Delightful Deal Alert - A&G Merch

I can't really tell you how I stumbled upon A & G Merch, it was one of those tumbling through the rabbit hole moments that often happens when on the internet. However I found them I'm glad I did because they have a bunch of cool stuff at great prices. My favorite item is definitely the completely low tech flip clock that is only 29 bucs.

wooden stapler - pig towel - flip clock - bird plate - conceal shelf - wallflowers

A & G Merch is a Brooklyn, NY based brick and mortar home furnishings store. They opened their doors in 2006 with the idea of supplying our neighborhood with good quality, affordable furnishings. According to A&G, they strive to bring an urban, youthful energy to all of their products. They have a collection of utilitarian objects ranging from couches to candlesticks, each with a uniquely urban personality.

Related Post:

Delightful Deal Alert - Wisteria

Sign up to receive Design Evolution updates via RSS feed or email.

I'm Back in the Classroom

I can't believe I'm showing you this, I must really like you guys. I signed up for drawing classes at the local adult school with a few of my girlfriends so for the next nine weeks that is how I will be spending my Monday evenings.

You're getting a glimpse of what we worked on during the first class, it's a bit embarrassing. 2-D line drawings are no problem for me but when that third dimension enters the picture I'm totally lost. Lucky for me that is what this class is all about. You can ignore the sketch in the bottom right corner of paper. The teacher and I got into a discussion about perspective drawing for interior design. She highly recommend I take the perspective course The School at Parsons offers and I'm excited about it. Unfortunately I missed this Spring semester but at least it gives me time to save up for Fall.

Class doesn't end until 9:30 - 10pm so I have feeling posting might be light on Tuesdays while I'm taking this course. I just wanted to give you a heads up in cause you're wondering where I've gone to. I'm going to do my best to write several posts on Sunday evening but if you don't hear from me on Tuesdays it's because I'm busy sketching away.

February 2010 Wrap Up

So much happened on Design Evolution in February I thought it would be helpful to wrap up the month in case you missed anything. You can expect to see a wrap up at the end of each month going forward so I hope you enjoy them.

February was Bathroom Month here on Design Evolution and we covered a myriad of topics.

- Freshen up your boudoir with some new and inexpensive accessories.

- Snag some creative storage and organization ideas from fellow Design Evolution reader Michelle of Cloud 9 fabrics.

- Try whipping up some greener concoctions at home to clean your bathroom clean and fresh.
- Feel free to go a little wild when decorating your powder room or guest bath.

- Refer to this renovation workbook if you are looking to create a classic bathroom.

It wasn't all about bathrooms this month. I shared with you some clothing and accessories that I would love to add to my wardrobe this Spring. We dished about our favorite shades of white paint and how we prefer a low key Valentine's Day. Lovely Diana asked me collaborate with her to create a space designed around one of her beautiful photographs. I came clean about the many unfinished projects I have lurking around my home. And last but not least I introduced you to new Design Evolution features like the Delightful Deal Alert and Occasional Indulgences.

March is all about Living Rooms and since I've been purchasing and rearranging furniture in my own home you'll finally be able to see some up dated picks of my living room. There will also be more responses to readers questions, new shops I've recently discovered and a bunch of other goodies. I look forward to celebrating March in style with all of you.

XOXO, Michelle

Classic Bathroom Design

I'm going to be straight with you folks, I had planned to do at least three posts like this one for month of February. As you can see there are only two days left in February and this is the first bathroom renovation workbook posted. It turns out posts like this take a long time to put together. I'll leave it up to you guys, if you'd like to see more posts like this I will most certainly do it. Or you can just email me with specific design requests and I can whip mood boards for you. I'll let you all decide. So, let's get started.

