Multi-tasker

Who doesn't like furniture that is both functional and beautiful. When setting up my office I wanted a storage piece that I could also use to display my small collection of photography and my growing collection of glass. I hunted through Craigslist for midcentury consoles but most were too big, then I found this one that was actually two pieces, each the perfect size for my living room and office. If I move and have a space big enough I can then use them together.

The glass is a mix of vintage finds, iKea, Home Goods & a few pieces by my friend, glass blower Kristen Malone. The large poster is from a 70's Diane Arbus exhibition found on eBay. The print to the left is Matthew McConaughey shot by my pal, Davis Factor, then a little estate sale portrait and finally an original print by Barbara Morgan of the dancer, Martha Graham. An amazing gift from my lovely parents.

Speaking of art, I am selling this lovely painting in my Etsy Shop some of you may remember it from this post. One of my many Scotts finds, it is dated 1960 on the back and I think has a wonderful haunting quality. Sadly, I just no longer have space for it.

 

all photos & content © Lara Rossignol

Mission Organization

Some of you will recognize this kawaii cart from last weeks "Want" post. I was able to make it to iKea and bought two. Along with a lot of other stuff I discovered I needed, that store is a little like crack for me. It is a bit more blue than it looks here and you do have to put it together. On my own iKea experience scale of difficulty, I rate it a 4... 2 if you have another set of hands. 

Best of all, its usefulness has exceeded my expectations, it has become a little office on wheels. Not only does my 17" Mac Book Pro fit perfectly, the well like design of the shelves means I do not have to worry about it being knocked off. It is easy to pull it up next to my bed and get to all the gadgets I use regularly... and slide them away easily when I am done. I love it, love it, love it!

Another good find for easy and attractive storage are cast iron wall hooks. I was able to utlilize the space behind my front door with this fun, vintage looking hook that I searched out on Etsy. They come in a variety of styles and finishes. I was not crazy about the color of this one when it arrived so I just sprayed it orange.

A place to hang my many shopping bags, keys & jackets. I also love this rolly ikea shopping cart, which comes in handy for flea or farmer's markets.

all photos & content © Lara Rossignol

Want

I find Pinterest very useful for two things; photographic inspiration and for keeping track of items I want & need. I chose some of my favorites to tell you about (many I discovered via other pinners) and at the top of my list are these new Orla Kiely designed Method soap bottles due at your local Target this fall. At just $2.99 each I will take at least two of each. 

I have been wanting this RÅSKOG iKea trolley since I first saw it months ago. I was further inspired when I saw how this blogger used them for bedside tables. I can think of so many uses I may just get two and at only $49.95, why not? 

I am a sucker for pretty packaging (just refer back to the beginning of this post) and Pau & Joe have nailed it with this. Right down to the embossed design on the actual lipstick. ❤❤❤

I love enamel and I love orange and these kettles are just so sweet. Sadly way out of my price range but pinning is free!

If I were to spring for some pricey enamel then make it Cathrineholm, created in part by Norwegian mid century designer, Grete Prytz Kittelsen. It is all highly collectible and increasingly hard to find. I am still on the hunt for my first piece. I pinned this drool worthy collection above via Ampersand Vintage Modern's interesting story behind these designs. 

 

 content © Lara Rossignol

Kawaii DIY

This is a very easy project that started with a cute little metal table I got at iKea for $20, a can of spray paint and a super kawaii place matt I found at TJ Maxx. I knew I wanted to paint the table when I bought it, but it was after watching a segment on The Nate Show that gave me the stencil ideal. 

I bought the place matt just cause it was cute, sadly they only had one left in stock and I was not thinking stencil at all. However when I got ready to paint the table it popped into my head and I knew it would be perfect. I taped it down to spray the design and only removed the tape at the end to complete the circle border.

I just love the result, I also did the little bottom piece while leaving the rest white. I just love the result, so sweet!

Oh and my new site is LIVE!

all photos & content © Lara Rossignol

Kawaii Kaffe!

I will admit that I was first attracted to my new favorite coffee solely because of the kawaii packaging designed by the talented Karen Greenberg. I was delightfully surprised by a wonderful, rich blend that lived up to the exteriors promise. Gevalia is a Swedish company whose products were once only available through mail-order. They have just released this new line to be sold exclusively in grocery stores.

