I had an interesting conversation today with a friend who had recently visited an acquaintance’s newly built mansion-sized, newly decorated home. My friend said she felt as if she would jump out of skin at any moment. Every room was stuffed with furniture–and pillows; dishes displayed on the walls also crowded with paintings; and different styles and colors in each room. The rooms didn’t flow. She was urged to see the upstairs rooms but felt blessed when an interruption prevented that tour.
Have you ever been to such a place? I have too. Now, there is a difference between those of us in the downsizing stage of our lives trying to fit our previous larger homes into comfortable, less maintenance homes, condos and apartments. (I’m saving this topic for a different post.) Deliberately buying a mansion-size home and filling every little space borders on, well, the ridiculous. How would you decorate such a space? Starting with a mansion-size dining room, here are some examples of NOT overly decorating your home–large or small.
More on this at Traditional Home
You don’t have to be rich to utilize the design principles in this decor. Just note how each piece makes its own significant statement in design. Yes, the furniture is unmistakably traditional which never really goes out of style. If you find traditional stuffy, remember it can fit well with other styles when added with limitations. How does this room flow so nicely? Space, space and more space. Color is limited to neutrals but with contrast between dark and light. There is plenty of places that give visual relief, as well as lots of places that are interesting–from the mural to the rugs and other patterns. Molding on the ceiling is fabulous, though I find the four grand chandeliers (and I love chandeliers) a bit overwhelming. Perhaps being in the room is necessary to feel the necessity of four of them.
Originally from Traditional Home but found on Design Chick
Yes, clearly this all white room is quite the contrast of the Traditional Homes room of the first image both in size and purpose. And there isn’t much wall space to clutter, just banks of windows from which to gaze outdoors. The design principle is very much the same as the. Note the simplicity of the window treatment? And the very attractive storage cabinets. Imagine keeping extra decor items that can rotate out into the room. Traditional style furniture is actually complemented by the boxy shape of the modern cabinets. Color and contrast bring them together. The wood flooring and sea-grass rug anchors the design scheme.
Found on RAWZ Abduzeedo.com
This NY Brooklyn apartment is in a beautiful blue monotone color scheme. It brings the high walls and narrow space down to eye level, and then it incorporates significant pieces of furniture. Each piece stands on its own in design with great bone structure and yet each piece complements the next one. There is lots of room on the walls to clutter but the owner settled on just a few fabulous paintings. No clutter, no overly done decorated space.
The next image shows a room that is really busy, busy. Yet, it works beautifully, I believe because its organized. It’s dual purpose is clearly stated by clustering, that is, placement of important furniture pieces. The built in bookcase with it collections of photos and decor items is the focal point wonderfully stated. I could live and die in this room with all those wonderful books to read!
Found on Pinterest from Desire To InspireFrom the home of L.A. Designer Mark D. Sikes found on Pinterest
Even in a small space, a clustering of many pieces of furniture can be done successfully, as seen in the image above. The soft inviting neutral colors, mix of traditional with contemporary furnishings and decor items come together beautifully. You can easily imagine guests comfortably gathered in the space with its multiple exit room for traffic. Note too the collection and spacing of the paintings, wonderfully organized as well on the mantle. (Let me point out, Mr. Sikes, bless his heart, wasn’t afraid to cushion the comfort of his guest with lots of decorative throw pillows!)
Whether you have a large budget or a limited one, overly decorating your home is an easy trap to fall into. You love every piece and want to show it off or just see and enjoy it yourself. Why not store some of those items, rotate displaying them, allow more space in the room, and give your guests a respite.
Have a lot of stuff in your home? How are controlling that over decorated look? Please do tell!
Without a doubt, color is one of the keys to a successfully decorated room. You may think that color in home decor is not your forte, that just a few important furniture pieces appropriately placed and an operating kitchen and bath in neutral is sufficient. I assure you color sends a subliminal message to us all and our selection of it reflects upon who we are. Centuries of our respective culture has influenced what we think of different colors, such as “blue” meaning we are sad. Or take for example, how Pantone 2014 color of the year is viewed in western cultures to mean “…royalty, nobility, luxury, power, and ambition. Purple also represents meanings of wealth, extravagance, creativity, wisdom, dignity, grandeur, devotion, peace, pride, mystery, independence, and magic.” (From Bourn Creative)
The subject of color is much more complex than we think.
