Recent Logos: Update in the Graphic Design side of things »

Recently I had the opportunity to design logos for two real estate services comapnies. Here’s how they turned out:

I always seem to be drawn to real estate. I’ve worked on home decorating shows, at a boutique real estate firm, at a marketing firm specializing in new home builders, and I even wanted to get my real estate license about a year ago. As much as I’m interested in it, it also seems to be drawn to me!

These were fun projects, and I hope they help these companies find success!

You can see more of my graphic design work at www.brookehalldesign.com.

Happy Valentines Day! »

Here are the Valentines that I made for my friends this year based on a couple of my favorite TV shows… feel free to pass them on to your friends! enjoy!

Tips For Decorating Your Nursery »

Because 2 of my close friends (that I know of) are pregnant, and my sister-in-law and another friend each had a baby this week, and because I get asked nearly every day when I’m having kids  (and because EVERY time I’m sick, and I’m talking stuffy nose and sore throat, symptoms that clearly point to ‘cold’, someone *still* says, “Maybe you’re pregnant!” ) - I thought this article would come in handy.

Okay, sorry for that little rant. I have been sick for a few weeks with a sore throat and ear ache, and I can’t tell you how many times someone said that. Yeesh. Anyhow - back to what I came here for. I stumbled on a great article about important things to consider when putting together your baby room. I can’t find the original article from Better Homes and Gardens, but I found one from Move.com who sited the source.

Here is a quick run-down of the tips from Better Homes and Gardens:

1. Plan for the room to last through childhood. Avoid giving it too much of a baby feel — once your child hits preschool, light blue or pink might seem like it’s “for babies.” Choose wall treatments and furniture that are appropriate for any age and use accessories to give the room a baby feel. Also make sure there’s a place for a bed once your baby grows out of the crib.

2. Take note of the light in the room. Check out the angles that the sun comes in at different times of day. Don’t put the crib in a spot that gets direct sunlight in the morning, or in a spot that a streetlight shines on all night.

3. Consider double-duty furniture. You might find a changing table that can convert to a dresser once your baby grows out of diapers. The longer you can use the furniture, the better the value.

4. Avoid wall-to-wall carpeting. Use area rugs on a wood or cork floor, if possible. Hard floors are easier to clean up and they don’t harbor allergy-aggravating dust. Area rugs can be replaced much more easily than carpeting as they get dirty or your child’s tastes change.

5. Give yourself lots of storage space. You’ll probably need more room than you think. Once the clothes get bigger and are joined by shoes and other accessories, you’ll need every inch of closet space you can get. Not to mention a place to put all those toys!

6. Don’t forget a place for you to sit in the nursery. Pick a comfortable chair. You’ll be spending many nights there with your baby, reading her stories or rocking her to sleep.

Do you have tips you think you could add? I’d love to hear them.
One tip I think might be helpful is to consider the tasks you’ll be doing in the room. I.E. - You may want the changing table close to the crib for quick diaper changes without waking the baby… But then again, what do I know… I just have a cold!

image source: bhg.com

Picurewall Company »

I saw this company from the Jennifer Squires Photgraphy Blog. I love doing picture walls in homes because they give a wall purpose, add color and show personality. My cousin was asking me what she could do in her new house that would help her make it feel like home. I suggested a picture wall for those reasons and to help her connect to this home that she didn’t yet have memories in.

And since picture walls can get tricky, The Picturewall Company helps take the guesswork out of it. They provide frames, images, mats, tacks, hooks, a template and bubble levels to easily and evenly hang the pictures. Great idea!

Free Advertising on ohbrooke »

It’s time. My blog is now advertiser-ready and I would love to get things moving. If you are interested in free adspace for a month, please email me at ohbrooke{at}gmail.com or via the advertise button in the top right, and attach your banner in any of the three ad sizes shown. {If you need help creating a banner - let me know that also.}

You may also notice that I am now featured on delightful blogs in the Design : Decor : Style section. You can check it out here.

“He’s Just Not That Into You” Design Style »

Having seen the movie, “He’s Just Not That Into You” with my girlfriends last weekend, I haven’t stopped thinking about the interiors. While I absolutely LOVED the movie {for reference of my movie style, my favorite movies include Cold Mountain, Love Actually, and currently, Burn After Reading}, I was very distracted and enamored with the interior design style that was used in each of the revolving character’s respective homes. I’m still digging around for better pictures, but I’m going to show the ones I found and what I think there is to learn about these interiors.

