Mood Board - Rustic Reading Nook

Here's to another week! I've had a busy couple of weeks so I am hoping this one will actually allow me to catch up on some things around here. How about you, how was your weekend?

After a random heat wave, the weather is finally starting to feel like fall again. It inspired me to create a comfortable reading area where you can curl up with a good book. As I worked on this mood board, it started to take on a pretty rustic look, which is not usually a style I gravitate towards, but I ended up really liking it!

I debated over adding a more modern artwork, seen below, which could work just as well but break up some of the masculine feel of this space. Which way do you like best?

Linda Monfont

Have a great week! Stay tuned later this week for my first-ever guest post!

Mood board sources:
chair: West Elm
lamp: Lightopia
cowhide rug: image here
shelf: Enhancing Your Habitat
side table: Wisteria
pouf: Amazon
artwork: Lindadonohue on Etsy

Mood Board ~ Breakfast at Tiffany's

The other day our cable TV went out, which was a great opportunity to watch a movie. I decided to watch an old favorite, Breakfast at Tiffany's. Like most people, I love to watch it in part for the fashion, but also find myself drawn to Holly Golightly's quirky but glam home every time.

I was inspired to create a version of her living room:

 source

Here is my interpretation of her room:

Her bathtub sofa is now a much more realistic tufted settee. Behind it is a fretwork screen reminiscent of one of the major design features of her room - that fretwork column by her kitchen. The pillows speak to her pink and purple color scheme. We still have a fun zebra rug to add that glam factor, as well as a gold chandelier that pulls from the gold fixtures on her "bathtub." A couple of vintage suitcases could work as a coffee table, or as Holly did, to store the phone... 

What do you think? Anything else you would add to the board?

All other items, vintage, images found on Google images

Modern Organic Mood Board

Hey guys! I've been a bad blogger...I promised you a mood board last week and never delivered. I swear I don't know where my time goes these days!

Well, here it is: my interpretation of the style I like to call Modern Organic. In this style, I envision mostly clean, modern lines mixed in with lots of natural materials and textures. The overall vibe is carefree and airy, yet stylish.

(click to enlarge)

The colors of my board were inspired by this fun artwork by Lizzy Janssen. I've had it in my inspiration folder for ages, and thought it was the perfect time to use it. From there, I brought in lots of textures and bright accents that complement the art, all in a foundation of modern pieces.

I enjoyed creating this board, as it's been far too long since I've done one! I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Moodboard sources:
Sofa, coffee table, sideboard, vase, lamp, plant: Crate and Barrel
Side and dining chair: Wisteria
Rug: West Elm
Dining table: IKEA
Artwork: Lizzi Janseen

World Market Mood Boards

Hi everyone! Sorry I have been posting so little lately. I am having a hard time adjusting to my new job schedule. I've been feeling really tired at the end of the day! My brain is so full of new information, that it's been hard to even think about what to blog about... I really hope this will change soon. I have some ideas for the blog, I just need time to focus on it! Thanks for hanging in there.

Anyway, I received the new flyer for Cost Plus World Market, and was really inspired by some of their new items! I have shopped there for several years, but feel like each year that store just keeps getting better. Specifically, I really liked the new Josephine desk! It's a nice, more affordable alternative to the Parsons desk.

I was so inspired by this desk, I thought I would create some mood boards showing a few different home office ideas, using items from World Market.

Look 1:

Look 2:

Look 3:

Do you have a favorite? Do you like to shop there?

All items at worldmarket.com (this is NOT a sponsored post - I simply was inspired by their stuff!)

Client Design Board ~ California Living Room

As I've talked about recently, I am helping a friend decorate from afar. Her bedroom so far is going well. She has purchased nearly every item she needed, except for the lamps. It's pretty cool to see it all come together! Hopefully I will be able to share some "after" pictures soon.

Next we started working on her living/dining room. She was a bit undecided on what colors she wanted to go with, but offered this picture as an inspiration:

Erinn Valencich

I attempted to recreate the airy, sophisticated vibe using greens and blues for the color scheme, with bronze accents. Turns out we are going to go with deeper tones than what I chose on my design board, but I thought I would share it anyway:

The living room needs a focal point, which we can create by arranging several frames above the couch, as shown. I suggest getting cheap frames from IKEA or Michael’s, then use pages from a calendar or print out pictures online (such as here) to create a fun and affordable art wall.

