As I’ve let the design plans for the kids’ rooms simmer in my brain, I’ve been surfing Etsy for art that might work for their rooms.  I’ll have to hit up some used book stores and thrift stores before ordering anything online, since much of what I’m looking at is vintage bookplates and posters.  I like the vintage route for art since it is affordable, beautiful, unique, and adds so much character.

For L’s room I already have the Month by Month prints from Sarah Jane Studios.  I bought the little notecards long before I even had kids because I loved them so much.  So I’ll definitely be putting these in her room somewhere.

(“October in Polka Dot Wellies” from the Her Month by Month series by Sarah Jane Studios)

I also want to play with florals in her room - because where else can you do this with abandon than in a little girl’s room?  I often call her “Sweet Pea” so I’ve been on the hunt for vintage seed packets or books or illustrations of sweet peas, like this one:

(Sweet Peas and Nasturtiums [laser print of seed box] from Victorian Rose Prints)

Or perhaps a botanical print like this one:

And wouldn’t those yellow sweet peas look lovely paired with these little yellow butterflies?

(Both prints from Early Bird Sale)

She also adores animals, and has a particular affinity for puppies (one of her first words) so I’ve been searching out dog breed illustrations like these:

(Vintage Dog Breed Illustration from Iowa Jewel)

For the boys’ room vintage maps are such an easy go-to for art.  They’re interesting, beautiful, educational, and still pretty neutral.

(Antique Topographic Map of Canada from Reclaimer Vintage Goods)

M has some ideas of his own, though.  He’d really like some superhero pictures in his room.  And though he’s never watched anything Avengers-related, he’s obsessed with them and has a few toys and colouring books with them.  I kind of cringe at the thought of something character based being featured, but this minimalistic poster is pretty cool:

(The Avengers Variant Poster from William Henry Graphic Design, also comes in blue)

Though I’m not sure he’d find that sufficient.  Another route I’ve considered is framing vintage comic books. (Though it’s quite the hunt finding one that looks cool, features his favourite characters, yet is without anything scary or any scantily clad women on it!  Sheesh.)

(The Avengers No. 151 Comic Book from Sidewalk Comics)

One item I’m totally kicking myself over not purchasing is this 1921 Canadian flag.  My kids really like flags, and they might find it cool that pre-1960’s our Canadian flag was actually different.  This flag is linen, it’s cool, it’s patriotic, it’s historical, it’s beautiful - what a treasure!  But I waited, and it sold, and I can’t find anything like it online (for a decent price).  Darn.  Seriously kicking myself.

(Historical Upper Canada Flag from PapillonArtBoutique)

This old bookplate is pretty cool, but given its age it’s missing a lot of provinces and actually has the old Saskatchewan flag, which may annoy M or confuse my kids as they learn.  So I’m not sold on it.  And really I just want that old linen flag.  

(Flags of Canada from Peony and Thistle Paper and Print)

I obviously won’t be getting all of this, but the hunting sure is fun…. We’ll see what I end up with!

By Colette Bream via Etsy

Home of Andy and Kate Spade for Matchbook mag (via Marcus Design)

Home of Andy and Kate Spade for Matchbook mag (via Marcus Design)

Home of Andy and Kate Spade for Matchbook mag (via Marcus Design)

Home of Chris and Dave Plantan, photograph by Vickey Weiss (via Design*Sponge)

Art by Justine Taylor

Happy Canada Day!

Art by Justine Taylor

Happy Canada Day!

Design by Kelly Deck, via The Globe and Mail

One of the things we’ve needed since forever is some art to hang above our bed.  But that’s a tricky spot to choose art for, I think.  It’s your bedroom.  It’s awfully personal.  The subject matter has to fit the space.  And the size of the art needs to be fairly substantial.  (My general rule is that art should fill at least 2/3 of the width of whatever it hangs above - so in this case, our headboard.)  But usually, bigger the art = bigger the cost.  

The thing is, I can paint.  I just almost never do - it takes space, time, creative energy, and focus, which seems hard to come by in these baby years.  Furthermore, living with my own art can sometimes be tough (I’m my own toughest critic).  

But for the sake of getting this place “finished” to sell, it was time to finally get something hung there.

I decided, since it was for my personal use, and I didn’t have a photograph I wanted to paint, I’d copy a painting from an art book I have.  I liked this painting by James Whistler - it had all the cool colours I’d want in our bedroom.  And the image of the calm water, the sun setting, and (what I thought was) ships returning home, it seemed like a great image to see at the end of the day.  (Further research showed, however, that these are probably war ships that Whistler saw down in Chile, shortly before Spain began bombing them.  Hah.  I’ll choose to ignore that part…)

We managed to get the kids to bed early and I got straight to work.  It was lovely to paint again - it’s been forever.

And here’s the finished product:  

I still have bunch more stuff to finish in our bedroom - that throw pillow and that portrait on the side wall are place holders from other spots in the house.  And we have to install closet doors (there were none when we bought the place).  

And I have to do something with those lampshades - they’re especially ugly when the light is on.  I’m thinking I’ll spray them a matte gold or bronze, and then depending on how they look after that I may add linen to the outside.

And I’ll probably check HomeSense or Zellers for an affordable white coverlet or something to change up our bedding… but if none is found for the right price I think we’re OK for now.  In a perfect world I’d install a great light fixture, layered low just above the painting - but that won’t happen before we leave this place.

For now I’m just glad to get some art up!

Design by Chris Mead, Photograph by Tim Street-Porter (via Country Living)

Design by Callie via Little Green Notebook