Pink Flamingos

If only I was decorating a baby girl's nursery, I would decorate the entire room around these 4 lovely flamingo prints.

Sharon Montrose's animal prints are amazing.  See here.  

High Gloss

I have to agree with Julie, I wasn't sure what to expect given the recent influx of online shelter magazines, but the ladies from High Gloss really hit this one out of the park!  The interiors were fabulous!  Congrats High Gloss and keep up the fabulous work!

Kiki & Polly: Mini Prints

Lisa Golightly's (Kiki & Polly) artwork has made its rounds in the blogosphere and rightfully so!  But,  have you seen her new 'mini prints'?

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I recently purchased the above two prints for both our master and our son's bedroom.  For $10 each, how can you pass it up?  They are so adorable and would be a perfect addition to any gallery wall.  

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Color Inspiration: Peach and Yellow

Lately, I have been obsessed with this spring color combination - peach and yellow.  The colors in this combination create a dreamy, fresh, and vibrant feel!  Can you tell I'm done with winter and ready for spring??  I swear I was meant to live down South where it is warmer.

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Below you see a peach and gold color combination as evidenced by the wall color and the acrylic chair.  I would love to use this color combination in a girl's nursery or bedroom. 

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In the next photo, I love the color of the peach curtains paired against the yellow chair.  

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Kristen Hutchins creates a more subtle and softer look pairing these two colors by using a peachish, pinkish throw and pale yellow euro shams.  And, how much do you love the lucite desk chair?

Here, Kristen Hutchins picks up the two colors with the fabric on the sofa seat and the peach tulips - Just lovely!

Okay, now I am ready for some sun and warmth!  How about you?  Happy Friday!!

From Formal to Relaxed...In No Time.

I read an interesting article on Oprah's website (O At Home) which discussed how accessoricies can really transform the feel of a space.  Now for all you designers out there, this is not new news, but for a lot of stay at home moms, new home owners or design enthusiasts, there are some key tips here that can be carried forward to fit any space.  The above is a picture of a family's dining room.  They loved it, but the truth be told, it wasn't practical especially for their toddler aged children.  They quickly realized that they needed to change things fast so their whole family could enjoy it.  So, they hired a stylist to help. 

So, what did the stylist do to make this space more relaxing?  First, he started with the rug and drapes.  Do you notice the sisal rug? - a family friendly option that brings instant casual chicness to the space. He then added  linen shades which immediately softened the room.  These 2 subtle changes transformed the space immediately.  Then, he added a linen PB table runner, an oversized centerpiece to break up the intimidatingly banquet - like dining room table and a lot of greenery.  Yes, plants do bring life to a room!  Personally, I also like how he broke up the symmetry and hung a painting below one of the wall sconces; it immediately adds interest and brings down the formality a notch.  The lucite console brings in the fun factor and modernizes the room while keeping your interest level up!! All in all, I think it is much more inviting and welcoming room. Let's take a look at their living room, shall we?

Beautiful furnishings, but a little sterile, huh?  Let's see what the stylist did to add some life to this space.

Ahh..much more relaxed!  I like it....again, he started with the rug and window treatments.  He decided to add a geometrically Jonathan Adler patterened rug on top of a sisal rug.  The sisal rug brings in the casualness and the geometric rug adds interest.  He hung linen shades to soften up the room.  He changed the coffee table which is a better fit scale-wise. Notice how he hung abstract paintings  below the sconces?  It adds more depth and sophistication to the room.

My favorite part is that added some animal prints to bring some 'fun' in the space.  The great things about animal prints is that they are great neutrals and will look in a lot of spaces. The room was given a more "lived in feel" by adding a couple more pieces of furniture - the Stella shelves by Oly and a Jonathan Adler floor lamp. 

What I love about this family's living and dining room transformations is that it has gone from formal traditional to casual tradition by just adding accessories.  I mean how easy is it for all of us to take away some of these tips and apply it to our own homes?  The best part of the article was when the client said she is 'shedding' her textbook ideas of how a house should look!  Amen, to that!  A living and dining room is not just for company - it is a place where your whole family can and should enjoy!

Canvas Photo Wall

This past weekend I saw a great deal over at 6th Street Design for canvas photographs.  It's $55 off any canvas.  I seized the opportunity and bought a 16x20 canvas which will be of our family.  I really like the look of large canvas photographs as a gallery wall.  

You would have to pay a small fortune to do something like this immediately (the canvases are 16x20 and 20x24 which would be very expensive).  But, if you committed to buying one or two canvases a year (taking advantage of special discounts and deals), you could slowly build this gallery over a couple of years.  I would love to do something like this for our family.  So stunning.  

And, don't you love the dog??  I want him too!! :)

Bloglovin': Armas Design

You need to check out this fabulous blog Armas Design.  Michelle is an artist living in Atlanta who is a graphic designer and a painter.  Her artwork is fabulous.  I love the abstract nature of her work and the colors she uses. 

Payton


I like the names she uses to title her works.  I used to like a guy named Payton back in middle school, but I have to say I like this Payton much, much more!!

Joslyn

Joslyn is my favorite!  She has such a bright and warm disposition.  She would be perfect in my home where I could stare at her everyday and she would be sure to cheer me up on the days when I'm feeling less than stellar.  I've given my husband a heads up since my birthday is next month! (a girl can dream, right?)  However, what I love is that Michelle showcases her art in her own home and her home is just absolutely beautiful.  Check it out. 

