Wall Art

Our walls are a place to tell stories about our friendships, the places we have visited and the things we love. A fantastic arrangement of pictures or photographs or a striking painting or print can tie a room together and really show off our take on the world. 

  

Groups Stairways and halls are the quintessential place an assortment of photos from our lives or groupings of pictures Done well this can be a beautiful and artistic. I always go for simple coordinating frames for this as it lends itself to the photos we are trying to show.

 

 Twos and threes and four This looks especially great above an entrance table or side board. Also a bedroom is a great place to put two large scale paintings or mirrors. Don't be afraid to go really big! It will look great as you can see from the photo on the left.

Mirrors   I love love love round mirrors above a rectangular piece of furniture such as a console table. The mirror to the right is called the captains mirror and is simply beautiful. The old adage is true "they make a space feel bigger and help to reflect light". A stunning alternative to the grouping of photos is a grouping of mirrors. I would suggest thrift store or garage/ stoop sale hunting. Again, keeping a theme such as all gold or square or round will go a long way in making a great impression.

Papers  There is an abundance of beautiful and cool paper stores such as Kates Paperie.  The  amazing papers are relatively inexpensive and when your frame them they are a great way of adding some color and interest to your walls is to frame a sheet of paper. 

 

   







Original Artwork   It is great to have original artwork from artists we trully love. The best is to find local and up and coming artists and the great thing is you will helping to support a burgeoning career. If you would really prefer original art then I recommend scouring your local coffee shops, attending the semester shows at your local art schools or community colleges. Another great website that has reasonably priced original work is:20x200 Discovering a new artist can be super exciting and the hunt for a piece that is worthy of your walls can be a fun adventure!

Bedding

I can't think of a better place to spend some of your hard earned dough than  to on making your bed and your nightly respite super cozy! Soft sheets, warm and comfy comforters to snuggle into at night can make your life just a little bit better. I have to say I am extremely particular when it comes to  the look of bedding. I believe it should be simple and sophisticated, crisp and clean and never overdone.  I love soft textures and adding a cozy throw blanket to the end of the bed  to bring in more texture and contrast. This type of bedding  because of its clean and classic look will suit many styles from bohemian chick to ultra modern.


Mattress Pads
The biggest but also most expensive fix is to get a new mattress. But for some reason those things are super duper expensive! So, the next best thing is to add an extra layer to your existing mattress such as the egg crate or down mattress pad. They are both heavenly to sleep on and can make a huge difference for not a lot of mullah.

Linen Place
Bed Bath and Beyond Toppers
Bed Bath and Beyond Fiber and Down Toppers

Some of my favorites....

One of my favorite options is the design your own option from Inmod. You can even see a room view of your creation. 

Design Your Own!

 

(argos in midnight blue)

   

(Sketch)

(cove)

(onion)

(Vintage Bird)

(parachute)

Kids Rooms
I love designing bedrooms for kids as they can be endlessly whimsical and fun. Adding lots of textures such as large cable knit throw blankets and pillows. Making the room comfy but still stylish. 

 

  

(west elm throw) 

 

(woodlands blanket)

Design Tips #2

ALTERNATIVES TO FLOWERS

I would love to have fresh bouquets of flowers every week in my home and in every room. They bring nature in and give a room that finished special feel. But this can be both pricey and although I fancy my self as a stylish can do everything woman I really don't have the time to be arranging purchasing, arranging and maintaining arrangements of flowers. So, how does one still bring nature in the house and give a room that finished look without going to fake flowers? Here are a few of my favorite nature inspired items that are maintenance free and fairly inexpensive.

BALLS AND PODS Decorative balls can be purchased from a variety of places such as Target. They come in a variety of natural materials from twine to delicate slivers of wood. Put together in an arrangement they can add a bit of texture and nature to a coffee table or credenza.

(balls purchased from Target)

(lotus pod)

(cedar root balls)

TWIGS AND BRANCHES A simple arrangement of branches or twigs can be a wonderful substitute for a floral arrangement and will last much longer than a bouquet of flowers. I love the striking simplicity they add to a space and the natural earthy feel of them.

(kuwa branches)

 
(dried nesttle hallow)

(corkscrew willow)

(manzanita)

DRIED PLANTS There is an assortment of interesting plant alternatives to fresh flowers. These simple yet elegant dried plants will bring life and color to your room but will last well beyond a bouquet of flowers. 

(dried red peppers)

(tallow berry)

(globe thistle)

(billy balls aka craspedia)

Nettle Hollow
AM Growers
Target

Area Rugs #2

Area rugs help tie a room together and can be a great opportunity to add a bit of color or pattern to a space. Luckily there are many affordable options and some great websites to pick and choice from. Below are some of my faves but you should check out the websites for yourself.

Inmod

http://www.inmod.com/modern-rugs.html

Farao Area Rug- 6207

Faro Area Rug 6208

Aschera Rug 6401

Bistro Luxe Breeze

Fenja-6500

Dharma- 7527

Festival Branches

Angela Adams

http://www.angelaadams.com/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?listcategories=action&parent=0001&keywords=all

Birch Evening Fern Suede

Islands Chocolate

Design Public- Thomas Paul Rugs
http://www.designpublic.com/shop/rugs

Blossom

Seed

Coral Dhurrie

Damask

Zinnia

Going Green #1

Decorating our homes or redesigning rooms is a chance to strut our personalities. It is also though, an opportunity to our demonstrate our values. Buying recycled furniture or pieces that have a low impact on the environment is a great way to put into our beliefs into play.

Environment Furniture
http://environmentfurniture.com/
This modern line of furniture is not only handsomely rugged but also environmentally councious.
"Part design consortium, part modern craftsman, Environment is a furniture maker unlike any other, underscoring its commitment to people and the planet through a forward thinking commitment to using materials and processes with low environmental impact."

SANTOMER COFFEE TABLE

360 STOOL

PARATI PLATFORM BED

CURVE PEROBA DRESSER

PARATI MIRROR

CINA SOFA