Since we can’t install curtains, I thought a rug would help to bring color to the room, as well as help define the living from the dining area. More color can be brought in with pillows (the fabrics used here are all from Calico Corners, and the pillow shown is from here), and with a throw blanket. The bronze and other accessories here are ideas of items she could put on the coffee table, side table, and TV console. A tall plant would look great near her window.

The mirror shown on the board (top), is for the dining area. She does not have space to add anything more than her existing round table and chairs, so I was thinking of putting this mirror on the wall behind the table with a floating shelf underneath to create a little table to add more decorative touches. 

So there you have it. Like I said, we'll be changing the colors a bit, but she really liked the art wall idea as well as all of the decorative touches. I look forward to seeing it come together! 

Inspired by the Parsons Desk ~ Part 2

Today I wanted to share the rest of the sets I created using the West Elm Parsons Desk, an idea that was inspired by House Beautiful's "What Would You Do" feature in this month's issue. I showed you 5 sets here. Take a look at the last 5 I came up with:

 A Hollywood glam vibe

(Ballard Designs chair, Lamps Plus lamp, vintage letter holder)

A fun combination for a kid's room

(DWR chair, IKEA lamp, Iomoi paperweight)

 A 70's vintage vibe

(Crate & Barrel chair, Lamps Plus lamp, Amy Butler fabric for chair cushion)

A colorful, modern set

(DWR chair, Lamps Plus lamp, Kate's Paperie filofax)

A safari-inspired combination

(Crate and Barrel chair, Lamps Plus lamp, box via here)

I felt like I could go on forever creating these sets - it was a lot of fun! Which set did you like best?

Inspired by the Parsons Desk ~ Part 1

This weekend, I finally had a chance to catch up on reading some of my magazines. I was especially inspired by House Beautiful's October issue. Specifically, I really liked the "What Would You Do" feature that asked designers how they would decorate the clean-lined Parsons Desk from West Elm. 

The article inspired me to create my own sets. I got pretty carried away creating these, proving that this desk truly is a very versatile blank slate. Here are 5 of my chair and lamp combinations:

A classic, tailored set

(Ballard Designs chair, Lamps Plus lamp, Kate Spade bag)

 A beachy vibe

(IKEA chair, Lamps Plus lamp, Amy Butler fabric for chair cushion)

A funky mid-century modern combination

(DWR chair and tape dispenser, Lamps Plus lamp)

 A chinoiserie-inspired selection

(Ballard Designs chair, Lamps Plus lamp, Foo Dogs via Ebay)

 A feminine vanity (another great use for this desk!)

(Wisteria chair, Layla Grace lamp and box)

I will show you 5 more combinations on Wednesday. I had so much fun creating these. If you get inspired to create a few sets of your own, let me know and we will share here!

Do you have a favorite of the sets above?

Client Design Board ~ a California Apartment

I recently completed a design board for a client (ok, a good friend) that just moved to California and wanted to start her life as a newlywed with a stylish apartment! She already purchased all of the furniture, but seeked my help to make the place feel beautiful and cozy.

Because this is a rental that she plans to be in for only a year, we could not do anything permanent. The decorating had to come from accessories. For her master bedroom, she was inspired by a couple of images I had posted on my blog:

The Tides South Beach

Estilo Home

Therefore, our goal was to add a beach-y glam vibe to her existing furniture set (similar to below). Here is what I came up with:



I started with these curtains from Pottery Barn, which I thought were the perfect way to bring in color to the room. For the bed, I suggest accenting her neutral cream/gold comforter (which she already owns) with sheets in a gold/latte color. To complete the look, I thought a pillow like this one or another with some coral in it would help bring in a little more color and pattern. Finally, I’d use a throw in orange or coral at the foot of the bed.

Above the bed, a round gold mirror such as this one would add that hint of glam. Same with the gold lamps for each side table. The version here is a bit pricey, but she could find a pair of gold lamps at many stores, or spray paint some gold (look for a lamp with a rounder, not skinny, base.) I thought it could be fun to line the shades with fabric (like this fabric) to add more color and pattern. If she wants to take the look a step further, she could consider adding long rectangular gold mirrors behind each lamp as well, like the first inspiration picture. But, to keep it on budget, I didn’t add that to the board.

