Inspired by...A Pop of Color

Earlier this week I showed photos of my refreshed master bedroom. It's hard to see from the photos in that post but I recently added a small pop of color to the sides of my Franz Kline-inspired art.

I was never happy with the way that I had continued the brush strokes on the sides of the canvas and seeing this image had gotten me thinking. Why not paint over the sides with a fun color? A bright coral was just the thing.

The before shots:

During:

And after:

This is before I moved the canvas to the new wall but even in the old location, the little hit of color made an impact. A small detail, but one that makes me smile every time I walk past it.

*****

photos by The Pink Chalkboard

Montreal

A couple of weeks ago, I got a chance to spend a few days in Montreal with my fiancé. Believe it or not, this was my first trip to Canada and I absolutely fell in love with our northern neighbor. The city was beautiful and we had a wonderful time exploring, shopping, and eating at incredible restaurants. 

Highlights included late night drinks and a show at Upstairs Jazz Bar & Grill, shopping and dining at Holt Renfrew, a stroll along the Saint Lawrence River, touring Old Montreal, and we welcomed the warm weather by spending a day at the Botanical Gardens. I loved discovering neighborhoods like Plateau Mont Royal for its great design stores, afternoon pints of home-brewed beer at Dieu du Ciel, and dinner at Au Pied de Cochon. Last but not least, the poutine at La Banquise was divine. (Perhaps even the best in Montreal?)

I can't believe how easy it was to get there (an 8-hour car ride made manageable with an overnight stay in Lake George, NY) which means that we'll definitely go back again soon. Can't wait!

*****

all images by The Pink Chalkboard via Instagram

Master Bedroom Redo

Last week, I showed a sneak peek into my bedroom and today's post has more images.

I don't have too many before images. (This has happened so many times before – I get an idea and quickly want to try it out, not thinking that it will be a big deal or enough of a transformation that it will merit a "before" photo to be taken. Of course when I'm done, I wish had taken that before shot.) Oh well, this pic will have to do.

The room is a bit of an awkward shape and we were limited with where we could put the bed. I always like walking into a room and seeing the bed in front of you so in this case, that meant tucking the bed into the window nook. Luckily it was a perfect fit. My painted dressers then went across from the bed, a desk and chair was to the left of the bed and an empty space was to the right. It wasn't a lot of furniture for the size of the room but it was all we needed. An upholstered chair for a reading nook would have been nice but I knew that all it would become was a place to pile clothes. It would have been a waste of money and it just wasn't necessary.

Moving the furniture around turned out to be all that was needed. Now the first thing you see when you walk up the stairs and into the room is the desk and upholstered chair. It's much more welcoming than the empty space that was there before.

The bedding is all new. West Elm's stripe sheet set and the yellow and white graphic pillows make the bed feel fresh and new. Unlike my original bedding plans, I decided against the gray blanket and lumbar pillow. But the beauty of this bedding is that it's simple to change up. Maybe come fall I'll want an extra blanket. Or a different color throw pillow. The gray and white palette is so easy to work with.

The dressers moved to the wall to the left of the bed and the Franz Kline inspired art moved with it. The canvas is leaning on the dressers for now but in this location, I think it will look better hung on the wall. It's on my list of things to do.

As for the wall opposite the bed, it is big and gray and just asking to become a gallery of art. I've wanted to start my own collection for a while now. I have admired many artists for years but haven't actually purchased any pieces for myself yet. So now is the time. I'm excited.

P.S. Want to see some of the art we've blogged about lately? Click here.

*****

photos by The Pink Chalkboard

Happy Chic

I have been quietly stalking J.C. Penney since hearing about their collaboration with Jonathan Adler, and though the collection is available online, I really wanted to see everything in person. I was so excited to find out that construction at our local store was completed and that Happy Chic is finally here! I headed over there this weekend and snapped a bunch of photos to share with you. I must say that I was very impressed with Jonathan Adler's line! Great furniture (including lots of lacquered pieces), quirky accessories, and colorful bedding—all at reasonable prices. Come see for yourself! 

