Storque articles by decor8

Featured Buyer: Holly Becker of decor8

2008-10-22T12:33:00-05:00

This week's Featured Buyer is Holly Becker, the editor and founder of the inspirational design and decorating blog decor8, drawing 20,000 worldwide readers daily. She has been blogging non stop since January 2006 and we’re particularly fond of her weekly column on decor8 called Etsy Take Five Tuesdays. She also authors a popular Etsy slideshow series for Domino magazine online, authors a monthly design column in the Boston Globe, and is a contributing editor at RealSimple.com. With 160 purchases made on Etsy, Holly demonstrates her support of independent designers by promoting their work and shopping from them. Today she’ll share some of her favorite Etsy artists and show some of their work in her own home.

Oh Etsy: What you do to me! I started buying handmade on Etsy in February 2006 — my first purchase was a cosmetic bag from SeaBreezeStudio based in England. I remember when it arrived how excited and impressed I was with the quality. I also recall the responsive and friendly seller who made a great impression on me immediately. After such a positive first time transaction, I felt inspired to shop Etsy again and purchased from Simply Photo.

To date I’ve made 160 purchases and I’ve not had a single issue with any of them. I’ve shopped from sellers as far away as Singapore and items always arrive on time and exceed my expectations. Some sellers even include sweet little notes and extras, like stickers or candy. The whole personal touch thing is super addictive, as you’ll never see big box stores include personal notes expressing their gratitude for your support. It’s one of the reasons shopping handmade is so special and worthwhile. There are beating hearts behind the products, real people creating items that give them joy and they spread that happiness to others, giving us a chance to own a piece of their special worlds.

When my purchases arrive I feel positively giddy! I give so many of my purchases to friends as gifts. They always ooo and ahhh over everything; the response is so positive that I shy away from giving big box gift cards (I once gave only gift cards) and shop Etsy when I’m looking for the perfect present. It’s far more personal and you have a chance to show your friend that you really put some thought into the gift. At one time I only shopped big box for everything. Now it’s my last stop. I feel proud that I’ve changed the way I purchase and as a result I‘m contributing to the success of small business not only in America but worldwide.

I thought that you may like to see a few of my favorite art prints and original paintings that I’ve purchased from Etsy ‘at work’, living in my home. My husband and I primarily reside in New Hampshire, but we just took on a second residence in Germany, where we live five months each year. I’m in Germany as I write this, and over the past eight weeks I had to take an empty apartment and create a home from scratch. Throughout the process my big white walls kept screaming for love, and since I’m not at the point yet to decide on wall color or pattern, I went ahead and placed some of my beloved prints from artists who sell on Etsy in my living room to make the room feel more like home.

[Work above is, from left: SamanthaHahn, JenniferDavis, Caitlin Shearer of Pepperminte, LabPartners, Kareem Rizk, Bubbo, and Ez Pudewa of WrenandChickadee.]

This is my art wall. Nearly everything is from Etsy, with the exception of the vintage gold swallows and the limited edition JenniferDavis print of a Mississippi riverboat. I installed these pieces to look as though they were flying upwards, away with the birds. I like to hang artwork in a fun, non traditional way.

Also, all of the prints can be removed and swapped out with others of equal size so I can rotate my collection without adding new holes to the wall. Huge perk!

I pulled this small city apartment (under 60 square meters) together on a limited budget, which is why you’ll spot some IKEA pieces. The trick when buying from stores like IKEA is to fill in the ‘blanks’ with things acquired from indie sellers and flea markets. This brings in your personality and a sense of history. I still have lots to do in this space and a coffee table to buy, but placing Etsy art around has helped to make me feel at home.

[Artwork on this shelf includes: Pepperminte, JenniferDavis, Bubbo, CreativeThursday, AliciaBock, and a brooch by Toast. I cannot recall where the darling bunny is from, as it was a gift, so if anyone reading knows, please comment below so others can find the seller who made it.]

The best part about having a picture ledge above the sofa (don’t worry, no one can hit the ledge if seated) is that it is my rotating art gallery. I can put whatever up on the ledge that inspires me at the moment, so it‘s fun to play around with and I do not have to mess up the walls.

This is my small, very naked dining room. I still plan to install a pendant light over the table, paint and upholster the chairs, and etc. but this is what it looks like today. In my cabinet is where I keep lots of handmade and flea market finds along with books and fabric. Lots of these things came from Etsy and were given to me by friends.

One of my favorite treasures inside of this cabinet is the original painting from Brooklyn artist CaitlinKeegan (top right).

This is my home in New Hampshire and a peek into my living room, where I also have an art wall. Not all of this work is from Etsy, and some are original paintings, but I’ll highlight those that are: MyFolkLover, mcaplan, JenniferDavis, ashleyg, MicheleMaule, even the little soft mushroom is an Etsy find from littlebirds, along with the vintage dish via bluebellbazaar, and the ceramic deer is vintage from pinkshowercurtain.

This is what you’ll find around my bedroom in New Hampshire. The photograph is from AliciaBock, and the plant and pot are also from Etsy (yup!) via GreenwareDesign.