And in case you missed the recent blurb I did on my new De Longhi coffee maker, it is both functional and super kawaii. I got the small profile, 5 cup maker, there is also a bigger 10 cup version. And they come in a wide range of colors from stainless to magenta! I love that it brews tasty coffee very fast and the top also functions as a cup warmer. This sweet, insulated mug is from iKea.

Speaking of mugs, I have to post this adorable gift I was lucky to receive from a very good friend. She found it a store I know I have to check out, Marz in South Pasadena.

all photos & content © Lara Rossignol

Wall Flower

I have always wanted to use wallpaper in a room but being a renter, it never felt like a practical option. Then I discovered, as I mentioned in this recent post, that there are several lines of temporary papers on the market. I chose the Shewin-William's line called Easy Change, they seemed to have the best selection and this blog post made me confident about removing it when the time comes.

I wanted to create one strong accent wall behind the heard board. I chose a paper with a white background so it would flow more naturally with the surrounding white walls. I am very happy with the final result, for just a small investment my bedroom has a dramatic new look. 

To install it, I hired a professional paper hanger, Greg Gabor who I found via Craig's List. This was not a DIY I felt comfortable with and his rate of $20 a roll seemed very reasonable. The only tough part was convincing him it would hold. In his experience pre-pasted papers needed extra glue to stay put, he was amazed after wetting the paper at how well it worked on its own. 

I enlisted my sister-in-law to help me make curtains, we used this beautiful fabric by Joel Dewberry. I then covered a Target lamp with a contrasting fabric by Amy Butler. I debated adding the painting over the headboard and now I really like it. It breaks up the paper a bit and adds a touch of unexpected color. Signed and dated 1960 on the back, it was a $40 flea market find.

On the right side I keep it simple with my moonbeam clock, vintage lamp and books and these pretty vintage Madonna portraits from Italy I picked up at an estate sale for $1. 

I also used some of the easy change paper to jazz up this basic iKea cabinet for my kitchen. I needed some additional storage and this piece was just the right fit, though sorely lacking in character. Above it I added a vintage metal shelf and love how it has all come together. I replaced an ugly door to the water heater with a panel curtain also from ikea. Now, I just need to add a little molding to finish it off.

all photos & content © Lara Rossignol

Cart Kawaii

My bright ideal: turn a boring metal cart into a super kawaii one with just a bit of color. After reading this Apartment Therapy post, I did a little googling and found Sundial Powder Coating in Sun Valley. They specialize in painting metal with a special baked on process.

I chose this iKea Flytta cart, I liked that it had 3 shelves and was the perfect fit for my space. The very nice folks at Sundial instructed me to just bring in the box, no need to assemble it (big bonus) and they are just a few minutes from the Burbank iKea. I picked out a soft "Fire King" green, they also have some special order options if you don't find the exact color you want. It's not cheap, prices start around $250 for a custom color job (there is a lot of labor costs in switching out the custom painting area) but the result is really worth it.

Powder coating is a much different process than spray painting, the paint is actually baked on, for a beautiful, glossy and durable finish. They hung my cart in parts, spraying each separately before wheeling it into the 400º oven. The turn around is fast, they assembled it for me (!) and I picked it up the next day.

I am very happy with the final color, it is just the right compliment to my Smeg but not an exact match. The finish is flawless and it wipes up easily.

I love how well my new DeLonghi coffee maker goes with it, extra compact, it also makes terrific coffee and I adore the cup warmer on the top. I'm also in love with these sweet little iKea coffee tumblers, just $5 a pop.

I could not leave my microwave without some kind of kawaii bling, so I added this owl decal I'd been wanting ever since I featured my pal Pam's house of Sweet Peach blog last year. Love it!

 

all photos & content © Lara Rossignol

Blank Slate

 Just one week after I got here, I signed the lease on an adorable mid-century apartment in lovely La Canada Flintridge, just north of Pasadena. I looked at about 10 apartments before this one and nothing really came close. I was stalking the web listings so obsessively, I saw this listing almost as soon as it went up and was the first and only person to see it in person. I actually used a great free site for apartment hunting called padmapper, it pulls ads from all the major sites based on your criteria and you track them on a big map of the area you're searching in.

