Back to Black

It has been a while since I last posted about a black and white bedroom... don't worry, my obsession is still here! I was just waiting for the perfect room, and here it is... thanks to littlewoodstock on flickr! I forgot how dramatic a large amount of black is in a room, it really does make it feel cozy yet elegant... (some would disagree I am sure) But I love it!

The black wall paper reminds me of why I hung black fabric on my wall in both my last two rooms... drama! Hummm... Should i do it again?

Even though it is quite a small room, the black doesn't make it feel too closed in. I think it helps the area, bringing the focus to one wall, rather than making you feel boxed in... or have you focus on the window. Stunning!

Saturdays are for...

Staying in bed and pulling the covers close to your chin! Forget about all that de-cluttering and just roll over....

David Hick via Desire to Inspire

Rich[ardson] Bedrooms

Sarah Richardson is a well known (almost famous?) Canadian designer and stylist who has had several shows (Room Service and Design Inc.) and has her own line of furniture. Her latest project is inviting HGTV viewers into her newly purchased house and watch her renovate the whole thing, while pregnant! The show is called Sarah's House.

I haven't watched many episodes, but I did catch a bit of one focusing on her master bedroom. The room was so simple and elegant, I had to share.

Before:

After:

While browsing for the Master bedroom before and after photos I found some images of her new guest room, even more inspirational ! (I especially love it because of the Black, White, and Green - the colour pallet I wanted for my bedroom...) Maybe Sarah will want to redecorate her guest room in the near future and donate all her 'old' items to me!

I can't believe how much light there is in this basement room! It's like it isn't even below ground!
And this is how it looked before!!

All images from HGTV

Danish Christmas

I'm entranced with the Berzant family's organic and minimalistic holiday house. The rooms only get a slight rustic holiday dusting of decor without jeopardizing the original calm and crisp essence of the black and white space.

I adore how the original open and airy feel isn't lost, and the decorating effortlessly blends into the base decor, while still adding holiday warmth. I feel like I have been exposed to a new form of holiday decorating and I love it! The idea of decorating using the same principals already in use throughout your house is genius! I can't believe I have never thought if it before. Now it would just seem wrong to have an elaborate and intricate holiday decoration scheme in a modern, minimal setting, wouldn't it?

The Christmas tree is my favourite element in the house. Why must we kill trees just to have them in our house for a few weeks? It would be great to be able to pull in a potted tree from the yard every year (until it gets too big!) I think next year I will decorate one of my larger tropical plants for a lighter twist on the holiday tree!



I love this cloth advent calender. I was never a big fan of them, they all seem cheap and cheesy but this one is super cute! (and so is the little blond boy!) I also love the basket of antlers and greens, so unusually festive!

Its amazing how the one star in the window can add the holiday touch for the whole room. Talk about minimal decorations! I love it!



The home-made organic approach to the decor elements gives the feel that you are in a cabin outside the city. Just the thought of escaping the hustle and bustle increases my relaxation 10 folds!


You know that I like to decorate tables (as mentioned here and here) and this one has left me in awe. Simple, natural, rustic, and inviting.... perfect!

Is the decoration on the table for the holidays or year round? I love that I don't know....

The Berzant family house was featured in Bo Bedre and I found it via NestledIn

Photography by Martin Solyst of Erik Bjorn & Kompagni

I desire Char

I am in love with this bedroom, black, white, classic, elegant... need I say more?

Styling by Char Hatch Langos via Desire to Inspire

PS. There are some fabulous posts on Desire to Inspire right now - check it out!

White Layer Cake

I haven't posted about weddings before, and I don't really spend much time dreaming about them. However this dress from Beka and Jesse's wedding that I found on The art of love just blew me away! I absolutely love the structured top, and the layers. It is romantic and flowy yet long and elegant. And the hem line at the bottom being just above the ground gives the dress a crisp and modern feel to it. I would buy that dress is a heartbeat if it was another colour!

I absolutely love her hair too! Can someone show me how to do a flowy up do?

All images are from The Art of Love

And check out how she altered the dress, with the sash and taking off many of the layers. I stand corrected, if this dress came in a different colour, i would buy it!

Via Snippet and Ink

Black at it in the bedroom

I spent some time decorating my bedroom today - it's actually (and finally) starting to come along! My decorating spurt was inspired by this image, which I just came across in the depths of my computer memory.  I can't tell you where it is from, I just know that it's inspiring me today!

Changing Angles

I've become soft. This whole Christmas season all I have wanted to do is look at warm, cozy images. Everyday I ask myself if today will be the day I can curl up beside the fireplace and read my book with a tea in hand and some homemade cookies not too far away.... definitely not my usual character, especially since I don't even have a fireplace!

So, I was ecstatic when I came across these photographs by Adrian Briscoe. They are beautiful, crisp, sharp and clean! (And the white kind of makes me think winter....)

I just love the paper airplanes, a great mix of child, crisp, fun and engineering (however small!) What would you do if you had to decorate with paper airplanes?

Hide a Carpet

On my visit to Toronto, I noticed this cow hide in the family room of one of my friends places. She was one of the last people I would have thought to have a hide on the floor, but I just loved it! I have secretly wanted one for a while, but I always had a bit of a moral dilemma with the concept...but I looked into it a bit more and found out that they are a by-product of the food industry. This is a good thing, considering that the rugs are popping up everywhere... even at IKEA!...

Ngoc Minh Ngo

Photography by Sara Essex via Desire to Inspire

But cows are so cute! Cleo Sullivan

So what do you think? Do you think you could have a hide on your floor?

