Put the Ike in Ikea

Today marks day one of The Hunny's stupid week long business trip to LA, which means for the next five days it'll just be me and precious Baby Ike. Now I'm not a religious person, but I do believe I just crossed myself all Father, Son and Holy Ghost, style. Anyhoo, Karly promised to think about maybe possibly potentially accompanying me and the babe on an Ikea shopping spree this Friday, which would be Ike's second trip to Ikea although he visited at least 867 times in utero. In fact, we went so often while renovating the kitchen that we may have named our firstborn son after Ikea (he's going to love this story when he gets older). These days I can't just jet off to Austin's northernmost reaches whenever I feel like it -- I have to PLAN, so I think I'm going to get started by typing up my dreamboat shopping list. Some of these things might get boughten, and some of them might not. By Friday, I will probably be playing fast and loose with the credit card, but I can always claim delirium as an excuse.

Part Most of Ikea's allure lies in its flagrant cheapitude. Clockwise from top left: the Fado pendant light will be going over the kitchen sink (but you know I will be painting that hardware a bronzy gold), Gilda pillows for the living room, yet more Aina linen curtains to form a giant sexy curtain wall behind my bed, and loads of Elly dishtowels.

I have no use whatsoever for either of these new Ikea Charlotta fabrics, but I am in love, sweet love, with both of them, especially the Block print on the left.

How adorable is Ikea's new Dekad alarm clock? As if I needed something other than Ike to help me wake up... Whatevs. For $5.99, it's coming home with mama.

The time has come for Ike to get a highchair, and I had been planning -- nay, counting -- on buying Ikea's Leopard chair on the left, but it got discontinued due to some supposed safety issues. DAMN IT. Now, instead of looking at a Casala inspired, ultra cool leopard, I'm going to have to settle for a wimpy old Antilop. Definitely not king of the jungle, but least it's cheap.

In other news, I have a pillow and blanket problem. Behold:

Cute stuff: Karlstad, super cheap Henny, and Gilda pillows in two different colors.

My blanket fetish has been spurred to new heights by these inexpensive offerings. Clockwise from top left: Henny, Stoff in charcoal and natural, and Sticka.

ZOMG I want this so bad! The new Solig solar powered floor lamps are scorching hot.

Ok, so what I really want is this dumb CB2 knit pouf thing, but it only comes in puke green. WHY CB2? WHYYYY? Must everything come in some kicky punch color? Would it kill you to make it in white or black or gray? Whatever. I plan to fill the gaping pouffle shaped hole in my life with Ikea's Alseda, which is A) not green and B) hella cheap. $29.99 -- take that, CB2 bitches!

I want a new bed, so I plan to peruse Ikea's offerings. So far, I'm interested in these fine specimens:

Queen of ubiquity, the Malm. Perhaps painted white?

I'm pretty intrigued by the Aneboda's shape, but I'm a little concerned about those screw things in the corners. Will this look like a cheap piece of crap?

And of course there is the super dreamy Edland, which would unfortunately draw the eye right up to the nursty faux wood grained ceiling fan over our bed. What? It gets hot in Texas.

Does anybody have one of these beds? Do they even make them in King sizes?

Speaking of cheap, what do you think about this:

I'm a little embarrassed to even post the Tranby, but I've been looking for a pair of round mirrors for my living room and why the bleep is everything so expensive? I don't know about this, though... I kind of feel like it belongs at TJ Maxx.

And finally, IMPORTANT! IMPORTANT! I need your help:

We neeeeed a new rug, and I want something big, cheap and flatwoven, because I am sick to death of woolen tumbleweeds blowing through the house. Which of these Stockholm rugs do you prefer for my living room? The furniture has been rearranged, but the pieces are still the same. I'm worried that the triangle rug will be too busy, but will the striped one get dirty on the white parts? Plus everyone in the universe has the striped one -- should that disqualify it? Plus I'm not even sure that Ikea still makes the large 8.5 x 11 size. Does anyone know if they still carry it?

Ok, by my calculations I have spent approximately $3459 virtual dollars, and that doesn't even include all the cinnamon rolls and ice cream cones I plan to eat. Gotta trim the list down. What do you dudes like?

Morning Wood

Despite my long standing love for hardwood floors, I extolled the virtues of carpet in Monday's post. This mystifying self revelation came about when I started to calculate potential renovation expenses, because carpet be cheap. True, carpet can be crazy ass expensive (Camilla from Designalogue wrote in to say she installed wall to wall ALPACA freaking carpet in a client's home), but if you're a careful shopper, it can also be quite reasonable. Although I've never had carpet installed, Collyn of ModFruGal has, and she quotes her price for hardwood flooring plus installation as being around $10 (our cost was similar when we redid the kitchen floors), vs carpet at around $4. So, if you're covering a lot of sq footage like The Hunny and I may be in our new/old dream home, that is a HUGE difference. Still, I'd like to explore all possible cheap flooring options, and lovely reader Michael pointed us in the direction of plywood floors. Say what???? First I wax poetic about carpet, and now plywood?

No really. It's kind of awesome.

I mean, would you be mad if your floors looked like this? (Thanks to Michael for the image!)

I suppose I shouldn't be surprised at this woody turn of events, since this isn't the first post I've written about how chic plywood can be. But it is interesting to see it used as flooring in homes where hardwoods or concrete would traditionally have been the materials of choice.