Love the box beamed ceiling, sputnik chandelier, camelback sofa, her Zig Zag and Wandering Pods pillows!  Is that a glass of wine I see?  Oh, this is a woman after my own heart!  And, do you see Joslyn in the background?  Isn't she gorgeous?

Love Michelle's federalist server that she found at an antique store! Isn't she a beauty?  Such a classic and timeless piece.

Her bedroom.  So serene.  

She recently recovered this chair!  I wonder if this is Hable Construction's Stripe fabric?  Either way...I love it. 

Thank you again, Michelle, for letting me share your talented work and your beautiful home!  It was a pleasure!  

Love at first sight

This morning I attended an antique show hosted by The Historical Society of Glastonbury and really didn't see much that caught my eye.  And, then, out of nowhere, BAM!  I saw this bumblebee and fell in love.  Don't you love her?  I wanted to take her home with me so badly, but the price stung a little bit.  

The antique dealer's name is Mary Maguire and she specializes in 19th century folk art and other early Americana.  Her booth was full of interesting finds!  She attends Brimfield and can be found at Shelton's field across from J + J Booth # B-52.  

Bedroom Metamorphosis

Previously I mentioned I'm working on our bedroom.  Mind you, it is still work in progress and I'm a little embarrassed to post this picture as there is still so much that needs to be done.  But, this weekend progress has been made.  One wall was bare, blank and boring.  After going back and forth on various art concepts, I spotted a butterfly print on Ada-Marie's blog, spark! and found out she downloaded it from NYPL digital gallery for free!  So, off I went and whoa! - their selection is huge.  I found butterfly prints that pulled the colors out of my bolster pillow fabric (Covington "Wilmington").  I simply downloaded the image, enlarged it in adobe illustrator and printed it off of my home printer.  Nine picture frames later and countless "Silence of the Lambs" jokes from my husband (who is still is calling me Clarice), I transformed this blank wall (below) into a wall that now has some personality!  

We've (my husband and I) since named all the butterflies:  Mike, Carol, Alice, Greg, Marcia, Peter, Jan, Bobby and Cindy (a la the Brady Bunch).  Am I giving away my age?   

Butterfly Art

I am almost finish with my new art wall in my bedroom!!  Hint, Hint...it involves butterflies.  The best part - the artwork was completely free!  Here's a selection of inspirational prints that are not too dissimilar of what I found.  

OKL 

via the neo-traditionalist.  The Evolution Store .

via Trail of Inspiration 

More to come soon!

Deciding on Artwork

India Hicks via Domino

Deciding on art for a room is one of the hardest things for me.  There are so many options.  The sources are endless.  And, to top it off I am very fickle.  I'm ashamed to say we have virtually no artwork hanging in the house.  I know.... sad.
After deliberating for months, I have finally decided on artwork for my bedroom (mind you, only 1 wall).  And, it wasn't until I did this post that I realized I followed a series of steps to make my final decision.  So, here are the steps I took.  The first question I asked myself, given the space I was considering, is what style do I want?  For example,
1) Framed series vs. Mixed gallery vs. Single piece?  

Steven Gambrel  

Kristen Buckingham 

I decided to do a framed series.  While I love the mixed gallery look, I don't have a ton of art to fill the space right now.  Besides, when doing a mix, I would like the look to appear like it has evolved over time and not to be too staged.  I don't have the budget to do a large piece of artwork so, I settled on the framed series.  I, then, asked myself 

2) how do I choose the art?

I have no design experience so I don't know the rules per se. What I've learned is that you need to consider scale.  This consideration tailored my search.  For example, for a framed series, I already had 11 x 14 frames (which would fit well in the space I was considering) so the art I chose couldn't be bigger than 11 x 14.  

Michael Penney via CHH 

Then, I tried to visualize the feeling I was trying to create in the room.
3) What feeling am I going for (ethereal, vintage. organic, etc.)?

Etsy 

via absolutely beautiful things 

via Nest Egg 

Then, I asked myself...
4) What colors need to be in the art to complement the color scheme I am using?

via Coco+Kelley 

When I found a piece of artwork that had potential, I asked myself, do you love it?   If the answer was 'yes', it was a keeper.  So, when you're staring at a blank wall, how do you decide what artwork should go there?

NYC's best kept secret

This weekend I bumped into a high school acquaintance that I haven't seen since graduation.  (Trust me, it has been a long time).  We went to high school in Brussels, Belgium.  The kicker - we bumped into each other at the Ikea returns line in New Haven (out of all places)!  Crazy....anyway, she currently lives in NYC and I couldn't help but somewhat envy her.  Oh, how I miss living in NYC.  So, I thought it appropriate to share one of NYC's best kept secrets....a wonderful boutique called Penine Hart Art and Antiques .  Penine, a former gallery owner, has the most amazing things at affordable prices.  She gets a lot of her items from flea markets, estate sales and the french country side.  My favorite part is that her boutique doubles up as an art gallery.  If you're ever in NYC, definitely go to visit.

Artist: Jeanne Hedstrom

Maps as Art

I have used maps and sea charts as art in my house for several years and it looks like Elle Décor agrees with me that it is a great way of having interesting and esthetical displays on your walls. By using maps and sea charts you can also put places that is important to you on display. For me this is also an additional 'home away from home' trick.