KEEP IN MIND: Reflect on how you decorate your home as you look at these images. I have started a post on ‘Throw Away The Rules’ decorating for all of you matchy-matchys out there. Do you love the looks of these interiors? Are they in keeping with the ‘purse matches the bag’ rules? Likely not. If you choose to continue reading this post, you are making a silent vow to ditch the ‘rules’ of decorating.

What I take away from this bachelor pad, is the use of multiple textures; The leather couch, the exposed brick wall, and different surfaces lining the windows. I also noticed the use of colors that break the rules; brown sofa, grey chair, and black shelving. Didn’t we learn not to mix our blacks and browns? While many of these things ‘break the rules,’ they look great together.

Now, the bachelorette pad, with the overuse of pink, and vintage fifty’s-era touches. This room was too cute - and did a great job of mixing patterns. I wish I could find more images of this room because it really did a great job of breaking the rules. Yellow walls, pink shelving, an awesome-bizarre horse lamp {who doesn’t want one of those?}, red curtains, and pretty much anything you could pick up at a flea-market.

This renovated house made me fall back in love with mid-century modern. They had the greatest built-in shelving and beautiful neutral greys with honey colored wood. I guess you’ll have to see the movie to get a better glimpse of this one.

This home had a crazy eclectic style.  Everything was browns and neutrals, with patterns that don’t match, and rugs that don’t match the sofa, and I loved it. What stood out the most was the artwork that covered all the walls. There was no rule to the artwork - there was a print next to an oil painting next to a photograph, and it all looked amazing. It had this great lived-in masculine feel and I thought it did  a great job of breaking the rules.

SO, Lesson learned: You are now going to break the rules with your next decorating project, and you’ll be amazed at how much personality gets put into the room. Out with the stiff and boring, in with the eclectic and fun! Good luck!

Image source: media.movies.ign.com

Love Print Giveaway Winners! »

Yes, winnerS! I decided to pick two numbers to up everyone’s odds. Plus, for Valentine’s Day - everything comes in twos, right?

I loved everyone’s comments, and got some great ideas for Valentine’s Day. Amanda’s possible “Seduction & Passion” unveiling at the Art museum sounds adventurous, Claudia’s movie and chinese food sounds just my style, and Allie’s girls weekend at the amusement parks sounds like so much fun. I love girl days.  But, now it’s time for the winners:

Congratulations to Morgan and Amanda! And thanks everyone else for playing. I couldn’t sleep last night so I came up with some ideas for some new prints.

West Elm Grand Opening »

On Wednesday, I went to the grand opening of West Elm {Pottery Barn’s more modern and slightly less-expensive sister} in Emeryville {next to Ikea}. It was totally worth the trip, because the store was beautiful! Every piece was modern-but-comfortable, and had touches of fun: glass butterflies hanging from the ceiling, suspended candles, and herb gardens spanning an entire dining table. It was definitely a place for inspiration. Upon entering the store, I hardly made it two feet before I fell in love with their Walton Sectional Sofa. It was comfortable and modern {I have no tolerance for ‘puckered’ couches or rounded arms}. Until Sunday, they are drawing names to win $500 gift cards, and since you have to believe to win - I’ll be getting my phone call sometime this afternoon.

Here are the pieces I enjoyed the most:

Walton Sectional sofa { Straight lines AND comfortable. }

Ceramic Solstice Hurricanes { I don’t normally like using candles in decorating, but these are a fun way to add texture. }

Parsons Desk with Drawers {Laquered is ‘in’… }

bond desk, small { I’m a sucker for mid-century furniture. I love the angles of this piece. }

poufs { I love it when ‘cool’ is comfy! }

curved upholstered chair { The softness of the fabric on these chairs is unreal. If I had to do my dining room all over… }

spine wood bookcase { I don’t have many ‘pretty’ books, but some wrapped in paper would look great on this shelf. Sometimes bookshelves look ’stuffy’ to me, but this one is definitely not. }

Love Print Giveaway »

In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, I’m giving away a Love Print. Leave a comment with which color you’d prefer: red or tan, and what your plans are for Valentine’s Day.

Winner will be chosen with a random integer generator on Saturday February 7th. Friday is your last day to comment!

More Great Wall Art »

I came across Jennifer Squires somehow, and found that she has a really great photography blog and etsy shop. I think she would make a great addition to the artwork in my house, and these are my favorites:

images from JenniferSquires.ca