On Trend: Bright Florals:Dark Backgrounds

I am in love with this trend of bright florals and dark backgrounds. Typically the background is either black or navy. I first saw it on stationary, but now I see it in fashion as well. I love it because even though in spring and summer you typically don't see a lot of dark colors; the mix of bright florals makes it feel lighter. Here are a few items I have spotted. 

In Fashion and Beauty:

In Paper Goods and Web Design:

In the Home:

ALDO Sandals-The print is a little hard to see in this picture but I saw these in person and believe me the print is such a cute addition to these sandals.

Forever 21 Floral Chiffon Top-I need this shirt! The pattern continues part way down the back and then is sheer. Such a great price too!

ASOS Kimono-My mission today is to find a pretty floral kimono. They are great if you want a little cover up over your tank top this summer. 

Indigo Perfume by NEST- Even this perfume bottle got in on this trend. I would love to display this bottle on my vanity.

Cocorrina Wallpaper and Screen Savers-This wallpaper for your computer screen is what started it all. I absolutely love her design. These are available for download and you can even choose one for your phone.

Sparkle and Sparrow Gift Tags-Aren't these so cute? Perfect to add to a friend's bday present(my bday is next month btw). 

Paper n Peonies Save the Date Card-You have to check out this girl's Esty Shop! It is a new favorite. Her designs are so cute and I love this Save the Date card.

Furbish Studio Pillow- Pillows are a great way to introduce any trend in your home without having to spend a ton. 

Blue Poppy Design Abstract Painting-If you are daring, adding this painting to your home would be amazing I love the use of the navy IKAT and the bright florals.

So, what do you think? Is it a trend you could introduce in your home or in your wardrobe. I think The Hubs would not like this trend in our home so, I am going to pick up a few of those under the fashion section:).

Mid Century Master Ideas

One of the last rooms I have left to decorate in my house is my master. Doesn't it always seem to be the last room to get done? My previous bedroom was Hollywood Glam and although I could probably work that into my Mid Century design I decided to go for a more natural eclectic look. This design is new to me so, I really want to be patient and make sure I make the right design decisions. In the past I have been quick to get stuff from the clearance aisle at Target and bring it home only to realize it just didn't go. I look back at many of my design decisions and think wow that was just hideous. I am trying to mature my design taste and I realized I have to always be on the look out for great pieces and to have a plan in place.

With Mid Century design I can't just go to HomeGoods(although I did find an awesome Mid Century Modern clock there).

 

Other than small accent pieces, the bigger furniture and art pieces need to be vintage. Our home was built in 1959 and so we try to get pieces from the late 50s and early 60s. It is so much fun to go to flea markets and stalk CraigsList, but it is a waiting game. You never know what you are going to find. Luckily, we have made friends with a wonderful Mid Century Modern dealer and have bought many pieces from him. Currently on our list for our master is: two nightstands. I have even thought about stripping down the nightstands I painted(Lord, forgive me) and using those. We need to re-wire a lamp we bought at the Rose Bowl and find another one.

We need a new King size mattress to go with our headboard we got from our favorite dealer. New bedding...this is so hard for me! I spent years finding my last bedspread...hoping I have better luck this time around. I would also love a chest for the end of the bed to house our extra pillows and blankets. Last but not least we need art! Our whole house needs art. I only have one picture up in our whole house.

So, here are a few items I have spotted and am loving. Many have a Native American vibe..which I love!!!



I spotted this on Etsy. I decided against it since my Mom has an Indian picture she is giving me or that I am stealing. This is a rug, but thought it would be cool hanging on the wall. It was made in the 60s by a Grandfather for his Grandchildren. Amazing!

I want some Lucite somewhere in our master and I just love this mirrored tray with Lucite and brass detailing. This is from the 50s and would look fabulous on my nightstand!

This bedspread is the color palette I am going for in our Master. I never thought about adding grey though. I think it adds a modern touch. This is a twin and the seller has two. I thought about just draping it on my bed and using it more as an accent. Also, thought about buying both and sewing them together??? I am not completely sure about this one but I love that it is vintage(late 50s to mid 60s) and has the warm browns, yellows and oranges I am looking for.

 

 

More updates will come along the way. We missed the last Rose Bowl and can't go next month either. I am having withdrawls!!! I am having no luck on Craigslist or thrift stores either. It will come together slowly and I am ok with that:).

