A Field of Stripes

Loved this photo when I came across it on FFFFOUND! (via aspire to enquire).  Unfortunately, I can't locate the original, but it's a brilliant landscape regardless of the "why?" or "how?"

Taking inspiration from these painted fields, I pulled together the pieces below. Bright, multicolor stripes paired with less dramatic solids make for an interesting combo in the home.

Clockwise from top left:

Striped vase by D&G Design on That's Arte ($209)

Corona sofa in Pear from Macy's ($699)

5' x 8' stripes rug at Target ($299.99)

Karlstad chair in Sivik dark green by Ikea ($229.99)

Yellow cable throw from CB2 ($49.95)

Al Fresco stripe baskets from Pier 1 ($18 and $24)

Pantone stripe mugs from Heal's (£8.00)

Purple daisy mum in striped pot by deLa Flowers (via Shop Fresh Flowers)

Panier side table container from Hive Modern ($129)

Adirondack side table in Forest Green from Eon

Stripe multicolor textur tablelamp from Ikea ($29.99)

Striped accent pillow by Crate and Barrel ($21.95)

Linen pillow in Pesto from CB2 ($34.95)

A Post-Turkey Return

Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving!

Didn't get the chance to post last week, since I was running around prepping for (and ultimately enjoying!) the holiday. Lots of fun crammed into the last 5 days or so... I'm still trying to recover! Not only did I have a wonderful Thanksgiving with family, I played hostess for our 5th annual "friendsgiving" on Saturday, aptly titled Thanksgiving 2 (or T-Givs 2 for short). Flaming marshmallow drama aside, it was a wonderful time spent with my favorite people, sharing my favorite foods.

The photo above is of a little arrangement I put together for the celebration, inspired by found items from the Fall. Shadow boxes and floating frames were used to display various nuts, cinnamon sticks, leafs, feathers and a few fabric scraps that tied in with my palette. Glass bottles wrapped in twine held branches and floral stems, while pine cones and mason jar votives punctuated the display. For the focal point, I affixed unfinished wooden letters (custom made by woodenletters.net) to a 24" x 36" canvas and propped up the number 2 in front for added dimensionality.

I didn't document my work in progress, but everything here is easily DIY-able! The bottles did take a while to wrap, but I love the way they turned out. Super cheap to make, and the end result is something that I'll get a lot of use from! All of the frames will also be recycled for other projects, or become a part of everyday décor.

Did you host your own holiday get together? What are some of the things you did to dress up the room or table? Feel free to share pictures if you have them!

Magical Stained Glass

Loving this photo featured on Apartment Therapy from this year's Bienalle International Art Exhibit in Venice.  The colorful reflection on the floor is from American artist Spencer Finch's "Moonlight" installation, an ode to stained glass created by applying gel filters to existing windows throughout the space. The hanging incandescent bulbs make up Finch's "Moondust," which complement the windows and add a magical feeling to the room. Check out more photos from: Spring Globe's flickr 

The colors and lighting in this picture are absolutely gorgeous. Stained glass is incredibly dramatic, and the idea of creating a simple and temporary stained glass window with colored film is brilliant. Maybe one day I'll take that up as a DIY project! In the meantime, here are some easy ways to instantly incorporate a stained glass feel into your home décor.

Clockwise from top left:

Aqua stained glass table lantern with metal handle from Glassware Manufacturers 

Butterscotch stained glass lamp and multicolor lamp from Charmaine's Past & Present 

Mixed color glass mosaic tiles by EVIT 

Stafford wine glasses in amber and Cathedral goblet in blue from Anthropologie 

Amber mosaic glass bowl by Glassware Manufacturers 

Tree of Life stained glass window from Stained Glass & More

Stained glass leaded mirror by Libby Harri at Tinted View

Glass genie bottle from the large decanter collection by Joe Cariati 

Recycled collage made from fused glass dinnerware and bottles, featured on Southern Exposures (similarly amazing work available from Daniel Mahr Stained Glass Studio )

Other worlds kaleidoscope with stained glass wheel from Anthropologie 

Turquoise blue gilded glass votive with horizontal and vertical accents from Luna Bazaar 

Le French Dresser

I recently came across this piece by Wary Meyers , a husband and wife design team, on Apartment Therapy.  "Le French Dresser" was created by adding scroll-saw cut wooden letters to a salvaged dresser, drawing upon inspiration from Lou Dorfsman's Gastrotypographicalassemblage.  This awesome DIY project is currently featured in Wary Meyers' book, "Tossed and Found ," along with several other simple masterpieces created from items that others might disregard as trash.

