Centered By Design – Francois et Moi https://francoisetmoi.com Making a Handmade Modern Home one DIY project at a time. Thu, 22 Jun 2017 22:31:02 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.3 https://i0.wp.com/francoisetmoi.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Untitled-2-2.png?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 Centered By Design – Francois et Moi https://francoisetmoi.com 32 32 76357554 Ashley Mary Art Studio Tour https://francoisetmoi.com/diy/ashley-mary-art-studio/ Fri, 23 Jun 2017 13:00:05 +0000 http://francoisetmoi.com/?p=16105 Earlier this year when I was so pregnant I was literally about to pop, I had the pleasure of photographing painter, illustrator & prop stylist extraordinaire Ashley Mary, of Ashley Mary Art, in her Northeast Minneapolis studio for my friend, Claire Staszak’s Women Who Make column, a fantastic feature celebrating women doing cool things in their creative field. Ashley was kind enough to show us around her bright and colorful studio and share insights into her design process, works in progress, and new mediums she’s currently exploring. After a few hours of demos, chats, and photos, I left full of inspiration and delight. What a morning! Head over to Claire’s site, Centered By Design for Ashley’s full interview and more looks inside her studio! And while you’re already here, check out a few quick captures from the visit…   I love Ashley’s bold use of color, pattern play and femininity that’s celebrated with each piece.  As we were leaving for the day, Ashley sent Claire and me each off with a hand-painted postcard of our choice. I chose a blush, gold & black beauty and have it up in my office next to a few of my own DIY’s. Make sure to […]

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]]> 16105 How to Shop for Vintage like a Pro https://francoisetmoi.com/interiors/how-to-shop-for-vintage-like-a-pro/ Thu, 03 Nov 2016 13:15:47 +0000 http://francoisetmoi.com/?p=15257 When scouting vintage and thrifted pieces for the home, it’s all about finding that right, one-of-a-kind piece for the space, but “the hunt” can often be super time consuming. Wading through a hundred uninteresting pieces to (hopefully!) stumble upon the perfect gem isn’t exactly an efficient process, but it’s what we love about thrifting, right? It’s the thrill of the hunt, never quite knowing what you’re going to find. I don’t plan on giving up on one of my favorite downtime activities anytime soon, so I called in one of my favorite Chicagoan designers and vintage scouting pro, Claire Staszak, to offer up a few tips on how she scores vintage pieces for both her own home and for clients without spending every waking moment at the flea market. Read on below! In tandem with today’s post, Claire and I are also teaming up to host a little Instagram contest and giveaway. Today through Sunday, tag your favorite vintage home decor with #LivingVintage and make sure to follow both Claire @centered_by_design & myself @francoisetmoiblog.  The winner will be featured on both our accounts on Monday and receive a vintage trinket box from Claire! Open to US only. How to Shop […]

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]]> 15257 Designer Tips for Mixing Interior Styles https://francoisetmoi.com/interiors/designer-tips-for-mixing-modern-styles/ Mon, 15 Aug 2016 17:51:37 +0000 http://francoisetmoi.com/?p=14995 When it comes to interior design, incorporating a mix of styles often leads a more interesting, soulful, and evergreen space that helps to reflect our true personalities, more so than say, a space outfitted with a matching set of furniture. I think we can all agree that the matchy-matchy look has long worn out its welcome, but mixing interior styles can be hard to pull off.  Luckily, Claire Staszak, my designer/blogger friend behind Centered by Design, is back (Remember when she stopped by this Spring?) to help de-mystify things a bit and show us three distinctly different spaces where she’s created a successful mix of styles, why it works, and where to source the key pieces. Oooh, this is going to be fun! Shall we get started?     Claire’s Design Approach: “There is no perfect formula to creating a beautiful space, because what everyone enjoys and feels comfortable with is different, but I have found in my design work, that mixing three key elements helps me achieve the eclectic and “just can’t put your figure on it” wonderful that I’m usually striving for.” Those three elements are a mixture of: Modern (New) Vintage (Found) Handmade (Commissioned) Boho Glam Mélange […]

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]]> 14995 Where to Shop for Vintage in Chicago https://francoisetmoi.com/interiors/where-to-shop-for-vintage-in-chicago/ Tue, 10 May 2016 14:32:40 +0000 http://francoisetmoi.com/?p=14317 Earlier this Spring, I counted down my favorite spots to hunt for vintage home treasures here in Minneapolis, and today I’m back on the topic, but this time in Chicago, my 2nd favorite Midwest City! #winkwink Summer is practically here, and you know what that means: ROADTRIP! Fellow Midwestern designer/blogger, Claire Staszak, of Centered by Design is here to give us the inside scoop on the best spots to shop for thrift and vintage pieces in her City (A.K.A. Her personal favorites for hunting vintage gems for both herself & clients.) Claire and I met on Instagram, and bonded over renovating our 1930’s era homes + our mutual love for all things vintage, so I was all-in when she suggested we collaborate. Take one look at her site or Instagram, and it’s not hard to see Claire has impeccable style and a love for good design. I knew she’d have the skinny on where to go. If you’re planning a Chicago roadtrip this summer, make sure to pin this map, so you know where to go when you’re there!   The South Loop Loft / Canary Lane North Avenue Collective Modern Cooperative / Lost Girls Vintage Divine Consign Coyle and […]

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