The accessories help to complete the look. That gold shell is a perfect mix of beachy and glam and she could add a couple of gold-framed pictures near her dresser (not shown.)

I am happy to report that she loved the board! Hopefully after she completes the transformation I'll be able to show you a before and after. What do you think?

Living Room Paint & Moodboard

I hope you had a great holiday weekend! Mine was just amazing, in part thanks to the beautiful weather we had in DC. I can't believe Fall is right around the corner...

As I mentioned, I went shopping for paint yet again this weekend. I am now on my 7th paint sample! I know, crazy. This paint situation has been nothing short of a nightmare. Every paint I pick looks so extremely different (darker and "muddier") on my wall than it does on the swatch or even on a painted piece of paper with the exact same paint.

I recently said I was going for cream on the walls. Well, once my (beige) sofa came in, I realized cream would be too similar. A friend of mine suggested going with gray, and at this point I figured I had nothing to lose. I picked up a couple of samples, tested on a couple of walls, and basically my condo is starting to look like a Mondrian painting:

BM Light Pewter top left, BM Edgecomb Gray top right, BM Nimbus bottom

The good news is that I think I made my decision! The top one on the left! The photo is awful, but it doesn't matter because the paint (Benjamin Moore Light Pewter) looks nothing like it does anywhere else anyway...but it works in my condo and that's all that matters! It's a little light, but it should look nice. I think the actual painting process will be a piece of cake next to the color selection issue!

So now it's off to the fun stuff - accessories! I put together a moodboard to see how everything will come together. I am still debating over coffee tables #2 and #5 (THANK YOU all for your suggestions), and the pillows and artwork are just placeholders, but here's what I am thinking:

I can't wait until it is all finished!!

Color Series ~ Charcoal & Purple

The color series is back this week, and today I am mixing charcoal with a deep, moody purple. When the right hue is used (such as a dark eggplant,) purple can look so sophisticated. It has long been one of my favorite colors. 

This combination creates a dark, sort of sultry atmosphere, making it a great color scheme for a bedroom. Here is a beautiful example of this:

I decided to do a bedroom as well for this week's mood board:

What do you think of this color combination? Would you ever decorate a room with it?

Moodboard sources:
Wallpaper - Jonathan Adler
Bed - Crate and Barrel
Curtain - JCPenney
Side Table - Home Decorators
Lamp - Decor-Home
Dresser/nightstand - Bungalow 5
Jewelry Box - Target

Sheet Set - John Robshaw
Fabrics - Fabric.com, Duralee

My Brother's Apartment ~ the Bedroom Moodboard

Hello! So glad the weekend is approaching, aren't you?

This past week I have made some progress on my brother's apartment redesign. We went to look at sofas and he thinks he found 'the one.' We're still deciding on a concrete design direction for the living space though. However, the bedroom came together very quicky. He had a good idea of what he wanted for it, which ultimately was a very serene space to relax at the end of the day. I showed him the pictures below and right away, we had a plan.

Lonny

So here is the moodboard we came up with (so far):

I say so far because it is definitely a work in progress. This just gives us a direction. For one, we may be doing an upholstered bed instead, which will up the cozy factor. He also mentioned wanting a small desk in the room, but I am not sure if we'll end up going with it or something more discreet like a secretary.

He is pretty decided on the wall color (SW Green Trance), so hopefully we can start painting soon and start buying some furniture! I'm so excited for this room to come together.

Have a great weekend!

Color Schemes ~ Charcoal & Orange

This week on the series I am going for a vibrant look, mixing charcoal with a bold orange!

This scheme is not for the shy, and tends to work best where you'd want your energy to be high. For example, a home office where you need to be productive, or maybe a kids playroom. However, if you love the color, you can make it work anywhere, such as this beautiful sitting area:

Or this gorgeous living room:

Lonny Mag

I wanted to create an office with this color scheme for this week's moodboard:

What do you think of this color combination? Would you use it anywhere in your home?

