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

From the Inspiration Folder

So Spring has finally made its way to DC, and I couldn't be happier! We had a gorgeous day today, and even though the rest of the week won't be as nice, it still has me dreaming of all the fun the warm weather brings.

I went out to our balcony after work to clean out all the fallen leaves and, um, cobwebs, and now it is all ready for some lounging with a yummy drink and a pile of magazines. This beautiful photo below, though, reminds me that I still need to decorate it. Yes, the space is functional, but why not make it beautiful, too?

Coastal Living

Do you have an outdoor space that needs decorating? How is the weather in your corner of the world?

From the Inspiration Folder

Happy Friday! I hope you all have something fun planned ahead. I will be having a quiet one, now that I am working weekends. I'm off today, and might have to take advantage of a little free time to take a little nap in this cold day. If only I were laying on this bed, in this beautiful room:

I'm in love with the color scheme! The bright pink throw and that blue lamp add such an unexpected touch to the soft lavender predominantly in the room. That Louis chair is so cute, too.

Have a great one!

Image source unknown (if you know, please share!)

A Touch of Lavender

Hello! Things have been a little quiet around here this week, I know. Just a lot going on in different aspects of my life (nothing major, just busy!) I am going to take the rest of the week to get caught up with everything, but wanted to at least stop by to leave you with some inspiration.

I mentioned this before, but my favorite color is purple. Not just any shade of purple, though. My absolute favorite is a soft lavender, especially when used sparingly as seen in these beautiful images below:

via Decorista

Decor Pad

 

Via Decor Pad, Dress Design Decor

domino

Ditte Isager

via Decorista, Lucyina Moodie

via Plush Palate 

What do you think? Would you use this color in your home? I think my whole house would be decorated in this color if I lived on my own!

From the Inspiration Folder

Happy Friday! I'm so happy the weekend is here. My hubby was away all week for business - it was the longest we've ever spent apart! - so the week went by really slowly for me. Thankfully I'm taking Monday off to spend a little more time with him and for some much-needed relaxation.

Speaking of relaxation, I wanted to share a bedroom I saw on Apartment Therapy this week. It is for the color contest they are having. It features my favorite color, purple, some greek key, and lots of luxurious touches:

It makes me want to completely re-do my own bedroom! I love it. You can see more, and vote for it, here.

What are you up to this weekend? Have a good one!

Purple & Gray Condo

While we are on the subject of style evolution, I happened to come across images of a condo that perfectly illustrates how my own style has changed over the years. I just picked up the House & Home Condos Lofts & Apartments special edition, and opened the pages to a beautiful gray and purple condo that would have been 100 percent my taste had this been 2 or 3 years ago.

While I still love it, I know I would have gone crazy back then for the home's clean lines, neutral palette with hits of geometric patterns, and its overall modern aesthetic. 

 
In my last home, all I owned had sleek, straight lines. No curves or ornate designs in sight, much like this condo.

 (I'd still flip for that cozy dining nook any day though!)

For years, purple was my ultimate favorite color. It seemed like everything I owned was purple, and my decor was no exception. Seeing the bedroom below would have made me want to paint my own purple accent wall.

However, these days, I'm suddenly more drawn towards transitional style,  and find myself replacing some of those clean-lined furniture for softer, curvier pieces. I believe my designs will always have a modern influence, but now they may be infused with more classic - and dare I say it - ornate pieces!

From the Inspiration Folder

It's finally the weekend! I am glad to have the next couple of days to relax and get a few things done around the house. In particular, I hope to test some more paint samples in my living room. I think the cream paint is going to work pretty well, but fingers crossed!

Canadian House & Home

I recently saved this image into my inspiration folder. I love that it has such a mix of furniture styles that manage to work so well together. The classic, glamorous couch against the clean-lined side table and the rustic coffee table creates such a beautiful but unexpected combination. I especially love the lightly-tinted lavender wall. It looks surprisingly sophisticated and not too sweet.

What do you think of this room? Have a great weekend!

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

From the Inspiration Folder

Hey guys, it's been a busy week for me, so I was not able to put together this week's Color Series post. Instead, I will leave you with one of my all-time favorite interior images, featuring the color that will be part of next week's series:

Sara Story

How incredible is that purple ceiling? I might have to find a room to do that with! I'm thinking it could be really cool in an office...

Color Schemes ~ Navy & Lilac (New Series!)

So I got back from Miami a couple of days ago and I am still having a hard time getting back to routine. I didn't get to explore too many art deco interiors in the short time I was there, apart from the gorgeous Delano Hotel, but I had a great time. Vacations are the best, aren't they?

While I was away, my little blog turned one!! I wanted to take a moment to thank all of my dear readers for always coming back to see what I am up to and leaving sweet comments. You have no idea how much I appreciate each and everyone of you!

With that, I thought I would introduce a new series, where I explore one color combined with various other expected and unexpected hues. In the first of the series, I am working with navy. It is such a great color in part because it helps to ground other colors. I actually used navy for my own wedding, when my husband was really against my peachy-pink color choice. We ended up combining both colors, and the result was classic and sophisticated, if I say so myself :)

Combined with soft lilac, it creates a cool color scheme that feels so soothing but not somber:

This combination was inspired by a bedroom I randomly came across in Self Magazine. I instantly fell in love with the combination, which is one I don't see too often. The navy keeps the lilac from looking too sweet, making it a nice color choice for adult and kids rooms alike. 

Self, scanned by me

Inspired by this combination, I put together a mood board to help you recreate a look with this color scheme at home:

What do you think? Have you ever used these two colors together?

In my next post, I will explore navy with seafoam green, so stay tuned!

Moodboard sources:
- Bed and drum side table: Target
- Rug: Madeline Weinrib
- Lilac Throw: Gracious Home
- Curtains: Ikea (ribbon trim added)
- Sheets: Blissliving
- Clock: Walmart
- Lamp: Petit Tresor
- Paint Color: Petit Tresor
- Navy Fabric: Calico Corners
- Lilac Pillow: Beautiful Pillows & Home

From the Inspiration Folder

I just love this room, every single time I look at it. To me, it has this dreamy quality to it...maybe it's the expansive windows, or maybe the soothing two-tone lavender color. Whatever it is, I wish I could transport this room to my own home:

Since I can't, at least I could try to incorporate some of its ideas, such as the two-tone wall effect that easily replaces expensive artwork yet offers a striking focal point. The low, bench-style seats are a neat idea as well for places that are tight on space. What do you think of this room?

The photo belongs in Photographer Olaf Szczepaniak's portfolio. Though I can't understand a word, there are many more amazing photos on his site, so if you have some time, I recommend checking it out!