Happy Desk

A lovely work space can really change your perspective about the work you have to be doing. When you are surrounded by things you love to look at, sometimes it makes the thing you don't want to be working on not so horrible. Here are some ideas on how to make your desk area a happy place to be.

One decorative idea that I love to do is to hang wire, ribbon, or string and pin up photos, paint swatches, wedding invites, cards, and other nice things. Clothespins or small clips hold everything in place, and allow items to be switched out as you please. 

When all the papers and odds and ends you start to acquire are spread everywhere, organizing them in monochromatic boxes keep things neat, tidy, and visually appealing, too.

To really brighten up your work space, why not add a fun piece of art to help inspire you? This is a piece by Jen Ramos of Made By Girl. Love it. 

What are some ways you keep your office area a motivating place to work?

xo

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Old Sport

Over the weekend, I had the amazing opportunity to attend a panel discussion with all of the nominated teams of production designers and set decorators for this year's Academy Awards at the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood. This is the second year I've attended, and both times I've come away completely astonished and inspired by the nominees. The amount of research, time, and care these people put into their work is something to be admired. I also make a point to force myself go up to my favorites to introduce myself and say congratulations afterwards, and although I found myself shaking from nerves, I'm glad I did it.

My favorite of the nominees is The Great Gatsby. I thought the sets and the visual effects were stunning, and couldn't have done a better job of bringing the audience into the world of Jay Gatsby.

I was able to meet Catherine Martin and Bev Dunn, who were both incredibly sweet, as well as say hello and congrats to Gene Serdena, the set decorator for Her.

These are some of what I found to be the most fascinating points that were discussed...

• Originally, there were only to be a few orchids in the scene of Gatsby when Jay and Daisy meet again, but Baz Lerman insisted on hundreds more which proved a challenge to find at the last minute. But Bev worked her magic, bringing in hundreds and hundreds of faux orchids, and it allowed Leo to ad-lib the line 'Do you think it's too much?'. So perfect.

• Each prop used in Gravity had to be modeled, then input into the computer, then simulated on screen to achieve the perfect look. Each prop you see actually existed and was carefully selected. There are also many hidden layers to create back stories for the other astronauts living on the space station, whom we never see, including hints towards where they are from, who their families are, etc. In addition, all the glass on the helmets were added in post production.

• The designers of Her steered away from all blues in their sets, and red became a recurring theme.

• 12 Years a Slave was filmed throughout June, July, and August in Louisiana. The sweat is real. 

• Most of the scenes of American Hustle were filmed in Worcester, Massachusetts in order to make it seem like they were in New York in the 70's.

• Because of the large scale of sets in Gatsby, period pieces were found and then duplicated 10 fold by the prop department to create the look of the 20's.

• Every weekend during filming of 12 years, the designers would travel hours out of town, and even out of state, to rummage through old barns to find the perfect pieces.

• Many of the pieces of furniture used in American Hustle are now in the production designer's home because she loved them so much.

• The teeth used for Wolfsheim's tie-pin and cuff links in Gatsby aren't real, but it isn't because the designers didn't want them to be real. Real teeth were actually acquired and made into accessories, however upon seeing the finished products, the designers decided the teeth didn't look enough like teeth, so dozens of fake teeth were made.

Hooray for the win for Gatsby!!!

I can't wait for next year!

xo

Beauty and the Beast Office

She really is a funny girl, that Belle, but considering how much she loves to read like nobody's business, it's time for an office inspired by Beauty and the Beast.

Alright, so for this office, we're taking our colors from Belle and the Beast, lots of yellows and blues. This palate from design seeds was perfect for the job.

The main color of this office is blue, just like Belle's lovely dress that she wears as she greets the town with a 'Bonjour!' each morning. To keep it from being overwhelming, limit the deep blue to big accent pieces, like the rug, the chairs, and accessories around the room. You can also use different shades to create the feel of blue everywhere you look without being too monotonous about it.

A small tea cart is perfect for a nice cup of tea in the afternoon, or even in the middle of the night... be my guest!

I used these decor pieces as subtle hints towards the characters in the movie, but they also bring in the color scheme of the bright yellow ballgown that Belle wears in one of the most famous scenes in animation history. A silver mirror, like the one Beast gives to Belle also fit quite nicely.

The most important element of this room is, of course, the books. 'Gads of books, mountains of books, forests of books!' Like Belle, one can never have too many, and to fill an entire wall with shelves will make this office more like a library. How wonderful.

xo

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The Princess and the Frog Kitchen

The Kitchen - the only place in the home that is a work zone and a social zone wrapped up together. Is there anything more homey than having a group of people laughing and cooking a delicious meal in the kitchen together, interspersed with the occasional dance? I dare say not. So for the next Disney inspired room, I chose Princess Tiana from The Princess and the Frog, and what better room to do for Tiana, a master chef, than a kitchen?

Tiana is a hard worker and a strong believer in going after what you want, not just wishing for it. This design seeds palate, perfectly titled "Lily Pad", has bold greens and purples, and soft yellows and pinks - wonderfully fitting for our bold girl with a tender heart. 

I love a nice subway tile, so a green-blue back splash in subway tile is just lovely - very industrial feeling in the best way possible. And a great way to set that off is with a huge, double bowl, copper sink like this one. It's pricey, but absolutely perfect for cooking bit pots of gumbo. "Just a couple of shots of Tabasco, and it's the bee's knees!"

Above the island, a fixture of hanging pots and pans is not only functional, but a fun focal point. All your pots are within an arms grasp for a fast and tasty meal.

