Category Archives: Design

No More Boring Bath Linen Combinations

April 27, 2016

I think for some folks, it’s still a temptation to just buy the matching set of bath towels, hand towels and bath mat. But, interesting, intentional design is all about the details, and matchy-matchy just has to be avoided. Bath linens are a great place to play with pattern, texture and color. Unlike paint or wallpaper, towels are an inexpensive, non-permanent addition to the room. Really, towels only last a year or two with kids, so you can trade them out in no time at all.

I did a little online shopping and found some fun bath linen combinations that are far from boring. Yes, there are lots of neutrals (you know I love grey!), but with fun patterns and fringe details boring is not an option.

Is there a combination you like best? I think I want #7 in my bathroom, I already have that hand towel. And #2 could be fun for the main bathroom, that my grubby kiddos use.

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Oleander + Palm is Moving!

April 21, 2016

Yep, I’m moving. Well, my studio is moving, and not very far at all. I’m actually just moving to a much better space down the hall from where I’ve been. But, I’m moving from less then 200 square feet to 650 square feet – YIPEEE!

If you follow me on snapchat (oleanderandpalm), this is all old news to you. Or if you subscribe to my newsletter, I have already blabbed on and on about this move. I got the keys on Tuesday and started painting yesterday. Today will be lots more painting.

This is my old studio.

I’m really excited for this new, bigger, better space! I’ve been in my old studio for a whole year now, and boy does time fly by when you are working hard. It was kind of a risk last year when I signed a year lease. But, it really turned out to be a smart move to make for my business. We live in a small house and I was tired of working from my dining room table and then having to clean it all up in order to eat dinner. Having a dedicated space also helped me work more efficiently. At home I had the distractions of laundry and dishes. But at the studio, I could just work on blog “stuff”. The studio, which I painted all bright white, also changed my photography for the better. The windows did have a tinting film on them though, so I was always having to correct the white balance on images.

But, then just 3 weeks ago, I decided not to re-sign my lease. I have been actively looking for a bigger space for months now, but just couldn’t find anything. So I told my landlord and decided that I’d just move everything into the garage until I could find something that was a better fit. And then less then a week later, my landlord called telling me that a bigger space with huge windows had just become available. I jumped on it!!! 650 square feet of light-filled space.

The rent is higher then I thought I could afford, so I invited a couple of friends to share the space with me. They will be using it for photography and as headquarters for an Etsy store. Blogging can be quite lonely, so I’m really excited to be have a space where I can work alongside other creatives.

Theses are kind of terrible iphone images. But, here’s a sneak peak at the new space. The walls are a light grey, which isn’t terrible at all, but they will all be white very soon. There’s nothing like taking pictures in an all white room! It makes all the difference. The ceilings are high, which makes the room feel even bigger.

If you are local, keep your ear out for upcoming events and craft workshops. This is going to be a fun place to gather people.

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Add a Little Cactus to Your Decor

April 19, 2016

In the last couple of months I feel like I’ve kinda officially become a plant lady. I haven’t kill a plant in a really long time and even my fiddle leaf figs are super happy. After being in the desert a couple weeks ago, I really feel like a need to try to bring more cactus into my life. They worry me though, I can be an over-waterer. I might not be ready for these very low maintenance plants.

They have such distinct, sculpture-like shapes that I’d love to bring to my decor. So, as a baby step towards owning a cactus, I’ve found some really great cactus illustrations that I’d happily live with. I think you are really going to love these as well.

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3 Tips for Successful Thrifting

April 12, 2016

Hey there! My newsletter is up and going! If you haven’t signed up yet, be sure to fill out the form in the righthand bar of the blog (under Join The Mailing List). Today’s video is part 2 of a video I put together for all my newsletter friends. So, if you’re here because of the newsletter – WELCOME! You are officially my new favorite group of folks. I’m planning to have lots of fun with this new newsletter. I’ve got exclusive content, downloadables, printables and videos that can’t be found on the blog. It’s kind of like a top-secret club, and you are gonna wanna join.

Both the night stand and lamp were thrifted. I bought the nightstand for about 20 dollars and then painted it. The brass lamp was just $5.

