Merry Christmas

Joy to this world.

May your holiday be merry and oh-so bright.

Thank you for another wonderful year...see you in 2017!

xoxo,

Daniela

Berry Christmas

I am asking myself why the combination of red and purple has never occurred to me for a Christmas tree. I've definitely used purple in Christmas decorations, but never on my tree. This image is giving me a lot to think about. Meanwhile, look at that floor!

Christmas countdown is on...I am fielding daily questions about its proximity. If you celebrate, hope the lead up is proving joyful.

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Palm Menorah

Yowza.

That is a good-looking menorah. It literally took my breath away. It's by Michael Aram and I am a huge fan...of basically anything from that brand but specifically this.

Can you imagine how beautiful this would be lit to celebrate Hanukkah? I would never want to put it away!

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Friday Crush

A friend/co-worker turned me onto the Instagram account of pmqfortwo 👀 - it's bananas. Holy moly, I can't stop looking at it - especially all of her Christmas posts. She love Nutcrackers just like I do. And everything is pink and sparkly and just beautiful. Do yourself a favor and peep her account or, better yet, follow it.

Busy week. Ana Claire turned FOUR. As in four YEARS. I just can't. But she did - and we celebrated it. I'm going to slow down and savor this season that is too soon coming to a close. Have a great weekend - see you next week!

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Friday Crush

Plates on a chair.

I'm starting up a new project with one of my favorite clients and she has this delicious array of multicolored salad/dessert plates handed down from her mother. They are sitting on turquoise leather atop a black/white checkerboard floor. All good things to start with.

Let me tell you...I am pretty pumped it's Christmas. Though with children born during the holiday season, this time of year is HECTIC. But I'll take it all. Great problems to have. Hope you have a wonderful weekend...see you next week!

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Chinoiserie Christmas Dream

Someone has been holding out on me.

I didn't know the blog Chez V existed. And although these photos are old news from 2014, they are perfectly relevant for any Chinoiserie-lover decorating for Christmas.

All images via Chez V

This image below is from a different post I can't track down, but let me tell you, the pink poinsettia inside the blue/white porcelain is pretty much everything to me right now:

I have never had hot pink poinsettias at Christmas...but this year I WILL. I am planning a whole Christmas table around them and I couldn't be more excited about it. And then I saw this picture. And I may never have another Christmas in my life without pink poinsettias.

Aside from the pink plants, this whole Christmas situation above is amazing. The magnolia leaves, those stockings, the tree...all of it. We are getting a slow start to Christmas decorating this year, but I'm hoping to knock most of it out this weekend and will be referencing these photos as I go.

😍💕🎄 (<--Emoji in blogger. #finally)

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Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving, friends.

May it be sumptuous and full of love and friendship...and less football than mine will be.

xoxoxo,

Daniela

Friday Crush

Well, here I am, the weekend before Thanksgiving and my table has not been planned. When it comes to entertaining, I either have it really together in advance...or it's a hot mess hours before. I can never seem to get it in between.

Regardless, I always love having guests in my home so I'm pretty pumped that Thanksgiving is quickly approaching and we are set to have a full house. One thing I do know - Caspari will be on my table. It always is. And the napkins above which are PERFECT for this holiday remind me of my Thanksgiving table from last year:

All the feathers.

If you are hosting, I hope your planning comes together this weekend! See you next week!

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Black Coffee Table from Nate Berkus

A truth: Nate Berkus for Target just never disappoints.

It is so refreshing to see great design at affordable price points. And while searching for a client, I chanced upon this sexy beast of a black coffee table:

Now that is a fetching piece. And the fact that it's black means you can put it pretty much anywhere. The price point under $150 is a bonus, but it's also not puny. At 34" round, it will hold its own in a space. This one is high on my radar.

If you haven't peeped the current NB collection,  I urge you to do so now.

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Friday Crush

Wonderfully clever idea for your Thanksgiving table from Southern Living - golden pears as bud vases. The sugars in the pears keep the flowers going...and their golden hue coupled with bright flowers are a perfect, simple way to decorate your table beautifully. I might be doing this...TBD.

When you read this, I'll be in Charleston having an epic girls weekend with my besties...toasting this year when we all turned 35 and generally celebrating our incredible friendship. Have a great weekend...see you next week!

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Schumacher for Kids

A couple of unrelated points here, best done in list format:

1. I peaced out on the blog last week - took a trip to Cali for work and it was lovely. I drank all the Zinfandel in Sonoma. And had some productive meetings.

2. You are generally winning if your kids get to play in a Schumacher-fabric-laden teepee.

3. I'm on a plum/burgundy clothing kick, so I want that little girl's leggings.

4. The bedroom on the bottom is incredibly legit with its color combination, brass bed, casual canopy, and stained/painted dark ceiling. The simple pillow arrangement is also catching my eye.

5. What I liked most here is the color story. Plum and citrine at the top and then plum and royal blue (peeking out from the blanket) on the bottom. I have seriously been loving plum/orchid for years and images like these keep feeding my addiction.

