Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Well Edited or Well Lived?

 
Since Madeline arrived a couple of weeks early, I was able to make it the IPC Home Tour this year.  The houses are always fabulous and it's always fun to see how the other half lives.
 
Interior designer Andrew Brown's home was featured on this year's tour and although I don't have any photos of his house, you can get a glimpse of his style in the photos below.  Its very tailored, elegant, neutral, crisp, edited, intentional, meticulous.   
 


As I left his home, I was so envious at how put together and perfect his interior was. I run around my house picking stuff up at least 8 hours of the day, I cannot imagine living in a space that was so clean and uncluttered. I think it would be pretty sweet. But then my friend countered with "it doesn't feel lived in".

Coincidentally, I just got Celerie Kemble's first book To Your Taste and she writes:

"...in life as in design, it is not perfection you should be after.  There's beauty in the faded and worn, the well loved, and the sentimental.  Your home should be like a loosely woven fabric of desires, memories, practical notions, and even compromises." 

Some of the things that make a home feel lived in:

Snapshots stuck in the corner of a mirror, a stack of favorite books on display, a camera hinting at a favorite hobby, and a chair upholstered in a Mexican blanket picked up as a souvenir from a trip

Design via Nick Olsen in House Beautiful

Snapshots displayed en masse above the mantel


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or in a tight grid of matching photo frames

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The traditional arrangment of family photos by the staircase
 

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A collection of favorite artwork


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A gallery wall of kids artwork


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Furniture that feels a bit "accidental" and collected over time


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Family portraits

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Found letters that spell out a name


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A favorite movie poster
 

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A humorous quote

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So is your house well edited or well lived in?

Monday, January 28, 2013

Here's to...

...all of my gainfully employed lady friends on a Monday morning.
 


Friday, January 25, 2013

Hiatus

Due to sickness and the cold weather, my brain has been on hiatus for most of January, hence the lack of blog posts.
 
But a few brain cells seem to be working today so I thought I would attempt a post.
 
A few decorating things have managed to happen this month.  Here are the items that have been purchased:
 
Colors 209 Art Print
 
 
Eve (print)
 
GP & J Baker Hydrangea Bird Cushion Cover 14 x 20 inch Lumbar
 
Chinoiserie Vase-small open edition print
 
Small Gold Love Print
 
Dahlia Rose, 5 x 7 inch Print of  a Pink Elephant
 
 
Happiness
 
 
Will post pics when all these lovelies are in place.


Wednesday, January 9, 2013

I Don't Mean to Brag...

...but I just had to share this with you.  Apparently the hubs was paying attention when forced to watch all those Million Dollar Decorator's episodes with me 'cause he busted out a sunburst mirror for me for Christmas this year.  What??  This was a total surprise to me.  I have never even mentioned that I like sunburst mirrors (although I have been secretly lusting for one for a while).  Furthermore, said mirror was purchased at an actual antiques store!!  He went there all by himself and picked it out!  Who is this man and what has he done with my regular old hubs???!!!  This gorgeous mirror found a home in my living room this past weekend.

 
 


Did you get any good surprises for Christmas this year?

Friday, January 4, 2013

Family Photography

Our newest addition had her official newborn photoshoot several weeks ago with Catherine Mayo.  Catherine has done all of our family photos and I love how she captures those subtle moments that make a photo extra special.  Her style is very natural, she likes to shoot her subjects as they are rather than being styled with lots of props and extras.  I think this makes for photos that have longevity and will become precious keepsakes throughout the years.  Here are some of my favorites:

 
 
 
 
 
 
 



 
 
 You can check out more of her work at www.catherinemayo.com
 
 


Thursday, January 3, 2013

Happenin' to My House in 2013

Emily posted her to do list for house projects in the coming year, so I thought I would post mine too.  Maybe if I put it in print, it will actually get done!
 
Still need art above the bed and dresser and a new rug.
 
 
#2 - Finish Madeline's Nursery
I ran out of time/energy/money on the nursery.  I'm still on the hunt for art and accessories to finish the space. 
 
 
#3 - Bonus Room Reno
I soooo do not have another reno project in me right now (see here for my last one) but the toys have taken over my living room and with two kids we need more space for them to play.  Our long neglected bonus room/workout space/furniture graveyard/toy dump needs a complete makeover.  This will require lots of brain power and probably will not occur until mid-year.
 
 
#4 - Finally Fill Up My Walls
I have bare spaces that need to be filled and lots of great family photos that have never been properly framed and displayed.  This is a project that I definitely want to tackle this year.
 
 
#5 - Create My Own Workspace
My husband has a whole office but I do my work on the sofa which is not the most convenient place when you have a 3 year old sitting beside you who likes to punch the buttons on your computer.  I would like to find some corner of my house that can be transformed into my own personal workspace.  The desk will probably only be large enough for my laptop, but I'll take whatever I can get.
 
What's gonna happen to your house in 2013?
 
 
 
 


Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Just So You Know...

Here are my picks for the top trends in interior design in 2013:
 
Color: Green
From emerald to kelly to hunter to moss, green will be king this year.  Green hasn't really been big since the 90's, so it is prime time for a comeback (see my previous green posts here and here).  I can't take credit for this one, the official Pantone Color of the year is Emerald.
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PANTONE 2013 Color of the Year: 14 Emerald Green Rooms
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PANTONE 2013 Color of the Year: 14 Emerald Green Rooms
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PANTONE 2013 Color of the Year: 14 Emerald Green Rooms



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Accessories:  Maximalism
I think everyone is tired of "clean lines" and sparse living.  More is more and we want it that way. 

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Style:  Traditional Glam Luxury
What the heck is this, you ask.  Think Miles Redd and Alex Papachristidis:  drama, daring, sophistication.  Be ready to commit to interiors with bold colors and patterns not seen since the 80's.  We will probably regret this in a few years, but it will be fun while it lasts.


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Patterns:  Florals
Raid your granny's closet and bust out some fancy floral fabrics,  the geometric shapes of the past few years are giving way to more organic patterns.

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Metal:  Gold and Brass
From accessories to mirrors to lamps to hardware, gold and brass are cropping up everywhere.

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Will you be incorporating any of these trends into your decor in 2013?