home decor

I'm in love with the Boblen  vase my new  neighbour gave me. Although we do not know each other well, she could not have chosen a more fitting gift.  I always have some version of fresh greenery or flowers in my home. The more I look at  this little gem the more ideas I get  for using it.  The Boblen line of vases, designed by famous Norwegian Florist and TV personality Finn Schjoll,     source   are expressive mouth blown vases  in clear glass in various sizes    and colours.     Its design was inspired by water drops on a lily after the rain. The extended flat lip makes them especially conducive to wide floral designs.... source     source source  or to highlight  a single blossom.    You can also put several vases of varying sizes together to create drama.   or float a flower in water in the bowl .   source   or wrap a creeping vine under and around ...

.  There is definitely a "simpler Christmas" trend in the last several years. Simple is good and clean and when you add green to the mix you have the perfect Christmas accent, a small/miniature tree.  From plain to layered, there are lots of options.  A little woodland whimsy with wooden beads.  Grouped with a sign   Welcoming visitors, no need for ornaments  A "tree" constructed from branches of boxwood, but easily done with any type of greenery. I would cut oasis in a cone shape and go from there.  For all I know you can get oasis in a cone shape!  A  shaped rosemary tree with wood accents.  Rosemary again with starfish for a beach Christmas. A lovely tree with pinecones in a recycled wooden box.  Nice candlestick holders too. The black and white accents provide a great backdrop. Love the bucket and bench  (it's all the texture and gray) but the simple ornaments finish everything off beautifully.  Who would think wh...

Every home is filled with furniture and objects, but they are not valued equally by homeowners. Personal preferences and history play a part in determining individual likes and dislikes in furniture and accessories.  Coming to terms with what you truly value in your home can help you set a design focus.  As a place to start with clients who  may be  having difficulty focusing on where they want to go with a design, I often ask them to show me several things in the space that they value/love/ couldn't part with. In talking about why they like the particular piece I get insight into what is important to them and many times the objects also provide inspiration for the design. Sutton Suzuki Architects  Art work of varying kinds can serve  as an impetus for a room design.  The tones of the sculptures and ceramic vases  are picked up i n the dark wood s of the stacked tables. The beige sofa allows the art work to stand out.    Margaret Rya...

 It is not necessary to spend huge amounts of money to accessorize your home.  Much of what you need is probably in another room or in the natural environment. Garage sales, thrift stores etc. can  also provide  economical options.  The trick is to select  things that have multiple uses.  In this way you can rotate objects to make them new.   I love bottles and natural elements together.  It's no wonder I loved Anna Truelsen's My Lovely Things blog when I found it this week. She is a pro at using ordinary things for big impact.   Take one white table and add various bottles and natural elements.  When you add a growing bulb to the mix the vignette will change as the bulb grows.  The look is changed completely when a black frame is used as a backdrop and a potted plant and a narrow necked bottle is added with a chair in the foreground.  Different bottles with feathery ferns change the look again.  I was thi...

  I had a refreshing conversation with a client/friend recently about  reordering  and supplementing her space to make it more peaceful and inviting. It brought me back to  what  I  feel is important, and what I am  most attracted to in my own  living space.  My last post explores ways to create a peaceful environment and this one is a follow up. I want a quiet, peaceful space and I'm constantly fighting my attraction to objects.  I love pattern, texture, shapes and a bit of glitz. After several years of letting myself buy this because.... or that because...., I have areas of my house that are getting just too object driven.  I'm currently in a simplifying phase and I have three guiding principles:   Embrace space by decluttering Celebrate ordinary things Focus on what you value Today's focus is.... Embrace space by decluttering   Getting rid of all the excesses in a house leaves a space that is simpler and open...