Decorating v/s Style

Decorating is a learned skill. It consist of following a few rules and incorporating restraint. If you have a desire to learn to decorating, study a bit and you will find the way . . .

However, "Style", is a horse of a different color . . . a room with style often breaks the rules, and still manages to create a pleasing space. Style is not learned, but comes naturally.

To have style is much like being a "artist," you either have it or you don't . . .

A room with great style is a space you will not soon forget. It makes you wonder . . . it leaves you wanting more.

I love to walk into a well-decorated space . . . but a space with style makes me leave dancing. Do you agree that there is a difference between decorating and style? How would you explain the difference?

Things That Make You Go

ahhhhhhhhhhh . . .

Searching for Sun . . .

Sorry I have been MIA, but we took a chance and left our mountains . . .

Searching for the sun . . .

It was beautiful, even with the clouds.

The little guys, played until I had to carry them .

No sun was to be found . . . but we still had a great time. So what's been going on , on your side of the mountain?

Strange or Wonderful

You decide . . .

Design Lesson ~ Keep it Flowing

This is a picture of my dining room, (before the wood floors went in) it is the center of my home. You can see it from most of the other rooms in my house and it sets the stage for the whole place. It has a formal country feel, a bit European, I like to think, anyway . . .

I think it is a good ideal to keep the same feel from room to room. Use the same colors ect. Notice how the tile in the kitchen is the same green that was used in the mural in the dining room. Again it has a aged , Old World feel.

I always try to keep the color scheme in a home down to only three colors. I then repeat these colors from room to room. Using the color as a accent in one space, and then as the main color for the next space. I don't count the neutrals, such as white, grey, brown , black and cream. For my own home the colors are green, rust, and red.

Again, I have the same feel going from room to room. I will make a exception for a child's room. I let my girls have the purple zoo room, the lime green bird room ect. It was their space and I let them be kids . . . However, now that they are grown, they do it just like their mama. lol

This is my guest room. It is a bit lighter than the others spaces, but it still has the same feel . I just think it makes a home more peaceful and pleasant to be in. How do you feel about a house that flows v/s a house where each space has it's own personality?

Cool Stuff

Stone Meadow Market http://stonemeadowmarket.blogspot.com/ Don't get too excited about those peacocks . . . They're on their way to my house!

Something to Talk About

Penny for your thoughts on this room . . .

Happy Valentine's Day

Hope you have a great one !

Tell the Truth

Do you ever go "blog hopping", come back to your own, and say, "I suck".

Form v/s Function

A good friend sent me this picture. She found this kitchen from "House Beautiful" magazine to be very pretty , until she looked a bit closer . . . Does it say, "Stunning, so screw Practical", to you? Or do you love it ? What are your thoughts on this kitchen? Inquiring minds want to know . . .

Little Man "Tate"

My baby, with her baby . . . so special.

Get to know Ms. Wohlner

Chicago-based interior designer "Stephanie Wohlner" has been creating beautiful rooms for 15 years. You have most likely seen her work in some of your favorite magazines. Her style is a mix of traditional and contemporary. She mixes textures and periods beautifully. She has a strong sense of scale and proportion, and always seems to pick just the right colors . . . I would welcome her into my castle, how about you?

Pet Peeve ~ Furniture Sets

I am sure all my friends and family have heard me say, "Matchy Matchy Poo Poo" before.
I just hate for there to be more than two pieces, of any furniture set, in the same room. For me two is fine, but put three in and it is way too much.

When everything is " Matchy Matchy Poo Poo," Your room is BORING!!!

It locks you into a look that you may soon tire of . . . it leaves out the element of surprise, that special piece that makes one stop, take notice and wonder . . .

And for me, it is even worst when the pieces are all leather. So take a few chances, if you have already fallen into this decorating trap, move the pieces into different rooms. Step out of the box and show more creativity in your castle.

Don't Walk, "RUN"

$2.99 at Big Lots . . . Yes, they are real.

Fresh, pixie size flowers for all my Valentines . . . I came out with my arm full of them. They are so cute. I just had to share before they all get gone.

Style Maker

As my Anniversary date came closer, I tried to think of something to give away, to thank all my readers for giving me just a bit of their time each week. I felt the "Jeanne d' Arc Living " magazine would be perfect because they are so hard to come by, at least they are, on this side of the mountain . . .

So after searching high and low, I finally got one off of "EBay". Imagine my surprise when so many of you were clueless to what it was! It is a beautiful magazine from Denmark, only distributed through Jeanne d' Arc retailers. It is 150 plus pages full of beautiful white kitchens, Swedish gardens and wonderful country recipes . Hard to come by and very much prized my us in the U.S.

But we do not need to search . . . all we have to do is go visit Chrissy at "The Apothacary Shop"!
http://theapothacaryshop.blogspot.com/ That's right, all these lovely images are "Chrissy's" She has all the style of the Jeanne d' Arc, and is right here in my computer!

Chrissy and her husband John have the most delightful Victorian home, full of rustic charm. Her husband makes a lot of the furniture and Chrissy adds the Swedish charm . . .

Lots of layering and lots of white, it is so wonderful to see how she can put it all together. Chrissy is a "Style Maker" and a friend. Go over and take a look.