Can I Live Here??

But seriously... can I really live here?

From the oversize chandelier, to the exposed brick wall, to the high vaulted cieling, to the black and white contemporary furniture, and tons of light and windows...  I have some serious jealousy looking at this!  Don't get me wrong, I love our little apartment, but sites like Lonny and Pinterest make me green with envy over other people's homes that boast fabulous architectural details.

Normally, my taste is a bit more traditional, and I like to use more color in our home, but the black and white (and shades of grey) in this room are so clean, and bright, and pretty... I can't help myself!  This room takes the staples that I love (clean classic lines on the "core" furniture - sofa, chair, side table) and couples it with some masculine feeling contemporary pieces (the coffee table, graphic pillows, and brick wall).

I've gone out of my comfort zone for this inspiration board, to put together a room that "feels" the same as this inspiration, but is much more in line with the budgets normal people (aka me) would be working with...

Inspiration: Black and White Opulence:

The goal here is to create the same look and feel of this lofty, architecturally stunning room, when the details may not already exist.  Kris and I live in an art deco apartment from the 1930's.  It does not have exposed brick anywhere, no vaulted ceilings, and no arched windows overlooking a courtyard.

Tom Hagga makes some really awesome wallpaper's, and the one I used in the inspiration board has the look of exposed brick.  I'd be really careful when deciding where to roll this paper on the walls.  Keep in mind that from a distance, it looks like brick, but up-close there is zero dimension.  I'd be sparing, using cool paper like this on a small wall, or on a wall with large windows, so that this paper peeks out from the architectural details - as opposed to dominating an entire wall.

For rooms without large expansive windows, Ballard Designs has a huge assortment of floor to ceiling height mirrors that have the look and feel of windows (pretty clever, eh?).  The Amiel Arch Mirror has a lovely dark maple arched frame, and antiqued mirrors that reflect light.  This would be an awesome solution to open up a smaller room.

Aidan Gray Kason side table is pretty much perfection.  I am a sucker for a pretty pedestal, and the weathered wood on this perfection.  For a tenth of the cost, the West Elm.com Turned Pedestal Side Table (made of mango wood) has the same dimensions and would do the trick just as well.

The finishing touches bring the room to life, and add a bit of glamour - with the mercury glass lamp, the pretty chandelier, and the graphic black and white throw pillows.  One note with a chandelier - do not try to hang in the center of a living space if the cieling isn't vaulted.  Opt for a corner over a chair for reading, or over a desk on the room's perimeter.

For some greenery, a fiddle leaf fig always looks well groomed, orchids mean minimal maintenance, and the little black stallion figurine is as sassy as it is inexpensive (I went with black here, but gold would look awesome too).  I took a queue from one of my favorite bloggers who spray paints inexpensive children's toys to display as art - yep, $2 plastic toys become decor.  It's pretty much genius if you ask me.  Check out Cassie's DIY Brass Figurines to see the before, the after, and trust me when I say it looks amazing.


Tom Hagga Exposed Brick Wallpaper (price upon inquiry)

Target White Slipper Chair $199

ZGallerie White Graham Slip-covered Sofa $899

Crate and Barrel Frame Medium Coffee Table $499
Aidan Grey's Kason Wooden Side Table $1200 (West Elm's Turned Pedestal Side table is VERY similar at $199)
Home Depot Chandelier $99
RugsUSA Dark Grey Rug $300 for the 8x10
Ballard Designs Amiel Arch Mirror $699 (each)
Homegoods Mercury Glass Lamp and Shade $40
Horse "Sculpture" DIY (idea from the fabulous Cassie of HiSugerplum)
Black and White Graphic Throw Pillows: Etsy ($30-50 each)
Fiddle Leaf Fig Plant + White Orchid