April Fools?

There really is a new Ikea car coming out- let's hope it looks nothing like this! I have had to witness my darling husband put together some pretty intricate Ikea furniture in his day...I'm the annoying helper holding the useless baby wrench that comes with every "kit" suggesting new ideas and tactics. Sometimes I even hand him the wrong bolt! He still likes me- miracles never cease! Just don't mention Ikea dressers to him. They are not meant to be taken apart and reassembled -just FYI!
I love April Fool's Day but I'm a whole lot more mellow than I used to be. I packed 10 spongey pink hair curlers in my kiddos lunch box today...I wish I could sneak over there and watch them explode.
She wanted to wear something crazy and unmatching today....I'm thinking TODAY? Crazy is just another word for normal in our house.

The above "banned" commercial cracks me up. I was a Nanny in my early twenties. Just for the record I'd never would have owned a neon Love sign!

I wish...lofty goals

On our wish list:
A Loft bed for the girlie girl in our casa.
The PB teen stylist may have gotten a little carried away here! The concept is good though.

Too cute, I mean that in a bad way.

This Affordable Ikea badboy

might be just the trick! Her room may not be the most modern room in our house but it has been very functional for her and her pet turtle for 3 years now.

She is growing out of her toddler bed and talking more and more about these loft beds.

I'd paint it white, add some curtains on the bottom and ta- dahhhh. A loft bed for under $400!

I thought this was hysterical... and oh so apt in my neck of the woods. It's called the "I wish we had an Ikea dish towel" by skinnylaminx.

The artist lives in South Africa. After mooning over an Ikea catalog she was inspired to create a new pattern for her textiles. Bloody brilliant!

60's & 70's modern...Weebles, come back!

Love this sweet Ikea Hacker winner made from fabric perfect for the wee ones! I'm going to be re-doing my daughter's room soon. I am on the hunt for ideas!

Could I talk her into these colors?

These prints remind me of weebles!

I really, really love these colors! Maybe Chris will do a color stripe!

In fact, I think I had a weeble playhouse that looked like the one below!

This has nothing to do with my daughter's room, but I found this while searching these prints- modern design...can be timeless I think...change a few accessories, shoot with a better camera and you've got a nifty little 21st century kitchen!

Images found first on flikr and

Midcentury Modernist and Lola

Inspiration, Ah haa,,,which way?

They almost float , don't they?

The IKEA TRAIN!

I love these objects from Z Gallery. Perfect on a shelf, a mantle, bureau, or anywhere you have room for rumination.

ask Kb Fridays Crafty Solutions

Dear KB,
I have a very large rec room in the upstairs of my house...it's so random!
My husband want to eventually have a screening room there but for the time being
I just need a playroom for my girls who are 3 and 7. I want some of my craft
supplies available to them and myself. I want to keep my large entertainment
unit with TV. I want the girls to have access to their dolls, dress -up clothes,
dollhouse, games, and toys. I also want to keep some of the furniture but it's a
little mismatched. The walls are a neutral gray green color with white trim. The
carpet has to stay.
Oh, I also don't want to invest a ton of money.

Signed,

Room for Advice in Ridgway

Hey RFA,

Sounds like you need some zones. You need an environment that is harmonious, fun to be in , easy to keep organized, and high functioning. No problem.

These are portable and cute. you may also want to consider hanging units with long rods or multiple rails like the ones found in kitchens to store crayons, glue guns, kid jewelry, scissors, etc.

I really think Flat Files are essential for storing colored paper. This one is reasonably priced and, most importantly, it keep s colors separated, visible and organized.

If you havemore than one you could designate a finished artwork storage center for one and another could be for drying art work.

You say there is carpet on your floors. If you allow painting projects consider a roll-up floor mat for messy art days. The Land of Nod

has some really great playroom furniture and ideas.

And now...

Shazamo! I LOVE

this whimsical family room by Candice Olsen of the TV show Divine Design. She nailed the "two separate spaces in one large space" thing- perfectly. Behind the curtain the kids have free reign.

Speaking of curtains...

Consider two large curtains that can either be closed when the entertainment area is being used or open when the girls are "performing" a play in their dress-up clothes. Kids love the drama of a "stage."
What I like about this look is that it is so inviting. Kids and grown-ups alike would love to get their creativity flowing in this space.

Painting your existing storage pieces white would create a cohesive look.

Another big oraganization hint when creating a craft space:

Rather than having one giant opaque bin for multiple craft items like pom-poms, buttons, markers, crayons, googly eyes, stickers, etc. use small see through jars and containers help keep them separate and accessible.

There's a cute blog called The Yellow Fence with a great little Kid's art space.

This is creative, fun and user friendly.

There is an art store quality to this shelving unit, which isreally practical and appealing. It could easily be curtained off, you could have two tables in the room-on wheels- one pint sized and one grown-up sized. It could easily butt up against this shelf unit to create a craft station or kids pretend office space.

I wanted to show you these...so clever and so easy to execute.

Black? It's grownup and sophisticated but imagine adding a small kids table and kid sized shelves it could work for all of you.

-or just imagine it in white.

Scrapbookers gone wild!

Know anyone who would swoon over this?

Low, Ridiculously Low, and High- the going postal kinda High!

This, from Pottery Barn is very affordable- very high functioning too.

This, from Ikea is crazy cheap! Very modern and very handsome.

I really think though, almost any desk, could benefit from a shelf or hutch perched above it. Then you get the postal feeel of the marvel below.

So flippin' cool! LOVE the swivel action on the seat, makes me wanna play post office! From Jayson Home and Garden.

Oh happy day! Blue eyes, Blue Box

Guess where this is from?

She's 6 today! I keep trying to cut a deal with her about not growing up and getting bigger but she won't sign.

Speaking of cutting deals, I have it on good authority that IKEA will announce today about opening a store in Denver. That is still 5 hrs away by car but I'll take it!

Wind be damned!

Several years ago we traveled hundreds of miles to the nearest big blue Swedish store, spent a zillion hours shopping for a home office, two brand new homes, and a friend who collects organizational paraphernalia. I was there long enough to eat not just breakfast but lunch and a snack at the cafeteria.

My poor husband tried loading the trailer we had brought for the occasion while gale force winds almost blew his flat bed cart into the next state.

The rest of us stood at a big window and shook our heads in sympathy. Comic, yet sweet...poor guy. It was like a silent movie- palm trees were whipping in the wind, magazine holders were flying off the cart, his brow furrowed...aah memories.

It was at this particular discount design mecca that I bought a similar napkin holder . Simple enough concept. I thought it would be perfect for casual dining al fresco. Back home, my girlfriends were not only green with envy, they were vocally indignant that I didn't pick one up for them. Who knew it would be such a hot commodity?

Too bad...since they are all married, I guess I can't save this beautiful number from Lunares for wedding gifts.

John Wayne ambles over to Scandanavia...

Classic before and after shots from several years ago at a spec home we did in Cobble Creek. I found the corbels on the fireplace at a great little place called Old Home Highlights. They have since moved from Ridgway to Montrose, Colorado. I think they are at least 100 yrs old. One of our project managers was horrified when i told heim we weren't going to redo them. I wanted them as weathered and distressedd as I found them- minus a cob web or two.

The lamps, desks, rug, large pottery and some of the prints were from Tiffany Etc.

I was trying to cater to a specific demographic- didn't want to scare anyone by being too modern. The couch and chaise are Ikea. This was truly my first attempt at blending modern and western styles. It was a great learning experience.