My goal here was to create a space for this lovely piece of furniture to live in.  I decided to stick with the black and white theme and tie everything together with fun patterns, some more typography and a few nods to France. I adore the photo collage in the shot below,  especially since it evokes the alignment of compartments in a california job case - the basis for Lou Dorfsman's remarkable design.

Clockwise from top left:
Ung Drill black baroque-style frame from Ikea ($24.99)
Eiffel Tower votive candle holders at Sur la Table ($14.95)
Black and white bedroom photo via Decor Pad (to recreate the photo collage, try this set of 10 frames from Urban Outfitters )
Fleur de Lis pillow from Pillow Superstore ($42.99)
Versa black stripe pillow by Madeline Weinrib 
Loop leaf ottoman in laser-cut steel by meganauman on Etsy ($750)
Chalkboard sticker with printed frame from Paper Source  ($6.95)
15" black wood ampersand by DimeStoreVintage on Etsy ($19.99)
Removable wallpaper in "Damsel" by Tempaper ($74.95)
Nelson asterisk clock from Hive Modern ($300)
Three-drawer honeycomb print dresser by Paul Marra on 1stDibs 

Redddddd This!

Lisbeth Zwerger is my favorite illustrator. She. Is. Amazing. Please buy all her books so she never stops. One of my favorites is her Wizard of Oz. There's a full spread of the characters in a field of red poppies that is so beautiful and whimsical and strange. It makes me want to live in her books.



Clockwise from top left
Dress from Alberta Ferretti's Spring 2010 show
Embroidery from Neville Trickett's Flickr
Red Hunter Wellies from Shelba's Flickr
Old Red Hat letterpress pieces
Hoboken Pie Store
Thank You card from Pop + Shorty
Martha Stewart butterfly straw toppers
Living room from stylist/textile designer Marieke van Proosdij
RedruM photo frames
Ulrika May pillows

Take-out Flowers

I loved this photo from a set titled "Take-out flowers" by Jiseon Park and Eunho Kim (on SDesign Unit  via Apartment Therapy). Their clever use of ice cream cones and other everyday objects for transporting and displaying delicate arrangements strikes a fine balance between cutesy and quirky.

My approach to this post was to create a complementary setting for this shot--a room with a wall just begging for a large framed print of waffle cones, brimming with colorful wildflowers.  While embracing the bright palette, I also chose to select some neutral tones and organic materials that mirrored the playful juxtaposition presented above. Cute and quirky, just the way I like 'em.

Clockwise from top left:
Birdcage pendant lamp on Dutch By Design (£45)
Early 20th century industrial cage lights from Rewire 
Miner's bottle in Amber from Anthropologie ($14)
Yellow tuxedo ruffle curtain at Urban Outfitters ($42)
Amethyst votive holder from ABC Home ($75)
Cooled globes lamp by Anthropologie ($298)
Trumpet flowers in Emerald from Love by Amy Butler 
Pillow cover in Pink Coriander by Amy Butler from Lilybethgoodies on Etsy ($14)
Lima alpaca throw in fuschia from Crate and Barrel ($169)
PJÄS basket with base from Ikea ($12.99)
Coming and going coat rack from Urban Outfitters ($68)
Antoinette fainting sofa in Aubergine from Urban Outfitters ($575)
Round parasol rug by Thomas Paul 
David Stark gold flower candle lanterns for West Elm ($12-$34)

Type Your Life

This photo is both hilarious, endearing, and cool from a featured nursery on Apartment Therapy. By the way, what is that bunny doing there?

