You are currently browsing the category archive for the ‘Inspiration’ category.
Julia at Hooked on Houses is having a blog party so I thought I’d bring a little something along… Today I’m hooked on chandeliers made out of unexpected things. I’m a fan of using a standout pendant lamp to pull a space together and add some personality. But these examples are pretty crazy, so get ready….
Ok, I’m going from mildly wacky to downright loopy in this post (don’t go scrolling ahead now). So this first one isn’t too unexpected. We’ve seen teacup chandeliers before, right? But this one, via A Room Somewhere, is so very casual and sweet that it stands out.
I simply love this next one. It was created by Danny Seo and I spotted it on Anh-Minh (she has a knack for finding unusual things!). Seo made it himself out of an old IKEA shade and some cheap bird ornaments. It’s adorable.
You’ll never guess what this one is made of: old gramaphone horns! They look great in this cluster of three, especially with the varying colors and sizes. This is from a photo of artist Jorge Estevez’s Paris home, featured in House and Garden‘s May 2009 issue. I hunted high and low for a picture of it online and eventually found it via Little Willow (a new blog discovery for me). The gramaphone horns are available from Trouver Antiques.
Last, but definitely the loopiest, is this chandelier made out of boxes used for packing Chiquita bananas. It’s actually a pretty amazing design – I quite want one. And it’s eco-friendly because it’s recycled. Although I’m dubious about how fire-safe it is! Via igreenspot.
Crazy, huh?
We’re off to the Hamptons next weekend. I can’t wait for a bit of R&R and family time. Exhaustion is starting to set in… Apart from that, though, I’m looking forward to getting a dose of Hamptons chic.
No, this is not where we’re staying (I wish!). This is designer Thomas O’Brien‘s Bellport, Long Island, home via Habitually Chic. It pretty much sums up my idea of Hamptons style.
I’m looking for suggestions of places to check out while we’re there. We’re staying in Westhampton but will try to get around a bit. I’m particularly keen to get some hints on must-sees (or must-shops) for design addicts like me! Anyone got any tips?
If you’re looking for a little romance in your interiors, look no further than this house from the pages of Marie Claire Maison. Part Gustavian, part Baroque, this home in France is the perfect combination of rustic and elegant. If this place doesn’t inspire some sense of longing in you for bygone eras then nothing will!
The photos are by Phillipe Garcia, by the way.
Enough already. I can’t look any more!
I’m seeing a lot of these yellowy-greens around the design blogs at the moment. What I like about these shades is that they’re so timeless and flexible. Take a look at these totally different looks, all using variations of olive, moss and fern.
With lavender, olive is pretty and romantic (Vanessa Bruno‘s apartment via Decor8):
Used in abundance with gold and aubergine, it’s sumptuous and glamorous (via The Deco Detective – in fact, Trudi has a whole post on moss green – check it out, there are some lovely photos):
Used sparingly, it can be rustic (as in this stunning home in Lombardy, Italy, via The Style Files):
Against dark walls it’s stylish and modern (via From the Right Bank to the Left Coast):
This olive painted chair looks great in a farmhouse kitchen (via An Angel at my Table):
On a roomy sofa, it makes an elegant and classic living room look inviting (via LivingEtc):
Thank you to all these blogs for the green inspiration!
That’s it. Stop the clock. Call off the search. I’ve found my dream home.
We’ve long-harbored a dream to live in Sonoma. Fantastic views, delicious food, great wine, warm weather – what’s not to love? And now I’ve found this house, there’s nothing stopping us. (Apart from a few million bucks of course…)
The house was completely remodeled by Dowling Kimm Studios. Apparently it’s located on 32 acres of vineyards overlooking Dry Creek Valley (which happens to be my favorite part of the area) and also has a pool. Sigh…
It seems that, lately, I keep running into designer Frank Roop. Not physically, of course. Just virtually: Every time I spot an image of an interior I love, turns out it’s by Frank Roop. It must be a sign that I need to post something about his work. So here goes…
The four images below are all via Studio Annetta (a very cool blog by an Australian designer living in Hong Kong).
His style is very classic and restful, but with some twists, like the bookshelves in the room below. Plus, he’s partial to a little sparkle. Check out the wall sculpture above the fireplace.
