Celebrate and Decorate: Sunday Style

Showing posts with label Sunday Style. Show all posts

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Sunday Style - Porches

A porch is defined as, "a covered shelter projecting in front of the entrance of a building". We know that a porch can be on the front of a building, or the side, or the "back porch". More importantly; if you have had the chance to sit and sip your morning coffee on a porch watching the early birds singing, or sharing lemonade on a warm afternoon with a loved one or snoozing in the fresh air on a classic "sleeping porch"; then you know, a porch is so much more! I hope you have a porch, and I hope you have happy memories of spending time on your porch!

A classic comfortable front porch to settle onto.

An extra large bed swing invites lounging on this classic Georgia porch.

Wooden daybeds treated to withstand the outdoor weather make for a lovely sleeping porch.

A shabby chic porch

A modern screen porch

With mosquito netting, this would makes a great place to sleep

Pretty lights on this porch!

A little bit of Paris on your porch.

Bring on the lemonade!

I want to sleep on a porch like this..

Just lovely

I want to curl up with a good book here, how about you?

Go on out to your porch and enjoy!

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Sunday Style - Country French Kitchens

The fruit and the French words...

Country French is an Old World style of design and decorating that is a relaxed style making the home seem warm and comfortable. Both bright and muted colors can be used. Kitchen cabinets are stained or painted wood, often shown distressed to suggest the idea of many generations of use. Often ornate tiles with French country scenes are used as back splashes. Use a baker's rack to display trinkets and treasures or to store cookbooks. The kitchen table should be large and over-sized and also be distressed as to suggest many years of use. Use checkered or toile fabrics for tablecloths or curtains. French country motifs often include roosters, fruit, sunflowers and lavender. Use baskets, especially those constructed from chicken wire to fill with rolled up kitchen towels, cloth napkins or fruit.

Just lovely!

Roosters - a great French motif!

Country French motifs include all kinds of farm animals, after all, we are going for "country"; roosters, pigs and cows!

Lavender - another French motif!

A lovely vase of lavender can be tucked anywhere in your kitchen for that country French feel. You can also add sunflowers, real, silk, printed on kitchen towels or curtains!

A lovely nook of a kitchen!

Our rooster re-appears!

To give this pot rack a more authentic country French look, change out the stainless steel pots for copper!

Painted cabinets and ceiling beams are indications of a Country French kitchen/

You can rent the villa with this kitchen in France!

A lovely French table setting.

Consider adding a touch or toile, even if it is just with placemats or cloth napkins.

Unfortunately we don't all have stone walls and arches in our homes to use as this designer did!

So French, the blue and yellow and the sunflowers!

French Country style is casual and family-friendly. Incorporate vintage features or accessories. Accessories are what makes your country French kitchen unique! Put your personal stamp on country French with accessories you love.

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Sunday Style - A Paris Style Apartment

I believe that attitude is the most important thing in home design. I have this apartment that I thought was too small, when my husband said something about it being a Paris pied a terre. Suddenly, I thought the place was incredibly spacious! Instead of trying to keep the place spare of excess furniture and decor, I went for it and filled the place up with comfortable furniture and pictures.

It was important that there was a comfortable place to sit and put your feet up. I had this great old sofa that I re-purposed to this place, and then went shopping for that perfect durable coffee table that I could basically abuse with feet, food, computer, etc. I was having trouble finding the right table when I spied these benches at World Market. They were designed to be used with a dining table, but putting two of them together, I have the perfect table, at a really good price!

The splurge for the dining area was the incredible picture above the side table. My husband and I both fell in love with this 68" by 68" picture when we first saw it at Restoration Hardware. I think it defines the dining area, don't you?

A vignette of favorite trinkets makes me happy when I see it. The box came from Three Fairies Couture. The keys came from Kirklands.

I found this pair of heads years ago in an antique shop. They were not antiques, just some kind of heavy resin, but I fell in love with them, and knew they would add an architectural interest to wherever I hung them. This is the third home my old men have 'lived' in now.

My dining table was something I saw in Ballard Design years ago, but I didn't have the budget or the space for it. When I finally got to that point in my life when I could afford the table, Ballard Design no longer had it featured in their catalog. I called and talked to them, and was amazed to learn, they had the mold and would make me one! I finally have my beautiful swan!

Wherever you live, however big or small your space is, make it your own, a place that you will always enjoy coming home to.

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Sunday Style... Nautical Decor

An elegant nautical style dining room.

Nautical style is incorporating architectural elements from boats and boat-building. The most common nautical decor item is the model yacht. Look at places like Home Goods for a bargain on model yachts! Use nautical charts, either framed or wallpaper an accent wall with them! Use paddles or oars, nautical rope or rope items, ship's wheels, and portholes to incorporate in your nautical decorating!

This interior includes a model ship, ornate moldings painted bright white, a telescope and highly polished wood floors. These are all indicators of a nautical decor.

This is a more contemporary interior, but the staircase of oar-shaped rails is a unique touch.

How much fun would this be?

A vignette is a small collection of items that communicates your style.

A bright nautical style bunk room.

Nautical decor is not very different from beach or coastal decor, often times it just incorporates some dark wood, model sailboats, or other nautical touches, such as oars, nautical ropes, telescopes, compasses and maps.

This dark wood, nautical themed bunk room includes sleeping for eight grandchildren!

This is a beautiful and elegant teak-walled bathroom.

A comfortable nautical family room.

Great chandelier for a nautical look.

This is the 2004 HGTV Dream Home

The HGTV 2004 Dream Home is a lovely example of not just a waterside home, but a nautical home. The tower is indicative of a lighthouse. To put all of these other nautical elements inside this home would add up to a lovely nautical-style home.

The ultimate nautical railing!

The incredible boat room!

Incredible kid's room - the ultimate nautical style!

More of the incredible boat room!

A clean and crisp Nautical Style kitchen.

Whatever your dream style, embrace it, research it, and create a place you are happy to come home to! A place you enjoy living in! A place you want to invite your friends and family into!