I happened upon this fun, informative video on Color In Motion, communication and symbolism by Claudia Cortes. It was created in 2003 as a Thesis project for her Master’s of Art in Computer Graphics Design, Rochester Institute of Technology. I like it for its simplicity in understanding something about color. So grab a cup of coffee or tea or glass of wine or …. Click on the picture, sit back, and enjoy:
This is an update, re-post from September 2011 of the now retired Annsliee-Blogs. I thought it important enough to redo. Hope you thought so too. True?
What is your favorite color and where do you use it? Oh please, do tell! Love to hear from you.
Enter the world of decorative pillows with sayings. The messages are short, sometimes funny, sometimes serious but always significant. Many, Many years ago I bought a few of these pillows, one of which is a lumbar that states “Life is too short to drink cheap wine.” It’s embroidered in gold thread on wine colored velvet. It sits in my desk chair. I love this little pillow for it often brings smiles to my heart. Word pillows, as I like to call them, make perfect accents in just about any decor.
From Houzz.com “Transitional Kids by Edina Design-Build Firms Great Neighborhood Homes”From Houzz.com ” Contemporary Living Room by Boston Interior Designers & Decorators Hudson Interior Design”
The sayings are applied in many different ways onto the fabric, from painted to printed on the fabric; appliques glued and stitched; and hand or machine embroidered on. As you can see in the above images, they can coordinate well with other pillows and in existing decors. Here are some examples of pillows on which the writing is printed on the fabric:
A French scripted pattern on linen from AnnslieeFrom Houzz.com “Modern Living Room by Grayslake Home Stagers The Wow House”From Houzz.com “Traditional Family Room by Bountiful Interior Designers & Decorators EDIT design House”
The sayings found on word pillows are seemingly infinite but most often reflect our most personal and emotional states–or a state in which we want to be:
Call your mother
I never finish anythin
Live Laugh Love
Be nice or leave
Color outside the line
Keeping the message short but significant makes it even more poignant:
Embroidered scripted lumbars From annsliee
Thinking of adding something wonderful to say in your decor? Well, I hope so. If not for yourself, know that they do make great gifts. Remember, often you can get a pillow with sayings that are customized if you can’t find it on a store shelf.
Once I saw a great commercial in which a couple walked into an architect’s office, placed a faucet on his desk and asked him to design a home based on the design of the faucet. This is to say, inspiration for a fabulous home decor or architect can come from just about anywhere. The key is to select a piece that is in itself a great design. I love illustrating how you can just go to your closet to find inspiration for home decorating projects. If you don’t want to see the colors of your clothes in your home, you can of course look to other fashions, especially by great designers. A piece of fabric or furniture are also great sources for that one inspiration. For color schemes, there are so many other places to look, such as nature–the first true, most prolific and spectacular designer. In lieu of nature, I can also suggest visiting DesignSeeds.com. It’s a fabulous source and you can even purchase books of color palates.
But here, let me show you some examples of designs I had created using not only fashion but other items, as well as color palates.
A chaise lounge in a caramel leather became the focal point for this design. I love chaise lounges and make my case for adding one to your decor in my very popular post The Case For a Chaise Lounge.
Lilac is such a beautiful color! It’s a pale violet. (Violet is a color on the light spectrum, or rainbow). Other descriptive names for lilac are mauve, light purple, light to bright lilac or French lilac. I find that lilac has an ethereal quality, soft and comforting. It suggests harmony and peace. Yet, its power to influence is subtle. Perhaps that’s because it inherits some of its cultural and psychological characteristic from being in the family color of purple. What do I mean by cultural and psychological characteristics? An example would be that some cultures denote purple to be “associated with royalty and the nobility, creating an impression of luxury, wealth and extravagance.” (Empower Yourself With Color.com) Though often relegated as an accent and in a bouquet of lilac flowers sitting on a table, lilac does find its way in interior rooms and even in a very dramatic way.
In her very popular blog, Design Seeds, Jessica gives us several beautiful color palates from which we can draw inspirations for an interior room. Here are a few:
Design Seeds Posted 7.27.14
Isn’t that one of the most beautiful colors you’ve ever seen? Shades and tones of lilac with a hint of orange. This next one takes us to spring but we don’t have to limit our color thoughts to that as you will see in the image that follows.
From Design Seeds 02.11.13From Design Seeds 05.01.13
Let’s look at a few lilac rooms. The bedroom below was created for teenage girls but it’s also quite suitable for an adult.
From Nous Decor.comFrom Kidspace Interiors
Kids rooms aside, lilac is also for the grown ups as these next images dramatically and poignantly illustrate.
Stunning lilac wall mural found on Pinterest.comFound on Pinterest: Interior Designer Kate Coughlin :: New England Home Magazine :: photographed by Robert Benson
The unexpected, when found in interior decor, is always fun and exciting to the visual experience. Living in it can only be more poignant. This next image with lilac chairs nestled under a variety of mirrors and lights is a perfect example of what I refer to.