I decided to start with a classic bathroom design because it's the style I'm most drawn to. It might have something to do with how much I love older homes that tend to have subway tiles on the walls, basket weave tile floors and maybe even a pink sink. They'll be so pink sinks in this workbook but I have included many resources that will help you create a classic bathroom.

flooring resoures - wall tile resources

I prefer to stick with a white & black color scheme when it comes to floors, walls, and fixtures. Installing tile is labor intensive and can be expensive depending on the materials you choose. Choosing black & white or even all white means you can change out inexpensive accessories for a new look and anything will work. It's also important to consider the value of the space you are renovating. For my condo I would probably go with basic white penny tiles but for home you intend on enjoying for years it would so worth installing those delicious marble basket weave floor tile. A few rows of penny rounds or a Greek key mosaic pattern will add great visual interest to a wall of subway tile.

faucet resources - sinks & tub resources

A pedestal or console sink will look great with the flooring and wall tile options above but will leave you with no room for storage. If you prefer having a vanity I love this one from Restoration Hardware. Restoration Hardware can be pricey so shop places like Overstock.com and Ebay which are both excellent places to find bathroom fixtures. I hope this post was helpful to you if you are planning a bathroom renovation and feel free to shoot me any questions you have.

A Few More Nautical Accents

I was checking out Melissa Loves Cheap & Chic post earlier this week and spotted a drop dead gorgeous necklace that would look great with my blue and white finds from this month. Melissa's link brought me to where else but Anthropologie where I found a few other fabulous accessories made from cotton rope. As much as I would love all four pieces that might be a little overkill. I think I'll go with the headband, it's very Blair Waldorf which is just my style.

1. necklace 2. belt 3. bracelet 4. headband

Related Post:

Crushing on Blue & White

Sign up to receive Design Evolution updates via RSS feed or email.

A Place for Everything...

I'm sure you all spent the weekend scrubbing your hearts out with the home made concoctions we learned about from homemakers of yore. So now that your bathrooms are spic and span and free of all those nasty harsh chemicals there is the issue of stuff to deal with. Bathrooms are stuff traps. With all of the cleansers, toothpaste, toothbrushes, toilet paper, cotton balls, makeup that we need accessible everyday is hard to figure out the best and most pleasing way to store it all. Michelle Engel Bencsko shared photos with me of her recently renovated master bathroom and I spotted a lot of great storage tricks that would work well in any bathroom.

Apothecary jars in various sizes keep items used daily neatly contained but still right at your finger tips. Michelle chose to store the more unsightly items like toilet paper and her toilet brush in decorative vases. Functional and beautiful, I love it!

Installing this modern floating sink created a ton of storage space below. Michelle now neatly stores all of her bath and hand towels in baskets stashed underneath the sink. Hands down my favorite feature of this bathroom makeover is the slim floating shelf installed above the sink. I'm a big fan of getting things up off of counter space and this does that very effectively. Toothbrushes are still with in reach but housed in pretty cups and up on a shelf they look more like a display and less link clutter. Great job Michelle, I love what you've done!

Photo Credit: Michelle Engel Bencsko

Sign up to receive Design Evolution updates via RSS feed or email.

Creating a Clean and Green Space

When I set out to create today's posts I had originally imagined it would be a roundup of green cleaning products that would help you replace those harsh chemical cleansers that are so commonly sold for bathrooms. After a rather inspiring conversation with a very smart women last night a little light bulb appeared over my head. I don't need to put together long list of new things you need to purchase. We're a smart group and I bet with a little research I could find simple and effective recipes for creating greener cleaners at home. I knew just where to start my search. This is such a riot, you're going to die when you see this book. I picked it up a flea market for $1 thinking it would make a funny wedding shower gift but I couldn't give it up.

How much do you love that it says "This cover is washable"? The book was published in 1941 so I figured at that time women might still be whipping up concoctions at home to use for cleaning. I flipped to the section about bathrooms and it turns out almost the entire bathroom can be cleaned with scouring powder, a cellulose sponge, and a long handled brush. My guess is commercially available scouring powder is what we now call Ajax but I'd like to believe my 1940's homemaker was making batches of her own scouring powder follow a recipe similar to this one:

1 cup baking soda

1 cup borax

1/2 cup salt

10 - 20 drops of a citrus essential oil (optional)

Tip: an empty Parmesan cheese container with a shaker top is a great place to store your homemade scouring power.

