Thursday, February 28, 2013

If Nate Berkus Was On My Budget...




I've been seeing this wonderfully graphic black and white rug in lots of modern interiors. Then I ran across this Nate Berkus room that was featured on Elle Decor. I like the fact that it was built upon this very graphic, contemporary rug, but in pure Nate Berkus style it looked like it was created with classic pieces that were picked up over time on travels.

Designer Nate Berkus room - Elle Decor

And like many of you I'm sure, I am a big fan of Nate Berkus. Ever since he first appeared on Oprah, his adorable, uh, personality and sense of style captured my attention. The one thing that I like about his designs is that they look so accessible and effortless even though they're not. 

Anyhow, I wanted to see if I could use his room as inspiration for another room on a budget. Let me just say that while I "built" this room from scratch, the beauty of this particular room is that you can incorporate pieces that probably already exist in your home so you don't have to spend as much. You can use pieces that are a bit more modern and a bit more traditional and that would work as well. And while I used some of the chartreuse that he used in his room, I threw in some of my fave teal. But you could use other color palettes as well. Anyhow, here is my version below.



1. Bookshelf here   2. Viking model ship here   3. Vintage camera here   4. Vintage camera here   5. Crab brass figurine here    6. Pile of books here    7. Potted plant here    8. Floor lamp here    9. Arm chair here    10. Brass chairs here    11. Rug here    12. Chartruese pillow here    13. Teal kidney pillow here    14. Taupe pillow here     15. Peacock pillow here    16. Sage pillow here    17. Lounge chair here    18. Artwork here    19. Floor lamp here    20. Sofa here    21. Artwork here    22. Animal bust here    23. Artwork here    24. Coffee table here   25. Teal curtains here 

The biggest splurge item in this room are the open back chairs - at over $600 a piece they are more than I would spend, but I like the look of the gold. However, I would also recommend any other open-backed chairs - and then spray-paint them gold. I just couldn't find any online that had a look to them I liked in gold. Also, less expensive pillows and decorative items are available at HomeGoods so there are definitely savings to be found there. As shown, however, this room came to about $6k. My guess is this is less than what Nate spent - by a lot.

So whadda'ya think? I would love some feedback on this room.


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Friday, February 22, 2013

Oscar Glamour - Home Inspiration




In honor of the glamour of the Oscars, I've found some glamorous spaces because everyone should live with a little glamour. Enjoy!


This half bath is on the boarder of glamour and "too much", but it shows that even just a gilded mirror can add glamour to a powder room.



I love the nailhead detail on the table -it adds another layer to this very pretty vignette.





I have a daughter that would LOVE to have this bedroom so I better hide this post from her!


Can manly be glamorous too? I think so and this is it!


Fancy chickens!


Not a huge kitchen, but beautifully done!


View? What view? Just look at those chandeliers!


So elegant it even has a Greek bust - do you see it?


I love the dark wood accents - like the small shelves on either side of the stove.


Wallpaper + chandelier pendants = glamour


I love the green, black, white palette. Makes this basic eat-in kitchen so elegant and pretty.


The glass-front doors add panache.



I want to just lounge around my master bathroom too!


Like everything - especially the taupe/gray color of the walls.


I want to sit and stare at my fancy shoe collection too. Guess I need some fancy shoes first.


Glass closet doors keep everything dust-free and visible.


Lucite crib?! Sophia is one fancy baby.


Built-in wall of storage in a boys room. Fantastic way to keep it clean. About as glamorous as a boy's room gets I think.


Proving you don't have to have a walk-in closet to have awesome closet space.
Any fun plans for the Oscars? I imagine attending a fancy, dress-up viewing party with champagne and beautiful hor d'oeuvres, but in reality I'll be sitting on my sofa with my Snuggie. :)
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Monday, February 18, 2013

Icelandic Curiosity Continues? More Spaces!




Based on traffic to my blog, I'm thinking you all are pretty curious about Iceland too. It is a gorgeous country - and it is officially on my short list of places to go!

 As promised I wanted to show you some more interiors of the homes in Iceland. I will apologize now that I do not know how to add the correct accents over the letters so I'm sure I'm messing up everyone's names. 

 The following featured interior is from a very talented decorative painter in Iceland. The home of Audur Skula in Akureyi has a bit of a Southern European style to it, however it maintains the clean, uncluttered style of Iceland. She decorated the home herself with help from her husband Hjortur and their three children. She also has a blog that you can visit here.





