Let’s party like it’s 2008 shall we? Bring back the TomKat bob, the multiple pairs of Crocs and Crank up the “All the Single Ladies” and let’s put a ring on it – or any accessory really…because today we are flashing back to do a little post called Outfitting A Room. Fo shizzle my Domino-lovin-nizzles.
I’ve done it in the past (check out the 2008 version here) but this time, I am hoping that this will inspire some of you who are struggling with the I-don’t-know-where-to-start-in-this-room and end up strutting around with the I-just-taught-this-room-a-lesson-in-decorating attitude. I get so many emails from folks that are asking for help on how to get a room started and this is just one little method that can help a newbie in the world of design. As said newbie, this helps me a lot. I can often put together an outfit that I like but when it comes to a room, I’m stuck. So I just simply think of things in terms of a complete ensemble and it sortof makes it easier to digest. Sortof like when you burn the bacon but then you put a little honey or pepper on it and it just slides down your throat.
First – my inspiration outfit.
And now you know why I don’t show pictures of me more often.
1. Kudos to those with the skills to use a self-timer sans tripod while capturing their entire outfit and still being in focus (it took me 19 attempts)
2. Kudos to those who can be in a photo without whipping out the jazz hands or the Joker face complete with scary eyebrows (shield your small children from that photo)
Tear your eyes away from my explosion of awkward for a moment and focus on what I am wearing. A simple navy dress from Target, a red & cream Old Navy cardigan (from Goodwill), navy tights, red Tyler shoes (hand-me-downs from my sister who has much better taste than I do), a cream flower headband from JCrew outlet and a dark brown leather skinny belt from Abercrombie (back when I was in college and the catalogs were only mildly pornographic).
And here is what I came up with in terms of an outfit-translated-into-a-room situation:
Let’s just start with the obvious…the color scheme is straight outta the outfit. Red, cream, blue, brown. I started with pretending that the navy was the wall color…then I just moved into ‘we need neutral territory’ with the Ikea rug and Pottery Barn couch. The idea of putting even more neutral up on the window coverings is because the wall color was so deep and needed lightening up (but it works with even lighter colors as seen below). Red is seen primarily in the Target chair, Pier 1 art, and the etsy throw pillow (three things is a good number!) and they add life to the concept. The brown leather belt is picked up in the huge Target storage ottoman (and any future side tables, etc) while the art really translates well into the space because it has little splashes of red & blue & cream while being subtle and still mature.
The texture of the moodboard is drawn from the outfit as well – the flowery details of the art & sidechair nod to my headband. The stripey nubby feel of the drapes is pretty much how all my pantyhose look. A sweater of a rug is plush and comfy – just like my cardi. And the sheen of the dress hem and belt are definitely reflected in that ottoman.
When it comes to overall style the moodboard also blends well with the outfit. They are both casual, a little quirky, a lot girly, and still functional (my dress has pockets & that ottoman can hold a couple domestic cats, a bag full of other bags and a small child who is also holding a small child. And that my friends is called roomy! Everything you ever wanted in an ottoman 🙂
But I really wanted to show you how it could translate into a pretend space…here it is with a navy wall:
But it is equally purty with a creamy grayish tan wall too…
The key lesson here is that you already have style….it’s just hard sometimes to look at a big blank room and take a step forward. So pick some inspiration – whether that be an outfit, a piece of art, or even a picture you took on vacation that you adore and use the things you love about that item (the feeling, the colors, the texture, the overall style, etc.) to start working on your room. And remember, just like an outfit – it’s a work in progress. You would not believe how many pairs of shoes I tried on or how many cardigans are now on my closet floor before I found a look that worked. So don’t give up on your room either!
Now for you to chime in – anything in this room you love? I have to admit I am crushing hard on that ottoman and the couch. Oh and those pillows. ok ok…pretty much everything. Or maybe you draw inspiration for decorating in other places – where? Or perhaps you just wanna say how awkward it is to self-photograph…because dude, it totally is not for me and my spirit fingers.
SOURCE LIST:
(couch) (rug) (drapes) (chair) (ottoman) (art) (red pillow) (blue pillow) (sidetable)
I cannot tell you how funny I think you are! I had to get a grip and keep the laughter internal (being at work and all). Needless to say, it was difficult and people were suspicious…
The room and the outfit look lovely; great tips on how to draw inspiration from the unexpected while showing that we have to be creative every day with the wardrobe!
Aw, cute idea! That couch is really beautiful, and I love that ikat pillow!
I love your blog, but read this post and moved on in my reader for a moment.
Then…I realized that this is EXACTLY what my mother needs. I use my house as my personal expression because I hate my post baby body and pretty much only wear black. My house gets to be cool and modern and no one is going to tell me it looks ridiculous. Okay, maybe some therapy is in order.
