Fashion Translation No. 22 - Ralph Lauren Milan Spring 2020

Well he did it again. Mr. Ralph Lauren set my heart a flutter with his Milan Spring 2020 Ralph Lauren Purple Label designs. This French Riviera inspired collection offered silk shantung suits in bright yellow, emerald green, tangerine, and pink. My, my, my.

His art deco poster-inspired sweater might have made me drool just a bit. And the fashion to home translation has been reeling in my mind since! Thinking that sweater would make a swoon worthy throw pillow. 

It is not that I haven't been inspired by the colors of Cote d'Azur before and the navy and tangerine shades have been part of the signature of Ralph Lauren apparel for some time. What makes by breath catch a bit is the bold, without apology, way the combination of four colors is introduced in this collection. And then these four colors that can stand on their own are presented in a monochromatic and mixed draping in a most dapper way.

I'm daydreaming about all the spaces this inspiration will bring Cote d'Azur to a home. I am convinced more and more that the individuality of our home is no longer defined so much by its architecture or period style. Our homes have become inspired by those places we have taken as our getaways and now have realized what we loved about those places on the map can be what we live with in our home design.

Whether an entire room's color palette or the only color amongst naturals, let it be a color that holds meaning and memory. That green that reminds of us the sway of the palm trees or the plate that held that delectable lunch at that adorable cafe. Or the colors of the landscape of buildings.

This fashion to home translation may not even mean adding new pieces, but simply changing the wall color or wood finish on the pieces we love.

Who knows, it may even begin at our front door - literally.

Be inspired! And thank you Mr. Lauren, once again!

Sources: Ralph Lauren Instagram, WWD, Yahoo News, Veranda, Pinterest, Traditional Home, Elle Decor, Decor8

Be Inspired No. 89 - Tilting the Mirror into the Room

I am fascinated by convex mirrors. Many years ago I took a sunburst version of a convex mirror and hung it with the top tilting away from the wall above a fireplace. I was in love. I didn't take a photograph of this installation, darn it! And I was hard pressed to find images of such an installation anywhere. 

Consider the cheval mirror invented in the 1700s in France. The pivot this mirror affords its looker creates virtually any view you desire. Today's bathroom mirror that pivots is one of those "why didn't I think of that" captivation. 

We hang our televisions with the top tilting away from the wall at the top because it gives us a better vantage point. Be inspired to consider hanging your decorative mirror the same way. You may find yourself gawking at the reflection. A reflection that couldn't have been unknown had you followed the rules.

Lean into this inspiration. Its not a trend...yet, so dare to give it a try. And then when it become a over saturated installation - we'll already be onto our next inspiration. Because that's how rule breakers roll!

Be inspired!

Sources: Elle Decor

Rethinking the Look of Things No. 60 - A Room Divided

There is an intimacy about a room set apart from another. The feel that "this space" is just for us in this moment. Yet, an open floor plan concept is craved in today's lifestyle so this intimacy can be missing. Let's rethink the application of a room divided with the function of an open floor plan. A "wall" that doesn't close a space off because it holds a transparency to the areas around it.

 A room divider or a  pocket door is mostly considered as a barrier that closes off one area from another. I'd like to flirt with a different idea. Our home is where our stories and memories are created, with those we share our spaces with day to day and our guests. And like a play performed on a stage changes from scene to scene, so can our home. An open space with glass or metal mesh doors, that allows a room to be divided, are a beautiful way to play your scene.

Saving space is the most common consideration for a pocket door. A brilliant one. Now let's delight in a more architecturally considered placement that meets today's lifestyle. We want our homes to feel relaxing, even if our tastes are more formal - comfort is top priority. We want to enjoy our homes with those that uplift us, make us laugh so hard our side hurts, listens to our deepest concerns, shares our joys, and bring the best out in us. And there are times we want solitude. Your "cave" can be found by pulling a pocket door or divider across a space. It can be that simple.

Your "cave" doesn't have to be tucked away - hidden. Let the sun or moon light shine into your space where you seek moments of time to yourself. Where are these spaces? It could be the kitchen, where  that room can be divided yet open so you can cook that new recipe as therapy?

Sources: Rimadesio, Pinterest, Velaria

RSVP Collection No. 57 - Round Peg - Square Hole: The Dining Room Layout

 

A room's shape can dictate a room's layout limitations. What is shouldn't dictate is the intimacy of the room and its dwellers. What a room's shape should allow for is a reflection of the lifestyle of the homeowner, how the room will be used, and what the experiences while in the room will become.

