Archives for January 2013

Agate Accessories: Jewelry for the Home

January 18, 2013

These natural beauties have been showing up for months in jewelry and in home accessories. From bookends and wine stoppers, to plates and coasters, these little gems are a piece of jewelry for the home. Agate is the oldest stone in recorded history. These semi-precious stones are typically formed when water flows through lava holes. Many of the gems come from Brazil, according to Rablabs.

agate

image via Rablabs

Geode agates are rocks with a small cavity containing crystals or other minerals as shown here in these bookends.

Agate Bookendsimage via Rablabs

Coasters and platters are quite popular and their edges are usually left natural and unpolished. Platters like these from Rablads, have sterling silver or 24K gold added to the edges.

Agate Platters

 

West Elm offers these precious coasters in a deep Aegean blue color which is perfect for any cocktail table.

Agate Coasters- West Elm

And last but not least, I would love to see this every day in my home. Blue agate at its best!Agate Wall

image via pinterest

Filed Under: Accessories Tagged With:

Emerald Green: 2013 Pantone Color of the Year

January 17, 2013

Every December Pantone picks the “new color of the year”. If you are not familiar with Pantone Inc; it is a corporation in New Jersey that is best known for its Pantone Matching System (PMS) which in used in many industries that manufacture paint, plastics and fabric. For 2013, Pantone’s color is emerald green. It is lively as well as radiant and lush. This color is known to enhance our sense of well-being, balance and harmony.

How do they choose a color of the year?  According to Pantone, they scout out different cultures and influences around the globe looking for inspiration.

What does it mean to fashion and the home furnishings industry when they choose a color? It means that this year you will see a surge of this color in everything from handbags and shoes to fabrics and household items.

 

Pantone 2013 Color of the Year

 

             Handbag – Marc Jacobs – Rio Satchel Bag /Dinnerware – C Wonder
            Nail Polish – L’oreal / Trench Coat – Burberry/ Vases- Global Views
                 Earrings – Etsy / Shoes – Cole Haan/ Garden Seat – Emissary
                               Tile – Ann Sacks / Wallpaper – Cole and Sons

 

 

 

Filed Under: Color Tagged With:

Design Around the Television

January 17, 2013

Televisions had come a long way in the past ten years and continue to surprise me with all the technology and gadgets they have to offer. Back in my day, there was no such thing as remote much less high-definition anything. It was called a television “set” and it sat on a table…yes, just a regular table.

Today it is all about the flat screen television. In order to enhance the look of the television or enhance the wall that it is mounted on, here are a few solutions to design around the television.

Arranging art on the wall around the television is a great way to disguise it, so to speak. It can simply blend into the wall and appear to be part of the art arrangement or gallery.

Design around the Television - Interior Walls Designs

image via pinterest

Placing the television above the fireplace is still quite common in many living spaces. Hammersmith of Atlanta finished the area with millwork to enhance the fireplace and its surroundings.

Design around the Television - Interior Walls Designs

Other solutions include using sliding doors on a metal tracks to conceal the television when not in use.

Design around the Television - Interior Walls Designs

image via HGTV Green Home 2011

image via pinterest- favorite places & spaces

Instead of just mounting the television on the wall, another approach is to frame the television like your would frame a mirror or picture. This will integrate the television into the wall and be a more finished, stylish look.

Design around the television

image via The Art of TV – 2012 San Francisco Decorator Showcase – Designer Amy Weaver

Doors can also be hinged so that they open to the side for television viewing. Any type of art or graphic can be applied to the doors.

Design around the Television - Interior Walls Designs

image via pinterest

Filed Under: Wall Treatments Tagged With: ,

Hue Knew? – The Color Yellow

January 15, 2013

The most highly visible off all the colors is yellow. The psychology of this color is that it is illuminating and inspiring. It evokes happiness and cheer. According to Tuned-In, yellow stimulates mental activity. It has been said that when humans write and then read something back from a pastel yellow piece of paper, their brains have a better shot at remembering the information. Maybe that is why small memo pads are yellow. And what about the Yellow Pages? Maybe there is some science behind these theories.

This color can also produce anxiety in some situations and make one feel anxious. Some studies say that large amounts of it should not be used in nurseries for it can make babies cry.

Using yellow can perk up any gray or blue setting to suggest instant freshness. Designer Steve Gambrel used a mustard tone to liven up this living area.

Hue Knew? The Color Yellow - Interior Walls Designs

image via House and Home – Designer Steve Gambrel

Hue Knew? The Color Yellow - Interior Walls Designs

A great sense of balance in created by using the color navy. It is not as harsh as black and therefore reads well in a space.

Hue Knew? The Color Yellow

image via pinterest

The grey-green walls are in this living space are brought to life with the floor to ceiling drapery panels. Trim details on the leading edge of the drapery relate back to the wall color.Hue Knew? The Color Yellow

Hue Knew? The Color Yellow

image via Traditional Home – Designer Barry Dixon

Filed Under: Color Tagged With: ,

Cowhide Rugs: Pattern and Patchwork

January 14, 2013

Cowhides…either you love them or hate them. You want one, or you will never own one. Plain and simple.

Cowhide rugs are more popular than ever and have made a new design statement when it comes to the various patterns that are now available. The typical cowhide shape is still popular but the new trend is the patterned and patchwork hides. You can purchase a hide in varying styles and patterns including stripes, chevron and patchwork.

Cowhide Rugs - Patchwork Design

image via House and Home – Designer Nam Dang- Mitchell

Available in many color combinations, they can even be dyed to a color of your choice. At the recent Atlanta Gift and Home Furnishings Market in Atlanta, there was a wonderful representation shown by Saddlemans.

2013-01-14_140604

This serene living area uses this patchwork rug to ground the neutral sofa. Hints of blue also add a sense of restfulness to the space.

Cowhide Rugs Interior Walls Designs

image via House Beautiful June 2011 – Designer Sally Markham

Designer Kristine Paige Kamenstein brings interest and texture to this foyer by  introducing the neutral geometric cowhide .

Cowhide Rugs Interior Walls Designs

image via Angeleno Interiors Spring 2010

Filed Under: Area Rugs Tagged With: ,