Monday, November 16, 2015

Jean's Woodland Spa Bedroom

I have been in a major interior design mood lately.  I have been watching and re-watching Genevieve Gorder's show "Dear Genevieve" on Netflix (hello, I miss HGTV since we canceled cable) and seriously admiring her eye for design.  One of my favorite lines she ever said: "Mama don't do papasan.  Never have, never will."  Amen.  I am not a fan either, unless it's for a porch.

Any hoo, I digress.  I had another restless night last night even though I was dead tired.  So, I took some time out to do a powerpoint slide design board (mood board, vision board, whatever you want to call it) of a bedroom idea for my mother.  She is a notoriously hard "customer."  She has excellent taste, but she's not at all into trends (you won't ever find her buying anything chevron) and she has a very specific vision for what she likes and doesn't like.  Unfortunately for her excellent taste, it often runs in opposition with whatever the color / it thing / pattern of the moment is, therefore making it difficult for her to even FIND things that she likes at the retail level.  I swear, she could look at fabric swatches for hours and hours and only find one or two she truly loved, if that.

So, with that in mind, and knowing her love for blue, I thought about what feeling I would want to evoke in a bedroom for my mother.  She has had a tumultuous couple of years in her personal life, and I kept thinking that for her, the bedroom should be a peaceful, uncluttered retreat.  Unclutter the life, unclutter the mind: I really believe that.

So here it is.  I entitled it "Jean's Woodland Spa Bedroom."

Thursday, November 12, 2015

Lunch Break Christmas Jackpot!!!!!!!

The Target Onespot is on point for Christmas.  It was made for me.  And it suckered me in, big time.

Red, white, black and burlap and chalkboard.  And plaid!  Is there a surer way to get me this year, than plaid?

Run, don't walk down to Target before all the good stuff is gone.  Except not to the Torrington store, because I got the last of the pillows and some other stuff.  Hopefully they restock!

Here are my picture of the haul:

Really digging the storage baskets in a flame stitch and buffalo check, plus the chalkboard signs in the front.

Black and white striped ribbon, and 2 very cute red candle tins

Red and white snowflake coasters, Snowflake straws, and red glass mini jars to use on my planned Holiday Cocoa bar, PLUS a couple of white and black plaid placemats.

$3 pillows!  Enough said.

The cutest mini trees ever.
 

Wednesday, November 4, 2015

A Morrocan Inspired Red Living Room Vision Board, for Jennifer

Hello,

I have been itching to do something creative today but I am tired and although I have a million projects in various non-finished states, I decided to do something easy.

My sister Jennifer is inheriting some lovely brick red furniture (a sofa and loveseat) when she eventually moves down South this spring, and she and Joel are going to be house-hunting.  It had me thinking about Jennifer's style.

Now, while Jennifer is a traditionalist, the thing I love about her is that she is VERY far from boring.  She's not a neutral girl, if you know what I mean.  While she would not take as many design risks as I might, and in general, she is attracted to traditional or transitional furniture with a modern spin, she isn't afraid of color.

Jennifer also has a thing for Moroccan inspired prints just like I do (hello, quatrefoil for everyone.  Quatrefoil kicks chevrons behind any day of the week.)  And she also has a thing for Pier 1, so at first I browsed Pier 1 for some throw pillow inspiration.   And this is what I came up with for an inspiration room.

I used some items she already owns (some red, gold and brown mercury glass style tall candleholders, those Marrakech brown metal lanterns in small and large from Partylite, and the type of couch she will be inheriting, a Capiz shell wall clock.)  And then I inserted my own spin.   Those chocolate colored poufs seemed perfect for the children to lounge on, and I hope she would agree, that while this is sophisticated, it could also be family friendly.  That coffee table is from La Z boy, and the top lifts up and toward you to become a tv tray.   Busier patterns and darker colored couches are ideal for a little Micah Kevin and his tendency to spill.  I know, because I live with him.  I thought that rug (also entitled Marrakech) from Target was perfect to hide dog hair and stains while still remaining fun and colorful but mature.   This is definitely an adult space with room for the kids and the pets to snuggle in.

I hope you all enjoy, and Jennifer I hope you like it. 

Source List:  Media Console, Endtables and Coffee Table:  La Z Boy
Poufs, Slipper Chairs, Quatrefoil Mirror Set, Turquoise Throw Blanket, Storage Shelf with Baskets, Rug and Lamps all from Target.
Throw Pillows, Gold Quatrefoil Hurricanes, Capiz Shell Clock, Birches Painting, Tree with Bird Quad Painting, Capiz shell Vase, and Mosaic Red Tall Long Artwork, and Antique Red Bookcase all from Pier 1
Chocolate Brown Trellis Curtains: Christmas Tree Shops
Mosaic Hurricane and Marrakech Brown Lanterns: Partylite