Brass Button Tufting

Speaking of buttons, can I tell you how much I LOVE the brass buttons Amanda Nisbet used in the headboard she created for her Kips Bay room?

I've been planning a DIY tufted headboard project for one of my clients and I think this little brass detail is going to put it over the top.

I'm pushing for a bright cobalt blue fabric. Won't that be gorgeous with the brass accents?? Can't wait.

Rope Detailing

I like *touches* of nautical inspiration in home decor. Not whole rooms - but maybe like a little brass anchor on a stack of books. Or a bold navy and white stripe fabric. But as of late, my favorite thing has been carved rope detailing on furniture.

I bought these stools a couple months ago on eBay (there are still some available if you are interested in making an offer).

Even though I'm planning to reupholster and repaint them, I still love the shape.

I wish mine were a little more delicate and had the nice knot detail like this much more expensive Draper bench and Meg Braff's vintage chairs below. Someday maybe, but mine are great for now, and I think really fit the scale of our space.

images source: Coastal Living

Also, another rope project HERE:

Inspiration: Book Shelf Styling

When I'm styling a bookshelf, I try to keep the tchotckies under control. I like books a lot and think they should be the star of the shelves normally. We're going to have a wall of books in the office (no accessories at all probably) so for the bookshelf under the new sconces in the living room, I'm going to mix things up a little. Probably like half books, half accessories.

Here are some inspiration shots. Let's play a little game of I Spy.

I spy with my little eye books arranged by color, but not in an annoying perfect sort of way. Sort of just stacked and piled by tone. Also, I like all the family photos grouped on the shelf. It's a good idea to keep things that are meant to be examined at eye level.

Kelly Klein via Habitually Chic

I love the square shape of these shelves. It makes it easier to display larger pieces like the coral and that big turquoise pottery. I would want to check out the contents of these shelves a little closer if I were a visitor here.

It's a good idea to add some bigger pieces to break it up and add a little storage. Try hat boxes, shaker boxes, baskets, lacquered boxes, lidded candy dishes, etc. I also love the yellow on the back of the shelves here.

House Beautiful

This designer left out some of the shelves to make space for bigger artwork and taller accessories. What do you think of this look? I do like some of the bookends here a lot. Pieces like the brass rams are easy to find in thrift stores or on etsy.

M Designs via La Dolce Vita

These shelves are really pretty. Not many books, and the ones here are covered in kraft paper, which is pretty for a more styled look. I love that ostrich egg and that cage/terrarium thing on the bottom shelf. So cool. Also, pretty obsessed with this color of gray.

I looove the coziness of this photo. The slouchy couch. The laid back book arrangement. I also love the Staffordshire doggies, the ginger jar and the bullseye mirror. The little checkerboard is also awesome and a nice graphic touch. I've been wanting to incorporate some sort of game board in our house too. Checkerboard or maybe backgammon...

Look! A television!! I like this idea of incorporating a TV into your built-ins.

Lonny

Lots to love on these shelves. I think the designer did a good job of leaving just enough empty space on the shelves (though I would probably prefer more books in the mix here). I think it's easy to overload the shelves and the layers, so be careful there. I think you'd want a maximum of five types of accessories on a single shelf (books count for one type of accessory here).

Martensen via Desire to Inspire

These shelves are more crowded, but I think the trick is the colors are all pretty muted. I love that these items all feel very purposeful and collected - like the owner probably has a cool adventure story behind each object.

Jaime's (I Suwanee) Bookcase of the Day

Another one with some shelves removed for art. Love that ladder!

Martha Stewart Living

Fun and quirky for a teenager's room...

Betsy Burnham via Decor Demon

I love the burl wood frame here. And this is just the right mix of books to accessories for me.

Summer Heckman in Lonny

More square shelves! Galvanized metal here maybe? I like how these are casually stacked. The color groupings flow nicely for a great overall composition.

Nuevo Estilo

Colorful and pretty. Love the turquoise vase and the modern artwork up top especially. I also spy a pair of candlesticks, two different types of coral, a beautiful tortoise shell glass vase, a zinc letter and little framed pieces of art on easels.

Ashley Mcaleer in Domino

Off to style my shelves which I'll share soon. (P.S. You're going to love the paint job!)
xx

Trimming out walls with ribbon

These two images make me want to go clean out M&J Trimming and then come home and hot glue silk (like the yellow) or grosgrain (like the black) ribbon to every edge and corner of every wall in my house.

Nuevo Estillo


Martha Stewart Living

Trimmed Out IKEA Besta

First off, Jennifer from Rambling Renovators asked me to participate in her blog series called Great Reads. It's an awesome round up of lots of bloggers' favorite post of 2010. Click here to see what post I chose.

Secondly, couldn't you die over this IKEA hack (also posted on IKEA Hacker)?

It's just some upholstery nails tacked into an IKEA Besta console ($125)!

This was the inspiration piece, the Visconti cabinet from Bungalow 5 (retails for about $2300).

Such a statement piece! Love it.

Thanks to Jennifer from Rambling Renovators for the heads up on this project. She found it from Anne-Marie at 10 Rooms.

Trim at Joanns

I recently worked with my sister to redecorate her office/guest room on a budget. We did lots of shopping at thrift stores, IKEA and craft stores. We got all the fabrics for the room at Joanns!

Check out some of the amazing trims available at Joanns right now! I was seriously impressed - a major improvement from the last time I shopped their trims section.

Evelyn likes the zebra trim as much as I do!

Pink box pleats would be so cute on a glider slipcover for a little girls nursery.

Faux croc - maybe a little mini rug binding project?

Black and white stripes make almost anything a little better in my book

Gold!

Classic Greek key

I bought the entire spool of this leopard trim. It was on mega clearance.

Two different python patterns:

I ended up buying several yards of this rainbow ribbon. It's sort of like an abstract painting of polkadots and I love it! (sorry that the photo is out of focus)

How pretty would this folksy (almost suzani?) trim be on simple white linen curtains from IKEA...

I bought some of this sort of tribal-like trim too. Love the colors:

Do you have any fun trim in your house? Send me a photo!

**PS Some of you asked about my nail polish. Sorry you have to look at my chipped nails in almost every picture! The polish is actually a really inexpensive one - Revlon's Orange Flip. I've had it for a while, but I use it all the time. It's a really wearable but fun orangey red.

If you can't find the Revlon shade, Essie's Clam Bake is another orangey red. Also, I think either Madewell or JCrew sells a great shade in-stores.

xx

Delicate

I find myself constantly drawn to small and delicate fretwork, trellis and pierced patterns.

Martha Stewart Living

via Plush Palate

House Beautiful

Arch Digest

A good blanc de chine lamp is no exception.