Blooming Good Spring Finds

Signs of blooming good spring finds have arrived.

time for spring

Daylight savings time begins this weekend.

Pollen: the amber yellow tint beginning to cover the outdoor world.

Pretty little things for home, lawn and garden tickling your spring fancy.

Screen saver image switched out to reflect spring’s in full hydrangea blooms beauty.

spring-2021-computer-screen-image

Back in stock and delivered to the door just in time for the season willow cloche is marked gorgeous for a garden decoration or tabletop accent.

 

22 in. H Willow Cloche Protector

willow-cloche-tulips

So Fine by Electric Light Orchestra providing spring (and summer) hum and buzz sweet inspiration.

♫ People walking hand in hand,
Everybody’s singing to the band
I want to be where the stars shine bright
And hear sweet music on a summer night ♫

fresh-strawberries-farmers-market-pints

There’s nothing quite so delicious as the first bowl of extra large Louisiana strawberries to kick off the spring tasting season.

fresh spring asparagus

Well, perhaps a fresh bunch of garden asparagus.

the seasons of Louisiana

The seasons of Louisiana vary from minute to hour to week.

Ice storm damage is throwing our planting into wait and see mode, but the warm days signal planting and patio time is near.

Nature awakens in color and bloom to remind us dark and barren times never last forever.

Burchett Outdoor Acacia Wood Club Chairs with Cushions (Set of 2) by Christopher Knight Home

The Burchett Outdoor Acacia Wood 4 Seater Chat Set with Cushions by Christopher Knight Home sold out faster than you can say Oprah Winfrey’s palace patio sit-down with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, but here’s two other options from the line to pretty up your patio, porch or perch.

Linwood Outdoor Acacia Wood Club Chair with Wicker Accents (Set of 2) by Christopher Knight Home

Linwood Outdoor Acacia Wood Club Chair with Wicker Accents

“Peter Brady” is a mover and a shaker in the home furnishings business, and the line’s options offer a good look at a good price.

Aston Outdoor Modern Acacia Cushioned Club Chairs (Set of 2)

Aston Outdoor Modern Acacia Cushioned Club Chairs (Set of 2)

Flowers infuse color into our homes with all of the beauty and scents of the spring season.

Blooming Good Spring Finds

Muscari

“Anything is possible with sunshine and a little pink”

– Lilly Pulitzer

time for spring

Ranunculus

Harsh late winter storms combined with multiple days and nights of arctic freezing temperatures zapped the life out of many of my plants, buds and blooms- most notably the hydrangeas I’ve babied for the last three seasons.

new-hydrangeas

Jordan Manufacturing Lessandra Outdoor Square Toss Pillows Rosewood Set of 2

Jordan Manufacturing Lessandra Outdoor Square Toss Pillows Rosewood Set of 2

Pressed flower notecards, set of 6 assorted cards, blank notecards

Pressed Flower Blank Notecards, set of 6 Assorted 

Much to my surprise and joy I’ve proven to myself no formal florist skills are needed to create a seasonal floral arrangement.

fresh-flower-bouquet

Blooms and greens from my lawn and garden or the clearance buckets perched in a local grocery store floral department display become the stars of the window seal or tabletop spring flower show.

spring flowers in pitcher

Better Homes & Gardens

Keeping it simple is the key to DIY flower arranging.

green-clippings-in-antique-rose-bowl (1)

It might be a dollar store glass container, vintage Mason jar, ironstone creamer pitcher, the antique rose bowl Dave the Builder gifted me with years ago, or these eye catching-soon to be in my buy now pickup later cart- pretty in pink vases that becomes the vessel of choice.

pink vases for spring

Point is whatever you’ve got and whatever suits your floral arrangement fancy is perfect.

Fill vase with tepid water, add one teaspoon of vodka and one teaspoon granulated sugar.

Tepid water allows for quicker water absorption, and the vodka and sugar combination delays wilting.

Drop a copper penny in to the vase to help deter the growth of fungus or bacteria.

floral arrangement tips

Although the decorative post courier mailbox wall accent is not new to the home decor accent market, its popularity is ongoing.

Give it the wall pocket effect and fill it to the brim with your favorite spring floral and greenery stems.

Post Courier Mailbox Wall Accent by Ashland®

You know it’s spring finds time by the scents and sights of spring in full bloom.

How I do love a season that shows out.

