Working From Home

There is something very special about a well designed home office that makes you think, “If only that were my workspace, I would be ten times more productive”. Here are a few of my all time favorite office inspirations.

A Childhood Favorite

Chalkboards have become a trend that far surpasses our traditional elementary school classroom. Whether you use them for lists and calendars, doodling, quotes, or a place for guests to leave their mark, they offer a fun and flexible alternative to traditional paint or artwork. If you’d like to keep the look more sophisticated, try using only white chalk.

Ceiling Play

Skylights have always been one of my favorite architectural features. Not only do they bring natural light to a space, but they also create visual interest in a ceiling that might otherwise fall flat.

A Fresh Take on Wallpaper

British designer Deborah Bowness has been creating ingenious wallpapers for the last seven years now. She is most famous for her life size designs featuring books, furniture, and clothing. Her images are digitally printed, then hand screen printed, and finally hand colored to help add depth to the paper; making Bowness a true modern master of the trompe l’oeil style. Audiences cannot get enough of her playful interpretations of everyday life and her work is now in high demand for clients worldwide.

Design Connection

I came across the portfolio of journalist turned interior designer Jeff Lincoln on the internet today, and I must say I was very impressed. When asked about the connection between writing and design he replied, “If I was to write a piece for the Wall Street Journal, I would do the research, garner a lot of information and then I would arrange those facts into a cogent, persuasive narrative. Well, I do the same thing in design”. Lincoln’s answer is as eloquent as his projects. His ability to blend pieces from so many different styles always leaves a viewer pleasantly entertained, and his outlook on the business is extremely refreshing.

Lacquer Mania

Lacquer is one of those trends that keeps coming back decade after decade. From small pieces of furniture to entire walls covered in its shine, lacquer is never afraid to make a statement. Although not recommended in overwhelming doses, it has the ability to add instant glamour and distinctiveness to a space.

Labor of Love

A renovation worth mentioning was featured in the latest issue of Rue, one of my new favorite inspirational go-to’s. Well known blogger Bailey McCarthy (creator of Peppermint Bliss), and her husband have spent the past two years restoring and transforming their Chicago home built in the late 1880’s. It was important to both of them to find a historic home and save it. In the end, that meant stripping it down to only studs and three exterior walls, and the entire layout was reworked to bring back its original Victorian charm. As you will see in the images below, every inch of space is now breathing new life in this labor of love.