Cut a Rug

Even though summer is coming and cool, bare floors are perfect for hot Texas temperatures, I've been thinking about rugs a lot. There's nary a stitch of carpet in our house and I like it that way, but I have a feeling baby will not. There's no way I'm installing carpet over our gorgeous wood floors, but I have the overwhelming urge to pad every flat surface in some sort of thick woolen coating. Kind of like this waiting area designed by Tjep:

Sorry about the bad picture, but are you not sorely tempted to create your very own padded cell from Persian rugs? No more fretting over paint colors or furniture choices, just tell the carpet store you'll take everything they've got in Tabriz, including this guy from Hannes Grebin:

Holy bejeesus, I totally want to start cutting up all my ugly rugs in bizarre shapes and then sewing fringe on the edges. It would solve my everlasting boredom with rectangles problem, while still allowing me to escape from the ubiquitous animal shaped rug (Cows, zebras and ponies, I prefer to see you in your natural state -- no need to undress for me).

Despite disparaging the rectangle, I wouldn't kick this sexy number out of the bedroom. Can you believe the peeps over at AT panned the Downloading Rug by Richard Hutten? Oh well. More for me. Still, I'm not sure baby would appreciate the sense of humor inherent in Hutten's rug -- unless he takes after daddy and is born a baby computer genius. Hopefully he won't take after mommy's swiss cheese brain.

Somehow I am thinking baby would prefer for me to cover everything in bright bespoke carpet, like this townhouse decorated by Danielle at Fun on the Floor. I actually think the stairs are super cuteamous, but sorry, baby -- ain't got no stairs.

Meanwhile, mommy has some rugs picked out, but they aren't exactly kid friendly.

Oh, Dan Golden's rugs make me laugh! It's a good thing his area rugs cost upwards of $13,000, otherwise I'm not sure I could stop myself from buying one.

And then there's the Roadkill rug by Oooms. Since I'm pretty sure my entire house will look like this in a few years anyway, I figure might as well save my money and pick something else.

This super textural rug by Dacia Manto might make a good base for junior's creations. The neutral background will allow his jelly sculptures to stand out while the shaggy pile will add interest to the rest of the field. Plus I just really like this one.

Did you know that Timorous Beasties -- makers of crazy wallpaper -- also makes rugs? Wait! I think I may have chosen a name for our son...

So, our own timorous beastie probably has some ideas of his own about rugs he'd like (to ruin).

This foam rug by Laurens Van Wieringen is obviously kid approved. Plus it has the added bonuses of texture, pattern and color -- three known strategies to disguise peanut butter and puke.

Apparently, older, undie clad children who can't be bothered to put down the laptop enjoy staring at the melting icecap featured in Nanimarquina's Global Warming rug. Seriously, what is up with this picture?

Another Dan Golden gem. This one's a bit more age appropriate. Of course, I still prefer his Morphine rug.

How cute is this rug by Richard Niessen and Jennifer Tee? This would truly, honestly look great in the nursery, but I shudder to even contemplate its cost. I'm not too bummed, though, because although I love this rug, it's not even my favorite one.

I've pretty much decided on Dialogue, by Anne Lykke:

That's right. Do I care that it looks like (and may actually be) a photoshopped image of a standard shag rug with a few moppets thrown on top? No, I do not. I would cover over my wood floors for this rug. Nevermind that the cat would get lost in a sea of wooly stands, or that we might lose the baby altogether, it looks so soft. And simple. And that sounds good right now.

It's Getting Gold in Here

Since Karly's gone, I thought I would do my best to gold up this hizzy in her honor. Goldeness may be next to Godliness because it's all about surface, so it only take a cheapo can of spray paint to turn even the most ordinary object into something that looks expensive and klassy. If the recession depression is getting you down, hustle out and spend $5 to give something the Midas touch. You know it's going to make you feel better. I'm here to help you pull the paint trigger with some scintillating finds that are designed to bring the bling back into your life.

Zany Dutchman Marcel Wanders contradicts the age old aphorism that, "You can't polish a turd." Well, apparently you can!

Richard Powers

Boyfriend's big black speakers getting you down? Surely he wouldn't mind a bit if you got after those nasty cases with some super shiny lussssster. Tip: wait until he goes out on a late night bar crawl to transform his AV equipment. Men can get a little touchy about their electronics, so best to let him booze it up a little. High Five sure to follow!

Once your golden piece de resistance is finis, you may want to protect it from his angry adoring clutches with a fabulous fence. Demakersvan makes gorgeously crocheted fences out of plastic coated wire in a variety of designs, including this golden girl.

While you've got the paint out, why not take a cue from these guerrilla artists and put gold back on the streets. Oh, and please start at Wall Street...

Because we surely need some gold back in our banks! This gold painted ATM is probably worth more than the "money" inside it.