Darleen-signature-love

Softening the Style: Rustic Industrial Style

A distinct modification to the hard edge of industrial style is afoot- a reinterpretation best described as rustic industrial style.

Change is constant, and the world of design and decor is not exempt from changes or adaptions.

Rustic is often assigned to several different design styles, casting a broad net over the design application.

Industrial style is not a personal favorite, however, the present softening of hard edges in favor of tipping the scales ever so slightly towards a new traditional modern farmhouse look has the decorative oomph to win me over.

Back in the early 1980s, Dave the Builder became enamored with the modern meets contemporary design style that was all the rage.

Glass.

Chrome.

Metal color palette.

Dave the Builder was intrigued, and I was perplexed.

We met in the middle of are you kidding me and we’ll give it whirl.

We remodeled the living room/dining room combination to suit the style, and when completed we ended up with a space that was stark, cold, and characterless.

I absolutely hated the look.

Thank the design and decor gods Dave hated it to.

Robert Dame DesignsRobert Dame Designs – Thompson Custom Homes

Balance plays a pivotal role in the completed look of any space.

The impact of a primary design style is often enhanced by a supporting decorating style.

Michael-Dawkins-Home

Michael Dawkins Home

Now, I know I haven’t discovered something new, nor am I introducing an on trend design and decor phenomenon.

What I am drawing attention to is how design styles and decor tastes can, and do, evolve.

We embrace the base style elements, adding to and subtracting from in order to perfect and keep visual relevancy.

Rustic industrial style blurs the hard lines by emphasizing soft edges.

Michael-Dawkins-Home1Michael Dawkins Home

Like a uncorked bottle of wine, I liken the evolution of rustic industrial style to allowing a bottle of wine time to breathe.

More expressive and fully matured.

Terri Ricci Interiors

Terri Ricci Interiors

A little background for clarity:

The concept of industrial style decor gleans influence from the modern warehouse-loft-factory elements of design.

rustic-wood-dining-chairs

Southern Living Magazine

With rustic origins relating to vintage wares, industrial style typifies a commercial appeal through the incorporation of wood and metal into the interior design and decor.

Rustic Industrial Style

 Lori Smyth Design

The phrase pop of color is rooted in the lexicon of interior design and interior decorating, however, not all color palettes necessarily reflect the broad brush stroke of what we commonly consider color.

mix-and-match-dining-room-01 Magdalena Keck Interior Design

Natural in color, texture, pattern and appeal, neutral colors dominate the rustic industrial style palette.

Urban Archaeology

Urban Archaeology

Where the classic color combination of black and white qualifies as the height of color perfection in some instances, a neutral color palette is a bold color choice in others.

mark.cunningham.inc.portfolio.interiors.kitchen.dining.breakfast.room

Mark Cunningham Inc.

Add in a mix of metals and the industrial style decor color palette is born.

metal-top-dining-table

Industrial to Farm Dining Table

This zinc plated metal and cedar base farm dining table by SDS Designs captures two hot on trend looks- modern farmhouse and industrial style decor.

Farm+Dining+Table

Farm Dining Table by SDS Designs

You’ll notice more and more how the lines between these particular design and decor styles give life to rustic industrial style.

Industrial-style-kitchen-dark-cabinets Holder Design Associates 

Lilian Dining Chair

Lilian Dining Chair- Set of 4

office-black-chalkboard-walls-desk-under-window-double-metal-doors

WB Builders

Carbon Loft Tilton 24-in Rustic Gunmetal Bar Stool

Carbon Loft Tilton 24-in Rustic Gunmetal Bar Stool

farmhouse kitchen South Beach Exquisite House 2id Interiors

Napa Valley Farmhouse-den-Carreiro Builders

Carreiro Builders

kitchen-with-hand-poured-concrete-countertops

 Anthony Wilder

Sleek pendants and statement chandeliers visually qualify as a design tour de force.

rustic light fixtures

Sadie Pendant  ||  1-light Oxidized Nickel Pendant  ||  Bartlett Small Pendant in French White  ||  Isabel 1-Light Pendant in Colonial Blue Finish 
Modern Haning Lighting Fixture Golden Ceilling Light  ||  1-light Oxidized Brass Pendant  ||  Uttermost Pontoise 1-light Distressed Ivory Metal Mini Pendant  ||  Quoizel Amherst Mottled Cocoa 3-light Pendant

wesley.wayne.interiors

Wesley-Wayne Interiors

Homefare Metal Door Light Oak Display CabinetHomefare Metal Door Light Oak Display Cabinet

green-and-black-living-room-industrial-black-metal-casement-bar-cabinet

 Von Fitz Design

vidaXL Coffee Table Black 25.6"x25.6"x11.8" Solid Mango Wood

vidaXL Coffee Table Black Solid Mango Wood

Pulling home decor accents and accessories from other design styles avoids, or at least greatly diminishes, the risk of the space becoming locked into the hard line look of a particular decorating style.

