Inspired by purple, white, and blue

Remember this image I posted of my little Mother's Day carnation?

I have been thinking that the vivid purple and white blossom and the blue and white porcelain cup was a very nice color combination.  In fact, it inspired me to make a little room design based on the color scheme.

Purple always reminds me of this dining room that appeared in Domino:

Obviously those purple walls steal the show, so almost everything else in the room is fairly neutral.  However, let's pretend that those curtains on the right actually frame a set of French doors that lead into a little sunroom.  What would that look like?

Since it's my imagination we're talking about, the little conservatory off the side of the house would look like this from the exterior:

Victorian orangery by Sunspace Design

And here's what the inside looks like:

Since this would be more of a room for just lounging, playing games, or tending to plants, I would include a white sofa with slipcover that can easily be laundered (and won't have any problem with fading in the sun).  The coffee table is an aluminum outdoor table from Restoration Hardware, and on either side of it I would place a beige Klismos chair with cool Greek key nickel tacks.  The blue side table is actually a midcentury chess set; mount the set itself on the wall and remove it whenever you want to play.  Underfoot, choose one of ABC Carpet's color reform rugs, which are made by redyeing antique rugs in more modern colors.  In the corners of the room, use the bleached wood side tables as plant stands.  The Robert Kauffman fabric brings together all the colors; it's a lightweight chiffon, so I would line the drapes for more body.

Sources

Rug - Color Reform rug from ABC Carpet & Home 

Blue side table - 1960s aluminum table and wall-mounted chess set from 1st Dibs

Side chairs - Greek key klismos chairs with nickel tacks from Global Views

Sofa - Ghost sofa-bed from Gervasoni
Purple pillow - Fern pillow by Fern Living at Gessato
Blue pillows - Pair of square teal pillows at Target
Coffee table - Outdoors aluminum klismos table from Restoration Hardware
Plant stands - 18th century Lion's Head side tables from Restoration Hardware (topped with white and purple orchids)
Curtain fabric - Robert Kaufman chiffon from Fabric.com, lined

Living room design

If you like the feel of the living areas I featured in the last post, here's a little room design for bringing the same look into your own home.  While the drawing rooms I posted about last time are beautiful, they are also situated in 100- to 300-year-old houses, so I've tried to update the concept to still be appropriate for those of us who live in newer construction homes and apartments.

My starting point for this plan was the ivory/gold antique rug.  It's pretty big (8' x 12'), so it would be the dominant pattern in the room.  I pulled most of the other room colors from the rug, including a soft green and some darker purples and reds.  The sofa is slipcovered in a brown and cream outdoor fabric, which adds to the informal look and makes it practical for everyday use.  The sofa table is an antique, but the lamps are new.  I would hang two or three Moorish lanterns along the length of the room rather than having one central ceiling fixture.  I added a couple green ceramic pieces to balance out all the brown and ivory tones.  The Farrow & Ball paint color ("Setting Plaster") provides a soft, pretty color for the backdrop and has a more historical feel to it.

Sources

Antique rug - eBay

Antique mahogany sofa table - eBay

Hollis sofa and slipcover in "Canopy Stripe Brown and Sand" - Ballard Designs

"Camille" celadon table lamp - Ralph Lauren by Circa Lighting

Morris hanging lanterns - Circa Lighting

Wall color - "Setting Plaster" by Farrow & Ball

"Marissa" ceramic footed bowl - Pottery Barn

Collection of 19 Rudyard Kipling works - eBay

Breakfast room design

So I am starting to work on getting our breakfast room a little more decorated.  We bought a new table last year, which is great because it expands to allow for lots of seating.  I also got the window seat situation fairly under control.  What we're lacking is seating, drapes, and a new light fixture.  Here is what I'm thinking now:

I have a few dilemmas.  I have a set of four vintage bentwood armchairs that really need to be refinished.  I am debating about colors.  They will probably need to be repainted instead of refinished, so I was thinking white with a glaze of some kind.  But then I also thought a bright color or more of neutral taupe would also be pretty.

In the pictures below you can see the design of the chairs I'm working on.  They are in the process of being patched, so forgive the ugly blotches of wood filler on the seats.  Someone made the questionable decision to try to upholster the seats, so I now have to fill dozens of tack holes.  With the room design above I used a white chair, and I think that might be the safest choice.  It would look good with our white woodwork, but I'm still not 100% sure.  Thoughts?

