Category Archives: Design

Design

Tween Boy’s Bedroom

November 17, 2015

This Summer Dylan turned 13, how can my little boy be in Jr. High?  He is such a good kid, he works hard at school and is a pretty fun kid to be around. He was ready to make his bedroom to feel a little more grown up. We haven’t changed a thing in his room for more then 4 years, expect his closet did get a little makeover.  Even though he is still a huge Star Wars fan, he was ready for a change.  So, we are taking on a little makeover to transition this kiddo from little boy to teenager. We picked out bedding and a few pieces that will feel more grown up and less little boy. And to be honest, I’d happily have all of these pieces in my bedroom. He’s getting some really cool stuff for The Land of Nod. I may be stealing the gold lamp and rug for myself.
Shelf
Duvet // Pillow Sham // Throw Pillow
Planet Banner
Bookshelf // Storage Bin // Lamp
Rug
The walls are a bright white and the chalk board paint is gone. The room is feeling bigger and brighter.
13 is an awkward age to be and Jr. High can be rough. But, Dylan’s reaction to this new plan was “SICK!!! This is going to be awesome!”.  I’m excited for him to have this new, refreshed space.  

Design / etc.

Painted Claw Foot Tubs

November 16, 2015

When we first found our house there was two things I immediately loved about it. The first was the built-in cabinets in our dining room and the second was the original 1920’s claw foot tub in the one and only bathroom.  It was in bad shape, so we painted it a fresh coat of white paint when we moved in 13 years ago.  But, for the last 5 or so years, I’ve been itching to paint the outside of the tub a fun color.  This first one, the forest green is probably my favorite.  
I also would love to take out the little corner shower unit and add a curtain surround and a shower head to the tub.  This would free up a lot of space in the bathroom and we would be able to add a second sink and some much needed storage.  
Mint Green
Navy Blue via 
Teal via
Black

Design

Cafe Design

November 9, 2015

I thought I’d share with you a little sneak peek into a design job I’ve been working on for the last month or so.  My favorite little bakery in town is opening a little eat-in cafe/bistro and I’ve been helping design the space. I can’t wait for it to open. I’ve got some fun DIY projects happening in there and lots a modern copper touches.  
Here’s a look at the mood board to give you an idea of where we are headed with the space.  The color palette is quite feminine, but there’s lots of fun geometric pattern and shapes for contrast.
Stay tuned, it will be opening very soon!
Teal Planter (CB2 sold out) // Blush Vase (Similar) // Rose Gold Tea Light Holder

Design / DIY / etc.

Nature Photography Framed

November 6, 2015

As we hit November, I feel the need to start thinking about all the Christmas gifts I need to buy. In our family, that is my job. And honestly, I don’t think anyone wants my biology nerd hubby picking out their gift. There’s always at least one person in the family that is hard to buy for and that person is the biology nerd. I really hate giving gift cards and there is no way I’m going to be able to pick out some scientific journal or ecologist biography that he’s been dying to read. So this year, I’m super excited about the presents I have for him.  I had a few of my nature photographs, from our trip this Summer, framed at Framebridge.  They turned out so good, and now I’m feeling like they are a present to me as well, I can’t wait to get them up on the walls. Well, to be totally honest, I already hung the eagle in the fog photograph in our living room. I made sure to say Merry Christmas to Lonnie when he saw it.

I took down all the smaller pieces on this wall and replaced them with this one big fabulous piece.  I love the simplicity and clean lines of having just one frame on this little wall. As I Canadian, I was a little worried that this eagle image felt a little too patriotic, tee hee. Lonnie insists that we’re making nature photography cool again. What do you think?

Keep reading all the way to end of the post because I have a special offer for Oleander + Palm readers only.

So, in case you are new O + P, this Summer we took an epic road trip as a family. We drove all the way from Southern California to Alaska and back with our vintage trailer, Riley.  It took us about 5 weeks, with some stops along the way of course.  But, we put over 9000 miles on our truck. We are so glad we did this as a family. Lonnie grew up in Alaska, so we’ve been as a family a few times, but we’ve never driven the Alcan together. Yes, it’s a lot of car time, but the scenery and the wildlife is absolutely amazing.  And nothing brings you closer to your kids then camping and road tripping together. One day in Northern British Columbia we saw caribou, buffalo, elk and a grizzly bear. That beats going to the zoo any day.

