Going up

Collections #3

A collection of images of collections

of rocks and tools

taped to the wall.

Phillip loves Trophies...

and you should too.

The other day I watched the great Errol Morris documentary Gates of Heaven (1978).  There are a number of notable characters and thoughts on California pet cemeteries, but there is one scene in particular that relates to an idea that I've posted about.  I've transcribed a bit of an interview with Phillip Harberts, the son/employee of one of the cemetery owners, as he talks about the importance of trophies.  Here it is:

Phillip: When I’d hire a guy, I’d bring him into my office and I had specifically designed my office so that I could display the maximum trophies on walls and stuff.  I’d bring this guy in who’d probably been making maybe $9,000 a year or less, and I’d bring him into this office with nice furniture and he’d see these trophies, and, you know, [he was] taken away.  And it’s kind of like flaunting it, I guess.  To hire him all I did was tell stories about what each trophy meant to me, and what it could mean to him and if he would like to increase his income and his future. 

In the film Phil also talks about insurance companies, motivational speaking, life philosophies, and of course picking up dead pets.  I can't say it any better than he has so I'll leave you with a picture of him in his trophy filled office.

follow this link to see Phillip in action (skip ahead to 1:55 to see him talking about suggestion).

And More Plants

Welcome to the internet and my blog about interiors and whatever else I feel like talking about.  This post is called And More Plants because I've already used the title More Plants and before that I probably used the title Plants (I'm too lazy to verify this (maybe Wes will know)).  Plants are pretty great so it's likely that there will someday be another post to follow this one which will be called something like And More More Plants or More And More Plants.  Enough with the intro...

Here are some pictures of plants and other things.  I emphasize the other things part because usually the plants alone aren't enough.  Even if you live in a forest you'll want to accessorize with non-forest things.  Continue scrolling to find some suggestions courtesy of the internet...

a bird, candle, cans...

rod, glass thing, furry stuff...

O's, delicious, magic tape...

haircut, shampoo, straightener... .

The end.

More Family Pictures

The Family Pictures post had been the best received to date and because I am driven by popularity and the tastes of the internet, I thought I would do a quick follow up with three examples.

One...
Here we have three elegant gaudy frames which overwhelm the photos within them.  It's a quick fix for your related not-so-good-lookers.  Put them next to other bigger stuff on the wall and they become even less noticeable.

There.

Two...
It's your house, and your guests, even as photos, should meet your high standards.  Might I suggest hiring this man to turn your loved ones into animals.

 There.

Three...
When you do come across fine-faced family fellows use them over and over.  Claim them as twins or triplets of you want.  Again- your house, your rules, anything goes if you say so.

There.

Last Impressions Leaving First Impressions

I'm back with more sage advice.  Ready?  Keep reading.  Go on.
Okay, here it is. 


Do not neglect the back of your apartment door, it might be the last thing a visitor sees as they leave.  You hadn't thought of that had you?  That's why I'm here.  I told you it would be sage advice.

Let's jump right to an example you also might not have thought of.  Make a peephole cover.  No one needs to see into your apartment and you don't have to give them the means to do so.  You don't really need to see out either.  You'll do better to shout out "WHO IS IT?" after someone rings.  Make sure you yell loud and in a tone that lets them know they are really annoying you.  You may be watching Rachel Ray but they should think you're doing something important.  If they want to come in tell them you aren't the landlord and can't let people onto the property like that.

You want to keep an exclusive air about your interior.  Those who are good enough to get in should be confident that many others are not worthy of the privilege.  If you intend to let them inside it's always good to ask some fake qualifying questions anyway.  Once they do get in they'll feel like you're doing them a favor and your interior will be hallowed ground.  So much of design has nothing to do with the tangibles.  Seeing means very little sometimes.

Here's a peephole cover.  Nothing too special.  But when you surround this shape and texture with complimentary elements like a horseshoe, antlers and some scratchy art you've got a solid last impression.

Getting back to the exclusive entrance policy, if you don't have a good angry or loud voice let some stickers back you up.  I recommend letting people know you have a dog or weapons of some variety.  The picture below does both, though if they don't speak Italian they may take you for a dog hunter, which, though a different message, will put some fear into them all the same.

And to keep Taylor Swift fans (who are believe-it-or-not unafraid of both dogs and guns) away try this one:

That's all for today.  Remember that an insolent first impression paves the way to a good first last impression.

More Plants