I’m excited to start posting again with some long overdue real room inspiration. This space is a family’s extra apartment above their garage that doubles as a guest “suite” when they have family or friends in town. I am amazed at how this mother of 6 (yes, 6!) kept it fresh and trendy in this apartment with yellows, grays, clean lines, and textures. And she did it all by herself with her own eye for design. It makes me want to model my next apartment after it…or maybe just move in — as if she needs another (grown) child running around. Let me know what you think!

The dark gray couch with clean lines sets the tone for a sophisticated and cool space.

(Faux) fur rug adds a splash of texture. Use clear glass, plastic, or acrylic coffee tables to enlarge a small space so that you can see the floor while holding all of your goodies on it. Optical illusion!

A view of the kitchen + bar area + breakfast nook + sitting/lounge area

LOVE the vintage finish on these bar stools. Sort of a distressed French gray -- one of my favorite finishes to oggle at. Oui oui??

A clean bar and dining nook. Who doesn't want to mix a little alcohol with breakfast? Eh?

White lacquered pop-up bar complete with martini and wine glasses and classy tumblers.

Who doesn't like the funky lines of the chairs and the urchin-esque object on the table? Woo!

Walk out of the kitchen/sitting area and into this quaint abode. The color on the walls is calming, neutral. With pops of yellow accents! Love.

A closer view of the comfy bedroom setting.

Fur, yellow + white.

More fur! And the chair brings out more of the bright yellow that I am digging so much of in this apartment.

Crisp table lamp on the bedside table. Buy a piece of a mirror from a craft store and put a few candles on it to help vintage meet modern.

And of course, what apartment is complete without a trendy shower curtain to spice up the bathroom? Check.

Get the look:

1. The Nikki Lamp – Burke Decor – $191

2. “Slant 3″ – Cocoa and Hearts – $95

3. Stripe Shower Curtain – West Elm – $39

4. Hennessy Sofa in Topaz – Crate & Barrel – $999

5. Harry Koenig Vintage Rectangle Tray – Target – $50

6. Bindi Stripe Pollen 23″ x 11″ Pillow – CB2 – $29.95

7. Flokati Rug – Ikea – $29.99

8. Set of 8 Dizzy Cocktail Glasses – Crate & Barrel - $16.95

Name: Sarah
Age: 24
Job:  Assistant Account Manager at an Advertising Agency

Name: Amy
Age: 23
Job: Pastry Chef at a Restaurant

These two roommates live in a single family house that is large and inviting — but that means they had tons of space to fill. They each did it with their own style and flair that differ from each other but work cohesively in the home.

SARAH’S ROOM
Vibe: Serene, Mature, Pretty

AMY’S ROOM
Vibe: Fun, eclectic, colorful

SITTING AREA

LIVING ROOM

BAR/KITCHEN AREA

WANT TO DECORATE LIKE SARAH AND AMY??

Inspiration board coming your way…

Sarah & Amy’s Style by funkybeardecor on polyvore.com

Found Oversized Wine Bottles | Pottery Barn
$99 - potterybarn.com

Lush Landscape Bedding
$48 - anthropologie.com

Custom Upholstered Spruce Street Chair in Designer Fabrics | Serena &…
$1,550 - serenaandlily.com

Target:Abbey Road
$16 - target.com

Mallard Green Mason Bi-Cast Leather Chair | Living Room Furniture|…
$400 - worldmarket.com

Ikea Jonsbo Oröd
$50 - ikea.com

Target:Modern Serenity Decorative Mirrored Tray
$15 - target.com

Ikea Jonsbo Bärby
$50 - ikea.com

Pinwale Alphabet
$14 - anthropologie.com

BARNES & NOBLE | Skinny Bitch in the Kitch: Kick-Ass Recipes for…
$8.49 - barnesandnoble.com

Stonewashed Belgian Linen Diamond-Stitch Quilt & Shams | Restoration…
$49 - restorationhardware.com

We did it. Together.

This is a big thank you from one satisfied blogger — me! — to all of my lovely readers out there who voted for Funky Bear Decor’s design on Moxxi’s Facebook page. We won the blog contest: “Outfit to Room Challenge”. I turned a funky outfit from Threadcase’s clothing into a beautiful room from Moxii’s products. Now not only do I have pride and a big smile on my face, but I also have a few little gift certificates as well. Maybe I will buy some goodies and use them as prizes in a contest. How about it??

The idea was to pick an “outfit” from Threadcase’s collection and then design a room based on it using Moxii’s items. Then, you create an inspiration board displaying the results. The winners get gift cards to each retailer. But mostly for me it was just for the fun of it :)

Anyway, visit Moxii’s Facebook page to see all the other fabulous submissions. And while you’re there if you feel so inclined, vote for my design! Make sure you’re looking at the right one by comparing it to the picture below…all orange and turquoise for me. You can vote by pressing the “Like” button underneath the image.. Tell all of your friends and thanks for the support!

