Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Design Fun & Contest Results


I was actually pretty happy to have made it into the contest at all in the first place. Then I was THRILLED to make it into the voting rounds. Then I was ecstatic to get past the first round and into the final 16 in the western division - and beyond ecstatic to place in the final 8 in the West. So when I didn't advance to the final 4, I was not devastated. Just happy to make it as far as I did.

I had a couple of weird queries from people yesterday though - one was "why do you care? I don't get it - why does it matter?" - let me see if I can clarify. Uhhh...in the grand scheme of the world, you know world hunger, global economic crisis, and ethnic cleansing - this contest definitely doesn't' even make the list of what 'matters'! But on the other hand:

I feel like our environments, our homes are both a reflection of us and a place to seek solace from all of the above mentioned world crises. So in that sense, it matters. At least to the people in my house. Also, it's a sort of a hobby of mine and it's always nice when someone tells you that maybe you did a good job - especially if those are people who don't HAVE to tell you that you did a good job - like a magazine editor in California who looks at design all day. Also I really believe the world would be a better place if we all lived in a space that made us happy.

And the trip to New York would have been nice too! So there you go, my reasons.


Okay, so I am on a kind of design roll right now - not that I've actually done anything to the house, but I would like to get a new laundry room (well, not new, keep the one I have, just improve on it greatly - see the previous entry, I think I'm going to try to replicate the one with the blue tile walls) but also we have been planning for months to turn the old studio into a new walk in closet - a HUGE walk in closet! (YAY!) So....

I've really researched closet design online. And there seems to be a few choices - you either pay someone like California Closets to come and do a sort of boring/looks the same as every other closet/design or you can spend a ton of money on Italian closet design companies or you can do it yourself at home depot and end up with something semi-lame OR you can get the Ikea Pax system. From what I've been reading, people really do love their Pax systems. Yes it's a do it yourself and yes, it's Ikea (which means lots of diagrams with arrows and random Swedish words) - but Ikea is like the King of Scandinavian design on the cheap - and honestly, most of the time, the design is really good. There are a few Ikea things I would not recommend (their floors being one) - but I have to say I have truly loved my kitchen cabinets.

If anyone has thoughts to share about closet design I would love to hear what you have to say. Here are a few samples of the Pax system:






In addition a couple of things I know I want in this new closet are a cool light fixture - at least a cool little chandelier:


But maybe even some of these bubble lights I've been crushing on lately, but have no where else to put them:







Then I'm going to need new paint in there - and I think I want it bold and opulent - I am thinking either bold red (as many other walls in my house) - OR going with a red/orange - and if I do the red orange I may skew a little of my bedroom towards red/orange accents as well (while keeping the green walls) or I could go crazy and do Fuscia pink like I've always wanted (I have always wanted at least ONE room in that color and a closet seems like a possible place to try it out):





To top it off I need a tufted bench in the center of the room:






Any thoughts?

3 comments:

Unknown said...

The blue tile laundry room is gorgeous! If I had more money I would definitely do something like that in my laundry room.

I love the idea of a pink closet with a cool bubble light...or chandelier. I will have to see your final project.

I LOVE the ikea closet organizers. I was just looking at them last week. I'm not doing a big closet but my sister is. I am trying to talk her into those. I love, love, love all the organization features.

Cynthia said...

Do you think you can fit one of everything you talked about in you closet and laundry room? I think all your ideas are fantastic!! I especially love the bubble lights. I say yes to everything!
(Seriously? someone really asked you why do you care? I was excited about it and I wasn't even getting a trip to NY or anything!)

Bandanamom said...

I'm pretty sold on the IKEA at this point. Someone would have to tell me something pretty awful about them for me to change my mind.

Yes Cynthia - I think we CAN get all of that stuff in there - that studio is about the size of a small bedroom so it will be a very large closet - if I knock out the wall between that space and the current closet, it will be even bigger!

We probably won't start working on it until next month or so - too many other irons in the fire right now. But soon!

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