mirrormirror - Part 26

Pinterest Take Five

March 10, 2012 By Paola 5 Comments

This week on Pinterest we’ve been getting ziggy with it.

Source: Chevron iPhone case from Society6 via Leah Dent

Source: Faux Feather Neon Aztec Earrings from lovesexton via Marcia Prentice

Source: Design Crisis via Hammocks & High Tea

1. Paint the canvas all crazy like 2. Use painter’s tape to create a herringbone pattern with some missing 3. Paint over the canvas in white 4. Remove tape and voila!

Source: Cozamia via Melanie Hernquist

Source: Pattern of the Day from Karina Maranin via Poppytalk

Oh and have an extra one this week. You guys are so SPOILT.

Source: How to Make a Chevron Pattern in Photoshop from Ashli Nixon via Uncle Beefy.

WTF Friday

March 9, 2012 By Paola 15 Comments

From the Sartorialist.

‘Trust me, French young ladies are still the ones to look to for the most aspirational new trends. The newest thing I’ve seen in the streets here in Paris are straight, wide leg jeans. Not flared or oversized jeans, but jeans with a wide leg hemmed right at the ankle and reasonably fitted at the waist. It seems simple, but in order to work the look just right the eye will have to adjust to this new proportion.’

Do you mean to say that I’ve lost all this weight just so I can look like a plumber? PLEASE someone tell me that this trend won’t take off.

Or am I missing something important here?

Go Love Your Room: Circles, Rectangles and Stripes Edition

March 9, 2012 By Paola 12 Comments

One of the things we talked about at the weekend was the idea of constantly exploring and questioning and thinking about your aesthetic and why you are drawn to certain things – using your blog as a way to explore your own creativity and as a catalyst to live your best life.

I saw this apartment a few weeks ago, and it really resonated with me, so I thought I might try and work out WHY I like it so much.

This room is gorgeous. The beautiful focal point of the paintings sort of goes without saying, but the designer has also used texture subtly and cleverly– the smooth table and hard metals contrasted with soft leather rug and pouffe and the natural wooden floor.

I’ve noticed in my photography that I’m really drawn to complementary shapes and I love how the designer has used the large square art pieces to emphasise the rectangles of the doors and walls, while the circle of the ceiling rose is echoed by the cylindrical light, the round table, the cylindrical pouffe and even the spots and circles on the paintings.

Pull out into the lounge area and you’ll see more use of shape and texture. More rectangular pictures, more circular tables and a Tord Boontje metal light shade (which I don’t think is quite big enough). You’ll know through all my ‘Go Fug Your Room’ rantings that I don’t like uncomfortable chairs, and I think the seating in here could be a little more cosy (and maybe a rug would have helped), but my goodness, it’s still a lovely space.

Looking in the other direction the stripy art picks out the lines of the floorboards (love how they go in opposite directions), and echoes the stripy art and crib slats in the nursery. I also like how the curved top of the mirror reflects the curves of the Eames rocker and stops everything from feeling too square and boxy. And there’s a most beautiful stuffed owl with circular owly eyes. And we all know how much I like those.

Rectangular shelves, a round stool and a stripy rug complete the nursery and there are more circles and a whole family of round-eyed owls in the entrance hall.

More stripes in the bed cover and through the kitchen cabinets and more circles through the art, the cushions and in the Nelson coat rack.

Wow. To be perfectly honest, I hadn’t noticed how thoughtfully the designer had organised the shapes in the apartment until I was half way through writing this post. I thought at first it was the colours everywhere speaking to me, but I think it’s the underlying sense of organisation that is making my soul happy (unfortunately this is not reflected in my own home). This house makes me want to tidy up and buy art.

What do you guys think? Do you like it or is it too structured and sterile for you? Does anyone know who did those amazing paintings or where I can buy those FABULOUS owls? And where do the people who live here put their stuff?

This apartment belongs to Norwegian jewellery designer Stine A. Johanssen. More details are here, translated from the Norwegian.

Teeny Trend: Pixels

March 7, 2012 By Paola 4 Comments

No, you don’t need new glasses, though I’m curious to know if anyone out there would dare to wear the shoes.

Cushions are available here and shoes here.

That Was The Week That Was: NYC Edition

March 6, 2012 By Paola 4 Comments

This has been an Instagram week of colourful shopping, tall buildings, funky hotels and yellow cabs. With just a bit of blogging inspiration thrown in.

On the 1st January I started posting daily photos to Instagram. I’m @mirrormirroxx. Come and be my friend.

I’ve had the most wonderful weekend. My head is full to bursting with ideas and inspiration, as is my cardholder with friends old and new. Unfortunately my email inbox and laundry basket are also in danger of exploding and my fridge is very, VERY empty.

I’ve got tons of ideas and thoughts and photos to share with you all but need to get myself straight today. New and improved blogging service begins tomorrow.

Packing and Panicking : Blogging Your Way NYC

March 2, 2012 By Paola 4 Comments

This is what’s going down currently chez moi. Early tomorrow morning I’m flying off to New York to attend Holly Becker of Decor8’s first ever in person Blogging Your Way workshop, which will include a day of photography and styling tips with the lovely Leslie Shewring of A Creative Mint.