New Orleans 1985 Vintage Map Canvas Art PrintNew Orleans 1985 Vintage Map Canvas Art Print

Uttermost Yerevan Wood Leg Lamp

Uttermost Yerevan Wood Leg Lamp

Ancient Medallion Giclee Canvas Art PrintAncient Medallion Giclee Canvas Art Print

Uttermost Lev Gold Metal Wall Decor

Uttermost Lev Gold Metal Wall Decor

Industrial-kitchen-New-York-loft

TOLA Architecture

Industrial-lighting-ideas

Bremerton 4L Bronze Wood Cage Linear Chandelier Island Pendant Light

Mercana Leighton I 15 x 20 Gold Toned Metal Spherical Pendant Light

Industrial Hanging Wired Pendant Light 

Carbon Loft Enstad 12-inch Fired Bronze Bowl 1-light Pendant

Carbon Loft Hoesl 14.5-inch Metal Sphere 1-light Pendant

Luxury Industrial Chandelier with Rustic StyleLuxury Industrial Chandelier with Rustic Style

black-display-cabinet-with-shelving-industrial-Seth-Caplan-AD

Architectural Digest

My personal choice for an in the style for replicating the very stylish storage solution option in the above image.

Ventana Glass Display Cabinet

Ventana Glass Display Cabinet

kitchen-island-corbels

The Working Kitchen

Cypress Industrial Adjustable Metal Barstool in Silver Brushed Gray with Brown Wood Seat

Cypress Industrial Adjustable Metal Barstool 

It’s quite surprising how the mixing of antiques or in the style of antiques pieces with today’s modern styles works a room to its visual advantage.

La Grange Hostyn Kitchen Island

La Grange Hostyn Kitchen Island

Art Leon Counter Height Metal Barstools with Eiffel Legs(Set of 2)

Art Leon Counter Height Metal Barstools with Eiffel Legs(Set of 2)

Staying true to one particular decor style proves a comfort zone of sorts, while the constant discovery of what accents and accessories best fit your decorative style portfolio results in a satisfying experience.

When the winds of design and decor change and blow inspiration your way, step out of the box and try a new decor style.

The result may beautifully surprise you.

Touches and Hints of Fall At Home Preview

The intention of this touches and hints of fall at home preview is to bring about that cozy-colorful-bountiful-nature inspired-pumpkin spiced-apple appealing feeling of fall at home.

fall-at-home-preview

Those of us who absolutely love the fall-autumn season revel in the fall at home preview planning and prepping.

fall-velvet-pumpkin-in-basket-Werner-Straube

Better Homes & Gardens – Photo by Werner Straube

Seasonal décor pretties.

Rich warm colors and hues on parade.

Crisp days into evening.

Pumpkin everything.

Cozy times.

fall-sweet-fall-throw-pillow

Actual signs of fall may not be obvious in your neck of the woods (or skipped you all together i.e. 101°F in Denver one day, 33°F the next), but the excitement of a fall-autumn arrival is building.

Fall at home preview posts on the pages of food and shelter magazines, recipe and home decor blogs, and the social media platforms of choice confirm the anticipation.

pumpkins-sign

“Fall has always been my favorite season.
The time when everything bursts with
its last beauty, as if nature had been saving
up all year for the grand finale.”

—Lauren DeStefano

They say good things come to those who wait.

On that logic I liken fall’s tease and eventual arrival to the pot of harvest gold at the end of summer’s scorching rainbow.

A sure sign the beauty of fall is upon us.

free-printable-landscape-with-plaid-print

Ella Claire & Co. gifts this lovely free printable vintage landscape for fall framing and decorating.

Sending a big thank you to creative friends and blogs bearing gifts.

I have a bronze gold frame picked out to frame the print in, and am leaning toward placing it on a small decorative easel.

Click on the link to visit this wonderful blog and print your copy- Ella Clair & Co. 

