Copy This!

We all do it. We see something in a book or magazine or on a blog, or in a catalog or shop, and we love it, and we get inspired to try it in our own homes, or maybe for a client.

When I was in art school I had a wise professor that told us that nothing is original. Crestfallen we wondered how we would make out mark on the world.  He further expounded that everything had been done, and the best we could do was to develop individuality through experience, and then use that experience when we created something. He shocked us by saying that the shorthand for his message was to steal from the best.  You have to realize this was the heyday of revolution, with Abbie Hoffman's "Steal This Book" at the top of the best seller list.

So today I give you one of the best: Mary McDonald.

Yellow vases, skirted table - by Mary McDonald

Few of us have the budget or the talent to do what she brilliantly does. However, we can still be inspired and perhaps steal a little of her best.

I love the way Mary has infused freshness into skirted tables. Talk about nothing original, and yet the way she does it seems new and even exciting, and of course beautiful.

Taking this idea down to basics, the key element is the tailored table skirt. No money to have a custom one made? No sewing talent to make one?  Well I found one in basic white that you could customize by dying it, or better yet by adding some ribbon trim on the edges.You could make it a no-sew project by using hot glue or fabric glue, or iron on no-sew tape. I would use black ribbon.

Tailored table skirt $59. 0r $69. - By itself not too remarkable, and this catalog photo and styling is hideous -  But it's an affordable good basic piece if you can't sew or don't have a budget do to custom - Add  borders of black ribbon to customize it

Use  1 1/2" wide black gross grain ribbon on the top and bottom border - $5. for 25 yards

Tuck your table into your space, and then style it up. Again Mary uses the best,  and the yellow Imperial Chinese vases she uses costs thousands. I found some affordable things that would work pretty well. Then add a tall arrangement of flowering branches or tuck an orchid plant into the top of a tall vase. Pull up a chair next to the table, and there you have it.

Set of Chinese style yellow vases at Neiman Marcus or Horchow are $245. for set of six

Yellow lacquer vases from Z Gallerie

You could change it up and use something other than yellow vases - I would use two of these large yellow lanterns and three medium and forget about the little one - Get them at Z Gallerie

C Wonder has these yellow lacquer boxes in large and small sizes - You could use this with  a stack of books, and a vase of flowers, to create a gesture of the inspiration, rather than the literal interpretation

Add a tall  dark vase - I like this one, for the texture

Add yellow Oncodium orchids, faux or real

Add this black Louis style arm chair only $349. for the finishing touch

Do tell, and share some of your copy cat ideas with us! I love how creative you all are!


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