One of my main missions behind Oleander + Palm is to share ways in which I achieve a modern, stylish home and lifestyle without spending a lot of money. I love attainable style and design and thrifting enables me to have one-of-a-kind furniture and accessories in my home. So, if you are not a seasoned secondhand shopper, here’s my tips for becoming a successful thrifter.

Now, if you aren’t yet convinced of thrifting, let me share some of my favorite finds to refresh your memory.

I bought the vintage leather butterfly chair at an auction for a couple hundred dollars.

I found this midcentury side table along with my credenza at a goodwill. This piece cost only $12.99. And the camels were bought in a market in Yemen, I’m sure they were a good deal. I did a lot of bartering there.

I found this Modernica plant stand at the Pasadena Flea Market, I paid only $10 for it.

And last, but definitely not least, my favorite thrifted find of all time – I paid $69 for this gorgeous mid-century credenza. I found it at my local Goodwill.

What’s the best thing you’ve ever found at a Thrift Store? Do you have any other tips and tricks to help thrifting virgins fall in love with the hunt?

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Instagram Q + A – Casual Cottage Master Bedroom

March 16, 2016

A couple of weeks ago, I had a little Q + A over on Instagram. I love helping folks solve design and decorating dilemmas, so I said “ask away”. I chose 3 of the questions to answer in a little more depth.

Ashlee’s Master Bedroom is the first room I’m going to try to offer some assistance with. Here’s what Ashlee had to say about the space:

“We live in an old cottage, with small rooms and every single wall in our bedroom has a window, door, etc. The longest wall hosts out bed, but it has an off-center window right behind our headboard. I have struggle for 5 years with either hiding it and making it seem like it’s not there or embracing it and balancing the off-settness with art or something.” (You can see pics of the room below.)

We chatted I bit about colors and existing furniture. She likes orange, coral, teal-blue and navy. Her bedding is a nice solid grey and the walls have just been painted a pale grey as well. And she isn’t attached to the furniture or lamps at all.

Here’s what I suggest for this space:

1. I think you have to embrace the asymmetrical window situation. I think there are a couple things that could be done to help achieve a bit more balance. First, I suggest the funky pair of mirrors hung over the bed to the left of the window. I also think in small rooms, you need to let in as much natural light as possible. A lower profile, slatted headboard would feel less bulky and not block the window as much. I am in LOVE with this mid-century headboard from Target, you guys, it’s only $100!!! And losing a foot board will make the space feel a lot more open.

2. It’s not going to be a symmetrical room, so let’s not be matchy-matchy. I love mismatched nightstands and lamps. They make a room feel a lot more casual and collected over time. This also gives you a chance to do something a little more feminine on on side and masculine on the other. Mixing wood and painted pieces is totally fine, I give you permission!

3. You know I love grey, but let’s also have some fun with colorful, patterned accent pieces. Different shades of orange and navy blue are always going to be a hit. Anytime you can play with complimentary colors, bland will never occur.

Do you have any other suggestions for Ashlee to help her solve her wonky window situation?

I’d love to hear. Stay tuned. I’ve got a couple more Q + A rooms I’m going to tackle.

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Black Fireplaces

March 11, 2016

A couple years ago I painted our fireplace white in our living room, even the inside of it. We used to have a little wood pellet stove, but when it died, we decided not to replace it. I wanted to make the space feel light and bright. Now, with my new found love of black, I wonder how the space would feel painted in this dramatic way.

I’m working with a local client. Their fireplace and mantel is currently a creamy white color and is very traditional. I’d love to use a charcoal, navy or black paint to give the fireplace a more modern, unexpected look.

Here’s a few examples of that look pretty great.

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In small doses, black can be a show stopper. I’m not ready to cover a whole wall, but a little splash of black here and there feels a bit like wearing a black tie, put-together and buttoned up.

What do you think? Black or charcoal grey feels pretty safe and neutral. What about a dark navy or denim blue, to risky? I’d love to hear what you think.

