Season's Best FREE Decoration

Let's start with putting your pride aside.  It's a must for this one.

See these fabulous little pine logs?  You can probably score them for free, just like I did, at your local Christmas Tree stand (or wherever live trees are sold near you).  They are the trunk pieces that are cut from the bottom of the tree when someone has their tree cut to size or just wants a fresh cut.  Most tree places toss them in a barrel to be thrown away!  What??  And waste these beauties?  Bonus -- they smell great.

As you can see, I used them on my hearth, but I can also see them in some kind of candle arrangement or as part of a tablescape.  The uses are endless!

I must confess,  it was my friend Charlene (from this post about our client) who showed me the way.  Just picture her rummaging through a big bucket at the stand where we bought our birch branches for this job. It wasn't pretty, people.  But then I joined in and, well, it was quite a vision.

Please share in the comments -- how would you use them in your decorating?

Talk to you soon,
Carol

Need help defining your home?  I've been doing this a long time.  Click here to chat with me.

Before & After: Christmas Decorating Client

Me and Charlene

Last week I was offered a referral to do some Christmas decorating.  Here's me and my holiday decorating partner in crime, Charlene, at the home of this fabulous, fun client.  (You might remember Charlene from this post last November, when we did a tablescape workshop.)  Me, Charlene and Christmas?  Bring it on!

The home is a beautifully appointed contemporary.  We were asked to transform the tree and the foyer using as much as we could of what the client already owned.  We bought what we needed to fill in, and used what we had left to add some Christmas magic to the mantel.             

Here was the foyer when we arrived...

With our theme of white and silver,  here is the foyer now...

I wrapped some boxes with silver and glitter, and Charlene put together the white birch arrangement with a great deal of sparkle...

The transition space between the foyer and the living room was a little bare,

so we embellished the mirror, brought some candle holders up from the lower level, and gave them all a little glam...

This home is very clean-lined and minimal.  This was the mantel when we started...

Inspiration for the mantel came from this beautiful artwork.  It was created by the client's son, and the subject of the white birch was the perfect foil to the birch in the foyer!  We kept it simple on the mantel.  If felt right with the lines of the house. 

And then, of course, there was the 10 foot tree. 

We used the client's white, silver and glass ornaments, and added a really cool, sparkly netting-like ribbon down the tree in vertical "srtipes."  I couldn't capture it well, honestly, so here's a closeup of the shimmer...

Here's a final look from the far side of the foyer through to the mantel.  Before...

And after...

Whether you are a contemporary minimalist or a cluttered traditionalist, Christmas decorating makes a home feel like a wonderland at the holidays.   What's your theme this year?

Talk to you soon,

Carol

Need help defining your home?  I've been doing this a long time.  Click here to chat with me.

My Desk is Decked

Do you decorate your workspace for the holidays?  I never have.  Until yesterday.  Now I'm hooked.

It started because I've been a bit housebound from knee surgery.  What to do?  I took out a pitcher I'd bought this fall at an antique shop in Connecticut.   (Love. At. First. Sight.)  It's Spode "Fox Hunt" from the 50's.

Ridiculously me, this pitcher.  Anyway,  I hobbled out to the yard for the greenery (okay, not really, my knee is doing surprisingly great).  I love the smell of fresh pine (with some some fake winterberry for color).

When my perfectly imperfect arrangement was done, it dawned on me that it was the perfect color combination for my desk.  Why not?  I sit there so much it would be nice to be surrounded by some holiday.  So, off I limped (exaggeration, but are you getting the effect?) up the stairs and found her a perfect spot.

Zoom out?  Okay...

Zoom in...

I'm delighted by how much joy decorating this new spot is giving me.  It is where I am sitting, typing at the computer, as I write this post.  I am totally holidayed by it!

Do you decorate your workspace?

Talk to you soon,
Carol

Need help defining your home?  I've been doing this a long time.  Click here to chat with me.

A Classic Christmas Wreath, Online

I went online today in search of Christmas wreath inspiration.  Something fresh and classic.  I've done glittery, white, natural, artificial, ornament-donned, one for every window of the house, and just a single one for the front door.  You could say I've done them all over the years.  This year, I want to make something traditional.  No fuss.  Elegant.