Marine plywood in a super modern Italian designed house. via Dezeen

And of course you could always paint your floors, like this plywood floor in an art studio. Since it's plywood, you don't have to feel bad about covering your beautiful hardwoods.

These plywood floors were painted to look all rusticky and stuff. Via Coastal Living

Perhaps imperfect floors would give you the perfect excuse to experiment with designs. Although the next set of images are traditional hardwoods, these ideas could work equally well on inexpensive plywood. via Design Sponge

I always like a good checkerboard. In muted tones, the pattern remains very neutral.

This room isn't really my style, but I like the idea of painted stripes.

These are marble, but there's no reason you couldn't inject some hot geo drama into your floors, as in this Miles Redd designed home.

But of course, white painted floors are always a popular choice. Check out Door Sixteen for excellent info on how to paint your floors white here. Image via Living Etc.

Although an opaque paint would most easily disguise flooring imperfections, a nicer plywood floor would look awesome with a translucent stain that allows the grain to show through.

Stenciled and stained chevron hallway via Alicia B Designs.

This room is a little too country, but the floor rocks. via Country Living

This diagonally stained room by Mark Cutler is AWESOME. He explains how to do it here.

The simple, ebony stained floors in this home designed by Sabrina Bignami could still be gorgeous in plywood.

So I'm thinking plywood sounds like an interesting flooring option, but I'm a little concerned about installation. Do you glue the boards to the floor? Nail them to each other somehow, so that they float? What happens when the boards expand and contract? Does anyone have plywood floors, or have experience installing them?

Inquiring minds need to know.

novice at work

When Karly asked if I would guest blog on the fabulous Design Crisis I was flattered beyond belief! It's not every day a little kid like me gets to play to with the big girls! And then, after having already committed myself, the reality set in; what the hell would I write about?....design expert I am not. Not even close.

quilt and bolster by john robshaw, hand made embroidered pillow, trina turk pink and brown pillow, koko euro shams

photo: anita davis

Having never attended any type of design-school, I'm learning as I go and making mistakes along the way. My classroom is Life -- my instructors are *you*, the design mags, and my go-to for everything in between: Google.

bottom quilt by denyse schmidt, sheet set and folded quilt by serena & lily

photo: anita davis

I have Googled my little business, Pillow Mint, into existence. I've never gone to Market (though hopefully make it to New York in February!) and did all my preliminary sourcing for the store on the internet. I have no formal education in either business or design, but I do know what I like and I know where my passions lie. When I was starting the business I would tell people I wanted to "spread the joy." I wanted people to be as happy in their bed as I am in mine. There is an instant sense of belonging when someone else gets my obsession. When a client comes into the shop and gushes and goos over the lines I carry and we talk "bed", I get happy; ecstatic really.

area duvet, pillows by thomas paul, and blue pillows by blissliving

photo: anita davis

I have learned, too that what one puts on their bed is so subjective. Some people can't stand sateen sheets, others can't stand getting hot at night, some people freeze and need warmth! and then there is my husband, who likes weight, and layers. It's all so very personal. Bedding is really an intimate subject - get to know someone's bedding desires and you know a lot about them!! Color, pattern, lots of pillows, cotton or linen, down or synthetic, silk or wool.....you must find your bliss and go there.

bedding by plover, organic cow by kallisto

photo: anita davis

I thought I would share some information that I received last spring in BlissLiving's newsletter. Finally someone spoke in plain language about thread count. I try to educate all my clients on the misconception that a sheet with a high thread count is a better sheet. Since the sheet is usually the item in direct contact with our skin, I think it's really important that it feels good!  Good sheets do matter! Here is an excerpt from the newsletter:

The most important thing to understand about thread count is higher numbers do not mean better quality. In fact, there is an argument to be made that a lower thread count may be a more comfortable sheet.

thomas paul pillows, silk coverlet by koko

photo: anita davis

First you have to understand thread count. The right way to calculate this involves adding up all of the vertical and horizontal threads (warp and weft) in a square inch of fabric. There are only so many threads you can realistically fit into a square inch and generally speaking, anything over 300 is more perceived value than real value. Many companies exaggerate the number by counting the number of ply's in a yarn, so a 300 count sheet using a 2 ply yarn may be promoted as a 600 count.

inhabit coverlet, blissliving pillows, area pillowcases

photo: anita davis

The key element most people don't think about when purchasing sheets is how they sleep. Everyone perspires while sleeping, so ideally you would want a sheet that is breathable and absorbent, as well as being soft and comfortable. Higher thread counts mean a tighter weave and consequently a sheet that does not breathe as well.

Selecting a good quality sheet involves looking for a brand that uses 100% cotton. Cotton is still one of the best fabrics when it comes to comfort, durability and care. In August 2005, Consumer Reports issued a report about high thread count sheets from nationally known brands and concluded: "Two hundred is typical and perfectly fine; 400 my provide a finer, softer sheet. Above 400, the only difference is likely to be price.

area duvet, and pillowcases, thomas paul pillow, the wool company throw

photo: anita davis

I could go on and on for days about bedding and my love for the cozy, but I think that's enough from me!

Sleep well ~ you deserve it!

{All the pictures are various beds I have made for the shop. I love changing the bed - it's like rearranging the furniture, but not.}