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Winter & Holiday Deocorating at Terrain

December 10, 2012 — Leave a comment
Mix of Greens,  Holly Berries, Eucalyptus paired with a Vintage Style Sign & Twinkle Lights

I stopped over at Terrain this weekend for some winter & holiday inspiration. The weather was dreary to say the least but it was still beautiful. I hope you enjoy the eye candy! The number of outdoor arrangements and plants was impressive! I wanted to scoop them up and bring them home! I think that they have really upped their game in terms of outdoor plants and exterior decoration. Of course most of them were REALLY expensive. The display  makes we want a larger garden just so I could grow some of these plants for cuttings. Maybe I will stop over at Produce Junction and see what I could pick up to make my own outdoor arrangement. So stay tuned!

Holly Berries Mixed with Greens, Eucalyptus & Red Twig Dogwood in a Stunning Urn

I think this was my favorite arrangement. The colors and size was spectacular (over 4′ across). I think one of the surprises in their arrangements was the mix of cuttings with perennials. They usually do a nice job of mixing perennials with annuals, but this time of year all the annuals (with the exception of some of the cabbages are done for the season). They actually use quite a few small bushes (that were also for sale). I’m not sure if they are really dwarfs or just babies, I will have to investigate! I also thought the use of eucalyptus was brilliant. I think of it being used in boring interior applications, but outside it brought a new color and texture to the arrangements (and appeared to be holding up quite well outside).

Mix of small cabbages, heather and sedum

I like the use of heather here paired with the small cabbages. I just saw some heather for sale the other day locally and was wondering how it would fair outside. Maybe I will give it a shot.

Planter with Nandina, Coral Bells & Autumn Joy Sedum

I really liked this arrangement, especially since I own all of these plants, and these are all readily available. I actually have 3 miniature nandina sitting behind the shed waiting to be planted. Maybe I will throw a couple of them in pots on the deck for the winter. Also as long as the winter doesn’t get too cold the coral bells should make it through. I do wonder with the pot being exposed though how it might fair. Will the roots freeze?

Beautiful Window Boxes

The window boxes were stunning. I have never seen the black cabbages before. I also liked these grape vine orbs. They have lights in them, but at $148 a piece, I may try to replicate them for my yard. I always have random weedy vines that I might be able to use to replicate this.

Miniature Outdoor Display

Finally, this miniature outdoor scene was splendid. I am trying to think of a place for something like this that could be seasonable in our yard. One more item for the to do list!

P.S. Here are the photos from last year’s visit.

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In -Shopping, GARDENING & PLANTS
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A Little Bit of Fall Decorations

November 3, 2012 — 3 Comments

Fall Decorations for the Piano

I have to start by saying that I am not someone who typically does a lot of seasonal decorating inside the house. I don’t have the patience. Although lately I’ve been trying to pay more attention to my surroundings. I have found that the piles that creep into my house stress me out (I assume it isn’t just me) but having some nice things to rest my eyes on, even for a moment, does make a difference in my mood.

Fall Decorations

The area that I have been most continuously trying to keep clean and pretty is the top of the piano. It is the first thing you see when you come in the back door. I have also found that by putting a few nice things on top that I am much less likely to start piling things on it.

Piano area during the summer

I did have some birdhouses that the kids painted on top. I was recently feeling like I wanted to change it up with something that is a little more fall inspired. It also helps that I have been doing some shopping at Target.

Green Bottle, Target’s Threshold line on clearance (~$4.50), Marrakesh Bowl by Nate Berkus for Target ($7.99), Scarab (from Egypt), Woodpecker candle holder by Patch NYC for Target (on clearance)

I switched out the kids artwork for some metallic and green colored items. It started with the woodpecker candle holder by Patch NYC for Target. I had admired a lot of the items from this limited line but I had at least partially restrained myself and bought the matching lamp and pillow. Then Target started marking down some of the items a couple of weeks ago. So when I saw this one half off, I pounced. I wasn’t sure where I should put it, but then I saw the old bronze plate and thought some metallic in this area would be a nice change. So I scrounged around the house and found this scarab that a friend had given us. Then I saw the bowl from the new Nate Berkus line at Target.

