My Thoughts on Best Picture

Thanks to everyone who read my post about women in entertainment earlier this week. Like I said, it was off-topic for me (although I have posted about TV and movies several times before), but I’m really proud of that post.

And as promised, here’s my thoughts on each of the Best Picture nominees. I had planned to post this on Tuesday, but I saw that Theory of Everything was out on DVD/On Demand this week, so I waited until I had a chance to watch that film before I posted. I’ve also taken the liberty of listing them in order of best to worst IMHO.

1. Birdman: This was the first of the BP films I saw and it’s my favorite. I really enjoyed just about everything in this movie, from the storyline (has-been actor trying to find success again), to the acting (everyone is superb, especially Michael Keaton and Emma Stone), to the camera work (long, winding shots that follow conversations down hallways). I think this movie has something for everyone: it has a nice balance of humorous and serious material, and unlike a lot of critically acclaimed movies, it isn’t violent or too vulgar. It’s one of the favorites for Best Picture and it is definitely my pick.
2. The Grand Budapest Hotel: This was just adorable. It’s actually only the second Wes Anderson movie I’ve seen, but I can see he has a very particular style which I like. I really enjoyed this movie, but it didn’t strike me as a Best Picture film. I appreciate that it was much lighter and more jovial (but still with a bit of a darker side) than the other nominees, but overall the word I would use to describe it is “cute” (in the best of ways).
3. The Theory of Everything: I thought this film was lovely. Eddie Redmayne was remarkable as Stephen Hawking, and Felicity Jones was equally strong as Hawking’s wife. Hawking’s/Redmayne’s physical deterioration was incredible and hard to watch, but the cinematography and soundtrack really helped lift up the movie from something that could be quite depressing. A very good movie, but not quite strong enough to earn Best Picture.
4. Whiplash: This one is kind of an underdog, but it’s a strong movie that’s worth seeing. The acting is incredible (J.K. Simmons will almost definitely win for Best Supporting Actor), which helps you get invested in the story and the characters. However, there are basically only four characters in the whole movie, and only two of them actually matter. Also, the scope of the movie is quite narrow: a young student at a music conservatory who dreams of being the best drummer in the world is pitted against an intense and unorthodox teacher who holds his student’s future in the palm of his hand. That’s it, that’s the whole movie. But it’s worth watching, especially if you have ever studied music or love jazz.
5. The Imitation Game: On the one hand, I’m very grateful to have learned about Alan Turning and his genius and unquestionably outstanding contribution to World War II. On the other hand, it was a pretty boring movie. It builds and builds like it’s going to be great, but there’s never any suspense (we know his machine will work and we’ll win the war). And while this was a true story about a real man who was homosexual, and it is incredibly unjust what happened to him and thousands of other gay men, as a story line it felt kind of jammed in with the rest of the movie. So overall: meh.
6. Boyhood: We rented this from Redbox last Saturday night and I’m really glad we did (versus seeing it in theaters), because it was very long, kind of boring, and at times, depressing. I do appreciate what director Richard Linklater did here, with shooting it over 12 years so we actually get to see the actors grow up over the years, but nothing much happens. I guess there is a kind of beauty in seeing an average family age and go through what an average family goes through in a decade, but it doesn’t make for a very entertaining movie. It’s worth seeing, but I would suggest lowering your expectations (maybe that was part of the problem for me, that I expected to be blown away).

So while I haven’t met my goal of seeing all the Best Picture nominees before the Oscars, I’m really happy with my efforts (6 out of 8 ain’t bad). I have chosen not to see American Sniper yet, partly because I don’t like war movies, but mostly because it looks really intense and hard to watch. I was saving it for last, but now I think I’ll wait until it’s on DVD. And I’d really like to see Selma, I just haven’t gotten to it yet/ it hasn’t been showing at the right theaters and times. So I guess I’ll wait for that to come out on DVD too.

