This one time, at art school.....

I was going through some archived image files this morning and it occurred to me how some things really do come full circle. I attended school for fine art photography starting at the ripe young age of 17. I had a hunch that I didn't want to pursue a career in the field but was obsessed with images and wanted to learn everything I could about making them. I didn't put it together at the time, but many of my project subjects were houses (especially abandoned ones on the verge of collapse), rooms filled not with people but just with light or interesting memorabilia, religious and memorial sites, and little exterior details taken in my old East Village neighborhood. I was naturally drawn to documenting the human environment sans the humans, so in hindsight it's not that much of a surprise that I eventually transitioned into a career as an interior designer.

The series that I stumbled upon below was taken throughout the early years that I lived in the East Village, as an homage to my interest in the way people (myself included, I guess) lived in the city. I was fascinated by the separation of 'outside' and 'inside;' the way I felt my apartment magically transported me out of the city every time I entered it. So I fervently shot entry doors, appreciating them for the little portals that they seemed to be. I stored the series away until years later when I was decorating a real estate office with a nonexistent artwork budget. We printed up a massive grid of the doorknob series and, together, they told an interesting story about my eclectic neighborhood and its inhabitants.

Caravan of Dreams

I'm bursting with excitement about my latest discovery in eco-friendly cribs under $1000: the Caravan Crib by Kalon Studios. Made from the highest quality FSC Certified Maple and 100% nontoxic finishes, this sustainable beauty comes in "raw" maple or with rails in 5 decorator-friendly colors: black, red, green, yellow (shown), and blue (shown). It features adjustable mattress heights and easy toddler bed conversion. It starts at $695 for the raw finish with an upcharge for the colors.


The matching Caravan Dresser has equally lovely mid-century modern lines, raw or colored bodies, and integrated drawer pulls.

Saving Green while Being Green

Sadly, it is still more expensive to make many environmentally conscious purchases. A can of zero VOC paint still carries a premium. The Diesel engine VW I was coveting for the last month would have burned cleaner than a gas car and gotten far better MPG. But alas, I couldn't afford the upfront cost increase, so I defaulted to a good old gas model.

I'm a girl on a budget, raising my son as a single mother in hard economic times. So I scanned my lifestyle for ways that I do in fact save money through the environmentally responsible choices I made and I came up with the following list, proving that it is possible for economic = eco-friendly.


1) I swear by the reusable cloth snack bags by Itzy Ritzy as a way to simultaneously save money and resources. Here's the math: a 50 count box of slightly smaller Ziploc sandwich bags from Kmart.com were advertised at $2.19 (and I believe prices at my local Waldbaums are much higher). I sent along two reusable bags in my son's lunch and snack every school day this year of which there were approximately 180 and then there were snacks for car rides, beach outings and park trips....so let's call it around 400 bags per year. This totals $17.52 before S&H, but for just $9.99 each before S&H I have zippered reusable bags that will last years.

2) Turning off lights and appliances when not in use is a no-brainer for saving money and saving resources. It may only equal 20 bucks a year or so in savings, but conserving electricity is simply the right thing to do. I take it a step further by not having AC in my house so my summer electric bill is a few dollars a month compared to the $100 or so I used to shell out July through September in the city.



3) The reusable water bottle trend has certainly caught on and we all know filtered water is usually a safer bet than tap. But it's a surefire way to save pennies too! I've probably purchased about half a dozen pretty steel canisters over the past few years but if I had bought individually bottled water or had a 5 gallon filling station at my home, I'd have easily spent hundreds every year. The cost of filters for the average water filter pitcher system is around $60/year. (The Tree of Life Bottle pictured above is $9.98 from Gaiam and of course I use the Shaklee Get Clean Water pitcher that filters out more contaminants than PUR or Brita models.)

4) I recently discovered 7-11 coffee refills for .99 cents (any size!). I think my medium coffee was around $1.65 so I save about .60 cents a day if it's a one-cup day and even more if I'm refilling multiple times. This only works in the burbs where 7-11's line the streets. Going out of one's way for a refill would clearly cancel out the savings in fuel costs. I believe Starbuck's also offers a BYOC discount, but the budget-minded like myself try to stay out of Starbuck's.


5) My 32 oz bottle of Shaklee's Get Clean Basic H2 Organic Super Cleaning Concentrate is still about 2/3 full and I purchased it for the member price of $10.35 in January. And if you know me, you know I clean my house A LOT. So, for around $10 I get a year of 750 squeaky clean square feet. Not to mention the space I save under the kitchen sink by not having to have a half dozen targeted cleaning sprays and bottles. (Send me an email at ajm2727@gmail.com, I'd be happy to help you save money and space too!!)

Color Me Summer!!!

It's official.....the first day of summer is here!! My current hometown of Long Beach, NY enjoyed warm temperatures and cool breezes today to kick off the season just right. Ahhhhh......

It's likely that few people noticed, but I took an extended "spring break," so to speak: a mini hiatus from blogging to tend to some design projects and business development. But I couldn't stay away for long and what better day to re-commence blogging than this glorious Summer Solstice, season kick-off?!?

In celebration of the vibrant summer ahead, I wanted to share these colorful pieces that jumped off the pages of the latest Home Decorators Collection catalog. I want to add one jolt of color to my home this season, but how will I ever pick?!?


The new Cottage Collection Storage Bench $399 shown here in Tiger Stripe.


