pop!

I think its all about the color POP!  I am loving subdued shades of grey, white, and other neutrals, with electric pops of color.  I am definitely interested in yellow at the moment, and thinking of enhancing my current palette with some yellow!  I always say, stick with a basic color story and add your pops of color with inexpensive accessories that add interest and personality to your space.  I love this coffee table in hot pink mixed with this darker palette!  It's just amazing.  Now this is how you add personality to a room!

bathroom art

Doesn't this Roy Liechtenstein print look great?  We have it our bathroom.  I'm just loving a yellow color pop lately.  Perhaps it will be my new decorating color for the spring???

aloe-ette

I am in love with this.  We just got two aloe plants from Home Depot, and we put it on our dining room table along with this fancy centerpiece from a garden shop in Middletown, Rhode Island called Chaves Gardens.  It adds a touch of, "Greek-ness" to the apartment!

end tables

One thing that I like to do is to combine different types of end tables.  For example, in our living room we have a white lacquer end table on one end of the couch, and a white metal and frosted glass end table on the other end.  In the bedroom, we're using a small decorative box next to the bed, and we also have a small trunk in the living room.  I think it is important to switch these around every once in a while, because it is a quick and easy way to update a room .

rub a dub tub

I bought this silver galvanized tub with handles from the hardware store.  Originally, I was going to use it for the base of my tree, but it did not work the way I hoped; so instead, I put it on the side of my couch and filled it with all my magazines and catalogs.  I think it looks great and fits the "industrial" architecture perfectly.

deck the loft!

We decided on a lovely white tree this year; it was the perfect choice.  It really fits the color palette of the rest of our apartment, since I wanted to keep the color scheme monochromatic.  I used gray, silver, and pearl-colored ornaments.  Living in a loft is basically like decorating one large space. 

Our loft is decorated in a mid-century modern style, with classic infusion.  Overall, we keep a minimalist standard as far as accessories and furniture. Take a look at some of our holiday decor .

One of my favorite ornaments that I bought is this charming polar bear.  I got this at a shop in Mystic, Connecticut.  I love how he looks like he is balancing on one of the tree branches.  I try to make the animals look real, not just hang on the tree.

Our tree is only 4 1/2 feet tall, but we gave it extra height with this simple white end-table.

A glittered wreath on my large mirror, with a little bird nestled perfectly!

More birds on the tree!  I love this adorable white porcelain bird.  My mother bought us two of these.

On my table, I have a silver leaf platter filled with pine cones, and sprinkled with silver glittered balls.

On the coffee table I created a little scenery of snow, flocked trees, and this little twig rodent!

I found this amazing Pottery Barn SILVER-PLATED Santa; it retails for $125.00, and he weighs 20 pounds.  I found him at Savers for $19.99.  YES, this is a true story.  How chic is that Santa?  He is standing proud next to my silver ball tree that I made.

This is my mini vintage silver tinsel tree, decorated with light blue and silver balls of different sizes.

An overview of the newly-arranged living room.

 A great shot of the dining room table.

take a seat

I love this chair!  This is the Lina folding chair.  I might be picking this up; maybe after the holidays, but how chic?  This comes from Design Within Reach.  It's an Italian-made chair with an extremely durable steel frame.  It can be used everyday, or tucked into a closet for storage when you don't need to use it.  I think it would make a great accent chair, in an office or study.

color palette: black and white

I AM ALL OVER THIS!  Black and white is quite possibly one of my all-time favorite color combinations.  It is simple, clean, and so timeless.  When I think modern, I think white, and nothing goes better with white than black!  One thing that I love to use as a main inspiration is contrast, and NOTHING is more of a contrast then black and white.  Check out some of these spaces:

I love the very subtle pop of green used in this room above.. and I am dying over all of the Lucite!

When using a color palette as simple as black and white, you want to make sure to add lots of interest in other ways, such as texture.  This room above uses a wonderful shag carpet to break up the flatness of all the white.  I also love the super-low coffee tables.

Stripes are a perfect way to add dimension to a room that is decorated solely in black and white.

I love the pink details in this bathroom.