Have you seen any of the Best Picture nominees yet? Which was your favorite? I can’t wait to see who wins on Sunday!

P.S. Here’s a perfect companion piece to Monday’s post about the lack of women in the Best Picture: 12 Women Who Had the Perfect Response to Sexist Questions from Mic.com

Have a splendid weekend, friends!

On the Oscars, SNL, and Why Women Matter

Happy Monday! I hope all of you here in the Midwest are staying warm today, despite the snow outside…is it Spring yet?? Who else is ready for warmer weather?!

Today’s post is not related to decorating whatsoever, but it’s something I feel the need to share so please bear with me. Also, please excuse the length, it’s quite a bit longer and wordier than my average post.

I’ve been going to the movies a lot over the last few months. As part of my Thirty by Thirty list, I made a goal to see all the Best Picture nominees one year before the Oscars. You see, I love watching awards shows, but I usually feel really out of the loop because I’ve only seen one or two of the nominated movies. So I decided to rectify this and hopefully see some great movies in the process.

Who else is super excited for NPH to host?!

The Oscars are now six days away, and even though I haven’t quite hit my goal of seeing all the movies, I’m throwing in the towel. I’ve seen five of the Best Picture nominees, and I may manage to see another one this week, but I think I’ve seen enough. Most of them aren’t wowing me, and in fact one of the favorites to win it all was downright boring (Boyhood). I’d like to share my thoughts about each of the BP nominees I’ve seen, but that would make this post way too long, so I’ll do that in a separate post tomorrow.

Now that I’m much better acquainted with the award-nominated movies, I’d like to pull a Kanye and take issue with the Oscars. Though I don’t necessarily agree with the Academy’s choices for Best Picture nominees, I think it’s a tough balance between recognizing artistic talent, regardless of whether the movie was liked or even seen by millions of people, and awarding great movies that people actually enjoy.

The two Best Picture nominees I did enjoy: The Grand Budapest Hotel and Birdman. Via People.com

But what I really have an issue with is the lack of recognition of women in movies. There have been many articles written on this subject, especially this year when the nominations were particularly dominated by white males. “Oscars 2015: How Are Women Portrayed In The 8 Movies Nominated for Best Picture” from Popinsomniacs is a great piece on how women measure up in each of the movies. Aside from The Theory of Everything and Selma (which of course happen to be 2 of the 3 movies I haven’t seen yet), the women in the BP films are there as sidekicks to the genius and troubled male leads (if they’re even there at all…looking at you, Whiplash).  I’m not even going to touch the lack of racial diversity among the Oscars nominees; you can read more about that in this fantastic article from The Guardian.

Now if you’ll allow me to change the subject a little bit, I’d like to talk about last night’s Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special. I love everything about Saturday Night Live. Which, to be clear, isn’t the same thing as saying I love everything on Saturday Night Live. Obviously some seasons are better than others, some sketches are better than others, heck, some sketches can be downright terrible. But I love watching the show if only to catch those few moments of greatness.

via E! Online

Which is why I loved SNL40 so much, because they highlighted those amazing moments and gave us more (the Celebrity Jeopardy reboot was every bit as brilliant as the original, and any time Kate McKinnon as Justin Bieber appears on screen is a win for me). I got to watch so many of my favorite celebrities and cast members celebrate a show that I love. Aside from a few misses (Dan Aykroyd, Chevy Chase, Eddie Murphy), I consider the anniversary special wildly successful.

And while there were many talented and hilarious men on the show that I love so much, there were also so many women there that I love and admire. Tina, Amy, Kristen, Maya, and many other ladies that I find so amazing and funny and strong and beautiful. I admire them and look up to them, even though I have no aspirations of a career in comedy or acting. They’re just cool women who can stand toe to toe with the men. They’re not there as sidekicks. They’re proof that women can be entertaining and talented and smart and, of course, funny.

photo via She Knows

Most of all, the women of SNL prove that women are worthy of notice (and not just for what dress they’re wearing on the red carpet, although I do love the fashion element of awards shows too). I want to see more women staring in, and directing, and writing, great films! We make up half the population and slightly more than half of movie goers. It’s time for Hollywood, and The Academy of Motion Pictures, to finally recognize that women are worthy of important roles, and not just as partners to men.