 



Summer Lovin: Top 5 Interior Designers

What? Another blog post? Can you believe it? I can't, but I am trying hard to stick to my New Year Resolutions, so here you go! Yesterday, I wrote about finding your design style. I mentioned looking through magazines and online, but another great way is to follow Interior Designers that have a similar style.

I came up with a list of my top 5 Interior Designers. I have been stalking following these designers for years. They each have their own unique style that I really appreciate. There were many other honorable mentions but these ladies(yes, all ladies) are my faves!

Up first is a designer who started it all. She is the reason I am addicted to HGTV. Her name is Candice Olson. If you have not watched her shows (Divine Design and Candice Tells All) or read her books... stop what you are doing now and watch/read them and them come back and read this post. She is a designer in Canada(which most of my favorites come from there). Her design style tends to be more on the Modern side..but like many others she can do it all. I love her style because she always throws in some glamour. She has her own wallpaper line that is simply stunning. I went into a shop last year where they had her wallpaper book and I sat down and drooled over each sheet of wallpaper. I will have wallpaper very soon in my home! She always incorporates so many textures into her design. She is also very talented at sketching her room designs. Being able to envision your design is a great talent and she is definitely a pro at it.

 

Next, is another designer I have followed for years and saw first on HGTV. Her name is Sarah Richardson. She has a few shows as well on HGTV (Sarah 101, Design Inc and Sarah's House). I love her personality. She is so down to earth, much like Candice. She is also in Canada. Her style is more Farmhouse/Country. You may think Country is old fashioned and picture chickens and gingham...but her country is so beautiful. I love her use of old architectural pieces. While Candice uses mostly new products, Sarah uses many antique pieces. There is nothing I love more than to watch her go shopping, with her sidekick, Tommy,. Together they find the most unique pieces. She also has a modern side. She has designed some beautiful bathrooms! I can't say enough about her. She is just the best! P.S. I joined a live chat once with her and she talked to me twice...EEKKKK!!!!

 

Sabrina Soto is someone you probably have heard of. She is a home style expert for Target and has really stepped up Target's Home Decor. She is a young designer, based in New York. She does it all. If you watch her show The High/Low project, you will see her getting her hands dirty and building things. The premise behind her show is to design a high end look for her clients and then reproduce that look for whatever her clients' budget is. She always does a wonderful job and it is hard to find any differences between the high and low look. She also has a guy helping her, named Chris. Oh my word...if I had an assistant I would want him. He can build ANYTHING. He is so talented. Together they make pure design gold! P.S. She responded to me on Facebook...lol...it's the little things...to me those were big deals talking with my favorite designers.

 

Another oldie but goodie is the beautiful, Genevieve Gorder. Again, have watched her shows forever. She is the host of "Dear Genevieve' and wow...she is amazing. Her style is really influenced by her travels. She designs the most beautiful Moroccan and Turkish Baths! Her tile choices alone make her one of the best. I love all the different textures and patterns she introduces. She lives in NY and she uses all that town has to offer. I love seeing her go to these small shops and using local resources for her design jobs. Love...love...love her.

 

Last, but not least, is Emily Henderson. Oh my goodness she is a quirky...sweet thang! I first saw her on my favorite show "Design Star". She won and soon after got her own show: "Secrets from a Stylist". She is an amazing stylist. The way she groups items is such a talent. She is always on the search for unique items. You can find her searching Craigslist, Estate Sales and Flea Markets. Another girl I would love to go shopping with. Seriously, if I could just follow one of these ladies around I could die happy. Emily, just had a baby boy and moved into a new home. She has a wonderful blog that she keeps up to date with her latest design jobs. She uses some MCM pieces which really make me happy! Oh, and I believe she lives in L.A.

There are so many more designers that I could list. These are my favorites and have taught me so much. I also follow many designers who may not have their own tv shows but are still super talented. I will leave a link to their blogs below. They range from Farmhouse to Modern and everything in between. Like I said in my last post. I love all design, making my home beautiful for my family brings me joy. Learning from these designers also brings me a ton of happiness. Make sure to check them out and let me know who you love! I can always use more designer love in my life:).

