Category: Filing Cabinet

On My Nightstand

This is not a clever new title for a post about which books are metaphorically on my bedside table. No, it is literally the stack of books and other things that I have been making my way through lately. Like a “what’s in your bag?” post, but heavier! Unstyled for authenticity (though I did take the picture this morning, as opposed to last night when I actually wrote this).

Let’s dive in, shall we? Very brief summaries ahead.

The Humorous Memoirs

Why Not Me?, Mindy Kaling
Her first book was a collection of things that had happened to her, but this is more of a peek into why she thinks the way she does. A brilliant, funny, and inspiring read.

Furiously Happy, Jenny Lawson
We’re all a little weird and wonderful, Jenny perhaps more so than most (and that’s why we all love her).

The Magazines

One Kings Lane: Style Your Season
Impulse buy at the checkout. “One Kings Lane made a magazine? Is this a regular thing? Buying that.” A pricey impulse buy ($14 for a magazine), but I was curious. It is the new Domino model (create a magazine to drive sales to the shop) in reverse. With a holiday twist!

House Beautiful
I subscribe, and this is the magazine I most look forward to every month.

Martha Stewart Living
Another subscription, another I always look forward to. Martha, my love.

The Decorating Books

Pink, Lisa Cregan for House Beautiful
Well of course I bought this. (The author, Lisa Cregan, wrote a piece on me ages ago for Chicago Tribune Magazine! To this day, I think it’s the only bit of press I’ve received that my dad is aware of.)

Styled, Emily Henderson
There is decorating info to be gleaned from the book and the photos are beautiful, but the core of the book truly is about how to style (especially for photos) vs. how to decorate or design a space.
I suppose it should be noted that I did not use Emily’s tips to style the photo for this post. If I had, you would have noticed smaller, neater stacks, a color story, and perhaps a throw placed just so. Also real flowers. And a plant. And some ceramic bells on the wall.

Habitat, Lauren Liess
Whereas Styled is about the finishing touches, this is about the substance and planning that goes into a successful room. The field guide approach is smart, and this has been the best read of the decorating bunch.

Beekman 1802 Style, Brent Ridge and Josh Kilmer-Purcell
Photos are pulled from the Country Living archives, making this a sort of highly edited Pinterest board (albeit from a single source) come to life. That said, the photos and point of view are fantastic and I love their take on historical homes and new country style.

Modern Mix, Eddie Ross
Inventive layouts and photo spreads (pulled straight from the Martha Stewart Living handbook it would seem), with useful and inventive ideas for rescuing and repurposing finds you may have otherwise overlooked.

Absolutely Beautiful Things, Anna Spiro
A riot of color and fun, and of course, absolutely beautiful things.

The Board Books

Daddy Loves Me, DK
This would be creepy if it were there for me.

Pajama Time, Sandra Boynton
Some are pink and some are green. Some are the ugliest you’ve ever seen.

The Extras

Fake flowers that are so fake it makes me smile (those peonies are the size of my baby’s head!) and a brass lamp. An alarm clock, an iPhone, a toy iPhone, a dimmer switch, and Nintendo 3DS with Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer. Glass water bottle with a small motivational quote below the heart (“it’d be really nice if you had your shit together a little more.”), Rosebud Salve, two pairs of glasses, and my daughter’s hair tie. Missing: the usual assortment of Star Wars guys that somehow make their way over here.

November 5, 2015
20 Colorful Kids’ Desks and Chairs
The armchair in August’s room will soon be out of there. Nobody is sitting in it much (we read more in bed), and when I asked him if he would rather keep the chair or have a desk instead, he wanted a desk. Eleanor has one in her room, so of course August wants one too.

His bedroom has unpainted wooden trim, a wooden dresser, a black bookshelves. The bed will be upholstered, and the only other soft surface (the armchair) is being removed. I’ll be repainting and I’ve already added a more colorful rug, and I’m looking to bring in more color with the desk and chair. I found twenty options that can mix and match and when I showed them to August, and he said he wanted red. No, light blue. “No, all of them! Stack them up to the roof!”