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Black Cabinets

March 3, 2016

My obsession with black continues. Yes, I love it on exteriors and in entryways, and now I’m considering it for cabinets in my laundry room. When we renovated our kitchen, we took over the old laundry room space and then added on a new laundry room to the back of the house. But, almost 6 years later, we still haven’t finished this room. The washer and dryer are of course hooked up and working, but there is just a temporary cabinet in there (that has one door broken off) and plumbing for a sink that doesn’t exist yet.

Every year I say, “this is the year we finally finish the laundry room”, and then every year it just doesn’t happen. Not in 2016, I’m determined. Last weekend I even made a trip to IKEA to look at cabinets and start laying out this tiny space. I really just want a couple cabinets for vacuums, mops and cleaning supplies, a sink and hopefully a place to set up my sewing machine. Since this is such a small space, I’d love to try something dramatic like black cabinet doors. Here’s a few examples of black cabinets done right.

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I’m considering the Tingsryd cabinet doors from IKEA. They are super economical and I think they have that modern shape I’m looking for. And for hardware, I think I have no choice but to do some brass or gold nobs or pulls. What do you think?

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Black Exteriors

February 25, 2016

Does anyone want to buy a cabin in the woods and I’ll design and decorate it for you? I love the idea of a simple weekend home that is minimally decorated and has a dramatic black exterior. I can’t get enough of these black exteriors. I love this bold choice of color for staining wood siding or even painting brick. It feels modern and a bit of risky choice, which I love!

Black with Large Windows

Black Terrace

Black Two Story

Black Midcentury

Black Siding and Black Doors

Black Brick

Like the dramatic Black Entryways I found, how do you feel about this strong color choice?

Design

Book Review – Modern Pastoral

February 23, 2016

I have been a long time fan of Nikki Brantmark’s blog My Scandinavian Home. So, when I heard that she had a new book, Modern Pastoral, I knew I needed a copy for myself. If you love good Swedish design, you MUST follow her beautiful blog. Nikki takes you into some of the most beautifully simple, clean Scandinavian homes out there. If you’ve followed me for long, you must know how crazy, in love I am for all things Swedish.

I’m still a sucker for a good hardcover, coffee table book. Yeah, you can find pretty much everything on Pinterest, but there is something special about taking time to hold a real book and enjoy the curated images and stories that have be crafted together.

This gorgeous book takes you through some lovely interiors photographed in Scandinavia and the United States. “All are inspried by natural landscapes, making use of exposed wood and stone, large windows to let in light and plants and greenery – yet adding warmth, too, through color, fabrics, and all the personal touches that create a home.”

The book is divided into 4 chapters – Forest, Graphical, Homestead and Waterside. I found myself drawn to the second chapter, Graphical, the most. These homes features clean, colorless palettes with a beautiful balance between natural, rustic elements and bold, geometric patterns. The homes are far from cold and sterile, warmth and comfort are added with natural fibers, sheepskins, and plenty of foliage from the outdoors.

For the past few months I’ve been pinning and drooling over gorgeous black exteriors on homes and cabins. The Woodland Valley Cabin in this chapter is absolute perfection, as far as I’m concerned. Gorgeous black stained siding on the exterior is complimented by bright, white, open rooms inside. The accessories throughout this home are minimal and clean and it has me inspired to pair down and simplify my home even more.

If you love a good design book, this is one you are going to need to add to your collection.

Be sure to head over to Instagram where I am giving away a copy of this gorgeous book. Check out THIS post for all the giveaway details.

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Black and White Pillows – The Accessory for Every Season

February 22, 2016

I think everyone is getting Spring Fever pretty bad these days. I see pastels EVERYWHERE! And I’m a fan of them as well (especially pink). If you are thinking about sprucing up your home decor this Spring, but want a style that works all year long, black & white is the answer. You just won’t get sick of this timeless combination. And black and white looks good with everything, pastels, brights, patterns, and even neutrals.

I have found you some great black and white pillows that are sure to freshen up your bed or sofa this season, and all the seasons to follow.

2 // 3

4 // 5

6 // 7

The two Kilim pillows (3 and 7) are on my sofa, and I LOVE them. Do you have a favorite in this mix?