For all the guys out there – I found a design inspiration source for your bachelor pad: Lost Boys in Georgetown (Washington, DC).

How cool are these bulldog book ends? And of course, a little Blues Brothers adds a some classic cool to the space too.

Exposed brick is hot in a guys space….giving it a classic yet rugged edge. And if you’ve got a gal, might as well show her that you’re thinking of her by framing her pic on your wall.

And these are just some fun accessories. But “rag and bone” is a design and fashion line with retail outlets in New York and Lost Boys in DC. The “rag and bone man” is actually a century-old British fixture known for the first form of recycling. Who would have thought? More about that here.

And if you’re living solo, you’ve probably got a small space. Old-style luggage is a great way to add style as well as storage to your space.

I decided against using a pattern so that I can easily modify the look/feel of the sofa as my life, mood, or setting changes. I really wanted some color though, particulary blue. Ever since I saw Kate Middleton’s Blue Lace Dress, I’ve had it in my head that this sofa is gonna be blue. Just a matter of finding the right shade to match our carpet and other decor. And here it is…

Don’t you just love it?

So how is the rest of this story going to turn out? Well, I have grand plans of re-painting the wood frame of the sofa…something grey-ish perhaps? Or a distressed finish? I found some new inspiration to help me out. What do you think?

From Anthropologie

I love the rainbow of blues on this Loius XV style chair. It’s a great new take on a classic. Here are some more images.

Louisa Settee From Anthropologie

From Anthropologie

From Anthropologie

Hubby and I went on an adventure to Alexandria, Virginia the other day to get our backsplash tiles from the Tile Shop. Knowing that I already did some research on this and if the look fit with our granite, Hubby had high hopes that we would be quickly on our way out of the shop. Well, who would have thought there’d be so much fun inspiration to find at a tile shop? I slowed down our exit…just a tad…so I could share these with you. Enjoy!

This was option “B,” Butter Cream Mosaic from Mosaic Tiles. I know I’ve said I wanted to have a grey-ish kitchen to brighten up the space, but this seemed to make it too grey and didn’t really mesh well with the Ivory Fantasy granite that we already purchased. So, it was back to the drawing board. I was over at Young House Love visiting with the Petersiks and noticed a link to The Tile Shop on their site, so I clicked (apparently blogvertising works with me) and found my backsplash choice.

TA DA!

It is $24.99 per square feet…much cheaper than Option B above. See how well it goes with our granite selection?? Now to select the type of “grey” for the cabinets! Seriously, I’m starting to get decisioned-out….Here’s another mock-up of our kitchen scheme.

Do you think it would be too crazy to paint the ceiling a muted, mustard-ish yellow? I’m really LOVING the idea at the moment. Hubby, on the other hand, is already making a face. Maybe he’ll warm up to it.

On my way… hope I get some great deals! Here’s the info in case you’re interested:

Fabric Yard Sale on Saturday, October 1st from 8:00 am until 12:00 pm.

Sale will be at:
1403 Frederick Road
Catonsville, MD 21228
House is directly across from Catonsville Presbyterian church.

1000′s of decorative fabrics and 100′s of imported trims! ALL fabric $.50 to $4.00 per piece, 3 and 6 yard bolts $6.00 to $12.00. to and ALL trim $.50 to $4.00 per piece. Come shop and design. Hope to see you there!

Contact:
Deanna Keagle
(443)255-6853

By the way, I don’t receive any sponsorship or anything monetary from posting this, and I don’t know the designer having the yard sale. I just wanted to share the love. Have a great Saturday!

What are you guys up to this weekend?? How about entering the Designs for Development competition??

I’m so excited to highlight on Design Palate today an opportunity for creatives out there to unleash your artistic energy on the design of an eco-friendly tote bag for Roots. Roots of Development is a not-for-profit organization based in Washington, DC whose mission is to foster sustainable development by empowering communities to come together, make collaborative decisions, take ownership, and be transparent. Roots has facilitated access to clean drinking water, basic health care, and infrastructure like housing, roads, and electricity for countries in great need of these basic resources, such as Haiti.

Here’s a little excerpt of the Root’s Philosophy:
“The communities we work with have many dreams. They also have the drive and determination to realize them. What they do not have are the basic resources to build a foundation for growth. By providing them access to these resources, communities will be closer to achieving their goals and realizing their dreams. Whether in Haiti, the United States, or any other country, people deserve these basic resources, not as a privilege, but as a right.”

Enter the Designs for Development competition and have the potential to win BIG — in heart, mind, and wallet. Winning entries can receive up to $1000! So what have you got to lose? It’s a triple win all around.

Have fun!

Just learned about a fabric sale hosted by a local interior designer. For those in the DC and Baltimore, MD area…here are the details:

Fabric Yard Sale on Saturday, September 24th from 8:00 am until 12:00 pm, and then the following Saturday, October 1st from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm!

Sale will be at:
1403 Frederick Road
Catonsville, MD 21228
House is directly across from Catonsville Presbyterian church.

1000′s of decorative fabrics and 100′s of imported trims! ALL fabric $.50 to $4.00 per piece, 3 and 6 yard bolts $6.00 to $12.00. to and ALL trim $.50 to $4.00 per piece. Come shop and design. Hope to see you there!

Deanna Keagle
(443)255-6853

I was thrilled when I got off the Design*Sponge waitlist this past weekend to attend Grace’s book signing. I didn’t make it off the craft event waitlist, but was just as peachy pleased to be there. Hubby was wonderful enough to hang around Georgetown, while I lined up to meet Grace (which is such a lovely name since it’s my middle name!) and get my Design Sponge at Home signed.

And here it is! Really quite a lovely book–filled with design inspirations from real homes, real people and with DIY projects and tips on tools and techniques. It’s not just a pretty thing to look at (though it certainly is).

Anthropologie had a pretty good spread for the event and our enjoyment.

And the icing of the event was meeting new creative friends who are either fellow bloggers or design-enthusiasts, including chicdonecheap, The House of Sukio, and The Scribble Pad who is also over at Calligraphy by Shannon.