A college pal and fellow SLP-er is looking for some idears to spruce his print shop Chux. He mentioned wanting to embrace the raw materials of the space while not spending too much. I found a bunch of inspiring industrial spaces below which do a great job of incorporating pops of color and quirky lighting to contrast the abundance of grey metal. By simply spray painting an old metal bookshelf red or adding a homey element like a large plant, instantly a grubby shop can look decorated and cohesive.
As for sourcing large scale unique pieces, Hunt & Gather in Minneapolis is a goldmine. They have tons of huge alphabet letters and numbers, fun brightly colored school chairs and other oddities that will add an unexpected element of surprise to an industrial space.

Other great sources for vintage decor include these etsy shops:
+ lovintage finds
+ Tinker Lighting
+ Junkyard Lighting
+ urge studio

I look forward to walking Fernie over to Chuck’s shop to see how it all comes together!







all images via Atelier 154

I was delighted to receive a reader question from a student at my alma mater – go Blugolds! Meredith, like probably a lot of college students, is struggling to make her college pad feel unique and decorated with the restraints of a landlord (bold paint colors, wallpaper… forget about it). I laugh when I think back to the God awful tricks we tried in our college space. As if a poop brown corduroy sofa wasn’t bad enough, we decided to drape purple sheets over it in lieu of a slipcover. Gasp.

Here are a few affordable ideas for decorating a temporary rental…

image via Inside the Loop

Probably the biggest impact you can make on walls aside from painting or wallpapering, is a fun collection of art. I chose this example because it shows how art doesn’t need to be fancy or expensive to earn a spot on your wall. Goodwill is a perfect source for quirky mismatched frames and they are cheap as hell. You can frame anything from postcards, drawings, scrap from a magazine or even… nothing (see brown frame, upper right). Don’t worry about creating a perfect grid, just hang them in a charming cluster and voila! If your landlord complains about nail holes, tell him to suck it.

image via Brooklyn Bride Online

Cheap rentals usually have some sort of odd built-in fixture. Instead of pretending it doesn’t exist, embrace it in a creative way. You may not be able to paint a fireplace yellow, but I love the cute little faux fire incorporated here.

image via Rachel Denbow

Here are three great decorating ideas that cost next to nothing. First, stock up on some clipboards, hang them in a couple of rows and use them to house inspiration from your favorite mags. Next, make a string of paper airplanes, origami birds or flowers and drape them over your bed, dining table or entryway. Lastly, with the right chairs and cute candlesticks, a gaudy floral tablecloth suddenly looks kitschy and cute.

image via Remodelista

Last but certainly not least, I love this grid of paint swatches. Aside from a $2 package of pins, this idea is FREE. Bop over to your local Home Depot, gank a slew of paint swatches and then transform a boring white wall into a mural of color.

If you want to get decorating tips and updates in your FB Newsfeed, please take a second to “like” my Color Me Carla page!

What? Don’t give me that look. Decorating our living room for the umteenth time is a perfectly sane idea. I mean, we’ve had the same sofa for at LEAST six months and who keeps the same throw pillows for more than 60 days?

Ok, this is probably just a pipe dream for the time being but after seeing the absolutely positively divine owl wallpaper below, it got the gears in my noggin turning. If we papered one wall in the navy and cream owlies, I’d love to add the mustard sofa on the same wall. The tribal rug and industrial table would balance the sleek lines of the tomato chair. And then of course the owls would need a friend, so that’s where Mr. Octopus comes in. Gah. Maybe it’s time Fern and Rosy get a job to help support their mama’s decorating habits.

(1) Owlet Hague Blue Wallpaper, (2) Thomas Paul Octopus Pillow, (3) Herman Miller Eames Molded Plastic Chair, (4) Henry Sofa, (5) French Industrial Coffee Table, (6) Anadolu Kilim

Some fantastically rustic and cozy interior decor to reflect the fantastically rustic and cozy Christmas we are enjoying up in the northwoods.

