A Breath of Fresh Air

When I was a kid one of the first signs of spring was coming home from school to find the windows thrown open with the smell of turpentine wafting through the air. My mom would do whatever it was she did to the hardwood floors the first day it was warm enough to open the windows. I can’t recommend the turpentine, but don’t these room inspire an open window and a deep breath of fresh air?

Ahhhhh…..Spring!

images from HGTV and Traditional Home

I Got the Blues

When I happened upon this room on Better Homes & Gardens, I knew it was the inspiration for today’s Copy Cat Room. The blue and white is such a crisp, clean look. The shade of blue on the wall is very similar to the Benjamin Moore on my own bedroom walls. I found so many beautiful fabrics at Lee Industries and Greenhouse Fabrics that it was hard to narrow it down to just a few.  The Custom Loft Chaise Sectional and Storage Ottoman are from Bassett Furniture.  I had a devil of a time finding just the right white scrolled iron table but I found a suitable wicker one from eBay for only $165 .  JC Interior Sources is the supplier of the upholstered armless dining chairs. The suzani table scarf comes from Oka Direct. Mother Nature is the source for the floral arrangement.  

Bring it to the Table

 

ta·ble [ táyb'l ]  item of furniture with flat top: a piece of furniture with a flat top and one or more legs, used for placing things on or doing things at

 

This definition really leaves it wide open, and it is a wonderful thing to behold the many interpretations.

 

Pottery Barn

 

Hendredon

 

Atmosphere Incorporated

 

Pottery Barn

 

Drexel Heritage

 

Pottery Barn

Barbara Barry

umbugjug

Archithings

Dos Gallos

Amy Boettcher

Dos Gallos

Archithings

studentmarket.com

Tickled Pink

Who knew that honeysuckle isn’t yellow?

Inspired by a post by my chic associate The Modern Sophisticate, I went on a search for rooms using the  Pantone color of the year for 2011 – Honeysuckle.

A Color for All Seasons
Courageous. Confident. Vital. A brave new color, for a brave new world. Let the bold spirit of Honeysuckle infuse you, lift you and carry you through the year. It’s a color for every day – with nothing “everyday” about it.

Pantone.com

 

 

Pantone.com

Home Interiors
Honeysuckle is upbeat and dynamic when used on large areas like the entry area of a house or an apartment. It is an appetite and conversation stimulant when used on the dining room walls. In the kitchen, it adds a fun touch on the table in placemats and other linens (patterned or solid), colored glassware, candles and small appliances. Honeysuckle is a great color to cover up shabby kitchen cabinets, or, if that’s too much of a color statement for you, try repainting knobs and drawer pulls. But be warned – once you try this arresting shade, it can become addictive.

Antonia Hutt

 

John Stefandidis

 

New House of Art

 

Momoy

 

David Hicks

 Love. Honeysuckle.

Mirror Mirror on the Wall

Which is the fairest of them all?

 

House Beautiful

 

Tchochkes.com

 

Restoration Hardware

 

 

Better Homes and Gardens

 

Pottery Barn

Using mirror in home interiors is a way to reflect light, visually enlarge the space, and fill a space that needs interest.   Whether it’s a hallway or grand ballroom, baby’s room or bathroom, the addition of a mirror adds beauty to the space and makes it feel more open or spacious.

 

 

OMH!

Here where I live, it is entirely likely that you will hear “Oh my Heck!”  Thus our own version of the oft heard expression “OMG!”

This PM  I am just coastin here at work because I was blessed earlier in the day with a nice little “kiss me” sale.  Just readin emails, checking up on Facebook and blog surfing. I ran into this amazing blog.  Ana at Knock Off Woods is my new Idol. She offers hundreds of free plans for buildin stuff! I do not have time to work, I need to be home sewing, cooking, building..OMH!  

 

RIP

I have a customer named Jane*.  She brought in a decorating book with a picture of “The Perfect Living Room.”  It is a lovely room with yellow walls and a lipstick red sofa as the focal point. I spent about FIVE HOURS recreating the room, just like they do on that TV show! I showed my work to my friends and family and received kudos from them all. At the presentation what to my wondering eyes should appear but a runaway train and in the headlights a deer! “What if I don’t really know what I want? My neighbor doesn’t like red. I will have to live with this a long time. Maybe I shouldn’t get new furniture. Maybe I should do my family room instead. Everyone does this don’t they?” I will spare you the rest of the FIVE HOUR details, but suffice it to say this is one of my more challenging projects. She went home with 4 plans with varying degrees of change in both rooms. I got a call the next day saying that she had spoken with her painter (an obvious design expert) and he says she needs to go for the red and yellow room.  The next day’s call was to let me know she had not gotten any sleep the previous night because of the anxiety she was feeling about this bold move. We made an appointment for the following Saturday. After another FIVE HOUR design session, she left with another 4 plans. She called me Monday morning as calm as a summer’s morn, not only did her husband and daughters approve of version 4 but the painter gave it a thumbs up as well. I am glad that we finally hit the target, but I can not help but mourn the red and yellow room that will not be

*names have been changed to protect the design paralyzed

Underfoot

A beautiful rug is a great inspiration piece for an entire room design.  Please someone let me do your room around one of these to die for rugs!

 

Sweet

Change of pace today – cookie art! I can’t believe how beautiful these are, they should be framed.

 

I am seriously having some self esteem issues regarding my own cookie decorating abilities!

Window to the World

“I was born by Caesarean section, but you can’t really tell… except that when I leave my house, I always go out the window.”

My dear Haley washed our deck window and the view is so much better now that I feel inspired to highlight window treatments today. I thought it would be  clever to use a quote about window to the world and came across this one which has nothing to do with the subject but I like it just the same.  I don’t have any specific room that I am working on right now,  so these are just some good random window ideas