What's not to love about...WHITE?

For any skeptics out there who are hesitant about using white in design, here are some examples to prove just how versatile and truly neutral white is.  White will make any color pop, white can add texture and add sheer chic to any design. I love looking at these, I find it very calming and soothing as well - great to come home to after a busy day of work.  What do you love or dislike about white? Would you design around an all white room?

Shabby chic

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Swedish

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Blue and white

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White chic

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Rustic chic

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Furry chic

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Texture chic

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Which if your favorite? You can follow my Pinterest board

devoted entirely to Whites and Neutrals -

Enjoy the day!

Please visit my shop and see if there is a gift idea

you might not have thought about before -

email me for any questions: monacointeriors76@yahoo.com

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It's never too late...

What a week - I don't really know what to post.  Everyday life becomes so trivial when you read about death and carnage that is all so unnecessary.  Instead of interiors, I thought I would post a good old quote:

It's never too late -in fiction or in life-
to revise.

Nancy Thayer


Food for thought?  2012 was a year of profound changes for me.  As I get older I realize that you can always revise -- whether its your house, your life, your body, your nutrition, your spirituality, your job, your sofa, your nail polish and the list goes on.  Some of these things are trivial, such as nail polish! but, your life, body etc. are definitely an important ongoing work in progress right? 

So as spring is here (supposedly!), will there be anything in your life you will be revising this year? 

Have a great weekend! 



Please visit my shop to see what I have for sale- or contact me for design assistance at monacointeriors76@yahoo.com.

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The view from my backyard...

Thought I would do something a little different today.  I live across from the beach in Downeast Maine (that's local speak for this part of the coast) and want to post a video of my view.  It was clear, sunny and a balmy 43 degrees, so I was bundled up with layers!  Have a great rest of the weekend!

(video by me)

Check out my Shop under my blog header - I have some

items still for sale - they MUST GO!!

See ya later! Thanks for stopping by! Please say hi-

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Best of MI...Inspiration for 2013...

Happy New Year!! Here is to new beginnings, bittersweet endings and best wishes for a fabulous 2013!  Welcome back to my continued 'Best of' series...I loved this story about the Nearings and hope you will too.  It provides inspiration, which is what all of us need at the end of the year as we look to the new year.  I hope you all have a wonderful time today and tonight and I will see you back here in 2013!  Much love and thanks to my followers, readers, and anyone who stops by my little tiny corner of the internet universe - I love 'knowing' and communicating with all of you!! xoxoxo



Not to be preachy or anything like it, but I came across these wonderful words that are food for thought on this summer Sunday. Helen and Scott Nearing left their cosmopolitan life in New York City to live in the wilderness of Vermont in 1932 and wrote a book, 'Living the Good Life: How to Live Sanely and Simply in a Troubled World' and it was described as 'this century's Walden.'  They lived as simply as possible and later Helen wrote a memoir, 'Loving and Leaving the Good Life' and lived into her 90's and Scott lived to 100. I LOVE this list that Helen included in her memoir and hope you see something you like as well:

*Do the best you can, whatever arises.

*Be at peace with yourself.

*Find a job you enjoy.

*Live in simple conditions; housing, food, clothing; get rid of clutter.

*Contact nature every day; feel the earth under your feet.

*Take physical exercise through hard work; through gardening or walking.

*Don't worry; live one day at a time.

*Share something every day with someone else; if you live alone, write someone; give something away; help someone else somehow.

*Take time to wonder at life and the world; see some humor in life where you can.

*Observe the one life in all things.

*Be kind to the creatures.

Which is your favorite? I love all of them, but particularly like 'live in simple conditions' etc. But they all give me something to ponder.

Have a great Sunday! ;-))

(image by me)

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Dear Design Diary...

I really LOVED every room in this home featured in the new Ivy & Piper magazine of Lady Chatterley's Affair blog's house.  Have you seen the issue? There is something so comforting and cozy yet simple and chic about the colors she uses against a white background. It is an aesthetic I truly love, how about you?  Feast your eyes:

What do you love here? I love the black + white paper, the 

gingham, the chair and chair fabric 

What do you love here? I love the fab gingham window treatment,

the blue lampshades, the colorful pillows, chairs and white walls

LOVE this room! The green and blue sofas, tables, lamp, 

gingham, white table and rug

Red, white and blue never gets old - and that chair!

(photography by Stuart Parker for I&P)

Look how cute the baby is!! (and the subway tile here is wonderful) -

thank you TINA of Lady Chatterley's Affair for sharing pics

of your lovely home and the INSPIRATION! 

Visit her blog for more fun -

Read Ivy & Piper for more inspiration! 

I think I want to move to Australia, the design scene there

is so vibrant isn't it?

If you need inspiration, stop by my blog and many other

design, art and fashion blogs for your daily fix

If you need assistance decorating your home, please contact me at monacointeriors76@yahoo.com for rates and information. 

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Jennifer Aniston & denim in design...

Does this girl ever look bad? Not only is she stylish, but she always looks great in a pair of jeans. Which brings me to the fashion-design connection. Jeans are the ultimate icons of casual comfort and effortless chic. Denim and blues look equally great in a room designed for casual comfort. Here are some photos with looks that echo one another:

Jen looking swell in jeans, leather jacket and blue scarf...

Jen looking great in a ripped pair of jeans with high heels...

 

 Jen in my favorite outfit that is so easy to copy...chic, simple and a little more dressy with the black jacket and boots...

This room has denim on the sofas which is great for a chic and casual family room...notice the black coffee table echoing Jen's jacket...design by Lynn Morgan (original image by Jeremy Samuelson)

 This is a gorgeous blue room seen on the cover of the March 2010 House Beautiful designed by Tobi Fairley. It has the added interest of different textures, similar to Jen's scarf in the first photo and her shoes in the second photo.  (original image by Francesco Lagnese)

This library is chic with simple lines and casual fabrics designed by Kristen Panitch

(original image by Mikel Vang)

(images of Jennifer Aniston, various AP)

Do you have denim fabrics in your home? if not, where might you like to add them?

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New Blog Obsessions...

Currently I have five new blogs I am checking out daily and find utterly inspiring...I have added 2 blogs to the list as honorable mentions. Here are my new daily obsessions:

http://www.dailysuze.com/ - check in with this talented Italian whose opinions, photos and blog are as unique as she is...a really fun read!

http://www.fabulousdoodles.blogspot.com/ - Brooke is a very talented fashion illustrator whose work is gorgeous and she even gives you tips if you want to try drawing illustrations yourself. Her work is available for purchase too.

http://www.kailiart.blogspot.com/ - follow the very talented Australian artist Kaili as she goes back to school and showcases her beautiful art work.

http://www.mirrormirror.typepad.com/ - read the writing and musings of Paola, a transplanted Brit living in Seattle; her commentary is funny and quirky and you can shop in her online boutique.

http://www.rainakattelson.blogspot.com/ - Raina is a wonderfully talented stylist, with a great job, whose inspirational journey is documented via photos with snippets of her life too.

Honorable Mention:

http://www.madebygirl.blogspot.com/ - this is a well-known blog in the world of design, but new to me. I love Jennifer's aesthetic as she showcases designer's homes and her own fabulous graphic design business available for purchase. You can shop on her site as well.

http://www.mdashing.wordpress.com/ -  Amy is a writer who lives in Brooklyn and shares her enthusiastic journey through life with photos and a unique perspective. You can feel her energy when you read her words.

Please take some time to check out these wonderful blogs from around the globe and make connections, leave comments and say hello. Bloggers love feedback!! Happy reading!

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