Big, decorative letters seem to be a growing trend in interior design. You can get these letters everywhere now. The hardest part is really which letters to buy and what to spell. Suggestions anyone? Or should I just create an homage to this blog, M-I-S-M-A-T-C-H-E-R-I-E?


Clockwise from left:
Letter A light from Perch! Design
Personalized G napkins from Envelop
Letter D from Daily Dropcap
F pendant from Ariel Gordon
Initial ring from MAstyle
Typographic fashion E and A from TypeNeue
Letter P from Briar Press
Letter Lights Balls from Perch! Design
Letter B from Daily Dropcap
Laser Cut Scarfs from LittleFactory
Austin Press calling card from Snippet and Ink
NB from Wohnbedarf
Fail Harder Pushpin Board from W+K
Cut paper Q from Grayhood
Hand Lettering from Joel Holland

Dia de Los Muertos

When I saw this print from super-cool illustrator, Andrew Bannecker, I was immediately inspired.  One of his recent blog posts offers a peek into his studio, and it's definitely worth checking out. This design, along with several other of his works, appear throughout the space with other eclectic pieces that any artist could admire.

The above print reminded me of a colorful Mexican fiesta. With El Dia de los Muertos (The Day of the Dead) coming up on November 1st, I thought it was the perfect time to share some ideas for hosting your own party. Perfect excuse for sugar skulls and Mexican food with friends. Don't forget the guac ! 

Clockwise from top left:
Turquoise papel picado banners from Casa Bonampak ($12.50 for 18 ft)
Black floral oilcloth from Denver Fabrics ($6.45/yard)
Seafoam dot oilcloth from Denver Fabrics ($6.45/yard)
Orange Icelandic poppies featured on Brides.com 
Metal wire votive holders from Target ($4.98)
Poblano risotto with garlic shrimp by What's Cooking  
Roasted pork taco with Mole, recipe from FoodNetwork , photo by What's Cooking 
Orange Vinyl Lace Placemat from Dream in Plastic ($1.49)
Laminated fabric trays from Simrin's Surya collection 
Surya printed glassware in Ocean from Simrin  
Capri blue candle in a jar from Anthropologie ($25)
Lace strewn knob in sky blue from Anthropologie ($10)
Ceramic melon knob with antique brass from Anthropologie ($8)
Blackberry sugar skulls handpainted and sold by ArtofSkulls 

Pink Ruffle Cake

Leave it to Martha to feature a simple 3-step "how-to" on the most perfectly iced cake I've ever seen.  Chances are, I wouldn't be able to replicate this gorgeous confectionary marvel with or without a tutorial, but I appreciate their assumption that I could.

Since this cake is obviously deserving of a setting that's comparably girly, I put together a few fantastic finds that would do our ruffles justice. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a pink-loving girly-girl, but there was just something about each of these items and photos that spoke to me!  The colors of the balloons and the pink depression glass are especially appealing.

Clockwise from top left:

Pink pom-pom decoration kit from Baby Favors & Things (7 for $19) or make your own with this tutorial from Martha Stewart
Candy favor bags designed by Amy Atlas

Cherry rock candy swizzle sticks from Oh Nuts! candy store ($.69 a piece)

Balloons from a Pretty in Pink theme party by Your Home Based Mom (tons of cute photos!)

Pink depression glass plates from teaforallreasons on Etsy via mcCalled.com

Swirled meringue puffs from a dessert table by Amy Atlas

Pink depression glass candy dish at Weller Store ($25)

Pink plastic tumblers from Target's Spring '09 collection via Such Pretty Things ($2.49 each)

Screenprinted hydrangea invitations by Parrott Design Studio on Wedding Bee Pro

Mini string lanterns on Hometown Evolution Inc. ($15.95 for set of 10)

Photo of pink peonies via Twirl and Taste 

Pink sweetpea arrangement on tanakawho's photostream (via Flickr)

Animal-style

Not so very long ago, Twitter changed its default avatar from 'anonymous silhouette' to 'perky bird'. I am now a chipper little chick! It got me looking at my walls and jewelry box and realized I have a few of my own wildlife-inspired pieces of my own. Not only that, I been gravitating towards more things beastie in general.