This is what was on my dresser last time I checked. An original painting from CreativeThursday, along with a lion she made out of clay, and jewelry by JadeScott.

Further Resources:
In addition to Etsy, I am continuously inspired by the blogs on my visual blogroll.

Thanks, Holly! Your space is quite inspiring (and Etsy filled!) For more of Holly's great taste, check out her blog at decor8blog.com. Looking to do more shopping? Check out our decorating posts and Featured Buyer series.

Affordable Art for Kids with Decor8 and Real Simple

2008-03-26T17:01:00-05:00

This delightful post on affordable artwork for kids was originally posted by Holly Becker of decor8.blogspot.com on Real Simple's Simply Stated. We loved it so, we thought "we must share it!" Enjoy!

I could go on and on about affordable art (mostly prints) maybe even devote an entire blog to it (or book) because I'd never run out of content. It's a sickness, my design crack. If I showed you the plastic bin in my work studio filled with prints I've purchased over the years from artists I follow, you'd call me a total junkie. I need prints because I have to live around things that visually stimulate me. And when I have children, I will follow my own advice here and decorate their rooms with lovely art prints at least until they are old enough to tell me that the giraffes have to go because the Transformers or babes in bikinis are going up. While I can control what's on the walls, I'll no doubt be shopping at some of these fine stores below. Then again, I've already shopped at many of these stores so I'm living proof that some of these aren't just for the tots. If you click around the links below, you will no doubt find more grown up friendly designs by the many artists featured here.

So enough talking, let's look at some art!

Binth: Numbers Poster, $55.

Full views of work not shown above, you'll need to click on these links to see entire images. GUIDE: 1. Tootsweet Shop: Barometz print $50, 2. Sarah Jane Studios: Summer Tea Party $24, 3. Shirae: Hoola $18, 4. MikieP: Girl Power $20, 5. Lab Partners: Birds and Squirrel Field trip $20, 6. Blanca Helga: Animal Tower $3, 7 & 8. Kiki and Polly: Hippity Hop to Bed $20 and Pink Fabric Eared Bunny $20.

Paul Chung: 123 Bird Series $15 (each print shown grouped in 3 framed above), and A Sitting Boy $18, also by Paul Chung. He's pretty amazing, by the way.

San Fran 67: Freddy $70. This artist makes the most intricate paper cutouts and frames them, what gorgeous displays for any kids' room.

Molly Jey is another great artist doing work that is very beautiful by cutting paper to form beautiful storybook-like three dimensional scenes. Shown here is Mystical Forest, $120.

GUIDE: 1. Sasha Loots: Meg and Pelly $40, 2. Axel Honey: The Trip $20, 3. Sammy Dog Productions: Fish $15, 4. Bumble Belly Designs: Trains and Planes $56, 5. Joseph Blake: I'll Be $26, 6. Paula Birdy: Alpha-birdy $35, 7. Aja Vu: Monsieur Poo Arctic Explorer $20, 8. JMC Designs: The Dance $50, 9. Tamba Toys: Can You See Me $14, and 10. Nuria73: My Secret Garden Rouge $40.

e.soule: The Little Zoo series, $70 each.

GUIDE: Charlie Motel: Somebody Loves You $20, Creative Thursday: Peep Peep $35, Seaspray Blue: The CountUp $17, Margin: Laurence $20, JRitter Designs: ABC Illustration Girls $20, Wren and Chickadee: Paper Doll $18, Fox in the Woods: Forest and Fields $20, Corid: Miss Britta and Her Goose Goes to Market $18, Geninne's Art Store: Craft Bird $30, Calobee Doodles: Alphabet Soup $32.

Sandy Mac and her PEZ dispensers are fun, especially if you love a little retro!

GUIDE: 1.Witty Workshop: Alice's Flower $25, 2. Monster Gallery: Godzilla $4.50, 3. Goobeetsa: Ice Cream Monster $15, 4. Paint and Ink: Kingdom of Imagination $7, 5.Ubiki: Forest $25, 6. Cathy Nichols: Santuary $28, 7. Ink and Wit: Sour Grapes $35, 8. Plants and Animals: Owl Tree $12, 9. Yumi Yumi: These Are For You $20, and 10. Belle and Boo: Freedom $30.

Stephanie DosReis: 178 Ochre Street, $28.

GUIDE: Jenn Ski Art: Bird $25, Anne's Illustration: Mustang $20, Bee's Knees Industries: Robot Love $20, Marmee Craft: Monsieur Hedgehog $16, Shelby Healey: Bathtime $18, Carla Sonheim: Tire Swing Play $18, Claudine Hellmuth: Out Shopping $255 (cute for pregnant mom), Pequenio Craft: Paper Doll $16, Terese Bast: Swing $25, The Black Apple: Wolfbaby Vs Foxbaby $18, Michelle Caplan: Coney Island $25, Matte Art: Weather Vivienne $60.

And of course, you can always frame cards that you like. Sweet Beets has some of the best I've seen for framing for only $5.50.

What about displaying a few of these pretty masks on the wall from Abigail Brown? $9 each.

Many thanks to Holly of Decor8 and Real Simple! We love your picks!