Chinois Palais

Falling into the category of insanely beautiful is the fabric Chinois Palais by Mary McDonald for Schumacher. Like panels of our favorite hand-painted Chinoiserie wallpapers, this fabric comes in the most splendid hues. I love the idea of upholstering a wall with any one of these:

And the loooong repeat lends itself well to curtains:

Fret not if you don't have to-the-trade access...I found this Etsy listing but be warned that it's not inexpensive. But beauty like this is worth every penny in my opinion...just one repeat's worth and you have a dynamite piece of art to hang on a large wall.

Have you seen the rest of MM's collection for Schumacher? It's definitely my favorite designer collaboration thus far.

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Catalog Pick: Bamboo Stick Sconce

I'm loving these bamboo stick sconces from Shades of Light because they are full of Chinoiserie flair but in a tailored, modern way:

They also come in 6 awesome colors (not pictured: white, coral & turquoise)...my favorite is the red, but I am speechless over this yellow. Why don't more people make yellow sconces? These are so incredibly lovely...I need to figure out where I can use a pair of these guys.

Check out the sconces here...I would opt for a mini-drum shade over the rattan-like ones - keeps the look tailored and not so tiki.

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Friday Crush

See what I did there? It was a week of Etsy art! Finishing up the week with something to cleanse your palette - gorgeous, modern watercolors by Malissa Ryder. I love the soft shapes and beautiful hues that Malissa conjures up. These pieces create a perfect juxtaposition with a traditional room or blend seamlessly in a more tailored, modern space.

See more of Malissa's creations here...

Have a beautiful weekend...see you next week!

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Oil Landscapes by Donna Walker

Landscapes are typically not my favorite kind of art. I like them well enough but they usually don't grab my attention with force (which is how I like my art to grab me)...until I discovered the art of Donna Walker.

Hold on to your hats:

WOW. Donna's oil landscapes totally had me drooling in front of my computer screen. The vibrant tones are so eye-catching. And don't you love those sheep? The vistas she paints are so alive and colorful. I have so much respect for artists that can create such gorgeous pieces...

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Watercolor Safari

I have found THE coolest animal watercolor prints on Etsy. Shop indigo mutt is creating these whimsical, irreverent, incredibly hip pieces of animal art:

I want them ALLLLLL. I've seen variations on this theme of modern fauna against white drawn up in a quirky fashion but indigo mutt's is my favorite! I'm completely smitten with the use of pastel colors to create these beautiful little patterns on each creature. A wall of prints would be so, so charming in a family or kids space...obvi.

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Ana Claire and Daddy

I have been wanting to commission a little painting of Ana Claire for a while and decided that a painting would be a great gift for Carter for our wedding anniversary back in April. So I hopped on Etsy and found Colorado artist Laura Prill.  There is a sea of artists on Etsy that will paint family pictures so choosing one was a bit daunting, but one of Laura's painting caught my eye so I contacted her.

We started the process with two photos of Ana Claire (at 2 months) and Carter - I asked Laura to combine the two because I liked Ana Claire's expression in one but wanted to get Carter's profile from the other.

Laura and I went back and forth via Etsy a couple of times...she first showed me a pencil sketch that we slightly tweaked and then she started the painting. She sent me this final watercolor after about a week:

Isn't it sweet? It's prettier in person and Carter loved it. I love the pastels and the little expression in Ana Claire's eyes is priceless. We're planning a wall of family photos at the top of our stairs and this little gem will be the focal point.

Laura was great to work with, so I highly recommend her...check out her Etsy shop here.

In other news, Ana Claire is 5 months old today! Here is the current state of our nugget:

This weekend sitting on daddy's lap

Her "official" 5 month picture

I clearly have terrible photo-taking skills but hopefully her cuteness shines through :) Hope you had a wonderful weekend.

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Friday Crush

Design by Phoebe Howard, image by Josh Gibson via Good Housekeeping

A current project has me checking out neutral bedrooms and I am loving my discoveries of gorgeous, serene spaces. This spindle bed totally caught my eye and how it plays up a texture in a very monochromatic room. I don't love every single thing in this space (I'd switch up the art and curtains) but I love the concept. Your eyes and brain can rest at the end of the day in this space.

