I’m not sure anyone will remember my mentioning it, but we had one our upstairs rooms done and it’s finally finished. Well, structurally, anyway. At this point we have the paint sitting in the landing, ready to go (two shades of gray, one light and one dark, for those curious). We just need to actually find the time to throw down tarps and tape up and paint. No easy feat when your family is comprised of two professionals and a toddler plus five cats who’d like nothing more than to track paint through the entire house.

At the moment, I’m trying to avoid thinking about when we’ll get around to painting so we can actually move in – this is our bedroom I’m talking about – and instead I am actively thinking what I am going to put in there! Right at this second, what I’d really like to put in there is at least one of these:

Walnut and powder-coated steel come together in a vintage-look side table that would look so gorgeous with the pair of low slung mcm-era Danish dressers my grandparents gave me who knows how long ago now. The designer is one Joel Nolan, and he is happy to recreate this side table in custom sizes and finishes in case the teal legs and interior just aren’t doing it for you like they are doing it for me.

Honestly, it has never occurred to me to think much about the differences between a decorator and a designer, or even to consider that these might be two wholly separate professions. But apparently in some circles, using the terms interchangeably could earn one a fat lip or at least no small amount of derision. The only problem? If Brian Patrick Flynn’s* Design Happens post from late last year is any indication, there’s not much in the way of consensus when it comes to how to use the two labels appropriately. Some people in the field strongly prefer one designation while others don’t mind them being used interchangeably.

According to interior designer Michael Habachy, “Decorating is a talent — either you have it or you don’t. Design is a skill that can be learned.” Whereas interior designer Betsy Burnham feels the line falls thusly: “A decorator is someone who furnishes a house and a designer is someone who provides interior architectural details, as well as furnishings.” And decorator Nick Olsen had this to say: “I think some designers scoff at the term ‘decorator‘ because it does have a more frivolous connotation — simply picking out paint colors and fabric swatches — but it’s one I’m perfectly comfortable with.”

There are plenty of guides out there that break down the differences between interior designers and interior decorators – here’s one example – but it seems like when you go straight to the source, the people who are actually getting in there are remaking people’s interiors don’t really mind what people call them, as long as those people are willing to pay them good money for their creativity, color savvy, and understanding of what makes a great space really great. In the technical sense, an interior decorator is usually someone with great taste who works to outfit an existing space, while an interior designer is someone with some degree of architectural abilities who will transform the space itself.

I definitely recommend that you take the time to read each of the 10 short interviews because it’s a really cool glimpse into the world of interior… whatever. Just choose the word you like best for now, I suppose. Or not – this was a really interesting read, too, and did a lot to clarify just what a licensed interior designer is.

*Speaking of Mr. Flynn, I am in love with this project!

Know someone who loves all that stuff that looks vintage but really isn’t? Here’s something for them: a vintage-esque tissue box holder meant to look like an old fashioned gum wrapper. But oddly, it has the words ‘TISSUE BOX COVER’ printed right on it which kind of ruins the effect.

There’s also a happy tooth and a line drawing of a box of tissues, which makes the whole thing even more confusing. And yet, I can totally see how that confusion might appeal to someone into that sort of thing. Hell, in twenty years or so, my kids might just pine after one of these because it’s so damn self-referentially kitschy. I’m gum! No, I’m a tissue box!

(As an aside, do people still put their tissue boxes under covers so no one has to look at the cardboard box? That always struck me as very weird. Just put your dang tissues in the cabinet.)

Okay, okay, I swear this will be my last ceiling post in a while. It’s just, have you even gotten sort of stuck or obsessed with one facet of a room and so it feels like every time you go looking for inspiration you end up focused on that one facet? Maybe it’s painted floors… maybe it’s wainscoting… or copper fixtures. In my case, at this point in time, it’s ceilings. So what ceiling got my mind racing today?

