Spring is in the air....

...even though it might be snowing. There is a hint of spring in the air in my house, at least. While I took down the holiday decorations in January I contemplated the post-Christmas/still-winter decor, particularly on the mantle.

I used a couple of branches of these silver berries and just placed them on across the mantel in no specific manner. And then I interspersed 2 votives randomly.

 

Honestly, I had no flowers on here for a while but taller votives. Last weekend I was entertaining and I went in search of some color to herald the coming of spring - soon, I hope. I needed some florals for my dining table, too.

I found gorgeous African roses at the local Trader Joe's in shades of orange and fuchsia which I decided to use together.

I cut them down to fit in my spray-painted Salvation Army glasses now used as vases. This is what the 7" glasses looked like when I first bought them.

 

After some gold spray paint.
 

 

This works in my love for the silver-gold color combination.

 

The day after my party I moved the flowers from the dining room to the coffee table. They were perfect in my recycled salsa and preserves jars with some clear gems for sparkle.

 

A simple arrangement, beautiful pop of color.
I removed all leaves below the rims of the containers and left a few above for some green.
 

 

 

 

This is what I am enjoying in my home today even we have yet another snow day and schools are closed yet again.

 

Tomorrow promises to be in the 50s!

 

If you require any help with Interior Decorating please click on the tab at the top of my page marked 'Services' or click here for further details.

 

I would love for you to leave a comment. Thank you for stopping by; please do check back often.

Painting a tween room: color update

In my last post I shared a design board for my younger daughter's room. Now a tween, her room needed an update. Repainting the walls was the easiest and most budget-friendly way. That was all she wanted, anyway. She was pushing for a shade of purple; the louder the better. I wanted something more mauve or a darker lilac.

We tackled the project this past weekend. I have some touching up still to do and of course, the cleaning up. Here is a peek.

The color we settled on was Benjamin Moore's Hazy Lilac.

 

 

After buying a sample and testing it on the walls I had initially decided to lighten the color by 50%. I also decided to use Home Depot's BEHR Premium Plus Ultra (paint and primer in one) in order to keep this budget friendly. By computer, the store is able to match and lighten or darken colors to other brands based on the formula.

 

Somehow, perhaps because it was a busy afternoon when I visited Home Depot last week, I came away with the original shade of Hazy Lilac. It was not lightened. I chose to use the color anyway. It had been my daughter's original #1 choice.

 

I love how it looks and more importantly, so does my daughter.

 

Of course, we removed the tree wall stickers from the walls before painting.

 

 

These are the stickers she chose to save and reuse in the newly painted room. They were easy to remove.

 

 

 

Her favorites are the owls, the porcupine, birds, a few flowers and leaves. Where they will go is yet to be determined.

 

Over the next couple of days I will put the room back together. There are a couple of elements that will need a little time to be worked on.

 

It sets off the floral chandelier beautifully.

This is before.

 

 

And now.

 

 

This is a great color for a tween/teen. Fresh and modern and girlish. I love the contrast with the white trim. It will work well with the other elements in the room. 

Click here to see the design board for this room.
 

I shall be back with more updates.
 

If you require any help with Interior Decorating please click on the tab at the top of my page marked 'Services' or click here for further details.

I would love for you to leave a comment. Thank you for stopping by; please do check back often.

 

Please Note: I have not been compensated in any way by the owners of this shop. The views and opinions expressed in this post are solely mine and are based on my experience with the shop and on my purchase of products.

 

Updating A Girl's Room - Design Boards

If I had created a basic design board for my youngest daughter's room a few years ago, this is what it might have looked like. She was about 8 years old then.

 

Source List: 

1. Scroll Tree Wall Stickers - Wall Sticker Outlet

2. Bed by Young America - local furniture store

3. Dresser and mirror - the same store above

4. Table lamp - PB teen

5. Kids' artwork inspired by Maria Carluccio - made by my kids

6. Curtains - west elm

7. Bed linen - PB teen

8. Paper table lamp - PB teen

9. Jenny Lind night stand - Land of Nod

10. Desk and hutch - local store

11. Blue Bayou - Benjamin Moore

12. Shag carpet tile - Flor

13. Bean bag - Pier 1

14. Bungee Office chair - The Container Store

 (Please note - Some of the items listed above are no longer available).

 

The room used to be my study. Blue Bayou by Benjamin Moore was already on the walls. When she moved to that room we kept  the color and worked with it to bring in additional colors and pieces which she was excited about. We already had the bed.

Now she is 11. It is time for an easy update with a reconfiguration of the same furniture. I strongly believe in the power of paint to transform a room. She is into shades of purple - the medium tones.

 

There is a purple in the linen as well as the chandelier. This color will also go well with the golden yellow curtains from west elm. The butterfly artwork done by the girls will tie in beautifully.

 This would be the design board with the new plan for the room.

 

Changes to Source List:

1. The Tree wall sticker will be "edited" - we shall keep the owls and some of the other cute animals but not the whole tree.

5. The artwork done by the kids in a Maria Carluccio style.

11. The new wall color from the 3 below.

 

 

 

 

(The bean bag has been removed so #13 is the Bungee Office Chair from The Container Store).

 

The furniture has been reconfigured and the room looks bigger than before. That will be shared in time. The next step is to paint samples of the 3 shortlisted colors (above) on the walls and pick one.

 

As you can see, this is no major overhaul. In a couple of years, she might want something different. A new paint color on the walls is the easiest and most cost-effective way to update and to change the look and feel of a space. And yes, a new layout of the furniture, if possible, works wonders, too.

 

I hope you have a wonderful weekend and if you, like us, are heading into inclement weather, stay safe and warm.

 

If you require any help with Interior Decorating please click on the tab at the top of my page marked 'Services' or click here for further details.

 

I would love for you to leave a comment. Thank you for stopping by; please do check back often.

 

Creative and inspiring kids' rooms

While I consider what I might do to redecorate my youngest daughter's room, I have been looking at some truly inspiring pictures to see what others have done.

 

Creating a child's room, whatever the age, should be about allowing one's imagination and perhaps that of the child, to run wild. This is where they will spend time relaxing, perhaps doing homework, reading, dreaming, tapping into their individual creativity. It should reflect their personality. If you can, give them what they want.

 

 

via

 

 

 

via

 

 

 

via

 

 



 

via

 

 

 

via

 

 

via

 

 

 

via

 

 

 

 

Lonny.com

 

 

 

via

 

 

 

via

 

 

via

 

 

 

Lonny.com

 

 

I love all of these - the color, the artwork, the imagination. For such a space I believe there should be no rules in terms of designing. Are you inspired?

 

I will share further details of our room makeover next week.

 

Enjoy your weekend! Where did January go, I ask!

 

If you require any help with Interior Decorating please click on the tab at the top of my page marked 'Services' or click here for further details.

 

I would love for you to leave a comment. Thank you for stopping by; please do check back often.

House and Garden's Top Rooms

Today I am sharing some of my favorite rooms listed among the top 50 rooms according to Australia's House and Garden.

 

My choices here are centered around these factors for the most part - gorgeous natural light, indoor-outdoor spaces, unexpected architectural details, contrasts, colors that are bold and stunning, a feeling of comfort and in some cases a fun element.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do you have one favorite or would it be tough to choose? To see all 50 rooms go to House and Garden.

 

If you require any help with Interior Decorating please click on the tab at the top of my page marked 'Services' or click here for further details.

 

I would love for you to leave a comment. Thank you for stopping by; please do check back often.