Showing ones Soul

I stumbled upon these stunning photos by Thierry LeGoues... How amazing would this be printed on large canvases? It sends a chill down my spine just thinking of it. They have this gripping and spooky feel to them... The collection is appropriately called Soul.... it just drips from every image. The model is Veronica Webb, and these were first exhibited in Cape Town, South Africa in 1995. (Note - some of the images in the collection are more explicit and graphic than those shown below)

I have a feeling I will be posting a lot more about Thierry LeGoues, I am absolutely entranced by his photography.

Face It

I was never a bathroom person - I don't take baths, and don't usually think twice about them...Until I found this absolutely striking bathroom! The tiled face is stunning! I might feel a little insecure having him watch me while I shower every morning... but it's an amazingly dramatic statement!

Styling by Laurence Pasquier

I also love the black and white (of course!) I never thought of having such a dramatic, high contrast bathroom, but I love it!

Now that the US presidential elections are over, it is time for Barack Obama to get down to business. He needs to be prepared come January in order follow up on his large promises!! So I picked some places fit for soon to be president Obama, or in Canada's case, our newly re-elected Prime Minister, Harper. Pull up a chair, you two have a lot to think about....

Both of the above are taken by photographer Ngoc Minh Ngo

Sam McAdam

Warren Smith

Headboarding

I have the great joy and heavy responsibility of buying a new bed in the near future. And in true form over function, my debate in buying a bed revolves around the headboard. Do I want a headboard? If so, do you I want a strong, soft, intricate, simple, big or small headboard? Or do I want to just have a wall feature? I must admit that I do love my headboard right now, I would keep it if it fit on a queen bed, however it doesn’t....

My current bed is this IKEA bed, just imagine the silver painted black and the wicker stained a deeper brown... via ikea circa 2001

As you might recall in earlier posts I am doing my room in black and white. Currently my bedding is black, but I am torn between keeping it or changing to white, I know that decision is a fluid one and so I will have to have a headboard that works with both. Below are some that I like… Any thoughts on these?

House and home

Simple - keeps the room light and can go with many different themes - not really the focal point however...

Via the internet.... sorry!

I just love this funky headboard, what a great image, and it looks comfy to lean aganist too!

Apartment Therapy

This organic headboard and duvet cover absolutely amazing and so serene.... I would love to have this as my headboard... however it is just too close to what I already have, I need to move on!

I love the mirrors on top of the bed. The contrast between the soft fluffy bed and the sharp, rigid shapes of the mirrors is awesome. Hum... mirrors as headboards......

The winner: Black and White

So I know you have been dying all weekend to find out what my choice of room colour was.... I kept it to myself to maintain the suspense! (And I also moved in, unpacked and tried out a few colour patterns in my room.)
But seriously, was anything other than black and white really an option? I was pretty set on it, if not because of my competitive nature (I couldn't give up until I got it right!) but because I really like the mood crisp black against white makes me feel. For a moment there I thought that maybe light yellows and blues were the answer - but then my fear of colour choice kicked in and back to black it was. Maybe one day in the future I will bound into colour without hesitation, but for now, I'm sticking to the tried and true!
So now that the decision is made, I am off to make a storyboard. Has anyone seen some great black and white lately?
Below are some images that might find there way onto my storyboard.....

Pros and Cons

So before I ever make a big decision, I like to write out a pro and con list. I'll full admit to this supra geeky habit, but only to you! :) I hate when a decision comes down to the P&C list - and they usually do because I am so indecisive! So here I am pulling out the ol' P&Cs....

PRO

Black and White
- I already have a lot of black and white material.
- My furniture is already black and white
- I love the crisp clean contrast between the two
- I have failed once at designing black and white - I wouldn't want to end on that note
- I can make bold statements but if can soften it up with grey
- I can change the mood by simply changing the accent colour ( I can't paint the walls an accent colour)
- I have a B&W fabric/paint idea
- I really want to see how some of my pictures look in B&W
- I have a furniture resurfacing project for B&W
- I have picture frames, a lamp, shelves, accessories all in B&W
- Will possibly encourage me to be cleaner/more organized.

Colour
- Usually warmer feeling
- Hides dirt better
- Won't look as bad when I am messy
- I can display a lot of personal items that are not black at white
- Can be more romantic and whimsical
- Could create a more warm and welcoming feeling
- Less formal, possibly younger feeling
- Can use more natural wood tones (which I also like)
- I could resurface at least one piece of furniture in different colours

CON

Black and White
- White will get dirty easily
- Bold colour statements can be a bit too strong for a bedroom
- If don't decorate well I could not like it again
- I have already had B&W for a year and a half
- I have a lot of personal items that are not Black and White
- Will need to be kept clean and tidy in order to look good
- Will it be inviting?
- I have wood floors and wood closet doors

Colour
- Expense - I will need to get new almost everything
- What colour to choose?
- I can't do many of the craft ideas I have thought of
- I will give up on Black and White

Hum..... It looks like this is going to be a tight race. And time is ticking - the week is almost over!
Anyone else have any pros and cons to add?

Linked and Moving

Absolutely Beautiful Things

What I would do to be able to walk into a new apartment with this waiting for me?

Kim over at Desire to Inspire referenced my blog!! (check out her article here) I am pretty low on readership (other than my stead fasts - love you guys!) so I am pretty excited at the possibility of having more people come to Free Form. Now I just have to produce some posts that keep people reading!

Unfortunately today is moving day so I have little time to write. But I promise that tomorrow I will let you know my bedroom decor verdict. Wish me luck with the big move!

But if there was colour...

Even though I am totally leaning towards Black and White (see yesterday) , I thought I would post some images of what I would like to do for a colour room... in case I make a last minute change to the land of colour.

Design Sponge (Shauna's room - finalist)

Living Etc. Via Desire to Inspire

Elle Decor

Girl meets Glamour

Okay there is still black and white in this one - but I don't like it for that - I love the colours of the prints. (Via desire to inspire)