Found on Pinterest.com
If lilac is a color that interests you, you may want to try your hand with a Polyvore set. Here are a couple of sets I had created.
Want to explore using lilac in your next interior decorating project? Prepare yourself for a most pleasurable and peaceful venture. Expand your search to the color family of purple.
Did you know that the difference between violet and purple is that the latter is simply a mix of red and green? (from Empower Yourself With Color.com)
My grandmother had a lot of nicknacks. Tiny cups and saucers, tables, flower pots, teapots, you name it. Some were hand painted porcelain. Some were fine china. She even had miniature cast our skillets and pots. Then there were the animal figurines. She crocheted and made more cups and saucers that she starched, ironed and molded so that they actually took the shape of real life size cups and saucers. They rested on doilies on her side tables and the cocktail table. Her 1950’s shadow box was filled with these little replicas of real life. And when that was filled, she scattered them throughout her house. There was a time when I thought these tiny replicas were interesting. But as I grew older, I began to see them as things that cluttered the house.
They had to be dusted, carefully. They crowded the space of her small home. There was no place to rest the eyes. Her nicknacks became difficult to see because there were so many of them. No, her collection of figurines and miniature replicas were not at the level of hoarding that you see on the popular T.V. show called Hoarding. Her collections were just a collection of disorganized-gotta’-display-everything malaise. So at an early age, I found myself adverse to display small objects, though I tended to collect them but forever stored them.
From Traditional Home, Arrange Shelves to Showcase Collection
What I did finally learn over the years, that such little treasures simply need to be organized and given the kind of attention as museum curators give great art. Group them, display them sparingly as centerpieces or in a gallery style. And when the collection becomes large, rotate them from room to room or store and alternate display them by season or celebratory events.
The collection becomes a statement of good taste, precious treasures and keepsakes to be marveled at rather than nicknack clutter.
This is a reprint of a post from the now retired Annsliee-Blogs site.
How do you display your collection? Please, do tell. Would love to hear from you!
Here are three coastal inspired pillows created in the Annsliee shop.
Imagine these pillows in coastal theme decor. Well, I did and to help you, I created a couple of inspiring design boards. Here is the turquoise and stone chevron in the perfect beach setting. You’ll find here other colors often found along coastal areas, such as ocean and sky blue, bright whites, coral and sand.
In the blue daisy throw pillow, drama is created by the size of the flower which is then offset to an upper corner of the pillows. In the design board below, I used multiple patterns in varying shades of blue. The floral blue daisy site perfectly in this scheme, giving the library corner nook lots of interest, comfort and appeal.
Obviously, the point of this next design board is if you’re not on the coast or near a beach, that’s not a problem. Accessorize a corner nook in a beach theme. Note how the marine color blue for the wall can be a backdrop for any decor style. Change out the coral seashell case for another season, as well as the other accessories. Make that nook do double duty!! Every inch of your home is a decor prime real estate.
In any season, a beautiful tablescape can excite our expectations for a wonderful meal–and great company. I love tablescapes though I have yet to master the art of designing a fabulous one. And so I decided to investigate elements that make a great tablescape. What I discovered is that a great tablescape doesn’t necessarily have to be an elaborate stage production. A great tablescape can be as simply as a lovely bouquet for a centerpiece with a simple set of matching dining ware. Let’s look at a few together.
Here’s a beautiful beach inspired tablescape from The Frugal Homemaker blog where you can read how the creator had come to design it. I love the “frugal” color scheme. White table cloth and dinner ware; natural color in the chargers and tray; ocean blue in the lovely napkins and bell jar candles; and of course the themed elements such as the star fish, shells and other sea items.
Here’s another beach themed tablescape from taste Williams-Sonoma, weekend entertaining on the coast:
I love the abundant use of colorful fabrics, the pillow filled bench and the garden setting in this tablescape example from Eatwell101.com.
The centerpiece below sets the stage with bountiful bouquets, candles in varying sizes and in or on varying holders, bowls of fruits all displayed on a simple runner. Note that the runner is framed! A lovely set of dishes and complementing glasses on stems help to tie it all together. No tablecloth for this masterpiece.
From the blog Slim Paley, Zing!
What could be more inviting than finding yourself sitting at a table dressed in simplicity as the creator here does with a full bouquet of blue hydrangeas, plain white plates topped with metal buckets. A rustic table, hurricane lantern of course the watering can in the background suggest country and comfort. A setting where you would want to stay a while. The design is from finding Home.
