September 30, 2011

A wall of shelves and art


Two of my favorite design elements would be a wall of shelves and a wall of art.  So why not combine them to create something really special.  Just loving this statement wall in the home of photographers Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin.

And here’s a larger shot of their duplex featuring more floor to ceiling bookshelves and a Yves Klein coffee table.  OH to be a rich bohemian New Yorker!

September 20, 2011

Blue Shelves

I just love a navy or peacocky-blue color used on bookshelves.   It seems sophisticated yet colorful and hip.  Bold, yet easy to blend with other colors and concepts.  I’m gonna need to rock this in my future home or in a client’s home. It’s gonna be hawt.


April 7, 2011

New Apartment Reveal: The Bookcase

 One white Expedit bookcase.  16 cubes.  How would you fill it?  This is what I did…

Two plate mirrors make up my “mirrored back.”  Books, magazines and records are stacked vertically and horizontally.   Animal figurines, apothecary jars, coral, vintage tea pots and other random stuff fill in the space.  And my prized, signed, Victor Vasarely Scarf adorns the top.

Here are some of my favorite parts.

Everything here is vintage and I love it.  
(minus the horizontal books)
I picked up the tea pot at an estate sale.
The owl lamp was a trade from my sister. (She got my blue lamp.)
And the Rolling Stones record was a gift from someone special.

I have really high ceilings, so it’s important to utilize the vertical space smartly.  At first I was bummed that I didn’t buy a taller bookcase, and then I realized I could use the top like one large shelf.  It was the perfect spot for my framed scarf from Nana.  It’s one of the first things I see when I walk in the door, and it always brings a smile to my face.

A closer look at the top of the shelf.

It’s truly hard to declare any space “finished” isn’t it?  I have fiddled with this bookshelf styling for weeks and weeks.  My sister and I agonized over the placements of my books and pretties on Monday night.  We rearranged everything at least 10 times.  (Thanks Meg!)  You see its all about balance.  Even placement of books, even spread of color, even distribution of animals. 
Oh and the mirrored back?  So fabulous in real life.  I love the reflections and the brightness it brings to this area.
The mirrored back in terms of photography and being able to shoot a decent picture?   A bitch-and-a-half.
I had the hardest time trying to shoot my shelf straight on and not appear in a reflection.  I’m still not happy with the pictures and all the random crap you see in the background.  Fudge.
Wall # 15 is done!  (For now at least.  Too much else to work on…)
Want more of the apartment?
Check out posts HERE, or on sidebar titled “Naomi’s Place”
March 29, 2011

shelving and the art of display

As per usual, I’m working on about 6 sections of my apartment at one time.  I’m SO close to being done a few of them, but I’m not quite there.  Once such area is my bookshelf.  I wish I had a floor to ceiling built-in with a library ladder(!), but I’m just working with a simple 4×4 Expedit bookcase.

While it’s not grand or fancy, it still gives me 16 sections to fill, plus the top.  So I’ve been studying away to see how others have mastered the art of shelving display.

The most common notion is to fill the shelves to the brim with books.  
 
(Love how the sofas are positioned in front of these shelves!)
 via

While others choose to forget the books and carefully fill shelves with beautiful objects.

The Brick House‘s now defunct bookshelf
-
(This soft blue background makes me happy.)
I favor arrangements that include at least 60% books plus art and objects.
 
 dang it! now I really want a Fornasetti face plate!
what do we think about leaning art?
I like it.  
I do not however like it when it’s hung in front of a shelf.
I know its popular.  Naomi hates it.

 OK, this is working for me.
A little mirrored, paired with itsy bitsy art in front of shelves.
Being able to stagger heights of shelves makes it easier to display art.  Alas, I do not have this luxury.
I also don’t have long width’s to fill spaces as I please.

I Just have 16 even-sized, square cubbies.  Like these fellas.
seems like mostly books, with a few large objects filling a cube.

Now that I’m looking at these I wish I would have sprung for the 5×5 instead of the 4×4.  BOO.  It seems the more sections, the better. 

How do you like to fill your shelving sections? 

And where do you find your objects?  I’m trying to collect from all over.  Mostly vintage.  Certainly not all from Home Goods.  Though it takes time.  I think in the end, though, it results in a bookcase full of depth, curiosity and beauty.  At least that’s what I’m going for….