I also literally picked up several of these “Osage Orange” from the kids daycare. They have a couple of Bois ‘D Arc trees on the property. For some reason I grew up calling them “monkey brains” (Did anyone else call them that?). They are a funny fruit, that is native to the US. They have an interesting history. They aren’t actually edible but they apparently repel bugs (good for storing in your pantry) and they smell nice like a mix of citrus and pine.  The trees are thorny and were used as “fencing” for early settler in the Midwest. And its name translates to “tree of the bow” since the branches make good bows. I am such a sucker for an weird and interesting plant!

I hope everyone has a lovely weekend. My thoughts are still with my family and friends without power.

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In -Dining Room, -Shopping, DIY, INTERIOR PRODUCTS, FURNITURE & FABRICS, OUR HOME
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New Rug Sneak Peek

October 11, 2012 — Leave a comment

New Rug Sneak Peek

The new rugs arrived yesterday afternoon. I haven’t unrolled them yet, but I did cut open one of the packages to take a little peek. The colors look pretty good (Phew!).  It is always a little daunting to order something like this online without seeing the colors in person. From the portion I have looked at there appears to be a little more purple in my rug than in the picture.  Also the edge is red (which is good since that is one of the main colors that I wanted to pick up).

Now lets see if I can get a little work done in the bedroom so I can put these in place. The thought of a soft wool rug in the bedroom as the weather gets cold is very appealing.

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In -Bedroom, -Shopping, INTERIOR PRODUCTS, FURNITURE & FABRICS, OUR HOME
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Our Master Bedroom: A New Rug & Flash Sales

October 10, 2012 — Leave a comment

Master Bedroom: Updated Mood Board

I first started a mood board for our Master Bedroom over a year ago but the project generally went on hold while we tackled the basement, thanks to a super wet fall last year and some moldy walls. Well the bedroom is still a mess and in desperate need of some new storage. We still have some smaller things to take care of, and some air conditioning to think about, but I thought I would give you an update. One item we need for the space is a new rug. We currently have a sisal rug which is okay, but not very soft on the feet. I have been on the search for the perfect rug for over a year now. At first I thought I might go with something light to make the space feel a little brighter, but the realities of that with 2 kids and 2 black cats made me decide against that. I then looked at lots of different patterns and quickly realized I didn’t want a rug with a border. I also wanted one that would pick up on the green and red on the panels. Did I mention that it needed to be 9×12 as well? And cost under $1000 (ideally quite a bit less)? I was beginning to think that I had too many parameters. So when I saw this one on Fab this week I jumped. I decided to go with two 6×9  rugs since they didn’t have a 9×12. Fortunately the stripes run the 9′ direction so we don’t have to match the stripes.

Safavieh Striped Wool Rug

So here is where it gets interesting. The downside to flash sites like Gilt, One Kings Lane, Joss & Main, and Fab are that once you put a product in your “basket” you have somewhere between 10-20 minutes to purchase it or it goes back up for sale and the sale only lasts for a couple of days but often the good items sell out fast. In this case, I had 20 minutes. So in that time I needed to decide was it a good fit, a good price and does Mr. S. like it. My adrenaline kicked in since this is the first rug with good potential in over a year! I was pretty excited (yes, I know I am a geek who clearly needs to find better ways to get a rush).

Fab Sale Page

The first thing I do when I pick out something from one of these sites is search online to see if I can buy it somewhere else for less or with better shipping prices and/or return prices (most flash sites only offer limited returns). This time I searched under the name of the rug on the sale (Kadirli). It is a Safavieh rug (they make a lot of rugs), so in my search I didn’t find anything. The price seemed reasonable, certainly well less then retail ($269 for a 6′x9′ rug). So after Mr. S. gave the okay I decided to place the order. Great! I was a little annoyed at the shipping price (I think it was around $40), so I did a little more searching after my order.

