Your Guide For Stylish Living
One of my favorite accent furniture pieces is a garden stool. Specifically blue and white garden stools.
As the popularity of chinoiserie and blue and white decor has gained steam over the last few years, so has the use of garden stools as a decorative accent.
If you’ve never considered a garden stool as part of your decor, let me tell you why they are a great design option.
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It’s Saturday and I’m up early and headed off to the gym to swim. I may not have mentioned it before but I swam competitively when I was younger. Over the years, as life got busy I drifted away from swimming but I’ve been feeling the urge to get back in the pool. And I have to tell you that it feels so good–the water is my happy place.
While I’m off counting laps, I hope you enjoy a few of my favorite posts from the week.
Enjoy your weekend!
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How many of you have a handful of design blogs you count as your favorites? I sure do and Chinoiserie Chic is one of them.
I’ve been reading Beth’s blog for some time now and love everything that she shares. Each blog post is filled with beautiful and colorful room designs showcasing Beth’s love of chinoiserie, blue and white and classic interiors. #mystyle
It wasn’t until reading through her bio recently that I learned Beth fell (pushed by her passion) into her career in design after working as an attorney in Washington, DC. As a designer, Beth is now able to use her skills and talent to create beautiful spaces for clients in her area and the country.
Looking through some of the images in her portfolio, many of which are her personal home, and you’ll immediately understand why I call Chinoiserie Chic a favorite.
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Beth creates the most interesting and eclectic vignettes in every room that she designs.
Wallpaper is a signature element in Chinoiserie Chic room designs.
Classic design elements like bamboo, Pagodas and Asian motifs form the foundation of her design work.
Greek key trim add to solid drapes is always a winner.
Accessories are layered in such a way that they draw you in and make you want to dissect every detail.
So many fun accessory pieces that I’ve now added to my shopping list 🙂 #ineedtortoiseinmylife
One Room Challenge Home Office (what a creative space)
This closet would make you feel like a young girl playing dress up every day.
Studying Beth’s room designs will give you a lesson in pattern mixing.
Beth just announced that she will be opening an Etsy and Ebay shop to sell some of her amazing finds and boy or boy am I excited!
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You can read more about Beth and follow the Chinoiserie Chic blog here . And be sure to check out Beth’s inspiring Pinterest boards here.
One of the things I enjoy most about writing this blog is sharing design tips and helping you solve your design dilemmas. Last year I started a series called Design Chat series where I answer your design questions and provide decorating tips and inspiration. I’m excited to continue the series in 2017 and today I addressing a design challenge that Jennette has.
Here’s the comment and question Jennette sent to me…
“Shelly, I found your blog in spring 2016 while searching how to style a sectional sofa on Pinterest. I love your design tips! Right now my design dilemma is how to hang art on a long, odd wall when there is already one picture over a chair.”
Artwork can be one of the most challenging aspects of decorating your home. Once you’ve identified the type of artwork you want, you then need to come up with a plan for a dynamic wall statement.
As you can see in Jennette’s family room, she originally hung the artwork over the chair to anchor that seating area. While this isn’t bad, the rest of the wall is left blank and feels somewhat disconnected.
My suggestion for Jennette would be to create a gallery wall arrangement on that wall using the piece of artwork she owns as the centerpiece. A collection of framed pieces will create a focal point on that wall and anchor the space in total.
I also recommend a few other changes…
1) add a tall plant in the corner to add height and color. The small stool would move to the opposite side of the tv cabinet.
2) replace the double arm floor lamp with a fun table lamp.
3) add a cushion to the top of the bench and maybe even lean a couple of pillows on top.
4) a larger cabinet under the TV to give that wall more impact and to feel more proportionate with the TV.
On the opposite side of the room where the sofa sits, here’s what I recommend…
Hang candle sconces on each side of the mirror to give the wall over the sofa more impact. And remove the wall mounted light and position the double arm floor lamp next to the side table.
Overall, Jennette’s family room has a great foundation. With a few tweaks and additions, I think she’ll have the space she desires.
Looking for tips on creating a gallery wall arrangement, read my blog post here.
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If you’ve got a design challenge, email me and we’ll chat!
Yes, I use them for design inspiration and decorating but books just make me happy. Every January and July I pop into my favorite book wholesaler at the Atlanta Gift and Furniture market and treat myself to a few new books. The vendor I shop with has most of the new and upcoming releases so I can actually flip through the book to get a feel for the images and content before I purchase. I don’t know about you but when it comes to design books the images can make or break a purchase.
