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*** Hello! This blog was written from 2010- 2014, Find me and my current work now at www.LauraBurkhartCreative.com ***

Friday, July 29, 2011

Love it / Live it: Philip Govedare + Agate/Gold Love

Happy Friday everyone! Today I am completely inspired by the fluid and textured paintings of artist Philip Govedare. Reading as photographic areal landscapes, he creates an incredible amount of depth in each piece in soft, vibrant palettes that can't help but draw you in...


And somebody has gone and combined my current obsession, agates, with my everlasting love for gold and over sized jewelry over at BlyDesign on etsy.

art via Philip Govedare, cuffs via BlyDesigns on Etsy

There are so many gorgeous hues to choose from, I don't know if I'll be able to choose only one! Hoping you all have a wonderful weekend full of inspiration...Enjoy!

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Love it / Live [in] it: Pink Love [Allison Yip + Kelly Weartsler]

Here I go posting pink again, it must really be growing on me. Of course anything that Kelly Wearstler does is absolutely brilliant. And I always love an unexpected use of color like artist Allison Yip's crashing waves in shades of fuchsia...


I'm busy catching up on tons of work today having spent the entire day yesterday on a photo shoot with a very talented photographer Natassia Robinson, sneak peaks to come very soon! Hope you're all having a wonderful week...Enjoy!


Wednesday, July 27, 2011

My Daylight 7.28.11

Good morning! Being both a blogger and a graphic designer, I tend to spend quite a bit of time in front of the computer screen, and frankly it can get a bit exhausting. So yesterday I spent a day completely unplugged, getting my hands dirty. Well not so much dirty as blue...

I dip dyed a set of curtains for my bedroom in an aqua blue. And though the micro-fiber fabric I happened to have did not take to the dye as well as I would have liked, the process was fun and quite simple. Bucket + dye + dip + dry and you're done!


I then started rummaging through all the bits and pieces of vintage jewelry I've taken apart over to years to create a new line of jewelry (coming to etsy soon I promise!). I also managed to squeeze in a few blissful hours of work on a few new paintings to replace the ones I've sold (thank you!).  And though I couldn't stay away from my trusty laptop for long, it felt nice to be hands-on and immersed in creating all day long. Hope you all have a chance to get your hands just a little bit dirty this week as well...Enjoy!

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Love it / Live [in] it: A Softer Minimal [Simona Pries]

To go in the complete other direction from yesterday's post, I'm inspired by the delicate minimal works of Simona Pries today. Often minimalist art and design can be cold and blunt, but Pries' work has the opposite effect. The almost glass-like transparency and the subtle tonal changes make for a much more inviting feel...
art via Simona Pries, image via Burke Decor

And I love the way the single aqua wall and the sheep skin throws seem to transform this otherwise cold space. Now it feel fresh and light, here's hoping your day feels the same...Enjoy!

Monday, July 25, 2011

I want to live in Liza Bruce's Moroccan home...

Today I'm inspired by the layered spaces of fashion designer Liza Bruce's Moroccan home. Every room is saturated with color and overflowing with pattern. Bruce's eye for interiors is just as bold and unapologetic as her fashion sense...

Each space seems to be filled to the brim with stories as tokens of the couple's life and travels create their own little vignettes around every corner... 

I love the way so many bold colors are thrown together throughout the home while a fuchsia thread ties each space together. And where they lay their heads to rest, the palette is restrained to a white surfaced room, creating a strong sense of serenity and peacefulness among the beautiful chaos...

Though the color pink has never been my cup of tea, I have to say it is really starting to grow on me, especially when set among such rich hues and textures and given an organic edge.

images via Elle Decor, rug  1st Dibs, pendant Wunderley, end table  vivre, tray wisteria, coffee table four hands

I love the way Liza Bruce simply takes no prisoners when it comes to color and isn't afraid to mix in an eclectic array of patterns. While most pieces fit their Moroccan setting, motifs from Southeast Asia to Turkey make their appearances as well, giving the overall space a sophisticated and worldly feel. And I certainly wouldn't mind lounging beneath lush green trees on that deep turquoise pool just about any time of day...Enjoy!

Friday, July 22, 2011

Love it / Live it: Not so Neutral Neutrals [Dale Frank]

Happy Friday! Though I LOVE color, I'm just as fond of organic neutrals, where the flow and texture tells the story of the piece rather than the palette...


Dale Frank's gorgeous paintings are just as stunning in minimal hues as in his usual brights and these horn pieces from Deep Dark Africa bring that same organic energy to a space. I love the rhythm found in each piece's unique patterning... 


and the composition created when the light hits them just so is simply breathtaking. I'm thinking I need at least a few of each of these to live on the dining room table, right?...hope you all have a wonderfully inspiring weekend, and until Monday, Enjoy!

