Inspired Ideas Floating Around

With all the inspired ideas floating around for the upcoming blog season, I find I’m not quite ready to throw in the summer beach towel just yet.

The summer has been a stylish one, and has turned out to be an interior decorating and home decor success in terms of trends and retail offerings.

pool-float

In the upcoming months we will color our world in fall colors.

Color knows all seasons, and is never far from the center of my decorating thoughts.

beach-red-white-blue-chairs

We will see, source and discuss pattern and texture.

palmeral_blue_shade_and_pineapple_lamp-_72dpi-1024x1024House of Hackney

Always a delicious source of conversation, fall is a grand time to season the season with fantastic comfort food features.

Grilled-Watermelon-Feta-Stacked-Salad-5Cooking for Keeps

Same goes for cooking tips and c’est si bon recipes!

Le-CreusetClassic Le Creuset

I look forward to sharing with you all the best of the season in home decor finds, antiques treasures and travel tales.

map-810px-Claude_Bernou_Carte_de_lAmerique_septentrionaleCommons

Home accents, decor and furnishings markets are gearing up to reveal what’s new for the upcoming fall season in decorating trends and home decor.

Interior decorating, tailgating times, holiday happenings, fall colors on parade decor accents and accessories suggestions and inspired ideas to dish and decorate around will follow, and I for one can’t wait!

The summer blogging pace is slowing down for a few weeks in anticipation of a full-on fall preview.

I am looking forward to things to come, and hope you will tune in for the Places In The Home fall design and decorating show and tell.

I promise it will not disappoint.

Love your style!

The Decorating Way, Way Back Decorating With What You Love

Going back several years ago to houses of the past and the decorating way way back decorating with what you love stories they tell.

the-decorating-way-way-back-decorating-with-what-you-love

Dave the Builder and I have always been big on including family mementos in our decor. We strongly believe decorating house and home with items you love makes a house a home.

Jackson-Street-house-2

Photos of our former house(s) never fail to tug at my heartstrings.

first-house

Originally we purchased this house as an investment property, but it made financial and logistical sense (and cents) to just move into the property while we were in all-out renovation mode of our present home.

These photos were taken early 2000 when family and close friends gathered back at our home after my maternal grandmother’s funeral service.

My grandmother, a self-made woman and antiques dealer extraordinaire, taught me the world of antiques. I see her everyday when I glance at the many items given to us by her and proudly displayed throughout our home.

Jackson-fireplace

Decorative accents servings as anchors of the fireplace mantel consisted of two of my most treasured treasures. Placed proudly was a vintage rose bowl- an anniversary gift from Dave the Builder.

Spotted it in a friend’s antiques store, I commented to Dave how I wished I could find one similar to it in our treasure-hunting rounds. As soon as I opened the anniversary gift and saw the rose bowl I knew its new home would be on the fireplace mantel.

Of course, this was before my graceful handling resulted in its chip and crack demise.

the-decorating-way-way-back-decorating-with-what-you-love

On the other end of the mantel was the Hull Magnolia ewer that originally belonged to Dave the Builder’s paternal grandmother.

hull-magnolia-matte-ewer

In Dave’s bachelor days he used the ewer as a doorstop; a doorstop!

Dearest Dave,

This is an exquisite, mint condition piece of American pottery.  Please visit your local home improvement store for all your doorstop needs.

Your forever decorista,
Darleen 

parents-dining-room

Classic American antique pieces fit the period, style, and design of the house.

sw-mint

Color palette choices included Sherwin Williams Mint Condition and Fired Brick.

sw-fired-brick-framed

cousins-fla

Photos cast an altogether different color.

dining-room-fired-brick

Sherwin-Williams Fired Brick carried on to the first color draft of our dining room in our present home.

Proper lighting plays a pivotal role in realizing true color reads.

living-room-JS

Trends of late have ushered us towards painted furniture, neutrals as color, and new traditional modern furnishings.

built-ins-JS

They say you can’t go back, but you can remain true to your personal interior design and decor style without apology or comparison. It’s called decorating with what you love.

