Modern bedrooms designs ideas.

Modern bedrooms designs ideas.

A must have vase

I'm in love with the Boblen  vase my new  neighbour gave me. Although we do not know each other well, she could not have chosen a more fitting gift.  I always have some version of fresh greenery or flowers in my home. The more I look at  this little gem the more ideas I get  for using it. 

The Boblen line of vases, designed by famous Norwegian Florist and TV personality Finn Schjoll,

 

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 are expressive mouth blown vases  in clear glass in various sizes

 

 and colours. 

 

 Its design was inspired by water drops on a lily after the rain. The extended flat lip makes them especially conducive to wide floral designs....

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 or to highlight  a single blossom.

 

 You can also put several vases of varying sizes together to create drama. 

 or float a flower in water in the bowl .

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  or wrap a creeping vine under and around the lip.

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 You could also fill the bowl with candy, small glass ornaments, beach glass, berries, small blossoms, pepples etc.  and place a pillar candle on top.  An all around accent for your home that can always be on display.

Art Glass Vista  ships world wide.

I Reserve the Right to Change My Mind...

As my vision for the hallway slowly comes together, I've been second guessing my desire for a leopard runner. I think it is something I need to see in person before fully committing.

A close runner up is wool-sisal in the hallway and stairs. I've read somewhere that straight up sisal as a stair runner is bad news for dogs because they can catch their claws on it.  Wool sisal looks like sisal, but feels more like wool. I'd imagine it would be a lot easier to clean also.

If we go this route I'd want to add a border and have the runner installed a few inches away from the walls.

Landry and Arcari

I'll need to visit a carpet showroom to see what something like that would cost me. Looks pricey.

I could also be persuaded to go with some herringbone action. I love me a good herringbone. This one that Sherry Hart did for a client..  Again, no wall-to-wall here and it has a nice contrast border.

If all else fails, this diamond textured rug from the Home Depot would be a good compromise.

It has great texture and comes in plenty of colors.
Has anyone used it?

Modern corridors designs corridors flooring designs ideas.

Modern corridors designs corridors flooring designs ideas.

Black Friday Finds

Hope you all had a fantastic Thanksgiving and are now fully recovered from your turkey hangover. Did you partake in any Black Friday shopping? I did, but not the kind of Black Friday shopping you might think...

My favorite antique mall held a Black Friday sale and every booth was 10% - 50% off.

These 6 inch Staffordshire dogs were only $45 with the discount. 

Stamped. Damn! I should have gotten them. 

A pair of these horse head lamps were available for $175. Sans the frou frou shade they'd make quite the statement in a room.

With discount, this 2 x 4 foot rug was only $75.

I thought this bamboo settee would look fantastic in the screened in porch I don't have. $115.

I imagined myself lounging on it on a warm summer day while Chris served me tea and [fake] grapes from this darling wicker tea cart.

And then I came to my senses and snatched up this marble topped side table before anyone else could see its potential. $85.

And this mirror for $20. No idea where it will go, but it was too good to pass up.

Did you bring home any Black Friday scores? 

10 simple accent trees for Christmas

.  There is definitely a "simpler Christmas" trend in the last several years. Simple is good and clean and when you add green to the mix you have the perfect Christmas accent, a small/miniature tree.  From plain to layered, there are lots of options.

 A little woodland whimsy with wooden beads.

 Grouped with a sign 

 Welcoming visitors, no need for ornaments

 A "tree" constructed from branches of boxwood, but easily done with any type of greenery. I would cut oasis in a cone shape and go from there.  For all I know you can get oasis in a cone shape!

 A  shaped rosemary tree with wood accents.

 Rosemary again with starfish for a beach Christmas.

A lovely tree with pinecones in a recycled wooden box.  Nice candlestick holders too. The black and white accents provide a great backdrop.

Love the bucket and bench  (it's all the texture and gray) but the simple ornaments finish everything off beautifully.  Who would think white card trees could be so elegant?

Did you make these 3 D hearts as a child?  They bring back happy  memories for me. With all the great paper designs available the sky is the limit for this idea.

 And finally a little colour for those who want it.

All links can be found on my Pinterest page.

The value of objects

Every home is filled with furniture and objects, but they are not valued equally by homeowners. Personal preferences and history play a part in determining individual likes and dislikes in furniture and accessories.  Coming to terms with what you truly value in your home can help you set a design focus.

 As a place to start with clients who  may be  having difficulty focusing on where they want to go with a design, I often ask them to show me several things in the space that they value/love/ couldn't part with. In talking about why they like the particular piece I get insight into what is important to them and many times the objects also provide inspiration for the design.

Sutton Suzuki Architects

 Art work of varying kinds can serve  as an impetus for a room design.  The tones of the sculptures and ceramic vases  are picked up in the dark woods of the stacked tables. The beige sofa allows the art work to stand out. 

  Margaret Ryall

In my  home art usually influences my room designs.  I certainly don't purchase art work to match my decor, but I like to give my art work the option of influencing the room in which it lives!  One of my favourite pieces (artist Will Gill) begged me to paint this favourite chair a lovely green.

 Suzanne Price Design, LLC

 Antique rugs are a wonderful starting point for original colour schemes.  This blue and aqua scheme is fresh and exciting, and without a wonderful starting point this room probably would not have come together in this way.  Mixing old and new can be easy if you are a little adventurous. 

Pet peeve:   Please, can I have a larger coffee table so I can reach it to put my coffee cup down when I come for a visit? It's the armless chair that I would sit in.  I hate floating coffee tables that don't connect with the furniture. Sorry, that just popped out.

  Jeffers Design Group 

Sometimes something as small as a pillow or a set of lamps can be the beginning of a sophisticated design.  Certainly if you owned these lamps they would be difficult to ignore.  Perhaps there is an interesting history  behind them. 

 Sania Pell

Not everthing you value is pretty.  Some objects  have  histories told by the marks of the passage of time. They evoke  family memories and offer opportunities for pairing with objects that have a similar history. I love this old box with its related sea themed objects.

 Margaret Ryall

This humble trunk my father made when I was a child is an important part of the decor in my summer house.  It isn't in pristine shape with a latch missing and and a crack around the hinge on the back.  To me it is invaluable.  Not only does it hold  memories, I have a coffee table and a storage chest.  I can change the colour anytime I want, and it gives my room that lived in look you want in a summer place. It is also a perfect foot stool!

For a room to truly reflect its owners it has to have objects that have some emotional value.  Otherwise you have a "model home", pretty but soulless! 

Modern kitchen cabinet designs ideas.

Modern kitchen cabinet designs ideas.