Reader's dilemma

Paul Costello

Ami wrote in with a request. "I am trying to find photos of studies/home offices that incorporate old world maps. We’re trying to make our home office area into a old world study/library kinda like the ones with antiques maps, globes, big thick books…Indiana Jones-ish.Do you know where I can find such photos? I want to get some décor ideas."

Well Ami I trawled through our files and came up with some map ideas. Not all are home offices and some are definitely not Indiana Jones (OK some are far removed from hunky archaeologist characters) but all are full of ideas for displaying maps. I personally love maps used as wallpaper or framed between two pieces of glass or acrylic to let the wall colour show through. Beautifully arranged grid patterns are also stunning (hard work to measure up though). I've included a range of styles here for all you map lovers out there and as you can see not all are exactly maps but I thought botanicals, flags and astronomy charts could be included at a pinch. Take an idea from here mix it with a look from there and maybe a colour from over there. Now you're on your way!

Lauren Rubinstein	Imagine this with map snippets!Mark Luscombe- Whyte
With maps! Steven Gambrel	Robin Bell
Vogue Living	Again Steven Gambrel and again with maps
Antoine Bootz	Robin Bell
Ralph Lauren	Zoldan Interiors
Steven Gambrel	Location Works
Bombus	Yes even Martha Stewart
pedalpower	Chez Larsson

Reader request for help

Liisa from NY wrote the other day looking for ideas: "My next project is to fix a bedroom for my 11 year old twin girls. They start middle school next fall and I want to decorate our downstairs big (13 x 18 feet) bedroom for them. They have been sharing a room all their life and like to do so but now that they are getting into their teen years I would like to create some private space for each of them as well. The girls also like to do all kinds of projects so some sort of workstation is in plans. Any cool ideas?"

I love this request because I have an identical twin sister and while we had our own rooms growing up, we always insisted on having sleepovers every night in each other's room. But then we each had our own room to decorate! (And I moved my furniture around every weekend, almost as frequently as I do now!) Hopefully the following photos will help give you some ideas of how to arrange the room and what style might work for the girls. I think if you put the beds at one end of the room, with curtains on hospital tracks between them so they can have privacy when they want, and then do one long desk on the other end with storage cubbies above to stash art/school supplies, that ought to keep them happy. :)

Bolig Magasinet	Décormag
House Beautiful	Domino
Jay Jeffers	Boligtorvet
Robyn Karp	Robyn Karp
Domino	Ami McKay
Living Etc.	Kathryn Scott
Adrienne Labelle	Adrienne Labelle
Hans Zeegers	Homes & Gardens
House to Home	Ideal Home

Rug request

Janine wrote us with a particular request: "With all the creativity in modern design--angles, curves, patterns, and textures--why do the shapes of area rugs always seem to be rectangular? I'm looking for an interestingly shaped rug, something asymmetrical perhaps. I have, of course, seen nicely shaped animal hide rugs and would love to find photographs using that idea but, please, not striped or spotted. Seen anything like that?" After searching through MANY photographs to find non-rectangular rugs, I came up with only round and animal hide. But considering all the different colours of animal rugs you can get these days, I think that's a great option. I bought one for my living room because it's such a small and narrow space - rectangular would have made it seem even more narrow. And, well, rectangular is boring. I'm not sure why stripes and spots (my favs) are not an option for Janine, but here are some ideas...

Bolig Magasinet	Ken Hayden
House Beautiful	Alternative Design
Domino	Santos-Diez
Pieter Estersohn	Frances Janisch
Apartment Therapy	Diamond Baratta Design
House of Pictures	Inreda
Ken Hayden	Skonahem
Studio Ilse	Oak Management

Small space solutions

House to Home

Rickita wrote us recently looking for ideas: "I currently live in an approximately 450 sq studio apartment. I've been trying to find inspiring decorating ideas for small spaces. Do you have any pictures of studio apartments: specifically wall decoration and storage ideas? I would appreciate the help!" 450 sq ft is pretty small but I am a firm believer that living in a small space doesn't mean it has to be filled with small stuff. My favourite small spaces include walls painted in bold colours or covered in fun wallpaper, some large furnishings, and oversized artwork (or large groupings of artwork). Hopefully the following photos inspire anyone living in a small space.

Clive Tompsett	Domino
Robert Stilin	Domino
Joe Serrins	Domino
James Merrell	Gaelle Le Boulicaut
Markham Roberts	Domino
Domino	Domino
Minh Wass	mlk studio
Johnny Bouchier	Marie Claire Maison

Reader's dilemma

Shootspaces

Tasha emailed with a dilemma. "I'm a single mother to a 17 month old about to move into an apartment (have been living with the parents to save money), and I was wondering if you had any tips for making a place kid-friendly without LOOKING like it's kid-friendly. I'm wanting classy but functional, and ideas about how to pull that off. I sorry, this may be too broad a request, but I'd appreciate any insight you might have!" Where do I begin!!

Domino

I'm a firm believer in children enhancing your life and not restricting it. There are responsibilities with keeping your children safe (no knives on the bench, faulty electricals and exposed sockets, dangling blind cords and the list goes on) but I don't think we have to live in a padded room or a cold white germ free box to keep our children safe. Here are just a few ideas.

Lena Hyde

Jonathan Adler

Slipcovered sofas and chairs. Dirty? Put it in the washer. White is fine because you can bleach it. All over busy patterns are great because they hide the sticky hand marks. Leather is good and I have even covered my dining room chair pads in oilcloth - spill and wipe clean.

Ninainvorm

Robin Stubbert Photography

Focus on the walls. If you can't have too many nick nacks out on side tables then fill your wall with art to create the focus. High shelves. Keep those precious pieces on display but out of reach. (There's a great example above in the domino picture just ignore the booze bottles ..... oops.)

Livingetc	Free Spirit Interiors
Domino	Domino
Livingetc	Jonathan Adler
Elle Deco	Bohl Architects

Ottomans make great kid friendly coffee tables. No sharp corners or glass and a large stable tray can provide a spot for drinks. So what if it spills. Pull off the slip cover or hey live with it because if it's a dark colour it will hide the juice stain. Rugs can be cotton and a size that can be thrown in the washer.

Lena Hyde

Collections can be in screw cap bottles. Lena from a couple of posts ago had wonderful bottles holding all sorts of normal choking hazards. Screw the caps tight :) I could go on and on but I'll stop there. Perhaps the readers could chip in with more suggestions.

Todd Klein

The photos I've found will give you an idea. Just remove the hazards you see with your imagination. A couple of Jonathan Adler ceramic pieces on a coffee table are just asking for trouble but that picture has a good example of a child friendly pattern. Relax, enjoy and if it gets broken or stained or there's a small bruise on your little one that's all part of living with kids. Hey your biggest problem isn't living stylishly with a toddler, it's living stylishly on a just moved out of home budget. Good luck and buy vintage!