Global Style with Novica and a giveaway!

Are you familiar with NOVICA, the on line retailer of artisan wares? Until recently I was not, but after being contacted by a NOVICA representative and reading a few articles around the internet, I can now tell you how impressed I am not only with the products available on the website, but with the mission of the organization:

We want to give artists and artisans around the world a global platform to express their true artistic talents and to spur their creativity. And, we want to provide you with access to unique, hard-to-find items at great values that only the Internet infrastructure can allow.

At the deepest essence of our philosophy, we want to create a bridge between you and the many talented artisans across the globe.

We want you to know about who you're buying from. We want you to feel that attachment to the product and to the hands that created it.

In the spirit of the Internet, let us bring you together.

NOVICA. The World is Your Market.

 I have always believed in the idea that traditional arts and crafts are incredibly important to the survival of cultures around the world, but also to the well being and livelihood of individuals and families within those cultures. The premise that these people have another opportunity to sell their products in a more global way through their affiliation with NOVICA, while allowing the purchaser to know about the artist, is fantastic. The artist is able to display their products on the NOVICA site for free and the company makes money only when a product sells. In an NPR interview, here is what NOVICA's Catherine Ryan (aptly named "The Wander Woman") says about the connection between the artist and buyer:

  "If you go to a chain store world-art mart, you can buy a gorgeous piece of decor for your home, but it's just a pretty piece – whereas if you buy a piece from Novica, you know about that particular item, you know who made it, where they made it, how they made it. You've actually seen pictures, usually of their workshop, and certainly pictures of the artist. And you’ve read something they've written about – their dreams, their hopes, their goals, their history, their family."

The NOVICA site offers an amazing array of wares for the home and individual from scarves to jewelry, rugs to champagne flutes. Unique and intriguing pieces not found elseware.  Here is a sampling of the home decor pieces I am smitten with, items which will add a Global Style to any room:

Click on the icons below to go to the link on the NOVICA site:

Amazing right? Well today is your lucky day, because I have a wonderful GIVEAWAY for you!!!
After you have gone on NOVICA's site to see what inspires you, I want you to come back here for a chance to win a
$75 gift card to NOVICA.

Here is how to enter:

1) Leave a comment below about what you love on the NOVICA site.

2) Become a follower of Room Rx

for additional entries:

3) like Cathy Wall Designs on Facebook

4) like NOVICA on Facebook 

5) Follow Cathy Wall @ Room Rx on Pinterest 

6) Follow NOVICA on Twitter

7) Follow catwdes on Instagram

Come back and comment to let me know you have done each of these!

The giveway will be open until midnight on Thursday, November 29th and I will announce the winner in a post on Friday November 30th, just in time to get some holiday shopping done on the NOVICA site!

Does your room need a “prescription” for a change of decor, function or design? If so please contact me, I would love to help your room feel better with a Room Rx.

Patchwork: 6 ways to decorate with quilts

Recently I had the pleasure of attending the Fine Art of Fiber show at the Chicago Botanic Garden. What a delight to be immersed in the beauty of the work of many talented artists whose medium is fiber. From quilts to clothing and everything in between, the pieces were painstakingly created, with an incredible attention to detail. I was especially taken with the patchwork quilts....

 

How would one incorporate a quilt into their home in a way that avoids the cliche, "country" look?

1) Frame the piece and make it a focal point. The crisp pattern of this quilt adds a graphic touch.

Mrs. Howard Personal Shopper

2) Upholster a brightly painted chair in a more traditional quilt pattern.

Fiber & Fire

3) Frame individual squares to create a gallery.

Martha Stewart

4) Make a large lumbar pillow, let it steal the show as the only pattern on a sofa.

Blue Nickel Studios

5) Add seat cushions on kitchen stools, sewn from pieces of a quilt.

allpeoplequilt.com

6) Hang an oversized quilt, in a time honored way, as an accent wall.

Modern Patchwork by Elizabeth Hartman via pileoffabric.com 

Have you used a patchwork quilt in an interesting way in your home? I would love to hear, and to see. Leave a comment and a link and tell me all about it! 

Does your room need a “prescription” for a change of decor, function or design? If so please contact me, I would love to help your room feel better with a Room Rx.

Nail head trimmed memo board

Certainly you have all seen how nail heads seem to be the darling of the design blogs, there have been inspirational posts everywhere like this one  and this one. If you are like me, this is a trend you can get behind, or like my friend Pam over at Simple Details, underneath.... how about this amazing nail head ceiling? Go over and check it out, Pam tells you exactly how to do it!

 Simple Details

I had been thinking about recovering a memo board I already had for my office update  and somehow painter's drop cloths and nail heads seemed a good combination, but how to keep it interesting? When Pam mentioned that she was also working on a memo board for a client using nail heads, I knew it was time to stop thinking and start doing.... but I had to be sure about my designs...

 Simple, not sure about the curves....

 i heart norwegian wood

Interesting.... too complicated for a memo board...