Wood Pallets As…

ARTWORK

If you find an already-gorgeous wood pallet, all it needs is a quick sand and a painted quote to add interest to a large wall space.

Inspired by: Pinterest

Inspired by: Blue Eyed Yonder

Inspired by: Re-Purposed Vintage

Inspired by: The Lettered Cottage

SHELVING

How functional are these guys? Love the way the take up space and add a neutral color to this VERY white room.

Inspired by: Re-Nest

Here's a close-up version of the same image above, as well as another way to utilize wood pallets as shelves and dish racks. These would look fabulous with some funky Anthropologie dishes in them, no?

Inspired by: Info Fork 

Ooh a huge wood pallet painted blue (and distressed?). Just add some pieces of wood as floating shelves and store your spices, jams, and condiments.

Inspired by: Tree Hugger

Feeling handy? Slice a wood pallet horizontally to create a few separate shelving unites to hold pictures, books, and magazines. ** Note: You may have to add some sort of wood support underneath each separate pallet/shelf.

Inspired by: You Paid More Than Me 

Here is another solo piece of a pallet, perfect for storage.

Inspired by: Ana White

These uber-functional pallets not only hold books and small trinkets, but their owners tricked them out to hold bikes. Love!

Inspired by: Unstitched Blog

Bookshelves! How perfect for a little kids' room?

Inspired by: Unstitched Blog

THE BEDROOM/SEATING AREAS

Inspired by: Apartment Therapy

Inspired by: Ashley Ann Photography

Inspired by: Graham and Co.

Inspired by: Home D-Zine

Inspired by: Pinterest

Inspired by: Pine Cone Hill

TABLES/KITCHEN

Inspired by: Home D-Zine

Inspired by: Home D-Zine

Inspired by: Home D-Zine

Inspired by: Unstitched Blog

Inspired by: You Paid More Than Me

Chippy Turquoise Antique Buffet, $425

One of my very first posts (over a year ago, wow!) was about the many uses of mason jars. Within my post, I discussed one particular way to use mason jars to showcase photographs suspended in oil for a unique spin on picture display.

“Lastly, a less common but very interesting way to use mason jars is to make it into a one-of-a-kind picture frame. The clear jars would be best for this, and by pouring olive oil (try to avoid the garlic kind — could get stinky!) in the jar with an upright picture, you can get a sepia effect and a new way to display your pics.”

Inspired by: Flickr

Over the past year, I have received many comments and questions about how exactly to go about recreating the photograph in the mason jar. Mostly what I have been asked is “Would a color or black and white picture work best”?

And after an in-depth experiment when I was bored to tears on one night…I finally have answers.

To break it down for you more easily, I’m about to get old school on you by using the scientific method.

1. Question
2. Research
3. Hypothesis
4. Experiment
5. Conclusion
6. Communicate

Why yes readers, that is Edward Cullen awaiting me at our lab desk. The lab desk that we share. We share it since we are lovers...I mean partners. In science. And perhaps in life as well.

Me like-a-da Ray Bans :)

Back to the business at hand…

1. Question: What type of picture will work best to re-create this mason jar picture frame? Color, black and white, sepia, or antiqued/faded?

2. Research: Google helped me see if there were any other great answers out there. There are not.

3. Hypothesis: After my research and personal opinions, I believe a black and white picture would make the photo in my mason jar picture frame most visible.

4. Experiment: Using a cake pan filled with about a half inch of olive oil (don’t worry, I didn’t waste much…I used it to cook some pasta afterwards), I submergered 4 different pictures/treatments to figure out which looked best and the most clear. If you want to re-create it to figure out the best results for your particular picture, by all means go for it. Try these easy steps:

Step 1: Fill pan with 1/2

COLOR PHOTO

Step 2: Grab a regular color photograph.

Step 3: Submerge color photograph.

Step 4: Observe results. Then repeat for each time of photograph you are considering.

BLACK & WHITE PHOTO

Black & white photo.

Black & white photo in olive oil.

Black & white photo in olive oil results.

FADED/ANTIQUED PHOTO

Faded/antiqued photo

Faded/antiqued photo in olive oil.

Faded/antiqued photo results.

SEPIA PHOTO

Sepia photo.

Sepia photo in olive oil.

Sepia photo results.

5. Conclusions: This is a multi-part conclusion.

1) It appears to me that the original mason jar used a black and white photograph in the olive oil.

2) However, I actually ended up liking the effect of the antiqued/faded picture the best.

Therefore as our friend Captain Planet would say, the power/choice is yours.

6. Communicate your results: Done. Boom.

But to most women out there, Labor Day reminds us of the style mantra: “No white after Labor Day.” Where did this rule come from? Check out Time Magazine’s explanation here for more random details if you feel so inclined.

To me though, this fashion rule is an antiquated tradition that must be broken. Not only do I plan to continue to wear white while the weather is still in the 3 digits (whether it is after Labor Day or not), but I would also like to celebrate and promote white with today’s post about one of my favorite things: White bedding.