There’s nothing I like more then filling my home with memories from our travels.  I have very few generic art prints in my home, I want my the pieces I hang on my walls to have meaning and significance to our family.  Plus, I feel like I’m doing my kids a service, and when I’m long gone, they can inherit these framed pieces from our adventures together as a family. 
Framebridge had so many great choice for frames in lots of colors, finishes and styles.  I went with clean, modern frames called Carson and Irvine.  I squealed when I unwrapped the Jasper National Park reflection image in it’s gorgeous gold frame.  Green and gold are also so pretty together.  

There’s a couple options for getting your artwork framed with Framebridge.  You can simply send them a digital file, like even an Instagram image like my buffalo print, or you can mail in a special art piece or photograph and they will custom frame it for you. I opted for both options. I had already printed the reflection image at a local printer, so Framebridge sent me a specific box for the print and I simply packaged it up and sent it on it’s way with my postman.  So simple and easy.  
Framebridge also sends you instructions and a picture hangers so you can hang your framed pieces right away.

I’m pretty excited to check one person off my Christmas shopping list.  Lonnie’s gifts are done!!! And he’s going to love them.

Ok, I promised I had a little something special for you too.  How about a discount code just for Oleander + Palm readers. Don’t wait to frame those special pictures locked on your phone or the art work you’ve been wanting to hang on your walls. Head over to Framebridge right now and check out all the amazing options. 
Enter the code OLEANDER20 to save 20% on your first order! (expires 1/31/16)

This post is sponsored by Framebridge.  Thank you for supporting the amazing companies that help make this blog possible. 

Design / DIY / etc.

The Home Depot Halloween Style Challenge

October 2, 2015

I’m really excited for you to see our living room all decorated for Halloween.  I took on The Home Depot Style Challenge and gave our living room a simple black and white halloween makeover. It’s just an itty bitty bit spooky. I’ve also got a couple easy DIYs for you, like a pretty walnut cheese board and some creepy eyes for your plants.  It’s clean and modern, so you don’t feel like you are living in a haunted mansion.  
Head over to The Home Depot Blog to see all the details.

Design

Quality over Quantity

September 24, 2015

This is definitely not a brand new thought or idea.  It’s really just something that has been resonating with me lately.  This article, Owing Less is Great. Wanting Less is Better., struck a cord with me. I believe Less is More, but living it is a totally different thing.  Living in a small home, I feel like I have to purge and reorganize often, or we get swallowed up by the stuff.  And nothing stresses me out more the stuff everywhere.  Right now, I’m ready to part ways with so many of my possessions.  
I think my desire to live a little more minimalistic comes from my years of living overseas and in 3rd countries.  I’ve shared this before, but I grew up in Papua New Guinea.  Just the nature of being halfway around the world, my parents couldn’t bring a lot of their stuff with them.  Our home was very minimal as a result.  And it didn’t feel cold or uncomfortable.  Then, when Lonnie and I moved to Papua New Guinea as newly weds and also Yemen with 2 little kids, we took just our suitcases with us.  And guess what? You really don’t need all the STUFF.  I think my life was so much simpler with less things to take care of and clean up. Sure, I missed some of the sentimental things.  But, most of the stuff that fills my home now, I really have very little emotional connection to.
It turns out that having very few possessions as a child totally didn’t ruin me.  Hey, maybe having just a few toys was good for developing my creativity. 
So now, where do I start?  Being a design blogger, and really just having a passion for creating comfortable and fresh spaces, I find I want to buy and hunt down cool stuff. I need a way to get rid of what I have before I bring in new things. My new mantra is Quality Over Quantity. Before I buy that cute trendy item at Target or that killer mid century piece at the thrift store, I need to make sure I really have a place and a purpose for that item. I really don’t want more stuff, so why do I feel compelled to have it. I know it’s a huge part of our culture as Americans, but I really want to be more conscious of my actions.  
To start, today I’m taking a load of furniture and clothing to my local thrift store.  I have furniture pieces in my garage that I think I’ll refinish or use for something.  But, really they are just adding clutter and stress to my life.  It’s time for me to part ways with my $5 thrift store chairs you guys. Really, how many chairs does a girl need?  It’s hard, I see potential in these items.  But, if they’ve been in my garage or closet for a year now and I haven’t done anything with them, it’s time for them to go.  
Next step, I think I’ll have a little prop sale at my studio.  I’ve got some really good stuff you guys. Maybe these items can find a new home.
To keep me focused or this new goal, I created a little 8×10 printable.  If you are on a mission to become more of a minimalist or just be more aware of what you are buying, maybe this little print will help you as well.  Download the free printable HERE!
Ok, enough of my rambling, now I want to know what you think. Do you have any advice for me? Can you relate? How does you stuff make you feel?  

