wall art inspiration round 4.

Here's a seasonally appropriate photo. So pretty, right?

(Found via You are my Fave)

wall art inspiration round 3.

Awesome.

wall art inspiration round 2.

This little birdie is named Maude. Isn't she adorable?

wall art inspiration.

Let's look at some artwork today, friends. Wouldn't this Portugal beach print be nice to have at your work space as we move through this blustery winter?

living and design: silver trays.

I never thought myself as someone who'd ever decorate with silver trays, but when I saw this picture on Real Simple, I thought the trays looked so pretty on the walls. . .

My grandmother had a beautiful display in her dining room that I routinely admired as a child, but this is a whole new way to showcase timely pieces. What do the rest of you think? Yay or nay?

living and design: winter plants.

Lately, it's been down to the bones cold here in Chicago, and while trying to stay warm indoors, I've grown even more fond of the plants in our living room. Greenery definitely brings life to a room, doesn't it? Rita Konig wrote a terrific post on her blog about winter greens. I love what she says about adding shape and color to a city apartment:

"One more thing I find so appealing about plants is the color and shape that they add. In these cold and stark winter months, it is good for morale to have so much green around. And since most New York apartments are like hothouses once the heating kicks in, you might as well take advantage of it and bring in the tropics."

So true.

(photos taken by Rita Konig)

living & design: mirrors.

I love mirrors, and think they can add great life to a space. I think that each of these photographs provide great inspiration for collecting mirrors of different shapes and sizes.

both photos taken by brian ferry

eco-friendly edition #18.

today on well hello, chicago, we're going to feature a DIY eco-friendly option. i spotted this over on design sponge, and find it ever-so-clever. lindsay and taylor hackbarth created this look in their dining room. first, they painted that fun square on the wall and then used white wine bottles and hangings to hold them up. not only does this look chic, but would be a nice way to bring more fresh flowers in the house. for the full how-to tutorial, click here.

dream home.

confession: i dream about someday living in an old barn house way too often, as in-- maybe more than once a week. while i love city life, the thought of living in an once upon a time barn just seems like a dream come true. so, when i discovered the newly renovated 700-square-foot barn home of designer corey gash and his partner krista wallace, i couldn't help but stare in awe. the pictures featured in the LA times make me want to pack my bags almost immediately.

when krista first saw the space, she thought there was no way she could live there. the barn, located in costa mesa, california, was once home to chicken coops and then used as a space for boat-building. the best part about the renovation? they used primarily re-purposed materials. the wood used for the entrance wall here pictured was taken from an old church roof.

a 5 1/2 foot tall door is the main entrance way, since the old barn doors have been sealed shut permanently. here, corey holds his precious baby, stella. isn't the frame around the "no smoking" sign so perfect?

from looking at each picture, one can tell how much natural sunlight pours in through the rooms. the kitchen windows are rustic-looking yet refined. corey saved the "existing wormwood cabinets" here and finished the counters off with butchers block material.

another kitchen photo (again, look at that sunlight!) because who can resist this photo with stella and her father?

the hanging silver lights are from IKEA, and their 10-foot long dining room table is made from a "former bowling alley lane." brilliant!

this upstairs bedroom looks so cozy. i would think another joy of this style of living is large loft-like space matched against cozy little nooks, like this one.

this is one of the most genius book-stacking displays i've seen in a while. i love how it's tucked away and hidden, but still visible when looking from the right angle. their oldest daughter, lily, is adorable, and from all of the pictures, this seems like a dream place to play and frolic as a kid.

i'm sorry if i got a bit carried away with this post, but i honestly don't know if i've seen a home that i've loved this much in a while.

check out the rest of the slideshow and story here.

pictures taken by don barletti of the LA Times

living & design: white kitchens.

i love white rooms. i especially love white kitchens. the images here from chez larsson's home are no exception.

what i most appreciate here is that there is nothing dramatic or over the top about this space-- it just simply is. check out other beautiful pictures from larsson's home here. she is such a talent!

living & design: fireplaces.

i love rita konig's fireplace pictured here, and the little story she shares about setting her's up during this already chilly fall. we don't have a fireplace, but i'm planning to create a makeshift version of one in our living room to help cozy it up a little (more details on that to come later). chicago is expected to have one heck of a winter, after all.