Some more romantic neutrals, and a whole lot of inspiration

I'm not sure why, but I have a ton of new photos in my inspiration file.  Maybe it's because I might be moving again.  Maybe it's because we will soon have a change of seasons.  Maybe it's because Fall is my favorite time of year, and that triggers the nesting instinct.  Here's a bunch of inspiration and a lot of ideas I'd like to try, hope you enjoy!

 Above two images Solange van Dorssen via Desire to Inspire

I'm all about edgy femininity.  I love a combination of the glam and the raw.  I've always wanted to experiment with a corrugated steel wall.  Love it here combined with the white slip covers, the gray pillows, the lamps and art.  The perfect pop is provided by the hot pink pillows.  Every room needs a pop of hot pink.

I adore industrial looking, purely functional bookshelves!  A bookshelf should not compete with the items it displays.  These look great in this room, they take up very little visual weight.  I adore the juxtaposition of the slip covers with the bookshelves.  Keeps the fabric from looking too frilly and gives just the right amount of edge.

 Above two images via La maison d'Anna G.

This kitchen is in the same home, and is close to being my fantasy.  I adore the subway tiles and the open shelving.  The simplicity of the dishes is the perfect foil to the edgy art.

Shoot Factory

This room is a tad overdone for me.  There's too much on the walls, and I don't care for the pattern of the drapes.  But.  Look.  At.  That Sofa!  I love it!  You already know I love me some silver.  This sofa has me up at night fantasizing about it.  It reminds me of car seats, and I can almost hear Feel Like Making Love by Bad Company.  Seriously, this thing is bringing back memories of my first kiss.

 Atelier Abigail Ahern

Abigail Ahern is a genius.  She always challenges my perspective, and I like that.  I like minimalism.  She's a lover of maximalism.  I like light rooms, she likes dark rooms.  In fact, it's her influence that started me loving black accent walls.  And, as you know, she's the one who got me obsessing about an over scale lamp shade.  Here she again challenges my perspective.  I'm not usually a fan of the Chesterfield sofa, but I must admit it looks great in this room.  Love it paired with the Moroccan-inspired tapestry, lamp and rug.  Dig that rug!  Lately I've been seeing a lot of rugs that appear to be made from Moroccan wedding blankets.  Divine.  Lastly, dig that tall, skinny chair.  I think it's a great foil to the sort of short, stubby looking sofa.  (BTW - Abigail's home was featured on The Selby (link)!  You go, girl!)

One thing leads to another.  Now I'm obsessing about this chair that I saw at my favorite vintage store.  It came in a set of six, but I just want one.  I love intentional distortions of scale, and I think it would look great with my low scale sofa.  Image by Peggy.

 Karl Anderson

Here's an idea I'd like to use if I move into a studio or open loft.  I'd  love to use a screen/headboard like this to separate the space.  Maybe I wallpaper cardboard panels.

Sandra's Luxurious Modern in Brentwood via Apartment Therapy

Love this little seating area.  Steely blues, gray and silver, yum.  Love the Moroccan inspired tables.

Arcadian Home Decor

This room is a little overdone for me.  As you know I'm normally not a wallpaper fan, and the mixing of the wall paper patterns is too much for me.  Especially with the tufted chair.  But.  There is something alluring about the room nonetheless.  There's a bit of edge provided by that groovy steel lamp and table to the right.  And look at that chandelier.  So romantic.

Centsational Girl

Again, this is a little overdone for me.  I don't care for groupings of photos.  The photos are pretty, but I would've preferred to see one over sized piece.  Go big with art!  It makes such an impact.  But.  Look at that color scheme.  Absolutely gorgeous.

Krakvik & D'Orazio

I just can't get over gray and white interiors.  So peaceful and calming.  What do you think, dear readers?  Do you see any ideas you'd like to use in your home?  Have any of these rooms challenged your perspective?

White floors with touches of aqua and silver

As I've been searching the internet for white floors, I've become intrigued by  clean, fresh colors.  Any color can be used as a neutral.  One of my favorites is aqua.  Aqua when used as a neutral is clean and peaceful.  I love it paired with silver.  Here are a couple of rooms whose ethereal beauty has me swooning. 

 

Oh how I love this room!  Let me count the ways.  The white floor, of course.  The capis wall.  The funky dining room table and chairs and the chandelier.  The beautifully displayed pottery collection all in various shades of aqua.  Simply stunning!  Image via Design Crisis.

