We spend a good amount of time here at Atticmag searching out well designed and stylish kitchens and bathrooms to feature each week.  When it comes to bath and powder rooms, paying attention to what may seem like small details can have a significant effect on the mood of your space.

The sinks featured here are on the whimsical side.  There’s nothing traditional or ordinary about them.  Instead they are designed to invoke a sense of individuality — a glimpse into the personality of the home’s owners. [Design shown above: Oregon Trout].

Money Down the Drain

Pool Balls

If you’d like to further accentuate the bold details of the pool ball sink, pair it up with the art glass billiard ball doorknob we featured here.

18th Hole

Modern Fish

Leopard

Keep watching as I will be posting many more sinks in the coming weeks.  Whether your style is traditional, eclectic, contemporary or retro, there are numerous choices available today — even your basic white!

All of these basins are from Marzi Studios.  Hand painted by artists and made in America, they are available in various shapes and customizable.

If you are a fan of old furniture, or should I say, furniture parts, especially those that have been salvaged and reincarnated, there’s an artist in London I’d like to tell you about.

Rupert Blanchard is a craftsman in pursuit of old drawers to repurpose into cabinets.  But that’s not quite the whole story because not just any drawer will do. Scouting through estate, market and garage sales, he’s on the lookout for a very special type of drawer.

“I’ve been collecting odd drawers for the past four years.  My drawers are lost & found, saved & given and sometimes purchased…I ask about the history of the drawer as I have made it my rule to never use a drawer that already has a use in an existing piece of furniture. I never discard a carcass to get the drawers. This is one of the reasons why making a new piece of furniture can take me such a long time.”

“Finding the right combination takes time…hence I have accumulated a huge collection of odd drawers that I stare at daily to try to find new works in…Every drawer has a history; I could go on for ages just telling you about my history with the drawers.”

Take a look at where Mr. Blanchard discovered the drawers used in the piece above.

3 Victorian mahogany chest drawers from Wimbledon, London
6 Haberdashery Shop drawers, oak and glass from Battersea, London
3 Singer sewing machine table drawers from a factory in Shoreditch, London
2 oak fitted wardrobe drawers from Margate
1 very small drawer made from scrap wood by my friend Martin Bates
1 teak fronted 50s office desk drawer from Clapham, London
2 Art Deco dressing table drawers from Clapham, London
1 oak sideboard fitted cutlery drawer from Margate
1 Victorian mahogany office cabinet drawer from Margate
1 foxed mirror from a hall stand from Wimbledon edged with teak from a science lab table from Northampton and a handle found in Brick Lane.

To see more of his creations, visit his blog, Styling and Salvage.  And a special thank you to Mr. Blanchard for allowing me to use his photos and quotes for this article.

I hope this before and after sparked an idea or two in everyone participating in today’s Metamorphosis Monday event hosted by Susan at Between Naps on the Porch.

Clue:  each wallflower is approximately 8″ diameter

There’s nothing shy about these wallflowers.  What are these items? Post your best guess and I’ll return on Tuesday for the big reveal.

Last week, I met designer Jeffrey Bilhuber at a Doyle New York auction gallery exhibition where a signing for his second book, Defining Luxury, the Qualities of Life at Home (Rizzoli, $65) also was taking place.

While we were talking – more about why in a minute – he asked if I planned to bid on anything in the “The Well Appointed Room” sale [a reference to Edith Wharton] of furniture and decorative pieces from three dealers who were friends of his. “No,” I said. “We just finished renovating our apartment.” Then I asked if he planned to bid on anything. “Yes, quite a few things,” he replied.

Well, I figured, he can afford buy what he wants. Plus, he shops for clients like Vogue’s Anna Wintour, Law & Order’s Mariska Hargitay as well as dozens of elite New Yorkers who allow their lavishly decorated homes to be photographed for his books. I still needed basics: new towels for two baths, 13 window treatments, and miscellaneous rugs.

After we finished talking, I looked around the sales floor [above] and noticed multiple groups of framed hand-colored lithographs – the kind you often see in magazines hung in sets of six or more on dining room, bedroom and great room walls. I had given up finding any for my bedroom that I could afford after more than two years of scouring auction catalogs for yellow flowers or fruit.

Suddenly, I noted some that were yellow and very nicely framed.  Lot 96 were Belgian flower studies – yellow orchids – done in 1887. The estimate was in my price range. The second set, Lot 144, were yellow apples and pears done around 1853 — also affordable.

