If I have said it once, I have said it a thousand times.
Don't do too much with any space. Try not to clutter it.
Texture, primitive, "The Something to Talk About" has to included in my list of "Elements " for great design. Without these your room can easily become boring . You can have a nice room without them, but for a great room, try to include one of the three. It will make all the difference.
The huge stove hood in this kitchen gives it the "Something to Talk About". It makes the whole space. I bet everyone that comes in walks right over to it and starts to ask questions. These are the elements that make for great design.
Without the texture of the walls, that primitive coffee table and those fabulous French doors hiding the T.V. what would this room be . . .
No one that walks into this space will ever forget it.
This photo shows that it does not have to be a grand thing, sometimes leaving the worn , needs to be re-done . . . can be the very "Element" that makes the room dance . . .
I have a down -filled pillow at the end of our bed for one of my pooches. They also have two beds in the man cave , where they can lay in the sun. I love the texture of this doggy bed.
This adobe would be great for a dog that loves to be where the action is . . . out of the way, close to the door and my guess is, in the kitchen.
Doesn't get any sweeter than this, "Jackson", or his bed. I may get my son -in- law to make one of these. I once seen one made with a upside down table, so cute . . . I wish I had that photo to share.
This dog has his own "Man Cave", so fitting for the mud room and the dog matches the decor in color and breed. Loving his art . . .
This is where I found my other pooch this morning . . . she did this herself with no help. LOL Yes, she is always in our bed, sometimes we have them both . . . I would not have it any other way. I don't mind a bit if I smell like "puppy love".
Lisa Luby Ryan specializes in creating warm inviting spaces that reflect her client's own personalities. She will often add a variety of French, Italian and Swedish antiques to the rooms she creates.
Her work has been shown time and time again in blogs and print. Yet, she remains fresh and chic every time !
I could look at her rooms over and over, always finding something to make me smile.
Loving the breadboards used in her tablescape here . . . be sure to check out her website, http://www.lisalubyryan.com/ you will not be disappointed . . .
# 8 in my series of "Top Ten Design Elements" is the " Art" in the space. I just told a client this morning that , " Art is personal, and if she likes it and the scale is right, it works!" She sent me a photo of a picture she saw that she thought might work in the room we are currently working on. However, the scale was not right . . . Take a look at this photo. The scale of the painting is a bit small for the sofa, but the molding of the stairs makes this tricky. The solution was to pick art with strong, bold colors ! The colors in this piece adds to it's scale. That's why it works.
The art in this photos follows along with the feel of the space. Notice that the chair is also a "piece of art". The two work together beautifully.
Art can be fun and create the " Something to talk about", for the room. Children's drawing are great for this, plus it adds such a sense of pride for the child to see his or her drawing framed and on the wall.
Remember that anything can be used as art . We too often limit ourselves to mirrors and pictures . . . think outside the box from time to time.