The new Lavello Accent Table $179 shown here in Yellow.


The new Cottage Collection Accent Table $149 shown here in Teal.


Folding/Stacking Bookcase on sale for $89 shown here in Pink. (P.S. It's available in 4 wood tones and TEN other colors!!)


Macau Accent Table $129 shown here in Purple.


Logan Storage Bench $339 shown here in Sultana Green.


Logan Accent Table $129 shown here in Sunken Pool


Parsons 47.5"W Desk on sale for $129 shown here in Orange.

Studio Gorm's Peg Garden

There are smart designs and there are super-genius-wow!-I-want-to-give-these-people-a-hug designs. The Peg Garden by Oregon-based Studio Gorm falls into the latter category. Thanks to a post about the collection on Remodelista, I am reminded once again that in the sea of mass production and the same old same old, there are still creative types striving for a perfect balance of form and function, using design for what it's meant to do: solve problems. This set would be perfect for my back yard, which is really just a 9'x9' concrete patio where sometimes I crave a table and chair and sometimes I'd like to nap in the sun. There's definitely not space for a chaise lounge, chair and side table and where would I store all of it out of harm's way in the winter? Bingo! The Peg Garden....for the sun-loving, space-deprived, neat freak like me!!

Monday Color: Red, White & Blue

In honor of the Memorial Day Holiday, today's Monday Color post features more than just a single hue. I've never been very patriotic (sorry to offend anyone!) and Americana decorating styles have their place, just not in my home. However, with some serious sleuthing I was able to find an abundance of red, white and blue spaces that I really loved (along with a little dormant patriotism for this special day honoring and respecting those who have fought for our freedoms here). See for yourself what this team of colors can do......























Images above:

1. The advice found alongside this living room from Coastal Living is to make blue the supporting color with accents of red, as the blue tones will naturally recede and red will pop out to the naked eye.

2. I'm crazy about this nautical-inspired Hamptons living room designed by Amanda Nisbet, found on Dwellers Without Designers.

3. Trading traditional blue for turquoise, this blue and red living room is alive with color (from Living Etc, via Decor Pad).

4. From Everything Leb, the blue in this scheme is like faded denim and red is successful as the dominant color.

5. This Water Mill, NY living room features a laid-back white and wood palette paired with blue and tiny pops of red (designed by yours truly).

6. Red, white & blue themes can be very vibrant, so I love the twist of the muted slate blue and brick red in this living room found in House Beautiful.

7. Red Birdie on Blue Cotton Stripe Lumbar Pillow

8. A red, white & blue spin on the class bistro chair.

9. Fun red, white & blue alphabet decals from Wall Sticker Outlet.

10. Add a vintage nautical accent to any room with this Set of 3 Judith Edwards Wooden Bouys from Lamps Plus.

11. A little round side table is the perfect way to bring in a pop of red to a mostly blue and white room (Urban Trends 18" Red Ceramic Garden Stool).

Etsy Love: Stitch Happens

I'm not really sure what's more impressive: the finely crafted, handmade, crocheted goods by Stitch Happens or the fact that this creative mama has 5 kids, 5 dogs, 2 cats, and a horse!! All of the items in the Stitch Happens Etsy shop are made from all-natural and/or vintage materials. Offerings include tiny crocheted critters, river rocks covered with intricate crochet stitching, and other one-of-a-kind decorative or wearable treasures.


These make a unique and beautiful decorative accent alone or with a grouping of other beloved vintage treasures on a shelf or mantel: Custom Made OOAK Crochet Covered Patchwork River Rock/Beach Stone. I'm thinking now that it's ceiling fan weather here at the beach, I may pick one of these up as a paper weight!!



An example of the made-to-order Limited Edition Crochet Covered Cairn Stones (set of 4), inspired by the ancient store formations found in Ireland.



The crocheted river rocks are also sold in lots of 25 as wedding party favors or for more decorating possibilities.



Dozens of tiny critters like this Wee Tiny Hoot Owl are available (and can be made in any color combination you desire).



This light bulb with vintage cork topper is encased in freeform crochet and filled with findings from leisurely walks in nature, but custom orders are welcomed, so you could send the seller tiny treasures from a honeymoon or other special occasion for a unique, custom time capsule.



Last but definitely not least, I'm mildly obsessed with this Crocheted Sea Urchin Spine Necklace.

Looking Up: Exploring Painted Ceilings

Painted Ceilings
Inspiration Gallery









When contemplating a painted ceiling, it seems like there are two distinct directions to head in: continuing the wall color upward for an "infinity effect" or making the "5th wall" a color accent all its own. Either way, it's a bold decorating move, creating a huge impact for the cost of a gallon or so of paint (and maybe some aspirin for the stiff neck afterward!).
A few things to consider:
1. If you are isolating a unique color for the ceiling, make sure to test it generously there first in all light conditions (color often appears darker on a ceiling surface than on walls).
2. Rooms with architectural details like paneled ceilings, crown moldings or tray ceilings provide the easiest canvas for color.
3. Ignore what you've heard about the perception of size: a painted ceiling can actually make many rooms feel bigger by diminishing breaks between horizontal and vertical surfaces or drawing the eye upward.

1 Interior by Liz Williams Interiors

2 Decorpad, photo by Sarah Dorio

3 Canadian House and Home

4 Houzz

5 Interior by Christi Holcombe via Charm Home

6 via hamptons.com

7 via The Lennox

8 via Casa Sugar