Los Olivos Wedding

Those who know me well, know that I LOVE the color grey :) Black, white and grey make up much of my wardrobe and as far as home decorating goes, I tend to stick to neutrals for the most part. When I read that this bride's favorite color was grey, it explained why I fell in love with the decor of {this wedding} and the choice of colors used. It was a perfect mix of elegant contemporary and rustic vintage. From the the incredibly unique chandelier, lace table runners and fabric/ribbon covered candle holders to the place setting numbers and menus. My favorite part of all was the fact that the bridesmaid dresses were not only each different, but they were actually all white! It is usually considered a huge fashion faux pas to wear white as a guest to a wedding let alone those standing up with the bride and groom! I thought it was an absolutely beautiful decision and turned out looking amazing with all the different styles and textures of each dress. Thank you {Style Me Pretty} for always featuring such amazing events that are truly masterpieces.

Contemporary Meets Arts & Crafts

I adore much of the architectural style that came out of Arts & Crafts movement/Craftsman style homes. I am loving the way {this} 1920's craftsman style has been transformed, while still keeping much of the original character. The high-end modern furniture and chic handmade decorative accents have put a whole new spin on Arts & Crafts.

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.

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!

Rustic Wall Art

This is absolutely beautiful - handmade {rustic wall art}. Great idea for something to do with scrap wood (besides using it for a bonfire).

Creative Concepts and Clever Packaging

Here are some pretty creative concepts and packaging found on {Packaging | UQAM}. I am unable to translate the descriptions, or else I would have included them - but I think they are pretty self explanatory.

MoMA Store ~ Espresso Set

Check out this great {Espresso Set}, by the Felina Sok-Cham, the winner of the student design contest through {MoMA Store}. This can be used to serve espresso or even appetizers and desserts. I especially love this because of how much Armenian coffee my family drinks and serves to guests. I always hated carrying a tray full of cups and saucers that would always slide around and sometimes spill. This seems like a great solution with the plates/coasters essentially locked into their place on the tray. This was found via {NOTCOT.org}.

Embracing Water.

The Dutch have been in a constant fight against the tides that rise and fall, building dikes, pumping out water in areas below sea level, etc. Rather than fighting the water that is infiltrating their land, they are using it as a part of a new development called {New Water} which will feature the world's first floating apartment complex - {The Citadel}. This new project was designed by {Koen Olthuis} of {Waterstudio} in the Netherlands. This new complex will use 25% less energy than buildings on land because of the water cooling system. There is a high focus on these energy saving projects. Olthuis has designed several of these floating residences around the world and believes that we should stop trying to contain water and learn to live with it. The New Water and the Citadel projects are an attempt to embrace water in the Netherlands, which is almost completely composed of wetlands. I have also included images of houses build on the wetlands in Holland.

Retro vs. Contemporary

Here are two extremes I found and fell in love with on {SwipeLife} today. The first are the {Big Chill} Retro Kitchen Appliances. Althought they look like they are right out of Betty Draper’s kitchen, Retro Kitchen’s line of fridges, stoves, and dishwashers offer modern-day technology inside their vintage casings. They have EnergyStar ratings, optional Ice Maker packages, and a wide assortment of colors. The second is {LG SL90 LCD TV}. I have always hated the frame around television screens and wanted one that was seamless. This one does not have a wide border attached, the screen is seamless, aesthetically pleasing and is only 1.15 inches thick. At 47" this would be perfect mounted on a wall. They hit the shelves in 42, 47, & 55". I want one!

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.

Chic Wedding Design

I love the chic design of this wedding! My favorite are the decorative fabric panels with a beautiful vintage look created with doilies. The table numbers are also displayed in a creative way - clipped to ribbons which were hanging from the wooden ceiling beams - awesome idea. Aside from the elegant aspects, they also had a lot of fun with this - especially their flipbook save-the-date. The overall design was a nice blend of classic and contemporary - an all together gorgeous look. This was a find from {Style Me Pretty}

New Math

This is probably one of the most annoying things, well maybe just for artists/designers? When someone looks at modern art and expresses their dislike - their reason being "I could have done that..." When I saw this site full of these cleaver math equations on {More New Math}, I couldn't help but post this. Though there are several really funny ones, this was my favorite. Really though, if you think you could do it...THEN DO IT!

Megan Auman Designs

{Megan Auman} is an artist and designer focusing on jewelry, metalwork, and pattern design. She received her BFA in Metalsmithing from Syracuse University and her MFA in Jewelry/Metals from Kent State University. She currently runs a studio based in Jonestown, PA. I love her work! From the cuffs/cozies to the ottomans and baskets - they are all creative and really well crafted. She is recreating furnishings and pillows using floral patterns rendered in steel wire - eliminating the need for internal structure. The idea is to create objects that visually signify the ideals of the home, rather than functional objects. She highlights the tension between comfort and display (when there is a loss of function), which is her opinion of the contemporary home.