Wrensted Interiors LLC

Wrensted Interiors LLC

Natural touches such as seasonal foliage picked from your yard or garden and housed in rustic crocks, vintage silver pieces, or basic glass jars bring the beauty of fall to a tabletop or vignette near you.

Modern Brown Ceramic VaseModern Brown Ceramic Vase – Threshold™ designed with Studio McGee

fall-vase-brown

console-table-fall-decor

Pinterest

Inspiration, imagination, creativity, and a keen eye are responsible for many a stunning decorative display.

Antique Large German Brown Glazed Stoneware Pottery Double Handle Crock Vase

Antique Large German Brown Glazed Stoneware Pottery Double Handle Crock

As one who always includes setting and staying within budget when selecting, suggesting, and sourcing home décor accents and accessories for clients as well as myself, I love the endless possibilities afforded by decorating with items found at home, in nature (the best arts & crafts store going!), farmers markets, and the flower and produce departments of local grocery stores.

cabbage-dishes-in-hutch-photo-John-Granen

Better Homes & Gardens – Photo by John Granen

“Autumn is the season to find contentment at home
by paying attention to what we already have.”

—Unknown

bag-Gala-apples

There’s no need to spend an exorbitant amount of money in order to achieve a striking result.

Fall Harvest Wooden Decorative BowlFall Harvest Wooden Decorative Bowl

An arrangement of fresh seasonal fruits placed in a wooden bowl or on a plate or platter sets a simple yet elegant display.

Loropetalum

I’m convinced the five senses dance a delightful waltz to an autumnal melody.

bella notte linens

Bella Notte Linens

Layers of warm and cozy linens wrapped in your favorite fall color, texture, pattern, and scent invite a fall into comfort feeling.

Functionality has never looked, felt or smelled so inviting.

Fall Scented Linen Spray

Ingredients

½ cup water

½ cup vodka

8-10 drops fall scented essential oil(s)

Directions

Mix water and vodka together in a clean spray bottle.

Add essential oil or combination of oils to mixture, swirling to blend.

Essential oil scents and combinations to consider:

Sweet orange, clove bud and cinnamon bark.

Pumpkin pie.

Brown sugar, apple pie and nutmeg.

Wood spice.

Sweet tangerine.

Cedarwood.

foodiesfeed.com_woman-holding-fresh-apples

Foodiesfeed

When apples and cinnamon enter the mix or the mixing bowl, the scent and the taste of fall follows.

Brown Wood Look Plate Brown Wood Look Plate

Design details include a realistic faux wood grain pattern paired with the extra bonus of being safe for food use.

apples-leaves-acorns-candle-Sköna hem

Sköna hem -Pinterest

Southerners take fall any way we can get it since we really don’t get much of it in the first place.

butcher block

D Magazine – Photography by Nathan Schroder

It’s a fact of life in Louisiana when the temps fall below 70°F you can hear the collective clang of gumbo pots making their way from cupboard to stove top in true c’est si bon fashion.

copper bowls stacked

When fall rolls around you can find me spending most late afternoons into evening sitting on the porch taking it all in. I love spending time in the kitchen developing fall recipes, but you can’t be in two places at once.

Playing to that logic, simple seasonal dishes such as mustard greens and buttermilk cornbread top the dinner menu on crisp fall nights.

mustard-greens-in-pot

Dave the Builder’s mother held firm the taste of a Louisiana sweet potato is not at its flavor zenith until after the first frost.

Louisiana-sweet-potatoes-dry-pinto-beans

Fall’s first frost is a ways off yet, however, we cook, bake, and candied sweet potatoes on.

Leaf Wooden Spoon

Leaf Wooden Spoon

Isn’t it funny how you assign a season to particular foods and flavors?

Gumbo.

Cinnamon roll candied yams.

Pecan pie made with Louisiana pecans and pure cane syrup.

Apple nut cake.

apple-pecan-walnut-cake

We’ll cook it, bake it, and eat it any time of year, but it taste so much better in the fall.

faux-apples-pears-moss-wreath-fall

Fall ushers in thoughts of DIY projects for door, porch, mantel, and seal.

DIY pumpkin lanterns

Shine a light on fall with these DIY Pumpkin Lanterns from designlovefest.

fall-is-my-favorite-color-blog

When my son was in school, yours truly pulled room mother duty every year kindergarten-8th grade.

