Paint Chip Inspiration

I guess I fell in love with the first color scheme in my previous post because it inspired me to create the basis of a lovely sitting room. This was the first actual "Room Board" that I've ever done so though it took me a while I'm pretty proud of the result. 

From Color Inspiration:

{Paint Color & Names: Martha Stewart Living}

To Glamorous Living Room:

 

Playing with Paint

One of my favorite things to do when I was little and hanging around Home Depot while my father shopped for something or other was to go pick out paint chips of my favorite colors to take home. I would spend hours mixing and matching them together. I still find little caches of paint chips all over my parents' house. I've recently been enamored with Martha Stewart's paint collection available at Home Depot. The colors are glorious and the names are fantastic. In my next life can I be a color namer? Here are some of my favorite combos:

{All color images and names belong to Martha Stewart Living}

The Comeback Kid

I have long admired the beauty of cameo jewelry. I always tend to linger over cases filled with cameos at antique shows and vintage markets and consider them to be superb heirloom pieces. However, like all heirloom jewelry at some point or another, they were considered too old fashion and many were consigned to the backs of jewelry boxes or sold at estate sales. I've collected some cameo pieces over the years, real and paste, and so did a little happy dance when I started seeing them pop-up in fashion magazines recently.

   Vintage brooch, $42

   Tagliamonte gold ring, $838

   Del Gatto gold ring, $282

   Del Gatto agate cameo pendant, $495

   Cameo stud earring, $22

   Del Gatto cameo pendant, $315

   Ippolita cameo pendant, $1,395

   Pink earring, $37

   Del Gatto cameo pendant, $175

   Del Gatto agate cameo pendant, $235

   Julie Wolfe teardrop earring, $1,220

   Del gatto, $164

Kitchen Lust

Kitchens have been on my mind for a bit. Perhaps this is due to the fact that I LOATH my tiny, dark galley kitchen. I know it's a strong word but that's how I feel about the garish moldy green paint color, the cheap, cherry cabinets and the brown and charcoal fake-granite countertop. Oh, and the extreme lack of prep space. I try to spend as little time as possible in there even though I enjoy cooking, le sigh. With this in mind, is it any wonder that I constantly clip images of kitchens I'd like to spend time in?

{Julian Wasskot via House Beautiful}

Very French bistro with a side of Nantucket thrown in the mix. Crazy for the blue subway tiled wall.

{Victoria Pearson via House Beautiful}

Loving how the industrial elements (lights, hood and restaurant grade appliances) contrast with the more traditional oriental rug and bright red chairs. 

{Living Etc.}

Streamlined and modern with a funky twist - those copper pendants are beyond gorgeous. 

{Pinterest}

I love everything about this kitchen - the natural wood, the white counters, the open shelving and especially that gorgeous blue patterned tile!

{James Carriere via House Beautiful}

This kitchen is reminiscent of the below stairs kitchens of the 19th and early 20th centuries. How fun is the antique replica range and oven in its own tiled niche?

{Michael Graydon via Canadian House & Home}

I'm usually drawn to brighter and lighter spaces but there's this romantic gothic feel happening in this kitchen. I approve.

{William Abranowicz via House Beautiful}

The unfinished wood brings nature inside this streamlined kitchen. Very clean and fresh, would love to vacation there!

{Don Freeman via House Beautiful :: Pinterest}

Cute and bright cottage kitchen.

Grey cabinets + yellow pops of color = love.

{Michael Graydon via Canadian House and Home :: Pinterest}

Black and white bliss. 

{Homes and Gardens}

This kitchen makes me grin from ear to ear! The high ceilings are phenomenal especially combined with the open shelving...and those great spring green garden chairs pulled up to the white farmers table.

{Pinterest}

Glamourous and eccentric accents, though the taxidermy peacock freaks me out. 

French country chic - this kitchen definitely belongs to a home with a vegetable garden.

{Ngoc Minh Ngo via House Beautiful}

I spy Jonathan Adler accessories all over this kitchen...

{Pinterest}

I just like it, that is all.

{Domino Magazine}

Mary McDonald loveliness...that wallpaper is killer. 

{Domino Magazine}

Even though this kitchen is teeny tiny {and thus would make me pull out my hair} I couldn't resist sharing this amazing turquoise color. 

Apartment Crush: Rashida Jones

Just as I've been going "shopping" in my closet these days I did a little "shopping" on my hard drive and discovered a plethora of images that I grabbed off Domino Magazine's website before it went bust. I found these images from a before and after feature of Rashida Jone's NYC studio apartment. I'm loving the blue and magenta theme and the clever use of space in this compact flat. 

