Favorite Colors for Fall

If you've read this blog for a while, you know that I am in love with pink. It's my favorite color, always has been and probably always will be. But lately I've been conducting an an experiment in color psychology. Since I always feel hot, I am trying to make my place feel cool. I've been using a lot of blue. Totally new for me, and I've come to love it.

Benjamin Noriega Ortiz

Blue is ethereal and makes me feel close to water - something I've always enjoyed.   I love all the shades of blue, especially periwinkle. I also love blue and periwinkle with purple, lilac and lavender.  And I love lilac with aqua and turquoise.

 

I also love these colors used in a Moroccan motif.

Design Obsession: A Mood Board for Haley's New Apartment

My good friend and artist extraordinaire, Haley, has a new apartment!  I am so excited for her.  It is perfect for her.  It's a gorgeous space.  Sort of like a 60s lodge.  It has high ceilings, a large sleeping loft, great windows.  The best part is that the area is wooded, and there is a large deck overlooking tons of trees!  Haley is a nature girl, she needs to be surrounded by trees.  As you know, I am always decorating places in my head, it's an obsession.  So, of course, Haley's place is no different.  I've been having a ton of fun thinking what I would do if I were her interior designer.

The place is still a work in progress, but it's easy to see how gorgeous it is.  This is the view to the living room from the sleeping loft.

Here is how her living room currently looks.  As you can see, she is on her way to having a fabulous place that is all her own.  The theme for decorating Haley's place is FEARLESS.  We are not afraid of color, pattern, texture, DIY projects and money is no object.  We trust our instincts.  Her home should be a mix of Moroccan, Asian, rustic and mid century modern.  And very, very Bohemian.

Haley has a great start with her chartreuse pillows and her organic rug.  I've merely added my three favorite colors (pink, turquoise and orange) and a little texture.  The over sized vases are lacquered bamboo from Z Gallerie and would hold the bamboo branches she got from Ikea.  Poetic isn't it?   Bamboo vases holding bamboo branches.   A good example of the versatility of bamboo.  The fleece pillow is from Anthropologie.  A trio of ottomans is a great solution for a coffee table.  The nail heads provide a Moroccan influence.  Haley has nephews who visit.  Ottomans are perfect for tea parties, playing games or occasional seating.  Kids love them!  Image via Girl Meets Glamour.  Pink and gold painting of the sunset by Peggy.

Haley is a wonderful host.  In addition to needing a beautiful tea set, she will need several beautiful trays for serving.  This one from le souk would work well.

Here is a custom Arc lamp I envision to the right of the sofa.  This lamp would balance the height of the bamboo shoots and honor Haley's love of rusticity.  The base of the lamp is made of a railroad tie. The lamp provides a nod to mid century design, which I think is an important part of any room.  In addition, the lamp would highlight the beautiful high ceilings as well as mimic the ceiling beams.

Here is how her dining area looks at the moment.  She spray painted a mural on the paneling, but decided she didn't like it and is taking it down.  We've all been there.  Mistakes are made, but it's no big deal.  It's only paint and you have to take risks.  She got the gorgeous table from Craigslist and painted white.  Here are a few changes I envision to this area of her apartment.

She's on the right track wanting to paint that ugly paneling.  I went round and round attempting to design a swirly, Moroccan mural for this wall.  After much consternation, I finally decided to do a simple accent wall in a Tiffany box blue.  All girls need one Tiffany blue wall in their home.  Haley loves plants and would love to do a living wall, so perhaps this is a good place to hang it.  She is more aware of lighting issues than I am!  I'm not good with plants.  This cute living wall is from Etsy shop owner sosucculent.  Makes me want to give it a try in my place.  The hanging light is another nod to the mid century, but also has somewhat of a Moroccan inspired shape.  It's from Etsy shop owner AntiqueAddictions.

Perhaps a buffet under the living wall.  I adore this partially lacquered piece with wood peaking through.  It nods to rusticity as well as mid century glamor.  Image via (now defunct) Domino Magazine website.

Haley has a deck overlooking a beautiful wooded area.  It's heaven.

She needs a few over sized pots for her garden.  These lovelies are reasonably priced from Marshalls.  She has a green thumb, so maybe she can plant some herbs.  And maybe some wonderfully aromatic lavender.  Her deck doors open to her studio, which I am sure will be totally fabulous when she is done with it.  I am hoping she and I will collaborate on some art together.

Here is the window to the sleeping loft.  This must be heavenly on a rainy day.  I wouldn't put window treatments here.  Maybe just some pretty votive candles.

Haley dyed this lovely gossamer fabric with tea.  She's going to hang it over her bed like mosquito netting.  I've always wanted to do that!