I knew as soon as I walked up the steps and saw the huge private front porch, it was a definite contender but it was the high beamed ceilings and rancho style windows at the peak, letting in amazing light that sealed it for me. Its all about the light! It also had my two big requirements, hard wood floors and laundry on site. Bonus was a dishwasher and the massive porch, which takes the place of my sunroom studio in Atlanta.

Since it is a lot of white, I am putting my stamp on it all with color, starting with the kitchen. Somewhat modernized, though not quite to my taste, they did keep the original vintage cabinets and I love a window over the sink. I was required to buy my own fridge (a uniquely So Cal thing) so as many of you already know, I splurged on a Smeg! That has become my jumping off point... I am adding pops of color and useful storage with an iKea cabinet I am jazzing up with wallpaper (more info on that below) and a kitchen cart I had powder coated (more on that next week). I also love this Delonghi coffee maker which comes in a variety of colors. Orange really complements these cool green tones and I love this orange flower pattern by Joel Dewberry I found on Hawthorne Threads, my new favorite online fabric source.

I was not expecting to have a dining area but I do, be it small but there none the less. I found a great set of mid century reproduction chairs and by shopping around online the best deal was on Amazon (other shops had them for 375.00  a set and up). It allowed me to splurge a tiny bit on a new table from CB2 and a I love these drinking glasses by Sagaform.

I made a quick and easy change to the chairs, recovering them with this fabric. A big improvement over the boring black. Though I am in love with the new Lotta Jansdotter fabric line and may change it out if I can get ahold of this pattern.

I did find it on these lovely pillow covers via Lindylou's etsy shop. I will use these in the living room, the yellow band is the fabric I am using for curtains. 

 My bedroom is getting a face lift with color and a bold accent wall. I found a temporary wallpaper by Sherwin Williams called "easy change" ideal for renters. I was sold after reading this post by another blogger who had no problem removing it, when the time came. I fell in love with the blue floral print above and will be just doing the main facing wall, behind my headboard. I will complete the room by using blues and greens for the most part, with an occasional pop of orange, pink or red.

The only furniture I bought for this room is a sweet little Wakefield style rocker I'd like to have recovered and a too cute to pass up foot stool I found on etsy via Salt City Spice.

I will post the after pics as I get each room finished so stay tuned.

 

all photos (except pillows and stool) inspiration boards & content © Lara Rossignol

Lust Worthy

Some of you may recall a shoot I mentioned doing a few months ago for Readymade Magazine. It is due to hit the stands today. I am so excited to be able to share my take on Sarah Kathryn Smith's metal diamond in the rough. I just loved shooting this project and capturing Sarah's fun, funky style. She hunted down the curtain fabric above after seeing it used on an episode of Madmen.

Sarah was actually shown her Lustron home as a "tear down" but she saw the potential and was fascinated by it's history. A former Scarlett O'Hara impersonator and owner of her own booming match making company, she is not afraid of a challenge. Above she wears a 50's tea dress from Witty Vintage.

She fashioned these curtains from two different sets she found at Target. The glass beads add a little sparkle with the afternoon light.

Working on a tight budget while trying to maintain the retro integrity was not easy. Especially in the kitchen which had suffered the most damage over the years. Here she opened up the kitchen by replacing the large built in with this cool industrial island. She used salvaged granite for the counters, IKEA metal cabinets and found her working vintage stove on the side of the road.

One of our many "cover tries"... I fell in love with this original built in shelve. Local Altanta bakery Sweet Pockets provided these very tasty props, red velvet cupcakes.

Sarah rocked this retro perfect dress by Lesley Evers which almost made the cover! 

This is the rough mock up (before retouching) I was sent, so kawaii! They decided to go with another shoot that illustrated the getaway theme of the issue. I have to admit it is pretty cute too. I love this mag, can't wait till they come out with an iPad version!

How do you hang a picture on a metal wall? Magnets of course! This lampshade makeover was a fun, easy, no sew project that I took to Whipstitch and they whipped together. I paid $3 for the lamp at a thrift store and only used about $3 in fabric so it is both cute and cheap, my two favorite things. You can get the low down on the "how to" here.

 

all photos & content © Lara Rossignol

styled by Christa Leveto ~ hair & make up by Faith Brooks

House Tour

My friend Pam lives in a sweet little bungalow within rolling distance of me. She has filled her space with wonderful touches and great vintage finds. Like these crafty pom pom stems fashioned from yarn then fixed to real branches.

