A Little Rustic Sunday, Dec 23 2012 

I love where some designers are going with the rustic look these days.  Sometimes I think rustic can be kitschy and dark.  While I don’t mind an animal head mount every now and then (I have a few in my own home, thanks to the hubby), this look can look very manly and rough. But I feel there is a new wave of rustic. Many of the designs have beautiful exposed beams and lighter walls.  The neutral grays and tans are really lovely.  Here are some pictures that I find soften the look.  It looks more livable and bright than ever before.

The cream walls make this space so much brighter.  The light floors help as well.

The light wood makes it so warm despite all of the rock.

Eclectic Island Style Cream kitchen, oak cabinets, $100,000 and over, Linda McDougald Design/ Postcard From Paris, Charleston
Designed By: Linda McDougald Design/ Postcard From Paris
Photographer: Rachael Boling Photography
The grays in this mountain kitchen give it that modern feeling.
Wow!  So much to talk about here!  Color, texture, shine…  The white cabinetry and backsplash keep this room from looking heavy and dark.  Beautiful!
beams in living room and open kitchen by kelli

Same with this open kitchen and living area.  If these cabinets had been stained, it would be way to brown.
beams
I love the color of these beams.  The creamy walls brighten up the space.  It feels light and airy despite the heavy beams.
Mediterranean Living Room Design, Pictures, Remodel, Decor and Ideas
Of course, I love this Mediterranean, rustic look.  The stucco walls make this room so soft.
Hope you all have a Merry Christmas!

 

 

Different Dining Rooms Saturday, Sep 8 2012 

I’m sorry I haven’t posted in a while.  It’s been so busy with kids and work, not to mention I’m having some health issues.  Hopefully, that can be resolved soon!

Anyway, there hasn’t been much that has caught my eye lately as I’ve been looking through pictures, except for several dining rooms.  They are all different, and I really like each one.  Which is your favorite?

Design by Dee Dee Taylor Eustace.  Check out the entire house HERE.  It is awesome!

Lovely

I love this room. I just wish all the chairs were green.  So pretty.  It’s like a tropical drink. SOURCE 

More blue!  I love everything about this room as it is seen in this picture. I’m not crazy about the curtains that you can’t see.  It looks so colorful and sophisticated here.  It’s by designer Fawn Galli.  SOURCE

hautemamasfaves:</p><br />
<p>*it would be xmas morning every day seeing this in my house*<br /><br />
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<p>Again with the blue!  I think these slipcovers are so soft and pretty.</p>
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Such an extraordinary mix of color, pattern and texture!  Beautiful!  Designed by Ashley Whitaker.

Ashley Whitaker again.  Beautiful design.  There are so many details that make this space custom and luxurious.

Hope you have a good weekend!  I can hear the baby talking upstairs, so I better run!

Curtains and Shades Saturday, Jun 30 2012 

I’ll use the term window treatments to include: curtains, shades and panels.  Window treatments can make all the difference in a room.  I can’t think of too many rooms where I wouldn’t want some sort of window treatment.  They finish the room.  Shades and curtains are meant to be used.  They are supposed to open and close and go up and down.

I know this might offend (sorry), but in most cases blinds are not the best option.  Blinds do NOTHING for your space.  Everyone needs privacy and also to block out the sun, so why not make that function beautiful?

The fabric used in your window treatment can add texture, color, shine and softness to your room.  It’s a HUGE deal in the overall scheme of your room.

I will not lie.  Window treatments are expensive.  Most of the time they have to be custom made for your particular window.  Or if you buy off the shelf, you might have to have them hemmed to the right length.  Save up your money because it’s worth it!

Let’s talk shades first:

roman shade designs

I won’t go into all the details of these shades, but each and everyone is different.  They can totally make or change the look of your room.

Here are some examples of shades:

love

I love this combination of curtains and pleated butterfly balloon shades.

 

 

Shades

Example of plain roman shade with ribbon trim.  This shade adds a crispness to this room.  So clean looking!

trim on Romans

Love these!  Custom detail work at the bottom of a roman shade.  This makes the room look so expensive and thought out.

love the shades

I love a beautiful pattern on a simple roman shade.  The simpler the shade, the more crazy your pattern can be!

Ways to hang your shades:

Roman on door

Inside the window casing.

Chandelier & window treatments + red accent color

Inside the window casing.

shade...

Outside the window casing.

Love the small grey outline on this roman shade

Outside the window casing.

I like both ways. If you don’t have any wood casing around your windows, I suggest taking the shade all the way to the ceiling, right under the crown molding.  This will make the window look a lot bigger!  Good tip!

Curtains:

decorative side panels and floor drape samples

Some of these different pleats, I’ve never heard of.  It seems like everybody calls it something different.  Anyway, this is great example of the different types of curtains you can do.  Just know, if you do any type of pleat, you’re looking AT LEAST two widths of yardage.  That’s where it get’s expensive!

Great illustration - the difference is amazing.