Home and Delicious is a magazine out of Reykjavik, Iceland started by a husband and wife team last year. They feature food, fashion, and home. I found numerous photos of interiors that I loved. So many that I had to physically force myself to stop pulling them out to feature here. You'll just have to take my word for it - there's lots to see and read - and visit them online here.








I'm still not done with Iceland, but I'll probably take a little break so as not to OD you on my obsessiveness. Unless you want more - in which case speak up and let me know!

 I'm working on another affordable room - I'm using a Nate Berkus design as inspiration this time - so I hope to have that for you later this week.

 Hope you enjoyed your President's Day!


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Sunday, February 17, 2013

Downton Abbey Fans Alight!




Are you crazy about Downton Abbey? Highclere Castle, in Hampshire, England serves as the backdrop and inspiration for the fantastical Crawley family. It is the real home of the earls of Carnarvon, and was built during the 19th century in the grand Gothic Revival style. The castle was passed down to the present earl 55 years ago - who has managed to maintain it in the family with some difficulty. 

 Today, the castle is seasonally open for weddings and events. Downton Abbey is filmed there though they are limited to the rooms in which they can film Compare the castle with  photographs from the January/February 1979 issue of AD - long before the fictional Crawley family brought the castle back to its current fame. Changes are minor because they family has worked very hard to keep the furnishings and artwork in an arrested state of glory.

 Personally, I'm not a big fan of Victorian style because it can be too busy for my tastes. However, this particularly grand and unusual home shows you that your rooms can all be decorated in their own unique style and that mixing materials, patterns, centuries makes a home more unique and interesting.
The romantic glory within the castle is foretold by the male and female statues standing sentient at the gateposts of Highclere Castle, in Hampshire - Image from Architectural Digest
The Saloon as seen through the grand arches of the large central hall. - Image from Architectural Digest - as it appeared in the AD January/February 1979 issue.
The Saloon as it appears today. Slight changes were made to furniture, rug, and fabric. - Highclere Castle
The Library of Highclere Castle, housing over 5,000 books and seen from the North Library through gilded columns, remains largely unchanged today. - Image from Architectural Digest as it appeared in the AD January/February 1979 issue.
Actress Elizabeth McGovern as Cora, Countess of Grantham, sits on an antique sofa in the library. - Image from Architectural Digest story on Downton Abbey.
Griffons decorate the Regency armchair and the Regency mahogany and bronze writing desk in the Library. - Image from Architectural Digest as it appeared in the AD January/February 1979 issue. 
Van Dyck’s monumental equestrian portrait of King Charles I dominates this small Dining room; other 17th-century portraits embrace the table that is surrounded by Hepplewhite chairs atop a Caucasian rug. - Image from Architectural Digest as it appeared in the AD January/February 1979 issue.

The distinctive green, Damask wallpaper of the wallpaper in the Drawing Room acts as backdrop to the feminine furniture and antiques. - Highclere Castle


Lady Sybil Crawley, played by Jessica Brown-Findlay, models a controversial dress in a scene shot in Highclere’s drawing room, whose walls are covered in bolts of green French silk given in 1895 by Alfred de Rothschild to his daughter Almina, wife of the 5th Earl of Carnarvon. - Image from Architectural Digest story on Downton Abbey.


Pictured here is a scene in the drawing room with Sir Anthony Strallan, played by Robert Bathurst, and Lady Edith Crawley, played by Laura Carmichael. - Image from Architectural Digest story on Downton Abbey.
The arches of the entry hall, decorated with two colors of marbled columns, as well as the parqueted marble floors creates color and pattern to the entry hall. -
Image from Architectural Digest as it appeared in the AD January/February 1979 issue.
Matthew Crawley, played by Dan Stevens, is pictured here with his cousin Lady Mary Crawley, played by Michelle Dockery, in the Gothic-arched entrance hall, during a concert to benefit the war effort. - Image from Architectural Digest story on Downton Abbey.
Imagine spending a melancholy afternoon in Heaven’s Gate, the 19th-century folly
built atop a grassy mound in the castle’s private parklands. - Image from Architectural Digest as it appeared in the AD January/February 1979 issue.
A scene from a Downton Abbey garden party. The grounds of the castle were off limits to cast and crew during filming. - Daily Mail Online

Are you one of Downton's fans? Would you incorporate any of it's decor in your home? I'm digging the parquet floors in the entry hall.

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