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!

Rental Refresh Upgrades: The Comforts of Home

Pulling back the reins on major decorative and design improvements to a rental is a financially sound practice if you are not renting to own, making improvements to the property in return for rent credit or taking up residency for the long haul.

Dave the Builder and I completely overhauled, remodeled, refreshed and spiffed up our first home, a darling mid-century cottage lease purchase property.

first-house

I loved the bones of the house, but the decor stood still somewhere in the 1950s.

In the beginning we remodeled and refreshed for the comforts of home sake with caution, choosing to update through lighting and color.

I cannot beat the color drum enough- it really is the most bang for your buck way to infuse style into a home.

kitchen_melissa-leeLove, love, love!  Design Sponge

rental-kitchen-color-palette

In the case of our son’s rental home, the kitchen is small but workable in regards to design, function and affordable possibilities.

Presently, the walls are painted red and the cabinets are white laminate with oak trim 1980s throwbacks.

You know the ones!

Dave the Builder and I scrimped, saved and sacrificed to remodel the kitchen in our first house.

We thought this style of kitchen cabinet was the bee’s knees, and according to the kitchen design magazines and showrooms a whole lot of other people did too!

home-designHouzz

Millennials love retro, and although everything old eventually becomes a new trend again, the dated oak trim will be modified with paint and new cabinet pulls added.

Since replacing the cabinets is cost prohibitive laminate it is!

As I explained to our son the pros of laminate cabinet fronts and countertops, he came around to the practicality of keeping the original cabinets in play.

Laminate is a very forgiving surface to work with.

The upkeep is minimal, and that works in any kitchen.

No need to throw the baby out with the bath water.

The Comforts of Home

Strategic pops of color and an accessories mix of warm metals with a modern spin will complement the neutral paint palette and introduce that new kitchen look.

rental-master-bedroom-paint

Please excuse the poor quality of these images.

The combination of bad lighting and a cell phone camera gets you a color distorted photo.

The master bedroom walls are painted with Benjamin Moore’s Museum Piece.

The color in the above image is no where near the true color that is Museum Piece, so to my sources I go for an image that does capture the true color.

BM-museum-piece-framedBenjamin Moore

Great color choice!

BM-muesum-piece-wallsBenjamin Moore PSP-Museum Piece ~ Renae Keller Interior Design, Inc.

Master bedroom furnishings and accessories with a hint of Louisiana coastal chic will literally offer the comforts of home.

rental-master-bedroom

Final suggestions for decor accessories and furnishings lean toward DIY chic projects, hacks and thrifted treasures.

His fiancée scored a great coffee table and reinterpreted the style with paint and embellishments.

Our style council agreed a chic credenza with a mid-century interpretation will mix things up like a dry martini.

“By acquiring all of your furniture from different eras and places and things that are expensive and inexpensive, it will make your end product have a great spirit.”

Kelly Wearstler

A fantastic period piece in great condition that comes with the extra added bonus of a quality finish, impressive lines, scale and focal point presence to die for is out there, and a can of Johnson paste wax and a soft cloth will put the period at the end of the very stylish and on-trend sentence.

modern-barDomino

I will end this post with an observation from my earlier Rental Refresh Upgrades post.

Does it makes sense and cent$ to make updates and improvements to a rental property?

Absolutely!

Focus less on the fact your new residence is a rental and more on the fact that your new residence is where you call home.

All things house that make a home come together to make the out of your own pocket rental refresh upgrades worth it in the name of the comforts of home, convenience and personal style.

Love your style!

Currently Catching My Eye

Sourcing and sightings of home decor accents is all in a day’s work and I love it!

When I started Places In The Home my objective was simple: to design an all things house that make a home show and tell, a sharing collective of knowledge and experience of interior decorating, home furnishings, decorative accents, home decor where to finds and gotta have it lists.

Four years later, I continue to be excited and inspired to show and tell you about items currently catching my eye.

Serena and LilySerena and Lily via Domino

The Riviera stool from Serena and Lily is currently catching my eye in a big way.

Great choice for a statement piece desk chair.

chart-house-sloane-3-light-shop-light-3-light-linear-island-pendantDuneier Design via DecorPad

The lines, pattern and form of the Riviera stool delivers style at work and style at home.

Watkins-room-freshener

J. R. Watkins Coconut Room Freshener smells like summer at the beach.

A spritz or two of this tropical delight coconut scented room freshener is all it takes to infuse the space with a light coconut scent so refreshing you’ll be inclined to light the Tiki torches, turn up the calypso music and whip up a blender full of Piña Coladas.

I am coconuts for this stuff!

Birch-Lane-Conch-Magazine-Basket-PCGM2246

Seaside-inspired and stylish storage approved.

I am “digging” this Conch Magazine Basket from Birch Lane.

chest-brass-corner-brace-hardwareGlitter Guide

D I Why yes, I can do this!

Three or four drawer chests are just a thrift store, flea market or curbside boutique visit away.

