Fashion Is As Fashion Lives!

Well my friends, it is the weekend and I couldn't be more excited!  Woohoo!  I love the looks featured in these pics!  They are so my style and I do all of these looks in one way or another!  The interiors are my style as well!  I love all things beautiful, so I truly can be happy in any of them!

Have an incredible day!

Rhonda

*Images

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Sitting Places In Beautiful Spaces

Whenever possible, I try to create separate seating areas in rooms large enough to accommodate them.  It's close enough to be involved with the activities of the room, but removed enough to enjoy a book, a glass of wine, or just a little bit of quiet time.  It's important to make these areas visually pleasing, as well as have items handy that may be used there. 

Have an exquisite day!

Rhonda

*Images

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Banquettes: A Lovely Way To Dine

Merriam-Webster defines "banquette" as a built-in usually upholstered bench along a wall.  I've always been fond of banquettes in dining areas!  When I was a youngster (wink! wink!), my aunt and uncle had a royal blue vinyl banquette in their kitchen that I thought was really cool because it made me feel as though I was eating in a restaurant!  I thought, gee what a great way to eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner everyday!  Of course, that has been some time ago and many things have changed, but my fondness of banquettes has increased exponentially!  The styles run the gamut from casual to formal and country to very elegant.  Whatever your taste and style, you are certain to find a design to suit your aesthetic.

Simply beautiful upholstery!  I love the formality of this area with the buit-in bookshelves, lovely chandelier, and striking table!

I'm not certain I would have paired this particular table with this banquette, however I truly can appreciate the look of this design.  It's got this rustic slash elegant French vibe going on that I think works very well!

This is more or less a refined, petite sofa positioned against the wall to achieve the same affect as a banquette.  A great idea!

Wonderful tufting on this banquette makes it the standout in this room!

What a wonderful way to use the niche in this space by designing a banquette to fit perfectly!  I love the addition of the pillows for a casual comfortable experience!

Another fantastic way to utilize a niche!  I love the arrangement of photos and the built-in shelving!  The table with the rod iron base and chairs are amazing!

I have always loved this banquette!  Placing it on the stair wall creates such a random, beautiful place to enjoy a meal and entertain girlfriends.

Again, lovely settee's used as banquettes!  This space with the windows is wonderful!

The upholstered back definitely elevates this banquette to a higher level!  This is really just a very pretty area!  The color palette is soothing and the furnishings of choice work so well together!

Simple, smart, and pretty!

Make it a great day!

Rhonda

*Images



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The Details Are Not The Details...

I have always said and will forever believe, it's all in the details!  Neglect the details and it will result in mediocrity, not reaching it's full potential, sub-par, etc., etc.!

What an incredible room with so many beautiful and interesting details!  Let us begin with the wall color, a very pale gray, that allows every detail to be seen vividly.  The arrangement of gold starburst mirrors in varying sizes, offers sculptural appeal to the room.  Aclassic nod with the lush upholstered Chesterfield sofa, adorned with pillows in fun patterns and punchy orange color makes the space come to life!  I love how the orange accent chair and olive green tufted ottoman plays so well with the striking patterned rug!  Wow!  The cylinder light fixture is a great addition that adds a bit of sparkle.  Introducting the rustic wood coffee table was fantastic in that it seems to ground the entire space, adding balance to the rug and the pillows!  Did I miss anything?

Until next time!

Rhonda

 

Images

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My DIY Adventures!

Okay, so I'm doing some things around the house to freshen it up a bit.  We've painted the foyer, hallway, kitchen, family room, and the loft area upstairs (two story foyer and family room) Sherwin Williams Dorian Gray SW7017 with super white on the trim and molding.  Soon we will have the kitchen cabinets painted Peppercorn SW7674.  I absolutely cannot wait to get everything done!  You know, when you freshen up one space, it just highlights the other "troubled" areas!  The plan is to re-do the entire house a little bit at a time, complete with new furniture, accessories, etc., etc!  Below are a couple of pics I wanted to share!

