Tag Archives: design

Home decor and Fabric: Go BIG or go home

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While the title of this series is go big or go home, sometimes big isn’t always the best way to go.  Take, for example, this big rowboat hanging on the ceiling (photo Jeffrey Alan Marks for Elle Decor).  Living in earthquake country, anything large hanging over the bed always makes me a bit nervous…is this a look you would like? 

Or how about that big blue wing chair that doubles as seating in this casual dining space that comes from City Sage?  I kind of like this unique look and that blue vinyl makes it so practical. 

We can’t ignore the impact of big artwork in any space, especially the dining room.  This large mural by M Design will certainly attract the attention of your guests which might be a good thing if your cooking isn’t the greatest! 

 

So what do you think?  Is big the way to go?

 

 

OFS Book club: Candice Olson on Design: Inspiration

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If you are fan of HGTV or simply a fan of interior design and home decor then you are familiar with Candice Olson.  Her relaxed yet sophisticated style has captured the attention of homeowners and decorators alike.  She has designed a lighting collection sold at Lowes (and other lighting stores), bedding sold at Dillard’s (and other retailers) and furniture for Norwalk. 

Her book entitled ” Candice Olsen:  Inspiration and Ideas for your Home” is available in an affordable paperback on Amazon as well as at your local bookstore, and well worth the price. (would make a great holiday gift as well) I love  before and after photos and this book offers over 20 rooms with inspirational before and after pictures that  we might incorporate into our own spaces.  She covers all areas of the home from the kitchen to the bedroom all the way down to the basement with tips and ideas we can all use.  And I personally enjoy her friendly personality and funny sense of humor.  After all, if you can’t laugh at your mistakes……

 

 

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0696225840/ref=pe_113430_21067850_pd_re_dt_dt1

 

 

 

OFS Book club: Discovering Home with Laurie Smith

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Does anyone remember the television show “Trading Spaces”?  It introduced us to designers like Frank, the jolly grandfather type, Doug, the sexy guy, Hildy who always claimed to be a designer but I was never sure, the cute hostess Paige and don’t forget Ty Pennington, the only carpenter I know who worked without a shirt.  One of the truly talented designers to come out of that show was Laurie Smith who always produced livable and elegant rooms; in sharp contrast to other designers who hung old vinyl LPs on the wall!

Laurie Smith has written a book that takes us, chapter by chapter, through the process of designing your own spaces.  She discusses important elements like function and flow and helps you find color and design inspiration.  She helps you choose color, fabrics and accessories and the book is full of big, colorful photos that make it easy to see what she is talking about. 

This book was first published in 2005 but good design never goes out of style.  You can find a copy on Amazon.com or you might get lucky and stumble across a used version at a flea market or vintage book store.  My used copy was purchased from Amazon and, as an added bonue, is actually autographed by Laurie!

OFS Book Club: The Windsor Style by Suzy Menkes

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With the royal wedding just a few weeks away we are certainly getting caught up in all the excitement.  While my invitation did not arive in the mail I will enjoy all the festivities on television and in the magazines along with the rest of the people whose invite got lost as well.

For some inexplicable reason, the royal family has always fascinated me, and many other Americans.  (my mother was English and always had a framed photo of the Queen in the house…odd, no?) We all understand that we couldn’t possibly support a Monarchy but we still like to peek in their windows every once in a while.  This month’s book club selection allows us to do just that.  The Duchess of Windsor was a style setter from the moment she married the Duke of Windsor.  Every outfit she wore; every party she hosted and every home she lived in was considered to be the ultimate in perfection.  The Windsor Style was written by Suzy Menkes, a renowned fashion critic and expert on royal style, in 1991.  It is available at amazon.com  as a collector’s item at an exorbitant $499.99 but you can also find it on sites like etsy.  It is a fun read with over 200 large and colorful photos of beautiful clothing, jewelry and interiors.  A girl can dream can’t she?

Design Bloggers conference: fun and informative

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Here’s a quick recipe for fun:

Take one part design ; add two parts design bloggers, throw in  a pinch of breakfast champagne (who knew there was such a thing?), shake well and you have a great design bloggers conference.

Sofitel Hotel Los Angeles
High Quality Photo

For our readers we learned how to share the latest and greatest ideas in an easy to use, fun and informative way.  Tracy Porter’s energy was contagious and how cute was her outfit?!  Cassandra (coco+kelley) and Paloma (La Dolce Vita)were inspiring and Grace Bonney of Design Sponge epitomizes the young entrepreneurs of today who will be the business leaders of tomorrow. The techie speakers were magnificent and really taught me a lot about all those wordpress keys I knew nothing about.  And I finally understand what an avatar is…never could figure that one out but kept envisioning blue people with big eyes!

As designers we were privy to some upcoming fabric, color and design trends.  The new fabric samples were luscious.  With a keynote speaker like Jan Showers the day started off with a bang and continued from there.  She really is as lovely as the rooms she designs but I never did get a chance to ask her if I could live in her country home!  Gorgeous!! 

As bloggers we not only learned a thing or two but we were able to put a face to a name that we have become so familiar with.  I, sadly, did not participate in the networking events since my schedule only allowed me to drive up from San Diego for the Monday session.  But I did run into Lauren of Pure Style Home ( a name I think we will be hearing a lot of in the future) and she is just as pretty and friendly as you would imagine.  And Scot of the adventures of tartanscot did not disappoint with his plaid tie!

With the success of this inaugural event I expect it will not be the last one.  I look forward to next year’s event and the chosen venue (please not NYC).  I only wish I had had more time to really meet and greet….next year.

