DESIGN FOR MEN

Felt is another obsession of mine.  Not only do I love the aesthetic but also 100% wool felt is water-resistant, and environmentally friendly, and incredibly durable.  Did you know that wool felt was one of the world’s first textiles?  Yep, goes back to 1500 BC possibly before, when people realized the potential of sheep’s fleece.  The earliest forms were found in Central Asia where felt was used for shelter, flooring, and clothing.  There’s a little history lesson for you.

Anywho, I am a sucker for the charcoal gray but felt comes in any color imaginable.  The following are some of my favorite applications of felt…All of which you can do yourself!

Felt Headboard
Check out this subtle yet effective transformation of this headboard using industrial charcoal grey felt. Simple DIY instructions here.

After                                                            Before

Via Apartment Therapy

Felt Pillows Photo from Boston Globe

Love a simple felt pillow and have been seeing the sprout up an many retail stores but you can make them yourself quite simply.  To make you own, click here for basic instructions from Ehow.  Pillows above available for purchase from Filzfelt, a new shop formed by Boston designers Kelly Smith and Traci Roloff.  Also check out CB2 for one of my favorites, a wool blend bold stripe pillow in charcoal grey/oat.

Photo from CB2

Mailing Tube Wine rack
I love cute little felt accessories like this.  This little wine rack is a great for showing off your wine in a small studio apartment.  The components are simple: felt, colored duct tape, and mail tubes…I have so many of these tubes floating around from trace rolls and storing drawings.  Click here for instructions on how to make this rack.

via Design Sponge

Felt Rugs

I have been digging the look of felt rugs, since I found this great zippered grey felt rug by Jim Zivic, click here to view.  Planning a DIY project myself: I am planning on purchasing several large pieces of wool felt and seaming them together using zippers for a custom look.

Another idea is to purchase the rugs from vendors such as FilzFelt (above photo from Apartment Therapy) and Peace Industry (below left).  Not to mention another fave, Flor (below right) where you can create a custom looking rug using Flor tiles.

I think of anything with a custom component as being DIY!

Love the look but just don’t want to spend the time making stuff?  Click here for some great places to buy felt products from the Apartment Therapy Marketplace.  Here a few to get you started:

Book Box by Etcetera Media and Goods

Don’t try these at home…

Felt Wool Stones by Viva Terra

Soft Stone Pouf by Viva Terra

My plan was to use the CB2 Wire 9 Cube Wall Shelf (l) to create a bar in my place.  And then, I happened upon the very similar Vintage Metal Wall-Mount Cubby system (r) at Pottery Barn.  I immediately had to compare and contrast to determine which to buy.

THE FUNCTIONALITY

Both units have  9 cubbies and are comparable in  width and height.  So, scale isn’t an issue.  However, the Pottery Barn unit is narrower, sized more for DVDs, CDs, and such so it is 6″ deep as opposed to the 8″ for the CB2.  Hmm…how many glasses and bottles can I fit on a 6″ shelf  I thought.

THE CONSTRUCTION

The Pottery Barn unit appears far more substantial than the CB2 version because of the solid sides and shelves.  Both units inclde blackened iron wire.

THE PRICE

Comparable, PB – $100, CB2 – $90

THE DECISION

Pottery Barn,  despite being narrower, the unit is far more substantial in appearance and construction.  And there will be plenty of space for my glasses and such.  Not to worry, if you prefer the CB2 version, the customer reviews are favorable.

THE ALTERNATIVE:

I also love the staggered installation of the above Pottery Barn Wooden Modular Crates as I was also considering something a little less structured.

IMAGE CREDITS: CB2 and Pottery Barn

It’s all about my obsessions lately – I have been really inspired (again) by the many uses for burlap, commonly used for coffee sacks.  Perhaps the combination of rugged texture with the bold typography seduces me.

Burlap Bench and Stool (above) via Lavender Hill Studio

Burlap Chairs via Apartment Therapy

Versailles Domed Burlap Backed Chair by Restoration Hardware

Burlap Headboard via Belle Maison

DIY Headboard via Imperfect

Pillows via Tatertots and Jello (l) and Belle Maison (r)

Upcycle Ottoman by Gus Modern. Click here to view previous article

Burlap Tumbler by Starbucks

I am already receiving tons of compliments on mine!  Would make a great gift.

Surrounded by construction, I have become incredibly inspired by scaffolding. All of sudden, it came to me – scaffolding would be great for creating a bed and perhaps many other pieces of furniture. So I am just inspired…I am considering making a headboard out of scaffolding for my place. The following are some great pieces for inspiration.

