All about the color...purple...

This is one of my all time favorite designs by New Orleans designer Hal Williamson in House Beautiful and I studied these pictures when I got my issue.  I had never thought about the color purple much before this article, but, he uses these muted tones so well that I fell in love with the color.  I would especially love to use Martha Stewart's 'Shantung' (for Sherwin Williams) if its still available.  I remember I went out and got samples of this color while I was still in design school and used it in a project.  I love the style of furniture in this house as well as the colors.  

Do you love it or not?  Would you use these muted purple/lavender tones in your home or for a client's house?

Benjamin Moore's 'Driftscape Tan' which reads lavender
Such a gorgeous mix of furniture and materials

You can just spy the iconic Beverly Hills wallpaper
in the kitchen of large banana leaves

Silky curtains and a photo of Ella Fitzgerald in the parlor
Walls are 'Grisaille' by Martha Stewart, another
muted lavender

Martha Stewart's 'Shantung' for Sherwin Williams
Silkscreen of Mahalia Jackson by New Orleans artist
Richard Thomas
Toile  'Louisiana Purchase'

(Article here)

(interior design by Hal Williamson)

(images by John Kernick)

Oh the lucky people who get to live here - 

If you need styling services, please contact me and

I can work with you via email - 

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Saturday in the kitchen...

The snow is falling now in the metro New York city area, the temperature is cold so its a great time to invite you in to have a cuppa tea or coffee in this gorgeous kitchen.  The mix of textures in this kitchen...the stone floor, metal, wood, wicker and fur are a fabulous combo making this more like a room than a kitchen.  And it has my favorite AGA cooker, even better.  I love the fur literally 'warming' up the space - do you like it?  Have a great weekend!

(image)


Contact me for online consultations for styling your own home-
monacointeriors76@yahoo.com

Thanks for stopping by and don't forget to visit
me on PINTEREST!!

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Design idea #1...curtain as a room divider...

I want to share with you a design 'tip' that I have used and would like to highlight for inspiration.  If you have a hallway or entrance that needs to be visually separated from a living area, or that might be draughty in the winter, or, just needs a little spicing up with color and pattern, then go ahead and add a single panel or pair of curtains.

In my cottage, I added a single panel curtain, though I have used a pair in the past.  One curtain does the trick here. The hallway is a brick floor and one wall is wood paneling (the other is two windows), so, to give it some 'oomph' and add color and pattern in both the living room and hall, I added a blue and white check Swedish style curtain. It also distinguishes between the two areas since there is no door here. I got these curtains a long time ago on sale at JC Penney's home store. I don't think I paid more than $15 for them, so they were a bargain.

View from hall into the living room giving the impression of two
distinct spaces

Curtain is blue, but shows as 'grey-ish' here because of the light

Rugs add more color and tie in with the blue checks in the living room

Looking into the hallway, I know, the paneling is very 70's,
but I love the look of it here - mirrors are from IKEA
and the 'LAKE' sign is vintage

Here, you can see the brick floor and a glimpse into the front
bedroom with my vintage leather footstool I scored for $25!!
The chair is IKEA's Poang with white cover, antique Art
Deco rug


The curtain adds just enough to this application to give the room some
'oomph' as I like to call it.  I can switch it up with a different colored
curtain or add a sheer with it.

When I lived in England, I knew some friends who liked to cover their
front door with a velvet curtain to keep out the cold.

How have you visually separated a space with no door?

What do you do to add some warmth, color or pattern to an entrance
or hallway?

(images by me)
Don't forget to visit my PINTEREST BOARDS FOR INSPIRATION!

THANK YOU FOR STOPPING BY!

I am available for myVirtualDecor design service from anywhere in the
world - my rates are reasonable and I can assist you
with any design project. 

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Top 8 living rooms...

Hello Bloggers!  I have compiled a list of my picks for the top 8 living rooms.  Please keep in mind these are only my choices and I know there are thousands of living rooms out there that deserve inclusion, but, courtesy of House Beautiful, my choices have lots of similarities as you will discover.  What makes a great room? Color? Texture? Balance? All of the above? Which is your favorite and why?

