Spark

Julia and Her Pots via Interior Design Magazine

While having a relaxing “mom movie” night watching Julie & Julia, I discovered not only the joy of cooking but the joy of the pegboard (don’t laugh). Towards the end of the movie, Julia Child is in her kitchen, hanging up her pots and pans. Her husband was outlining each piece so it would be easy and quick to re-hang in the correct place. EUREKA!

Why is that I have only seen pegboard in my fathers garage? After a bit of research, I realized I’m behind the times. Pegboard is offered in many different colors and mediums at hardware stores like  Home Depot. There are multiple applications for pegboard organization from the laundry room to the craft studio.

Here are a few ideas from Real Simple.

In your home office for scissors, pens, a clock, etc, go to this guys and you can get all you need with an stylish design

In your laundry room for all those random necessities,

In your closet to hols jewelry, handbags, belts, ties, etc

You can also keep your laundry room organized with custom laundry room shelving and cabinets for a change.

Pegboard can also be used as a decorative industrial looking wall treatment by painting it a contrasting color, but remember I recommended you read this before painting your walls.  If you are one to move your artwork often (as I am prone to do), this will save your walls from all those pesky nail holes. Now you a free to arrange and rearrange as your heart desires! You can even hang children’s artwork, chalkboards, mirrors or small plants in wall pockets.

When installing pegboard, be sure to attach the pegboard in all four corners to small blocks of wood (approx 1″ x 2″) as this will ensure you have enough room for the hooks and shelves between the pegboard and wall. I love these these stylish options from Ikea. If a large pegboard is not your thing, try strips of pegboard  in a mud room or foyer with hooks to hold purses, keys and coats.

I hope you love this ingenious, inexpensive organizational tip as much as I do!

In honor of Halloween, today we are sharing some haunting home decor images. Most of these images are pulled from actual (shiver) real estate photos via Hooked on Houses. This is what happens when your worst nightmares come true and well intended “creative” decorating takes an evil turn. If you are living in the horror [...]

Remember that unmistakable smell of new crayons? And the tiny thrill of sharpening a brand new pencil and watching that yellow curl of wood slowly unravel? Even if you can’t go back to first grade, you can capture the nostalgia of your early school days through a few “learned” pieces of furniture, lighting and decorative [...]

Vacationing last week in the mountains with no TV and limited internet was relaxing, but . . . I missed the premiere of HGTV’s Design Star! Thanks to my DVR, I am now caught up and ready to comment on the show. I agree that the bonus room was my favorite design and executed by [...]

If Kathryn Ireland has color, Jeffrey Alan Marks has flair. Another designer featured on Bravo’s Million Dollar Decorators, Marks says that he tries to add an element of surprise to every room. After seeing his master bedroom with the vintage Abercrombie & Fitch rowboat suspended from the ceiling, I was hooked. Expecting more “unexpected” details, [...]

As you may have noticed, I haven’t been posting nearly as often in the last weeks. Well, I’m finally able to share why…my family and I are moving to Savannah Ga! While I’ll be busy finding my new creative center amidst live oaks draped with spanish moss and wonderful historic neighborhoods, my husband will be [...]

This week’s blog is completely poached from the wonderful Austin garden designer/blogger Pam Penick. She regularly writes about Austin’s unique gardening opportunities and constraints with lots of imagery. Pam writes: I’m joining my colleagues at Garden Designers Roundtable today on the topic “Vertical.” Introducing vertical elements into the garden is a time-honored technique for bridging [...]

There is something wonderful about wallpaper like this. It doesn’t rely on pattern or gorgeous repeat.  It tells a little story in a big way.  It makes me feel like I’ve stepped into one of the luscious images by one of my favorite illustrators.  I’m a character in my own room where a lifesize tale [...]