Sometimes it sucks when the world feels small, and sometimes it’s amazing. I’d like to introduce you to the ceramic work of Nicole Aquillano, the younger sister of a girl I graduated high school with over a decade ago just outside of Pittsburgh, PA. I love that I can see the influence of our town in Nicole’s work and am swept away by her attention to detail. Much of her work is based on the stability of home and the human need to maintain collections, both of which I can definitely relate to. (It’s a small world after all.)
Crane & Canopy is all that and a bag of chips, and I’m about to spill the many reasons why. Bedding is one of those final touches that make a room feel finished and pulled together, it’s also one of the more expensive elements in a bedroom. It seems like every search I’ve embarked upon has ended with me being in love with a set waaay out of my price range. (Followed by wine and chocolate.) Crane & Canopy has revolutionized all of that. First by creating their own designs, second by working directly with premium companies to cut out the middle men and lower costs.
But here’s the thing, just because the textiles are actually affordable doesn’t mean they’re lower in quality. All of Crane & Canopy‘s base fabrics use the highest quality cotton with 300 to 400 thread count weaves, optimized for softness while maintaining lifetime durability and longevity. And every piece has special touches like convenient corner ties, easy care zipper, exquisite piping, or beautiful embroidery. Not to mention the bold, graphic, and inspired prints created by their designers. (I picked up the Octavia for an upcoming project!)
The icing on the cake (or bag of chips) is that this spring Crane & Canopy has partnered with New York’s Safe Horizon to give back to domestic violence victims. For every bedding set purchased they’ll be donating a complete bedding set to to Safe Horizon’s shelter residents. I can only imagine how amazing it must feel to someone looking for even the most basic of human needs to safely and comfortably snuggle up at night.
Crane & Canopy also sells the most delicious sheets with colorful edging that I can’t wait to pick up, they look perfectly crisp for summer! Also just launched is their spring pop-up shop, filled to the brim with lovely modern things for your entire home – not just the bedroom.
I’m a big fan of artist Emily Barletta‘s work. I mean, anyone who has the level of patience it takes and the talent to conceive of such intricate art sewn on paper deserves lots of love and admiration. The close-ups tell the whole story.
I can be described as having a brown thumb at best. I have an odd talent for growing African violets that thrive, and not much else. Succulents hate me and I even once killed a cactus. I’m That Girl. So with all of that out in the open – whew! – you can see why I’m always on the look out for tips & tricks that might help me out a bit.
Colorblocking. It’s the fashion trend that showed up in our lives just about a year ago and shows no sign of being played out any time soon. I’ve loved seeing this look evolve from brights and neons to more subdued palettes, and tracking the different ways designers make it their own – in fashion and beyond. So what about you, love it or tired of it?
I’m a firm believer that desk and office accessories should not only be functional but fun. I love the graphic treatment that each one of these Tower Blocks Paper Notes received, and am 99% positive I would arrange them all in a skyline on my desk. (via bltd)
Last week I let you in on my front door makeover project I worked on with Sherwin-Williams for National Painting Week, and I’m so excited to finally be able to share the results! I can’t believe I put up with it in its dingy off-whiteness for as long as I did (4 1/2 years!), but spring is the perfect time for adding some color to all aspects of life, don’t you think?
Oh, hey there dirty post-winter porch and dormant flower bed! My house was definitely in a state of PLEASE HELP ME as far as curb appeal goes. (If you look closely you can spy my dogs, Piper and Bebe, in each window agreeing vehemently.)
Even though my door and frame were light in color, I opted to add a layer of primer for full color development upon the advice of the consultants at my local Sherwin-Williams store. But before that I neatly taped off the frame from the brick exterior and around all of the fixtures. What I forgot to do was cover the doorknob in foil (a fantastic trick). Whoops.
I did a little research pre-project on the best way to tackle the process, and it turns out there is a recommended way in which to paint a door. Painting in this order helps to eliminate excess visible paint strokes and globs. (It totally worked.)
1.The recesses in each interior panel. 2.The interior panels. 3.The cross-sections between panels. 4.The outermost borders.
Two coats of Energetic Orange in Sherwin-Williams Emerald Exterior Acrylic Latex paint (and some fresh spring flowers) later and I was done! I’m looking forward to being able to tell new visitors that my house is “the last one on the left, the one with the orangedoor”!
I’d love to add a brass knocker and doorbell cover like the photo that inspired my makeover, and hopefully some interesting house numbers. This project has also given me the motivation to paint the trim and other exterior doors on my home a charcoal grey. It’s going to be amazing. My neighbor complimented me on the fresh look the other day and asked if I did this sort of thing for a living! (It was a long answer.)
Definitely pop over to visit The Brick House to see more orange today, and Vintage Revivals and Style by Emily Henderson tomorrow for their red projects! And, you’re in luck. The Sherwin-Williams National Painting Week SuperSale starts tomorrow and runs through April 22nd, with offers of 40% off paints and stains and 30% off painting supplies it’s too good to pass up.
Disclaimer: This project and post are sponsored by Sherwin-Williams. All opinions and words are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep Design Crush going!
These Bunkai Pierce colored and patterned earrings look like they were made for summer and spring! Each one is made from separate layers of transparent colored acrylic that only create their bright designs when brought together. They must feel like wearing air, so light.