A lot of help he is!

With the exception of one desk (#3, which is over by ten dollars), everything here is under $200. Much of it is under $100.
1. Commune Chair
  Bent plywood in red, green, blue, or black.
2. Tobias Clear Chair
  This is also available in a clear version, but that lilac is unexpected in a wonderful way.
3. Safavieh Bentley Writing Desk
  Industrial inspiration plus poppy color.
4. Janinge Chair
  Comes in white too, but the yellow is much more fun.
5. Pagoda Blue Evie Molded Dining Chair
  Knock-off Eames shell chairs. There are a million out there, or go for the licensed version in plastic or fiberglass.
6. Homeroom Metal Desk Chair
  Teal, lime, pink, red, or white. The rolled front edge makes the chair more comfortable for longer periods of time.
7. Student Desk with Open Front Metal Book Box
  A primary school classic that also comes in blue, but you have to order at least two.
8. Expound Desk
  That modern trestle base is a fun detail on a well-priced desk. Available in several colors.
9. Public Chair
  Just adorable. Eight wood and accent color combinations.
10. Ideal II Chair
  Bent plywood chairs are always a nice go-to.
11. Lucinda Stacking Chair
  Orange powdercoated iron. Super colorful and sturdy! Also comes in grey.
12. Domino Desk Chair
  Such a great price for a design like this! Similar styles often go for much more from pricier stores. Choose green, gold, navy, or pink.
13. Vilmar Melamine Chair
  These are usually bent wood, but the melamine makes this easier to wipe down and keep clean. Comes in several colors and patterns.
14. Go Cart Mint Rolling Desk
  Similar to the other on this list, but less expensive and in a lovely mint color.
15. Reidar Outdoor Aluminum Chair
  Metal chairs are wonderfully sturdy and indestructible. Choose from black, white, and yellow.
16. Pony Peacock Chair
  I didn’t include a lot of fabric choices here on purpose, but I liked this one too much to pass up. Comes in a gray tweed too if you’re looking for something less colorful.
17. IKEA PS 2014 Secretary Desk
  Toys and display space up top, hide everything else below! The zingy orange and modern design is great, too.
18. Marais A Side Chair
  16 colors! We have these in our dining room, in gunmetal gray.
19. Umbra OH! Arm Chair
  You know where the name comes from? You sit down and exclaim “OH!” when you realize how comfy it is.
20. Red Josephine Desk
  X-bases for the win. Plus a fold-down drawer!
August 12, 2015
14 Ceiling Fans that Don’t Look Terrible!
Our house does not have central air, and Chicago summers are hot and humid. I was a little concerned that we would be uncomfortable as the temperatures rose, but it hasn’t been too bad. A shady porch for enjoying a breeze helps. 10′ tall ceilings inside and transom windows above the bedroom doors help. Window A/C units help. Portable fans help, and though I’d rather choose fixtures for looks alone, ceiling fans help. There are four in the house already, and we’re planning to add at least two more.

Here’s what I’ve been looking for in a fan:
- simple and classic, early vintage style, or industrial-inspired
- nothing too modern or so simple that it looks cheap
- light kit optional (depends on the room — lamps/sconces are adequate in bedrooms)
- four or five blades
- no gimmicks (gyro fans, palm leaves, etc.)
- black, bronze, or brass (in another house I might prefer white, but here I don’t think the color works as well)
- roughly 48″ across, give or take a little
Some of these are available in several finishes, but I tried to stick to black or dark bronze for the roundup so they could be compared more readily by shape and style than by color. Many are also adaptable to house a light kit, and the down rod can often be adjusted for height.