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Friday Crush

Photo by Danae Horst

Boo! Have you seen this photo floating around the Internet? I hope I'm introducing you to it...because it's so clever. The florals are on point and what drew me in was the excellent use of black...then I followed the photo to the blog post over at The Jungalow by Justina Blakeney and discovered that this whole chic table is made up of thrifted finds. With a little imagination and some killer florals, it all left me really impressed. Read the post...and embrace how gorgeous large doses of black can be on a table.

Happy Halloween! Will aim to post a pic of the Shuffler kids post-holiday. Have a great weekend and a fun holiday on Monday. See you next week!

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Catalog Pick: Brass Sconce Under $120

Brass sconces of the swing-arm variety have become a design darling, and with good reason. I feel like we are always on the hunt for good ones, yes?

I just came across one that is on point. Especially the price point. Because it's really attractive and under $120. The Adjustable Arm 1-Light Wall Sconce from Shades of Light in Warm Brass:

Now, that is a good-looking light. It looks way more expensive than $118. Usually when you hover around $100, these lights don't look quite so chic so you tend to pass on them (at least I do). But I think this one has the design factor and a great price tag.

If you need some visual reminders about the power of this fixture:

The scale of the fixtures in that iconic bathroom above is not the same scale as these I'm showing you...but you get the idea. Brass sconces are good.

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Friday Crush

Crushing on a new Etsy site - PopOColor - that has some killer designer pillows ready to make their way to your home. I'm really into the combination of this Quadrille pillow with this Kate Spade for Kravet pillow. Sidenote, did you know there was Kate Spade for Kravet? I did not. Now I do. And now I want these pillows.

I turn 35 tomorrow. Should be a great weekend. See you next week!

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Lake House Bedroom

Many moons ago, I had the pleasure of working with a client on a design for a bedroom at her lake house. The room needed to pull double duty as her adult daughter's bedroom as well as a guest room, when needed.

She wanted the vibe comfortable, traditional, and punctuated with color. And here is where I landed:

You don't know how much joy it brought me to mix red with lavender in a room with two beds. And I owe the color combo to the scrumptious print for the wall above said beds: At the Lake, by T.S. Harris.

I was so pumped to recall this print because it had everything I was looking for - something feminine, great colors, and on-theme in a whimsical way.

From there, lovely soft lavender headboards, punchy red bedskirts, powder blue linens, a blush lamp and some bold, gutsy mirrors all pulled themselves together to create a space I wouldn't mind lounging in on vacation.

As with all design boards I do for clients, I don't share the full source list as the sources are meant only for the lovely people who paid me for my time to track them down. But I am ready, willing, and able to do one of these snazzy boards for your own space - just email me!

It's almost the weekend...

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Friday Crush

image source (photo/designer info welcome...)

Oh hey, moody autumnal blues. This is modern colonial style...and I'm into it, especially with a touch of Chinoiserie in the blue/white porcelain. The tone on tone paint scheme is phenomenal and that peek of yellow keeps it fresh. I also have strong, strong feelings for windsor chairs exactly like that one. Also note the sweet striped rug. Just lovely.

Here's to a great, relaxing, fun weekend...see you next week!

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The Art of Carson Price

I am so pumped to share some hometown love for Richmond, Virginia-based artist, Carson Price.  Your eyes will bug out when you view her sensational works of art - playful color, texture, abstracts, landscapes - often of Richmond...it's all just very, very good.

^^ I really, really want this one ^^

That last one there is my sister-in-law Joanna's dining room in Richmond, designed by Lesley Glotzl. The scale and juxtaposition of those black and white pieces by Carson are dynamite in this space. And though I'm drawn to Carson's use of bold color, she does some phenomenal neutral nudes and contemporary pieces like these for Jo. You really need to look at her website.

Speaking of her website, Carson and her team write a great blog...and recently did a fab primer on creating a layered, inviting outdoor space. This is the perfect time of year to entertain in this type of space if you are lucky enough to have one. Read the post for some tips and then click around to see more of her art.

And that's Carson ^. She is foxy. And talented. Double whammy.

#virginialove

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Friday Crush

Painted trim for the win! This space by Kate Collins Interiors has lots of lovely texture and color, but what makes everything sing is that pop of blue paint. Such a small detail with a big impact. For me, it's these clever touches that elevate a room.

Happy Friday. Do you have big weekend plans ahead? I'm happily settling into the cooler weather and enjoying my favorite month of the year. Enjoy the down time...see you next week!

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Chinoiserie Toile Fabric Score

Fabric house Waverly is once again bringing its Chinoiserie A-game. I recently discovered this fabric - Haiku Toile Chintz Noir - and it's really, really good.

So is the Indigo colorway:

And it's around $17-$20 a yard. That's phenomenal. Now, I'm not sure it's up to the task of upholstery (sadly) but you are looking at ridiculous curtains or pillows or a bedskirt. I love the light, airy feel of this toile. Nothing crazy and heavy...just delicate monotone shades that depict lovely little scenes.