Merry Christmas to all!

all images via The Brick House

Let’s get one thing straight: I love to sleep. LOVE. IT. I have always been a sleeper and it’s always been a struggle for me to wake up (I usually hit snooze no less than 6-7 times and then mutter a swear or two when I finally really have to get up). I’ve tried hypnosis CDs, putting my alarm across the room and all that jazz, but ain’t nuthin’ would get this girl up before the sun comes up. EXCEPT, my pretties, blogging!!! Yes, I have recently discovered that it is the one thing that actually makes me hop out of bed happily. This has been a great thing for me and I hope for you, too.

So now that I’ve shared that fun fact with you, let’s take a look-see at some bedrooms I wouldn’t mind spending 12+ hours in…

via apartmentthereapy

I f-ing LOVE THIS! I am a sucker for that wool camp blanket as we’ve had one in our family since I can remember. Love the mix of the rustic beat up headboard with the more polished, modern frame. And nothing makes you feel more safe and sound than a mounted carcass watching over you while you snooze.

via design crisis

This decor is so simple yet bright and graphic. I love the funAdler pillow and the bold black stripes on the ceiling.

via designspirationsk

Pretty pretty. This is adorable and feminine and sunny and bright and a look that Jack would never let me get away with. Nonetheless, I love it for how imperfect it is and want that cute little stag on the night stand, stat.

via decoraology

I’ve always loved this Dwell fabric and here is a great example how a couple of window panels and a throw pillow can tie a whole room together. I also love the vintage chair and low hung mirror and… I can hear Rosy going to town on my slipper in the other room so hang on a sec…

via zsazdabellagio
For some reason I like to imagine that this room is miniature. Like, picture the teeny snazzy high heels being the size of Tic Tacs. And the gold bed is the size of a matchbox. See? I’m pretty sure this is where the Tooth Fairy resides.

Well everything is going just swimmingly over here at Doodle Central! Rosy and Fern are chasing each other around our big tree out back as we speak (in the dark, on the cold icy grass). Oh, you wanna hear more about Rosy? Well let’s see, she’s a total oinker (every morning she clutches the bottom of my bathrobe with her teeth as I prepare her brekkie), she has already mastered ‘sit’ at just 9 weeks thanks to the great example set by her older sister and she can’t wait to romp around in the wilderness as we are celebrating a snowy Christmas at my parents’ cabin starting tomorrow!

Onto our reader question (which I am getting lots of, thank you!): affordable chairs! You know who loves herself a well-priced chair? This gal. I thought I’d share a couple shots from our house to prove it.

Here’s the Madeline Chair from Urban Outfitters in our living room. This wasn’t the first chair we purchased from their site and it won’t be the last. Their pieces are stylish, well-made and look more expensive than they are. I’ve got a thing for chair legs (get your mind out of the gutter). I like them a little worn, weathered and beat up, which most of the chair legs from UO are.

Here are some Eames-inspired chairs in our dining room that I ordered from Overstock. Unfortunately they are no longer available, but here are some similar ones. Overstock is a great source for furniture and all orders ship for a mere $2.95 and arrive at your doorstep within a couple of days.

Madeline Chair, Taupe Twill Mid-Century Style Accent Chairs, Leni Lounge Chair, Swoop Upholstered Chair, Dolce Upholstered Accent Arm Chair, 1938 Leather Butterfly Chair

Lastly, here’s a round up of more cheap chairs. I am actually reconsidering Jack’s wish for a poker table in our basement just so I can deck it out with four of the Mid-Century Style AccentChairs. Frances, the Swoop Chair is for you.

Lastly lastly, here’s a pic of our lil’ spitfire.

Jesus H Christ on a popsicle stick! I can barely sit still, I am so excited! In one hour we are getting our new puppy, Rosy! I am just waiting for Jack and Fern to get their lazy bums outta bed! Sick of the exclamation points yet!? Ok. I’ll try and calm down. But I am literally shaking with glee. I over-poured about 1/4 cup of cream into my coffee a minute ago and then proceeded to spill it all over my desk. I’m not even going to attempt to put eyeliner on today because my hands are barely functioning. Phew. I’m going to try and talk about something else now…

…Like, REMOVABLE WALLPAPER! Renters rejoice! You too can make a bold impact on your walls without pissing off your landlord. My friend Allison asked if I knew anything about this kind of product and I have to admit, I didn’t. With a little digging I found a few great sites including Wallpaper Dolls, Tempaper Designs, and… drumroll… good ol’ Sherwin Williams.

