots of office supplies and desk tops exhibit the beautiful shapes of each object.

top // bottom

Top shot lifestyle photos show a more complete picture of what is happening at a particular moment.

from the left:  1 // 2 // 3

Food photography has to be my favorite of the top shot category.  It is the modern day version of classic still life art.  What better way to see all the ingredients of a particular dish or meal?  Again, serious respect for the photographer who chooses to take top shots of food.  When you see one of these, you instantly know that this person was most likely standing on a chair over a table in a restaurant or at a friend's dinner party trying to get the perfect angle.  It truly is an art form.

You can be a top shot artist, too.  Just grab a chair or step ladder, get up high, and shoot from above.  

You just might be a top shot master!

Cheers, Julie

geometric excellence

white floating honeycomb shelves by HandmadeRiot

Fact about me:  I'm a civil engineer.  So it should not come as any shock to you that I'm particularly fond of math and science.  It's really the certainty of it all that attracts me to these things.  They are subjects that involve analysis, interpretation, and proof.  No doubt, often times there is a lot of disproving of things that have previously been proven, too.  But for the most part, there is no ambiguity to math and science.  They just are.    

Besides math and science, I am also drawn to creativity and design.  Many people see a divide between creativity/design and math/science.  There are tech geeks and design geeks.  I guess I see it a little differently.  Math and science are everything...the universe.  Creativity and design are what the universe uses to make things that are vital and necessary to happiness in life.  So really, the two go hand in hand.  In my mind anyways.  Creativity/design can't live in a world without math/science and vice versa.  It's the juxtaposition of the two that maintains the balance.  Good example:  where would Apple be without either math/science or creativity/design?

The latest geometric design trends are the perfect illustrations of how the two schools of thinking can combine and coexist peacefully together.  Here are a few etsy items that have recently made it to my favorites list.

geometric pillow cover by Nirwa

hanging porcelain planter by RevisionsDesign

wood candle holders by ShadeonShape

print by Handz

Hope your week is shaping up nicely, Julie

currently coveting...brass accents

Can we talk about brass for a minute?  For a long time, brass and anything having to do with the goldish tone was totally out.  I myself was completely grossed out by all of those brassy goldish door knobs and drawer pulls that came with my 1996 constructed condo.  I hated the pretty brass bed that I grew up with.  I secretly loathed every brass light fixture that was installed in my parents' big beautiful new construction home.

But that was then.  And this is now.  Now I'm craving that tiny of touch of glamour in my own home.
Here's the thing about brass:  It must be used in small doses.  Just a smidge too much and you're headed into brass overload.   The way to keep it classy is to add an accent piece here and there.  Perhaps it is best to think of it as jewelry for a room.  Maybe add a bowl here, a light fixture there, an occasional table there.  Then to be on the safe side, take one piece away.

Emily Henderson knows how to do it right.  All of the interior design inspirations shown in this post are all hers.  Want success with brass in your abode?  Follow Emily's example and you're in.







Shopping for some hits of brass to add to your place?  Here are a few pieces that shouldn't be hard to find:
Just click the links below to purchase your own.

one:  astra chandelier by anthropologie // two:  brass letter wall art by crate & barrel //

three:  martini side table by west elm // four:  walker sconce by pottery barn  //

five:  hanging brass planeter by urban outfitters 

Here's a not-so-secret secret about finding super budget-friendly brass pieces:  Hit up the Goodwill store nearby.  The home goods section usually always has a whole aisle devoted to some of those long ago shunned little gems of glamour that I'm currently coveting.  And that's one place that you will most likely find me in the near future, too.

How do you feel about brass?  Are you in or still on the fence about it?

cheers, Julie

art by cmcdonald

"Escape"  Photographic Print

I just love palm trees.  So statuesque and beautiful, not unlike all the glamorous movie stars that they are constantly hovering over in Southern California...among other places.  Unfortunately for me, though, there is not a palm tree to be found in the Pacific Northwest.  Apparently damp, cool conditions just aren't their jam.  Divas of the plant world.  Lucky for me, though, I can gaze longingly at Catherine McDonald's lovely palm tree photography and dream of vacations past and future in a far off place.  

Just click on the links below to acquire some of your very own cmcdonald photography.