This one, from the Danforth Inn cupola, as taken by Zombie37. Now, I’m usually not much into the whole stars and moon faux nighttime sky thing – except in kids’ rooms – but I really like the look and feel of this one. One thing that appeals to me is that it’s making no effort to look authentic. And another is the beams painted in the somewhat lighter blue. It’s just fun and unpretentious and cute. Sometimes cute is just what’s needed to finish up a space.

Yesterday’s post about patterned ceilings apparently did not satisfy my enthusiasm for interesting ceilings. Why this new obsession? Turns out, our bedroom renovation is done, and now it’s time for me to paint and decorate, and I’m considering all kinds of interesting ceiling stuff. Today, I happened to spot some sweet decorated ceiling fans that prove that your ceiling fan doesn’t have to be boring. (And that having an eye-catching ceiling fan doesn’t have to mean choosing one with blades that look like leaves.)

Aren’t these ceiling fans fun? Most ceiling fans have removable blades, so you can get as creative as you want to with paint and stencils or Mod Podge and craft paper of fabric. And whipping up a DIY project like this is super easy and super fast – maybe even one of the fastest things you can do to spruce up your bedroom!

Images via Dittle Dattle; In My Own Style; The Mother Huddle (all with tutorials or links to tutorials)

Ceilings can be pretty boring. More often than not, they are your basic white, regardless of how colorful the rest of the space may be, and even bold decorators who have no qualms about painting with super bright or extra dark colors fear doing anything to the ceiling outside of putting a funky light fixture thereon. Painted ceilings are, in my experience, something one encounters only now and then, and usually only in pictures. As for decorated ceilings, those are even rarer outside of certain old churches and palaces. And it really is a shame.

Think you can’t rock a patterned ceiling because your house doesn’t feature large soaring ceilings plus lots and lots of space? Think again! Standard height ceilings in smaller rooms actually look better with a pattern than standard height ceilings in very large rooms. For example, how lovely is the room above, designed by David Cafiero and seen in Lonny? And while one’s first instinct – that patterned ceilings look best on high ceilings – a basic pattern like stripes or a dark border can look totally sweet on just about any ceiling when you use the right colors and coordinate with the right decor.

Not that there’s anything wrong with your basic white ceiling. In fact, if you’re planning on moving soon, I’d recommend waiting to experiment with patterned ceilings simply because renters or buyers may not want to tackle the job of painting over your experiment. While is still the most popular ceiling option, and doing the ceiling is the biggest pain in the butt when it comes to painting.

How adorable is this colorful rug designed by HAY? Named after a Danish candy – colorful, sugarcoated licorice balls – the Pinocchio rug is crafted in Nepal using hand felted balls of wool that are strung together like beads on a necklace.

Now, I don’t know about you, but when I see a rug like this, I am definitely going to smile. And maybe dance around a bit on it just to see how the felted wool feels under my feet. Unfortunately, the Pinocchio rug costs just about as much as you’d think, coming as it does from HAY. But it is available in a 35″ size and a 55″ size, and it will make me smile, so if you have a space $500 or $1,200 lying around, why not spring for one?

For Friday, how about this cute and lighthearted furniture by Helena Bueno and Heinz Muller of Brazil for Renata?

I would LOVE this for my own bedroom!

Hopefully, when you read the title of this post, your first reaction wasn’t “Huh?” because that would make me feel extra old. And I don’t want to feel old at the moment. But in case you are entirely unfamiliar with Space Invaders, let’s just say it’s a classic arcade game whose alien enemies have become iconic in certain circles. You might say it’s a nerd chic thing. And I, being a nerd, have been encountering a lot of these guys as of late. Here are three examples:

From Michael Siney Designs, Space invaders mirrors are a playful way to invite aliens into your home. At about $60 each, they’re not exactly cheap, but if you’re a fan of the video game then maybe it’s worth the price.

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And how could I not? Corita Rose designs amazing cotton and velvet fabrics full of bright colors and striking patterns that look as great on a couch as they do when they become a curtain.

I can’t get enough of their heraldic and folk-inspired imagery, and you can even see something of classic tattoo art in Corita Rose’s designs. If, like me, you love color and iconic patterns, then you should definitely cruise by their web site!