Welcome to 2011 – the land of over-scheduled, underpaid, technology-addicted persons racing through life whilst forgetting what it is we are moving towards. To quote Ferris Bueller “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
classic and original – love those Brits!
It’s no wonder then that the British goverment’s posters, produced in 1939 to alleviate stress from the impending war, have been reinvented as the latest decorating craze. With it’s simple yet effective motto and signature crown, the posters have been popping up everywhere in dozens of bright colors and unexpected creations.
For me, the poster’s bold color balances it’s somber message and reading the phrase instantly provides a reassuring hand as I push through my never ending to do list. Feel free to share your own personal motto or mantra for perseverance!
this is pretty popular in nursery rooms!i have a few friends who could use these!and some mommies who would want this, too!love the more natural version!what a way to come home…how does this not make you happy?great way to start the day!
I am so excited for all the amazing color coming out in fashion and furniture stores! Yellow is such an optimistic color, you can’t help but smile when wearing it or seeing it as an accent piece in your home. It is also a very vital reminder that warm weather is almost here!
So, use these photos and objects as inspirations for a very cheery 2011 outlook!
Click on the photos to visit the vendor’s sites…
necklace from Kate Spade that spawned this post...LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!love these Tolix chairs and in yellow, even better!canary bird tealights from CB2 - adorable!
paint your cabinets canary yellow for a fresh look!uh oh, my Kate Spade bag now in yellow seersucker...someone hide the plastic!from seersucker to tent stripes, so cheery!
daffodils are my favorite flower!Kate Spade has a flower I love, too!flowers on a pillow from CB2a little yellow goes a long way...what a fun idea!a taste of the Hamptons from Crate & Barrel
Love this chair from CB2 - too pretty to go outside!!!another great way to use paint!simply adorable! works indoors and out!another beautiful spacego outside & enjoy the sunshine!!
Some of you may know how much I adore pink…I can’t even count the amount of pink things that I surround myself with from clothes to ipods to perfume (Victoria’s Secret Pink) to sharpie pens to my newly adored Kate Spade bag. Why do I love pink so much? Am I the only one?
So, on this V-day, I thought I would explore the power of pink.
In my life, this color has always spurred me to action, allowed me to face challenges with optimism. Purchasing my first Kate Spade bag in my favorite shade was a symbol of good things to come in 2011. I already feel it’s effects as I juggle new clients and new love.
Other pink things I adore:
i am obsessed with peonies!
Barbie - the original "pink lady"click this photo for more beautiful pink rooms!
stunning!
Benjamin Moore's Peony 2079-30jonathan adler is after my heart!
this website has lots of things I can't live without!
So, you love all the berry branches and amaryllis flowers that are abundant in stores right now. But how do you use them without putting them in the “usual” tall vase? How do you incorporate simpler elements to your holiday decor? Here’s what I did with one of my favorite hurricanes to give it a holiday “facelift”…
empty hurricane...what should we do?candles, flowers & berries, oh my!
I purchased a large white unscented candle which burns within. This is important as you don’t want wax dripping on the botanicals surrounding the candle. Unscented is also a must if you are entertaining a lot. It allows you to burn the candle without interfering with multiple aromas such as perfumes or yummy entrees! Lastly, notice the scale of the candle. Sometimes I bring my candle holders with me when I shop for candles so I don’t guess and have to make several trips to the store!
Okay, I also have some winter berries and these beautiful white amaryllis stems. My idea is to chop the amaryllis really short and frame them around the candle at the base of the hurricane. Time to cut…wire cutters or strong scissors are a must!
time to cut...
So, unfortunately, my idea didn’t work so well. I only cut one to test and it was too squished once it got closer to the base of the hurricane…now what to do with it. Well, I have this cute little red vase that I normally don’t put flowers in but figured it worked nicely for the season. I cut a second amaryllis stem and situated them so they offset the shape of the vase nicely.
looks better here!
Okay, back to the hurricane…how can I incorporate the berries? I remembered I had some black rocks leftover from another project and pulled those out. I love how the black creates a nice base for the candle. You don’t have to fill the rocks too far, just use your best judgment on proportion.
hmm...black rocks may workalmost done!
Now for the finishing touch, I must say this is harder than it looks. I cut off 2 parts of the berry branches and I still have enough leftover for a future project; that was the easy part. The hard part was placing them ever so gently in the rocks without them scratching the candle or falling over. I ended up using scotch tape to hold them together, only from the back so you wouldn’t see the tape. I love how it turned out and I can’t wait to see how nicely it burns!
A key part of making your house a home is developing your signature style. This is similar to developing a fashion style. We all see trends come and go but over time we learn which styles flatter our figures and mirror our personalities.
Creating an inspiration collage is something I encourage people to do, even when not working with a designer. It is important to gather images of rooms, furniture, colors, accessories that you love and edit to help shape your vision. As you move forward in purchases for your home, this collage will serve as a blueprint for your style.
I have a framed corkboard that I change out periodically to reflect my focus at any given time. I’m starting fresh in several aspects of my life and this is my inspiration at the moment.
my inspiration collage
I rearranged some accessories in my apartment as well as pulled new concept photos for my board. This is always an easy trick to reinvent bookshelves, coffee tables, etc. Moving things into different rooms gives your accessories and photos new perspective and saves money!
Here are my inspirations at the moment…
I love flowers: real, fake or in photos. It is too expensive to get fresh flowers, so I settle for realistic-looking fake versions. Love these from Pottery Barn!
I love looking at photos of my close friends & family, especially my sister Tabs. I have lots of framed pictures of the two of us all over my apt. She’s my best friend; can’t imagine my life without her!
I also adore my Patch NYC butterfly plate from West Elm. It is such a cute shaped platter and the free-hand feel of the butterfly sketch is simply beautiful.
Inspiring poems and quotes are included in my collage along with photos of places I would like to live someday. Outdoor spaces are especially inspirational to me; I love watching nature. The photo of the crystal chandeliers over the simple vases of tulips shows creative balance. The Prada sunglasses ad in the center represents how I would like to be perceived: a juxtaposition of an intense & playful spirit.
As I pass by this space, I feel uplifted and hopeful. I hope you enjoy making your own inspiration collage!