But! My mom lives upstairs from us in an identical flat and she is having the hardest time decorating her house. She can’t figure out what she likes and if it is “her” enough or if it is TOO her (she has a very eclectic style). This is fantastic and I’m emailing her this link as soon as I press send. Hopefully now we can get her favorite three outfits on and decorate the house that way.
Brilliant!
a) You are adorable.
b) This is such good advice! We just bought a house and I’m in the process of trying to decorate it, which is going to be a long, drawn-out process for two reasons: I’m indecisive and not rich. BUT this makes the whole thing seem much more manageable. Thanks for not only putting together this board but also explaining why it works.
I love the idea of styling a room based on your wardrobe. After all, the clothes you buy are pretty representative of what you like. The outfit you chose is super cute (as is the room!)!
I really love the blue walls and that little bike pillow (I have a definite tendency to be drawn to blue and shades of it). I would have never thought of styling a room based on wardrobe, but it makes complete sense now that you’ve said. Thanks so much for the advice!
Katie – your smile is contageous!! So adorable! Love the outfit – AND the decor!
Katie, you’re hilarious. And helpful.
I really like the idea of “dressing” a room. Of course, considering the time I spend blankly staring at my closet each morning trying to decide what to wear, I might not want to apply this theory 🙂
So cute (your outfit and the room’s)! It makes sense to approach a room like you would an outfit. I like to see what’s going on in the fashion world and take it as a cue as to what would look good in a room. Example, yellow and gray was everywhere for a while in bedding, room decor etc and also in clothing. It’s fun to make the connections.
Love the idea. Kind of helps designers block/decision making!
PS- SOO excited to see photos on Norn’s wedding. Anxiously waiting to see what she decided on for decor/styling!
Great idea! I wear a lot of pink and brown though so I don’t think hubby would be too happy with me decorating from my favorite outfit! 😛 He likes browns, greens, and blues so maybe I could use one of his outfits instead! 😀
Blast!! I enjoy your blog but you are leading me into bankruptcy- obviously, I headed right over to Target.com (after leaving the physical store not 20 minutes earlier, I have a problem.) and ordered that ottoman even though my husband hates leather. Well, too bad! This is a great mock up especially for those of us who love neutrals, thanks!
Katie – such a great idea! I would never have thought of that – so thanks for the inspiration! And I love your honesty and showing us your awkward photos – self-photographing IS very hard and 19 times is not too bad actually 🙂 Love love love your blog!
Oh wow! You so hit the jack pot! This past summer we painted the walls navy blue and gray! Except I was going for the third color more on the yellow… thanks for the inspiration. We did stain the side table the dark brown. But this it so helpful!
Love this idea! Please do it more often (than, say, every three years)! 🙂
you are so cute!! I have a 6 month old little boy who looks like his daddy. One day I want a little red head!!
Bacon: http://i.imgur.com/YV54F.jpg
I am facing a major room dilemma with our spare bedroom/craft room. I will be trying out your idea and creating my own inspiration outfit- although being 5 months pregs presents some obvious challenges for looking super chic! Truly enjoyed this post 🙂
When are you going to blog about your sister’s wedding? soooo want to see it!
Yay!I totally have those chairs from target- they are more of a burnt orange than a red but rad nonetheless. You are insanely adorable (and hilarious). The chairs (with my aztec rug) here: http://quirkykatie.wordpress.com/2011/08/12/rug-in-action/
I just had a major epiphany with the outfit that I am wearing right now! It’s got some browns, corals, creams and tans. That’s exactly what I want my family room to look like, since I’ve already got a brown sofa, tan(ish) area rug and cream chaise lounge. I was looking for an accent color to reupholster my ottoman, and lo and behold, it was on my shirt this entire time! You’re a genius!
hmmm… this makes me want to put more thought into my wardrobe… 🙂 Thanks for the inspiration!
what a good idea! i enjoyed today’s post 🙂
Cute post, Katie!!
Like I said in the post – I didn’t take many photos – partly because it was at my house and I was running around like a mad woman and partly because I was IN it (as was Jeremy) so my sis didn’t approve of the whole giant Canon 5D peeking out behind my bouquet of baby’s breath. You will have to suffer through the patience just like me while we wait on my sis’s photography to get back 🙂
xo – kb
This is really cool – thanks Katie
P.S I love the jazz hands!
If the alternative is duck face, I say go joker, and go big! (As if there was any other kind of joker face). Personally, I’ve been trying to work in some new expressions, but it’s not going well.
We did a navy blue on the walls in out dining room, and I can’t express how much I love having such a dark blue wall. Feel free to take a look: http://nepdxbungalow.blogspot.com/2010/09/dining-room-project-complete.html
Oooooh– I NEED that rug. Love this post; you should make it a monthly feature!
LOVE this post – keep these coming! 🙂
Great advice for those of us (like me!) who can successfully get dressed every morning, but get a little overwhelmed when it comes to the big, blank slate of starting a new room! Love the self portraits, too! 🙂
Love the room inspiration boards! They look great.