oh Andreas, it is you i adore

the best part of checking the mail....  is getting the anthro catalogue.  walking back to the house, i flipped through the usual pretty dresses.  and then.  and then i saw this little beauty and suddenly it's all i can think about.

 

its pretty much perfect.  great colors to work with, great pattern to hide the wear and tear of kids and dogs, durable fabric, great lines.  beautiful details.  looks so cozy!  the last picture shows how richly textured and colored the textile is - the pattern could go nordic or look more southwestern (dare i use the term).  this sofa is one of those great pieces that makes a statement without screaming it.  very easy to work an entire scheme around it, or it set in down in neutrals of wintry whites.  there aer so many colors to pull from - my favorite is the orange.  it'd really be perfect in my living room.  santa, do you hear me?!

i could work this into just about room.  check back for an inspiration board featuring my newest love, Andreas.

instantly hooked.

i needed something really beautiful for inspiration on this grey day so i (naturally) popped onto anthro.  they did not disappoint.  but i can't be too frivolous with my time (blog hopping), preschool is only 3 hours, and so i have to spend time wisely too, aka: shopping.

i am in need of a few hooks for our the legions of jackets, hoodies and totes.  as i scrolled down the page, my heart stopped, eyes widened and i frantically clicked to open a larger picture.  yes.  we have a winner.

Raw Zeolite Hook

how truly pretty it is had my mind in a tizzy: all of the places i need something to hang coats, towels, keys, tote bags for school....
but no.  its not just an anywhere thing.
i think less is more in the case of this particular piece; too many will take away how special it is. 

my mind was still racing of places to hang this little beauty.  and of course, a little jewel box of a powder room would be perfection!  or anywhere that needs demands a dash of gorgeous. 

then i looked at the price.  ouch. 

back to reality. 

i am now considering either of these for the entry - a few of each to make our "stuff" look pretty:

Antler Melody Hook, Rod

Whirled Metal Hook

i see the antler melody hook (1s of 2) on really richly colored walls or on wood panels that have been lime washed.  and the whirled metal would be really gorgeous on a soft pink wall, or a really creamy white but equally right on a chalky grey.  or anywhere really. 

all available at Anthropologie.com

pretty things all in a row

i have been searching for kids furniture --- storage in particular.  i want something fun, fresh, not so juvenile but not without a little whimsy either.

FOUND IT:

these would be entirely cool in an entry way too - for shoes, umbrellas - a whole village of storage
(for a more minimalist look, choose all white). 

designed and made in holland with FSC certified MDF and non toxic paints, 3 gable choices and 12 color choices.  three next to each other would be fantastic, but in the case of these, the more the merrier (and it's storage, who doesn't need extra storage). 

i am a tad overexcited about these and am envisioning endless possibilities of where they could be used.  chic, fun, fresh, functional - all my favorite things wrapped into one great design.

Find them here: coolkidscompany

magic carpet ride

its july.  i haven't posted since the end of march.  ouch.  i have about 22 drafts and just never could get the time to wrap it up, make it look pretty and really love it, so no posts were published.

i've had free time.....  and as per usual, i've been moving furniture and rugs around.  if not for being a designer, i swear i could be employed by a moving company. 

i inherited a rug - well, my Auntie did and i had to have it, so i asked, and she so kindly handed it over.  its not really my color scheme - i rarely decorate with red in our personal space.  i like red, its just i like pink more.  but i knew this rug was something i had to have. 

in my Ma-Ma's house, it was anchored by chintz sofas, striped drapes - it was a traditional room, but had pops of fun.  the rug was unexpected and such a "wow" moment.  maybe that's why i love it so.





THE navajo rug.



first as the dining room rug. but once the high chair was moved into the dining room and my sweet, darling girl was throwing food down from her plate, i had to move it.  so, upstairs into my bedroom it went. 

i loved in our bedroom.  i loved it with the purple and with the touches of turquoise.  its soft under foot and i thought the graphic statement was awesome.  but i didn't love the layout of the room, so i moved the bed, and consequently, moved the rug.

 

and now its back downstairs, but in the living room, layered over my diamond and white rug from dash and albert.  and i love it, love how it ties the colors in the room together. 

in true Natalie form, these 3 rooms have been through many changes since we moved here 3 years ago.  and they will continue to change.

in my next post, i'll go through the changes the living room has seen, and what i'd like to see change.

romance is not dead

i thoroughly enjoy frilly.  here are some images that spoke me this week....  pure romance. 

kinda obsessed with this wallpaper

images gypsypurplehome.tumblr / tumblr / eventfullyash.tumblr / ivillage / google image via pinterest / magdalenany.blogspot / ariannabelle.com / brabournefarm.blogspot / justbesplendid.tumblr

come on in

i am a design schizophrenic.  this would be why its possible for someone who considers herself so good at making decisions, when it comes to my own home, i sometimes have a hard time.  i can like so many different styles - all it takes is for it all to come together beautifully.... right scale, right color combinations (meaning, value, hue, tone), mix of furniture....  here are some favorite entryways, of all styles.