Also, click here to follow Mismatchérie on Twitter!

Clockwise from top left:
Invisible Dogs from Improv Everywhere
Whale Pitcher from Jonathan Adler
Vintage Ram Pin from Purple Daisy Jewelry
Halloween bird masks from Whip Up
Vintage chair from Hazel & Hunter
Porcelain plate from Studio Violet
Autumn Bird barley candy from Fancy Flours
Bulldog print from The Little Friends of Printmaking
Emily Anderson's home and whale pillow on DesignSponge
Autumn Bird barley candy from Fancy Flours
Owls from Matt Pugh Design
Hedgehog cupcake from Martha Stewart
Ark textile pattern from Rilla
Elephant Bank from Cross Design
Modern Wilderness Rhinos from A+R Store
Gold deco Snake bangle from Luxury Vintage
Enchanted forest rings from Soop
Mini Pink Leopard Bronzing Powder from Too Faced

Potted Plants

Loving the palette on this pillow! This herb garden pattern from swedish textile company Almedahls, and is a reproduction of a classic 1955 design by Astrid Sampe. Chartreuse has a special place in my heart, and although it may sometimes be hard to place with other bold colors, the red and navy complement it very well.  I love the idea of having fresh herbs in a home, and planting them in these modern stoneware apothecary jars is a great way to tie them in with your décor. 

I got to thinking about how this theme could be carried out in other ways, and I came up with the items below. For small spaces or studios, this palette can easily flow from one area or room to the next. Highlighting one color in each room and incorporating plants or leaf-like patterns throughout your space is a great way to balance your need for a home that is simple and clean, yet interesting and cheerful.

Clockwise from top-left:

Chartreuse kitchen cabinets featured on KitchenBathIdeas

Navy blue retro-style refrigerator by Smeg featured on Alkemie

Kiwi dinnerware set by Waechtersbach from CSN (sale: $21.99 for 4-pc set or these and other items sold separately)

Sky Planter inverted hanging pots for indoor plants on Rockett St. George (from £19.99 up)

Fern wall graphic in cut vinyl in ellynelly's Etsy store (5 ferns for $32, available in other colors)

Vintage apothecary jar terrariums on ethanollie's Flickr (plus a how-to video from Design*Sponge)

Branches with hand-sewn fabric leaves in janejoss's Etsy store ($21.50 for 3, available in other colors/patterns)

Le Creuset stoneware kitchen jars in Cherry and Cobalt from CSN ($17.95 for 8 oz - $59.95 for 5 qt)

Red Eames molded plywood lounge chair from Design Within Reach ($679-1,229)

Black Rider table lamp from CB2's 2008 collection (originally $39.50)

Step right up

Who doesn't love 3D? Silly question, because the answer is NOBODY. Especially when it's a 3D illustration of some crazy flower that looks like it could simultaneously rip your head off and scream/sing about it.  

This poster from The Forge Shop ($10 w/ glasses) inspired me to pull together some items to create a theme that walks a fine line between whimsical and bizarre.  The font in the bottom left-hand corner of this design reminded me of a retro circus or carnival, so I'm going with garden party meets Coney Island sideshow-- "Step right up to see our LIVE 10-foot dahlia belt out a hauntingly beautiful melody..."

Clockwise from top left:  

Fabric swatch, "Bright" from Robert Kaufman's London Calling collection

Photos of a hot pink ranunculus, succulent plant and pink pom pom dahlia

Spiny Seaflower letterpress card ($9 for set of 4) from blackbirdletterpress on Etsy

Cool Breeze striped votives ($8 for set of 3) from Plum Party

Santolino cast iron bistro chair ($116) from Home Decorators

White Moroccan lantern ($6) from Glen Market

Candy stripe paper cups from the Paper Cup Company in baby blue and cotton candy

Giant blue and white swirl lollipop ($29) from Candy Warehouse

Photo of cotton candy

White clay pots ($12) from GRDN

Handmade Mexican ceramic vase from Aid to Artisans