My furry love, Jilly-Boo!

I have been doing custom pet paintings for over a year now, and I love seeing all the different expressions and wagging tails. It's great to see the furry characters come to life on the canvas. Even better when the owners are gleaming with excitement.

I finally got some time in between commissioned paintings to work on my furry lovely! This is my silly/lovey/crazy cat: Jilly-Boo. She is one huge fur-ball full of sass. I can't wait for this piece to finish drying so I can hang it in my house. :)

Please visit my art website to see other pieces. 

If you would like to inquire about a custom painting, please email me!

St. Pete Swoon, Part II (Furnish Me Vintage)

Alrighty, so this is part II of my awesome day in St. Pete. Earlier I shared about Paper Street Market. Lovely, Celesta told me I had to go down the street and check out Gasplant Antiques (she told me they had amazing Mid Century, so of course I was interested!), so I made my way further down Central Ave. I walked up to the pink building and in the store I go...

My first instinct was kind of "Meh, it's an average antique store." But I was excited to look around and see if I could find any goodies for my client.

So I wondered around the first floor, then made my way to the stairs. I went up the staircase and was greeted with the stunning vignette. My jaw hit the floor. It spoke to me and I swear it said "Well hello darling, you've arrived to your dream vignette. Please, stay a while."

I cringed as I over heard a husband scoff about "ugly door knobs, and weird legs" on the furniture. I honestly wanted to sit him down and give him a good education on Mid Century design. How could he ignore the beauty and craftsmanship in this stunning furniture? Not everyone has to love it, but you gotta respect it!

I walked a little to the right and went to the next vignette, featuring Bertoia Chairs and beyond...

Then I grew sad, I thought my little Mid Century world was in St. Pete was done, or so it seemed, but then this lovely sign caught my eye and I quickly learned there was an upstairs...

Oh, Furnish Me Vintage, you are my newest best friend (I'll be by later in the week with new "BFF" necklaces)...

I went up the stairs and turned the corner, I honestly thought I had died and went to Mid Century heaven. This is where all the good furniture in the world comes to rest in peace. I was sure I was in heaven, I was going to see the Pearly Gates any moment, angels would start singing, a white light would rush over me. But nope, I wasn't dreaming, it was in fact reality. So I wiped the drool off my face and made my way through paradise (insert Coldplay song, "Paradise")...

This sofa is drop dead sexy. And I love the fabric they selected for it...

I wouldn't have a hard time finding a spot for these babies in my house...

Every man wants a recliner, and over and over again I keep telling David no. They kind of make me sick inside. They are just such an eyesore! But I think I may have found the chair to make us both happy, this chair could surely be my man's best friend. It reclines back ever so gracefully and has a lovely ottoman to prop up your soles...

I love the wire detailing... call me crazy, but we just might have a winner...

I love the Edison Bulb print! (and everything else pictured too)

A striking piece of wire art...

So please, tell your friends, tell your neighbors, Florida finally has an amazing Mid Century source!! The owners are delightful and you will love them. I am so happy to have found this shop! If you stop by, tell them I say hello!

St. Pete Swoon, Part I (Paper Street Market)

Today the weather has been quite gloomy due to the Tropical Storm brewing in the air. It's okay though, I didn't let this gray weather get my Saturday down.

This morning I was browsing Facebook and I ran across a post from Stiltskin Studios talking about a sidewalk sale down at Paper Street Market. Intrigued, I hopped in the Jeep and journeyed down to good 'ol St. Pete. I had no idea what I was in store for....

So let me introduce you to the wonderful Paper Street Market. It's a great shop owned by a husband and wife team, Sean and Celesta. You can tell they really love what they do, it gushes out of them!

I love their tag line "Antiques For A New Generation". It's so true, our generation is looking for a different kind of antique. While Rococo Chairs are wonderful, there is something about a rusted piece of industrial furniture that makes me excited and ready to drop it into a lucky interior somewhere.

Here are a few things that caught my attention as I walked through their shop...

Calling all camera lovers! Take a look at this awesome lamp crafted by a local artist, it's base has a camera!! How cool is that? Oh yes, and you vintage drinkers, they have some pretty sweet old school bottles as well. I would like to deck a bar cart out with these...

Paper Street Market also has a great selection of re-finished and un-finished furniture. Along with some great lighting. Lighting varies from task lighting and decorative lighting. I loved some of their ceiling pendants.

Aren't these vintage photo prints so fantastic? They are mounted on a linear board...

I mentioned they had furniture right? Oh yea, but did I mention how GREAT the prices were?

 I love this three drawer dresser...

Paper Street also has a HUGE selection of industrial letters, all different sizes and colors, I want to get a big "S" for my soon to be new last name! ;) Oh yea and check out those sweet coke crates...

Last but surely, most definitely not least, these glass beauties caught my attention. I want to figure out some way to make them into an interesting chandelier.... we'll see what I come up with...

I hope you're as excited about Paper Street Market as I am! Get over there and pump some industrial finds into your interior. Be sure to share some pics if you do. And when your there, tell Sean and Celesta I say hi! :)

Make your work space... happy!

