Getting Handsy

(Image couresy of Apartment Therapy)

Please ignore the charmingly tow-headed children in this picture and focus instead on the incredible shadow puppet motif wallpaper behind them. It's kind of amazing.

You Light Up My Life

(Image courtesy of Apartment Therapy)

With the help of the glamorous Tupperware recycling bin taking residence in the middle of our kitchen, we feel as though we do our part to keep our cities' shit in order. We'll even pick up the occasional Colt 45 can that finds it's way onto our sidewalk. But this Apartment Therapy tutorial takes conserving to a whole new level. For about $5 and an old light bulb, you can craft yourself an adorable bud vase. Recycled malt liquor containers could work too but they won't look nearly as fabulous.

Double Vision



Pottery Barn $499

American Furniture Warehouse $199
(Images courtesy of Copy Cat Chic)

Our affinity for luxury combined with our need for a bargain can make shopping a harrowing ordeal. We've shared our splurge vs. steal accessory skills before, but have never had the same luck when it comes to furnishing our homes. Lucky for us, we have just discovered Copy Cat Chic, and could not be more excited. Like-minded blogger, Reichel Broussard takes bank breaking home goods and unearths their wallet friendly doppelgangers. How brilliant is that? Whether you're craving Pottery Barn or Eames, you are sure to find a stunningly affordable option on her site.

Follow the Yellow Brick Road

(Image courtesy of Apartment Therapy)

After months of weather-related abuse, our once lovely front door is looking rather bleak. While we could simply go the boring route and replace it completely, our inner DIY'ers wouldn't dare pass up the opportunity. Armed with enough paint swatches to cover a football field, and a newly minted spot on Home Depot's shit list, we are ready to refurbish. After going back and forth for way too damn long, we have finally decided on a bright, sunny yellow to compliment our brick exterior and black shutters. Far from traditional, but we have to pull the selfish card on this one. Offended neighbors be damned! It's going to look amazing.

Five Second Rule

(Image courtesy of Apartment Therapy)

As much as we adore entertaining, accommodating more than six people can be a bit of a challenge. Luckily, our guests are as creative as they are ''thirsty'', so we always make do. If there is ever a time to force a few friends to eat off of an ottoman, it is most assuredly in your mid-twenties. Although they seem to be down with it, our next house will have to include a few more adult amenities (a dining room for starters). On second thought, an island with more seats than we could possibly fill will do just as well.

Writing on the Wall

(Images courtesy of Better Living Through Design)

Until recently, the thought of wallpapering our homes evoked images of our grandmother's powder room or the lobby at the MVA. We stand corrected, however. And trust when we say that this a superbly bitter pill to swallow, as being wrong is the absolute bane of our combined existence.

 Primarily associated with her go-fuck-yourself amazing gowns, Vivienne Westwood has completely changed our feelings towards wallpaper. Through her collaboration with Cole & Son, the designer has bred new life into a decidedly geriatric trend. Gone are the days of muted pinks and monotone stripes. With the inclusion of bright abstracts, and magically non-preppy plaids, this collection is one that we are totally on board with. Now if only we didn't have to sell our house to afford covering a single wall.....

Hooker

(Image courtesy of House and Home)

While we have grown accustomed to simply tossing our coats onto the nearest chair when we get home, a more civilized approach is in order. We've yet to find a traditional coat rack that suits our fancy but these antler wall hooks may be exactly what the doctor ordered. Wall art and function in one? Yes, please.

Poor Unfortunate Souls

(Image courtesy of Apartment Therapy)

When we spotted this cephalopod-chair hybrid on Apartment Therapy, we knew that we had to share. It's bizarre, stunning, impractical, and amazing all at the same time. Will you ever see it in our living room? Hell to the naw, but it's still pretty freaking fabulous.

Hangman

(Image courtesy of Anthropologie)

After moving into a new house a little over a year ago, it took us literal months to hang anything on the walls. Despite the constant nagging of our boyfriend and friends,we just weren't ready to drill holes into our freshly painted dry wall. As time and verbal lashings continued, we eventually found pieces that warranted the level and hammer to come out of retirement. As it stands now, all four walls are blissfully adorned, and anyone who's name does not appear on the mortgage is not allowed to comment. That being said, some hanging room remains and we are hell bent on jazzing up the space with this guy. Sooner rather than later. We swear.