Classic Bistro Style
1. 52″ Harbor Breeze Classic Outdoor Ceiling Fan, Lowe’s, $80
2. 42″ Progress Lighting Airpro Builder Ceiling Fan, Lowe’s, $111
3. 52″ Sea Gull Lighting Quality Ceiling Fan, Lowe’s, $171
4. 43″ Gemma Indoor/Outdoor Ceiling Fan, Home Depot, $242
5. 52″ Bistro Ceiling Fan, Restoration Hardware, $289
6. 54″ Ainsworth Ceiling Fan, House of Antique Hardware, $310
7. 52″ Heron No Light 4-Blade Ceiling Fan, Rejuvenation, $450
8. 52″ Hunter Original Ceiling Fan, House of Antique Hardware, $463
Industrial-Inspired
1. 52″ Progress Lighting North Park 4-Blade Ceiling Fan, Lowe’s, $214
2. 42″ or 52″ Lapa Ceiling Fan, Barn Light Electric, $446
3. 42″ or 52″ Machine Age Polished Copper Ceiling Fan, Barn Light Electric, $475
4. 52″ Industry Ceiling Fan, Restoration Hardware, $499
5. 60″ Peregrine Industrial No Light 4-Blade Ceiling Fan, Rejuvenation, $500
  also seen in the leading image, with an LED light
6. 52″ Earhart Ceiling Fan, Restoration Hardware, $579
p.s. I totally should have had two matching post titles in a row.
July 22, 2015
Rugs, Rugs, Rugs, Plus Plans for August’s Room
Staring at those photos of August’s room while I edited them and wrote up my post last week made it increasingly evident that the gray rug in there needed to go. I rolled it up later that day while Brandon had all of the kids at the park, and I rearranged the furniture while they were gone too.

August’s reaction could have gone two ways. Mild interest in the novelty of the new, or absolute hatred with a side of resistance to change. When he got back, I called him upstairs and told him I had a surprise for him in his room. I was met with a hug and the biggest smile. “Oh, it’s so beautiful!” Not what I expected to come out of his mouth, but I’ll take it.

I took the safety rail off of the bed when I changed the room’s layout, and I’m pleased to report that August has only tumbled out of bed once since then. He was so sleepy and out of it that he didn’t even remember it the next morning. Parenting win! (The kid was fine. You gotta learn to sleep in a normal bed some time, right? And anyway, his is super low to the ground, so you know. Not too far to fall.)

I brought in a white rug that we already owned so that there would still be a soft surface to play on (or fall out of bed onto). I feel like this is about as good as that wall color can look, and it’s not looking great. The curtains and artwork though, I like, and those are definitely staying.

Rugs, rugs, rugs. Stick with what I’ve got, or…

Fun & Coloful
1. Boucherouite Rug, The Land of Nod
2. Gypsy Stripe Woven Cotten Rug, Dash & Albert
3. Melita Flokati Rug, Anthropologie
4. Magical Thinking Triangle Chindi Rag Rug, Urban Outfitters
5. Paint Palette Rug, The Land of Nod
6. Carrousel Lattice Rug, Lulu & Georgia
7. Delphine Rug (Ruby and Teal), Lulu & Georgia
8. Salma Wool Shag Rug, West Elm
Stick with Ivory

Our rug has long been discontinued, but these are similar if you’re in the market.
1. Honeycomb Textured Wool Rug, West Elm
2. Textured Wool Rug, PB Kids
3. Moorish Tile Rug, Pier 1
Neutral & Geometric
1. Woven Geo Fringe Kilim Rug (Navy), PB Kids
2. Magical Thinking Printed Boucherouite Rug, Urban Outfitters
3. Azi Rug, CB2
4. Threshold™ Aztec Fleece Area Rug, Target
5. Torres Wool Kilim (Iron), West Elm
6. Herald Rug, Anthropologie
7. Delaney Rug (Navy), PB Kids
8. Oslo Wool Dhurrie Rug, CB2
What do you think? Are there any other good options that I may have missed?
July 14, 2015
Art from Minted (With a Giveaway!)

Minted is a marketplace that hosts regular competitions to source all their art from a global community of independent artists. They recently invited me to select a few of my favorite prints, and they’re hosting a $500 giveaway so that one of my readers can do the same! Details and instructions for entering are at the end of this post.

