Are you a person who sees certain colour combinations which immediately evoke holiday connections, e.g.,red and green, orange and black, yellow and purple? I am, and as a result there are colour schemes I find difficult to live with because the cultural connections override the beauty of the combination. But sometimes a combination sneaks by me.I took this photo in the main area of a small London hotel. I loved the modern flavour and the strong vertical stripes. My immediate reaction was not Halloween, it was great impact. Later I realized they were symbolic colours....
Mirror, mirror
I keep a list of ideas for possible post topics and near the top is an exploration of mirrors in home decor. Well, that's one post I won't be writing because one of my favourite decorating sites, Your Decorating Hotline, has an excellent post on this topic. It covers the gamut from why use mirrors to the creative ways they can be used. I highly recommend reading it. There's something for every style of decor. One of the topics explored is the use of mirrors in multiple groupings. This is an application that I'm particularly fond of and I've added several from my file...
Labels:
accessories,
mirrors
Thursday Tip #6- simple centerpieces
Keep it simple...Dinner parties can stress the budget. I like to have simple arrangements for the table and that usually involves fresh flowers . Rather than large bouquets which are tall and obstruct views, think about simple ways to use flowers or leaves in a repetition.Hosta leaves are one of my favourites and I have lots to choose from in my garden. I love the idea of massing different sizes and shapes of glasses/vases and submerging separate leaves in each one. The sunflower is a great choice for fall entertaining. If you don't have access to fresh sunflowers, there...
Labels:
centerpieces,
flowers,
Thursday Tip
It's all about scale
In recent weeks I've spent quite a bit of time looking for coffee and end tables for clients. Getting the style and size right to work with the rest of the furniture in the space takes quite a bit of juggling and an understanding of standard furniture sizes.The standard height of a coffee table is between 16 - 18 inches, but some can be as high as 21 inches. How do you know which height to choose? Style at HomeThe answer relates to the height of the sofa/ chair. I prefer to see the coffee table about the same height as the top of the chair cushion or one or two inches...
Labels:
coffee tables,
furniture,
living room,
scale
At Home: An ocean getaway
As a child I often imagined how a house would look on the inside as I drove or walked about the town where I lived. I'm assuming I'm no different from most people. My Open Doors series of posts will fill the need to peek inside everyday homes- not the grand designs of decor magazines, but interesting homes that are achievable for most people. Come along on a visit to my friends' ocean beach house. The patio overlooking the Atlantic Ocean has lots of beach finds. There's a wind up today. From the kitchen looking out through the screened window. ...
Labels:
accessories,
At Home,
furniture,
open doors,
summer house,
wallpaper
Thursday Tip #5- Use geometry
HouzzMost furniture is predominantly rectangular. When you're adding accents it's good to include circular shapes to play against the strong horizontal and vertical lines. The basket, table, wooden goblet and medallions work wonderfully with this sofa (which is not as squared off as most). There's also lots of texture in this room. If you can't count at least five different textures in a space it is probably not that exciting! You rarely see beige paired with yellow, but doesn't it look fabulous? In case you didn't notice.... spray paint medallions meant...
Labels:
accessories,
texture,
Thursday Tip
Seen through a window
Travelling allows you to broaden your horizons in many ways. You get to experience different cultures, climates, foods and transportation systems. While many things stay the same from country to country, there are also subtle differences in many of these areas. One of my favourite things to do when I am walking in a new city is window shop with my camera. Here are shots from Munich and Prague that relate to interior decor. Hope you see something your like.Bling is in and the metal of choice appears to be chrome with lots of crystals.... Bedding inspired by nature...
Labels:
design trends
Paint it blue
While I was in the UK recently I was struck by the number of blue doors I saw. Where I live I have a difficult time convincing someone to go with a blue door, sometimes navy, but never a vibrant blue. Blue was also a constant accent colour I saw in France and Greece. Is it a cultural or climate thing? Living in the middle of the North Atlantic, we have our share of fog and cold so possibly blue is too cool for an entrance colour. Red doors are very popular as a result. I'll have to investigate this further. As you can see blue can be many things. Bright...
Thursday Tip #4- Layering accessories
Laura Martin BovardWhat do you have in your house that your friends don't have? What personal touches make your house into a home? Accessories may be small but they have a big punch in decor. This is an area where you should strive for personality plus. Choose things that mean something to you or your family, and then combine them to make an interesting grouping. Forget about spreading things out along the top of a cabinet or mantle- group, group, group. Why does this vignette work? the colour tones are very similarthere's a variety of objects, textures, shapes...
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Thursday Tip
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