Old Plank Road

Too simple?  (God forbid I would choose something too simple!!!)

instructables

Bingo!!!!

Courtney Hill Interiors via Decor Pad

And voila, my finished memo board!

Cathy Wall Designs

So folks, if you have been coming to Room Rx for a while, you know I have DIY - ADD, so this is not the place to come for the "how tos" or the step by step photos, just ideas and inspiration. I just like to "get 'er done" and managed to accomplish that in an afternoon. Unfortunately it took my hubbie over a week to "get 'er hung," but here she is in all of her glory along with a sneak peek of our office.

While my design is not original, I do think that "imitation is the most sincere form of flattery" and I was crazy about that memo board! I'm very pleased with how mine turned out. And just to be kind, here is a list of what you will need along with a couple of details on how I did it, no pictures, no cost summary just a couple of tidbits.

* Painter's drop cloth - washed and dried about 100 times to soften it up (really only 3 or 4), cut to fit with 3" extra on all sides

* homasote board - cut to size (homasote is a green product made from post consumer paper products) I found mine at the local Menard's Home Center

* staple gun and staples - for wrapping and securing the drop cloth onto the homasote board

* nail heads - I used a combination of the individual and those on a roll, in the shiny nickel finish

* measuring tape and calculator (for figuring out the size of your pattern relative to the size of your board, this is key)

 * metal snips - for cutting the rolled nail heads to the right length

* scissors - (I think you know what these are for!)

The finished piece is somewhat heavy, so my husband screwed it into the wall, locating the screws on the wall studs. Of course I had to make it complicated and have him do this relative to the nail head pattern like this:

That screw will be covered with a nail head, snipped of it's nail.... (neutered?!) and hot glued on top.

Wow, writing a "how to" post is exhausting!  Since this one was so thorough, please comment or email if you have any questions....!

We are almost done with our office, down to the details (and one more DIY project for me), so please be patient, I promise a full reveal in the near future!

Sharing here:

Does your room need a “prescription” for a change of decor, function or design?  If so please contact me, I would love to help your room feel better with a Design Concept Board or a complete Room Rx.

Read: House of Fifty

Janell Beals and her team have hit it out of the park, again! The new issue of House of Fifty is live and yet again, it is a winner. 

House of Fifty 

So many great features and articles... I need to hunker down and read every word, but here are a few that caught my eye on my initial peruse:

"Celebrating the Heart of the Home," featuring the kitchen and bath designs of Tineke Triggs principal of Artistic Designs for Living

Artistic Designs for Living 

"Wallpaper Love: The Vase"  about the resurgence of the use of wallpaper in home decor and specifically sharing this classic 1962 pattern by David Hicks.

"Talent We are Taken With: Holly Irwin" profiling the artist's work.

Holly Irwin

 An article titled "Generations, Manners & Communications: Bridging the Gap" about how to merge the best of the old with the best of the new in terms of communications. 

This issue also contains entertaining ideas and recipes, health and beauty tips, an article on organizing and more. Go see for yourself, you won't be disappointed!

While you are at it follow the House of Fifty blog so you don't miss future editions of this fabulous online magazine. And I'm sure you already know about Janell's blog, Isabella & Max rooms
it's a personal favorite.

Now I have to stop procrastinating with all of this fabulous reading and get something done...
Have a great day!

 

Does your room need a “prescription” for a change of decor, function or design?  If so please contact me, I would love to help your room feel better with a Design Concept Board or a complete Room Rx.

Cozy up with chunky knits

Welcome 2012! I hope you had a fun and relaxing New Year celebration and are ready for the fresh start that is the beginning of the coming year. Here in Madison, the cold winds have blown in and since my kids don't go back to school until the 9th, we are hunkering down, nursing our post holiday "hangovers" if you will. The Christmas decorations are packed away, the house is "clean enough" and while there are many projects ruminating around in my head and chores like grocery shopping and laundry to be done, all I want to do is curl up with a good book or hang out with the kids listening to music, playing a game or doing a puzzle. (Since I have teenagers, that is just me dreaming...!)

These chunky knits are just what is needed to get cozy wouldn't you say?  Talk about perfect seasonal accessories...

Sunday in Bed on Tumblr

room 269 on tumblr

busy being fabulous

 {via}

uber crafty via Better after

 
 {via}

Now that you have feasted your eyes, certainly you are wondering, "where can I get those gorgeous knits?" Lucky you, I have rounded up a few of my favorites from go to retailers and etsy vendors alike.....

Ferm Living

Bisquit Scout on etsy

dana's joy on etsy
 

casamania

west elm

Crate & Barrel

CB2

 Lands End

Nordstrom


 Do you have or use chunky knits to usher in the cold winter months in your home?  
I hope you have lots of great things on your "docket" for the week... I'll let you know if the game playing or the jigsaw puzzle happens here!
 

Does your room need a “prescription” for a change of decor, function or design? 

If so please contact me, I would love to help your room feel better with a Design Concept Board or a complete Room Rx.