I purchased this chest for $99 from TJ Maxx.  It was a weathered blue color, that actually was pretty nice, but didn't work with what I had in mind, so I repainted it a high gloss Behr Avocado L200-20.  Now, I'm not that great with DIY projects and this one is no different!  There are a few runs, drips, and errors!  But, if I don't point them out, no one will notice!  The mirror, I got from Ikea for $39!  It was matte black, and although very nice, again, it didn't work with what I had in mind.  I spray painted this piece Rust-oleum gloss Navy Blue.  I love it!  The accessories that I have on the table will more than likely change, but for now I am pleased!  The owl vase I purchased from Z. Gallerie for about $20!  The fern stems, of course, are not real, and I hate that; but I haven't had time to go out and purchase real stems and I have crates full of faux florals and botanicals in my garage that are just sitting there taking up space!  The small bottle, vase, and turtle I bought at West Elm; and the blue glass jars I got many moons ago at Pottery Barn.  I'm always buying "stuff"!  I can't wait to get the bookshelves installed in my family room so that I can highlight many of my treasures!  I'm always surprised, as I am working with clients, to find that many really don't buy little decorative elements here and there!  You can find great pieces that are inexpensive and even if the piece is expensive, save up and make the investment!  You will always, always be glad that you did! 

Yes, I know I need new kitchen table chairs!  I do have some in mind.  What I'd like to do is have an upholstered arm chair on the ends, a reclaimed wood bench on the side closest to the window, and maybe two reclaimed wood French style chairs on the other side?  I need to create an inspiration board for myself, but alas here lately, I only make time to do that for clients!  Anyhoo!  I bought 3yds of burlap from Joann's and 3yds of tan broadcloth to make use as an application on my family room wall, but I later changed my mind and decided to use it as a tablecloth.  No, I haven't sewed the broadcloth onto the backside of the burlap yet to make it a little heavier and serve as a liner.  I will get to it!  The point is what a great idea!  I used these little natural fiber placemats I got years ago at West Elm as a runner!  Okay, so the point of this pic is to show all of the white basics I got from Target!  Mind you, I have tons that I have gotten from Pottery Barn and Crate and Barrel over the years, but additions are always welcomed and needed when they are at such great prices that are being offered at Target!  White dishes, platters, etc. are just great basics to have on hand!  You can mix and match with other patterns and colors or just make a clean statement by keeping it all white!  My favorite is the milk jug!  I want to get a couple more and use as vases!  Oh, the little white vases, in the top pic, I also got at Ikea for $1.99!  I plan to get little boxwoods, succulents, or I don't know, something green and cool to place in them!  The cabbage platter was yet another find from trusty old Pottery Barn!

Make it an amazing day!

Rhonda

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The Mad Men Craze Is Everywhere!

We all know Banana Republic has been doing the Mad Men thing for about three or four years now and of course there have been many retailers to "jump on the bandwagon" as well, but I couldn't help but chuckle when I opened this email from CB2 just now!

Make it a fantastic day!
Rhonda

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The Count Down Has Begun...Mad Men!

Yes, my friends, I too am a Mad Men fanatic!  I am on pins and needles waiting for the 2 hour premiere of the brand new season!  I have my menu planned and my wardrobe ready!  I will be dressed in a "tangerine tango" shift inspired by Joan!  Be sure you tune in to AMC Sunday evening!  Check your local listing for show times! 

Have a terrific weekend!

Rhonda



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Gillian's Pinterest Pics: All Things Pretty...

All things lovely.  All things pretty.  All things soft.  All things feminine.  I have a truly adorable six year old daughter, who at this point in her life, thinks I am the most interesting, amazing, beautiful person ever!  And I love it!  I know that there will come a day, sooner rather than later, when she may no longer see me that way!  But for right now, she does and I am soaking in every moment!  These are the images she chose from my Pinterest boards.  She wants to start her own blog, create her own Pinterest boards, shop for fabric and furniture, and own her own business "Gillian Peterson and Associates"!  I love it!  When we're out, she asks whomever is assisting us, "how's your day?"  She says thank you and please without any prodding from me.  My friends who have experienced this are like "wow!"  She writes thank you notes and invitations to neighbors and friends to tea parties.  She prays for her family and always tells her older brother, Noah, that she loves him.  I pray and confess daily that I am the mother that she needs me to be and am able to provide her with a phenomenal blueprint to follow. 



Make it a great day!

Rhonda

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In Search Of A Home For My Magazines!

