Fun and Funky Friday Find: Recycled Art

So in celebration of the fact that it is Friday, I decided to research some fun and funky Friday finds. I think that I am going to start this as a regular weekly trend. So now every Friday, check back for a Fun and Funky Friday Find!

Today's fun and funky find is recycled art. Below are some marvelous images of various recycled art!

 

This awesome work of art, image courtesy of haute nature,

is one of those... man! why didn't I think of that pieces! That is kind of the feeling I get when looking at all of these images!

Photo courtesy of recycled monkey.

 

The website recycledmonkey.com is a whole page about the art made by artist Jason Fritzsche. It is all great and beautiful reworks of items that were given a second chance! Here are some more images of his work.

Now, how on earth does he do that? Love it!

There is also an awesome sight, recycledart.com, that offers some amazing images and ideas as well!

Images like this precious, recycled, flower broach. Eco-friendly and fun!

 

Also, from recycledart.com, a backpack made totally out of Maruchan packages! I hope these pictures inspire you to go dumpster diving and make some awesome art!

 

Happy Friday everyone!!

Designing a rented space

So as a recent college graduate, and a new(er) member of the Laura U team, I am weighing my options about getting my own place. Now I am in no place to become a home owner right out of the gate, but I am interested in renting somewhere to call my very own. And after working here at Laura U, my brain is overflowing with creative juices about how to decorate. So knowing that I am not the only recent college graduate in this very same position, I decided to look at some smart, creative, and affordable ways to decorate a rented space! I believe that I can offer 5 helpful tips for any renter; so here they are...

1. 
   
   Lean on me

         With your rented space, more often than not, your landlord will not want for you to punch/nail/drill any holes into their walls. To solve this problem, try the leaning technique. Take the piece you want to hang, that you simply cant live without, and lean it up against the wall. This way, your art is still displayed and you are not responsible for any unsightly holes in the walls!

In the above image, courtesy of J Conner , the framed art is displayed on the shelf. Totally fab and wall friendly!

In the above picture, courtesy of covetable designs, the mirror is leaning against the wall.

2. Light the way

        So one quick and easy way to change a space into something personal, is to change the lighting. This can easily be done in a rented space. Simply take off the shade or an already existing lighting piece and store it away, and replace it with the one of your choosing. When it is time to move out, change it back to the original! Also, fabulous floor lamps can definitely make a statement!

These floor lamps are courtesy of the furniturestoreblog. They are great examples of the importance of a floor lamp!

These fun lampshades are perfect for spicing up any space!

3. Rugs, Rugs, Rugs!

    If you don't like the carpeting or flooring in your rented space, your best option would be to find some great rugs. Below are a few examples..

This rug is a great centerpiece to this room and really brings out the colors of the pillows on the white couches, the lampshades, and the flowers on the mantle. So if you are totally inspired, this look is definitely do-able. And simply lean that mirror against the wall above the fireplace and there ya go!

 A fun technique that is very hip right now is the idea of rug layering. Just buy several of one smaller sized rug that you like and layer it across all or part of your floor. It gives for a 'lived in' feel and brings warmth to the space. You can have to rugs match (like the image above) or not match (like the image below). Pretty great, huh?

4. Personalize it

Here at Laura U we have some awesome accent pieces to personalize your space. These are just some of a few of the fabulous pillows that we have in the boutique. (side note: they will all be 40% off Sat June 26- Fri July 2!)

Also in store, we have this fabulous set of vinyl chairs that are to die for. They would be a perfect piece in  just about any house!

The first thing I am going to display when I get my own place, is some art that I bought at the French Market in New Orleans, La . The addition of any fun, sentimental items to your rented space is sure to give it some character and definitely strike up conversation!

5. Don't forget the color!

Color is super important in most rented spaces. Usually, the walls are white and drab and painting them usually isn't even an option. My best advice would be not to get down about your drab color palette, but to work with what you have! Grab some bright, fun pillows or colorful flowers! Whatever you do, just make it reflect who you are!

These are more fun pillows that are meant to bring out the personality in a room with their bright, vibrant colors. Picture courtesy of style-files.

See! This white kitchen was instantly spiced up with the addition of some lovely red flowers. Now doesn't that look precious!

This picture is a perfect example of the use of a rug to bring character and color into a room. Also, the red lampshades on the fireplace... marvelous!

So I hope that these tips are helpful to anyone and everyone out there debating on what to do with their rented space! Happy Thursday!

Red, White, and Blue Sale!

Good Morning Blog Followers!

It is almost time for 4th of July (can you believe it?) and in celebration of this patriotic holiday we are having a 'Red, White, and Blue' sale!

The sale begins Saturday June 26 and runs until Friday July 2nd. Select merchandise will have colored stickers on the price tags and will denote that the item is on sale.

Red stickers will be on items that are 15% off the original sale price, white stickers will be on items that are 25% off the original sale price, and blue stickers will be on items that are 40% off the original sale price.

Be sure to stop in the boutique and take advantage of this sale, because you will not want to pass up some of these prices!

Here are some images of just a few of the FABULOUS items that will be on sale!

This precious green love bird is part of the Stray Dog Designs collection (a personal favorite of mine). He is originally priced at $42 . But for the week of the Red, White, and Blue sale he will be 15% off!