Speaking of gluttony and financial ruin, Studio Job has got those bank bitches' number with their piece, Robber Baron. Holy crackatoly, do you see the tiny guns, atomic stars, airplanes, and other symbols of technology gone horribly awry? I desperately need this as a coffee table. Since this piece costs more than a bank (which isn't that hard these days), I'll be busy trying to figure out how I'm going to make this myself.

Per Ranung

While I try to reinvent the wheel, I think anyone could handle this as an at home project: whip out the paint can to emphasize va-va-volume in sculptures. Glossy surfaces always look rounder than matte ones. Let the model instruct you on how best to apply this rule to your fashion decisions.

If you accidentally get some paint on the floor, don't worry! Just go ahead and spread it everywhere. If Dolce and Gabbana can have a solid gold bedroom, so can you.

Perhaps you'd prefer something more precious and smaller in scale, like these rings from jewelry designer Gisele Ganne's Divorce series. Just slip on these gold knuckles and leave a lasting impression on your significant ex's face.

I also love that Ricochet Studio isn't afraid to take a golden shower. I really covet Accident for my little boy's nursery because -- as the designers themselves acknowledge -- it happens.

Ricochet makes all kinds of oddly twisted ceramics with a golden flourish, like this Urn with an intestinal interior. Love these guys. Found via Sara Says Awesome's quirky blog.

For fine details like those on the Ricochet pieces, may I recommend you dispense with the spray paint and switch to Rub 'N' Buff, the most amazing product in the universe. No, I do not get paid to advertise their wares, but I should (wink) because I have covered everything from frames and knobs to thrift store junque to all manner of TJ Maxx and Ross' craptacular "goods" with the Buffer. You will be amazed at how much a tiny tube will cover.

Like, I'm pretty sure the artist responsible for this travesty could have saved himself a whole lot of money:

Yes, Mark Quinn's solid gold Kate Moss statue has an estimated worth of $10 million pounds. It probably would have cost less to buy Miss Moss herself and coat her and her naughty bits in Rub 'N' Buff. After all, odds are that it would only take one tube to do the whole job.

Come Along and Ride on a Maptastic Voyage

8 million years ago I wrote a post on my map fixation, and you all seemed to agree that maps rule the world. Well, don't spend too much time fixating on how I brilliantly used language and the internets to write something long before the Big Bang, because part deux is coming at all you map lovers bright and early this morning. Set your international time clocks to awesome and let's get this globe trotting. Now I could do my usual patter that goes something like: maps... globalization... maps... economy... maps... self deprecating political joke. But in my own little latitude x longitudinal coordinate, pollen is dripping from the trees in our canopied neighborhood and making my life a living hell, so I'll settle for maps... pretty. That works, right?

Interior designer, S. R. Gambrel goes nautical in this room decoupaged with maps. I'm a thinking this look can move beyond the solely sea worthy, though. Industrial glam would work equally well.

Annie Schlecter makes this map retro fresh by adding a dash of Mimosa yellow to cool gray, dropping in a sprig of shiny pendant goodness, pouring in a heaping helping of shaggy delight, and garnishing with a burl wood cross section that acts like nature's own growth chart. Delicious.

Per Ranung

This humble little map pirouettes on center stage like a prima ballerina in this... boy's (?) room. Whatever. I'm keeping the metaphor. Boys can dance, too, right?

At night, little Billy Elliot in training could cover up with an amazing map quilt by Leah Evans. This beauty is already sold, but you should check out her other work which walks the line between symbol and abstraction with stunning intricacy.

OWI

This Belgian architect couple spends six months out of the year traveling around Europe in a very swank mobile home, and the other six living in a garage they've tricked out with various and sundry creature comforts. A map is a must for planning future journeys.

Here they show off their essentials: Ligne Roset's Togo sofa, kitchen appliances, a picture of their beloved camper, and the ever popular globe.

Speaking of globes, check out what this crafty chica did to hers. One whole makes two halves (and a very cool pair of pendant lights).

Here's another nifty idea for all your peeps unafraid of a little glue, courtesy of The Bedlam of Beefy's funny blog. Based in the UK, online retailer All Things Original stocks their virtual shop with tons of cute and quirky selctions. Good thing the interweb makes hopping across the pond nothing more than a skip and a jump.

This incredible TEXTILE by Young British Artist (YBA) Gavin Turk hits all those political notes I alluded to but am too lazy to actually cover in this post. The map is fashioned from bits of commercial packaging that reflect the increasingly global nature of consumerism. What's most important is that Coca Cola is available in Uzbekistan, right? Insert your own analysis here.

Nope. Not the same house as the first image, but just goes to show that great minds think alike. Courtesy of the now defunct Domino, via Alicia B. Designs.

Say hello to my current obsession: maps of Tokyo designed by cartographer extraordinaire, Hajime Ishikawa. This little gem is even conveniently featured in chartreuse and turquoise, a hot color combo discussed here and here. Its veiny rivers and jagged arteries set my heart to double pump!

Mmmmm... topolicious.