Moodboard Sources:
Desk - Z Gallerie
Chair - Jonathan Adler
Trellis Fabric - FSchumacher
Rug - Madeline Weinrib
Wastebasket - Bed Bath & Beyond
Bookcase - Wholesale Furniture Brokers
Lamp - Bobby Berk Home
Bulletin Board - Kayscrafts on Etsy
Boxes - Napa Home
Pencil Cup - Momastore
Computer - Apple

Color Series ~ Charcoal & Peachy Pink

Our latest color to explore different combinations with is charcoal. Today, I am mixing it with a soft peachy-pink!

This has to be one of my favorite color schemes. While this combination leans on the feminine side, I love that the gray helps to toughen the pink. Take a look at some examples:

Tony Hutchinson

Wish Magazine

An Angel at My Table

I decided to keep the feminine vibe going for this week's moodboard. What do you think?

Moodboard sources:

Sofa - West Elm

Bookcase - Ikea

Sconces - West Elm

Rug - CSN Stores

Coffee Table - CB2

Pink Pillow - The Home Centric on Etsy

Gray Pillow - Clayton Gray Home

Throw/Scarf - Scarf World 

Floor Lamp - Oly

Vases - Wisteria

Color Schemes ~ Navy, White & a Hint of Red

Hello everyone! In honor of the Independence Day coming up, I thought this week for the color series I'd work navy in with white and a touch of red. It is such a classic combination that you can't really go wrong (well, unless you take the theme to heart and put U.S. flags everywhere!)

 I thought the example from House Beautiful below was a great one of the scheme done just right:

(Ok, so I can't really tell if it's navy or black, but it would work well either way!)

source

And here is a moodboard for a living room with this color scheme:

This concludes the series with navy! Starting next week, I will work with various colors paired with a personal favorite, charcoal gray.

It is going to be a little quiet here for the rest of the week, as I am off to Lake Tahoe for a few days over the 4th of July holiday. I am so happy to be taking some time away from work and responsibilities! I will try to pop in if I can, but I am not sure how my internet set-up will be like.

For those in the U.S., have a great holiday!

Moodboard sources:
White sofa & curtains - Ikea
Blue side chair, coffee table, artwork & mirror - Ballard Designs
Red side table - Crate and Barrel
Blue table lamp - Robert Abbey
Floor lamp - Neenas
Rug - Surface Threads
Bird bowl - Jonathan Adler
Red pillow - Sea Cloth
Chevron pillow - Twinkle Living/CSN Stores

Color Schemes ~ Navy & Coral

Continuing with the color series, this week I am combining the navy with a vibrant coral.

I am surprised not to see this combination used more often, but you can see one example here, where designer Amanda Nisbet combined it with a hint of chartreuse for a very colorful scheme:

source

The dark navy helps to ground the bright coral, but the scheme is still vibrant enough to work well in a high-energy space such as a kids' playroom or outdoors. I went with an outdoor space for this week's mood board:

What do you think? Would you use this color scheme anywhere?

Moodboard Sources:
Double chaise lounger, lanterns, rug - WS Home
Coral Pillow - Thomas Paul at Layla Grace
Blue Pillow - Dransfield and Ross
Table with umbrella and chairs - All Things Cedar
Paper lanterns - Luna Bazaar

Color Schemes ~ Navy & Seafoam Green

To continue with our color series, I'm taking navy and exploring it mixed with seafoam green. As blue and green are analogous colors (adjacent on the color wheel,) the combination produces a really soothing atmosphere.

  

 Of course it is nothing new to see blue and green paired together, but I hadn't taken much notice until seeing this nursery on Design*Sponge a few months back, which combined deep navy and a soft seafoam or minty green:

Design*Sponge, more pictures here

I just love those shelves! Since seeing this picture, I've saved it to my inspiration file and hope to be able to decorate with these colors one day. For the time being, I created a mood board inspired by this scheme:

After seeing those curtains, the board took on a beachy vibe, making this scheme perfect for a sunroom or a casual sitting room. What do you think?

Join me every Wednesday for another color scheme! I'll continue to explore navy for the next couple of weeks, next time with coral!

Moodboard Sources:
- Sette and throw: Nate Berkus for HSN
- Curtains: Anthropologie
- Lamp and rug: West Elm
- Table: Horchow
- Sunburst mirror: V and M
- Clam shell: Z Gallerie