Pylon Sounds

Last week we posted the first steps for throwing your own weekend bike riding adventure with friends. We were dogged with rain for what felt like weeks, but the clouds finally lifted yesterday, leaving the perfect weather for a team bike ride. Between our visits to Peter Pan Donuts and delicious sandwiches at No. 7 Sub, Max, Amy and I had a blast cruising around Greenpoint on colorful bikes that our friends at Brooklyn Cruiser loaned us for the day. Our final stop was a team picnic at Transmitter Park, the newly built city park at the end of our office block. While Amy is always zipping around town on her bike, this was a great chance for Max and I to rediscover the fun of riding through the streets on bikes and pointing out things to see, photograph and try (Amy did a handstand in front of some of our favorite neighborhood graffiti). If you haven’t printed out our downloadable bike adventure invites, you can do so right here. You can also download our bike map if you want to recreate our own neighborhood adventure here in Brooklyn. No matter what, I hope our little bike photo essay will inspire everyone to get outside and enjoy the weekend. See you on Monday! xo, grace

This post is brought to you by Kate Spade Saturday! See why every day can feel like Saturday here.

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The weather has been looking up lately. Lots of days with nice sun, not too hot, have made me start to think about day trips I can take just to soak it all in. My husband always jokes with me that I’m like a Neapolitan mother because whenever we go anywhere I always pack lots of snacks away, as if we might risk dying of hunger on what could be as short as a one hour journey, immediately following breakfast, to a nearby place to go have lunch… Don’t laugh, you never know!   This week’s recipe for no-bake fruit and nut bars by graphic designer and lifestyle blog writer, Jennifer Chong, will be perfect for my next outing.  Lightweight, nutrient dense, and quick to make, I will be able to hide a few in my camera bag without a problem. If you make your own fruit and nut bars, let us know your tips or favorite combinations. -Kristina

About Jennifer: Jennifer Chong is a designer and photographer living in Long Beach, California. Originally from Georgia, Jennifer graduated from the Savannah College of Art and Design with a bachelors degree in graphic design. In addition to design work, Jennifer is a passionate photographer.  You can often find her out capturing delectable eats and documenting her journeys near and far.  

In 2012, Jennifer was identified as one of the top people you should be following on Pinterest.  She has also partnered with brands like Anthropologie, American Express and Target as a curator and consultant.  In addition to her photography and design work, she writes a lifestyle blog focused on travel, food and design.

  When she isn’t working, she can be found playing beach volleyball, continent-hopping (four so far!) or searching for some delightful treats to devour!

See Jennifer’s recipe after the jump!

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This week Amy and I decided to sit down and tackle the Top 10 Questions We’re Asked at Design*Sponge. While some of them could fill an entire show, we did our best to tackle questions like this in 30 minutes: How do we find the things we write about, How do we make money, How do we stay motivated, Advice for people starting a blog, What tools we use to stay motivated, How do we fight insecurity? We got to all of these and at least 10 more during our episode, so I hope you’ll enjoy the show! As always, we love your feedback and insight on how you would answer these questions, too. Thanks for listening! xo, grace and amy

(p.s. If you’re in NYC next week, Amy is going to be on a panel at the Museum of Art and Design – Commerce + Curation: Future. The panel is on Tuesday, May 21 at 7pm and is free!)

“Every adult wants to know how you have a job when you work on the internet.” [5:05]
-Amy Azzarito on After the Jump

“Start thinking of yourself as a producer of content and that content does not necessarily live where you live.” [10:30]
“I am incredibly motivated by feedback. Whether it’s good or bad, I really enjoy and need comments.” [8:45]
-Grace Bonney on After the Jump

LISTEN: You can download the podcast on iTunes here, or stream it here on Heritage Radio

I always love seeing what Shannon from Eskayel is making. Not only if she an inspiring business woman (her contributions to our Biz Ladies lunches were always so thought-provoking), but her designs consistently push the wallpaper field further toward a modern, artistic style. Her latest collection is called The Lora Collection and includes a wide range of watercolor-style prints. I always love how soft and transparent her work feels- it reminds me seeing swimming pool liner patterns through rippling water. Click here to check out the new collection online and contact Eskayel about buying rolls. xo, grace