Honorable Mentions:
Layla: http://theletteredcottage.net/
Kirsten: http://6thstreetdesignschool.blogspot.com/
Caitlin: http://caitlinwilson.com/blog/
Chris http://chriskauffman.blogspot.com/
Emily: http://emilyaclark.com/
Emily: http://jonesdesigncompany.com/
Sarah: http://sarahmdorseydesigns.blogspot.com/

Design for Beginners

If y'all didn't know I love interior design! I am in no way a professional, but I am constantly stalking my favorite designers on their blogs or reading their books to gain more knowledge. I was going to go to school back when I was preggo with Shane, but they ended up canceling the class because of lack of interest. I have a feeling if they offered it now there would be more than enough interest. I still from time to time look to see if they are offering the course. In the meantime I try to cram in as much design goodness as I can. Looking through magazines is a classic way to develop your eye for design. Back before Pinterest, I use to tear out magazine pages and store them in a binder. Now most of the images are available online.  

I thought it would be fun to talk about a few ways you can sharpen your design skills. First off, you need to know your style. You don't have to have just one. I have many and they change year to year. My home is Mid Century Modern. I have always loved antiques and vintage furniture but I was not an expert on this style. Over the past six months I have just fallen in love. There are even different design styles within Mid Century Modern design. For instance, there is a more funky and vibrant style called "Atomic". I am not super into bright colors so this style scares me a bit. I like the more muted tones MCM design offers. I love the warm wood tones of teak wood and the tapered legs that many MCM pieces boast.

So, how do you figure out your design taste? You probably have a pretty good sense already. There are many different styles but most of those fall into these categories: Modern, Contemporary, Traditional,Transitional and Eclectic.

A great way to figure it out if you are completely lost is to take a quiz. There are so many, but HGTV has a good one http://my.hgtv.com/style-finder/stylefinder.esi. I like this quiz because it has many options to choose from(except I didn't like any of the kitchens!). I took it and surprise my style is:

Your style is Mid-Century Mod

Open, airy, organic spaces, all about form and function. Sophisticated and sleek yet approachable, alluring. My home is Mid-Century Modern.
   

Now, before when I took this, years ago, it is was Modern Coastal. I like clean lines but not hard/sharp lines. I do not like contemporary design because it tends to be cold and has bright vibrant colors which I usually do not care for(unless in a child's room). I do like a clean simplified look which is more Modern...with a splash of vintage. I think that is why I feel in love with MCM because it is Modern and Vintage!

 

So.......what design style are you? I love all design....truly! Well, that is a lie...I despise Victorian...but I can appreciate the craftsmanship of a Victorian house. Once you have figured out your design style...start slipping through a magazine or search that design style on Pinterest. A few sites I highly recommend are HGTV and Houzz. They are filled with so much information. If you lean more towards warm colors and comfy furniture pieces you are most likely going to fall into one of the Traditional design styles like: Beach/Coastal or Farmhouse/Country/Rustic. If you like a more vibrant look with unique pieces you most likely will be more Contemporary or Eclectic. Some eclectic styles can even tend to be more of a world traveler look which can be Contemporary or traditional.

 

It may seem confusing but it really is about what you like. I have always had a wide variety in my home but Coastal pieces had a big presence in my home. My bathroom now is the only place you will see two lonely starfish that made the cut into my new favorite style of MCM.

 

Hope you gained a little more insight into the design world. Up next I will be talking about my favorite designers and share links to their blogs/websites!

 

 

Modern:Clean and Simple

Contemporary: Hard lines and splashes of color

Traditional: Warm and Comfy

Transitional: Mix of Traditional and Modern

Eclectic: Unique pieces/mix of patterns

 

