If Your Walls Could Talk

Michelle, from PeasoutMama, a self-professed "word nerd" has put together some inspirational ideas on taking your love of the English language and using that as a design element in your home.  Great humor. Great ideas! Thank you Michelle! 

It's true. I'm a word nerd. Love to read, love to write, love soaking in a good library or bookstore. Books are great...really great. So great that while my mom (my mom) owns a Kindle, I will always tenderly embrace my books with their real covers and real pages. Also, I rock a mean Scrabble board. Just thought I'd throw that out there. And yet, in spite of all this, when I look around my home, these words, these books, rest closed on shelves.

Sniff.

This got me thinking. Sarah posted an interesting question on facebook a while back. Maybe you read it, maybe you responded. Here was the question: If your walls could talk, what would they say? Well, turns out your walls aren't too flattering. Funny little dudes, but not so nice. I understand. Mine are downright mean sometimes. I went on a quest for inspiration when it comes to decorating with words and found some pretty cool stuff I thought I'd share. Because word nerds are also generous.

Check out this living room by designer Maureen McCluskey. This is so cool. Needing to know more about this design, I emailed Maureen, and lo and behold, her gracious self responded with tons of great info. Thank you, Maureen! Turns out this design is for her sister and brother-in-law's home. They wanted to do something interesting, but not distracting, behind the television in a room with high ceilings. She chose to cover the entire wall so it'd have the effect of a pattern, which is why, she told me, they chose all lower-case letters. They ordered stencils and did this themselves. Yes way! The quote itself? Lyrics their cousin wrote for his Chicago-based band. Talk about one-of-a-kind!

I'd have to choose a quote my toddler won't ask me about in a couple of years; this quote features, "there was a stumble there was a fall there was tequila." I'm all for tequila, but methinks I'd prefer to avoid the inevitable questioning: Mommy, what's tequila? And why are people falling? Any DIY-ers out there inspired to take something like this on? If so, promise to come back here, leave a note, and link to your finished product photos! Pinky swear?

Photo: http://maureenmccluskey.weebly.com/

Speaking of toddlers, take a look at this playroom by New York interior designer Esther Sadowsky. Mama Little Boo (my adorable little guy) would dig playing in this space. Feeling inspired to create just by looking at it! (And I love journey over the entryway...super cute.)

Photo: http://www.charmandwhimsy.com/

Okay, I could never do this in my own home, mostly because I'd love it for about a month and my husband would never love it, which means I would never enjoy it. Know what I'm sayin'? But in someone else's home? I could love it forever. This look comes from designer Kress Jack's own home and uses old sign letters.

Photo: Timeless Treasures

I puffy heart this next one in a big way. As if puffy hearting it wasn't enough. Let me explain. Once upon a time, I was an English teacher. There's just something about a chalkboard (especially lots of chalkboard) that gets me every time. Word nerd, remember? Weeee! There's even penmanship. Real, live penmanship. Double weeee! (Do you think it's Palmer Method?) If only I could read it...

Photo: http://www.faiella-design.com/

You can't help but get a little ironic chuckle out of this next one by Pierce Allen. Irony...it's better than sarcasm. Awesome bold graphic letters. And are those Os actually mirror frames? Looks like the mirrors have been removed, but what if they weren't? Oh yeah, I don't design; I write. But I can ask questions, no?

Photo: www.pierceallen.com/

Saving the best for last. Type on trees. Trees! How insanely cool is that? Get outta here! So remember my little nod to libraries earlier? These columns were designed for a library (yay!) by why not associates and Gordon Young. Hoping these served a load-bearing purpose, too.      

Photo: Okay Great

The result? Behold Crawley Library in the UK! Those Brits got it goin' on. Except that the photos are copyrighted and I can't use them. If you're feeling a little click happy and want to check it out (you do...really, you do), visit Crawley Libary on flickr.

So what's your take on all this? Yay or nay to words? Do you have words on your walls? Letters? Showing a little book love? Share your ideas, inspirations, or words of caution. Because lordy knows my walls have been talking some serious smack lately.