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Seeing the Portland Bazaar go from an idea in my head to a successful holiday event is still one of the proudest moments of my life. Getting to meet, support and then continue to follow the shops and makers at the show makes me so happy. One of the store/galleries I’ve been most excited to follow is Myles Haselhorst’s Ampersand Gallery. Myles has impeccable taste in books and art, and his gallery’s latest exhibition, TOOLS FOLDS FLIGHT looks fantastic. The show features found material from the gallery’s collection. The first part of the show is made of folded paper collages and the second is comprised of Tekni-Calls (decals) produced by Darling Technical Laboratories. I love the combination of typography and paper- both are so beautiful and definitely warrant a visit in person if you’re in the Portland, OR area (the show is up through May 26th). If you’re like me and can’t get to Oregon any time soon, click here to check out the show and more details online. Congrats to Myles on another great show! xo, grace

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Seeing the Portland Bazaar go from an idea in my head to a successful holiday event is still one of the proudest moments of my life. Getting to meet, support and then continue to follow the shops and makers at the show makes me so happy. One of the store/galleries I’ve been most excited to follow is Myles Haselhorst’s Ampersand Gallery. Myles has impeccable taste in books and art, and his gallery’s latest exhibition, TOOLS FOLDS FLIGHT looks fantastic. The show features found material from the gallery’s collection. The first part of the show is made of folded paper collages and the second is comprised of Tekni-Calls (decals) produced by Darling Technical Laboratories. I love the combination of typography and paper- both are so beautiful and definitely warrant a visit in person if you’re in the Portland, OR area (the show is up through May 26th). If you’re like me and can’t get to Oregon any time soon, click here to check out the show and more details online. Congrats to Myles on another great show! xo, grace

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Illustration by Julia Rothman

Our final post for Color Day is a contest we’ve been excited to debut for weeks now: A color transformation contest! We’ve always been inspired by the way a bold color can transform a space, especially when it’s done using paint. So to bring Color Day to its grand finale, we’re announcing a contest that will highlight amazing room transformations that use colorful paint as the primary tool. Whether you’re painting patterns, murals or accent walls, we want to see how YOU have made over a room in your home using a great paint color. The winner will receive a $250 Sherwin Williams Gift Card along with a signed copy of the Design*Sponge Book and a signed copy of the D*S Book will go to our 2nd and 3rd place winners as well. I can’t wait to see all of the amazing rooms you’ve decorated! xo, grace

This post is brought to you by Sherwin-Williams.  Turn your inspiration into reality with Sherwin-Williams Color Selection Tools.

Contest Details:

Contest: Painted Room Transformation Contest
Description: We want to see how creative our readers can be using only paint to transform their rooms. We’re seeking submissions from anyone who has transformed a room or corner of their home using paint as the primarily makeover material. This can include, but is not limited to, painted patterns, murals or accent rooms.
Details: What do you need to turn in? 2–3 styled shots of the finished project, at least one “before” shot of the room”, a short description of the project (how you came up with it, why you like it, etc.) and, if possible, 2-3 process shots. Great photos will go a long way with your fellow voters, so here are a few tips: Shoot from a straight-on perspective (no extreme angles), try to shoot the project during the day with plenty of diffused natural light and make sure the shots are in focus!
Due Date: All entries must be received by 7pm EST on Sunday May 26th. We will choose three winners to be posted online at Design*Sponge on Friday, May 31st.
How to Enter: Send your email to SUBMISSIONS AT DESIGNSPONGE DOT COM with the subject line “Painted Room Transformation Contest”
What to Include in Your Email: Your full name, phone number and email address (this will only be used to contact you in the event that you are a finalist and for no other purpose). In addition to your contact information, you need to include the images as individual JPEG attachments (or in a zip file), and the text, which can be in the body of the email or in a text doc. Images need to be at least 500 pixels wide. Again, please attach files, do not embed them in the email body.
What You Win: We will be awarding three prizes.  The 1st prize winner will receive a $250 Sherwin-Williams Gift Card along with a signed copy of the Design*Sponge Book. The 2nd and 3rd prize winners will each receive a signed copy of the D*S Book. Once the winners are selected, we will confirm your address and send the winners their prizes in the mail.

