Simply Color

This week I was introduced to a fun restaurant.  The name of it is Zoe's Kitchen.  The architecture of the restaurant is very simple.  They use geometric shapes and lots of bright color.  The ceiling is left open to all of the duct work which gives the restaurant a casual industrial look. 

The colors are very bright and energetic.  Stripes of varying sizes are on the walls.  Oranges, reds, greens, and blues are used to add fun and interest to the restaurant.  Below the stripes shown in the picture above is a spot where local schools can put up their artwork.  Zoe's Kitchen then sells the artwork and the money that is raised is given to the charity of the school's choice.  What a fun way to give back to the community. 

This is one of the lighting fixtures in the restaurant.  Simple repetitive globes hanging from a cylinder but so interesting.  An orange color is on the cylinder to pull some of the color off the walls onto the ceiling.  Use bold energetic colors in your home.  Make it yours.  Do what you like. 
Until next week...

Internet Inspiration

This week I was searching the internet looking for some new interior design ideas.  I came across a site called designshuffle.com.  It had a bunch of pictures on it.  One in particular caught my eye.  The Anemon Bistro is not the usual style that I like, but it was very interesting. 

This is a picture of the exterior.  It would definitely catch your eye as you walk by.  It does not have the typical rectangular windows.  It has different sized circles along with very organic shapes that create interest.  I believe this would get people interested and possibly bring in customers. 

This view is from the main entrance as you walk into Anemon Bistro.  It has a futuristic feel to it for me.  The color palette is very limited, white, black, and gray with accents of neon purple.  The organic shapes from the windows are carried through the interior as well. 

This view is of the bar, stairs, and a table and chairs.  The reflective surfaces throughout the interior reflect the purple neon accents throughout the bistro.  The stairs are a unique shape without a closed in riser which allows for a more open feeling and not having the view obstructed as much from one side of the bistro to the other. 
This design is completely out of my comfort zone, but reminds me that I need to keep an open mind and realize that there are so many different directions that design has.  From rustic to futuristic, there is no telling where a project could take me.
Until next week...

Inspiration to get Organized

I'm back, and I will be blogging every week during this quarter again.  This week, I decided to share some great ideas I got from my husband's The Family Handyman magazine.  Getting organized is a popular New Year's resolution, so I thought I would share a few ideas that can help.
This first idea is an inexpensive way to get rid of belts cluttering up drawers.  Organization is a great way to keep a room looking well designed.  A wooden hanger with some small hooks screwed into it to hang the belts on solved the problem of where to put your belts.  

 Setting up a garage or workshop can be very challenging.  It has to be organized, but functional.  Things need to be readily accessible without having to search through drawers and cabinets.  This idea is a very inexpensive way to solve the endless screws, washers, and other little things that end up in the bottom of a drawer problem. Small craft bags with a hole punched in them can be hung on a peg board in a shop for easy access without having to dig through drawers to find what you need. 

With a little imagination we can solve a lot of our clutter problems.  Having an organized home can lead us to be more productive and more content.  Have fun and use your imagination. 

Magazines that Inspire

This week I am going to share three magazines that inspire me.  These magazines help me come up with new ideas and also unique ways of using everyday items in new ways.  A couple of them are more for the do-it-yourselfer (which I am), and the other one is a leading design magazine.  They all have good qualities and show interesting new things on the market.  A new weekend project is never further away than the next month's issue.
The first magazine is one my mom introduced me to.  I love this magazine.  It is called My Home My Style.  This magazine is filled with do-it-yourself projects and decorating ideas.  They usually have a fun way of using everyday items to store things.  They also have money saving ideas for home decor.
One that my husband has a subscription to is called Family Handyman.  This magazine is wonderful for a new weekend project for the do-it-yourselfer in all of us.  Every issue has a project that can be completed in a weekend.  I have seen unique storage ideas to traditional bookcases and everything in between.  Complete directions accompany each project so the project moves along smoothly.  This magazine has been a big help in our home.  They even offer money saving ideas for water and electricity.
Dwell magazine is one I found doing research for this blog.  I haven't had much experience with it yet.  It looks like it is packed with new ideas and even has an events calendar which is really cool.  It has new products and pictures to inspire you to create.  People is another section in the magazine which keeps you informed of the designers that are keeping the industry interesting.
Thanks for following my blogs throughout the quarter.  Hope you enjoyed sharing my inspiration.  I hope some of these things sparked some inspiration in you too.  I have come up with so many new ideas.  Don't be afraid to create, you may come up with the next "new thing." 

Furniture that Inspires

This week I had to find furniture that inspires me.  I found two pieces that I thought I'd share with you.  The first piece is a bookshelf, but get this...it's made out of cardboard!  The bookshelf is also a unique shape and could add some pizazz to any room.  Since it is cardboard it is recyclable and it's cheap!  I love the shape of this bookshelf.  Much more interesting than the traditional bookshelf.

The other piece I found is not in production yet, but I thought it would be really cool to have.  It is a chair that has all of our "can't live without" media in the chair!  It has a TV, computer, and spots for all of our gadgets to tuck away in a really modern design.  What person wouldn't like to have this as "their chair?"  I love the shape of this chair and the multi-functionality of it. 

Next week...Magazines that Inspire...

Project Spotlight

I found this project on a blog on the internet.  This staircase was all wood before the start of the project.  The person decided the stairs needed some sprucing up.  Normally, when people carpet stairs they do all of the stairs, rise and run.  This person decided they only wanted to do the rise part of the stairs in carpet.  The result is genius in my opinion.  It adds a lot of interest to the space without being overly done.  The pattern is interesting and makes for a beautiful space without taking away from room.  This idea definitely added to the room and made it personal. 

Inspirational Design

This week I need to share a design for a space that inspires me.  I decided to use Tillman's Roadhouse in Fort Worth as my inspiration.  Our class had the pleasure of going there on a field trip and it was absolutely fabulous.  I have always loved designs on the rustic side, but prefer a modern touch to it.  I have not seen this combination before.  Tillman's combines these two styles perfectly.  There is an outdoor seating area and also an inside seating area for dining and a bar.  The entrance to the restaurant is also part of the design.  The cut log wall that guides you into the restaurant is the divider wall that cuts off the outside seating area from the entrance.  The door handles are shotguns.  Very rustic.

The cut log design continues inside on the bar and also above the bar.  The stools for the bar have a more modern touch.  While the couch near the bar adds an eclectic touch and a pop of color, with peacock blue. 

The chandeliers add elegance while the pine on the walls keeps the rustic feel alive.

 This restaurant has rustic charm, with a touch of elegance.  It is very much my style and my inspiration for this week.  Next week...Furniture That Inspires.