Design

Bold Black and White Walls

September 18, 2015

I hope you’ve had a great week. I’m pretty excited that the weekend is here.  I need some down time, but I’m pretty sure that I’ll just have to settle for playing catch-up. Can you relate? This whole mom gig is really getting in the way of blogger (tee hee). I’m tired and we are about to start the busiest time of the year. Ok, I’m not complaining, well maybe a little bit. 
So, just for a minute, let’s ignore the laundry that needs to be put away, the floors that need to be swept and the bathroom sink that needs to be cleaned. Let’s pretend we have lot’s of extra time for projects and crafts. If I had that wonderful extra time, I might like to recreate a bold, graphic black and white wall, like one of the ones below.
Tear Drop
Criss Cross
Leaves
Do you have a favorite?  I love the criss cross one a lot.  It’s busy, but it sure would be fun to replicate somewhere in my home.
Happy weekend friends, and don’t forget to enter the $150 Minted Giveaway over on Instagram.  

Design

Master Bedroom Update

September 7, 2015

About a month ago, I decided I wanted to finally get rid of my dated wrought iron, scrolly bed frame and give my bedroom a mini makeover. I haven’t liked it for a few years, but didn’t have a replacement plan.  I didn’t have a new one picked out yet, but I decided the first step would be to sell the old one first.  So, I listed it on my facebook and sold it in an hour.  Then I was on the hunt for a new bed.  I really wanted something without a foot board.  For a while I thought I might enjoy an upholstered headboard.  But, they seem to be everywhere right now, so I decided I’d go with something a little different.  I found this gorgeous brass bed frame at West Elm and was instantly in love.  When I bought it, it was on clearance, but now they seem to have it back in stock and it’s full price again.  

I think this bed is a really great match for my two thrift store nightstands  The headboard has a beautiful curve to it, but its  My room feels like a brand new space, and I didn’t even change the bedding.  I just added a pink pillow and a couple new prints to the gallery wall above my bed. Minted has an amazing selection of art prints.  I chose a couple of their photography prints to bring a little more life to my gallery wall.  This Pink Cactus and the California Succulent photography art prints complimented the pieces I already had on the wall.

And here’s a quick look at the rest of the room, so you can get a better idea of the space.  We used to have a rug under the bed.  But, it was tired and worn.  I’m actually loving the room without a rug.  It feels clean and lighter. 

Our room feels like a brand new space and all we changed was the bed frame and added a pillow and a couple prints.  Change feels good, even if it’s just the simplest adjustments.  My husband says he’s a modern man, so the tiny itty bitty bit of pink is just fine with him.  I want the space to feel like it’s both of our space, bits of me and pieces of him.

Are you a fan of a gallery wall?

Design

Green Tile

September 1, 2015

About 6 years ago, when we remodeled our kitchen. I was dead set on a green tiled backsplash. And I got it!!!! We couldn’t afford to take the tile all the way up to the upper cabinets, but someday, I’d love to. 
Sometimes I wonder if I should have been little more boring and gone with a simple, more neutral color. But, I haven’t tired of the green yet. And now I’m seeing more and more of it everywhere. Green has always been my go-to color, so it always feels on-trend for me. This week, when I saw Justina’s kitchen (of the Jungalow), I DIED!!! Such a gorgeous, organic, and comfortable space.  I want more copper do-dads in my kitchen.  
Here’s a few more spaces with gorgeous green tile done right.  I’m pretty sure you’ll be scheming a room to retile after you see this inspiration.
Square Green Tiles
Forest Green Tile with Open Shelves
Floor to Ceiling Bathroom

Green with Copper Accents

What’s your go-to color? Are you afraid of a color trend in something as permanent as tile?

Design

Black + White Grid Pattern

August 10, 2015

I’m BACK!!! After a month long hiatus, I’m finally back.  Thank you for your patience with me as I spent some quality time with my family.  Denali is starting high school next week and we are realizing that our kids are growing up so quickly.  We took a huge road trip and drove all the way to Alaska and back as a family.  After almost 10,000 miles on the road, I think we had some great bonding time.  
I’m going to ease back into blogging with a fun round up of my current favorite pattern – Grid.  I love black and white, it’s always a classic and grid patterns are so clean and simple.  They add a subtle graphic pattern without being totally bold and overwhelming.  It’s also a great pattern to mix with organic patterns like florals and botanicals.  Can’t you see those gorgeous grid heels paired with a bright floral dress? 
Dish Towels
Wall Organizer // Washi Tape // Pillow
Sofa // Plate
Shoes // Bag // Shirt
Is there a pattern you are loving lately?