On The Bookshelf: New Design & Entertaining Books

June 30, 2016

The Atlanta Gift and Home Furnishings market is just a few weeks away and that always signals new design books in my mind. During market, I always make it point to visit my favorite book publishers to see the new releases in persona. Here are just a few of the new titles I can’t wait to get a look at.

NEW DESIGN & ENTERTAINING BOOKS, 2016

♦♦

Beautiful by Mark D. Sikes

The first book from interior designer Mark D. Sikes is a celebration of American style today, showcasing chic and accessible ideas for every home. Release date Sept. 20th.

♦♦

Domino–Your Guide To A Stylish Home

Your Guide to a Stylish Home provides a trusted filter, using the friendly and authoritative voice of domino to teach readers about attainable, stylish design and how to make it uniquely your own. Release date Nov. 15th

♦♦

Life Unstyled

Life Unstyled is about taking inspiration from real homes that are beautiful, creative and inspiring but at the same time a little rough around the edges, with signs of everyday life evident throughout. Release date Sept. 8th

♦♦

Vern Yip Design Wise

Vern introduces his “design by the numbers” approach, revealing the optimal measurements that are integral to making a room feel “right. Whether it’s a laid-back Florida cottage, a small Manhattan apartment, or a traditional family home in Atlanta, Vern’s key design principles will make any house a true home. Release date Sept. 13th

♦♦

A House by The Sea–Bunny Williams

Her new book invites readers to explore La Colina, Williams’s lovely Caribbean retreat tucked into lush, tropical gardens by the sea. The book explores every facet of the property—from outdoor rooms and garden plantings and design to the delightful, island-living luxury of the villa’s interiors, furnishings, and collections. Releases date Sept. 13th

♦♦

Decorate for a Party

A unique collaboration between international bestselling interiors author Holly Becker of the decor8 blog and Leslie Shewring of acreativemint.com, this book is packed full of ideas for all types of parties, gatherings and events. Release date Sept. 13th

♦♦

Kathryn At Home: A Guide to Simple Entertaining

In an elegant scrapbook style, she shares her notes and advice on entertaining, particularly outdoors. Join Kathryn and her talented friend Ithaka for a breakfast, lunchtime picnics, a candlelight dinner, afternoon tea, a barbecue, and a wedding―all interlaced with signature Kathryn M. Ireland fabrics. Release date July 19th

♦♦

Christmas At Designers’ Homes Across America

This treasure trove showcases one-of-a-kind holiday ideas from some of the nation’s most talented interior designers, who share not only their aesthetic tastes but also family holiday rituals and favorite Christmas traditions. Release date Sept. 28th

♦♦

Southern Spaces For Beautiful Living

From kitchens to living areas to master suites, you’ll find a range of looks that embrace the region’s signature stylings, as well as savvy ideas from experts and homeowners, to make the most of every space in your home. Release date Sept. 8th

Which of the new books will you be adding to your bookshelf?

The Inspired Room Coloring Book

June 29, 2016

♦♦♦

You all know I love the whole adult coloring book trend which I talked about here and here. And that I’m really excited that there are several coloring books coming out that are designed for home decor fans. Well, just last week I was thrilled to receive a package in the mail from Melissa of The Inspired Room. Inside the package was an advanced copy of her new home decor coloring book. (thanks Melissa). #happymail

When I talked about The Inspired Room Coloring Book on the blog before, I had only seen images online and the description on Amazon. I knew the book was going to be good but it is even better in person.

Unlike many other coloring books, Melissa designed the pages with images only on one side of the paper which makes the pages ideal for framing. And each page is perforated so that it can easily be torn out and hung on a bulletin board or used for a creative projects. The paper is thick which reduces he chance of ink bleeding through so you can use my favorite markers just as easily as pencils to color the images.

I’ve spent several evenings unwinding by coloring in the book and I have to tell you it’s addictive and relaxing.

