"Design Happens"

I’m obsessed with Pinterest and I know most of you are too, so I know you’ll relate to this. You know when you find a blog and you’re scrolling and you find yourself pinning every single thing on the page? Like, this blogger knows what I like?! Well, that’s how Fly is for me. Andrea Pippins, Fly’s sole editor, started the blog in 2006 as “a daily resource to inspire young women to pursue their creative passions.” From fashion trends and wallpaper patterns to vintage artwork and color palettes, Andrea shares a sampling of it all for her readers on a daily basis. I’m particularly fond of her fashion picks – they’re always full of color and pattern, and I’m constantly thinking, “That’s so daring! Could I do that? I should do that!” Her goal is to continually empower people to be individualistic and creative in every way, just like this.

Andrea comes from a visual communications background and has a MFA in graphic design that has landed her positions working with well-known design publications and brands, such as Hallmark Cards, TV Land/Nick at Nite, Free People, Nickelodeon and Creative Quarterly. Her original posts give her an opportunity to showcase her expertise and showcase new talent as well.

Read on to see why we heart Fly so.

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Let’s do a little furniture math, shall we? (Relax, there won’t be a test.) Marimekko + the lines of this Dering Hall find ÷ time = ??? Give up? The answer is this quirky vintage settee from Coco House & Company I peeped on 1stdibs.

Its almost regal, throne-like shape made me recall the Muirfield bench, and who can resist such a playful fabric pattern? Plus, it has a vintage pedigree, which makes it doubly cool. I have to say, I think this settee is greater than the sum of its parts.

The days are getting longer and, here in the Southeast, the early signs of spring have sprung. Granted, it’s a premature spring and the brave early blooms are likely to be hit by an inevitable cold snap. Which leaves us in a seasonal no-mans-land that has inspired our choice of a color that’s still wintry yet holds the happy promise of approaching spring. This color is fresh, playful and will add a cheery pop to any room. Wanna know what it is?

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Beautiful furniture hardware is the perfect accessory, but we all know how expensive it can be to purchase new.

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Happy February, all! It’s officially the month of love, or, in other words, only 11 more days until Valentine’s Day.  Have you found that special something for your special someone? This month’s giveaway is all about pampering someone you love (and of course, yourself.)

We’re partnering with luxury organic goods retailer Coyuchi to give one winner two luxurious cotton and linen bathrobes. That’s one 100-percent organic cotton, super-soft robe for you and one for a lucky significant other, child or friend.

The cotton terry-lined robe falls well below the knee, and is perfect for lounging on lazy mornings and relaxed evenings. Inside and outside ties help you refine the fit. The winner will get his or her choice of two robes in men’s or women’s small, medium or large.

Want to win this amazing set?  Just answer this week’s question: What are you planning this Valentine’s Day? Going out? Staying in? Keeping it casual or going all out? Flowers? Chocolate? Tell us in the comments below.

You may only comment once to be considered, and you don’t have to purchase anything to win; a purchase will not increase your chances of winning. Odds depend on total number of entries. Void where prohibited by law. Only open to legal residents of 50 U.S., D.C. or Puerto Rico, and you must be at least 18 years of age to win. All entries (comments) must be entered between 9:00 a.m. ET on February 3, 2012 and 12:00 p.m. ET on February 6, 2012. Subject to full official rules. By leaving a comment on the blog, you acknowledge your acceptance to the Official Rules. ARV of prize: $352. Sponsor: Scripps Networks, LLC, d/b/a HGTV, 9721 Sherrill Boulevard, Knoxville, TN 37932.

Just a friendly reminder that Valentine’s Day is around the corner, so if you’re planning to send a little love through the USPS, now’s the time to do it! Of course, I’m in a long-term relationship, so the days of planning elaborate candlelit dinners are a bit behind me, but I still picked up a card or two from this roundup to give to my boyfriend. (Don’t worry — I’m almost positive he doesn’t read this.)

Top row, from left to right: French Octopus, Downton Abbey, Love Rock Ticket, You’re a Hottie. Middle row, left to right: Let’s Be Frank, Lookin’ Good, I Love You Like BISCUITS and GRAVY Oversize Postcard, Boy Girl Big Heart. Bottom row, left to right: Pepé Le Pew Valentine’s Day Card, Sealed With a Kiss Cards, I’m Nuts About You, Valentine’s Sweethearts Card.