Sherwin Williams’ site sure ain’t the greatest. We ended up getting our bathroom wallpaper from them and I had to do quite a bit of searching. But the prices are great and if you have the patience, it’s well worth the search. Below are my faves from their Ink Collection.

‘ll catch ya on the flip side. Off to bury my nose in oodles of doodle puppy fur!

I received an email the other day with a request for a post on kids’ play rooms (yay! send your requests to me!!!). And since a lot of my readers are mums, it dawned on me that I should start doing more posts on spaces for the kiddie bops. I’ve been wanting to help my bro-in-law with his pad for a while since his two adorable little squirts keep him too busy to decorate. After seeing the spaces below I might just have to ambush his house and get started.

Enjoy these playful pads!

Interior Design by Lisa Sherry

The built in shelving is a genius way of mixing function and design. If the shelves were a tad bit deeper, you could even store toys and whatnot as well. The books look like artwork and provide the perfect pop of color and fun in an all-white room.

Interior Design by Laura Day

This is a great way of embracing the oodles of photos you wanna display of your little ones. Cuz c’mon, a nice grid of gallery frames would not house enough snapshots, right? By framing the collage up with a thick turquoise border, it instantly becomes art. The white bed provides a nice break from the busy rug, pillow and wall.

Interior Design by Ashley Putman

‘K. This is really just an adult room with some playful books and artwork. But I’m a sucker for sailboats and navy, so I had to share it. Moving on…

Interior Design by Eileen Kathryn Boyd

There are so many cute stuffed animals out there these days, so no need to shove them into boxes or hide them when guests come over. I love how this get along gang is perched on display, basking in the sun, whispering “GET YOUR BUTT OVER HERE AND CUDDLE WITH US!”.

Interior Design by Hilary Thomas

I love how this room balances all of the bright toys and clutter with sophisticated artwork and bedding. AND I USED TO HAVE THAT FARM SET!

Interior Design by Lisa Sherry

Gorgeous. Not totally realistic, I know… but gorgeous.

And last but not least, here’s a mix of some more functional rooms, complete with all the nooks and crannies you need to store all of your play things.

Um, eh-hem. Have you become a follower yet? Subscribe, silly! Please!

Yamma hamma, I’ve been a bit slow moving today. Mighta had myself just a weeeeeeee bit too much fun last night. Well, nothing helps me feel better like putting together a fun and colorful mood board for my bloggie poo!

This past week, I wrapped up a collection of print + pattern work I have been designing for TREAT & Co., which has inspired me to pick out some home pieces infused with fun and vibrant patterns. If mixing together all of the choices below feels a bit too balls-to-the-wall for you, try introducing just one graphic piece here and there to add some visual interest to your pad. Personally, I think you could pull off this mix quite easily as long as the walls provided a nice neutral backdrop (light grey, perhaps?). Anyhoo, that’s all I’ve got for ya today. Now back to the sofa where I have some recorded episodes of Kourtney and Kim Take New York waiting for me (yes, I watch that drivel).

(1) Linen and Lavender Embroidered Pillow, (2) PJ by Peter Jensen Polar Bear Pillow, (3) Alexandra Table Lamp, (4) Striped Scarf Throw, (5) Andalusia Rug, (6) Susan Wheeler Home Vintage Zebra Hide Upholstered Benches

This has to be short and sweet as I gotta get my arse to workie poo. About a week ago, Mrs./Mr. Anonymous requested a post on affordable sofas. I wasn’t totally convinced I’d be able to find much, but after poking around for a bit I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of cute options I came across. I’ve included some larger loaf-around-eating-a-bag-of-cheetos type sofas as well as some more dainty, smaller settees.

If you need help sourcing a certain product, please ask meee! I’m always looking for content idears.

Melbourne Pillow Top Linen Settee, Swoop Upholstered Settee Loveseat Bench, Bristol Floral Pillow-Top Settee, Gray Sofa Bed, Vegas 3 Seat Sleeper Convertible Sofa

Blake Sofa, Karlstad Sofa, Cyprus Luggage Sofa, Kivik Sofa, Blake Sectional