elle decor

alifesdesign.blogpost

decorpad.com

bhg.com

housebeautiful.com

elle decor

designers.elledecor.com

martha stewart

crushculdesac.tumblr.com

via pinterest

there are more too, everday, i am adding to this list...  drawing on some inspiration on this sunny day to get our entryway in order....  that's why ADHD is so great - there are for sure much more fun things to do...

i love getting sidetracked.

all blocked up

as per usual, the best laid plans....  well, the usual part would NOT be (by any stretch of the imagination) that i made plans, but that things didn't go as planned.  and that's too much planning --- just using the word 4 times has me nervous.  however.  while my mom was here i had all these ideas (much more comfortable with that word, i love that word) for posts.  but, we got busy, the duckling was battling a bug and ahhh, i'm finally back at our desk, ready to get to work.

i've spotted a few things worth a looksee over at world market.  even though i don't have the room for it, if someone (ahem, anyone) bought this for me, i would most certainly find a place, and quickly.  i love the lines and of course the fabric...

kanta chaise

i think they did a really great job with the details, like the welting and the legs.  i would (of course) liked to see some color in the fabric, but overall, i like the effect.  and yes, i am, and always have been a little crazy for block print.  my new sheers are block prints and i await anxiously for them - once they arrive, i'll post a pic. 

block print long anna slipcover chair collection

also love the slip cover, which is sold separately from the chair(!!!!).  with a rough hewn wood table, a dhurrie or one of those great dash and albert indoor/outdoor striped rugs that i've posted about, it would be so much fun.  wide stripe would be best.

these remind me of one of my all time favorite rooms (or Kathryn Ireland, love her fabric and aesthetic)

house beautiful

when i first saw this room, i was drawn to it....  it hit me on many levels: colors, layers, patterns, symmetry, subtle differences, repetition of shape, details and relief.... i say "relief" because the eye does need to rest - the art gives the room the relief it needs from all of the other patterns all while complimenting the colors and shapes. 

the chaise and/or slipcovers from world market easily lend itself to a look like this (or it could go rustic minimal with charcoal or chalky white walls, rough woods, slate and beams). 

either way, i love it!



woke up thinking about this look....  i am loving the dip dyed curtains and that someone with some gumption could effectively DIY this.

desiretoinspire.net

i am thinking about all the colors you could do this with.  so many possibilities!  my mom is coming down from Greenwich today....  i have to run and pick her up from the airport.  extra exciting to have a little help with the duckling AND will have some extra time to blog....  i have so many post ideas!

live from Tel Aviv

stumbled upon this designer today and am totally smitten.  yes, more lighting (maybe because i am getting ready to change some fixtures around here which means i am a tad obsessed with finding the right, with finding the perfect lighting)....  from New Orleans to Tel Aviv, this time by an Etsy artist. 

the gold balls have tiny holes in them, making for a really beautiful illumination.  and since it is an etsy artist, you can totally work with him to custom this piece.  i see it used in a room with lacquered walls in a moody color (think: inky blue, aubergine or an essex green).

gold ball hanging light fixture

and this artist/designer/shop has quite a few pretty things.  one more that caught my attention:

gold leaf sconce

not for everyone, not for every home, but surely can be appreciated for the work of art it is.  i think it would be really fun as outdoor lighting and would definitely make a statement(!)

all in the family

i'm missing my family something awful today....  so i thought it would be nice to recall some of the finer elements of the homes i grew up in and around....  one thing came to mind instantly.  always, is there a table filled with family photos.  so, i searched the vast image library of the internet and could not find one single vignette (good or bad).  alas, here is my homage to everyone up north and to the (many ) table(s) in my home filled with favorite pics of my favorite people.

lots of enamel colored frames, sterling silver and my favorite: liberty of london for target frames.  wish i had thought to buy more!

it was all yellow

on this particularly chilly day, i thought we'd make our sunday color post about yellow, the color of sunshine, happiness and peeps (which is kinda the same thing as happiness). 

yellow can help add light to an otherwise dark room.  it can add some fun to an otherwise serious room or it can punch up the colors around it.  yellow can be a neutral or the perfect accent.  i love yellow.

lovelyclusters.tumblr.com

desiretoinspire.net

paloma81.blogspot.com

via decorpad

Image as Seen on Effortless Style Blog, Martha Stewart

Tamara Mellon’s London Flat

via thedecorista

image via Pinterest

room-galleries.myhomeideas.com

Yellow (Live Tokyo 2009)

happy Sunday y'all!