home design ideas: August 2012

50 shades of grey in Copenhagen

It's Friday people! WOOHOO! And to top off a Danish week, here's a very cool Copenhagen penthouse. You may've seen it before on Bungalow 5. There are so many things I love about this home - the colour palette (black, white, all shades of grey and a dot of cognac), the original features such as the fireplace and french doors and the stairs lined with fabulous pairs of shoes. If I tried to do that here my 18 month year old would have a field time trying them all on and it would be a bit of a hazard! Still, you always want what you can't have right?!

Via

What's your favourite thing about this lovely Danish apartment? Can anyone help me find the original source, I'd love to credit the owners and photographer.

Have a wonderful weekend all, and see you Monday!

Go Team Ghana!

"GO TEAM GHANA!" is a group of "designers, dreamers, moon watchers, doers and vagabonds." They're former designers from ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition", who are "taking our (their) skills and passion for designing with a purpose and spreading it like wild flower over seas. This time all the way to Ghana, West Africa."
Their goal is to build the "Connor's Creative Art Center" in Ghana, West Africa. Here's a bit I've taken from the website to explain what "Go Team Ghana" is all about & how we can help"

"THE BAD NEWS: Modern day slavery exists.Nearly 7,000 children are being trafficked in the fishing industry of Lake Volta, Ghana. They are sold for the equivalent of $20.
THE GOOD NEWS: People care.
A Touch of LIfe (one of the organizations they're working with) has rescued nearly 100 of the 7,000 children. They have outgrown their facilities, and are building bigger, in order to help more kids.

Connor’s Song, inspired by the creativity and imagination of Connor Deal who passed at the age of 12, is working to bring healing to hurting children. The “Connor’s Creative Art Center” will be built in honor of Connor, and will help restore these children through art therapy and creative healing.

Why ART? Why for these kids?
Glad you asked.

BECAUSE ART = FREEDOM.
These children are being empowered through the freedom of expression. They are learning, some for the first time, how to be kids and dream big. At one point in their lives, they were sold for the amount we pay for a few cups of coffee.

Please help us show these kids they are worth it!
All funds raised will go towards the following:
1) Fill a shipping container with furniture + supplies for the Art Center
2) Ship the 40' container with the supplies overseas to Ghana
3) Send the Design Team back to Ghana to help bring the Art Center to life
Thank you a million times over for showing your support.
We believe good design can change the world. "

I feel the same way about design & art being able to change the world. Good "Design" is often thought of as a luxury or something "extra" that some people have... But I believe it has the power to make people happy & to change their lives. Our environments affect us in so many ways- they change our moods, our ideas of self-worth, they can encourage or discourage creativity, they can make us feel good or bad. Giving these kids a place to go that gets them excited about creating things & dreaming is really special & affects them in so many more ways than just encouraging the arts. I think it's a really special cause & if you have any time and/or want to help, go here:
http://www.stayclassy.org/events/go-team-ghana/e18912

They are at a little over $13,000 now and need $35,000. Today's the last day if you have a moment.

If you'd like help creating a home you absolutely love, contact me about our design services.

feeling fall in greige...

This space makes me think of fall with the warm fire burning and the soft colors of their eclectic mix it is just perfection! This is the home of Todd Fiscus and Rob Dailey in Texas. I have seen some pretty amazing homes from Texas although I have never been. I really love how this home mixes old and new with ease and elegance.

For more on their home visit here.

found via pinterest

Instagram Room Reveals & Closing on Our New House!!

I was recently introduced to Instagram & am crazy about it!!! For those of you who don't know what it is, it's an app that you can use on your phone where you take pictures with your phone and then upload them into instagram. People "follow" you and you "follow" others to share the photos.

I've been posting a bunch of photos on instagram, which has been so much fun... I try to take pics whenever I come across something that's interesting or pretty to me, and lately I've been taking photos of some of our clients' projects on installation days as they come together & the room is revelaed picture by picture... (I will usually save the full "after" for later though! :)

To follow me on instagram, go here or go to instagram and find me (I'm @LaurenLiess) (Or check to the right sidebar of this blog and click on the little instagram icon (which is the little camera logo)& you should be able to see pics.)

{Our client's living room, midstage}

Also, we're closing on our new house today & we're sooooooo excited!!!! We love love LOVE the house and I can't believe how quickly the time's flow by!! Fingers crossed that all goes smoothly for us today. We're so thankful to the homeowners for letting us buy their home!! I'll keep you posted!!

{our future living room!!! }

If you'd like help creating a home you absolutely love, contact me about our design services.

Bjorn Agertved's Danish retreat

A while ago I featured a post on the Danish artist Bjorn Agertved's stunning Copenhagen apartment. So you can imagine how excited I was when I spotted his family summer cottage over at Decordots today! Featured in Femina, Bjorn's weekend retreat is full of treasured mid century designer items such as the Butterfly Chair (or BKF chair) and Borge Mogensen chairs as well as some wonderful vintage industrial lighting.

Photos: Pernille Kaalund for Femina via Decordots

This is turning into a bit of a Danish interior design week, and why not? The Danes really know what they're doing when it comes to fabulous home styling don't you think?

PS Thank you for all your encouragement with painting my kitchen wall with blackboard paint - just what I needed! I'll post some pics on it once I'm done!

Interior photography...

I think that among us there is a deep appreciation for quality artistic interior photography. Even if we don't realize it the photography and often times the photographer are what make these spaces show in the best possible light. It does take great styling and design I know that, but without the art of the photograph it is so hard to show it to the world, short of touring each and every space in person.

I love that a photo can capture light and depth in a space so beautifully. So thank you to all of those interior photographers out there who make things oh so beautiful!

image via

Clear storage the Danish way

After a little surfing around today I came across these images from the fab Danish brand Nomess via Norwegian blog Stylizimo. I love perspex storage, so practical yet so smart. Not only can you find everything you're looking for but it's also a great way to show off your beloved shoes / jewellery / hats & scarves etc while keeping them neat and tidy. Oh, and the styling around them is pretty cool and inspirational too. Thanks Nomess!

Nomess via Stylizimo

On another note, there's something wrong with my man. He keeps saying yes to everything. I'm getting nervous. Yesterday he said I could paint one entire wall of the kitchen in blackboard paint. Now I'm too scared to do it.....what?!

Welcoming entry

I love a good entryway. This arched doorway is pretty amazing with the greenery. Love it..

Wishing you a wonderful Wednesday!

image via

A beautifully simple Danish home

Clean lines, fresh white, touches of black and some fabulous pieces, this is one lovely Danish home from interior magazine Bo Bedre.

Photography: Andreas Mikkel Hansen for Bo Bedre

And the lovely guys at Bo Bedre have given a great guide to where many of the items are from, in Danish mind you, but you can always google translate :) To save you looking - the outdoor Globe fireplace is from Swedish brand Vauni, how fab is that?!

Fossils {accessory trends}

While I was at the show in Atlanta I saw the most beautiful fossils everywhere and most were already sold. Most of the showrooms used them in display or as the main accessories on their furnishings. I fell in love! I was very excited to pick up a few pieces this past week, which I am even more excited to share with you.