Green cabinets are a daring choice, but in a subtle color like those pictured, it makes the kitchen feel fresh and lively. Tiana spent a lot of time as a frog, so I bet she'd like the green.

Open shelving feels very restaurant-ish, just like Tiana's Palace might have where she cooks her man-catchin' beignets. Just be sure too keep things neat and organized so that the open-shelving doesn't tend towards a cluttered mess. Matching containers and jars with labels helps everything look uniform while being out on the shelf for all to see [and admire].

If there's room, why not add a small rustic table, like something Mama Odie might have out on the Bayou? It's perfect for a quick bite, or even a Tarot Card reading.

P.S. If you need a good beignet recipe, Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen makes the BEST beignets ever, and their recipe is found online here.

"Just keep em comin' till I pass out."

xo

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all other images via google and pinterest

Snow White Bedroom

Continuing with the Disney bedrooms, this post is inspired by Snow White. The first ever Disney princess most certainly needs a pretty bedroom.

Snow White is so gentle, sweet, and subdued, so I liked this color palate. It pulls in the blue, red, and yellow of her dress, and also the brown from the forest and cottage. Plus it's called 'Edible' - just like, say, an apple.

For bedding, snowy white seems all too appropriate, and lets you go bold with colors everywhere else in the room. For the walls, a dark blue makes the room feel dark and mysterious, like maybe your bed is hidden deep in the forest, especially if you add a beautiful accent wall covered with birch tree wallpaper. It's similar to the wallpaper in The Queen's office on 'Once Upon a Time.'
Blue and yellow toile window treatments are so cottage-y and lovely. And for light, lantern sconces hint to the dwarfs and their mining lanterns. For art, vintage posters and signs will brighten the walls a bit, and make you feel like you're back in the 30's when Snow White first premiered. I added these bright yellow chairs for seating, but their simple shape doesn't overpower the room with yellow. If you have the room, maybe you'll want to have 7 of these little chairs.
Then just add some fun decorations, with animals and apples all about, and don't forget to whistle while you work!

xo

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all other images via google and pinterst

Little Mermaid Bedroom

For the third installation of bedroom inspirations, I chose The Little Mermaid. Ariel is my favorite Disney princess so I thought it was important that she be next.

I liked this palate from design-seeds.com, because it incorporates the pinks, purples, blues and greens that are prominent in the movie, but also mutes them a bit. They are all so vibrant, much like Ariel's personality, but it would be overwhelming to include them all in a space at full saturation, so muted is good.

For bedding, something luxurious and fluffy is appropriate, and why not make it sea-foam green so that you can sleep in an sea bed... Get it? I thought it would be cute to add lots of distressed wood, like maybe for a desk, like in the photo. It represents the wood from sunken ships that Ariel likes to explore so much.

Definitely add shelves and fill them with all sorts of human treasures... books, art, little knick-knacks... I think you know where I'm going with this. The goal here is for someone to look at it and think you're the girl, the girl who has everything. Think, "How many wonders can one cavern hold?" and then put that many things on there. But keep it organized. No one likes a messy treasure trove.

Little pops of the bold reds and purples can be found in decor or furniture, like those pictured. Make your seating fun but luxurious, as you'll need something comfortable to rest after using your human legs all day.  I've included some pretty purple vases as well that look like colored sea glass.

Occasional accents, like starfish, pillows, and throws, make you feel like you might be near the water without overwhelming you with tacky beach decor. This ship print is pretty nifty.

For lighting, a chandelier is all too appropriate for a princess. And the shimmery tear drop crystals are like bubbles!

That's all for Ariel's room, and I think it came together quite swimmingly, don't you?

xo

images via google, pinterest, and here

Tangled Bedroom

It's time for another bedroom design, this time inspired by Disney's Tangled.

I cannot express to you how much I love this movie. Everything about it. Everything. The art is so beautiful, & the iconic floating lantern scene serves as perfect inspiration for a room design. The colors are gorgeous... purples & yellows galore. Everything in this film stems from the kingdom's emblem of the yellow sun on a purple background, so these two images were a good place to start.
I found an absolutely perfect palate on design-seeds.com called ''Blooming Tones'', which immediately made me think of the magic flower which also plays with the same colors. The palate even throws in a little turquoise to hint to Flynn's dashing vest. [Maybe now is the time to mention that there are some spoilers in this post, but I gotta say, if you haven't seen Tangled yet, then I don't know what to tell you, except go. Go watch it right now.]

For the bedding, a nice simple floral print works quite well, but you have to be careful to hit that sweet spot in between looking juvenile and grandma-ish. This set has some branches incorporated that makes it feel adult, but not old fashioned. In makes reference to all the flowers that Rapunzel has in her braid when she ventures out into the world for the first time.
For art, a gallery wall is wonderful, because Rapunzel is always looking to 'add a few new paintings to [her] gallery'. If you were stuck in your tower all day, uniformity would get old quickly, so mix in colors and textures to make it interesting Also a purple accent wall is awesome for brightening up the entire space.

If there's room for seating, have a nice peacock colored chair. It brings in the color of Flynn's outfit, and what is more suited for that than a chair, much like the one he is tied to with Rapuzel's lustrous locks.

Since yellow and orange are so vibrant, little pops of these colors work best, like in throw pillows or blankets. Added texture is fun, too, like in this pillow. You can make your own as well, which seems pretty Rapunzel. I mean she sews dresses, so she would probably like making pillows.

For lighting, of course, lanterns. Duh. Pottery Barn has a whole line of nice lanterns for hanging, setting on surfaces, or you can just make your own from Mason jars!

Stay tuned for the next bedroom inspiration. Now, go, live your dream.
xo
images via pinterest, google, and here.