When I first started designing this mood board for the blog, I didn’t have a specific room in mind, only that it would be a home office of some sort. Then, when I showed this board to Greg, he did a back flip followed by a cart wheel. No. Not really. But he might as well have. I was super shocked when he said, “Yeah, I really like that. Actually, I think I’d like something like that for my office.” Really?! I was beyond shocked because Greg rarely voices his opinion when it comes to things interior design, and until that moment I always thought he wanted his office to be a pure modern, geeky, tech domain. Apparently he changed his mind. He said he’s not too crazy about the rug, but that being one of my favorite pieces in the room, I’m going to try to convince him it will grow on him! ; )

Regardless of what we end up with in Greg’s office, this mood board tries to capture a warm, modern with a touch of “old school industrial” feel…

1. Finishes - With this room, I have a lot of mixed thoughts when it comes to wall color. The safe bet would be Farrow & Ball’s Cornforth White with white trim. For a super modern look, white walls and white trim would do the trick. For an even more modern look, white walls and dark trim. Sounds a little odd, yeah, but I’ve seen this done in a bunch of decor magazines lately and has a really cool effect in just the right space. To give the room even more warmth, it’d be nice to add natural elements where possible – like a small potted plant (which would also add some more color) and reclaimed wood shelving.
2. Wesco Cord Hung Pendant Light - For the first touch of old school, we have this great red barn pendant light. It’s industrial and brings in some fun personality and a pop of color. Barn Light Electric even gives you the option to add a wire cage on it… yes please!
3. Large Deer Trophy - I’ve had a crush on this cardboard deer for what seems like forever. It’s fun with an obvious hint of rustic, plus you get the joy of putting this bad boy together!
4. Alston Curtain Panel - I’ve always been drawn to horizontal lines – especially when it comes to curtains. They are a great way to make tiny rooms appear larger – like Greg’s office! These (along with #10) bring in a graphic element that gives the room that modern feel.
5. Work Space - Every home office needs a desk and a comfy chair. To keep things simple, I really love the clean lines of this Parsons Desk. The medium wood tones bring some warmth and contrast nicely against the white desk chair. To add a bit of a natural element, I’d add one or two faux potted plants from Ikea (I love these things!).
6. Retro Dial Clock - This wall clock is the perfect fit for this room because it’s a tad old school and the red hands subtly tie in with the pendant light. The modern numbers also make it a bit masculine.
7. Strandmon Chair - I. Love. This. Chair. It made its debut in the new Ikea catalog, but it won’t be available in stores until this winter. I’m anxiously awaiting that day because if it doesn’t go in Greg’s office (which it probably will), it’s going in the living room. It’s modern with a Dick Van Dyke feel to it. It’s awesome!
8. Lighting Enterprises Floor Lamp - Yet another touch of old school. I think it’s a perfect pair with the Strandmon chair above!
9. Kvarnvik Storage Boxes - These storage boxes will be great for storing unsightly extra wires, parts and pieces. I love how they are covered with dark charcoal blue fabric and finished off with metal bracket labels – yet another one of my new Ikea favorites!
10. Abdalusia Dhurrie - Oh, this rug! This rug had me at hello. I first remember noticing it when Genevieve Gorder used it on her HGTV show. Ever since, I’ve been dying to find a way to use it somewhere in the house.

So, what do you think? Have any favorite pieces?

When I was in Disneyland last month, we ate lunch at Redd Rocket’s Pizza Port, the quick-service restaurant in Tomorrowland. On the back wall of the restaurant, they had an awesome collection of vintage Disneyland visionary posters. I immediately thought about how cool it would be to have a family bonus room or maybe even a kids’ playroom with these on the wall. Last night, I Googled “vintage Disneyland ride posters” and found a slew of inspiring works of art. Just looking at them on Google makes me wish I was back in Pizza Port with the rest of my family!

Even if you aren’t a big Disney fan, you’re bound to gain some inspiration from these posters. They have a definite mid-century flair; not to mention the awesome colors! That brings me to this week’s mood board…

This room was a lot of fun to put together because a bonus room is something we’ve always wanted. A room perfect for playing games or watching movies. Maybe one day when we close in the carport and make it an extra room, but until then, we have mood boards to help us daydream…

