Does the Farmhouse style appeal to you? If so, then you should take a look at Etsy for some beautiful finds that help to define that aesthetic...
Showing posts with label natural materials. Show all posts
Showing posts with label natural materials. Show all posts
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Saturday, January 14, 2012
EMBRACE ECO-CHIC !
Take a look at some beautiful items on Etsy that really embrace the Eco-Chic style! And remember, often it only takes a few items to refresh a space and add warmth...carefully chosen and strategically placed items have more impact, so take a look around your space and decide upon 1 or 2 items that look at little "tired" and make the decision to replace them with warm selections that appeal to your sense of style.
You have a plan and some ideas, so get started!
Thursday, January 12, 2012
WHAT IS IN STYLE FOR 2012...ECO-CHIC.
Happy New Year!! I am happy to be back on the blog and I have a lot to share in 2012. You will see some changes in the way the blog looks over the next month, as well as some new features, but it is all coming from the same source, Me!
I want to introduce a new series of blog posts that will focus on the top design trends for 2012. I was inspired by an article that I read in Romantic Homes magazine and I wanted to share the design styles with my own perspective and additional sources.
I want to introduce a new series of blog posts that will focus on the top design trends for 2012. I was inspired by an article that I read in Romantic Homes magazine and I wanted to share the design styles with my own perspective and additional sources.
modern living room design by los angeles interior designer Carlos Alberto
The first style trend that will continue to dominate in 2012 is ECO-CHIC. This trend has continued to gain momentum over the past several years and the concepts and products to support this trend have increased 100 fold!
To some, eco-chic means using less paper towels and to others it is a comprehensive lifestyle choice. To me, it means being aware of the products in your home, making conscious decisions in your selections and incorporating natural materials into your space to the extent that it reflects and enhances your personal style.
Interestingly, the addition of natural materials into a space can often make the difference between a warm space and a "chilly" space. In addition, many options exist that are extremely cost effective and in some cases, free. And remember, it is not about creating a space that is simply eco-chic...it IS about embracing your own personal style and adding natural elements that you enjoy and that complement your style.
You can start with a set of organic white sheets, or a reclaimed wood cheeseboard. Beach glass is a beautiful element to include a glass jar or dish... as well as burlap or hemp.
Driftwood is one of my favorite elements and can be incorporated in many beautiful forms. These 3 photos include driftwood items from www.seasideinspired.com. Driftwood adds warmth and is a natural element that can be utilized successfully in rooms of all styles, including more modern settings.
Another versatile product that can add beauty and interest to any wall or space is the 3-d wall panel. There are multiple manufacturers of these products so it is best to take a look and see what company offers products that fit your style and budget. Most are made of biodegradable materials- essentially you receive a pack of 8 or 12 panels that you adhere to the wall, and you can paint them any color as well.
The first style trend that will continue to dominate in 2012 is ECO-CHIC. This trend has continued to gain momentum over the past several years and the concepts and products to support this trend have increased 100 fold!
To some, eco-chic means using less paper towels and to others it is a comprehensive lifestyle choice. To me, it means being aware of the products in your home, making conscious decisions in your selections and incorporating natural materials into your space to the extent that it reflects and enhances your personal style.
Interestingly, the addition of natural materials into a space can often make the difference between a warm space and a "chilly" space. In addition, many options exist that are extremely cost effective and in some cases, free. And remember, it is not about creating a space that is simply eco-chic...it IS about embracing your own personal style and adding natural elements that you enjoy and that complement your style.