"make it nice around the tree!"

Check out this site I found.  It's called Christmas Trees Galore and they specialize in artificial Christmas trees that you can order.  I'm so torn between a silver tree and a white tree.  I do know that i do NOT want a real tree.  Such a mess!  Let's have a look of what they have:

 An upside down tree.. um, I don't know about that one.  It's kind of fun to look at, but, really?

A pink tree!  Doesn't go with my color scheme...

This one is different!  I like it a lot.

Fabulous!  Very chic.

We'll see what I decide!  Stay tuned...

fab finish

The Martha Stewart Living paint finish tool kit contains eight tools for creating twelve decorative paint effects.  It also includes a full color technique brochure and how-to guide.  A fresh coat of paint does wonders to a room, but to really breathe new life into plain walls and tired furniture, try giving that fresh coat a little something extra.  Eye-catching patterns and surface textures are surprisingly easy to create yourself, and you can see the beautiful results of your project in a single weekend.  This booklet gives you step-by-step instructions for producing a dozen professional-looking effects, including graphic stripes, rich textured linen, and my favorite, “faux bois” wood grain.

succulents

Succulents are plants that store water in their leaves, stems, and roots.  This gives succulents a more swollen or fleshy appearance than other plants (this is called succulence). 

Succulent plants have become my absolute favorite plant to have around the house.  They are very low-maintenance and require little watering.  Although they thrive in warm and sunny climates, setting them in a window or under a growing light for up to seven hours a day will allow them to flourish.  Their unique architecture and odd appearance add so much character and life to your home.  I have several succulent and cactus plants throughout my home, and they have become such a passion for me.

Succulents don't always have to be potted plants.  They are also great to use in arrangements, like this one above.

texture

Texture is one of the most important design elements.  Adding texture adds interest and character to any space.  A furry sheepskin throw, like the one shown above, lightly thrown over a chair adds warmth and variety to a basic room.

Even adding a carpet with a print, like this faux bois by Martha Stewart, still adds the element of texture.  This also allows a break in the color palette and creates dimension.

Tired of your plain couch?  Add ruffled pillows, and you can basically reinvent your existing sitting space.

faux bois

The French term for false wood, faux bois is a technique found often in planters and garden accessories that replicates the look of wood grain, often made of cement.  There are very few known faux bois artists in the United States; but one Texas artist, Carlos Cortes, still produces custom faux bois pieces, which are considered to be highly collectible.  This fake-me-out woodland motif is timeless and adds interest to any room.  This is a picture of my faux bois planters.  I have gorgeous succulents and moss planted in mine.

frog

Floral frogs are small devices used to arrange flowers.  They come in multiple designs and sizes.  Some, like the one above, are metal circles with many spikes sticking up.  Flowers stay quite easily in them and appear more full and symmetrical.  They can be found at most potting sheds and florists.

fine china

Wedgwood is an English pottery company that makes some of the finest pieces of kitchen ware and home decor.  Their designs range from simple plain white, to the most ornate details.  Check out their website; they have so many different things, from plates to vases, picture frames to clocks, and everything in between.  I definitely want to own a whole collection of Wedgwood.

frugal finds

 

You don't always need to go to an expensive furniture or home decor store to find great things.  Elle Decor has their own collection exclusively at Kohl's, and their products offer a glamorous look without breaking the bank.

conceptualize

When we were in New York, we stopped in the BoConcept store in Chelsea.  This is the ultimate destination for modern, urban furniture.  They can be a little pricey, but they definitely sparked a lot of inspiration when I saw what they had in store. 

ellegant

Last week when I was at the drugstore, I picked up a copy of Elle Decor, and I instantly fell in love with it!  It is created by the publishers of Elle magazine, and for me, it is a collection of pure inspiration.

pillow talk

I am all about velvet details right now, and I am thinking about pillows!  Crate & Barrel has some really chic velvet pillows in an array of sophisticated colors.  I think when choosing a color for a pillow, contrast is something to keep in mind.  Velvet is the perfect accent material.  Velvet pillows are plush, lush, and just lovely!