Feminine Friday: "Sweet" Interiors, Part 2

I'm off to NYC for the weekend with the BF and am determined to visit Magnolia Cupcakes.  We didn't have time last Fall to squeeze in the delicious pastry and I won't make that mistake again.  My friend, M, who lives in the city, took me there last year.  I'm not a cupcake fan, but these cupcakes were fabulous.  M says there is another place she discovered that sells even better sweets, but I'm happy to return to Magnolia.  Any thoughts?  So, I posted about Sweet Interiors a while ago, and with cupcakes on my mind, here are some more pretty pastel palettes:

BHG and Apartment Therapy

Above:  designed by Candice Olson

I'm in Love...

I'm in love with this room.  I love the soft colors in the room, celadon green, soft beige, touches of pink and aqua, and then the punches of black.  There are 2 different types of window treatments used, which keeps things interesting.  The striped, silk panels make the french doors the focal point.  If you look close, you'll see that the chairs have a sophisticated subtle green pattern.  I love soft touches and details like that.  Image via:  HGTV

Designer Tip: Tasteful Tube

Let's face it, televisions are not attractive, but in some homes, they are the main attraction and mounted on the wall.  Here's a clever way to make that tv a beautiful focal point.  Frame it.

You could use a modern and sleek, rustic, shabby chic, or traditional frame to coordinate with the decor of your room.  Shop flea markets and thrift stores for some good deals on old frames that could be painted.
image via:  brooklyn limestone

Stools in the Bathroom

No pun intended, but stools in the bathroom are a must.  They lend you that extra surface area to rest a towel, robe, candle, or any other bathroom necessity.  They are small enough to squeeze under a cabinet or vanity, set next to a tub, or float near a sink.

They can be bright green metal, upholstered and patterned, ceramic, or rustic wood. 

I have a leather tufted cube in my bathroom and it makes me incredibly happy.  I lay my towel on it and it's an arm's length away when I need it. 

Images via:  HGTV, Country Living, Coastal Living, and designer T. Keller Donovan.

Manly Monday: Surfer Sanctuary

Another incredible design by S.R. Gambrel.  This porch has beachy and rustic written all over it. Picture a bleach blonde, tan, shirtless surfer lounging with his mates in this sunny porch....

Oops, back to the design; cedar shingles, a brick fireplace, a huge ship anchor, driftwood, a plank coffee table, and blue upholstered furniture with wood arms creates a light, natural, and masculine space.

Cool Things: Less Can Be More

Sometimes a small budget can limit your ability to purchase bedroom furniture, or, a small space can limit the amount of furniture you own.  Whichever restrictions you might face, these stick-on headboards might be the stylish solution you're looking for...

Seriously, just peel and stick, and for only $40!

Designed by Mina Javid for Blik

Master Bedroom Revealed!

I hope my client loves this room as much as I do....
(click on images for a larger view)

 Before                                                               After    

Before                                                                After  

Before                                                                 After   

Before                                                           After

Before                                                              After

I'm calling it traditional zen.  What do you think?  I added some new area rugs, a storage ottoman, a ceramic stool, window treatments, new lamps, a mirror, a new coverlet, and remember those pillows? 

Here are some larger images...

images by:  erica leblanc design

Feminine Friday: Frills and Chills

As much as I love the clean look of drapes and panels, I do have a soft spot for frilly window treatments such as balloon and relaxed roman shades.  All of that excess fabric lends to a luxurious and feminine feel.  It gives me the chills it's so pretty.  Top it off with some pink ribbon and lovely bows, and you've got Feminine Friday :)

I'm off to the Master Bedroom installation this morning...wish me luck.

Earth Friendly Decor

I found a great source for earth friendly home decor, Bambeco, a web store that promotes the use of sustainable products and recycling.

Chelsea Glass Vases made out of 100% recycled glass & Organic Leaf Wall Collection made from 55% Hemp and 45% Certified Organic Cotton and printed with non-toxic, water-based dyes.

Eco-friendly teak table set and Twist tables hand-chiseled from a single stump of sustainable Monkey Pod wood and dried in a kiln.

Check out their site, they have some great natural fiber rugs and bedding too.

House Tour: Cool Cottage

A 19th century cottage with 4 acres of land has been transformed into....

a cool home with a mix of antiques and contemporary decor. 

 I love the glossy white trim against the exposed rustic plaster walls.

A 19th century chinease teak campaign chest sits on top of a blue painted hardwood floor.

Biedermeier furniture fills a small bedroom on the first floor and a second floor bedroom gets an edgier look with the straight lines of an oak platform bed.  Images via:  Martha Stewart

Sneak Peek: Master Bedroom Project

I've got an exciting new project in the works, a master bedroom that needs some personality and finishing touches.  The client wants some green in the room, so I went looking for inspiration.  I went into JoAnne's Fabric store and found a huge bin of fabric swatches that they were selling for $2 each.  I found 6 swatches that I loved which had greens, browns, soft blues, and creams. 

What am I doing with these fabric swatches?  Pillows!  2-sided pillows to toss on the bed. 

No matter which side of fabric they land on, they'll look great. 

Each swatch was an 18" square, so very little effort was needed to make these pillows.  With a sewing machine I sewed together 3 sides, slipped in the pillow inserts, folded in the ends of the remaining open side and then sewed up that side.

Voila!  3 pillows with tons of personality.