You can start with a set of organic white sheets, or a reclaimed wood cheeseboard. Beach glass is a beautiful element to include a glass jar or dish... as well as burlap or hemp.
www.seasideinspired.com
www.seasideinspired.com
www.seasideinspired.com
Driftwood is one of my favorite elements and can be incorporated in many beautiful forms. These 3 photos include driftwood items from www.seasideinspired.com. Driftwood adds warmth and is a natural element that can be utilized successfully in rooms of all styles, including more modern settings.
www.nettletonhollow.com
Nettleton Hollow is a great resource and you can order individual pieces of driftwood in multiple sizes and use them on coffee tables or console tables for a very affordable price. You can also order birch pedestals that can be used as risers in your home.
www.nettletonhollow.com
Another versatile product that can add beauty and interest to any wall or space is the 3-d wall panel. There are multiple manufacturers of these products so it is best to take a look and see what company offers products that fit your style and budget. Most are made of biodegradable materials- essentially you receive a pack of 8 or 12 panels that you adhere to the wall, and you can paint them any color as well.
www.mywallart.com
www.mywallart.com
Are you enjoying that hunting lodge look without the real looking carcass on the wall? Or perhaps you have one too many mirrors in your home and you really need something else on the wall that shows your playful side. Take a look at www.cardboardsafari.com. I love this company and I purchased "Bucky" several years ago and he is still hanging on my guest bedroom wall! As you can see below, there are options that fit into any space and provide whimsy.
www.cardboardsafari.com
www.cardboardsafari.com
And yes, this wreath is made entirely of cardboard. They are fun and VERY affordable...go ahead and vist the website, I know you want to.
Now, you see there are many ways to embrace this concept without having to move in to a treehouse. Or, if you prefer the treehouse, go for it! I couldn't complete this post without the mention of Angela Adams and her rug designs. AMAZING. This is the ultimate secret garden right in your home. WOW! Now go and get started on your own update. What are your favorite ways to incorporate nature in your home?
These are some of the items to look for if you like the ECO-CHIC concept.
- items made from hemp, cotton and burlap
- stoneware and pottery
- old glass
- reclaimed wood
- succulents
and remember, when it comes to artwork, there is nothing more "eco" than outsider folk art where all of the materials used are usually found and recycled into masterpieces!
Friday, October 28, 2011
The Country Living Fair 2011-Vintage Fabrics and Natural Materials
Today's Post continues the series from The Country Living Fair 2011! Some of the most interesting and beautiful items at the Fair this year were those made from vintage fabrics and natural materials. As you will see in this first image, there is nothing more luxurious than layers of tone on tone vintage fabrics and pillows.
This vignette has great impact, and notice the large container filled with bleached peacock feathers... one of my favorite elements for floral designs and one I used recently in an arrangement for a client! There is nothing complicated about this beautiful combination, and in fact, its success lies within its simplicity. If you are wanting to make your bedding more interesting and layered, but feel overwhelmed, then start with a solid coverlet in a "favorite" color and begin searching for throws, pillows, crocheted blankets etc. in different tones and textures of the same color. You will be shocked at the beauty of all of the elements combined.
Some other interesting and fun creations from fabrics are shown below. These display the fun and whimsy that was also present in many spaces at the Fair. Also, notice the great distressed, painted wood christmas trees in the background, these were very well done and different from anything I have seen before.
These baskets would look great hung on a small section of wall that could normally be forgotten, such as a small wall in a laundry room or in between two doors in a hallway. Imagine the wall covered in vintage, muted newsprint wallpaper and then the wall covered in all sizes of these baskets from top to bottom!
These burlap poinsettias were one of my favorite discoveries at the Fair. I plan on ordering these for some creations, because there are so many different ways to use these.
And I loved this sweet display! Who would have thought....a vintage baby carriage with some burlap and mums and voila! Imagine this by your back door! Very simple, natural materials can make quite a statement.
Well, I hope that you feel like you visited the Country Living Fair as well this year! I have some more to share, including 2 of the "Best Displays" at the Fair,(in my opinion) and 2 artist features whose work will blow you away! Stay tuned for these stories in the next few days! Have a great weekend and ....create something!
