Favorite House/Furniture/Decorating Blogs?

[iheartscience]

Now that I''m a homeowner I''ve been super into all things house and decorating related. I''ve been shopping hard for furniture, rugs, etc. to furnish and decorate my new place with. But I''ve had a hard time finding blogs that feature affordable, cool stuff. I have a more modern aesthetic but I still like to look at all styles to get ideas.

My favorite blog is design sponge but I would love to find a few more great blogs that are more house-focused. Does anyone have any other favorite blogs you could recommend? Thank you in advance!

 

[neatfreak]

I''ve found apartment therapy to be a great resource to find modern stuff. Design sponge is also my fave-but you''ve already found that one!

I''ll have to think on a few more. I also like Colour me Happy-but that one is focused mostly on choosing colors.

 

[bebe]

thing, I read many. What style of design do you enjoy?

 

[Haven]

I LOVE Young House Love. They are so impressive, and the reader redesigns are awesome for inspiration.

 

[Pandora II]

I actually really like IKEAfan... they have some really creative people there!

Our last house I customised our Ikea kitchen using ideas from there and was pretty happy when the estate agent who came to value the property said how nice it was to see a kitchen that wasn't Ikea

I've done Daisy's room buy buying the Leksvik baby range and painting it all with Farrow & Ball paints. I'm about to do a new kitchen and plan to do the same - in our price range Ikea have the best quality of any of the UK brands.

 

[iheartscience]

Oooh, thank you neat, Haven and Pandora-those all look great!

neat-I think I''ve actually heard of Apartment Therapy before but I''ve never checked it out! I LOVE the colorful houses they posted...YUM.
Haven-that blog looks awesome! I want to be a little more of a DIYer so maybe that will help me!
Pandora-I LOVE Ikea! I can''t wait to check that out!

bebe-I have a more modern aesthetic for sure...clean lines is probably the best way to describe my taste!

Thanks again everyone!

 

[neatfreak]

Haven and Thing I also love young house love for design ideas. BUT I thought I would mention that some of their DIY "instructions" should not be followed if you want to do things right. Most of their stuff is fine (like all the design stuff of course)-but some of their more technical DIY stuff you might want to also draw instructions from a more reliable contractor/plumber/whatever.

 

[jcrow]

check out :

making it lovely
brooklyn limestone

 

[lovelylulu]

http://www.doorsixteen.com/ the blog is about renovating and decorating with a bit of personal stuff thrown in. she is really impressive!

http://www.remodelista.com/

 

[iheartscience]

Date: 9/8/2009 12:08:35 PM
Author: neatfreak
Haven and Thing I also love young house love for design ideas. BUT I thought I would mention that some of their DIY 'instructions' should not be followed if you want to do things right. Most of their stuff is fine (like all the design stuff of course)-but some of their more technical DIY stuff you might want to also draw instructions from a more reliable contractor/plumber/whatever.

I'm definitely not that DIY, but that is still good to know! Hahaha, I was thinking DIY more along the lines of the lampshade project they posted recently! Plus I'm lucky and I already have a contractor...my dad! I don't know if he knows it yet, though!

But yikes-you'd think they'd tell people how to do plumbing correctly!

 

[iheartscience]

Thank you jcrow and lovelylulu! Those are awesome, too! I knew my stylish PSers would come through! I actually came across another blog last night that looks cool...let me go find the link!

ETA found it-it's called Decorno.

 

[iheartscience]

Question-how do you all feel about area rugs on hardwood floors?

I found 2 rugs I love, one for the dining room and one for the living room, but I''m wondering if it''s too cluttery or just kind of silly to cover the floors? They are in really great shape and they''re pretty, but I love these rugs! The one in the living room would only be 4x6 so it would really just go in front of the couch and under the coffee table. But the one for the dining room that I want is 6x9. I would love any opinions/thoughts!

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 9/8/2009 7:44:35 PM
Author: thing2of2

Date: 9/8/2009 12:08:35 PM

Author: neatfreak

Haven and Thing I also love young house love for design ideas. BUT I thought I would mention that some of their DIY ''instructions'' should not be followed if you want to do things right. Most of their stuff is fine (like all the design stuff of course)-but some of their more technical DIY stuff you might want to also draw instructions from a more reliable contractor/plumber/whatever.

I''m definitely not that DIY, but that is still good to know! Hahaha, I was thinking DIY more along the lines of the lampshade project they posted recently! Plus I''m lucky and I already have a contractor...my dad! I don''t know if he knows it yet, though!

But yikes-you''d think they''d tell people how to do plumbing correctly!

I don''t think it''s incorrect per se-but there are better ways to do a lot of the things they did.

 

[princesss]

I''m a huge fan of area rugs. They just pull rooms together and add a little bit of zing to a room.

I''m loving these blogs, but so far nobody decorates the way I do.