They’re all pretty adorbs, I must say. And I like that they all have a certain child-like enthusiasm and sweetness that reminds me of exchanging Valentine’s Day cards and candy in school. I think the Sealed With a Kiss cards would be best if you want to write a longer love letter, though my absolute favorite this year is Foxy & Winston’s “I love you more than Downton” card. I do love my boyfriend more than the surprise Brit hit TV show. But that’s saying a lot!

When I’m looking for a paint color, I get obsessive. It’s not enough to pick a general hue or even a good-looking paint chip. I want the exact yellow featured on the mod artwork in that living room I love. If you’re like me, Sherwin Williams’ new Chip It! tool is like a (color) match made in heaven.

Here’s how this Pinterest-inspired idea works: Go to the Chip It! website and drag the bookmarklet to your bookmarks bar. Then, when you find a photo you like, just click the “Chip It!” button on your browser bar to create a custom palette from more than 1,500 shades (including the fabulous HGTV HOME collection.) You can save  favorites to the site or print them out.

Warning, color hounds: it’s addictive. Check out some of the palettes I created using inspiration from HGTV.com:

A sophisticated, (mostly) man-friendly palette inspired by this vintage-modern bachelor pad:

A relaxing, muted color scheme inspired by the exterior of the 2012 HGTV Dream Home:

A classic combination inspired by this bold bathroom designed by De Meza Architecture:

Craving more colorful spaces? Browse more than 150 bright and inspiring spaces with HGTV’s free Color Guide app.

Mary was the first to guess this object’s function: a desktop cable manager.

Nothing is more frustrating than getting your feet tangled up in wires when you’re trying to get some work done. Cordies cable manager allows you to keep your cables organized on your desktop, and also serves as a whimsical accessory to your home office. Just make sure you remove the cables if your dog can’t keep his paws off of it!

Check back next week to guess at a new mystery object!

Yes, it’s true.  All of us at HGTV are kind of in love with Pinterest. And we know we’re not alone; many of you have let us know how much you enjoy Pinterest as well.

While HGTV has been on Pinterest since last spring – we were even mentioned in a recent Mashable feature on Pinterest’s explosive growth –  today we are excited to unveil a brand new, much more dynamic HGTV Pinterest presence.

Follow HGTV on Pinterest at www.pinterest.com/HGTV

In addition to our official HGTV design, decor and garden Pinterest boards, we are also introducing several brand new HGTV staff-curated Pinterest accounts, where our fans will be able to get a sense of the personal design aesthetic of some of the creatives behind our brand. Whether you choose to follow some or all of our HGTV and HGTV staff-curated Pinterest boards, you’ll discover new inspiration as we pin great new ideas and images every single day.

So without further ado, here’s where to find HGTV and our superstar HGTV staff pinners on Pinterest. We would love to have you follow us!

• Follow HGTV on Pinterest

• Follow HGTVLiz on Pinterest 

• Follow HGTVDale on Pinterest

• Follow HGTVBriana on Pinterest

• Follow HGTVHannahB on Pinterest

The Super Bowl is this Sunday, I’m pretty sure! And it will be the Giants vs. Patriots! At least that’s what the Google tells me! Honestly, I’m not a big sports fan, so I haven’t followed football since I stopped living with my parents (and by parents, I mean my dad). That said, I love watching the Super Bowl with a big group of people and eating delicious food — chili, nachos, chicken wings — that I will almost certainly regret later. I’d love to have these cute little vessels on hand to serve up some game day goodies.

Clockwise from top left: Soup and Sandwich Ceramic Duo, Smiley Bowl, Appetiser Bowls Set of 5 Black, Salsabol, Unsealed Glass Bowl, Buddha Bowl. 

There’s a little something here for almost any kind of snack you can think of! Pistachios are a perfect fit for the Smiley Bowl (or the Double Dish, as I’ve previously featured here), pretzels would be darling in the Unsealed Glass Bowl and the Soup and Sandwich Ceramic Duo is excellent for…well, just what it says. (You could swap in chili for the soup, or if you’re a big chip and dip person, put dip in the bowl and chips on the side. The possibilities are endless!) I also appreciate how ergonomic most of these dishes are, so you’re guaranteed to have at least one free hand to pump in the air when your team scores…or gesture at the TV wildly when the ref makes a bad call.

Who will you be rooting for this Sunday, and more importantly, what will you be eating?