Madera Home

Are you looking for some gorgeous furniture with real character? One of my new obsessions is Madera Home. This collection of furniture is designed from reclaimed wood from the Qing Dynasty where their woodworkers follow traditional Chinese craftsmanship.

 www.maderahome.net

"Encompassing the timeless elegance of a time gone by; the simplistic lines and the natural wear of age.

Two hundred year old elm wood; reclaimed from old villages, gracefully worked into our own designs.

A collection that fits any room: traditional or contemporary. "

Color trends

A popular color combination that you'll be seeing is gray and brown. Gray is an elegant and timeless color, brown is natural and earthy. Together they create a soothing ambiance. 

Add white for a crisp look.

Use a shiny material, especially in a powder bath like this.

Use a dark color on the walls, you'll love it.

Use different shades of grays and brown and patterns to create  interest.

Chiasso

Do you love a modern, clean lined look? Chiasso is full of unique, statement pieces for your home. You can find everything from decorative accessories to lighting and even holiday decor.

This Annex Cube ottoman measures 6'5" x 5'5" and is $248. What a cool piece.

These Rolo Bookends are $48. They'd make a great gift.

Chiasso has great rugs. This Sprout Rug comes in a variety of sizes and starts at $298.

This unique Meadow Sculpture is $68.

 Check out the Chiasso website here. If you're a fan of modern design, its just for you!

Click here if you'd like to order their catalog. 

Color and Design Forecast

I recently attended a color and design forecast for 2011. It was very interesting and also inspiring! I thought I'd share a couple of the trends that were mentioned.

Flying Creatures - I've written about birds and owls being popular already but they're going to get even more popular. Basically any flying creature will be big. I like this trend, like I've said before....I'll be happy as long as monkeys don't come back.

Graffiti - I'm just starting to see this trend in stores. Basically the raw look of graffiti will be big in fabrics, art and more. This is fun and unique. I think it will be fun to add something like this to a more traditional room interior to add interest.

Vintage - Vintage is already a huge trend. It's great that people actually appreciate antiques. Just because its old doesn't mean it needs to be replaced. I love to think of the story behind some amazing pieces.

Now get creative and start thinking about some of these trends during your next home interior project.

I always recommend painting a room. It can make a huge change with minimal cost. Painting doesn't have to be a chore, make it fun! Get creative with color combinations or techniques. I love painting accent walls. It's an easy way to add a bold splash of color for someone not sure they want to commit to an entire room of it. Here are some fun accents of color. 

Want more of an impact?

It's not uncommon to see vertical stripes but check out these horizontal stripes! It really makes a bold statement.

If you have a decorative nook or space, go ahead add a touch of color to draw your eye there. Look at this ceiling, notice how much more dramatic it is with the accent of color? If it were white like the rest of the ceiling, you'd hardly notice it. 

Be brave and go for the color!

Fall Centerpieces

Need some inspiration for Fall centerpieces?

Get creative! Use varying sizes of pumpkins and gourds or just take a walk and bring home some gorgeous, colorful leaves.

Bedding and Accessories

Are you looking for some unique bedding and accessories? Want to find something no one else will have? Check out the Garnet Hill website. There are luxurious sheet sets, duvets, pillows, rugs and more. To shop the site, click here.

Storage

Almost everyone could use more storage space in their home. Furniture manufacturers are now producing many options for extra storage.

Here are some suggestions: 

Ottoman

These ottomans are easy to find and are perfect to add to a family room, den, bedroom or even children’s room. They are wonderful to store toys, dvd’s, throws and other items.

Storage Bench

Look for a storage bench like this for an entry area. It’s perfect for storing extra shoes and bookbags. These are also nice in a bedroom for storage for extra blankets and pillows. 

End Table

This end table opens for storage. It’s also perfect for a bedroom nightstand.

 Bed Storage

When looking for a bed, take a look at beds like these that have storage spaces built in. They're great for storing blankets and pillows and even extra clothing. 

Take advantage of the amazing sale at Arhaus! 

They have stunning furniture and accessories that you can't find anywhere else. Visit the store in Brentwood Saturday through Monday to take advantage of 20% to 60% off.

 I previously wrote about decorative birds, well another popular trend is owls. When you think of an owl, you think of the wise old owl. This link goes back as far a ancient Greece when Athena the goddess of wisdom had the owl as a symbol. 

The owl trend is fairly new and I expect to see them around throughout winter. You can find owls in everything from home decor to children's bedding. Here are some great pieces from Pier 1, Amazon.com and Etsy.com

Bathroom ideas

 It seems like a lot of people are working on their bathroom decor. I have pulled some images for inspiration. There are so many fun things to do with a bathroom.


This is such a soft purple color and the white looks great. I would add more greenery and a bit of an accent in another color though.

This is a fun bathroom, even the toilet seat is pink. This is probably only for single ladies though.

This is a bit more of what you'd see every day. The tile floor is great. Just a a big fluffy rug and some accessories and its done.

 I love the old bathtub in this. All the white looks great with the medium wood accents. It's a very natural look and something I'd do in my house.

Doesn't everyone want to sit by a roaring fire while they bathe! What a great look! 

Green is a great color. Just make sure there is plenty of light where you are applying make-up or the green cast could cause some problems. Also, check out the arched doorway to the shower.

This is a fun, modern bathroom. The grout color you choose for a tile floor can really create a fun accent!

Stairwell Gallery

Stairwells are a great place for a gallery wall. It's a fun place to add photos or artwork. Try black and white photos or play around with the sepia tones. If you're using color photos, I recommend matching or somewhat coordinating frames to tie everything together. If you have a larger stairwell its a great place to display fine artwork. Remember though, the art or photos need to be proportionate to your stairwell size. If the artwork is too large for the area, you won't be able to fully appreciate it and see the entire image.

Here are some great stairwell gallery walls.