In this next example, tall, ornate candle stick holders almost dominate this table but they’re well balanced by the bright daisies and the orange and white colors. Tablescape design is by Anita from Far Above Rubies :
From Far Above Rubies blogspot
Inspired by the printed napkin, the designer writes:
“I started out with the square rattan chargers from overstock.com, added the Mikasa dinner plate, then layered a green depression glass salad plate. I then used the “Brava Yellow” bowl. This is a big bowl that could be used for a variety of soups, salads, fruit, etc. ”
— Anita, Far Above Rubies blogspot
On Ciao! Newport Beach blog, I read “pick a theme and run with it.” I very definitely agree. For me, this is the key to creating a fabulous tablescape, even a very simple one based on lemons!
easy summer tablescapes from Ciao! Newport Beach blog.
Updates August 2015:
from Pink Pagado blog
My second most favorite. Which is my first? I can’t decide!
from Pink Pagoda blog
Inspire yet? I hope so. Well, I’m off to my porch to polish up a themed tablescape. Hummm, what theme should I use.
What’s your favorite tablescape ideas and the best one you ever created? Please, do tell! Would love to hear from you.
If you liked this blog post, why not share it with a friend?
For many, the thought of working with an interior designer immediately brings a dollar sign followed by lots of zeros and a paralyzing fear of getting the vision of someone else.They resort to magazines, books and Pinterest.This is not a bad start when looking for inspiration.The fact is that interior designers can not only save you time and money but can also help you bring those inspirations together cohesively and in your own vision.Guess what?It won’t require a bank loan, raiding the 401K or even working overtime for the next five years! And so, I’m really delighted to share an interview I had with Valarie Baser, whose interior design service is more than just affordable.
Shirley:Valarie, below is just one of my favorite mood boards found on your Etsy site.The classic colors of blue, white and yellow, textures and patterns give a lot of interest.Let’s pretend a client looks at this and says, “I love it and I want it but . . . .”Valarie, how do you go about tailoring this to your client’s life style and needs?
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Valarie:Whenever a client hires an interior designer, it’s supposed to be like a journey. Honestly, it’s really a time a client is just discovering their style by learning about what they like and dislike. Just think of it like you’re at a restaurant, trying something new for the first time. In the beginning, you take your time to order, ask questions about a specific dish, order then see for yourself how you feel about it. If you like it, you’re happy. If you don’t like it, you probably want to know your next best option so that you can be happy.
It’s always a good sign when a client is honest and is seeking my guidance to help them find something that will make them happy. In order for me to be a good guide, I ask lots and lots of questions so that I can get a client to open up to really find the key elements they need.
Shirley: The above project with that client is completed.The client is elated, you’re please.Then a few days later, the client comes back and says, “Valarie, something is missing.I need a drop-dead gorgeous statement piece that my guests will just drool over.I’ve reserved $5,000 just for that one piece.”What would you select for that one out-of-this-world focal piece?And why?
Valarie: I would always recommend either selecting unique art or lighting. What I like about art is that it’s subjective to each person, so the right art can be very personal and meaningful. I also think that most of us love art because we connected with it at a young age. Before, we were encouraged to be expressive and creative till we were forced to grow up and become “adults.” So to include art in our lives is a wonderful way to visually express our thoughts and feelings. Now, let’s say a person isn’t into art at all and never had the tiniest bit of interest for it, I would suggest finding a unique chandelier as their statement piece in the room. Next is how to choose the right art or lighting and here’s what I always suggest. I suggest my clients to walk through
their favorite store or showroom and notice the moment something catches their eye then walk away from it for a while. If that piece keeps coming back in their mind, even days after, then it’s definitely that drop dead gorgeous statement piece they were searching for.
Shirley:How did you come to be an interior designer?Were you the little girl always redecorating your bedroom?Were you fashion crazy?Or is the profession something you gradually fell in love with?
Valarie: How I became an interior designer is kind of funny because I was actually interested about it since I was a kid and I never realized it till I started school. I always remember going to the some home decor store with my mom when I was about seven or eight and “advising” on her which curtains to buy and I was very sassy about it. So she bought it, hung it at the window in the front of the house and would get compliments on it from her friends. Whenever she would say, “Valarie picked those, can you believe it?” me, pretending to not listen, would have the biggest smirk on my face. Years later, before I decided to go to school for interior design, my roommates in California would always complain about how they couldn’t find their belongings because I switched up the apartment. Then I would ask them, “yah, but do you think that apartment looks better this way,” they would say, “yes I love it,”and that’s all I cared about. I just like cheering people up with changes in the house. It brightens things up and lifts up the mood. Oh and whenever I switched up the apartment, I did help my roommates with their belongings.
