Why Don't You: Hang a Picture Ledge

Now that our house is in a more comfortable place, I'm turning my focus back on to the site (redesign almost done! huzzah!) and to my design business. I've picked up a couple new clients this month that I'm excited about. <a href="http://instagram.com/p/r3HSHhQW-3/?modal=true" target="_blank">I flew to New York</a> last week to meet with one of them and to help the other style her home after a big move. One of them has about a million framed family photos - and they are beautiful! So homey and personal. None of them are formal portraits, just sweet candid shots, lovingly blown up and framed. I came home inspired to tackle the monumental task of sorting and organizing and printing our favorite family photos. (still working on getting to that one!) :/<br /><div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo b4b6c7fb6c852345c7f502cc32fb2367.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda032/b4b6c7fb6c852345c7f502cc32fb2367.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="http://www.domainehome.com/higher-education/" target="_blank">Domaine Home</a></i></div><br /></div><div>You all know I love a good <a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2014/08/one-ottoman-three-ways.html" target="_blank">gallery wall</a>. I think it's a great way to display a collection of art or photos that are different, but work well together. I've been thinking of other ways to display family photos besides the traditional nail-in-wall method (something like my friend <a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2011/10/house-tour-emily-and-todds-dining-room.html" target="_blank">Emily's picture rails</a>), and I am finding myself so drawn to picture ledges that look like these below - simple, mostly monochromatic, and really artfully curated.</div><div><br /></div><div><div><center></center></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo e3fc725ba337165a34fbff88d2dc7c57.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda032/e3fc725ba337165a34fbff88d2dc7c57.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">IKEA sells a simple <a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50152595/" target="_blank">4' ledge</a> for only about $15. It would be so easy to make your own version too, with a few pieces of glued and pinned together lengths of wood.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo 7f7ac78cc81eadf23bd94a9659d110d4.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda032/7f7ac78cc81eadf23bd94a9659d110d4.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/351843789608250728/" target="_blank">image</a></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo 09f18de6cff584196fa5fd4b0c17562d.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda032/09f18de6cff584196fa5fd4b0c17562d.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/417849671648555652/" target="_blank">image</a></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo e2bbf1cce13dcd056742ae0037038eb2.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda032/e2bbf1cce13dcd056742ae0037038eb2.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/367887863283876915/" target="_blank">image</a></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo 304a192fe41f9298ef72ab8932250bff.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda032/304a192fe41f9298ef72ab8932250bff.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="http://indulgy.com/post/zb6z6BgqM1/shelves-instead-of-nails" target="_blank">image</a></i></div></div><div><br />I really love India Hick's family photo ledges in her dining room. I'd love to do something similar in our dining nook. It makes me happy to think about seeing all the faces of people we love and have been inspired by every day, at every meal! And what a great conversation starter for dinner guests!</div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_8777.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda032/IMG_8777.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Have you seen any cool/different ways to display family photos lately?</div></div><div></div></div>

Why Don't You: Hang a Picture Ledge

Now that our house is in a more comfortable place, I'm turning my focus back on to the site (redesign almost done! huzzah!) and to my de...

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Why Don't You: Make a Fancy Credenza

I've been working on the design of our <a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2013/06/valley-house-tour-soon-to-be-library.html" target="_blank">library wall bookshelves</a> the past week or two. We're wanting to do a credenza-type storage piece all along the bottom of the shelving units so I've been digging up photos of vintage credenzas I've taken at antique stores over the years, and I've been doing lots of research on Pinterest and in my pre-Pinterest file folders. I don't think it's the right fit for our library space, but I really love this antique credenza from the 30s.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_3811.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2016/IMG_3811.jpg" /></div><br />I found it at Horseman Antiques on Atlantic Ave. in Brooklyn, which was not too far from the school my girls used to go to. The store is huge and most of the pieces are not especially affordable, but it does feel like a treasure trove. I loved to pop in often after school drop off to get inspired and every now and then I'd buy something for myself or for a client.<br /><a name="more"></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_3814.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2016/IMG_3814.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_3815.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2016/IMG_3815.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />I didn't buy this mirrored glass piece, but I think it would be such an easy IKEA hack! Just a Besta unit and some mirror custom cut to fit and some glass and mirror glue and you'd be good to go! This is basically what I did for the doors of <a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2013/10/my-first-domino-article.html" target="_blank">my IKEA Pax units</a> and the mirror wasn't all that expensive and could not have been easier to install.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_8055.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2016/IMG_8055.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_8058.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2016/IMG_8058.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>The concept sort of reminds me of this IKEA hack from the Aestate.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo ScreenShot2014-02-09at113932PM.png" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2016/ScreenShot2014-02-09at113932PM.png" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />I LOVE the chunky, edgy texture the layered pieces of wood on the doors give the whole look. So easy and inexpensive for such a huge visual impact! Her concept post is <a href="http://www.theaestate.com/2013/08/ikea-besta-hack-tv-styling.html#.UvhzXmRDt2k" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="http://instagram.com/p/kK2GEaOyvj/" target="_blank">here's</a> the project reveal photo.

Why Don't You: Make a Fancy Credenza

I've been working on the design of our library wall bookshelves the past week or two. We're wanting to do a credenza-type storage p...

Read more »