What a beautiful foyer. Sure, it's got a lot going for it architecturally, lots of windows looking out to lush green and very open. But, it's also been expertly decorated with some gorgeous antiques and that blue door is a knock out. Not to mention that red bauble hanging from the ceiling...aqua and red are quite interesting together, tribal and refined all at the same time.
On February 13th, 2010, I became a mama to Beckett Lyons Moore. While I was pregnant, I designed a nursery for him (and me), which is finally complete, including baby! Here are pics of the space...
The design centers around a wall mural of lifelike birch trees. This went up like wallpaper and we got the help of a pro to hang. It has lots of black and white contrast, which Beckett loves to gaze at. We painted the other walls with Benjamin Moore's Decorator's White and used Eco-Spec which has low VOCs. The room has an airy and refreshing feel to it.
For the rocking chair, I used a vintage Eames style chair and ottoman, which I had recovered in soft chocolate brown leather.
The crib is Ikea's Gulliver in White. And, the bedding is a simple organic cream colored crib sheet. Since the mural is busy, wanted to keep all other elements really clean and simple.
A mobile of tiny deer cut from birch plywood dangles over the crib. Found this on Etsy.
An antique oak dresser stores Beckett's threads and doubles as a changing table. It adds a lot of warmth to the room. This happens to be the dresser that I grew up with...just removed the fancy carved mirror and updated the hardware.
The handles on the dresser are white stones which works with the nature feel of the room.
On the changing table is Sophie the giraffe who keeps Beckett happy while he's getting changed. We also purchased a washcloth warmer to use instead of wipes, which we love...the warmth is soothing to Beckett and it cuts down on the cost and waste of wipes! An oversized silk eye pillow is repurposed for a baby pillow. In the background you can see the window panels, which are white linen.
We just got this nifty and adorable Beck puzzle stool in the mail as a gift. The wool throw on Eames chair is vintage. And, the lamb plushy on the ottoman was a gift and made by Gund.
Beckett's lovies and books are kept in a basket woven from recycled paper.
And, here is my little sweetheart!
I discovered South African designer Laurie Owen over the weekend after reading a bit about her on Apartment Therapy. She has dubbed her style "Romantic Organic". Most of the pictures on her website are of resorts that she's designed, but she also does residential work. Check it out:
Harnas Lodge in Namibia:
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Agricultural Holdings Residence in South Africa:
Clifftop Limopopo in South Africa:
Little Kulala in Namibia:
Vumbura Lodge in Botswana:
So, I've attempted to deconstruct her work so we can all bring a little (or lot) of this "Romantic Organic" style to our homes. Here is what I'm seeing:
-Raw tree trunks, branches, twigs, stumps, roots, rocks, and stones for furnishings and decor
-Faux natural furnishings and accents (ex. stone shaped ottomans made of wool or metal & metallic tree trunk tables)
-Drippy strands of crystal, beads, coral, bone, silver
-Earthy browns {taupes, camels, ecrus}, atmospheric blues, pure whites, and touches of black
-Fluffy plush rugs and pillows
-Metallic accessories
-Boho ombre & tie dyed linens
-Textural concrete & mud-/plaster-like walls
-Floaty hanging chairs
-Reedy rattan and rope accents
-Organic shaped glass reminicent of water
-Natural fibers: cotton, silk, linen, wool
-Relaxed, loose, slipcovered furnishings
-Low profile beds and seating
For more on Laurie, check out her website.
My friend Melanie just had this precious little girl named Lily...
Melanie hinted that I do a post on nurseries and children's rooms. So, I've scoured the web to come up with these lovely pictures to inspire...
neutral can be nice...
but brights are really fun....
being part Polish, love the larger than life matryoshka nesting dolls...
i'm suprised they were able to pull this color off...
soft pastels are comforting....
stripes are good...
like these cozy modern sleeping compartments (and the mod bedding)...
paper lanterns will be nice for baby to look at...
glam is good too...
room for friends is most important...
Pictures culled from Desire To Inspire, Domino, Ohdeedoh, Dwell, Ouef, and probably a few others that I'm forgetting.
I found some beautiful wood pieces this weekend that have been lovingly restored. This table was made in Japan from American woods, but mysteriously also has a Hawaiian label on it. The lines are simple, but it has intricate inlay and a beautiful birds eye maple center square.
This delicate pattern is engraved along the outer edge of the table top...
And, I picked up this vintage modern Lane coffee table. The contrasting wood colors and shiny metal leg caps make it gleam....
Last night we watched the French movie Priceless starring Audrey Tatou, which was a fun, light-hearted flick with AMAZING styling (interiors + wardrobe). It was filmed in luxury hotels in Nice, Cote d'Azur, Biarritz, and Monte Carlo. The interiors were glitzy, yet sophisticated, with refreshing pops of vivid colors (red, aqua, and cobalt) on neutral backdrops, lots of patterns, and a mix of furniture styles. I took pictures of the movie on my TV, so the quality is not so good. I highly recommend you rent the movie if you like what you see here!
love this number.....
Yesterday I attended the High Point Furniture Market and I had a blast! It was so much fun seeing the latest and greatest designs on the market. Here were some of my favorite finds....
There have been some changes in my life over the past few months (new job) which have put a damper on my blogging. However, tonight, I have been too inspired by the work of Frank Roop to not blog about him. You could say that Frank Roop has broken my blogging drought. Let it rain Roop (I really love his last name too...so much fun to say!)...
Wow - I've never before seen a Le Corbusier chair that wasn't covered in leather. I am loving this fresh fabric look from I.D. Chicago. It's light, fluffy, and soft; reminiscent of a cloud. It also has a more relaxed and casual vibe than the popular boxy leather ones. This room is lovely in every way. That tribal rug, the earthy tones, those huge windows...swoon.
The April issue of Metropolitan Home arrived in my mailbox yesterday and it's their "Guide To Modern Green Design". I was surprised to read a blurb about what could be America's greenest hotel, the Proximity Hotel, which happens to be a stone's throw away from me in Greensboro, NC (talk about proximity). Metropolitan Home says "Proximity is striving for LEED Platinum status, which would make it America's greenest (indoor) spot to spend the night. More than 70 sustainable ideas are at work, including rooftop solar panels, an elevator that generates energy for ascent on the descent and the use of geothermal energy for restaurant refrigeration. From $199 per night."
I had no idea this environmentally conscious and stylish boutique hotel existed just an hour away from me. I will have to check it out in person sometime very soon. Until then, here are some lovely pictures to enjoy from their website...