For end chairs I really like the Koobos wicker; the round back would go well with the shape of the vintage side chairs we have, and all the reviews seem to say they're also extremely comfortable chairs.  I think the breakfast room chairs should be comfortable, some place you'd stay to talk over weekend brunch or sit to do paperwork during the week.  Thoughts about the wicker chairs?  This room has windows on two sides, so I think the porch/garden vibe of the wicker would not look out of place.

My other dilemma is the lighting situation.  I've never loved our light fixture; it was just chosen very quickly at the end of the building process, and I'd like something more unique.  I think I would like something vintage, so maybe a tole or crystal chandelier?  I'd also like to tie in the color black since we have quite a bit of black in the living room adjacent.  I'm thinking black lamp shades on the chandelier and a trim on the white curtains.

Sources:

Table: Pottery Barn

Side chairs: vintage (see x-back ones similar to design above here)

End chairs: World Market

Curtains: Overstock

Black/white Greek key trim: MJ Trimming

Chandelier: Kathy Ireland at Lamps Plus

Black chandelier lamp shades: Lamps Plus

The breakfast room opens up to both the living room and the kitchen.  I've posted a couple photos of those rooms below so you can see why the colors and styles need to coordinate with these spaces.

My living room
(This kind of makes me laugh because I took this picture about a month ago and already the room looks different -- oh well!)

My kitchen

The breakfast room has the same light blue-gray walls as the kitchen and the same wood floors, so anything I pick has to work with those.

Sooo.....thoughts?  Suggestions?  Thanks in advance!

Home office design

A couple of weeks ago I found a great vintage sofa for sale.  For now the sofa is in our home office, though at some point I would like to put it in a "sunroom" of sorts when we finish the basement (that probably sounds weird, but our basement has decent windows...it would be hard to have a sunroom without any sun!).  In the meantime, this purchase has led to a lot of shifting of furniture from room to room, and I am now trying to figure out how to incorporate this large sofa into a fairly small room.

Here is a close-up picture of the sofa fabric.  It has a yellow background with pink, blue, and green flowers.

 I am trying to pull those colors out in the room design.  Here is what I'm thinking now:

Sources:

Couch - vintage Henredon

Throw pillows - Furbish (here and here)

Bamboo end table - Amazon

Wing chair - IVG

Parsons desk - Home Decorators Collection

Parquet table lamp - Lamps Plus

Mirror - IKEA

What do you think?  Any suggestions?  I am contemplating putting a shelving unit in the closet so we can store the printer and most of our books and papers there, leaving the room open for a desk, chair, and the sofa.  I also really want to incorporate some kind of space for houseplants, maybe on an end table or a sofa table.

I think the couch itself has a definite sunroom vibe to it, so I'd kind of like to play up the plants and the colors in the room itself.

My dream home office

I wish I could say this design were for an actual home office I have planned in the near future.  I have an office right now, but it's a bedroom that's temporarily being used as an office, and I have dreams of one day having a "real" home office with bookshelves, a wireless printer (sigh), and a gigantic bulletin board. Till that day arrives, I will share my plans with you...

I would use a Parsons dining table instead of a desk because I like lots of room to spread out.  West Elm used to make these in red; I can't find them now, so I would use high gloss red paint to get the same look.  A vintage wing chair reupholstered in linen would make a great desk chair (maybe on brass casters?).  I have been wanting a vintage French bouillotte lamp for a while with a great brass base and a black shade.  A bamboo mirror hung above the desk would lighten up the space, and I like the natural look the bamboo adds.

On the other side of the room, an antique bookcase would house class materials, and a secretary desk allows it to also function as additional workspace if needed.  A modern floor lamp provides light wherever it's needed (because an underlit office is NOT good).  I would add a couple fabrics: the Brunschwig & Fils "Le Lac," which I have liked for a while now, and a red ikat for more pattern and color.  And just for fun, an iPad because I think I would find a ton of uses for it if I had one.  :)

Sources

West Elm Parsons dining table (Paint color for desk: Fine Paints of Europe Tulip Red)

Williams-Sonoma Home Chelsea wing chair (linen upholstery)

Vintage bouillotte lamp 

Brunschwig & Fils "Le Lac" fabric for curtains or roman shade

Horchow Bamboo Curl mirror

Decorative Fabrics Direct Positano crimson ikat fabric on toss pillow

Robert Abbey Bruno task floor lamp

Antique secretary desk

Apple iPad (hey, they have some good education apps!)

