Antique Maps As Wall Decor

Maybe it's because I went to school for architecture and spent one too many nights up during urban analysis, or maybe it's just because they're beautiful. But I recently came across these antique maps while curating the shopping portal(FashAndFurn.com/shameless plug/whatever/get over it); and thought I had to share. I instantly thought they were such a great idea for people who need something large in scale for their walls, but who don't want to be 'canonical' about it(as in art,-done,boring,take me somewhere else please). The below would all be amazing to be struck with, and amazing to look into(inspect) at a smaller scale up close. ...as maps are a record, it's a bit like having the texture of an unfolded book on the wall(only more beautifully drawn). You can check them out at the portal, I linked everything to the page that has them laid out so you can see them admist the others in one clean display... And then naturally you can follow through to the retailer if you're feeling in love about them and find your credit card mysteriously close at hand. Enjoy!




Thomas-Michael

FashAndFurn.com

Interior Design Ideas, Using Antique Maps As Wall Decor, 18th Century Paris Plan

FashAndFurn.com

Interior Design Ideas, Using Antique Maps As Wall Decor, 17th Century World Map

FashAndFurn.com

Interior Design Ideas, Using Antique Maps As Wall Decor, 17th Century Rome Plan

FashAndFurn.com

Interior Design Ideas, Using Antique Maps As Wall Decor, 17th Century World Map

FashAndFurn.com

Interior Design Ideas, Using Antique Maps As Wall Decor, 18th Century American Map

A Few Chic French Country Chairs

Hi. My name is Thomas-Michael, and I have an addiction to french country. Just kidding. Well, not really. Truth is I'm not exactly sure what it is about these pieces that I overly enjoy, but I do. They've got so much character. They're rustic and worn, but still as chic as anything slick and contemporary. They also have all of those incredible hand-crafted details that are so amazing. So, as I usually do when I remember to, or when it's just on the mind like it was this morning; I go check out this amazing little website I found about a year ago that has a small but really beautifully curated selection of antique provincial pieces. All merchandised gorgeously. It's truly a secret little find, and it's called 'The French Garden House'. It's where the below chairs as well as other things I'm sure I'll be posting about in the near future came from. So, just a quickie, a few chairs to get started for today; and for anyone who wants to visit the site on their own, there is a link provided immediately below each of the post images.

Thomas-Michael

frenchgardenhouse.com

Shabby Rustic Chic Antique French Country Chairs.
So here we go. I'm starting off with this gorgeous white on white Louis XV French style bergere. It's just really elegant, isn't it. Like I said above, I also love the way these chairs are merchandised. Love that newspaper wallpaper in the background.

frenchgardenhouse.com

Shabby Rustic Chic Antique French Country Chairs.
This is almost slightly medieval I think in it's form. Very strict and serious looking. Love it. I'm showing the back because I love the old wooden frames on these chairs. Really gorgeous.

frenchgardenhouse.com

Shabby Rustic Chic Antique French Country Chairs.
Some of the beautiful details in the chairs that I was referring to above. The caning is amazing here. Love everything about these chairs.

frenchgardenhouse.com

Shabby Rustic Chic Antique French Country Chairs.
And lastly for today's quickie post, a gorgeous vintage Louis XV upholstered daybed. This is such an incredible piece. Look at the curvature and the detailing on the frame. And so chic with that old gold gilt. All really beautiful. This is a theme I'm sure I'll have to come back to again, very soon.

Interior Design, Chic And Rustic Furniture From Anthropologie

A few weeks back I did a post on rustic bedroom ideas that seems to have gone over quite well. Apparently there are a lot of people out there looking to make things a bit more textural at home. Here's the post for reference, Ideas For A Rustic Bedroom Retreat. And so for today, I decided to cruise around Anthropologie and pull up some more great options for those looking to pursue this route. I love all of the below. And think most of them will work with what you've already got. In general I think it's safe to say that Anthropologie has a really nice thing going with furniture. It's a kind of rustic modern that I think strikes a nerve. Combined with a little bit of funkiness, it's chic and playful at the same time. So all of the below are from there, with a link provided below each image to the furniture section of the website for easy reference. Enjoy!