The image below gave me the opportunity to envision what an emerald green secretary would look like. I’m hoping to score one at an antique store and paint it green.

Isn’t this page of chair designs fun?

I used one of the pages to play around with a color story I’m working on for a design client. I pulled one of the fabric swatches we’re considering and created an accessory plan using this accessory page from the coloring book.

If you’re looking for a great girlfriend gift under $10.00, this is it. Although the official release date isn’t until July 1st, you can buy a copy on Amazon today.

image via The Inspired Room

If you want to see more pages from the book, follow the hashtag #TIRcoloringbook on Instagram.

Anatomy of a Well-Styled Room

June 28, 2016

The key elements are in place and now it’s time to add the finishing touches to your decor. Where do you start with styling a room and what elements are needed to pull everything together?

Today I’m answering that question and outlining the key components to a well-styled room.

via Style at Home

The first step in to putting the finishing touches on the decor of a room is to have a plan. Developing a vision for the space even before furniture has been purchased will go a long way to creating the space your desire. Create an inspiration board with fabric and color swatches, photos of accessories you like and images that reflect the overall feel you want the space to have.

Next, clear the room of all your current accessories so that you are starting with a clean palette. Take time to go through the things you own and decide which pieces you really want back in the room. Use only the items that work with your design vision and that you love, otherwise the room won’t bring your ultimate joy.

Once all the key elements like furniture and window treatments are in place, create a plan for accessorizing. Pull the existing items you’ve kept back into the room and begin placing them where you want. Once that is done, take stock of the room and create a list of the new items you need to buy. New pillows, a throw and even something a simple as a decorative tray can make a space come alive.

via Style at Home

As you place accessories around the room keep these tips in mind:

Place accessories so that they enhance the focal point within the room, not compete with it. Hang a dynamic mirror over the mantel instead of placing it on another wall within the room.
Create groupings with your tabletop decor to add impact and interest. And remember that smaller accessory items look best with grouped together versus scattered around a room.
Group items of different sizes to create visual movement. Use books to elevate objects and create balance.
Spread collections around the room unless you have a dedicated display piece for them.
Accessorize so the eye has different levels to look at. This includes accessories on the floor, walls and in even the lighting at the ceiling.
Incorporate a living element like a plant or flowers to add softness and a sense of energy.
A well-styled room is about balance. Don’t fill every square inch of space–leave spaces where the eye can rest.
Use color as a unifying element within the room.
Every accessory mix should incorporate a variety of finishes, textures, materials, styles and a touch of black to help visually anchor the room.
Add a corky element to delight, surprise and bring a sense of playfulness to the room.

Don’t rush the styling of your home. The accessories and finishing touches are often the elements that take the most time but have the greatest impact of how the room looks and feels.

via Style at Home

via Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles

“An empty room is a store waiting to happen, and you are the author.”

Better Homes and Gardens

Sarah Richardson Design

Every room in your home is different so look at each area for what it has to offer and make the most of each individual space so in the end you’ll have a well-styled home.

4th of July Decor Ideas to make in under an hour!

June 27, 2016

Decorating for a festive holiday can be fun and easy. Heres a round-up of simple but festive 4th of July decor that will take you less than an hour to create and don’t require any major crafting skills.

1) Scrap Fabric Flag–this fun twist of the American flag is made from scraps of ribbon, fabric and paint. Depending on where you want to hang it, you can make one in any size. I think one hanging on the front door or a couple of hanging for a deck railing would look great.

2) Make your own mini American flags using wood skewered and flag ribbon. These are great as a cake topper or to use in flower arrangements.

Flag ribbon is on sale for $2.00 per spool at Hobby Lobby.

3) This may not work for everyone depending on the temperature where you live but I love the look of the 4th of July candles. Just wrap red, white or blue pillar candles with decorative red/white/blue paper and you’re all set. After the 4th remove the paper and your candles are ready for the next project. p.s. scrapbook paper is 50% off this week at Hobby Lobby

4) Use that same decorative paper you used to wrap your candles and make your own paper pinwheels. These are so easy to make and are sure to bring back some great childhood memories. Find my tutorial here.