Overstock Rug Page

This time I searched under “Safavieh striped rug” and what turns up, but the same rug on Overstock for less with free shipping. Errrr…. That is what I get for not doing a more full search. So I popped back over to Fab and saw that you have 2 hours to change your mind on most items! Awesome! So I canceled that order, went home and double checked the size I wanted and ordered 2 on Overstock for $234 each for a total of $468. Now I just have to wait for them to get here and renovate the room. I think I might put them in there even before we do the rest of the room.

I have to say that as much I was annoyed that I found it for less somewhere else, there is some great stuff on these flash sites, you just have to do your homework! I have bought quite a bit of stuff from Fab, One Kings Land and Joss & Main and in general I have been quite happy.

Has anyone else regretted a purchase from a flash site? Or scored something amazing?

Chair from One Kings Lane that I purchased back in March

I am still in love with my chair from One Kings Lane, which funny enough didn’t end up in the bedroom but down in our Dining Room.  I still haven’t seen it anywhere else in this fabric (which is Waverly Santa Maria Desert Flower).

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In -Bedroom, -Shopping, INTERIOR PRODUCTS, FURNITURE & FABRICS, OUR HOME
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Patch NYC for Target: New Woodpecker Lamp & Gold Woodgrain Pillow

September 14, 2012 — Leave a comment

Woodpecker Lamp, $49.99 & Gold Woodgrain Pillow, $24.99 paired with my vintage wingback chair in a Paul Smith Maraham Fabric

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about Target’s latest design collaborations. They became available on Sunday, so I was all set to run over to Target, since I had my list ready to go! First, though while I was still in my pjs, I looked online. And fortunately almost everything was still in stock (at least a 9 am). So I decided to place my order, figuring if I didn’t like something in person I could always return it. I also ordered a few items for Christmas presents (yeah!). Well almost everything arrived yesterday! In the meantime, I was in Target earlier this week doing some grocery shopping and I took a peak. They still had some items, but it was definitely already picked over and the lamps were missing their shades.  : ( Fortunately it looks like a lot of the items including the pillow and lamps are still available online.

The quality on the lamps seems pretty good. The only weird thing is that it comes with a fluorescent bulb. I HATE fluorescent bulbs. I guess it does because it is only rated for a 13 watt bulb! Eeeek, that is a really low wattage. I will be picking up an LED bulb when I get a chance.

Woodpecker Lamp with Woodgrain Pillow

The lamp itself is not particularly tall, so if you are putting it on a side table you will probably need to place it on some books or something, so that you are not looking at the bulb. For now I have it on a side table in the Living Room. This is too precarious to leave with 2 rambunctious kids, so I’m not sure where it will decide to live permanently. Maybe in my imaginary cottage in the woods?

I am liking the fall feeling of these items. I also think that the pillow could work really well with some Christmas and winter items.

There are a few other things that I picked up that I will show you sometime soon.

Did anyone else pick up anything from Patch NYC or the Curiosity Shoppe?

I hope everyone has a lovely weekend. We have been having some amazing weather here and I am looking forward to spending some time outside.

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In -Design, -Lighting, -Living Room, -Shopping, INTERIOR PRODUCTS, FURNITURE & FABRICS, OUR HOME
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Handsome New Rug for the Playroom

September 13, 2012 — Leave a comment

New Rug with some of Accessories for the Playroom

I have been on the lookout for some new area rugs. I still haven’t found the perfect rug for our Master Bedroom (anyone know of a great 9×12 rug under $1000?), but I was able to cross one off of the list. I ordered a really cute rug for the kids playroom. Right now the playroom has a small colorful rug from Ikea, which looks too small and it is quite thin so it tends to slide around even with a pad underneath. So when I saw that Rugs USA was have a 75% Labor Day Sale on some of their rugs, I went to work sifting through what was still available. Of course quite a few of the rugs that I liked were sold out (boo!) but I managed to find one to my liking in the right size.Yeah!

