I'm Back!!!

It has been FAR TOO LONG since I have been able to sit down and get to blogging! I have missed it so much! My little brother graduated college, we went on a family vacation, I went to a destination wedding in Cancun, moved to a new apartment, been busy at work...it's been nuts! But I am back now and ready to share a ton :)

Being that I just moved, I have been thinking a lot about decorating and furniture. One of my main challenges over the past few weeks has been figuring out the seating in my living room/dining room area. I only have enough room really for one main couch and a chair, so I have been trying to come up with some other ideas. I seem to be drawn to the idea of cute floor cushions or putting cushions in front of the fireplace. Today I came across these awesome retro {bean bag chairs} on Etsy and had to share! LOVE them!

Another great idea from Martha!

Oh {Martha} :) you've done it again - another wonderful idea! So for those of us looking for ways to get organized (and maybe don't have much space to work with), but still want a great looking room - here is a perfect solution! Office in a chest...now why didn't I think of that? I found this on {Apartment Therapy}.

Outdoor Essentials for Spring :)

With the weather warming up these days, I have been dreaming of having my own home with a beautiful backyard for entertaining and relaxing. What better place to go for furniture and other outdoor living essentials than {Crate&Barrel} One day...

Ya ya ya...I love me some GREEN!

Vintage China Cabinet

I was so excited when I came across this absolutely beautiful antique china cabinet on {Etsy} today. It is almost identical to the the china cabinet my grandparents have and similar to my mom's. I always thought, man when you grow up are you supposed to have one of these? I was never a fan of that dark "fancy" wood furniture, but over the past few years I have been really enjoying seeing what can be done to make a piece of furniture look completely different after putting some elbow grease into it. I love this shabby chic, antique, clean, sophisticated and fun look! This piece is hand painted sage green with a coat of brown over it. An antique red color was added on the edges to make the piece more unique.

Staying Warm & Getting Tax Credit

{Morso} cast iron fireplaces and wood burning stoves are not only aesthetically pleasing and totally functional, but purchasing any of the {qualifying} products can get you up to $1500.00 in tax credit. This was also found via {2modern}.

Before & After Chair

This before and after chair project was a recent favorite of mine from {Design*Sponge}. Absolutely beautiful work! I love the contemporary colors and stripes with a traditional floral design with the hint of wood grain coming through. I think I just got inspired to do something like this to my dinner table and chairs...

Pet Beds!

Here are two very different kinds of pet beds, both awesome in their own ways. I love the simplicity in design and the patters of the {wall mounted pet beds}, but I also love the vintage traditional look of the {DIY pet center} transformed from an old secretary desk.

London Townhouse

Check out Beth's amazing {townhouse} in London, found on {Apartment Therapy}. Her parents bought this townhouse in the 60s, 2 weeks before her birth. When Beth was given the opportunity to move back into the family home 4 years ago and she didn't hesitate. She was able to respectfully renovate, maintaining the building's aesthetic and an interior that is reminiscent of the time it was bought. I love the retro furnishings and accents throughout the place, along with the charming mix of contemporary and vintage style.

AllModern.com GIVEAWAY!!!

Hello all - I am happy to announce Traditionally Modern Design's first opportunity for a GIVEAWAY! The gracious people over at {AllModern.com} would like to give my readers(US and Canada residents only)an opportunity to win something from their site that is worth up to $70.

Here is what you need to do to enter the random drawing:
1. Check out {AllModern.com} and pick one item you would like that costs no more that $70.
2. Comment on this post with a link to the item you chose with a good explanation as to why
you chose it.
3. Post a link to this blog or specifically about the giveaway on any social networking sites you may be a part of and then comment here that you did so
4. Subscribe to the RSS fee of this blog and/or become a follower
5. Be sure to leave a valid email address with your comment or email me with your contact information - info.tmdesigns@gmail.com - so I can let you know if you win :) If you choose to email me with your contact information, please include the username that you left a comment with.

All those that I feel have a well thought out reason for choosing the item you chose will be entered into a random drawing which will be held in 10 days - October 5, 2009 and the winner will be announced that evening.

{AllModern.com} has a wide range of {contemporary furniture} and decor by hundreds of designers and well known brands,for any room of your house. Take a look around and I look forward to seeing what you all find!

Black, White and Green - Natural Green :)

I am a huge fan of black and white - whether it be graphic design, interior design, or photography - with hints of color here and there. Conveniently enough, green is my favorite to accent with! So these pictures of homes found on {Apartment Therapy} . Interior Designer, {Jessica Helgerson} does this really well, so be sure to check out her site. I love that she uses bursts of natural color. A great part of these homes are the rich wood accents that help to warm up the mostly black and white spaces - which can be cold when done throughout an entire house and not just in a small room. The green and wood accents makes them more inviting. I must also say that I LOVE the wooden platform bed.