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Country Living Salvage Style. This is a must is you love to shop flea markets, thrift stores and antique shops. The book is published by Country Living and is filled with beautiful and inspirational images of vintage treasures restyled in decor settings. The cover alone will make you want to buy this book.
Old Home Love. This book was written Andy and Candice Meredith the couple behind HGTV’s newest TV show of the same name, Old Home Love. The book shares the passion the couple have to renovate old homes in Utah. If you’re a fan of DIY decor and rehab style you’ll find lots of inspiration and maybe even the desire to purchase an old home.
Verandah Entertaining. If you love to entertain and create beautiful tablescapes you’ll want to get this book. The book walks you through every aspect of entertaining from table settings and food prep to decor and flowers. No matter what level of entertaining you do, big or small, formal or casual, you’ll find the tips and inspiration you need to throw a stylish party.
Flea Market Style. This is a great book that will speak to those of you that love the thrill of the hunt. Published by Better Homes and Gardens, the book shows you inspiring design ideas using thrifted finds. And there are lots of tips for shopping flea markets and thrift stores.
The Decorated Home. Interior designer Meg Braff shares her personal style plus the essential design elements she thinks every room needs. The book is beautifully written with captivating photos.
I also ordered a few titles that have been on my shopping list for a while…
Happy Reading!
Happy Monday! If you’ve been wondering where I’ve been, let’s just say in the land of busy. In addition to spending 9 days at the Atlanta Gift & Furniture Market, I’ve also been knee-deep in working on a design project and gearing up for another year as board president of a local non-profit. Even though it’s only the 3rd week of January, I feel like Christmas was ages ago and the days are flying by at lightening speed.
To mark the return to a normal posting schedule, I wanted to share a few of the items I spotted at AmericasMart. If you’re unfamiliar with the Atlanta Gift & Furniture Market, you can read all about it here.
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First up is one of my favorite lighting companies, Currey & Company. The company is best known for their stylish lighting but they also sell beautiful accent furniture and accessories.
The inlaid wood pattern on the Benedict Credenza grabbed my attention first and then I noticed the sleek brass hardware. I envision this piece being placed under a wall-mount TV or as a buffet/bar cabinet in a dining room.
There were lots of beautiful lighting fixtures introduced at market but the two below really stood out. The Frogmore Lantern is designed with an intricate leaf design and gold-leaf finish. #goldisheretostay Can’t you just see this beauty hanging over a garden tub or kitchen island?
Retro designs are not my personal style but I loved everything about the Gino Chandelier. The tapered cone design and matte black finish give it just the right amount of sexiness. This fixture would look stunning hanging over a glass or marble top dining table.
I’m sure many of you have come across products from Palecek before but probably don’t know much about the company. The company is over 40 years old and has a foundation in manufacturing products using natural fibers, renewable materials and environmentally friendly hardwoods. Their style is distinctive with products designed around simple details and organic shapes.
Anything in brass and leather is sure to grab my attention and this Alexander Chair did just that. I loved the fresh, modern take on a classic directors chair and would use a pair of these chairs in a reading room or study.
Ottomans are one of my go-to accent furniture pieces and it was refreshing to come across this one covered in something other than fabric. The Fritz Rope Ottoman is wrapped in natural and black seagrass rope creating the look of an upholstered piece. A pair of these would be great in a sunroom or outdoor covered patio.
Gabby Home is a product line that is known for stylish pieces and vintage designs. Their style offering ranges from contemporary and modern to traditional and classic.
I loved the lines of their Julian Coffee Table with gold trim detail. And because I believe every room needs a touch of black, this coffee table would be ideal to add dram and depth to a living room.
I spotted lots of acrylic pieces at market so expect that trend to be around for a while. The antique gold frame in their Johnson Dining Chair updated the classic acrylic chair design and elevated the style.
When I had my store, Uttermost was one of my top vendors. Uttermost has one of the best selections of oversized mirrors on the market and are also known for their accent furniture and lighting. This market I came across several new accessory and accent lighting pieces in their line that I loved.
The acrylic and brass Balkan Tray was stunning and I’ve already got it tagged for a design client to use on a hallway console table.
I’ve been on the hunt a brass or gold tone pendant light and loved the rod design and gold-leaf finish on their Glam Mini Pendant. They are the perfect design and size to hang over a kitchen peninsula.
