Exposed Bricks

 

 

image credits: 1: via decor 8, 2: southern living, 3: country living, 4: elle decor, 5: apartment therapy, 6: redonline, 7: west elm, 8: design sponge, 9: concept blanc, 10: via decorpad

There's something I love and cannot get enough of with brick walls. I find it a gorgous resource for decorating. Rustic meets modern and chic is definitely one of my favorite design styles. I love its rich texture, especially the white kind of washed ones. Pair it up with a chandelier, and voilá, you've got yourself a winner!

So, if you're fortunate enough to have a brick wall, I would definitely recommend making it the star of the room.

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This time, I think I can't make up my mind.

Do you have a single favorite?

  

Powder Blue

via HGTV

via designsponge

 via get green home

Gorgeous home of Jennifer López in California, via veranda

J.Lo's amazingly beautiful kitchen. veranda

martha stewart

via apartment therapy

One of my all-time favorite colors is blue. I love its range of tones, from deep, ocean blue, to aqua. While turquoise is still one of my top ranked, I've come to realize that for my home walls I like having a softer tone, one that doesn't steal attention from the decor, but instead, enhances it. And that's where Powder Blue comes handy. I love it. I even love its name. It is an idillic color because it combines blue's natural serenity with gray's neutrality. Plus, it looks amazing in any room!
Actually, I'm thinking about using powder blue for one of my rooms at home. Can you tell which one it is?

Hoping your week is going great!

How do you like lilac?

I was just talking about black and white as options for decorating, when I bumped into a gorgeous and well designed lilac master bedroom. It hit me right in my heart. You know, I can nuts all over lilac.

This beautiful combination of greys, white and lilac is a creation of Kelly. You should definitely check out her amazing transformations.

Do you like it as much as I do?

I absolutely love it! It's sexy, soft, moody, simply perfect!

By the way, Kelly is participating in Apartment Therapy's Room for Color 2010, so go and vote for her!!!!

What I like about the room:

The soft curtains and the light that comes through them.

Great choice of colors (of course!).

The black and white pillows are beautiful!

Textures, especially the faux fur throw on the bed.

So how do you like it?

vía apartment therapy

Black or White?

Have you noticed black and white trends lately? They are definitely in, and how couldn't they? They are absolutely gorgeous. Each of them offer a chance for us to achieve a touch of elegance in a room, and yet, both represent a big design challenge.

pure style home

Lauren's master bedroom is a perfect "white over white" room. It looks open, clean, totally dreamy. The little touches of wood and green are beautiful sparks of color in the space. 

elle decor

I fell in love with this black room the minute I say it. I love the contrast of the black and white pictures in the frames with the black wall. I find it totally amazing and elegant, while still remaining casual. The outcome? A modern, sophisticated, and daring room. The combination of red, grey, and whites over the dark room fits just fine.

If you're up for the challenge, there are some important things to consider:

If you're going for white:

elle decor

Consider it's a very dirty color, especially if there are any kids around. You should consider using washer-friendly fabrics.

Choose some contrasting accesories to break with the white monotony (such as the pillows in the first image, or the flowers in this room).

If you're going for black:

apartment therapy

Rooms appear smaller with dark colors, so pick visually light furniture.

Use elements to add light in the room (such as the black and white photos, or white sheets).

Be careful if you're using other colors in the room. Try to use only a few (three max), so that the room looks uniform.

With all this in mind, which do you prefer?
Black?
Or white?

Do you dare?
Do share!

Fun Chalkboard Projects for Home

If you like the chalkboard trend but aren't really into painting a whole wide wall, I've got news for you. I've gathered some excellent ideas from all over the blogosphere, and they're really quite fun too. Chalboarding might have never been this easy.

bedzine

Paint your pots with chalkboard paint for easy marking on your plants. Can you imagine it in a herbal garden? Great!

house to home

I think labelling is one of the coolest functions of using chalkboard paint. These are so cute!

house and home

This is a great idea for parties and events. I could totally picture these in a wedding.

just what I can squeeze in

An even easier option to paint are vinyl wall decals. No need to get dirty! 

