blossom riot: make this a room

Spring has sprung and there are blossoms all around us.  (Sorry about the snow in the East, folks--come for a visit!)  I drove by this tree half a dozen times and finally had to stop and take a picture because the blossoms were so beautiful. So let's make it a room.

Color palette (Benjamin Moore colors):

courtyard green 546

Chandelier: "Loulou" pink stone chandelier at Horchow

Pair of Chairs by Lee Industries:

Console Table from Côté Jardin Antiques on 1st Dibs:

Sofa: The Kathy by Moss Studio

Forest Park standing lamp by Arteriors:

Throw pillows made in Workroom C fabric:

Coffee Table: Pair of Hans Hourglass Brass Tables by Jonathan Adler

Dauphine Armoire at Shine by SHO:

Block Rug by Organic Looms:

 

Accessorizing with a big vase of blossom branches will bring Spring into the room! What would you add? 

Happy Spring, everyone!

yin and yang

I believe that exploring the tension between antiques and modern elements consistently creates beautiful interiors. One patinated object placed next to another shiny and new object can produce a pleasing effect that piques curiosity and fosters creativity. So have at it and mix it up!

what we like: books and libraries

Books warm a room and add personality, wit, color and depth to a home.  Antique books are a personal favorite to add to a decor and stack with other objets, and they always add a lovely texture that is welcoming.  Creating a library in a home is sometimes easy and sometimes a challenge but there is always a way to add more books. Here are some inspiring and fun ways to add that warmth.

Shop antiquarian book stores for intriguing antique books to add to your collection. (But make sure you pick ones that add something more than just decor.) 

Be inspired by the monks and the way they kept a library. This photo is of the library at Melk Abbey. (Don't forget a globe and some great cabinetry!)

Store your ipad in an "antique" book cover to mix new with old and then read some classics on your ipad. Any corner becomes the "library."

Go antique with your library or 

go modern...

Or, if you cannot possibly add shelves for the books, use the age-old trick of trompe l'oeil with this fabulous wallpaper from Andrew Martin.

working mom: sharing can be fun!

Sometimes we have to share. Sometimes we have to make our kids share. It is a hard, worthwhile lesson that moms and kindergarten teachers struggle to teach on a daily basis.  And then there are moms who want it all to be pretty.  Here are some helpful ideas.

Kid-Friendly Apartment post in Design Milk; design by Incorporated Architecture and Design

A Family Home post in Our Westside blog; Design by Sasha Emerson

Family Home; Design by Sasha Emerson

"How to make: a desk for two" post on Apartment Therapy

Bunk Room post at Momtastic.com

I can give design advice, but for the sharing tips, post a comment. We moms need all the help we can get.

a little bit of spring in your step

The weather is teasing. Hot, cold, rain, frost, snow on the local mountaintop, warm, windy.  And this is all in one week in Northern California.  Getting ready for some sun takes preparation.  Here is a little inspiration...

good place for a picnic-don't forget your hedgerow studio umbrella

fermob chairs in another great picnic spotpicnic basket by Katharine Pooley to make it easya bottle of Vin Gris from our friends at Dashe Cellarsfouta towel from Nine Space

throw beds from hedgehouse use