I chose three pieces, intending to group and hang them together above a vintage wooden bench in the hallway. August spotted and loved the Happy Faces print by Kim Johnson though, and he asked if I would hang it in his room.

Maybe all those happy faces will shine down on him and put him in a good mood when he’s having a cranky four-year-old kind of day. (A parent can hope, right?)

:)

The happy faces print was the largest, and it was to be the anchor in my group of three. With that one having been relocated, I set about finding new spots for the other two prints.

We did a ton of work to the hallway on the second floor, reconfiguring the layout, knocking down walls and putting up new ones, smoothing it all out, laying new flooring, and upgrading the lighting. But we haven’t stripped the paint on the window and doorframe yet, and while it would be great to skim coat the walls and remove or replace the carpet in the stairway, it isn’t a priority. Hanging something pretty (Peony Bottle, by Betty Hatchett) draws my eye to the art and lets me kind of ignore the rest.

Remember the armoire with the crazy striped surprise inside that we painted? Here it is in place, a little further down the other side of the hallway. A low-maintenance plant, a thrifted lamp, and a radio have been hanging out on top, and I added my third Minted print over it — Mid-Century Moments, by That Girl Studio.

Giveaway

I narrowed my list of dozens of favorites on Minted down to the three you see above, but it wasn’t easy to choose. They have tons of cute prints! Luckily for you, Minted is giving away a $500 credit so that one reader can choose a bunch of their favorites too. You have until midnight, June 28 to enter. Visit Minted to enter and for the complete rules. Good luck!

Thank you, Minted, for sponsoring this post.

While this was a sponsored opportunity from Minted, all content and opinions expressed here are my own.

* Congratulations to the winner, Stephanie!

June 23, 2015
Cut the Cord(s)

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of DuPont™ Corian®.

All opinions are 100% mine.

NeoCon is a huge annual show for the commercial interiors industry held at The Merchandise Mart, here in Chicago. I attended the show last week for the debut of the new wireless Corian^® Charging Surface, and you guys. We are living in the future.

You probably already know Corian^®. It’s a solid-surface material that comes in 110 colors and patterns that can be custom-cut and fabricated with near seamless installation. It’s durable, stain-resistant, and easy to clean, so while most people are familiar with as a countertop for the kitchen or bathroom, it’s often used for commercial and hospitality applications too.

The Corian^® Charging Surface is a transmitter that can be installed below the surface of a counter to wirelessly charge smart devices, stopping automatically when the battery is full. Zodiaq^® quartz counters work with the technology too and there’s no difference in appearance with it installed (unless you want to add an identifying mark), so you get this secret little charging spot that doesn’t change the design of your room! We usually have a phone or tablet (or both) charging in our kitchen, and the tangle of cords drives me nuts. I’m forever gathering everything up to squirrel it all away in a drawer, so to be able to charge everything without wires would be awesome.

Samsung is already offering phones that can be charged wirelessly, but you can adapt other phones with a special case or Powermat^® wireless charging ring. Powermat^® is also making the technology work for commercial spaces (coffee shops, restaurants, airports, etc.) with multiple charging spots and remote cloud-based management. Both the residential and commercial transmitters’ firmware can be updated and are PMA and Qi compatible to support upcoming technology.

I liked the new Corian^® design at the show that looked like marble (without marble’s tendency to stain and etch), and it would work in almost any kitchen or bath. I was into some of the darker options though — almost black, but with enough interest to keep them from looking flat. A dark counter with painted cabinetry in a beautiful color and an integrated Corian^® Charging Surface would be fantastic. Adding one to a piece of furniture in an entryway or mudroom would be smart too. And wouldn’t it be amazing for the technology to take off on a large enough scale so that you could head out with your phone, sans-cords and cables, confident that there would be a spot where you could set your phone down to charge wirelessly? Hello, future.

You can follow Corian^® on Facebook and Corian^® Twitter to keep up with them and their latest innovations.

June 22, 2015