wallpaper borders

Home / All posts

Baby It's Cold Outside - Tartan & Chinoiserie

Posted by sew4tejhtr6ier Selasa, 07 Januari 2014 0 komentar

With much of the country shivering under an arctic blast, I decided to switch gears today. It was 7 degrees when I walked my dog just now and I live in Virginia, not Minnesota. Schools are canceled today because of the cold! Only my dog loves it - she is a Tibetan Spaniel and the breed is from the mountains of Tibet and she can't get enough of the cold weather.

Instead of #8 of my top ten Chinoiserie trends for 2014, we will take a look at the warm and toasty combination of tartan and Chinoiserie. This is a wonderful pairing - classic, traditional, and timeless. The undisputed masters of combining tartan and Chinoiserie are Ralph Lauren and Scot Meacham Wood/The Adventures of Tartanscot. I love tartan - I have two Pinterest boards on tartan here and here. Want to follow me on Pinterest? Click here.

Baca Selengkapnya ....

#7 - The Top Ten Chinoiserie Trends for 2014

Posted by sew4tejhtr6ier Senin, 06 Januari 2014 0 komentar

Chinoiserie Trend #7 is Brass. Put those cans of spray paint away! Brass is back and it's hot, especially vintage brass. Look for brass animals (like elephants and giraffes), pineapples, bar carts, garden stools, furniture, lamps, and chandeliers especially with Chinoiserie detailing like faux bamboo or fretwork.

Check out Etsy, eBay, flea markets and estate sales for great vintage brass pieces, often at very good prices. I found a stunning set of three faux bamboo brass nesting tables with smoked glass in perfect condition at one of my thrift stores for $65.00.

If you missed any of my top Chinoiserie trends for 2014 last week, you can catch up here -

#1 - Mixing Gold, Silver, and Chinoiserie

#2 - Mixing African and Chinoiserie

#3 - Navy and Chinoiserie

#4 - Chinoiserie Chic Color of the Year 2014 - Baby Flamingo Lavender Gray

#5 - Gray and Chinoiserie

#6 - Bold Greek Key

Baca Selengkapnya ....

#6 - The Top Ten Chinoiserie Trends for 2014

Posted by sew4tejhtr6ier Minggu, 05 Januari 2014 0 komentar

Greek key will continue to be very popular in 2014, and deservedly so. The new twist will be using it in a bold and oversized way that looks very fresh and modern. In fabrics, rugs, and trim, go big with Greek key in 2014, #6 of our Top Ten Chinoiserie Trends for 2014, Bold Greek Key.

Baca Selengkapnya ....

#5 - The Top Ten Chinoiserie Trends for 2014

Posted by sew4tejhtr6ier Sabtu, 04 Januari 2014 0 komentar

Windsor Smith

Today we look at #5 of my Top Ten Chinoiserie Trends for 2014. If you have missed any -

#1 - Mixing Gold, Silver, and Chinoiserie
#2 - Mixing African and Chinoiserie
#3 - Navy and Chinoiserie
#4 - Chinoiserie Chic Color of the Year 2014 - Baby Flamingo Lavender Gray

Today's trend is Gray and Chinoiserie. Gray has been popular for several years now and has become the neutral of choice in modern interiors. I personally love gray and it is at its best paired with Chinoiserie - classic, ethereal, understated, and sophisticated.

My new Houzz Ideabook for January 2014 is called "Gray Is The New Black." You will find great ideas on using gray and Chinoiserie in your home for a modern yet timeless chic.

Howard Slatkin

Alexa Hampton

Mary McDonald

Australian Vogue Living

Baca Selengkapnya ....

Ideas to Overhaul Your Small Garden (a guest post)

Posted by sew4tejhtr6ier Jumat, 03 Januari 2014 0 komentar

The Holiday season is over and even in the height of winter, thoughts turn to warmer weather and long days. Now is the perfect time to start planning your garden overhaul. Even the smallest of spaces can be made into a sanctuary with a little creativity and planning.

Get Rid of Ugly Walls – Walls, especially in a small garden, can be oppressive and create a ‘penned in’ feeling that is neither relaxing nor attractive. Paint brick walls in white paint to give an illusion of light and space, and line them with trellis from places like Buy Fencing Direct so creeping plants and flowers can cover the brickwork to visually extend your garden. If you have an artistic persuasion you can paint a mural onto a primed brick wall – a woodland scene on a far wall can work well to give the illusion of a longer garden.

image

Raised Flowerbeds – Raised flowerbeds are neat and practical, as well as stylish. Small gardens typically suffer from the flowerbed ‘border’ where plants and flowers are restricted to the edges of the space and actually make the garden itself looks smaller. By taking your lawn right to the edges of your space, and keeping planting to a few strategically placed raised beds, you can make the most of your space and lead the eye through you garden instead of highlighting the edges and emphasising its small size.

image

Artwork – Works of art are not just for indoor walls and galleries. Garden art is on the rise and is perfect for a small garden where it is not going to be competing with extravagant flowerbeds and trees. Pebble mosaics make a perfect centrepiece for a paved yard, or create beautiful hanging art to dangle from wall brackets. If you choose reflective surfaces and glass to refract light, you can use your walls as a canvas to enhance the artwork. Garden art is easy to make yourself and there are hundreds of ideas on Pinterest to get you started.

image

In-built Furniture – In a small garden there often isn’t room for patio sets or garden furniture. That doesn’t mean that you can’t use your garden for entertaining and relaxing. Building different levels into your garden in the form of deep decked steps and recessed areas means that on a warm summer evening you can use scatter cushions and Mason jar candles to create ambient seating areas for entertaining.