I’ve long wondered what could happen if I took my blogging a bit more seriously, so I’m hoping to get a ton of tips and tricks to take this blog to the next level and beyond, now that I’ve got my mad Photoshop skillz in hand. (Haha! – Ed)

I’m back on Monday night so there won’t be any blogging over the weekend. However I’ll be taking pictures like crazy, so follow me on Instagram (@mirrormirrorxx), Twitter or Facebook.

In the meantime, tell me all your favourite unmissable shops in NYC, I’ve got a free day of mooching around on Monday.

Things I Am Loving: Freshly Picked Desk Accessories

March 1, 2012 By Paola 3 Comments

The problem with Pinterest and Instagram is the constant stream of beautiful STUFF that is being constantly paraded under your nose. How is a person to resist?

A recent Pinstagram-driven purchase was a lovely tan and gold leather mousemat from Freshly Picked, which I first saw on sfgirlbybay’s Instagram stream.

Susan from Freshly Picked makes the most beautiful tiny moccasins for babies (which almost make me wish the Minx was tiny again) and also the most delicious painted leather mousemats and pen holders, originally available in either a subtle gold, white or charcoal.

I love my mat’s stark simplicity (which contrasts well with my floral desk) and the fact that it is high quality painted leather makes it easy to keep clean (er, quite a lot of food ends up on my mouse mat) and means it will only become softer and more supple with age.

Which is a bit of a bummer because I am now craving one of Susan’s new neon mouse mats rather desperately.

Buy your mousemat here. Please don’t tell me if you get a neon one.

Go Fug Your Room? – Ines de la Fressange in Provence

March 1, 2012 By Paola 6 Comments

Does that title send shivers down your spine?

Given that Ines de la Fressange is the person I’d most like to be when I grow up, and Provence is the place in the world that I’d most to live (yeah, how original am I ), and her apartment in Paris has already been given the coveted mirrormirror seal of approval, I can’t express how excited I was to see that my Elle Décor international edition was featuring Ines’ house in Provence.

Until that is I actually opened the magazine. Was this cold, spare, almost industrial, snoozefest of a space REALLY the home of the most stylish woman on the planet? Or has my beloved Ines been kidnapped by space aliens and replaced by some sort of robot?

My first issue is with all the white. I spent one of the happiest years of my life living in the South of France and the light there is warm and golden and oozes like butter, made for the sunset colours of painted plaster, terracotta tiles and warm, rich woods. This harsh, clinical whiteness might work in Scandinavia, or Britain, or even Paris, but it doesn’t begin to say Provence to me.

And then there are the chairs. Is it me, or does every single chair with the exception of the daybed look supremely uncomfortable? Either the sort of chair you have to perch on or a somewhat creaky flea market sofa with the sort of smelly upholstery you have to cover with a throw?

I could almost cope with the white if it had been enlivened by some brilliantly contrasting colours, but black? I think black is quite difficult to live with at the best of times, but the black and white, with the stiff metallic lamps and stark, shiny floors, just seems cold, uncomfortable and unfriendly in Provence. And I can’t even begin to explain how many sorts of wrong the depressingly coloured Union Jack cushion is.

The kitchen is by far the best room in the house and shows what might have been if more colour had been included. But it still all seems rather brutal to me.

But what do you guys think? Is this house fugly or not? As usual tell us how you reached your decision in the comments.

poll by twiigs.com

I was astonished to find out that an amazing 74% of you agreed with me about Diane von Furstenburg’s Manhattan penthouse. I do hope you’re not just sucking up.

That Was The Week That Was

February 29, 2012 By Paola Leave a Comment

Last week was a wintry week of knitting, hotpot, pancakes and new sweaters, with a haircut, a pedicure and some new pencils thrown in.

On the 1st January I started posting daily photos to Instagram. I’m @mirrormirroxx. Come and be my friend.

What Do You Think? – Open Kitchen Shelves

February 28, 2012 By Paola 22 Comments

One of the projects we’ve got lined up for this year is remodelling our horrible downstairs kitchen.

The good news is that we have two kitchens in this house. The bad news is that they’re each as ugly as each other – the downstairs one is a relic from the seventies, complete with crumbling cabinets, laminate countertops, ancient linoleum, probably an asbestos problem. I’ll show you pictures one day when I’m feeling especially mean.

I’m starting to consider design ideas and am very tempted to include lots of open shelves. They look good and of course are WAY cheaper than cabinets.

From a gorgeous house tour on Design Sponge. My kitchen is NEVER this neat..

I’m loving these open steel shelves shown in last month’s Livingetc. I suspect they only look this good though, because they’re carrying half a ton of gorgeous vintage tea plates and spoons.

Source unknown. Love the juxtapostion of white shelves with dark wood counter tops.

I could never keep shelves as tidy and uncluttered as these. From a this tour on Houzz.

It would be nice to have a least some of my two hundred and fifty-odd cookbooks on display. From The Kitchn.

I am, however, intrigued to know what open shelves are like to live with. How easy is it to keep everything clean? Do you have to go out and buy tons of fancy plates and crockery to make them look good? (This is not necessarily a problem). Is it easy to keep them tidy or do they end up with piles of stuff just shoved on them? What are your tips and tricks for keeping them organised?

Tell me all your deepest, darkest, most sordid secrets. No one reads this blog anyway.