Thomas-Michael

anthropologie.com

Interior Design, Chic And Rustic Furniture From Anthropologie. Here's a gorgeous living room example of how you can pull the elements together. I love that old rustic wooden coffee table, as well as that chic off white sofa. It's clean but textural at the same time. The shape is nice and simple, classic and refined.

anthropologie.com

Interior Design, Chic And Rustic Furniture From Anthropologie. Here's a gorgoues bedroom example. The company has a few great bed designs, this one being an antique like canopy. The mirrored dresser I like as well.

anthropologie.com

Interior Design, Chic And Rustic Furniture From Anthropologie. A great rustic claw foot table. You could use it as a dining table or as a large desk. I also have to say that I love everything about how this company merchandises the products in these images. All gorgeous.

anthropologie.com

Interior Design, Chic And Rustic Furniture From Anthropologie. Now for some specific elements. This bed was in the post a few weeks back. It's still one of my favorite pieces of furniture. Hangs from the ceiling. You have to love those big rustic chains.

anthropologie.com

Interior Design, Chic And Rustic Furniture From Anthropologie. Here's basically a modern couch, but a little more rustic with those tufted sides and antique legs. A great example of furniture design that's clean but still with some character.

anthropologie.com

Interior Design, Chic And Rustic Furniture From Anthropologie. Some neutral seating options for your rustic space. A great armchair, stool, and dining chair. I love all three. The armchair is so chic and comfortable. And that stool in the middle has such a great shape. The bronze dining chair is classic.

anthropologie.com

Interior Design, Chic And Rustic Furniture From Anthropologie. And lastly some more colorful options. You don't have to be completely neutral to go rustic. All three of these are more than capable of holding the theme. I particularly love that old patio chair on the right. Such a great color and such a mysterious shape.

Anticipating The Fall

...a
little more like curving colour(say
orange)
...-E.E. Cummings

On a weekend in Somerset, it's already mysteriously in the air. And on the ground naturally. I was thus inspired to pull up some inspirational imagery for the season. Nothing strenuous. Just a few table settings, interiors, and a touch of fashion to get in the mood. The colors as E.E. suggests shift through orange. Ranging from neutrals to browns. Eventually. Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend!

Thomas-Michael

pinterest.com

Early Autumn Fall Color Inspiration. An early explosion of amber.

bhg.com

Early Autumn Fall Color Inspiration. To a perfect early autumn fall table setting in gold.

marthastewart.com

Early Autumn Fall Color Inspiration. Themes of the harvest. The last moments of green are more deep muted and turning in tonality.

countryliving.com

Early Autumn Fall Color Inspiration. To interiors where accents of orange momentarily come into play.

traditionalhome.com

Early Autumn Fall Color Inspiration. And deep browns. Notice how dark this table is.

chanel.com

Early Autumn Fall Color Inspiration. Finally, a hint of fashion. Beautiful golds and browns mixed in with Chanel. I love how they are pulling cultural influence from Egypt and the Byzantine into the season to achieve the palette.

Accent Light-Blue: Home Interior Design

Today's all about light blue. It's an amazing range of tones. All excessively calming. And they carry a multitude of associations. You can imagine a setting in Greece, something coastal or beachy, some old distressed blue wooden furniture found in a country barn somewhere, or even something South Western towards the turquoise end of the range. It's very versatile thematically, isn't it. As with most color, I prefer injections of it. Not all over the place, but just a pop of light blue here and there. And fortunately it's the perfect color for that. Where red for instance may be too powerful even in small doses. And green may get minty or look too deliberately chosen. Light blue has a funny way of seeming natural and acting neutrally even though it's not neutral at all. Perhaps it's the universality of it. Sea, sky, etc.