This chic Jacobean style chair is a must have. It is featured in our store window and it brings in the crowds everyday! It is priced at $3920 and will be 40% off.

This fun pink sunburst pillow is sure to be a cute accent on any chair, couch, or bed! It is priced at $90 and will be 40% off.

From the same design company as the cute little green love bird, this Stray Dog Design Artichoke Lamp is definitely a fun accent lamp. It is priced at $500 and will be 40% off.

This wooden stool is perfect for placement just about anywhere. Whether you put magazines, books, or a candle on it, it is sure to be of great use to your decor. It is priced at $275 and will be 40% off.

Now y;all already know me feelings about candles and diffusers, but these Voluspa candles are to die for. All of the scents are available and on sale for 25% off their sale prices. The tall, cylindrical candles are $25 and the shorter, boxed candles are $27.

These blue open and closed vases will give your flowers (or whatever else) a funky feel! They are priced at $108 each and will be 40% off.

Remember that we are located at 1840 Westheimer Road in Houston, Texas and we are open 9am-6pm Monday through Friday and 10am-4pm on Saturday. All images are courtesy of Laura U. Be sure to become a fan of us on Facebook as well as continue to follow my blog for updates and fun design posts!

Fun Find!

So as a novice to the 'blogging' world, I have recently been doing A LOT of research by reading other interior design, boutique, and fashion blogs. And let me just say, I have learned so much and found some awesome things. Through my blog surfing, I came across the FunFurde blog which had a post featuring a product that I am a little obsessed with and I feel as though I must share!

Motifo is a company based out of NSW, Australia and they produce packages of 'magnetic artwork' made to spice up the look of your refrigerator. Basically, you order a package of magnets that are different shades in one color scheme. With that one package, you can create any image that you would like to cover your entire fridge! Because one package can allow for you to change your image, you will never get bored!

Below are just some of the endless examples of images that you can make with your magnet package!

Audrey Hepburn

Mona Lisa and Che Guevara

The Scream

Marilyn Monroe

Elvis

Barack Obama

Brad Pitt

all images from motifo

How fun is that? When I first discovered this, I immediately searched how do I get this for my own fridge? Well, due to the high demand of the product, the online sales are currently out of stock- but they hope to be replenished by July of 2010. So be sure to either get yourself over to Australia to pick up a package of your very own, or get on that waiting list! Each individual package of 1,296 magnets is $139 (not including shipping).

Painted Stairs?

So, I am loving a little trend that i first saw on The Zhush blog. What are your feelings about painted stairs? I think in the right place at the right time they can be FABULOUS. But if not done properly, they could be a borderline disaster. Below are some marvelous pictures of different painted staircases. Some are funky and some are chic, but overall, I think they are pretty awesome!

image from the Absolutely Beautiful Things blog

image from the Maggy Moon Interiors blog

image from the Decor Pad blog

image from the Crib Candy blog

image from the Not Quite Vintage blog

Aroma Therapy

One of my favorite things in the world is candles. I love being able to come home, light a candle, and breath in the relaxing aroma. I definitely lucked out working in a boutique full of them! Aroma therapy through candles or diffusers has been proven to help release tension and stress and to help you feel more relaxed. Isn’t that what you want after a hard days work? Pick up one of our candles or diffusers here in store and kick up your feet for some much needed R&R. You deserve it!



Below are some different aroma therapy items we offer…

This Michael Aram candle is sure to melt away the stress of any day. This particular scent is Ginkgo. These candles are also available in Pomegranate, Pine Cone, Impala, and Black Orchid. Each at $60.

These Voluspa diffusers come in three different scents; Burmese Rosewood, Santiago Huckleberry, and Baltic Amber. The Baltic Amber is pictured. Each at $48.

Although we love the diffusers, we carry Voluspa's candles in store, too! These candles are a big hit amoung the designers here at Laura U, as well as designers across the country! Check out this blog entry from apartmenttherapy.com featuring Voluspa products!

Wedding Fever

Hello blog followers!

The past 2 days I was out of the office at my best friend's wedding! The wedding was held at 7F Lodge in College Station, Tx and it was beautiful. Below is a picture of the bride with her bridesmaids.

According to wedding statistics, June is the most popular month of the year to get married. Nearly 11% of all weddings in the entire world take place in those short 30 days. I was lucky enough to be the maid of honor in a June wedding this past week.

Her colors were Black, White, and Yellow. The contrast of her white dress and the white chapel with the black dresses and suits of her wedding party, was flawless. Also, the incorporation of the yellow pinwheels and flowers with the outdoor wedding, really made for a beautiful evening.

Lastly, here is a picture of the happy couple during the ceremony in front of the quaint, outdoor chapel.

Congratulations Matt and Clarissa Riedel!

Hello!

Hi Everyone! My name is Melody Stacey and I am a new addition to the family here at Laura U!

I will be the one taking over the blog and sharing with everyone my personal style as well as the fabulous style that is Laura U. Check back daily for updates, tips, and fun information from us here at the Laura U Collection!

Also, if you haven't already become a fan of the Laura U facebook page, be sure to do so! Like the blog, the facebook page is updated frequently and it is full of fun and important information about Laura U.