 For the retail fortunate, check out your nearest IKEA and the Rast 3 drawer chest.  At $34.99 + tax  it’s a bargain.

For the rest of us, I say add this baby into your online shopping cart and justify the shipping cost with my logic.

I couldn’t drive to Houston (closet IKEA) for $10 (the shipping cost).

Makes cent$.

Decorative hardware dresses the look, and a couple of coats of black paint adds the essential touch of drama.

cabinet-pulls

Behr-pure-black-paint

Now comes the disclosure portion of this post.

Disclosure: As it in life and disclosure policy compliance with FTC rules, honesty is the best policy. This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one of the product links and make a purchase from the retailer, I receive a commission from the sale. To read the entire policy in full (fun, fun) please read my disclosure page.

Blue and white porcelain is classic chic.

Eye spy these Tang blue and white salt and pepper shakers as a summer soiree hostess gift idea.

blue-white-salt-pepper-shakersPier 1

May I suggest for your summer reading pleasure.

40-years-of-fabulous

Currently Catching My Eye

currently catching my eye

love signature

 

Fourth of July Inspired

Traditional colors in true Fourth of July inspired glory are waving proud and sitting pretty in a red, white and blue color parade this week.

4th-of-July-color-palette-1

Traditional Fourth of July celebration fare, fireworks after dark, pops in the park-with all the pre 4th of July party, project and menu planning at Places in the Home, things are getting pretty busy around here.  I figure it’s the same at your places in the home, too.

signing-of-the-declaration-of-independence

Having fun is a lot of work!

When time allows, I invite you to scroll through these red, white and blue Fourth of July inspired images for star-spangled inspiration.

American-Federalist-Interior-Design-Style

1stDibs- Kelee Katillac – Photography by Aaron Leimkuehler

No political agenda, opinions or talking points- just pretty Fourth of July inspired pictures decked out in a patriotic pop of color palette and federal finery.

fourth-of-july-inspiredFOLK

farmhouse-entry-stairs

1stDibs – JAM Architecture – Photography by Gieves Anderson

Sean Litchfield beach style bedroomSean Litchfield Photography

George-Washington-art

1stDibs

102594710_w

federal-eagle-table-bottom

Domino

The eagle has landed and is in need of a cocktail.

federal-chandelier (1)

12 Light Chandelier by Minka Metropolitan

This regal antique piece is a golden choice for focal point functionality.

eagle-console-table

Impressive 19th Century Italian Walnut Wall Table
CERA USA Bicentennial Highball Glasses

Regency-eagle-convex-mirror Regency Eagle Convex Antique Gold Decorative Mirror

Lauren Ralph Lauren Camille Traditional Medallion Rug Fringe

Lauren Ralph Lauren Camille Traditional Medallion Rug Fringe

Artistic Weavers Adenia Vintage Medallion Printed Area Rug

Artistic Weavers Adenia Vintage Medallion Printed Area Rug

deep-sea-fish-on-wall

My Domaine

red-white-blue-dining-room-Lonny-magazine

Lonny

Darleen-signature-love

Louisiana Distinctive Style and Taste Odyssey

Unique best describes our boot shaped state as Louisiana excels in taking the senses on a distinctive style and taste odyssey.

alligator print fabric

Telltale (or should I say telltail) signs of the Louisiana influence is evident  upon tables, walls, and plates, and vice versa.

Tray Top Figurine End Table

Tray Top Figurine End Table

tortoise-pattern-decor-accents

Antique Gold Crocodile Sculpture

Antique Gold Crocodile Sculpture

Good taste through decor and plate is native to our Louisiana lagniappe appeal.

fried-alligator-CochonCochon’s Fried Alligator with Chili Garlic Mayonnaise

pink-entrywayDomino

Gallery walls adorned in details and turtle shells inspire the palette of color and the palate of taste.

Turtle Shell Decoration

Turtle Shell Decoration

Straight from page 71 in the 1967 edition of the Talk About Good cookbook by members of the Lafayette Junior League, their relatives and friends is Mrs. Helen M. Hayes Turtle Soup II recipe.

talk about good cookbook

Talk about good!

talk-about-good-cook-book-turtle-soup-recipeTurtle Soup II  Monteleone

sea-creature-casserole (1)

Louisiana-paint-colors

Paint colors names spices a Louisiana flavored color palette takes the eye on a distinctive style and taste odyssey.

seafood-paint-colors1Cajun Shrimp ~ Lemon Twist ~ Sea Salt

Salted Roasted Shrimp

Ingredients
3  cups kosher salt
2  pounds head-on unpeeled large shrimp
Lemon wedges

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°.  On a large rimmed baking sheet, add salt in an even layer.  Bake 10 minutes.  Remove ½ cup salt and reserve.  Arrange shrimp evenly over hot salt; sprinkle with ½ cup reserved hot salt.

Cover tightly with foil.  Bake just until shrimp turn pink, 6 to 8 minutes. Discard excess salt.  Place shrimp on a serving platter; squeeze lemon over shrimp.