Darleen-signature-love

Brand Recognition and Interior Decorating Ideas Association

Brand recognition and interior decorating ideas association influences the market and the buying public.

Shopping in retail, grocery, electronics, big box, dollar and home improvement stores for the items that keep the all things house that make a home process up, running and connected is what you make out of it.

Some love the thrill of the shop, search and source while others find the process about us much fun as spending the day in the dentist chair getting a root canal.

My approach and attitude toward this necessary ritual is rooted, no pun intended, in the glass half full it’s what you make of it attitude.

640px-Coles_South_City_aisle_1Commons

I have a resourceful tool of spin I use when the aisles begin to close in- a friendly game of brand recognition and the interior decorating ideas association.

I am not endorsing or granting preferential product treatment or mention, but it’s not hard to connect the dots.

This is simply a shared exercise that serves as just another source of inspiration for incorporating beauty, color and style into the day.

Quaker-Oats-LogoThe Quaker Oats Company

The stately portrait of the white haired gentleman framed in attire and colors befitting the home of the red, white and blue is the brand hallmark of a classic breakfast cereal.

This famous logo never fails to bring to mind the Federal era, American antiques and star spangled decor.

federal-paletteHouse Beautiful

Well, hello!

Talk about gorgeous on a most colorful scale.

bright color decorHouse Beautiful

Going boldly with bold color, furnishings in unique form and placement, and pattern play perfection are design and decor treatments that will have people talking.

black white marbleBlack and White Marble

Black and white and basic.

Or is it?

Twenty odd years ago a major grocery chain in our area introduced a line of generic brand products packaged in no-frill black and white packaging.

I mean this packaging was straightforward and to the point with white being the predominate color choice accompanied by plain text black lettering.

black white tablescapeDomino

One would think the plain, ordinary, lackluster, non-descriptive packaging would have faded into shelf obscurity, but not in this case.

The complete opposite effect took place, and the basic packaging stood out above all the others.

Why?

I can only venture a guess, but I think as eye catching as colorful and bold packaging can be, it served as a frame to draw the eye and attention to the generic brand and away from all others.

black-white-bedroomThe Glitter Guide

Visually commanding focal points are not decoratively exclusive to interior design and home decor accents.

The generic brand packaging successfully caught the eye in spite of the basic branding.

Less is more proved brilliant in this case.

Connecting the dots to decorating yet?

 Kate Jackson Design

It is amazing how many brands utilize the color combination green and blue in product packaging.

I’m beginning to catch on to the genius behind this clever marketing choice.

It’s hard to deny the power of this color combination and the association of it to the calm and cool coastal waters of Any Beach, USA.

From sea to salad, tranquility sells, sales and sails!

coastal-paint-colors

The next time you are shopping, searching and sourcing, remember this decorating exercise in brand recognition and interior decorating ideas association.

Inspiration is everywhere!

Love your style!

I’ll Have A Blue Christmas: Decorating With Blue

The colors red and green remain the traditional contenders for the most recognized color palette combination of the holidays.

flocked-Christmas-tree-house-and-home1

House & Home

I’m not one who normally detours (much) from established, traditional, time honored, and proven design and decorating institutions, but there is a time and a space that calls for doing just this.

blue-crystal-beads

Holiday foundation colors complement home decor accents and accessories, and guide the directed holiday theme or pattern in decorated spaces.

ethereal-angel

Decorating with blue this holiday season drives my inspiration to invite this accent color to stick around after the holidays.

wreath-in-window

Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles

As it is the case in most design and decorating endeavors, color is the starting point for inspired creativity.

A new dining room paint color and a beautiful angel figurine in ethereal blue guided the decorative selections for our Louisiana French themed holiday tree.

French-themed-Christmas-tree-angel

There’s no denying the association between decorating with blue, French accents, and home for the holidays in Louisiana.

home-letters-blue

It’s a Joyeux Noël!

