The view from my couch

Just a quick shopping post this week, as I'm trying to figure out Olioboard.com (and how not to spend thousands on valentine's decorations).  I signed up ages ago, but never used it.  It creates mock-ups and moodboards for rooms, and if you pay the reasonable $8.99/mo then you have project management and budget tracking tools as well (and Benjamin Moore's paint deck, which is all I really want).  One of these days, I'll either get a digital plan of the upstairs room renos or they will be completed and I'll have pics of that.


I am working on putting the living room back together, after taking it apart to touch up paint and patch the holes in the wall created by the electrician.   And hang the enormous mirror.  Better hung on the wall?  I do think it is safer, and while this photo doesn't show it well, it is nice to have it up higher on the wall.

Sarah and her agreeable husband Kyle came over to put this baby on a cleat...which had to be screwed into the petrified wood wall studs that apparently frame my house.  And did you notice?  We got rid of the painters tape, too.  Major progress.  While the table and the lampshades are begging for improvement, they are taking a backseat to the pillow styling needs--but we will discuss pillows next week (Cliff hanger!!!)--because there are more pressing issues that don't require making a decision on the couch slipcover material :

BAM!  So many holes where art should be...and then look to your left, and

you are hit again by cold, negative space.  We need to fill these walls ASAP.  Besides framing some of Molly's abstract expressionist pieces, and pillaging my parent's house (hint, hint),

Carter Osterbind, via Walnut Gallery

I will probably grab a few from Julie Blackmon, Hunt Slonem, Elliot Puckette and Russell Young....if I win Powerball this week. But on the more realistic side, here are a few things I'm thinking about:

Jenny from MFAMB.  

Tumblr of her artwork here.  I like her jelly series, which really exploded (so hard to get your hands on):

Plus, I also am fond of her totally abstract pieces.

 both via her pinterest

The one below is a little different than her earlier work (or at least the stuff shown on her blog--which is a good read, btw), but I'm almost ready to hit buy.It is pretty big and only $175.  Generally, her stuff is super affordable.

Slim Aarons via Sufaceview.  Or anything from Surfaceview.

I was all ready to hit "buy" on this print (debating framing options) when I saw Gray Malin's Marfa Prada on sale at One King's Lane.  So it was back to the piggy bank.  But I haven't bought any art in a long time, so I'm due.   Right?  And while I'm at it, why not this for the girl's room:

(Side note:  My kids are super jealous they don't have one of these, Moo:)

via sosterbind27's Instagram

And this for over the mantel:

Can my living room handle this with Slim Aarons?  I'd like to think I'll make it work.  If not, a giant engineering print of a soft-serve swirl cone is being considered for this spot:

from etsy

Sidenote:  if you can't find something on etsy in your favorites and start to GO CRAZY, note that they initially show you items you hearted, and there is a seperate tab for stores you heart.  Mystery solved.

Conde Nast Store.  

A trip to the CondeNast Store is almost as much of a time suck as Sufaceview.  This is the leading contender for the LR:

Photo by Cecil Beaton

At 19"x15", it is $249 and at 35"x27.5", it is $649.  And since bigger is always better, I may have to wait on this one (did I mention there is really no budget...just using money otherwise earmarked for things like groceries and Target impulses?). They offer to mount it on wood for a small fee...not sure about this one. Could be nice and modern, could be super cheap and horrible.  I probably won't gamble with $649.

Butterflies.

And (sorry people) I love butterfly specimens.  If it makes anyone feel better, they are farmed and humanely euthenized these days as opposed to being netted in the amazon by foppish aristocrats.

via

I like the modern, lucite box this company does and their prices are pretty good.


But they get expensive when they get big....which I understand.  I mean, you don't want dead butterflies to be free, do you?  And while I love the lucite, not sure if I want the blue wall showing through or not.

Plates?

And you all can check out Unica Home, Barney's or Farfetch if you would like to pitch in and add a few more Fornasetti Plates to add to my newly started collection (of 1).

via

There are lots more to acquire....

via

Not sure my plate is in the right spot now, but maybe when she isn't so lonely up top....either way, there are lots of places she can hang out.  They run $195 at Unica (but best selection), $180 at Barneys and $160 at Farfetch (but without a free shipping coupon, it will be the same as Barneys...b/c they are shipping from France).  And yes, I do know that bootleg prints are available (they actually pop up in my Google shopping results) but I'm holding out for the plates.