Thursday, July 21, 2011

My Daylight 7.21.11

Hello friends! So sorry for my absence yesterday, I've been absolutely swamped with projects, one of which I'm so excited to share with you here today. I'm absolutely thrilled to have my most recent paintings for sale in one of my favorite Seattle coffee shops, the Ridgeback Cafe...


I hope the work expresses my love of color, my zealous for life and my sheer optimism for each new day. They'll be up until the end of August at the Ridgeback so if you're in the area, I'd love for you to stop by. [They have amazing crepes, delicious coffee and pint size mimosas, need I say more?] And you can also find more paintings being added everyday over at my new website, Laura Burkhart Design Studio. I'll be adding all of my other creative endeavors to the site very soon as well so stay tuned. And lastly, thank you all so much for stopping by here day after day, you are a constant inspiration to me!

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Colored Daylight 7.19.11

Hello Sunshine! This Summer's weather in Seattle has been so fickle, it has been incredibly frustrating. We sort of live for the Summers here and when we've had such a dreary spring to not see as much of the sun as we were all expecting has been quite disappointing. So I'm bringing the sun today, it may not have the Vitamin D, but a little color therapy in warm and cheery yellows always helps to lighten things up...

Hope wherever you are your getting your own healthy dose of sunshine today [or whatever your version of sunshine is]...Enjoy!



Monday, July 18, 2011

Love it / Live [in] it: Mountain Geometry

Happy Monday readers! I hope your weekend was filled with inspiration and good company. I am so thankful for all of the support I've received for my first show of large scale paintings, thank you to all of you who have sent kind sentiments and showed your support! We had an opening this weekend at The Ridgeback Cafe and I could not have asked for a better evening. I'll share more on that soon but until then, a little Mountain imagery with a touch of geometry...


I absolutely love wooden walls, especially reclaimed wood, they just envelope you in organic warmth. And the white washed brick wall against it is stunning as well, as it seems to highlight every plank...Enjoy!

Friday, July 15, 2011

Colored Daylight 7.15.11

Happy Friday my friends!  I wanted to keep the brights of artist Wolf Kahn going through the weekend, as we've been having some grey weather here and I'm just dying to see the sun. Until it makes its return, these neon hues in snippets of inspiration from around the web will have to suffice...


Accents of it's complementary color, a soft violet cre,ate a beautiful balance as well. Hope your weekend is just as bright...Enjoy!

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Love it / Live [In] it: Color me Happy [Wolf Kahn]

Good morning readers! Just popping in with a little post to say, thou shalt not be afraid of color...

art via wolf kahn, interior via molly luetkemeyer

As far as I'm concerned, the only rules when it comes to color are to go with colors that speak to you, that lift you up when you come into a room, and that make you happy...Enjoy!

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Art + Interiors: Organic Expressionist [Sean Woolsey]

Allow me to introduce you to Sean Woolsey, an artist whose artistic process is as inspiring as his work itself. Living by the beach in sunny southern California, his works take on a sort of 'organic expressionism' where nature and environment have as much influence as he does on the outcome of each piece. Salvaging sheet metal and building it like a canvas, he uses a mixture of water based patinas, acids, paints, oils, and even wines to create the work. "They are completely experimental and each piece develops it's own character and story over time"... 


"Some I will leave outside to rust for weeks on end, to soak in the sun and salt of the ocean air." He then seals the work in a permanent state with resin, which keeps it from continuing to change over time, then frames each piece with reclaimed wood from old barns in the Midwest. "The process is a very natural and organic one, with nature and time being the backbone of my work, which creates a very ethereal outcome".

Sean loves working with repurposed materials, both for his artwork and his recent endeavor in furniture and lighting design. "Whether it is wood I find on the side of the road, or scrap metal from a barn in Idaho, I give it new life through my work."
 I first saw Sean's work when he showed at the cafe I worked at in Newport Beach, and I was completely taken aback. The layers of organic processes that the work has over gone is evident in each piece and it creates an incredible level of depth. And though the pieces are now frozen in time, they seem to maintain a steady and fluid motion that is as calming as the ocean.
pendants via niche modern, chair and sofa via anthropologie, rug via abc carpet, pillow via hettle on etsy, coffee table via south of market

Inspired by the rich California palette and mix of materials and textures in Sean's work this space is masculine yet soft. Pieces that have been reclaimed, dyed and weathered create a look that feels immediately lived-in and welcoming. Thank you to Sean for a look into his incredible artistic process, I'm truly inspired to start experimenting in my own work and to let nature take it's course...Enjoy!

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Love it / Live it: Layered Rhythm

One thing that can always be found in both my wardrobe and my designs, is an abundance of layering. The layering of textures, of patterns, of cultural elements, of color palettes and surfaces is what really gets me going and I love the challenge of working to find the common thread that will bring it all together in a fresh and curated way. I love this look for that very reason, there's a whole lot going on, yet your eye doesn't get exhausted looking at it...

image via hiddenite, chair via anthropologie

This chair from Anthro is just as brilliant. The tufting, carved wood legs and casters make it a classic and familiar sillhouette that will fit into almost any existing interior, yet the fresh palette and bold patterning brings in a huge jolt of energy and youthfulness...Enjoy!