The power of one distinct color can inspire and transform an entire space, and when done right, can lead the way to a color aha moment.

 

Belham Living Silver Christmas Wreath

French Blue Velvet Ribbon

French Blue Velvet Ribbon

Fincham+Chesterfield+Recessed+Arm+Loveseat

Fincham Chesterfield Recessed Arm Loveseat

Manor Home Wreath Printed Pillow

Manor Home Wreath Printed Pillow

Fairytale Motif Blue Pillow

Fairytale Motif Blue Pillow

blue-bedroom-for-holidays-WERNER STRAUBE

Better Homes & Gardens – Photo by Werner Straube

Classic pieces trimmed in blue place the French accent mark on très bien!

1960's Traditional Armoire, Vintage Wardrobe

1960’s Traditional Armoire, Vintage Wardrobe

Veranda Upholstered Queen Anne Back Side Chair

Veranda Upholstered Queen Anne Back Side Chair

Knupp 75.5" Wood Floor Clock

Knupp 75.5″ Wood Floor Clock

Uttermost Torriana Antiqued Accent Wall Clock

Uttermost Torriana Antiqued Accent Wall Clock

Source and ye shall find Parisian perfection, decoratively speaking.

blue-dining-roomCountry Living Magazine – Tria Giovan

Evelina+Solid+Wood+Dining+Chair

Evelina Solid Wood Dining Chair (Set of 2)

Traditional greens of the holiday season frame the old barn doors and antique demilune window cupboard in tandem O Tannenbaum.

greenery fresh

 

Cora Washed Blue Linen Roll Back Side Chair

Cora Washed Blue Linen Roll Back Side Chair

Picket House Furnishings Regal Accent Chair

Picket House Furnishings Regal Accent Chair

historic-batman-print

Historic Batman Print

Girona Table Lamp Blue - StyleCraft

Girona Table Lamp Blue – StyleCraft

Art Print Blue Interior 9x12 on 11x14 - Blue Chairs by David Lloyd

Blue Chairs Print by David Lloyd

Decorating with home decor accents and accessories in new traditional holiday colors broadens our palette horizons and inspires the look long past the holiday season.

Love your style!

A Most Fetching Friday Halloween Edition

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This week’s Fetching Friday Halloween edition is appropriately inspired by the occasion of the day.

ff-black-pumpkinSweet Paul Magazine

ff-Halloween-chandy

1stdibs

halloween-decorArchitectural Digest

ff-halloween-matts-gustafson-kitchen-stockholm-remodelistaRemodelista

ff-pumpkin-in-barber-chairSur La Table on Facebook

ff-traditional-kitchen-alison-spear-dutchess-county-new-york-201306_1000-watermarkedArchitectural Digest Design File- Alison Spear Design

ff-halloween-statueAtlanta Homes & Lifestyles

When witches go riding,
and black cats are seen,
the moon laughs and whispers,
‘tis near Halloween.

– Author Unknown

 

halloween-black-service-areaHouse Beautiful

Halloween-fabric

I hope you have a most fetching Friday.

Love your style!

Patience In Design and Decorating

Want, need, seasonal availability and patience in design and decorating lined up over the weekend.

It was hard to contain my excitement when Dave the Builder emailed me the picture below of this display live and in person from our local Lowe’s garden center.

couleur-pumpkins-lowes

One white pumpkin, one greenish blue pumpkin, one ornamental cabbage and one vintage dough bowl later…  well this isn’t exactly the look I had in mind.

The build up to perceived pumpkin perfection may have been better than the actual great white pumpkin purchase.

As it sometimes goes in the world of design and decorating, what we initially envision doesn’t necessarily translate well to space, palette, placement or in this case, pumpkin.

patience in design and decorating

If at first you don’t succeed, design and decorate again, and again, and again.

I think it is safe to assume all great, beautiful and stylish design and decorating does not come straight out of the box that way.

I’ve lost count of the projects I have started over at the beginning, in the middle of, and heavily tweaked at the end.  If it doesn’t feel right how can it look right?