We often forget these important factors when it comes to the dining room. We fall into routine and custom, where the dining table is automatically drawn into the floor plan as a rectangle shape. After all isn't that how we will be able to seat all our guests? Reconsider this traditional concept. Consider round dining tables and the clever expansion options available. Like the ingenious jupe-like dining table. Solutions are available that will increase your consideration of the round dining table. Don't fall into the traditional trap.

I have found over and over again that my best dining experiences have been seated at a round dining table. Even as a child, our family of nine grew up at a round dining table. This lion head based round dining table became an oval shape as needed, but was always put back into the round dining shape when my older siblings were at their own homes. 

The conversation at a round dining setting becomes more intimate, more open, more lively, more interesting. The diners linger at a round table, relaxed and intrigued. Why then do we line our guests up down two sides of a rectangular table with dissected conversations that not all can join?

I am not saying the rectangular dining table is obsolete. By no means. There are times when it is the best option that meets the needs of the home dweller. When this option is perfect for the room's design and fits the lifestyle of the homeowner - then the art of conversation is a learned skill that becomes a must for that same homeowner. The host and hostess must lead and encourage conversation that delivers an experience that goes beyond a required once-a-year holiday gathering. 

We put so much dedication into the planning and preparation of this event - why then do we not also put that same devotion into the experience at the table?

Round peg - square hole? It's possible and should definitely be explored more when it comes to the dining room layout and design plan.

Source: Heidi Lerkenfeldt, Elle Decor, Pinterest, Architectural Digest, Decor Pad, Veranda

Garden Design No. 26 - Redefining the Garden Shed

It is easy to fall into stereotypical design if we let ourselves forget inspiration. The definition of the word "shed" nods its head to this. Shed: a simple roof structure used as storage space or work shop or in the verb of the word: discard, slough.  Sounds utilitarian, so many garden shed plans provide nothing more than that. 

Cheers to those who redefine the garden shed! Changing a plan for a necessary building is as simple as changing its description from garden shed to garden structure.

Why design beautiful landscape plans and punctuate them with utility? The consideration of every planting and color scape deserves more. Well thought out, architecturally-pleasing garden structures are not a fresh idea, just one that needs to be revived.

The garden shed needs to be part of the garden plan not the afterthought. Its placement is just as important as the pathways. Keep in mind the end results. Your vision of the garden plan is one that grows in stages. I'd dare say the garden shed design should take priority over the total plan completion. Let your garden plan evolve over time, but build the garden shed early on. A small garden with a beautiful garden structure is where inspiration grows from.

I am drawn to garden sheds with shape. Round, octagon, narrow and tall. All the designs that break the rules. As a matter of fact, don't forget the chandelier. Whether the garden shed is tucked away or the center of your plan, don't let limitations of design be present.

Design a garden shed of beauty that fits into your landscape budget. After all a garden shed with all the tools, without a garden to tend to is an oxymoron. 

The perfect garden list includes thoughtful plantings, a place to watch it grow, and a perfect garden shed.

Sources: Old House Journal, Pinterest

RSVP Collection No. 56 - The Lost Art of Conversation

I believe there is a lost art of conversation that is not so difficult to rediscover. We have allowed time to rob us of the handwritten note. The simplicity of other avenues of communication have given our stationary a drawer with cobwebs. We create spaces in our homes that lean into our lifestyle. Though often we forget to create areas that encourage conversation, both face to face and written.

Love letters have become almost extinct. The rom-com movies that feature a box with ribboned letters of sincere feeling that are read over and over again, seem like an out of touch scene in today's society. I am convinced that a big reason for the lost art of conversation is because we forget to carve out that niche in our homes that allow a writing surface and seat that invite us to correspond. 

The welcome space for a handwritten note on beautiful stationary is due it's renewed discovery. This space is not one of clutter. This space can be tucked almost anywhere it fits our lifestyle. Like to cook or bake? Put this space in your kitchen. Like to enjoy your view? Your desk facing a window is the perfect spot. 

I have a warning for you when you RSVP to the lost art of conversation. You will become paper obsessed. And you will delight in the discovery of the perfect pen that glides across your beautiful stationary. It will become more than just the obligatory thank you card. 

So find your space, select your writing surface and perfect perch and you will rediscover the lost art of conversation. Add a book or two on letter writing to inspire! 

Sources: Elle Decor, Bunny Williams, One Kings Lane, Pinterest, Southern Living