Friday Flowers Thanks to my Flower Lovin Mama

 

Exactly three weeks ago, this little guy arrived in our lives…

 

My mother was visiting during his arrival and besides doing everything under the sun for me, she also went to work on floral arrangements around the house!  Please visit anytime Mom :)

 

I was given a gorgeous Asian motif porcelain bowl by a client, and it soon overflowed with with Pottery Barn’s very real looking faux roses. 

 

       

Behind the roses sits my other new acquisition- an antique French wine bottle rack that I’ve been lusting after ever since I saw them decorated as Christmas Trees last winter.  This one is thanks to my sweet husband who gave it to me for having our little guy… not your typical baby gift but perfect for a design loving mama like me.

 

  

Some cheerful Gerber daisies brighten the living room.

 

    

My mom relocated my moss filled vases from an obscure location in the house and matched them with a mossy orchid my sisters sent to me.

My photography skills (or lack of) are doing this arrangement no favors!  She surprised me with a beautiful worn Asian style wood planter filled with gorgeous white orchids (my fave!)  as a Mother’s Day present.  I’m in floral heaven!

(and once these are no longer blooming, I might replace them with some of these )

 

 

And of course, she didn’t leave the outdoors untouched!  My pots now look much prettier filled with purple pincushions and bright green ferns! 

 

And the lantern that she brought home from Pottery Barn with the faux roses looks fab too!

So in addition to loads of baby gear, diapers, and a sweet little baby boy my house is overflowing with flowers!  I’m missing my flower lovin mama but I love seeing her arrangements every day!

Have a happy weekend!

A dose of color…

     

With spring in the air, a colored interior door really freshens a room, doesn’t it?

{Images via Veranda & Simply Seleta}

Linen Bedroom Love

While my heart does flutter at the sight of an all white bedroom, especially fluffy white bedding… I am really drawn to the natural linen color and texture dominating these rooms!  There’s something casual and laid back about them which is so appealing.

LINEN + ARTIFACTS

 

In this room by the expert of neutrals, Darryl Carter, the artifacts and furnishings are truly put on display.  The bedding is very sophisticated.  In fact, change the bed for a sofa and you’d have a very tailored living room! 

 

Isn’t the wood artifact hanging above Brooke Giannetti’s master bed to die for, or better yet, to dream for!!!  The piped lampshade on the side table is a charming little detail.  When you have a fabulous artifact, the rest of the room can be very subtle.

 

 

I love the mix of refined and rustic in these bedrooms...

 

  

 

LINEN + PATTERN

A little pattern sure kicks things up a notch…

 

You can't go wrong with tone on tone, especially with some embroidery….

 

I love how Suzanne Kasler has used neutral stripes in a very limited way that still creates so much interest… love the horizontal direction of the strips- so unexpected!

LINEN + POPS OF COLOR

Madeline Stuart introduces some gorgeously saturated accent colors that add a real richness to this linen colored background.  

 

So soft and plush looking… love the taupe linen color mixed with Swedish gray blue and gold.

 

 

Stacy Hyde shows one great fabric is all your really need!  How easy to change out the colorful accessories in this bedroom when you’re ready for a change… my kind of room!

 

LINEN + BEDCOVERS

I love the idea of a darker cover like these since my dog’s favorite place in the world is on the bed (translation= dirty paws means lots of washing of white bedcovers!!!).

 

 

 

Love this combo of both white and linen bedspreads… the darker color is perfect at the foot of the bed, where my furry one curls up!

 

LINEN +SKIRTS

 

Linen bedskirts are especially useful when you want to incorporate a rougher textured material into your space… while a burlap-y linen may not make the most luxurious throw pillow to rest your head on, it certainly works for a bed skirt!

 

As plain and simple as this bedroom might, be it’s one of my all-time favorites!  The simile linen bedding and backdrop ooze peace and serenity… and really show off that pretty white scalloped duvet and gorgeous chandelier!  And yes, I’d have to say the herringbone wood floors aren’t too bad either!!!

There are so many elements in this room that I adore and that are so wonderful to incorporate into ANY interior, bedroom or not!  Linen table skirts like these are one of my go-to solutions… they transform plain-jane dressers or table forms into elegant pieces of furniture instantly.  Not to mention their clutter hiding capability!

 

LINEN + LIGHT

Sheer linen is another wonderful way to use this fabric, as this bed skirt shows!  Love the tabbed headboard linen too…

 

     

Cynthia Davis of Indulge Decor used sheer panels with romantic tab ties in her master bedroom.  The casualness of the panels is a perfect balance for her fabulously shaped upholstered headboard.

{Images via 1. Elle Decor, 2. Linen & Velvet, 3. & 17. Unknown, 4, 13, 14, 16, & 18. Cote de Texas, 5. Decorology, 6. Suzanne Kasler, 7. Madeline Stuart 8. Dress Design & Decor, 9, 12, & 15. Veranda, 10. Decorno, 11. Ty Larkins, 16. Cottage Living via Cote de Texas}

A Little Blue and White Porcelain pick me up

Is a nice visual treat for the mid-week doldrums…

Less is not always more!  I love the grouping of these pieces and their pretty blooms.  They contrast perfectly with the light Swedish furnishings.

Interesting surprise to use a great weathered exterior bench instead of a console table… don’t you love how casually these pieces and books are placed?

 

Another lovely grouping… the exact reason why I love solid upholstery so much is that it sets of beuatiful accessories so well!

 

Great mix of modern, antique, neutral and color in this room.  Love the hot pink blossoms next to the blue ginger jar!

 

For a quick find and a relatively painless purchase, Wisteria has a set of three appropriately named “Happiness Pots,” which were traditional wedding gifts in Chinese culture.  I love their disclaimer, “Offered here in three sizes, the degree of wedded bliss does not vary with the proportions.”

