Yolo Colorhouse

Lately I've been thinking about repainting the baby's room. The latest edition of Domino has inspired me to go with something bold: Tangerine & Khaki! Yes, it's not the usual baby blue boy color and it's not pastel. The only thing for me to do now is...actually do it! In my mind it'll look beautiful, but I know there will be opposition.

Anyway, while browsing through stuff, I saw Yolo Colorhouse - and it looks great! One thing I like is their poster sized color swatch. It's a good way to actually see if you like the color before you buy it!

My Bathroom

Since I've been having conversations with most of you (yes, you!) about home improvements / remodeling, I've decided to open up and show a little about myself - ahem - my home. This is our guest bathroom, which we've been slowly remodeling since we got the house 3 years ago. It's no dwell-home, but trust me, it's an improvement to what was there before.

Being in architecture, I had high hopes in remodeling when we first got the house, but as real life would have it, my hubby does not share my views regarding design. So, there's been a lot of compromising. The color palette we could agree on was a neutral one: creams & browns with punches of color.

Our favorite place to get tile is the Import Tile Company in Berkeley. We got our floor tiles there - and - we installed it ourselves! Pretty good for people with no installing experience whatsoever. The shower curtain & mirror I got from Target. The medicine cabinet from Ikea. And the magazine rack is from the Container Store. The one thing I love about this bathroom? The dark brown paint on the sink cabinet. I love love love deep brown. Alright. End of sharing!

Cool Posters

You don't need hundreds of dollars to get good art on your walls. I know having a Rembrandt would be good but next to your Ikea couch? Maybe not. Check out these really cool posters from The Heads of State. They're affordable and really cool art for your modest walls!

Slotted Pillows

Since EQ3 is opening a store in Bay Street, I decided to post about them. These slotted pillows are pretty cool for the neat freak. After a good ole pillow fight, put them all back nicely in the slot - it's a cultured way to fight.

The Monica Bed

I was browsing through Room & Board when what do you know~ I found out I have a bed there. This, ladies and gentlemen, is the Monica Bed! Hmm, I must say I'm pretty stylish in a Charlotte of Sex and the City kind of way. Of course, this bed is so not me. If I climbed aboard this bed, it'll spit me back out and say (with attitude): Umm, please! Silk pajamas only lady. Take your rotten oversized shirt and sleep in the Ikea sofa where you belong!

Yeah, this Monica bed sure is a snob. But I'm glad I'm linked to such high society living.

I'm no Garden Hoe

Sometimes, I want to be a green thumb just so I can wear cute undies like this from You Grow Girl. Of course I know I can still wear it - no one is stopping me...but you know, I'm really no garden hoe.

The website is pretty cool though and has lots of planting and gardening stuff like recipes, advice and other flowery things I know nothing about. All I know is that it's pretty cool. Shirley would love it.

I've Got Color! Contest

I love looking through the various contests they have at Apartment Therapy. I even thought I'd enter this contest: I've Got Color! Since my living room is a vibrant Mango yellow. But of course, I don't think I'm strong enough to get flamed online (if you call constructive criticism "flaming"). Nevertheless, I love these entries. The composition of the photos are great as well. I know I'm not this bold, but wow, color really makes an impact!

ReadyMade:The Book

You already know I love the ReadyMade magazine. Now I hear they're coming out with a book (already on pre-order at Amazon) on how to make almost anything! Perfect for Christmas - coz you know how people loovvee getting your crappy "crafts" as gifts. Heh...just kidding. I make crap-crafts too. That is why we need this book.

Quovis Table

I try to steer clear of Design Within Reach - because honestly, it's not really within my reach - but I really like this Quovis work table.

Let me be clear, I can't use this table now, my house is so the wrong floor plan for it. But when we do move into a different house that will allow me to have a kitchen table, I'd love to have this as mine. So...if you know a good place that sells a knock-off of this, let me know! I know it's out there...

Paisley Walls

I love these wall graphics. They're from Blik, and when we first moved into our house, I was planning to fill our walls with these.

What's not to love? The fact they're they're decals and can be removed when you want to do something different? Or that you can create something unique my mix and matching with other decals? Or that they're art that can go anywhere?

This paisley one is my favorite.