Does anyone else work from home?  What does your workspace look like now?  What would you do differently if you could update it?

Edward Lear designs a room

Last week's post on Christina Rossetti prompted one commenter to request Edward Lear for this week.  I try to be obliging (especially when it comes to literature!), so here you go, some Edward Lear verses and some corresponding home decor items.  What could be better?!  :)


"The Owl and the Pussycat"

 

I
The Owl and the Pussy-cat went to sea     In a beautiful pea green boat, They took some honey, and plenty of money,     Wrapped up in a five pound note. The Owl looked up to the stars above,     And sang to a small guitar, 'O lovely Pussy! O Pussy my love,       What a beautiful Pussy you are,           You are,           You are! What a beautiful Pussy you are!'
II
Pussy said to the Owl, 'You elegant fowl!     How charmingly sweet you sing! O let us be married! too long we have tarried:     But what shall we do for a ring?' They sailed away, for a year and a day,     To the land where the Bong-tree grows And there in a wood a Piggy-wig stood     With a ring at the end of his nose,           His nose,           His nose, With a ring at the end of his nose.

III

'Dear pig, are you willing to sell for one shilling     Your ring?' Said the Piggy, 'I will.' So they took it away, and were married next day     By the Turkey who lives on the hill. They dined on mince, and slices of quince,     Which they ate with a runcible spoon; And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand,     They danced by the light of the moon,           The moon,           The moon, They danced by the light of the moon.

 

Words and pictures by Edward Lear (1812-1888)

This little story for children got me thinking, what would the owl and pussycat's house look like?  Here's my interpretation:

Hanging on the wall, some framed prints by Poor Dog Farms:

 

By the fire, a cozy wing chair upholstered in a buffalo check:

At the window, matching curtains:

Across the room, a worn Chesterfield sofa:

Across the back of the sofa, a cozy throw:

Beside the sofa, a brass lamp:

On the floor, a sturdy jute rug:

Next to the sofa, a hand-me-down table:

On the table, a little gift:

Inspired by...snowy fields

As we drove across Kansas, Missouri, and Iowa on our way home from our family Christmas celebration, the clouds broke and the sun shone bright across the harvested fields.  The snow covered ground revealed where deer recently had made their paths perilously close to the holiday travelers.  Our son said, "Look, Mommy, reindeer tracks!"  If only...

I snapped this picture from the interstate.  I thought the combination of blue, white, and gold was really pretty, so I decided to turn it into a little "inspired by..." post.

This week I am turning the inspiration picture into a dining room.  Here's the room design:

First, I would paint all the walls and moldings a soft, very light taupe color.  Then I would paint the ceiling a pretty robin's egg blue to correspond with the sunny Midwest sky.  The dining table and bench have a whitewashed finish.  You could do two benches flanking the table with an armchair at each end, or only use one bench and place a couple chairs along the other side of the table.  Ballard Designs also has a nailhead cover that would be pretty on the Parsons chair form (without arms).  The slipcover I chose is a sturdy, elegant linen.  The chandelier is the most literal reference to the farm inspiration picture: it has a chrome frame with wheat etched onto the glass shade. (Yes, I know that the field shown in the picture is actually corn, not wheat.)

To set the table, I would use the Marimekko tablecloth, which looks like swirling grasses, topped off with simple white dinnerware and a couple of luxe finishing pieces: the cute Kate Spade navy accent plates with gold polka dots, and the timeless Stieff sterlingware (I really like this pattern!).  Just because this room design is inspired by the Midwest doesn't mean that it has to be really country or rustic!  If the Marimekko cloth is too modern for your taste, you could easily substitute a solid color tablecloth in gold, light blue, white, or beige.

