Spring Has Sprung

Soon we are leaving for spring break, but before we do I thought I'd share Spring in my backyard, which is a very happy place to be right now, complete with the heady scent of orange blossoms all over the neighborhood. What could be more perfect?

Art & Typography for your Walls

ecently I've been moving a bunch of things around in my house. Changing the art and even moved a little furniture. Next up are some major changes coming to my bedroom as well as some other areas of the house. New paint, etc. I may even make my own headboard. How ambitious is that? That involves a drill though - and I normally stay away from power tools, so we'll see.

I love original artwork. I have talked on my blog before about how much and why I love it. Here I share with you some of my favorite photos of some rooms where the artwork really makes the room come alive. And also some photos where instead of abstract, or realist art, words or typography have been used for the same purpose.

These are things that are inspiring me to help me with some of my changes - soon, I'll do a post on how I go about picking a new color in a room and also, how you can utilize ideas that you see, in art and typography, to make your own art, if you can't afford to buy something original (or even if you just think that you'll do a better job on your own). I'm all for supporting local artists if you can, but often, people cannot afford original art. But while that post is marinating for the future, enjoy some inspiration:



I love the weird "frozen filets" on the door, but also the strangely painted cabinet that probably holds the tv. And the couches don't even really match - it looks very "cabin". With the sleigh up there at the top? I just really dig this room. It looks so cozy, but with a sense of humor.


I like this - this is something that almost anyone could do - I mean, it's not as easy as it looks, especially if you're as impatient as I am - you'd have to be careful to get everything spaced properly - but you could do this with a poem or just even random words and I think it would look really cool.


I don't know if it says "He" anywhere in the room too, but that would be cute.

I've always loved when people use old license plates for decor - but this is especially cool. And I really like the gray and yellow walls in this little bathroom. You can often pick these up in second hand or antique stores for cheap.



Love this. I am thinking of doing something in my new room with the word "IF" or something like that - I like the word IF because it can express a lot of. There's "What If" and that can be a good thought or a bad thought depending...But mostly I think "IF" for me can express what is possible.


Okay you probably won't be able to do this unless you're a pretty decent artist, but I LOVE Andy Warhol and would love a painting like this. I have been fascinated with Andy Warhol for a really long time. I really want to re-read his diaries sometime. They are fascinating.



This is a very affirmative poster on the wall. Having things like this around is nice I think, without it looking like one of those really awful "motivational" posters with cutesy sayings or "deep thoughts".

Love the blue also by the way, but love the redwork embroidered "I love you" - actually I guess that might even just be painted on - but I'd love to do this with embroidery. I used to love to embroider, but who has time for that anymore? I have some pillows embroidered with redwork that say "goodnight" and "good morning" but I keep them safely behind glass in my kitchen! (I don't want them to get ruined and I think they look cute in there)



I love all these random letters, I'm thinking this is actually a bit tricky to pull off. I'd always be trying to make a word somehow.



Love that signage.



Again, this is cool, and it's possible to do something like this yourself, it may not look AS GOOD as this one does, but it gives you a really sweet idea.


Okay technically this belongs here because of that weird 8 with the crown - what is THAT? But how much do you LOVE this kitchen and that yellow car!!!!????? Awesome! AND the red fridge.



Okay I really like paintings with Ravens and black birds. I just am fascinated by Ravens. And a little scared of them at the same time. I went with Suzanne to the closing of Brian Boner's show the other night and one of his paintings that I love was a raven painting - I didn't have the money to spend on a new painting anyway, plus it was sold, but I really, really liked it. (plus, I already probably own way too many of Brian's paintings...but I am a big fan of his stuff)


This is nice, there's a lot of energy here. If you looked at the link above to the art show I went to with Suzanne, you'll see some circle drawings that had a ton of energy too - it's interesting how art work can contain energy within it.



Isn't that just the best little painting? I might attempt something a little like this.



Okay I love everything here - I adore those light bulb fixtures. But I think that painting is doable if you could find the right outline. I'm not saying it would be totally easy - and this green is pretty complex, but I think you could do something similar that could be cool.



I've seen this in a few places so it's mass produced, but it totally looks handmade and it almost looks like crayon with stencil. I really like it.



I just thought that little child of god sign was cute without being too kitschy.



Do you love that? I actually think it might be vinyl. I know the one below is vinyl.



There are a bunch of companies now that make these removable vinyl wall stencil things that are cool - some of them are like a branch with a bird on it or a robot and a number of other things, but I still tend to like some of these with words.



Okay this is professional piece of art, and I would not attempt this. BUT I do think it's possible to recreate something like this collage look if you spend a decent amount of time collecting photos you really like from various places. I had something like this on the wall in college and I have to say, I really, really liked it.



Again, professional painting, but I think it's possible, with a modicum of talent and patience, to attempt something like this.



Okay - for professional painters only. But don't you love it?



I've shown this before but it's one of my favorite little girl rooms. I love that poster. Posters aren't always wrong. Especially old film posters can be cool.




Again, a bit tricky, but possibly doable.



don't be fooled. Harder than it looks.



Why a 'Y' and an 'f' - I don't know, but they look cool don't they?


Love this.


Again, possibly doable, and an awesome saying/song.



How adorable is this?



So cute!



I've seen this all over the place too. And I don't care. I still REALLY like it.



Again, don't be sucked in by the seeming ease and simplicity of this. HOWEVER - I think you could help a child do something like this, it would not look as balanced and good, but it's possible to start with an idea of something like this and create something you might really like. The key is getting looking professional up on the wall.



Okay this is a painting of an ad - and I seriously just love it soooo much. But I think an ad like this would look super cool too - even if it was a blow up of a magazine ad.


Again, with the idea in hand, you might be able to attempt something like a copy of this.


Okay I would NEVER try this. I would never look this good if I tried to do it. But I might let someone more talented than me try. It's really, really cool if you could pull it off. I might let my oldest son try something like this. I mean, I probably WON'T...but it's a cool idea.


I suspect these are painted by adults and not by children. But I do love the primitive look of them and you could get a similar feel with children's art work. Here's the problem with kids - when you give them a project like this, they just want to get it over with - and if you let them do whatever they want - kids will usually not fill up the whole space at all. So you really have to have it be a DIRECTED project.

Very cool idea with the old magazine covers. I am thinking 17 magazines from the 80s would be so cool in a teen girls room.



I just love how this is cram packed with art.


One of my favorite movies but it's an asian poster. LOVE THIS.


Again, the idea is cool, you won't pull it off this well...but graphic shapes on a large canvas if thought out well before hand could be very interesting and fill up a big room.



Okay - don't even attempt this. But I really like it.


Again, what a great iconic image.


Very serene.



Wouldn't you just like to eat those little paintings? They are like delectable candy.



Dig.



I like that random E down there.


How great is this room? UGHHHH... seriously. And the "I've always wanted one of these" on the wall? So perfect.



Again, great signage.



Love the T and love the chair.


This 'D' is soooo cool. Don't you wish you could run onto something like this in a second hand shop?



Dude, this is just a cool painting I love.



I love what they have going on here.


That close up painting of the little girl's face is just really fab.


Probably hard to attempt, but this plus the pink lamp give this room such a refreshing vibe.

Do you feel inspired??