design tips Archives - Page 2 of 38

FOUND: Gallery Wall Frame Sets at Target

Mar22018

I have a quick find to share with you today that may make your life easier if you’re thinking about doing a gallery wall project anytime soon. I had no idea that Target sells sets of frames until I came across them this week. They’re affordable and ready to go, already matted with hangers on the back. It would be a great way to quickly knock out a weekend project like the wall we created in our kitchen remodel:

I like that these sets that are sold as groups of six or nine. (Or double up for a huge statement wall!) When you break down the cost, they end up being between $5 to $8 per frame. Not bad when the mat is included–and the square ones are perfect for favorite Instagram photos. They come in both black and white (or would be easy to spray paint gold).

white gallery wall set

black gallery wall set

A quick tip: I like to measure or tape off the entire space I want to cover on my wall first and then plan my frame spacing accordingly. As a frame of reference, the frames on my wall are spaced approximately 2 inches apart horizontally and 1.5 inches apart vertically. (I say “approximately” because I eyeball everything that I hang without measuring or marking first. I know, I know. . .) I used these frames for our kitchen wall and really like them, but we did have to attach the hanger to each individual frame first.

wall sconces

A few more examples of why I (still) love a well-placed gallery wall, especially when they’re full of personal or family photos. (It’s always the first thing people stop and talk about when they come into our home.)

Michael Bastian featured on One Kings Lane

House Beautiful (Is that a cat tail in the corner??)

source unknown

Looking for individual frames? I think this is one of the best looking gold frames for the price.

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High End Design for Real Life: Bill & Giuliana Rancic’s Living Room

Feb72018

I’m taking a stab at dissecting another high end designer room into a space for “real life.” (See the last one I did here.) You may have already seen Bill and Giuliana Rancic’s living room designed by Lonni Paul in Traditional Home. It’s definitely traditional but still feels young and fresh.

There are some great take-aways from this space, but especially for those who generally consider themselves “neutral decorators” longing for a little color. It’s also a lesson in minimalism, showing how one bold piece can be enough color for an entire room.

This living room starts with a neutral base, incorporates few accessories and cool tones (no warm brass here!). Everything sticks to a calming theme with one big exception: statement art that really pops. Think about how different–and traditional–this room would look if you replaced it with a watercolor landscape painting in the same soft shades of blue and gray used on the rug and upholstery. If you feel like your home is too traditional to bring in a piece of modern art, this may help you rethink what you “can” and “can’t” do in your own space.

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High End Design for Real Life (Red + Blue Living Room)

Nov292017

After my last high-end -design-to-real-life post, I had several requests for more. So, this time I’m taking a stab at recreating a room by one of my favorite designers, William McLure. For the record, I could live in his rooms exactly as they are, but here are a few ideas for recreating (and somewhat toning down) this red, white and blue living room for “real life”.

Since red walls aren’t for everyone–or every home–I started with the concept of “flipping” the color palette and using the red as more of an accent color. (Images are linked directly to product pages.)

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