Doodles

We've covered couches decorated with markers, graffiti-inspired wardrobes, chalkboard fabric, and wallpaper you can doodle on, but Amana's new "Jot" refrigerator may be the most sensible use of scribbles we've seen yet. The fridge's entire face is made of Dry-Erase material, so you can write down grocery lists, phone messages, and to-dos, and wipe them off cleanly when you're finished. (No word on whether you have to tie your marker to a string and tape it to the side of the fridge, old-school style.) It's kind of the polar opposite of the gleaming, not-so-friendly-looking stainless steel Sub-Zero, which makes me wonder if fridge makers have found that not all audiences are after that shiny, super-modern (and, let's face it, easily fingerprinted) style. What do you think? Would you bring one of these home? [via Curbly]
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The artfully graffitied wardrobe and side tables of London designer Anna James (at left) that Dwell posted back in May sparked a little bit of debate among Shine readers, but James isn't the only one embracing scribbles as high art. Yesterday's New York Times Home & Garden section featured a slide show of original-Kate-Spade-partner Pamela Bell's East Village townhouse, which houses Bell, her three children, and a sofa she commissioned her daughter's 7th-grade classmates to decorate with markers. Oh, and a couple of chairs that her 7-year-old covered in fabric paint. Mind you, this was not thrift store furniture, to be cast out and replaced after an afternoon of naughty-feeling fun: The sofa is John Derian, which would be considered a splurge for many (including me), and the chairs seem to have a similar provenance. Check out the photos here. What do you think? Would you sacrifice your sofa as a blank canvas to encourage your kids' creativity—or even to let them feel they've contributed to the home that they inhabit every bit as deeply as you do? A less-committed option: Invest in some "Colour Me" wallpaper from Minimoderns: Read More »