Technicolor Dream Home



(Image courtesy of Plastolux via Apartment Therapy)

Growing up, we wanted nothing more than a sliding board connecting our bedroom to the kitchen (we enjoy eating and sleeping, not much has changed). Our parents called our bluff on threats of emancipation, and we were forced to suffer through a slide-free adolescence. As it stands now, we are 20 years older, marginally less bratty, and still completely mesmerized by this livable playground. As amazing as the rainbow staircase is, it is only a fraction of the playful decor that this whimsical dream home has to offer. Check out the full tour over at Plastolux and then call mom and dad and let them know that you want a re-do.

Over Easy

Just saw this Lisa Perry spread over at seesaw. 

It's basically the adult version of every dream house we designed on paper as kids.

(Minus the egg omelet. We weren't that clever yet.)

Office Space

Suspended Tissue Poufs

Baltimore Who's Who Map

SOGH Painting and Bamboo Reed

It's not always easy to make your work space your own. After a recent office move, it seemed natural to redo the new digs, and we added color, humor and local flavor to create a little professional oasis.

We whipped up a few tissue paper poufs using bright green, purple and yellow with their alternating pastel shades. They hang above the desk and are placed perfectly to catch mid-eye roll.

Tom Chalkley is a local cartoonist who created a caricature map of Baltimore's finest. We found this one for under $30 at the Charles Village Barnes and Noble. It's a silly conversation piece but has also proved to be a wealth of Trivia Night information. (Montell Williams AND Edward Norton are from Baltimore. And they make very handsome bobble head cartoons.)

We were gifted this SOGH painting, but you can grab one on a quick trip to the American Visionary Art Museum for under $20. The artist works at Side Show (the coolest museum gift store ever) and we're willing to bet he'd be happy to chat about his wood block paintings.

The Onion mug was supposed to be a present but was "left behind" during a holiday gift exchange and now loyally serves as a green tea container and daily reminder.

Shades of Gray

(Image courtesy of RealSimple)

Maybe it's conditioning from all the rain we've been getting in Baltimore, but we're starting to warm up to gray. October's Real Simple showcases gray as the new base color and it's pretty fabulous. The layout features color accents that pop next to gray, and the floor length yellow curtains above are perfect with this shade. (Though we'd probably nix the Lucite table and waiting-room sofa.)

Fall always feels like the perfect time to re/decorate... a rich gray would look fantastic on bedroom walls, don't you think?

Into the Wild

(Image courtesy of thelovelylifestyle.)

While we tend to trend toward more classic interior decor, sometimes our inner Peggy Bundy pops out and delivers a fierce slap of ''Look at me!''. This happened most recently when we came across a safari's worth of animal print on Jonathan Adler's desgin site. Whether it be tiger, zebra, or the even the occasional faux snakeskin, a touch of the exotic can take simple to sexy... sort of like accessorizing the perfect LBD with some fabulous leopard Louboutins. 

Mister Adler has personalized exotic tastes by giving customers the chance to put their own mark on his fabulous rugs. Select a print and let your color palate run wild as you choose the final hue for you.

Catholic Gilt

(Image courtesy of ApartmentTherapy.)

For a while we have had our eye out for a really great church pew. Their simplistic design and sturdy construction make them the perfect non-flashy statement piece of your room. Pews keep their head down and do their job as highly functional detritus-holder, but outside church walls they can't help but humbly beg for attention. 

We've seen a few at Second Chance that were a little worse for the wear but we're heading back this weekend to see if  any more have popped up. The trunk above is great, but wouldn't a couple mismatched storage baskets look perfect under the pew?

Walking on the Ceiling

We love this Nate Berkus-designed room for being so versatile. It's cozy yet polished, eclectic yet harmonious and best of all- the over-sized windows and doorways create a seamlessly indoor/outdoor respite. We're also intrigued by the idea of heavily polished wood ceilings. The dark overhead wood creates intimacy, while the polished surface serves as a muted reflection of fantastic design.

Can't you see yourself sipping a Gin&Tonic with an old friend in those amazing green chairs?