New Blog/New Name

Please visit my new blog at www.stylecurator.wordpress.com. I have decided to blog on more topics than just decor-I hope you visit and I hope you enjoy.

Curating a Bookshelf - mspitzer - OpenZine, Create Your Magazine

Curating a Bookshelf - mspitzer - OpenZine, Create Your Magazine

Shared via AddThis

Styleguide:Layering Mirrors

Images Top: Todd Romano's Apartment via Habitually Chic/ Elliott Puckette's Apartment-Elle Decor via StyleCourt/ Next: Image Unknown Credit to Original Photographer/Next: Chloe Sevigny's Apartment -House and Garden/Bottom: Elle Decor

One of the riskier design tricks is to layer mirrors with smaller mirrors or oil-paintings. At worst,it can look gaudy and overdone. At best it can look like the rooms above. The overall effect of the images above seems to be spaces that are perfectly layered and accessorized. I think the layered mirrors add an element of completeness and the unexpected.

Currently Inspired By: Chesterfield Sofas

Images 1.: Alexander Wang's Studio-credit to original photographer, Images 2,3,5,7 Unknown Credit to Original Photographer, 4-Lilli Diallo, 6. Zara Home catalog, 8. Photo: Dean Kaufman, NY Magazine

I never thought I was a huge fan of the Chesterfield. A little too stuffy. But as I was flipping through the current New York magazine, an image caught my eye. It was David Alahdeff's ecclectic living room with a hunter green Chesterfield.(Be sure to check out the rest of his space) I then flipped through all my images and noticed that many of the rooms contained a Chesterfield, so I must gravitate to them unknowingly. What I then realized is that in all the images, the stuffiness associated with a Chester is offset by an ecclectic, bohemian, relaxed vibe..more my stye indeed.

ChicFind: www.polyvore.com

Since my blog's inception, I've been inspired by the collage display similar to those on Tory Burch, 1st dibs, Vivre, and Net-a-Porter. I love the virtual magazine/collage. I stumbled upon polyvore and voila-my own collage. I started easy with a Moroccan Inspired theme.

StyleGuide: Salon Art Gallery

Kristen Buckingham's Version. Image: via Elle Decor

One of my favorite images. June Rehak's flat. Image: Heidi Lerkenfeldt

I love the addition of something 3D-add a lot of interest. Image Via:Domino

One of my all time favorite rooms for other reasons, but love the gallery. Image: Domino

Maximilian's Preppy/Boho Wall. Pure Genius. Image: NY Magazine

I am currently loving the "salon" style of hanging art. It is calculated chaos. It is just as hard to achieve the right balance as curating a bookshelf. The much blogged about Maximilian Sinsteden has captured that preppy/boho salon look brilliantly in his dorm room. I love these walls....

StyleGuide: Curating a Book Shelf

Image via Coco Kelley. Stylist Lili Diallo

Image: Unknown Credit to Original Photographer

Image unkown. Tracy Garret's Apartment

Image via Domino. Credit to Original Photographer

Image via Domino. Credit to Original Photographer

One of the harder tasks as a designer is to curate a beautiful bookshelf. There is a fine line between a cluttered bookshelf and a decorated bookshelf. There needs to be the right mix of books and decorative items. There also needs to be the right balance of heavy objects and airy objects. Some tips for curating a bookshelf and some really inspiring photos.

TIP 1 - The basic rule is the rule of thirds, one third books, one third accessories, and one third empty space.

TIP 2 - Work from left to right on the first shelf and right to left on the next. This will help achieve balance.

TIP 3 - If you have high books on the left side of one shelf, you don't want the same type of books and space on the next shelf.

TIP 4 - There is no reason to line up books like a library. Try lying a pile of books on their side and use them as a bookend or to lift up an accessory.

TIP 5 - When choosing accessories think color and texture. Some colors will better enhance your books or the room as a whole.Textures (horn, shagreen, shell, metals, etc) create interest. Also, break up collections and scatter them around the bookshelves.

TIP 6 - Be sure to include free space. You'll need a place to rest the eyes. If you crowd a bookcase it's going to look messy.

TIP 7- Take breaks. Step away from the project and return to it after some time to gather a new perspective on the space.