Art Ledges....

...have completely taken over my thoughts. I am obsessed with them! I dont know if my obsession these past few days with them is unhealthy but it definitely borders on the insane. If you asked me what I love about them I wouldn't know where to start. Their versatility, their changeability, their functionality. The fact that you can place and replace pictures to your hearts content without turning your walls into Swiss cheese makes my comitt-aphobic soul sing.

And lets not even mention that once they're hung you never have to worry if another picture arrangement is level as long as you shall live! Lastly, I like being able to placee different seasonal found objects like topiaries, woodenships and letters!

Being a copycat, I had to scour the internet for some inspiration. Of course it was Pottery Barn that had exactly what my minds eye was picturing.

So here are a few that have caught my eye:

I love the simplicity and the track lighting of this art ledge from Pottery Barn.

DIY design inspiration at its best!

And how cute is this little office?

So, Where have you used art ledges? I'd love to know. Be on the lookout in the following posts for an upcoming copycat and how I use photo ledges in my own home.

xoxoxo,

January Copycat: Pottery Barn inspired winter mantlescape

I do enjoy the de-cluttered feeling that is left after all the Christmas decorations are taken down and put away. (This year I even managed to take it down by Dec 31. Which is a triumph over last years Christmas/Valentine's Day decor fiasco...) Yet after all the clutter is gone the house feels Stark and naked. My mantle is the first thing a person sees when they walk into my canyon home. It sets the tone and makes the first impression and it just seemed so, well, naked. I want to do something that reminds you of winter but not the holidays so I decided this month's copycat would be a winter mantle scape.

After searching the kingdom over for inspiration, my heart lept for joy when I found this beautiful Pottery Barn winter mantle scape:

Isn't it stunning? I love the layers, the mix of metals and winter white and the warm glow from the candles. There is just one problem- the eggs. I dont like them and they are deffintely spring not winter so I'll have to winterize it and make it my own. I also have a new years resolution that applies to this project. Mr Copycat and I have resolved to be better with our money this year so all Copycats big and small can enjoy more things together as a family. For me, that means a few less shopping trips and re purposing and reusing design items I already have to create my design visions for as little money as possible.
Lets take a look at the design elements from a copycat perspective:


So with my new year's resolutions on my mind and a list made from the items shown above, I set out to find the items I needed hidden in my house and buried in my garage.

I found everything I needed. A few years ago I had bought a twig candelabra that I just adored and painted it white. That will be my centerpiece. I also found a few candlestick holders- white wood, glass and pewter at garage sales and have used them all over my house. I also unburied a few apothecary jars and borrowed a few battery operated candles from my bedroom. As for the nature elements, I just nabbed a few twigs lying around beneath the oak tree in my back yard and tied it all together using a few pages out of an old book. Here's how it turned out:


And I put together a collage of my favorite parts:


Here's a side by side comparison:


I am so happy with my January Pottery barn inspired mantlescape and how it turned out and am now writing my post by its warm, wintry glow.