I went looking online for inspiration, and this what I loved... 

 Plow & Hearth

At heart I am a traditional girl, and plaid always steals my heart.  My front door is black, and I'm thinking this is my look for 2011.   Back to basics this year.  Feels comfortable.

What's inspiring your front door decor this year?

Talk to you soon,
Carol

 Let's work together to define your home.  Contact me by clicking here.

The World's Best Barstool by Theodore Alexander

In my opinion, anyway. It can go with most any decor.  Best of all, it is one very comfortable spot to park your tush.




The Norfolk Cottage Stool

  I used it in this project, and let me tell you I searched for a while for the perfect seat.  I found it while in High Point at the furniture market in October.  Theodore Alexander says it is "A rustic Byron finish bar stool, the shaped saddle seat above turned legs and stretchers. The original French Provincial."  I love this baby, and I'll be using it again.  Simple, perfectly finished, comfortable.

Have yourself a great weekend!

Talk to you soon,
Carol

 Let's work together to define your home.  Contact me by clicking here.



High Point Highlight: Lavender Love

Could you fall in love with lavender?  I never really had a thing for it, until I went to High Point and saw it in a whole new light.  On trend but always classic, lavender is one of the new "it" colors.  Check out these inspiration images, and maybe you will swoon, too.

My favorite interpretations were in the brilliantly done Lillian August showroom (the next several shots).  This sofa is heaven to me...

I. want. these. pillows.  And, the sofa too.

The velvet and the orchid.  Mmm Mm.

Could this be any more me?  Uh, no...

This one was more modern and just gorgeous...

Lillian August was my favorite showroom for color inspiration and style.  Just breathtaking.

Duralee put on a great lavender love story, too.  The next to are from the Duralee showroom...

Okay, I couldn't resist this guy on the street.  Never really figured out why he was there.

So what do you think -- is lavender for you?

Talk to you soon,
Carol

 

 Let's work together to define your home.  Contact me by clicking here.

Before and After: The Bones are In

So I got out of bed at 3 am on Sunday to get to the office for something I forgot, pick up a friend, and drive out to the Berkshires for a furniture install.  Man, it was one long day.  Movers who were coming up from North Carolina showed up at 2 instead of the 9am I was rushing for.  Ugh!!  Can you say intravenous coffee?

Anyway,  this past summer I posted here about a carriage house I would be doing for a past client -- a girl's getaway (really, a place to stay when this career woman is working nearby).  This original painting was the inspiration for the color pallet. (I'm sorry I don't recall the artist.  This is a favorite artist of my client, and this work was purchased at her favorite gallery in San Fransisco.)

Before my client bought this charming, cozy house, some college guys were renting it.  (Wish I had those before shots!  Quite something.)   After we chose fabrics, we decided on colors and every room was painted.  Here are pictures of how it looked when I got there Sunday morning, and what it looked like when I left.  So much more to do with window treatments and accessories, but the bones are now in place!

The great room...

I absolutely love the lines of these nesting tables.  I want to use them in every project I do (of course, I won't!)

It's killing me to show this room without window treatments.  The artwork will go over the sofa, and fabric is desperately needed on the windows behind the chairs, but...let's move on...

The sleep sofa in the den has great modern lines.  The room is so empty I'm only showing a peak, but hopefully you're getting the feel of the color flow on the first floor. The wall color in here is a pale gray with a purple undertone.

Upstairs there are two bedrooms.  One for the lady of the house...

(I'm not a great bed maker!!)  The bedding is from Pine Cone Hill (the duvet is missing from the insert and shams are back ordered.  Oh well!).

The second bedroom, is for any one of her three children...

The headboard and bedding are from Ballard Designs.  (The entire first floor is custom, except for the Dash & Albert rug.)

My client loved this fabric from Serena & Lilly below, and it was the one thing she really wanted to include.  The fabric on the sofa pillows was Serena & Lilly as well.  Have to love a client with great taste!

So this is what I've been up to lately.  Between this install and the one last Friday, I'm kind of tired!!

Who's ready for Thanksgiving next week?  Aaahhh!  So not!!

Talk to you soon,

Carol

 Let's work together to define your home.  Contact me by clicking here.