"Strength"  Photographic Print

"Sunshine & Warmth"  Photographic Print

"Streets of L.A."  Photographic Print

CMcDonald has a lot of other fun things to offer, too:

 

Old Hollywood Photographic Print // Mountain High Peacock Chevron Shower Curtain //

  Mediterranean Pillow Cover // Southwest Iphone Case // Amongst Greatness Pillow Cover  // 

Bird on a Wire Photographic Print

Happy Hump Day, Julie

Photography by Lolas Room

get it here

Cameras aren't only for taking photographs...They're for being photographed, too.

I mean, let's be real, cameras (especially vintage cameras) have a beauty all their own.  No?

These photographs of cameras are the lovely work of Lolas Room on Etsy and they are just a few examples of Cassia Beck's photographer brilliance.  Just click on any of the links to go purchase one of these prints for yourself.

get it here

get it here

get it here

get it here

happy thursday!  Julie

kids rooms design inspiration

We have a playroom at our house.  It needs a lot of work.  There's a ton of toys and games, a big tv for watching movies, a computer desk, and shelving for storage of said toys and games.  The kids love it.  But it really doesn't have any kind of flavor to it.  A couple of years ago I moved into my current home, which already housed my boyfriend and his two kids.  I've slowly been adding my own personal decorative touch to the house whenever I can, but it can be difficult since our current budget doesn't really allow for such frivolities.  But I do think about how nice it would be if I could just invest a little time and money into it.  It might look something like one of these lovely little inspirations I've shown below. 

pinned here

I love the bright airiness of this room.  Especially the white-washed wood floors and the drum shade pendant light.  Pure perfection.

source
This room isn't actually a playroom, but it's still a good one to take inspiration from.  I'm always a sucker for mixing teal blue and orange.  There's just something so lighthearted about it.  Kids would undoubtedly gravitate to the unique seating choices, too.  The bench under the window is a great idea for providing a convenient storage solution in addition to seating.  Don't you just love the dragonfly wallpaper?

source
Again, the bright white is so refreshing.  Loving the big fruit as well.  And the patterned rug is genius.  It would for sure help hide the messiness that kids inevitably always seem to grace us with via such things as crayons, markers, and snacks.  Let's be real.  It happens.

source

The colors in this room are subdued, yet punchy and playful at the same time.  I'm sure there are some that would disagree with using black in a kids' room, but I think the graphic nature of the way it's used in this room makes it quite childlike.  A chalkboard wall can also be a jumping off point that designers like to use to incorporate black into a bright white kids' room.  Function and form are thus both satisfied.

I put together a little mood board of what I might like to do at my own house someday:

Have you decorated your kids' playroom lately?
I'd love to see what you've done.

cheers, Julie

friday favorites, 8/9/2013

this quote by stephen hawking pinned from here.

Yes, I've read "A Brief History of Time" and, needless to say, it floored me.  I wouldn't say that Stephen Hawking is an idol of mine, but his brilliance can't be disputed.  This quote of his really resonates with me.

this song "purple yellow red & blue" by portugal the man.

It's dark.  It's moody.  But you can still dance to it.  I'm into it.

this recipe for chocolate hazlenut cupcakes by lizzy pancakes.

my boyfriend's birthday is next week and I've been slowly plotting,  I mean planning, his birthday dinner.  He's an insane peanut butter junkie, so I was thinking of making him a chocolate peanut butter cake or something similar.  These yummy-looking cupcakes just might do the trick.  

Lizzy always makes the best stuff.

this book.

I know.  It's a kids' book.  And I'm thirty-something.  But I went to the library this week to pick up some books for the kiddos and this is one of the ones I found there.  Needless to say, it's a childhood favorite of mine and I couldn't resist the urge to steal it and read it myself.

this show.

Have you seen it yet?  It's good.  Really good.  It's one of those shocking, surprising, you never really know what's going to happen type of shows.  But it's also about women.  In prison.  And why they're there.  And what amazing people they can be, even in prison.  Like I said, it's really good and I highly recommend it.  Just finished watching Season 1 and can't wait until Season 2 comes out.  

Unfortunately, that won't be until 2014.  Of course.

this design inspiration as pinned here.

As you may or may not know, I'm slightly obsessed with interior design.  It's way too hard for me to pick out one single design inspiration that I like for the whole week, but this is certainly ONE of my favorites.  Indisputably, blue is my favorite color and I absolutely adore the tone of the blue sofa and ottoman pictured here.  I also really love the way the designer continued the line work from the art up and onto the wall.  