I had gone to Doyle to interview Jeffrey Bilhuber, for Shelterpop!, AOL’s home design site where I recently became a contributor. He was making a rare personal appearance. My interview with him was published the next day. I was not shopping.

On the way out, the power of Jeffrey’s suggestion took hold. I left low bids on both lots of lithographs and — while I secretly dreaded getting them all – I was thrilled to snag the set of six fruits at an lucky, absolutely amazing price!

I picked them up yesterday afternoon – thank you Jeffrey.

So where will they go? My idea was over our bed — it’s just so empty there — though I do want my husband’s opinion since I also have a good spot in the dining room. I just need to wait a little before I haul them out of the closet where they are stashed. The new bathroom towels arrived yesterday, too.

Does Valentine’s Day have you seeing red?  Cards and flowers aren’t the only things you should purchase in this bold color.  The candy apple retro play kitchen is a hot ticket, but worth the wait.  Scroll through AtticMag’s selection of grown-up spaces to see that all Red Kitchens don’t have to be pretend.

JaneT found a Quirky Decor Stiletto doorstop in black last Fall for JaneF. Our resident fashionista should pump it up with the red version.

Confession time Part Deux;  I have yet to order my Decorative Wastebaskets.  But when I do, I know they will have me asking “why didn’t I do this sooner!”  The rose decoupage container will be eye candy in any room.

We all love finding unique accessories for our homes, but don’t forget the kitchen.  This vibrant fused glass platter will add a spicy accent to the counter and double as Functional Kitchen Art.

Nothing drab about this essential kitchen tool.  The hourglass is only one of many shapes when choosing from the sleek assortment of Retro Kitchen Timers available online.

Don’t leave out your furry family members on Valentine’s Day.  Trimmed in red, Designer Pet Collars featuring candy hearts are perfect for our much-loved companions.

Various shades of red mix well in most color schemes, without being overwhelming.  So introduce a splash into your surroundings. Red is not just for Valentine’s Day!

Sources:
Red Retro Kitchen $150, One Step Ahead
Foot in the Door Doorstop $15,  The Well Dressed Home
Red Hawaiian Decoupage Wastebasket  $100, Layla Grayce
Red Ribbons Platter $215,  Marlow Glass Arts
Hourglass Kitchen Timer  $15, Polder Online
Candy Heart Collar, Lead and Harness from $22, Trixie and Peanut

The boteh (commonly known as paisley), is a familiar motif in Oriental rugs.  There are various translations of the word and what exactly the pear shaped symbol represents; however, descriptions usually refer to a pine cone, flower or teardrop. In rugs and Kashmiri shawls, where the boteh was first utilized, the motif is generally used in a repetitive manner.  Designer Madeline Weinrib presents a modern day interpretation of the boteh in the Tibetan rug [above] pairing simple white botehs on a crisp solid colored field.  The rug is available in four colors ranging from runner size to 10 x 14.

You can find paisley patterned clothing for women on fashion designer Paul Smith’s site, so it’s not surprising to find his rug design for The Rug Company would be equally fashionable.  The Paisley Aubergine rug [above] is hand-knotted of Tibetan wool and made in Nepal.  His random boteh pattern features botehs within a boteh made up of colored swirls à la mod 1970’s fabric.

The cocoa colored wallpaper in ceramist Christopher Spitzmiller’s home [above and below] adds a masculine backdrop to floral filled botehs.  Symmetrically placed, the botehs become a deliberate part of the design, keeping this rendition true to the classic paisley style.  (Photos via NYSD).

When I remodeled my home a few years ago, new interior doors and hardware were on my list of items to replace.  At the time my biggest dilemma was whether to go with door knobs or levers — oil rubbed bronze or antique gold?

Recently I discovered the gorgeous and vast styles of glass art door knobs available from Out of the Blue Design Studio.  I admit to feeling somewhat relieved I was no longer in the market for door hardware.  No hardware needed equals no hard decisions to make.  That is until I saw their designs also come in cabinet and shower door versions.  I could use some new kitchen knobs.

These examples are just a smattering of the designs offered.  There are multi-colored swirls reminiscent of marbles, team favorites like the Boston Red Sox or how about an 8 ball for your billiard room door?  There’s a USA inspired design as well as a few jungle print versions.

Out of the Blue Design Studio designs and manufactures art glass, working with glass artists worldwide.  Have an idea of your own?  Custom commissions are available.

Don’t forget to check out their glass shower door handles and cabinet knobs.  That’s where you’ll find me browsing!