Clever Idea #3: The Vanishing TV

 We have all seen the storage lifts that discreetly hide a TV in a piece of furniture, but now I have found this marvelous lift that you simply roll under your bed and the TV glides out from underneath said bed and takes its rightful place at your feet for your viewing pleasure.  Genius!  Not to mention it's a great space saver.

It is the Anton Dream Machine.  "It is the most unique and innovative  product of its kind. "  Weather it be a mountain range, ocean view or you live lake side , you just want to be able to take full advantage of a beautiful view.  Now you can.  TVs  are a necessary part of life but seeing a little less of them and a little more of mother nature is a good thing.

Clever Idea #2: Painted Sisal Carpet

Mary McDonald

Oh, how I do love an idea that elevates itself; looks more elegant, more expensive, more bang for the buck!

Painted sisal rugs are so easy to do and make such great statements, whether the look of the  room is buttoned up or buttoned down.

Bunny Williams took a very formal room with a classic design motif and gave it movement and pizazz with this painted sisal.

Bunny Williams@ The Mount ph: David Dashiell

She did it again for Kips Bay.  The custom painted sisal in this case brings a cohesiveness to the many  elements within the room.

It can be as bold or as subtle as you like.  The neutral texture makes any design really POP, and works as the perfect canvas for your creativity.
Geometric pattern play seems to really lend itself to this application

Kate Spade

This room marries my 2 clever idea posts~ black board paint and painted sisals.  That IS clever x 2!

I raved about Celerie's room in this year's Kips Bay Show house.  There were a lot of great take aways, amongst them, the painted sisal.  And I now realize how pain staking all those curved lines are to create.

Celerie Kimble

Roman & Williams via Decorate your Digs

I would not have known this was a white sisal that Beth Martin painted with a purple pattern that received so much press.  It looks amazing!

ph:Simon Updike via Elle Decor

The "How To" couldn't be easier.  If I can do it, anyone can do it.  The right tools:  stencils or a ruler, painters tape, oil based paint painted on thickly with a stencil brush, and some polyurethane to protect it after it's dry is all that's required for you to go from drab to fab!

ph: Stencil Search

Sounds like a great summer project for the beach house!

                       For more details Design Sponge  has good directions or You Tube has a lot of How to's

Clever Idea #1: Black Board Paint

Rooms for Children

This is an oldie but a goody!   When I was researching this idea for a child's room, I was impressed by the sophisticated rooms designers had created.  They elevated the black board; made it more than an after thought hung on the wall.  It is an integral design element.   The paint now comes in several colors.

Rooms for Children 

Remodelista

Isabella and Max Rooms

I couldn't help but include this picture.  This simple technique in a relaxed Living Room has now elevated the framed black board to high art and for low cost.   It really works anywhere, love it!

If your not enthusiastic about the possibility of fingernails on the black board or you're more of a color purist, try:

A do it yourself dry erase board.  It comes in 5 shades of white and works with markers from

Blick

That's Clever!

Everyday Items~ Elevated

 Why do we settle for bland when we can have beautiful?  Everyday items we routinely look at get a decorative facelift from designers, stylists and artists.  We are all familiar with product designers who elevate the utilitarian, like Philip Starck;  I like when a common object is changed just enough to make you look at it differently. 

Reach by Design was created as a limited edition collection of fun, colorful toothbrushes by the likes of Celerie Kimble and Christian "that's fierce" Siriano.

Why have I been settling for boring beige when I can sport a sequined, gold chain, or lace looking band aid on my boo boo? Cynthia Rowley for Band Aid.

How many years have we just accepted the plain white diaper or ones with Sesame Street characters? Sophisticated babies crave to be more elegant.  Cynthia Rowley does it again with 11 styles for Pampers. Look for ruffles, madras and stripes, among others.

A wealthy Gulf Stream owner must have felt the same way; why not commission an artist to personalize my toy?  This really says, "I am unique!"  I would also feel much safer in the plane enveloped in hearts.

I like options; always have, always will.  At the end of my well-lived life, I may either be turned into a diamond (my kids think that's goofy, so I probably won't go that route) or at the very least, I would want to explore the idea of a decorative coffin.  No plain pine box for me; besides toile is timeless!

A Rubber Band Stream of Consciousness

I was looking down at my wrist and on it is a princess silly bandz (it doesn't matter why I was wearing it or how it got there as it pertains to my story), and I thought, "AHHHHH, it just takes an idea; one good idea!"  As I contemplated this, I recalled the rubber band table that I always thought was so fun.  You could totally make this yourself.  It's great in a kids room!

  

Which then made me think, "What else has been done with rubber bands?"

Lighting by Orchard Studio~

Shelves by Arianna Vivenzios~

Rubber band furniture, like this chair from designer Tom Dixon~

But why stop there?  How about clothing?~

Margarita Mileva thinking outside the box.  She does incredible jewelry as well.  Check out her Etsy store.

The ultimate expression of art, a sculpture made with rubber bands by Agnes Stansfield.

I don't know what she intended, but I surely am thinking, "Being pulled in both directions."  But we wouldn't know about that would we?