How is your weekend going?  I spent the day yesterday out in the New Jersey countryside, yes, New Jersey has fabulous country, at the Far Hills Race Meeting.  It is a steeplechase horse racing event on grass for charity and didn't disappoint. Lots of tailgate parties, tweed, wellies and wine to go with it.  Enjoy the rest of your Sunday!

White walls, leggy furniture, pop of color with soft reds, rustic beams
design by Jason Bell; image Simon Upton

White walls, leggy French furniture, natural rug, gold
accents, crystal chandelier - neutral and stunning
image by Bjorn Wallander

White walls, natural rug, leggy furniture, gorgeous pop of pink
design by Jonathan Berger; image Francesco Lagnese

One of my top two!  white walls, pop of yellow and blue,
striped black & white floor, star chandelier
design by Ginger Barber; image Victoria Pearson

White walls, curtains, rug, pops of colors - blue and orange, zebra
chair, gold accents
design by Melissa Warner; image Victoria Pearson

White/creamy walls, natural rug, leggy French chairs, metal tables,
lots of gold, LOVE that sofa
design by Dana Lyon; image Reed Davis

White walls, animal rug, white chairs, leggy tables, bust,
hint of gold in the pillow, black & white
design by Stephen Shubel;  image Luca Trovato


MY FAVORITE:
Design by Hal Williamson
Image John Kernick

Mauve walls, leggy French furniture, gold

accents, natural blinds, silky curtains, crystal chandelier

I LOVE French and Swedish furniture

in this type of room - it always looks

beautiful and adds 'legs' -

See any similarities?  I do - lots of white, animal

accessories, gold accents, natural elements,

pops of color, symmetry in some of the rooms;

my favorite room has mauve walls, but I could

see them with a soft white as well - this room is perfect to

me.  The crystal, the gold and the furniture are 

just wonderful; I only wish I could see the front of 

the sofa!!  I have studied this room ad nauseam and I never

tire of it.  Great design should never be tiresome, it 

should always be inspiring.  

With that said, I am available for e-design from anywhere

in the world - please visit my 'Services' page for information-

I am flexible as well, depending upon the project or work

needed.  

Do you have a favorite room from this list? Please let

me know which one and why in the comments below!

Also please visit my Pinterest Boards and

my Whites and Neutrals Board in particular 

for more inspirational rooms-

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Best of MI...Dreaming of white...

Hello bloggers! Its been ages and I do apologize, but I seem to have lost my 'mojo' - and I'm having trouble getting it back.  So please bear with me while I try to sort it out...bringing you a post from 2011 about white and it features one of my faves, Swedish design.  How are you all doing? Any plans for the fall?

Also, if anyone needs interior styling assistance, please contact me -monacointeriors76@yahoo.com -
thanks -

*******************************************************************************

FROM JULY 2011

I can't shake it...these white interiors are not just speaking to me, they are shouting! Rather dramatic, but I wanted to make the point.  I think because it is summer, it is easy to love white and I will have something special I just got to show you later in the week. For now, feast the eyes on these fabulous photos of Swedish apartments courtesy of my blogging friend Tiina at Elce Stockholm - it's no secret that the Scandinavian style is so sought after as you can see -

I love all of these and this last photo is a Windsor Smith design - I think what I really love about white is that it allows other colors to 'pop' and really shine in a space. For more Swedish design, visit Tiina here. I hope you are all having a great week!!

(images elcestockholm.blogspot.com

(Windsor Smith via House of Turquoise)

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Saturday in the kitchen...

Good morning! Its a gorgeous day here in Maine and I will be going for a walk soon.  I'm in the mood to look at a Swedish influenced kitchen design how about you? I love the white floors, subway tile and simple counters.  The pale gray paint lends a certain sophistication as well. The light fixture, checkered floor and framed photos in the background in black and white add some depth.  I could live here, could you? I hope you have some great plans today!