Monday, July 11, 2011

Love it / Live it: Well Traveled Vintage [Sasha Maksutenko]

Happy Monday readers!! I am a bit of a vintage fiend, and though usually I like to be the finder, scouring thrift stores, sifting through bins of throwaways hoping to uncover that amazing piece that someone thoughtlessly discarded, I have to admit, sometimes it's nice to have someone else do the sifting for you. Well that is exactly what Sasha Maksutenko has done, and sure shop is filled with only the best vintage finds...
She has an amazing eye for vintage jewelry and all things gold, oversized and ornamented. I've picked some of my absolute favorite pieces that seem to channel ancient textiles from all over the world. When it comes to jewelry, I love anything gold and chunky with a touch of color. One of these pieces would be a perfect way to turn a plain T and pair of jeans into a one-of-kind outfit...
textiles from top via text on textiles, alibaba, textile arts, lampas, all jewelry via SashaMaksVintage

Mrs. E just snatched up that killer gold and black piece [and I can't wait to see how she styles it!] but there is much more where that came from my friends so you better get on over there and find the one trashed piece destined to be your treasure...Enjoy!

p.s. check out my brand new ad button over on my side bar created by the uber talented Amy of Strataflora. Thanks, Amy you are insanely good!

Friday, July 8, 2011

Colored Daylight 7.8.11

Happy happy Friday everyone! Since I started the week off with a green inspired post I thought I'd just keep the theme going as we head into the weekend...

art by Kamrooz Aram, images via Hiddenite

Today I'm dreaming in lush, rich emeralds and scheming how to convince my landlord to let me paint the front door in the same gorgeous hue...

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Love it / Live it: Languid Cool [Dale Frank]

 Good morning readers! Today I'm inspired by the free flowing paintings of Dale Frank in palettes both saturated and bold. I love the way the paint seems to flow on the canvas right in front of you. There is a sort of energetic serenity to his works that is rare in works with such an array of hues...

image via roslyn oxley9 gallery, plate via vivre

And a lusciously languid plate for a table setting just as alive and serene...Enjoy!

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

I Want to Live in...Marie Olsson Nylander's Home

Every once in a while, I see an interior that takes my breath away. And though I don't usually like to post images that have already made their way around the blog world, I simply could not resist this weathered and traveled space by Swedish designer Marie Olsson Nylander....

There is such a delicate balance here between clean, modern accents and organic, textured surfaces. And she's done it all on a bright white background, making each and every weathered and patterned piece tell a story...


I love the way each room shifts slightly in palette and mix of styles and influences, yet the whole home has a common thread throughout. It feels like the culmination of two colorful lives without any feeling of clutter.


And I love her take on a home office. Putting up artwork in all grayscales and leaving the palette nuetral allows for a clean canvas in which to create. And though I'm not sure how comfortable those chairs would be, the clear acrylic is stunning against the organic desktop.

from top left, pendant via 1st dibs, pillows via wisteria, pillow via etsy shop sukan, end table via 1st dibs, chair via anthropologie, vase via 1st dibs, end table via chiasso, chair via velocity

I'm taking a cue from Nylander's fearless style mixing and looking at both modern, sleek designs and graphic, international influences for my next design endeavor. I hope you're summer is off to an exciting start and you're letting your creativity flow this week with fearless, reckless abandon..Enjoy!

images via oracle fox

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Love it/ Live [in] it: On the Green [Richard Diebenkorn]

Yesterday I was reminded of how much I love living in such a green city. With the snow capped mountains is full view and gardens in bloom all around, it was a wonderful day to live in the Great Northwest. Though the work of artist Richard Diebenkorn is primarily based on the bay area, his spectrum of greens, yellows and blues seemed like a perfect fit for what is inspiring me the most right now...

image via living etc.

And now with most of my work happening from home, it's always good to get a little office inspiration. If you can't be outside or have a window why not sit on a bright green chair and stair at a sunny yellow piece of artwork? I might have to take a cue from this little desk setup for my own. Hope you all had a lovely 4th of July...Enjoy!

Monday, July 4, 2011

Colored Daylight 7.4.11

Good morning readers and happy HAPPY independence day! Since it happens to be a rare SUNNY 4th of July here in Seattle, I plan on spending every minute I can outside enjoying what Seattle has to offer. I'll be taking scenic walks along the lake, [and maybe jumping in], barbecuing with dear friends, and enjoying fireworks from a grassy lawn somewhere. And maybe even putting on some red, white and blue...

images via erin ever after, redonline.co.uk

I hope you're all having a wonderful long weekend and get to spend the day with those that make you feel most alive today..Enjoy!