Loved it!fall-bouquet-ribbon

In my element fit the call of decorating duty for the teachers appreciation gala, fall festival, and Halloween carnival extravaganza.

Included in my bag of decorating tricks was the idea of using faux fall flower bouquets for everything from tabletop decorations to gift favors.

fall bouquet 1

Wrapping each bouquet in inexpensive craft or tissue paper tied with ribbon and raffia in assorted seasonal colors and textures took the presentation from faux to fabulous.

For extra fall scented goodness tuck a couple of cinnamon sticks in with the bouquet.

It’s all in the details.

fall-colors-throw-pillows

Embellishing an inexpensive throw pillow(s) rich in fall color with decorative trim(s) creates a custom decor piece.

fall trim

autumn-decor-Virginia-based designer Janie Molster Elle Decor

Elle Decor 

I saw this idea of draping faux fur throws over the back of dining chairs in a fall decorating feature in Elle Decor, and quickly filed it under F for faux fur for fall at home preview.

Fall At Home Preview

Seasonal accents here and there layers house and home with touches and hints of the season.

Add a decorative throw or pillow to an existing piece and you instantly create a seasonal update though color, texture, and/or pattern.

‘Tis the season for feathering one’s nest with touches and hints of the season through décor additions and updates inspired by the best features of the season.

Darleen-signature-love

A Most Fetching Friday: A Tranquil Bedroom

Today’s A Most Fetching Friday shines a nightlight on the importance of a tranquil bedroom where mind, body and eye benefit from quality downtime and restful style.  I’ve discovered the antidote to the energy draining, oppressive and tedious days of summer- retreating to a tranquil bedroom  where I check stress, devices, and the general noise of the day that grinds the gears at the door.

fetching-definiton

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

master-suite-details

Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles

What design elements constitute a tranquil bedroom for one may not for another.

In design and in the pursuit of tranquility, personal preference makes the world go round.

Count me among those that unwind by watching television before bed.  Dave the Builder yammers wonders aloud how I can include watching television in my downtime is the right time viewing routine.

To quote a line from Sex and the City (a late night viewing favorite), “I love it, it’s my thing.  Let it go.”

master-bedroom-color-palette

When designing and decorating the master bedroom with tranquility in mind, a serene and calming color palette is conducive to a relaxing atmosphere.

tranquil bedroom

Windham Cream  ||   Blue Bonnet  ||  Palladian Blue  ||   Healing Aloe

bedroom-stacy-gauthier-design

Gauthier~Stacy Inc.

Dave and I often play the what would you buy if you won the lottery game.

When I do win the lottery (the power of positive thinking) fresh flowers will grace the accent, dining, vanity, and bedside tabletops throughout Casa de Places In The Home.

In the meantime, the markdown sections of grocery store floral departments beautifully and affordably allow me to indulge my penchant for keeping an arrangement of fresh flowers on the bedside table.

orange-roses

Small touches such as fresh flowers instill a curated quality to your bedroom oasis and give a weary eye a colorful place to land.

Suzanne Rheinstein & Associates

Suzanne Rheinstein & Associates

Be still my Southern traditional heart!

guest bedroom new orleans

Decorator Brannan Geary

The tranquil bedroom decorated by Brannan Geary is a Southern charmer.

The classic Colefax and Fowler fabric Bowood, stunning window treatments, and fresh flowers beautifully demonstrate how the use of classic patterns, soft color palettes, and antique furnishings frame a tranquil bedroom.

gal-meets-glam-bedroom

Gal Meets Glam

Boxwood-fabric

 Bowood by Colefax and Fowler

New+Salem+3+Drawer+Accent+ChestNew Salem 3 Drawer Accent Chest

Porphyrion Console 2 Door Accent CabinetPorphyrion Console 2 Door Accent Cabinet

wallpaper-Atlanta-Homes-Lifestyles

Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles

Colefax Fowler Bowood

Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles

I do love a tranquil bedroom that is calm, cool and collected.

rose-lamp

This lamp is one of a pair that belonged to my grandmother.

The pair of vintage porcelain lamps in the Brannan Geary decorated bedroom inspired me to head to the Hopefully Classic storage closet to retrieve these vintage porcelain lamps with the express purpose of reintroducing into a calm, cool, and collected bedroom.

vintage-table-lamp-1

Tory-Burch-bedroom

Architectural Digest

master-bedrooms-cottage

Southern Living

master-bedrooms-lake

Southern Living

I hope you have a most fetching Friday and a lovely weekend- one that  presents an opportunity at the end of the day for you to retreat to and rest and relax in a tranquil bedroom.

love your style

Patriotic Pops: Happy 4th of July Celebration

Our 4th of July celebration finds me taking a few minutes between festivities to wish you all a Happy 4th of July while I enjoy a cup of tea and some quality keyboard time.