Shirley:Valarie, for the readers, please explain your process when working with clients, particularly one that has never worked with an interior designer?Such as how do you capture their vision for a particular space?
Valarie: Sure, would love to. So in beginning, I like to ask clients a lot of questions. Most of the questions include asking about their style, what some of the challenges are with the space, if they’d like to include existing meaningful pieces into the new design scheme, what colors they like etc. After they define their style, they share with me some inspirational photos of spaces they love through Pinterest. Then it’s my turn to create a mood board based on what they shared with me. Let’s say they need help decorating a living room, the mood board may include a sofa that was inspired by one of their favorite images, a color scheme they would enjoy being around and it would also include some items that serve a functional need like an adjustable coffee table that can be comfortably used for a laptop. Basically, the mood board will give the client a visual idea on how each different furniture suggestion will look altogether. Once the client see’s this, they will like and dislike some items, which is when I step in again and ask them questions to create a better mood board for the next round.
Shirley:I understand you grew up in Hawaii but now live and work in New York—two very different lifestyles.If you could pick any major city anywhere in the world (such as London, Paris, Sidney) where you could work on a major decorating project for an apartment, what city would that be?Why?And how would you approach the project?
Valarie: Even though it’s so hard to choose one place, I would definitely want to go to Japan for an interior decorating project. I really love minimalist – modern design. I like spaces that have hidden cabinets, cove lighting and visual crispness with innovative textures as a highlight. I also like designs that are clever and shapes that are soft.
So yah, if I had a project in Japan, I would approach it with a minimalist sense but would somehow bring out some other elements. I wonder what a minimalist – industrial space would look like. To create a minimalist space that had a bit of a rock ‘n roll and edgy vibe would be pretty different and cool.
Shirley:Thank you so much for sharing your time and thoughts on interior design and decorating.
Here are a few more examples of interior designs by Valarie:
Caution: Yellow is a happy color. It can make you so happy that if you paint your bedroom yellow, you can toss and turn so much that you won’t be able to sleep. (a little sarcasm here) I know because I did this once. The yellow was just too intense! After four days of little sleep, I placed an emergency call to my painter, sobbing over the phone that I couldn’t wait another week for him to repaint. What a doll! He came later that day with a bucket of paint containing very soft, light beige paint. Beige has an undertone of yellow. And he didn’t even charge me for an emergency service. I still love yellow . . . in some else’s home!
Notice the soft yellows in this example are punctuated with my golden yellow dupioni silk pillow, gold accessories and chandelier, and the strong red in the side table:
This is a great example of creating a deep yellow palette–and in a small space. I think the art-wall gallery, side chairs and other accent help to balance yellow.
Image from Shoebox Decor. Design by Brockschmidt and Coleman
Some other deep yellow decors:
From Lushome.comFrom Varrell.com which collected in a post 55+ Yellow Futuristic Spaces Design Ideas
I have to stop here and confess. I love yellow, it’s a great color on me. BUT when I even look at so much deep yellow in a room, I feel like it’s screaming at me and I just want to run far, far away! Hope I haven’t offended anyone. Now, yellow as an accent color is simply outstanding.
White yellow is prominent in this room and commands attention, the deep sea foam green, white, pinks and beige colors literally straddles the yellow, keeping it under control.
Also on Varrell.com. What a lucky child to have such a beautiful bedroom!
This is yellow so bright and fresh, made so by it’s stark contrast with the stark white.
Last one from Varrell.comFrom House to Home.com.UKFound on House Beautiful
I have a friend who painted her garden condo walls a very soft buttery yellow. To my surprise, I loved it. If you too find the strong yellows a bit more than your vision and disposition can handle but can’t free yourself from the idea of a yellow wall, the softer tone may suite you, such these examples:
From MaisonDecorAs you can see, found this on House Beautiful
There’s lots of interesting reads about color, especially the psychology of color. From her website, Empower-Yourself-With-Color-Psychology, Judy Scott-Kemmis, writes
“This color relates to acquired knowledge. It is the color which resonates with the left or logic side of the brain stimulating our mental faculties and creating mental agility and perception.
Being the lightest hue of the spectrum, the color psychology of yellow is uplifting and illuminating, offering hope, happiness, cheerfulness and fun.”
Perhaps, just by adding the color yellow to a decor we can improve and uplift our general disposition, maybe even our outlook on life. In any case, it is a lovely color.
Is yellow your favorite color?Oh please, do tell! Would love to hear from you.
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