5) Turn inexpensive bandanas into a festive 4th of July flag banner. You can cut 3 to 4 triangle piece from a single bandana.

6) Another fun way to decorate with bandanas is using them as table linens. Line a handful up down the middle of the table for a quick and easy holiday runner.

7) Turn a watermelon into a stylish and fun 4th of July floral centerpiece. Punch small holes (about 1/2″ deep into the watermelon and insert flower stems. Once the party it over, cut watermelon open and scoop out some watermelon to enjoy.

So what plans do you have for the 4th and how are you decorating?

top image via Country Living

DIY Monogram Straw Hat

June 21, 2016

In a couple of months we’ll be setting sail on our 8th cruise to the Caribbean. This time around out ports of call will be Aruba, Bonaire, the Dominican Republic and Grand Turks. #soexcited

I’ve already started picking up a few new items for the trip, one of which was a new sun hat for me. A plain straw hat would have worked fine but I had to give my hat a little extra something-something.

♦♦♦

DIY MONOGRAM STRAW HAT

Here’s how the project started…

I bought this basic wide brim hat from Wal-Mart for under $5.00 ($3.35 to be exact). You can see that it has a thin brown cord as a decorative touch but the brown wasn’t working for me. Neither was the plain brim.

So I replaced the cord with a black and white striped ribbon and added my monogram to the back of the brim. Instant style!

All it took to replace the cording was a few snips with the scissors and some fabric glue to attach the new ribbon.

To create my monogram, I purchased some white iron-on letters from Hobby Lobby. These are the same brand of letters I used to make my monogram napkins.

What I love about these letters is they allow you to create a true three-letter monogram.

The only downside is the letters only come in white so your design options are limited.

I came up with an easier solution and all it took was a Sharpie. To get the black letters I wanted, I used a Permanent Sharpie Marker and colored over each letter.

All that was left to do was to position my monogram onto the back of the hat and iron it in place.

(before ironing, cover the letters with a piece of fabric so you don’t get ink on your iron or burn your letters)

This was such an easy update and now my hat that looks like it was made for a Mediterrian cruise.

The hat is available in four other colors so take your pick and make your own chic summer sun hat.

Musing for the first day of summer!

June 20, 2016

Hooray for the first day of summer! Is anyone else as excited as I am that summer is officially here?

Even though the calendar didn’t reflect it, I’ve been acting like summer was here for a couple of weeks. This is undoubtedly my favorite season of the year so I though I’d share a few things that are on my mind on this first day of summer.

♦♦♦

I have always loved being out in the sun and although I was born with a natural tan :), I still love soaking up the rays and getting a little extra glow on my skin. If I were to design my dream outdoor space, it would look a little something like this–an area to entertain in and a stylish and relaxing lounge space next to a pool because I also love to swim.

house beautiful

And speaking of entertaining…isn’t this tablescape just gorgeous? Pattern mixing your dinnerware and glassware is a great way to create an eclectic placesetting and infuse your table with color. And creating extra spot at the end of the table runner is pretty genius.

apartment therapy

If you’re not the one hosting the summer gathering, here’s a really unique idea for a summer hostess gift. #ideasworthstealing

one kings lane

I usually don’t make many decor changes this time of year but when I’m working with design clients, here are two simple summer decorating ideas I share with them.

♦ Replace ceramic and solid colored flower vases with clear or colored glass jars and bottles. Glass provides an airy feel which is perfect for a seasonal decor statement.

better homes and gardens

♦ One of the quickest and most cost-effective ways you can give your decor a summer refresh is by switching out the pillows on your sofa. Try a colorful mix of patterns and textures.

tip: when possible, buy pillows with removable covers to you can reuse the inserts

better homes and gardens

One of the things I love most about this time o year is all the fresh fruit. I discovered a couple of u-pick blueberry and blackberry farms about an hour outside of Atlanta so we’ve added this to our summer bucket list. #yum

source

Don’t be surprised if you pass me on the road that I have tunes blaring in my car. #itsasummerthing. I had this song on repeat all weekend long to usher in my favorite season.

