30 November 2011

room of the week: white and red holidays

Isn't this an interesting kitchen? It is so simple and and casual, yet with a bit of an elegant feel as well. The marble floor and traditional dining table make it feel upscale, but the lack of upper cabinets, simple chandelier and plain white walls bring it back to being a modern but casual family kitchen. The wood cabinets look like they could have been original to the home and reused, and those big windows that extend all the way to down to the counter are amazing!

Southern Living

28 November 2011

best budget holiday decorating ideas

Wow, there are a lot of great holiday decoration ideas found on the web that really make it easy to get festive on a budget. Here's a roundup of the best christmas crafts and upcycled or natural holiday decor ideas. 

button ornament
globe snowmen
post-it-tree
felt napkin ring

felt holiday balls
yarn tree

pipe cleaner snowflakes
paper trees
wool garland
tissue ornaments
stick trees
Happy holiday crafting everyone! 

26 November 2011

find it: innovative eco-chic home design products

A few innovative new products to make your home eco-chic and sustainable. 

 These tilt-turn low-E window doors by Gautschi allow for cross-ventilation and lots of light. Via Dwell.

 Living walls are becoming trendy and improving indoor air quality in homes and businesses. Source.

 Eco-leaf solar shades capture solar energy and add light. Via Inhabitat.com.


25 November 2011

guest posting on decor happy

I am very happy to be guest posting today over at decor happy.


Vanessa was kind enough to have me on to talk about one of the easiest ways to sustainably decorate your home: reusing, reclaiming and re-purposing. Head over there to take a look, and check out the rest of her dynamite blog for loads of design inspiration while you are there. 

Elle Decor

24 November 2011

room of the week: Brazilian modern rustic

I swooned when I saw this Brazilian kitchen in Architectural Digest. It's so modern and sleek, yet the materials are natural and warm. So inviting, even I would want to cook! Well, maybe just sit at that rustic table and watch someone else cook...


21 November 2011

the new modern rustic

I'm a country girl at heart. So even though I currently live in a condo in the city, I still love the rustic look. There are some great ways to go rustic but still stay modern and urban too. Take a look at these uses of reclaimed wood, stone and other natural materials to create stylish modern rustic designs.
Jill Kantelberg via House and Home
via House and Home

via Homes Etc.
via notebookmagazine.com
via Elle Decor
Martha Stewart
Brooklyn Home Co. via Design Sponge
And for even more modern rustic inspiration, go to: cabin fever


18 November 2011

room of the week: bright and bold

This Manhattan living room of designer Sig Bergamin is chock-full of patterns and colours that create such a cozy feel I want to hibernate in here all winter long.  



17 November 2011

i'm obsessed with...paisley

I had a pretty pink paisley dress when I was little that I adored. Ever since then I've had a weakness for this romantic and timeless droplet-shaped motif.

using paisley in interior decor
via
via 

via
all about paisley for decorating
via
paisley in interior design
source
Pottery Barn

Below are some nice fabrics all from fabric.com.







And this one at JB Quilting Fabrics.


And a couple of bold-coloured paisley prints from housefabric.com.



And finally this wallpaper from walldecorsource.com.


So what do you think? Are you a paisley person too?


15 November 2011

small mudroom solutions for winter

It's coming: snow-slush-boots-coats-chaos-in-the-entryway-season. To those like me who aren't lucky enough to have a proper mudroom: it's time to organize our small entryways and allow them to become the small clutter-free mudrooms they yearn to be. A little work now can save a lot of hassle and mopping later. 

via Desire to Inspire
Some key elements:

1. A mat outside the door and a nice natural-fibre one inside that will protect the floor from getting wet and also look nice and define the "entry/mudroom" area. 

via pinterest
2. A place to sit and take off and put boots is a must. A bench, one or two chairs or a built-in seat all work. Utilize the space under it for bins, doggie stuff or boots. 

via Design Sponge
small mudroom solutions for winter
Domestically-Speaking
3. A row of pegs encourages family members to hang up coats and bags. A lower row for kids makes it easy and doubles your hanging space. 

Martha Stewart
4. Vertical storage solutions take advantage of the space up high for hats, mitts and gadgets for the full-height people in your home.  If you don't have a lot of floor space, cubbyhole wall units are even great for shoes and boots.

vertical shoe storage in small entrway; mudroom
via
via Apartment Therapy
5. A mirror in the entryway allows everyone to make sure their hat looks cute without having to run back into the bathroom with boots on.

small entryway with mirror
Pottery Barn

6. Hooks are useful in even the smallest of spaces to hold bags, scarves and umbrellas. 
Organize Anything
7. Boxes, baskets and bins are your best friend. Try to have one for each family member for hats, mitts, scarves, sunglasses, etc. Also, keep extra socks and slippers in there to warm the toes after taking off wet boots. 

Martha Stewart

There you have it. Not too difficult - a weekend project can get you all set for a season's worth of fewer hassles. Worth it, right?