1. Finishes – In this room, color is the star. Barely-there gray walls with white trim work make an excellent backdrop. The wood pieces in this room (coffee table, TV unit, side tables, etc.) are all a natural walnut finish. Nothing says mid-century more than walnut! With all of the color and warm wood going on in the room, white accents really pop and bring in some modern flair. When you have light walls, lots of color and light furniture, it’s always good to have a dark element to ground the room. In this case, the “grounding color” will be dark navy blue in the form of a comfy sectional – but we’ll get to that in a minute!
2. Bella Porte Citrine Curtain Panel – The pattern is simple and modern, and curtains are a great way to bring in another color in the mix. I love this shade of yellow, and it goes so well with the other colors.
3. DIY Vintage Disneyland Art – Wall art is a great place to get your DIY on! For some one-of-a-kind (and non-cheesy) Disneyland artwork, print some old black and white photos of Disneyland off the internet or use photos out of coffee table books. With all of the other colors in the room, the black and white photos in gallery frames will really stand out and make a statement.
4. Maskros Pendant Lamp – This light fixture easily made it to the mood board because it reminds me of the Alice In Wonderland-inspired decorations at the Mad Tea Party ride at Disneyland.
5. Vintage Disney Collector’s Poster – Originals are definitely hard, if not impossible, to come by. An original was auctioned off last year in Hollywood for $2,655, so that’s a bit out of most people’s price range, even if they could find one. However, you can score a 12×18 reproduction on Ebay for around $6 plus shipping. You can also find a good collection of them here.
6. Karlstad Sectional – This dark navy blue sectional is the anchor of the entire room. It’s simple, clean and modern, making it go well with the other mid-century style furniture. I would definitely stain the block legs with some walnut stain to tie it in with the rest of the furniture.
7. Knitted Blood Orange Pouf – I just can’t get enough of this pouf from CB2! It’s cute, great color and serves as extra lounge seating – perfect for a bonus room.
8. Zuri Coffee Table – The warm wood tone and round shape of this coffee table really brings some great contrast to the room’s bright colors and straight lines. I also added this white bowl as an example of how white accents would work really well in this room (like I mentioned in #1).
9. Cole Chair & Ottoman – I’ve been a huge fan of this chair and ottoman for a while. I even used it in this I Love Lucy-inspired mood board a while back, as well as this Parent Trap-inspiried mood board way way back.
10. Vintage Aluminum Camera – Along with white accents, silver also looks really good against this color combo. And who doesn’t bring a camera to Disneyland? Yet another good way to bring in the “theme” without being “themey”.
11. Tivoli Audio Cherry Clock Radio – Simply put, I have a crush on this clock radio. I love how it’s retro and modern all at the same time.
12. Dash & Albert Diamond Rug – Not only is this the design lovely, but it’s an indoor/outdoor rug – making it perfect for a bonus room with a lot of kid action. Just take it outside and wash it off with the hose!

So, what do you think? Have any favorite pieces?

Disneyland poster artwork found here.

Okay, so I’m pretty sure this is going to be one of those “love it” or “hate it” kind of mood boards. However, truth be told, it’s one of my favorites so far. I am totally in love with the idea of rustic meets modern. Add a dash of quirky and that’s what this bedroom mood board is all about...

1. The Color Pallet – We’re going with light, barely there gray walls (like Martha Stewart Nimbus Cloud – MSL262) for the “canvas” for this room. We’ll also be working with one of my favorite quirky color combos: teal and coral. I love these two colors together! It’s fun and eclectic with a touch of feminine flair. It also has a slight hint of the 50′s era, doesn’t it? In my book, when you’re working with bright and vibrant colors (like teal and coral), and you don’t want the room to look like a nursery, it’s important to ground them with a few darker neutrals. In this case, we’re going with a dark brown / espresso.

2. Deer Head – I think this glossy white resin deer head is a prime example of “modern rustic”. On top of that, it’s the perfect package of fun, unexpected, and quirky. I’m totally determined to find a place for this guy somewhere in our house!

3. Eclipse Curtains (in Chocolate) – Since there’s a lot of color in the rest of the room, I’m thinking the walls, floors and curtains need to be in the dark neutral family. These chocolate panel curtains will bring in the needed darkness while offering some contrast to the light walls.

4. Breck Chandelier – I love, love, love this chandelier! I’m hoping to put it in our dining area one day, but the living room needs to be remotely finished before that can happen. It’s minimalistic and modern, but it somehow gives off little bit of a glam feel as well. I think its sleekness contrasts really well against the rustic finish of the bed and brings the whole room together. Look for Less: Try painting thrift store chandelier with metallic silver spray paint (or glossy white!), then switch out the light bulbs for clear round bulbs.

5. Drake Luxe Bed – Isn’t this bed gorgeous?! It’s so simple, but still makes a big statement. Look for Less: There are so many things about this bed that make it unique and awesome (like the distressed finish, the high headboard and low footboard, and the wood details). But you could always try to recreate the look with some elbow grease, paint (Martha Stewart’s Lagoon or Sunken Pool are a close match), and some distressing action. If you’re looking for a bed with the same lines, minus the finish, here’s something similar.

6. Natural Tree Stump Side Table – Made from solid cypress wood, one of these side tables on either side of the bed (or maybe one next to the chair) would be the perfect way to bring the outdoors in. Look for Less: Craigslist! Search Craigslist for “wood stump” or “firewood” and you’ll find the size you’re looking for – or someone who can cut it for you. To get a similar light finish like in the mood board, just cut off the bark and sand it down to a smooth finish. Then add several coats of polyurethane.

7. Dark Hardwood Floors – I felt like the board needed a little something more, so I added dark hardwood floors (image found here). They would look awesome with the wall color, not to mention #10.

8. Orimono Pillow – I adore this pillow! I bought one from Anthropologie a few months ago, but have yet to find the perfect place for it in the house – though I imagine it going really well in this rustic + quirky setting. The patches that make up the flower are really casual (almost country-ish) and have a lot of interesting patterns and colors.

9. Osman Chair – Every bedroom needs a comfy chair in the corner. I love this particular chair for this room because it has sleek lines and a comfy, tufted back. It’s covered with a super soft, poppy-hued leather that’s to die for. Look for Less: The key here is to go with a fabric-covered chair rather than leather. Find a chair with clean lines and a tufted back (like this one, this one or this one) and have it reupholstered in a durable coral fabric. To get the look for even less, get your DIY on and reupholster it yourself!

10. Insignia Wool Rug – Simply put, this rug is insanely awesome. It’s a mix between chevron and ikat. So, what’s not to love?! The marriage of the two styles is perfect for this rustic-meets-modern room. Oh, and FYI, this rug was designed by one of my all-time favorite HGTV gals, Genevieve Gorder.

So, what do you think? Love it or hate it? Any favorite color combos these days?