A few months ago I told you how The Man knocked my socks off with a scavenger hunt for our first anniversary.

One of the elements was this awesome giant letter ‘a’ that he’d made by the woodwork teacher from the school where he worked. I’d been umming and aahing about where to put it – it would look so cool as a wall feature but, well, we’re running out of walls!

Normally when I talk about giving something a quick coat of paint, I really mean painstaking preparation and several coats of paint. Happily, in this case I was able to just slap on a single coat of paint as I liked being able to still see the grain.

My cheerful oversized typography now adds a playful touch to the back of my office door (sorry for the dodgy photo, the room is so small it’s hard to get a wider shot that still captures the whole letter). It makes me smile every time I look up at it from my desk.

For some reason I don’t have a photo of the kitchen with the old light (oh yeah, could be because I didn’t like it so I always cropped it out).

But I do have a photo of the same fixture elsewhere in the house. Because when we moved in every. single. fitting. in the house was the same boring builder’s special that you see above.

Ah, I love how pendant lights work to define a space so much more than the ceiling-mounted variety. The industrial brushed metal finish of the Ikea light we chose ties in perfectly with the cabinet handles, and at just fifteen bucks it was a very cheap tweak to the room.

I would be remiss if I didn’t also thank The Man for installing it for me. x

My latest guest post is up on Houzz and it’s all about lanterns. Take a look!

All the Luck in the World

If you have limited space at home – or are just after a really unique Christmas tree – have you thought about a flat tree?

I Need Nice Things | Jennyshus

Today I have an exciting first for Atypical Type A: we have a guest blogger! Without further ado, please welcome Susi from Arcadian Lighting.

Hi, I’m Susi, a writer from Arcadian Lighting, a website and blog about décor and lighting fixture trends. I’m so lucky to be a guest blogger here at Atypical Type A today. I’m writing about unexpected decorative accessories that can add charm and style to any room. Whether the accessory is unexpected or the location is unexpected, unique decorative objects and accessories make a space feel personal. Enjoy!

Framing a single beautiful object, like a feather, can be an unexpected decorative accessory for the wall.

Love the unexpected mix of rustic and contemporary in this stool. The top converts to a deep tray that could work as an ice bucket as well—now that’s unexpected!

Adding natural elements is a popular design tip. A few driftwood votive candle holders that look like bundles of white asparagus would be unexpected replacement for a lamp on a bookshelf or bedside table.

Animals are another big trend in design accessories right now. Look for animals from unexpected materials like driftwood for something more unique and rustic.

Sometimes the accessory is traditional but the placement is unexpected. A vintage portrait in the kitchen or bathroom is charming but atypical.

Wall art that doubles as coat hooks or coat hooks that double as wall art? These leaves are charming for a mudroom or foyer wall.

An unexpected accessory in the kitchen is a large mirror, but it works well in the room. Mirrors expand whatever space they are in, and in a kitchen they add a nice reflective sparkle. Reflected in that mirror is an unexpected kitchen light, a swing arm lamp, attached to the wall above the sink.

Vintage toys and collectibles are unexpected decorative accessories outside a kid’s room or a playroom. They add a bit of whimsy and make for great conversation starters. And this table lamp looks like it’s one-of-a-kind!

Unexpected accessories are the perfect way to give your home an eclectic, personal touch. Discover more interesting design ideas and unique lighting fixtures to add to your home today at Arcadian Lighting! (Images: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)

I almost fell off my chair when I saw how beautiful the first shot is. Thanks, Susi, for inspiring us to look outside the conventional decor ideas.

We designers love our Pantone, it’s part of the job description. I’m pretty sure there was a collective reaching for the credit card when they launched Pantone Universe merchandise.

(I have the tea towels if you’re wondering.)

As you may have noticed, we haven’t done too many big projects on the house lately.

But there have been a few small additions, like this candlestick. The shape is much more formal and traditional than I’d normally like, but the glass makes it so much more modern, don’t you think? It makes a nice little touch to my quite girly dresser.

On the other side of the bedroom, we’ve replaced the chunky old CD player…

…with a compact new iPod dock. We already had a dock actually, which we use frequently when entertaining outside, but for the bedroom we wanted one with a radio and alarm clock. Apart from being a lot sleeker in appearance, I love that it is so much smaller and less intrusive.

For downstairs, I scored this fantastic laser cut felt table runner for $2 and the local bargain shop! It really dresses up the table without getting in the way.

I had been eyeing off these cute matryoshka doll measuring cups since they came out a couple of years ago but could never really justify the purchase for myself. Imagine my surprise when my friend gave them to me for my birthday! How did she know? They are the perfect addition to the new kitchen shelf.

What are your latest fave finds?

Available as a magnet from Ruby Sparkles.

Check out examples of my work or drop me a line to enquire or place your order.

I’m working on a lace-themed wedding invitation for a client at the moment. As is the way, I’m now seeing gorgeous, contemporary interpretations of lace popping up all over the place. 

From top: Carrie storage/bicycle basket from Fjorn Scandanavian | Beautiful textured dishes from the appropriately-named Lace Pottery | Metal lace pendant light from Bernabei Freeman | Crochet side table by Marcel Wanders | Home Goods vase spotted on Bliss Bloom | Mini bird dish by Prince Design UK.

Image sources: bride & groom in laundromat | invitation | cake pops | escort cards | aisle flowers | lantern columns | cake | bubbles

OK so this is probably the most unusual theme in my range of invitations, so you’ll want to be subtle in how the decor ties in. Think crisp white with aqua accents for a squeaky clean palette and add in some cotton and ribbon for texture. Bubbles, of course, are a must but you can take the idea further with fishbowl centrepieces and clusters of white paper lanterns for more subtly sudsy decor. Swirly lollipops or pinwheels that mimic the washing machine’s spin could be cute favours, especially for children. Don’t forget the clothesline – perfect for escort cards, guest book or photos. Your guests are sure to have some good clean fun.

Orders and enquiries here.