I ran a Google search for you so you can shop it at various places and in some additional colorways - click here to see the options.

Do tell if you use it.

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Chinamania in the 21st Century

DC friends - if you are a lover of Chinese porcelain, head over to the Ring Auditorium at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden this Sunday, October 2, from 3 - 4:30pm. The Smithsonian Freer|Sackler Gallery is putting on a panel discussion - Chinamania in the 21st Century - about the West's enduring fascination with our beloved blue and white vessels. And it's free!

Artists, scholars, and critics explore the West’s enduring fascination with Chinese porcelain in this moderated panel discussion. Listen in as the group discusses Chinese porcelain’s influence on such areas as the global trade economy, collecting, production, and contemporary art and scholarship. 

This program is held in conjunction with Chinamania, the last in a series of special exhibitions organized in conjunction with Peacock Room REMIX. Along with Kangxi porcelains, the exhibition includes works by contemporary sculptor Walter McConnell that were inspired by his travels to China and by the nineteenth-century British craze for Chinese ceramics.

Unfortunately, I can't go, but I would definitely be there otherwise. This sounds quite interesting. Do attend if you can!

Happy Friday - see you next week!

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Seven Years

image source

Have you been reading my blog for seven years? If so, thank you.

This date snuck (sneaked?) up on me. I feel like I just wrote the six year post. But I'm glad this milestone has arrived, as this date (technically yesterday's date) always makes me reflect on how I feel about this little slice of internet I have carved out for myself. A time to take a pulse check about my passion for design.

And though the reality of daily life often gets in the way of elaborate, consistent posts, I love being here. I love taking the time to jot down thoughts...and sharing them with you. I'm hoping year seven gets me back to doing more of that.

Onward, friends. Thanks for being here!

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Peachy Plum Table

Photo by James Wojcik for Town and Country Magazine

FALL! REJOICE!

Nothing gets me going for the new season like the promise of sumptuous table arranging! 

And this example is HIGH on my radar. Because peach. Mixed with plum (always a favorite), emerald green, and orange. It's so very good.

I'm also writing a note to self about hunting down a good vintage silver basket - the height and interest one can offer is lovely.

Now go take inventory of your boots. 

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Friday Crush

Photo by Emily Gilbert for Luxe, who knows the designer?...

I will never ever tire of the combination of green, black, and white. I especially love a good aloe green...like this lacquered ceiling (Benjamin Moore's Parsley Snips, FYI). 

Sidenote: I think a ceiling is a great place to take a risk. Maybe you don't want to deck your walls out in a wild wallpaper...but you want some zing. Paint your ceiling something fun. Like this. 

I am also digging the oversized, scalloped lanterns...hung in a "too many" fashion. If this was your home, and the designer said "Oh, I think we should hang three large lanterns in this teensy hallway!"...you would probably question them. Because three big lanterns in a small hallway doesn't make sense. But don't listen to yourself. Listen to your designer. Because designers know these things. 

I'm also into the black doors. Ok, I'm done.

Happy weekend! See you next week!

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Dining Room Color Study

This home by Jeffrey Bilhuber is one of my favorites. I have blogged about it before, but I had not seen the dining room.

And it's pretty awesome:

Photos by Chi Chi Ubiña for Cottages & Gardens

Aside from being a great mix of everything - pattern, texture, style - it's also a wonderful color study.

So many colors...and yet they all work. Why???

I think JB succeeds because the center of the space - chairs, bench, rug - are all using color tones that match in saturation. Bold orchid, bright peacock blue, and energetic apple green. The colors are all different, but this jewel range that they all fit under makes them work together. And in solids. No pattern here. Because the dimension is offered by the range of color.

Now lets fade to the back, where the colors are more muted. And patterned. And mainly white with colored backgrounds. Again, the color family is the same in saturation. So that the curtains and walls can create a cohesive unit against which the bold colors can take center stage. And the patterns are very repetitive...so as not to create too much noise behind the bold dining table colors.

Although this is an extreme implementation - not something you will likely try at home unless you are fearless - it offers a great blueprint for how to create a mix in a space.

Carry on.

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Friday Crush

How fun is this?? One of my readers, Merlyn, took my coral bedroom from yesterday's post and brought it to life!!  This tickled me in so many ways. I'm always hoping that the little nuggets I give you here and there can inspire bigger things, so I LOVE seeing how Merlyn took it all the way. Those lamps are killer! Thank you, Merlyn!

Hope you have something fun on tap this weekend. This week was nuts, so I'm happy for some downtime. See you next week!

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Coral Bedroom Starter Set

Can we do another make-believe bedroom pairing? Thanks for indulging me.

What about this Polka Dot Sissy Headboard:

With this coral wallpaper called Summer Nights (C-194-05) from Waterhouse Wallhangings:

And this chippendale chair in the corner:

Tremendous, right? Throw in an antelope-patterned rug for good measure. And maybe some blue/white porcelain lamps. This would all suit me just fine.

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