I love this drawing.  There are always exceptions to this rule, but I would say this is how curtains should be hung 75% of the time.  This is what’s in style, and it makes the window look bigger.

pink curtains + blue walls

Cute pleated striped curtains.  Notice: they went up as high as they could above the window.  This is to make the window appear bigger.

Gray & Green

I can’t tell if these are just panels or if they have pleats.  And that’s my point.  Sometimes it’s not worth the money to have the fancy pleated curtains made.  You can pull back panels and pleat them.  This can save you a ton of money.  Typically, you’ll only need one width of yardage for this.  This is great option for something you’re not going to use a lot or they are going to stay open all the time.

pink in the hallway

Don’t be afraid of color or shine!  This curtains are beautiful.  They make this room.  The silk adds shine and the color adds fun and richness.

peach curtains

Again color and shine.  Everything else is neutral.  If you get tired of them in a few years all you have to do is replace the curtains and do nothing to the walls or floors.

crazy for these yellow curtains

More color and softness!  Lovely full pleated yellow silk curtains!

yes to the curtains

I love how these stripes lengthen the windows and add pattern.  Notice they are installed directly under crown molding.

GEORGICA POND: The pull of pretty

This rod is probably custom made for this bay window.  I had to have one made for my bay window.  Look how the blue green fabric frames each window.  Beautiful!!

ribbon trim

Instead of adding softness to this room, these curtains add structure!  Love it!

I hope this helped!  I have so many blog post ideas swimming in my head right now.  It’s just finding the time to post…  Please let me know if you have any questions or thoughts.

 

 

 

 

 

Fall Luncheon Sunday, Oct 30 2011 

Yesterday, I had some friends over for lunch.  It was a small, casual affair so we ate a yummy lunch of soup and salad at the kitchen table.  I decided not to go with your typical fall colors of orange, yellow and brown.  My new etsy pillows are grey and blue, and I already had a blue and brown table cloth from Anthropologie.  One of the reasons I do this blog is to give all of you out there new ideas or good resources.  So, today, I thought I would go through my table setting and share where I got everything.  I think it goes to show that you don’t have to spend a fortune to set a beautiful table.

 

 

Tablecloth on sale from Anthropologie about three years ago.  The pumpkin came from Whole Foods.  The candles and hurricanes are from Pier 1.  Always remember, never put scented candles on a table while your eating.

I love these bowls!  I got them for Christmas last year.  They are the perfect size for soups, chili, and pasta.  You have no idea how long I looked for bowls just this size.  They are from Anthropologie, and they had them yesterday!  Just checked the site, and they are gone :(  Here is another option for you.  My mom bought the Flame Leaf Bowls, and they are very cute too!

I have some beautiful crystal goblets that go with my Vera Wang china.  When I put everything together, they were just too fancy for this event.  My everyday glass were just not looking up to par, so I started to look for some new tea/water glasses.  I found several options on Anthropologie, but, alas, the Anthro of OKC is not quite finished.  And I didn’t really want to make the trek to the mall with the toddler.  So I did some brainstorming…

Here is what I wanted:

Here is what I found, at Dollar General!

Isn’t it cute!?  They are really nice, heavy glasses.

My everyday white plates from Crate and Barrel are very nice, but they didn’t really look great with the blue and white Anthro bowls.  Again Dollar General had just what I was looking for.

I think these are the perfect size for luncheons and showers.  I’m planning on going back to buy about 30 more.  I love using real plates at showers instead of paper.  I think it makes things so much elegant and special.  I had some cloth napkins from Ikea, but they were not looking so great.  These napkins came from Tuesday Morning.  The napkin rings are from Bed, Bath and Beyond.

I’m loving my new pillows.  I’ve been very happy with the quality.

The two turquoise and burlap flag pillows are from Wisteria a couple of years ago.  They grey and white stripe are from the etsy store Modern Marvelous Home.  The ikat pillow is from the etsy store Martha and Ash.

Every party should have fresh flowers.  I don’t like spending a lot of money on arrangements, so most of the time I do them myself.  One of my favorite places to get flowers is the Homeland by my house.

I hope you are having a wonderful fall season.  I would love to hear some of your favorite table or party decorating tips!

 

 

The Sisal Look Tuesday, Oct 4 2011 

So I wanted to put down a sisal rug in my living room.  Everyone in my family snarled their noses.  ”Not soft, too uncomfortable to walk on,” they said.  I gave that idea up and tried to find something else.  Nothing achieved the look I wanted.

 

So when we made a stop in Dallas a couple of weeks ago, I stopped at the Stark Carpet showroom in Dallas.   They were so helpful and came up with several options of tightly woven wool carpets to give me that sisal look, but it has a soft feel.
Intermode color: white
Dante Stria color: truffle
Hartsdale
Dyer color: Muslin
I really think all of these would look wonderful in the living room.  They have great texture and feel soft on your feet!  Also, they are very durable and easy to clean.  They are great for that neutral, natural look.

