Cubism Slipcovered

If you enjoy changing the look of your space, but do not want to dwindle your decor budget due to a need for a “winter look” or “summer freshen”, then I recommend seeking out pieces that can be modified to suit your mood.  Items that are slip covered are a perfect solution.  This includes pillows, upholstered furniture, and in my home, bean bag cubes (above).

My bean bag cubes are from Serena and Lily – no longer available, but check out Pottery Barn Kids for a similar slip cover version – and are perfect for my Spring/Summer look. (The third one is in a pale blue basket weave textile, but was in another location at the time of the photograph!)  In the Fall/Winter when our Kilim rugs are pulled out to to add warmth under our feet I switch the slip covers on the cubes to compliment this darker, cozy aesthetic.

Using a remnant of Donghia’s Sophia Donghia textile (above), invisible zippers and grosgrain ribbons, I had my talented seamstress copy the original slipcover.  And voila, the bean bag cubes now are perfect for a cozy afternoon in front of the fire place!

Or stacked at the bottom of my stairs out of the way!

Organize 2012: Sort, Stack, and Store

New Year’s resolutions are made and then broken more often than not.  The trend seems to be to make less “I will do . . ” or “I will not do . . .” resolutions and more “I will be . . .” or “I will strive to . . . ” statements.  So not punitive, rather motivational resolutions.  To that end, 2012 will be the year I improve the organization in my house so that I am ready for anything.

There are so many good reasons to get organized:  “don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today”; maybe you’re searching the world for a new job and need to be ready to move at a moments notice; or you’d like to move to a space more suited to your style.  (I fall into the last category.)  While I suspect professional organizers have a closed door to an unorganized space in their home, they do have an advantage over us amateurs;  they know how to prioritize and put useful daily systems in place.  They also know how to create space where there is none to be found!

It would be terrific if there was a way to get organized in a weekend, but for most, like me, it will be a step here and a step there.  You’ve seen how I reworked my recycling area and my solution for holiday cards, so now I’m onto the very courant issue of my scarves.  Amidst winter in the northeast there are piles of scarves, coats and gloves everywhere, and I need a solution.

There are many great shops that have organizational tools such as Ikea and The Container Store, but also consider children’s shops such as Land of Nod and Pottery Barn Kids because there are numerous, colorful, and inexpensive storage options.  The Skubb boxes above are marketed for shoes, but are also the perfect size for my scarves.  The boxes are small enough to stack in my closet and the transparent front flap allows me to see the contents.  Since my collection is quite extensive I organized it by color.

Hope this inspires you to tackle a pile…or two!