Kendra Binney

In a windowless studio in Portland, Oregon dwells an artist named Kendra Binney who's artwork is truly magical.

(Image borrowed from Kendra Binney)

"Raised in a small mountain town with no shoe stores. Most of her time was spent barefoot treading through the miniscule world of spiders, snakes and all things hiding in the grass. She transfers this closeness with the small and obscure into her paintings. Through scenes of dripping landscapes and insecure, vulnerable characters, she illustrates a world draped in memories, remorse, and fragile realities. Seen through pastel washes and shiny candy coatings of resins, her works evoke both nostalgia and contempt. They are at once gentle and cruel, sweet and unsettling."

(Images borrowed from Kendra Binney)

(Images borrowed from Kendra Binney)

Her artwork is available on her personal website and in her Etsy shop.

(Images borrowed from Kendra Binney)

Another reason I should be crafty

I am always walking the line when it comes to home decoration. My instinct is to be over the top feminine, but I live with a boy who, although very accommodating, probably wouldn't enjoy living in a pink palace. So I try to keep him in mind when I am selecting throw pillows and rugs with tree branches growing across them.

Today, I am inspired by post written by the purl bee about something she calls 'swatch portraits' that is so ingenious I think I may do it myself.

(Photo borrowed from the purl bee)

Embroidery hoops have never looked so beautiful.

(Photo borrowed from the purl bee)

On her blog she gives a step-by-step guide about how to assemble these beauties. My favorite part is that it requires vintage fabric swatches, trips to the thrift store (for the hoops) and Elmer's glue.

I don't think the boy will mind too much.

Three-legged and proud

When it comes to lighting I am a sucker for the floor variety, and while I own two arc lamps, I would be most likely to purchase a tripod lamp if, you know, I had to.

I'm not going to Vanessa Williams you and save the best for last. This little yellow number is my favorite and pretty affordable at $169.99. Available here.


Next is the prolific Jonathan Adler's take on the tripod. The base is has a bamboo texture to it. Quite nice for $350, available here.

(I am just going to mention that I visit the Fillmore Street JA store whenever I am feeling stuck decorating-wise, I leave feeling a lot less serious about furnishing my home.)

West elm gives you an option with an elongated pendant shade for $149. Available here.



And last but not least, who can resist this mum pendant shade? Available for $299 here.

A million beautiful pieces

I have never actually been to Hotlanta (god, did I just type that?), but I have heard lots of good things about it from Ludacris. And he's probably right based on what my search for the perfect chartreuse pillow (don't judge) turned up.

Pieces is an incredibly edited home store in Atlanta owned by a designer named Lee Kleinhelter (who I can only say has better taste than me and is seriously gorgeous).

Anyhow, you MUST visit this store, online or in real life. It is quite spendy, but very inspirational.

For instance add a Josef Frank print pillow to these vintage oval tub back chairs and you are living in an Anthropologie photo shoot.


Another reason I need a back yard is for a hanging rattan chair like this one she's got.

Her accessory section is full of Hable construction pillows


And wonderful lighting. (I fell in love with this owl lamp he'll look great in a tux at our wedding)

Looks like the store is updated pretty often so check back for more goodies.

How's your art hangin'?

There comes a time in everyone's life when you stop affixing your band posters to the wall with Blu-Tack. Maybe it was after you bought coordinating bedding, maybe it was after Jane's Addiction broke up, or maybe it was when you lost everything in The Great Break Up of 1999. Whatever the case may be, how to hang artwork can be a pickle.


People often recommend the Ribba at IKEA as an inexpensive frame option. It comes in a few colors and a variety of sizes but what if you need something bigger?

Recently, I purchased a roll of hand printed wallpaper, it is 28.5" inches wide and 118" long (luckily I have very high ceilings). Domino magazine would have me make a giant frame out of bamboo or something, but I am thinking a much more reasonable idea would be a poster hanger by Jorgen Moller.


The poster hanger is super simple to assemble and not totally obvious--which is just what I need for my wallpaper roll. Rare Device carries a few sizes and uses this wallpaper poster by Hanna Werning as an example.



(Also, Hanna Werning is totally amazing just click around on her site)

Table escapades

For our wedding last year we were fortunate to receive a set of bowls from the Tord Boontje tablestories series.


It was really a lovely surprise because I had fallen in love with them and never put them on my registry. My love for Tord is another post all together, needless to say we rounded off our tablestories collection with a set of 6 glasses.



Since then I have been searching for equally whimsical placemats. And let me tell you it's been tough. I do like these spun ones by Chilewich

These frog placemats at Unica Home are also pretty fantastic.



But I think these placemats by Modern-twist are my faves. I don't know where I can buy them yet though.

Guess I'll have to be patient.

zebrawood love

I have a way of accumulating things. I fall madly, deeply in love with objects. I tell people that it is limited to chairs and lamps, but between you and I, it extends to clothes, shoes and bedding.

Today's obsession came from a totally unexpected source overstock.com. Now before you dismiss my discount shopping, I give you this beautiful zebrawood end table for $89.99. I look at it and I think, "we can have a relationship, I'll take you home, we'll be 2-gether 4-ever."

They are by Lay-Z-Boy so I have a feeling Todd Oldham had something to to with them. (Oh, Todd I'll never forget the time you taught me how to re-cover a chair with a DIY splatter painted canvas, a staple-gun and some ingenuity on House Of Style.)

Further searching revealed these lovely zebrawood dining chairs. Which make me think "You'll look so good in our Sears holiday photo." $129.99 for two.


(but do me a favor and skip the burgundy rug)

Virtual Decoration

I wish I had a gazillion dollars to decorate my house with. Right now I am thinking about how my bedroom metamorphosis would turn out if I didn't have to save up for everything.

Let's start with bedding. This much I have already accomplished. Dwell really put my heart a-flutter with their chinoiserie collection so it was pretty hard to choose, but I finally settled on the Camellia duvet. A pattern that proves that grey and yellow were meant to be. TLA even (true love always in yearbook scribble).


Next on the wish list would be the lovely Quinn chair from Room and Board. I sure wish my legs were that sexy.


And while we are appreciating the beauty of form and not worrying about affordability I wouldn't mind a "black box" by Claire Sarembock for the wall. Drooling.

An outfit or a room is only as good as its accessories, so lets throw in this lovely print by Ashley G too! Available here.


A lamp with one of these nature-y shades by Nicolette Brunklaus from Rose and Radish would be perfect as well.


Now if I could only think of a rug to tie it all together....