Cupcakes

Cupcakes?  That's what I thought too!! But at second glance you will see that these are drapery rod FINIALS !  You can glimpse the matching rings in the picture.  My imagination has gone into overdrive!  Scrumptious possibilities!
Brought to you by Duralee.

Like A Bat

Saw this picture today on Pinterest:

I see curtains tied this way from time to time. Not the most attractive way to be treated! It reminds me of a lyric from the Sheryl Crow song "It Don't Hurt", which is one of my favorite songs of hers. The lyric says "Curtains tied up like a bat", so I always think of batwings when I see this.
I've always thought this is a perfect song for a designer because it is about redecorating!

Here is a great version of "It Don't Hurt".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzy403cnh-0

 

 

Random Acts of Kindness Day

Floral Notes

Perhaps it is just the cold weather, but suddenly I am noticing floral EVERYTHING and in heavy doses. From fabrics to accessories, flowers are everywhere and I am loving it!
Even visits with some of my sales reps showing their new collections are yielding a trend towards floral motifs.

You may remember this photo of a display at the J. Lambeth studio in the Washington Design Center.

 

This whimsical floral is from a collection by Kim Parker that we have just added to the studio. Many of the styles are printed not only on VELVET, but also on linen. They are also repeated on the most beautiful wallpaper!  It's a very happy collection. This pattern is called Ariadne's Dream.

 

Another comtemporary collection we just added is by Lulu DK.  This pattern is called Bloomsbury.

 

For you traditionalists, GP&J Baker has a gorgeous offering which includes this pattern: Dryden.

 

 

Bailey & Griffen elevates this traditional print by hand screen printing this large scale floral in the USA.  It's a work of art, really.

 

 

This lovely embroidered floral is from Kravet Couture.  Even it's name, Fun in the Sun, makes me want to have a whole roomful of draperies in this pattern.

 

 

I've posted this picture before of my favorite Osborne & Little print!

 

 

Cute stationary.  My new business cards are stripe/floral combination.

 

Lovely jar by Bungalow 5.

 

 

And a jar shaped lamp from Bungalow 5.

 

And a third offering from Bungalow 5, these decorative wall hangings.

 

 

 Even furniture doesn't escape the floral explosion.  Painted chests are everywhere.  These are by Guildmaster.

Can Spring be too far away?

 

 

 

 

 

Happy New Year 2016!

I hope your holidays were wonderful and that you had a little time for relaxation.

 



Have you made your resolutions yet?  Have you set your goals? I am a pretty goal oriented girl so I've been working on mine for some time.

Between Christmas and New Years Eve I  had a fun two days of goal setting with my husband - a sort of staycation, if you will.  We went to several beautiful places nearby and over cozy cocktails and rather fabulous lunches, we did a little dreaming.  We called our two days Dream Days.

Hotel bars (at the higher end) are usually more luxurious than your average watering hole.  Since we live in Virginia Wine Country, we also visited a few wineries with all the fabulous outdoor ambiance that is typical of the Virginia countryside.

And it is the little details I notice in my travels that give way to inspiration.

The ceiling of the bar "Decanter" in the St. Regis hotel in Washington DC.

 

Also at the St. Regis, the downstairs hallway, with chandeliers.

 

A pillow in the library at Salamander Resort in Middleburg, VA

 

Trim detail

 

 

612 Winery near Berryville, VA

And the following picture was sent to me by my daughter who lives in New York.

It is a window display at the Fashion Institute of Technology (one of my alma maters)

all done in drapery trim.

 

On dream day you can get inspired just walking around the city!



Love Affair with a Chair

A friend once joked that I should open a Chair Store. It seems that when I am looking at fabrics, sooner or later I am going to say, "That would make a great chair!"  I do have a love affair with chairs.  The more the merrier! And what an opportunity to introduce a beautiful color or pattern to a room.
Recovering a chair is also a great way to update a space. Or in the case of a dining or desk chair, if the fabric is pricey you really don't need much.
For this kitchen we had fun with the desk chair.  First we had the chair painted white and distressed a little to match the cabinets which were also getting painted.
Then we added a little PINK ZEBRA! Does it get any better than pink zebra?  I don't think so!

The walls had been painted a soft blue grey.  The pink and blue echoed the colors we had used in the adjoining living and dining room. More on that later!

It's hard to believe that two months ago this kitchen had dark cherry cabinets and Tuscan brick-red walls!

Chair seat fabric by Duralee.

Pantone 2016 Color of the Year

This just in from Kravet:

I'm so used to having those little squares filled with color that at first I thought both of the "new" colors were very similar.  But now I'm thinking that Rose Quartz must be the pink color.  I don't have a Pantone color deck to verify this.
At the recent High Point home furnishings show I did see so much blue - this shade and much darker. There were many pinks, also, including a blush color like the pillow in the bottom center of the photo.
Are you thinking what I'm thinking?  That this combination looks a LOT like the 80's??
These colors look a little fresher than the ones I am remembering - let's see how it plays out.
I will say that many of my clients are asking for blues - and I just finished a pink living room - so perhaps I work with all the cool kids who are ahead of the curve, trendwise!