I was just introduced to the website, Free Vintage Posters from another great site, Crocodile Tears. They have a vast selection of free posters that you can print and hang for practically nothing! I found a Boston one for me and an LA one for Megan that are fairly representative of the two coasts right now. What can you find?
-Andrea 3 Comments I have come across some really great new to me ways to hang artwork or display paper recently. I thought I would share. The first option is called Hanging Line and it is carried by Kontextur. I like this option for it's simplicity, the magnets that hold it up (no wall damage) it's waterproof, and the fact that it only costs $12. 
This next option, called indie mats, just premiered on Decor8 yesterday. I like all the colorful options, the scale, and the youthfulness of the mats. These kits are great because they add interest, but they all go well with each other, so you have an instant gallery! They are also a no tools needed option as they come with adhesive, it sounds like similar to 3M strips. They come in sets, starting at $29 for 4 frames, very budget friendly! 
My last discovery, is not really a discovery. We all know how easy it is to hang artwork, lists, etc. from a binder clip that is attached to the wall. But did you know the clips come in mondo, huge, gigantic size? Land of Nod did it again, and at 3 clips for $16! 
Obviously all of these options are for pieces that are less precious, more temporary and light hearted. If you want a piece of art to last you have to buy the archival mats, glass, frames, etc. But for those times when you want an inexpensive and whimsical way to hang art, these options are fantastic! Do you have a trick for hanging art? We'd love to hear it. -Andrea My little family is packing up today to fly home tomorrow. We've been on the road for just shy of a month and although I hate to say good-bye to our extended family, I'm itching to get back home. I've seen so many things that have inspired new thoughts and new designs ideas. My number one thought this morning, outdoor wallpaper. 
Wall and Deco make this line of outdoor wallpaper called, Get Out! and I love it. I first saw it on Design Milk maybe a month or two ago, but I've been thinking about ways to jazz up my exterior space every since. The modern houndstooth below has me drooling - I am a sucker for mens suit patterns. 
And what could be more current than a tribal pattern? And in my favorite color! 
Lovely right? I think the use of wallpaper has no limits now, ceilings, exterior walls, you name it and somebody has wallpapered over it! I'll be writing to you from Boston next time, talk to you soon. A friend of a friend asked me to find her a piece of art to hang over her mantle. At first I balked a bit, picking art is sooo personal; I don't often do it for others. After mulling it over I decided I would see what I could come up with. Turns out this assignment has been really fun. I have a bachelors in art history and although I loved what I studied I currently do not spend a lot of time researching and looking at art, which is a shame. I of course have my personal favorites that I always reach for, but those are not what this woman asked for. After spending a little while on art.com I have come up with some options that I feel good about, and hopefully she will too. What do y'all think? Would you make room in your home for any of the following pieces? Fill out the quiz after the images to let us know your favorite. 
Monet, Beach at Pourville Sunset 1882
Max Epstein, Ducks in a Pond
Klimt, Tannenwald 1902
Monet, Sous-Bois 1876
My husband has rode his bike to work everyday for the past 4+ years, and it's great. He loves to add exercise and fresh air to his regular desk job lifestyle, and with Boston monthly parking rates it saves us a small fortune. But this does mean that we have his bike, and it's gear, to deal with. I've collected a few pictures to show how a bike is not only a great transportation device, but also a great decor accessory!  vertically mounted, an art form  no mounting, just beautiful bikes  double free standing mount I've noticed that if you ride a bike regularly it's not just a way to get around; it's a hobby. I like the idea of displaying your hobbies and interests, and I think it's a great way to add some of you to your room. Not only that, but there are some truly beautiful bikes out there. Their shape, finish, color, and moving parts can really add a lot of dimension to a space. If you are interested in a great round-up of bike mounts Apartment Therapy has one here. I love some of these mounts because space is a premium at our house and they are such space savers. Is a bike part of your routine? -Andrea Everybody knows it is true, Massachusetts is full of history lovers! We particularly love our Revolutionary War Heroes, but we also love our Kennedys. Who wouldn't right? Well, when I was browsing this article about Steve Penley's House on atlantamagazine.com I noticed a few things that really resonated with me. Penley is an artist, married to an interior designer; and their home shows it. Every picture of their home is extremely balanced, purposeful, and focused on Steve's art. This is the sort of home I dream of creating as there is room for people and activity in each room.  Their dining room above highlights one of Steve's collages; the Kennedys. It is THE pop of color in this very neutral room.  This image above is totally exciting to me. It's clearly the Penley family, chillin' on their sofa in the living room. But what a mural! I love the action packed brush strokes combined with very muted furniture and softened edges on the lamps and the furniture. They are truly living with history in a way that most families don't. What a bold move, and it has really paid off. I don't expect to see another room like this ever again. -Andrea I hope everybody had a good weekend. Ours was pretty great. We spent all of Earth Day cleaning up a neighborhood lot, and fixing up our own yard. I love the changes we made. One of the weekends highlights was reading the latest addition of TRADHome, one of my favorite online magazines. I really like the segment they did based on floral art and fabric combinations, this really perked my interest as I had just come from my own flowering yard. I love all four of these examples, they are all so different and really speak to different sensibilities. Which one is your favorite?     -Andrea 
The winter here in Boston has been outrageously balmy; but I'm still craving Spring. I need to feel some intense sun, and I'm anxious to start growing some flowers and edible landscape plants. I recently discovered this ever so modern, ever so fresh, ever so Spring-y line called, Chive. I've clicked through their offerings and am so inspired and excited to get to work on my yard! I've got a tall wooden fence that would be the perfect home for these beautiful vases that attach to a vertical surface, like an outdoor wall. I'd also like to bring spring inside with this rug. Little Lamb Freckle Rug, clearly a whimsical piece, it has me dreaming of the bright colors of spring. 
Now that I have both of these images up I can see that they have a lot in common. They kind of remind of a DIY on Oh Happy Day! that I've been thinking I could use above my sofa. 
Clearly I've got a thing for brightly colored circles, but maybe you do to? Is it catching?  Our lovely reader Carly sent in a request for help with the space over her own sofa, something I've been thinking about in my own living room, evidenced here. The picture she sent in shows a preference for a certain style, I would call it shabby chic with a modern twist. By the way, I LOVE your sofa. I wonder if it wouldn't be better to highlight theis awesome sofa more by centering it on the long wall and thereby making it the soul piece of large furniture on that wall. By relocating the other pieces around the room, this will create more of a converation area.   The shape of Carly's living room reminds me of this picture. Carly's rooms appears to be bigger, but with a long narrow layout just like this picture. What I like about this example is it shows how to keep the furniture and the art on a complimentary scale. An important difference between this picture and Carly's living room is that in this picture your eye is drawn up to the ceiling because of the dropped ceiling and dramatic color change. This is an important difference, and we should try to draw your eye up in Carly's room as well.  I found four pieces of art for Carly to pick from. I like these options as they are all shabby chic with a modern twist, and all are a large scale for your fantastic and large sofa. Some of them are however a lot more expensive than others, those that are spendy would also make pretty easy DIYs. So whatever you choose I'm sure it will be great! What about you? Which one would you choose? Take our poll and tell us your fav!     | We're two bi-coastal designers who met at the corner of 2nd and Strand in Santa Monica.
ANDREA. I'm the east coast half of our magical design team. I have a long standing love affair of anything blue and beachy. I appreciate the tried and true design elements of my New England home.
 MEGAN. True to my west coast living, I love design with a blend of casual sophistication. Living in a small apartment, I've developed a love of clutter free, well organized spaces.
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