Friday Favorites 1.30.15

Cheers to another Friday and another weekend on the way! I hope you all had a fabulous week. Here are a few things I came across this week that I just have to share with you.

This House Tour

I love Michelle’s French-Fashioned West Village Atelier on Apartment Therapy. I’m so jealous of her art collection, and I love all the gilded and glamorous details. She’s an interior designer, so it’s no surprise that she was really smart in how she laid out her fairly small apartment.

This Article

It’s no secret that I’m obsessed with Parks and Recreation, and I might already be mourning the impending end of one of my favorite series. I think Leslie Knope is one of the best female characters on television, and apparently so does Hanna Brooks Olsen, who wrote “A Leslie Knope in a World Full of Liz Lemons” for Medium. She compares the hot-mess Liz Lemon to the passionate and successful Leslie Knope and asks women to consider who they should really be looking up to. It’s a great read, not only for fans of Parks and Rec, but for any woman who wants more female role-models on television.

These DIY’s

My friend Lisa from Peridot Skys has created some really cute (and easy!) Valentine’s Days DIY projects, including these sweet felt fortune cookies and some felt Cupid’s arrows.

These Instagrams

I follow so many talented bloggers, websites, and other creative people on Instagram. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the seemingly perfect lives they lead, but if you look at the glass half full side you can find loads of inspiration in the tiny square photos. Some of my favorites of this week come from @glitterguide, @lovelyfest, @alainakaz (love her photo of Cassis, France!), and @dominomag

Be sure to follow along with me (@blue11interiors) on Instagram as well to see what new books I’m devouring and what gorgeous venue I was at last night.

I’ll be back next week with that Valentine’s Day DIY I promised you this week (sorry it’s late), and some really exciting news!

Have a fantastic weekend!

Golden Globes Color Trend: Bold Red

Time for part three of my color trend series inspired by the lovely ladies on the Golden Globes red carpet. This time I’m celebrating the bold red dresses of Allison Williams, Taylor Schilling, and Lena Dunham. Such stunning dresses!

via Fushion Magazine

Like a red ballgown, a red room can be a tricky feat to pull off. It can read too aggressive and masculine or too dated, or it can conjure images of giant red, overstuffed leather sofas (eek!). But these rooms below use red perfectly.

Style at Home

TTM Development via DecorPad

Lonny Mag

So pretty, don’t you think? If you don’t want to go the way of red walls, a few pieces of red furniture or a couple red accessories can still add a great pop of color to a room.

 

 

Hourglass Dining Chair, Pier 1, $230 // Safavieh Sunbright Table Lamp, Wayfair, $111 // Red Mirror with Gold Detail, World Market, $200 // Red Josephine Desk, World Market, $160 // Artisan Red Garden Stool, Overstock, $135 // Red Piper Pillow, Pier 1, $20 // Safavieh Adirondack Rug, $168 for 8’x10’

 

Thanks for joining me for my color trend series, and if you missed the previous posts you can see canary yellow here and sparkly silver here. Which color was your favorite?

Come back tomorrow to see my favorite links of the week!

 

Golden Globes Color Trend: Sparkling Silver

Time for part two of my color trend series inspired by Sunday’s Golden Globes red carpet. Today I’m loving silver, just like the fabulous dresses seen below on Dakota Johnson, Reese Witherspoon, and Julianne Moore.

via Fushion Magazine

I’m so jealous of their pretty, sparkly dresses! They just look perfect for the awards show.