I have so many magazines that I just cannot bear to recycle!  Yes, I know that I could tear out the pages that interest me and file them in binders!  Believe it or not, I've done that as well!  You should see the number of binders that I have that need a home!  I even have tearsheets in file carriers and pretty Hermes and Louis Vuitton boxes!  Now the ones in the boxes I'm okay with keeping them there because I use them as part of the decor!  I've selected some pics that I'm mulling over to see if any of them will inspire me to create a great storage/display solution for my precious magazine resources!  I'm getting antsy because since having had the family room painted, the magazines are hanging out in my living room and dining room, and it's driving me a little nuts!  I just really don't function well when things don't have a place!

I really like the idea of using a wallpaper, fabric, or accent color on the wall where shelving will go!  It adds instant interest and personality!

Adding lighting to the shelves is a really cool way of highlighting loved treasures and it creates a very nice mood in a dimly lit room.

Using shelving to frame a doorway is a wonderful idea and chances are it probably is a great way to utilize real estate that is not being used anyway!

Hmmm... I'm totally giving this idea some thought!  It keeps the newspapers off the floor, the sofa, the kitchen table...you get the picture!

This is probably my favorite because I like how the more narrow shelf in the middle breaks up the monotony of the wall of bookshelves.

This is another idea for the wall section I'm considering.  Using smaller bookshelves and then on the wall above featuring a composition of images.

While at the Scott Antiques Market a couple of weeks ago, I sourced a couple of cabinets like these that I would love to use, BUT they were too wide for the space!  I would have to have them custom made with a custom finish to get the exact size and look that I want!  Oy!

xoxo,

Rhonda

Original image credits



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Moods Of Gray With Cheery Yellow

I say moods of gray because gray strikes me as a moody color.  In the last couple of years I have been using various shades of gray with clients, and they all conjured a very different mood and feel in the rooms.  Some shades were airy and classic, while others were sophisticated, elegant, and sometimes contemplative.  The elements that made them different were depth of color, supporting colors, furnishing style, and  decorative details.  All things that make a space either sing in harmony and balance or cry out for more attention.

How intense is this?  I love images like this!

This is great design!  The black and white diamond pattern floor is a really thoughtful foundation for the additional color and pattern in the room.  I love the gray walls with the yellow rubics cube wall art!  Bolster pillows on the armless sofa is smart and interesting!  The pattern of the sofa is a great rhythm with the flooring.  The mixture of finishes flows so well with the rest of the elements.  Even though there are many pieces of interest in this room, nothing is distracting, and the gray wall color is a great place for the eye to find rest!

The dressmaker details of this bedding is lovely and very feminine! 

I love that the panels on the door are painted a different shade of gray from the rest of the door!  It elevates the panache of this area.  The deep molding, the amazing rich finish of the floor, the fantastic pattern and color of the rug, not to mention the yellow draperies are not to be overlooked here!

How much do I adore this chest!  It's just beautiful sitting high on a great pair of cabriole legs!  The mirror really enhances the look of each miscellaneous piece that sits on top!  It's truly just so random and inspiring to add yellow roses and a yellow lamp that is of a completely different style! 

 

I've been waiting for a moment to use this illustration!  She is perfect!  I would love to have this smocked floral wallpaper!  Of course, the chair is just wonderful in yellow velvet upholstery!

I really need to learn this technique of applying fabric to walls and then using nailheads to accent in a classic design.  I happen to think that the desk chair and yellow blotter gives this area the spark that makes the statement!

Until next time!

Rhonda

*Original image credits via my Pinterest boards

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French Inspiration

Let me first apologize for not having the original credits for this lovely image!  If you should know where the credit should go, please contact me so that I can give credit where credit is due!  I am so inspired by the clean and simple elegance of this dining space!  You know, it may not even just be a dining space alone, but have multiple uses; which would make it that much more endearing.  I'm completely smitten by the French chairs!  The fabric and finish makes them wonderfully versatile to be placed in any room.  The finish of the table is truly beautiful and I feel also enhances the style with the cabriole legs and the cross bars that add additional support and stability to the legs.  I know that this look is very taste specific, especially since there are some who have not grown quite fond of the rustic, reclaimed wood trend that we're now embracing.  I do think, like everything else in fashion, styles have their moments!  However, I also think that when you have classic pieces such as the chairs, table, and cabinet, the finish can be changed to update the piece or leave it as is to add interest and invoke a bit of history, now matter how recent.

Well, I'm off to do some sourcing for a project and hopefully get some ideas for my own home that I am currently in the throws of freshening up!  I will have quite a few pics from this project to share!

Have a lovely Monday,

Rhonda



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