I knew when we decided to have an entire day devoted to COLOR that I’d want to roundup my favorite products, organized by color. Though I primarily wear black and white in my personal life, I love to imagine a bolder version of myself that isn’t afraid to dress in head-to-toe blue, red or orange. Not that I can pull off any of those colors from top to bottom, but a girl can hope. Until that day I’ll just try adding in a bright necklace or a pair of blue shoes. Maybe one day I’ll be bold enough to wear one of those neon scarves… xo, grace

Image above, clockwise from top left: Striped iPad Case $28, Dotted iPad Case $28, Storage Shelf $149, Rug $1600, Lucy chair/stool $475, Wool Rug $59+, Dot napkin set $16, Grande Pouchette $173, Tea Egg $18, Singlette Earring $4.99

Image above, clockwise from top left: Chopsticks $3.95, Tissue Box $10, Zig Zag Pouf $393, Hour Glass $30, Everett Sofa $999+, Smeg Fridge $1999, Bamboo Straws $7.95, Green wine glass $4.95, Vitra Algues $110, Bike Basket $80

Image above, clockwise from top left: NYTimes Travel Guide to the West Coast $14.99, Paper Stripe Bowl $79, Purple Mug (part of a rainbow set) $60, Amethyst Terrarium fillers $2-$6, Wallis Chair $1298, Gummy Bear on a stick $12, Latte Bowls $20, Rope Lamp Base $150, Hexagon Studs $30, Magazine Box $18

This post is brought to you by Sherwin-Williams.  Turn your inspiration into reality with Sherwin-Williams Color Selection Tools.

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I always lament not being able to paint. I tried and tried when I was in college, but much to my dismay (and my professor’s), I just couldn’t make it work. I felt at ease with printmaking, but the rich colors of oil paints always tug at my heart strings. So for today’s color day, I decided to take inspiration from one of my favorite painters, Charleston’s Lulie Wallace, and round up designs that remind me of one of her gorgeous paintings (above). I love all of the floral scenes Lulie paints, it gives me a chance to indulge in my love of bright pinks, greens and yellows. xo, grace

This post is brought to you by Sherwin-Williams.  Turn your inspiration into reality with Sherwin-Williams Color Selection Tools.

Image above: 1. Striped Candles $24 | 2. Mint Bud Vase $20 | 3. Siesta Pillow $28 | 4. Turks Chandelier $925 | 5. Disco Band Necklace $245 | 6. Square Chip Boxes $58 | 7. Ribbon Stool $871 | 8. Borghese Sofa $5175 | 9. Dip Dye Napkins $22 | 10. Textured Plate $24

I was blown away by all of the research Amy did to prepare for this month’s daily color facts. In addition to learning all sorts of amazing facts (I didn’t know that monks in Thailand dye their robes with the heart of the jack fruit once a year!), Amy exposed us to an incredible range of books that share the fascinating world of color history. While we’ll be sharing our favorite facts here every day, we wanted to share these books in case you were interested in delving deeper in the history of colors. Amy says that the most helpful book, by far, was Color: A Natural History of Palettes by Victoria Finlay. Who could pass up the chance to learn things like where the expression “feeling blue” truly comes from? xo, grace

This post is brought to you by Sherwin-Williams.  Turn your inspiration into reality with Sherwin-Williams Color Selection Tools.

Image above: Color: A Natural History of Palettes, The Rarest Blue: The Remarkable Story of an Ancient Color Lost to History and Rediscovered, Colors: The Story of Dyes and Pigments, Black: The History of a Color

When we first started planning Color Day earlier this year, I knew I wanted to interview someone who had a hand in naming paints or choosing what colors a paint company would release each season. I’m always fascinated by the names companies choose for their paints so I was excited to ask Jackie Jordan a few questions. She’s been working with Sherwin-Williams since college and is now their Director of Color Marketing, focusing on the creation of new collections, color trends and, my favorite, paint names. Thanks so much to Jackie for giving us a little behind-the-scenes peek at the life of a color marketer. xo, grace

The full interview continues after the jump…

This post is brought to you by Sherwin-Williams.  Turn your inspiration into reality with Sherwin-Williams Color Selection Tools.

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All this month we are celebrating color inspiration in every way we can. In addition to these morning color history facts, we decided it to be fun to have an entire themed day devoted to color, too! So every post today will be dedicated to color: product roundups organized by color, interviews with paint specialists, great color history books and a color- related contest launching at the end of the day. I hope you’ll enjoy this huge dose of color inspiration and find something that inspires you to try a new (or just a little more) color in your home. xo, grace

This post is brought to you by Sherwin-Williams.  Turn your inspiration into reality with Sherwin-Williams Color Selection Tools.