Sparkly silver can be harder to pull off in the home, but if done well it’s lovely. Use some metallic accents, like lamps or pendant lights, some silver wallpaper, or mirrored furniture to add a glamorous feel to your room.

Here are a few beautiful rooms that figured out how to pull off silver well.

Natalie Umbert via DecorPad

Sally Wheat Interiors via DécorPad

EJ Interiors via DécorPad

And here are a few accents you can bring into your home. Try the silver curtains and the mirrored coffee table for a sophisticated living room, or the sequined lamp and beaded pillows for a fun teen girl’s room.

 

Manzanita Wall Jewelry Branch, West Elm, $99 // Foxed Mirrored Faceted Pendant, West Elm, $120 // Grand Silver Burst Mirror, Pier 1, $60 // Threshold Banded Faux Silk Curtain Panel, Target, $30 // Silver Sequin Table Lamp, Bed Bath & Beyond, $25 // Threshold Metal Accent Table, Target, $60 // Silver Beaded Bloom Pillow, Pier 1, $40 // Moroccan Pouf, Kouvy, $100 // Hayworth Coffee Table, Pier 1, $400

 

I’m dying over that Moroccan pouf, and I love the Target side table; I even used it in my friend’s apartment makeover. Do you have silver in your house?

Be sure to stop by tomorrow for my final post of my Golden Globes color trend series!

Golden Globes Color Trend: Canary Yellow

Hello lovelies, did everyone watch the Golden Globes Sunday night? I just love awards shows, especially the red carpet. I get such joy from seeing celebrities all dolled up in fabulous gowns, and I like to imagine what kind of couture dress I would wear if I were lucky enough to ever walk a red carpet myself (a girl can dream, right?). 

There were some pretty obvious color trends this year at the Golden Globes red carpet, and they’ve inspired me to start 2015 with a week-long series inspired by these gorgeous dresses.

First up: canary yellow. It’s a hard color to pull off, but don’t Naomi Watts, Jenna Dewan-Tatum, and Leslie Mann look stunning?

via Fushion Magazine

Yellow can also be a hard color to pull off in the home, but if done right it’s so lovely and refreshing.

Niche Interiors via Apartment Therapy

Tobi Fairley via DecorPad

Melanie Turner Interiors via DecorPad

Luella & June

Mara O’Hara Interiors via DecorPad

It might be the dreary winter weather, but yellow is looking particularly alluring to me right now. It just adds so much brightness and energy to a room, don’t you think? You don’t have to do a full makeover to bring a little yellow into your home; a few accessories or one statement piece in a bright hue will do the trick. Here are a few of my favorites.

 

Thomas Paul Dhurrie Rug, AllModern.com, $523 for 5’x8’ // Linework Honeycomb Vase, West Elm, $39 // Threshold Flocked Ogee Lamp Shade, Target, $25 for large // Threshold Fretwork Accent Table, Target, $90 // Willa Yellow Side Chair, Crate & Barrel, $99 // Stockholm Glass Door Cabinet, Ikea, $399 // Camilla 2-Seat Sofa, Crate & Barrel, $1599 // Room Essentials Pillow, Target, $17

 

Do you have any yellow in your home, or are you thinking of adding any? I’d love to hear about it in the comments!

P.S. Come back tomorrow to see my next Golden Globes color trend feature!

Better KC Segment

This morning was super exciting for me: I did my first TV appearance! I did a live segment showing how to make my fall wreath and autumn tablescape on Better Kansas City, a local talk show on KCTV5. I was really nervous going into it but once the segment started I felt ok. The host, Alexis, was so nice and friendly and the producers were awesome and really helpful in getting everything set up. Thanks so much to Better KC for having me on and thanks to anyone who was able to watch it!

You can watch my segment on Better Kansas City’s website here.

For the full tutorials, click here for the wreath and here for the table décor.

TV Favorite: Regina’s Office from Once Upon a Time

You guys, do you know what tonight is? The season premier of Once Upon a Time! I really enjoy this show and their modern take on classic fairy tales.

