Joyce Ford Blog

Mid-century modern design is a hot trend. And a mod design lover has a special eye for retro, minimal and functional features. So what type of gift do you give this type of design purist? Here are the best mid-century modern gifts in stores now for the modern design fan. Iconic mid-century modern clocks One of the most iconic mid-century modern design pieces is the George Nelson Wall Clock, available at Design Within Reach for $395 More mid-century modern clocks in stores now: 1, 2, 3   Mid-century modern gifts for the coffee lover The Francis Francis Espresso machine by Illy blends state of the art with mid-century modern design. Available at Amazon for $235 More mod coffee gifts in stores now: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6   Mid-century modern hostess gifts Brightly colored geometric trays in many shapes, colors and sizes mix and match to create beautiful designs. Hay Kaleido Trays at the Danish Design Store for $16-$49. More modern hostess gifts in stores now:

The floor, walls, ceilings, curtains and almost all of the furniture in this home are white. This could easily look very clinical, but by adding some vintage pieces like the cupboard in the living room, the chair in the bedroom and the kitchen table, all this white is dimmed and the flat gets an inviting atmosphere. Photographed by Janne Olander for Stadshem First seen on Coco Lapine Design

This unusual looking guesthouse in Tangalle, Sri Lanka, was recently completed by Chinthaka Wickramage Associates . Issana Beach House is located 200 kilometers (125 miles) away from the bustling capital of Colombo and is a comfortable stopover for those looking to explore the country’s South Coast beaches. According to the architects, the design of this house drew inspiration from the vernacular buildings of the nearby small towns and villages. The low-rise structures were developed to merge with the surrounding landscape. Local materials such as brick (for the masonry walls) and timber (for the roof and terraces) were integrated in the construction. Before heading to the reception, visitors walk through an inviting forecourt. After checking-in, they are “squeezed” through a tall and narrow cathedral-like corridor that leads to the bedrooms. This narrow pathway continues with a triple-height lounge area, which visually communicates with the garden, beach and the Indian Ocean beyo

We used IKEA components to build a massive cash wrap counter for our petstore. Materials: 3 x KALLAX 4×2 shelving units (Art no: 202.758.85) 2 x KALLAX shelving units (Art no: 202.946.19) 1 x KALLAX 5×5 shelving unit (Art no. 703.015.42) Frames to cover the back of the 2×4 KALLAX units 4″ ABS pipes Laminate top We used 2 of the KALLAX (4 square x 2 square shelves), on their sides. Then a 2×4 frame was attached to the back of them. Then, two additional units (Art no: 202.946.19) were placed on the back. We used 4″ ABS pipes for the legs. For the L section we used another 4 square x 2 square unit. Then a large piece off plywood was placed on top and after a couple weeks of agony I chose a laminate top. We used one of the really big units (5×5 KALLAX) behind the desk where we keep sample bags of pet food. The project was way beyond what we could do on our own, so we did have to hire a contractor. Labor and materials outside of the items we bought from IKEA were signific

Outdated home trends often cause buyers to pass on your home. Image: Linda McDougald Design | Postcard from Paris Home We hate to say it, but trends do come and go. What was hot a few years ago may not be popular now and some long-scorned fads are making their way back into the public consciousness. (We’re looking at you, wallpaper !) For sellers, this cycle can leave some sellers stuck with outdated design trends when they put their home on the market. Worst of all, they might not even know it. If you’re getting ready to sell, you don’t want to miss this post. We asked the pros which out-of-date looks are most likely to send buyers running. In most cases, all it takes is a few small changes to open your home to a much wider pool of buyers. Taking the paneling off your basement walls is more than worth the investment. Image: Callahan Interiors Paneling on the walls “One couple I worked with loved a home until we stepped into the basement. The floor to ceiling wood paneling mad

IKEA items used: SUNNERSTA Rail 4x SUNNERSTA container I am and always have been an avid reader of the IKEAhackers . I’ve copied a few over the years but this time I’ve had a go at my own! Ok once you’ve read it you will realise all I’ve actually done is cut 25mm off each side of a bar. The problem was simple, utilise as much space as possible in the cupboard under the sink and make things we use a lot (dishwasher and washing tablets) more accessible. If you look round there are loads of articles on how to make efficient use of cupboards, but I always liked ones that attached to the door and utilised the space above the things in the cupboard. I had originally planned to use something like a suction cup shower caddy to go on the back of the door, but after heading round IKEA last week I found the perfect things!! Photo: IKEA.com Now the SUNNERSTA range has been out a while. And I may have walked past these items 10s of times (or they might be new) but they were exactly what I