Jeni's Design Diary

Today’s Eye Candy: Lights

Jeni Ellis — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 00:18:13 +0000

Source: Satelight; Bopha Devi Restaurant Docklands

Source: Satelight; Big Mama Restaurant

Kitchen Finishes

Jeni Ellis — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 22:20:43 +0000

I really like the look of these wood countertops:

Source: Design Sponge 06.14.2010

I also am falling for this idea:

Source: Poetic Home 06.16.2010; Parador

I’d really like to see this concept done with actual crates instead of just laminate.

Victorian Porch

Jeni Ellis — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 17:00:22 +0000

Porch inspiration:

Source: Archi Things

Fireplace Inspirations

Jeni Ellis — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 17:00:46 +0000

Here are two fireplace inspirations that have been hiding in my computer folders.

from: Design Sponge

from: Apartment Therapy

The Doilies’ Comeback

Jeni Ellis — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 17:00:04 +0000

These appeared on Apartment Therapy back in January, and I’m still coming up with variations of this idea. It makes me want to start collecting thrift store doilies. I’ve been thinking of a drum light shade in dark blue to go with my orange walls.

Artist: Marian Duijvestijn

Dreaming in Red

Jeni Ellis — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 22:37:08 +0000

If I were to ever walk on the red carpet, I would have this dress made for me. Of course, it would need a lining of some sort. Forget the red carpet. If I were a seamstress or could afford to pay a seamstress, I’d have it made now. A tea length version would be made for more casual wear.

This was made for the Chinese Paper-cutting Art Exposition in Wenzhou City, September 2004. I do not know the artist.

If I Had a Million Dollars

Jeni Ellis — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 02:01:43 +0000

I’d buy this Lineatre tub. I love the lines, curves and of course the sparkle! However, unlike the vignette it’s showcased in, I’d like to see it in an art-deco setting. I wonder if there is a way to create a DIY version.

Inspiration Catalogue

Jeni Ellis — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 22:41:32 +0000

I have struggled with sustaining this blog. I keep using the excuse that “I don’t know what to write.” If I were honest with myself I’d have to say that it’s not that I don’t know what to write about (I have a growing list of ideas), but that I am too lazy to put the time into writing and research.

On our January to-do list I put “go through all old magazines.” What this means is to continue my growing collection of torn out pages from various (mostly Better Homes and Gardens) magazines that have inspired me in one way or another. For a while it was great. I’d only keep 5 to 7 pages out of a 100 page magazine and recycle the rest. But as I sat down to rid my house of all the magazines I hadn’t gone through yet, I realized that my small, manageable collection has grown so much that it can’t fit into 2 binders!

On my About page I say that this blog is a way for me to keep track of inspirational ideas. So I’ve begun a new project: to find digital copies of my collection and put them up here. These will be no - brainer posts. They’ll mainly be an image with an explanation as to what struck my fancy.

So to start this off:

source: Better Homes & Gardens, April 2006 issue

Exterior House Design Idea for Ellis Manor

Inspiration

Jeni Ellis — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 03:17:31 +0000

I skim several design blogs, and one day my eyes caught this on Apartment Therapy. I like this so much that I keep coming back to stare at it.

"Eclectic Charm"

Source: Southern Accents; Photo: Pieter Estersohn; Designer: Amelia Handegan

I like the mix of textures & it’s simplicity. I really love the material on the bed!

Whimsical vs. Eclectic

Jeni Ellis — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 23:35:51 +0000

When you think of whimsical, what do you think of? My first reaction is fanciful: fairies, wings, shimmer, iridescent materials & surfaces, very saturated colors. A while ago I was told that my house is whimsical. That word had never come to mind while thinking about this house. After mulling over that thought, I do hope that it is! I would love for people to feel like they’re in a special (maybe a bit magical) place when they visit.

To effectively plan that whimsical place I need to have an understanding of how whimsy and interior design relate. So my question is, what is whimsical design? In my quick but not thorough search, it appears that many eclectic designs are also described as whimsical. Mainly the term whimsical has been used to describe the decor, not a design style.

First, let’s define both terms. According to Marriam-Webster, whimsical is defined as: full of, actuated by, or exhibiting whims; resulting from or characterized by whim or caprice; especially: lightly fanciful (whimsical decorations); subject to erratic behavior or unpredictable change. Their definition for eclectic is: selecting what appears to be best in various doctrines, methods, or styles; composed of elements drawn from various sources.

Using the above definitions we can say that whimsical design is being unpredictable, characterized by surprises to the visitor; while eclectic design is well edited spaces that combine several styles. There are eclectic designs that are whimsical, and also designs that are whimsical but not eclectic.

To plan a whimsically designed space, keep its definition in mind. It’s to present the unexpected.