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Fab 4th of July Ideas
To celebrate Independence Day, I’m offering my first ever Porter House Designs Printables!
You can use these ‘Interstate July 4 Signs’ as cupcake toppers, straw tags or any other idea you come up with. These Printables are FREE and you can download them HERE. Below are some other great Red, White and Blue ideas from around the web. Enjoy the Celebration!
Retro Party Decor from Etsy
Ideas and Guidelines for Designing with the American Flag by ShelterPop
Sweet Treats from Martha Stewart
Snack Bowls from Plum Party
A True-Blue Tribute To Lena Horne
Today I pay tribute to the legendary Lena Horne. She was a beautiful, talented and elegant lady who demonstrated class and poise throughout her distinguished career as a singer, actress and all-around performer.
She paved the way for so many African American women, and along the way she encouraged U.S. troops, stood at the forefront of the civil rights movement, and even entertained children {Remember her on Sesame Street?}.
In looking through old photos of her, I’ve come to a conclusion — this lovely lady adored the color blue.
Over the years she was photographed many times wearing blue ensembles, even for her album covers. So today, I’m not only inspired by Ms. Horne’s legacy, but also by the color in which she strutted her stuff! This post showcases pretty things that are as sophisticated as the performer herself:
{lampsplus; realsimple; bizbash; velvetstore}
{1stdibs; kaboodle; homedepot; horchow}
{house to home; swank lighting}
Farewell and thank you to Lena Horne. Her true-blue talent and tenacity will not soon be forgotten.
Colorful Catalogs
Today is my birthday and the mailman brought me a bunch of catalogs.
After I got over the fact that I didn’t get that million dollar check in the mail, I figured I might as well flip through the catalogs to compare hot new items and look for color themes. Here are my picks:
I love the delicate patterns of these colorful throw pillows. After a long, cold winter {like the one we’re having on the East Coast}, these pillows will be just the thing to usher in the spring.
This year, CB2 is featuring items in fun, bright colors such as this lemongrass sofa {above}. In line with the current trend, the catalog showcases contemporary hues along with gray, black and white.
Love this chest! That gorgeous blue is somewhere in between turquoise and peacock blue. I’m actually thinking about painting my front door this color. Below is a chair and pillows in the prettiest of patterns.
I love West Elm for their budget-friendly, casual seating. These ‘scoop-back’ chairs {above} are no exception, and why choose just one? 2010 will be all about mixing and matching, so select one of each and place them around your dining table.
Here is another great chair that can double-duty as a dining chair and accent chair. CB2 calls this color persimmon — which is really a variation of coral — which you’ll also see described as mango this year. I’m really loving this color right now.
If these featured items are any indication of what’s to come, this will be a year of bountiful color {and way more catalogs}!
Holiday Glam
Straight from the pages of Elle Decor’s December issue:
…a bold and glamorous Manhattan apartment designed by Miles Redd. With vibrant bursts of red, blue, black and white, this home is not only holiday-ready, but it is energizing and exciting all year long. Not a bad deal for the homeowners who have young children and love color.
Drama + Details: Visual interest abounds in this apartment thanks to elements such as glossy lacquer paint, the use of nail heads {check out the red door, above}, black + white flooring, and custom window treatments.
The homeowner, who is an active environmentalist, keeps holiday decorations simple and natural.
{A festive home for the holidays…and all year round!}
photos from Elle Decor
Yellow and Blue
Yellow and blue is a classic color scheme that has not been limited to any one particular style. With hues that represent the sun and sky, these colors naturally go together, and they’re very easy to live with.
Yellow and blue is the perfect balance of warm and cool colors, so it creates a very comfortable feeling for many people.
To spice up this classic combination, experiment with different variations. Instead of a pale predictable yellow, consider using a golden saffron or a youthful lemon yellow. Likewise, forgo the the usual sky blue or navy, and try turquoise or teal.
Yellow and blue is a timeless color scheme that will suit any room in your home and it’ll never look dated. Those are a couple of good reasons to give it a try!
Blue: A Hot Hue For Christmas 2009
By all indications, blue will be a hot color for Christmas 2009. We’ve seen blues the past couple of years for the holiday season. Colors such as navy, aqua, silver blue and baby blue will remain popular choices this year, as well. Good news for you blue lovers — and for those people {including me} who bought a bunch of blue Christmas decorations last year!
top photo from Christmas World
Girls Spa Party
I’m so excited about this really fun and colorful Spa At Home Party that I designed for two {BFF} tween girls….
It began in my master bathroom…
…and the fun ended in the basement {aka the ‘Crazy Sexy Cool’ Luxe Lounge}:
{HOT IDEA: I took a picture of one of the pillows, printed it out, and used it as a custom wrapper for the chocolate bars.}
A space to create, inspire and dream.
July 4th Crab Feast
Here in the D.C. area, Fourth of July celebrations typically involve a good ole’ fashioned crab feast, featuring Maryland Blue Crabs straight from the Chesapeake Bay. After all, babies born here learn to crack open crabs before they can walk. OK, that may just be an urban legend, but there are plenty of kids {including my own} around here who can open a crab in under 5 seconds. So to honor the traditional crab feast, and to inspire one of your own this weekend, here’s a sizzling mood board that will get your celebration started:
1. www.birthday-reminders.com, 2. www.abbeyhillco.com, 3. www.platesandnapkins.com, 4. www.flickr.com/photos/62657215@N00/36054325/, 5. www.homecooking.about.com, 6. www.candywarehouse.com, 7. www.jospices.com, 8. www.marylanddelivered.com, 9. www.artfulentertaining.com, 10. www.bhg.com, 11. www.marylanddelivered.com, 12. www.foodnetwork.com, 13. www.wrappedhersheys.com
A Pretty Functional Bedroom
Straight from the current issue of Southern Living — a bedroom perfect for busy working women and moms:
What makes this space pretty, is the use of color and pattern. The wall covering is adorable. However, if you’ll need to consider your husband’s taste, mix in a more masculine fabric, such as the one used for the bedskirt and chair.
What makes this bedroom functional, is the bedside table — it’s a desk, dressing table and breakfast area, all in one. A great idea, especially for small bedrooms. Furniture pieces that help you to multi-task will make your life easier. And check out the yellow handbag and shoes! Busy women always find the time to shop, don’t we?
Light and Airy Colors
Because the weather is getting hot outside in many places, you may want a cool, light and airy escape inside.
This pretty dining room is filled with budget-friendly projects {just in time for summer}. The paler, softer hues and white furnishings create a great space to just chill out.
{spray paint and painted shades are an easy way to update your lighting fixtures}
{this is one of my favorite ways to add color to a space — using ribbon}
{creating a floorcloth is always a fun, summer project}
Click Here for more details on this space from bhg.com.
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