GET HAPPY!

I thought we'd start the week off with something fabulously cheerful...

These chairs! I mean, really... wouldn't they put on a smile on your face every morning? I'm not one to usually insert pink into my interiors, but these Casala classics are just too good! They're making me want to snatch up this pair for my own.

This home belongs to artist Kirra Jamison, whose pieces are pretty damn perky themselves:


What do you think?


*image via the design files, shot by daniel mahon for kirra jamison.

UNDERSTATED

This is kind of space I'm willing my head to be in right now...


Clear of clutter, absolutely fresh, and focused on the important things. Like bold wall decor. And leafy accents (whether gilded or recently plucked from the garden).  And great seating (even in the form of a miniature stool).

*images via here, here and here.

ROOM OF THE WEEK: 5.26

When blogger had it's little *ahem* 'accident' a couple weeks back, it deleted this Room of the Week post.  So I brought it back! Because this room really is quite deserving, in my opinion...

There are a few colors I'm consistently drawn to wherever I go, and coral happens to be one of them (you may have noticed). I have loads of it in my wardrobe, but hardly any in my home. Every time I've tried to bring it in, it feels just a little too loud and overpowering. But I think I may have just found the solution...

Given a room all its own, the color blocking combination of coral and peach feels just right, and extremely fresh against all the white! I love the updated traditional styling of the room - simple rich wood chairs, beautiful white walls with lovely molding, and antique accents. Nothing too stuffy or over-the-top here. The addition of the potted urn atop the modern white column, however, might be the final piece pulling it all together. The room needs that dash of greenery to give it a softer, garden feel.

PS - If you hate the peach, you can swap it out - bonus!! What color or pattern would you rather see on the table? 

*room featured in veranda via mfamb

LIONS AND DINING ROOM CHAIRS, OH MY...

This table deserves a fiesty roar... 

I'm dying over the intricate lion-head (and feet!) legs. And the complimenting modern chairs are almost perfect - I would have gone with something even more simple (maybe armless?) to really let the table shine. It's so good in this clean, all-white space. 

*image via one white apron

BETTER THAN THONET?

I've been on the hunt for some casual dining chairs for a client of mine, and I keep returning to the classic Thonet bentwood style.

I love them all lacquered up and shiny, and their shape is perfection... unless of course you're worried about little squirmy kiddos slipping through the open design. Which, in fact, we are. The solution?

Well, it just might be these - the new Henri dining char at Anthropologie. I don't love the design as much, but they're still pretty darn good. And I do love the option of that deep navy blue instead of black! What do you think of them? Any other suggestions from my design friends out there?

*black and white chairs from crate&barrel, green thonet chair at dwr

HUNTING: WINGBACK DINING CHAIRS

I've been working with a client to create a lovely dining room featuring light woods and an indoor/outdoor feel - ironically it's a very on-trend moment (every showroom at High Point had their version of this 'Restoration Hardware'look') featuring some very classic pieces. Which is why I'm obsessed with bringing in a pair of wingback dining chairs...

There's something so sweet in these petite versions of the traditional wingback chairs. And, I love that you can easily pull them into the living room for extra seating too.

Here are a few options I've hunted down so far. A gorgeous piece from Aiden Gray at Layla Grayce comes in at $840 (a little on the high end!). On the opposite spectrum, a seriously affordable style at (gasp!) Sears for only $230. Not a huge fan of the legs on this one, but nothing a little 'customization' can't fix! Just below, a modern wingback at SOM is surely unique, but way above budget at $2,650 for a pair. And finally we have some pretty little lines at this chair from Hooker - on sale at $650 each. (Do we have a winner?)

Which would you go with??

*top image via creamylife

A RECURRING THEME...

Not that I usually recommend one color palette for an entire home (unless you have a very small space to work with) but....



The mix of rich teal with pops of red has been one that just seems to stick with me! Yesterday I reported from my twitter that there is still a big surge of teal in the marketplace - we saw it in lots of leather goods in High Point - but my favorite way to use it is definitely as a base for the room - whether on the walls, cabinets or floors - with that pop of red and plenty of natural light so it doesn't feel too heavy. Do you think this a color scheme that's doable for your home?

*images via traditional home, domino and lonny

Paddles & Paws

Hitting up Tybee Island, Georgia has been on my to-do list ever since I learned of the one and only Jane Coslick. There's just something about every one of her designs....so colorful and friendly, where you can kick-back and relax the day away. I just get the sense the whole island is like that. This cottage is Jane's most recent undertaking, she shared a peek on her blog. Isn't it delightful?! Luckily for us, it will be available to rent by late spring through Mermaid Cottages. Sign me up!! And stop the presses: Did you guys know Jane has an online shop?! Be still my heart!!

We're now officially down to two weeks!! Some of my Facebook fans got a little peek yesterday into my DIY wedding decorations. I might just keep adding fun stuff on there, so follow along if you're interested!

