KNIT PICKING.......POTTERY BARN

Hey everyone,  Just a very quick posting.  I came across this pillow at Pottery Barn:

Pottery Barn

First of all....love knit accessories for the home.  I really love this colour combo, always have.  I do however, have a few of issues with this particular pillow.  Maybe not the actual pillow however...let me explain. My first issue with this is the "naming" of the pillow.  They have named it "Seed Stitch Knit Pillow".  Which would be fine if IT WERE SEED STITCH!!!!    See this is one area where I kind of loose my nut.  If you are going to use a "technical" naming term, then at least call it by it's proper name.  For those of you unfamiliar with knitting this particular stitch is known as GARTER STITCH.  Which in knitting terms is the easiest kntting stitch by far.  All you have to do to achieve this lovely stitch pattern is to knit (K) every row- thus giving you the ever popular GARTER STITCH.  Seed stitch is made quite differently and gives a completely different look.  I know this may be just a little detail, however, I am a detail kinda gal!
Secondly, there is NO way on God's green earth I would  pay $65.00 US for this pillow.  That doesn't even include the insert!! It doesn't even cost them much to make this.  It probably cost them all of $3.00 to make- no I am totally serious!  Even if it cost them $10.00 they are still overcharging by far.  Any person who is able to just knit, and I mean know how to do the "knit" stitch could whip this up in no time flat.  I know, I know.....those of you out there are saying....all well and good for you since you know how to knit.  Well folks, I am here to tell you that making something just like this pillow is NOT ROCKET SCIENCE.  It is created using the simplist knit stitch there is.  That and it is knit in a heavy gauge-say on a 6mm needle with Aran or Chunky yarn.  Easy Peazy!!  You can make this for less than $20.00.....Yarn, needles and form.  I am serious......I think I have just set a challenge for myself and I will share it with you all.......Oh I love a challenge.
Thirdly, they are using ACRYLIC yarn.  I have no issue with Acrylic yarn.  In fact I intend to do a post real soon on defending this workhorse of a yarn.  However, for $65.00 I expect a little something more...just saying.

I just had to have my say on this one.......I suppose I wouldn't have had such an issue with this lovely pillow if and I mean if they had named it right and offered it up at a reasonable price.  Just my opnion is all.

Have a great day everyone.
Megan

P.S.
I emailed Pottery Barn.  Here it is;

Hi- just wanted to let you know that someone in your design dept. has misnamed an item.  The item is named as "Seed Stitch Knit Pillow".  To those that understand knitwear know that the pillow was NOT made with a Seed Stitch but was actually knit with a GARTER STITCH.  Just a small detail.  However, when it's wrong it's wrong. If a technical name for a product is to be used then perhaps using the right one is in order. Thought I would pass this along.

Hopefully it will make a point.  But somehow I doubt it!!

POTTERY BARN KIDS FALL 2012

As you all know, I love me some Pottery Barn.  I am definitely one of those people that do NOT have a hate on for Pottery Barn.  I thought I would share with you all some of my favourite kids spaces.

PBKids

I truly love this combo of Gray and Navy.  And I love the use of dark wood in the space.  It is the kind of room that isn't too babyish and one that will grow with your little one, or not so little as the case may be.
I can't tell by the catalogue the gray used in this room- could be Benjamin Moore Gull Wing Gray 2134-50.
I would totally use this gray in this room. In fact any of the grays or browns on this chip in the fan deck are awesome.  It is the kind of gray that has some warmth but doesn't go to green or into the too blue range either.  Kind of a perfect gray really:

Gull Wing Gray 2134-50 Benjamin Moore

PBKids

This is known as the Jackson Room.  Very appropriate that I love it since my little guy is also Jackson!!  I of course am loving the plaid wallpaper...... hail all things plaid!!  Also loving the gray and red with the brown.  Again, it is a room that can grow with your child.  Also.... I am a huge sucker for stars.  I don't know why, I have just always loved stars for a motif!