Roop aims to create ‘couture’ interiors – I think that’s a good word to describe his work, but these rooms are also extremely livable.
The image below is a perfect study in textures: linen, silk, sisal, glass and mother of pearl (or is that bony inlay?). Even the wallpaper suggests smooth tiles. Or maybe those are tiles? He uses a lot of velvet too.
The next images are all from Roop’s own site. Love this desk by the window.
There’s that tile effect on the wall again. It somehow makes the space seem more stately.
It’s a brave designer who creates such an eye-catching seating area under a grim AC vent. But it works.
More natural textures. This desk is stunning.
So simple…. I noticed something with the styling of this photo though – the chairs are all pulled away from the table. Maybe that’s what makes the space seem so airy. Nice trick.
Now this is one heck of a studio apartment!
There, see why I keep being drawn back to this designer?
Why on earth am I posting pictures of a ski lodge in June, you might ask. Because I couldn’t resist! Just look at this gorgeous ski apartment, by designers Hecker Phelan Guthrie.
The space….the light….the white antlers…. (ahem).
This is the Fjall Ski Lodge in Australia. Come to think of it, maybe that can be my excuse for posting about it in summer. It is winter over there, you know…
While researching a recent post, I came across the work of Turkish design duo, Seyhan Ozdemir and Sefer Caglar – known as Autoban. Their work is industrial and edgy, but still manages to look comfortable and inviting. Check out this living room.
They also do commercial interiors. I would love to visit this Istanbul hotel they designed: Hotel Wittistanbul. Is that wallpaper with a metallic pattern or is it backlit screens with cutouts? Who knows but I like it!
If you want to replicate the look at home, they do a line of furniture and lamps too.
Photos by Richard Powers.
I’ve just been pouring over the fabulous and inspiring web site of British interiors stylist, Claudia Bryant. I spotted a photo of her work on A Room Somewhere (in itself a great source of inspiration) and now I’m hooked. What’s great is that Claudia’s work varies so widely – there’s probably something in her portfolio for everyone. And there are literally dozens of ideas that could be applied to any home.
I love the oversize lamp here. The metallic vases are a nice way to introduce some sparkle and reflection without the standard over-the-mantelpiece mirror. And have you ever seen a black sofa look so ladylike?
This room is just so pretty: vintage charm with a bit of disco glitz!
I don’t even know how to describe this wall treatment. It’s very cool though. Even if you couldn’t muster the courage to do a whole wall like this, a small panel as art would be great propped up in the hallway of a beach house (if you have a beach house, that is…)
How to do blue and red: choose muted tones of each and mix with some vintage furniture and pop art.
Here’s a different look altogether. Cool, calm and collected. I adore that huge clock and the dual-colored wall.
Definitely LivingEtc. A round rug under a round bedside table under a round pendant shade – just perfect.
I love the use of color to define the office area in this kitchen.
Panels of different, mismatching wallpaper! I have to try this somewhere…
Phew – idea overload.
The fact that yellow is a hot interiors trend this year is somewhat troubling for me. I’ve never been very into yellow. I’ve painted a few rooms in different shades of it, but always end up repainting.
But this house in Canadian House and Home (via one of my daily reads, SPPN) got me thinking about yellow in a different way.
Here, the shots of yellow work really well against the purples and grays. I think the trick is to use a really bright yellow, or one with a greenish hue, in small quantities to highlight statement pieces like the table, vase or Chinese garden stool in these pics. Balancing it with a cooler color like the purple works really well too. My mistake in the past has been to chicken out and go for a pale, buttery shade which always ends up looking rather sickly.
Here are some more examples of yellow working really well. You can see the same approach of balancing yellow with moodier colors and interesting shapes. I think I’m tempted to try it myself…
Credits:
1 – Room designed by Autoban (Seyhan Ozdemir and Sefer Caglar), photo by Richard Powers via The President Wears Prada; 2&3 – Photo by Joanna Henderson (represented by Sarah Kaye); 4 – Photo by Andres Gramer (represented by Sarah Kaye); 5 – Photo by Chris Everard (represented by Sarah Kaye).
Recent comments