The simplicity of this room has me swooning.  Love the white, silver and the pop of aqua from the lamp.  I adore that lamp.  There was a similar lamp offered at West Elm a couple of years ago.  Should've ordered it!  I am obsessed with the tall, vertical shade.  Room designed by Marie Burgos.

I featured this room recently (see previous post, here).  I just love it.  This may be the color scheme for my next place.

Metallics!

I adore metallics and definitely want to include some in my decor for Fall.  I want to use more cool colors.    Grays, silvers, blues and lots of fun metallics.  By now, you are sick of hearing me talk about the Novogratzes, but I can't help it!  I love their work!

Did you see this stunning apartment they decorated on their show on HGTV?  I adore it.  It's like they plucked it right out of my mind.  I adore the combination of blues and the metallics.  I've written many times of my love for silver on this blog (see previous posts here).   Here are some silver accessories I'd love to add to my apartment.

The Audrey Chair from Chiasso.  Drool.

 The Grace chair would work well too.  Also from Chiasso.

Ottoman and pillow from Chiasso.  Candle holders from Z Gallerie.  I already have the perfect vase from the yard sale I described below.

More Yellow Pops and a Trip to HomeGoods

Dear readers, I can't tell you how excited I was to find a HomeGoods store in the Akron area. I've been wanting to shop there ever since I saw David Bromstad shop there on his show. Needless to say, my sister-in-law and I could not wait to go there. It was so fun - like a giant TJ Maxx. Say what you will about TJ Maxx, but I'm all for the democratizing of design. Every one needs a beautiful home, even those with very little money. As you know, I've been craving a pop of yellow. This picture was my inspiration for the shopping trip.

This is the home of realtor Jennifer Hibbard and I adore it! I love her use of turquoise with pops of yellow. This image is from her flickr set, here. I've written about her home before (see previous post here). The easiest and least expensive way to change a room is to change its accessories. I adore lamps, vases and pillows - they are the jewelry of the room. Don't you get excited when you see a beautiful room and recognize the accessories? I do. Lame, I know, but true. Let's dissect this room shall we?

I was hoping to find this yellow lamp at HomeGoods. I've seen it before at TJ Maxx and should have snatched it. It reminds me of a Robert Abbey lamp, but it's glass not ceramic. I really dig it.

Of course, if I found this lamp, then I would need the blue cloud vases from Z Gallerie. I've been coveting these for a long time. They're reasonably priced and would make a great gift.


I already have a couple of mercury glass globes in my collection.

I couldn't find the yellow lamp. Here's what I bought. Really cute turquoise lamp - love the shape. And cute yellow ginger jar. I have a thing for lidded jars, and this will provide the yellow pop I've been craving. These items were reasonably priced. The lamp was $29.99 and the jar was $9.99. You know what new items means. Time to rearrange! I just need to do a new painting for over the sofa, and I need a yellow pillow..... Stay tuned for the reveal.

Color Scheme - Silver and Turquoise

This holiday season I have been pleasantly surprised by a very beautiful color scheme. Silver and turquoise. And, of course, whatever colors you use must be balanced with lots of white. Here's some inspiration. Hope you enjoy!

I am madly, deeply in love with this bedding from West Elm. Since I live in a studio apartment and the bed is prominently in view, beautiful bedding is a must.It's not in my budget, but oh how I want it! I would probably add silk pillows in turquoise. And dig that funky lamp! Images: pillow from Sassy Pillows; lamp unknown source via decor8; bedding from West Elm.

I adore this silver ottoman. It would make a great nightstand. Also love the tree all done up in peace signs. Chiasso.

A glam chandelier would fit in nicely. Image flickr user Bus Stop.

Dig this pillow and vintage inspired glass piece. Urban Outfitters.


Some of the Christmas ornaments were so beautiful this year, I could see them used all year long in decor. Love this atomic inspired ornament from CB2. I could see a bunch of these in a glass bowl, or perhaps it would be cool to create a mobile using these ornaments. What do you think of the Christmas ornaments this year? Aren't they beautiful? Did you use a non-traditional color scheme this year? I'd love to hear from you.

Silver and Gray

I love silver and gray and am considering how I may pair it with pink. Here are a couple of images I find inspirational.

I must say, I usually find Marimekko fabrics boring. They are just so common. But in gray and silver, this one is totally unexpected. I adore the industrial vibe of this picture.

I cannot stop looking at this bedding from West Elm. Total Hollywood glam. I would love to decorate a loft in silver and gray, with juxtapositions of industrial chic and glam. Of course, there would have to be lots of pink and white as well.

