Industrial Chic • My Way

Industrial chic is very much a buzz phrase in home design today. It is certainly made popular by a lot of what Restoration Hardware has to offer. And I can relate to so much of it...to a point. Here are a couple of spreads from the currrent RH Source book.

I dearly love gears and lust after a set like this. But place them on a wooden sideboard or a natural stonewall not a cold metal locker in a gray and drab room.

Here are my gears, matching quintuplets gracing my garden. These were a surprise gift from my husband. I have continued the theme with others additions to my garden space. Here is a collection of metal wheels. Some have been gifts from my Dad, others I have found while hiking in the surrounding woods.

But not all examples are collections. We have a cyclist created from found metal scraps by metal sculptor Bill Heise. He is posed in action a top some rocks in a field of pachysandra.

I also have some crafted metal fish swimming through another area.  This aren't as  industrial but by the same sculptor.

I have a terrific gear from discarded farm equipment salvaged during a walk in the woods.  It leans against the stone wall in my front garden.

This larger gear still attached to the wagon wheel was salvaged in the scrap metal heap at the local transfer station.

And I have a trio of flowers crafted from stone and metal. These were anniversary gifts from our daughter on our 30th wedding anniversary.  The are by Eric Candee, a Colorado artist.

That is a part of outdoor collection of industrial chic. I have chains and pulleys and hooks all scattered through the gardens. I'll share some of my interior industrial finds in another post.

Previous Posts of Interest:

• Bicycle Chain Inspiration
• Gears and Wood Dynamic Combination
• One of a Finds
• Gears and Stuff

©2011 Ashbee Design, Marji Roy

Odds 'n Ends • Piggy Toes

A simple wire line bent into a triplet of feet with a suggestion of toes.

Brilliant!

It reminds me of my years in art school with drawing assignments using a continuous line.  It was one of the exercises professors used to assign me in an attempt to "loosen up" my drawing style. (Never happened!)

But designer Charlotte Tange uses the same concept here brilliantly to create a whimsical yet totally functional shoe rack.  It is a work of art when empty. It does a much needed job when not.  I love it!

I want one - and three pairs of red shoes!

Via Apartment Therapy

I just did a quick check to try and located these to purchase.  No luck yet but I did fing this note on Charlotte's facebook page:
"Charlotte Tangye Design Thanks for all your comments. From the end of next week (approx 16 September) the shoe racks will be available to buy online from: www.notonthehighstreet.com - with shipping worldwide."

Previous Posts of Interest:

• Storage Stairs
• Keep That Thought - Book shelf
• Literally - A Coat Tree
• Other Wooden Stairs to WOW Me

©2011 Ashbee Design, Marji Roy

Candy Corn Centerpiece • With Help

The beauty of the Internet and the blogging world is that we can acquire ideas and inspirations from each other. I just finished a Fall centerpiece inspired by others.....

This idea first crossed my path on a Curbly post and they credit the idea to The Swell Life. There is a step by step tutorial at the Swell Life although this one is fairly obvious. It is so easy!

Photo via The Sweet Life

I rescued a few bottles from the recycling bin. Mine were wine and soy sauce bottles! Spray painting was easy and the design makes use of the the beautiful gradations that occur naturally when using spray paint.

To the painted bottles I added candles nestled in candy corn, mini pumpkins and waxed oak leaves.

Tomorrow the extended family comes to dinner. We will be celebrating my Dad's 87th birthday on Monday. It was time for a new centerpiece and this one is fun and colorful!  I haven't eaten candy corn in years. Both David and I have been enjoying the bag of leftovers.

Thanks Alexa for sharing this great idea!

Update:August 6, 2012

I just love it when others take an idea from my blog (which I got from Alexa) and take it one step further. That is what blogging is all about - sharing ideas, learning, experimenting, growing. 

Here is a recent post starting from the Candy Corn bottles. Barb Schram added some snazzy embellishments to the spray painted, recycled bottles.

Check out her approach and website site with other projects here.

Also, Michelle asked in the comments for more info on how I painted the bottles. I'll reply here instead of in the comments so I can add a few photos. 

The Process:

• I set each bottle on top of a lazy susan spice rack and slowly spun it as I applied spray paint to the bottle. I used gloss paint because I had that on hand. I wasn't taking process photos yet but I do have a photo of me using a similar technique when spray painting easter eggs.

• To spray the candy corn bottle start with white paint at the top. Remember, with spray paint it is better to use several light coats to avoid drips. This is especially true on glass.
• Once the white covers the bottle and has dried about 10 minutes spray the orange, being careful not to spray over all the white but leaving an area of partial coverage to provide the gradation.
• Once that covers and dries repeat with the yellow around the base. Having the bottle elevated on the lazy susan and being able to spin them makes this project very easy.
• Allow it to dry well before moving or adding embellishments.

Click here to see the ombre eggs tutorial. Same process- different holiday!!

Previous Posts of Interest:

• Black-Eyed Susan Pin wheels
• Making the Most of Moss
• Buckets of Ideas
• Seed Pods • Beautiful Design for Free

©2011 Ashbee Design, Marji Roy