Apparently traveler/eclectic isn''t so popular in the blogosphere right now.

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 9/8/2009 7:58:50 PM
Author: thing2of2
Question-how do you all feel about area rugs on hardwood floors?


I found 2 rugs I love, one for the dining room and one for the living room, but I''m wondering if it''s too cluttery or just kind of silly to cover the floors? They are in really great shape and they''re pretty, but I love these rugs! The one in the living room would only be 4x6 so it would really just go in front of the couch and under the coffee table. But the one for the dining room that I want is 6x9. I would love any opinions/thoughts!

Personally I think hardwood floors without rugs look cold. I love my hardwoods with some area rugs as long as the rugs don''t cover up all of the floor KWIM? I have area rugs in all our rooms and we have hardwoods.

 

[iheartscience]

Thanks for chiming in on the rugs, princesss and neat! I guess I''m just being overparanoid that it will make the rooms look cluttered or something...I think I''ve just been watching too much Hoarders!

And neither rug will cover the whole floor so it should be good!

I want to get this rug for the living room from Crate and Barrel in the 4x6 size: Dots Rug! It wouldn''t let me drag a picture! And here''s the one I want for the dining room from Ballard Designs:

 

[iheartscience]

Date: 9/8/2009 9:08:58 PM
Author: princesss
I''m a huge fan of area rugs. They just pull rooms together and add a little bit of zing to a room.

I''m loving these blogs, but so far nobody decorates the way I do.

Apparently traveler/eclectic isn''t so popular in the blogosphere right now.

What does traveler/eclectic look like, princesss? Any pics of your place or similar places? I''m curious now!

 

[princesss]

Date: 9/8/2009 9:46:30 PM
Author: thing2of2

Date: 9/8/2009 9:08:58 PM

Author: princesss

I''m a huge fan of area rugs. They just pull rooms together and add a little bit of zing to a room.


I''m loving these blogs, but so far nobody decorates the way I do.

Apparently traveler/eclectic isn''t so popular in the blogosphere right now.

What does traveler/eclectic look like, princesss? Any pics of your place or similar places? I''m curious now!

It''s kind of crazy, actually. My goal is to have a cozy place where it looks like somebody went on a trip around the world and their suitcase exploded when they got home. I don''t have any pictures of my old apartment on this computer, and my new house is kind of a mish-mash of my stuff and my parents stuff right now. Generally if you pick up a copy of Elle Decor, usually one house is decorated my way - lots of traveling knick knacks, fun juxtapositions (right now on my mantle I have a big wooden Buddha head next to two big postcard-ish things I got in Paris that I''ve framed, then I''ve got a Thai porcelain doll and wooden shoes from Holland), and lots of warm colours. I tend to go with reds, oranges, dark browns, and golds.

This is a little more modern than my style (BF has gotten me into antiques, so I''ve developed a love of old wood and refinishing pieces), but this blog is closer than anything I''ve found: A Life''s Design

 

[princesss]

Also, since I''m little miss budget right now, anything at World Market will generally fit into how I like my home to feel. That store is like a warm, cozy playground for me!

 

[Dreamer_D]

You need to check out www.houseandhome.com It is the online website of a Canadian design magazine that this year got a new editor and it really brought it into the modern era. I think the style is very similar to Domino, the US mag that folded this year. Most of the most recent stuff is that modern eclectic style that I personally really like -- white/light walls, hardwoods, layered area rugs, mix of antiques with 60s/70s mod stuff and mid century modern peices, lots of bold patterns in cushions and wall paper.

The editors have blogs too and I really like this one called affordable style: http://www.houseandhome.com/blogs/affordable-style The blogger has a really great sense of style IMO, and he is budget conscious, which matters to me as I can''t afford to go super lux at this time in my life.

PS love that rug Thing2! Apparently mixing ethnic patterns is really in right now -- along with grey it seems -- and that rug really picks up on that trend but still looks classic because it is black and white and bold in pattern.

 

[October2008bride]

Date: 9/8/2009 12:22:09 PM
Author: jcrow
check out :


making it lovely


brooklyn limestone

Ditto Brooklyn Limestone - the blogger there even did a free design for my new master bedroom!!!

 

[pennquaker09]

Date: 9/8/2009 3:06:41 AM
Author: Haven
I LOVE Young House Love. They are so impressive, and the reader redesigns are awesome for inspiration.

Haven, I LOVE Young House Love too!

Other blogs I like:

Eddie Ross
Vincente Wolf Blog
Elements of Style
Things That Inpire
Surroundings
Renovation Therapy
A Schematic Life
Colour Me Happy


I think it would be a great idea for you to purchase this: House Beautiful The Home Book. And this book is one of the best out there: Domino Book of Decorating.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Date: 9/9/2009 1:05:59 AM
Author: pennquaker09

Date: 9/8/2009 3:06:41 AM
Author: Haven
I LOVE Young House Love. They are so impressive, and the reader redesigns are awesome for inspiration.