PBKids

Now this room to me is a hot mess.  Let me explain why.  First of all I really love the furniture itself.  It is classic and timeless.  But what I do have issue with is that fact that they are mixing undertones in the woods.  I took one look at this room and went - Ewwww!!  The boards on the wall, while they are interesting and lend a lot of texture are soooo wrong to go with that pine furniture.  The pine has a yellow undertone and the walls have a pink undertone and that is NEVER good.  Those two undertones just look awful together.  This is a case where a Stylist hasn't got a sweet clue about undertones!  Sorry but it is true!  And the Roman shades look slightly off as well due to the pink undertone in the wood walls.  Pine can be such a tricky one to decorate with due to the act that it has a clear and very present yellow undertone to it.  Pine always looks great with Green, Red or Navy.  I would not recommend you EVER put it with Yellow or Pink.

PBKids

How lovely is this Nursery?  It is so on trend with its Gray and Yellow.  But if they tire of the yellow it is so easily switched out for Magenta or Kelly Green for example.  This is how you do a room with trendy colour.  Have all the main pieces neutral and spice it up with the accents.   Love it!  And, once again the room isn't too sweet that it can't grow with Georgia!!

PBKids

This is such a girly, girl room.  Since I live in a house full of men, it is always nice for me to look and dream about such rooms as this.  I love the combo of Gray, Purple and Pink.    The textiles for me are amazing as well.  I love the mixing of paisley and graphic motifs- it is very John Robshaw to me- without the John Robshaw price!! 

PBKids

I am a huge fan of this colour scheme.  Chocolate, Deep Pink, Gray and Aqua.  I want this room for me!!  Well some sort of room like this.  I love these colours.  I think any young girl would love to have this as their own.  I don't think my boys would thank you for it, but I would!!
Now.... I have no idea the wall colour in this room or the wall tattoo.. but... if it were me I might use:

Walls:  Wolf Gray 2127-40  Benjamin Moore

Wall Tattoo:  Bird's Egg 2052-50  Benjamin Moore

PBKids

I just had to put this one in.  You all know my love for everything Red, White and Blue.  This room for me is timeless and classic.  It will look as good today as it will 5 or 8 years from now!
If it were up to me the white I would use in here is:

Decorator's White CC-20  Benjamin Moore

You can't go wrong with this really white, white.  It has no yellow in it's undertone so it would look great in a room filled with Red, White and Blue.

PBKids

Now.... I am not one for buying products that are "licensed".  I would really like this room even if it has plain old Red, White and Blue and no Dr. Seuss.  The reason why I have this room in this post is that I love the whitewashed boards for the walls and the wood beams and wallboard's.  I love the rustic feel to the room minus the Dr. Seuss.  I especially like the light blue they painted the ceiling between the boards.

For a similar colour for the ceiling try:

Ceiling Colour:  Beacon Gray 2128-60  Benjamin Moore

Thanks for stopping by and looking at some Pottery Barn rooms with me.
Have a great day everyone.
Megan

POTTERY BARN KIDS SPRING 2012

Hey everyone!  I know that there may be some haters out there for Pottery Barn.  I just don't happen to be one of them.  Surprised??  Well....  the reason I love Pottery Barn and especially Pottery Barn Kids is the accessibility for everyone.  I know that some things can be on the pricey side for a lot of people but you can wait for it to go on sale (which I do) or you can use their design sense for inspiration.  I am the type of person that feels that you should decorate YOUR house with YOU in mind.  I am SO NOT interested in people who are self important imposing what THEY think how your house should look.  I'm not the "it's my way or the highway" kind of gal.  I really like working with people to bring the best of THEM out in their HOME.
I think that's why I like Pottery Barn in general- you can buy a pillow or a glass or a whole new bedroom.  I mean, what they are selling isn't product (well they do) but instead they are selling a LIFESTYLE.  And for the most part I think that lifestyle is appealing and accessible to a lot of people.  And that lifestyle can be integrated into a lot of people's homes.
I think Pottery Barn Kids is such a great resource for inspiration.  Have you seen the new Spring 2012 online catalogue?  I just love all the colours.  They really know how to put it together.  They are such Happy Spaces!  A little pricey for some stuff? -wait for a sale.  Take what they have presented and make it your own. 

