Settee Makeover!

Before



After

This is a French settee that was in desperate need of some TLC as you can see from the picture above! This little couch is beautiful and charming. The settee was purchased at an auction still stuffed with horse hair and the original webbing on the inside that was rapidly deteriorating. It was recovered in a cloth painting tarp due to two small boys who can be messy and rough on the furniture. This is an inexpensive way to recover a piece of upholstery. This material was also selected because of its resemblance in color to linen. Another great thing about this color is that you can change up your pillows and throws to suit the season and easily make it work.

Fall Decor!

I love the Fall. It is one of my favorite seasons. And pumpkins can be a fun creative decoration. I have come across several great pumpkin designs that are shown on BHG.com that caught my attention. They are fun and cheerful! Enjoy.

Think outside of the box!

Sometimes it's hard to get away from the idea of arranging your furniture up against the walls. Here are some examples of rooms that shows you how a space can look very different when the furniture is arranged at angles and away from the walls. Many times arranging the furniture this way can create a more intimate setting.


"Consider setting the furniture — and the carpet — on an angle. It will change the whole dynamic of a room." -Vicente Wolf

Good Morning! I wanted to share a couple of tips on how to work with small spaces. Small spaces can be just as overwhelming as a large space. It's important to maximize every inch of a small area.



Built Ins – Nothing provides the utility of additional space better than a built in. By creating a bookcase within your wall or cabinets in your closet, the floor space is not compromised and the room offers more functionality.













Maximize your closet space - The more effectively the space in your closets is utilized, the better it contains your clutter, freeing up space in the rest of your home.

Fantastic Accessory!

Do you ever have an empty space that needs that extra something? Maybe in a bookcase or on top of a sofa table? This company produces book covers with great quotes that run along the binder or simple covers with no quotes to cover your books! (sayitwithbookcovers.com) If you have books that have already been read but you are not quite ready to get rid of this is a great way to utilize them!

What a fantastic accessory in a room!

Fabulous Settees!

I love Settees! There size allows you to fit them in small spaces beautifully while still providing comfortable cozy seating. Both of the settees below would look great in a breakfast nook or corner of a room. Add a small cafe table and a couple of chairs and you have a great intimate seating area for breakfast, coffee with friends and reading area.


Wentworth by Lee Jofa


The Wentworth has a traditional style while the Beverly bench has a quirky fun vintage look to it. Both of them can be jazzed up with fantastic patterned fabric or toned down with a soft simple fabric.



Beverly Bench by Lee Jofa

The Bird's Nest Chair!

I thought this was another fun and interesting chair. Very sculptural!

The bookshelf chair!

This chair is very practical and fun all at the same time. There is no need to get up to browse your book titles. You have all your reading needs right there at your seat!

Inspirational spaces!

This was featured in the lastest Interior Design Magazine and I wanted to share it with you all. This is John Barman's weekend home in Connecticut. The spaces are inspirational in color and design.

Chandeliers!

Here are some fantastic chandeliers from Horchow! I love the various styles that range from elegant to playful to classic.




Beach inspired!



A traditional chandelier using floral accents!




The playful “comet” fixture!




A modern spin!

Recently I was asked if your dining chairs need to match your dining table. The function, look and feel of dining chairs is important. Not only do they need to be aesthetically appealing but also comfortable for long amounts of time especially when sitting and enjoying a meal with family and friends. The answer is no. You can choose dining chairs that match your table or pick a set of chairs that match each other but not necessarily perfectly match the dining table. Another choice is a very eclectic mix of chairs. I chose several of my personal favorites that cover various styles. Enjoy!


Ballard Designs Winged Chair








Eames Molded Plastic Chairs



Ralph Lauren Boulogne Banquet







Williams Sonoma Home Baxter Chair





Candace Olsen Dining Chair




Horchow Crewel Blue




Ralph Lauren Jamaica Chair





William Sonoma Home Hickory Chairs

Have a piece of furniture that you use but want to give it a little umph? A coat of paint and/or stain will do the job. Here's an example of a kitchen cart that has been a favorite in this kitchen functionally but needed some refreshing. Before you throw it away...is there anything that could be done to give the piece a lift and become a favorite again?

Mixing patterns

Mixing patterns and colors can be intimidating when faced with a huge selection of fabrics. Start with a color and from there branch out. For instance, this pattern has a beautiful mix of reds, pinks, blues, greens and golds.

You can take this fabric selection and pull from its colors what you would like to highlight and what you would like to be more of an accent color. In the selections made below the red would be the main highlighted color. The key in mixing patterns is to balance out the differing designs. A bold busier pattern would work as accent pillows and drapes. Stripes, checks or softer more neutral patterns would be used on larger pieces such as furnishings. The key to all of the selections is to make sure they make a statement that defines the people who live there. So basically have fun with it and pick out what you really enjoy being surrounded by.

Stripes, Stripes and more stripes!

One great way to add some drama to a room is with stripes. Stripes are a classic look. Painting stripes on your walls can really create a fantastic space. You have a couple of options with stripes on your walls, horizontal or vertical. Horizontal stripes create a more spacious feel. If you are looking for taller ceilings vertical stripes work the best. An interesting and beautiful option is in the combination of flat and glossy stripes. This adds visual dimension to a room. Other options are with wallpaper. Check out the rooms below to see what stripes can do to a space!

Outdoor Spruce Up!

Need to spruce up your outdoor space? Spice up your outdoor furniture with a fresh coat of paint, some stain and a couple of coats of polyurethane. Enjoy!

I grew up in a large military family where we moved every year or two. The first thing we did right after the movers pulled out of the driveway was to start unpacking. Not a box was left unpacked within the first week. Furniture, artwork and photos were all in place. It felt as though we had lived in the new home forever. A house does not need to have brand new perfectly matching furnishings and accessories to feel like home. An eclectic mix of new, old and hammy down furnishings can be beautiful when put together right. Here are a few examples of spaces that feel like home!

Photo by Country Living.
A bright airy attic room!

Photo from Elle Décor

Photo by Remodelingcenter.com
Slipcovers are a great way to update older furniture.