Haven, I LOVE Young House Love too!

Other blogs I like:

Eddie Ross
Vincente Wolf Blog
Elements of Style
Things That Inpire
Surroundings
Renovation Therapy
A Schematic Life
Colour Me Happy


I think it would be a great idea for you to purchase this: House Beautiful The Home Book. And this book is one of the best out there: Domino Book of Decorating.

Ditto this, I love this book! Some of the content is off design sponge, the blogger was a guest editor at Domino at times.

 

[iheartscience]

Date: 9/8/2009 10:28:47 PM
Author: princesss
Also, since I''m little miss budget right now, anything at World Market will generally fit into how I like my home to feel. That store is like a warm, cozy playground for me!

I get it now! Sounds awesome...I like that look too but then my clean lines things takes over and I want everything to be square!

I like that blog you posted, too-very cool!

 

[iheartscience]

Date: 9/8/2009 10:52:13 PM
Author: dreamer_dachsie
You need to check out www.houseandhome.com It is the online website of a Canadian design magazine that this year got a new editor and it really brought it into the modern era. I think the style is very similar to Domino, the US mag that folded this year. Most of the most recent stuff is that modern eclectic style that I personally really like -- white/light walls, hardwoods, layered area rugs, mix of antiques with 60s/70s mod stuff and mid century modern peices, lots of bold patterns in cushions and wall paper.

The editors have blogs too and I really like this one called affordable style: http://www.houseandhome.com/blogs/affordable-style The blogger has a really great sense of style IMO, and he is budget conscious, which matters to me as I can''t afford to go super lux at this time in my life.

PS love that rug Thing2! Apparently mixing ethnic patterns is really in right now -- along with grey it seems -- and that rug really picks up on that trend but still looks classic because it is black and white and bold in pattern.

dreamer, that blog is AWESOME-thank you! So many good ideas...but now I''m jealous we don''t have some of the stores in the U.S. the blogger links to!

 

[nclrgirl]

I read www.younghouselove.com It''s a young couple who does a lot of DIY projects and design on a budget. LOVE it!

 

[Haven]

Date: 9/8/2009 7:58:50 PM
Author: thing2of2
Question-how do you all feel about area rugs on hardwood floors?

I found 2 rugs I love, one for the dining room and one for the living room, but I''m wondering if it''s too cluttery or just kind of silly to cover the floors? They are in really great shape and they''re pretty, but I love these rugs! The one in the living room would only be 4x6 so it would really just go in front of the couch and under the coffee table. But the one for the dining room that I want is 6x9. I would love any opinions/thoughts!

We have all hardwood floors and we *definitely* use area rugs! We keep a small rug in the foyer (just bought a new one from Crate & Barrel for fall, it''s gorgeous) and we keep one under our dining room table, and another one under the seating area in our living room. Our house has a really open floor plan, so they break up the spaces visually, and we also have a big wooden farmhouse table in our dining (the Crate & Barrel Big Sur, I adore it!) so we thought it looked cold with all that wood-on-wood action going on.

I really love our area rugs, they warm up the space a lot.

The one thing you want to make sure of is that the rug under your dining room table is large enough to cover enough ground so the chairs don''t fall off of it when people pull them out from the table. Does that make sense? I found guidelines somewhere on the Internet about how much extra coverage you want beyond the actual table, if you do a Google search you''d find it.

 

[HollyS]

Some from my favorite blog list:

http://southernhospitalityblog.com

http://sanctuaryart.blogspot.com

http://musingsfromafrenchcottage.blogspot.com

http://theinspiredroom.net

http://mynottinghill.blogspot.com

http://oursuburbancottage.blogspot.com

http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com


I have a whole bunch of them; mostly I prefer the ordinary people blogging about their lives, families, projects, dreams. I find the more personal blogs more interesting (to me) than the professional design blogs.

 

[iheartscience]

Date: 9/9/2009 1:05:59 AM
Author: pennquaker09

Date: 9/8/2009 3:06:41 AM

Author: Haven

I LOVE Young House Love. They are so impressive, and the reader redesigns are awesome for inspiration.

Haven, I LOVE Young House Love too!

Other blogs I like:

Eddie Ross
Vincente Wolf Blog
Elements of Style
Things That Inpire
Surroundings
Renovation Therapy
A Schematic Life
Colour Me Happy

I think it would be a great idea for you to purchase this: House Beautiful The Home Book. And this book is one of the best out there: Domino Book of Decorating.

Oooh, so many to look at-thank you penn! And those books look AWESOME...I just got a Barnes and Noble gift card for my birthday so now I know what to order with it!

 

[iheartscience]

Thank you nclgirl and Holly! I can''t wait to check them all out! I''m about to go to my soccer game, so sadly my house blog time is being cut into tonight, but I will check them out when I get back!