Monday, December 12th, 2011
Whether I’m shopping for clients or shopping for holiday presents, I always find things I’d love to buy for myself. Here are a few of my current favorites.
This asymmetrical Modo Chandelier from Roll and Hill was used in an inspiration board for Thanksgiving (I think it was for Dwell Studio’s contest) and I went gaga over it. (Clarification: I don’t mean I put on a red rubber dress and skyhigh platforms ala. Lady Gaga.)
The price tag is high, but I haven’t seen anything like it, and that is always prized in my world. Plus we now have a long dining room table (it arrived Saturday!) that can’t be centered under the current chandelier. Our ceiling slopes up to 2 stories, so moving the light over isn’t really an option. Therefore, an asymmetrical, long fixture like this would work well with our existing conditions.
These cute brass quails would look lovely mixed in with the art on my sideboard or creeping along our mantel between the fairy houses. Buffalo Winter on Etsy has a great selection of brass objects like this if you want to add to your collections. The deer are another favorite set of mine.
For now our Christmas stockings hang at my parents’ house since we all celebrate together at their place. But I know the day will come when we keep them at home during the pre-holiday season and then bring them over to my parents’ for the big day to be filled with goodies. When that day comes I want the right stocking hangers. These pinecone hangers from Terrain might be worthy.
I’ve been on the hunt for a great bag to use to drag my project binders, iPad, endless samples and other tools of the trade around town. Lots of pockets seems to be a key criteria, so this canvas and leather tote from Terrain falls short on that factor. But the color palette and leather accents is difficult to resist. The perfect brown leather with patina AND orange?! So tempting!
Finally, a friend passed along a link to this Etsy seller who creates iPod and iPad docking stations concealed in books.
How clever are these? The shop is rather depleted of options right now because they’ve been so popular for the holidays, so be sure to check out the Sales category on the left side to see examples of past docking station creations. Knowing my love of all things “Pride and Prejudice” sent me a link to a docking station using a beautiful copy of that book. Lovely!
This beautiful Urchin Object from Dwell Studio is another great object perfect for filling out display spaces throughout my house (or your house). I’m amazed that it’s only $18.75!
And finally, how can I resist this blanket? It was practically MADE for me! I don’t know why Dwell Studio decided to make a blanket just for me, but Thank You!
Let’s list its key design elements:
It is Orange
It has Foxes
Hello, what more do you need??
So that’s a round up of a few of my current favorite designs I’m dreaming of. What are you dreaming of treating yourself to this holiday season?
Tags: accessories, blanket, Buffalo Winter, Dwell Studio, Etsy, ipod, lighting, Roll and Hill, Terrain, tote
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Wednesday, August 17th, 2011
After writing all about the new brights trend (see the post here), I couldn’t resist creating a bedroom concept to prove how doable this look is. Remember how I compared an outfit to a room:
“Kelly green jeans and a turquoise t-shirt with a grey cardigan and a skinny belt in brown leather over it could be bright but still have the safe touches to make it feel comfortable. The room equivalent: a bedroom with a kelly green bed frame, turquoise sheets, multi-colored throw pillows, light gray walls and a leather slung chair.”
Well, here’s the room example, with 2 different bedding and throw pillow combinations to chose from.
Start with the Piper Bed in Green from Room & Board. Paint the walls a soft gray, like Sherwin-Williams Argos (SW 7065). Add a leather safari chair for a timeless worn-in element that grounds the bold elements you’ll add next. 1st Dibs is a good source for these vintage chairs. A chunky cable rug in Charcoal from Room & Board adds texture and softness when getting out of bed or doing homework.
The room could start out with an updated preppy look. No turquoise, instead the blue is a crisp, classic navy. Key elements (clockwise from bedding):
Ronan Duvet from Serena & Lily
British Flag pillow from Jonathan Adler
Green and Natural Zebra needlepoint pillow from Jonathan Adler
Positano Helix pillow in Blue from Jonathan Adler
Amanda sheet set in Gray from Bliss Living
This could work for either gender, it’s really about personality! The subtle pattern on the sheets in a soft gray adds some interest while tying in the wall and rug color.
