A Passion for Poufs

POUFS, POUFS, AND MORE POUFS!

Poufs seem to be the latest craze in interior design.  Let's think about it....we're always looking for extra seating in a room.  Guests pop in, families gathering in one space, even in a child's room.  What better way to add accent and color in a space than by adding a pouf.

A substitute for the old hassock that my parents had in the living room  of white vinyl with a red piping trim and red button tufted in the middle.  Although now that I think of it I was probably 2 or 3 years old in the family photo and that hassock looks pretty retro for a today's retro designed room.

Today's poufs are fun and eclectic.

The flame stitch is fun and the pattern is hip.

The crochet will add texture to a room with smooth patterns.

The jute pouf will add texture to a natural space.  This will fit well in a 
 room that is Restoration Hardwared.










The geometric paired with a vertical stripe will fit well into a more modern decorated space.

 The ikat pouf is a popular choice in current decorating fabric styles. This particular pouf is more square in style.

Another popular pattern is the Chevron.  This pattern is more fun
and will fit well in a children's room adding adding seating at the children's play table for friends to socialize.

 Gray is very  much still the color of the day.  Embellished  with neutral jute crochet detail, this pouf is classic and simple in style.

 Poufs are a versatile option for additional seating. Why not take the pouf plunge!

Lamp Shades Are The Icing On The Cake

Lamp shades in decorating are like the icing on the cake.  They can be the one last touch of style added to a room design.

Sometimes you become tired of your space the colors the furniture the rugs.  Try this little money saving tip in redesigning your space.

Choose a fun, upbeat contrast color to go with when changing out your accessories.  Pillows, candlesticks, picture frames and area rugs are just to mention a few.  However, don't forget the lamp shade.  There are so many fun, funky and playful lamp shades that can turn you blah room into a bling room.

 This one for an elegantly fun look from Pier 1.  However white in color, this would work for the shabby chic room design.

This one from Anthropologie.  Love!!! So many floral embellishments and contrast colors to work with for adding pillows rugs and artwork.

This one also from Pier 1 has a beautiful modern art decor feel but still adding warmth with the dark background shade and gold leaf accent design.








Below are some inexpensive lamp shade choices from Target.  Not your typical lamp shade of ivory or white but the name of the game is  to add some frosting to the cake. 

Loving all of the lamp shade choices.  Changing the decor of your room is easy by spreading a little icing around! 

I'd love to see what others have used for accent lamp shades....share with us!

Table Setting Thoughts for Thanksgiving

My creative juices are flowing and I can hardly contain myself. A creative table setting during the holidays is always fun.  I like to take my time to create a beautiful table to enjoy for the holidays.

This season, I find myself gravitating towards turkey designed plates.  Does anyone remember the Greenridge Turkey Farm in Nashua, NH?  This use to be where the Barnes and Noble store is now on Daniel Webster Highway.  I never thought I'd be writing a blog about turkey designed plates.  All I remember is how I thought they were so unattractive in my childhood days.  Now, I find myself gravitating to them. The different colors and styles allow for a festive themed dining table.  The plate is the inspiration piece offering direction towards colors used to design your dinner table.  Take a look at these,

 These dishes set on a gold tablecloth would be rich in color and contrast.

This turkey plate is set on a red paisley patterned tablecloth.  The contrast of colors on the plates edge of greens and reds compliment the tablecloth and the green charger plates used as a base for the turkey plates.

These antique turkey designed plates are beautiful. Set on a white background allows for the turkey to stand out enhancing all the multi contrasting colors in the plate.

If you have some turkey plates your using for your Thanksgiving table setting.  We'd love for your to share with us.

Halloween on Pine Valley Drive

Ryan, Halloween 2012, Buzz Lightyear

The last day of October always brings fall excitement.  Running to my parent's home on Halloween night to see my almost 4 year old  nephew  Ryan make his yearly costume debut visit. This year a light up and flashing Buzz Lightyear. Buzz visited shortly before he was flying off to infinity and beyond to trick or treat with the cousins. Something felt different. Not only had the costumes changed, the same house where I used to ready for the tour of the neighborhood trying to score  the most candy of the night just didn't seem the same.  

Halloween 1975

The neighborhood was still hustling with little children and the doorbell ringing. My mother still so excited to answer the door as my father sat in his chair reading the paper.  Mom  knew all the little children and I realized that I knew no one, didn't recognize a single face.  My childhood neighborhood was filled with strangers.  As I pulled out of the driveway, I drove past Mr. Martin's to see his silhouette at the front door greeting trick or treaters before he left for Florida in the morning for the winter season.

Halloween 1972

One thing didn't change, the fall decor I rememberd and loved on the night of Halloween growing up  on Pine Valley Drive.  The fallen leaves covering the street, the dark and mysterious walkways.  The hike up the hilly driveways and cutting through the woods and the flashlights glaring in the dark. The memories were all coming back as I drove off.