When I was home a few weeks ago for my grandmother’s memorial service, I spotted some adorable placemats on my family’s kitchen table. They were simple bamboo mats that had a few giant tassels on them. Since I’ve never met a tassel or pom pom I didn’t like, I though it would be the perfect project to make on my own- with an added ombre flare. I love the idea of rolling these up to use for picnics, outdoor dinners or just sprucing up your at-the-desk lunch breaks at work. I hope you’ll give them a try or perhaps they’ll inspire a little extra color at your next dinner party. xo, grace

The full how-to continues after the jump…

This post is brought to you by Kate Spade Saturday!  See why every day can feel like Saturday here.

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I come from a long line of collectors (ok, hoarders) which is lucky because when I was a little girl, I was a major snoop. I’d go through my mom’s purse, make-up bag, jewelry boxes, closets, and desk, examining and often reorganizing the contents, making mental lists of what I’d found and creating my own stories about how it got there. Since she’s a hippie at heart, mom’s make-up bag generally held little more than some nice hand cream and a Mason Pearson brush… but the closet, oh, the closet!

My mom was an avid vintage shopper when she was young so her closet (and now parts of our basement, attic and garage) is piled high with hats from the ’20s, house dresses from the ’30s and some majorly bedazzled evening-wear from the ’40s. By the time I became interested in fashion she wasn’t really digging into the archive for her own outfits anymore. Instead she opened the collection for her daughter’s use, drawer by drawer – a privilege I took full advantage of. Ten years out from under her roof, I still dig through my mother’s closets every time I go home. And like any good vintage shop I always manage to come away with something I’ve never seen before, that perfectly aligns with my current style and size, and that I can (almost always) convince her to part with.

Despite my mom’s extensive collection of vintage fashion, I think she’s always been much more interested in the “vintage” than the “fashion.” She loves a good story and a well-made, much-loved object. In fact, my mom’s personal style has always been marked by her bohemian roots – windswept and natural. She is unapologetically carefree and a bit of a tomboy, never interested in the spotlight but instead quietly doting on life’s beautiful details. Every available moment is spent in her masterpiece of a garden, thin, blonde hair loosely clipped back with a tortoise shell barrette, a pair of comfortable sandals and a mud-covered sundress or faded t-shirt and jeans. She doesn’t know how to braid, so neither do I and she doesn’t care to wear make-up and so now I rarely do. I have always cherished these things about her, and now I’ve learned to fully appreciate them in myself.

I never snooped because I was trying to unearth some scandalous secret, but I was and still am endlessly fascinated by my mother. She seems to have lived through so many different lives, each with their own ups and downs, while remaining unwaveringly supportive and loving towards my father, brother and I. I look forward to the coming years together, being inspired by her effortless beauty and charm and endless supply of vintage outfits.

Image above, clockwise from top left: First Blush Dress $148, Happy Cat Seeds $2.50, Shelter by Lloyd Kahn $27, Wrought Iron Coffee Table $168, Garden Tools $11, Gardeners Hand Therapy $7, Frye Sandals $158, Napkin $18, Mason Pearson Brush $190

As we continue with this month’s special round-up of Sketchbook Sneak Peeks, it is with great pleasure that I share one of my new favorite artists: the illustrator and lifestyle designer Courtney Wotherspoon. I stumbled upon Courtney’s work by chance while browsing the work of alumni from my alma mater, the Brooklyn-based Pratt Institute. I fell immediately in love with Courtney’s beautiful illustrations and the way she seamlessly blends a number of different media, from delicate line work in pencil to bold swaths of colorful paint. Since graduating in 2004 and moving to Toronto, Courtney has amassed an impressive list of clientele. Her fabulous illustrations have been featured in such publications as The New York Times, NYLON, SPIN, and Uppercase Magazine. You can purchase some of Courtney’s art and designs on her web shop here. Check out a special look into Courtney’s sketchbooks and some of her own thoughts about sketchbook keeping after the jump! —Max

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Speaking of beautiful color, I love the bits of blue and green in these beautiful porcelain pieces by Linda Fahey. Passionate about ocean conservation, Linda’s work often uses the sea as inspiration, ranging from subject matter to actual found driftwood used as handles for serving pieces. I love these sea-inspired pieces above and below, but you can check out and shop her full collection on Etsy right here. xo, grace

It’s so hard for me to resist colorful swaths of paint like this, especially when it’s made available in affordable print form. These gorgeous pieces of art were done by Australian artist Belinda Marshall, who strives to depict calm, meditative worlds in her work. For me they’re expert studies in combining colors for soothing effects. Belinda has three prints currently for sale at Leif, each one printed with museum-quality inks on heavy cotton rag paper. Click here, here and here to check them out and order online ($55 each). xo, grace