Some of My Favorite Instagram Artists

I haven't even begun to hang up artwork at Little Black Creek House. We have so much to do, trim to replace, holes to patch... and we have barely even begun to scratch the surface. I think I have a mirror, a "no trespassing" sign, and one framed image of a creepy witchy female hung up so far. However, that hasn't stopped my accumulation of some art pieces, and coveting far more.

One of the artists I follow, and whose art I am smitten with, is Cory Baldwin - (@we_ran_the_night on Instagram). When I tell you that I can literally hear the cicadas singing in the late summers of my childhood years, I mean it. His work feels so nostalgic, and he doesn't even know me. There is such a beautiful tranquil "dusk" feel in his work, where I can feel my skin cooling as I head home from Sherry and Jason's house down the street.

Every interaction I have had with Cory proves him to be humble and polite to a fault. Such a great person to ever interact with. Please do check out his portfolio and give him a follow!

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How can I profess to love a monochromatic, vintage filled home without contrast? I found Tara Smith's work on Instagram (@tarasmithartist), and purchased a small print prior to moving to Niagara. Since then, I have followed Tara's art , accumulated a bit more, learned that she's also a talented photographer, and have even had a fun day out thrifting with her (she goes hard!) She is truly fantastic with such a wonderful outlook on things, she is a lover of brave and bold, and she definitely says it how it NEEDS to be said. Don't believe me? Have a look below:

Like art, good design calls for contrast. Recently, Tara has been painting abstract pieces within vintage frames, and her creative gutsy work is a perfect addition to literally any room you hang it in. Go show her some love.

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I only recently found Christopher Reilly on Instagram. I was immediately drawn to the energy of the images, and honestly? His story and profile. I love the use of both black and white and colour in his images, and his chaotic energy that he exudes. Christopher is a mental health nurse at a time when they are so very much needed, and I can't help but think that his outlet being his art is benefiting art lovers tremendously.

Follow along with Christopher to keep up with his art, and also? Sometimes a cat makes a cameo.

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dooublevision has this neat and tidy aesthetic. Clean and precise lines and amazing talent for capturing things in a way that is so charming. I have to tell this quick funny story. I found a print Julie created of an iconic old store sign in South Windsor (where I grew up) and I needed to have it. I mentioned it in passing to Chris, and set off to order one for myself. Chris then also ordered me one to surprise me with it for Christmas. Having two, I gifted one to my father in law who was also born in Windsor and lived there until he was in his early teens. Anyways, I digress. The artwork from this page is so fun, and the fact that Julie is an artist AND a horticulturalist means that there is a wide variety of art to be found.

Julie is witty and funny any time you interact with her, and her art is diverse and fantastic. Give her a follow to see what she comes up with next.

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Have a look at this piece by Jb! I met her as a hard working owner of a very highly rated interior/exterior painting company, and only through chatting (and laughing my ass off at her) did I learn that she's an accomplished artist as well! Her paintings evoke this fun energy that she possesses, and they just have a great presence as colorful art.

Always grinding, Jb is a multi talented gal, and she's also just a great person to ever interact with. She's positive, and super fun, and she's a hard worker. Follow along!

Sustainable, Fearless Decor

For a long time, I needed to be budget conscious. I needed to buy things second hand, because I was not in a position to afford brand new beautiful things. In a way, I'm glad that that happened. It began a 25(ish) year long journey of education, trying new things, and combining items with bravery and skill.

My personal style is more than just that. It is a staple for smart, skillful design and decorating.

We are currently stockpiling all of our building materials and decor items for our new bathroom here at Little Black Creek House. We have purchased all of the tile, the bathtub (circa early 1900's cast iron clawfoot), the vanity is built and sitting in my office (it's next to the bathroom), and I have begun to gather together the decor items we plan to use as well.

Our countertops will be reclaimed hickory that was sourced out of a now torn-down barn in Tweed, Ontario. Chris will plane them, I will refinish them and he will install them. The bathtub came out of a turn of the century duplex that is being gutted in Fort Erie. I am personally super excited for the bath tub. There's nothing quite like soaking in a deep, iron tub as they hold the heat of the water so beautifully.

I always feel like I have saved so much money while sourcing my vintage finds, and then I find a way to "splurge"; sometimes to draw it all together, sometimes to add some contrast. This time was no exception. I sourced an amazing light fixture from a super friendly company in New Orleans called Sazerac Stitches. I asked to custom order our vanity light fixture, and they were more than happy to do that for me.