Thomas-Michael

freundevonfreunden.com

Home Interior Design With A Light Blue Accent Color. I love this blue chair. This image so perfectly demonstrates how just a little touch of blue changes everything and enlivens a room.

livethemma.ikea.se

Home Interior Design With A Light Blue Accent Color. Here's another blue chair. This time an old wooden one. These chairs immediately bring character to an otherwise neutral space.

functionals.eu

Home Interior Design With A Light Blue Accent Color. Think I want this table. Love it. It's kind of antique in shape, but the blue punches through a little bit of modernism. It's really nicely proportioned as well. The color fits beautifully in the space I think.

functionals.eu

Home Interior Design With A Light Blue Accent Color. Another shot of the table.

mixr.se

Home Interior Design With A Light Blue Accent Color. Some light blue on the wall would also be great. At first I thought it was art, only to realize it's a chalkboard. Either way I love the use of this color in big patches on the wall.

jamesmerrell.co.uk

Home Interior Design With A Light Blue Accent Color. Another way to go is to use the color sparingly here and there in the details. This image I really love because it's so subtle, yet here and there you can pick up the light blues. In turn they create a kind of latent subconscious tonality within the space.

citified.blogspot.com
housebeautiful.com

Home Interior Design With A Light Blue Accent Color. Some light blue accessories now. Blue chandelier and blue lightbulbs. It doesn't take much to activate these spaces in the mood of the color. And anyone can pull this off on short notice or with a minimal budget in their own space.

hostessblog.com

Home Interior Design With A Light Blue Accent Color. You could also just use a light blue centerpiece. This one is gorgeous. It's actually white but with that Tiffany blue ribbon it becomes subsumed in the tone.

etsy.com

Home Interior Design With A Light Blue Accent Color. A blue pillow is another easy thing to add quickly to bring some life into your space.

etsy.com

Home Interior Design With A Light Blue Accent Color. Who doesn't love old wooden country boxes? This one is perfect for the theme.

etsy.com

Home Interior Design With A Light Blue Accent Color. Now, if you're feeling a little more adventurous. Go find an old piece of furniture and get the paint out. This cabinet would look great in most situations.

indiandhurries.com

Home Interior Design With A Light Blue Accent Color. Even patterns look great in light blue. I doctored this rug pattern a little, but it would be a great one to throw on the floor in your living area. Particularly on a dark or black floor I think.

Getting Rustic In The Bedroom

Going to leave that title alone.


The idea here is pretty simple. Given that most of the blog readers here are urbanites. And particularly New Yorkers. Here's an idea to mix up and balance your everyday experience and life. As while we're constantly surrounded in computer screens, cell phones, modern buildings, electronic signs, monster advertising graphics, and slick modern contemporary design. Wouldn't it be nice to go back to your apartment and have a completely non modern experience?

You can still keep it clean, but a little rustic goes a long way towards feeling comfortable. Here are some basic elements for a bedroom for instance.

Thomas-Michael

apartmenttherapy.com

Home Interior Design, A Rustic Bedroom. I really love this image because it shows that you don't need much space to pull off rustic. It's just a studio but it looks great. This is something everyone can pull off. Even with a tiny apartment.

anthropologie.com

Home Interior Design, A Rustic Bedroom. This is one of my new favorite things. It's a hanging bed from Anthropologie. Rustic, but not too heavy looking. Great for small spaces.

anthropologie.com

Home Interior Design, A Rustic Bedroom. Here's another bed I like from Anthropologie for your rustic bedroom retreat. A little more classical, but still old fashioned. And still not heavy looking.

designsponge.com

Home Interior Design, A Rustic Bedroom. A little simpler option for your bed is simply to recreate the headboard. This is a simple DIY headboard made out of some old wood. Looks great. Especially with those antique pillows.

laylagrayce.com

Home Interior Design, A Rustic Bedroom. You're probably going to need a secondary piece of furniture to hold the theme. And it's always nice to have a chair in the bedroom. So here's a nice comfortable burlap one. Now, if your bedroom isn't big enough, this is still a great piece to have. Floating around in a studio for instance.

potterybarn.com

>Home Interior Design, A Rustic Bedroom. Accessories always help. I like these burlap baskets from Pottery Barn. Really simple. You can keep some spare linens or whatever in them.

potterybarn.com

Home Interior Design, A Rustic Bedroom. Maybe a lamp too. This one is mercury glass and burlap. Also from Pottery Barn.

www.theinglenookdecor.com

Home Interior Design, A Rustic Bedroom. And lastly some candles. I like anything that's numbered for no apparent reason. The more completely you address different scales, the more you'll get the feeling of the theme across.