You can shop the entire Happy Chic line here. 

*****

all images by The Pink Chalkboard

Happy Memorial Day!

We'll be back with our regular posts tomorrow, but in the meantime, we wanted to wish you a happy holiday weekend. 

We also wanted to send a special message to Mindy's brother, and all of his Marines, who arrived home safely from their deployment last week. A big, heartfelt thank you to him and all of our service members who keep us safe. This day is for you!

Love,

Jillian & Mindy

*****

image via The Pink Chalkboard made using the LetterMpress app for iPad

Sneak Peek

As we head into the weekend, I thought I'd leave you with a quick sneak peek into my bedroom. I had been struggling with what to do with the furniture layout and bedding in here but after seeing this image, I came up with a plan and finally feel like I'm heading in the right direction. More photos to come next week!

Hope you have a wonderful weekend! See you back here next week.

Faceted Mirrored Letters

Meet my latest obsession courtesy of Elle Decor.

Mirrored. Letters. Above the fireplace. Oh my goodness—they are spectacular!

This lettered sculpture is by artist Doug Aitken. Here are some other images of his mirrored work. Love.

And then I found this on Pinterest. 

Sparkly, shiny, reflective, design goodness.

*****

first two images via Elle Decor by Simon Upton
You You by Doug Aitken via Doug Aitken Workshop
Now #2 by Doug Aitken via Doobybrain
MORE sculpture via Pinterest

Clover Market Finds: The Painted Lily

I was out of town this past weekend and couldn't make it to the Clover Market on Sunday. Luckily, my mom was able to go for me! While there, she discovered The Painted Lily, and picked up these great Philly map coasters. 

Here are some other fun finds from The Painted Lily. I love the variety of these coaster designs. 

And how beautiful are these prints?

*****

all images from The Painted Lily via Etsy

Wisteria and Material Culture

Remember this post about Material Culture? A few days after I went there, I was flipping through Wisteria's catalog and I can across a bunch of items that looked awfully familiar. Take a look!

Wisteria's Vintage Chinese Butcher's Table has slightly different proportions than Material Culture's but it is very close.

The next one isn't as exact but certainly similar. I didn't photography the whole piece but the inlay details were gorgeous. I remember Material Culture's being expensive but then again, Wisteria's Moorish Chest is pretty costly, too!

And then there is this Sunburst Armoire. The top half of the piece is nearly identical stylistically. Just look at those details!

Strikingly similar, don't you think?

*****

Material Culture photos by The Pink Chalkboard
all other images via Wisteria

Material Culture

Ever see amazingly unique and authentic pieces of furniture and wonder where you can buy something like that without traveling to faraway lands? Have I got the place for you – Material Culture.

My friend, Maribeth, told me about this place and we went a few weeks ago. What a treasure trove for inspiration! The place is huge, filled with furniture, vases, rugs, sculptures and so much more. Prices can be high but every now and then you find something reasonable. Whether you go to shop or just to be inspired, Material Culture is a must-visit place.

Some highlights for me:

Consoles like this one were everywhere. Many were super long.

I found these wire chairs intriguing.

Among the more affordable items in the store were these wooden vases. Very cool and reminiscent of things you'd find in a store like West Elm but at about half the price (or more) than what you find anywhere else.

Pretty lights

Rugs

This armoire was beyond stunning. The photos don't do it justice. 

It also was $12,000. So like I said, it's a great place for inspiration. I mean, look at the lovely patterns here.

Apothecary-style furniture gets me every time.

As does a man like this. 

I like to think of myself as a fairly creative person but I just cannot imagine someone walking into this store and saying to themselves, now that guy is something I need in my home.

Big man aside, Material Culture is a great place to go to for fun and for the possibility of buying something if the price is right. Definitely a place to go back to. 

*****

all photos by The Pink Chalkboard