Enjoy Your Summer Friends!

Summer Bedroom Refresh–Chinoiserie Inspired

June 17, 2016

I’ve been thinking about giving our bedroom a refresh for a while now and I think I’m going to pull the trigger.

This is the current look of the bedroom–a mix of wood, black & white accents and pops of color.

My love affair with blue and white has me thinking of a look that incorporate navy, black, white and pops of color.

Here’s the Chinoiserie Inspired inspiration board I came up with…

Since the black armoire and chair will be staying, I need to find a duvet cover that can tie the navy and black together. About a month ago I spotted a Ralph Lauren set at HomeGoods but decided to pass on it. Now I can’t get it out of my mind. I’ve been searching for it again but so far I have only found it in a king size and we need a queen. The pattern is called Tamarind and I did find it on Amazon (more expensive) so if I don’t have any luck at HomeGoods I have another option.

When it comes the accessories, I’m planning to change the black drapes to a dark navy and I’m looking at this pink pillow…

and some chinoiserie inspired artwork from Etsy.

And of course I’ll incorporate some blue and white ceramic pieces into the mix.

As always things may change before it’s all said and down but I’m excited to create a fresh new look for our space.

Style Your Nightstand–Tips & Inspiration

June 15, 2016

One of the things I am always look for on Pinterest are beautiful nightstand images. I love getting a glimpse at a person’s lifestyle and seeing how they style and decorate different areas of their home.

As a designer, I recognize that accessorizing a small, compact area like a nightstand can be more challenging than a larger living area for some people. So today I’m sharing the ingredients for styling your bedside table like pro.

Your bedroom is the most private space in your home and the items you put on your nightstand should be a mix of personal and decorative decor.

♦♦♦

When it comes to pulling your items together, keep these style tips in mind:

♦ Layers! Unless you take a minimalist approach to decorating, you want to position items to create a layered look. Layers will add the visual interest and help create a dynamic statement with you collection of items. Vary the placement of items on the table surface, front to back and side to side and keep the scale of your lamp in mind when positioning items.

♦ The Mix! This is where style and function meet. Accessorize with items you use on a daily basis (alarm clock, journal/book) along with items that are decorative. Decorative items like small trinket trays, lidded boxes and containers can work as storage AND as a design statement. And personal items like books and picture frames will add a personal feel to the decor on your nightstand.

♦ The Background! Even if you have a wall decor piece hanging over your bed, don’t forget about the wall space directly behind the nightstand. Hanging a mirror or piece of artwork over your bedside table is a great to build up the impact for the overall vignette. You can even lean pieces of art or other flat decor against the wall like I did at Christmas one year to enhance the layered look of your decor.

♦ Softness! A soft element like flowers or greenery can add an air of energy and life to the vignette.

♦ Keep it Fun! And finally, as you go about decorating your nightstand, throw in an unexpected object to add personality and flair.

♦♦♦

Nightstand Styling Inspiration

In addition to the tips above, I also wanted to serve up some visual inspiration for you. I went virtual shopping at Z Gallerie and put together two inspiration boards that pull all the elements together.

It’s no secret that I one of my favorite color combinations is black, white and gold and Z Gallerie as some beautiful decorative pieces that will work great in a bedroom. This look is bold, dramatic and super chic!

♦♦♦

Shop the Black & Gold Nightstand Vignette:

Devon Table Lamp // Rey Mirror // Allium Sphere

Camille Tray // Acropolis Frame // Sawyer Nightstand // Emila Canisters // Chanel Book

♦♦♦

My current bedroom decor is a black and white theme and I’m working on a summer refresh to incorporate more blue and white. This look is classic, elegant and has a calming feel.