I love the lead up to the big celebration, but life, like decorating and design, is all about balance.

We’re about to get this patriotic pops party started in bing, bang, boom fashion, and I bet you are doing the same at your own Happy 4th of July celebration.

july celebration

Tradition rings red, white, and blue true in a patriotic color palette.

Variations and creative interpretations of the patriotic color palette allow for fresh takes, takes primed for impressing the eye of the new traditional loyal.

red white and blue paint colors

Drum up the drama and set off the visual fireworks in shades, hues and tones of regal reds, shades of white, and brilliant blues.

Fenwick-console-Oomph

Oomph ~ Design by Annie Anderson

A space defined, detailed, and draped in an updated interpretation of the classic red, white, and blue color scheme pops the color in new traditional style.

red-white-blue-fabricInside Fabric

blue-white-color-swirls-glass-table-lamp-set

Navy and White Color Swirls Glass Table Lamp (Set of 2)

Table-Lamp-with-Blue-Base-and-White-Shade

Artistic Weavers Gaselle Table Lamp with Blue Base and White Shade

If a space totally immersed in a patriotic color palette does not appeal to you, perhaps a spot accessory in red, white or blue is in order.

red-white-cabinets

Domino

Color as an accessory and/or focal point?

Yes, yes, and yes!

Kemble Interiors, Inc.Kemble Interiors, Inc.

Can’t find that special accent or accessory to bring the look home?

Construct it.

mid-century-italian-modern-blue-glazed-ceramic-sculptural-table-lamp

Mid-Century Italian Modern Blue Glazed Ceramic Sculptural Table Lamps

contemporary-lamp-shades

Don’t shy from purchasing a lamp(s) with a shade that does not float your boat or without a shade at all.

Celebrate your independence from the unremarkable, run-of-the-mill, and lackluster by creating a custom piece by replacing or purchasing a shade(s) suited to your taste, color preference and the canvas of the space.

Timothy GodboldTimothy Godbold

The color combination of red, white and blue is synonymous with regal grandeur.

Patriotic as well as impressive, the red, white, and blue color palette makes a bold design and home decor statement from floor to ceiling.

katie.ridder.inc.portfolio.interiors.foyer

Katie Ridder Inc.

Pop the color, say cheers to the American spirit, and savor the flavor on this Independence Day.

Place the spotlight on fun, an impressive party palette, and the snacks, the crackles and the pops that go with letting freedom ring.

I think that’s a simple yet spectacular recipe for party success!

Happy 4th of July!

Darleen-signature-love

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Color Love: Decorating With Red

Decorating with red puts a visually commanding spin on the pop of color wheel.

sonoma-ceramic-vases-red

Red draws the eye, envelopes a space in depth, and frames a focal point.

Pierre Frey Fabric

 Beauregard – Pierre Frey

Red is delicious, enticing and the color most associated with Valentine’s Day.

red-paint-colors-palette

It’s the perfect Valentine’s Day color match and palette connection.

red paints better homes and gardens

Better Homes and Gardens

Interior designer Miles Redd lets us in on the secret to decorating with the daring and delightful color combination pink and red.

miles-redd-pink-red-decor

Miles Redd – Architectural Digest

There’s red velvet…

mini-red-velvet-bundt-cakes-2-708x1024

Mini Red Velvet Bundt Cakes from Overtime Cook

and then there is red velvet.

decorating with redInside Fabric

red black setteePinterest

stool-federal

Interior Design by  Alessandra Branca for Kip Bays Showhouse 2015 as featured on Stylebeat by Marisa Marcantonio

emporium-home-horn-burst-chest-voutsa-lips-wallpaper-black-horn-chest

San Francisco Showhouse as featured on DecorPad

Immersed in or merely kissed by red, decorating with the color red fetchingly emphasizes the elements of elegance, sophistication and eye catching drama.

Voutsa-Background-Lips

Voutsa Lips Wallpaper 

Fornasetti tray

love art table lamp

Be still my !

