Always Loved Pink! Always will!!!

You've all seen the fabulous Betsey Johnson's pink apartment (see previous post here).  Here is an old place of hers, proving that she's always loved pink, and that she and I are sisters.  I've always loved pink and I could easily live here.  I love me a pink, industrial loft and I love minimalism.

Favorite Color Scheme of 2013

Happy New Year dear readers! I hope you had a wonderful holiday season. I've seen so many review posts on my favorite blogs so felt I should do one too.  A friend of mine recently said to me, "I wonder what 2014 will look like?"  Interesting thought. Each year does have its own unique look, doesn't it? In the next few posts I will endeavor to show you what I think 2014 will look like.  But first, let's take a look at what 2013 looked like.  Here is a review of my favorite color scheme for 2013.

Dove gray, pale pink, hot pink. Added to that are a small amount of black, and a large amount of white. No matter what color scheme you choose, you should always balance it with a large amount of white. There are so many beautiful variations of pink. You may opt for a coral pink instead of pale pink - or even in addition to the pale pink for a beautiful look. Peach will also work in place of pale pink.  This color scheme can be done in a soft hue or for more drama in a bold hue, or a mixture of the two. The possibilities are endless and experimentation is so much fun.

For those lovers of color, you may want to add just a pop of an accent color.  Here are my favorite accent colors for 2013:

Yellow, orange, turquoise and aqua. A small amount of yellow goes a long way.  Any of these colors can be used as a pop to the above color scheme, or could replace the pink (gasp!). In my humble opinion, every room needs a dash of hot pink. Color is fun, and I love experimenting with color in my apartment, and I will continue to experiment with color in 2014.  For now, here are some inspirational rooms in this lovely color scheme, some soft, some bold.  Hope you enjoy!

Love the softness of this room. Very restful and calm. Image via Milieu.  Fab tray tables by Hay. Perfect multifunctional pieces that work very well in a small space.

I dearly love the pale pink walls in this room.  Gray artwork and pillows add softness, while a gold ottoman and darker pink rugs add drama.  Simply gorgeous.  House to Home.  We will continue to see blush walls for 2014.

Love the softness of this room also. A perfect place to take a nap.  Image via Alcro.

Love the pink lounge.  A perfect place for reading.  Image One Kind Design.

This pipe bed adds just the right amount of edge to this room. The chandelier is the perfect foil to the pipe bed. The room is a perfect combination of hard and soft. Pink and gray accent walls are also a great combination of hard and soft. The room is both masculine and feminine and very chic. Proving once again, what I've said a million time on this blog. Pink is not only a girly color - it can be used in a thoroughly modern way.  Simplified Building Concepts.

Pink lamp looks gorgeous against the dark wall.  Image via Gild and Grace.

I am completely smitten with this apartment. I adore the pale gray rug and the pale furniture, floors and walls. The color comes from the accessories and art. And they've gone big with the art - which I love! I could live here. You must see the rest of this home, it's gorgeous!  Click Design Hunter.

Want a small amount of hot pink?  Add a pillow.  Love the Moroccan wedding blanket-inspired rug. Eva Chen's apartment via Domino.

Love the pops of of red, pink and that orange vase in this room.

Beautiful soft gray floor and cute gray furry stool.  Images via The Style Files.

Hot pink and gray sofas look beautiful together.  Gorgeous pillows, art and ottoman.  I'd love to edit the animal skin from this otherwise gorgeous room.  Image New Home Design Ideas.

The decorator of this room has skillfully added both ethnic and metallic touches to this color scheme. The room disparate objects unexpectedly meld together to form an elegant and, yet, cozy room.  Jennifer's Pink and Lime Room via Apartment Therapy.

Another fine example of mixing disparate objects with this beautiful color scheme.  Houzz.

This room looks modern and fresh thanks to its pale gray walls and hot pink pillows. It's a sickness - I know - but I want to edit this room. I'd like to edit the grouping of artwork on the right wall.

If I had my druthers, I'd take the grouping down and move that fab graphic orange and white painting there.  That painting deserves a place of greater prominence without so much competition.  Still, it's a gorgeous room. Elle Decor France.

Simply divine pink sofa I've had in my inspiration file for a while.  I'd love to paint those walls pale gray. Via Indulgy, original source unknown.

Another beautifully soft room in pink and gray.  Ministry of Deco.

This is very close to being my dream kitchen and was the inspiration for painting my kitchen gray (see previous post here).  Wish I could paint my cupboard white!  Image via Desire to Inspire.



While exploring this color scheme, I found some accessories from a shop called Leif.  Lovely pot holder, tea towel, dipped spoons and vase would look great in the above kitchen.

Gorgeous room from CB2 catalog.  I love that hot pink end table.

New vases from CB2 in this color scheme.

This color scheme can be soft, or bold and dramatic like this room.  I adore the pops of orange, hot pink, and blue.  House to Home.

And speaking of drama, look at this bold and beautiful bedroom! I actually found this in an ad for DNA kiss portraits, but it was the bedding and those fab lamps that caught my eye. I am drooling over those lamps, if anyone knows the designer of those lamps, please contact me.