Have a wonderful weekend...see you next week!

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The Mix

Design by Benjamin Dhong, image by Lisa Romerein, via House Beautiful

What makes this vignette great? The mix.

Silver + Gold
Rustic + Refined
Soft + Edgy
Modern + Traditional

The contrasts are so pronounced, yet the overall palette is simple so that the mirror and greens can really pop. So much gorgeous detail and thought in a small, beautiful space.

Happy Wednesday!

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Embracing an Awkward Space

Due to my obsession with Phoebe Howard, I'm always popping in to the Mrs. Howard Personal Shopper blog, which often showcases before and afters of work being done by Phoebe and her associates. A recent post about a nursery caught my eye.

The before (a small office space):

Photos via www.mrshowardpersonalshopper.com

See that window situation? Makes furniture arranging a bit tricky...especially for a crib AND a twin bed. But professionals are real good at figuring this stuff out, like Vaughn Connerty from the Mrs. Howard Atlanta store who gave the client this sweet, beautiful solution:

See how Vaughn just made it work? Windows? Who cares? Vaughn placed the bed in a slightly asymmetrical fashion and loaded up the corner with framed watercolors. It's not perfectly perfect but it totally works. I love everything about this space and its soft sweetness. Note to self: get some pleated lampshades.

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Friday Crush

Loved this pin from Matters of Style.  It's a bedroom from the 2013 Southern Living Showcase House in Texas, designed by Heather Scott Home & Design. Pretty sure that's a Quadrille toile on the windows that sets the color scheme for the room. Love the white and light foundation that is peppered with restrained color throughout. And the organic shape of the light fixture works so well against the refined furnishings. Just a little breath of fresh spring air with this one.

Have a fantastic weekend...see you next week!

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Michael Carter

I just realized that the dining room from this post and the living room from last week's Friday Crush are from the same Boston home designed by Michael Carter of Carter & Company Interior Design (great name!). Funny how that happens.

Here are more images of this gorgeous, elegantly layered home:

All images via www.mcarterandco.com

 WOAH.

I love a good, fancy house. So very pretty.

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Chinoiserie Watercolor Prints

I have fallen in love with these bold, sensational prints of original watercolors done by Australia-based artist Gabby Malpas for her Etsy shop Mango Frooty:

Don't these paintings totally grab you? I love all the intricacy, the colors, the patterns...and of course, the Chinoiserie subject matter. What talent! And to think that someone in Australia is creating these beautiful works and with the click of a mouse, you can own one and have it shipped right to your own home. Technology is amazing.

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Friday Crush

Design by Michael Carter, image via Chinoiserie Chic

This photo made me gasp (as most FC photos do)...that couch! WANT. I love and adore the combination of pastel pink and yellow. And the lamp combined with the couch is a killer combination. I also love it all against dark wood tones and a crisp white Elkins chair. Divine and from a new-to-me designer, Michael Carter, via this post from Chinoiserie Chic.

Have a fantastic weekend...see you next week!

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Catalog Pick: Chippendale Outdoor Dining Furniture

I can't WAIT for the day to come when we'll be able to trick out the backyard. This spring, we're focusing on sprucing up the front of the house with the hope that we have enough time left over this summer to focus on our backyard. I'm not holding my breath, but I am so looking forward to picking out a dining set to enjoy family dinners al fresco.

The style of this teak Chippendale set is likely what I would be after...the prices are a bit out of my own budget, but they are gorgeous inspiration pieces:

 Chippendale Armchair

 Chippendale Sidechair

 Chippendale Bench

The website even offers cute lanterns and votives with that lovely fretwork:

I never, ever tire of Chippendale fretwork. And I love the geometric lines against the greens of an outdoor space. And don't forget about seat cushions with your outdoor furniture - not only do they make sitting in a hard chair much more comfortable, but it's a great way to add pattern and color to an outdoor space.

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