Dreams...

I'm not sure whether it's the change of season, the fact that I have a week off (yay!), or some other cosmic reason, but I've been having some very vivid dreams these past few nights.  I won't bore you with the details, but suffice it to say that they've been interesting!  Anyone else out there dreaming up a storm lately?

A Dream Within A Dream by Edgar Allan Poe

Take this kiss upon the brow!
And, in parting from you now,
Thus much let me avow--
You are not wrong, who deem
That my days have been a dream;
Yet if hope has flown away
In a night, or in a day,
In a vision, or in none,
Is it therefore the less gone?
All that we see or seem
Is but a dream within a dream.

I stand amid the roar
Of a surf-tormented shore,
And I hold within my hand
Grains of the golden sand--
How few! yet how they creep
Through my fingers to the deep,
While I weep--while I weep!
O God! can I not grasp
Them with a tighter clasp?
O God! can I not save
One from the pitiless wave?
Is all that we see or seem
But a dream within a dream? 

The Serenity Of Neutrals

I talk and post a lot about color but I also have an appreciation for neutrals. The right combination of similar soft tones make for a beautiful and serene setting.

There is great attention to detail in this neutral room from the pleats of the window treatments to the pattern of the accent pillows.

 The contrast of the dark, sleek wood against the light neutral fabric and wallcovering adds to the sophistication of this dining area.

 This room I call Edgy Neutrals. I like it!

 Cream and white with just enough dark wood to give the room depth.

 I like the subtle change in color of the plaid sofa fabric.

There's a lot going on in this room. The neutral palette makes it all work without getting overwhelming.

 The chrome, glass and mirrors add a bit of glamour to this neutral room.

A beautiful soft, dreamy neutral bedroom. Strong color isn't necessary to design a stunning room. The right mix of neutrals is truly beautiful.
Photos from Osborne & Little and Homes and Gardens

The Mix Of Modern And Traditional

  I found this photo on the website of the British magazine Homes&Gardens. It takes my breath away. Beautiful furniture in a beautiful setting has that effect on me.

The lines of the furniture are wonderful with the pattern of the wallcovering.  The colors blend and unify the design.  What I like the most about the setting is the mix of modern and traditional styles. The element that makes the mix work is scale. The balance of shapes and sizes is key to creating this wonderful setting.
Without the proper scale and proportion your design plan is lost. The size of the painting over the sofa is proportionally correct. The scale of the wallpaper pattern works with the scale of the curves on the sofa. It all matters and it all contributes to this beautiful setting.

Indian food...& lassi recipe

Ok, I'm hungry.  More specifically, I'm hungry for some really great Indian food.  Since the best Indian restaurant in my area is 45 minutes away, and it's too late to drive there now, I'll just have to torture myself by looking at photos of Indian food (masochism, I guess).  What I wouldn't give for some chana masala, naan bread with mango chutney, and a mango lassi....sigh...what are you craving tonight?

Here's a recipe for mango lassi, courtesy of Simply Recipes:

Mango Lassi Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup chopped mango (peeled and stone removed)
• 4 teaspoons sugar, to taste
• A dash of ground cardamom (optional)

Method

Put mango, yogurt, milk, sugar and cardamom into a blender and blend for 2 minutes, then pour into individual glasses, and serve. Can sprinkle with a little cardamom.
The lassi can be kept refrigerated for up to 24 hours.

Color Confidence

Today's post is a pictorial on color, lot's of it. It's about color and how much color confidence we each have. There is no right or wrong.  We all have a color confidence level. Too little color and we feel off balance, too much and we are overwhelmed. Finding the right amount of color brings confidence. Being confident is always good.

 photo from Anna Spiro

 photo from Scalamamdre

 photo from Designers Guild

 photo from Worlds Away

 Photo from Designers Guild

 photo from Elle Decor

 fashions from Nanette Lepore

 photo from Lorca Fabrics

 water color from Muriel Eulich

 photo from Osborne & Little

 purses from Lulu Guinness

 photo from Osborne & Little

How color confident are you?

Mixing Patterns And Finding Your Design Balance

Elle Decor has an article on their website about mixing patterns.You can find if here. I want to give my own design thoughts on using and mixing patterns in your interiors.

We all have our own level of design balance. What is great for one person will be wrong for the next. I like using patterns. I like mixing patterns.  This has to be done with thought, care and a sense of the overall design.

 This setting from Elle Decor is a wonderful example of using patterns with the overall design in mind. The colors palette works around the room. The colors and patterns flow throughout the space.

 Repeating a large scale pattern, such as a toile, around a room can create a calm, restful design.

 In this room adding a bright color to the neutral palette creates pattern. Green with the white of the bookcase creates a pattern for the room's background. The green throw over the ottoman adds color and adds a pattern to the furniture.

 A strong intense pattern can be mixed but works best when it remains the focal pattern. I love the small amount of animal print used to break up but not take away from the stripe.

 Keeping the color palette in similar tones is an appealing way to use patterns. You can mix several patterns without overwhelming the space. Photo from Coastal Living.

 The overall "blueness" of this room is the focal point for me. The neutrals and patterns add interest and work with the blue. What also works is the patterns vary in color but the scale is very similar.

Strong pattern and color can be balanced with clear, solid neutrals. The strong patterns and rich red in this bedroom are toned down by the vibrant white.
Don't hesitate to mix patterns. You just need to find your design balance.

Make Mine Matcha

So, the fabulous boyfriend and I went to Teavana this weekend and got introduced to their matcha.  Gotta say, I'm hooked.

Matcha is a high grade green tea which has been dried and crushed into a fine powder.  The Japanese use it exclusively in their tea ceremonies.  You prepare it by putting a small amount in a bowl, adding hot water, and "whisking" it (Teavana carries a nice bamboo whisk) until frothy.  It has a nutty, almost sweet flavor, with very little of the bitterness you usually find in brewed green tea.  Just one cup has the equivalent of TEN cups of brewed green tea's antioxidants.  But the real hook is that it's just plain good. Here's the link:  matcha tea