COLOR & DESIGN HELP:
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IDEAS FOR MOLDING & TRIM:
IDEAS FOR YOUR BEDROOM:
I Heart Pink
Today I’m cheating on my favorite color — purple — to love on pink. I’m attracted to pink because it kind of has a split personality… just like many of us creative types. It is both innocent and sexy; childish and sophisticated. {The photo above features a decal from wallums.com.}
{housebeautiful}
Soft pinks make a room feel romantic and formal while vibrant pinks work perfectly in girls’ bedrooms — especially when used with green and/or blue.
Pink and white together look classic and elegant, and it’s another great color duo for a girl’s room because your daughter can grow with it:
Adding pink to your color scheme will always add an interesting spark to your space, especially when it’s used outside of the bedroom which is very unexpected:
{source unknown}
{Pinkish-mauve is very chic! Photo by styleathome.com}
Other cool combos to try are Pink and Orange for a global glam look…
{bhg.com}
…and Pink and Brown for a retro feel.
I believe that pink is meant to be used in creative ways, so whether you paint a room pink or only use pink accessories, be bold and make it fun.
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It’s Time To Change Accent Colors
There are just some things you can’t change about your home, but color is not one of them.
I change my home’s colors all the time — to the dismay of my husband. He says that as soon as he gets used to the latest colors, I change them again. So, what’s new at my house? Teal, turquoise and a refreshing mix of warm greens.
Painting is a very easy way to transform the look of a room, but adding or changing a room’s accent colors is even easier. Let’s face it. Once you take the time to paint a room {especially a large room or open space}, you may not want to paint it again. It’s much more efficient to change your accessories, which is what I’ve done in my family room.
{a corner view of my family room}
It’s a two-story room that opens to the upstairs and the foyer. We painted the space about ten years ago and I still love the amber wall color. I was just tired of the rusty-red accents. So, for the room’s mini-transformation, I started with fabric. I found an amazing, velvet and silk retro pattern that I used for color inspiration. The fabric vibes perfectly with the style of my home, which is a marriage of Spanish traditional and modern.
{my inspiration fabric}
I used the fabric to re-cover four throw pillows. I also used those gorgeous warm blues and greens to customize my existing wall clock:
I mixed acrylic paints to get four different shades of green and a rich teal. Then I painted the clock’s numerals and hands.
I also had fun rounding up accessories that fit into my new color scheme.
{I purchased these glass vases at Marshall’s.}
{This glass bowl is from HomeGoods. I love how it sparkles in the sunlight!}
Below are my thrift store finds from the Salvation Army. This is one of two lamps that I bought about a year ago but they needed new shades, so they sat in storage for a while. I finally found a perfect pair of silk shades at amazon.com, and I added turquoise finials that I got from Pier 1.
{The ceramic vase, also from SA, was a real bargain. I think it cost about $4.00.}
{I found these turquoise tassels at a local fabric store.}
I’m still working on some finishing touches in my family room, so when they’re done I’ll post more pictures. In the meantime, I hope you’ve been inspired to change your colors. Doing so will bring a fresh look and new energy to your home.
I took all of these photos with my iPhone via Instagram — my favorite app these days.
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Inspired By Olympic Gold {and Gabby Douglas}
As the 2012 Summer Olympics begin to wind down, I have been truly inspired by all of the amazing athletes from around the world.
Being a proud American, I am especially thrilled for Team USA! They have won over 40 Gold medals and 90+ overall! So, being the design/color blogger that I am, I couldn’t resist featuring a few golden ideas for your home – and I have a special shout-out to gymnast Gabby Douglas after the pictures:
{elledecor}
{architectural digest}
Gold accessories and accent furniture pieces work well with any color scheme.
{decorpad}
Now to my shout-out:
I’m proud join a group of fellow bloggers who are posting, tweeting and pinning our love for Olympic gymnast Gabby Douglas. In this year’s games, Gabby has won two gold medals in both the team and individual all-around competitions. She is the first American gymnast to do this at the same Olympics. Gabby is also the first African-American gymnast to become the individual all-around champion. That inspires me.
I wish I had embodied Gabby’s courage and perseverance when I was a young, aspiring gymnast many moons ago. I was actually pretty good…but I wasn’t confident enough to believe that I could be great. Gabby knew she could be great even when she looked around and rarely saw other gymnasts who looked like her.
So, congratulations to Gabby Douglas – America’s Golden Girl and a true inspiration!
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Something Blue
It’s been a hot summer, so what better way to cool down than with a heavy mix of blue!
In my last post, I shared the Master The Mix sale at One Kings Lane. This amazing sale offers a variety of colorful accessories and furniture pieces at marked down prices. If you haven’t checked it out yet there’s still time — but hurry because the sale ends in less than 24 hours! And if you’re craving something blue, the items shown above are still available as of today. Each of these pieces can mix-in well with any decorating style and add a refreshing pop of color to your home:
- Colburt Wood Lounge Chair
- Henri Matisse, Blue Nude Print
- Egg Shell Side Table and Pool Vase {sold separately}
- Pinwheel Embroidered Pillow
- 4×6 Pierced Frame
- Low 4-door Sideboard
- Moroccan Pouf
I don’t know about you, but shopping a flash sale gives me goose bumps! The hardest part is making a decision because I always find so many things that I love…I’m sure you will, too!
Thank you, One Kings Lane for sponsoring this post!
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Mix It Up At One Kings Lane
We’re living in an on-line design world, thanks to the internet and social media which have completely changed how we look for inspiration and shop for our homes.