Adoring that vintage oriental rug especially paired with that oversized leather chair. 

{Images via Domino Magazine}

A Perfect Work Space II

This week's work space is a gorgeous home office spruced up with equestrian style. If we could see the view from the window I'm fairly certain of seeing a lush green landscape studded here and there with grazing and lazing horses. 

A fairly muted pallet is enhanced by vibrantly colored accessories such as the orange throw and the vintage show ribbons decorating the built-ins and the desk lamp. I'm also loving the use of bronze equine sculpture and miscellaneous bits of tack here and there. How funky is that farmer's table with the "booted" leg? For some reason every time I see it the phrase "peg leg" pops into my brain...

{Image by Robin Stubbert via Style at Home}

Ode to Undecorating

I read a wonderful WSJ article, The Rise of the Personal, in Saturday's paper in which contributor Katie Roiphe reviews Christiane Lemieux's first book Undecorate: The No Rules Approach to Interior Design and explains the newest interior design concept which turns the average DIY-er into their very own interior stylist. Here is a snippet but please click the link above to read the article in its entirety and view the accompanying photographs.

{Amazon}

"...even those hardened cynics will have to admit that they would rather go to a dinner party at one of the splashy, inviting, inventive houses featured in "Undecorate" than step into one of the daunting interiors on the cover of Architectural Digest, where you are very likely to be quizzed on obscure Renaissance artists and will almost definitely spill red wine on the impeccable expanse of white couch."

 -Katie Roiphe

Also be sure to check out Christiane's book for more inspiring, amazing and enviable interior spaces. I read mine cover to cover instead of simply gazing at the pictures. It's a fantastic addition to any design library or coffee table book collection!

For Like Ever

I keep seeing this poster everywhere - in magazines, in books and on the internet - and I've decided that I must have it. I have just the place for it too! There's something about bold, graphic prints like this one that I've been drawn to lately. Makes me wish I had the graphic design know how to create my own wall art...oh CS5 why are you so expensive!

{Image via Domino Magazine}

I love the way this modern graphic plays off the detailing of the fireplace. This has to be my favorite setting that I've seen so far!

{Images via Apartment Therapy & Pinterest}

Perfect as well in the mid-century modern home...as well as in a serene bedroom. 

{Image via Pinterest}

Or paired with some porceline pups and fresh flowers. It's so completely versatile.

Happy Monday!

                  Source: flickr.com via Sue on Pinterest

There are two ways of spreading light; to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.

Edith Wharton

Jonathan Adler Animalia

I was helping one of my dear friends source a wedding gift yesterday and encountered the ceramic menagerie created by Jonathan Adler. Some immediately went on the "Potential House Warming Gift" list {get ready my fun loving friends} others were just amusing...I adore Adler's quirky sense of style! I also covet almost every single piece in his furniture line but back to ceramic animals:

{Peacock Lollipop Holder}

This is what made me sit up and pay attention! What possible use can this have in a home? Maybe for someone who REALLY enjoys lollipops. I find this very strange. Could is be used as a stem vase?

{Medium Gold Bird Bowl}

My first reaction to this gold bird bowl was this is kind of weird. And then it turned into I kind of really want one. I think it would be great as a catch all on an entryway table or to hold things on a desk!

{Medium Jade Bird Bowl}

 And then I found out it came in this killer jade green color too. 

Now I can't decide which I want more, le sigh. 

{Dachshund Bowl}

 Ummm, I think Dachshunds are cute and all but really? When I was in the JA store the other day I heard the sales person tell a customer that some people bought this to use on desks for paper clips, post its, etc. Can you imagine being in an interview or speaking with your boss and this was on his/her desk?

{Giant Horse Bowl}

Those who know me will think I've included this just for the heck of it, I'm a bit horse mad you see. However, I genuinely enjoyed the eastern lines of this piece. It reminds me of the ceramic horses you see in museums' Asian art galleries. 

{Animal Bottle Stoppers}

These are so adorable and practical. I'm not very good at opening wine bottles {I blame the pos corkscrew I own} so I need one of these. I'm thinking the bird even though I really don't like birds I seem to be fixated on them today...

{Utopia Elephant Mug}

I think I want one of these too? 

Maybe for coffee? Maybe to keep writing instruments contained on my desk?

{Whale Pitcher}

I've been looking for a whale pitcher forever!


{Images via Jonathan Adler}