A Bust is a Must

I am so excited that the spring weather is finally kicking in because it means its time for one of my favourite things: Outdoor Antique Markets. Oh there is just something about a good day at the flea market with my best friend that is pretty hard to top.

I have a few items on my list that I will be keeping an eye out for at the fleas this summer. One of them is a bust. I think busts add a feeling of timelessness and elegance to a space, as well as a hint of the strange and unexpected that every room needs.

via Lonny

via Christine Dovey

Michelle Adams via Domino

via Lonny

via Domino

via Domaine

 M. said no to me getting a bust, but I'm ignoring that. I think his Brixton fedora would look just perfect perched on top of an importantly moustached bust.
xox

Art for my Music Loving Boyfriend

I don't think I've told you yet, but M. is an amazing musician - singer, songwriter, plays the piano. Really, could I be any luckier? I love listening to him play music. He's recording some new stuff right now, and I can't wait for the day I can share it with all of you! In the meantime, I noticed two spaces recently that featured art that I think my music loving boyfriend would like. I'm not talking music notes or treble clefs on the wall (no offense to anyone with large music notes on their wall...just not my thing), but really cool pieces.

Johnny Buckland's Home via Elle Decor

^This is the home of Johnny Buckland (the drummer for Coldplay) featured in this month's Elle Decor. I loved the entire home tour, but this painting of record spines really caught my eye. M has quite a substantial vinyl collection, so this piece is kind of perfect. It's by artist Dave Muller, who has painted a variety of record spine collections at large scales like this. I love them!

Photo by AC for Tompkins Lloyd Interiors via Mimosa Lane

 ^ My blogging friend Albertina of Mimosa Lane photographed this gorgeous home, and as soon as I saw this vintage boombox art I thought of M. It adds a nice graphic element to this space (and let's not even start on the burled wood end tables!).

One day in the future, I might have to consider merging his style and mine, and I have to say, these pieces would make it pretty easy!
xox

My Girly Gallery Wall

What bachelorette pad would be complete without a girly gallery wall? Over the past year or so, I've been collecting prints and art pieces without much thought to how they would all coordinate together or how exactly I was going to hang them. I'll admit, I totally wung (winged?) this gallery wall (as evidenced by the MANY nail holes hiding behind each piece as I inched everything up, down, over and back again until I was satisfied...don't tell my landlord!). But now that it's up I have to admit the colours in each piece look perfect together...almost like I planned it!

 I really like how the art is framed by the doors flanking each side of the bookshelf (one leads to my walk in closet and the other to my bathroom) and I kept the highest piece in line with the moulding around the door to emphasize this. I purposely positioned the pictures around the TV to take the eye away from this big, blank, black rectangle.

Like my prints? Shop them below:

YSL Leopard Loafers (I scored the original watercolor, but you can get the print!): The Aestate
Gold T: (Gift from my big bro!) Chapters/Indigo
OUI graphic print: The Aestate
Lips Print: The Aestate (now available on Made by Girl)
Audrey Hepburn: Gift from my mama purchased from a vendor in NYC
Landscape: Flea Market Find!
Small Lamp Watercolor: Painted by yours truly! See it up close here
Butterfly Taxidermy: HomeSense (read about it here!)
Audrey Hepburn Triptych: Gift from my boyfriend, oddly enough also purchased in NYC!

Do you have a gallery wall in your home?
xox

You might also like: Gallery Wall Planning / DIY Large Abstract Canvas

Blurred Art

Thom Filicia Lake House via House Beautiful

Ever since seeing this image of Thom Filicia's lake house in the photo above, I've been a bit obsessed with the blurred piece hanging above the credenza. The hazy ambiguity provides just enough narrative (mother, child, beach) while still feeling abstract and arty. Initially I thought it was a photograph but after staring at it for so long I'm not so sure (I couldn't find a source). Either way, I'm tempted to throw a gaussian blur on all my photos and have the printed out and hung all over my room. Crazy, yes? I smell a summer project.

The fascination eventually led me to discover the amazing work of Philip Barlow. I just love his paintings in which he captures this same blurred quality. To me, the genius in Barlow's work is truly his ability to understand and recreate light.

Sea of Glass by Philip Barlow

Glow 2 by Philip Barlow

Slipping by on 34th Street by Philip Barlow

Light Space by Philip Barlow

Pretty spectacular in my opinion. I'm feeling inspired. Have a wonderful Monday my friends!

Wear/Where: The Lips Trend in Fashion and Home Decor

Today, it's all about paying some lip service to lips. There's something so feminine and sexy about a big ol pair of lips - Angelina Jolie knows what I'm talking about - and I'm loving this fun playful trend popping up in fashion and decor lately. I've been all over this. As long as I have my bachelorette pad, I'm taking advantage of as many girly things as possible...but let's be honest, even when I'm living with a man, the lips are going to stay.

sweater / print

This is  a great example of how fashion and decor are major influences on eachother. I am in love with my watercolor lips from The Aestate. I've posted about them more times than I probably should, but they are that good. Apparently Forever 21 was loving those lips too because they made a sweater looking suspiciously similar..... which I of course bought and can't wait to wear all fall.

Are you loving the lips trend? Big fat kisses to all of you xoxoxox.

Barbie Calendar Makes Great Art

I recently found and reblogged the following picture on my tumblr (http://be-mine-interior-design.tumblr.com):

 

Of course, this room is gorgeous for many reasons. The bubblegum pink tufted bed...the chocolatey grass cloth walls...but for me the ARTWORK takes center stage. I was drawn to this art because it's fashion inspired, and reminded me of the work by Dior Beauty's resident artist Bil Donovan. Here is a sample of his fabulous work:

 Isn't that piece on the wall amazing?! It's a whopping 9'x5' watercolor painting, and an original...I can hear the $$$ adding up, but one can wish right?

So naturally I assumed that the art in the first picture were some original fashion sketches also out of the budget, until an amazing follower (http://ehmihleezee.tumblr.com/), informed me that the prints are actually out of the BARBIE CALENDAR. I couldn't believe it! But it's true, See for yourself:

^2011 Calendar

^ Barbie Fashion Model Collection 2012 Calendar

Illustrator Robert Best does one or more editions of these calendars every year, and for under $20 you can call one your very own. Grab some frames and you've got instant high end art.

Image via

I know I added a Barbie Calendar on my Christmas wish list!!
Will you? If not, many calendars have great prints for hanging as wall art. Do you have a favourite?