Scaffolding Bed above via Design Sponge
Constructed of scaffolding tubes and wood planks by the husband of Marijke Hukema of Restored in Amsterdam

Motel Out of The Blue via Dezeen

Designers Maartje Dros and Francois Lombarts used scaffolding to turn a construction site into a conference area. The project, called Motel Out of The Blue included meeting rooms , lecture hall (pictured above), dining room,  library and 50 rooms (above) for visitor accommodation.   I particularly love the day bed…I could see that transformed into something really comfy for indoors or outdoors.

Scaffold Board Table via Ryan Frank

Made (exquisitely I might add) out of planks from scaffold

I stumbled upon these tables from Brandner Design and was immediately blown away.  The company creates furniture incorporating structural elements including trusses, beams, and reclaimed materials.  I especially love their tables which elegantly blend the industrial with contemporary style.  Brandner also accepts custom orders.  So, I would love to adapt the above “Great Northern” Console table for a desk in my office.  I am thinking walnut slab top with same base.   The following are some of my other favorites.

“Great Northern” Console table

Truss Desk with Oak top

Renaissance Console Table with Concrete top

Mini Truss Coffee Table with Red Oak with Steel Inlays

I-Beam Table Desk with polished Concrete top

Turnbuckle Rail Car Dining or Conference Table Base (adjustable height) – Just awesome!

Images from Brandner Design

I had to post this great bachelor pad from Apartment Therapy. Two roommates create a simple and modern space on a budget in Manhattan.  The pair restored vintage pieces, mid century classics and mixed them with just some IKEA finds. I really love their ingeniuty with the artwork they created for the space.   And I was validated that they have the same television that I do .  Check out the full article by clicking here.

Images from Apartment Therapy

Chalkboard Walls are all the rage…and I am planning to use chalkboard paint in my kitchen and for an accent wall in the living room. I am just loving the look of the chalkboards in these spaces.

Image Credits: Images 1-3 from High Street Market , 4-5 Remodelista

I have realized lately that I am absolutely obsessed with white spaces.  I happened on an image of the Anemi Hotel designed by Stavros Papayiannis in Folegandos, Greece, while searching for inspiration images for an article on Curbly.  Simply stunning and timeless.  I love the juxtaposition of white as canvas spatially and the accents of large scale contextual artwork and colorful accents.  The use of epoxy flooring seamlessly connects the floor to the walls and celings.  Check out my article by clicking here where I explore 5 great flooring solutions.

_

I love the transition from white walls to charcoal gray in the restaurant/lounge.  While the floor remains white fluidly tying in the different areas.

Greece, here I come!

Images from Yatzer

This week, I will be guest blogging at Curbly.com. Today, I posted an article on a mural in my DC studio that I created by transferring the line work from a Marimekko wallpaper. I took some photographs and while I was at it snapped some shops of my place which is a work in process. I have started with the basics and I am about 50% done. I am only posting the the living room, which doubles as my home office and kitchen. Stay tuned for more on the design which will include painting accent walls, vintage industrial furnishings, and much, much more.

The color palette is monochromatic primarily because the walls are freshly painted an off white.  Accent walls will be different tones of gray. In my home office / office area, my I love the use of an IKEA kitchen cabinet for storage above my desk.  The walnut desk is temporary…I will be replacing it soon, with something smaller in scale.  Additionally, a cowhide rug, end tables and a custom bench will be added to the living room.  I despise the carpet but what can you do, it is a rental.

–

My splurges thus far, have been the Blu Dot Paramount sofa which I absolutely love and a 42″ flat screen television.  The scale of the TV is questionable but it is great for watching movies, I feel like I am at the theater.

The kitchen will be receiving a chalkboard backslash wall and I have a plan to add shelving over the bar which I am excited about.  I am thinking toledo stools for the bar.  No photos yet of the bathroom and bedroom because they are still works in progress – however here is a sketch of the bedroom design…

The same curtains  from the living room will define the entry.  The accent wall will be charcoal gray and I plan to do a coffee sack inspired stencil on this burlap-like fabric which is left over from a project.  The nightstands (click here to view) and pendant will be vintage industrial.

Stay tuned for more on the design process!  And check out the article on Curbly by clicking here.

Vital Steel NYC is a design studio formed by Benno Schoberth, a Film Editor and Robbin Brosterman, a Design Director. The couple initially created the single panel “apartment jewel” to enhance their own small studio  in Manhattan.  Vital Steel offers modern steel and hand-blown glass room dividers & screens. Their collection elegantly unites Mid-century modern with Art Deco.  ANDRA, pictured above, is a graceful three panel free-standing room divider.  And UNA is a uniquely adaptable one panel laser cut divider which appears in the picture below in their New York apartment.  Check out the Vital Steel website for more info and pricing by clicking here.

_

IMAGE CREDITS: Image 1 courtesy of Vital Steel NYC, Image two by Susan Farley for The New York Times