Antiques de Provence in New Orleans Monday, Aug 15 2011 

When we were in New Orleans in April, I stumbled across this amazing store Antiques de Provence.  This is the real deal folks.  Beautiful antique pieces from France.  It is truly amazing, and I could have spent all afternoon day dreaming.  Most pieces are way out of my budget.  A girl can dream…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Antiques de Provence

Cynthia W. Nunez

Proprietor

 623 Royal St French Quarter
New Orleans, LA 70130

(formerly located at 525 St. Louis)
504.529.4342 tel
504.529.4406 fax

info@antiquesdeprovencellc.com

Designers Guild Wednesday, Jul 27 2011 

I’ve mentioned before that I’ve never been a huge fan of wallpaper. Once you tried to peel wallpaper off of a wall, you say to yourself, “I will never put up wallpaper again!”  Well, I guess I’m far enough removed from my last horrible wallpaper experience because I ordered four rolls for my powder bathroom.  Even my husband (the wallpaper hater) loves what I’ve chosen!  I chose this wall covering from Designers Guild:

It is a light purpley-pink.  The marble on the floor is purple, grey and lilac.  I decided not to hide from the crazy marble.  I’m just going to play it up.  It’s going to look fun and elegant at the same time.  I’m excited to have some color in my home!

Designers Guild is a fabulous company out of London.  It is owned and run by Tricia Guild and her brother.  If you love color and pattern, you will love all Designers Guild products.  The patterns and colors speak for themselves, so I’m just going to post a lot of pictures for you!  They carry everything from linens and pillows to designer fabric and wall coverings.  AND they’re having a big SALE right now, so find something beautiful for yourself!


Sofienberg fabrics main 2Sofienberg fabrics main 3Sofienberg fabrics main 4Sofienberg fabrics main 5

Essentials Brera Rigato Stripe fabrics main 3Essentials Brera Rigato Stripe fabrics main 4Essentials Brera Rigato Stripe fabrics main 5Essentials Brera Rigato Stripe fabrics main 6

trevira fabric maintrevira fabric maintrevira fabric maintrevira fabric maintrevira fabric maintrevira fabric main

campanula fabric maincampanula fabric maincampanula fabric maincampanula fabric maincampanula fabric main

 

 

darly fabric main 6

 

Are you in love yet?  I know I am!  I know that it’s kind of wild, but the colors and patterns are just exquisite.

 








Blush & Gold Tuesday, Jul 12 2011 

Pink and gold is one of my favorite combos.  I think I saw it first in a Martha Stewart wedding magazine.  Here are a few examples that I just love.

source

pink-living-rm

Citified

Casa Diseno

Bright Bold and Beautiful

Kelly Werstler

Daisy Pink Cupcake

Daisy Pink Cupcake

source
What’s your favorite color combination?

Outdoor Wood Dining Tables Tuesday, May 3 2011 

My husband and I have been talking about our patio area since we moved into our new house.  Lately, I’ve been casually looking at outdoor dining tables.  I would like a rustic trestle table with two benches on either side, and maybe a wicker chairs at each end.  I think benches would be great for kids and adults alike, and would allow more people to pile in around the table.

Here’s what I’ve found so far…

Reclaimed Contempo Collection – Viva Terra

I like this one.  It’s really close to what I’m looking for, but maybe just a tad too contemporary.

Cassara Dining

Cassara Dining Table- Frontgate

Beautiful but too orange, I think…

Kensington Teak Dining

Kensington Dining Table- Frontgate

Again, too orange…

Mezza Luna Dining

Mezza Luna Wicker Dining Chairs- Frontgate

I love the light color of this wicker.  So pretty!

Halifax Outdoor Dining Collection by Gloster

Halifax Dining Table- Frontgate 

Again too modern…

Barlow Tyrie Dining

Barlow Table – Frontgate

I LOVE this one!!! Maybe a little out of my price range though… :(

Campagna Dining

Campagna Dinging Table- Frontgate

This one is perfect, but it will be difficult to find benches to match.  Love the wicker chairs.

Kona Dining

Kona Dining Table- Frontgate

This one is very pretty too!

Abbott Zinc-Top Rectangular Dining Table

Abbott Zinc Dining Table Pottery Barn

Very rustic and cute!

Faraday Dining Table

Faraday Dining Table- Pottery Barn

This one is timeless and pretty.

Weatherby Extending Dining Table

Weatherby Extending Dining Table- Pottery Barn

Rectangular Teak Dining Table

Rectangular Dining Table- RH

Perfect!  No benches…

120" Provence Beam Rectangular Dining Table

Provence Dining Table- RH

Perfect! Again no benches…

Leagrave Rectangular Extension Dining Table

Leagrave Rectangular Dining Table- RH

Beautiful!

Having a difficult time finding the benches I want.  I guess I’ll keep looking!

Creamy Dining Room Tuesday, Mar 22 2011 

I came across this picture this morning while working.  Don’t you want to each your breakfast here?

dining rooms - French dining chairs oval dining table ivory cream silk drapes window treatments dining room fireplace French country  Thanks

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