What I also like is how they have presented.  They even give you the paint colours.  Because you know how you (and me) love to know what a particular room is painted in a pretty photo!!  But you have to always remember- GET THAT PAINT TESTER!  Just because it looks awesome in that photo does  not mean that is how it will look in your room.  I have said it before and I will say it again-LIGHTING CHANGES EVERYTHING!!!  Like I have said before due to the orientation of my house and the porch overhang- paint in my house tends to go green or gray!  Very frustrating but I know this so I work with it!
Anyways........Here are just a few of my fav's from Spring 2012 Pottery Barn's Catalogue:

How great are these colours together.  All that pink and bright blue.  It is definitely a girls room without being too "girly".  And the great thing is that this room will grow with her.  I tried to find out the paint colour used- I think it is B/M Sapphireberry 2063-60.  Such a great bright blue without blowing you away with it's blueness!!!

Sapphireberry 2063-60

 How amazing is this nursery??  I would love to have this translated into a room for me!  I have always loved Chocolate and pink together-there is just something so yummy about it.  And the way they have done it here is amazing! This is the type of room that any girl could grow up in.  It isn't babyish at all yet is still playful and full of fun.  I love the stencil they have applied to the walls.  Wainscoting always lends an air of sophistication to any room.  The paint colour for this room is B/M Middlebury Brown.

HC-68 Middlebury Brown

I adore this nursery.  It is fun, it's dynamic and it's down right on trend.  But that being said I don't think it is too trendy.  I LOVE that area rug- I have always been partial to zigzags anyways!  My only disagreement with this room is the golden grass cloth above the wainscoting- personally I would have put the same colour gray that is in the rug- but that's just me!  I don't have issue with the grass cloth- just the colour.  The paint colour for this room is B/M  785 Morning Glory.  It is so lovely in this space- it just has an amazing glow and feel about it.

785 Morning Glory

This Room- I LOVE!!  Red and Brown- is a great combination.  How often do you see Red on the ceiling and with bead board no less??  Sign me up!  This room is fun and inviting.  All that bead board!!  The wall colour is B/M CC-20 Decorators White and the Red for the ceiling is 1322 Ladybug Red.  Don't you just love the name of that red?? So cute!!

CC-20 Decorators White

1322 Ladybug Red

This is such a great example of how to cram a bunch of kids into a room and still make it look great.  High wainscoting is always a winner in my books and it looks great here-especially with that great blue above it.  And it' such a great way to showcase family pictures as well on that great plate rail.  The blue used here is B/M 2064-10 Bold Blue.  It really is a great deep blue.  And it looks fabulous against all that white- probably Decorator's White- just a guess!  But I think they tend to be consistent with their paint choice when it comes to panelling.

2064-10 Bold Blue

Even though the wall colour is white- could be Decorators White??  But whatever the white is it allows the colours in the bedding and the matting of the frames to really pop.  Such a bright room to be in!!

The combination of Pink, Yellow and Gray is so beautiful.  It is such a great colour combo.  I wish they had listed what gray they have used.  It is so hard for me to pick one because of the lighting in the room and my monitor.....  And it is hard to get a really great look at it.  But it definitely isn't a gray with a green undertone to it.  Or one with a pink undertone.

 This is the type of room any little man can grow up in.  I am such a sucker for gingham.  And I love gingham on the walls.  It adds so much interest to a room.  Red, White and Blue is always a great combo for a boys room.

Again Red, White and Blue are used here- but in a very different way.  They have chosen to place a light blue over red- different and interesting!  Again this is the type of room that can grow with any little man.  And it's the type that YOU can put your own stamp on it.

I could probably put many, many more rooms but wanted to share a few rooms of inspiration if your budget doesn't allow you to buy it as is.  Because lets face it- a lot of us have to take these pics and use them for inspiration- and I know we do.
Have a great day everyone.
Megan