This vignette has great impact, and notice the large container filled with bleached peacock feathers... one of my favorite elements for floral designs and one I used recently in an arrangement for a client! There is nothing complicated about this beautiful combination, and in fact, its success lies within its simplicity. If you are wanting to make your bedding more interesting and layered, but feel overwhelmed, then start with a solid coverlet in a "favorite" color and begin searching for throws, pillows, crocheted blankets etc. in different tones and textures of the same color. You will be shocked at the beauty of all of the elements combined.
Some other interesting and fun creations from fabrics are shown below. These display the fun and whimsy that was also present in many spaces at the Fair. Also, notice the great distressed, painted wood christmas trees in the background, these were very well done and different from anything I have seen before.
Notice the houndstooth black and white wreath!
There were some items that stood out to me that were made of burlap, wicker, and grapevine! Take a look at them below...
These baskets would look great hung on a small section of wall that could normally be forgotten, such as a small wall in a laundry room or in between two doors in a hallway. Imagine the wall covered in vintage, muted newsprint wallpaper and then the wall covered in all sizes of these baskets from top to bottom!
These burlap poinsettias were one of my favorite discoveries at the Fair. I plan on ordering these for some creations, because there are so many different ways to use these.
And I loved this sweet display! Who would have thought....a vintage baby carriage with some burlap and mums and voila! Imagine this by your back door! Very simple, natural materials can make quite a statement.
Well, I hope that you feel like you visited the Country Living Fair as well this year! I have some more to share, including 2 of the "Best Displays" at the Fair,(in my opinion) and 2 artist features whose work will blow you away! Stay tuned for these stories in the next few days! Have a great weekend and ....create something!
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
The Country Living Fair 2011 - Furnishings!
This year at the Fair, there was a larger variety of antiques and furniture, which was such a treat! I thought that I would share some images of furniture that really caught my attention. I have also included a list of some of the vendors who featured some really interesting pieces.
Take note of the hanging lampshades that are numbered...Not only are they great to look at, but the chronological numbers carry your line of sight across the room. This is great for styling a booth where you want visitors to notice as many elements as possible. I like the mix of vintage rustic and french without too much fluff. I saw this space and immediately wanted to walk in and sit down, that is a successful booth!
This blue piece was one of my favorites! It was a tough one to pass up, but I was looking for a bench and had to stick to my mission. All I could think about when I saw it was, what a great piece to hold a collection of just about anything...from sterling silver to white hobnail pieces.
Imagine a collection of Delftware filling this piece. WOW! Blue and white is such a classic combination and it is one that should be done in a "large" way. Oh well, maybe next time!
Great bench and pillows...I couldn't make it work for me, but I am sure that someone grabbed this one and took it home! As you can see, the styling was really well done at this Fair and I could tell this was not the first time around for a lot of these vendors.
I really enjoyed the overall composition of this display, with all of the different tones of blue. This is the type of piece that can inspire the look of an entire room. If you are changing any room in your home, there are many different ways to initiate that change and it doesn't always have to begin the same way! A transformation can begin with a gorgeous swatch of fabric, a vintage chair, a distressed accent piece or even a piece of art.
Here is a list of some of the participating vendors from the Country Living Fair who had vintage and antique furniture:
- www.weatherednestantiques.com
- www.southporchantiques.com
- www.highfallsmercantile.com
- www.antiquesstlouis.com
- www.longwoodantiquewoods.com
I hope you feel inspired and check back for more features on the Country Living Fair 2011!
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Release Your Creative Mojo! Wool, Felting and Pumpkins Oh My!
Well it is time to pull that felting basket back out of the cabinet and start teaching myself how to felt! At the end of last year, I entered the world of felting by purchasing 2 needles and some felting wool. I came home, watched a 5 minute video on YouTube ( you can learn to make anything from a youtube tutorial) and 30 minutes later, I had created a little bluebird. I was blown away. Now granted, it was a scary little bird, but it WAS a bird.