Inside the netting she plans to hang her favorite chandelier made by her mom.

Here's an idea I've always wanted to try.  Painting a headboard on a canvas.  Maybe this would work in Haley's bedroom.  Image via Penny Farthing Design House via sfgirlbybay.  I envision her bedroom painted a lovely pale lilac.  Very Jamie Drake inspired.  Of course, she would need some luxurious bedding.  This organic bedding from West Elm would work very nicely.

For her dresser I think she needs this fab patchwork dresser by namedesignstudio.  I adore it!

This is just a start.  I know her place is going to be great when it's done.  It's been great fun thinking about it.  I'll be sure to keep you updated!  Thanks for reading!  xo

Fantasy Lighting

In my last post, I featured a lot of lighting options that were industrial, organic and funky.  Today, I'd like to feature some lanterns that are romantic.  The lanterns are Moroccan, and maybe even a little Turkish, inspired.  I love these so much, I think they would look fab in the all white loft that I dream of.  I'd go extremely minimal with my decor if I had these lanterns, I wouldn't want anything to compete with them.  The lights, and a daybed filled with silver pillows.  All white walls, all white floors, and that would be it.  Ahh.  Romantic simplicity.

Images via Le Souk.

So many ideas, so little time....

Dear readers, are our homes ever done?  If you are like me - and I know you are - you have a long list of things you'd like to do to your home.  Even if you are a renter.  I have a very long list, and a fat inspiration folder.  I'm kind of surprising myself how colorful my inspiration folder is for Spring.  I used to decorate in all white!  I know, hard to believe.  But now I am addicted to color.  Here's a couple of ideas I'd like to try in my apartment.

My apartment is a quirky attic apartment.  The living area is a strange L shape, with two alcoves.  I still miss my studio apartment, I love how open it felt.  I've been thinking of moving my bed to the living area and making it into a Moroccan-inspired daybed.  Then I'd  move my studio to the bedroom.  The benefit of this would be that I could shut the door on my painting mess.  Right now when I work on a painting, I do it on the living room floor.  It's a pain to pull the supplies from the closet, and a pain to put away.  Sometimes I get an idea and then don't even bother because I don't feel like the prep and clean up.

I love this idea for the day bed!  A fabric covered headboard that wraps around the corner.  I'd pile it high with pillows.  I know using too many pillows is breaking one of the popular design rules.  But I don't care!  I love them.  They are an easy way to add color and satisfy my urge for textiles.  I even love them piled on the floor, thanks to Tricia Guild.  Image via The Style Files.

I'm really unhappy with this part of my apartment.  I hate those mirror tiles!  I asked the landlord if I could take them down and he said no.  And don't even get me started on the yukky beige my walls are.  My whole apartment needs a coat of paint, but I don't think I'll be living here that long.

I saw this picture on Desire to Inspire and fell in love.  It's from a reader's home.  I love the black and white chevron-inspired pattern on the fabric.  I also adore the dresser sitting in front of it, flanked by pillows.  It's got a great Moroccan vibe to it.  I may do something like this.  Dressers are not just for bedrooms, they are great for storage.  Here's a couple of rugs I'd like to have for Spring.

I like this one for the awkward area I'm describing.  I love this rug!  It's kinda Bohemian, and kinda girly.  It's 3" x 5".  I'd like to order two and sew them together.  Every time I see a rug like this I think I should take up crocheting again.  I used to make purses when I was a teenager.

I like this one for the living area.  It also kinda scares me.  I may be going too OTT with color and pattern.  Of course, if I had this fab rug, I'd have to have an acrylic table.  Wouldn't want to hide this rug with a coffee table.  Images from Urban Outfitters.  What about you, dear readers?  What new things would you like to do to your home for Spring?

Moroccan Influences

I've been dreaming of adding Moroccan influences to my place.  I am thinking of moving my sleeping area to the living room (so I can turn my bedroom into a studio).  I'd like to incorporate fabric.  I think this look would be great.  I really don't like my low ceilings, so by hanging fabric I think I'd be turning a liability into an asset.

I absolutely adore this ethereal image.  The fabrics are so light and airy, and I love the lanterns.  Image Chele Mckee via Desire to Inspire.

I'd add some beautifully patterned pillows, with lots of pink.  I saw this beautiful pillow at Pier One.

This beautiful fabric was spotted in a little boutique window.  Unfortunately, they weren't open.  I definitely need to scope out this shop.  I will, of course, report back.

