Sparkling New Year's Party

Launch the year with a luxe gathering that extends the glimmer of the holidays one more day.

Being from the South, I love the magazine "Southern Living" so I thought I'd share with you this wonderfully creative and beautiful table setting and ideas for a festive New Year's Eve party. Whatever is on your schedule for tomorrow night, Inspired Interiors wishes you a safe and happy one! I'm looking forward to 2011.

http://www.southernliving.com/food/holidays-occasions/sparkling-new-years-party-00400000037560/

The Blair House: A Capital Christmas

Dear blog, I'm sorry to have been a stranger to you recently. I have really missed you, but between the Fall Furniture Market in High Point, a wonderful vacation out of the country (I'll share pictures and stories over the coming weeks) and being sick for the past 4 weeks upon my return, I just haven't had time for you. To make up for some lost time together, here are some wonderful photos of Barry Dixon's Christmas decorations for the Blair House, the President's official guesthouse for foreign heads of state visiting Washington, D.C. I personally love his use of satin ribbons in the garland on the stairs and the blue and white bowl filled with glorious magnolia leaves and beautiful colored ornaments, which he cleverly used as a centerpiece on a table. What is your favorite component of his Christmas decorations?

http://www.traditionalhome.com/design_decorating/showhouses/blair-house-christmas_ss1.html

Case in Point

Last night as I was pulling some fabrics for a presentation, I tuned into "Sarah's House" on HGTV. The designer, Sarah Richardson, has purchased a old farmhouse on 50 acres and is completely gutting and remodeling it into the house of her dreams. On this episode, Sarah was remodeling the main bathroom. Remember my recent blog post about using yellow and grey together? Well, Sarah chose to start this bathroom remodel with her "splurge" on her window treatment fabric - $130 per yard yellow and graphite toile with flowers, bees and butterflies. How perfectly country! She went on to discuss how there is a big difference between pairing yellow and black and yellow and graphite. Graphite, being a dark grey, isn't as stark as black and keeps the palette from looking like a bumble bee. I thought this was a perfect case in point and I had to share it with you as a follow-up to my recent blog.

You can watch the whole episode online at:

http://www.hgtv.com/sarahs-house/main-farmhouse-bath/index.html

"Why a Designer?"

"How do you answer the question, why a designer? Research shows that among affluent households that can afford an interior designer, only 15% actually use one. The campaign's goal is targeted towards the 85% who could be or should be using professional design services."

Inspired Interiors loves this "Myth vs Reality" List:
"It's too expensive" - "We met our budget"
"I'd lose control" - "We worked as a team"
"It's not practical" - "We love the results"
"It's out of my budget" - "We nailed the budget"
"It's not my style" - "It's so us!"

A big thank you to Decorative Furnishings Association for their new advertising campaign!

Read the full article at:
http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00e5514c4b60883401348695871e970c

Mellow Yellow with Grey

(Photos from Calico Corners Website)

I have always loved these colors together; in fact, I'm using them together in a bathroom that I'm remodeling for a client in Pittsburgh. I'll post pictures once it all comes together! In the meantime, enjoy this insight from Calico Corners.

"The chic neutrality of graphite gray is a perfect complement to soft yellows and golds. We love the mix of fabric prints and jacquard wovens that can marry to create a handsome, easy-to-love color scheme for any room in your home. Candlelight yellows and platinum greys create harmony and can be styled up with silvery accents or made more casual with washed woods and textures."

One last food for thought: Silvery accents, huh? Makes me think of the holidays; wouldn't these be interesting colors to use for a winter tablescape or mantle decor?

W-hooo's That?

Every now and again, I love to pop down to Colonial Williamsburg to visit a few of my favorite shops in the large outlet center. During a quick visit on Sunday afternoon, I spotted this adorable handbag at the Kate Spade store. It was all I could do to resist taking this unique owl bag home with me! I love the attention to detail: the eyes were several layers of leather stacked up to provide some dimension; the feathers on its breast were cut out pieces of suede that were tacked only on the top so tht the bottom was free to move; there is even a chain running from the one eye down into the feathers - like the owl is wearing spectacles. How classic and unique? It just goes to show that good design inspiration can be found anywhere! Can you imagine this little owl on a pillow on a sofa? What a fabulous fall accessory that would be!

The Debut of RUE

There's a lot of buzz out there on the design blogs about this new online magazine RUE. I checked it out this morning and love the "About Us" posted on their website

"We believe:

* That every color can be your favorite color.

* That a good coat of paint atones for a multitude of sins.
* That wallpaper isn't "back", because frankly wallpaper never left - it only went into hibernation.

* That friendships can be forged across continents by only a kind word, a warm gesture, and a shared lust for leopard print pillows.

* That what goes around comes around. So bake cookies for your neighbors, speak well of your competitors, and don't throw out your mother's platforms shoes.

* That great taste comes in many forms: the fringe of a carpet, the pull of a drawer, the lines of a sofa, the curve of a smile.

* That a glass of pink champagne really does a party make.

* That Coco Chanel said it best when she stated, "Fashion is not dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street. Fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening."

* The everyone has the talent and drive to design their most beautiful life - we all just need a little nudge in the right direction.

* That the best ideas are found when you close your eyes and open your heart.

* THAT INSPIRATION IS EVERYWHERE."

Check their premiere issue out at:

http://issuu.com/ruemag/docs/rue_issue_01_final

Counting Down the Days

As we count down the few remaining days of summer and look forward to spending more time inside of our homes during the coming months of fall, I thought I'd share with you a post from a fellow blogger about the design trend of numbered accessories. These items spotted at the recent New York International Gift Fair follow the trend of all things vintage and accessories that have been recycled or repurposed from a previous life as something different altogether.

As pictured: Restoration Hardware's Fishing Weights

http://habituallychic.blogspot.com/2010/08/nyigf-take-number.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FGcuC+%28Habitually+Chic%29&utm_content=Google+Feedfetcher

My Newest Venture

Welcome to the Inspired Interiors blog where I hope to share with you some of my design inspirations! Join me for some fun times...