I recently re-watched season 1, which is the best season in my opinion, and I was struck at how lovely the sets are. I really like Mary Margaret’s shabby chic apartment and Granny’s diner, but I especially adore Regina’s glamorous black and white office. (P.S. I’m pretty sure no mayor, except maybe the mayor of a huge city like New York, has an office this nice.)

screenshots via Screencapped

Isn’t it gorgeous?! Now, all the black and white might be slightly over the top for a real-life room, but I think it is absolutely perfect for the show. And how amazing is that tree wallpaper?!

I love this room so much that I decided to recreate it for you. I’m pretty sure the wallpaper, table lamps, and dining chairs are exact matches, and the rest of my picks are as close as I could find.

To see the sources and prices of everything pictured above, check out my Polyvore page here.

Are you into the chic black and white theme? And will you be tuning into Once Upon a Time tonight? Leave a note in the comments!

Friday Favorites 8.8.14

Here are a few of my favorite things form this week that I just had to share with you, dear readers:

This Movie

I went to see Begin Again with a friend earlier this week and both of us loved it! I’d recommend this to anyone who wants to see a sweet summer movie, especially if you’re a music lover. I’ve actually been listening to the soundtrack all this week! The film’s website has some cool features, including interactive playlists for each of the main characters that has some songs from the movie mixed in with some other really good music.

This Patio

I am so in love with Natalie’s downtown L.A. rooftop patio. I would give anything to spend my evenings in a space as cool as this. There’s a cabana, a large dinner table, lounge chairs, and even a shuffleboard table! Talk about the ultimate party space! You have to check out mint love social club to see more pictures of this amazing rooftop.

 

This Nursery

My friend Emily put together the coolest nursery for her sweet little girl Eleanor. I love the color scheme (peacock blue, gold, black and white), the modern furniture, and all of the amazing details and handmade décor. Check it out on Emily’s blog, Handmaker of Things.

 

This Party Décor

Rue Daily recently featured this wedding reception at Encuentro Guadalupe Antiresort and I am dying over the décor. The flower, the colors, the textiles, it’s just perfect. It makes me want to throw my own colorful summer fiesta! See more photos here.

 

That’s all for today, friends! What are you up to this weekend? I’ll be volunteering at the Great Midwest Balloon Fest tomorrow morning (manning the bounces houses, woo hoo!), and walking in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure on Sunday! Maybe I’ll see some of you around!

 

P.S. Next week I’ll be showing you my new favorite chairs I got off Craigslist! They are so gorgeous, here’s a sneak peak on my Instagram account (make sure to follow along to see more of what I’m up to!)

The Mindy Project Apartment: Part Two

Guess what day it is?! No, not Hump Day. It’s Mindy Day!! One of my very favorite TV shows, The Mindy Project, airs tonight and I am so excited for it! What is going to happen with Mindy and Danny??! I can’t wait to find out! And as a special treat Mindy Kaling is going to be live tweeting tonight’s episode, yay!

It’s no surprise that I love Mindy Lahiri’s apartment. It’s colorful without being overwhelming, feminine without being too girly, a good mix of modern, traditional, and eclectic…I could go on and on. I blogged about Mindy’s apartment last February and it’s been one of my most popular posts to date. I’ve been wanting to do a follow up post for a long time now and today it’s finally happening! Enjoy!

Photos from Mindy’s house party in the episode “Be Cool”

Aww how cute does Morgan look?! I’ve grown to love this quirky and weird character.

Puppy! And Jonathan Adler pillows!

To recreate the look of Mindy’s living room I needed a clean-lined white sofa, round mirrored accent tables, and some white or gray gourd lamps. I love the oversized scale of Mindy’s lamps but I couldn’t find any exactly like it so I went with some more traditional gourd lamps. I found almost the exact same throw pillows though: the Jonathan Adler pillows are the same print, just a slightly different color way, and the blue velvet pillow from a Pier 1 is a great match to the one on set.