Navy Trellis Rug

It is the Tuscan Terali Moroccan Trellis Navy Rug. I had set my budget at $100 a while back and quickly realized that was a TALL order for a 5×7 rug. Fortunately with the sale I got it for $112.25 with free shipping! I would add that I always compare prices on rugs. On a normal day Overstock has a lot of the same rugs and their everyday price is less, but RugsUSA runs lots of sales, so it is worth waiting for one. For instance right now they are having a 35% off sale.

The color is “navy” but it definitely a little lighter and brighter than a typical navy. I actually prefer the actual color, but if you want a true dark navy this isn’t it. It does also come in a charcoal that I’m bet is nice too. I haven’t fully unrolled it yet (I still need to finish assembling some shelving) but the part that I unrolled feels nice and soft and the blue is a loop style.

Wall Decals from NotNeutral with Hanging Balloon from Ikea

The playroom is the old nursery and the walls are a light and happy green. I still like the color and the window valances that I made when it was Maisie’s room. But with the Orla Kiely  flower valances, I wanted something that would ground the space and make it feel a little more masculine, since Maisie and Sam are sharing it. I think this rug will help along with some accessories.

A Few “New” Accessories

I have been putting together some old and new stuff for the space to make it feel less baby and more kid. I had these great number boxes from West Elm (no longer available) and I bought this adorable bright yellow rhino at Home Goods. I also have some new artwork to add.

I was hoping to have this space done by now. Unfortunately it is still a little ways away from being finished, but I hope to make some progress on it this weekend.

Does anyone else have a good inexpensive rug source?

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In -Bedroom, -Playroom, -Shopping, INTERIOR PRODUCTS, FURNITURE & FABRICS, OUR HOME
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Target’s Latest Collaborations: It is Feeling like Fall!

August 22, 2012 — Leave a comment

Patch NYC: A new line from Target

It is no secret that I love Target. I shop there quite often, but one of my favorite things is their collaborations with different designers. I have lots of items from their Orla Kiely 2009 line decorating my house, a couple of things from the Liberty of London 2010 line and almost nothing from the Missoni line earlier last year. After the craziness of the Missoni launch, I am a little more dubious about getting too excited about anything, since I might have to fight some crazy lady for it. This fall they are going to be offering products from Patch NYC and The Curiosity Shoppe. As always these are limited while supplies last, with a debut date of September 9th.

The Curiosity Shoppe: A new line from Target

There is some nice looking stuff, with a definite fall feel to it. It is interesting because I am really liking the woodsy feeling items. Normally I am all about the color, but not this time. I thought I would show you what I have my eyes on. I am having sudden urges to buy a cabin in the woods.

My Picks from the new Target Lines: 1. Deer Canister, $29.99  2.Packaging, $5-10 3. Owl Pillow,$24.99 & Bunny Duvet, $99.99, 4. Woodpecker lamp, 49.99 5. Wood bowl,  $30 & Server Set, $15 6. Wood grain pillow, $24.99.

My favorite is the deer canister. Anything striking your fancy?

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In -Design, -Lighting, -Shopping, INTERIOR PRODUCTS, FURNITURE & FABRICS
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Is it Spring? A Visit to Terrain

February 17, 2012 — Leave a comment

Spring Bulbs at Terrain w/ Vintage Door. None of these are blooming in the actual garden yet.

The weather has been so strangely warm here. It feels like it is March or April especially with the rain. Yesterday was downright dreary so a little cheering up was in order!  I was out west of here yesterday, so it was a good excuse to stop by Terrain at Styers (one of my FAVORITE places). I am on the look out for some accessories for the basement and their vignettes are always inspiring! I hope you enjoy and have a great weekend!

