Mood Board Monday Party: Pretty Pictures

Hi! Welcome to the 8th Mood Board Monday McLinky party! Thanks for coming:)

This blog party is all about seeing how different people are inspired differently by the same things. This week's challenge was a bit unusual. Instead of using furniture or accessories as a starting point, we're using the work of three different interior and still life photographers. So, a bit more of an ambiguous beginning, but I think it will be very interesting to see where everyone ends up:)

1.

{Photographer Helen Norman}

2.

{Photographer Burcu Avsar}

3.

{Photographer Patric Johansson}


*********

Here's my mood board for the week. Something about the first picture caught my eye. I love that its so close up...there's not much here but it makes you want to know more. I love the subtle color. At first you might say "what color?", but that's what I love about neutrals - their complexity and depth. I imagine this still life in the home of someone who loves to write, who loves to travel. Someone who likes collecting old things. My mood board reflects a young woman living in a studio flat in London. Let's say she's from France but has just moved here for a new job. She doesn't have much square footage, but she's managed to carve out a place for living, a place for sleeping and a nook to work in. She keeps it very monochromatic and calm and fills it with things that remind her of home.

1. The palette - directly inspired by the photograph. Black, white, oatmeal, linen, all shades of gray, sepia, chocolate. I added in some touches of a soft seafoam for a little bit of "color".

2. Only a twin bed fits in the space. This French Academie Iron Bed from Restoration Hardware...Employing industrial materials and masterful finishing techniques, our reproduction looks much like its early-20th-century French predecessor.

3. Because its just her, she can be a little risky with this bedding, the WeSC Dans Les Bras Duvet Cover Set by Mode 2 from Urban Outfitters...Designed for WeSc by the ever-inspirational graffiti artist, Mode 2 - who focuses much of his attention on the female shape in many forms - this duvet cover set features a sketched design at the front of the duvet cover and a sleepy French message at the pillowcases.

4. I saw these sheets in the latest Pottery Barn catalog and immediately knew I wanted to put them in this room. Calligraphy Sheet Set...The cursive that crosses our sheeting evokes the lettering on vintage post-cards. Written in time-softened sepia on an ivory ground, the pattern functions as a neutral, mixing easily with other prints. Randomly ordered words and phrases are drawn from antique French documents.
5. On the bed, this Handmade Floral Pillow cover (sandy brown and cream floral on a blue green background) from etsy seller milk and cookies.
6. And the Grand Chenille Throw in Blue Smoke from Pottery Barn.
7. To anchor the living space in the loft, the Thema Rug from Ballard Designs...This handmade soumak weave rug is designed in a traditional tribal pattern of natural undyed wool, creating sophisticated grays and warm neutrals that mix easily with fabrics and woods.
8. Two of these Chairs 1703-01 from Lee Industries...in Sonny Natural fabric with mini nail-head trim...balance out the light colored bedding across the room.
9. Handmade Chevron Pillow covers (CHESTER village blue and natural chevron / zig zag pattern) from etsy seller milk and cookies on the chairs add pattern and bring the accent color to this side of the space.
10. Brigitte Side Table in distressed black from Ballard Designs.
11. The 1930s French Postal Desk from Restoration Hardware gives our heroine a place to work and store all her vintage lovelies...Our antique French postal desk, originally used for sorting mail circa 1930, has been faithfully replicated, down to the broad leather-topped work surface and swing-out stool.
12. To pay homage to her new home, she collects maps of London from different points in history. Here's two from art.com: Map of Roman London and Map of London at the time of Queen Elizabeth I

13. And to remind her of home, this Paris Places Print from Ballard Designs...A train destination board we often see in the Gare du Nord station of Paris inspired this graphic piece.
14. Somewhere in the room (simply because its so beautiful), this Serena Antique Mercury Glass Lamp (with burlap shade) from Pottery Barn...Prized by collectors for its incomparable luster and shine, mercury glass was first produced in the 19th century as a polish-free alternative to silver. Our handblown lamps are crafted using the same method as the originals, with a gently tarnished silver lining that accentuates their graceful shapes and detailing.
15. Since the inspirational photo had so much ephemera, our girl would keep and collect things like this Vintage Book Collection, the Immigrant from etsy seller sadie olive...three vintage books - aged and worn with browned pages, french-english, english-french dictionary, a French text book (illustrated), and a German textbook, "Deutsch fur Amerikans".

*********

Now its your turn! Here's what you do to join the party:

1. Create a mood board using one of the above inspirational photographs.
2. Write a post about it, including sources (with a link back to this post so others can come look).
3. Add your name and project to the MckLinky here on this post (for example - Sarah's London Studio Flat).
4. Then add the link to your SPECIFIC MBM POST, not your general blog address.
5. Have fun checking out all the other wonderful rooms.

Thanks so much for taking the time to join the party!!! Can't wait to see all your beautiful rooms:)

---

1. Postcards 2. Vintage Gray Room 3. Cathy's Cottage Pop 4. Girly girl glam a-go-go with Pink. Green & Yams 5. Exotic Living Room 6. A Modern, Shabby-Chic Nursery 7. Oh My Yes Mood Board Monday 8. NW&TOH Monday Mood Board 9. On My Agenda's Arts + Crafts Dining & Sitting Room 10. Comfort and Joy: Mood Board Monday

This linky list is now closed.

Get your own FREE Linky Tools