Magical Treasures from the Sea

Another current trend that is hard to ignore is the use of starfish, seahorses, sea glass, and other beachy items in this summer's decor. I am normally not a fan of beachy themed decor (unless you are decorating a cottage or beach house) but the whimsical touches added to this season's version replaces the usual cheesiness with
magic. Here are a few items that have caught my eye! I apologize as they are not all as inexpensive as my normal fare, but these are great for inspiration!



CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT:

Tidal Bounty Dessert Plates & Platter from Anthropologie - $14 & $78
Sea Life Pillow Covers from Pottery Barn - $49
Spiny Lobster Rug from Anthropologie - $498
Bracket from Anthropologie - $32
Vintage Coke Bottles from Etsy - $12
Coral Wall Decal from janeymacpress on Etsy - $20
Fisherman's Float Vase Filler from Pottery Barn - $12
Oversized Sand Dollar from Pottery Barn - $99
Beach Frame with Mendocino fabric from TheBeachGnome on Etsy - $35
Found Sea Shells
The Seahorse Home collage from misspaq on Etsy - $30
Seashell Measuring Spoons from Anthropologie - $12
Starfish Decoration from Pottery Barn - $6
Mendocino Fabric Coasters from paisleybaby on Etsy - $12
Beach Find Bottle, Coral from Anthropologie - $598 (are you KIDDING me?)
Beach Find Bottle, Branch from Anthropologie - $198
Shell Spheres, set of 3 from Pottery Barn - $19
Coral Bush from Pottery Barn - $19

Trending: Turquoise and Tangerine

The influence of the ocean seems to be everywhere this season - including turquoise, the color of a shimmering tropical sea. I think turquoise looks fabulous when paired with orange, which is also nice and bright for spring/summer. Check out these sweet pieces, each with a sweet price, as always here on LME!



Clockwise from top left:

Fillsta table lamp from IKEA - $19.99
Pjatterd picture from IKEA - $49.99
Leende carafe from IKEA - $7.99
Andrea Rug from IKEA - $299.99
Pui Coasters from studiowonjun on Etsy - $35.00
Vintage Rice Bowl from Etsy - $10.00
Vintage Frosted Glass Compote from Etsy - $15.00
Chandelier Pillow from PillowPals on Etsy - $75.00
Micke desk from IKEA - $70.00 (STEAL!)
Stretch vases from CB2 - $24.95-29.95
Cayman dessert plates from CB2 - $2.95 - $3.95
Orange chair from CB2 - $599.99
Salong vase from IKEA - $4.99
Takeout plates from CB2 - $1.95!
Formosa tray table from CB2 - $49.95
Billy Jader Bookcase from IKEA - $49.99
Letterpress Letter and Number Prints from Sycamore Street Press on Etsy - $30 each

Spaces to be Inspired by: Raymond Boozer's Pickup Blue Living Room

I found this space on Elle Decor and was instantly intrigued. I love how the vintage art and other objects, while interesting, are very toned-down and neutral, but still manage to pop. The bright blue walls and muted art pieces play off of each other perfectly - each draws attention to the other while simultaneously serving to tone down the other as well. Perfectly executed!

Design for Dummies: Using Microsoft Paint to Make Inspiration Boards!

We have a nice Mac with Photoshop at home, but sometimes inspiration strikes when I'm stuck at work on my ancient PC with Windows 98. That's where MS Paint comes in handy. Yesterday, while trying to come up with a color scheme and design concept for my kitchen, I started finding some objects whose color, texture, and feel exemplified the style I was going for.

So what did I do? Opened up crappy old Paint and made the canvas nice and big. From there, I used copy and paste to collect items that inspired me onto the Paint file. It's really easy, cheap, and allows you to see which colors and objects go well together in real life instead of inside your head. Sometimes, you'll find out a look or color combination you thought would work looks hideous, and other times you'll discover an edgy combo that wouldn't seem to work but does.

Here is my little mini inspiration board - let me know what you think about my budding concept! Feel free to leave a comment if you're curious about where to find something you see.

Etsy Finds of the Day: For Your Kitchen

Since I am developing a concept for redecorating my kitchen, I have been spending lots of time poking around on Etsy looking for vintage objects, handmade tea towels, and art. I am going the vintage-modern route as usual, looking for bright and shiny enameled pieces in bright red and yellow, bold black and white objects, turquoise accent pieces and modern food-related art. It sounds crazy but the effect is quite pretty. Here are some of the things that have caught my eye during my search!

VINTAGE TEAPOT - $22


VINTAGE LIDDED POT - $13


MR. PS ENGLISH BREAKFAST PRINT (Frame-able tea towels available too for $14!)



VINTAGE TIERED SERVING STAND - $24


VINTAGE "COOK" RECIPE BOX - $19

Decorative Plates

I recently came across these high-style, inexpensive decor plates while browsing at Target. They are from Target's stylish Regency II collection, and at $9.99 each, they make a big impact for only a little moolah!



Following in the trend is Etsy shop Julie's Adorabowls who makes her own stylish decorative plates by decoupaging trendy fabric onto the back of glass plates. This one would look great grouped with the ones from Target and goes for just over $20.



This would be a very cheap and easy project to do at home! Find some cute fabrics (I suggest Free Spirit Fabrics), some cheap glass plates, some decoupage glue and polyurethane, and you can make them yourself to match any decor!

Here is a great example from Country Living magazine using Jennifer Paganelli fabrics.



Fresh and bright for spring, and as a bonus you can easily and cheaply change the mood of the whole room simply by creating more plates and throw pillows from a different fabric collection. Decorating with fabrics is always an inexpensive, easy, and changeable way to go!

Have you decorated your home with plates? I would love to see examples!

First Post!

Welcome, and thanks for visiting my blog! I suppose I should start with a little bit about me. I'm a full-time working mother in her mid-twenties and an aspiring designer. I love browsing the web for the newest trends, finding stylish pieces for great prices, and digging up cool vintage finds. If you love eclectic, vintage modern style but are on a budget, this is the place for you! I love reading all of the design blogs, but most of the items they feature are not in a realistic price range for most of us. I am all about finding pieces that create a lot of bang for the buck, getting crafty and making my own less expensive versions of pricey items, and scouring the web and resale shops for the best deals. Please feel free to comment, offer suggestions, or ask a question about where to find an item or how to make your own!

I can't wait to get started here - so I'm off to find some great ideas to share! Hope to hear from you soon!