=

(image)


You can follow me on PINTEREST and TWITTER too -

Please contact me for interior styling at monacointeriors76@yahoo.com

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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

(image)

Swedish

((image)

Blue and white

(image)

White chic

(image)

Rustic chic

(image)

Furry chic

(image)

Texture chic

(image)

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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Yellow + white = Gorgeous Bedroom

I have been remiss in posting this week as I have a few things going on and I'm taking a blogging class! But, because its so cold here in Downeast Maine, I thought it would be a good idea to post this gorgeous yellow in a dreamy bedroom to remind you that spring is, in fact, coming very soon...when, who knows? But until then, I want to look at bright colors. Enough of the black, grey, maroons and browns - its over!! So let's think spring and move forward!! Happy Sunday!!

What do you LOVE about this room? What don't 

you love? Would you use these colors in your bedroom?

(image)

Please contact me so I can help you decorate and style your 

interiors.  Please click on the 'Services' above and you can

email me: monacointeriors76@yahoo.com.

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Spectacular room...

This room is so beautiful, I would love to just repose here for the day wouldn't you? I found this on My Scandinavian Home blog via This is Paper- totally dreamy for a leisurely Saturday! You must see the whole house, I can't stop looking at it. It is in Finland - Enjoy the view -

Photos: Anders Portman and Martin Sommerschield

If you need help decorating or styling your rooms, bath, or

kitchen, contact me for information or click on my 'Services'!!

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Serenity now...

I am having a hard time living without my beloved little best friend and with all that is going on in this crazy world, I am seeking out calming interiors.  White is such a wonderful option and it is no wonder that it is the color of mourning in Arab countries.  Its strangely soothing quality is much needed in this frenetic and crazy life.  When in doubt, go with white - peace and prayers to everyone...

via

Happy weekend -

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Dear design diary...whites + neutrals + Scooter...

Hello blogland! My posts are sporadic because I am dealing with a very sick cat right now and it is taking a toll emotionally.  Scooter has diabetes along with thyroid issues and had pancreatitis last week, which he is still barely recovering from. I have to give him subcutaneous fluids nightly along with a litany of medicines - its not pretty, so I am taking it one day at a time. He is 17 years old now and I can't tell you how truly difficult this is for me. I have already thought he was a goner twice now, though he showed improvement, but now seems to be on a downswing.  I will be honest, it is really stretching me financially, but I wouldn't think twice about getting him proper care.

So its Sunday now, and I started writing this yesterday.  We had a very bad night, I won't go into detail, but I have a call in to a doctor and am waiting for her to call me back to discuss the situation.

I can't really focus on the blog right now but wanted to highlight fabulous design inspiration from Pinterest - once you start pinning, you can't stop. I particularly love all the white and neutral photos, so much that I created this category. I am also obsessed with all the fashion on Pinterest and find it has given me good ideas to apply to my own rather boring wardrobe.  Do you find this to be the case too? What is your favorite category?

Enjoy!

The incomparable Darryl Carter...via

Beautiful design by Georgia Carlee via

via

via

Swedish design via

via

This is a rockin' space -

via

If you are so inclined, please say a little prayer for my valiant little Scooter,

fighting for his life right now - he is very strong and stubborn. 

Have a great Sunday -

xo

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Inspired by...Marmalade Interiors!

Jill Sorenson was born in Sweden and is now the principal of Marmalade Interiors, based in McLean, Virginia. Her work was featured in the recent issue of Ivy & Piper magazine (go here) and when I checked out her portfolio, a particular residence stood out for me. I loved her home in the feature, with lots of bright colors, but these photos are truly inspiring. I think you may agree -

I am in love with Swedish design...how about you?? Would you love to live like this?

For more inspiration from this talented designer go here -

(images marmaladeinteriors.com)

For information about my design services and VirtualDecor, please contact me at monacointeriors76@yahoo.com.

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