Junk Is The New Black

I am on a constant quest to turn our little plane jane condo in to something absolutely fabulous. Alas, we have Champagne dreams on a Budweiser budget. Maybe that is why I have always loved and been drawn to old and quirky things. My design style would be considered eclectic. I love classic furnishings with a twist.

I love the idea of reclaiming old items and repurposing them in to new things. That is the idea behind the new trend in decorating with junk.

The first JunkMarket book; Decorating JunkMarket Style features great design ideas and step by step instructions on how to make some of the items with easy to find cast offs. You can get more inspiration from Junk at their website, JunkMarketStyle.

I love this dining area below. It's cozy and there are TONS of junking options here. A bird cage turned in to overhead lighting. I have a round table in my living room and would love to pull it closer to the wall. However, with the layout of that room and the dresser I use as a bar it has to stay in the middle. I am on the lookout for new dining chairs as mine are wood and not comfy to sit in for long periods of time. I do like the lighting and may utilize that when I create my outdoor dining space.

The only items needed to make this lamp were the frame of a large beach umbrella, a lighting kit and a lampshade. I really love the side table made from an old piece of luggage and part of a childs wheeled cart. I could totally utilize both of these ideas in my current living space. I even have a piece of luggage that looks almost exactly like this one.

The second book in the Junk saga is Junk Beautiful: Room By Room Makeovers With JunkMarket Style. The photo below is a teenage bedroom of the daugheter to one half of the JunkMarket createive team, Su Whitney. I love the colors and the ladder behind the bed with a clip on lamp for reading. The hubs and I are going to make a headboard out of an old door. We are on the lookout for the perfect lighting since we want to eliminate our bedside tables.

Who couldn't pass up these nesting tables made fom picture frames and table legs?

A boy scout neckerchief inspired the colorway for this junky bathroom. Reclaimed wood makes up the wainscoting. I love the little shelf for extra towels. Something I can utilize in my own bathroom. I have an old wooden crib that was my mothers. I am hoping to use one of the ends to make in to a towel holder.

A third book: Junk Beautiful Outdoor Edition features a camping bed made from a picnic table and your favorite linens, a hanging bed and a little Christmas bling.

Another junk maven and the original half of JunkMarket is Ki Nassauer. She moved on to start Junk Revolution. Check out her blog Junk Camp.

It's so easy to walk by items at a yard sale or thrift store and not see the hidden potential in them. I am constantly trying to find new ways to use things. The ambience of a comfy cozy retreat is what I am going for. Must be pet freindly too! That is why I turned my grandmothers old suitcase in to a dog bed for BJ.

Take for example Gerard Butler's New York loft featured in Architectural Digest this month. All of the living areas; kitchen, dining, living, media and entry are one big space. Walls look like old plaster. Open beams as well as pipes in the ceiling can be seen and add to the industrial feel of the space. Reclaimed wood on the kitchen cabints. Leather, brocade and velvet furnishings that look old and a little bit worn. Love those huge windows!

How can you not love the drama of not one, not two but THREE chandeliers over the dining table? I'll take one in minature for my bathroom please.

The media space below is one of two living areas. The screen rolls up in to the housing and the projector is mounted from an exposed beam. No need to worry about cords getting in your way. He must have outlets in the floor to accomodate his lamps. They are on but I don't see teltale cords. Brilliant!

I look at these photos and can't help but think how much writing I would get done at a desk in this den. You can see it just peeking through the arched doorway.

I love the mishmash of styles throughout the spaces and the colors are gorgeous. Peacock blue, burnt orange, eggplant, olive, chocolate.... The plush peacock pillows on the bed - to die for!


I guess something like this is bound to happen when you have a Production Designer craft your living space.

Now I look around my interior spaces as I am so inspired to achieve this look. I think I can too, even on a small budget. I am not afraid of color. My kitchen is pomegranite, my dining room is olive, my bedroom is peacock blue. The living room is the lightest color in the house - mocha. That is only because there is not a lot of light in this room and I don't want it to feel too dark.

I am on a mission!