Cooking up some modern decor

I'm baaaaack! When I haven't been blogging for two weeks straight, you know things were bad. Heck, I even blogged during final exams when I said I was "on hiatus." This break was for real. I think I have good shot at passing, but there are no guarantees in life, so I'll keep my fingers crossed until November 16.

I've been in the process of revamping the look and feel of my online store. If you've peeked at it once in a while, you'll notice that my erstwhile plain white background has turned into black. I love the black leather look, but some things just look better on a white surface. Unfortunately, such a stark contrast makes the shop look like it has a split personality. I've been looking for a good surface that bridges the gap. Now that I have a little bit of free time, I have to look for it.

I want to maintain an ultra-modern/minimalist look, which is why I went straight for the kitchenware section of Big Lots yesterday.

Huh?

The bar exam did leave my brain confused and frizzled, but I haven't gone off the deep end because of it. Believe it or not, the houseware section of stores such as Big Lots or Ikea is the perfect place to find modern decor, especially if you're into the stainless steel look. Things you find in that section can be used on various parts of the house, not just the kitchen. I've seen a cool breadbox in Ikea that looks like a roll-top desk. The breadbox could have been used as storage on the desk to hide away random clutter. Metal tumblers can be used as pencil holders. I even found a cool perforated breadstick tray that looks like it can go onto a wall. I didn't buy it yesterday, but maybe I should go back for it. It looks really cool.

The reason why I didn't buy the breadstick tray was this:


This is a cookie sheet and cooling rack set--the original Big Lots price was $12. When I found it, it was marked down to $6. Score! Even the cashier found it remarkable and told her co-worker that it's a good price. I was trying to decide between this and the breadstick tray, and since I get a little extra for just $2 more, I decided to give it a shot. If the cookie sheet doesn't work well as a backdrop, I'll just use it for its original intended purpose. Plus I've always wanted a cooling rack, and now I have one.

The large cookie sheet actually costs less than the price of an aluminum sheet from the hardware store, and the hardware store variety is smaller. That's why I turn to the kitenware section for bright and shiny things.

Moral of the story? Thank outside of the breadbox. Like waaay outside.