Recent Interior Design Work: Meagan Cignoli's Visual Country Loft

For those of you who read the blog frequently, you'll probably recognize the name. Reference gorgeous fashion photography here, Fashion Photography, Meagan Cignoli.

Below is her loft, which Meagan uses as a combination live and work studio. I had the good fortune of advising her on the interior design.

Now, the existing condition is
1. Big open space.
2. Mminimal windows, and thus minimal light at one end.
3. It has to be extremely open for frequent events, gatherings, and photoshoots.

Given this criteria the idea was to
1. Challenge the scale of the space with a few big moments or elements.
2. Keep most everything white to allow for whatever slight natural light is coming in to keep moving throughout the space.
3. Define livable areas that feel comfortable, enclosed, and home like. All without literally dividing the space with walls. To define areas within areas I suppose.

There are notes below all of the photographs, and if you'd like to see more of my work you can simply visit my website at tmds1.com.

Thomas-Michael

tmds1.com

Home Interior Design, New York Fashion Photographer Meagan Cignoli's Live And Work Visual Country Loft. The exposed ceiling beams became a subconscious grid to regulate furniture arrangements into the larger space. We also defined areas like this one with large jute rugs below. This way the furniture can float in the space but also feel like it belongs to a designated area.

tmds1.com

Home Interior Design, New York Fashion Photographer Meagan Cignoli's Live And Work Visual Country Loft. Same notes as the first image, but I also want to point out the canvas in this one. To challenge the scale of the loft, we used big or oversized canvases throughout. Their extreme presence and position in an abstract way also helps to complete the space within space definitions.

tmds1.com

Home Interior Design, New York Fashion Photographer Meagan Cignoli's Live And Work Visual Country Loft. There are only three small windows twenty to thirty feet away from where this picture is taken. So you can clearly see the effect of using a lot of white. It really keeps the light bouncing around and dispersive within the windowless space.

tmds1.com

Home Interior Design, New York Fashion Photographer Meagan Cignoli's Live And Work Visual Country Loft. A dining room is defined simply an oversized dining table with a big area rug beneath, and an oversized canvas at one end on axis. With this kind of treatment you can define a space without literally dividing it off or enclosing it.

tmds1.com

Home Interior Design, New York Fashion Photographer Meagan Cignoli's Live And Work Visual Country Loft. Since the space is so big, just placing a bed in it would have seemed odd. It would feel small and lost. So I designed one into the column grid to integrate it with the existing architecture. We kept things industrial and loft like, so it's simply two wood box platforms with queen size mattresses on top. Remember, big space equals big moments. It may be the largest bed in Manhattan. Simply enclosed with some basic white sheers held from some old metal pipes. The sheers allow the bed to be closed off without being as opaque as a wall. I should also note that the box platforms are on wheels as some of the other furniture is. Just in case it needs to be moved out of the way for a big event or gathering.

tmds1.com

Home Interior Design, New York Fashion Photographer Meagan Cignoli's Live And Work Visual Country Loft. I also designed a big desk that Meagan could work on which would also kind of be like a moment since there isn't that much furniture in the space. It's oversized and made out of standardized lumber dimensions. I used them to create something like a screen pattern so it wouldn't feel too bulky. And thus maintain the theme of extreme openness. A simple large piece of glass on top is a great clean working surface.

tmds1.com

Home Interior Design, New York Fashion Photographer Meagan Cignoli's Live And Work Visual Country Loft. A bigger desk image. Here you can see the little wheels a few of the furniture pieces are on.

tmds1.com

Home Interior Design, New York Fashion Photographer Meagan Cignoli's Live And Work Visual Country Loft. Just a nice detail here. Less is more. You don't need a ton of stuff. Even in a huge loft.