Well things got a bit busy for me soon after, so I put my basket aside to pick up at a later date. While that basket sat in the cabinet, my imagination ran wild and I had several ideas about items that I could create...and today I opened up that door to give myself a little refresher. Now I have only created that one famous bluebird, so my version of a "refresher" actually means, I need to teach myself how to felt because I have some ideas that I want to get cracking on! I thought I would start small, literally. A pumpkin sounded good...here goes...
So here is my masterpiece! My first pumpkin...I know, I know, I have a long way to go, but most of the ideas that I have only include a small amount of felting and I will need to use my "jewelry making" experience to execute the rest. I need to keep practicing so I guess I will be attempting all sorts of creations to get some techniques down....I have a feeling I will have my own version of a pumpkin patch before this is over.
Well, I need to get back to the pumpkins, but I want to share some photos of the inspiration that occupies a corner of my studio...calling for me to get started on these new ideas that I have been pondering for quite some time! As you will see, it is quite hard to resist. Just a big bowl full of goodness...
Well, stay tuned...Hopefully over the next month or so I will bring my ideas to fruition and I will share them with you here...and if all else fails I will have a collection of pumpkins, right?
Do you knit, crochet or felt? I would love to hear from any amazing fiber artists out there! Aww, come on, don't be shy! Also, do you know of any good classes? We are certainly surrounded by some wicked good talent, so if you have participated in any notable classes in Western North Carolina or Upstate South Carolina, please comment!
Stay tuned to see my ideas come to life. What are you creating right now?
Monday, October 3, 2011
Fall At The Mountain Farmer's Market!
One of my favorite things to do in the fall is to visit the Farmers Market. Years ago, I began visiting Asheville, NC in the fall to see the beautiful leaves, the gardens at Biltmore, and enjoy the crisp fall air downtown! Years later, I worked in sales across Western North Carolina and I was able to enjoy my favorite season by visiting beautiful mountain towns in the midst of all this autumn color like, Boone, Blowing Rock, Franklin, Sylva, Waynesville,and Nantahala every day of the week. And let me tell you, during the months of October and November I just didn't want to leave these areas to head back home!
I had the opportunity to visit every cool farm stand and roadside market and made some incredible discoveries, not to mention enjoyed some of the best homemade apple cider, boiled peanuts, and pumpkin bread. I continue to enjoy all of these places and several years ago, I added the Asheville Farmers Market to the list. I really just enjoy the energy of the market and all of the vendors as much as the pumpkins, flowers, bittersweet, fresh fall produce and apple cider!
I made my first fall visit the other day and it happened to be a big delivery day! I was parked alongside many farmers bringing in their pumpkins for market. I saw some incredible pumpkins of every color, from the deepest orange, pale greens, creams, golds etc! There were some beautiful oversized buckets of cockscombs, and all forms of bittersweet from sprays to large wreaths. The entire market was bedecked in Mums of every color you can imagine! I can never resist getting Mums in the fall, because they are so representative of the changing seasons. They are essentially a beautiful teaser of the exact colors that we can expect over the upcoming weeks!
Here is a photo of the Cockscombs that I purchased! I plan on visiting the Market several more times, so my next visit I will purchase a larger bunch and create a large Fall Arrangement with them!
I also some purchased several pumpkins, bittersweet, 3 ears of indian corn, and a small Mum. I found the small child's wagon at The Screen Door for about $20.00. As you know, older wagons, especially wood ones and/or painted ones are extremely expensive when you can find them, so I was thrilled to find this, as I can use it for many different displays in the coming years.
I literally placed all of the items in the wagon and voila! I did not use any adhesives, or pedestals. I wanted it to be very simple and organic! No over the top "arrang-ery." I think I just made that word up, but you get the idea. One visit to the farmer's market, all "real" produce, and one magical, inexpensive fall wagon!
Have you made a visit to your Farmer's Market lately? If not, it is time to carve out a few minutes of your day to head to the market to breathe in some fresh air, pick up a pumpkin or two and take a look around...it is a great way to get inspired for the season!
