Dreaming in Black & White

It is well suited that my last name is Black..because I <3 black and white prints!  I really have been daydreaming of a home, that hopefully we will be in soon! :)  I keep thinking of what rooms I could use my love for black and white decor in... I'm not in a huge hurry, and I'm trying not to get impatient, so for now, I"ll just keep dreaming in black and white!  

Thoughts for the office of my dreams:  I've thougth for a while that I'd like my office space (if I ever get one...lol) to have different aspects of black and white, and probably a pretty turquoise or a bright Cricut green for a wall color! :)  Ideally I'd have white bead board going 1/2 way up, then the color on the top half.  I'm falling more in love with gray walls though!  Those colors tend to inspire me. I have an AWESOME yard sale find, vintage desk.  Heavy, sturdy wood desk, that must be refinished in my future office.  The drawers aren't great, but it is high on style and appeal.  I'm thinking of sanding it, painting it the same color I paint the walls in my office, and then painting it black over that.  Then distressing the edges/corners so that the color shows through.  That way, the desk doesn't always have to look crisp and perfect (great for a messy scrapbooker/crafter and for kids running around) but it is still stylish and purposely not-perfect.  :) Like me...not perfect!  I'd LOVE to get a glass top to go over it so that I can decorate underneath with papers and photographs and ideas that inspire...even verses I'm trying to put to memory.  But I'm not sure how much that would co$t!   

As for the walls, I'd love to paint a mural (use a projector and trace) a large oak tree onto the back focal wall.  It would be a play on our business name "Black Oak Photography."  I'd paint it black, and if the mood strikes me just right, I might even make it polka dotted...who knows! :)  Here's sorta what I was thinking (I want it more "grand" with sweeping branches, not so lollipop looking):

I have this set of birds, they are black metal (or plastic) that I bought for "Jonathan" for Christmas, and he didn't love them, so I will use them.  Some will be on the branches of the tree, and the rest will "fly" around the top of the room.  As for art, Jonas will probably grace the walls in huge scale... but one idea I had was to take square pieces of cork, covering them with four different black and white prints and hanging them on a wall in a square, with wall showing about 2 inches between each.  I think it would be totally awesome to have each one framed, or at least using molding on the wall to frame around the whole wall hanging.  That'd be pretty artsy I think, just not as changeable.   Here's kind of the idea, but I'd put them spread out, bolder patterns, and the frame would be around the whole, with wall showing between. 

For Curtains, I'd LOVE ceiling height heavy drapes that were very full.  I'd want the material thin enough to be able to "scrunch" it up out of the way, but thick enough maybe that light would be blocked (or I could have a separate light blocking curtain?).  One side would be white and the other black...on the inside and outside edges, I'd trim them in some sort of pattern.  The curtains on this bed are similar to what I was thinking, obviously they'd be on the window, not on the bed, and I'd use a different pattern.  This picture simply shows the "trimming."

The reasoning for this is for photos.  If I had a photoshoot, I could just slide the huge black curtain over to use for a backdrop...it would cover the whole wall.  If I needed white, no problem.  Just slide the curtain over.  It would save setting up and taking down so much equipment!  I'd love to have a small scale couch in there too, that opens up into a bed, that way my office would have seating for clients or whoever wanted to keep me company, for Jonas to "rest", or for company to sleep when they come visit.  I have one in mind, of course, from IKEA.

So that's the couch, I'm not set on it, but accent pillows would liven it up, and I could use it for photos easily as black is a good neutral.  That bird throw could tie the bird theme in.  :)  I'd also be happy with a gray, or white.  :)  I have the desk, but storage space is also going to be necessary.  I'll need cabinetry of some sort and surface workspace.  I'd like to keep my desk clear (except a new IMac would be lovely!) for working and designing, so I'd love a counter for my Cricut, Cuttlebug, Laminator, Printer, etc.  Haven't found one I love, but I haven't looked much either.  One thing I thought of getting was this Expedit from IKEA and using it on it's side.  The holes are 13x13 so my large scrapbooks fit, as well as huge pads of 12x12 paper. 

Turned on it's side, it is desk height, and it isn't very expensive.  :)  I think above this, those bulletin boards would be nice.  It might have to go on the "tree" wall though.  Or if there aren't enough walls, there might not be a tree wall! :) LOL! 

 

A more expensive way to go, would be to have pieces of furniture hold my supplies, like this "to die for" chest:

An accent chair to go with that lovely black couch might be like this one, that would look great in any part of my future home! :) LOL!

Black and white decor has been in my blood for a while...my plates are so lovely, they are damask and were wedding gifts.  I love using them, and coordinating table decor to match them...

Perfect, huh?  :) I am starting to notice chips and such in them after four years, so I'm thinking of ordering a set for "backup".  :) Or maybe not. 

I'd love to "brand" my business with these nice envelopes eventually for delivering pictures (when they are not drop shipped straight to the customer.)  They are pricey, but nice, and would protect from bent corners.  They'd only hold up to 8x10's though.

Even been dreaming of "what if" one day we have a girl (no I'm not pregnant or trying to become that way...just dreaming!)  and found this delicious bedding:  

http://www.babybedding.com/black-and-white-damask-crib-bedding

There are a few things I'd change, but really this is what I had in my head to do...maybe with a few more prints and a bigger polka dot...I think it needs some zebra or houndstooth! :)  I might even get funky for a baby girl and mix it up with hot pink instead of baby pink.  Precious deliciousness! :)  Ooooh to have an unlimited budget and a room to decorate! :)  A girl can dream, right? 

I don't want to overdo the black and white thing, but if my kitchen had accents, my office was completely super cool with patterns and style, and a little Black girl one day had a hip nursery, well, that would be a black & white dream come true! :)  These are things I have quickly found online and thought I'd share.  They are by no means anything that I'd really pay full price for...or may ever have.  Just "liking" it out loud!  Hope you like it too! :)

~M