I always turn to my go-to websites when sourcing items for clients — especially when I’m working on eDesign projects. One of my favorite flash-sales sites is One Kings Lane, so I was excited when they asked me to share the details of their latest sale, Master The Mix. Here are some of the items I’m craving from the decorative accessories group:
I have to say that I’m a big fan of those covered, printed jars — so much that I bought a couple for myself:
I have a tiered shelf just to the right of my front door, and I’m always switching out the accessories. My new 12-inch printed, red and pink jars look perfect mixed in with the ceramic horses {and they were only $25 each!}. Accessorizing is all about mixing colors, styles and sizes, and bringing in new items to keep things looking fresh.
The printed jars are also available in two other sizes and you can get them during the Master The Mix sale going on now at One Kings Lane — but hurry! This sale only lasts for a couple more days! If you’re not already a member, it’s very easy to join and you’ll be happy you did. There’s so much to choose from and the prices are always marked down. Have fun shopping!
Thanks to One Kings Lane for sponsoring this post.
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Red Hot Ideas
Look what I found at Marshall’s:
Marshall’s is definitely one of those places where you need patience to rummage through stuff, but every once in a while I find something perfect, like these red peep-toe pumps. Coincidentally, I just wrote a story over at Houzz.com about using the color red.
Just like a red dress, stilettos or peep-toe pumps, a red room can be elegant and sexy. This is a great color for a dining room where you want guests to be comfortable, attentive and ready for a lively conversation…
…and red is perfect in the bedroom because it is the color of love and passion. Also, why not paint your powder room red? Your home will have an element of surprise:
For more red hot ideas, check out my ideabook over at Houzz.com.
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Haute Home Essentials
Who says home essentials have to be boring? Small doses of unexpected color really do make life a little more entertaining on the home front. Here are a few products that can make each day a colorful one!
These colorful items from VivaTerra.com can make cleaning up a little more bearable.
Who knew air fresheners could be so exciting? Love these Premium Room Sprays from Glade.
Every cabinet needs a pull. Try these Lucky Number knobs from Anthropologie.com.
These hand-crocheted washcloths from Etsy.com can also be used as coasters.
Spice up your dinner with this Fiesta flatware set from Macys.com.
Rubber gloves never looked so sexy…
…And check out these tantalizing toilet brushes, all from Tidy Aphrodite by Eclipse {you can find some of these items at Five Below.com}.
Loving these luxe leather hampers from Linens ‘N Things.com. Definitely a splurge item!
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What’s Hot Now: Ceramic Garden Stools
Ceramic garden stools are one of my favorite design accessories right now, and they’re sizzling hot, too!
You see these stools everywhere — in magazines, catalogs and on design websites. Designers love them, and if you’ve had your eye on one, read on for some good news at the end of this post!
I love these stools not only because they come in tons of delicious colors and patterns, but they also have multiple uses: an end table, coffee table, ottoman, nightstand, plant stand, and of course, a sitting stool for indoors or out.
I’ve wanted one for my dining room but just never got around to buying it. So imagine my surprise when I was asked to do a product review for ATG Stores! After browsing through ATG’s several on-line shops, I found the perfect reddish-orange stool {below} at OutdoorLivingShowroom.com.
Just the color I was looking for! It looks terrific in my dining room…
…but it also adds the perfect pop of color outside in my garden.
So, my delimma is deciding where to put it. That’s the bad news {if that’s really considered bad}. The good news is, I’m partnering with ATG Stores to offer you a fantastic giveaway, which I will announce in my next post! So, if you’ve been looking at a ceramic garden stool…or a lamp, or area rug, or bedding, or something else that’s really hot…stay tuned!
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Wish You A Merry Christmas – Giveaway!
CONTEST CLOSED!
‘Tis the season of giving, so there’s no better time of year for a Giveaway!
For this Giveaway, I’ve once again teamed up with the creative people at Blissliving Home, and I’m giving away one wish! Well, not really…but I am giving away one ‘Joy-Peace-Wish’ Holiday Pillow, along with a gold dupioni silk ‘Wish’ band.
This 18″ x 18″ feather down pillow is covered with glittering-silver print that reads “joy peace wish” in several languages. The silk ‘Wish’ band features embroidered lettering, including “Happy Holidays 2010″ on the back. Both items have a combined value of $70. I think this pillow makes a very stylish gift, but you may be tempted to keep it for yourself!
Here’s how to enter - Leave a comment on this post stating your holiday wish. It can be simple — for example: world peace, a new car, $1 million…you get the idea. NOTE: I’m not granting any wishes. This is just for fun…
Additional Entry – You’ll get one extra entry if you “Like” Color Sizzle on Facebook. Then, leave a second comment stating that you have done this. If you already joined us on Facebook previous to this giveaway, please let me know this in your second comment.
Each entry needs its own comment! Please note there may be a time-delay in seeing your posted comments.
Hurry! Contest ends Thursday, December 9 at 10:00 pm, EST. The winner will be chosen using Random.org. Winner will be announced no later than December 11 in a post on this blog. The winner will have 72 hours to respond, but if fails to do so, a new winner will be selected.
Important: You must be at least 18 years-old to be eligible for this prize. This contest is open to addresses in the USA.
{I thought you might like to see the entire Holiday Pillow Collection from Blissliving Home}:
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Irresistible Red
Red means energy, power, passion, drama, love {and luck in China}. I find that irresistible.
{photo by Catherine Thursby via annarbor.com}
{My study – Porter House Designs}
{Lenny Kravitz office via unplggd.com}
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