How gorgeous is a traditional and not so traditional space so elegantly well-appointed in regal red?

Edgewater, Barrytown, New York, 1825. Classical American Homes Preservation Trust.

Pinterest

Donald RobertsonDonald Robertson – Domino

How do I love thee color, texture and pattern?

Let me count the ways with these chic wallcoverings.

crocodile textured wallpaper

An appropriate color of the day for the day at hand- decorating with red is in the spotlight.

♥♥♥love your style

DIY Dorm Room Decor Ideas

DIY dorm room decor ideas are on the project list for the pretty on a penny back-to-campus crowd.

wheat penniesFlickr

Back to campus condos, townhouses, apartments, and sorority house rooms and the furniture pieces that fill them need decor love too, and decor and DIY design class is in session.

dorm-room-LSU

Dorm decor is a study in ever-evolving styles and tastes.  Gone are the dorm days of cinder block bookcases and anything will do furnishings.

Thank goodness the old-school school of thought has taken a page from the book of back-to-campus DIY dorm room decor ideas.

Updates + Embellishments = Wow Factor

embellish

Appliques and decorative hardware go a long way in the fight against bland, and a can of gold spray paint or brass caster cups will color your world and furniture legs.

DIY-furniture-embellishmentsWhat You’ll Need:

  • screwdriver
  • decorative hardware
  • tape measure or ruler
  • rosette appliques- see directions below.
  • adhesive caulk
  • gold spray paint
  • brass caster cup

I highly recommended that you paint/finish our appliques before you install them.  Once installed, you can apply any necessary touch‐up paint/finish.

Clean installation surface and back of appliques of all dirt and dust with a clean cloth or sponge.  Make sure that the surface and the back of the applique are completely dry before attempting installation.

Measure and mark the location where the applique is going to be installed.  Lay the applique face down on a soft surface that will not scratch/dent the applique detail.

Apply a ½” bead of adhesive caulk all the way around  the back edge of the applique.  When pressing the applique up against the surface, some adhesive caulk will seep out.

Smooth excess caulk around the applique with a finger or the putty
knife and apply extra caulk that is needed to fill in any
gaps.  Wipe off any excess adhesive caulk with a sponge or damp rag.

MOPPE Mini storage chest, birch plywood

Moppe Mini Storage Chest

Emails delivered and detailing DIY dorm room decor ideas are the gift that keeps on giving.

Brittni Mehlhoff of the blog Paper & Stitch brilliantly shows us how she transformed a Moppe Mini Storage Chest from Ikea into a stylish sight to behold.

Click the link above to visit her post where she shows and tells us how to achieve the look.

faux-fur-fabrics

Added to the prime DIY project list is taking a vintage office chair found at your favorite thrift shop, yard sale, or curbside boutique and zhushing it up  with a DIY faux fur seat cushion.

vintage-used-green-leather-industrial-style-office-chair

Purchase an inexpensive chair pad and get to covering!

What You’ll Need:

  • chair cushion
  • scissors
  • faux fur fabric
  • permanent fabric adhesive

Using a tape measure, measure the length of the chair pad from top to bottom from each bottom edge.

Add 2-4 additional inches to the measurements allowing for the fold.

Most of the faux fur fabrics available at Fabric.com run 54-58 inches wide. Cut fabric to size.

My upholstering formula is not rocket science.

Place the fabric fur side down on a flat surface. Place the chair cushion on fabric.

Working with one-side-at-a-time, apply a line of fabric glue along the edge.

Gently fold the fabric up over side of chair cushion to desired tightness.

Fold corner (like wrapping a present) and continue with the one-side-at-a-time glue and fold technique.

Trim excess fabric from sides and corners and voilà!

Vegan-Leather-Mid-Back-Office-Chair-with-Arms-1 (1)

Take your desk chair transformation a DIY step further with a can of spray paint.

Jessen 1-Drawer White Nightstand

Jessen 1-Drawer White Nightstand

Decorative details take an inexpensive nightstand to luxe heights.

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Replace standard issue hardware with designer knobs and pulls and all that’s left to do is marvel at your masterpiece.

DIY-furniture-embellishments

Factory primed and ready for paint or faux finish molding rosettes make super chic decorative drawer front accents.

Lining drawers with stylish fabric or wallpaper lends a designer look.

Heron Print Wallpaper Gucci

Dorm room decorating days are here again.  Take a course in smart, savvy and stylish back to campus DIY.

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