ABC’s of Decorating: “L” is for loveseat

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There is often some confusion as to what a loveseat really is.  Is it just a different name for a couch, is it a small sofa, is it a large chair?  It is, actually, all three of these.  In some neighborhoods the word couch and loveseat are interchangeable.  In other neighborhoods a large chair and a half is often referred to as a loveseat.  But the most common usage of the word is to describe a small couch or sofa.  A loveseat is a small, two seater sofa that is shorter in length than a standard couch but the back, arm and seat height can be the same as a full size couch.  This versatile piece of furniture has many uses in your interior decorating:

  1. Obviously, in a small room a loveseat will provide seating but take up less wall and floor space.
  2. Flank a fireplace with two matching loveseats to create an intimate conversation area.
  3. Combine a couch, chair and a loveseat in your family room for maximum seating.
  4. In place of a bench, place a loveseat at the foot of your bed.  This not only provides a spot to tie your shoes or curl up with a good book but it also offers the opportunity to introduce another fabric to the room.
  5. For a sophisticated and chic look, replace two chairs with an upholstered loveseat in your dining room.
  6. A home office can double as a guest room with a loveseat sleeper sofa. 
  7. Teenagers feel very grown up when you furnish their room with an unexpected piece such as a loveseat.

No matter how you define it, don’t overlook this versatile piece of furniture when you are decorating your home.

Just for fun: Who makes the design decisions in your home?

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This information will come as no surprise to most of us women out there; according to a panel at the International Builder’s Show in Las Vegas, women have more than $5 trillion dollars worth of buying power each and every year (Wow!) and they are also the financial decision makers in most homes.  (sorry gentlemen)  When it comes to spending money decorating our homes, many women are looking for  things that are not only beautiful and functional but environmentally friendly as well:

  • As Kermit the Frog would say, it is not always easy being green.  Women are looking for simple, easy to perform tasks that do not require additional trips to the recycling center for example.  New recycling chutes can be built right into the counter to eliminate those ugly blue containers.
  • Saving money is important to all women, especially in today’s financial climate.  LED lighting is not only energy efficient but is available in many attractive fixtures for use throughout the home.
  • Improving the quality of our family’s life is of utmost importance to us.  There are many ways to reduce the amount of toxins released in the home via low voc paint, air purifiers, organic fabric etc.
  • We continue to seek items that will reduce the negative impact on the earth for future generations.  After all, our grandbabies are going to be living here and we want a clean and beautiful environment for them. Recycling continues to be important.  Recycled glass is now being used in countertop and flooring material that looks like granite but is much”greener”.

Let’s not leave the men out.  Husbands and fathers are just as concerned about these issues but we control the purse strings.  So who does make the design decisions in your home– You or the Mr.?

Design Styles: Let Asian Design add an Exotic look to your home

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Asian design has been a popular interior decorating style for many, many years.  The recent 2008 olympics in Beijing brought a renewed interest in this soothing and serene style.  While bright red silk, black lacquered furniture  and framed kimonos may be appealing to you, there are more subtle ways of adding a bit of Asian style to your home.

The term “Asian” encompasses many different cultures nowadays.  Of course, Japan and China are considered Asian, but the term now includes Indonesia, Thailand, the Phillipines, Korea, Vietnam and many other far eastern countries.  While each style is different they all have some things in common.

  • Colors are important to Asian design and can range from soft and serene pastels to vibrant red, gold and black.
  • Hand crafted embroidery and decoration can be found in all cultures on items that include kimonos, saris, and table runners.  You can use these pieces to create beautiful, one-of-a-kind pillows, seat cushions and table coverings.
  • A nod to nature is important in any Asian design. Natural materials are used to create seagrass floor coverings and window shades.  Bonsai, orchids, koi fish, and flowers are all symbols of good fortune, long life, prosperity etc.   Who knew that the ordinary chrysanthemum represented long life or that a properly cared for bonsai tree can outlive you?
  • The pagoda is a familiar shape associated with Asian design and can add a touch of oriental flair when used as a lampshade or even just a finial added to the top of a lamp.  Buddha is also a familiar figure to many of us.  Many people find comfort and serenity in the presence of these meditating statues.
  • Blue and white ceramics, chinoiserie painted furniture, shoji screens, a collection of jade—all of these items will add a bit of the exotic to your rooms.
  • Fabric manufacturers offer several print choices that include bamboo, fretwork, oriental fish and lotus blossoms that make it possible for you to create elegant draperies, upholstery and accessories.

Keep in mind that the idea of Asian design is to bring balance and serenity to a room.  Simple and uncluttered is the goal if you want to create this look.

Colors for Home Decorating: Turquoise

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If you enjoy looking through design magazines or roaming through fabric stores you are probably aware that the newest color trend in interior design is Turquoise.  This is not the turquoise associated with the southwestern look so popular in the eighties.  There is no hint of mauve anywhere! 

Ancient indian tribes believed that turquoise had healing powers, making it a very valuable stone.  In interior design it is often associated with the ocean and colors of beach glass, the sky and the water.  Today’s turquoise is a softer version of blue that ranges from greenish teal to a soft baby blue turquoise making it possible to use this color in most design schemes.

Last year’s “trend” color was yellow and it mixes beautifully with any shade of turquoise.  A bright yellow combined with a cheery and bright turquoise is what is most expected.  But imagine a soft shade of yellow mixed with  turquoise featuring hints of teal and gray; add mercury glass lamp bases and you have created a sophisticated, soothing and serene master bedroom that will be in style for many years to come even though you have used a “trendy” color.

Nothing is more refreshing than crisp white combined with turquoise.  Dark wood furniture will anchor the whole color scheme and create a modern breakfast room in any home.

Just because a color is considered trendy, do not be afraid to use it.  You can use it sparingly in accents and accesssories or you can choose a shade of a trendy color that will be in style for many years to come.