Reclaimed wood works

Old is good. What is old can be new again with a little ingenuity, and I don't mind admitting that the art side of my brain has lots of that. I think reclaimed wood is beautiful, and this summer I made great finds on the beaches near our summer house.

Are you wondering how this connects to decor? Keep reading!

Atlantic Ocean beach wood

Storm tossed and sea sanded house/shed remnants were dragged home against my better half's judgement. At the time I answered the strong call emitted by these materials, but I didn't know why I needed them. My art often begins with the call of materials rather than with sketches and preconceived notions of a final product.

Not a pretty site/sight

No this is not the home decor section!

Move over hubby, I am taking possessions of your precious workshed and tools. Yep! I know my way around drills, bandsaws, chopsaws and sanders and I discovered construction adhesive will stick most everything together. Drop paintbrushes, fine papers and canvas. I have a new palette and perhaps a new series for exhibition.

This one is my keeper.

Reclaimed wood assemblage Beach Quilt Margaret Ryall

Beach Quilt, Margaret Ryall, 2013, reclaimed wood

And here it is in the back entry of my summer house. I have to wait until May to see it again (and take some decent shots of it).

You've reached the home decor part

Stay tuned for more creative moments in my life. What have you created for your home lately?

Elements of Scandinavian Design

I have lots of love affairs and Scandinavian design is one of them. I developed this passion in my teenage years when I discovered a book in our local library. Just to put you in the loop, it was a new book then. It is hard to believe that one event can impact one's design aesthetic for life, but that's the case because I've woven various elements of mid century Scandinavian design into every home I've had.

Scandianavian furniture design mid-century modern

Here's my take on the elements of mid- century modern Scandinavian design and how I've interpreted it in my own home.

Form

function is the priority, and then form is pared back to its simplest statement
materials are chosen for their beauty and longevity
the lines are clean and minimal , often with sinuous curves or very "boxy"
craftsmanship is flawless
360 degree design - looks good from every angle
prominent use of wood , followed by plastic and metals
emphasis on nature and organic forms; bring natural materials in

Scandinavian furniture design

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Scandinavian furniture natural tones

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Scandinavian furniture design light wood

White furniture on light wood

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Check out other iconic furniture designs in a previous post . So many well known furniture came from Scandinavian designers.

Colour/Light

emphasis on magnifying natural light
white and off- white interiors with blue or blue gray or black
muted tones, restricted to neutrals
simple or no window treatments

Colour in Scandinavian Design

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White colour scheme with light wood

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Neutrals with natural wood
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Shape

geometric patterns, free form / organic and florals

organic patterns

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geometric textile patterns Scandinavian design

Bold geometric patterns

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Love the hint of blue with the black, white and gray in the geometric rug. The pop of blue with the throw is inviting and also creates a sense of warmth in the room.

geometric white and black patterns Scandinavian-design

geometric patterns

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This is such a crisp but inviting room that is made interesting by using a range of textures and patterns. I love how the striped rug anchors everything.

accessories by Lassen Scandinavian design

Lassen Accessories

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Texture

wood is highly valued and used extensively for floors, walls and furniture
natural materials in textiles: linen, wool, cotton, hessian, fur (sheepskin)
glass, pottery is used for many accessories

Texture in Scandinavian design

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This image shows a simple room with many natural material in one small space: wool, felted wool, fur , cotton and possibly linen. And great art to anchor the space,. Wouldn't you love to sit on that chair?

natural materials and texture Scandinavian design

Natural materials in textiles

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Another chair holding a selection of cozy textiles that you can choose to cuddle up with.

Texture in accessories

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There's nothing like a matte inky black vase and natural elements to draw your attention to a corner or an interesting piece of furniture. This one is so sleek next to the roughly carved stool. A great mix.

Knits in Scandinavian design

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Nothing is as inviting as knits on a bed. All that texture, light colour and cuddle potential.

Space

uncluttered, room to rest the eye
easy to move around

Open design

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And here's my always in transition, uniquely Newfoundland, mid century Scandinavian look at Christmas!

Scandinavian colour scheme

I like minimal window coverings in a south facing window when privacy isn't an issue, hints of black and natural toned birch with lots of white and gray.

Scandinavian design with a twist

Christmas decorations without the traditional red or green and my new Kubus 4 candle holder that is quickly becoming my favourite accessory next to pillows from my sister who knows just what a room needs.

mid century modern dining room Scandinavian design

Mid Century Danish modern hand crafted

Natural elements Christmas

Margaret Ryall

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What elements of Scandinavian design do you have in your home?

CANDICE OLSON KITCHEN DESIGN IDEAS

Candice Olson proposes a kitchen with various designs and various spaces so everyone can see what their area can accept.

CANDICE OLSON KITCHEN DESIGN IDEAS

10 Special Painted Santas

Santas are an important part of Christmas decorating in my house. Rather than buying them over the years, I've enjoyed creating my painted Santas. I began with tall wooden Santas that stood like sentinels on my stairs each Christmas.

Birdhouse Santa

For many years this family of Santas provided a great topic of conversation for guests who were eager to see what the new Santa would be. As time passed, so did my interest in just a little too many Christmas decorations. These Santas now lie in my storage room lonely, covered in dust, and reminiscing about better times. Perhaps they will become the illustrations for Christmas stories for my granddaughters.

The Santas that still hold a special place in my heart, and get displayed on my tree each year, are the small ornamental ones. No material was sacred: slate, driftwood, balsa wood, cinnamon sticks, light bulbs etc. . Today they all sit proudly next to glittery balls, sparkly stars and other finery. It is never the glitz that people admire on my tree; it is always my Santas. So much for sparkle.