 {Images via Shannon Bowers featured in Veranda,  Alexandra & Michael Misczynski of Atelier AM, Trouve, Michael S. Smith}

Friday Flowers 4.2.10

    

Happy weekend!

{Image via Dress, Design & Decor}

Fleur D’Oranger

 

 

The orange blossoms are blooming on my orange trees right now and the scent is overwhelmingly amazing! I feel as though I can’t take deep enough breaths to capture it!  My neighbors might think I’m hyperventilating every time I walk outside, but it’s completely purposeful!

The blossoms are very short lived, so I’ll supplement with some home products to crutch me along until the next blooming season.  None of these match the delicacy of the real thing of course, but they certainly are enjoyable.   

A few that I’ve tried in the past (and not all at once!!!)…

 

Antica Farmastica’s oil diffuser is deliciously scented! It’s mixed with a few other fragrances like lilac, jasmine, mandarin and lemon to keep it from being too sweet or citrusy.  I love that this diffuser can perfume the air so well in my entire house and never get too overwhelming.

 

 

L’Occitane makes many Fleur D’Oranger products-  I especially like  their tinned candle and home fragrance sprays.  The spray is great for a bathroom room freshener and comes in a pretty bottle with an ultra-chic pump… how fun!

 

 

Wearing Orange Blossom as a body fragrance is just a bit too much for me personally, though I love it as hand soap.  Savon de Marseille makes a great one, and it comes in this cool iconic bottle… I love it for the bottle almost as much as the soap! 

Trader Joes also carries a delightfully scented and even more delightfully priced hand soap that’s named for the Francophile, “Trader Jacques French Liquid Orange Blossom Honey Hand and Body Soap.”  For a few dollars it’s a great product to purchase to test out the scent.

For those who do love Fleur D’Oranger as a body fragrance there are many brands and price points available, and plenty of online reviews and rankings… one I’m definitely going to check out when I’m in New Orleans this summer is Bourbon French's Orange Blossom. 

Any recommendations??? Please share!

Weekend Getaway: Palladian Villa in Geyserville

When you can’t really take a vacation, the next best thing is a virtual vacation.  Especially since budget, timing, and every other mundane detail of real life can be tossed aside!

Today, we’re visiting a Palladian Villa in the wine country of Geyserville, California.  If you were really there, you might not even make it to the wineries because the house is so spectacular.

 

A clean and tailored entryway gives an idea of what's to come on the inside.  The symmetrically placed lanterns and potted topiaries are beautiful and  so Palladio inspired.

 

 

The facade of the home and the landscaping are so refreshingly understated… it seems there’s no need to be ostentatious when you’re in the wine country.

 

 

I know where I’d be spending my time at the villa!  The balanced placement of the French doors along the home, the long and tranquil pool… truly stylish.

 

There’s nothing over the top about this Living Room, in fact some may even call is sparse.  It makes me wonder if perhaps Axel Vervoordt or another great Belgian designer has stopped by!

I love that the dark concrete floors bring an industrial chic-ness to an otherwise formal space.  The more traditional antiques are kept from getting fussy with the oversized lamps, casually scattered baskets and wood fragments, and the graphic zebra rug.  I might add a gauzy linen roman window treatment to frame the windows and soften the space just a tad bit, but nothing I wouldn’t take a weekend at this home over!

 

    

Mmm… fresh watermelon and clean Carrera countertops!?!  I’m in heaven.  They don’t show much of the Kitchen but there’s really no need in my opinion.  The grayish taupe cabinets, reclaimed beam, and patina’d lantern tell me enough!

 

 

On the other side of the Kitchen is the Dining Room and Family Room.  I can’t get over the beauty of these doors and windows.  Another fireplace makes the dining room extra cozy… the long table is the perfect accessory to a gourmet and fine wine filled dinner! It reminds me of the great table in the movie house of the year, It’s Complicated.

 

Back to the Palladian Villa, there’s no disappointment with the Powder Bath.  Nothing says classic architecture like a massive piece of carved stone, does it!   The lion’s head faucet definitely adds some personality.  The rooms in this house have all been very monochrome, but the soft lighting has really added  warmth in each space, even here.  To keep things from getting to hard lined and cold in here, I’m picturing the other walls to have either a more ornate mirror or a fabulous oil painting.  And some lush plants in baskets would be great too!

 

No Palladian Villa is complete without a Rotunda and round skylight.  The architecture of the home is certainly put on display.

 

The Master Bedroom.  Nothing over the top, but fresh white linens on a campaign bed (even the bed is architectural!) and a sunny view are just enough.  I like the casual way that the paintings have been propped on the side tables.   Scattered area rugs have been a consistent decoration throughout the home.

 

 

The Master Bathroom… no fuss and all view!  Can you imagine the ambiance at night with that pretty sconce lit and a bubbly bath?  Hmm… this is bringing to mind the bathroom scene in It’s Complicated!  One detail I would certainly add is a window treatment- not even for the privacy but just to soften the space.  I’m picturing a white linen roman shade just brushing past the top of the French doors.   I’ll have to remember to pack that in my carry on if I ever really make it to this house!  Love the oversized basket for towels…

 

One of the five other guest bedrooms.  Fluffy white linens are truly a foolproof way to make a luxurious room!  The combination of lighting makes it very soothing.  I love the seagrass rug and the pattern on the lampshade…. just a little texture and pattern is all it takes.  Have you noticed that the simplified backdrops and finishes really make the wood furnishings stand apart?  For as clean and sharp as the architectural lines are, the wood furniture is anything but… adds a lot of wine country charm!

 

One last look at the pool and the spectacular view… are we in Italy or California?!? 

To visit this house for real, visit this site.  Enjoy your weekend!