Mix of beautiful winter interest perennials

I thought these winter interest perennials were really inspiring. It is impressive that there are not any flowers in this creation (just lots of lovely color and texture). I really am loving the red stems of the dogwood bushes (at the top). It seems like pairing these with a bright green evergreen right behind it would be really nice. Or maybe in a planter under planted with acid green/yellow grass (like golden sweet flag grass). hmm…I will have to return to this picture next time I am trying to layout a bed (it is so easy to get distracted by pretty flowers once spring appears for real).

Planters on Clearance

I loved some of the planters on clearance. Of course I don’t have a place for any of these, so I restrained myself. I did pick up one of the old grape crates at the bottom of the picture for the new basement bathroom. I’m not sure how I am going to use it yet, but it has a lot of character! I am really into the old log that has been hollowed out.  It could add instant interest to a new garden.

Inside I was really drawn to this arrangement made of ornamental cabbage (not roses)!

Inside I was drawn to this plaid sofa. Very simple and beautiful. This flower arrangement also made me swoon. I would have never thought of using ornamental cabbage in this way!

I love these mirrors. The mix of weathered wood, metal and glass is really nice and quite masculine looking.

I will be back next week with more basement posts, so stay tuned!

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In -Shopping, GARDENING & PLANTS, INTERIOR PRODUCTS, FURNITURE & FABRICS
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Terrain Decorated for the Holidays

December 1, 2011 — 3 Comments

Terrain All Decked out for the Holidays!

Tuesday was a gloomy, wet day here. The weather was weirdly warm for late November but the rain felt like it was never going to end (which of course it did yesterday). I had some errands to run out near Terrain at Styers (one of my favorite stores for inspiration). So I decided to stop by and see what they had for the holidays and try to put myself in the Christmas spirit.  The entry looks like it should be in Germany (and I LOVE Germany around Christmas time). I put together a collage of some of my favorite things. As usual their styling was impeccable! I hope you enjoy!

Trends:

Twinkle Lights: Terrain knows how to use inexpensive twinkle lights better than anyone (i.e. back at the Design*Sponge book signing they had the room lit with the same lights). Use them in unexpected places, and dim the rest of the lights to let them be the main lighting for the space. Part of their success is using them in large quantities for a more dramatic impact.

Bring Nature Inside: This doesn’t have to be expensive. Cut a twig off of your evergreen and place them inside. Better yet cut a few small branches from several types of shrubs or trees and combine them. Put them in an inexpensive metal or glass vase. Add some twinkle lights for good measure. Another option is to literally bring in some logs or branches. Here they have used a lot of small cuttings of birch trees and various twigs for decoration. Also grab some pinecones, even we have a tray at our house. I think a mix of pine cones on a mirrored tray mixed w/ a candle would be lovely.

Indoor Plants: I will be the first to tell you that I do NOT do well with indoor plants. Here they cleverly combined a few red plants in with a bunch of their terrariums to give them a holiday feel. Terrariums are all the rage (at least in the design blogosphere) and Terrain has an amazing selection, and will even make one for you. I am still not convinced, but I do have some old glass lanterns that might make some lovely terrariums. However I think succulents are right up my alley. I purchased several inexpensive ones at Ikea this spring and I am thinking of combining some into larger pots to highlight their different texture. I was pleasantly surprised to see quite a few on display.

Combine Textures: The favorite combination I saw was rough wood and bark paired with dark metal and glass.

Sparkle/Pop of Color: Sparingly add a bit of sparkle or a pop of color. I saw a lot of small pops of orange to red to purple. After all it is the holidays and what says that more than a little bit of red. Another way to add a bit of sparkle is through the use of a mirror. The antique mirror tray below the silver trees added an extra bit of subtle bling.

 

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In -Design, -Shopping, INTERIOR PRODUCTS, FURNITURE & FABRICS
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