Walls that Speak

Displaying art is an art unto itself.  I adore my little gypsy cottage, but with all its funky angles and corners, hanging art can be a challenge, so I've sort of avoided it - but, my art needs to come out of the closet!  It takes a good eye and finesse to pull off looks like the ones below.  I'm inspired to get out the hammer this weekend...

   

What Room Will You Update Next?

Change is good. Right? I think so. Updating your home's interior is a positive change.

 Updating your kitchen or bath is great for you and is a good investment in your home.
Cabinets,counters, appliances, plumbing fixtures, wall tile, flooring,lighting... It can be a bit daunting but with careful planning and selections you can have a wonderful outcome.

 Updating a dining area doesn't necessarily mean new furniture. Changing window treatments, art, chair fabrics and wall color can give you the look and style you are after.

 New furniture, area rug and window treatments will transform a room. Another way to update your living room is to rearrange the furniture,change the wall color and add color with pillows and accessories.

 Whether you are wanting strong color or a room that is soft and quiet updating your bedroom isn't all that complicated.  Add color with art and lighting. To add soft color and pattern wallcovering will do the job. You can use wallcovering around the room or on a focal wall, usually the wall the bed is on.

 Maybe your updates are about getting organized. The first step to organizing is editing. If you don't need it get rid of it. Then its about everything needs a place. If you have a place for it, you will put it away.

Again,change is good. Making changes, updating keeps us motivated. What room will you update next?

photos from Homes and Gardens, Martha Stewart

Upcycled Furniture

I hear the term upcycled furniture used a lot these days. To clarify its meaning I went to an expert resource. Chris Plaisted of Hammer and Hand has been designing and importing upcycled furniture for years. According to Chris the term upcycled means to take an item such as a vintage door and use it to construct a new piece such as a cabinet. So at Hammer and Hand you will see upcycled furniture.

 The majority of the pieces come from the area near Jodhpur, India, which is referred to as The Blue City. Many of the buildings in Jodhpur are painted in shades of blue. In turn much of the furniture from the area has remnants of the blue paint of the city.  As old buildings are being demolished to make way for the new elements of the old are salvaged to create new pieces from the vintage.

The large nail heads on the cabinet hold the layers of the doors together. Originally they extended out farther to keep the elephants from leaning in to and wrecking the pieces.

Larger trunks are cut down to a more usable size.

The interiors of trunks are also constructed of vintage woods.

These vintage doors conceal the new mirror behind them.

I like the idea of taking a large trunk and cutting it down to make coffee tables.

Even the smaller items have been upcycled and given new life.

Upcycling creates beautiful new furniture from discarded pieces. To upcylce is to recylce. It is sustainable and green.

Update Your Home With Texture

 Adding texture is a great way to update your interiors. Fabrics with texture can be used as pillows or wall hangings to bring dimension, warmth and interest to your home. Texture is created on fabrics by varying weaves or fibers and by using embroidery or embellishments.

These beautiful pillows are from Tessera and are great examples of how to add texture.

The multiple levels of texture adds interest to this pillow.

Anthropologie always has a selection of pillows with wonderful textures.

I love this stack of embroidered silk pillows from Hammer & Hand .

Hammer & Hand also has finished fabrics that have been constructed from antique saris. The individual pieces are sewn together and include fragments that have been embroidered and embellished. These are gorgeous.

Using an embellished fabric as a wall hanging is a wonderful alternative to using only hard surfaces to decorate your walls.

These details show how the upcycled embellished sari fragments have been sewn together to create a beautiful wall hanging.If you have questions about adding texture to your home leave a comment and I will get back to you.

Tea...how do I love thee?

I've been fighting a losing battle with a tenacious cold virus, and I've been especially grateful for tea these past few days.  Few things comfort like tea, whether you're sick or not.  From a cup of spicy chai to a perky green to the soothing herbals like chamomile, it's all good.  My favorite place to buy tea is Teavana   If you're fortunate enough to live near one of their retail stores, by all means go...it's a treat for the senses.  If not, you can rest assured if you order online that you will not be disappointed.  You can also purchase tea accessories like brew pots and beautiful collectible tea sets like the ones pictured below.  Think I'll go brew a cup right now....here's to good health!  xx

Plum Crazy

It's no secret that I love color.  Rich, deep, saturated, glorious color.  Though my favorite is burgundy, lately I've been a tad obsessed with plum.  My bedroom windows are draped in sari fabric and burgundy velvet curtains, and I've been thinking a plum accent wall would be fabulous.  Add some candle wall sconces, and voila - instant romance!  Might be getting out the paintbrushes soon...

comfort food

January.  In my part of the world, it's the coldest month of the year, when my thoughts turn to warm comfort food!  I love one-pot meals. Tonight I'm going to make this delicious West African inspired chicken peanut stew...with a side of crusty bread and a nice spinach salad, I think I'll be a happy girl!  Find the recipe ~here~

What are your favorite winter comfort foods??

xo
Happy New Year everyone!