Supernatural Botanicals

Look of the day:  Gorgeous Black and White on Tan.  Clean, classic, simplified, and stylish.  This look courtesy of HGTV’s Rate My Space.  If you adore interior design (it’s practically part of my DNA code), then you’ll love Rate My Space.  Budding designers everywhere with great ideas.  

Steal this look:  Gorgeous brown toile.

Did you know that plasma-screen high-definition TVs can use nearly twice as much energy as their LCD screen counterparts, and more than three times as much as the standard models?  TVs account for 4 percent of our energy use nationally.  With plasma screens, that could reach 8 percent or more before the decade is out. 

Are makeup vanities an area of forgotten interior design?  Approximately 90% of women are wear makeup every day, so one would think this would be a vital and key area in a girl’s home.  A quick Google search on makeup vanities depicts sad results.  There are scarce findings, and very few gorgeous makeup areas to be found …anywhere.  Since this is an area most of us utilize every morning, it should be beautiful and inviting, and a gorgeous place to start your day. 

I have, however, found a few examples where they got it right.  Check out the amazing spaces below. 

  What they’ve done right:  Crisp and clean white walls and curtains makes this makeup area feel light and breezy.  The carpet and chair add a nice punch of color and contrast.  The over head chandelier brings beautiful elegance to the room. 

  What they’ve done right:  They stuck with a theme …old Hollywood with a twist of French decor.  The furniture is ultra-feminine and girly, the lamp picks up the color from the pale pink walls.  Sunlight streams in for the back, reflecting off the mirrored table.  Gorgeous!

  What they’ve done right:  Beautiful architectural details with the arches, filled with a wall-sized mirror that reflects the light from behind.  Beautiful tiled flooring in white with flower accents brightens the space.  Small mirror attached to the wall for tasks such as putting on mascara. 

If you adore design, visit my friend Julia’s blog, over at Hooked On Houses.    She has an amazing blog that features everything “houses.” 

Did you know you can do something about those dusty fan covers in your bathrooms?  Chances are, yours is loaded with an inch and a half of dust unless you clean them regularly.  This is a really simple fix. 

Gently pull the fan cover down and unclip the hooks on either side, remove from base of fan.  Rinse the fan cover under running water in a sink from both sides (front and back) to rinse out the dust.  Then throw the fan cover in the dishwasher on the top rack.  Good as new!

Not only will this help your fan to work more efficiently, which will help with electric bills, but it also makes the air cleaner. 

Ikea…it’s a total experience.  If you’ve never been to an Ikea store, it’s a must-experience type of place.  If you adore interior design (like I do!) and great prices, Ikea is the place for you.  Visiting Ikea can be an all day event.  There’s even a restaurant inside (go for the Swedish meatballs), so you can make a day of it.  The word on the street is that going to Ikea is the new trendy thing to do on a date.  Makes sense….lots of things to stimulate your senses visually.  Below is my video log of my day at Ikea.  There was so much to love there!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgrkZGgXE2k

I’ve been purchasing these Limelight Hydrangeas (a newer hybrid breed flower) from the farmers market every weekend.  They last all week long…even lasting up to 2 weeks in vases.  They are old-fashioned looking, romantic and girly, and just beautiful.  Not only do I use them as a centerpiece on my dining room table, I also have a small vase of them on my nightstand.  They make a room sing!  They even make outdoor rooms come to life…see above.

I’ve decided to dedicate an entire planting bed in my yard to these hydrangeas for next year’s growing season.  Optimum time for planting is fall.  To read more about limelight hydrangeas, click here. 

Bedroom design is so important.  We spend so much of our time in our bedrooms, that it should be a place that feels good…to you.  Whether you go monochromatic or bold, your bedroom should feel like a sanctuary and appeal to what makes you feel good.  It should be a place free of clutter, so you can relax, think, read, and sleep comfortably….not to mention, feel sexy!

Gorgeous monochromatic bedroom.

Soft and sexy, with perfect lighting and shadows.

Light and breezy, ocean view.

Crown molding at it’s finest!   Stately, grand, and beautiful.

For more great design inspiration, see Hooked On Houses.

Another home office to love!  Take advantage of the niches, arches, and insets in your house.  Remove the doors off of a closet, and create an inset desk with great bookshelves (I did!)  Take advantage of existing alcoves, or have a carpenter build these for you.  It’s an easy project for a professional….questionable if it’s your husband doing the work.  Use your better judgment on that one depending on the husband.

Great idea to take advantage of every inch of space in your home.

Design junkies everywhere are raving over Metropolitan Home’s new book, Glamour.  Gorgeous interiors to inspire your own design.  Click here for your chance to win a copy of your own. 

For more interesting advice on design, visit my friend Julia over at Hooked On Houses.