Have a wonderful weekend you guys!! :)

ROOM OF THE WEEK 3.31

Sometimes I really have to dig deep into my files to find a worthy Room of the Week... and today I came up with and old favorite...

I have always adored the lightness of this room - the way the chairs' thin lines combine with the lucite table makes it feel like there's hardly any furniture at all! The white chandelier almost disappears into the ceiling, and the simply trimmed shades add just the right touch of detail.

If you see the adjacent living room, it makes sense as to why it's all so simplistic...

Quite a bit of pattern and pops of color going on in here! Designing a space in the round can be tough, but I like how this one was done. I also love how the trim in the pillows echoes the trim on the shades! For some reason, it's not quite my style... do you prefer one space over the other other? Would you take them both? I'll stick with the dining room.

*images via elle decor

Sea Meets Sky

If I hadn't discovered these photos via Colorado Homes & Lifestyles, I would have sworn the house was in New England! For good reason though, as the owners lived in Massachusetts for many years before moving to Denver. Interior Nan Procknow and architect Don Ruggles worked to execute their vision of a new home inspired by their summers spent on the coast. I love the soft blue and green color scheme throughout the home. The glass tiles on the backsplash are gorgeous! Don't miss the rest of the home here!

RAINBOW ROUND THE TABLE...

In the latest decision concerning my next living space... I've decided that I absolutely must have colorful dining room chairs...

For a girl who can be a little shy of commitment, I think this is just enough of a pop of color that I won't regret saying "I do." And it adds so much fun to the space! Now the question remains... what color? I did a little dream browsing at 1st dibs last night to consider my options...


I'm pretty sure the yellow are my favorite... but the style of the purple are so glam... and we all know I'm a green girl... Funny how I could design so many types of rooms around these chairs, and yet I'm drawn to each of them for different reasons. What are your faves?? What color would you go with?

*rooms via (clockwise from left): william waldron, mwm, mikkel vang for aussie vogue living, jamie drake, kristin ewart for domino, and elle decor  chairs all via 1st dibs: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple

Shanna LeRoy & Ashley Russel

When I saw these beautiful photographs taken by the talented Shanna LeRoy out of Saratoga Springs, Utah, I almost regretted that I'm going away for Thanksgiving! What a serene environment to celebrate, I just adore all the details. Ashley Russel is the creative force behind what you see here...a true master at the whole trash-to-treasure thing. Check out her blog The Quirky Sophisticate for more of her projects, and check out Shanna's blog here for more fabulous photography!

ROOM OF THE WEEK 3.17

It's time for some fresh, fun glamour for this week's Room of the Week! I'm totally swooning for these adjoining rooms and the way the bright pinks + patterns are playing off each other while traditional pieces and modern lines mix in seamlessly...


Do you recognize the fabric on the sofa? It's a fun little Josef Frank print, which I seriously covet. I love all the gilded details too (of course!) and can you ever go wrong with that simple acrylic coffee table? I think not.

I had to point out the art in the dining room because it really connects the two areas together. The designer made an obvious choice to have the rooms really compliment each other because the area definitely could have been treated separately, but by bringing them together it opens up the whole house and makes the space feel  much larger.

I never would have chosen such a pop art-inspired, bold colored piece for this traditional home, but it totally works! One word for this whole space - FUN!

*images via skona hem. ps - for a great josef frank roundup, check out this article on apartment therapy!

Sara Chandelier

Bear-Hill Interiors

Phoebe Howard

Canadian House & Home

Lynn Morgan Design

House Beautiful

Hooked on Houses

If there's one reoccurring question I get (other than "what's your favorite paint color?"), it's "Where do I get that one chandelier...?!". As far as I was aware, this stunning antique bronze and hand-blown Egyptian glass chandelier was available only through Liza Sherman Antiques. Well when I was in NYC, I of course stopped in the wonderland that is ABC Home. What did I spot dangling in their out-of-this-world chandelier section?!

The Sara chandelier from Canopy Designs. Oh my word. "Based on an antique Egyptian light the Sara is old and new at the same time." I bet they were inspired to name it Sara after SJP and her Hamptons dining room in the last photo above. The helpful sales associate Lauren told me how it's hand made by them out of brand new materials, and is available in two sizes and 8 colors. The best part? It's a fraction of the price of the original. You can read more about it here, or email Lauren at canopydesigns@verizon.net.

And for full-disclosure, I was not compensated in any way for this post. But I wouldn't mind a new chandelier! ;)

Have a fabulous weekend everyone!

Bear-Hill Interiors

I feel so validated using and loving pink now that Pantone has selected it as the color of the year (not that I was shy about it before or anything)! This delightful home designed by Kevin Walsh of Bear-Hill Interiors and featured in At Home in Arkansas is such a good example of using bits and pieces here and there to update your space. I'm loving the capiz chandelier so much. What a great fit for that cool dining table! To read more about the serene space, head here. And check out the Bear-Hill Interiors blog too, they have great content!