Or take the room in a global chic direction (clockwise from bedding):
Shangri-La duvet from Bliss Living
Diamond Ikat Azure pillow from Dwell Studio
Samsara Multi throw pillow from Bliss Living
Bargello Jungle Road pillow from Jonathan Adler
Masala Citrone sheet set from Dwell Studio
The duvet cover has great pattern and lots of colors to work with for accent pillows. Adding in the Ikat pillow is a no-brainer for the global look, as is the Samsara pillow with a Suzani-esque print. Both are right on trend with the current movement to incorporate native ethnic prints from around the globe. What I love is adding in the Bargello Jungle Road pillow with the crazy zig-zag Italian company Missoni is known for. It’s unexpected but still very global and the colors work perfectly with the other pillows. The Citrone sheets pull that color from the duvet cover and add a small scale pattern to the mix to balance all those large patterns.
Which would you go for? Preppy or global chic? Or would you rather have the bed in pink…red…yellow…orange…white? So many color combinations, so little time! Have fun creating your own layered look. I’d love to see what you would create!
On that note, check out West Elm’s new mix-and-match bedding interactive program where you can see how sheets, duvets, and shams from their collection will look together with your wall color. (They don’t have a ton of paint color options, but it’s nice that they included this element in a room.) It’s a fun way to spend your lunch break. =)
Tags: 1st Dibs, bedroom, Bliss Living, Blue, brights, cable rug, Dwell Studio, gray, green, interior design, Jonathan Adler, Room & Board, Serena & Lily, Sherwin Williams, West Elm
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Wednesday, May 4th, 2011
Last week I featured the Octavia Headboard by Serena & Lily in a girl’s bedroom setting. This week I want to highlight how that headboard could be used in an adult or teenager’s bedroom. Depending on what style of bedding you select. a room can exude a playful personality or subtle sophistication. It’s all about the mix and match.
First option: The classic Octavia headboard in Navy Linen with nickel nailhead trim is given a fresh, modern twist with graphic prints. Dwell Studio’s Labyrinth duvet set in Dove reminds me of a snake charmer, and their Masala sheets in Citrine provides a pop of unexpected color against the neutrals.
Option2: Here I played the greek key inspired detail in the nailhead design against a loosely drawn Greek Key duvet set by West Elm. I was feeling playful when I chose the Red Star sheets from Serena & Lily to complete the look. It feels a little like the stars & stripes with all that navy, white and red. Or maybe it’s conjures up a bedroom that feels like you are in Greece and looking at the stars in the expansive sky over the ocean. What feeling does it inspire in you?
Option 3: This is a softer look than the 2 previous combinations, but the stripes keep it graphic. The Pewter Linen Octavia headboard is not as bold as the navy version. I wanted to use Dwell Studio’s Draper Stripe sheet set in Poppy with a duvet cover that might be a bit of an unexpected pairing. So I first chose the Parachute Duvet set in White from West Elm (upper right corner). The ruching of this airy cotton creates a lot of volume and a relaxed feminine effect. White sheets with a colored edge or subtle dots would be a more obvious pairing. But I like how the poppy stripes anchors the floaty duvet and makes it more guy friendly.
I couldn’t resist including another version with West Elm’s Stripe Duvet set in white and feather gray. The width of the stripes on the sheets in narrower, which allows the two stripes to work together. Can you tell I like a pop of color against neutrals?
Option 4: The headboard remains in Pewter Linen but a new combination of bedding provides a very different look. Here Dwell Studio’s Peacock Duvet set in Dove has a more traditional styling than previous selections, but the color palette and scale keep it modern in sensibility. Pairing this duvet with Dwell Studio’s Gate sheet set in Azure has been a favorite combination of mine since they introduced it. But I wanted an alternate option for sheets since it is always nice to be able to tweak the look of your bedding. I selected the Dot Print sheet set in Mushroom from West Elm to pull out the soft browns in the duvet cover. Without seeing the two sets in person I’m not positive the colors are right together, but this is illustrative people, so don’t kill me if they don’t work, ok?!