I know.  The client knows.  The client knows I know.

You know?

Adding to, taking away from, switching up or a simple re-positioning is often the missing piece of the puzzle that brings forth the “that’s it!” look you were going for in the first place.

Tenacity, coupled with patience in design and decorating, is the power tool of the trade.

fall-hydrangea-pumpkins

You’ve got to roll with the punches when it comes to the creative process. It’s a work in progress- an exercise in patience and pumpkin.

coffee table decor

What presently doesn’t work will eventually come together for the next phase of the extravaganza aka Thanksgiving decorating.

I am gingerly practicing pumpkin caution with these fall decorating beauties of the moment.

Here’s hoping they will at least look presentable for an upcoming Thanksgiving staging session.

It’s not looking too good for the one in the above image, but hope is on the table.

I always take out a decorating insurance policy in the form of classic core pieces, accents and accessories.

ff-go-greenPumpkin Centerpiece How-to Guide from POPSUGAR

That’s what I love about working with a good foundation and why I preach classic pieces.

Strong lines, good bones, great pieces and patience in design and decorating are the tried and true hallmarks of great and lasting design and decorating.

Love your style!

Currently Falling For: Fall Home Decor Finds Part 2

May I present a seasonal collection of fall home decor finds part 2 as promised.

Seasonal updating with spot pieces is a great way to refresh the core foundation decor style while reaping the decorative benefit of the season in both an affordable and easy way.

Warming up home and hearth for fall invites the current season’s best in color, texture and pattern to take up residence in our places in the home.

Neutrals have their place, but rich and warm color makes everything warm and cozy.

Do you have your fall home decor finds gotta have it list ready?

I do, and it’s decked out in cozy selections in seasonal colors, texture, and patterns fitting for home and hearth.

Let’s fall with a seasonal mix of deck the entry hall, warm the living room, fluff the pillows and cozy up the bedroom fall home decor finds in living fall color.

Fall Home Decor Finds Part 2

velvet-curtain-panels-swatches

Signature Velvet Curtain Panels

Zerzura+Oasis+Sun+Eclectic+Accent+Mirror

Zerzura Oasis Sun Eclectic Accent Mirror

Fellman Animal Print Handmade Tufted Brown Indoor Outdoor Area Rug

Fellman Animal Print Handmade Tufted Brown Indoor/Outdoor Area Rug

Gracewood Hollow Elijah Metal Wall Mirror -Antique Brown

Gracewood Hollow Elijah Metal Wall Mirror -Antique Brown

360 Lighting Modern Table Lamps Set of 2 Hammered Oiled Bronze Oatmeal Linen Drum Shade

 Set of 2 Hammered Bronze Modern Table Lamps w/ Linen Drum Shades

Bee & Willow™ Home 28-Inch Mixed Eucalyptus Wreath

Bee & Willow™ Home 28-Inch Mixed Eucalyptus Wreath

Didonato+Armchair-orange-velvet

Didonato Armchair

Madrid Throw Pillow - Pillow Perfect®

Madrid Throw Pillow – Pillow Perfect®

Carson Carrington Ranglebyn Embroidered 22-inch Throw Pillow

Carson Carrington Ranglebyn Embroidered 22-inch Throw Pillow

Jandreau Club Chair

Jandreau Club Chair

Rani Block Printed Throw Pillow by the Inspiring Home

Rani Block Printed Throw Pillow by the Inspiring Home

Elle Decor Quinn Round Tufted Ottoman with Storage and Casters

Elle Decor Quinn Round Tufted Ottoman with Storage and Casters

Parlin Royalty Ivory Rust Area Rug

Parlin Royalty Ivory/Rust Area Rug

La Grange Solid Wood Abstract End Table

La Grange Solid Wood Abstract End Table

Fall finds make fall fine!

 I’m updating, refreshing and decorating Places In The Home in anticipation of the first day of fall next week.

I can’t wait to share the results with you all.

Love your style!