I'd like to experiment with making wall paper. I think my vintage Hindu lovers print would look great as wall paper behind a bed all done in silver bedding. Have you ever made wallpaper? I'd love to hear from you.

Silver!

I have a fantasy of decorating a room entirely in silver. I've written about my love of silver before. (See previous post here.) Today I am envisioning a modern silver room, but also one that is ultra glam. Of course, the walls and floor would be white, so the silver pieces would appear as though floating on a cloud. Here are some pieces I'd have in the room. Hope you enjoy!

The ultimate fantasy sofa. Anyone sitting on this piece would look like a god or goddess. Image from Deeply Madly Living.  Of course the room would need silver ottomans and poufs. A few of these would do the trick.

Image from Marie Claire Maison.

The egg chair, designed by Arne Jacobsen, is one of my favorite designs of all time.  I adore it in silver!   I also adore the painting above the fireplace. Image from Beale-Lana.

I've shown this fab dresser before, I simply adore it!  I would love to have this for my flat screen TV. Image from Burke Decor.

Or this dresser from the Jacques Garcia Collection for Baker would do the trick. Drool. Image from Kohler Interiors.

Of course, the room would, of course, need silver vases. These might do the trick. Image from Brocade Home.

Mercury wastebaskets from Marie Claire Maison. I would probably put flowers in them or use them as umbrella stands.

I also dig this chandelier from Marie Claire Maison. Just the right amount of funkiness.

Untitled, 2008, 24" x 24", acrylic on canvas

Here is my most recent painting. This painting is in honor of the full moon and is an experiment in white, silver and texture. I would love to see this painting in an all silver room.

Color Scheme 2 - White/Pink/Yellow/Orange

This is the color scheme that most matches what I am doing in my apartment these days. Tons of white with accents of hot pink, yellow and orange. The cover of this month's Australian Vogue Living is a great example of this hot color scheme.

Below is a room from the August/September 2000 Vogue Living that I have in my predigital filing system. I wonder if the current cover is this room updated. This is one of my all time favorite rooms.

A large yellow vase would really pop in this room. It should be a fine traditional Asian vase like this one from Jcollector. I love the idea of this fine vase juxtaposed with the rustic touches of this room.

And maybe I'd add a red glass vase and some silver. That may be overdoing it, but I love silver and am dying to experiment with it.

This picture is actually an advertisement for a Hemingway Design wallpaper available at Burke Decor. Dig that groovy silver-leafed dresser! Want it! This would make a great stand for my flat screen TV. As a side note - my regular readers know that I am not a fan of wallpaper. But...well this wall paper is an exception. I think some of my new paintings would look cool hanging on this wallpaper. More on this topic to come.

I've shown you my dining room many times. I would love to add this candelabra from Urban Outfitters (which I've also showed you many times).



I keep watching it, and it never goes on sale. I may have to break down and buy it.


Or, I'd love to add a chandelier. Not sure what is happening to my style. Seems to be getting more girly. If you must have a chandelier, by all means it should be pink. Like this one from ABC Carpet and Home via flickr user Anniebee.




Here is another of my favorite rooms. Generally, I don't like rugs, but I love this one. Image from The Rug Company.


I'd like to take this room over the top. First, I'd swap the chandelier for the pink one above. Then I'd swap the painting for a bright yellow painting like this one. Image from Domino.



Then I'd add a hot pink pouf from Tazi Designs and a couple of yellow pillows from Target. I know I tend to overdo it with Target, but it really is the best place to find lush pillows at affordable prices.




The room still needs a touch of orange. Or maybe silver. What about this fab Buddha head from Bliss Living?

I want it! It's a candle, but I would never burn it. Hmm. Scratch that. Probably too much for this room. Editing is a very important part of decor. Sometimes we have to edit objects that we love.


Here is another room skillfully done in this color scheme. The only thing I would add is a yellow pillow.

Wohn Idee via Decor8.


Lastly, here is a picture of my red sofa purchased a couple of years ago at a vintage store for about $200.00. I know I'm guilty of overpillowfication, as Apartment Therapy calls it, but I don't care. I'd like to add a yellow pillow.

Like these, also from my favorite vintage store.

Of course, then I'd have to have a cool dress to wear when I serve iced tea to the lovely ladies in my yoga class. Because any fab girl knows she has to look as good as her decor. This little number from Lisa Perry should do the trick. And luckily, I have the perfect pair of orange flip flops to go with it.