If you prefer a cleanser that is more similar to Soft Scrub you can try this instead:

1/2 cup soap flakes

2 tsp. borax

2 tsp whiting (calcium carbonate, a degreasing agent)

1 1/2 cup warm water

You can use either of these two cleansers on the tub, toilet, sink and tile surround. You'll need a few more supplies to get those faucets and mirrors sparkling but they are really basic and really cheap. To clean rust stains from faucets just rub with a cut lemon. Yup, that's it. To make your own glass cleaner you can try 2 tbsp. of white vinegar mixed with 2 quarts warm water or if the smell of vinegar bugs you try 1 tbsp. borax with 2 quarts warm water. The key here is to use a lint free cloth to get those mirrors spic and span. One last tip I learned from this book that is extremely helpful is to get in the habit of flushing your sink and tub drains with boiling water about once a week to keep them clear of hair. This way serious clogs won't develop and you can avoid having to use a seriously harsh drain cleaning solution like Draino or Liquid Plumber.

I had to include this shot of Order of Work for Cleaning Bathroom. Get a load of that Daily Care list?! There are ten activities that it suggests should be done every day to keep the bathroom clean. Ahem, you must excuse me I have to run. It looks like I have some serious catching up to do.

Have a great weekend. Hopefully you don't spend the entire time cleaning your bathroom!

Photo Credit: Michelle Verdugo

Occasional Indulgences

A large majority of the posts I write here at Design Evolution are focused on affordable design. I like to share as many resources as I can that will help you create a beautiful home at any budget. But it's no fun to worry about pinching our pennies 24/7. Every now and then you have to allow yourself the occasional indulgence. For me, this usual means skincare products which is why I am so happy to have been introduced to Amala. Amala creates their products using high potency plants sourced exclusively from global fair trade farmers. Each plant ingredient is grown organically and sustainably in its native habitat. It is extremely rare to find a company so dedicated to its social and environmental ethics in this world full of green washing.

My current product favorite is the purifying toner. Magically, without a hint of stinging, dryness, or overwhelming alcohol smell it manages to remove any remaining makeup residue and reduce excess oil. I should also mention that there are no chemical fragrances added to any of the products. Actually Amala uses no synthetic ingredients at all, pretty amazing. And if you're a sucker for packaging like I am you'll love the tactile paper and cork container that many of the products come in. Though I consider $48 for the 3.4 mL bottle an indulgence when you consider the excellent quality it can hardly be considered expensive. Plus if you break that down into cost per use it ends up being cents per day which how I like to justify a purchase ;)

Design Evolution does not accept products in exchange for reviews. Any positive review seen here is based on personal experience of a product I have purchased.

Reader Question: What is the Best White Paint?

I often receive questions from readers in the comments section of the blog that I usually answer in a follow up comment. It dawned on me recently that many other readers may benefit from the answer to that question but might miss it since it's tucked away in the comments of an old post. From now on if a reader asks an interesting question in the comments I will create a new blog post with the answer. This way everyone benefits and it also gives you the opportunity to add any additional helpful information you might have to help answer a fellow readers query.

"What is the best white paint?"

-Anonymous

Pictured above are a few of my favorite white paint colors. Swiss Coffee and Swan Wing are very similar paint colors so it's just a matter of brand preference. They are both just slightly off white and a little warm. If what you are looking for is totally pure bright white you can't beat Ultra Pure White by Behr. With some research and polling I've discovered that Ultra Pure White is whiter and brighter than Super White and Decorator White by Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams Extra White.

What is your favorite white paint?

God Bless Fake Holidays

I actually have the day off from work today and I find myself not sure how to effectively utilize these welcome free time. I just decided that I am also going to make today a blog holiday. There will be no new posts today but I will be busily working behind the scenes to bring you excellent posts for the upcoming week.

If you are also blessed with the day off I hope you find a great way to spend it. I'm going to get myself off this sofa and try my hand at making green tea macarons with vanilla buttercream filling.

Photo Credit: Michelle Verdugo

Kell on Earth Dish - Week 2

Week 2 of the Kell on Earth dish is up now at TheBubbReport. Head over to listen to Becky and me ramble on hilariously and to interject your own insights. That's right I said insights in reference to a Bravo reality TV show. This is important stuff people.

Related Posts:

Kell on Earth Dish - Week 1

Picture This

I recently collaborated with photographer Diana Brennan to create a room design inspired by one of her photographs. I was drawn to this Still Pond photograph and this modern room design quickly evolved around it.

The most fun part of this project is that Diana has taken my room design and using Google Sketchup created a 3-D model to show how it would all look in place. Check out Diana's blog to see how it came together. This idea came to Diana after having several clients who were unable to visual a print in their space or couldn't decide what size print to order. Is this is a genius idea?!