Sources:

Dining table - "Provence" trestle table from World Market

Dining bench - "Provence" from World Market

Two arm chairs - Parsons armchair with Suzanne Kasler linen slipcover from Ballard Designs

Chandelier - chrome wheat chandelier from Linens 'n Things

Accent plates - Kate Spade "Allison Avenue" for Lenox

Dinner plates - Rim dinner plates at Crate & Barrel

Silverware - "Golden Winslow" by Kirk Stieff

Tablecloth - Marimekko "Lepo" from Crate & Barrel


Like seeing room designs?  Have an idea for an "inspired by..." post or another room design you'd like to see?  Leave me a comment and let me know!

Inspired by...the New Year's Eve ball

{photo credit: Times Square Alliance}

Today's room design inspiration is the famous crystal ball that drops in NYC Times Square to celebrate the new year.  Of course, the ball is only part of a huge spectacle that involves fireworks, confetti, bright lights, and crowds of people.

{photo credit: Countdown Entertainment, LLC, via Times Square Alliance}

To translate the spirit of New Year's Eve to a room design, I aimed for colorful and extravagant exuberance.  Here's what I came up with:

I used a combination of shimmery metallics and luxe materials (wool, velvet, marble).  A wool rug in various shades of blue grounds the room, and the blue velvet sofa picks up on some of the lighter blue tones in the rug.  A yellow gourd lamp and gold stool/side table add a couple touches of warmth to the room, and a multicolored throw pillow and watercolor provide some pattern.  Because it's a room inspired by New Year's Eve, we need lots of shiny things, hence the mirrored dresser, gold stool, and chrome legs on the coffee table.  The white marble top of the table adds a natural texture that is still polished and elegant, but a break from all that blue!  And the most important part, of course, is a sputnik chandelier to reference the New Year's Eve ball itself.

Sources:

(Click on the product names for links)

Hemera Series Sputnik chandelier - $748

Mister Knorr gold stool - £1,030.00

Contemporary Blue Velvet sectional sofa - $1,787

"Pay Attention to the Signs" original watercolor - $95

Yellow ceramic table lamp - $208

Blue Fusion wool rug - $290

Fireworks crewelwork throw pillow - $78

Clairmonte mirrored dresser - $977

Smart round marble-top coffee table - $300

Have an idea for an "inspired by..." post?  Leave me a comment and let me know!

Craigslist find + room design

As I am looking through sites like Craigslist or eBay, I will often find an antique, lamp, accessory, or furniture item that I really like but either a.) don't have the money for or, b.) don't really have a space for (or, usually, a. and b.).  So I thought I would occasionally share some finds with you guys, along with a little plan for how to use the item in a room design.

{Set of two vintage chairs and ottomans}

On Craigslist I found a pair of wooden chairs with brown leather upholstery.  They each have a matching ottoman, and the seller is asking $200 each or $350 for both.  This seems like a very reasonable price to me.  View this listing HERE.

When I saw these chairs, I immediately thought they looked really comfortable because they appear to recline slightly, so I came up with a little room design for a cozy library with a fireplace, lots of books, a large area rug, and dark glossy walls.  Here's the plan:

 

I think that libraries should be filled with books, but if you have enough books, their colors go with anything, so you should just choose whatever colors you like for the room.  When I think "library," I think "cozy," especially since it's so cold outside right now, so I came up with a room based on a dark green-grey, brown, and burnt orange color scheme.  An oversized (10' x 16') rug ties together all the room colors, and the two different fabrics could be used for curtains, throw pillows, or table skirts.  Add a floor lamp by one of the chairs to facilitate reading, and use the console table for stacks of books and other accessories.  This room mixes different finishes--pewter, bronze, nickel, and the rough metal finish of the console--which keeps it from looking too matchy-matchy, and with the walls painted in a high gloss grey-green, a lot of the metal textures would recede into the wall color anyway.

Sources:

Chairs - vintage on Craigslist

Fireplace screen - Pottery Barn "Vintage Pewter Single Screen"

Room color - Martha Stewart Living "Ground Pepper" for Home Depot

Crystal hurricanes - Ralph Lauren Home

Rug - Heriz Seapi wool rug on eBay

Floor lamp - Adjustable swing arm lamp from Circa Lighting

Throw - hand knit from Pottery Barn

Fabrics - bird "Camerano" and tan and teal floral from Lewis & Sheron Textile Co.

Console table - Industrial tool chest from Restoration Hardware

I wish I had this room in my house right now; I would love to lean back with a good book and a cup of tea!