The Wild World of Wood

It's a woodtastic wonderland here at Casa Erin. The crappy tile has been ripped out of our kitchen and beauteous new wood floors are going in as I write this. Right now we're living in a dust laden war zone, draped in plastic sheeting that has transformed our once innocent abode into a crime scene straight out of Dexter, but I know it's going to be worth it. I'll be sure to do the big reveal when the floors are finished next week, but until then here's a sneak peek to tide you over:

Aren't you jealous? Don't you wish you could wash dishes in the bathroom sink just like me? By the time this adventure is finished, I'm going to weigh 8,000 pounds from eating takeout every day, but that's another story. Today's story is about wood lust, not wood dust.

(Tom Scheerer)

I've always loved wood. In its most elemental form it speaks of the trees from which it was hewn, reminding me of the Pecan Orchard I grew up tending.

Sadly, we did not have giant moose on the farm. This absence remains a travesty of my childhood for which I shall never forgive the latitude of my upbringing.

On the other hand, who needs moose or a farm when one could have a giant shiny faceted end table thingie? I like the way wood softens modern materials and relates interior to exterior, and Suzy Hoodless is a master of that balance.

This cozy bedroom photographed by Annie Schlecter makes me rethink my hatred of the horrid wood paneling trend from the 70s (laminate not allowed!). If I didn't already have wood floors, I would copy this room right down to the hot little pendant sconces. It just looks so enviably clean. And dust free.

(Marie Claire Maison)

Je deteste that table and those chairs, but the knotty pine paneling reminds me of my naughty youth.

And then there's this sexy number found via the inimitable blog, If the Lampshade Fits. Check out that hourglass figure. Hubba hubba!

(Office for Word and Image)

Why stop at wood walls when you can have it all? And by "all," I mean the most amazing house of wood, ever.

This little gem comes courtesy of my super seventies deco bible, Living Spaces, and I love the way the inside connects with the breathtaking views of the great outdoors. Skiing anyone? (I think my unborn fetus is foolishly raising a tiny hand.)

Meanwhile, for some spaces a little dab will do, like this gorgeous Riad in Marrakech. That glossy black door is my new inspiration for our exterior entry, since I now realize it could be fantastic with our rustic split rail fence.

(Annie Schlecter )

Oh, what a feeling... when we're using wood planks on the ceiling. A nice change from the ubiquitous wood flooring, I think. Not that I'm in any position to hate on wood floors right now.

(Office for Word and Image)

Although not the most practical in terms of cleaning, I do love wood ceilings with white floors. It's like the world got tuned upside down.

(Edina Van Der Wyck)

And wood helps to keep white spaces from going sterile, although that table on casters has definite medical potential. And do you see the console table on casters in the background??? I NEED IT. I'm thinking of cultivating a new entirely mobile lifestyle. My kid is sure to love it. Post to come someday.

(Office for Word and Image)

No self respecting post on wood would be complete without a touch of the rustique. While it's not really my style, I do think using logs to create an indoor tent of softly canopied fabric is a pretty genius idea.

This tiny touch of woodsy eye candy comes courtesy of my man, Per Ranung. Is it me, or is there something a bit sinister about those knotted sheets hanging from rafters? That's probably why I like it.

Alrighty friends, It's time for me to inspect our own masterpiece in the making and attempt to contain the dirt damage. I can't wait to give you the full report next week, but until then, Happy Weekend!

That Seventies Series: Paint the Trim Fantastic

So, I have this secret interior decorating weapon called Living Spaces. I bought the book for a buck at a Goodwill a while ago, and was amazed to find that its 1978 goodness is perfectly aligned with current interior trends, and maybe even a few upcoming trends that I will attempt to predict a la Miss Cleo. This bad boy was produced by the Whitney Library of Design, so you know it's good. Anyhoodles, I'm starting a series based on inspiring images from the book, so let's see if I can get this sweet puppy to fly.

Clean lines, natural surfaces, neutral backdrops -- this ain't your momma's carpet infested house. Actually it's a fat villa in Florence, and what I'm really digging is the colored trim against the pale background (please ignore the hideous table setting... yikes!). So I've done my very bestest to find some contemporary examples of trim that are not painted white or blended into the wall color. Why should all the other surfaces have all the fun, anyway?

Sorry, not sure where this picture came from, but let me just say that it takes some pretty powerful trim to distract me from the vintage card catalog in all its sexified glory.

If you're really brave, you can dispense with the white altogether and bathe the entire room in saturated hues, like this pic from Domino. (By the way, has anyone received their January copy via mail yet? Anyone? Anyone?)

Sad story: this is NOT the picture I wanted to include. Months ago, I saw this gorgeous image of a very spare room with pale walls and maybe pale concrete floors, and the only color in the room came from the citron yellow window trim. I cannot for the life of me find the picture... I swear, I went all Captain Insano and searched for HOURS for it, and I'm really tired now. OCD sucks. If you know which picture I'm talking about, please send me the link and I'll swap pics. Until one of you superfantastic readers can bail me out, you'll have to make do with this pic from Apartment Therapy.

So maybe you like the idea of having non-white trim, but are looking for a little less contrast in value:

Even if you choose color for your walls, you don't have to paint the trim white. Thoughts on this color scheme? Photo courtesy of Marie Claire Maison.

A more subdued palette of butter yellow and a pale purplish blue, courtesy of Apartment Therapy.

This twist on traditional features dark gray walls with medium gray molding, which reads as understated and sophisticated rather than cartoonish. Photo by Richard Powers.

Or perhaps you'd like to keep your Sanders-approved color on the walls, but still want to funk up the trim? Once you go black, you'll never go back. Like, seriously -- it would be a pain in the ass to paint over.

But, no pain, no gain, right?

Elle Decor UK reminds us to "Go With the Flow." With gorgeously framed windows like those, (and a disco ball!) I'm feeling a lot more fluid.

This quirky room from Apartment Therapy might be enough to make me take the plunge. I love the Roy Lichtenstein look:

Color is fun, but there's certainly nothing wrong with classic, clean and simple:

In these images from Bo Bedre, straight black trim sets off the crispness of the architecture and decor choices.

I love the simple black trimmed windows in this otherwise light and bright space. Image via the awesome decor blog, Roseland Greene.

Finally, I've been crushing over this gorgeous room since the always fabulous Door Sixteen first posted it. It's the perfect mix of drama and breathing space, and the stunning architecture doesn't hurt. I loooove the way the black draws attention to the windows, framing them like pictures.

White trim, eat your pale, listless heart out (but don't worry, I still love you).