Louisiana Cookin’

C’est si bon!

Darleen-signature-love

Freshening Things Up: The Decorative Oomph

The decorative oomph, the parallels between writing about interior design and decorating, and working with interior design and decorating aren’t as different as you may think.

At least four times a year I go back into the blog dashboard and select blocks of posts to reread for the sake of relevancy.

I look at my foundation design and decorating advice as the good bones of the post and keep it squarely in place.

Images and sources aka the accent pieces of the post are what’s up for creative and decorating reconsideration.

Freshening things up applies to design and decor everything.

When you get down to it, do we, as decoristas, ever really place the period at the end of the design and decorating sentence?

A comma perhaps, but never a period.

New seasons, new reasons, and new phases of decorating life bring about new ideas and arrangements.

If interior design, decorating and fashion magazines churned out dated and tired information it would be time to cancel the subscription.

My mother-in-law taught by example the importance of rearranging, re-positioning, and refreshing the look of a space in order to achieve a very important element of design and decorating, the decorative oomph.

the decorative oomphTraditional Home

“It is always the simple
that produces the marvelous.”

—Amelia Barr

Now, I’m not suggesting a costly and/or timely undertaking.  What I’m talking about is applying the principle of musical chairs.

There are several definitions for the term, and the confusing, rapid and all over the place definition does not apply here.

What I’m referring to is this:

musical chairs

noun

• a series of changes or exchanges of position

An affordable solution to the decorative doldrums is to rearrange and redistribute items.

Some of my best moves, decoratively speaking, have come about from actually sitting still long enough in the space and studying the entire contents of the room.

Sit down.

Look at the accents, art, accessories, etc…

Identify decorative accents ripe for the let’s move this to another spot picking.

Do items deliver a different look from one position or visual level than another?

Do you notice the decorative oomph?

gold-coffee-table-styledPinterest

I bet there’s not a single one of us who hasn’t moved this over here and that over there at one time or another, often with a “that looks so much better there” result.

I call these design and decorating V8 moments.

double-socket-lamps

Antiques auctions provided Hopefully Classic and Places In The Home with a rotating inventory.

There was a whole lot of updating going on at the shop and at the house.

Good and stylish times.

Like a moth to a flame, my eyes and bid card would lock on decorative lamps in need of TLC- total lighting care.

white-pink-light-bulbs

Rewired and ready for double decorative duty as part accent, part task lighting, these double socket treasures would be fitted with one soft white light bulb and one soft pink light bulb.

The result is visually pleasing and creates a surprisingly balanced look- the decorative oomph.

the-decorative-oomph

 

Is this piece new?

No.  It was in the __________.

As a frequent player of the musical home decor game, I have been asked that question or a variation of it a couple of hundred times.

 It seems the biggest decorative impact is made when I move art around.

FARRAGOZ gold art

FARRAGOZ

A quick rearrange of a gallery grouping or swap around is as near an instant response of is that new that I can guarantee.

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

Art Print Blue Interior – Blue Chairs by David Lloyd

Behind almost every piece of art in this house is a positive testimony to the wonder of nail hole filler.

Here’s a tip: fill in a small nail hole(s) with white toothpaste.

We’ve been doing this for years, and it works like a charm!

Incorporate the decorative oomph into a space by executing a series of changes or exchanges of position.

It’s a great way to rejuvenate the look, feel and personality of the space, and an easy way to balance the scales of space and design on a dime.

Love your style!

Fabric Color, Pattern and Trim: By The Numbers

Old Man Winter has dropped his bags at the front door for an extended stay, but a fabric color, pattern and trim pick-me-up provides all the decorative lagniappe necessary to lift a decorative spirit out of the winter doldrums.

Mardi Gras and the calls of Throw Me Something, Mister ring thick in the mild Louisiana winter air, taking the sting out of the fact we’ve got a ways to go before spring, sprang and sprung of spring.

With the word throw being the star of the Mardi Gras Carnival parades, and bright, bold and anything but boring color draping the entire state in pops of party shades, color me inspired.

casual-living-magazine

Decorative throw pillows remain a great choice of decorative accent for instant and affordable pop of color, pattern and trim.

The colors, pattern and fabric durability of outdoor fabrics are making the transition to indoor home decor accents.

Recently I came across a very informative feature by Stephanie Nickell in Casual Living Magazine.

Exclusive to Casual Living Magazine, the 2015 Fabrics Survey shows fabric color, pattern and trim choices projected to be the best sellers for 2015 by outdoor retailers and designers who responded to the survey.

Categories include cushions, slings, decorative pillows and trim predictions with percentage comparisons between the 2014 and 2015 results listed.

Let’s take a look at the numbers in the 2015 preferred pillow colors category.

fabric color, Pattern and Trim

decorative-pillow-color-favorites-2

decorative-pillow-favorites-3

Interesting predictions.

In what category do you find your preferred fabric color, pattern and trim choice in?

Love your style!