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Decorating Idea: Outdoor Centerpiece Chic

Happy Almost Summer!  Are you ready to brave the heat and entertain friends and neighbors outdoors?

Some of you may know that I teach decorating classes at Pottery Barn a couple Sunday’s a month.  Luckily, they let me exercise my creativity and pull together some of my own ideas for the class.  Here’s a simple centerpiece idea I created using flameless candles, recycled glass candleholders and succulents.  It turned out very organic and natural if I may say so myself :)

outdoor centerpiece i created at pottery barn

One of the reasons this works is it is very neutral and would fit in with almost any decor or color scheme.  Another tip is to let one thing “shine” through in your design.  In this case, it is the candles.  When entertaining, especially at night, lighting can make or break your dinner party.  Too much and it doesn’t feel intimate, too little and it is hard to see your guests!  One of the things I love about flameless candles is their ability to flicker and “dance” like natural candlelight without the hazards.  Bonus: most flameless candles have a timer built-in.  Which means if you want your candles to come on every night at 5:00 and turn off at 10:00, you can make it happen!

Hope this idea sparks your creativity, too.  I would love to help with your decorating challenges!  Please email me with ideas or spaces you would like me to address.

Thanks & Happy Decorating!

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“keep calm and carry on”

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!

 

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Here Comes The Sun!

Happy Spring 2011

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 CB2
a 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 space
go outside & enjoy the sunshine!!
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the power of pink

Happy Valentine’s Day!

i "heart" pink

 

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 2079-30
jonathan adler is after my heart!

 

this website has lots of things I can't live without!

 

this chic makes me happy!

 

love this idea!

 

more peonies!

That’s all for now!  Happy “Heart” Day to you!

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Simple Holiday Decor

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 work
almost 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!

voila!