white love

another new project . . . more gorgeous inspiration images to drool over!  this time it's going to be a white master bedroom . . . i know right?! the ultimate serene getaway.

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i just love this bedroom because it is so romantic.  not the hugest fan of the carpeting, but i can get over that.  they went full on with the white on white.  i think this can be challenging sometimes because it can very easily become institutional.  in this case however, by layering so many luxurious textures the space becomes warm and cozy.

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lovely white and creams paired with golds and bronze.  so sweet and soft.

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no this is what i'm talking about.  my client would not go for this, but i LOVE it!  white base, accented with gray and highlighted with blues and yellows.  it's so bright and cheerful

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tee hee.  i had to. i love that lamp. so kitch and glamourous at the same time.

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i'm not entirely sure what that board may have used for.  looks like it could have been a attendance board or in a factory or something.  either way, vintage wood + crisp white = drool.

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ok, not my cup of tea . . . but is still pretty.  this is what every little girl envisions her grown up room to look like.  in reality, this room makes my teeth hurt like i'm getting a cavity.  i could definitely do without the heart shaped knobs on the dresser and end table.

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mirrors, mirrors, mirrors.  a great compliment to white rooms . . any room actually.  as an alternative to traditional wood tables, they fit into any space and literally camouflage themselves in.  PLUS, this table would be most effective for getting at those pesky nose hairs.

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this one is so new york loft.  this is the style my client is in love with.  very graphic and simple.  i love the lucite chair.

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white is such a natural colour and combining it with natural woods, especially birch, beech or maple gives the space a very organic feeling.  again, layering with different materials creates interest and will give your white bedroom dynamics.

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distressed white wood gets me every time.  again, the white paired with natural wood produces an almost ethereal feeling.  i can tell you right now that if this were my room, i would spend ALL my time dancing around in front of that mirror.  (possibly with the helmet on)

so there you have it . . . white love.  all the colours of the rainbow in one place.  as much as i love white, i must confess that she is not my friend.  to many of the other things that i love like coffee and spaghetti sauce end up on her and she is stubborn when she is soiled.  

my client on the other hand (regardless that she has a nine year old daughter and twin 5 year old boys) is following through with her love affair.  so we'll see how it all turns out.  before and after pics to follow.

the plug salad: take the power back!

i promise, i see it all the time and there is something you can do about it.

we all have them.  those awful piles of knots that plague the back of our media centers.  as if the knots themselves weren't bad enough, they create a net of sorts that collects everything from small toys to garbage to dust bunnies.

it has become one of my leading pet peeves.  i understand that this area is not a priority for most people.  out of sight, out of mind right?  i guess i'm just at the short end of the stick.  when it comes time for me to move a client's television out of their formal living room i am usually the one who gets stuck back there trying to untie and unravel.  it's awful, but i've gotten to the point were i leave everything plugged in and move the giant dust ball as one piece.

but what about when you actually need to get back there, to remove or (gasp) add plugs.  do you take the time to understand what's happening back there?  or do you take care of business as quickly and efficiently as possible and get the heck out?

i am here to lead the cable management revolution!  a little bit of elbow grease and some creativity and the vortex will become a tidy and organized heaven.  you'll want to hang out back there all the time!  This project doesn't even have to be expensive, re-purpose everyday things that might otherwise end up in the trash.

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this is an extremely clever idea to disguise cords running along the wall.  not only is it clever but also easy.  check out the tutorial!

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this solution attacks the problem at the source.  contain extra length of cord by fastening it underneath the table.  this fancy gadget is a great idea, but velcro or any kind of tape would work the same way.

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this idea is just plain brilliant!  those bread tags that eli never puts back on the bread will now go to good use! (i've already started collecting)  it drives me crazy playing power bar roulette just to plug in my i-pod, and just when i think i've figured it out, i realize that i unplugged the speakers.

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a power bar leg!  genius!  this desk is most definitely something that i am investing in when i have the space for it!  (i also secretly wish this was my idea)

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see?  cheap and cheerful.  butterfly clips fastened to the side of your desk, work space or bedside table can keep ALL the different charging cords for our different devices organized and available for easy access.

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these cords covers are so darn pretty.  what a great way to turn an annoyance into art.  this is a fantastic solution for those cords that are smack dab in the middle of the wall.  sometimes there's just nothing you can put in front of it to try and hide it.  in these cases, cord covers are the way to go.  this leaf one is stunning and multiple pieces can be joined together to accommodate more length.

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i think this is the creme de la creme, so i saved it for last.  living in this day and age, it is quite common to accumulate a ridiculous number of EXTRA cables.  where the heck to they all come from?  the tp roll method is the coolest thing i've seen in a long time.  fold up the cables, shove them in a toilet paper roll, label the roll with the details of each cable, stick 'em in a shoe box and they are out of the way and ready for the next time you really need it.

i hope i've inspired some of you to tackle those corners in your home that gather the most dust.  in my opinion, the powers that be who design all these fancy gadgets and techno-dork products really need to start thinking about the way that they're powered.  it probably sounds vain, but that gorgeous 52" flat screen tv is not so sexy when it's got big black boogers hanging down from it.  just sayin'.