New Addition

We have a new addition in our family actually two new additions. No....not twins..nightstands! Isn't that exciting. When you are picky like me about furniture and you find something you had in mind that matches to the T...it is exciting stuff. You might remember my Craigslist find awhile back. The Hubs drove to Whittier for a dresser that I had wanted f-o-r-e-v-e-r. It was only 75.00...such a steal. It is a Henry Link Faux Bamboo High Dresser that goes perfectly with what I envision my Master Bedroom to eventually look like. I have had these "nightstands" if you can even call them that...they are from our first apartment. One was  a set of three nesting tables and another a cabinet. They were from my palm tree phase and did not match at all..but I take forever to find pieces of furniture that I like so they worked for the time being.
I searched for months and months looking for matching Henry Link nightstands to my dresser..but nothing ever came up. I also was looking for nightstands that had two drawers..as we have limited space and storage in our bedroom..that would work best. I wanted something with modern lines..nothing curvy..and really wanted brass or gold handles. I had seen a few nightstands that were painted in a high gloss white and stuck those images in my memory bank. Lo and behold..I found the exact ones on Craigslist!!!! They were 125.00 for the pair..which is good but The Hubs wasn't sold..so one week went by and they were still listed...two weeks went by...still there..finally it had been three weeks..no drop in price. I told Scott I could not stop thinking about these nightstands (this is what I think about while I lay awake at night). He said ok but could I get them down in price. I was sure I could since they had been on for three weeks now. Emailed them and YES they took 100.00 for the pair!!!!! Happy Dance!!!! Here they are:

 The handles were perfect. I cleaned them off with warm soapy water and then a mixture of lemon juice, salt and baking soda. They were still not super shiny but that was ok..these dresser were made in 1972(Thomasville). The handles are brass. Apparently if a magnet does not stick then that is how you know it is brass..good to know.

 Love these legs!!!

 Primered-Used Rustoleum..it was ok..loved the nozzle!

 Applied Rustoleum Gloss White..LOVE!!!!

 And here comes the final product.....

 So happy..it only took about an hour..did not need to sand..they were in such great shape for being almost 40 years old. The tracks inside probably need to be replaced...but overall I LOVE them! Spent 3.77 on the spray paint(4). My Master is slowly coming together..I would show a picture of my whole room but it is embarrassing! MESSYYY!

Floating Holiday Project

                                  



                                   



Shane taking a pic of mommy's work too...and the laundry I should have been doing instead:).



Today I took my second Floating Holiday for theWinter. We usually get two that we can take any time between the first of January until the end of February. So..I had grand plans but then I saw my ugly... used to be coffee table..turned bench begging me for a redo. So I decided that I definitely wanted it to be white and then I was debating on doing stripes or a chevron pattern. I knew that my perfectionism would probably never be satisfied with the chevron pattern so I decided upon the stripes. I used left over paint from my hallway and trim. I started at the beginning of Shane's nap and finished by the end(luckily it was one of his two hour naps!). I am really happy with it. It looks really beachy. I wish I would have done 5 stripes instead of 4 but I think I will leave it. I may add some trim or paint out some other parts with the beige color..but for now it still looks really fresh. It originally began as a pine coffee table with doors and hinges. Then I wanted to get away from the country look and painted it a green to match my "Tropical" theme I had years ago and removed the doors. Next it was painted an ugly chocolate brown and it stayed that way until today. I was glad to do something different today and even more happy it could be done while the little guy slept!





There it is before...ugly brown...I know it is hard to see but Shane looks cute and there is that darn basket of laundry again!





Mood Board

If you are like me..anything you can create on the computer you do. My handwriting is horrible so if I can type something up it always looks so much better. If the computer can touch up a photo... I let it. I have a bunch of cut outs from magazines that I pasted onto a board for particular rooms in my house. I love so many different designs..I found it best to always put together a mood board to keep me in one direction. I have found though, in my current home that I did not do that yet again and am not really in love with anything in my house.

We moved this year into a smaller home(1,000 sq ft smaller)!!! Most of our furniture fit except for a few pieces..but most of our bedroom furniture did not. We decided to sell it. So, now I have been in search for pieces that I really love. In one of my latest posts I told you about my Craigslist find! It is a Hollywood Regency style dresser. So that is my design direction. I wanted something modern for The Hubs and something Vintage for me. Your probably thinking Modern...Vintage...two total opposites. It really works though. I am taking vintage pieces and painting them with modern finishes to bring them up to date. Giving the furniture a face lift basically.

Anyways, back to the reason I mentioned using the computer to do your dirty work. I found a site that you can create a mood board using your own downloaded pictures or preset images that are from stores like Ikea and West Elm. It is sooooo awesome...however addicting. I already spend way too much time on the computer so I need to be careful. The site is http://www.olioboard.com/. Below is the Mood Board I did for my Master Bedroom. I was wavering on an accent color. At first, I was thinking red, then yellow...then even royal purple..but I really wanted the room to feel a bit brighter with all the gray that already existed. So yellow it is!