You can find more of my many interior design inspirations via my Pinterest board here.

So there you have it...some of my favorite things this week.

What have you been enjoying lately?

cheers, Julie

just peachy

It's August (yay!) and even though the summer season is slowly starting to wind down, the sun is still bright and shining and the thermometer is running hot.  And you know what?  Everything is feeling pretty peachy.  So in honor of that, I've decided to celebrate my favorite summer fruit...yep, you guessed it.

summer peach and balsamic pizza recipe by love and olive oil 

This recipe looks pretty much divine in every possible way.  First and foremost, it seems like something that I could do pretty easily without too much time invested.  Plus, it looks totally scrumptious. Obviously.   Just perfect for a warm summer night out on the patio.

 peach margarita by Elsie on a beautiful mess 

And with my beautiful peach pizza, I might also decide to have this lovely peach margarita.  Talk about peach heaven. I don't know, though, too much peach all at once?  Nah. Impossible.

peach stripe straws by Creative Juice Cafe

And guess what.  I might also decide to sip my peach margarita with one of these cute striped straws.

peach stone bubble necklace by plushpearljewelry

Oh, and did I mention how cute I'd look eating my pizza and drinking my margarita while wearing this gorgeous necklace?

pretty peach dress by ever + mi crush

And/or this dress?

ombre peach chevron iphone case by fieldtrip

I might also decide to use this cool iphone (case) to call some friends and invite them to come over to share some of my peachy good eats.

modern boho feather water colour painting by FeatherandSixPence

My friends would, of course, be ever-so-impressed with my new art.

fuzzy navel chevron pillow by artbycmcdonald on etsy

And who doesn't want a little more chevron in their life?  This pillow would totally make my life complete.

And there you have it...my ode to the peach.

What kind of fruit have you been indulging in this summer?

cheers, Julie

New Website Design for Engineering Company Goes Live

Have you seen my new website design yet?

I recently completed this website for the company of Larson & Associates in Pierce County, WA, which specializes in the services of land surveying, land use & planning, civil engineering and project management.  Larson previously had a simple website, which was created more than ten years ago, so they were long overdue for a fresh new home page to direct potential clients to and display their bevy of development services.  Although they do not currently implement any social media or blogging activities, the simple elegance of their new Wordpress website allows for them to easily integrate these features any time they like in the future.  The calm, cool and collected simplicity of the design shows off the sophistication of the company and all that they have to offer to the development community in Western Washington.  They now have a place on the internet that they can be proud of and make potential clients feel welcome.  Check it out here at www.rrlarson.com.  

I had a blast working on this project and now I'm onto the next big Einstein thing. 

 I actually get to put my Engineer's hat on again for this one.  

You can view more of my work over on the einstein website at www.einsteindesignconsulting.com. 

Cheers, Julie

pinterest power...kevin & robin

 

Captain Kirk c/o their Pinterest Board "Space: The Final Frontier"

 

Airstream c/o their Pinterest Board "Campy Camping" 

Hipster Essentials c/o their Pinterest Board "Hippest Hipster"

 

Interior Design c/o their Pinterest Board "Interiors"

Kevin & Robin are a couple of my favorite Pinterest Pinners.  And why wouldn't they be?  They like all the same stuff I like...geekery, sandwiches, hipsters, vintage campers, star trek and interior design with a vintage twist.  Which makes them seem like pretty fun people if you ask me.  I follow them on Pinterest...You should, too!

Hap, hap, happies...Julie

For a bunch more really cool Pinterest Pins, you should follow me, too! 

 Just click here to see my boards.

plus signs

Have you noticed?  The plus sign is popping up all over the place lately.  This is mainly due to Pia Wallen, who designed the lovely blanket pictured here.

But it's not just all about the blanket.  There's other stuff, too.

Like this Pia Wallen Tray...

Or these Urban Walls Plus Sign Decals

And this simple little throw pillow.

The plus sign, or cross as some like to refer to it as, is great for adding a punch to your interior if you're not so much into bold color.  It's graphic and strong, yet light and serene.  What do you think?  Would you add the plus sign to  your decor?

+++  Julie  +++

For more design inspiration, follow me here on Pinterest.  There's tons of good stuff to drool over!