HUNDE HUS - Modern Pet Sanctuary

I thought this was a pretty cool modern pet sanctuary that doubles as a nightstand. Danish Etsy seller {MadsHome} is offering one of the cutest, decor-friendly pet pieces. The inside provides a quiet, dark shelter and a matching cushion - the terrace offers a lookout spot with a cozy sheepskin.

Dorms should have these!

It would be a great idea for college dorms / apartments to come with {these}! Well, maybe if each compartment was a little bit larger, but the concept is great!

West Elm Couches :)

Just wanted to share a couple of my favorite couches from {West Elm} right now!

Ligne Roset Boutique

For years I have been checking out all kinds of concept designs on the web and was excited to hear that {Ligne Roset} opened a new boutique {concept store} (unfortunately far away in Austin, Texas). They are known for their keen eye for talented designers and recently partnered with French designer {Philippe Nigro} to produce his new line of upholstered furniture called Confluences. Ligne Roset is one of the world's leaders in luxury contemporary furniture design and introduced its first concept boutique. They will provide superior quality and design for every aspect of modern lifestyle, from living to entertaining. Consumers will receive the instant satisfaction from their purchases - being able to take them right out of the store. The store layout will evoke a gallery-like atmosphere. Aside from the modular seating by Philippe Nigro, I loved the concept hanging light fixture.

Design*Sponge Find - Home Sneak Peak

This house stood out to me a few days ago on {Design*Sponge}. This beautifully decorated home of {Michelle Smith} has a great sense of warmth and a wonderful balance between vintage and contemporary style. My favorite is the nursery (though we can't see that much of it - I like what I see and can imagine what the rest looks like) and the drawers in the hall with the framed leaf prints. Great sneak peak Grace!

OSKA Architects - Rolling Huts

What a great idea! Owners purchased this site which was formerly an RV campground, with the goal of allowing the landscape to return to its original state. They turned to OSKA Architects who created a space for their guests that would be a step or two above camping while still maintaining the open feel of the natural Washington landscape. These {rolling huts} were their solution - they are low-tech and low-impact in their design. The huts sit lightly on the site, a flood plain meadow in an alpine river valley. The wheels lift the structures above the meadow, providing an unobstructed view into nature and the prospect of the surrounding mountains.

Building each hut seems to be pretty simple. It uses an offset, steel clad box on a steel and wood platform. Living occurs not only in the 200 sq ft inside the box, but on the 240 sq ft of covered deck space surrounding it. The interior is finished with cork and plywood – are simple, inexpensive, and left as raw as possible. The exterior is durable, no-maintenance materials – steel, plywood and car-decking. The huts are grouped as a herd - while each is facing a view of the mountains (and away from the other structures), their proximity unites them.

Speech Bubble Shelf!

A speech bubble shelf! I love it - contemporary, unique and fun.

Inbound Thread - Felt Chair Pads

What a creative idea! These {felt chair pads} by {Inbound Thread}, are a great way to dress up boring old folding chairs. Folding chairs are great to stored away for extra seating when needed and for those living in small spaces. The downside is their lack of comfort - here is a solution! They add comfort like seat cushions do, but have that simple and industrial look for a more modern look. Sandra, of Inbound Thread, is a freelance Industrial Designer living in Boston's South End. Although she enjoys designing products for larger scale production, she also loves the craftier approach - she does so by trying to bring the ideals of her profession into her handmade items, and make pieces that compliment an urban aesthetic. Below is some more work by Sandra.

High Fashion Home

I always love finding different kinds of typographic solutions - I thought this was a pretty cool and clever form of advertising for {High Fashion Home}, a Huston based home furnishings store. Customers are given the freedom to choose among this large selection of high style and high end design products that caters to intelligence, creativity, and individuality - quality and value are not compromised. This 4-story, 125,000 squar food home furnishing store is a sanctuary of inspirational choices for an eclectic, modern lifestyle. There is a nice mix of furniture, fabrics, drapery, and home accessories from all around the world. "Explore. Experience. Imagine the possibilities." Below is some of my faves from their furniture collection.

Here is a glimpse of the amazing experience inside this furniture emporium!

qed* Design - Headstand

More and more people are using the large medicine balls instead desk chairs because they are much better for your back and help prevent slouching. My problem is that I don't really like the way the large ball at my desk looks when it is not in use...maybe I am just strange...but I am sure some will agree. It also takes up a lot more space. Check out this beautifully designed chair - "Headstand" - from {qed* Design} in Germany. This not only acts as a functional stool, but also a great design object in your home or office. qed* questions every day objects and generates new concepts and products - thinking about usability, material, technology and design, to make everyday life more pleasurable and sensible.