Option 5: Finally, switching up the Octavia headboard to Antique Gold Burlap with Brass nailheads creates a more classic traditional style. The Bativa Duvet set in Citrine by Dwell Studio is a modern update of the Ikat pattern that is so popular in interior design right now. The soft color palette keeps the room from feeling too formal. The coordinating Masala sheet set in Citrine blends in here rather than serving as a pop of color as it did in Option 1.
I’m sure I could create an alternate option for the final headboard color option… but I ran out of energy. So why don’t you create one and show it to me?
So which option would you choose? Or do you prefer something completely different? Bedding shouldn’t be intimidating to select and it should definitely be washable. Beyond that, anything goes. A duvet cover is often the largest expanse of a pattern in your home. It can be switched seasonally or whenever the mood strikes, unlike a the upholstery on a sofa or chair (though slipcovers can serve the same purpose). So don’t be afraid to go for something bid, bold, unexpected or just a little out of your comfort zone.
Photo sources: All product shots from each company’s website. See links for more information about each product.
Tags: bedding, bedroom, duvet cover, Dwell Studio, Octavia headboard, Serena & Lily, sheets, West Elm
Posted in Design & Home Living Tips, Inspiration Boards | No Comments »
Friday, April 1st, 2011
Why is that when the weather is gray outside, people say they feel “blue”?
I’ve been noticing that saturated blues are experiencing a fresh surge of popularity in everything from home decor to fashion. To me these colors are far from bummed out, melancholy mood inducing tones. Instead they are strong, assertive, and yet classic.
For another perspective on the trend, check out the article Sherwin-Williams recently ran in their magazine, Stir, about the color indigio as a trend for 2011. See the article here.
To start with you can see how the concept of the ocean, white sands and fish is playing out in West Elm’s new collection (top left corner). Oscar de la Renta has used saturated blues in his latest fashion collection and in his home (middle top and bottom) Yves Klein Blue is even moving from the runway to make up collections. Wallflowers need not apply!
The richness of these shades of blue shows confidence and sophistication when integrated into your wardrobe, as shown above in a feature from Oprah magazine. The center photo shows how this color can be integrated into your summer wardrobe with all those colorful brights we talked about last week. Even your table settings can be bold and playful as this mix and match table setting highlights.
Finally, West Elm’s vision of a weather bleached dock with a lounge surrounded by endless blue waters evokes a calm peacefulness in me. If it was all white it would be boring to me. But those indigio pillows in a variety of patterns and textures and the blue stool in the background add the interest I need. The thatched roof and woven tote bag add great texture too. The principles of design here can just as easily be brought into your living room.
As always, I’m happy to help you get there.
Have a great weekend everyone, and I hope you only feel “blue” in a bold way!
Tags: Blue, Dwell Studio, indigio, interior design, navy, Oprah, trend, West Elm, Yves Klein blue
Posted in Color Pulse | 1 Comment »
Friday, March 25th, 2011
One color trend I’ve been noticing lately: Yellow. Sometimes it heads towards buttery yellow. Sometimes it has a hint of green undertone that takes it slightly towards citrine.
Here are a few examples from the retail sources West Elm, Crate & Barrel and Dwell Studio.
The trend of bright punchy colors is definitely in for spring/summer. Gray, white and navy will always be strong partners for yellow.
And you know what I couldn’t resist when I saw the West Elm summer preview? (Hint: Check out those vintage style orange kitchen containers in the upper left corner. PERFECT accessory for pulling the orange accents in the adjacent living room into the kitchen to tie the two rooms together!)
Think spring thoughts this weekend and maybe we can wish the snow away and get those spring flowers to pop up at last!
Photo credits: Images on left side from West Elm Summer 2011 Preview. Composite on upper right side from Crate & Barrel. 3 pillows at lower right side from Dwell Studio.
Tags: accessories, color, Crate & Barrel, Dwell Studio, interior design, orange, trend, West Elm, yellow
Posted in Color Pulse | No Comments »
Colleen Fox Slack | email: colleen@colleenfoxinteriors.com | phone: 612.868.0348
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