I love how she seamlessly mixes old and new through out her home. She found this great Danish couch on Craig's List, it pops against a fantastic wallpaper she found online. The floral designs above and below on the right are from Osborne & Little. 

 While the drool worthy pink polka dot paper is from Danish company Ferm Living. She is a dedicated yard sale hunter and attributes most of her vintage finds to these.

Regarding her attraction to mid-century design Pam says, "I think it's the care for design, it's not just about function. I like that certain pieces are iconic and classic and can be just as fetching in the 60's as they are in 2010." Which may be why her 60's inspired Room & Board couch fits so well with all her actual vintage finds.

She inherited this vintage german record player from a friend who bought it at a "trailer park" estate sale. (Sign me up!) I also love the whimsey of the owl decals she found on etsy.

Because she has enclosed porches on both the back and front window light is at premium. She chose sheerish curtain panels from iKea that still allow in plenty of light. She also collects flower pots and vases, both old and new.

She just recently completed the addition of a sleeping porch to the back of her house with a full size bed swing.

With a dining area on one side it makes a wonderful space for entertaining. The renovation stretched from two to six weeks but was well worth the effort. 

Always on the lookout for great stuff, here are some of her most recent favorite finds to shop, bake and dine. Pam, a freelance TV producer & writer, shares this retreat with her one eyed rescue pug, Gorilla and her camera shy yellow lab, Sid. 

all photos & content © Lara Rossignol

Kawaii Cake

So good was thePrincess cake atIkea, I also bought a package of them they had in their frozen food section. A Swedish import byFrödinge.

Covered in greenmarzipan is a sponge cake with raspberry and cream filling. Quite tasty, these pretty little cakes are surprisingly light and just 253 calories each.

I think they would be fantastic for a special occasion like a bridal shower or dinner party. I also liked the interior packaging which allows you to open just one cake at a time. Smart!

all photos & content © Lara Rossignol

All Things Scandi

I have long been enamored with all thingsScandinavian. From furniture to books, films and food there is something unique and distinctive that I'm drawn too. The easiest way to get my Swedish fix is with a trip to my localIkea where I went prop shopping and found these fun serving pieces from theFÄRGRIK TROLSK series. 

I always plan it so I can have lunch in their cafeteria. This open faced shrimp sandwich is surprisingly good and I had to try theprincess cake. A light sponge cake with a layer of raspberry and an icy cream top, also very tasty and my whole lunch was less than $5!Ikea is all about cheap!

I always pick up these handy staples; 49¢ tea towells that also work great forwrapping gifts and these durable 99¢ dish scrubbers.

It really is a bargain shoppers paradise, I'm amazed at all you can get for very little money. My haul totaled $79.71 with tax and included; bath tub matt, duvet cover and pillow case set (biggest ticket item at 14.99), tupperware type storage container set, flatware set, 2 trays, napkins, 2 micro wave cooking covers, salad fork set, 2 bowl sets, batteries, two dish scrubbers, two tea towels, place matt and dish.

From a foodie perspective, I find the selection of swedish foods pretty fascinating. 

I decided to try theseSingoalla lemon cookies...so good!

My Ikea Shopping Tips 

• Skip the showroom area, unless you are shopping for furniture, this is a waste of time.
• Eat before you shop, you can't bring in your cart into the dining room and it is never good to shop on an empty stomach.
• Bring your iPod, for some reason kids like to cry/scream a lot in this place.
• Grab a cart, even if you don't think you will need it...because you will.
• Try to avoid shopping on the weekends, it is much nicer when they are not too busy.
• Bring shopping bags to cart away your items. They charge you for theirs and that is if they even have any, they often don't. 

Two excellent films to check out include a recent wondrous find,Kinamand and a long time, all time favorite from Denmark,Babette's Feast. Another I loved, both as abook andmovie isLet the Right One In, a nice alternative to the conventional vampire tale.

 While on the subject of books there is of course the fantastic and popularMillennium series byStieg Larsson (ie: The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo...). Another more obscure gem you may not have heard of isTroll:A Love Story by Finnish writerJohanna Sinisalo. Maybe not everyones cup of tea, it is an odd little story but I loved it. I also especially love the illustration for the french cover version below.

all photos & content © Lara Rossignol