PVD house lot 1963 Mom, Debbe and Kathy

What was obvious to me now was how caught up I was in my adult life that I had forgotten that this neighborhood full of childhood memories has designed my daily life and molded me into the person I was today.

Summer 1967, Kathy, Randy, Danny, Debbe

Winter, 1967, Kathy, Debbe, Nick

Pine Valley Drive had the best memories for me.  The Marsdens, the Martins, the Edwards, the Callerys, the Pouliots. We had the best neighbors, the best neighborhood for Halloween, the best kickball games in the streets and the best tree forts ever!  The Sunday backyard football games with Dad and Uncle Ted and the snow days sledding down the middle of the street and ice skating in the cove on Beaver Brook; such memories. Why? We all had the best parents, siblings and families.  For myself and my sisters and brother it was our "big fat Greek upbringing". We, our childhood friends, were the original Pine Valley Drive dwellers for all of our childhood to college to leaving the nest lives where some of our parents still live.  This Is Home!

Mom, Spring 1977, Gina arrives in 1976

What had changed? It was the  realization that the aging process had begun and Halloween night took me back to my childhood days growing up in my parents home since I was a one year old.  Pine Valley Drive has played a large part in "designing my daily life".  What childhood memories have designed yours?

The Personal Furniture Shopping Experience

I'm so excited about our new venture of beginning our own personal furniture showroom.  We have so many pieces to offer our clients.  From a large selection of table lamps, accents tables, leather chairs and sectionals to framed pictures and mirrors. 

Because we don't have the overhead of a large furniture showroom, we are able to offer our customers better than showroom pricing.  In addition another benefit to our customers, our person attention will be all yours due to our by appointment only showings.  That's right!  Our flexibility and after hours availability is another benefit we offer.

Whether new construction or just replacing that leather loveseat, you will be able to sit in our leather line from Bradington Young and select your seating, arm, leg, cushion and grade of leather for your personal preference.  This again is one of the benefits we will be offering.

If custom window treatments, pillows or anything created for your home that involves fabric is what you're looking for, after the furniture is selected walk over to our fabric room to view a large selection of fabric books filled with a wide array of pattern, colors and styles. 

If paint color for your walls is also another design element you need to add to your space, we have a full line of paint samples from Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore.

If you enjoy the comfort of shopping for your interior space in a more home style personal atmosphere  and   enjoy that one-on-one personal attention.  Call or email us today to set up your on personal furniture viewing.

Storage in the Playroom

Being creative with storage in a childs playroom can be fun.  Use your imagination with existing furniture pieces throughout your home.  Here are some ideas I've used for this recent child art and playroom.

The request was to make an all purpose playroom and art center for the children.  So many art supplies needed a place to live.  I was presented with a room filled with boxes and proceeded to create.

Art Supply Center After

Art Supply Center Before

I used the closet in the room to create an art supply center. Organizing paints, brushes, crayons, stencils, paper and all art supplies here.  The children's' own personal paintings and artwork were used as the window valance in the room instead of a fabric curtain.

Paintings Used as Window Valance

The use of a black tall bookcase turned sideways for easy reach by the children of their toys.  Storage baskets hold the smaller toy items.

A child's small black round drop-leaf table is used at the center of the room for art activities. A vibrant red loveseat provides a comfortable place for reading books and hanging out.

Before

 Bookcases were utilized to store and display books, puzzles, toys for easy access.

After

Children's self portrait art was displayed

Kermit found his proper place in the playroom.

Basement play area with bookcase toy storage.

 In the basement was the music center for the children.  Again the use of an existing bookcase was used to display and store loose musical instruments for the children's easy reach.

Creating a child's own personal playroom can be fun and promotes your own creativity as well.  A room like this one inspires the children to be as creative as they can be!

Project Inspiring Props

Wooden Beam inspires kitchen cabinet color

 Simple props we see everyday in our home can inspire creativity and motivation.  Also in our daily travels there are items we see beautiful and out of the ordinary that can also spark our creative juices within our interior spaces.

Here are a few inspiring props that I've been working with.

This hand-sewn silk screen inspires wall, furniture and lighting color of blues, greens and black tones to be used in a large natural lighted space. Spiced up with some shades of teal and tangerine will add that needed pop of color.

Elvis and Nancy inspire a dining area with the theme prints from Elvis Presley's movies.  A very nostalgic way to go.  This poster allows reds, blacks, golds, and soft blues to be introduced in the the room.  Going down this road will spark dinner conversation and old time memories based on the theme created.

This balloon light hanging in the New Museum in New York was inspiration for a children's play room.  The primary colors here make for an easy game plan and color scheme. Creating a fun and stimulating playroom for children using reds, blues black and yellows will make their room "the place to be"!




Finding decorating inspiration is always fun.  I find that once you've chosen the piece that inspires you the most, the creativity that runs through your mind doesn't stop until your project is complete.

If you've found some design inspiration share with.....I'd love to hear what inspires you!

Happy Decorating!