Garden Design No. 22 - The Tulipiere

According to Wikipedia, while fairly uncommon in modernity, during the 17th century tulipieres were used to grow tulip bulbs indoors and were common pieces of decorative art that could often be found in the houses of European elites. After the advent of large-scale global trade in the 17th century, numerous flower bulbs from Asia such as the tulip, crocus, and hyacinth became luxury items in Europe and these bulbs remained an exotic novelty until the end of the 17th century. Large floor-standing pyramid-shaped tulipieres were particularly ornate and were used as a status symbol to indicate the owner's wealth.

Hard to decide between the adorable tiny scale tulipiere and the statement scale tulipiere. What I do think is, the tulipiere is not something that displays well as a collection of many sizes. They are an art form that is best appreciated in all its glory. Certainly beautiful when paired with porcelain that shares the same color story, but let's the tulipiere shine.

I love the idea of the joy of seeing the bulbs burst forth and bloom. Could challenge one's patience. Is it sacrilege to use a tulipiere for fresh blooms? 

Kind of makes you want to expand your tulip garden, right? 

Image Sources: French Tangerine, House Beautiful, The Enchanted Home, Neiman Marcus, Pinterest, Katheryn Greenley, David Collin

Rooms I Love No. 20 - Something Enticing About Simplicity

I love these rooms because of their enticing simplicity. I love these rooms because they have been edited perfectly. It is clear that the beauty of their lure is the less is more philosophy.

Interestingly, one common element between these room images is that each of them have a bit of black. From the hardware or paint choice on doors, to the beautiful checkerboard floor, to the ceiling beams and fantastic chandelier, to the finish on chair legs. 

A well-designed space is one with not a thing to add or take away. There truly is something enticing about simplicity.

Image Sources: Cote de Texas, Tumbler

Rethinking the Look of Things No. 55 - The Tale of Two Cocktails

This is a tale of two cocktails. A large open space can be the best of times, can be the worst of times when it comes to creating a floor plan.  The known of this space is that there are definitely multiple uses for the room, and that the uses meld often. Great conversation will come from the entire space. It is a gathering place and should not feel divided.

Once the vision of the room has been discussed and understood with your designer, and the seating placement has been finalized, it is important to address the occasional table aspect of the floor plan. The importance of comfort is still an important factor during this design phase. A guest can be comfortable in the seating, but comfort extends to the simplicity of where a wine glass or a small appetizer plate can be sat. A guest's full hands doesn't encourage lively, relaxed conversation.

There will be obvious placement of occasional tables. And then there will be a "why not" approach that will be the inspiration for a well-designed gathering space.

Creativity and restraint will be your goal. Though the occasional pieces are part of a utility need, they also should provide sculpture, texture, and cleverness in the space. However, don't shy away from using two of the same table in the space.  It could be the perfect answer. Just don't fall to that solution because it is the easier one.

Guests shouldn't look across the space and be jealous of the other guests surroundings. There needs to be a balance and continuity. 

Rethinking the look of things in a large space shouldn't be a worry when the time comes to design it. Because it can be the best of times.

Image Sources: Elle Decor, Architectural Digest, Atlanta Homes & Lifestyle, Houzz, Pinterest

Be Inspired No. 77 - Hang Outside the Lines!

I love wood mouldings! But they shouldn't define where art should be hung. Be inspired to hang outside the lines. 

This inspiration actually brings more attention to both the wonderful mouldings, as well as the selection of art. A match made in heaven!

Having no limitation as to what art you can hang on a wall of beautiful wood moulding is only right. Art isn't meant to have limitations. 

Just seeing a wall with art hanging outside the lines of the wood moulding makes me feel I must meet the owner of the space! Because this dweller has an open mind and a rebel's soul. This dweller has great stories to tell.

Are you ready to hang outside the lines?

Image Sources: Atlanta Homes, Greige Blog, La Dolce Vita Blog

When it Could be a Don't No. 10 - Mismatched Ottomans, Yes!

Who says an ottoman has to match the chair? Some might think it a design "don't" to use a mismatched ottoman. I welcome it! There are so many intriguing accent ottomans and footstools that it is almost a must to pair them up with a unsuspecting chair.

This could even mean using a shape different from the profile of your chair. I'm not talking about cocktail ottomans. This is an ottoman used to prop up your feet when you are getting cozy in your chair. 

This "don't" does have some rules. (Is that an oxymoron?) Watch your ottoman height in comparison to the seat height of your chair. You won't want the ottoman to be higher than the seat height, it would be uncomfortable. And I don't think an ottoman that is wider than your chair is aesthetically pleasing or in proper scale. Neither should the ottoman be so much smaller than the chair that is looks like a make-shift design choice. 

Think accent fabrics when choosing to introduce this look into your room. A great animal print or texture, or even faux crocodile or faux shimmer leather can be just the right choice.

Doesn't matter if your chair has exposed legs, it isn't necessary to also have exposed legs on the ottoman. And the mix of wood and metal is absolutely acceptable! 

If space allows for two ottomans with two chairs, go for it. But in this case the two ottomans should match, even if the two chairs don't. There has to be a limit to the mix-match or it just becomes a hodge podge. And a hodge podge is not good design.

Image Sources: Elle Decor, House Beautiful, Pinterest, Tumbler, Little Green Notebook, Mix and Chic, Decor Pad

Translation - Fashion to Home No. 19 - The Perfect Party Dress

Who says a party requires a LBD? Oh trust me, I fully support the notion that you can never go wrong with a LBD. It never lets you down, no matter how dressed up or dressed down you go! But every once in awhile, how lovely would it be if you found the perfect party dress for a change of pace? A perfect party dress that had its share of the right amount of black, with the most beautiful combination of color, embellishment, and shimmer.

And how delightful to use this same flight of fancy to design a space in our home! Just the right neutral, with just the right combination of color, a dash of shimmer, and a bit of embellishment. Dare you? 

Living the feeling of that perfect party dress every single day in our dream room. What a fantastic translation from fashion to home.

And just like that perfect party dress, our room can be for casual entertaining or relaxation, or for the most special of occasions. Where comfort rules the day or night.

How will you translate the perfect party dress in your home? I'm RSVPing already!

Image Sources: Nicholas Haslam, Tumbler, Elle Decor, Pinterest, Shelterness