White bedding is plush, lovely, soft, luxurious, clean and crisp all at once. It can go in any room, any time. The great thing about incorporating white into a bedroom is that you can honestly pull it together with a variety of color schemes, textures, styles. White is an extremely handy tool in the home decorator’s palette that can add contrast to and add polish to a room. See for yourself.

Bold floral wallpaper and ruched white duvet. Yum!

Inspired by: Anthropologie

Glamorous, whimsical, romantic. Wouldn't you love to fall asleep in this?

Inspired by: Arianna Belle

A rustic and casual white bed -- perfect for a coastal home.

Inspired by: House Beautiful

Shabby chic white and neutrals. tufted headboard love.

Inspired by: My Sweet Prints

Look how glowy and warm the mustard yellow makes the white!

Inspired by: Pinterest

All white, bright throw blanket. Cashmere or fur would work great here.

Inspired by: Elizabeth Anne Designs

Flax linen headboard...so easy to make yourself :)

Inspired by: House Beautiful

So soft, gray, and white...the laquered white side table doesn't hurt either.

Inspired by: Seesaw Designs

Pop of hot pink and turquoise in this vintage style room.

Inspired by: House Beautiful

Even Macy's is getting in on the action. And you can never go wrong with an oversized monogram.

Inspired by: Macy’s

Antlers!

Inspired by: Padgett Hoke

Doesn't this make you think of lemon lime sherbert?

Inspired by: House Beautiful

Obviously some of my favorite colors: tan and white.

Inspired by: Velvet & Linen

Tufted headboard glamour.

Inspired by: The Decorista

Orange, red and coral all over.

Inspired by: Decor Pad

This would be such a sweet teenage girls room!

Inspired by: Rikshaw Designs

Icy blue and white, great twin bed guest bed room.

Inspired by: House Beautiful

What an interesting shape headboard. You could put virtually any bedding with this to create a beautiful nest.

Inspired by: Sweet Home Style

One of my absolute favorite vendors who I work with at my job. Pine Cone Hill. A must see website!

Inspired by: Pine Cone Hill

Black, bold furniture compliment the trendy yellow and white.

Inspired by: Pinterest

And last but not least, my current obsession: charcoal gray and white. With a pin tucked duvet!

Inspired by: IMG Fav

Me too.

So today I will share with you what I did to incorporate my favorite basic (flax/tan/taupe linen) into interesting and artful decor.

MY INSPIRATION

I found this on one of my favorite blogs, Young House Love. I believe it is in one of their friends’ stores that features hand-made jewelry. How clever to simply poke holes in this gorgeous linen material. The plain background showcases the jewelry and adds a touch of earthiness to the otherwise outrageously (and awesomely) bright turquoise wall.

Inspired by Young House Love

MY RESOURCES

Probably the best and only place I know of to buy inexpensive stretched flax linen canvases is Binders Art. They have so many different sizes and shapes and are somehow always on sale. Not going to argue with that.

Get you some!

MY DO IT YOURSELF ART

It may be a little shoddy for a first try but it took me all of 20 minutes to complete almost everything you see so I’m not complaining.

These are ridiculously easy to make. All you have to do it manually (by hand) screw in various size hooks at the top near the wood framing the back of the canvas. I decided to spray paint mine a similar color to the canvas but anything would look good. How fun would it be to try vintage-looking schoolhouse hooks like these?

Inspired by Pottery Barn

I love using the linen for jewelry holders but am still looking for the perfect size frame to put around my earring canvas (above) to add that little extra bit of panache. Please ignore the fact that most of my earring collection seems missing — it is. Okay, back to the adding of panache: I’m on the prowl for some kind of frame with both a vintage and modern feel. I’m thinking about a chunky baroque frame — always a good choice in my book.

Inspired by: More Than Words

A second use of these canvases was inspired by nude silhouette art – a quasi weird obsession of mine. I think it’s classy, okay people! I had an image in my head and tried to put it down on canvas with white acrylic paint. Below is what I came up with.

But upon further inspection, the curved line off the body to the right either seemed too much like a lopsided breast. This majorly bothered me since I put her in my bathroom — it was like she and her breast were watching me do bathroom things. Too weird for my taste.

So with a few more brushes of my white paint to give this lovely lady a breast enhancement, I turned my mis-stroke into somewhat of an elbow with another to match. Voila! Perfect silhouette body art. Even if her bony elbows make her look slightly like a skeletor. No matter — I am in love with her and must think of a name. Thoughts? Suggestions?

After each set there are links to where I found each of the pieces of decor so you can buy them if you feel so inclined. Happy shopping!

Modern and Colorful Shelf Decor by funkybeardecor on Polyvore.com

Antique and Vintage Shelf Items by funkybeardecor on Polyvore.com

Funky and Happy Shelf Decor by funkybeardecor featuring hats

Feminine and Romantic Shelf Decor by funkybeardecor on Polyvore.com