I am a firm believer in loving where you live. It's your home, your identity, your personal palace of you. I also believe, in having a great work space. You should feel productive, creative, professional and most importantly... happy!

Let's face it, we live in a very creative world. No body wants the simple "out of the box" look these days (and thank goodness for that!) It really doesn't matter what line of work you are in, you can let your personality shine through in your office.

I am currently working on my home office. It's got good bones, but needs some TLC... I have a great wall of built in's and a desk. I've painted my walls a very regal plum color (plum gets my creative juices flowing!) I have installed an inspiration board, which I am regularly pinning beautiful images, quotes and fabrics on. It takes time, but I know that sooner or later my home office is going to be a wonderful place for me to work and become inspired for future projects. (maybe your home?)

So I wanted to share some inspiring offices that might get your thinking about your work environment...

This first one is a show stopper, I love so many components of this office:

Image via: Bradley Hughes via: Amy D Morris Interiors

First of all, let's talk about that light fixture. I would like to get my paws on that puppy. It's oozing with drama, elegance... the list goes on. I also love the pair of Bradley Hughes Etageres. I personally love every piece of furniture that comes out of Bradley Hughes's line, so this is no surprise to me that I love these pieces so much. This space is so symmetrical and balanced, but by adding the dramatic lighting, abstract art and intense wall color, it is everything but boring and expected. 

One of the MVP's of a good office is bookshelves. You can't live without them. They are so practical and user friendly, and you can really make them beautiful. This next image is a vignette of a very well styled bookshelf....

Image via: Pinterest

Adding decorative items and placing books in the perfect juxtaposed way, can create a very visually pleasing unit. The best part? Your not sacrificing storage solutions for style, simply incorporating it. 

This next office image, kind of takes me back to my days in Chicago, when I was an Interior Designer for Sarah Van Assche Interiors, our office was set up similar to this. My long desk was along the wall, and a window was next to me that looked out into our neighborhood, East Lakeview with a nice glimpse of Lake Michigan. I loved being able to observe the seasons change from my desk. 

Image via: Coco + Kelley

I love the over sized inspiration board behind facing the desks (we didn't have these at my old office, I wish we did, I think they are so lovely!) 

So what are your plans for your work environment? Make it yours and love where you work. Whether it be a fresh coat of invigorating paint, new light fixtures or maybe just some inspiring art, let your personality shine. You'd be surprised at how productive you can be in your new space!

Maybe you have a vision, but can't pull it together? Lisa Gilmore Design can assist you with making the right choices. Contact me for more details!

xoxo-

Lisa

PS- Stay tuned for photos of my home office re-do! I promise to share once my office is finished. I still have a few things to do on my list first! 

New life to an old headboard!

I am so excited to share this post with you. I already did a post earlier with the pet paintings I delivered today, but I am so excited to show you this find! 

So it's your lucky day, you get a two-for-one!

Today I was out and about and went into a local antique store. I went in looking for a lamp for my client, but left with this in the Jeep! For only $50 it is such a steal, I couldn't wait to get home and give it a new look! 

I love the way the headboard looks against the gray walls in our living room. Maybe I will just paint my whole house gray?? ;)

As we all know, good design takes time... so I am patiently sourcing items for our bedroom, stay tuned for the finished project and to see this headboard in it's happy home!

Do you like the green? What color would you have chosen?

xoxo,

Lisa

Meet Pixie & Lily!

As some of you know, along with being an interior designer, I am also an artist. I paint many different subjects, but lately my specialty has been custom pet portraits, one of the best parts about doing this, is that it brings me in contact with people that I have lost touch with over the years!

Today, I got to deliver these two to one happy pet mommy. She is an old friend that I played soccer with in high school and it was great to catch up with her over coffee today. So excited for the things that are near in her future!

For some reason, I am rarely asked to paint kitties, it's mainly dogs that are requested. So I am excited to share this lovely duo with you, Lily and Pixie (the kitty)! If you are interested in viewing more of my work, please visit my website.

Thank you Meghan, for supporting my talent and asking me to paint them, I am so happy you are already enjoying them in your home!

New Obsession: File Cabinets

Yes, you read that right. I have a new obsession with file cabinets. Once ever so ugly, boring and for one single purpose... filing. Now, unexpected, beautiful and storage friendly!

A while back I saw this interior by Summer Thornton, and I loved her use of the file cabinet for an end table. I have been wanting to do it ever since.

Image via: Summer Thornton Design

The other day I was surfing Pinterest (which we all know is a productive time leech.) and I ran across this interesting pin and I had to check it out further. It led me to this awesome blog: Little House in the Big D

Isn't this file cabinet just amazing?! I instantly ran out my door and scurried to Michael's to pick up supplies to transform my own cabinet. 

I wanted my cabinet to function as an end table (a las! My file cabinet/end table dreams would come true!) and I wanted a little more darker feel with a bit of glam. So here is what I chose to do...

And here it is in my Living Room! What do you think? I love the way it looks with the old barrel back chair and my collection of photos and art. 

I can't wait to transform the boring file cabinet in my office as well. What style will you transform yours too? Be sure to check out Little House in the Big D (link above) for all the instructions on how to make this work! 

Please make sure to share the end results!

xoxo-

Lisa