Anyhoo, these are little cute ideas, easy to do and fun, for your home.

If you are into major changes (should I say, challenges), chalboard paint still has more ideas for us!!!! (I could really, and I mean really talk about this forever). =)

Let's start sharing the ideas...

apartment therapy

You might have heard or read about magnetic paint. If not, here it goes: there's actual magnet paint on the market. Just as easy to do on your walls as regular paint, it instantly turns any smooth surface into a magnetic board.
But even cooler, if you use chalkboard paint afterwards. Your surface pretty much becomes a real chalkboard, ready for you to hang thing on it (just as we do with our fridge).

apartment therapy

It's out of this world for me. According to multiple tutorials, you just have to paint with magnetic paint, and THEN use the chalkboard paint. Piece of cake!

And finally, this is something that got me really hooked. Did you know you could have your own chalkboard paint in your own color of choice?

I tell you, things keep getting better and better! The always fab, Martha Stewart tells us how:

So, you need only 1 cup of flat-finish latex paint and 2 tablespoons of unsanded tile grout (white). That's all there is to it.

I've read that it's easier for you to mix the grout in a little water before mixing it with your paint, because the grout makes it heavy.

So there you have it. Of course the basic black and green chalkboard paints are pretty, but why have limitations on us and our home projects? 

apartment therapy

I tell you, options are endless!

Old Crush, New Possibilites

I think I'm falling in love again with my oldest crush.
And how could I not to be crazy about this little guy, when it's so much fun and gives me infinite possibilities?

Chalkboard paint. That's what I'm talking about. You weren't thinking otherwise, now were you?

diy life

 What better place to write down your lists? Can't forget a thing. Click on the link for the instructions on how to turn your fridge into a chalboard. Anybody interested?

BHG

A perfect way to organize clutter. Everything's in place. You only need to write down each of the drawers' tags.

via living etc

Then again, there's Mr. Blackboard paint, all classic and elegant. The drawers in this chest stand out beautifully from the red.

via the nest

The thing about black chalkbard paint is its sophisticated and modern look, yet a vintage twist. Of course it's always a big plus if you own a bookshelf like this one. That's a hot wall to me!

BHG

Speaking of hot wall treatments, I'm so in love with this room. Now you know what to do when your teenage kid asks you for a black room. And it allows expression. I couldn't think of a better combo for any youngster. I also love how everything comes together, the black walls, the blue and lime beddings, The Beatles...

This is the other side of the room. It's so fresh and fun.

When talking about walls, kids generally get away with the coolest, most creative of them all.

via shop out of hand

Just take a look at the village sillouette in this nursery. I personally think it's a little too spooky for a baby or any small child, for that matter, but the idea is very cool. My daughter (9), would LOVE it.

via howshouse

Toddlers can get hours of fun with any sillouette they can find, especially if they can doodle as much as they want.

 

Transform any table into the greatest toy in their room!
Images from here  and here.

Which is your favorite so far?

Think through, 'cause I've still got one more to go.

Last, but definitely NOT least, my favorite of them all:

simple daisy

Ain't it cute?
Now I understand my chalkboard crush!
(blogging IS my therapy)

Tiles for Modern Kitchens

I couldn't wrap up the tile talking without speaking about kitchens. There are soooo many options out there, waiting to be shared... so let's say nothing else. Ready to drool? ;) 

Mosaic

Mosaics are once again a perfect, modern option for the space. There are infinite posibilities on colors and materials, so the choice is up to you!

Take a look at these lovely glass tiles. They look so classy!

I love blue mosaics, they keep reminding me of summer childhood memories in bathing suits.

But then again, the sand option is also perfect.

Rectified Tile

Rectified tiles work great with decorative lines. They give a very neutral and beautiful background for this kitchen.

In this case, mosaics are used in combination with rectified tiles for a fresh and modern look.

What do you say? Do you have a favorite?

images:

coastal living

interceramic

porcelanosa

sunset magazine

tile shop