Pencil might seem like the simplest medium to work with, but I’ve always found it far from that. Just because you can use an eraser doesn’t make it entirely forgiving. By now you should know of my obsession for any form of art dealing with hair, and I think that speaks to the difficulties I have in creating it myself. Nettie Wakefield has mastered the medium, and the hair, with aplomb.
Click on each image to go to the project.
All photos copyright of their respective sites unless otherwise noted.
Casey Keasler for Design*Sponge
Nude art, accepted and regaled as some of the most popular once upon a time, is often seen as taboo in today’s society. (Half naked people on TV? Okay. Tastefully painted expressionist female form? The horror.) I’m of the opinion that a good piece of naked art can be really amazing in nearly any room, and I’m finding proof that others agree. Take a peek at how nudes are being incorporated into everyday home decor, then scroll down to shop the look.
Clockwise from top left: Vintage A. Moyer // André Lemos Pinto // Catalina Somolinos // Ewa Dabkiewicz
Clockwise from top left: GalerieMiniMal // Geordanna Cordero-Fields // Vitali Komarov //
1950s Pin-Up Photograph
I’ve been trying to cut back on costs before summer and its full schedule of activities and events hit full stride, mainly by cooking at home more and eating out less. A big part of being in the kitchen for me is enjoying the process, and having sturdy hardworking pieces to work with can make or break the experience. So when Neoflam asked if I’d like to try out some of their retro cookware I didn’t hesitate. I was surprised by just how light their cast aluminum pieces are, a huge difference-maker when lifting a potful of my famous (among dozens) peanut soup. The sleek lines and colors look so good in my kitchen that I’ve opted to keep my stockpot stovetop even when not in use. (Check out the Promotions section of their site to score a deal of your own!)
I received product in exchange for this post. All words and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Design Crush!
Posted In behind the scenes, house and home, kitchen, living, sponsored post
Julie Blackmon‘s Domestic Vacations explores what it means to be a Jan Steen household – a home in disarray, full of rowdy children and boisterous family gatherings. The Dutch proverb originated in the 17th century after the painter who depicted the intersection of art and life. The result of Blackmon’s exploration are both imagined and autobiographical and 100% modern.
Houston, Texas fiber artist/art professor/jewelry artist Kari Breitigam must ooze creativity out of every perfect pore. Her pieces are handmade in such a thoughtful and ritualistic way that I almost wonder if those qualities might transfer to the wearer when they drape one on.
(via Almost Makes Perfect)
Posted In jewelry, style, wear it
Temporary installations are like a hot and heavy relationship that’s doomed from the start. Fleeting, intense, and short on time. Jacob Hashimoto‘s Gas Giant was installed at MOCA Pacific Design Center. Over 25 days Hashimoto worked with an installation crew to suspend 30,000 paper kites from the gallery ceiling. MOCAtv captured the process, spanning the first day of installation to the three day deinstallation process.
Karen Margolis combines two unexpected facets to create her art – architectural renderings of the mind’s operations and plotted patterns of color. The result is fascinatingly beautiful.
Curious about what thoughts and emotions might look like inside the brain, I translate my interior monologues into molecular patterns of color. Plot out extemporaneously, accumulations of dots mark the transformations of feelings through changes in color. I also sew on discs of paper and attach map fragments to reflect external distractions. These mind maps function to chronicle the behavior of chemical interactions in the brain for the duration of various “states of mind”, offering a glimpse into the formal arrangement of emotions.
I did it. I created an accent wall that I love that doesn’t feel tacky or cliche, but that still packs a punch. In this case the key was choosing two muted hues as well as embracing my love of geometry. But let’s back up for a minute and check out the before photos of my home office.
The bare basics and oh so boring. A small Parsons style desk, office chair, filing cabinets to hide supplies, and artwork that has yet to find a home. Of course no room would be complete without a wayward throw rug, yes? As I mentioned in my last post, the walls had been painted a greyish white and that’s about all I’d done in this space since moving into my house last September.
Before charting out the diagonal accent wall I’d settled upon, I gathered a length of rope and a few thumbtacks. The first step was maneuvering myself up to the tippy-top of my ladder to reach the high ceiling, where I tacked the rope in the upper corner. (No small feat for this 5’2″ girl.) I drew it taut as I pulled down to the opposing corner and tacked a few places along the way for reinforcement, then followed the line it created with painter’s tape. My (mad) method ensured a straight line, which is oh so important if you’re the OCD type like me who might obsess over any imperfections later on.
It took two coats of SW 7110 Cosmetic Blush in my favorite Sherwin-Williams combo, the Emerald line in a satin finish. I’ve used this tag team on my last four painting projects and love it. Once the second coat was on I removed the tape by pulling away at an angle for a super crisp line. (A pro tip is to always remove painter’s tape while the paint is still slightly wet.) The low VOCs made the smell of paint non-existent, so with a small crack of the window I was able to start working in my office almost immediately.
If you noticed, I turned my plan for a diagonal accent wall into more of an accent corner! I didn’t plan on it beforehand, but once I started taping things off it just felt right. So I went with it. The end result feels a bit like a pink beam of light shining on my workspace, which has been an especially welcome presence on overcast days.
I relocated my desk to the newly painted wall and kept things simple with a brass lamp and fresh flowers. (Trust me, that desk will be cluttered in no time.) The project as a whole took just around two hours spread over two days. I have a few more pieces of furniture to add before the office is 100% complete, but this refresh is perfect for the immediate future!
For the past three years I’ve teamed up with Sherwin-Williams to mark National Painting Week. Together we’ve tackled the front door and hall bath at my old home, and now my office. Each project wasn’t huge as a whole, but made such a positive change in my space.
Visit the National Painting Week site and see what other bloggers are doing to update and celebrate! Leave a comment below sharing if you have plans to switch up an area in your home for National Painting Week for a chance to win $100 from Sherwin-Williams. Giveaway ends May 17th at midnight EST.
I received product and compensation from Sherwin-Williams in return for this post. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Design Crush!
Posted In my life, office, sponsored post
01/ This dog’s nutritional pyramid is hilarious.
02/ An entire collection of tools made out of chocolate.
03/ Fascinating satellite photos of seaweed farms in South Korea.
04/ Check out these whimsical book covers created by Aniko Koleshnikova.
05/ The BAM breathalyzer necklace can help you not drink too much.
06/ I’ve had campers on the brain lately, and the Hütte Hut is adorable.
07/ Canismo captures adoptable dogs as they shake non-toxic paint onto canvases.
08/ My friend Emily McDowell has created the BEST collection of empathy cards.
09/ The WINKpen lets you write with wine, beer, tea and more.
10/ America’s oldest shopping mall was converted into microapartments.
This week on Design Crush:
Ten fresh art prints to up the art ante of your walls.
I’m pinking up the office for a much needed facelift.
Beautiful sugar and watercolor stained glass by Sipho Mabona.
The Kame is giving me some major suitcase envy right about now.
Loving these overhead POV paintings from Ida Badal.
I’m obsessed with my Life & Type custom letterpress poster!
Sylvia Baz’s Typeworks alphabet prints are graphic and amazing.
The perfect summer grilling aprons by Hedley and Bennett.
I’d love a few pieces of this cement pottery from Studio Twocan.
Design Crush elsewhere:
I paired up some bare rooms with their perfect floor rug matches.