I had the opportunity to visit every cool farm stand and roadside market and made some incredible discoveries, not to mention enjoyed some of the best homemade apple cider, boiled peanuts, and pumpkin bread. I continue to enjoy all of these places and several years ago, I added the Asheville Farmers Market to the list. I really just enjoy the energy of the market and all of the vendors as much as the pumpkins, flowers, bittersweet, fresh fall produce and apple cider!
I made my first fall visit the other day and it happened to be a big delivery day! I was parked alongside many farmers bringing in their pumpkins for market. I saw some incredible pumpkins of every color, from the deepest orange, pale greens, creams, golds etc! There were some beautiful oversized buckets of cockscombs, and all forms of bittersweet from sprays to large wreaths. The entire market was bedecked in Mums of every color you can imagine! I can never resist getting Mums in the fall, because they are so representative of the changing seasons. They are essentially a beautiful teaser of the exact colors that we can expect over the upcoming weeks!
Here is a photo of the Cockscombs that I purchased! I plan on visiting the Market several more times, so my next visit I will purchase a larger bunch and create a large Fall Arrangement with them!
I also some purchased several pumpkins, bittersweet, 3 ears of indian corn, and a small Mum. I found the small child's wagon at The Screen Door for about $20.00. As you know, older wagons, especially wood ones and/or painted ones are extremely expensive when you can find them, so I was thrilled to find this, as I can use it for many different displays in the coming years.
I may place next to the back door, or I may leave it in the kitchen area!
Have you made a visit to your Farmer's Market lately? If not, it is time to carve out a few minutes of your day to head to the market to breathe in some fresh air, pick up a pumpkin or two and take a look around...it is a great way to get inspired for the season!
Thursday, September 22, 2011
When All Else Fails...Knock On Wood- An Etsy Treasury Feature
I have created the "Etsy Treasury Feature" today with beautiful items created from many types of wood. These days, so much of what we surround ourselves with or what we place in our homes is created from synthetic materials. There is nothing wrong with this as it often makes items more affordable, more lightweight or even easier to reproduce in large quantities...however, when we stand back and evaluate our spaces, we need to ensure that we have some natural materials represented.
There are endless choices of natural materials from which to choose- linen curtain panels, maple wood trays, marble spheres in a basket, moss in containers or even agate slices...and once these types of organic elements are added to a space, there is noticeable warmth and interest added to the environment. It is an important "layer" to have in each space in your home and it could even be one or two items!
This is one of the reasons that we all get a little sick to our stomach when we see that room that looks like the typical bachelor pad- where black on black is the palette of choice, with one too many shiny surfaces and a black leather sofa the size of a double wide trailer has apparently eaten all of the other pieces of furniture. One of the reasons one gets bilious, is that there is no evidence of any natural material anywhere in sight. Believe it or not, it is possible to have sleek and modern spaces without only black and lacquer.
There are endless choices of natural materials from which to choose- linen curtain panels, maple wood trays, marble spheres in a basket, moss in containers or even agate slices...and once these types of organic elements are added to a space, there is noticeable warmth and interest added to the environment. It is an important "layer" to have in each space in your home and it could even be one or two items!
This is one of the reasons that we all get a little sick to our stomach when we see that room that looks like the typical bachelor pad- where black on black is the palette of choice, with one too many shiny surfaces and a black leather sofa the size of a double wide trailer has apparently eaten all of the other pieces of furniture. One of the reasons one gets bilious, is that there is no evidence of any natural material anywhere in sight. Believe it or not, it is possible to have sleek and modern spaces without only black and lacquer.
modern living room design by los angeles architect William Hefner Architecture Interiors & Landscape
Anyone who knows me well would reveal that I love all types of wood so much that I could probably name all of my pets: Maple, Walnut, Oak and Chestnut. And this is the reason that I chose this material for inspiration on today's post and for today's Etsy Treasury Feature...
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