Make DIY faux vintage arrows

Vintage arrows are all the decor rage right now. If you don't want to spend $50 plus on a set, you might consider the DIY options from Danielle Thompson at Thompson Family Life.

She made the arrow heads out of . . .love this . . . pencil erasers. Your kids will not shoot their eye out.

Ripe summer colors - exhibit A

Technically it's fall and summer color is out the window.

But my inspiration for the month of September was the colors of ripe summer fruit and September is not over yet. Here are a few rooms that exhibit the touch of color I was imagining.

Jules at The Diversion Project calls grey 'the launch pad' since it launches other colors so well.

I have not actually applied this colory theory to anything home decor related yet. But I did find a secondhand raspberry colored snakeskin print scarf, which I added to my grey Goodwill dress today, a bold move for me.

Are you bringing on more color this fall?

Also, if you've done a project you'd like to share or you've got some inspiring images of interiors, fashion or anything else for that matter, link up to my Inspired By blog party for September.

Images: Cabbage Rose via Little Blue Deer ; Elle Decor and Micasa via The Diversion Project; de Le Couna via Griege.

Collected

Christina at Griege calls it "objects of interest." Shari at Little Blue Deer has the great phrase "rustic ephemera." Then there's Thomas O'Brien, the "collector decorator" at Four Walls and a Roof.

What's a girl to do but add more stuff?

So I tried, starting with this mini leather suitcase that I found discarded. Definitely rustic (e.g. beat up) if not ephemera.

Inside I keep a microcosm of my full treasure trove of buttons and belts and beads.

It looked a little lonely by itself.

I added my camera and a notebook.

And then stopped.

And later saw Lindsey Bond's Alabama cottage in the October issue of House Beautiful.

Sigh. The white sofas. The spare art. The lack of stuff. So me. And here's what Lindsey says:

"Pristine white, clean lines, symmetry, neatness: that's what I call serenity . . . I do use objects sparingly, because I don't like clutter. It makes me so nervous."

So here's my "collected yet spare" vignette. In the time it took me to create this, Christi at Charm Home decorated a whole house.

How about you? Collector or minimalist or somewhere in between?

Images: Via Griege; Roman and Williams via Cabbage Rose; Thomas O'Brien via Four Walls and a Roof; Jonny Valiant for House Beautiful via Bellevue and Rose.

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Metallic Moroccan poufs

Glad to see that metallic Moroccan poufs (aka ottomans), cubes and sundry blobs are still rocking rooms across the blogosphere.

Also nice is that there are some less expensive options available now.

This one is Nate Berkus for HSN for $100.

Here's faux leather for a mere $30 via eBay.

Then there's always the DIY option for the price of a loud second-hand dress.

Images: Table Tonic; Nuestra Vida Dulce; Amanda Nisbet; Jonathan Adler; Ellen Silverman; Amanda Nisbet

Is Shabby Chic coming back?

While reading the September 2010 issue of House Beautiful, I came across a teeny paragraph that stopped me cold.

"Plump, comfy upholstery is making a big comeback. The relaunch of this
20-year-old favorite couldn't be better timed. Floris Sofa, from $3,650. Rachel
Ashwell Shabby Chic Couture."

Actually, I could care less about whether Shabby Chic is making a comeback. But is it true about plump, comfy upholstery? Did you know this? Is HB (and Lonny) just playing with us?

This is a big deal to me because I am the current owner of some very plump upholstery and I'm on the edge of getting rid of it. (I've been on the edge of getting rid of it for at least 10 years.)

My current sofa looks a bit like this, except that it has no slipcover. I'm trying to decide whether to invest several hundred dollars in a new bright white slipcover and in restuffing the seat and back cushions.

Or, just as plump, comfy upholstery is about to make a comeback, should I leap the other way and buy something slim and modern, like the new Silhouette Sofa from Crate & Barrel?

You can read about the identical turmoil here and again here.

I know you understand why this decision goes to the core of who I am as a human being.

Kevin Sharkey's apartment

A little design happiness for your Monday morning. See more, including before and after shots, at Martha Stewart.

Don't forget to share what's inspiring you in August.

John Derian again for Target

Since I was just mooning over botanicals, how happy I am to learn that John Derian is back for his third collaboration with Target, which features lots of purply and pink lush botanicals.

I have to confess that I think my favorite items are the ones with bugs on them.

The new stuff is available starting September 5.

Not quite "new" newish IKEA products

Unless you've been living on a desert island with no wi-fi, you know that IKEA's new catalog is out. It's 376 pages of affordable home design fun.

Every year, IKEA touts some of its new products, but, as you who regularly stalk ikea.com know, new stuff comes out all the time.

Here are a few of my favorite "under the radar" products - new but not brand new stuff that crept out there at one time or another. Like the Tobias chair, above. For $99, it's the poor man's Ghost chair, and almost half the price of CB2's Vapor chair. Here's hoping IKEA goes nuts with Lucite.

Wouldn't this $100 Expedit shelf look great on its side?

Get the industrial/farmhouse/schoolhouse look with the Dalfred bar stool for $40

The Expedit coffee table for $70 (it also comes as a side table and sofa table)looks sleek and modern and avoids water rings with a glass top.

I have no idea when the Linarp desk showed up ($120) but I love it in China red.

I also don't know when the LACK series evolved this open vertical shelf, but it gives a look not too far off from the $200 to $300 Sapien bookcase at Design Within Reach. And it's only $50.

The Koldby cowhide rug is $250 compared to $750 for a similar rug at DWR. (Dear IKEA, could you please issue this in a zebra print? Thank you.)

Guess who got all hip and modern and cheap?

Where can you get Mongolian lamb's wool pillows for $14.99? (OK, so it's faux fur, but still.)

Compare it to $130 at West Elm for the real deal.

How about this Adjustable Metal Column Floor lamp for $114.99?

Compared to West Elm's pleated shade floor lamp for $249 below.

Or CB2's Luxe Floor Lamp for $199.

Or how about some slim industrial accent tables for about $100 each?

Or even this crazy adjustable desk that goes from sitting to standing height (stool included) for $299?

Did anybody guess JCPenney?

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