And how about this chic gold and glass Natasia Accent Table? Wouldn’t this look great in between two comfy arm chairs? I could also see it being used nestled into a corner in a powder room to hold accessories and functional items.
If you want to make a statement with your bookshelf decor, then check out E. Lawrence. In addition to their wholesale business they also have an e-commerce site that anyone can purchase from. Unlike many manufacturers, E. Lawrence sells just one thing…beautiful decorative books. Their product offering ranges from traditional leather-bound books to books with stylish covers. Their newest collections included a quotation series (which I love) and lots of metallic finishes.
And finally there’s Go Home. This is another company I purchased from when I had my store. I love their eclectic mix of products which include furniture, decorative accessories, lighting and bar accessories.
The Collete Coffee Table is a great piece for a smaller space and I love the gold frame and design detail that supports the top and bottom shelves.
Among their decorative accessories, Go Home carries lots of great basket styles. I loved this collection of Shumer Baskets which have a classic blue and white design and fun leather carry handles.
One of the industrial designs I fell in love with was the Rockwell Coffee Table which has a gorgeous finish and brass label pulls.
I hope you enjoyed this mini tour around the Atlanta Gift & Furniture Market. This is just a glimpse at the thousands upon thousands of new products introduced during the show. You can expect to see these pieces and all of the new design trends hitting stores soon and online shops soon. I’ll be back next week to share more insights on the hot trends for 2017.
Along with checking the new furniture and decor introductions at market, I also shop for new design books. #bookjunkie
Tomorrow I’ll share some of the new book titles that you’ll definitely want to add to your Amazon shopping cart.
We started looking for a new sofa last year and I couldn’t find I liked. We decided to put our sofa shopping on hold so it gives me the perfect opportunity to share sofa styling tips to help you (and me) find the ideal sofa.
The first and most critical step in picking a sofa is to determine the style of sofa that fits your needs and function as well as your design aesthetic.
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Every year when the Christmas decor comes down I feel like my decor has lost its luster. My living room feel bare, my decor feels stale and everything that I loved before Christmas feels like it needs fresh, new energy. I know I’m not alone in this feeling and that many of you are looking at your decor right now and wondering how you can inject some life and energy into it.
Over the years I’ve learned and employed some simple and inexpensive decorating tricks the refresh my decor for the new year.
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Every now and then you need to change things up in your decor to give it a new feeling. The start of a new year is the perfect time to try a new furniture arrangement, move pieces from one room to another or re-arrange your accessories. Move lamps around a room or even consider layer a smaller rug over the top of a larger one. Sometimes all it takes is a tiny shift of perspective to see something familiar in a totally new light.
Many time when I’m feeling a sense of uneasiness with my decor it has to do with clutter and disorganization. Dedicate the month of January to cleaning, organizing and purging every room in your home. Donate the things that you no longer use, organized the spaces (drawers, closets and tabletop surfaces) that use most offend and give your entire home a deep cleaning. Clutter in you physical surroundings will clutter your mind and spirit.
Color is an immediate mood booster so try adding in a new accent color into your decor to refresh the palette. Switching out pillows is easy and cost-effective and will add big pops of color within your decor. Color accents can also be added with small accent furniture, blankets & throws, artwork and decorative accessories. In decorating, it’s often the little things that make the biggest impact.
During the holiday season we are surrounded with and abundance of patterns and colors. Once the Christmas decor is down your surroundings may feel flat and lifeless. The quick fix for that is pattern mixing. Combine different pattern styles and colors to re-energize your decor.
You might think that once artwork is hung on the wall it’s there to stay. That doesn’t have to be the case. During the winter months you can bring a room to life by simply switching out a piece of artwork with a mirror. Mirrors enhance the light within a room(both natural and decorative) and will instantly make a room feel lighter, brighter and more open.
Look around the rooms in your home and see where you can create a cozy seating area or reading nook. Cozy areas will make your home feel more intimate and personal which is the feeling your home had when all your Christmas decor was up.
Plants and flowers will make your decor feel special anytime of the year but during the winter months the emotional energy these elements add is enhanced. Place small plants or a vase on flowers on tabletop surfaces in the main living areas of your home as well as the bedroom and bathroom.
Candles are my go-to accessory during the cold winter months. Not only can candles provide a sense of warmth but the glow increases the sense of relaxation and coziness that a room has. Arrange a group of candles on the coffee table or along the mantel.
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It doesn’t take a lot to give your home a fresh, new feeling for the new year so use one or all of these design tips to refresh your decor.
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