White Nova Sofa, Bryght / Marilyn Mirrored Round Accent Table, Lamps Plus / Safavieh Amy Gourd Table Lamps, Wayfair / Multi Flame Bargello Throw Pillow, Jonathan Adler / Teal Velvet Pillow, Pier 1 / Multi Diamond Bargello Throw Pillow, Jonathan Adler

And now for the bedroom:

If you’ve seen this episode then you know how heartbreaking this photo is!

The last few episodes have featured some new springy orange bedding. I loved the old Chinoiserie duvet cover from Dwell Studio but I also love the updated cover. I also love the teal and lucite bench and I’m so excited I found the same, or almost exactly the same, bench! Mindy’s love of Jonathan Adler extended to the bedroom with the Aquarius pillow. That abstract art print is fabulous, and I found a great print with a similar feeling from Etsy artist Cortney North. The largest available size is 13” x 19”, but many Etsy sellers are willing to print custom sizes if you want something closer in scale to Mindy’s art.

 

Coral Lamu bedding, Serena & Lily/ Aquarius pillow, Jonathan Adler / Teal Glamour Bench, High Fashion Home / Blue and Orange Abstract Art, Etsy

Be sure to check out my first Mindy Project post for more ways to recreate Mindy Lahiri’s apartment in your home!

 

P.S. I really love creating these posts, so if you have a favorite TV or Movie home that you’d like to see recreated let me know! I already have one request for Olivia Pope’s apartment from Scandal!

Thursday Favorites

I know I usually do my “favorites” post on Fridays but I’m sharing it early this week because I am going to Go Blog Social tomorrow! I will be at this blogging conference in downtown KC all day Friday and Saturday. I am so excited to meet lots of amazing bloggers and hopefully learn a ton of valuable information.

Anyway, here I few things that I really loved this week. Enjoy!

This Quiz

For decorating nerds like me, Pop Sugar’s “Which Celebrity Decorator Gets You” quiz is the ultimate personality test. Although I love all the potential designers I was thrilled to get my favorite: Emily Henderson!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This Article

Unless you’ve been living under a rock you probably heard that the long running TV series How I Met Your Mother ended this Monday. I watched it and yes, I cried a little a lot; I was a big ball of emotions after it ended. I’m not going to write any spoilers here but there were definitely some shockers in the finale and I know a lot of fans were not so happy with the show’s creators. I thought it was pretty great though; Donna Bowman’s summary on A.V. Club reflects most of my feelings on the episode quite well. Read it here.

These Shoes

TOMS are my daily go to shoe, and Jonathan Adler is one of my favorite home designers, so of course I’m in love with the JA/TOMS collaboration! There are several pairs of shoes that I love but I think these yellow ones are my favorites. I want them, I need them, oh baby oh baby.

And These Shoes

One of my closest friends is getting married this summer and I’m going to be a bridesmaid in her wedding. I already have the dress and now we’re trying to decide on the shoes and this stunning Bagdley Mischka evening shoe is in the running. I don’t have a lot of occasions to wear fancy shoes like this but I really think I need these heels in my life.

This Video

Jimmy Fallon has been killing it as the new host of The Tonight Show and there are a hundred segments that I would love to share with you, but this bit by Samuel L. Jackson is really special. He performs a flawless slam poem about one my favorite 90’s TV shows, Boy Meets World and it is everything you could imagine a slam poem by SLJ could be. Watch it, love it, share it.

 

This House Tour

There are so many beautiful moments in Apartment Therapy’s Maureen’s Classic & Comfy Austin Abode. I’m really impressed at how she was able to successfully keep the same color scheme (black and white with pops of green and gold) throughout the whole house. She also mixes traditional style with hollywood regency glamor and rustic flea market finds very well. Check out the rest of the tour here.