Office Space Spruce-Up

For my birthday my mom generously gave me all the office supplies I had been hoping for by Nate Berkus for Target shop online.  We are packing for our summer vacation to Montana right now but I wanted to show you the progress thus far and my new accumulation of lovelies.  

I will have more on this when I return home.

While I am in Montana (for the next two and a half weeks) I will get to share little lake-side wedding diy projects as I am rushing to complete them for a wedding July 19th.  I will do my best to post on a regular basis while I'm there!

Talk to you soon!

Living and Decorating With Books

Books are the reason Lori and I met and became friends.  Books are often my source of happiness.  But books are also physically beautiful, that is, if they are not of the paperback variety.  Old books are especially appealing in piles or on shelves. They make a room cozy and take away any sterility. I also like the idea of covering books to make a uniform statement.  You just can't go wrong with books!

BN.com

   I need to check this book out.  A book about books--I love it!  Reminds me of a Seinfeld episode where Kramer writes a coffee-table book about coffee-tables.

Pinterest

I really like the color of these book covers...hmmm, I might just be inspired enough to tackle my library.  

via Cozy Bliss
Bundles of old books look like gifts on the shelves.  It is a nice decorative treatment.

More great book covers.

via Muralo
I think this is interesting:  A birdcage filled with books.  It would be great in a small space where bookshelves are not possible.  It offers storage in a visually pleasing and unusual way.  

via meadow lake
This is the same concept as above but applied to shelves.  The books are risers for other objects.

via aphro chic
Designer Nate Berkus is a proponent of books as decorative objects.  They are great to raise the level of other things on a table, like this lamp and framed picture.  I do this a lot myself, and I like having my books close by because I actually read them!

If you don't mind searching a little longer for your favorite book, this is a great looking treatment with the pages facing out.

via Domythic
I adore this!  Huge antique volumes stacked to function as a table.  

phoebehoward.net

I plan to do another post on books in Kid's rooms, so stay tuned!!!  

Chocolate

Chocolate just sounds better than brown!

November 2011
That is a lot of chocolate for me, but it is beautiful and 
it inspired my outfit.

Nate Burkus room:  I like the white against the chocolate.

Sarah Richardson bathroom:
I prefer brown like this: wood tones as opposed to paint.

John Saladino room:  Okay, maybe I spoke too soon!  This
room is stunning.  I might add, though, that this is a deep chocolate
with lots of grey in it.  

In honor of Halloween and all of the chocolate that will be consumed, I thought I would spotlight this delectable color.  I have to admit that when it comes to decorating, brown is not my favorite color, but hey, taken in small doses, chocolate is healthy right?  I am loving the rusty browns of the season as an accent in my wardrobe and my home, mixed with a few hits of cocoa brown to mix it up.  I also love that blue is lovely with brown and off-sets it's innate warmth (which, for me, can be stifling).  

I always change out the throw pillows in my home for the seasons.  I will
always have white furniture, so I can have fun with color on the pillows.  

I always like blue and green, so my area rug has those colors but there is also
a ground tone of grey-brown as well as a warm brown accent--this makes it possible
to add the warmer colors in the fall.

dress, belt, tights, bow necklace: Forever 21
long necklace: vintage
boots: Giani Bini
purse: Banana Republic

This outfit works for me because there isn't a single
tone of brown throughout:  the goal is not to look like
a baked potato!  The cocoa dress has a dark brown leaf accent
(that relates back to the leather on my belt, boots and purse) 
with turquoise flowers; I then paired it with rust tights.  Gold
jewelry is a must with such beautiful, coppery tones.

Maybe I will be a chocolate convert!  Or maybe I will just continue to love it in small amounts....as I certainly will tonight.

Happy Halloween!

Nautical Design

Gary McBournie

Thomas Paul pillow

There is something really intriguing to me about nautical spaces because they suggest the spirit of exploration and adventure (or maybe I love it because I live in the desert).  The ocean symbolizes mystery, so when elements that are connected with the sea are brought into the home they carry with them an enigmatic charm.  Nautical also appeals to both genders, young and old, and can be used in contemporary or rustic homes.  The look is often crisp, and in modern spaces only a nod or reference to nautical is needed, such as in the Colleen Duffley dining room:  the armillary chandelier and conch shell are really the only elements that say "ocean;" everything else is simple and understated.  In more rustic spaces such as designer Gary McBournie's, a literal take on nautical is employed through the placement of lanterns, ship paintings and flags to create a collected, traveled vibe.

Colleen Duffley

romantic nautical

thetransferware.com

The pillow shams in my son's room

Suzanne Kasler

Jean Allsop



Nate Berkus

Countryliving.com

There is also American and British nautical to consider:  Bamboo furniture has a British colonial reference often used in nautical spaces, while American nautical sometimes has a red, white and blue scheme.  There are no rules though, both can be mixed.

It is easy to add a nautical look to any room by just placing a pillow (like the fabulous Thomas Paul anchor, above), a collection of themed oil paintings, a jar of shells; you can do a little or a lot, but on thing is for sure: nautical style is here to stay.