Heavenly Bed

As I changed my sheets this morning, I started to think about good beds...And I'm reminded of the time we went to Columbus and stayed at the Westin. The hotel was nice, but their beds: heavenly. And I'm not kidding, they're actually called Heavenly Beds exclusive at the Starwood hotels.

When Lizette told me that it's the best hotel bed I'll ever lie in, I didn't really believe her at first - but on-my-God... they're clouds of heaven! And everybody know a good night sleep is key for a good days work.

You can actually buy this bed for yourself, and the price is actually decent.

Do I Dare Wallpaper

Do I Dare Wallpaper is one that grabs you and says Buy Me! When all real logic says, wait...that's a little too much. (or wait...my husband would kill me!) Heh. That's how I feel about these wallpaper designs from twenty2. They're real cool, real clean, really enticing. The funky yellow one (casa mila) is calling out my name. Do I dare?

Square Plates and Round Bowls

Utsuwa-No-Yakata makes some really cool Japanese Tableware. I love their mix match square plates and bowls. They've got cool Tea Sets, Sake set, Utensils and more.

If you're anywhere near Richmond, though, pass by the 99 Ranch plaza area and they have a store in there and the prices are much less than online. They also do nice (I mean nice - with little origami cranes) gift wrapping for free.

Doggie Bed

I got a nice (and unexpected) email from Design Public - (Hi Drew!) and as I searched my mind as to why the name was familiar to me, I realized Design*Sponge recently had them featured.

This melted my teeny heart. Look at this cute bed! Doggie looks like he's in heaven. Soo adorable! Plus bed looks so comfy, I want to jump in there.

Office Phone for your Home!

Haha! What a cute phone! Ever think you're in the office way too less? Get this phone for your home, and then it'll always feel like you're at work! Heh. I love it! Find it at CB2.

West Elm Bed

If I'm going to get something from West Elm, it would be either this headboard or the daybed (for the guest room). I love the color of the wood and the "spiderweb" like design of the headboard. Gives you like a modern moroccan feel, if that's even a term. Plus with the reasonable prices, it's almost possible to buy. Almost.

Flat Pak Me!

If I can buy a house, like I would buy a piece of clothing, I'd get myself a FlatPak House. Designed by Charlie Lazor, this house comes in flat packs that are delivered and assembled on site. You go online and build yourself a house, you buy it and they come and put it together! Ok, not that easy - but you know what I mean. It's also about $150 a square foot so it's not all that cheap. But when you think about how expensive house prices are here in the Bay Area. It does make you think!

Canvas Art

I was browsing through Urban Outfitters online - I don't really know why. I guess I was bored with the regular sites I go through. Anyway, this caught my eye. It a canvas wall art - It's 24" x 36" pretty good size and it'll match the room I'm trying to decorate. For $35.00, I think it's worth it.

I went to the Berkeley UO and they had other designs, but not this. (I'm a little glad, coz' I'm low on cash) Maybe I'll start a Froogle Wish List....maybe this will be on it.

Readymade Rules!

I can't believe I did not know about Readymade magazine until now. This is only the #17 issue so I'm not that late into the game. I guess it's like getting into Lost on the second season...something like that. They show you how to make cool things, like step by step. Now, granted, I have yet to make something from their magazine, but I could if I wanted to. They've made cardboard furniture (reminded me of studio), skirts out of pillowcases, belts out of transit cards, lampshade out of slides. It's pretty darn cool. Thanks Julie - for getting me hooked into this!

The picture above shows you how to make a regular stainless steel ruler into a magnet board. The best part about the current issue is it takes some of Ikea's known furniture into something totally different yet creative. Did you know you can take the Billy Bookshelf and make it into a bed?

I got so obsessed, I ordered two back-issues (I never do that) - and I'm on the lookout for more.

New FLOR

I was flipping through Domino when I came across an ad for a Do-It-Yourself carpet system called Interface Flor. Hmmm, the ad was eye catching so when I got home, I looked it up on the web. Of course, I was intrigued. The carpet was have in our house is really old and we've been wanting to change the carpet but it's always such. a. big. commitment! I mean, if we change one, we have to change it all! And everytime we get an estimate for the three rooms plus the hallway, we end up dejected and always put this project on hold.

The good thing about this was we were able to just think about it per room. And since we are the ones installing it, we eliminate the labor costs. Anyway, the company was great. The customer service was good and the items arrived promtly. We're happy. We'll definetly buy from there again.