That's a wrap of my favorite color scheme for 2013.  In my next few posts, I will be talking about what 2014 is going to look like.  We are going to continue to have fun with color.  Happy New Year!

Shop Local, Part I

I'm not really participating in the holidays this year, I decided to give myself a break from all the stress. I had no intention of shopping on Black Friday, but I found myself wanting to go out.  So I made a very wise decision, and shopped local.  I think we should all make more of an effort to support the small business owners in our community, not just during the holidays, but all year long.  In fact, I've been making more of an effort to support artisans and local business owners in decorating my apartment.  Believe me, once you start shopping local, you lose your taste for mass produced items. They look too common, and cost too much.

I had the pleasure of discovering The Bomb Shelter on Black Friday.  This place is totally fun, and you can find something completely unexpected for your place, at a reasonable price.

I can't believe this is in East Akron!  It's a cool neighborhood after all.  The place is huge!  15,000 square feet.  I was so fascinated, I did my best to see everything.

When I walked in the door, I was greeted by a large neon letter, a bitching car and an alien wearing a Christmas ribbon.  Far out.

There are interesting objects everywhere.  The place is big, and there's a lot of stuff, but it's well organized.

My brother and his family need this light for their mantel.  It might appear under their Christmas tree, but shhh...don't tell them.

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Fabulous one-of-a-kind propeller table and lamp created by Damon Drummond, one of the proprietors of the shop. If you're into found objects, there are many industrial remnants that would work perfectly as sculpture.

I kept wishing I had a loft to decorate.  This flood lamp would be perfect in an industrial loft, and is reasonably priced.  I have to go back and get some photos of coffee tables.  If you are in the market for a new coffee table - this is the place for you!  There are many interesting and unique coffee tables and at reasonable prices.

For some reason I fell in love with these cement planters.  I'd love to have one for my balcony.  Kinda heavy, though, not sure how I'd get it upstairs.

There are tons of vintage marquee letters!

And vintage stereos!

The vintage TV section is amazing!  My nephews would love this place, I hope to take them here on their break from school.  I can't wait to go back!  I did buy a little something, stay tuned to see what it is.

Inspiration for Fall: Gray, Pastels, Neons, Organic and Industrial

Good morning dear readers!  Hope you had a great weekend.  I have a lot of pictures in my inspiration file to show you.  For fall 2013, I am highly influenced by gray.  Gray looks fabulous in a light shade, and in dark shades.  It looks great with pastel colors and with bright colors.  It also looks great with organic accessories, and works well in an industrial chic vibe. Think all of these elements are disparate?  Think again.  The key to skillfully and flawlessly mixing these elements to create a gorgeous environment is balance. As long as you love everything you choose to have in your home, and exercise a little restraint to avoid clutter, your home will be gorgeous.

I don't use the word eclectic when I am describing decor.  It sounds non-committal to me.  Instead, I like the word collected.  That's what we do in our homes.  We collect beautiful objects.  Here are some beautifully collected rooms.  Hope you enjoy!

Seventy Nine Ideas

This room proves that gray can be light and airy.  Love the pink rug and pillow.  I need that coffee table.

Jelanie

Light gray sofa and light gray wall paper look gorgeous with the pastels of this room.  Add gray for an instant update on the 80s vibe.

Purple Area

These colors make me swoon.  Almost saturated, but not quite.  Almost pastel, but not quite.  These colors would be fabulous in a room painted a dark gray.

Muuto

Here is another light and airy room.  I'd love to get in there with some gray paint and paint those walls. Almost any room that is beige or white can be painted gray to add sophistication.

Muuto 

Same here.  Love that sofa.

Margrethe Myhrer

I'd love to see this room painted a pale shade of gray as well.  I'm in love with that flooring.

Living Etc.

Here the palest of grays on the wall and floor are soft and airy.  Love the high gloss artwork.

Apartment Therapy

Love the pop from the hot pink chair in this pale gray room.

West Elm

Gray can be very sophisticated.

CB2

Love the pop of blue from the pillow.  Pillows are a great way to add color or change color on a whim.

Paper & Stitch

I am definitely doing a slate gray accent wall in my next place.  The swan chair and ottoman look fabulous in this environment.  Love the mix of old and new here.  Love how the white plates pop off the wall.

Above three images The Style Files

Diego Querol

Earthy, cozy and sophisticated all at the same time.  Quite an accomplishment.  Looks like a great place for a get together.

Kevin Busta

A beautiful loft featuring the works of Kevin Busta, an industrial designer from Cleveland.  I could live here.

Margrethe Myhrer

Here's another place I could live.  Gorgeous.

Femina

A monochrome dark gray bedroom is cave like and very restful.  I'd love to take a nap there.

Living Etc.

Bright colors look fabulous with dark gray walls.  I think this is going to be my color scheme for Fall and Winter.  What about you, dear readers, are you going to be using gray or industrial elements for your Fall/Winter look?  Want more inspiration?  See my pinterest board here.