I would also make use of occasional tables and ottomans.  This Moroccan-inspired table, and Chinese-inspired ceramic stool were spotted at Burlington Coat Factory and were reasonably priced.  I'd like to have them both.

outdoor space inspiration

Dear readers, as you know, one of the reasons I fell in love with my quirky new apartment is the deck off the kitchen. Such a luxury to have so much glorious sunshine pour into my kitchen. I'd love to decorate this space. I've never decorated an outdoor space, and the challenge is thrilling to me. I have so many ideas, like I'd love to grow an herb garden to help in my quest to eat more organically. But mostly, I think about design. I'd love to do a space that is retro-mod, with Asian and Moroccan elements.

I'd love to have one of the Bubble Club Sofas designed by Philippe Starck for Kartel. This is, of course, not in the budget.

I've always wanted a set of bullet planters, but again not in the budget. I need Target to produce a knock-off of these.

Here's something not too expensive, that would look cute. Vintage dining set at Flower Child, only $189.00.

I'd love to have a large Buddha statue. Image via Big Buddha Statute.com. Ha! That's really their name, honest. Awesome.

I'd love a whole set of Moroccan lanterns. Image via Z Gallerie.


Of course, I'd need a serving tray since I'd serve exotic teas to my honored guests. Image via Le Souk. I'd sit outside on my lovely deck, even in the snow.

More inspiration

Good morning dear readers! Today is my birthday and I am moving! I find that kind of profound. Starting a new beginning on my birthday. It's going to be a couple of busy days, so I'm trying to get some pictures from my inspiration folder up before I am without computer access. I would love to decorate a very edgy, Bohemian apartment with some modern elements thrown in. The following elements may seem disparate, but I could see them all working together.
I think I need these. Gorgeous. Image via Cosas.

Oh how I love this room! Low scale sofa juxtaposed with tall lamp, check. Moroccan influence, check. Lantern and lots of pillows, check. Image via Abigail Ahern.

I think I need that credenza. Cosas' teapots would look great on it. Love the idea of the more frilly teapots displayed with the more rigid geometry of the piece. And the yellow drawer repeats the color of the sofa and lampshade above. Fab. Image via Design Milk.

Some favorite rooms

Today I'd like to share some of my favorite rooms from my inspiration files. Nothing makes me swoon more than a beautiful room.

This one is not as modern as my taste usually leans. What does it for me is the white fireplace, blue art glass, white furry rug and that fab painting. If anyone knows the artist of this painting, please contact me. I would definitely edit out those shelves if it were up to me. I hate seeing the windows blocked like that. But overall, a great color scheme. Image Desire to Inspire.

Oh how jealous I am of this open kitchen! Also love the use of a standing lamp in lieu of a chandelier. Beth's family house tour via Apartment Therapy.

Rene's Bright and Sunny Artistic Home via Apartment Therapy. Love the pottery and the recessed shelving! Rene is a fascinating artist, her beautiful paintings are displayed throughout her home.

Using a sectional in a loft or a small place is so much more cohesive than a sofa and chairs. Check out the upper left-hand corner. Love the collection of lamps as art as well as the low scale shelf. Image Design Sponge.

Saarinen tables mixed with a Turkish vibe. Too cool. Love, love, love the pillows and the window. Image The Style Files.

I adore ethnic style, and this is a very fine example of it. This room also conforms to many of my decorating rules (written about below). Dig that disco ball. Unexpected light, check. Pillows, check. Large painting, check. Non-traditional coffee table, check. Love the Moroccan tray. Image Elle Decor.

Swoon. All white always does it for me. Love white floors and the white fireplace. Love the juxtaposition of the modern light and the more ornate candelabra. I think this is the most beautiful reading corner I've ever seen. I would love to snuggle in that chair with a good book and a cup of tea. Only thing is, I'd never come out. Image Desire to Inspire.

I just can't get enough of all white floors. When I buy my prefab ranch, I will have an open kitchen and all white floors. I adore the pop of yellow and orange against the all white background. I would love to hang a curtain like this to hide my kitchen. Image Living in Andyland.

I love this soft color scheme. Sage and lilac. I could live in this room. The Finn Juhl sofa is my favorite sofa of all times. Image Domino (now defunct).

I also keep a file of rooms I'd like to show my sister-in-law. This room makes me think of her. Her taste is a bit more traditional than mine. This chic room just screams effortless sophistication. It's formal and casual at the same time. Image Desire to Inspire.

This is another room for my sister-in-law's inspiration file. The bedroom she shares with my brother is currently decorated in brown and blue. I swear we were the first to think of it! Anyway, if she tires of that color scheme, she could easily update to brown and turquoise. And dig those wall recesses! She and I share the pottery sickness, she has plenty of pretty pieces she could display. Image The Style Files.