It's Oh So Quiet

I have laryngitis. I don't know if this has ever happened to you, but it's really very annoying. Thank goodness I can still type (although watch me get fingeritis next, because that's how the MF cookie has been crumbling around here). I do realize things could be much much worse (I got to eat pizza last night!), and so I hereby do solemnly swear that no talk of illness shall issue forth from my fingers next week. It will all be sunshine, rainbows and sparkle puppies licking bubblegum ice cream cones with unicorns on top.

But that's next week. Today we are headed to the quiet box.

tom scheerer bedroom

Tom Scheerer

suzani bed

Via Nero Chronicles

elle decor bedroom

I think you can read.

bookcase bedroom

Via Head Over Heels

erin martin bed

Erin Martin Design

I'm not dead yet (imagine my best Monty Python impression), so I would like to spend my convalescence in a room that is quiet, yes -- relaxing and soothing. But also interesting. There has to be a little something something going on to inspire me to fully recover and conquer truly urgent, earth shattering problems, like how am I going to wean Ike off all this horrible TV I've been letting him watch while we both lay on the couch like plague infested slugs?

I promise. No talk of sickness next week. Not one word.

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:

erin's kitchen renovations

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

(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.

suzy hoodless

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.

suzy hoodless

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.

annie schlecter

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

(Marie Claire Maison)

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

living etc wood walls

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

office word of image

(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.

wood walls

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.)

style files

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

(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 word and image

(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

(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 word and image

(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.

per ranung

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!

Pompom Phenomenon

A few days ago, Stephanie at super awesome radicool blog even*cleveland posted on all kinds of crafty pompoms, those fuzzy wuzzy balls of good cheer. I've been lusting after a pompom bedspread since summer, so I feel compelled to post an intrablog follow up to show you some more... balls. This time in interiors. Soon, you'll want to sew pompoms onto everything, but control thyself! Balls are very powerful, and require a judicious measure of restraint. So without further ado, here's the pair that first inspired my desire:

tom scheerer pompom fringe

I'm not a big fan of the peppermint patty headboard in this Tom Scheerer bedroom, but I love the dreamy quality the pompom fringe brings to the edge of the bed. My dear sweet mother sewed fringe onto EVERYTHING (Couch: check. Every pillow on the couch: check. Curtains: why not?), so I certainly have a nostalgic appreciation for those little dingle berries, as well as a healthy fear for the havoc they can wreak.

domino pompom fringe

But, hark! Here is the very same bedspread featured in Domino (apparently available only through ABC Home and Carpet. Grrr! Why don't I live in New York?), and does it not captivate? The soft texture it adds to rough surfaces and hard lines balance this simple room out beautifully. Please ignore the bleed through from the back page... Miles Redd and his striped rooms are also very powerful stuff.

pompo fringe decor8

If you want just a splash of texture, a colorful throw like the one in this lovely apartment featured on Decor8 might do the trick. Oh, and I will also take everything else in this room, please. Thank you.

pompom bedspread

For a dose of color in an all white room, consider sewing a colorful ball fringe on a white blanket, and hey presto! You have a sexy little number to keep you warm at night. Photo via the Style Files.

chenille bedspread

An old school chenille bedspread packed with pompoms adds bohemian charm and texture to this bedroom. Plus it makes me want to jump up and down on the bed and scream, "Wheeeeeeeee! I love balls!" Photo via Elle Decor.

domino pompom fringe

Perhaps you'd like to keep your ball lovin' on the down low. Discreet pompoms sewn onto these coverlets are cheeky without resorting to kitsch appeal. Photo via Domino.

elle decor bedspread

Then there's this hot little throw, strewn oh so casually across the bed, that gives me a warm feeling inside. It's tres elegant -- looks very high class and expensive -- but you'll want to spend all night long with it. Photo via Elle Decor.

modern fiber lab throw

Speaking of throws, this is -- all kidding aside -- the MOST amazing throw, ever. It comes courtesy of Etsy seller Modern Fiber Lab, and it is worth every penny of its asking price. Felted by hand of wool and mohair using traditional techniques, it's simply the most weirdly elegant pompom pelt in the universe. Period. You know what I want for Christmas next year, so start saving up.

pompom rug

Although I obviously have a crush on pompom bedspreads and throws, you can feel free to spread the balls far and wide throughout your home. Case in point: this crazy rug beckons for your sweet, sweet love down by the fire. Courtesy of Sew Very Prairie.

pompom pillows

Karly has a killer pompom pillow that makes her couch look like a million bucks. Be like Karly and bring a little squishy love into your life with these fringe elements. Clockwise from top left: Pillow via Country Home Living, Red or Brown Pillow at World Market on sale for $7.48, Minimal Pompom Pillow Cover at West Elm on sale for $6.99 (indigo only), Handmade Retro Red Pillow at Weezi for $24.98.

domino pompom valance

If you're crafty, you could sew a line of pompom fringe onto just about anything, like this window cornice. Photo via Domino.

pompom craft ideas

More ballsy craft ideas... or just feel free to buy from the source. Sheer curtains with tiny pompoms available at PB Teen (!), Crazy pompom fringe parrot lamp at Whatiszot Design, Ball fringe blanket at Calypso.

bohemian hellhole

No jokes here, only a gorgeous image that combines a lot of pretty pretty elements all framed by an amazing vintage crocheted curtain dripping with delicate pompoms. Me likey. Picture courtesy of Bohemian Hellhole, a great blog with a great name.

So, don't be afraid cheer for the return of the pompom, because it's time to get ballsy with decor. If these two strapping young bucks could go down out on the fringe, so can you.

ball fringe guys