The floor tile is an "antiqued" look, as we really are trying to instill any character back into this home. Even the bathroom door will be replaced with an antique five panel solid wood door that we will be painting our deep charcoal but not quite black Raccoon Fur by Benjamin Moore.

Here is a look at a repurposed door we have already installed in one of our rooms that includes salvaged backplates, salvaged knobs, already painted in Raccoon Fur:

Repurposed Door

The walls will be China White by our friend Benjamin Moore - I'm toying with a 3/4 formula for this, but we shall see! As for wet area walls? Matte white subway tile with off white grout (I think). I'm loving on herringbone tile, but it may just be better suited to put traditional brick pattern in there.

Chris, my amazing significant other, custom built the vanity and really went the extra mile on the chamfered doors. The hardware is from Lee Valley and I'm swooning over the patina.

ANDDDDDD Here is a look at what I have planned for the main bathroom:

Vintage Meets Modern

I really can't wait to show you the "afters" of this bathroom. The room is in such a sorry state and it isn't being used to its fullest potential. (That's where this custom vanity comes in!)

Stay tuned!

K

Choosing an Area Rug

When in doubt, answer some questions for yourself before you commit to an area rug selection. Perhaps you need a large washable rug such as this one from Ruggable. Their 9x12 washable faux vintage look checks in around $740.00 CAD. You will also need to purchase a pad for this endeavor. Maybe you are interested in a sisal rug for your high traffic family? You can find one here at $409.00 for an 8x11.4' rug. I personally have done a little bit of research for a while, and recently found some beautiful low pile vintage Turkish rugs for our home which consists of a teen, two dogs, and a contractor (not to mention me... I'm usually covered in dirt for one reason or another.)

After learning the huge benefits of wool and cotton low pile rugs, I also loved that purchasing vintage handmade rugs goes hand in hand with my sustainable living endeavor, keeping these beauties in the spotlight and reusing decades old works of art.

An area rug is most definitely an investment into your space. It should fill your space by not only muting sound, cushioning your feet, but visually breaking up the flooring that is laid under it. Your living room can likely accommodate a rug up to 9x12 feet, and that includes perching your sofa's front legs directly onto the rug itself. Not enough for your space? You can always consider layering rugs. (Crazy, but you soooo can.) The pro tip here, is that you either want one rug to sit under the front legs of all of your furnishings in your living area, or you want a large rug for the main area, and you can let your side chairs satellite off with their own anchoring space that is harmonious with your main grouping.

Properly proportioned area rug

Note the image on the left shows the front legs and chaise legs of the sofa are on the area rug, along with the coffee table. There is an ottoman also using this rug as an anchor.

How do I choose a material? Should I be afraid of vintage wool rugs? Is polyester more durable?

First consideration; who is going to be using this space? It's important to keep this in mind when purchasing area rugs. If you have littles, pets, or someone in your home has a job that can potentially bring dust and debris into your home, you'll want to consider things like how deep the pile (the fibers that make up the "walked on" part of the rug) is, and how easy it will be to vacuum. The deeper the pile, the more dirt, debris and allergens the rug will trap, and the more difficult it will be to vacuum. At this point, give consideration to things like the fibers the rug is made of. Polyester rugs can trap moisture and allergens as they are not natural fibers that breathe and allow air to flow through them easily. Natural fibers such as wool, cotton and jute are highly favored not only for their resilience, but for their resistance to moisture and allergens.

What about colours? Consider your colour palette that you're currently rocking. Your area rug should bring contrast, colour tones and, in my humble opinion, should be a work of art splashed across your floor. Whether that means it's a beautifully designed rug, a bright and cheerful Wayfair favorite, or a low pile, singularly coloured tidy piece, you want it to be nice, not just utilitarian.

Splash of hallway colour!

Hallways and long spans between rooms are an excellent place to have fun with colourful rugs as they typically do not contain a lot of furniture to clash or draw attention away.

Considering layering rugs? Now you're talking! Layered rugs look amazing and they lend a lot of interest to the room you're working on. I am personally a huge fan of this practice as I love lush visuals and I love to mix and match. Pay attention to scale, and patterns. Your layered rug patterns should share some similarity such as colours, but they definitely should not share the same or similar patterns. The key to a good layering is to shake it up. Add a large sisal rug under a smaller vintage rug. Or, add a striped rug to anchor your room, and add a smaller cow hide rug under the coffee table to create a second anchor point in your seating area.

Vintage Turkish rug layered with a cow hide rug which anchors a studded green leather chair.

Can't wait to see what you come up with!

Interested in a vintage, hand made, all natural fiber rug (or pillow cushion throw?) I got you.

Check back soon for a shopping section.

Thanks for stopping by!